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August 21st is the SCANDAL's 17th anniversary! Tell us your memories of you and SCANDAL!

Season 2, Episode 21 blog

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HARUNA: This episode is out on August 21st, SCANDAL's 17th anniversary!

TOMOMI: Thank you very much!

MAMI: Thank you very much!

HARUNA: And it's episode 21 [of season 2]!

MAMI: That's crazy it's also 21.

TOMOMI: Episode 21 on the 21st.

HARUNA: Since this will be out on our anniversary, we asked for your memories with SCANDAL in advance and received many messages! Thank you so much. Let's get right to reading some.

Shirokuma

Good evening, SCANDAL. I found out about SCANDAL via "Catch up." I found this program by chance on Audee, and at first I just thought it was a great deal to be able to listen to music on Audee. Before I knew it I had listened to all the past episodes. Listening to the weekly updates on Tuesday during my commute has become customary for me, and it's become an indispensable part of my life. I'd be happy if I could continue to listen to "Catch up" broadcasts.

Congratulations on your 17th anniversary.

TOMOMI: Thank youー!

HARUNA: Ah, that makes me happyー!

MAMI: That's awesome!

TOMOMI: So finding out about this was is possible.

HARUNA: I wonder if they originally knew about SCANDAL?

TOMOMI: I wonder.

MAMI: I wonder.

HARUNA: We're grateful.

MAMI: It makes us happy.

TOMOMI: I'm glad we're doing this program.

HARUNA: Yeah. Please keep listening to it.

Kacchi
Hello, SCANDAL. This is the first time I'm sending in a message.

I first heard about SCANDAL three years ago when I saw the music video for "Tonight" and was shocked at how cool HARUNA danced.

A little time has passed since then, and the unlimited UTOPIA Yokohama and Tokyo performances this spring were my first time seeing you guys. The first festival I saw you at was GOOOOOON!. Both were a lot of fun and really exciting.

HARUNA: Eh, they found out about us from "Tonight"?

TOMOMI: It was "Tonight"?

HARUNA: Eh, I wonder how they found their way to "Tonight"... I wonder if it just happened to come up as a recommendation.

TOMOMI: That's gotta be it, right? They said it was how they found out about us, so it must have come up in connection with something. What do you think comes up as "related videos" now? What do you think it is?

HARUNA: I wonder?

MAMI: By "related," do you mean that if you subscribe to a channel, [videos of us] will come up?

TOMOMI: Or, bands you often search for or watch.

HARUNA: But that means it's based on your own algorithm, right?

TOMOMI: Videos for [the band] Porno Graffitti [would come up in relation to us], but I wonder what they are now?

HARUNA: In a previous episode when TOMO was abset, I talked about the international student we met on a plane to Brazil...

TOMOMI: Yeah.

HARUNA: She said she liked go!go!vanillas...

TOMOMI: Yeah, she said that. She liked Glim Spanky and such.

HARUNA: So that girl didn't know about SCANDAL. So, we're not likely part of the related videos.

TOMOMI: Yes. She was like, "Is SCANDAL the band that sings 'Haーteーshiーnaーiー'?" (in reference to SPEED's "White Love" song)

HARUNA: That did happen!

Billboard Japan - ＜Us and Music Vol.24＞ SCANDAL - Living true to ourselves is the axis of the band

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Since 2007, Billboard has hosted "Billboard Women in Music (WIM)." Each year, the Woman of the Year award is presented to an artist who has made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through her work. Starting in 2022, Billboard JAPAN launched a project featuring "women in the music industry" from a unique perspective, and as part of the project, it has been developing a series of interviews focusing on women: "Us and Music."

The guests this time are the four members of SCANDAL, who will be performing at 【Billboard JAPAN Women In Music vol.1】 on November 3 at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. This year, on the band's 17th anniversary, they are also challenging the Guinness World Record for "Longest running rock band with the same musicians (female)." From their current state of mind, you can sense the importance of facing oneself, regardless of whether one is involved in a band or in music, and the core strength that comes from doing so.

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We're proud of being an all-girl band

──You will be performing at 【Billboard JAPAN Women In Music vol.1】 on November 3 at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. Please let us know how you feel about the offer.

HARUNA: This year is a very important year for us, which includes our 17th anniversary and us going for a Guinness World Record, and being invited to this wonderful event makes us happy, first of all. Because we've always been a band that values being women, we think that this event is perfect for us.

RINA: We'll be working out the details of our performance later on, but I hope we can present our current selves as is, including our new song that will be released in October. Also, like HARUNA said, the concept of the event is linked to what we feel, so we want to make it a performance with a message while enjoying the music.



──I'm very much looking forward to your performance at the concert now. You mentioned that you value being women. Specifically, how has being women affected SCANDAL's activities?

RINA: In our case, especially at one point about 10 years ago, people often said to us, "You guys transcend the realm of all-girl bands," or, "You're not an all-girl band—you're a full-fledged rock band." I think those were said as compliments, but we felt really uncomfortable with them at the time. When we confronted that feeling, we realized that we really like this genre of music, without any sense that being an all-girl band made us superior or inferior. We had a positive view of being an all-girl band, so when we were told that we had "surpassed being an all-girl band," we couldn't take it as a compliment.

TOMOMI: It was around that time that we began to think that it'd be nice if everyone could enjoy the music of a band, made by women, in a more flat way.

We have been living our lives in our own way - As a result, we have found a way to express ourselves as an all-girl band

──Until I met you all, I thought that there was no need to call you an "all-girl" band, or that you might be uncomfortable with the idea of being called an all-girl band. So when I heard that you like and are proud of the "all-girl band" genre, I realized how faulty my thinking was. What do you like about [being an all-girl band]?

TOMOMI: We had a chance to play concerts overseas during our indie label days, and at that time the four of us wore matching school uniforms. Because of that style, I think that the local people saw all-girl bands as a part of Japanese culture, like anime and manga. When we were interviewed in the US, we were asked, "With the four of you being women, why didn't you form a dance group instead?" I think the reason why that was said to us was because EDM was popular at the time, and all-girl bands must have been rare in the US then. We felt fresh and positive about being categorized as such.

RINA: Band booms come and go from time to time, and it depends on the country. I also think that in the midst of these waves, we have been able to keep the door open for 17 years to girls who want to play an instrument or be in a band. Including that point, our identity as an all-girl band is something we've always been proud of.

MAMI: For us, being an all-girl band is more about living in our own way, rather than liking the all-girl band genre and doing it for its own sake. A band was the best way for us to convey via songs the messages we experience in our everyday lives.

──I heard that you met at a music school where you studied vocals and dance, and that the instructors arranged for you to start playing instruments and form a band. At that time, I think there were fewer female-only bands than there are now. How did you feel at the beginning?

RINA: We felt challenged to start playing instruments we had never played before, and we also felt the technical difficulties. However, there was also the joy of being able to do things that the other students hadn't done, and the pleasure of gradually becoming able to do things we hadn't been able to do before. We were the first all-girl band at the music school we attended, so there was that special feeling as well.

HARUNA: I always liked music and wanted to go to that school and stand on stage with singing and dancing, but I didn't have much luck there. I was a senior in high school at the time and was wondering whether I would go on to college without fulfilling my dream, or whether I should start looking for a job. I felt that I did not want to miss this chance. I might have felt discouraged if I was on my own, but because I had three others with me, I was able to continue to have fun and things felt fresh every day.



──In the first place, I wonder why are there so few women in bands compared to men.

RINA: A band can't be formed by just one person, after all. So when a band consists of only women, there comes a time when each of their life stages change, such as having a child. Even if they don't have any, their bodies themselves change in their 20s and 30s, so I think they run into the problem of physical and time difficulties even if they have the energy. In this sense, the hurdle may be higher for women than for men.

TOMOMI: That's right. If you give birth at different times, you'll have to pause your activities for years. That's why I respect artists who continue to play music while raising children. I think it's a difficult task.

HARUNA: Considering that, in our case, maybe we were lucky that we formed early. Because we started our activities early on, we can reach a point in our life stages where we've continued on to a certain extent and are ready to change.

RINA: In that way, there was a time when we had the same worries as women who work at companies about balancing our careers and personal lives. The way we make music has changed as a result of us wondering how we can live happy and enjoyable lives.

HARUNA: Yeah. There was a time when we made a lot of up-tempo, flashy songs that would get people excited at festivals and concerts, but we began to think, "Is that enough?"

MAMI: Facing our own lives and future as women had an impact on our production. I think that was a very good thing.



──Do the four of you ever talk about or share such changes in mind?

MAMI: We don't have the chance to regularly do so, but we often have the opportunity, such as during interviews like this right now, to confirm each of our opinions and think, "That's right." Also, things like that naturally come up when we write songs. I think our shared view has always been, "We just want to have fun for a long time and keep the band healthy and honest, both physically and mentally."

TOMOMI: With that shared view, I feel that we are able to share in our daily conversations the desire to update and renew ourselves each time.

Important things to keep us going for a long time

──Little by little, I've begun to see how difficult it was to keep going for 17 years. How has SCANDAL been able to continue for so long? What's your secret?

MAMI: I often write lyrics and music, but when I'm stuck, I talk to the other members and they give me hints to make up for the missing elements. It does feel like each member makes up for what each of us lacks.

TOMOMI: It may be that the teacher who first approached the four of us had a discerning eye. We fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle, enough to wonder, "How did they know we'd work together so well?"

HARUNA: Also, the four of us didn't give up on playing instruments at the end, so we're still competitive and have plenty of guts (laughs). Maybe that's what the teacher saw in us.

RINA: That's true (laughs). After 17 years, our arrows are still pointing in the same direction. We spent a long time worrying about our direction. We've really tried a lot of different things, not only in regards to music and performances, but also in terms of outfits. Oddly enough, in those situations we all agree as to what will or will not make things more exciting.

TOMOMI: There was a long period of time when we had trouble finding our direction, but we got out of it before we knew it as we tried different things. I think we were probably struggling to become something we weren't. We wanted to fit into some box, but I guess it became easier once we stopped doing that.

RINA: Also, our motto is "Tell it until it gets across." It doesn't matter if it's rough or uncool—just convey everything on stage. Once we got into that mindset, we were able to escape that struggle.

HARUNA: We've also learned that there are some things that can only be conveyed by continuing on. That's why the music we express is changing more and more. What we can only do now is valuable, but in order to continue for a long time, we want to play music that we can continue to feel comfortable playing even in our 50s.



──What exactly do you think "long-lasting music" means?

RINA: The BPM, tone, and then the lyrics. There is a line for what is okay or not for us now.

HARUNA: We want to use the words of our own lives as lyrics, not just the band's mentality. I think the depth of the band's personality comes not only from what is visible on the surface, but also from the words that come out of our daily lives and our inner selves.

RINA: Having been at this for so long, we felt the importance of taking a pause once, which happened during the pandemic. At that time, we thought that any way of life could be music. Perhaps it's due to being a band since we were young that it's difficult for people to recognize us as adult women. Everyone remembers the first time they see something, right? That is why we are determined to express who we are right now in our words and music. By being like that, I feel that we'll be able to enjoy our band life more in the future.

https://www.billboard-japan.com/special/detail/4070

#front-page

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【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 20

•The episode starts with this.

•HARU then reads that the band will be trying out kendama tricks that staffer Kawai has chosen, and those who do it well receive a point. The person who has the most points at the end wins. The first trick is "tomeken" (spike/pull up in). They watch a video of someone doing the trick and seem impressed. MAMI and HARU comment on how the person was able to do it in one go. TOMO says that it seems that the knees are essential for this trick. HARU asks if they only have one chance to do it. Ono says "Of course." HARU says that it's odd to start this off from the tomeken trick. Ono says that you never know what could happen. TOMO says that starting off with "ozara" (getting the ball into the large cup) would be better instead.

•The band does rock-paper-scissors to determine the order. TOMO loses first, then HARU, which makes MAMI the winner and first up. MAMI goes and is not able to do it. They all laugh and HARU says that you could probably tell from the sound that she wasn't able to do it. HARU goes next and is also not able to do it. TOMO says that that was close. TOMO goes last and is also not able to do it. They laugh and TOMO says that of course the results would be like that. MAMI says that they've only just begun. HARU says that it's possible that someone will be good at the next one. TOMO agrees.

•HARU reads that the next trick is "Nihon isshu" (Around Japan). They wonder what kind of trick it is, and guess that it has to do with moving the ball around the entire stick. They watch a video about it and say that that's different from what they guessed. TOMO laughs and says that it involves the tomeken trick, so this trick would be impossible for them to do. The trick first starts off with "kozara" (small cup). MAMI goes first but is unsure how to make the ball go upwards well. She tries it but apparently fails. HARU does some fake crying sounds and says that MAMI wasn't able to do the kozara trick. HARU goes next and also fails. TOMO asks if she'll get a point if she can do the kozara trick. The staff says that they'll give her 0.1 point. TOMO says that that's better than zero. TOMO tries it and also fails. HARU says that was close. TOMO says that she didn't cushion her knees enough.

•The next trick is "toudai" (lighthouse). They wonder what kind of trick it is. They watch a video of it and then all go, "Ehh??!" MAMI says that that seems impossible for them to do. HARU wonders how you even do the trick. Ono says that it seems like a trick they'd be able to do. They watch the video again and MAMI says there's something odd about the trick and that she doesn't understand it. They still keep saying that they can't do it. MAMI goes first and keeps saying "How do I even do this??", which makes the others laugh. She tries and fails. HARU goes next and also fails. HARU goes, "This is definitely impossible for us to do!" Ono says that all of them have been close to successfully doing the tricks. HARU skeptically goes, "Close??" TOMO goes next but there's a long pause. The others laugh at this. TOMO finally tries and fails as well. TOMO says this is impossible for them to do. Ono again says that they were all for sure close.

•The next trick is "uguisu" (bird). They watch a video of it and go, "Eh, where does the ball go?" and then they all go, "Nope, nope, nope!" while Ono laughs. HARU says that this trick is also impossible to do. MAMI goes first. HARU and TOMO go, "...aah..." Ono goes, "That was so close!" MAMI goes, "What even was that just now??" TOMO goes, "Didn't it touch?" Ono thinks so and plays the 'success' trumpet sound. HARU goes, "Ah, he's giving a point to you!" HARU goes next. They all go, "...aah..." again. TOMO says that she thinks it touched. HARU says that she doesn't think so, but then they discuss it a little more and she does say that it did touch. The 'success' sound is played. MAMI goes, "He's just giving you 0.1 points, though!" Ono says that that was a good try, though, and HARU thanks him. TOMO goes, "It's fine if it just makes a sound, right?" The others chuckle. TOMO goes next and all of them immediately go, "That was close!" The 'success' sound is played and TOMO is also given 0.1 points. HARU says that all of them were given 0.1 points each.

•The next trick is also the last one: "tsubame gaeshi" (orbit). They watch a video of it and don't seem to be too intimidated by it/seem like they could attempt it. They take a bit to understand exactly what to do before attempting it. MAMI goes first, tries it, and everyone immediately goes, "Ahh!!" and laughs while the 'fail' sound is played. Before HARU goes, she goes over what to do and then tries it out. She gets the first step done, then reviews what to do next, but ultimately fails on the second step. They all laugh. TOMO goes next and also gets the first step done. They go "Ahh!!" again and clap. She fails on the second step as well, though. HARU says that TOMO closest to succeeding, though. Point-wise, it seems that HARU might have done better since they say that she's the winner. MAMI and TOMO congratulate her while she says thanks.

•HARU then says if it's okay if both of them are the winners. Ono decides that they should try out the "chuuzara" (center cup) trick to decide the one winner. They both try it at the same time but both fail. Ono says to try doing it until one of them is able to do it. They try again and MAMI goes, "No, this is impossible!" and laughs. They then do an official second round and both fail again. HARU goes, "This is hard to do!" They go again and TOMO goes, "Ahhh!" as she succeeds. They then announce her as the official winner. Ono pretends as if he's interviewing her on TV and asks her how she's currently feeling. TOMO says, "I hope I was able to show everything I have practiced so far. Thank you so much to everyone who supported me!" Ono says something else about her being ＃1 in SCANDAL and something that's inaudible. TOMO answers, "I hope to continue to push my kendama further in the future." Ono says to lastly say something to the fans. TOMO says, "I won at the end with chuuzara! Thank you!"

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here.

I've updated the guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

How to perceive sadness
Theme：RINA

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This was an odd, special week.
There was a sense of accomplishment and exhaustion
As the day we'd been striving for passed by,
And we went right back to working like normal
With a different kind of afterglow.
Interviews, photo shoots, music video shoots, radio recordings--
The four of us are going about our daily lives
Just like usual︎



We want to be sure to walk well beyond the finish line
Even after we've cut the tape
In a sense.
So that we can extend our lifespan.
But we are no longer bound by time or distance,
And we are more free than ever before.
We wanted to release this new song right away
That seems to have been written by our history.



Always been a little lonely,
A little frustrated, a little down,
A little hurt.
Such an unrewarding reality
Is absolutely ridiculous.
There are many times one thinks so.
But, we sing that those days
Are the highlights of one's life,
And we hope that you can live through your own drama series
In good times and not so good times.
If you can perceive
Emotions, joys, and sorrows in that way,
You will be able to protect yourself
And realize that one day
You have a life that is uniquely your own,
Unlike anything else.



There have been and will continue to be
Many feelings that come down
To everyone and us too in the same way.
Even if just barely, while struggling,
Let's live.


https://open.spotify.com/track/4Jq9ojuiZDuhtzODpE26Vw


We will continue
To stand on stage.


RINA

2023-08-26 01:13:39

Spoiler:

"Highlight no Naka de Bokura Zutto" Single Lyrics

Kana:

Kana:

The day we became the best in the world
Theme：RINA

2023.08.21
The band's 17th anniversary.
We waited for this day,
And we confirmed the record for
Longest-running rock band with the same musicians (female).

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This night was one
That we had been running toward for sometime
And finally arrived at it.
It kind of felt like
"We really have been at this for a while, huh."



The four of us have gone through so many different days together
That even I can't remember them all.
Lately, I'll unexpectedly feel
How crazy it is that all the changes I've made as a person since I was a teenager
Have remained in our music.



Continuing on
Is similar to just living life,
And I haven't had many opportunities
To appreciate it once more,
But the days we've spent believing
And being able to push through longer than anyone else
Have resulted in a tangible result.



I had no idea what words
Would come out of my mouth
When I got on stage,



But while listening to what the members said,
I felt that each one of them
Had really put their lives into the band,
And that they had done a great job.



We are always supported by our fans and staff
Who understand and support
Our personalities and feelings. Thank you.



I felt really proud that rather than winning over someone else,
We were able to become number one through the time spent together by the four of us and everyone else.



I'm sure that many things will happen in the future,
But I hope that we can keep our hearts burning
And move forward as we keep being honest with ourselves.



We don't know how things will be from here on out--
It's too unknown and feels odd!



I hope we can create
Interesting stories together again



I hope that our concerts, music, and presence from here on out
Will continue to reach all kinds of people! *Here's hoping



It would make me happy
If you could freely enjoy our 18th year of activities.
Let's do a lot of exciting things!



We're setting a world record every day from today on!
Thank you! Love you all!



RINA

2023-08-22 03:25:19

Spoiler:

Holding "Kendama SCANDAL Cup"! Who is the winner!?

Season 2, Episode 20 blog

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HARUNA: We will be holding a competition this time!

TOMOMI: A competition??

HARUNA: (*Sudden change of tone, serious narration)
"Traditional games have given birth to god-level skills,
And now, on the world stage, a fierce battle is being waged...
A hero that'll save the world may be born here!
Tonight's tournament begins! The Kendama SCANDAL Cup!!"

TOMOMI: Yayー!

MAMI: ...!?

TOMOMI: SCANDAL is all about kendama!

HARUNA: We are??

MAMI: Is that right??

TOMOMI: That's right! We've played kendama"...... several times, haven't we?

HARUNA: ...that's about it. Why "kendama"?
Because our song "Masterpiece" was chosen as the supporting song for the "Kendama World Cup 2023" held in Hiroshima at the end of July.

TOMOMI: Thank you very much.

HARUNA: And they even gave us "My Kendama" as a gift.

TOMOMI: It had our names engraved on them.

HARUNA: Of course I played with it, but I was terrible at it.

TOMOMI: They also breaking Guinness World Records during this world cup.

MAMI: That's right.

TOMOMI: How did it go?

(Staff: Two Guinness records were set!)

HARUNA: What techniques??

(Staff: "Tomeken" and "Airplane")

TOMOMI: Ohー!

(Staff: "According to the article introduced, the competition broke two Guinness records and completed the best masterpiece...")

HARUNA: Ohー! Congratulations!

TOMOMI: I'm so happy.

HARUNA: So, we, too, are going to have a fierce battle under the name of "Kendama SCANDAL Cup." First, we'll each be asked, "How well can you play kendama?" Let's reveal our level of skill in an exhibition-like manner.

MAMI: There are kendama ready for us in the studio. But let me just say that I don't think I can do it at all?

HARUNA: I can't do it at all, either. It's a low-level battle, but I hope it's okay...

(*Each participant chooses a kendama)

MAMI: I'll choose yellow.

TOMOMI: I'll choose orange.

HARUNA: I'll choose light blue.

(Staff: "Please show us your best moves.")

MAMI: Best move...? I think it's the so-called "tomeken"...

HARUNA: I can only say that I've done that before.

MAMI: You have to do it standing up.

(*All standing up. Each are trying various things)

HARUNA: Ahー, no good...

TOMOMI: I can't do it...

MAMI: Well, this is about what I'd expect...

HARUNA: I think MAMI's the best.

MAMI: What do you mean, the best...

TOMOMI: Form-wise, you're the most professional.

MAMI: Oh, really??

HARUNA: At any rate, I can't do it.

MAMI: Yeah. It's not easy to do.

TOMOMI: I can't do it. Oh, but when we were filming the comment video for the Kendama World Cup, I don't know what it was, but we were able to do that move? The version where you hold the ball.

HARUNA: Oh, yeah, we were able to do that.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 19

•The episode starts with this. Continuing where they left off, RINA says that to be honest, they had already turned down the Anime Friends offer once, and told the band's company + office that they thought it would be better to take a period of time to save their energy. But even after they turned down the offer, the convention really wanted them to appear, especially since it was the 20th anniversary of the event this year, and the band felt that they needed to accept the offer. Their desire to do what they could prevailed and thus they decided to attend and were really glad they did so.

•Ono then says something inaudible, and RINA says that there was only a max number of 100 tickets [for the M&G on day 1]. HARU says that the fans were so enthusiastic that they went over the scheduled time. RINA talks about the interviews they did and says that she was impressed the interviewers did a lot of research. There were more questions about the band than ones related to anime. They also knew it's their 17th anniversary this year and asked a lot of music-related questions such as what they think is important when writing songs.

•HARU says that on day 2 they started rehearsing early in the morning for the concert. RINA says that the stage was huge and the venue could fit about 10,000 people. They couldn't believe that so many people would show up. She says the rehearsals went well, and after that they had another M&G. HARU says that there were about 200 people this time. After that it was time for them to play their concert. RINA says that they were all ready to go, but the band before them went over by about an hour. MAMI says that that band had gotten so excited that what was supposed to be a one-hour slot turned into a two-hour one. HARU says that it was apparently a local band. MAMI says they couldn't figure out how that band went over by an hour. 15 minutes would be understandable, but an hour is crazy. HARU says that maybe they talked too much. RINA says that SCANDAL just had to be like, "Well, it can't be helped; we'll just do what we can when it's go time."

•When they first went on stage finally, they were really impressed and shocked. MAMI says that she was really moved to know that so many people had been waiting for SCANDAL on the opposite side of the earth, and that she was really glad they went to Brazil. She says that if she wasn't in SCANDAL, she wouldn't have been able to see that view. She was grateful for everything. HARU says that it was like they were able to affirm themselves. RINA says that there have been a lot of times when they've felt saved by that passion. She also mentions how by appearing at this event meant that they weren't able to play at any festivals in Japan which were going on at the same time, which is why they had no choice but to focus on this one event. But they felt like it was the right choice them to make and that they did the right thing.

•HARU says that there were many happenings on stage, including something that had never happened to them before. MAMI says that it was a mess. RINA says that she was terrified. The first song they played was "Line of sight," and at the end of it RINA's in-ear monitors started to make a buzzing noise. She called her roadie over to tell him, and he found out that the mixer coming back to her was no longer receiving power and so they had to turn it off once. Meanwhile she was already playing a song that had a lot of bouncing back and forth. She was wondering why it had to happen during a song like that rather than a simpler one. The noise started happening again, this time cutting off the sound completely, and her in-ears became completely useless. They decided that the only way to play would be to make eye contact with each other while playing, and that's how the rest of the show went on. RINA says that she closed out a song as if going into an MC when there wasn't supposed to be, and the other three realized that something was wrong. MAMI says that she had noticed RINA lost the sequence in the middle of the song, so they all stopped after the second song and tried to figure out where the timing was. HARU says that since they were already on stage, they didn't want the audience to know that something was happening, but they wanted to hear RINA's decision. They all gathered by the drums to talk about the situation and whether or not they could continue the show like that. RINA thought as she played that she might not be able to do it but decided to just go for it and they managed to play their entire set. They say that this made them realize that this was only possible because they've been together for so long.

•HARU also mentions that she and their interpreter decided what words in Brazilian Portuguese to say during the MCs and then practiced what they picked out. She says that in the past she would have been scared to say it after a happening such as the one that just happened to them, but she was just like, "I think I can totally do this." RINA says that they were all panicking but also remained really calm. After their set, RINA's roadie came into their dressing room and shook her hand, saying that she did a great job. RINA says that she's never been told that before. She says it was great that everyone worked together and somehow managed to make the show as good as it could be. HARU says that the roadie posted an Instagram Story about it on the way back to Japan and it made her tear up a bit. RINA says that going to Brazil gave them a new sense of confidence and accomplishment, and gave them a lot of strength. HARU says that the SCANDAL community is amazing and wishes that the Japanese fans would be more proud of it, and that they have comrades all over the world. RINA says that that's why they want to remain as a band that can make their fans feel self-confident and love themselves.

•HARU then reads two messages regarding Brazil. The first one is from someone who attended the con and thanks them for coming, and also asks them if they had a favorite Brazilian food or drink while they were there. The second one is from a fan in Japan who has a SCANDAL fan friend in Brazil who attended the con. They basically say that they've had a lot of fun talking about SCANDAL via social media the past 2 years they've known each other, that they translated their friend's letter to SCANDAL, and that they could tell how excited the friend was to finally see SCANDAL. HARU says that she felt like tearing up while reading that message. To answer the first listener's question, MAMI says that they had gone to eat churrasco twice at the same place. RINA says that they couldn't get enough of it. HARU says they also got to walk around a bit and do some shopping. They say again that they were really glad they went. HARU says that they're focusing on their next event, which is their anniversary one, and says that it's really encouraging to know that they have so many fans around the world, and that they're really proud to be able to go for the "sekai ichi" title.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

"Maybe it's too early for us to go to Brazil..." - SCANDAL's true feelings that they can only talk about now.

Season 2, Episode 19 blog

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HARUNA: During the last episode we had planned to talk about our first concert in Brazil via SCANDAL's "Brazilian Mix" segment, but we ended up only talking about the flight to Brazil...

RINA: As expected, we wanted to arrive in Brazil.

HARUNA: Yeah, we had talked about what happened before we arrived in Brazil.

RINA: Our convo is still taking place in Dubai.

HARUNA: The previous one was really exciting, so we'll be bringing you SCANDAL's "Brazilian Mix" for this episode as well!

RINA: Let's get through the entire trip this time. Let's pack it in.

HARUNA: Let's start from when we arrived in Brazil!

RINA: Yeah, let's do that. So, we arrived. It was like we passed out that day.

HARUNA: We arrived at night.

MAMI: And it was really cold.

HARUNA: It was so cold!

RINA: It's the middle of winter there, after all.

HARUNA: Oh yeah, the seasons are reversed.

MAMI: I was so exhausted from traveling that it was like I was sleeping without knowing it.

RINA: The next day we had an M&G with the fans and interviews.

HARUNA: The "Anime Friends" festival itself had already started, and we joined it right away.

RINA: The M&G was really short, but the fans' feelings were overflowing. Some of them cried, others tried their best to speak in Japanese, some of them told their feelings to the interpreters, and sometimes the interpreters cried, too...

HARUNA: I want to talk about Minoru!

MAMI: Keep the Minoru story short!

(Staff: "Minoru"? We'll talk about that another time...!)

RINA: Minoru started crying hard. They were like, "I'm cryingー!" And we all ended up crying together... It was a whole thing. But it was a happy time.

HARUNA: Many people waited a definite number of years, like some said, "I waited 12 years", and they got to know us through the anime "Bleach." They wanted to go to Japan themselves and see SCANDAL, but SCANDAL came to Brazil before that. That's why they were really happy.

RINA: Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces and hearing what they said made me really glad that we went.

HARUNA: To be honest, after touring the US and Europe last year, there were times when I got a little nervous, like when we had COVID during the US tour.

RINA: Yeah, in regards to going overseas. We talked at length about how we could continue our activities overseas while protecting our bodies and minds.

HARUNA: We thought a lot about whether it was too early to go overseas again, and wondered if it would hurt the people who were waiting for us to come back. So when we heard about Brazil, we thought carefully about it.

RINA: We did.

HARUNA: But I'm definitely glad we went.

RINA: Yeah, same.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 18

•The episode starts with them saying that TOMO is absent today due to feeling under the weather, then trying some Bulgaria Yogurt ice cream/frozen yogurt, and then this happens. They talk a little more about the person in between RINA and MAMI and say they seemed to be part of this big tour group and even had on a shirt that said "samurai" on it.

•HARU then talks about the person in between her and TOMO, who was a Japanese girl. She says that while she didn't really talk to her, TOMO talked to her a lot and they found out she was a college student on her way to go study abroad in England by way of Dubai. She asked them if they were going to Dubai for work. TOMO said yes and the convo started expanding more and said that she was in a band. The girl said that she likes rock bands and often goes to festivals and such. They then wondered if she may know of SCANDAL. They asked her what bands she likes. She said she likes go!go!vanillas and Tempalay. She asked what the name of their band was, and when they told her, she was like, "Ah...I might have heard of you guys before." MAMI goes, "She didn't know of us!" RINA says that she might have recalled who they were if she dug a little deeper, going from go!go!vanillas to SCANDAL. The girl asked what bands they're friends with. They said they've played festivals with GGV before. They also said how they've played a joint-band show with Hump Back before, and the girl had apparently really liked HB's collab with GGV. HARU goes, "I can't believe she did know of SCANDAL!" The others laugh and RINA goes, "How can she know all that and not know of SCANDAL at all??" HARU says she thought that they need to keep working hard.

•Ono says they've been talking quite a bit (said at the 18:30 mark of the episode). HARU laughs and says that they still haven't reached Brazil at this point, though, and this convo so far has only been up until they reached Dubai. The others laugh at this as well. Ono says that's all the time they have for this week's episode. HARU says that they'll continue this convo on next week's episode as well. Ono says they'll only get to talk about Brazil for only like 2 minutes at this point, which the band laughs hard at this. MAMI says that there's still the return trip to talk about as well. Ono says again that they have 2 minutes to talk about Brazil during this episode. MAMI says that a lot of incidents happened during the concert. RINA says that they had finally reached Brazil, and MAMI goes, "We've reached it now [at this point in the convo]?", since, again, they had only gotten to talk about the plane trip to Dubai so far. HARU asks if is okay to talk about the rest next week. Ono seems a little done at this point lol but the band keeps laughing about how long they've talked about only the first leg of the journey so far. MAMI says that the journey did take 30 hours after all and a lot of things happened, so talking about it for only 20-30 minutes isn't enough to cover it. They say to look forward to next week's episode to hear more.

•They then close out the episode. HARU says while laughing that they had a lot more to say today that they thought they would, and again says to look forward to next week's episode for the rest of their convo about Brazil.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

A look back on their first concert in Brazil! What unusual incident occurred during the 30-hour plane ride?

Season 2, Episode 18 blog

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HARUNA: Where did we go in July...

RINA: Brazil!

HARUNA: So we will be bringing you SCANDAL's "Brazilian Mix"!
We went to Brazil to play a concert there for the first time and returned home safely the other day!
We will talk about our impressions of Brazil and our thoughts on the "Anime Friends" Japan culture festival,
I will talk about my impressions of Brazil, my impressions of the Japan Culture Festival called "Anime Friends," and other such topics, "mixed" by each of us. It's okay if we just talk about things in a casual manner, right?

(Staff: Of course!)

RINA: Brazil, first of all, was tough to get to. I thought it was an amazing experience.

HARUNA: We've been going overseas since before our major debut and have performed in many places, but this was our longest plane ride ever.

RINA: 30 hours each way. That's how long we were on the planeIt was like, "How many hours did it take me to get from my house to the hotel in Brazil!? It's like my sense of time was bugged. We were on the move all the time.

HARUNA: It took like two days.

RINA: That was our first time experiencing that.

HARUNA: This time we went to Brazil via Dubai, and from Japan to Dubai was 10 hours. The transit time in Dubai was 4-5 hours. And from Dubai to Sao Paulo was about 15 hours. A total of 30 hours!

RINA: That's the time it takes to get to Europe and back, even though it's one way. We had plenty of time to get to Dubai, though.

HARUNA: Yeah, that was a time that we experienced.

RINA: I was looking forward to the rest of the day, but the last 10 hours or so made me go like, "Huh, this is not how it usually is."

HARUNA: I started to lose track of when to go to bed. No matter how many times I went to bed, it never changed...

MAMI: You think you've slept a lot, but when you wake up, it's only been an hour...

RINA: Yeah. And then they serve so much in-flight food.

MAMI: Yeah.

RINA: I knew it was going to be a long flight, so I made sure to bring some in-flight countermeasures.

HARUNA: I thought I'd be used to it by now.

RINA: I prepared my back by buying a neck pillow and a cushion for the seat, and it helped.

MAMI: I'm glad I bought a seat cushion. It protected me a lot.

RINA: Also, the band members were sitting on the window and aisle sides, leaving the middle seat open. The other person would sit in the middle, and there would be three of in a row. Depending on the disposition of the guest in the middle seat, the damage taken would be different...  The person who sat between MAMI and me was very intense.

MAMI: They were intense.

HARUNA: They even went to Sao Paulo.

RINA: They were an energetic student, and in back of them was their friend. They kept looking back like crazy while playing a game, but halfway through I started to think, "They should be a little quieter..." Everything about them was intense.

MAMI: Even when they turned around, they'd be intense!

RINA: It was cute, though.

MAMI: They were so young. Maybe a high schooler?

RINA: They were holding a stuffed animal the whole time.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 17

•The episode starts with this. TOMO then guesses 101 (*bzzt). HARU starts saying 300 before going, "We're off by a lot??" TOMO then guesses 1,800 (*bzzt), then 18,000, which is correct. HARU asks if it's exactly 18,000. Ono says that it's approximate. The others wonder how TOMO was able to guess the 8 part of the number correctly. TOMO goes, "That's because I'm awesome." RINA says that she's embarrassed she guessed a lower number like 151, and says that number's a Pokemon number. The others laugh at that. TOMO says that there are people who travel around the entirety of Japan, but it would be really difficult and time-consuming to do that in Indonesia/you wouldn't be able to go to all of them.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener from Hong Kong who attended a few shows of the UU tour and also attended some of the Line of sight signings. The next quiz is then about Hong Kong: "SCANDAL performed in HK in 2009. There was an article about it in a local sports newspaper at the time. What did they call SCANDAL? Please answer in 12 kanji characters." RINA, HARU, and TOMO say that they kind of remember it. RINA says that it had the word "joshi" (女子; girls) in it. HARU says it was "joshi kousei (女子高生; high school girls) something-something." Ono asks them to each write it out. MAMI wonders what it started with, and if it was "Nihon" (日本; Japan) or "sekai (世界; world)." HARU says she doesn't know. TOMO says that sounds plausible. MAMI says that those kanji they mentioned already would only be around 4 characters. They say that 12 characters is a lot. RINA says that there was a poster that said this. They try writing down their answers while counting outloud how many characters they've written down so far. After they're all done, they read their answers outloud. HARU goes first and guesses "日本的女子学生4人音楽団" (basically means "Japanese high school girls' 4-piece musical group"). The others say that they do remember the "teki" (的) character was used. TOMO goes next and guesses "日本女子高生4姉妹音楽団" ("Japanese high school girls' 4-sister musical group"). MAMI guesses "世界飛学生的日本女子楽団" ("world-famous Japanese womens' band"). RINA says that that sounds likely. RINA guesses "日本女子高生最高音楽集団" ("best musical group of Japanese high school girls"), which the others laugh hard at. HARU says that that's basically just Japanese.

•Ono says that none of them got it right. They all say that they're not surprised. Ono says that he'll read the characters in order. It starts with "Nihon," which TOMO and HARU cheer at since they got that part right. Next is "saikyou" (最強; strongest), and then "joshi koukou" (女子高校; girls' high school), and then finally "ongaku gakudan" (音楽楽団; music band). Together, it was "日本最強女子高校音楽楽団" (here's proof of it). RINA says that it was pretty close to hers. Ono says that a comment from HARU was in the article. HARU asks what it was. It said: "Since we had released CDs by this point [referring to how they didn't have any out when they first went to HK before their major debut], many people memorized our songs and it felt like we were one with the audience." HARU says that it did feel like that, which MAMI laughs at and says that comment was cute. Ono says that it says HARU was 21 at the time. MAMI says that was admirable. HARU says that that's why she's always hated her age being listed. She was over 20 years old while the other members were still in high school, which is why she didn't like it when people would go out of the way to say she was 20 or 21. Ono says that that's a rule when it comes to newspapers. HARU goes, "Ah, I see."

•Ono also reads that it says they did two performances, which was a first for Japanese artists to do at an HK live music club. RINA says that they've certainly done a lot of things and have been doing this for a long time, and that it feels like they've been doing this since they were born. HARU says that it must especially feel that way for RINA since she's been in the band since she was in middle school. RINA says that middle schoolers basically are still babies, thinking about it now. HARU agrees, and says that they were already trying so hard back then, though. TOMO says that when she sees people in their teens and early 20s working hard now, she thinks it's great that they've worked so hard ever since they were young. RINA says that she really wants to cheer them on and hope they do their best, be happy, and have fun. TOMO says that there's a type of strength that can only be produced at that time, which the others agree with.

•They close out the episode by playing audio they recorded after their performance in Brazil. They say it was awesome and that they played in front of 8,000 people. HARU says that a lot of fans they met at the M&G had been waiting 15 years for them to come. She says it was a great performance, and you could really feel that those fans had waited that long for it. She also says that there were some things that happened on stage that they never experienced before. RINA says that those things included not being able to hear themselves on stage, the equipment was broken, etc. They discussed on stage about changing the setlist and changing where the MCs would be. They really pulled through and overcame the situation. MAMI says that they were able to do so because they've been together for 17 years. RINA agrees and says that they wouldn't have been able to pull through today if they hadn't. She also says that despite not being about to hear themselves/each other on stage, they were able to perfectly match each others' playing, which was a miracle. TOMO says she felt like crying since she saw a lot of people in the audience crying with smiles on their faces. They say they're really glad they were able to come and play there.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

How many islands are there in Indonesia? Taking on questions unique to SCANDAL, who have many overseas fans!

Season 2, Episode 17 blog

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HARUNA: We'll be doing "I see - The Catch up"!

All: Yayー!

TOMOMI: We love thisー

RINA: It's been a whileー

HARUNA: We'll be bringing you world news and cultural quizzes! It's a segment that's typical of SCANDAL, who has fans all over the world...if we say so for ourselves.

MAMI: We're grateful.

RINA: Saying for ourselves that we have fans all over the world... Thank you!

HARUNA: Yes, thank you. Thank you, everyone around the world. I mean, it's apparently been a really long time [since the last time we did this segment].

RINA: It doesn't feel like it...

HARUNA: Apparently, it's been about a year.

TOMOMI: Eh, really??

HARUNA: Because we did special editions.

MAMI: Like the one about Bulgaria.

HARUNA: That's right. It's been a long time since we done an episode based on messages from overseas listeners. We'll explain it again. Based on messages from overseas, our staff comes up with quizzes related to the country of the person who sent it to us, and the members are then asked those questions.

So far...
We have done quizzes based on e-mails from Estonia, Malaysia, Argentina, Italy, Russia, the US, Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, India, and Indonesia.

MAMI: That's awesomeー

HARUNA: Let's get going. I'll read this message.

A fan of grape-flavored Meiji Kaju Gummy

Good evening, SCANDAL. This is my first message.

I'm currently living in Indonesia for a year and a half for work, and I'm thankful for this being on Spotify.

I have been a fan of SCANDAL since I was a student, but I still haven't been able to go to a concert because I don't have other MANIA members around me, and I feel it's hard to attend concerts by myself.

About 5 years ago, I made a music friend and started going to various concerts, and now I can go to them alone! But then the pandemic happened, and then I was assigned to work in Indonesia, which made me miss the concerts.

I have to preface this by saying that I would love to see you perform live in Indonesia as well! I could also go to Thailand or the Philippines!

I will definitely go if there is a concert when I go back to Japan for a temporary visit.

Supporting you from Indonesia.

All: Thanks!

TOMOMI: Was it about 5 years ago that we were last in Jakarta?

HARUNA: Hasn't it been longer?

TOMOMI: Then we haven't been there for a long time.

RINA: We've been to Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

TOMOMI: We went there frequently in our early days.

HARUNA: We toured Asia.

TOMOMI: I want to go back.

MAMI: I want to go!

TOMOMI: Was it "satay"? It was delicious, wasn't it?

HARUNA: Satay is grilled chicken.

RINA: We did eat that.

HARUNA: Now, here is a quiz about Indonesia.

The total land area is about 1.89 million square kilometers (about 5 times that of Japan), and the distance from east to west is about the same as the east and west coasts of the United States, which is about 5,000 kilometers. With a population of approximately 238 million (2010 government estimate), it ranks fourth in the world. Indonesia is made up of the largest number of "islands" in the world. Approximately how many islands are there?

MAMI: Eh, we did the "number of islands" thing before, didn't we?

HARUNA: Yeah, we did. What was it for?

MAMI: The Philippines, I think...

TOMOMI: Yeah.

MAMI: Um, 186!

*bzzt

TOMOMI: 450!

*bzzt

RINA: 151!

*bzzt!

HARUNA: 230!

*bzzt

TOMOMI: 125...

*bzzt

RINA: 160!

*bzzt

TOMOMI: 380!

*bzzt

MAMI: 142!

*bzzt

MAMI: 201!

*bzzt

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 16

•The episode starts with this.

•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says that they play baseball every month with members of their company, and the other day they rented a ballpark with a sound system. They decided to play a song for each person as they appear on the field, and they chose "Saishuuheiki, Kimi." They say it was the best cheering song ever. The game didn't go that well, but afterwards they talked about the bands with their co-workers and decided to go to a festival together this year. They also wonder if there are any pro baseball players among the program's listeners. TOMO goes, "Are there??" HARU says that there was a pro sports player who had written in before. RINA goes, "A soccer player, right?", but HARU isn't sure. HARU also says that "Yoake no Ryuuseigun" was used during a pro baseball game before. RINA says that they've seen a few athletes here and there come to SCANDAL concerts along with their staff. MAMI again wonders if there are any pro baseball players among the listeners. RINA says they'd love for them to send in a message if there are. MAMI says that music is played at pro baseball stadiums when a player enters the batter's box, and it's interesting to hear what athletes like which artists and songs. She also says that you can instantly feel closer to the players. TOMO says that she'd love for a song of theirs to be played at some summer pro baseball games. MAMI says that it'd be really cool if they did use "Saishuuheki, Kimi" due to how the song starts off.

•RINA reads the next message from a listener who says they were once dumped because their ex said they hate them because they're too serious. Due to that, there was a time when they distrusted others and questioned if they really are that serious, and isn't being serious a good thing? They ask the band what the fine line is between "being serious" and "being too serious." They also ask what the band thinks of people who are too serious. TOMO wonders in what ways are they serious, and says that being serious about work is a good thing. She wonders if they're 'serious' enough that they can't joke around. RINA says there would be no room for them to have fun. HARU says that a person is probably a very serious person if they're facing this problem straight on. RINA says that she really likes people who are serious and face themselves like that, and likely live their lives with this attitude toward those around them. HARU says that being serious a good thing. RINA says there's nothing wrong with people rejecting you because they don't like how serious you are. HARU says that the way it was told to the listener meant that the person didn't love them enough. RINA agrees that was really strong and she'd be really hurt if something like that was said to her. TOMO says that she wants more details and wonders what situation led to this happening. HARU says that it also might depend on their ages and the situation. MAMI says that maybe the listener is so serious that they pointed out all the other person's mistakes and things they wanted to fix, and the other person felt too constrained by that. RINA says that the earnestness of imposing one's own righteousness on others may be a bit painful. TOMO says for the listener to send in more details right away. RINA says to send in all kinds of stories, which makes TOMO laugh. MAMI says that the listener seems to be very considerate, which the others agree with. She also says that she's sure they're someone with a decent amount of love, but she'd like a few details. RINA says they'll draw the line after hearing those.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who tells an onomatopoeic story that happened to them recently. The other day they were in the car with their wife and it started to drizzle. The wife, who is Thai, was sitting in the passenger seat and said that the rain was falling "piru-piru." They corrected her and said that it's actually "potsu-potsu" (basically means something, like rain, is falling in drops), but the wife went, "It is 'piru-piru!" They say they've been married for 7 years but are still discovering new things. The band goes, "That's so cute!" MAMI says that it might be the wife's unique sensibility. RINA says that maybe it's just something she says when among family, and also that that was a nice conversation that can make the rain more fun. HARU brings up how there were still onomatopoeia messages left. Ono laughs and says something inaudible. The others laugh and HARU says that they did get rid of the segment the other day. RINA says that this one was just too good.

•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who says that since the band told people to send in messages about anything, they will be telling them a thought they've been unable to express anywhere for a long time. They lost their father to an illness when they were 14 years old. This summer 11 years will have passed since then. It was a sudden and difficult thing to accept, and at the time they were unable to sleep alone, but they're doing well now thanks to their older sister, whom they love very much. They loved her too much that when she got married 3 years ago, they couldn't honestly say congratulations due to their mixed feelings. After that, they started living on their own, and both of them each started going their own ways. When they talked again, the listener heard for the first time that the sister thought she'd protect the listener when their father passed on. The listener remembers they couldn't stop crying because they were so happy to think that they're here now because of their sister. The sister recently had a kid and they were able to congratulate her. They want to be more mature and continue to wish for the happiness of their sister's family. RINA says that they spoke so honestly, and that it makes one glad to have siblings. HARU says that she really thought that. RINA says that all 4 members have siblings. MAMI says that there are things that you think about a lot but can't tell anyone, and there are some things you'll take to your grave. This is especially true when there's no one else in the same situation you can talk to. She also says that she's really happy this program is a place where you can vent your feelings and feel a little better, and that she'd like it if the listener can be a little more positive. RINA says she can tell in their writing that they're feeling more relaxed as time goes by, and that knowing their sister did that for them makes them love her more, or makes them accept her more. She thinks that's a part of being older, and that siblings truly are your allies. TOMO says that the band is on their side as well. She then says that they're also their big sisters, which makes the others laugh and makes RINA go, "That sounds scary!" HARU says that experience is important and that perhaps living on their own was a big part of it. The others agree. HARU also says that she hopes their listeners will continue to send in messages about anything. TOMO says that they hope they can support them music-wise and in other aspects as well.

•They then close out the episode. HARU says that she's glad everyone's sending them their feelings in such long messages. Like they mentioned before, they want people to send in messages about anything, and they want everyone know that SCANDAL is here for them. She hopes that the presence of SCANDAL will be a source of support for them, whether it's at a concert, on a CD, or on the radio. She says they're so dedicated that it's really no exaggeration to say they're doing activities to help be of comfort to everyone, so please don't hesitate to send in anything you want to talk about.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

"I lent money to my best friend but they never returned it..." - What did SCANDAL say to the confused listener?

Season 2, Episode 16 blog

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HARUNA: This time...we're just reading messages. There isn't even a single page of script...

Miyuu

Today I wanted to send a message to give you a one-sided report. I broke up with my boyfriend of two years on my birthday in 2020, three years ago. I had sent a message before to "Catch up" about how to get over it and whether I would be able to get over it in the future.

I was really saved by you guys who said, "You met a wonderful person, your first great love," "If you have a chance, you can be together again," "If it's someone different, you can think that you had a future because you broke up with him," and "You don't have to force yourself to get over it; just think that it might be enough." I was really saved by your words.

Since then, we have been able to look at the things that were holding us back and grow together, and through fate, I was able to start over again with my then boyfriend.

After about a year of moving forward with him again, in July of 2022, he and I got married and in December we gave birth to our daughter and became a family!

When we broke up, I never imagined that three years later we would be a family, nor did I think we would be together again, but now we are living a happy life together with our daughter.

I know this is very personal, but your words saved my life at that time, so I wanted to send this message to you.

I took my 5 month old daughter to Nagoya to see HARU at the signing event in May! Now I am raising my daughter with the dream and pleasure of going to a SCANDAL concert with her when she gets older. I will continue to support SCANDAL with my whole family!

All: Thank you～!

RINA: To think that such a story exists...

HARUNA: The daugher did come to see me. She was so cute.

RINA: It's nice to see them grow up and get back together. Things like this do happen, huh?

HARUNA: They really do have a connection.

RINA: The timing was right.

HARUNA: Yeah, that's wonderful. Thanks for the good report. We wish you all the best in the future.

RINA: Good luck with childcare.

TOMOMI: Next...

Eyebrow beam is out of stock

Hello, SCANDAL. This happened a few years ago, but there's an incident that comes back to me every now and then, and I would like to talk about it.

I had a great friend whom I trusted more than my lover and sometimes more than my family! I won't go into details, but my best friend needed a large sum of money, and I lent her about 200,000 yen if I could help her.

I lent her money (verbal agreement) with the understanding that if it would help her, it would be no problem at all, and that she could pay me back little by little when she could. Then she got a boyfriend and started a new hobby community, and I stopped hearing from her...

I honestly didn't care about the fact that she didn't return my money. I was simply in shock that the girl I trusted had disrespected me, and I was unable to recover for a while.

I still never lend or borrow money from people because of this experience, and I have become a little traumatized by the idea of having deep relationships with people...

There is a saying that it is worse to lend money, and I wonder if that might be true.

There are moments when I feel sad, thinking that if I had made a different choice at that time, we would still be friends, but I still don't know what the right response was for me at that time.

What would you have done? I would like to use this as a reference for the future.

I know this is a bit heavy-handed, but I love you, SCANDAL! I'm looking forward to the 821 anniversary event!

RINA: That's sad...

TOMOMI: About money, huh...

RINA: When you lend out money, lend it while thinking that you'll never get it back.

TOMOMI: True...

MAMI: It was the right thing to do at that time? I think. Also, I think that a rift over money is a rift in relationships...

HARUNA: Didn't they lend the money knowing that?

RINA: That's how much they wanted to do it for them. They followed their feelings and lent it to them. They were doing the right thing at the time, and I don't think there's any need to blame themselves for doing the right thing at that time, and wondering if it was the right thing to do.

HARUNA: That's true.

RINA: It may not be the case that they're a little distant from each other due to that incident. They went in different directions at the same time, so it might have been natural that there were times when they were close and times when they weren't.

HARUNA: But in the end, if they're going to regret it, they shouldn't lend money...

MAMI: They also said that they learned from this, and that they've decided not to lend money. They learned from this, and they might not be able to forget that friendship, but it'd be nice if they could go back to being close and get along again. I think it would be better to spend some time with that thought in the back of their mind.

RINA: They could also try to take up new hobbies, join new communities, etc., and not just be friends with that person.

HARUNA: I agree.

TOMOMI: But that was sad...

RINA: That's because that person was important to the listener.

TOMOMI: More than money or anything.

RINA: Yeah, it's sad. But I don't think they made a mistake. I think they'll make new friends and stuff.

MAMI: I think so.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 15

•The episode starts with this.

•Ono says that HARU's guess of "A lot of rain" was the closest so far. HARU asks if it's weather related. Ono says no. MAMI guesses "High temperature" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "Where lots of plants grow" (*bzzt), but HARU goes, "Eh?" and TOMO goes, "That's close?", inferring that they were told that was a close guess. RINA guesses "Easy for animals to live in" (*bzzt) and then she laughs. HARU guesses "There are a lot of flowers" (*bzzt). RINA guesses "___ is pretty" (can't tell what the first word said is) (*bzzt). Ono says they're on the right track. MAMI wonders if it's plant related. TOMO guesses "Seeds flying in the wind" (*bzzt), which makes the others laugh. HARU guesses "Lots of greenery" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "Lots of mountains" (*bzzt). Ono says that 'greenery' is close. MAMI guesses "Country of trees" (*bzzt), then "Lots of parks" (*bzzt). The others laugh at the park one and say that was a cute guess. TOMO guesses "Vegetables high in beta-carotene (ryoushoku yasai)" (*bzzt), and then jokingly says "Ryoushoku Shakai" (the name of a Japanese band that, like her previous guess, starts with the word 'ryoushoku' and sounds similar lol). The others burst out laughing at her second guess. HARU says that that band should really go to Anime Friends, then. MAMI guesses "Lots of specialty vegetables" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "Coffee grows well" (*bzzt), then "Beans" (*bzzt).

•Ono asks another staffer what they should do. MAMI and HARU say to give them hints. Ono says that he can't give them any hints because they're close to the right answer. TOMO guesses "Lake in the forest" (*bzzt), then "Spring/fountain" (*bzzt). HARU goes, "'Forest' is part of it?" They then all go, "'Forest'??", as the staff probably hinted that that part is correct. TOMO guesses "Forest spring" (*bzzt), which the others laugh at. Ono confirms that "forest" is part of it. TOMO then guesses just "Forest" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "Lots of trees" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "leaves" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "Planting lots of trees" (*bzzt). Ono says that that's not correct, but it's on the same track. RINA says that that probably means it has something to do with lots of greenery. The others say they already guessed that. Ono says they're overthinking it. TOMO then guesses "Trees," which is the correct answer. Ono says that it means "Lots of trees on this land" (Wiki says specifically, "The name Brazil is a shortened form of Terra do Brasil ['Land of Brazil'], a reference to the brazilwood tree"). MAMI says that the origin is the same as Japan's name ("origin of the sun"). RINA wonders if you can see a lot of trees when you go to Brazil. They say that learning stuff like this is really interesting. HARU says that "I see - The Catch up" is really beneficial, and that she's glad they decided to keep this segment. The others laugh and agree.

•Next, they start talking about Sao Paulo where the convention is held. HARU reads off that about 1 million Japanese-Brazilians live in Sao Paulo, which has strong ties with Japan. In the center of the city is the largest Japanese community in the world outside of Japan, called Liberdade. MAMI says that Nagoya has a very strong connection with Brazil and that probably more Brazilians live there than anywhere else in Japan. RINA wonders why, and if they feel comfy living there. MAMI says she doesn't know, but there were some Brazilians that had transferred to her school. She also mentions that a hairdresser friend told her that many of their clients who are models are Brazilian Japanese, and when they say they're going back home, they all mean that they're going back home to Nagoya.

•HARU says that now they've talked about that, they'll be going to the next question: "Where is Sao Paulo's sister city in Japan?" MAMI goes, "It's not in Aichi [Prefecture, where Nagoya is]?" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses Chiba (*bzzt), then Saitama (*bzzt). MAMI guesses Shizuoka (*bzzt). HARU guesses Tochigi (*bzzt). TOMO guesses Okinawa (*bzzt). Ono says that it was the first area that he thought of. HARU asks why, but RINA immediately guesses Osaka, which is correct. She then also asks why, which makes the others laugh. Ono says, "Don't you guys have ties to this place?" There's a pause before HARU goes, "That's what you meant by that??" RINA asks why they're sister cities. Ono says that there's no real reason, but Osaka is in fact a sister city of Sao Paulo. RINA says that she feels an affinity to it all of a sudden. HARU says that that probably means that a lot of Brazilians live in Osaka as well. TOMO and HARU say that there could be people doing homestays or studying abroad there. Ono says that he wants them to include this info in their MCs they'll do in Brazil. TOMO wonders if people in Sao Paolo know that Osaka is a sister city to them. Ono says that there are 45 sister cities of theirs around the world, though. MAMI says that she checked and Aichi Prefecture and the state of Sao Paulo are sister cities (or states?). Ono says that he was talking about cities, not states. MAMI says that this is all very detailed. Ono says that 2019 was the 50th anniversary of Osaka and Sao Paulo being sister cities. The band says that's a long time.

•Next, HARU reads info on the con/anime. She says that Japanese anime is so popular in Brazil that Anime Friends is held there. The most popular anime there are Naruto, Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Bleach, Rurouni Kenshin, Saint Seiya, etc. RINA says that those series are really popular everywhere they go, including Europe. TOMO says that a lot of people cosplay. RINA says that Bleach really is popular. Ono says that there was no real data for this info, so he used four different sets of data to come up with it and thinks that Bleach is definitely one of the most popular. The band agrees. Ono says that SCANDAL did songs for the series as well. HARU says yes, and that they did two songs.

•The next thing is to learn some everyday words used in Brazil that the staff has selected. Brazilian Portuguese is spoken there, which is a little different from Iberian Portuguese spoken in Portugal. "Good morning" is "bom dia." "Good afternoon" is "boa tarde." "Good evening" is "boa noite." HARU says that even these seem hard to pronounce. RINA wonders how Rs are pronounced. MAMI says that there are some countries where you can pretty much read things as is. TOMO says one of those is Spanish, and is katakana-like. They say that "bom dia" sounds European-like. RINA says it's kind of like French. HARU then reads that the ending of "thank you" changes depending on the gender of the speaker. Men say "obrigado" while women say "obrigada." RINA says that this kind of thing is also similar to French. HARU then says that "yes" is "sim" and "no" is "não."

•Then they move on to phrases that the staff has chosen. The first one is "I'm hungry" = "eu estou com fome." RINA says that might be the phrase they use the most, which makes them laugh. The second one is "I'm sleepy" = "eu estou com sono." RINA says that she doesn't want to be one of the appearing artists at the con that only uses these phrases. They all laugh at this. MAMI says that it seems that "estou com" means "I'm ___." RINA then jokes that they could use these on the plane and eat udon a bunch of times. TOMO says that they should keep saying this while eating churrasco. HARU says that she would have liked to have learned a few more positive words. RINA says that these are positive words, which they laugh at. TOMO says they probably shouldn't say these on stage, though. As for traveling to Brazil, RINA says that she hopes they'll get there safely and in good health, and to survive the 30 hours of travel time each way. TOMO says that she'll download some things to watch/do.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup

Special edition of "I see - The Catch up"! A study session on Brazil before going to Anime Friends 2023!!

Season 2, Episode 15 blog

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HARUNA: This time...we're doing a special edition of "I see - The Catch up"! Brazil edition!
That's right - We will be appearing at Anime Friends 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, held July 13-16.

RINA: This'll be our first time thereー

HARUNA: Anime Friends is not only a celebration of Japanese culture in Latin America, but also the main event for all anime, manga, and video game fans. Every year, there are a total of over 120,000 participants from Brazil, other Latin American countries, and Japan.

TOMOMI: People come from Japan!?

HARUNA: ...that's what it says.

RINA: People from Japan take part in in - That's impressiveー

HARUNA: You can tell that Anime Friends is a worldwide eventー

RINA: That's awesome.

HARUNA: To begin with, this is our first time in Brazil... There are so many things we don't know. Do you guys know anything about Brazil??

RINA: About Brazil, huh...

TOMOMI: Like, the seasons are reversed?

MAMI: That's right.

TOMOMI: And Carnaval in Rio?

RINA: And we have the impression that we have a lot of fans there.

TOMOMI: Since our early days, we've gotten messages every day on social media and such saying stuff like, "From Brazil with love."

HARUNA: It's been more than 10 years.

RINA: That's true.

HARUNA: This year will be our first time appearing at Anime Friends, but let's do some thorough preparation about São Paulo, Brazil, where the event will be held... So, even our staff who have absolutely no knowledge about Brazil dug deep and prepared this... First, here is our profile as it appears on the official Anime Friends site, as it was when we ran it through the translation software.

The best female Japanese pop rock! The band SCANDAL is scheduled to perform on the main stage of Anime Friends 2023 on Sunday, 16/07. Formed in 2006, the superpowered quartet will shake up the structure of this 20-year edition. Characterized by their multi-faceted vocals that do not concentrate solely on the main vocalist, they are also responsible for a number of sensational songs.

HARUNA: "Superpowered quartet"!

MAMI: Wow, that's the first time we've been called a "superpowered quartet" instead of an all-girl band or the like.

HARUNA: Now then, here is the Brazilian version of "I see - The Catch up"!
It's quiz time.

"Brazil"
What is the origin of the country's name?

All: Ehー!

MAMI: I've never thought about that..! I wonder...

TOMOMI: A country of passion?

(*bzzt)

HARUNA: A warm country?

(*bzzt)

TOMOMI: Soul-stirring.

(*bzzt)

HARUNA: A lot of rain.

(*bzzt)

RINA: I don't know...

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 14

•The episode starts with them eating the top 6 yogurt flavors in the Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt popularity poll that was currently going on (this part lasts for about 9 minutes lol), and then this happens.

•TOMO is still really confused about the "A.D.A.N.A." segment and asks what it was. HARU and RINA say it was about peoples' unusual nicknames (they even read my message for it back in 2020 lol). Their program director Ono mentions "A.M.D.K.J.", which is what the segment is styled after. TOMO asks if that means this segment started around when the song first came out. He says yes. TOMO asks if any messages for it have come in recently, which the answer is no to. TOMO says they should get rid of it then (even though they did technically cut it back during episode 21 lol). The others agree. HARU says there's another segment, "Shunkan Plain" where you send in messages about moments that have no words to explain them. TOMO says it was a vague segment. RINA says that they only did it once, but that was when Ono wasn't there and they didn't quite know how to do the segment. Ono says that they have received messages for it. They decide to keep it. TOMO then brings up the theme park one and wonders if they only did it for a single theme park. The others say no, and that it was mainly about people writing in about their local theme parks. TOMO asks if they've gotten messages about it. Ono says no. They decide to cut this one as well.

•MAMI asks if they had ever done an onomatopoeia segment, which is one of the segments listed on this clean-up list. RINA says they should cut it. HARU says that they've done it a few times. TOMO asks if they should cut it. Ono says that he doesn't remember it. The band laughs and says they'll get rid of it. TOMO then brings up the "Consult SCANDAL" segment and says that it wasn't originally planned to be like that, giving people pep talks. HARU says that the listeners decided that on their own. RINA says they haven't read any messages for that recently. Ono says they haven't gotten any messages for that, but they have gotten ones for advice. RINA says that they should just get rid of the name then. HARU laughs at this. They rename it to just "Messages seeking advice" (相談メール). TOMO then asks if they've gotten any messages for GyouColle recently. Ono says they haven't. TOMO says that this one was the first segment they did on this show along with "Life before SCANDAL," the latter of which they occasionally still get messages for. RINA says it's interesting and should be kept. TOMO says that the band wants to learn about info like that. HARU says that they must not have gotten messages for it recently. Ono says that they have but they're long messages. TOMO says that they won't read them on air but will read them off air. RINA says that if they keep this segment going, they can see how peoples' former favorite musicians change. HARU asks if they're getting rid of GyouColle. RINA says they should.

•TOMO says that they love "I see - The Catch up" (where they read messages from overseas listeners and do quizzes based on the countries they're from) and ask if any messages have come for it. Ono says that a lot have. RINA says that it connects their overseas fans with them. They agree to keep it. TOMO brings up "Kyoukai-sen Kyoukai" and that they've even made stickers for it. RINA says that they're obviously keeping it. Next, TOMO mentions the dialect one and RINA immediately says to get rid of it. HARU is surprised and goes, "Get rid of it??" RINA say yes. TOMO goes, "Even though we all love it?" RINA says that they talk about dialects at times even when it's not for the segment specifically.

•HARU says that they're cutting a lot of segments. TOMO goes over a few of the ones they're cutting: theme parks, onomatopoeia, Consult SCANDAL. HARU asks about the Bulgarian quiz one. RINA laughs and says they can't cut that. HARU laughs and Ono says too that they can't cut it. HARU asks about ShunkanPlain. They say they'll keep it for now. TOMO says that's good enough for now. HARU says that they'll have around 5 segments left now. The others say that's good. The segments left are "Life before SCANDAL," love advice, "I see - The Catch up," "Kyoukai-sen Kyoukai," "Last-minute cramming! Bulgaria quiz!", and ShunkanPlain. HARU says that these are pretty much what recent messages have been sent in about anyway. Ono then brings up the "MAMImume, uninhabited islands" segment and say that they're waiting for someone who owns an uninhabited island to write in (but they did back during episode 57 lol). MAMI wonders if there's anyone like that [that listens to this show].

•TOMO brings up the "Catching up under the blue sky" episode they did where they played Molkky and says that she really liked doing that. HARU says they've talked about doing it again several times, but it's been raining and they haven't been able to do it. Ono then mentions the magic shows they did. HARU and MAMI wonder if they were conveyed via just audio. Ono laughs in the background. RINA says they probably weren't. TOMO says that in that sense, their Molkky game probably wasn't either. MAMI says they'll do something else if they do another recording like that. TOMO then says that they last did an original jingle about a year ago. HARU says yes, with unusual instruments. RINA says that the Power Word Awards at the end of the year are exciting. TOMO says that talking on the phone to listeners was also fun. She then brings up the "ONE MORE TIME...STUDY!" segment and she researched kokeshi dolls. Now, whenever she sees those dolls, it makes her smile. The others laugh. RINA says that she's fallen in love with them. TOMO says she has.

•MAMI says that she likes the one where they get one shot to successfully do something. The others also say they like it as well. TOMO asks what they had done for that. HARU and MAMI say they've done it a few times. They say they've done kendama, snapping, recorder. MAMI says they have fun doing this, but whether or not these are translated via sound is another matter. TOMO says that "Smental" is fun.

•They then close out the episode. They say they've cleared out a lot of segments and HARU laughs at this line written on the script that says to not write in anymore for the segments that were cut. Again these are the segments that are still being kept:

-Life before SCANDAL
-Love advice
-I see - The Catch up
-Kyoukai-sen Kyoukai
-Last-minute cramming! Bulgaria quiz!
-ShunkanPlain.

*As always, you can send in a message to the program here. I've made a guide as how to input your info and message for those who need assistance (click to enlarge):

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*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

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#front-page #catchup