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What kind of personality does HARUNA's dog, Lady, have?

Season 2, Episode 77 blog

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HARUNA: This is another solo episode. It's a project related to my favorite thing.

～HARUNA's "ONLY ONE" Project "Lady Go"!!

*(ONE = ワン; wan; can be either one or woof)"; (Lady = レディー; redii; can be either Lady or ready)


For this "ONLY ONE" project, "wan" means "one," as well as a dog's "woof"!

As you all know, my beloved dog is Lady, a female miniature dachshund. Lady is doing well, and is now 5 years old. Time flies.

Staff: Isn't she around the same age as you?

HARUNA: Oh, really? In human years? Maybe she's older than me? In human years, a 5-year-old dog is... I'll look it up. I wonder how old she is. (*Looks up on phone)

People say Lady looks like me... They certainly do say that a lot! Yeah, they do. They say it every time I upload a picture of Lady on social media... Like, "You guys look alike!"

Staff: I wonder who looks more like the other, HARUNA or Lady...

HARUNA: I wonder. (*Checking her phone) It seems like the ages of small, medium and large dogs are different... Eh!? That's crazy; she's the same age as me! Seriously? For real, she's exactly 36 years old. She's the same age as me; I see...

I feel like Lady has become quite an older lady now. She's super friendly and likes dogs, but when she's out for a walk, she's the type that gravitates towards her owner rather than other dogs. She's aware of how cute she is and knows that everyone says she's adorable.

Well, she's a cunning girl... She's a bit different from me in that regard. Lady is the type that knows she's cute and wants to be treated as such. What annoys me a little is that when I get home, she gets happy, but only mildly so. She comes over, looks happy but doesn't make any noise, and wags her tail a lot. But when a friend comes over, she gets so happy. I'm like, "You don't usually get this excited!" What's that all about? She even makes some sounds. I'm like, "What is this excitement? I don't know this version of you!" That's just... I can't stand it.

Staff: What about when you go to the vet?

HARUNA: She gets really happy at the vet, too.

Staff: That's because they tell her "You're so cute!"...

HARUNA: Yeah. Probably. Lady is the type of dog who goes to the vet quite often, almost every month, for various tests and treatments, including getting shots. They're not all pleasant experiences, yet she always seems happy every time she goes. It's quite mysterious. But she's happy about everything, so it's a relief.

Staff: It means she has a good personality.

HARUNA: Yeah, she does. She's cheerful! Very cheerful. Well, that's the kind of lady she is.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 76

•The episode starts with [https://www.scandal-heaven.com/t16283p175-radio-program-scandal-catch-up-supported-by-meiji-bulgaria-yogurt#788978]this[/url].

•HARU says that she, TOMO, and MAMI met up with the interpreter who helped them at their Seoul concert and went to that mak-guksu restaurant recommended by the interpreter. Ohno asks if the word basically means noodles, to which HARU says yes, and that there are many different kinds such as ones with sesame paste in them, and ones that are a little spicy. The one MAMI ate was like bibimbap mak-guksu and looked spicy as it was red in color. Ohno asks if mak-guksu is a popular dish in Korea. HARU doesn't think it's that popular, but the place they went to is a popular place and they had to stand in line for it around lunchtime. Ohno says that it seems like perilla might be a trendy food item soon. HARU thinks so as well, and it seems like a lot of influencers have gone to that place. She wanted to try it in Japan too, but it seems like there aren't many places that serve it. There might be one in Shin-Okubo (Tokyo's Koreatown) but she's not sure.

•HARU says that apparently they need to cover at least one more topic but isn't sure what to do, and that she's just been talking about food. Ohno says that that's fine. HARU says okay, even though she says she didn't take any photos. Ohno asks why she didn't. She laughs and says that she forgot to. The next food item she talks about is "Salt bread in Seongsu." Ohno says that he doesn't know what that is, and apparently none of the other staffers know about it either. HARU is surprised and says that salt bread is a fad right now. Ohno says that he knows that much at least. HARU says that the salt bread from Jayeondo is pretty popular. Ohno asks if she has any photos. HARU says that she has a photo of the exterior. Ohno laughs and asks why. She says that it's a stylish place that faces the street. Ohno asks what the bread tastes like. She says that the sweetness of the butter and the saltiness of the salt are just right, and it basically disappears as soon as you start eating it.

•Ohno says that they need to talk about one more topic. He then asks if she made her own travel arrangements. HARU says yes. Ohno asks if she uses LCCs (low-cost carriers), and HARU says that she does try to make her trip cost as cheap as possible. Ohno says she's a diehard fan, and HARU says that even so, she has to hold back where she can. Ohno asks if she's had any problems with LCCs. HARU says no, though you do hear a lot of news about delays and such with those kinds of carriers. Ohno asks if they're comfy enough. HARU says yes, and that it only takes about 2.5-3 hours to get to Korea, which is about the same amount of time as a flight within Japan to Hokkaido or Okinawa. She says she doesn't even need to have a meal on the plane, also tying in to her trying to keep costs as low as possible.

•The last topic HARU talks about is "water celery and yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) bibimbap." Ohno says that this is yet another food item he's never heard about, and to please explain what it is. HARU laughs and says that this is another dish that's really popular right now, and there are many of these kinds of restaurants all over Korea. The one that she ate at is Neungdong Minari. Ohno asks how you eat that dish. HARU says you just break up the beef and mix everything together. As it's already seasoned, you can add things such as sesame oil to taste. She also mentions that you get some kind of water celery salad with daikon and kimchi as soon as you sit down. She apparently shows a photo to Ohno, which the size of the large daikon makes him laugh (HARU: "It's like they put an entire daikon in it"). Ohno says that water celery has a bit of a unique flavor with a mature taste to it. HARU agrees and says it's a veggie with a strong aroma. Ohno asks if this is a popular dish. HARU says she doesn't think so, and that maybe only 2 places serve it. Ohno asks why she wanted to try it. She says that she saw it on Instagram and TikTok. Ohno comments that it's kind of difficult to eat yukhoe in Japan right now and also that water celery is usually only in season in Japan in cold regions. HARU says that if you go to places in Sendai in the winter or spring, you can eat water celery hotpot. Ohno says that she only talked about food today. HARU says yes, but she also did a lot of other things and went to a lot of places; these were just 3 memorable items from the trips she took to Korea this year.

•HARU says that since it's difficult for her to go on a simple trip, she'd like to bring her parents along with her one day. Ohno says that the fact she can do this kind of trip quickly shows that the band members have no resistance to going overseas, and that they're jet-setters at heart. HARU's trips, for example, were ones that only seasoned travelers could take, as she just went over to eat delicious food, do what she wanted to do, and came back without telling anyone in particular. HARU says that her solo trip in July was basically her just taking photos of food and ads of some of her favorite groups. Ohno asks if she didn't do any talking while she was there alone. HARU says she didn't, and that she basically only talked to employees of places she went to. She says she's getting a better handle on the Korean language and is currently studying it. Ohno asks if she's pretty good at it. HARU says not really. Ohno asks if she can convey what she wants to convey. She says yes, which Ohno says is impressive. HARU says that native Korean speakers usually speak very fast, so it's not always easy to understand them and she asks them to repeat what they said. But some of them can communicate in Japanese, so when they realize she's Japanese, they start speaking to her in Japanese. Ohno says that he'll say it again that even though she wasn't able to get tickets to the concert she wanted to go to, she went anyway and took photos, which he says makes her a real seasoned traveler. HARU says that it would have been a waste not to go, especially since she finally had some time off. Ohno agrees and says that that's wonderful, and to keep reporting when she takes trips like that.

*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

HARUNA's travel diary from Korea! It looks so delicious that it makes you hungry.

Season 2, Episode 76 blog

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HARUNA: In no time at all, the solo project series have started...

They started gradually from the end of summer, first with TOMO, then RINA, and now we're on the third one. This is HARUNA's installment. What I'll be doing is:

～HARUNA's "HELLO WORLD! Annyeong! Korea!"

Last time, RINA shared her travel diary about France, so I thought I'd talk about my trip to Korea. I went to Korea at the end of July. In total, I've been there three times in total this year, including for SCANDAL's tour... but that wasn't actually a proper trip. I went to see my favorite artists' concerts, and also for our own tour, which was the finale of the Asia tour... I think that was the most travel-life trip. I stayed behind with TOMO and MAMI for a few days and had some fun.

So, I went at the end of July because I actually wanted to see a concert, but in Korea, there is a ticketing system for live concerts, not a lottery, so you have to get tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. It was very difficult to get tickets. I tried for a month to get tickets but I couldn't get them...

(Note: Ticketing in Korea is often on a first-come, first-served basis, with fans from all over the world fighting for tickets to popular artists as soon as they go on sale...)

I couldn't get tickets, but before ticketing started, I was already determined to go. I had booked my accommodation and flight, and although I could have canceled them, I thought it would be a shame not to go since I wanted to experience the venue's atmosphere. So, even though I didn't have a concert ticket, I went to Korea.

Staff: You can't get tickets on the day of the concert?

HARUNA: No, you can't. But I tried until the last minute. I held out until the day before, but I couldn't get any... The concert was held two days in a row. On the first day I went around to a lot of places, watched the livestream of the concert at night. On the second day I went to the venue, bought some merch, took photos of the venue, went back to the hotel, and watched the livestream again... I watched the stream in Korea...

Staff: That's some dedication.

HARUNA: I did some things I didn't really understand on my third trip to Korea. I'll be talking about those three trips to Korea. Oh, you gave it a title? It's called

HARUNA's "Shunkan (旬韓) Sentimental"!!

HARUNA: The characters for "Shunkan" are not the same ones used in "Shunkan (瞬間) Sentimental," but "shun (旬)" from "shun no ajikaku" (seasonal taste) and "kan (韓)" from "Korea," so it's "Shunkan"... I see.

So, although my stay was short, I enjoyed the food and such, so I'll be presenting various "Shunkan" experiences.

Staff: It sounds like you had a lot of fun.

HARUNA: I did have fun, but it wasn't a "typical" trip to Korea so I don't have a lot to introduce, but I'll start with "Shunkan Sentimental Part 1."

"Insanely delicious mak-guksu"!!

HARUNA: "Mak-guksu" is a kind of cold noodle soup with plenty of perilla oil and perilla powder, like mazesoba. There's no soup (*shows photo).

Staff: It must be delicious...

HARUNA: And you eat it with bossam (pork), which I was quite impressed with! It was so good. This is in the Gangnam area.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 75

•The episode starts with this.

•Again, since RINA is the only one speaking, here's exactly what she says after that:

We were there for 10 days, but we hadn't really decided on what we were going to do. We would just wake up in the morning and wonder what we were going to eat or what we were going to do. Oh, and about flight arrangements and immigration procedures—I did everything myself this time. It's kind of embarrassing to say, but it was actually my first time booking a flight ticket myself. I'd never even booked flights domestically in Japan. Until now, I'd always had support from our office staff who handled ticket arrangements and transportation, like telling me which day and time to board, and even arranging cars to take us to the venue. I'd only ever traveled in luxury.

So, one of the goals of this trip was not just to relax, but to do things I've never done before and handle ordinary tasks myself. That was a big topic for me. I know it's a normal thing to do, but I also had to find a place to stay and make those reservations by myself. I'm so grateful for the support I had received for my personal trips in the past as well, so I knew that I couldn't just do that. I'm really glad that I was able to do it.

I arrived in Paris, and then when I arrived in Nice, my luggage had been lost. When I asked what would happen, they said that as it was already in Paris, it would arrive in Nice within about an hour and a half. I felt really lucky because sometimes you might have to manage without your luggage for a day or two, so waiting an hour and a half felt like a stroke of luck. I waited at the airport, eventually got my luggage, and headed to my accommodation.

If this had been during a tour, I would have taken a bus to the hotel with everyone. And on my previous trips, I would take the least tiring way to get to my accomodation, such as a cab. Quite luxurious, right? But this time I took a tram, which is like a train, from the airport. I had to figure out how to buy tickets, how much they cost, and where to buy them. It was quite unusual. It was free for the first one or two stations, but a fare was charged after that. It was confusing, but somehow I managed to get there, using my phone to look it up.

This time I decided to stay at an Airbnb instead of a hotel. I spent about a week in Nice and wanted to change accommodation within the city, so I booked two places. The first was a cute apartment with a terrace where we cooked our own meals. We went to the supermarket right away, stocked up the fridge, cooked, and ate on the terrace. We even brought some ingredients from Japan like instant rice, soba, somen, dashi, consommé, and tsuyu. We combined these with local fresh vegetables.

Of course, eating out is fun and feels luxurious, but going to the supermarket and spending time as if you were living in the city is also a luxury that doesn't just involve spending money, but also allows you to accumulate a lot of experience. I think I made the right choice this time. Facing challenges and encountering unknowns was so exciting and gratifying. I realized that this was what I was lacking. This trip really stimulated me and helped me grow.

The vegetables there are huge and much cheaper than in Japan. Like, zucchinis are about three times the size of those in Japan. After returning, I found Japanese zucchinis to be tiny and cute. It was really interesting. Supermarkets abroad are so much fun. If you have the chance to travel overseas, I highly recommend going to a supermarket.

"How did you communicate with the locals?"

I'm not fluent in English or French at all, but surprisingly, it wasn't much of a problem. It seems to work out somehow. I've heard that French people don't speak much English, but I didn't find that to be the case. It's true that they really value their own language and culture, which I think is wonderful and cool. I think it's important to make an effort from both sides.

Like, when I went into a bakery, I made sure to say "Bonjour." Even though I'm sure they clocked that I'm Asian when I walked in, greeting them in their own language seemed to bridge the gap a little. In Japan, it's not common to greet store staff when entering, but it's pretty normal to greet strangers, talk to the cashier, and engage in small talk in France and many other places.

By doing things like that and not being shy about it, you can shorten the distance between yourself and the locals. Even if you're not fluent in French or English, mutual understanding helps you get by. You can show them a translation, or use some clumsy words, or order by pointing—whatever works. I think it's very important to be familiar with the rules and language of the place you're going to, even if it feels a bit awkward at first. It's actually pretty fun and a great thing to do.

"Were there any memorable experiences?"

In Nice, we spent almost the entire time just hanging out by the sea. I noticed some local girls getting takeout from a nearby pizza place and eating pizza on the beach. I wondered if it was the popular thing to do. I saw that on the first day, so the next day I got takeout with my friend and sat on the beach eating pizza. We talked about nothing the whole time and just hung out while eating, but it was a great time that I'll always remember. It was such a great, fun time. It was really beautiful.

With summer time extending daylight until around 10 pm, it felt like we had twice as much time to enjoy ourselves. While in Nice, we went to the beach but also took a boat to St. Tropez. We woke up around 5 am, took a 2.5 hour boat ride to this distant town. St. Tropez is the town where Brigitte Bardot, my favorite French actress and singer, lived. When I was around 20, I got really into French cinema and watched a lot of films. That's when I came across Bardot's movies and thought they were so cool, which sparked my love for France and vintage clothing.

One of my favorite movies of hers is And God Created Women, which was filmed in St. Tropez. Seeing the town from the movie in real life was incredibly moving. It's a small port town, but everything is beautiful. The colorful flowers blooming during this season were so pretty and adotable. I was so happy to visit a place I had longed to see. I realized that taking action to visit a place you dream about is really important.

I also took a train to a town called Menton, which is right on the border with Italy and is about 30 to 40 minutes by train from Nice. It's such a quick trip that you get there almost in no time. Menton feels even more rural compared to Nice, with an even more laid-back atmosphere and people. Everyone seems to be doing nothing but lounging on the beach and sunbathing. There's really nothing going on, and I mean that in a good way.

Menton is famous for its lemons, so there are lots of lemon-themed items and jams for sale. It's a small place where you can easily walk around in no time. But I realized that you can't really grasp the atmosphere or the feel of a place from photos alone—you have to experience it in person. I'm really glad I went. The relaxed vibe was so wonderful. It made me realize how important it is to take breaks and live leisurely. I tend to get caught up in work when I'm back in Japan, but this cute town reminded me of the value of taking it easy.

"Did you meet anyone memorable in France?"

Hmm. I was in Nice for about a week and then went to Paris where I stayed in an Airbnb for about three days. I went shopping a bit, but because the Olympics were about to start, the city was filled with barriers and it was really challenging to cross the Seine River. To get across, you had to go through a complicated process involving QR codes and passport checks. I tried several times but found the process so complicated that I gave up.

You could also take the train across, but train fares were twice as high as usual thanks to the Olympics. It was so expensive. Even though it was a pain, I thought of it as a special experience for being there during such a unique time. I ended up solving the problem with money (laughs).

As for the people I met, our Airbnb host was so nice. The host of the place we stayed in Nice was also very friendly. Checkout was 3 pm but my flight was at around 9 pm so I was searching for a place to store our luggage. The host said we could leave our luggage at their house for free until we left. I was so touched because it was their own home, and they kindly allowed us to leave our luggage there while we had fun in Paris. I was really touched by their kindness.

After that, we went to eat, and on the way back we bought some chocolate as a souvenir for the host and thanked them, saying that it turned out to be a great day, which made them happy. It was such a great encounter. I'm not sure if we'll meet again, but I'd be happy if we did. My friend introduced me as a musician from Japan, and the host asked for my Instagram handle. When I showed them my account, they followed me and said they'd keep up with my updates, which made me really happy. That was fun. At the same time, I felt frustrated that I couldn't express my gratitude and happiness as well as I wanted to, so I realized I need to continue improving my language skills.

Those 10-12 days flew by, but I managed to fit in many experiences I had wanted to do. It felt like I was filling in gaps in myself and addressing things I wasn't happy with. It made me motivated to keep going and reminded me of what I truly love. There are times when I forget what makes me happy, but this trip reminded me how much I love this and how excited and thrilled I am about it.

Summer is a crucial time for a band with festivals and opportunities to connect with students on vacation, so it's a critical period for us. But I was really glad I could dedicate time to myself. I'm very thankful to the staff and my band mates for encouraging me to take this time off. Even though we're now in our 19th year, I've come to realize that it's okay to spend time and money on what makes me happy. I hope my band mates and the team will also spend time and money on what brings them joy. It was such a happy journey.

"What country do you want to visit next?"

I really want to go to the Czech Republic next. It's another European destination, though. I really wanted to go to Czech Republic on this trip, but when I checked flights, I found that there were only direct flights at very specific times, and it was around 60,000 yen for a round trip. I thought that might be better used for something else, so I ended up giving up on it this time.

But the Czech Republic is a place I've wanted to visit for a long time, so I absolutely want to make it happen someday. For my next trip, I think it would be great to aim for the Czech Republic. It's also the country where the film Daisies was made, which I love very much. I even wrote the song "Sisters" after watching that film. So, I definitely want to visit the Czech Republic sometime in my lifetime.

•Lastly, RINA reads a message from a listener who saw SCANDAL for the first time at ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL this year and had so much fun that they joined the fan club and applied for the ticket lottery for BEST Xmas. They say they're still studying SCANDAL songs to prep for their first solo SCANDAL concert, so they'd like to know which songs would be fun to sing live at a concert, and songs they'd want the listener to check out. RINA thanks them and says that good things do come from working hard at playing festivals. She says that "Shunkan Sentimental" is a sure song to be played, and that "SCANDAL BABY" is a song that the entire crowd sings along to. She says that they try to make every concert enjoyable for everyone, so she'll leave it up to them to enjoy whatever they feel drawn to.

*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

RINA's summer vacation. Talking about her trip to France!

Season 2, Episode 75 blog

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RINA: The second solo project for RINA is...

RINA's "HELLO WORLD! Bonjour! France!"

So they gave it that kind of title... So cute - thank you!

I took a summer vacation and went on a trip to France, and I'd like to share how it went. I'll take my time reminiscing and looking back.

I've been overseas many times before, on tour...and also on my own, but it's actually been about 6 years since I last traveled overseas privately. It's been quite a while. Since it had been a long time, it was a trip I enjoyed with many new feelings. I also recorded some videos for YouTube, and I’ve uploaded about three of them, so some of you might have seen those, but I'd like to share some behind-the-scenes stories on "Catch up" as well.

The staff has prepared some questions for me, like "Why France?"

This is actually my favorite place among all the overseas destinations I've visited so far. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I like, but I really enjoy the townscapes. Everything is well-preserved with a retro atmosphere, and the approach to maintaining the city's appearance is quite unique. There are almost no air conditioners in the houses, trains, buses, etc. People rely on fans and open windows to cope with the heat. The reason is that placing outdoor units on balconies would disrupt the city's appearance, so it's a rule. While some homes do have air conditioning, the commitment to maintaining the city's visual aesthetics is impressive and fascinating. It feels like a very strict version of Kyoto, where even the color of convenience stores is different. The idea is to preserve beauty even if it means enduring a bit of heat. It's really remarkable that everyone follows these rules. If it's the norm, it will eventually just seem ordinary, but I find it very interesting.

Buildings over 100 years old are common, so the towns and buildings naturally have a vintage feel. I love the sense that valuing and preserving old things is considered cool, so experiencing life in those kinds of towns is special for me. This time, I stayed for about ten days. I went with a friend from Osaka. We met up in Shanghai, then traveled to Paris, and finally made another transfer to Nice in the south of France. Since it was my first time in Nice, the atmosphere was completely different from Paris. Everyone there is on vacation, so the mood is very relaxed. In Paris, you might think about shopping or going to a show, but in Nice, it's all about relaxing, enjoying good food, and spending hours at the beach. The idea of 'taking a rest' as a form of leisure felt very luxurious to me. There is more to enjoying yourself than just 'going somewhere' or 'doing something.'

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 74

•The episode starts with this.

•Since RINA is the only one speaking, I'll translate exactly what she says after that:

KARAOKE Night was so amazing! I'll explain again what the night's all about. It's basically live band karaoke. It is held at a live music venue where we provide live instrumentals and the audience sings. It's an event that's only possible because of our fan club. When we held the first one 5 years ago, that was around the time when we realized how loud our audience was singing during our solo concert tours. We joked that if they sang so much, we might as well have them sing an entire song. That's how KARAOKE Night was born. It was a really playful idea. We didn't think we'd do a second time. But in those 5 years we've added new songs. These last five years have been completely different in intensity compared to the first five years, so there were a lot of really special songs that we wrote. This was a period when we were able to directly express our feelings through music, so we created a lot of serious and intense songs during this time.

The setlist was selected by the audience during the event--we all put it together. So, honestly, there was no point in the four of us rehearsing (laughs). We wondered how the setlist would turn out, so we prepared by memorizing as many songs as possible to be ready for everyone's karaoke requests. We started with "HARUKAZE," then "LOVE SURVIVE," then "Shunkan Sentimental," which were the songs we planned for. We also did "STANDARD." The audience wasn't able to sing it at all! We also played "STANDARD" 5 years ago, and we were like, "Nah, they need to sing more!" We decided to give it another go this time and perform "STANDARD" again, but it is a quite difficult song [for the audience to sing, due to all the English lyrics]. They were all slurring the words.

After that, there was a segment where the band members sang other artists' songs on a DAM karaoke machine. That was also very special, exciting, and fun. I sang "Genki wo Dashite" [by Mariya Takeuchi]. I don't often sing by myself, even at regular concerts, so it was a lot of fun and nerve-racking. But I got a lot of positive feedback afterwards and everyone seemed to be enjoying it, so I'm glad I did it.

We also played "Hachigatsu." We only play this song on our anniversary, and it's a song that reflects on our band's past and looks toward the future. Every time we perform it, it's so moving and gives me a special sort of feeling. After that, we asked the audience to choose the rest of the songs for us to play. One of them was "Highlight no Naka de Bokura Zutto." When we played it, it felt very different from the previous karaoke songs. It was so moving. I was a little surprised that such as touching moment could happen at an event where we're all just playing around. It also has to do with the emotions that we included into the song itself. I think it's a miracle that hundreds of people can sing songs by a single artist in full. It's not a common thing at all. It's proof of the high level of enthusiasm from our fans. I really believe that it's the result of them cherishing each song every day in their daily lives. I was amazed to see that even a relatively new song could be sung by so many people. I was so happy. It was a day filled with gratitude. Thank you so much!

It's also written in the script, but August 21 is also my birthday. I turned 33 this year! I've been working as part of this band since I was young, so I already feel like I've lived a very long life. When I was talking about this backstage with Ohno, he told me that my life hasn't even started at 33. I asked him when he thinks life starts for people, and he said in their 50s. I thought, "Then my life hasn't started at all yet!" (laughs). But it was a birthday that made me feel like life's going to get even more enjoyable from here on out.

There was really heavy rain on the day of the concert, and the audience had to evacuate the venue and then re-enter. It was a weekday and had to push the show back by an hour, so I'm sure there were people who had to leave in the middle. I felt especially bad for the people who had come from outlying areas. But they were kind and understanding, and that really helped us a lot. We had talked about cutting down on the content, but we managed to just barely do everything that we had prepared. It was all thanks to the staff; they did a great job. We even had to turn off all the electricity once. We managed to get it started, but the moment the opening music started playing, the sound stopped. There was a moment when we weren't sure what to do, but we were able to restart things. It really felt like a concert that was made possible by everyone working together. I was reminded once again what wonderful people you all are.

Also, we recorded a jingle for "Catch up" with the audience! I haven't heard it yet, so I'm looking forward to hearing how it turned out. Apparently, it's going to be played right now. Let's have a listen!

*Jingle plays with HARU saying "SCANDAL Catch up supported by" and the audience saying "Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt"

(laughs) That's so good! It's such a good recording! Even the atmosphere of the venue was captured. You can really hear the people who were closer to the mic (laughs). The guys did their best to make the voices high. It's a really good recording (laughs). So cute. It's really good. We're going to take good care of this.

•RINA then reads a few messages from listeners who attended the event. The first one says that they've always thought that the relationship between performers and fans is somewhat special. In their daily lives, they don't cross paths with each other, but they live our own lives. But the listener is very happy that they're able to go on with their respective lives with the same feelings, wishing each other happiness and smiles every day. RINA says thanks, that she's happy to hear that, and that they're correct. She says the band thinks about their fans all the time, even when they're not playing concerts. Everything in their lives is connected to production and expression, which is why she thinks it's extremely important to consider what they think about and how they live their daily lives. That's why everyone's presence is always in their hearts and motivates them. She truly feels that she's been able to keep challenging herself and living her life because of that, and is filled with gratitude every day. She always hopes that by honestly sharing both their joyful and sometimes vulnerable moments, people can see and enjoy them. It would make her truly happy if it could also serve as some kind of inspiration or trigger for others.

•The next listener went with their girlfriend, who started liking SCANDAL because the listener does, to the event. They're both elementary school teachers, and it was a great memory for them on the last day of summer vacation. RINA goes, "Hey! Teacher" after reading the message and says that it seems to be common about how a fan's partner also becomes a SCANDAL fan. She says you're influenced by what people close to you like, after all.

•The next listener participated in both karaoke nights, but this year's was more fun because they attended with fans that they had become friends with after seeing a post on Twitter about how there was a pre-party the night before the event. RINA laughs and says that their throat must be pretty strong. She says that it's interesting how stuff like posts on Twitter about get-togethers is a way to help the word spread these days. She says that it's thanks to their fans that the band has been able to have fun at all kinds of events over the past 18 years.

•The last listener says that they've been listening to "Catch up" without missing any episodes, but they were surprised at the small number of people at the event who actually listen to the program. The listener says that they've been tweeting about their impressions of "Catch up" and asking people to listen, but it seems that people just ignore them. RINA says that they do receive such a huge amount of messages per week that they can't even introduce them all, but since this is a long-running program, they do want to reach a wider audience. As KARAOKE Night is a fan club members-only event, she thought that maybe about 90% listened to the program...but only about 40% of them actually did. That really surprised her. She laughs and says she said that if they knew about it but didn't listen, it means they're ignoring it. She says that if they made something like a hashtag related to the program, it would be easier to post about and such. She says the band will talk it over and think about it, and that it's really encouraging to know that there are people who listen fervently and tweet about their impressions.

*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

Unprecedented! A look back at the 「SCANDAL MANIA presents “SCANDAL KARAOKE Night vol.2” 」  event where fans sang!

Season 2, Episode 74 blog

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RINA: Good evening. This is RINA, SCANDAL's drummer. I'll be doing this episode by myself. Come to think of it, this the first time I'm speaking alone on "Catch up." It feels really fresh...

Since we've been doing this for a long time, we thought we'd try out different styles of recording. That's what today's episode is about. Previously, TOMO did a "summer vacation independent research assignment" by herself. Those were some fun episodes.

This time, I'll be looking back on 「SCANDAL MANIA presents “SCANDAL KARAOKE Night vol.2” 」, which was held on August 21st.
(*"KARAOKE Night" is a very special and unusual live event where SCANDAL performs instrumentals live and the audience sings.)

Thank you to everyone who came! It was an amazing night. It was really amazing! It was packed with so many unexpected things... First, please listen to the comments we recorded after "KARAOKE Night."


HARUNA: This is SCANDAL after "KARAOKE Night"!

All: Good work～!

TOMOMI: It was fun!

RINA: It was funー

HARUNA: It was "vol.2," so it had been 5 years since the last one, but everyone was powerful this time too. From the top...

RINA: It was amazing.

MAMI: They sang.

HARUNA: They can really sing well.

RINA: This year we started with "HARUKAZE."

HARUNA: Not only the melody, but also the chanting that everyone usually does... How can I put it...?

MAMI: And the chants, too.

HARUNA: They did that with us, too.

MAMI: It was amazing.

HARUNA: It must have taken a lot of energy.

RINA: They didn't have a chance to catch their breath.

HARUNA: I think they'll sleep well tonight.

TOMOMI: Please take care of your throats.

MAMI: Rest and warm up.

HARUNA: Plus, right before the show started, it was raining so hard that the venue was in danger.

MAMI: The rain got right up to the wings of the stage, and the water level was rising.

RINA: That was the first time something like that had happened.

HARUNA: Yeah, it was the first time. So we had to quickly ask everyone to evacuate temporarily and re-enter the venue.

RINA: That response was amazing.

MAMI: I really think we were able to hold the event because everyone followed the staff's instructions without saying a word.

HARUNA: We're grateful. It was an anniversary where we could feel the bond between the guests and the staff as well.

RINA: We also recorded for "Catch up."

TOMOMI: The sound logo. I wonder how that came out.

HARUNA: They all sang very well.

MAMI: They were really good.

TOMOMI: Yeah, they were really good. They were in key, too.

MAMI: The guys also did their best at falsetto.

RINA: It was really cute.

MAMI: Thank you.

HARUNA: So, once again, it was our 18th anniversary! Thank you very much.

All: Thank you! ...Congratulations!

HARUNA: I feel like it was our 17th anniversary the other day...

MAMI: That's so true. Totally.

TOMOMI: We've come of age.

RINA: We updated our Guinness World Records by one year.

HARUNA: Thank you for your continued support! Let's keep doing new things with "Catch up" and the band! Thank you, everyone!
...Now, back to RINA in the studio!

RINA: Yes, that was us, full of excitement right after the show.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 73

•The episode starts with this.

•Tamba says that he didn't have any theory about how to many the paper planes fly and just imitated the ones that his mentor made + what he thought was appropriate, like a more rounded edge or a more triangular wing, and started making paper planes himself. TOMO asks if he came to understand what kind of shape would fly through this process of trial and error. He says yes, and that when children make them, they break easily while flying. It's no fun when it breaks, so he thought he should reinforce it a little more. He asked his mentor about it and learned more about how to give it better balance.

•TOMO asks him how far a plane that he's made has flown the furthest. Tamba says about 20 meters, but with paper planes it's more about how long a plane is kept afloat in the air. TOMO asks how long his record is, and he says more than a minute. They usually fly paper planes at wide open places like parks, and you throw it with your hands as hard as you can upwards, kind of like a javelin. However, since the wings will fall apart by doing that, you usually use a plane made from cardboard, held together with glue. He has TOMO feel the wings and body of the plane he has, which she says are pretty stiff and heavy. TOMO asks if the glue used is normal glue. Tamba says that it's a thinner kind of glue that hardens after it dries. TOMO asks if the weight changes depending on how it's applied. He says yes, and that you have to paint it evenly with a roller and takes about 2 days to do.

•TOMO asks if there are other kinds of paper planes. Tamba says there are many, including some that use staples to hold them together, and shows some planes to her. TOMO asks if the position of the staples are important. Tamba says yes, as they're used to prevent the plane from opening up as well as for added strength. He says he often teaches classes on how to make paper planes ever since becoming the Japanese champion of paper planes, with museums approaching him to do so. When he does that and they ask him if there are any other kinds of paper planes besides origami ones since it's not interesting to just make those, he made a paper plane kit that looks like a real airplane, like the one he talked about earlier. As it's a pain to explain how to make it, he just printed "Staple here" on the parts that need to be stapled. As such, anyone can follow the instructions on how to make it. TOMO is impressed by it and says that it looks like a plastic model.

•TOMO asks what kind of bouts he had before becoming the Japanese champion. Tamba says that he had competed in a tournament with about 20,000 people participating nationwide. Since you can't have that many people all at once at one venue, there are qualifying rounds in each region/prefecture. Those who qualify are invited to Osaka where the finals are, where your flight would be timed using stopwatches by the referees. TOMO asks what his record at the time was. Tamba says that it happened a long time ago in 1994, but he thinks his total time was 129 seconds with an average of 25 seconds per flight. Sometimes it was 5 seconds, or 20 seconds, or 40 seconds. TOMO asks if he flew the same plane each time. He says yes, but there are times when a plane can disappear by getting caught in a tree or such, which is why you need to prepare a lot of planes. TOMO asks if any of the planes he brought today what he used in that tournament. Tamba says no, but there is one that's almost the same as it. TOMO says that it's really thin. Tamba says that it has to be light in order for it to stay in the air for a longer amount of time. TOMO says that it must be really sad to lose the paper planes that were made with so much care and attention to detail. Tamba says that at worst, they can go over a fence or disappear into the blue sky out of sight. TOMO laughs and says that they turn into actual airplanes.

•Tamba then says that they'll now go fly the planes. TOMO says that at least the planes can't be lost here since it's only an 11-meter space. Tamba instructs TOMO on how to hold a plane and says to try throwing it like a dart, and put a little bit of force into it. TOMO launches it and it turns left. Tamba says he'll have her fix it so that it doesn't turn left. He instructs her to throw it like a dart again and a little bit downwards. She does so and gets super excited. She says that it flew really well and even hit the ceiling. Tamba says to aim even lower. She does and everyone goes, "Wow!" and claps. TOMO says that it floated as if it were alive. Tamba then flies one, which hits the ceiling. TOMO is surprised and says that's a Japanese champion for you. She says that this has been so much fun to learn about and asks Tamba if it can be said that she's conquered the sky. Tamba laughs and says she certain did reach the sky. TOMO laughs and thanks him.

*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

Will she conquer "land, sea, and air"? TOMOMI learns about the world of paper planes!

Season 2, Episode 73 blog

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TOMOMI: Good evening. This is TOMOMI, SCANDAL's bassist. Continuing from last time, I'll be continuing my summer independent research assignment, "TOMOMI, conquer the sky"! I've conquered the land with camping, which I love, and conquered the sea by getting a boating license. Now I will conquer the sky with paper planes. Tamba-sensei is here with us again.

Tamba: Thanks for having me.

TOMOMI: Thank you very much. Last time, I tried flying two types of paper planes, one that I folded in my own original way, and the "spear airplane" that Tamba-sensei taught me. As expected, the one that you taught me to make flew the best.

Tamba: That was great.

TOMOMI: I think my original paper plane was originally a "spear plane," but I forgot how to make a spear plane and just folded an original one, like putting weight on the front of it.

Tamba: This one has one triangle fold in the middle, so this is a "belly button glider" fold.

TOMOMI: Aah, I see.

Tamba: No doubt about it.

TOMOMI: I must have misremembered the belly button glider.

Tamba: It was almost going to be a belly button glider.

TOMOMI: Aah, I see. I'm also interested in the belly button glider, but last time I achieved my goal of increasing the flight distance, so this time we'll be exploring paper planes in more depth. To start off, how did you get interested in paper planes?

Tamba: I see. When I was in the first grade, there was an older man in my neighborhood who was called the "paper airplane uncle."

TOMOMI: "Paper airplane uncle"!?

Tamba: He used to give the paper planes he made to kids in the neighborhood. He often flew them. As you'd expect from the Paper Airplane Uncle. Later, he actually became a world paper airplane champion.

TOMOMI: I see! So there was a champion close to you.

Tamba: He would give away planes he had made as presents. I wanted to make them myself--this was when I was an elementary schooler and loved crafts--so I asked him to teach me how to make them. It was like I was his apprentice.

TOMOMI: It's not every day that you have a world champion so close to you.

Tamba: He wasn't a world champion at the time yet, but he was also someone who designed things like magazine extras.

TOMOMI: Paper planes made from magazine extras?

Tamba: That was the era, so I started making them myself. He would make origami airplanes and give them to the kids. However, he made cooler, more stylish airplanes just for himself and didn't give them to the kids.

TOMOMI: That's because he's particular about how he makes them.

Tamba: So why not a plane that looks better than an origami plane? You cut a piece of cardboard with scissors, glue it together, and the finished shape looks like a real airplane. So I asked him to teach me how to make them, and he started teaching me how to make them when I was in the first grade. At first, I would get blueprints of airplanes that my teacher had designed--or rather, they would print them out on paper, and I would cut them out and make them. But I think after making two or three planes it started to get boring.

TOMOMI: That's creative.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 72

•The episode starts with this.

•Tamba says that aspects of science go into paper planes, which he'll be introducing today. TOMO asks if there are paper plane competitions. Tamba says there are, and that there are planes you can make by cutting out each segment from paper, pasting them together, and assembling them into a shape that looks like a real airplane. He then shows her what one of those planes looks like. TOMO comments that it's in a hard case and says that it's cute. She asks if this was assembled by cutting and pasting it together, which he says yes to. TOMO says that it looks like it's made from about 5 pieces; Tamba says it was made from about 15 and explains the sections in detail (it's kind of boring lol). He says that since this kind of paper plane is hard to put together, they'll just be making regular ones by folding pieces of paper. TOMO says that seeing a fancy paper plane like his makes her want to see it in action, and Tamba says that they can do so afterwards.

•TOMO says that she didn't even know that there were paper planes made out of cardboard, and that it feels like she's in an unknown world of paper planes. Tamba says that's great and to jump into this new world. TOMO says she's really looking forward to it and asks if he's flown a plane like that before. He says yes, and that it can fly between 20-40 seconds. TOMO asks how long 40 seconds is, and he says that it's around 2 long commercials. TOMO laughs and says that's impressive, as she was under the impression that paper planes only fly for about 5 seconds. Tamba says that this is a plane that he worked very hard to make scientifically so that it can fly for a long time. TOMO asks if calculations went into it. Tamba says that a little did go into it as well as experience. TOMO says that the studio they're currently in is about 11 meters in length, so their goal for today is to have the planes fly for that long and have them touch the wall opposite them. She says that she thinks the planes she can make right now fly for about 5 seconds, and doesn't think it'd be possible to fly 11 meters that fast.

•TOMO decides to try folding a plane to see how far it can fly. She asks what kind of paper they're using. Tamba says that he thought it'd be fine to bring some white paper since this is an audio-only show, but then decided to bring some pretty colored paper. TOMO says that he didn't have to and asks if it's a special kind of paper. Tamba says that it's a little btter than regular copy paper. TOMO asks if she can fold her first plane in her own kind of way, which he says yes to and instructs her a bit on how to do so. She folds it a bit and says she folds a part in such a way in order to keep the weight down. Tamba goes, "I see!" TOMO goes, "What does that mean??" and laughs. She finishes folding her plane and Tamba says she should try to fly it. When she does, it falls to the ground pretty fast and she laughs. It went about 1.39 meters (4.6 ft), which she says is about the height of an elementary school student. Tamba says that perhaps she threw it badly, or it could be an issue with the plane. TOMO says she'll try it again, and Tamba gives her some advice on how to throw it. She throws it, and this time it floats a bit. She goes, "Ah, the way it flies changed a bit!" Tamba says that the first time she threw it, it went down, but the second time she twisted the wings back and it went up rather than down. He adjusts the plane a bit again by changing the angle of the wings, TOMO throws it, and it goes 3.46 meters this time. She's surprised at how just a little change can make a big difference.

•They get a second sheet of paper ready and Tamba folds it together with TOMO as he explains how to fold it. As it's hard to get a grasp of what they're doing without being able to actually see it, as well as it being boring to write out an explanation of the steps, this part will not be translated. After they fold the planes, he asks TOMO what she thinks it resembles. She says it looks like the shoshinsha mark. Tamba says that's true, but he was thinking it looks like a Y. TOMO says that that's easier to understand. They both laugh. Tamba says that they need to do a little spell on it now that it's complete. TOMO goes, "A spell? Like moe moe kyun?" Tamba chuckles softly and TOMO starts laughing. Tamba says that's funny, but it's more about adjusting the wings a bit (or something lol).

•TOMO then flies her new plane, which you can see happen via this preview tweet posted by the band. It goes 6.3 meters. TOMO is impressed and asks Tamba to fly the plane that he folded using the same method she did. He does so and it flies 10.8 meters. TOMO is excited and says that it almost hit the wall. She asks what was different, despite using the same method to fold the plane. Tamba says that he threw it with a bit of force like you would when playing darts. He says that ordinary people throw darts like a ball, and when that happens, your wrist gets stiff and it ends up going down or to the right. But TOMO was able to throw the plane like a dart and throw it straight ahead on the axis without losing it, which is an amazing feat. TOMO says that maybe she has a talent for it. Tamba asks her to throw the plane again a little farther now, and it goes about 10 meters. He tells her to try another stance that includes throwing it as if throwing a baseball, and it goes 9.8 meters. TOMO says this has been very interesting and that Tamba will be back for next week's episode.

*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):

---

*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

TOMOMI takes on a summer vacation independent research assignment! The topic is "Conquering the sky with paper planes"?

Season 2, Episode 72 blog

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TOMOMI: Good evening. This is TOMOMI, SCANDAL's bassist. This is my first solo project! I've left the studio and am in a big room. It's probably a dance studio. It's a really big mirrored room... I don't understand. This is a different kind of situation from what we usually do for "Catch up," so I'm looking forward to it, but... I'm nervous that I'm the first one doing a solo project. I wish we had started things off with HARUNA, like we usually do... I'm nervous, but I want to have fun.

I'm sure there are many children on summer vacation in August, and summer vacation means festivals, the beach, watermelon, fireworks, and homework...yes, homework! Homework includes "independent research" during summer vacation, and I'll be doing some "independent research" for "Catch up" as well! The assignment is... "TOMOMI, conquer the sky"!

...What is this!? Huh? I've conquered the land with camping, which I love, and conquered the sea by getting a boating license... I haven't conquered anything, though... But the one thing I haven't conquered yet is the sky! Since I can't fly an actual airplane, I plan to conquer the sky with a paper plane. I'll have successfully conquered the land, sea, and air...is what it says, but that can't be true!

First, I don't get why camping means I've conquered the land. Well, it's not impossible to conquer the seas with a boating license, since I have a first-class license. So, I have made paper planes, but that was probably in elementary school. Paper planes were popular for a while. I don't really remember how to make them anymore. I tried to make one before we started recording, but it's probably totally different than the ones I made in the past, so I'll be starting from scratch...

That's why we've invited a paper plane expert here today! The Japanese champion of paper planes! Jun Tamba! Looking forward to working with you.

Tamba: Thanks for having me!

TOMOMI: You're the Japanese champion, but is that your uniform you're wearing now?

Tamba: This is like a pilot suit, like the ones worn on real planes, especially fighter jet pilot suits, you know, with a jumper and patches on them. I copied that.

TOMOMI: Eh? You just copied that??

Tamba: I'm a paper plane pilot--I don't ride paper planes, but I make them and fly them myself, so I guess I'm more or less a paper plane pilot.

TOMOMI: But it's so cute! Your name's on there, too...

Tamba: More or less...

TOMOMI: It has your name on it. It's so cute!

Tamba: Thank you very much.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 71

•The episode starts with this.

•They then talk about any tips for long flights. MAMI says that it depends on the plane and your expectations. There are some planes that have Japanese language options as well as some that don't, so it might be best to download some videos on your phone beforehand. She also says that you should sleep if you can. HARU says that she's not very good at sleeping on planes. MAMI asks if she means that she can't sleep or that she doesn't want to sleep. HARU says that she wants to sleep, but her neck ends up hurting so badly that she can't sleep. She also mentions how they all bought cushions. MAMI says that they shared and asked each other which ones they liked best. HARU says you need to find a neck pillow that works for you or you'll have a bad time. The one that she bought didn't agree with her skin and made her really itchy, and also didn't keep her head in place very well, which was really hard on her. MAMI says that might be better for the listener to go to a store that sells travel accessories and try them for themself. She also recommends getting some souvenirs at a market if they have a chance to go.

•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who says they attended FLOW THE FESTIVAL with their 2 brothers. HARU says that's nice they attended as the 3 of them. MAMI says that she has an older brother but they're so far apart in age that they've never considered going to a concert or going somewhere together. HARU says that she also doesn't do that with her sibling. MAMI says that maybe it's due to their different genders, but it's great that the listener can go go concerts with their siblings. HARU says it had been a while since they last performed somewhere with FLOW. MAMI says that they've often played on the same days at the same festivals and will always greet each other when they see one another. HARU says that the festival happened a day before Keigo's (one of FLOW's vocalists) birthday and so they wished him a happy birthday at the small after-party. MAMI says that they hope they can appear at another event together.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who says they have 5 kids, and with so many children, she and her husband don't really have a lot of time to spend together as a couple. At night, they go to bed early together so that the kids can go to bed early, and her husband is busy with work so they really don't have time for themselves as a couple. As such, they don't mind being lovey-dovey with each other in front of the kids. However, their oldest child is in the upper grades of elementary school and is about to enter adolescence, so she's wondering if they shouldn't be as lovey-dovey as they have in the past. HARU laughs really hard. MAMI also laughs and wonders what they should do. HARU wonders what level of being lovey-dovey they're talking about. MAMI says that it's at least an everyday sight for the family. She then asks HARU what she would personally do if she had kids. HARU isn't sure. MAMI says that it's good that they get along well, which HARU agrees with. HARU says it probably depends on the atmosphere when the couple's all lovey-dovey. If it's done while the kids are watching TV, doing homework, etc., and no one really pays attention to it then that's fine, and it's fine to keep doing so. If the kids don't like it, then they might say so. MAMI says that if they notice the older child is acting a little different than usual, then it's okay to talk to them. HARU says that they seem to be a couple that really gets along and that this kind of problem is a wonderful kind to have.

•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who has only been a fan for 3 months and started listening to SCANDAL because of HIGHSPEED Étoile and their song "Fanfare" as the ending song. They're not necessarily an anime fan but a car racing fan and heard about the series via a racing social media account. They saw the first episode and thought the song was cool, looked them up, and thought their name sounded familiar. The next day they found out that their daughter, now 26 years old, used to listen to them in middle school. They thank them and note how there are many ways to discover a musical artist. They estimate that it was around 12-13 years ago when the daughter had been listening to them and wonder what songs they had come out with at that time. MAMI guesses "Shoujo S" (that was 15 years ago lol) and HARU says that it was around when "HARUKAZE" came out (that was indeed 12 years ago!), which was right around the time when they were doing theme songs for various anime series. MAMI says to come out to a concert and that "Fanfare" will surely be totally different when they hear it live.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who is a hairdresser and, despite being a fan for a long time, hadn't really gone to many SCANDAL concerts due to having only weekdays off. However, they were able to go to 4 performances on the LUMINOUS tour that were held on weekdays. They say they've been a hairdresser for 11 years and had never used PTO (paid time off), but since they're planning to leave their job and take over their family's salon, they are using them to attend ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL and Karaoke Night. They also say that their dream is to work on SCANDAL's hair even just once. They know it's a difficult thing to ask for since they live in the countryside of Fukushima, but if there's even a 1% chance it'll happen, they'll continue to work as a hairdresser for the rest of their life. HARU says it's impressive how they've never used PTO in these 11 years. MAMI asks how many paid days off people usually have, and if those days disappear on their own if you don't use them for a few years. They seem to generally ask the staff around them, but no one seems to know. They laugh at this. They either hear this or look it up, but HARU says that apparently you get a certain number of days per year which are reset each year. They then talk about Karaoke Night. HARU says that some say the audience shouldn't sing along since people are there to listen to the band and not the audience, but for this event, don't worry about that and sing along. MAMI says that the band is not going to sing (they'll only play the instrumentals while the audience sings the vocals), which means that they need the audience to sing. There's also no pressure to memorize the lyrics since they'll be projected on a screen. They then talk about the possibility of going to the listener's salon. They say that even if it's a 1% chance, it's not impossible. MAMI says that when they play a concert in Fukushima, she might feel that her hair color has faded too much and needs a retouch. HARU says that they might need their bangs cut and that that has happened in the past where they've had no choice but to ask their makeup artists cut their bangs. It would be better to leave it to a haircutting pro, though.

•They then close out the episode. MAMI says that it went by in no time. HARU agrees. MAMI says that it flies by even when the four of them are together. Last week, though, they only ate somen noodles. They laugh at that. HARU says that a lot of changes are needed to keep going, such as switching things up with pairs and such. MAMI says that they've done stuff that isn't suitable for radio. HARU laughs and says that she feels that they've only done things that aren't suitable for radio. They say that their staffer Kawai wants to do shaved ice in the future. MAMI says that they just keep amassing more and more equipment like the nagashi somen machine.

*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):

---

*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

What foods would HARUNA and MAMI recommend to teachers going to Brazil for overseas training?

Season 2, Episode 71 blog

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HARUNA: We'll be continuing with the "HARU-MAMI" pair from last week!
Feeling the lingering taste of "somen" from last time...

MAMI: Yes, it was delicious.

HARUNA: This time, we'll just be reading messages...

Rinrin (25 years old)

Good evening. I'm a science teacher at a middle school.

(Both: Hey! Teacher!)


I've always been interested in schools and life in other countries, so I applied for an overseas training program for teachers. And thankfully, I'm going to Brazil for two weeks in August.

When I think of Brazil, the first thing that comes to mind is SCANDAL. I remember that there were many shocking stories from the "Catch up" episode about it a year ago.

The theme of this training is "multicultural coexistence." The pre-training with the 10 people who will be with me has begun, and I'm spending my days feeling more and more confused about what I want to tell the students and how I should tell them.

Of course, I'm excited about the training, but I'm also excited about my first time in Brazil. Please tell me about Brazil, such as tips for getting through a long flight, delicious Brazilian food, and souvenirs you're glad you bought!

I'll do my best with the training, savoring the fact that SCANDAL also visited this place!

HARUNA: Brazil was exactly one year ago...

MAMI: That's right.

HARUNA: Yeah, that was fast!

MAMI: So fast. It kind of feels like it was just the other day..

HARUNA: Yeah.

MAMI: I wonder how they're getting to Brazil.

HARUNA: That's true.

MAMI: There are no direct flights, so we went via Dubai and went all the way to the back, but there are also flights that go there via the US.

HARUNA: That's right.

MAMI: I wonder which way. Of course Brazil is interesting, but Dubai airport was also interesting.

HARUNA: It was expensive...

MAMI: Yeah.

HARUNA: The prices were.

MAMI: It surprised us.

HARUNA: How much was one pack of fries?

MAMI: A small one was about 500 yen, right?

HARUNA: It was pretty expensive...maybe even more.

MAMI: We were surprised by the price.

HARUNA: It's not good to eat too much...

MAMI: That's true. If we tried to buy souvenirs there, we'd be in trouble. On the other hand, Brazil was cheap, wasn't it?

HARUNA: Yes, it was. The food was delicious too.

MAMI: It was delicious.

HARUNA: We ate churrasco two days in a row.

MAMI: We did. Churrasco became my favorite.

HARUNA: And pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread).

MAMI: Ah, it was incredibly delicious!

HARUNA: But pão de queijo is...not Brazilian, is it??

MAMI: Eh, it is Brazilian.

HARUNA: Oh, Brazilian. I see.
The pão de queijo we had at catering was abnormally delicious.

MAMI: The ones they sell at bakeries in Japan are neatly shaped into bite-sized pieces, aren't they? But Brazilian pão de queijo feels like it's made from scratch. It was super delicious.

HARUNA: We could eat as much as we wanted.

MAMI: Yeah, we could eat as much as we wanted.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 70

•The episode starts with this.

•HARU says that there are standard somen toppings along with things that she's never put in somen before. First, they need to start making the somen flow. She says that there are two types of somen: regular somen that was bought at the store, and fancier somen called "Sanjin." HARU reads a description of the fancier one that I don't think anyone would be very interested in lol but apparently, since the noodles are pulled by hand, only a small amount of these noodles are produced. They wonder how much it is and they're told it's 5,000 yen ($33 USD). HARU goes, "That's expensive!" They then turn on the nagashi somen machine and laugh about how it lights up different colors.

•After they put some somen in, they try doing the first round of Somen-tal. MAMI isn't sure how they'll be able to decide on something. HARU suggests they go for a basic topping and that there are about 2 of them. MAMI says they should go with the one that HARU personally would choose. HARU says that there's one that she definitely would want to put in. They count down and say their answers together: HARU says ginger while MAMI says wasabi. They laugh and MAMI goes, "Why??" and asks if she puts wasabi in her somen. HARU says she's more of a ginger person. MAMI says that she is too, but she was thinking about which sticks out to her more when eating somen. They try again and both answer ginger. They cheer and eat their somen. HARU says that this might be her first time eating nagashi somen this year. MAMI says that nagashi somen is something that you normally don't/can't do at home. They then add ginger to the somen. Ohno asks if they ever add wasabi to somen. MAMI says she does while HARU says she doesn't really do that, but it's probably really good. MAMI wonders if it's more of a thing to add wasabi to soba instead. They grab more somen and eat it while saying it's delicious. HARU says that somen is delicious on its own. MAMI says this is super summer-like and cools you off. HARU says that they don't really eat food (besides yogurt) on this program much, which MAMI agrees with. When they eat yogurt, you can't really hear the sounds of them eating it besides opening the packaging.

•Ohno says that the second round will be harder. MAMI says that she'll go with a different one than the previous one. Before that, they put some of the expensive somen in the machine. MAMI comments that it's pure white in color, and that they're on the thing side. After grabbing the somen, HARU goes, "What do we do??" about the second topping. She says that maybe it's a good idea to go with a different style of toppings for this somen. She says that maybe they should go with a standard one. MAMI wonders if their answers about what's "standard" would match. They both laugh. MAMI then says there are a couple of standard ones that she'd be happy with. HARU says that she also has one more that she'd like to add, and that it's something you always add. MAMI asks if it's something that's a standard thing to have at home. HARU says that it's something that she always has in her fridge. MAMI asks if it's something that you're like, "It'd be nice if I had this [to eat with somen]." HARU says it's more like "I'll put this in." MAMI says that she has no idea while HARU laughs. She says that there are 2 options to choose from and still isn't sure which it could be. HARU asks what would be a topping that she'd go with. MAMI says that there's one that could be something that could be found in a fridge, but it's not actually something that she has in her fridge. She thinks for a little bit again and says again that she has no idea. HARU laughs and Ohno says to say their answers. They both answer green onions and go, "Oh!" They add the onions to their somen. HARU says that she refrigerates her green onions. MAMI says that she just goes out and buys them when she wants them [rather than store some in her fridge]. HARU says that since you get a lot of green onions when you buy some, she refrigerates what she can't eat.

•They grab more of the pricy somen. Ohno asks how it is. MAMI says it might be slippery in a different kind of way from regular noodles; you're able to slurp it up really easily. You can also really taste the wheat. HARU says that it's thin but has elasticity. They eat more and HARU says that it's very filling despite being so delicate. MAMI says that the green onion with it is amazing. They talk more about how it does look like a high-class item/you can tell by its appearance that it's different than usual somen. They then add their own toppings that they want to eat. MAMI choose shiso leaves and nori. HARU seems to add grated daikon to hers.

•Ohno asks them what they usually put in their somen. HARU says she's really simple and only puts in green onions and ginger. MAMI says she puts in ginger and wasabi. HARU says that she's never tried wasabi with somen but will try it. She also says that for a while she was into eating salted sesame oil somen instead of regular somen. MAMI says that she usually pours curry-in-a-pouch over somen. HARU says she's never done that before but it sounds delicious. After eating the regular somen noodles again, HARU says that when you go back to eating that, you can really tell how awesome the pricy somen is. Ohno laughs hard in the background. MAMI says that they had a lot of fun, and also wonders how yuzu pepper would taste with somen. HARU says it sounds good, and also that since there's some Tabasco there, she kind of wants to try it. MAMI just goes, "Eh?? Seriously?" HARU laughs and says that she wonders how the broth would taste after adding Tabasco to it. She proposes to MAMI to try it at the end which MAMI laughs and agrees to.

•They then close out the episode. HARU says while laughing that the episode's already done. MAMI wonders if it's okay that they didn't accomplish anything today. HARU laughs and says that the only thing they did was eat somen. MAMI says they took it too easy, which Ohno laughs at. HARU says that there are lots of suggestions for Smental including Shaved Ice Smental, Food Stalls at Fireworks Shows Smental, Summer Vegetables Smental. HARU says that shaving ice would be interesting. She and MAMI both make a noise that sounds like ice being shaved/grated and then laugh. MAMI wonders if their voices would be heard. HARU laughs and says she has no idea.

*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

Special summer project "Somen-tal"! What somen toppings do HARUNA and MAMI want to eat right now?

Season 2, Episode 70 blog

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HARUNA: So, it's just the two of us today!

MAMI: Yeーp.

HARUNA: It's been a really long time since we've had a "HARU-MAMI" episode...

MAMI: That's true.

HARUNA: But it was just a coincidence today.

MAMI: Yeah, it was a coincidence.

HARUNA: Basically, we've always brought you this program with the four band members, but sometimes it's nice to do this once in a while... I mean, only the two of us were available...

MAMI: That's right. It's fine too. We'll just take it easy.

HARUNA: We'll take it easy!
But, isn't this a big project for just the two of us to do it today?? That's what it feels like.
So, let's announce it... this project is about enjoying summer 2024.

Smental with somen noodles!

※Both clap

MAMI: Hmm!?

HARUNA: July is coming to an end and August is fast approaching, but today's plan is to eat somen noodles.
First of all, what is "Smental"?
"Smental" is a psychological game that's a well-known game in "Catch up."
We read each other's feelings and thoughts so that everyone can give the same answer to one question.

MAMI: Yep.

HARUNA: So, this time, when we think of summer, we think of "somen,"
And since the kanji for "somen" can be read as "sumen"...
"Somen-tal" → "Smental" → "Smental with somen!"

MAMI: I see. "Smental with somen!" So what are we going to do?

HARUNA: Yes, we wanted to do "Smental" with "toppings"... You can't eat the somen in front of you unless it matches the "toppings you want to eat right now"! That's what it seems to be.

MAMI: I came here today with the assumption that I was going to eat something, because they told us to come with an empty stomach, so I'm really looking forward to eating.

HARUNA: That's right; we want to eat.

MAMI: I didn't hear anything about not being able to eat unless the "toppings I want to eat now" (note: That's Smental!) match.

HARUNA: But we can't eat them unless they match (note: That's Smental!), so we have to keep trying until they match...

MAMI: ...I get it. Let's do it. Then should we start by introducing the toppings?

HARUNA: That's right. The condiment in front of me right now is "green onion"...

MAMI: Before that, there's also a huge somen machine in front of us! A machine for making nagashi somen noodles at home.

HARUNA: They prepared it for us.

MAMI: So, continuing with the toppings, "green onion" and...

HARUNA: "Shiso," "ginger," and "plum"?

MAMI: I like "plum paste."

HARUNA: "Yuzu pepper."

MAMI: "Wasabi" and "Shichimi."

HARUNA: "Tabasco"??

MAMI: "Ground sesame seeds," "chopped nori seaweed," "quail eggs," and "grated daikon."

HARUNA: ...are what we have!

MAMI: That's it.

HARUNA: There are things ranging from the standard to things that we've never put in somen before, but let's go ahead and try them out.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 69

•The episode starts with this.

•MAMI reads the next message from a Brazilian listener whose message was read previously about how they started studying Japanese thanks to SCANDAL and became a professor of Japanese at a university in Brazil. They say they're now working in Japan and tell their friends on the opposite side of the world to leave it to them. The band says that's impressive and they must have put in a lot of effort. TOMO mentions how it must have taken them 30 hours to get here (since that's how long it took the band when they went).

•RINA reads the next message from a listener who wasn't able to attend the LUMINOUS tour, and the thing they're most interested about is how the band has said that RINA's drums were now in the center of the stage. They say that they remember how a few years ago they had done a fortune-telling video for their fan club a few years ago where the diviner said that it was possible that RINA would be in the center. RINA says that that divination did happen, but the lineup this time was that they were all lined up in one row and she played drums at the end of the row rather than in the middle. MAMI says that she was told that she should appear on stage from above and laughs. TOMO says that it was too difficult to do on this tour due to the small venues, but they should do it when they have a hall tour. HARU says that they didn't have the same kind of staging for this tour that they would at a hall tour, but they did think about how they could make it more enjoyable and fresh for the audience. One example is how fans were able to see RINA's drumming more clearly. RINA says that it makes her very happy that, even though some people couldn't attend the tour, they were able to enjoy it in a different kind of way via social media.

•HARU then brings up how a listener whose message was read during episode 67 about how their emotions run high when they love something so much that they cry. She says that they were curious and so they will be talking to her (pseudonym: Mary) on the phone now. RINA wonders if she'll cry. They call Mary and HARU asks again if it was that she cries when talking about SCANDAL to her husband. She chuckles and says yes. RINA asks if that still holds true, which she says yes to. TOMO asks her how she discovered SCANDAL. She says she discovered them from "Shoujo S" when she was in middle school. RINA says that it's amazing that she can still love her favorite band after all these years have passed. They ask what recent concert of theirs she's been to. She says the Osaka performance of the LUMINOUS tour. RINA asks while laughing if it was good and exciting. She says it was the best and was overcome with emotion and cried halfway through. HARU asks what about SCANDAL does she like. She says she looked up to them as really cool older sisters. As times have changed and they've gotten older, they're still always hitting new heights and make her think that the current SCANDAL is always the best version of them. She also really loves how the four of them always seem to be having fun and getting along well with each other. TOMO says that makes her happy to hear.

•TOMO then asks if there's any merch she'd like for them to make (small items, CD bonuses, etc.), and laughs and says they're asking for advice. Mary laughs and thinks about it for a little. She says that items that are easy to use/wear in everyday life would be nice. HARU suggests a handkerchief for those whose emotions run high. Mary says that's a really good idea, which HARU laughs at. HARU then asks, lastly, what Mary's favorite SCANDAL song is. She pauses to think and HARU says that picking a favorite one is difficult to do. She asks if it's okay to list a few, which they say is fine. She lists "Tonight," "one more time," "Kagerou," "A.M.D.K.J.", "LOVE SURVIVE." RINA says that's a good balance. HARU laughs and asks if there are memories attached to those songs. She says that "LOVE SURVIVE" came out when she was in high school and went to buy the CD which came with a metal pin badge that she then wore every day in high school. TOMO says that metal badges are nice.

•They then ask about Mary's husband. She says that he's at home and the band asks if they could talk to him for a bit. She says that he probably would be okay with it and goes to check. She comes back and says she's transferring the phone to him. He introduces himself as Mary's husband. The band laughs and says that's cute. He thanks them for always putting a smile on her face. The band says that's so lovely of him to say. TOMO asks what concert of theirs he went to with her. He says it was last year, or actually two years ago--Mary then interrupts and says it was INVITATION (back in 2021). It was his first concert ever and was very exciting. The band says they're happy to hear that. HARU asks from his POV what makes him feel that Mary has become this passionate genkai otaku. He talks about how after a concert or such she'll keep following him around and talking about it to him passionately, and thanks the band again for making her so happy. The band says they're happy to hear that. TOMO asks how they met. He says that they met via a dating app. HARU asks if they had any hobbies in common or anything that drew him to her. He says that if he had to pick something, it's that they had some favorite anime series in common, which got them talking more to each other, and also that they live their lives in a similar way. The band says they hope to talk to them again and that they'll send in more messages in the future.

*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

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Finally caught up with translating all past episodes

What are SCANDAL's memories of sports day?

Season 2, Episode 69 blog

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HARUNA: This time, we'll just be reading messages!

Pink Kirai (I hate pink)

Good evening, SCANDAL.

I feel a sense of duty to send a message in only after listening to all episodes of "Catch up," and am sending my first message as a silent listener.

After listening to all of the episodes, I have something I really want to say to everyone in SCANDAL, which is why I'm sending this message.

That is, the katakana character I want to hold in my hand is "me" (メ).=

I really wanted to say it, so I graduated from being a silent listener. I hope Ohno will laugh out loud at it.

HARUNA: I wanted to hear the reason why the katakana character they want to hold in their hand is "me"!

RINA: That's true.

TOMOMI: I totally understand why. (*gestures)

MAMI: (*sees the gesture) I see!

TOMOMI: You can put each of your fingers on it... (gestures)

HARUNA: I see.

RINA: It's easy to hold.

HARUNA: I see, I see.

MAMI: Like a shuriken.

HARUNA: And then they said, "I want to send a message after listening to the entire program."

TOMOMI: I can tell that they really listened to it.

Yui

Good evening, SCANDAL. I'm an elementary school teacher.

(All: Hey! Teacher!)


Shortly after "Catch up" started, I was a student at the time and sent a message saying that I was taking the teacher employment exam, which was read on the program. I'm sure the band members don't remember that, though... (laughs)

I've been working for four years now. Over the past four years, my colleagues have started to know that I'm a SCANDAL fan.

The other day, there was a sports day at the elementary school where I work. While preparing for it, a colleague in charge of broadcasting asked me if I knew of any good songs to use as background music during the competitions, so I recommended "Fanfare." On the day of the event, they played it during the representative relay race, which was the most exciting part of the event. The fast-paced song and its lyrics were perfect for the relay, and it made the event even more exciting.

I'm very happy that being a SCANDAL fan has become my identity. SCANDAL always enriches my life. I'll continue to support you.

RINA: That makes me happy...

TOMOMI: I did indeed write the lyrics with a race in mind, so it might also be perfect for relay races.

RINA: I can imagine it in my head. So cute.

TOMOMI: "Representative relay race" brings back memories...

RINA: Those did happen.

TOMOMI: They did.

HARUNA: Were any of you chosen for it?

RINA: I ran, of course??

HARUNA: You ran!?

RINA: Yeah.

HARUNA: Oh, you were a fast runner!

RINA: I used to run... in elementary school.

TOMOMI: Sports day was fun.

HARUNA: Sports day is fun.

TOMOMI: It's definitely dangerous now, even with the change of seasons...

RINA: It's hot.

HARUNA: It's shifting a little bit now.

MAMI: Like May or June.

TOMOMI: Ah, I see. I think it was probably October when I did them.

RINA: I think of sports day as an autumn event.

TOMOMI: But even so, depending on the day...

HARUNA: There are hot days too.

TOMOMI: At any rate, please be careful.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 68

•The episode starts with this.

•HARU mentions that they were recording the episodes remotely from their own homes at the beginning of the program, and there were also times when she was the only one recording in the office while everyone else was at home. TOMO says there was a period when they didn't see each other in person for about two months. HARU then talks about other important news that happened in 2020: The Tokyo Olympics were postponed for a year, high school baseball games were canceled, pro sports events were postponed/canceled, and SCANDAL's own concerts were also postponed/canceled. They felt a sense of despair as things in front of them were disappearing one after another. Since they had been doing the same thing for 10 years, they were suddenly afraid that they wouldn't be able to do it anymore. They didn't know if things would go back to how they were before, so they were really scared. They even thought that jobs in the entertainment world like theirs would cease to exist. But looking back at these 4 years and 4 months, they've been able to put on a lot of concerts since. It was an amazing time of change on a global scale. Livestreams became a thing.

•RINA says that it was good that they were able to naturally record their thoughts at that time and the current state of the world. HARU agrees and says that's why they've been able to write songs and make albums since. And amidst everything happening, the Demon Slayer movie was the fastest in Japan to exceed 10 billion yen in box office revenue. There was also Naomi Osaka winning the US Open tennis championship, and the Japanese phone network Softbank being Japan's number one network for four years in a row. Some other things that changed were plastic bag fees and the opening of Takanawa Gateway Station, the first time a station opened on the Yamanote Line in 49 years. HARU says that it was such a difficult time, but everyone did their best.

•Ohno then mentions that if you re-listen to the program's past episodes, you'll see that they've been doing some pretty silly stuff for a long time. TOMO agrees and says that making jingles has been memorable--or rather, when they do it every year, she laughs so hard that she cries. She also says that they did "Aozora Catch up (Catching up under the blue sky)" and also went out of their way to play Mölkky, which doesn't really translate well to radio. MAMI says they've been pretty relentless in doing things that would be hard to understand via radio. Ohno says they also did a few "spot the mistake" ones that took place in the office. TOMO says they've done some projects that they don't understand. MAMI says that they don't even know what objects are in the office. HARU says that the number of segments they have have grown a lot, though they do keep cutting some and gaining some. They've also had a lot of messages about love advice come in. RINA says they also did a public recording. They've also done a few live broadcasts. HARU says that they're now in their 5th year of doing this program and thanks everyone for always tuning in.

•HARU then reads that they're apparently going to now be given a very special present from the staff. RINA says that a red box has just appeared. HARU says she's kind of scared and that it's heavy. They open the box and discover that the present is a thumbs-up trophy (pictured in the above photo). HARU says she's surprised it's so heavy while Ohno laughs. TOMO says that she thinks the bottom part should have some engraving on there, and that maybe they could put a sticker on it later. HARU says that they could put a "Catch up" sticker on it. TOMO then does what sounds like an acceptance speech and says, "A lot has happened, but I'm very happy that we have been able to go through this important period of change together with you all. I hope that we can continue this program for as long as possible, so please continue supporting us, Meiji!" She then says that everyone needs to each hold the trophy while doing an acceptance speech like her. They all laugh and HARU says that she's going to refuse to accept the award.

•MAMI is handed the award first. She begrudingly accepts it and says that it is pretty solid. They all laugh. She keeps saying "Let's see, let's see..." while the others chuckle. Her speech then follows: "First, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has been involved in this program. We've been doing things that might be hard to understand on the radio, but we've had fun doing them in an interesting way. I'd be happy if we could continue doing such unintelligible things in the future. I hope we can continue to work together to create a radio show that brings smiles to everyone's faces. Thank you very much." She then goes, "Okay, next person," while everyone laughs. TOMO says that it's like a bomb now. Ohno asks them why they're nervous all of a sudden.

•RINA is handed the award next. Her speech: "Thank you for always listening to this program! I think that 'Catch up' has also been a place for us to communicate beyond what we talk about during our concert MCs. We've done a lot of silly projects, and it's a program that's mostly just about having fun, but it's also been a place where we could properly digest and convey things we couldn't via MCs. It's one of the most important places for the band. I think this program has had a huge influence on the way that the live atmosphere and expressions created by the band SCANDAL have begun to reach people more deeply. Although the core of a band is its music, I believe a band only exists because of the people involved, so I'm filled with gratitude for getting to know each of our characters and loving us for so long. I'm not sure how long we'll be able to do this program, but I hope we can have fun and do it for a long time, so I hope you'll enjoy listening to it with us. Thank you for your continued support."

•HARU says that they're all doing proper speeches and then does hers: "Thank you all for always listening as we enter our fifth year! Just like everyone has said, we always do all kinds of projects, and I'm not sure if they're getting through to everyone or not. But just the fact that we continue to have a place where we can show our excitement and communicate our ideas motivates us every day. We also get a lot of ideas from the messages we receive from you guys. I think this show has helped us discover many things that will connect to SCANDAL's future, so I'm really grateful that we were able to make this show together. I think this program will probably continue into its 5th year. I mean, there's no reason to quit doing this (TOMO: "We don't quit unless there is a reason to do so"). I think things will probably go on forever if we keep going like this, so in order to increase the number of listeners, I would appreciate it if everyone would be considerate to make this program available to even more people." They laugh at the "considerate" part. MAMI laughs and says HARU is holding the trophy so carefully and with her wrists bent, which makes it look really cute. HARU laughs and says that she hasn't received many trophies in her life, after all.

•TOMO then says that Ohno has to do a speech too. He whines and asks why. TOMO says that he has to do it since he's an important person to the program. MAMI says that they always have fun with him. RINA says for him to speak into a mic since you can never hear him in the audio. Ohno doesn't quite speak directly into a mic but does say something that's audible: "You guys are pros when it comes to keeping on for a long time, so I'm sure this went by fast for you. I hope we can continue to do this program for another 10 or 20 years. I've learned from you that continuity is what a band is all about, so I thank you for your kind consideration." The band laughs at the use of "consideration" again.

•They then close out the episode. They say thank you for the trophy and that that'll put in on display in their office.

*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):

---

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

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

---

#front-page #catchup

"Catch up" award ceremony! What's their next award after getting a Guinness World Record?

Season 2, Episode 68 blog

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HARUNA: So, this time...
(*suddenly becomes serious)
We'll be holding an "award ceremony."

All: Hm?

TOMOMI: An award ceremony??

HARUNA: SCANDAL "Catch up" award ceremony!!

TOMOMI: What? ...what is it??

RINA: It feels grand...

MAMI: Well, for now, thank you.

HARUNA: In order to make this program a bigger hit...
We tried all sorts of ways to get more people to listen to it!
And then, we discovered something amazing...

TOMOMI: Oh...

HARUNA: SCANDAL "Catch up" is a program that is being streamed on AuDee and is the service's longest-running program!

All: Ehー!! (& bursts out laughing)

TOMOMI: Really?? That's amazing.

RINA: Everything's like that for us.

HARUNA: It really is.

MAMI: Rightー

HARUNA: We're pros at doing the same thing for a long time, after all.

MAMI: Really.

RINA: Thank you for supporting us.

TOMOMI: Does that mean it's the longest-running of all AuDee programs?

HARUNA: Yes, that's right.

MAMI: Eh? I don't get it! Why? Really?!

HARUNA: SCANDAL "Catch up" started on March 9th, 2020, on JFN PARK before AuDee, and before we knew it, it had become the longest-running program.

TOMOMI: I'm grateful... We didn't even realize it.

HARUNA: ...by the way, the next program after ours is "Hollywood Zakoshisyoh no Gyakushuu Zakoshi no Choge Choge,"which started on March 27th, 2020.

TOMOMI: They're only a few days apart.

HARUNA: We've come this far thanks to everyone's love. It's been four years and four months now. This will be our fifth year. I think we were able to make this far together with everyone.

TOMOMI: Before we even knew it.

(Staff: You should be more impressed...)

TOMOMI: We weren't really aware of it...

MAMI: That's right...

TOMOMI: I don't know how to react to being congratulated all of a sudden...

(Staff: It's an amazing thing!!)

MAMI: I think so.

TOMOMI: That's true.

HARUNA: I've thought this ever since we got a Guinness World Record (for all-girl bands), but I honestly don't think that it's an amazing thing that we've just continued to be a band... It is an impressive thing, though.

RINA: We're grateful.

HARUNA: Thank you so much.

TOMOMI: Thank you very much.

HARUNA: That's why we want more people to listen to our music.

TOMOMI: We want people to listen!

HARUNA: And what else happened in March 2020? Well, on March 24th it was announced that the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games would be postponed for about a year due to the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19. That's the period of time it was. This program was born when the whole world was in a state of crisis due to the pandemic. The first broadcast on March 9th was when we were still recording in the studio.

MAMI: That's right.

HARUNA: We couldn't do that starting from the next episode, right?

RINA: Yeah.

TOMOMI: But thankfully we were able to start at the right time.

RINA: That's right.

TOMOMI: Soon after the broadcast started we couldn't play concerts, and it was a time when we lost the chance to connect with our fans, so it was a huge relief for us to be able to get their feedback through this program.

RINA: It really was.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 67

•The episode starts with this.

•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who says they were at the Osaka concert where TOMO had brought up "Catch up" and that it didn't seem like many people listened to it. This listener says they were one of those people and apologizes, but afterwards they went back and listened to all past episodes. TOMO laughs and says she forgives them. RINA says that once you start listening, you get hooked. HARU says that she's seen some fans posting short summaries of episodes on Twitter (do my summaries count as part of that? lol). RINA says that's awesome, and that's more like a staffer's job. Ohno says that the listeneres are kind of like staff. HARU says they do help make the program, after all. MAMI wonders if it's okay to have them work for them and laughs.

•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who attended the Osaka concert as well and says that the lyric "We'll long for it, cry for it" in "Watashi-tachi" resonates with them so much. They have a habit of crying when their emotions run high and cry every time they're angry or happy, or even when they're at a concert/event. When they go home and tell their husband what they thought about a concert, they also feel like crying. They wonder if there are any people like them who cry when their emotions run high. The band says that they get it; that feeling like that is totally fine; and that the more passionate you are about something, the more your emotions run high. MAMI wonders if they'll cry when they hear their message being read. They laugh and say that it's okay if the listener does. RINA says that she wishes she could understand those kinds of feelings since she's much too level-headed. However, she does say that when talking about SCANDAL, she can get so heated to the point where she cries or forgets to breathe. They laugh and say that RINA and the listener should talk to each other and even appear on the program together.

•RINA reads the next message from a listener from Japan who went to the Taipei, Shanghai, and South Korea concerts. Although the tour's over, they're still traveling and are about to do a round-the-world trip in four months. They're not worried since SCANDAL's music is their good-luck charm and they always give them the courage to move forward. RINA says that this listener is someone's who's been a fan for a long time and they know that they've been working hard overseas. HARU says they go overseas more than the band does, and that they work so hard at their job. MAMI says that when they get letters and hear where they've been and what they've been up to, it gives the band courage. Although they always say that they get their strength from the band, the band gets that kind of strength from the listener as well.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who is from Taiwan and went to the concert in Taipei. They say things like the band's story about porridge was funny. TOMO says that they talked about when she, HARU, and their photographer wanted to go to this restaurant that their PA had recommended to them but gave up when they saw it had the longest line they'd ever seen and probably wouldn't make it back in time for the concert. They then asked their photographer's friend, who is a tourism ambassador in Taiwan, for a recommendation and they walked about an hour to get to this new place. However, when they got there, they found out that the place only accepted cash and none of them had any. They looked around the area and finally got some cash, but the shop had already closed when they got back since these kinds of porridge places only open from around 5-11 am. They ended up eating porridge from a nearby food stall that was only about 200 yen but really good. Ohno asks if the band was able to communicate with the audience in Chinese. HARU says they didn't have to since they had an interpreter; it was at the Guangzhou concert that they didn't have one and no one understood the Chinese the band was trying to speak (they mentioned this in the previous episode).

•They then close out the episode. HARU says they seem to be making a dent in reading messages about the LUMINOUS tour, but it would probably take about a year to get through them all. MAMI laughs and says it'll last until their next tour.

*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):

---

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

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

---

#front-page #catchup

Reading impressions about the "LUMINOUS" tour! There was a wafer incident at the Sapporo show?

Season 2, Episode 67 blog

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HARUNA: This time, we'll just be reading messages... There's a ton of them, after all.

RINA: Too many!

RUKA

I'd like to tell you about an incident and coincidence that happened to me during the LUMINOUS tour. It happened in Sapporo, day 2. It all started with the Sanrio wafers that TOMO was handing out at the end of the show.

TOMOMI: Yeah, sorry about that...

HARUNA: You already know what happened!?

TOMOMI: Yeah, I do...

During the final send off, my friends and I were around the third row in the middle with our phones in one hand and making hand hearts with the other to get some fan service. While the members were giving fan service to everyone, TOMO started handing out wafers. The second wafer she threw flew toward my direction. Just when I thought it was coming towards me in slow motion, the next thing I knew it had hit me square in the face. The wafer flew backwards after hitting my face. My friend managed to get it and I enjoyed eating the wafer.

I didn't intend to make a sound when it hit me, but when I watched back the video I had taken and the videos my friends had taken, I realized that I had made a fairly loud, old-man-like noise, like "Ah! Ouchhh!"

That night, my friends and I had a great time talking about the wafer incident. However, the only thing we regretted is that we were not able to capture on video the moment it hit me directly in the face.

The day after we talked, we headed from Sapporo to Hakodate, as we were planning to go to the Hakodate show as well, and as we were strolling around Hakodate, a stranger suddenly said to me, "Excuse me, are you Wafer-san?" It turned out that this person was the person behind me at the Sapporo concert. I thought that it might be them, so I asked to see the video from the previous day, and they showed us footage of me being hit directly in the face. The person who called out to me was very kind, and I was able to get the video. I met them again at the Hakodate concert venue, took photos with them, and added to my memories. And I was able to finish my Hokkaido tour with no regrets.

Two consecutive days of incidents and coincidences overlapped, and although it was full of surprises, it was a great memory in a way.

I've been hit directly in the face by a ball before, but it was the first time in my life that a wafer hit me right in the face. Thank you for the first experience and the most fun memories.

TOMOMI: Sorry about that...

HARUNA: I witnessed what happened!

RINA: I did too. It surprised me.

TOMOMI: I didn't notice that at all...

HARUNA: You were throwing wafers and looking at a different fan.

TOMOMI: Yeah.

HARUNA: It was funny! Ah, maybe they'd feel bad if I said it was funny...

RINA: I'm glad RUKA took it like that. But we apologize.

MAMI: It wouldn't be odd if they had been like, "Hey!!"

RINA: Really. Let's all be careful.

TOMOMI: All I can say is sorry...

HARUNA: But it was a coincidence that someone who was behind them at the concert talked to them the next day...

RINA: Things like that happen, huh...

HARUNA: That's amazing.

RINA: That's niceー. An interesting connection.

HARUNA: Yeah.

TOMOMI: I didn't mean to throw them that hard...

HARUNA: I don't think it was particularly hard.

TOMOMI: But it seems like it had hurt, so maybe I did throw it hard...

RINA: They got a direct hit on the forehead. It was so shocking. It was like a scene from anime; a direct hit.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 66

•The episode starts with this.

•Audio recorded after the concert in Guangzhou is then played. They say that it had also been 6 years since they were last there, and that about half of the crowd this time were first-timers. HARU asks the others how playing here for the first time a while was. RINA says that that the atmosphere felt really fresh the moment they hit the stage. It seemed like there were many shy people there with many of the concentrating on taking videos, and the band was trying to figure out how to get the crowd excited. She also mentions that they took a slightly different approach than usual, like when TOMO went down to the crowd and played, and that it was really good. TOMO says that there are things they can do overseas that they can't do in Japan. HARU says that the crowd was great during "Shunkan Sentimental" and all sang along. TOMO says that one of the encore songs they did was "HARUKAZE," and they got the impression that many fans there got to know the band because of that song, which made them glad that they chose to play it. MAMI says that as soon as they saw someone dressed as Ichigo from Bleach when they entered the venue, they decided that "HARUKAZE" was the song they would play for the encore. RINA says that they originally were going to play a different song but decided to change it. They say they're glad they did so and that everyone seemed happy.

•The audio cuts back to the band in the studio. HARU says the reactions in Guangzhou this time were a little different from the last time they were there. RINA says that the vibe was different, which kind of surprised her. She says she tried to choose her words very carefully when speaking and felt a kind of nervousness she'd never felt before. She wondered how they could make people enjoy the show. HARU says that performing overseas is totally different from Japan, with photos/videos being allowed and such, and it's interesting to see the gap between the two. She also says that the audience the previous time was more enthuasiastic. RINA says that they had sung along to basically every song, but this time there were many people concentrating on recording and wanting to listen to the songs at their own leisure. HARU says that it felt like the pandemic had an effect on the crowd; it really did feel like a post-pandemic concert. RINA says that the staff also said that. TOMO says that COVID restrictions did last a long time in China, after all, and it had likely been a long time since many people went to such a crowded place without masks. HARU says that it felt like people didn't want to shout as loudly as they used to at concerts anymore. It's a kind of change you wouldn't be able to know about unless you go there. RINA says that China was really strict with regulations. TOMO says that visa restrictions were also very strict and now you need a visa to enter China, even for tourism. She says that she just renewed her passport last year, and the corner of the IC chip page was slightly bent. She thought it wouldn't be a problem and that she should be allowed to go through, but they told me that I had to get a new one, so she had to go and get another one. It arrived barely just in time, and it was so close that she jokes the band would have been bassist-less for the tour. RINA says that would have been a problem.

•They say that they're glad they got to go to Guangzhou, and that it was their second time there. TOMO says that it's a very sparkly, beautiful city. The first time they went there, they went to hang out by the river, and the kids were playing with lots of flying toys that were glowing. It gave off the impression that it was such a peaceful and happy time. It was just as beautiful when they went there this time. It was also quite urban, completely different from Shanghai. HARU says that she didn't understand the Chinese food they ate there this time, since she says she thought it was easier to eat than before. RINA says that she totally gets that and thought the same thing, and that it's getting better. Ohno asks them how it was last time. RINA says that the spices were stronger. HARU again says that it was really easy to eat this time. TOMO says that the places they ate at were upscale places, which HARU says that might have something to do with it. TOMO says that the staff chose all these restaurants to eat at where everyone eats together at a big round table in a big private room, which is part of the reason why she thinks she gained weight and laughs. Ohno asks how they think the food is different in the high-class places. TOMO says the dishes are the same, but the ingredients used are different, such as the oil.

•Next, they talk about Shanghai. HARU says that they apologize, but they forgot to record some audio after the concert. RINA says that they were rushing around while in Shanghai. HARU says that it was their first time there, which RINA says is surprising. She also mentions that that was the first time they had equipment trouble on this tour, where they had to redo "Fanfare" because of guitar troubles. MAMI says that the sound didn't come out as it should. RINA says that it was a lot of fun, though, and added some nice spice. HARU says they didn't have any interpreters at the shows in China, so they really tried to communicate in Japanese and speak in easy-to-understand Japanese as much as possible. However, it's hard to convey nuances and one would have to be a native speaker of Japanese to get that nuance across. Even so, their expressions made it seem like they understood what they were saying. She says she was really happy to see that they were trying to understand them and the album. RINA says that the band tried to speak in Chinese but found it quite difficult because of the subtle nuances and how the slightest changes in sound can mean different things. Once they started speaking, there were fans that said it was okay to speak in Japanese, which is why decided to go with it. HARU mentions that she said a few words in Chinese before they played "Sisters," the final song of the set, and was taught the simplest way to say it as possible, but she could tell from the atmosphere that nothing was being conveyed. She rephrased it in Japanese and they seemed to understand it better. MAMI says that after this tour was done, she realized that these people who go to see Japanese artists live probably watch anime/read manga and/or study Japanese, so there'll probably be times when they'll realize, "Oh, I've heard this before" and will be happy that it was said. RINA agrees and says that when when you go to concerts put on by foreign artists, there is also the pleasure of hearing them speak in their native language.

•Ohno asks them if they are able to use something in Guangzhou. RINA asks if he means cell phones. He seems to actually be asking about payment, since TOMO says that you can only use Alipay and not credit cards. Even convenience stores don't accept them. While in Japan, you have to install the app and link your phone to your credit card before you can purchase anything. RINA says that it was a pain to do at the airport and barely made it on to the plane, since they would only accept Alipay for equipment/additional baggage fees. The staff registered them and then took the payment, but everyone needed to pay in turns. MAMI says that in order to prevent fraud, your card will be frozen if the same payment is made several times, so they couldn't continue to make payments with Alipay. TOMO says they boarded the flight just before take off, well past the boarding time. RINA says that would rough. HARU says that they did a lot of running. Ohno asks them if that was when they went to Shanghai. They say yes. MAMI says that when they went from Shanghai to Seoul, the Shanghai badminton team was on the same flight and were an hour late. TOMO wonders if it was due to an Alipay situation. MAMI says there were quite a few events plane-wise when it came to flying in China.

•Lastly, they play audio recorded in Seoul. HARU asks the others what they thought of the Asia tour. TOMO says that the four performances went by in a flash. They hadn't been to South Korea in a long time and this was also their first solo concert here. It really felt like they had been waiting a long time for them. MAMI says that she was really moved by how SCANDAL's music is such a part of the fans' lives here even though they're so far apart from each other. RINA says that SK really had that finale feel to it, and that they were moved by all of the cheering the moment they hit the stage. She was happy to see the audience's reactions and that they seemed to know all of the songs played. The Asia tour as a whole made her realize how important it is for the band to have this cycle of going overseas, getting new inspiration, and applying it to their activities in Japan. She also felt that all of their abilities to communicate at overseas concerts were even stronger than before, and that this Asia tour was more rewarding in terms of language as well as performance. It gave them a huge sense of accomplishment. HARU says that it felt like they were finally having their second go since they weren't able to play there for their KFTD world tour. MAMI mentions a Korean fan who sent her a message saying that they had been waiting ever since then to see them, and that they were able to make it today. HARU says that it had been 10 years since they were last in SK. TOMO mentions that the fans surprised them today with each audience member holding a fan and a slogan. RINA says that lyrics from "Koisuru Universe" were on there and laughs that she's glad they did perform it today. HARU says that the LUMINOUS tour is now completely over, that the band all did a great job, that they'll work hard for the next one, and thanks everyone who came out to the tour. TOMO says thanks in both Chinese and Korean.

•The audio cuts back to the band in the studio. They say that they felt very fulfilled. HARU mentions that this was their second time playing in SK and their first solo concert. TOMO says that they were invited to a festival 10 years ago. RINA says that after that festival, the local staff told them that there were very few all-girl bands in SK, and even those that are around only stay together for 2-3 years. That's why they were really happy that SCANDAL came from Japan. She says that that deeply moved the band. HARU says they're glad they were able to go to SK on this tour. RINA says she's glad the last concert of the tour was in SK. HARU says that, to be honest, they weren't sure if they'd be able to hold a concert there due to the problem they had with their previous SK promoter and the KFTD concert being canceled. RINA says that the pandemic has made it difficult for promoters to stay in business, with some going bankrupt. HARU says that it had caused trouble for the fans and they thought it'd be difficult to schedule a concert there this time as well, but a friend of hers introduced them to a production company there who helped them hold it. She says they were very lucky, and they're also glad that they were able to make it the finale of the tour.

•HARU also says she tried her best to speak Korean during the concert. RINA says that that was great. HARU says that she started learning a little bit of Korean at the beginning of the year and had her teacher help with the MC. She felt really accomplished and glad that she was able to communicated with the audience in Korean. RINA says that she thinks the audience was really happy about that. They no longer saw them as four people who came from Japan and couldn't speak Korean, so she thinks a lot more was communicated. Because of that, there was a nice kind of mood that was created. TOMO says that everything was conveyed. RINA says that the power of love also factored in--if you have a strong interest in the country's artists and culture, you'll be able to improve your studies. She also says that doesn't want to be misunderstood if she says it's been a while, but she felt that the band and the four band members have a lot of potential, and that was something she was really happy about with this concert in SK. She's also really grateful to be able to get used to this kind of feeling again. HARU says she thinks that happens a lot at overseas concerts. Of course this also applies for concerts in Japan, but she feels that there's a kind of power that comes out every time they tour overseas; it's like they can really feel their potential.

•TOMO talks about how a staffer from Live Nation, who helped them plan the tour, named Kitabayashi toured with them but kept a certain distance from them the whole time, even during after-parties. If the band tried to close the distance, he'd lengthen it again. But after the tour ended in Seoul, he was really excited and mentioned that he'd love to do this again, perhaps even some time later this year. He kept telling them at every after-party before the Seoul one that he'd go all out after Seoul. HARU says that they didn't understand why at first, but he did say that he had a lot of work to do before then and finally got them done before Seoul. RINA says that he set himself free. MAMI says that she'd love to hang out with him again in Japan and just go grab a bite to eat or something. RINA says that they'd love to exchange many words with these kinds of staffers, such as things that they don't have to say but would be nice to hear, like "SCANDAL's great." HARU says that when they last toured in Asia 6 years ago, they were all still in their 20s. This time it felt like they were all communicating more directly with the local staffers, and that they were all working together.

•Ohno mentions that the band stayed in SK after the tour ended. RINA stayed for one extra night and hung out with her sister and husband who had come to SK for her sister's birthday trip and attended the concert, which happened to fall on her exact birthday. HARU says that she, TOMO, and MAMI stayed for two extra nights. TOMO says that they ate a lot. MAMI says that they also spent a lot of money on beauty treatments. RINA asked what they did. MAMI and HARU say that they did skin management and went to a beauty clinic to take care of their skin. TOMO says they also met up with a friend from Caless who is currently living in Seoul. This was their first time seeing them in 20 years. HARU says they attended the Yokohama branch of the school. RINA asks if she knows them. TOMO says she does, and that they used to stay in the same apartment/dorm by the school. RINA says that this was surprisingly the first time they spent time like this after a tour, and that they had a lot of freedom on this tour. They say they worked hard and that it was a fun tour.

*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):

---

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

*All episodes of Season 2 can be found here

---

#front-page #catchup

The Asia leg of the "LUMINOUS" is done! Talking candidly about what they felt in Asia, the troubles they encountered, and more...

Season 2, Episode 66 blog

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HARUNA: This time, we'll be doing "SCANDAL's Journey to Asia"!
We recently toured Asia, and our LUMINOUS tour ended there as well! We went to Taipei, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Seoul. Now that we have safely returned home and a few days have passed, we'd like to give a report on what happened at each place.
Taiwan, performance ＃1 of the Asia tour, was really exciting.

TOMOMI: It had been 6 years since we were last there??

RINA: Yeah.

HARUNA: That's right.

TOMOMI: Even though it'd been 6 years...

RINA: It was amazing!

MAMI: Thanks!

HARUNA: There were many people who had been waiting for 6 years, and the other half were people who had come to like us in the past 6 years, so I'm glad we kept going.

RINA: They know every song! We dared to do this Asia tour exactly like how we did it in Japan, and I'm glad we did that. In the past we thought about doing more tie-in songs overseas, but I'm glad that we're able to present our current selves in the same way we do in Japan.

HARUNA: They said we hope we come back.

TOMOMI: We do want to go.

MAMI: Let's work hard again.

HARUNA: Let's eat hot potー

TOMOMI: Let's eatー. I'm starving.

HARUNA: It had been...6 years since we played in Taipei.

TOMOMI: Yeah. We haven't been since the pandemic started.

HARUNA: We ourselves have changed a lot in the past 6 years.

RINA: So true. It was a time when the band's mood, or rather sense of energy, changed dramatically, and along with that, our musical style changed little by little. So I realized once again how amazing it is that people continue to listen to us through all that, and support us to the point of coming to our concerts.

HARUNA: I felt that our MC in Japanese was more understandable than when we were on our previous Asia tour.

RINA: They understood us.

HARUNA: I was happy to see that they had a deeper understanding of Japan.

TOMOMI: There were many people who came to see us for the first time, and I was so moved to see how many new people had come in the past six years.

HARUNA: I wonder how found out about us...

RINA: Really...

HARUNA: I wonder when they did so...

RINA: It's a mystery now.

【Translated Summary】
『SCANDAL Catch up supported by Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt』 - Season 2, Episode 65

•The episode starts with this.

•RINA reads the next message from a listener who attended the Osaka, Nara, and Tokyo dates. There was one thing in particular that left a deep impression on them during this tour, which is why they're sending this message. At the Nara concert when RINA was talking about the students-only talk event that she'd be speaking at the following month, she said she was worried about whether there would be student fans or not. The listener wants to tell SCANDAL that they've been a fan since elementary school and this year graduated from college. They wish they had raised their hand when RINA asked the crowd if there were students there, and now want to let the band know that there are fans are students + are sure that there are many students like them. TOMO says that there were only about 2 people who had raised their hands at that concert, which the band all laughs at. HARU says that it was also probably because the venue was small and couldn't accomodate more than about 500 people. RINA says that it's a happy and wonderful thing that there are also fans who grew up together with them. There was a time when they only had students as fans, but now that they're in their 30s, many of their fans are now in their late 20s and early 30s. That's why she wondered if it was okay for her to speak at a students-only event. She wonders if maybe 3 people will come to event and laughs. MAMI says she's being modest. TOMO says it makes her happy to know that there are so many people who have been listening to them since they were students and are now all grown up. She thanks them for staying with them, and also thanks those who stopped being a fan at one point but then came back around. She says she thinks that's what it means to be around for a long time.

•MAMI reads the next message from a listener who attended the finale in Tokyo and ended up talking with an American fan who happened to be next to them, but when the MCs started, they asked the listener to translate for them. The listener says they were left feeling frustrated, thinking that if they had been able to speak English better, the American would have been able to enjoy the concert more. They say they'll do their best to learn more English before the next concert they attend so that those who are not good at Japanese can also enjoy the show. The band is kind of surprised by this and laughs. TOMO says they don't want the listener to feel a sense of responsibility. HARU says that even if you are bilingual and can speak Japanese, interpreting is difficult. That's what the band thinks when they go overseas. MAMI says that there are so many nuances in Japanese. HARU says that there are a lot of overseas fans that go to their concerts in Japan, but this is the first time they're getting a message like this. MAMI says there's nothing wrong with learning English, but don't feel a responsibility to translate for others. They say that the listener is a very kind and considerate person. TOMO wonders if the American thanked the listener. RINA says that she definitely wishes that they did, especially if they pushed for them to translate what the band said. HARU says that if this happens again, it's okay to just say no and to enjoy the concert first and foremost. RINA says that maybe they could talk about it after the concert instead of during it. MAMI says that the American should learn Japanese instead. HARU laughs and says that of course the band is going to speak Japanese at concerts performed in Japan. (lol guys, if you go to a SCANDAL concert in Japan, don't be like whoever this American is and put a Japanese fan on the spot that you don't even know, to translate for you; it's pretty rude!)

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who saw them in Okayama and mentions how they talked about bats during the MC (the band talked about bats in episodes 51 and 57). TOMO says that she actually saw a bat around her place in Tokyo, which surprises the others since they previously talked about how they'd never seen bats in the Tokyo area before. She says that it was just one flying around, and although it was hard to tell what it was, the way it was flying was how a bat flies.

•TOMO reads the next message from a listener who is a landscaper and heard SCANDAL on the radio recently and thought of how they haven't listened to them at all recently, and so decided to go to the Tokyo concert by themselves. They also mention that they're received offers since then and feel that going to the concert gave them luck. The band says they're happy to hear that their luck improved and to keep the rumor going that going to SCANDAL concerts will improve your luck. HARU says that they're pretty lucky and are okay with giving a little out.

•RINA reads the next message from a listener who attended both Fukuoka concerts. They had been a SCANDAL fan in middle school but hadn't been one recently. The reason why they decided to attend this time was because they turned 27 years old this year and started playing the bass. They were looking at their playlist on their phone for a song to play, and thought they'd like to learn "Kagen no Tsuki," which they've loved for a long time. Then they happened to see an ad on Instagram about SCANDAL's tour and bought tickets right away. TOMO is surprised about the ads and she and MAMI both say they've never seen one before. RINA says that it's done for every tour. MAMI says that they should run ads for "Catch up" on IG too. HARU says that hearing stories like the listener's really makes it set in that they've been around as a band for a long time. They say that it's hard to keep up with things for 15+ years, especially when life happens and your circumstances change. RINA says that hearing these stories makes it all feel very rewarding. TOMO wonders if they can play "Kagen no Tsuki" now and says that they're rooting for them.

•HARU reads the next message from a listener who attended the Kanazawa concert, which was their first solo SCANDAL concert since COVID and the birth of their son. They have memories of dancing with their brother and 1-year-old son during "one more time" when they saw SCANDAL at a festival last year. They lost their son last November, and SCANDAL supported them through a very hard time. They had been working hard and looking forward to the LUMINOUS tour. When "one more time" was played, they cried so hard despite it being such a cheerful song. When they watched the Tokyo concert that was broadcasted live, they were sad that they couldn't hear TOMO sing "Ai no Shoutai" at the Kanazawa concert but realized that TOMO had a throat problem that day and had to change the setlist. The band says they did a great job getting through this tough year, and that they're glad they came out to the tour. HARU says that they had decided to include "one more time" that day, on the day of the concer, due to TOMO's cold. She's glad that they were able to perform such a memorable song for the listener on that day. TOMO apologizes that they weren't able to do "Ai no Shoutai" then. HARU + RINA say that that's the nature of touring and you never know what'll happen. TOMO says that she couldn't stop coughing for about a month and then discovered that she had a broken rib. They all laugh and MAMI says it was a surprise. TOMO says that it had been hurting for a while but she didn't think it was broken, and that that was her first broken bone in her life. RINA says she did well to make it to the tour finale. HARU says that everyone did a great job and that it was a great tour.

*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

Introducing impressions from the "LUMINOUS" tour in Japan! SCANDAL eats dango during an MC??

Season 2, Episode 65 blog

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HARUNA: This time we'll be doing "LUMINOUS FURIKAERIMASU! MAIL YOMIMASU!" (Looking Back On LUMINOUS! Reading Messages!)

RINA: Finally...

HARUNA: Yes, finally.

RINA: We're finally doing it, during this episode.

HARUNA: That's right. The tour has finally come to an end, and we received an enormous amount of messages from you guys...

RINA: So awesome...

TOMOMI: Thank you very much.

HARUNA: Well then, let's get started!

Risu (25, Kumamoto)

This was my first time seeing SCANDAL live. I discovered SCANDAL one year ago when I happened to listen to "Catch up."

During the concert, TOMOMI suddenly ate some dango. I was so surprised that she suddenly ate dango during a live performance.

TOMOMI: WANIMA gave those to us.

HARUNA: Thank you very much.

TOMOMI: They were delicious.

HARUNA: It was their first SCANDAL concert, so I guess they were shocked that we would eat dango on stage....

TOMOMI: It's not like we usually eat them. It was just by chance.

MAMI: In Kumamoto, we had "ikkinari dango," but in Okayama, it was "kibidango."

HARUNA: There are so many dango.

RINA: At any rate, we surprised them.

TOMOMI: Sorry about that...

HARUNA: And they came to the concert because of "Catch up."

MAMI: Wow! That makes me happy!

RINA: I hope they'll send us another message.

HARUNA: Last time we were just talking about how can we get more people to listen to "Catch up."

RINA: There are people like that.

TOMOMI: At any rate, it makes us happy...

HARUNA: I hope they'll come to our concert again.

TOMOMI: Thank you very much!

Haruki (21, Hiroshima)

I was able to make some discoveries because of how close I was to the drums. Before the show started, I noticed that there was no second snare in the drum set, and I was all upset, thinking, "Does that mean we're not getting the classic 'A.M.D.K.J.'?!" (lol)

During the concert, I was able to see RINA using a ring mute on the snare during "LOVE ME DO," and her facial expressions constantly changing with each song and lyric, all of which were burned into my memory.

Personally, I really liked the layout of this tour, and I hope you'll use this stage layout again!

MAMI: Are they a drummer?

RINA: They know a lot. It's amazing that they know what a ring mute is. Depending on the song, I might suppress the sound of the snare a little, but sometimes the setting can give away the song.

TOMOMI: That's true. But everyone is paying close attention. Like with our effects pedals, sometimes we post pictures on social media when we do rehearsals and people are like, "This isn't here, so this song won't be played." I guess they know.

RINA: No, that's amazing.

MAMI: With videos, even though it only shows for a second, you can tell what effects pedals and equipment are used.

HARUNA: They can even tell what the knobs are set to.

RINA: It's impressiveー.

TOMOMI: There are people who set up the same thing and say that they tried playing it... "Otaku" (geeks) are amazing.

RINA: People are curious about the equipment. Sometimes the next song is revealed when MAMI switches guitars.

MAMI: I practice so much before going on stage...

TOMOMI: They know.

MAMI: Sometimes that's how they find out.

RINA: We appreciate them watching us so closely.