A two-person talk session with RINA and MAMI! No advance planning, no talk theme! What on earth are they going to talk about??
Season 2, Episode 9 blog
MAMI: Good evening, everyone. This is guitarist MAMI and...
RINA: Drummer RINA.
MAMI: The two of us will be bringing you this episode!
RINA: Yes! It's been a while since we've done a two-person episode...
MAMI: Last time was around the beginning of last year...?
RINA: Eh, it's already been a year...?
MAMI: Yes, it seems so.
RINA: So fast! That's fast...
MAMI: I think it was probably the first recording after the new year.
RINA: Ah, yeah, so this time we decided to have a different combination of "two and two" than last time, so we'd like to start off with this pair: MAMI and RINA. ...how are you feeling now? Is what it says [on the script]
MAMI: Eh, what we're feeling now!?
RINA: You know, I just remembered that we didn't discuss anything in advance, even more so than last time...
MAMI: Yeah, we didn't.
RINA: That surprised me. In the 17 years since we started SCANDAL, I feel like we went into this episode with the least amount of time spent discussing things in advance.
MAMI: Did we not do that last time either?
RINA: Not really, but we did have a meeting to confirm that it'd be free talk, and we also received messages from everyone and read them.
MAMI: I see. So there were messages last time.
RINA: We didn't talk about that this time, and as soon as I got here it was like, "Let's get right to it," and I sat down here...
MAMI: The script says that there is no script.
RINA: But you know... I was wondering when to say this... Isn't this the first recording after your birthday? Happy birthday!
MAMI: It is - Thank you!
RINA: So, since we're here, can I give you a present in here (*radio booth)?
MAMI: Eh, eh!?
RINA: Congrats!! (*giving her a present)
MAMI: Thank you!!
RINA: Open it.
MAMI: I wonder what it is. It's very heavy... (*opens the present)
RINA: We had just finished recording after a two-day break from our release promotions and other busy days, so we couldn't meet on the day of your birthday.
MAMI: That's right. I wonder what I got... (*continues to open the present)
I thought I'd take a video of me talking in the waiting room〜 When I did, some staffers joined and talked with me, which made me happy( ◜ᴗ◝ ) Manatee is going to be popular, I'm sure
At any rate, the past month and a half has been very productive. Thank you to everyone who came to see us, And those who watched what we did via social media( ◜ᴗ◝ )
This is how you guys always extend my life as a band member. Thank you. Good work today too, everyoneー!
If you enjoy my translations, please consider leaving a tip!
Links to English subs for all of RINA's videos can be found here:
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who attended the Osaka performance of the unlimited UTOPIA tour. They've attended many SCANDAL concerts, but this was their first time attending one where vocalization was allowed. They basically say they had a lot of fun and that it was hundreds of times more fun than they had imagined. The band thanks them. MAMI wonders if they sent this message right after the concert because of how excited they seemed to have sounded. RINA says that their enthuasiasm comes across in the message. HARU says that your impression of a song/songs can completely change when you hear it live.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who also attended the Osaka performance. They say that they did their first after-party with other SCANDAL fans for the first time, during which they had fun talking about SCANDAL's past, present, and future. MAMI says that having an after-party is one of the best things about a concert. TOMO says that they had their own one with all of their staff recently; MAMI says that it was their first one in 4 years. TOMO says that they've had a few small ones with just the band and their promoters, but it was nice to have all of their staff at one. RINA says she was really happy and that things like after-parties are important. She talked quite a bit with their lighting team and they told her that they could tell she was really excited since her movements were different than usual. She realized that there are things like that that she wouldn't be able to tell from her own point of view, and that it was a great learning experience. She felt again that everyone makes the band shine and makes their concerts possible. HARU says that it made her really happy to hear that the staff who have been with them for a long time said that working SCANDAL shows is the most fun time they ever have. RINA says that she's really interested in the conversations between fans at these after-parties and to let them join. HARU mentions how the listener said they talked about SCANDAL's future, and RINA says to tell them what they have planned for them. MAMI says that it's great to have this type of connection outside of co-workers, family, friends you've made in everyday life, friends from school, etc. RINA says it's awesome when you make friends via your hobbies after becoming an adult.
•Their program director seems to bring up how vocalization was finally being allowed again at their concerts. HARU says that just being able to hear the fans' voices during the concert was enough to get the band feeling emotional, and that it was hard to hold back tears during the first performance. RINA says that they mentioned during that MC that it was like they could finally breathe again. MAMI says that it was their first time performing "Line of sight," and that they could tell that everyone was excited to hear the song live. The fans let out a gasp the moment the first note was played. She started to laugh/smile and thought it was so much fun. At the same time there was a nostalgic feeling to it. HARU says that they were also nervous since they were debuting the song live for the first time so they had to make sure to concentrate on playing it. MAMI says that it was a fresh, crazy mix of all kinds of emotions. RINA says that it seemed to have leveled up by the next concert the next day, and that the concerts seemed to be even more awesome than before. HARU says that it was hard to believe that it was the first time for many people to attend a SCANDAL concert where vocalizing was allowed. TOMO says that the fact that there are so many people like that means that all of them have decided to go to a SCANDAL concert in the past four years, and that maybe a lot of people found out about them via the activities they've done during the pandemic. HARU says that she's really glad the band has kept going. RINA says that she's glad they didn't give up.
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who attended the Yokohama performance. They say they were watching from the back next to the PA booth, and the staffer who showed up to the booth exuding a veteran aura as they wore sandals. The band laughs this and TOMO says that it must be their staffer Mine. RINA says that he wears sandals even in winter. The listener says that the staffer was stretching his back with a wooden stick until the show started. When it did, he looked at the situation with a sharp eye and operated the equipment, looking just as cool as SCANDAL on stage. The band laughs again and MAMI says that Mine now has a fan. TOMO says that Mine needs to hear this. She also says that he's been with the band for about 10 years now, and he's always in sandals--he doesn't wear shoes. RINA says he also doesn't wear shoes when they go overseas. MAMI says that her friends in bands always ask who their PA person is. She tells them and they say that they'd like for him to work their shows as well. She says that he's the type of person that you envy. HARU says that he's an amazing person, after all. TOMO says that all of their staff members are outstanding, and that everyone praises them. MAMI says that that applies to their roadies, too. RINA says that the roadies are awesome, and that great sound can only be created with a long career, taste, and intuition. She also says that she's really grateful they've been with the band for so long, despite how talented and in-demand they are. HARU says that they're truly supported by everyone. She also mentions that this can change depending on the performance, but if you see an older man in sandals in the PA booth, just assume that it's Mine. The band says that you'll recognize him right away.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who also attended the Yokohama performance. They say that since the band told fans to bring along friends who don't know much about SCANDAL, so they invited one of their friends who only knew "Shunkan Sentimental." The friend was so impressed by what the band said during the MC that they said they'd like to see them again, and thanked the listener for inviting them. The band says that makes them happy to hear and thanks the listener. HARU says that she's happy that what they talked about resonated with them so much. RINA says that they value that almost as much as their songs. HARU says that there's a lot you can't understand just by listening to songs, which is why a concert is a great way to get to know the human side of the band better, and why they want fans to bring their friends.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who attended the Fukuoka performance. They've been a fan for 14 years since they were 9 years old. When they heard the band speak about how they had a really hard time last year, and that they didn't know if they could continue on, it made them reflect on things themselves. They say that they felt that the existence of SCANDAL has been so commonplace for them that they've had fewer opportunities to appreciate them. They really had fun at the concert and say that they can't imagine their life without SCANDAL. They also hope that the band will continue being around without overdoing it. The band thanks them. MAMI says that this means they've been listening to SCANDAL all throughout their youth and after growing up. RINA says that some songs are closed out with the drums, and that there are some venues where the audience will clap before the song is full closed out due to them being really excited. Fukuoka was unique in the sense that everyone was focusing on the concert really hard and viewing it with respect, as they wouldn't applaud until the songs will full closed out. She says that that was really great. MAMI says that there were a lot of fans who must have been listening to the MCs with a lot of things on their mind, and that there have been fewer opportunities for the band to appreciate that. She says she's glad fans still think that way, and that they really need to be thankful for all their fans and those who come see them live. She's really happy to know the fans feel the same way. RINA says that this tour wasn't one done after the release of an album, so all four members were able to express their feelings about the songs as well as their current thoughts. She felt that the fans really understood them. HARU says that what they talk about/say at concerts is totally different from what they do on this radio program, and how passionate their feelings at the time are can be totally different depending on the venue. No two nights were ever the same, including the setlist. RINA says that everything was really special. The band again thanks everyone who came out to the tour.
•They then close out the episode. HARU says that for the next two episodes they will be breaking off into pairs to host the episodes. She says that last time they had HARU+MAMI and TOMO+RINA as pairs last time, and wonders what the next pairs should be. MAMI wonders how they had chosen the pairs last time. RINA says that maybe they did "Guupaa" (an offshoot of rock-paper-scissors, but you either throw out rock or paper, and whoever does matching signs are paired up) to decide. HARU and MAMI say they have no memory of how they chose last time. TOMO wonders how they should pair off this time. HARU suggests Guupaa. RINA wonders if they'd be able to pair off cleanly, and says that they'll give it a go. She then asks who should say the Guupaa line, and then says that she'll do it. They don't seem to throw out their signs at the same time, since they start laughing hard and HARU says, "You're supposed to throw out your sign after 'ding-dong' is said!" They try it again and successfully get two pairs: HARU+TOMO and MAMI+RINA. However, instead of saying "MAMI+RINA pair," she says "MAMI+RINA pia." The others laugh and TOMO goes, "Are tickets going on sale?" (Pia is a Japanese ticket-selling company) HARU laughs and says that they are, on Pia. MAMI goes, "That was so cute!" After she stops laughing, HARU asks what the order should be for the pairs. The others say that it doesn't matter. MAMI says while laughing that they should decide with jan-ken (rock-paper-scissors, the original version), and whoever wins will go first. MAMI and HARU seem to face off and go three rounds before it's decided that the "Pia" pair (MAMI+RINA) will go first, and will be on next week's episode. RINA jokes, "The sales time is short, so good luck, everyone!" HARU says that the following week she and TOMO will be on. TOMO says that this one will be free and no tickets are needed.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
A bit belated, but here's a video tour I took of SCANDAL's "Line of sight" pop-up shop held at Tower Records Shibuya from May 9-21!
The "Line of sight" MV was playing occasionally on the big screen in the front of the store, right below an ad for the single.
The pop-up was located near the back of the second floor, and featured the band's outfits for the song, instrument displays, autographed panels, and merch for sale.
Also, I attended the "Line of sain-kai" signing event in Osaka! The band was super nice as always. Some things we talked about were that they had noticed I was at the Tokyo performance of the unlimited UTOPIA tour, and that they were really impressed with the outfit I wore to the signing (a recreation of HARU's "Line of sight" painted hoodie that I painted myself) + said that my outfits are always great every time. I'm also really happy HARU and I got to talk a bit about our Stray Kids oshis (hers is Lee Know, btw)
The "unlimited UTOPIA" tour, which started in April, has come to a close! SCANDAL's concerts have become a hot spot for love!?
Season 2, Episode 8 blog
HARUNA: Thanks your patience... SCANDAL TOUR 2023 "unlimited UTOPIA" has come to a close, And we'd like to share peoples' impressions of it.
All: Niceー
HARUNA: The title is... "unlimited IUTOKIYA (言うときや; Kansai dialect for something like, 'Go ahead and say it')!"
RINA: ...yeah, that sure rhymes [with the original title].
MAMI: Then, shouldn't the intonation be a little different? I think you should say "IUTOKIYA" lower.
HARUNA: Then I'll say it one more time...
RINA: Ah, I don't know if that was okay, but let's just get to the messages, okay?
Kapako
My boyfriend and I attended the Sendai show of the UU tour!
It was his first time attending a solo SCANDAL concert, and after it was over he said while all sweaty, "I didn't know SCANDAL's concerts could be this much fun! I was so surprised!" I said, "I know, right!?" and was so happy haha
Then, the day after the Sendai concert, he proposed to me!
All: Ehーーーー!
I had told him several times before by texts and phone calls that it was my ex-boyfriend who made me fall in love with SCANDAL, and that SCANDAL's music gave me a lot of strength when I was going through a tough time.
Looking back, I went to my first SCANDAL concert with my ex-boyfriend, which was BEST Xmas in 2018. The summer after that was Fuzzy Summer Mood. Next was supposed to be Kiss from the darkness. After getting my heart broken, I went to request, which was my first time going to a concert alone. I really wanted to go to INVITATION but couldn't due to the pandemic. I invited my friends to MIRROR. And this time, unlimited UTOPIA.
I don't want to forget all of these precious memories. I feel happy and a little sad at the same time, thinking that I will have more and more memories from now on. However, I would like to live with him in our new now as much as I can so that I can overcome the past.
The Sendai concert and the following day made me realize how much I want SCANDAL to be in my life from now on.
All: Congratsーーーー!
RINA: The boyfriend must have gotten so excited that he [proposed], right!?
HARUNA: Seems like it.
RINA: That's awesome.
HARUNA: Do SCANDAL's concerts have that effect??
RINA: I think this effect has been getting stronger recently... We hear things like this all the time.
HARUNA: It's awesome.
TOMOMI: We're really grateful and happy.
MAMI: It's true.
RINA: They've really come out to a lot of our recent concerts.
HARUNA: They must have a lot of memories.
RINA: That's impressive.
HARUNA: I'm really glad we did this tour.
RINA: Right?
HARUNA: Next time, please come as a married couple!
MAMI: We'll be waiting!
TOMOMI: Here's the next message...
Chibo
I went to the unlimited UTOPIA Osaka concert the other day.
I was really looking forward to the show because it was the first solo concert after allowing vocalizing again. I was a little nervous because it had been a while [since vocalizing had been allowed], but I enjoyed the concert so much that I forgot about it all the moment it started. I felt happy to be able to do things I had never been able to do before, such as speak up during the MC and call out the members' names.
I myself had a new job and had to move this spring, so I had a lot on my plate. To be honest, although I had already gotten my ticket early, I did not know until the day of the concert whether I would be able to go due to my work schedule. However, I am glad that I finished work early and managed to go.
I had a lot of hard work to do in an unfamiliar environment, but seeing the concert gave me a chance to relax and think about doing my best from tomorrow onward.There are still many things I am not used to, and my days are still tough, but I am grateful that I was able to go to the concert, and I will continue to do my best with the power I received from the concert. Thank you for a wonderful time.
TOMOMI: Thank you! Thank you for coming in spite of your busy schedule.
RINA: I'm glad we were able to be of help, even if only a little. This is really rewarding for us. I'm glad you put it into words like this.
HARUNA: Yeah, it makes us happy!
TOMOMI: I hope you get used to your new environment soon.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says that today (May 15) is the 10th anniversary of their first SCANDAL concert...actually, 10 days before it. The band laughs at this. The listener says that they had seen them during their LIVE IDO LIVE tour (Note: But that tour was back in 2012, so that would actually be 11 years lol) in Okayama when they were 13 years old. The band thanks them for supporting them for such a long time. HARU says that a lot of people told them during the band's recent signing events for Line of sight that they had attended the LIVE IDO LIVE tour as well.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who says that they have a date with their boyfriend a week from today. They've been dating for almost a year, and they're planning to take a day off and go to a movie or such. They also say that they'd like to tell their bf about SCANDAL. The band laughs about how they're telling them something that'll happen in another week. RINA says that it's often that the bf will tell the gf about SCANDAL, but here it's the opposite. Those couples also attend SCANDAL concerts together. TOMO says that a lot of couples like that had attended the signing events. They say that that made them happy. RINA says that some couples have even gotten married, which she says is amazing. HARU goes, "That's how long we've been doing this [being a band]!" MAMI says that she gets really happy when she thinks of how in a parallel world/different world timeline, she could have had a lot of friends she'd go to concerts with, and she might have fallen in love with one of them. TOMO says that it's fun since you definitely like the same things as each other. The band says thanks and that it makes them happy. They also say that they hope the listener enjoys their date and wonder what movie they're going to watch. TOMO says, "Maybe Guardians of the Galaxy?" HARU says to definitely watch it.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who says that today is their 12th anniversary of being a SCANDAL fan. TOMO goes, "Oh, is it really their anniversary?" MAMI goes, "Is it really?" TOMO says most likely. MAMI then goes, "It's not ___ days before?", which they laugh at. TOMO continues reading the message. The listener says they just turned 30 and it's been 12 years since they became a SCANDAL fan, and in that time they've graduated high school, worked at a hospital, and went to nursing school to become a nurse. They say they've been able to make it this far without any setbacks thanks to SCANDAL, and thanks them for being a part of their life. The band sighs happily and says thanks. RINA says that hearing things like that really supports them. HARU again wonders if it really is their anniversary and what made them become a fan on that day. TOMO says that maybe they played a concert then (they didn't; the closest one was this one on May 14). HARU says that in addition to having a lot of teachers among their fans, they also have a lot of hospital workers. TOMO says that they should really start doing "Hey! Doctor" (like "Hey! Teacher"), which makes the others laugh.
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says that today is the 8th anniversary of their first time traveling overseas. They had gone to the US for the Chicago performance of SCANDAL's HELLO WORLD tour. They say that they might have made friends overseas if they had been able to speak English, which they regret not doing, but they're continuing to study English. TOMO says that it feels like that tour didn't happen that long ago. They also talk about how that was a pretty long tour in Japan where they did around 30 performances. RINA says that it makes them happy to hear that they're the reason people travel overseas. TOMO says that choosing Chicago to go to is pretty cool (...yeah, I don't know about that lol). HARU says that if they're able to go overseas again at the same time SCANDAL does, that experience will be completely different than the one before. HARU also says that their overseas fans are very kind (). TOMO mentions that overseas fans had also come to the signing events. HARU says that they think the listener would be able to make friends, which the others agree with.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says that today they have their part-time job as a teacher for a cram school (SCANDAL: "Hey! Teacher") and will be working for 80 minutes with a second-year high school boy. He always comes to the school after their club activities and always seem to enjoy talking about what happened during those activities. HARU says that it's much easier to talk about stuff with a teacher at cram school than with a teacher at your regular school. RINA asks if HARU ever went to cram school. HARU says that she only did in her third year of middle school when she was taking high school entrance exams. The others say that HARU's never mentioned this to them before. She says that she wouldn't have passed if she didn't go, which makes the others laugh really hard. She also says that her teachers were college students and viewed them as older brothers/sisters, and so was able to talk to them frankly. RINA says that she's always admired those who go to cram school. TOMO says she has as well.
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says that today is when they'll have an easier day at work than usual. They'll eat their favorite kind of lunch, have dessert after, and will be kinder to themself than usual since it's Monday. The band says that's nice and that doing stuff like that is important. HARU says that you have to take care of your own well-being. RINA says that food is what gives you the most power.
•They then close out the episode. They say that this entire episode was just them reading messages, and that there were a lot sent in in response to the theme. They say to keep sending messages for the program segments, or really about anything, to the program.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
Reading messages with the "Tomorrow is ___ day" theme sent in for the 5/14 special, but now it's "Today is ___ day"!
Season 2, Episode 7 blog
HARUNA: We'll be bringing you an extended edition from the live broadcast! The messages everyone sent in, "Tomorrow is ___ day," will now be called "Today is ___ day." We asked people to send in messages what today is for everyone, whether it's an anniversary, if you have important plans, or if you have simple plans. Let's get right into reading themー
Gyu
On May 15th, I'm going to make oatmeal pancakes and eat them. I'm on a sugar restriction, so I can't eat sweets very often, but I eat them with yogurt. Since you guys asked to hear about simple schedules, I decided to send this in.
All: Cute!
HARUNA: So they're on a sugar restriction. MAMI and TOMO are also careful about that these days, right?
TOMOMI: I'm fine with carbs, but I found out that my constitution is slow to break down fats. That's why I've been cutting back on fats--or rather, I used to intake twice as much as I should have. I'm reducing it to a reasonable amount.
RINA: How do you know what your appropriate amount of fat is?
TOMOMI: It'll come up when you enter your height and weight in an app.
RINA: That can also be done with the app, huh!
TOMOMI: Yeah, I found out through a blood test that I'm not good at breaking down lipids. I try to take in nutrients according to my constitution.
RINA: I see. Health is important, isn't it?
TOMOMI: Very important.
Momo
Tomorrow is my "first soup curry" day. I received a retort soup curry that contains a whole chicken leg. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow.
TOMOMI: A whole chicken leg in a retort!?
RINA: Whatー? I didn't know there was such a thingー
TOMOMI: I'll look into it...
HARUNA: Are they sold in supermarkets?
TOMOMI: I wonder if it's a souvenir.
RINA: That's extravagant.
HARUNA: I'm curious about itー
RINA: There's that samgyetang one with it in it.
MAMI: Yeah, there is.
RINA: Ah, is that what they mean?
TOMOMI: The pouch type?
HARUNA: Isn't it?
MAMI: Soup curry has a lot of ingredients and a lot of vegetables, so it would be nice if there were some.
•The message theme that they asked people to send in is "Tomorrow is ___ day." This live broadcast was done on May 14, meaning that May 15 is the day in question. HARU reads the first message from a listener who says the 15th is the day before their wedding. SCANDAL's song "Kinenbi" will be their entrance song, and "Sisters" will be used as background music when they read their thank-you letters to their family. The band congratulates them. TOMO says that today's message theme is very live broadcast-like. They say that they're happy that two of their songs will be used.
•The next message is from a listener who says that the 15th is their long-awaited payday. They're planning on withdrawing money from the bank early in the morning and going to an all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurant. RINA says that it's important to treat yourself, which the others agree with. TOMO says that they had eaten meat with yogurt on it when they were in Mexico. RINA says that it made the meat more tender.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who works at a bank and says that the 15th is a busy day at work since days that end in 5 and 10 are busy then (often days of pension payments or payday). They say that the fact that this live broadcast is happening the day before makes them feel like they can do their best the next day.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says the 15th is the day they're meeting with their boss to discuss whether to go to an island or not. The band is confused and goes, "An island? What does that mean?" The rest of the message says that they've always had a strong desire to go to a rural area rather than a city, and they would like to discuss whether it would be better to gain some experience while they're young. They then ask the band if they prefer the city or an island. The band is still confused by this. RINA wonders what kind of island they're talking about (deserted, Okinawa, etc. lol). TOMO says that she'd totally be fine with an island like Awaji Island. MAMI says that maybe they're trying to ask if they like calm places or bustling ones better. They again wonder what kind of island this person is talking about. TOMO says that she'd need to know the level of convenience/how livable the island is, and again they all wonder at what kind of island they're talking about. MAMI says that maybe it's one that you'd be able to travel to for work. RINA says that maybe it's something like you'd go there once a week by boat. MAMI asks what they'd do. RINA says that it's better to know proper info about the island. They say the listener should study up on whichever island it is.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who says that the 15th is their due date (for their baby). They say that they married someone whom they met through SCANDAL. They then say that the baby was born earlier than expected. The band goes, "Oh, so it was already born?" They thank them for sending in a message during this really tough period when a baby is first born.
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says the 15th is the last day of their eldest daughter being 17 years old. On the day before she turns 18, the listener wants to greet her with pride because they gave birth to her at 19 and has worked hard as a single mother for the past five years. The band says that's lovely and the listener definitely worked hard at a young age.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who says that the 15th is when they're getting their wisdom teeth removed. They say they're going there believing that the only benefit of having their wisdom teeth removed is that it's supposed to make their face look smaller. The band laughs at this. RINA says that's cute. MAMI says that she's had her bottom wisdom teeth removed but her face didn't look any smaller. They start talking about their own wisdom teeth and HARU and TOMO have never had any removed, while RINA is the only one who's had all of her wisdom teeth removed. RINA is surprised that the other two haven't had any removed. HARU says that it depends on the person and sometimes they don't come in or they erupt cleanly. TOMO says that hers erupted cleanly, but has the option to remove them in the future. MAMI says that some (or one?) of hers stopped erupting halfway through, and another didn't erupt. HARU also says that one of hers hasn't erupted. MAMI says that she doesn't know if it'll erupt one day. RINA wishes the listener good luck and to have them pull them out cleanly.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says that they started liking SCANDAL because of their boyfriend, and their one-year anniversary is...one week from the 15th. The band laughs at this. RINA says that they're all lovey-dovey, anxiously counting down the days to the anniversary.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who says their wedding anniversary is tomorrow, but they're currently on a business trip in Hiroshima. They apologize to their wife and thank her for raising their child and taking care of their house, though they can't say this outloud. They end it with saying, "I love you! *heart*" RINA goes, "That's so lovey-dovey!" HARU goes, "Tell your wife this!" TOMO goes, "Are they trying to tell the wife via this radio program?", which the others laugh at. They say they should really tell their wife this themselves.
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says the 15th is the day after their favorite vtuber's birthday. The band laughs and wishes the vtuber a happy birthday. The message then ends with how the vtuber is likely going to do a celebratory livestream. TOMO goes, "Then they're not listening to this program!", which makes the others laugh. RINA says that maybe they're using their computer to watch/listen to one and their phone to watch/listen to the other. TOMO says that not a lot of messages are about something that's actually happening tomorrow. RINA says she'd love to hear from people who have some simple plans. TOMO gives an example of, "Tomorrow I'll eat omurice." The others say they'd love to hear some cute messages like that. HARU says that they'd also like to hear from people who are tackling something big tomorrow, which leads in to her saying that she'd want those people to listen to "Line of sight."
•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says that the 15th is the day before their midterms. She says that she'd love for them to listen to "Line of sight."
•She then says that the band will now talk about their new single. She first mentions how they went around the country to promote the single and held autograph sessions for the first time in Japan. She asks MAMI how the songwriting process was. MAMI basically says the same kind of things she said in this interview. The Arsenal Base team had a very clear image of what they wanted the song to be (up-tempo and danceable), so she used that as a reference. At that time, and even now, it was very difficult for her to make an uptempo or rock song, but it was thanks to this offer that she was able to make a song like this that she had been wanting to make for a long time but just couldn't. She says she's very grateful for the great opportunity. HARU says that the way they wrote the song and put it together was different from how they normally do it. It's usually the case that MAMI makes the demo all by herself, but this time she took voice memos of different intro riffs and send them to the band members to see what they thought. MAMI says that since it was really difficult for her to figure out how to put it together herself, so she thought she'd try relying on the other members for help. She asked them to pick their favorite ones and kept rewriting/reworking it until they found something that all of them liked. She could see that everyone's arrows were pointing in the same direction, and thought that was a great way to write a song.
•HARU says that RINA wrote the lyrics after the music was done. RINA says that after listening to the game's team talk about the worldview of Gundam and concepts that they hold dear, the thing that stuck out the most to her was that there is no one bad guy within that world--it depicts justice from one side. So when she heard that there's no one who's wrong and no one's who's right, she really empathized with that. When the band makes music, they always choose words with that in mind; and when they perform live, they want to affirm everyone so that no one's left behind. That's why RINA tried to choose words based on those feelings when writing the lyrics. She also wanted to include what the band feels as they celebrate their 17th anniversary this year. She feels she was able to express the concept of Gundam and the band as they currently are in the lyrics. HARU says that it really feels like it's their own song when she sings it. Even though it's been 17 years since they formed the band, they can still do this with a level of freshness. RINA says that it feels like they're taking a fresh start again. HARU says that she feels the four of them can still work hard, and that she sings the song with a very positive feeling.
•HARU then talks about how they performed this song as the first song on their recent tour. She was wondering how the fans would react with it being the first time they'd be performing the song, as well as being the first song of the concert, but it surprised her that everyone was so vocal during it starting from the first day of tour. MAMI says that it made her think, "Wait, have we performed this song before?!" RINA says that everyone seems more powerful than they were before vocalization was not allowed at concerts [during the pandemic]. HARU says she's sure this song will continue to grow, so she's looking forward to performing it from here on out as well. MAMI talks about how fans at their recent signing events were telling them things like how they play Arsenal Base and really like the song. She says that when she asked what they thought of the song in the game, they said it was really cool, but since they love the song so much, they get all flustered and aren't able to play the game properly (since it's played during the battle scenes).
•Next, HARU says that they'll be doing a bit of a newer segment that they started doing when the program became sponsored by Bulgaria Yogurt in April: The "Bulgaria Quiz" segment. This time it's one question read by a TOKYO FM announcer: "This year marks the 50th anniversary of Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt, but Japan's relationship with Bulgaria began with a world event held in 1970. What was this world event?" RINA guesses the Olympics, which is incorrect. MAMI says that the Olympics are held every 4 years, during years divisible by 4. Right after, HARU quietly guesses a world's fair before TOMO immediately says, "The event was exactly in the year 1970?" Then MAMI guesses the World Cup, which is also incorrect. HARU and RINA wonder what it could be. A staffer says that it was already said. HARU repeats her world's fair answer, which is correct. RINA says that HARU had been saying it the whole time but was ignored, making the others laugh. RINA laughs and goes, "Why was she ignored?? She guessed it right, right at the start." The staff says that they wanted them to keep guessing a little bit more. The band laughs at this. HARU says that they were pretending to not have heard it. RINA says that it was answered correctly too quickly. They go, "Sorry about that!" and laugh. The world's fair in 1970 was held in Osaka and it started the relationship between Japan and Bulgaria. TOMO then says she wants to go back to the topic of yogurt day and goes, "Yogurt Day is the birthday of that professor, right? He discovered lactobacillus, was it? (RINA: "He researched it") But lactobacilli are in more than just yogurt..." RINA says that yogurt's like the star of the show and the leader of lactobacilli. TOMO goes, "I see. I was thinking, 'I guess anything goes.'"
•HARU then reads a message from a listener who works at a daycare, and May 15th is morning glory germination day. With the children at the daycare they had planted Japanese morning glory seeds that will germinate in 23 days, so they'll be commuting to work hoping that the plants will pop up. After the message is read, they go, "Hey! Teacher!" and explain why they say that (there are seemingly many teachers among their fans).
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says that tomorrow is the day that they'll be surviving on 100 yen ($1 USD). Their entertainment expenses this month have been so high that their bank account balance is currently 100 yen. The day after that will be their payday, so tomorrow they'll have to endure their seniors eating their delicious-looking lunches in front of them. TOMO says that the band had to do that as well when the band first started. They'd do things like buy bread that came in a pack of 3 for 100 yen. RINA says that stories from times like that become funny stories and good memories in the future. MAMI wonders what kind of things you could buy for 100 yen now. TOMO wonders what the best bang-for-your-buck meals for 100 yen would be. MAMI says that you couldn't actually buy something that's exactly 100 yen since you'd have to account for 10% tax, which would make the total cost 110 yen, so you'd have to buy something that's 90 yen. The others say that that'd be really hard. MAMI says that maybe you could find something on clearance at a market. HARU says it'd be nice to find some money left over on a mobile payment app or such during times like that. MAMI says the listener should look; they might find even more left over. Points (like ones you get for shopping at various stores) as well. TOMO says that since this message was read, they can give them a coupon for free yogurt. The others laugh and say they totally could. TOMO says it'll be delivered too late, though. HARU says that they should just send them yogurt outright. They tell the listener to hang in there.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who says they're scheduled to work the night shift at the hospital tomorrow. It's been a year since they became a nurse, and they're learning and growing while busy with their duties every day. It's not always fun, and there are a lot of hardships, but when a patient says thank you, it really helps them out and makes them want to work hard. They also say that they want to know what tomorrow will be for SCANDAL. RINA says that there days when a word of thanks really helps you out. HARU says thanks for always helping others out. The band says that tomorrow they'll be recording, and that they'll do their best to record a good one.
•They then close out the episode. HARU says that there were apparently a lot of people who said that their birthday's tomorrow, so the band all wish them a happy birthday and to come out to a SCANDAL concert. They then mention their new single and the B-side song "Vision." HARU says that people thought before it was released that RINA would be singing main vocals on it since the lyrics and music are written by her. She also says that apparently people at their record label were wondering who was singing since her voice tone sounds different that it normally does. MAMI is surprised to hear that. RINA says that she wonders if they thought that since RINA sang the scratch vocals and then HARU took that approach into consideration when singing her own vocals. They then say that recording this episode was really fun and to keep sending in messages to this program.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
The present location of this all-girl band in their 17th year of existence, after having swept through their long-desired world tour
SCANDAL has released their new single Line of sight.
The title track, "Line of sight," which has been out on streaming services since March 15, is a fast-paced and big-boned rock tune written as the theme song for the arcade card game "Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE" out now. The single also includes the new song "Vision," written by RINA.
This is Music Natalie's interview with SCANDAL, who will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of their major label debut this October. They talked at length about the year 2022, which they swept through with their album MIRROR; stories about the production of their new work Line of sight; and big plans for the future.
No one gave up, no matter the circumstances
──Since the release of your album MIRROR last January, SCANDAL has been spending their days being immersed in performing live: your world tour that was held in Japan, North America, and Europe; appearing at numerous festivals; and playing joint concerts. What kind of year was 2022?
HARUNA: I think it was a year in which we were able to make big moves with the release of MIRROR, but I feel that our progress was slow and deliberate due to the still-large effects of the pandemic. Our activities are currently gaining momentum, so I suppose it was like a preparation period for that—or rather, it was a time to get our bodies used to things little by little. Still, it was a very happy year for us, since we were able to see our overseas fans on our first world tour in forever.
TOMOMI: I'm happy we got to properly convey our album MIRROR through our concerts. We do have some regrets, though, since some performances were canceled due to ud contracting COVID halfway through our overseas tour, but it was a relief to really feel that things were starting to move again (laughs).
MAMI: As we continued to work, we were able to sense signs that the world was gradually improving, so it was significant for us to feel like perhaps it's okay to think about the future. In that sense, it was a very hopeful year for us. Those sentiments led in part to the title of our "unlimited UTOPIA" tour.
RINA: To be honest, there were many moments when we felt discouraged. But each time we did, the four of us and our staff team supported each other and worked hard to get through the year. We were able to endure that year because none of us gave up, no matter what the situation was. We should be able to turn this experience into strength and open new doors by ourselves again—that's what I feel now.
──Along with your concerts, you were also actively engaged in songwriting.
RINA: That's right. The only way to move a band forward is to write new songs. It's hard to stay where we are now, so we keep trying to move forward. It may not be fast, but as soon as we have a song, we start pre-production and work on it. Among them, we received a tie-in offer and wrote "Line of sight."
"What should I start with when writing a rock song, again?"
──"Line of sight" was written as the theme song for the arcade card game "Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE." When was its production period?
HARUNA: Around last October.
RINA: Yeah. We heard about the offer in the dressing room at Zepp Nagoya when we played a joint-band concert with SiM. They asked us to finish it in a month, so we started concentrating on making it accordingly.
──You discussed things with the game's staff during the production process
RINA: Yes. The creative team of "Arsenal Base" is the same age as us, and apparently has known about SCANDAL for a long time. They conveyed their passion of wanting to incorporate a rock tune of SCANDAL's into the game scenes. The rock song they requested was something that we could show our strengths in, and it matched really well with how we wanted to start off 2023 with a powerful song. It felt like we were in a great mood to start production.
──The music was written by MAMI.
MAMI: Yes. I think I've spoken about this before, but in the last few years I've had a hard time making songs that show off an aggressiveness. After a period of not being able to perform live due to the pandemic, I didn't know where to direct my feelings when making songs. That kept up for a long time, so although this time as well I felt, "What should I start with when writing a rock song, again?", during discussions with the other band members, we decided that we wanted a song with a strong guitar riff. From there, I decided to make as many riffs as I could and let the members choose which they liked best. Then, once the riffs were finalized, I would send them several melodies for the chorus. We repeated this process as we worked on the song.
──I'm picturing the members making choices and stacking the parts up one by one to make this song.
MAMI: That's right. Until now I had often made fully arranged demos and then would have everyone listen to it, so this was pretty much the first time we made a demo like this.
RINA: We understood and accepted that that's how MAMI works, so as a band we felt like any method would be totally fine. Also, all of the riffs and melodies that MAMI comes up with have been really cool and made us really excited when we heard them, so even though this wasn't our normal approach, we weren't worried at all. If anything, we believed that we could definitely come up with a cool song, so we were looking forward to MAMI's ideas.
HARUNA: She sent us different patterns of phrases played on acoustic guitar, and basically all the ones that we thought were good were the same.
TOMOMI: Yeah. We were really quick to decide.
MAMI: It was a very new thing for us to make a song like this, and since song-wise it turned out to be ideal, I realized again that I don't have to worry about writing songs alone all the time (laughs). In my case, I have a habit of cramming in a lot of sounds or phrases, but this time I feel that everyone's opinions helped me to find the right balance. We were able to create a simple but very energetic rock tune.
──It does have a fairly heavy sound. The sound pressure is also impressive.
TOMOMI: The bass is also pretty distorted. It was refreshing since we haven't really taken that approach recently.
MAMI: Before we recorded it, she was scowling while saying, "It might take a little time to record the bass." But once we actually started, it wasn't like that at all. That was some great playing, as expected (laughs).
TOMOMI: Ahahaha. I thought it might take a long time because I was trying to change the rhythm in some places, but it went surprisingly smoothly. I'm used to playing this type of music, and I think I'm good at it. Since this song was to be played during the most exciting battle scenes of the game, I was very content to have created a speedy rock tune appropriate for those scenes.
MAMI: HARU's voice really fits it as well.
Music is unfair
──The lyrics are by RINA. The lyrics are nice and very much in line with the world of "Mobile Suit Gundam," while at the same time appealing to the hearts of the listeners.
RINA: At any rate, I wanted to make something that would meet all expectations (laughs). I personally wasn't the type that ardently watched Gundam as a child, so I asked the game staff about the worldview of this work. They told me that although it's about battling, it's simply a clash of justice on both sides with no absolute bad guy. I really sympathized with that. You don't necessarily have to find an answer to everything, there are no right or wrong answers, and each side has their own way of doing things. This mindset is also what we value most when we make music and express ourselves on stage. That's why I wove in words that evoke the atmosphere of the universe, which kept in line with the world of the work, while at the same time including plenty of our current feelings as SCANDAL.
──No matter what difficulties they face, they face them without running away. The attitude in these lyrics symbolizes SCANDAL as a band, doesn't it?
RINA: I personally think that this is an emotion that would not have been created, had we not experienced our world tour last year. It was a journey that forced us to make many painful decisions, and it made us think a lot about how we should live our lives from now on. There was a time when nothing really went right: When we came back to Japan to play at a festival after our North America tour, that festival was canceled due to bad weather. However, the Paris performance turned out to be a really special concert for us. Just when you're about to give up, there comes a day that ignites your heart as if to say, "Don't give up on music!" I think music is unfair (laughs). But the band is the most important thing for us, and we realized once again that there's nothing else that we love. I think there are ways to gently encourage people by saying that it's okay to run away, but there is definitely a view that you can encounter and a person you can become by not running away. I think that we were able to make the lyrics stick with us by taking the latter approach in writing the lyrics this time.
Their first song with such a loud rhythm section
──HARUNA, how did recording vocals go?
HARUNA: As MAMI said earlier, I was able to reconfirm that my voice is suited to this kind of song. As was the case with our previous release "A.M.D.K.J.", this kind of hard rock sound gets a great response from our fans. This is our forte, after all. This is the sound that SCANDAL is known for.
──Did you ever get lost in the nuances and expressions of the song?
HARUNA: Yes. We did takes where I sang a little stronger, but I curbed it a little since it had a bit too much of a live-concert feel to it. There were some adjustments, but I basically sang in a relaxed manner. Of course, at concerts, I think my vocals will be more powerful than they are on the recorded track (laughs).
──The single also includes another song, "Vision," which is a complete change in sound approach. This fluctuation is another interesting aspect of SCANDAL. The lyrics and music were written by RINA.
RINA: I wrote about my thoughts that, in order to cherish the present, we need to keep looking to the future. It's this sense of excitement about what lies ahead that allows us to do our best in the present. For me, it has a "self-love song" image to it. You don't know if you'll succeed, but you want to love and affirm yourself for being able to jump into the pitch-black darkness believing that you can become someone new. I wrote this song with the hope that it would be a fun song that everyone could freely groove to when performed live.
MAMI: I thought it was a very RINA-esque song. We had a rather solid image of it at the demo stage, but we changed some chords and melodies during pre-production. It was like we all went into the studio and shaped it together. As for the guitar parts, I include cutting, which is part of my forte. The guitar on "Line of sight" is also a part of my forte, so this single turned out to be one that really showcases my fortes (laughs).
──I thought the slightly tricky single-note phrase in the intro was also very SCANDAL-like.
MAMI: The arranger, Hibiki Nishikawa, came up with that part. I just said I'm good at it, but I'm not very good at coming up with single-note phrases (laughs). We asked him to arrange it based on his own ideas. Hibiki is a bassist, so he also produces guitar phrases on the bass. This allows him to come up with more and more interesting phrases that I would never have thought of on the guitar. New discoveries like, "Wow, so that's what it's like!" are fun to make.
──The sound of the rhythm section is quite effective in this song. The bass in particular has a big presence, and I think that's why the song naturally moves your body.
TOMOMI: As MAMI mentioned, Hibiki is a bassist, so he really likes the sound of the bass (laughs). As a result, the bass sound became very loud. I was a bit surprised at the mixing stage, but I thought it could totally work. At the very end, I told him, "The bass is quite loud this time," and he said, "I lowered it by four decibels, though" (laughs). This is the first time doing a song with such an extremely loud rhythm section, including the drums, so I'm looking forward to having everyone listen to it.
RINA: We had talked about making the bass stand out during the recording stage. I think the result is fresh and very cool.
──And as for vocals... This is sung by HARUNA, right?
HARUNA: It is. But it's totally different from my usual singing (laughs). This time I sang very close to RINA's demo vocals. I think I'm making the most of the trial-and-error I've gone through so far in regards to vocals (laughs).
RINA: I thought it was really cool. I was very happy that she brushed up my scratch vocals and turned it into a wonderful vocal performance.
HARUNA: The melodies of the songs RINA makes are always very interesting. She makes melodies that I would never come up with on my own. That's why they're difficult to sing, but I think that's what makes SCANDAL fun and interesting. It's good that we can show the variation of the songs on the single, including the contrast with "Line of sight."
──I think it's a number that shows the pop side of the band, but it's also nice that the song ends with a ruckus at the end, which is very SCANDAL-like.
MAMI: Hehehehe.
RINA: My music tends to be very alternative. I wrote this song while consciously trying to make it very pop-sounding, but it ended up like this (laughs).
If accepted, they will make it into the Guinness World Records
──After your "unlimited UTOPIA" tour, what kind of moves will SCANDAL show us?
HARUNA: We will celebrate the 17th anniversary of our formation in August and the 15th anniversary of our major label debut in October, but this year we have one thing we're aiming for...
RINA: We want to set the Guinness World Record for longest-active all-girl band.
TOMOMI: 17 years without any member changes or periods of inactivity seems to be the longest.
MAMI: If we apply ourselves and are accepted, we'll make it into the Guinness World Records.
──Wow! That's amazing.
TOMOMI: It's kind of funny (laughs). It's not that we've been aiming for that, but I think there are many things that we've understood because we've been doing this for 17 years, so I think it is important to keep doing everything.
HARUNA: While hoping to successfully set the record, we also have many other things to think about.
•The episode starts with them trying the frozen (popsicle) version of Bulgaria Yogurt. Then they announce the live broadcast of Catch up aired on Tokyo FM on May 14 (a summary for that will be coming after this one).
•HARU then reads the next message from a listener who has been posted to the Japanese Embassy in Bulgaria starting from this February and lives in the capital city of Sofia. Though they're a newcomer to Bulgaria, they really appreciate the fact that SCANDAL enjoys talking about Bulgaria on this program. They say that there's more than just yogurt, and that there's a wide variety of food and wine, and even hot springs. They also say that if they have a chance to visit Bulgaria this year, the 50th anniversary of Bulgaria Yogurt, then to please do so. HARU says that this person is not a SCANDAL fan but somehow heard about this program somewhere and sent in a message. MAMI says that's awesome how someone from the Japanese Embassy contacted them. HARU laughs and says that there was meaning to them taking those quizzes about Bulgaria in previous episodes. MAMI says that they were close to Bulgaria when they had visited Turkey before, and that the yogurt sauce there was really good.
•They then close out the episode. HARU says that it's been a little over a month since the program is now being sponsored by Bulgaria Yogurt. RINA starts to say how she checks out the yogurt when she's at the market. MAMI laughs and says she does the same, and sees what kind of different Disney packaging they have. They laugh and RINA says she does that as well. TOMO says that she feels like it's her duty to buy some, and it's like their own CDs are being sold. They laugh and agree.
•Lastly, HARU says that they'll be playing some audio recorded right after the finale performance of their unlimited UTOPIA tour. HARU says that the tour was really awesome and seven performances went by in no time at all, and the audience for the finale was so pumped up that it really did make it feel like a finale. HARU asks the others if the tour was fun. TOMO says it was so much fun and that she'll probably never forget this tour. RINA says that it was special [since it had been so long since audiences have been able to vocalize]. TOMO agrees and that it solidified again how much she cherishes the band and their fans. There's a long pause before HARU goes, "What's wrong?" TOMO laughs and MAMI goes, "Feeling emotional?" RINA says it was emotional. TOMO says that she felt like tearing up. MAMI says how it's been a long time since they've done in-person meet-and-greets in Japan, and that it was nice to directly hear things that people have been waiting to say to them for years.
•RINA says that they had been having a lot of tough days over the past 2-3 years and have been spilling their feelings about it more than usual in interviews and such. There were times when she wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do, but they were able to talk about it because it was something that was true. She says she's glad they've always been honest and told the truth without hiding anything. They went out on this tour feeling like they left a really long tunnel, and she's glad that the band has continued to be a band. HARU says that she was able to really express her feelings during the MCs, and she felt like she showed her heart and soul without concealing anything. It feels like the audience is more open/accepting when you do something like that. She says it was a really fun, really hot, really great tour and thanks everyone who attended. They say that they have more concerts, festivals, and events coming up, so there will plenty of chances to see each other again.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
"113" is legitimately a fated number for SCANDAL!? MAMI says, "We took it too lightly...!"
Season 2, Episode 6 blog
HARUNA: We'll mainly be reading messages this time as well.
Staff: We verified many times on a previous episode how the number "113" is a fateful number for SCANDAL and unraveled the relationship between the two, right?
HARUNA: Yes, we did. Well, it is a mysterious number...
TOMOMI: It's a number that doesn't have much to do with us...
RINA: Eh? Does that mean we got a message about that?
HARUNA: You mean that there were listeners who went along with that forced analogy?
Staff: Wait a minute, everyone... This is 'legit.' Things are going in a great direction.
Staff: See? We knew that "113" was a fateful number for SCANDAL...
TOMOMI: Yeah, it's 'legit'...
MAMI: That's true...
HARUNA: Wow...
Staff: We did more research... →And found that "A113" is hidden in Toy Story; A Bug's Life; Monsters, Inc.; Lilo and Stitch; Finding Nemo; Cars; Ratatouille; Up; The Princess and the Frog; etc.
All: Wow... It is legit.
Staff: It's in The Avengers and The Simpsons as well...
All: Ehーー!!
→They look at images of "A113" hidden in films
RINA: It's true...
MAMI: It's scary...
HARUNA: This is serious...
MAMI: We took 113 too lightly... Now we know.
HARUNA: I guess this wasn't an easy issue to deal with...
•The episode starts with them introducing a recipe that combines Meiji Kaju Gummy and Bulgaria Yogurt (like this) + a tasting party for it for the first 13 minutes - more than half of the episode, which I don't think needs to be translated lol
•HARU reads the first message from a listener who recently started listening to Catch up. They first heard about SCANDAL 10 years ago (since they were in middle school). Living in the countrysied, they could only buy singles or albums, and they didn't have access to TV programs in Tokyo, so all they knew about SCANDAL was how cool they were. By the time they moved to Tokyo after high school, their tastes had changed and no longer listened to SCANDAL. Recently, though, SCANDAL's song "Ai ni Naranakatta no sa" came up in their YouTube recommendations and quickly got hooked again and even got tickets to see them in Fukuoka. They also say that now that the internet has developed, you're able to better get to know those who you previously didn't know too well. That's why their impression of SCANDAL has changed from being cool girls to amusing/interesting ones. The band laughs and says they've been found out. RINA says that they did have a time when they weren't as personable/relatable as they are now. HARU says that it is true about what they said about the internet.
•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who is a father that saw SCANDAL in Sendai with his daughter. They drove six hours from Toyama and listened to SCANDAL songs while predicting the setlist on the way there, and on the way back they discussed their thoughts about the concert, making for a fun trip from start to finish. He says that they've had less time to spend together since his daughter recently joined the workforce and started living alone this past spring, so being able to go to concerts together is a precious opportunity for them to spend time together as parent and child. He hopes that the precious time they have together, not just as parent and child but as concert buddies, will continue for as long as possible. MAMI says that she's happy they enjoyed their parent-child time together like that in the car. RINA says that it's quite a luxury to be able to do fun stuff, like going to concerts, with your parents after you've grown up.
•RINA reads the next message from a listener who is a teacher at a special needs school (SCANDAL: "Hey! Teacher!"). They married someone from Brazil last October and will be going to Brazil to visit their family. It'll be their first time being on a plane for a long time and they also don't speak the language, so they're full of anxiety while also looking forward to it. However, when a message from a Brazilian fan was read during episode 157 and learned that there are SCANDAL fans in Brazil, they felt a little closer to Brazil. They ask the band, who has been overseas a lot, what things they were glad they brought with them when going overseas, as well as recommendations for things they could do on the plane. TOMO says that they've never traveled as long as that, and that she's heard it takes about 30 hours to get there from Japan. RINA says that they could download a bunch of movies. TOMO says that if the listener's not flying on a Japanese airline, there may not be any movies on the plane with Japanese subtitles, so she also recommends downloading a bunch of movies. She also mentions that there's Wi-Fi available on some planes for a fee. RINA wonders what else you could do on the plane. TOMO says that you could look forward to the meals and wonder when they'll be served. RINA says that it'll likely be served soon when it starts to smell good. A staffer seems to ask them what their favorite kind of airplane food is. MAMI says that the food's different every time. TOMO says that she does like bread that's always served, which RINA says she totally gets. MAMI says she likes rice dishes a lot. HARU says that it's kind of luxurious to drink a glass of wine when you first get on the plane. RINA is surprised and goes, "You drink wine on a plane?" HARU says that she's done it before, and MAMI says that the two of them have done it before. HARU says that she drinks it because she wants to sleep on the plane. TOMO says that they'll recommend that to the listener. RINA says that she's never had alcohol on a flight before.
•RINA then says that she always thinks it's a good idea to buy a few bottles of tea or the like before you board the plane so that you can drink actual Japanese tea. It gives you a bit of peace of mind and helps you relax. MAMI says that that's a good idea since there are times when you miss tastes like that when you arrive at your destination. TOMO recommends bringing something like slippers that you can slip in and out of quickly, rather than deal with footwear like sneakers that may be too tight. HARU recommends also wearing wide-leg pants rather than something like jeans. RINA says that the things she's been glad to have taken with her are a pair of flip-flops and a toothbrush. Many hotels overseas don't provide slippers, so it's a good idea to bring sandals with you if you're concerned about that. And for toothbrushes, the size of the brush head is usually quite a bit bigger than ones in Japan. TOMO says it's better to assume that the hotel you're staying at won't have any amenities since many don't. The band wonders when the listener's going to Brazil, and if it's around the same time they're going for their anime convention performance. They say to come see them if they are.
•They then close out the episode. They say to send in any 'recipes' for Kaju Gummy and Bulgaria Yogurt, and to send in any messages for their current segments.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
One topic that's talked about is the Guinness World Records, and apparently there's no official GWR for "longest-running all-girl band with no member changes or hiatuses" (makes sense, which is why you can't find anything about it on the GWR site or anywhere else). That's why SCANDAL will be the one to officially establish/set the record.
The band members tear up at this story about a little boy they spotted from the stage?
Season 2, Episode 5 blog
HARUNA: This week we'll mainly be reading messages.
TOMOMI: So let's read some.
Kanegon
Since things have improved [regarding the pandemic], I went somewhere with my elementary school-aged son for the first time.
My son is not very good at expressing his feelings and emotions. When we go out to play, he says he had a good time, but it sounds like he's trying to be considerate. I sometimes wonder if he's really enjoying himself.
I wondered how he would react if we went to a SCANDAL concert. Nothing would make me happier if we could have fun together, but what if he's surprised by the sound, or gets bored and says he wants to go home?
I was nervous with anticipation and anxiety, but when the concert started, my child was so excited that he raised his hands in the air with the people around him and clapped his hands in the air! During "Saishuuheiki, Kimi," which he always sings along to, HARU-chan waved her hands and shot me right in the heart...
TOMOMI: It's that kid!
HARUNA: I know which oneー!!
TOMOMI: I'll keep reading...
After the concert, RINA-chan asked if he had a good time...
RINA: I know! He was in the very front!
TOMOMI: I feel like I'm about to cry, but I'll read the rest...
I've never seen him like this before, really enjoying himself.
Thanks to seeing my boy like that and the awesome setlist, dad's mask was soaked with sweat and tears. I've never had such a happy time. I have no more regrets! That's how happy I was.
TOMOMI: ...I'm really going to cry.
On the way home, my son was so tired that he immediately fell asleep, but as soon as he woke up, he said with a smile, "Yesterday was fun! I want to go again!"
TOMOMI: I'm going to cry... That boy was so cute.
RINA: I'm so happy...
HARUNA: I'm seriously starting to cry too...
TOMOMI: (*crying) ...you're usually so indifferent.
HARUNA: He was smiling so much.
TOMOMI: Yeah, he was.
RINA: At the end, when we were leaving the stage, his cheeks turned bright red.
All: That's right!
RINA: The heat from the audience made their cheeks turn red like crazy. When I asked him if he had a good time, he didn't reply with words but smiled so kindly... So that's the backstory...
HARUNA: That was in Sendai, right?
TOMOMI: Yeah, Sendai.
MAMI: I remember he was in front of meー
HARUNA: It didn't seem like his first time. He looked so happy.
•The episode starts with them eating Bulgaria Yogurt for the first 12 (!) minutes lol. They talk about how Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt is currently featuring limited-edition packaging featuring Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters to celebrate the yogurt's 50th anniversary, with a total of 113 characters used. They apparently have all of the different characters at the studio as they're recording this episode. TOMO says that she thought that there'd be characters that she didn't know but she's surprised that she seems to recognize all of the ones she's seeing. HARU says that it's written on the script that they should each choose their favorite character. The others are surprised and go, "Ehh??" TOMO and HARU pick theirs first. HARU picks Iron Man. MAMI says "So cool!" HARU laughs and says that he is cool, and that this might be her first time seeing Marvel characters illustrated in the way that they are on this packaging. TOMO picks two: Miguel from Coco and Monsters, Inc. She says that she picked the first one because really likes "Remember Me" from Coco, and the second one because she went with Sully from Monsters, Inc. ears when she most recently went to Tokyo Disneyland.
•Right as RINA and MAMI go off to choose theirs, HARU discovers a Lady and the Tramp one (remember that HARU's dog Lady is named after the character). MAMI chooses a Jessie from Toy Story one and says that she remembers a friend in elementary school had a dachschund named Jessie. She asked the friend why they named it as such, and the friend told them about the movie and they watched it. RINA picks an Ariel from The Little Mermaid one. HARU says that RINA does love Ariel. RINA says that she's loved Ariel since she was little and had even tried brushing her hair with a fork. She also wanted to be a mermaid.
•Then this happens (the number "113" was originally chosen due to it being the same number of Disney characters there are on the limited-edition packaging of Bulgaria Yogurt).
•After the fact about nihonium was read, TOMO says that not a single fact so far has made her want to go, "Oh, really?!" The staff says that they're slowly getting there. The next fact HARU reads is that 113 is the 30th prime number. She reads that it's "a strong-willed number, much like SCANDAL." There's a pause before TOMO goes, "...oh..." The next fact read is that four years ago (technically in 2018), the total of SCANDAL's ages added together equaled 113. TOMO goes, "Four years ago..." MAMI laughs and says that it would have been more impressive if that was applicable right now instead. The next fact read is that the 113th day of the year is April 23rd, the day that SCANDAL's single Departure was released in 2014. TOMO says that that's a little applicable, which HARU chuckles at. The staff wonders what number will be next. RINA says that it seems like any number is doable, which makes the staff laugh.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
Is "113" a fated number? Exploring the deep relationship between "113" and SCANDAL!
Season 2, Episode 4 blog
HARUNA: Now, for this episode of "Catch up," we'd like to focus on the number "113." It is no exaggeration to say that this is truly a fated number. We, who have encountered the number "113," can say that we have been guided by fate...
RINA: ...what?? An urban legend? What do you mean?
TOMOMI: We aren't that attached to "113"...
MAMI: "113"... Is there anything??
TOMOMI: Is there anything that comes to mind?
All: No...
(Staff: There is... We saw the number "113" and thought, "This is SCANDAL's number!")
RINA: SCANDAL's number?
MAMI: Why?
TOMOMI: SCANDAL's number is "821," though...
HARUNA: Yeah... At any rate... "113" is a number that's acquainted with SCANDAL, so here are some stories and facts about "113".
MAMI: That's a lie...
(Staff: It's true!)
HARUNA: ...I'll read them.
★The year "113" A.D. The year "113" is said to be the year Atsuta Jingu Shrine in Nagoya was founded.
(Staff: See? That's amazing!)
TOMOMI: ...what?
RINA: Did you two from Aichi know?
MAMI: I didn't, but I know Atsuta Shrine.
HARUNA: I love Atsuta Shrine.
TOMOMI: How is this connected to SCANDAL?
(Staff: Nagoya is a frequent topic on this program! I mean, I can't believe you didn't know that...)
MAMI: Sorry. So it was the year 113.
HARUNA: Yeah, we didn't know this. I'll continue...
★January 13 is CHARA's birthday! November 3 is Kannazuki's and Akimasa Haraguchi's birthday!
(Staff: See!)
TOMOMI: Well... I like CHARA.
(Staff: You like her, but you didn't know?)
TOMOMI: Yes...
HARUNA: Aren't both of the November 3rd ones "impersonators"?
TOMOMI: You're right. But it doesn't seem to have anything to do with SCANDAL...
(Staff: Isn't it amazing that two people representing the world of mimicry have the same birthday?)
HARUNA: Isn't it amazing??
RINA: Yes, it's amazing, indeed.
TOMOMI: Amazing.
MAMI: But it doesn't have anything to do with SCANDAL?
(Staff: We'll keep going with the next one.)
★The element with atomic number "113" is nihonium. The first element discovered and recognized in Asia. A Japanese team succeeded in producing it.
HARUNA: I think it has something in common with SCANDAL, the Japanese representative all-girl band...
RINA: I see...
TOMOMI: This has been too forced...
RINA: It's way off...
(Staff: It's the same as all of you who are trying to set a Guinness World Record, SCANDAL and nihonium)
•The episode starts with them eating Bulgaria Yogurt for the first six minutes lol and then this happens.
•The next word is "Dobar den." They joke and all start saying things sound like the equivalent of what it sounds like in Japanese. RINA guesses "You're welcome (douitashimashite)" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "What are you doing? (nani shiten no)" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "I'm watching TV (terebi miteru yo)" (*bzzt). They all laugh at these. MAMI asks if it's a greeting. HARU says that it is. TOMO guesses "Hello," but then RINA immediately goes, "Let's eat (itadakimasu)." HARU says that's not right, but then goes, "Ah, wait. Say it again," to TOMO. TOMO says it again and HARU says that it's correct. RINA asks how it's spelled in katakana, which is "ドバル デン." She says that the pronunciation for all of these words is interesting.
•The last word is "Dobŭr vecher." The band sounds confused since it sounds similar to "Dobar den." TOMO goes, "Wait, what does 'dobar den' mean, again?" while HARU laughs. HARU tells her that that means "Hello," so TOMO says that this new word must mean "Goodbye." HARU laughs, says no, and says that "Goodbye" is "Doviždane." MAMI asks for the audio of the word to be played again. TOMO then guesses "Sorry (gomen ne)" (*bzzt). RINA guesses "Goodnight (oyasumi)" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "Let's eat (itadakimasu)" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "Good morning (ohayou)" (*bzzt). MAMI guesses "Thanks for the meal (gochisousama)" (*bzzt). TOMO guesses "How's it going? (choushi dou?)" (*bzzt). HARU then says that this is what it means in French, and plays an audio clip of the word "Bonsoir." They all go, "Ohh," and TOMO guesses "Good evening (konbanwa)," which is correct. They say that this was very interesting and fun. HARU says that she's interested in learning greetings from all kinds of countries. TOMO says that she's interested in all of them and would like to hear them all.
•They then close out the episode. They say that doing this quiz and also eating yogurt made the time go by really quickly. HARU asks if anyone remembers the words they learned. MAMI and TOMO keep repeating "torontoron" (what they kept saying "Dobró útro" sounds like in Japanese). HARU asks if they remember what it means. TOMO answers "Good morning," which is correct. MAMI then says "Doviždane (goodbye)," and HARU says that they should close out this episode with that. After they make a few announcements about the next stop of their tour and a festival performance, they do close out the episode saying "Doviždane" while laughing.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
Those who learned about me from my YouTube channel, and those who haven't seen us live, please feel free to come out to our tour·͜- At any rate, SCANDAL puts on a great live show.
In an age where there's more and more entertainment options that can be enjoyed without going all the way to a venue or spending a lot of money + time, An awesome performance Will be waiting for those who choose to come to our concerts. Let's have a fun spring〜! We'll do our best〜!
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Links to English subs for all of RINA's videos can be found here:
•The episode starts with them discussing that they need new program merch for this new season. TOMO says that maybe they could do a yogurt version of their previous Apollo items. RINA says that they had previously talked about how it'd be cute if they had some merch with "SCANDAL" written in the Bulgaria Yogurt font. TOMO says that the blue used in it is nice, which the others agree with. She also says that she'd want to make it into a pouch as is. HARU says that they sure like pouches. MAMI says that she wants all the pouches, and that she'd also want drawstring bag/pouch. The others agree that that'd be cute. Another thing MAMI lists that she says would be cute is a handkerchief. They say that they also need stickers. TOMO asks about doing a pick this time as well. The others don't seem sure. TOMO says that the past one did work out since Apollo pieces are triangle-shaped. MAMI wonders if there's something they could do for the yogurt that's related to instruments. RINA says that maybe they could make a lot of smaller things. TOMO and HARU say that a cloth would be good. MAMI says that a lens-cleaning cloth could be good. Three things they say they'd like to make are a pouch, cloth, and stickers. They wonder what else they could do. TOMO mentions the handkerchief and drawstring bag ideas again, which they agree on. HARU says that they should have stuff that they could give out to more people. MAMI clarifies, "To bring things down cost-wise," which makes HARU laugh. TOMO says that for the pouch, she wants it to be longer so that pens could fit into it. MAMI says that a drawstring bag/pouch might be best in that case. HARU says that it might be best to make it the same size as an actual container of the yogurt and just change out the logo. MAMI says that sounds cute. They say they'd like for listeners to send in merch ideas as well.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who is a high schooler who went to their homeroom teacher's wedding recently. There were four students, a mix of boys and girls, from their class who went. At first they had their doubts, but the wedding turned out to be a lot of fun. They say they're not good at talking to girls, but the girl that they went with was very easy and fun to talk to. They ask SCANDAL if this is love. HARU goes, "That's cute!" TOMO says that a lot of relationships seem to start out in that same kind of way. HARU says that they also might become good friends. They say to keep talking to each other and see what happens.
•MAMI says that they had asked listeners previously to send in messages about moments that have no words to explain them, and she says it's written on the script that this new segment could be titled "Shunkan Plain (瞬間プレーン)," and shortened to "ShunPlay" (like "ShunSen," the way you shorten "Shunkan Sentimental"). The others say it sounds good. MAMI reads one from a listener: "The shower [handle?] slowly turns to the left no matter how many times you correct it." The others say that they totally get that. RINA says that it happens at hotels, which the others agree with. Another: "Whenever you make gyoza, there's always a little filling left over that you could make mini burgers with." They say that does happen. Another: "The moment you smell curry, it makes you want to eat it." She then reads a few more all at once: "Forgetting your phone in your room after putting on your shoes," "Finding one unwashed sock after doing the laundry," "Spacing out on the couch for an hour after getting home." They say they all get those, and do all those. One more: "Being told something very useful but you already know it."
•They say that actually giving names to these kinds of moments is difficult to do. TOMO says that the shower one is very frustrating when it happens to you, which the others laugh at. MAMI asks the others what they'd call the gyoza one. After a pause, TOMO goes, "Food loss zero." MAMI laughs and says that's a positive way to put it. For the curry one, there's a bit of silence before TOMO says that there's no helping wanting to eat curry after smelling it, and HARU and MAMI both go, "An act of God" at the same time. They laugh and agree. For the shoes one, RINA answers with "Rewinding," which they agree with. After MAMI asks about the sock one, RINA says that she'd like for them to come up with coined words. She then says that basically the only thing you can say in response to things like that are "I see." She says, "Wouldn't it be something like, 'I get it somehow'?" TOMO says that the word for that would be "understanding." RINA then immediately goes, "Understanding-I-see." HARU says that this segment is a pain to do. MAMI says that it might be better if they were able to quickly come up with things. HARU says that it would be better if they only had to come up with 1-2 things.
•RINA says that this next message is about a merch proposal. The listener says that got their first car and immediately decorated it with a bunch of SCANDAL merch but felt it wasn't enough to show off that they're a SCANDAL fan. They suggest that the band come out with car-related stuff such as bumper stickers, sun shades, etc. TOMO says that bumper stickers would be nice, and that she sees a lot of cars with stickers when she goes camping. They say they'll take this into consideration.
•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who is sending in a fine-line message. They are an elementary school teacher (SCANDAL: "Hey! Teacher") and say how the other day a second grader had asked them what kind of season May is in Japan. They say they never really thought about it before, and the only months they could really picture is April (cherry blossoms) and June (rainy season). They ask what kind of season SCANDAL pictures May to be, and directs the question more towards MAMI and TOMO whose birthdays are in May. MAMI and TOMO say that it's the beginning of summer, and it says so according to the calendar. HARU is surprised and thought that summer started in June. TOMO says that the atmosphere is summer-like starting in May. MAMI brings up the fact that cherry blossoms are blooming in Hokkaido in May (they bloom later than the other parts of Japan since it's in the north and colder there), which is why their perception might be different. TOMO says that the cherry blossoms had certainly been blooming when they had gone up north for a tour in May a while ago. HARU asks the two what season they think their birthdays fall under. TOMO answers spring. MAMI says that she thinks it's between spring and summer, and that it's not exactly spring. TOMO says that the weather totally varies depending on what day it is; it could be cold one day and hot the next. That's why it's hard to say what season it really is. TOMO says that you could describe it as being the month of her and MAMI's birthdays, which makes the others laugh. MAMI says that it's the season of new fresh green leaves.
*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):
*A list of all episode summaries from ＃1-160 can be found here
SCANDAL TOUR 2023「unlimited UTOPIA」 @ Sendai GIGS, April 15
Setlist: (if you wish to discuss any part of the setlist, please put it behind a spoiler tag)
Spoiler:
Line of sight
Saishuuheiki, Kimi
Shunkan Sentimental
Awanai Tsumori no, Genki de ne
Electric Girl
STANDARD
LOVE SURVIVE
one more time
Prism
Mado wo Aketara
Koe
Masterpiece
Your song
Flashback No.5
Take Me Out
A.M.D.K.J
Encore:
HARUKAZE
SCANDAL BABY
*Changes are bolded
TOMOMI: 「Thanks, Sendai! It was suuuuuch a good night🥹🫶 Listen to "SESSION! SCANDAL Edition" that's airing on Date fm! It's on every Friday from 9 pm JST
Next up is Sapporo!」
HARUNA: 「"unlimited UTOPIA" in Sendai It was super exciting, wasn't it!? The venue was on fire despite the rain! It was so much fun〜 I really do love Sendai. Thanks, everyone」
SCANDAL: 「【Thank you】 2023.04.15 SCANDAL TOUR 2023 "unlimited UTOPIA" at Sendai GIGS
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to Sendai! It was a hot, wonderful night!
Next up is Zepp Sapporo on 4/19 (Wed)! Please come out!」
MAMI: 「SCANDAL TOUR 2023「unlimited UTOPIA」@ Sendai GIGS . . Heyyyyyy C'mon Wasn't it so much fun that it doesn't make sense "Nights like this exist" Wasn't it that awesome🥵🥵🥵🥵 Whoaaa It surprised me Sorry that these are some really crazy sentences, but is my fainting-in-agony and excitement coming through🥵🥵 (Please look at the fifth photo to see me fainting in agony.) It was a top-class concert at a level that I can still remember and laugh hysterically about:sob: Superb Thanks so much, everyone You're SCANDAL's world (The fourth photo isn't me playing rock-paper-scissors, but rather me right after I threw a pick.) . . This tour is nuts lmao Can't wait for Sapporo as well」
I'm also really happy HARU and I got to talk a bit about our Stray Kids oshis (hers is Lee Know, btw) 
). TOMO mentions that overseas fans had also come to the signing events. HARU says that they think the listener would be able to make friends, which the others agree with.
」
