Monday, August 29, 2011

Gaki No Tsukai Episode #1069

Episode Number: 1069

Episode Title: 焼肉トラジ食べ尽くし10万円!山の手泉内25店舗 完全制覇~!!
(Toraji Yakiniku  Eat Up 100,000 Yen! Conquer 25 Shops within the Yamanote Line!!)

Original Broadcast Date: Sunday, August 28th 2011

Viewing Link:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk5NDE3NzUy.html

Guests:
ライセンス (License, a comedy duo)
  • 藤原一裕 (Fujiwara Kazuhiro)
  • 井本貴史 (Inomoto Takafumi)
Episode Summary (rules):
The fourth in a series of eating marathons around Tokyo, the Gaki regulars must make their way to 25 Yakiniku stores around Tokyo's Yamanote line, at each shop eating one item from a 25 entry menu.
Refereed by ライセンス, if any of the five regulars chooses not to continue, they do not win the 100,000 yen prize. Additionally, the retiree pays for all Yakiniku eaten up to that point.
Side orders must be paid directly by the ordering party.

Episode Analysis:
This episode is the first part of two, and although the involvement of the Yakiniku Toraji chain of restaurants give the entire outing the air of an extended commercial, it also (like the other eating marathon's I've seen) has a great air of authenticity.
Matsumoto especially seems to wear himself out very quickly, and the sense of his growing physical discomfort at the amount of food he eats is uncomfortable to watch. My impression is that this contest is very real-- one end of a spectrum of Gaki programs, which extends through half-staged (the batsu games) to the openly and entirely staged.

Important Vocabulary:
焼肉:やきにく: Yakiniku or Korean Barbecue
完食:かんしょうく:Entirely eaten. Eating everything on your plate.

Timestamped Notes:
0:0:0
The episode opens with the regulars standing (as before) before the Nippon Terebi Tower in Shinbashi, Tokyo, at: +35° 39' 54.18", +139° 45' 35.47"
They seem to be surrounded by a promotional materials for the NTV morning light news program ZIP.
As in the previous marathons, the cast has assumed attire appropriate to the food they will eat, including (in this case) headgear like a yakiniku gridiron, and costumes like Korean Hanboks.

0:0:15
The previous four food marathons were:
  • episodes 970-971, Sarae marathon, failed after 29 of 32 restaurants visited.
  • episodes 995-996, Gindako marathon, failed after 18 of 37 restaurants visited.
  • episodes 119-120, Sushizanmai marathon, failed after 18 of 31 restaurants visited.
0:01:37
The restaurant list includes
  1. 銀座8丁目店 (Ginza 8 Chōme branch)
  2. 銀座6丁目店 (Ginza 6 Chōme branch)
  3. 銀座コア店 (Ginza Core branch)
  4. 銀座ベルビア店 (Ginza Berbia branch)
  5. 有楽町店 (Yurakucho branch)
  6. 日比谷店 (Hibiya Branch)
  7. 国際フオーラム横店 (International Forum branch)
  8. 丸ビル店 (Maru building branch)
  9. 八重洲店 (Yaesu branch)
  10. 秋葉原てん (Akihabara branch)
  11. 上野店 (Ueno branch)
  12. 後楽園店
  13. サンシヤイン店
  14. 池袋店
  15. 新宿店
  16. 渋谷パルコ店
  17. 恵比寿園
  18. 恵比寿庵店
  19. トラジ総本店
  20. 青山店
  21.  西麻布店 
  22. 霞町店
  23. 六本木5丁目店
  24. 赤板店
  25. カレッタ汐店
The Menu Includes:
名物
赤身
ホレモン

  1. カルビ (Kalbi or Galbi, Korean marinated meat dish cooked over an open flame)
  2. 上カルビ (high grade Galbi)
  3. 特上カルビ (first-class Galbi)
  4. ダイヤモンドcutカルビ ("diamond" cut Galbi)
  5. ハラミ (Harami, or tender beef "skirt steak")
  6. 上ハラミ (high grade Harami)
  7. ダイヤモンドcutハラミ ("diamond" cut Harami)
  8.  名物タン塩 (specialty grilled beef tongue)
  9. 厚切り上タン塩 (Thick cut high grade beef tongue)
  10. 名物ヒレカク (specialty Hirekaku)
  11. 究極盛 ("Ultimate Helping" dish)
  12. イカ焼 (grilled cuttlefish)
  13. タラバ蟹焼 (grilled red-king crab)
  14. ホレモン
  15. コブチャン
  16. 牛心
  17. レバー
  18. 上ミノ
  19. ハチノス
  20. センマイ
  21. ギャラ
  22. ホルモン塩
  23. 豚カルビ
  24. トントロわさび
  25. イベリコ豚のトントロ
0:02:04
The crew is traveling north to Ginza along Sotobori dori, and are at this exact point:+35° 40' 4.68", +139° 45' 31.20"
The famous tokyo branch of the Shizuoka News Agency building can be seen in the background.

0:02:08
They arrive at Ginza 8Cho-Me Toraji restaurant, or here: +35° 40' 7.70", +139° 45' 33.31"

0:02:35
Matsumoto orders #8 on the menu. 
The soundtrack features "Liebesfreud" by Fritz Kreisler.

0:03:04
Driving north along Sotobori dori, at approximately this point: +35° 40' 11.08", +139° 45' 36.65"
The people-carrier they're riding in is a Toyota, but I'm usure of the model.

0:04:09
Arrive at Ginza 6Cho-me Toraji restaurant, here: +35° 40' 16.03", +139° 45' 38.51" where they will eat #3 on the menu.

0:04:26
Matsumoto makes a side-order for 玉子スープ ("taou," Tamago soup, or egg soup). This appears to be Korean Gyeran-Tang.

0:06:05
Traveling west south-west to the next restaurant, approximately here: +35° 40' 15.38", +139° 45' 47.17"

0:6:13
Arrive at Ginza-Core Toraji restaurant, inside the easily found building here: +35° 40' 14.62", +139° 45' 52.18"

0:06:44
Tanaka orders #18 Jo-Mino, and Matsumoto (strangely) orders a side of Cold-Noode soup, or Korean Naengmyeon.

0:09:08
Turn right off of Harumi Dori onto the side street for the next restaurant at exactly here:+35° 40' 19.68", +139° 45' 50.32"

0:09:14
Arrive at Ginza Berbia Toraji, exactly here:+35° 40' 26.83", +139° 45' 58.09"

0:09:27
Order item #7 on the menu, and Yamasaki orders a side of サンチュ(Korean Lettuce) and Endou orders a side of Rice.

0:12:35
Arrive at Yuyakucho Toraji restaurant, where menu item #11 is chosen. This restaurant is here:+35° 40' 23.36", +139° 45' 40.57"

0:13:22
Back in the people carrier, Matsomoto is starting to feel bad. He feels he's eaten the cold noodles too early in the marathon.

0:13:37
Travelling north north east along Harumi-Dori again at approximately this location:+35° 40' 26.00", +139° 45' 40.32"

0:13:41
Arrive at the Hibiya restaurant, in the building here:+35° 40' 27.19", +139° 45' 36.19"
Hamada orders #13 on the menu.

0:15:48
There seems to be a disagreement, as most of the regulars have already eaten six strips of Yakiniku, but Tanka has only had two or three. Matsumoto argues he's had about eight, including the cold noodles.

0:16:20

Traveling east, right past "bic camera" at approximately this point:+35° 40' 33.23", +139° 45' 45.09"

0:16:31
Arrive at this charming toraji, beneath the yamanote line, here: +35° 40' 36.81", +139° 45' 53.49"
They'll have #4, the Diamond Cut Kalbi.

0:15:52
Matsumoto believes he's developing a fever.

0:18:24
Arrive at the next restaurant, in the Maru building, here: +35° 40' 51.83", +139° 45' 49.05"

0:19:30
Taking his temperature with a digital under-the-arm thermometer, Matsumoto's temperature is 36.7 degrees Celsius. Despite the fact that he says he "really" has a fever, this is actually slightly below normal body temperature.

0:20:37
Arrive at the Yaesu restaurant. Here:+35° 40' 50.70", +139° 46' 13.05"

0:21:08
Traveling north along Chuo-Dori, on the way to Akihabara. They're about here:+35° 41' 45.40", +139° 46' 13.67"

0:21:23
Arrive at restaurant #10, the Akihabara Toraji to have the Kampuchan. The restaurant is in the Akiba-Torim building, here: +35° 41' 52.57", +139° 46' 25.40"

0:22:04
Matsumoto orders the Toraji Salad as a side. It's a little larger than expected.

0:23:22
Continued next week! Closing music is "Eat It" by Weird Al Yankovik.


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Gaki No Tsukai Episode #1068

Episode Number: 1068


Episode Title: 山崎 昭和歌謡曲 ヒットパレード ("Yamasaki's Shōwa era Popular Song Hit Parade")


Original Broadcast Date:  21Aug2011


Viewing Links:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk3MzE5NDQ0.html


Episode Summary:
Matsumoto, Hamada, Endou and Tanaka called to a studio set, where they participate in an uncomfortable retrospective of Japanese Shōwa  era popular music, performed entirely or in part by Yamasaki.


Episode Analysis:
Though not part of an explicit "series" this episode seems most similar to episode #1029 昭和の歌姫 山口百恵ヒストリー (Shōwa era songstress Yamaguchi Momoe History) featuring a similar set, the same actor playing Yamasaki's "husband" at the close, the same male and female program hosts, and primarily the same preoccupation with Shōwa era music.


Upon first viewing I did not take a great deal away from this episode, but upon subsequent research, my admiration grew. All of the music and album covers featuring Yamasaki are fairly faithful reproductions of original material. It serves as an excellent overview of Japanese popular music over several decades.


The point of the episode, emphasized in Downtown's labored responses to the two overexcited show hosts is evidently to parody similar reverential music retrospective shows. Still, a certain amount of affection for at least some of the music shows through.
This episode also showcases Yamasaki's not inconsiderable musical talent. He plays the piano, and has written songs for numerous episodes (the "Yamasaki Producer" series). One suspects that he decided to perform most of these songs not only to exercise his power of mimicry, but also out of sheer enjoyment. Most of the songs are quite fun.

Timestamped Notes:

0:0:0
The episode opens at Tokyo Tower Studio (東京タワースタジオ). Presumably this episode was filmed there, perhaps becuase of its demand for a reasonable amount of studio space. The studio is easily found at: +35° 39' 28.01", +139° 44' 41.34"


0:00:10
The Gaki reglars, minus Yamasaki, have received a note, labelled "招待状" (しょうたいじょう)or "written invitation."
Matsumoto mentions its an invitation from "the one not here."
0:00:17
The text of the note is as follows:
ダウンタウン様 ココリコ様
残暑厳しい今日この頃
いかがお過ごしてしょうか。
さてこの度、私 山崎邦正が皆様の為に
日本が1番元気だった昭和を懐かしみ
力を与える特別な催しを開く事になりました。
どうぞお誘い合うせの上お越し下さいませ。
山崎邦正より


0:01:33
The regulars make their way to the studio set (evidently in the 1st stage).
The stage is the same as that used for episode #1029.


0:02:11
Yamasaki enters doing his impression of Agnes Chan (アグネス チャン) singing ひなげしの花(Hinageshi no Hana, or Red Poppy Flower). Released in 1972, this was Chan's first hit in Japan, she being originally from Hong Kong. This explains why the announcers compliment her on her Japanese when the song is over.
An evocative version of the original song can be found here.


0:03:49
The two (as yet) nameless announcers open a pained discussion of the popular hist of the Showa 40's era (1965-1975).


0:04:24
When asked what songs of this era they like, Matsomoto (again, painfully) mentions 太陽がくれた季節 ("taiyou ga kureta kisetsu" or "the season the coming sun") by 青い三角定規 (the blue triangle) a song released in 1972 (Showa 47). The original version of the song can be found here.


0:04:53
Thus begins a smarmy and obviously hackneyed retrospective of Showa year 47 (1972). It was evidently the year of:
  • The Japanese Panda fad or "boom."
  • Three gold medals for Japan for Ski Jumping at the Sapporo Winter Olympics.
  • The capture of (横井 庄一 ) Yokoi Shoichi, a Japanese Sergent who held out on Guam 28 years after the end of WWII.
0:05:15
Also famous in Showa 47 was ひとりじゃないの ("I'm not alone") by 天地 真理 (Amachi Mari). It can be found here.
At this point, the very clever and considerably accurate album cover recreations begin.




0:05:30
The retrospective of Showa 48 (1973) highlights as major events of the year:
  • Popularity of the game "Othello."
0:05:38
The next song is 赤い風船 (Red Balloon) by 浅田美代子(Asada Miyoko). The song is here.
0:05:58
Next is 他人の関係  by 金井克子(Tanin no Kankei by Kanai Katsuko). This is an especially enjoyable song and impression. The original version can be found here.





0:07:12
This song (Uso by Nakajo Kiyoshi) is available here:




0:07:34
Next is Yamasaki's parody of the フィンガー5 (Finger5)  song 恋のダイヤル6700 which you can view here.
Once aware of the original version, Yamasaki's impression becomes one of the highlights of the episode. Pure silliness.




0:09:13:
After the Finger-Five number, Matsumoto mentions he enjoyed it, and that Yamasaki's portrayal of Akira-Kun (the youngish lead singer) looked like Ken Shimura (an older television comedian) from time to time.


0:10:50
After some painfully forced dialog with the hosts ("Cocorico, how old were you when this song came out?" "Do you understand the meaning of Tanin no Kankei?")  the show moves onto the Showa 50's (1975-1985).


0:11:32
In Showa year 52 (1977): Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka is implicated in the massive Lockheed corporation bribery scandal.


0:11:42
Next is なごり雪  (Nagori snow) by イルカ  (Iruka, a female singer.) It's available here.








0:11:56
As the enjoyable weirdness continues, Yamasaki plays the female half of the bizarrely untalented "Beauty Pair" (ビューティ・ペア) to sing the song かけめぐる青春 (Rush around Aoharu). The exact television appearance parodied is available here.






0:12:59
Yamasaki next plays Ran-Chan from the group the Candies (キャンディーズ). The group is famous not only for its music, but for declaring they wanted to "return to being normal girls again" and quitting show business. This is staged, with the title "SummerShock '77" atop the screen.


0:13:39
Showa year 53 (1978) Tokyo's Narita airport opens.


0:13:48
Yamasaki performs 炎 (Fire) by 西城 秀樹 (Saijo Hideki) available here.


0:15:57
Next is an enjoyable performance of 銃爪 (hikigane)
 by 世良公則&ツイスト (Senama Senori and Tsuisuto "twist") which you can see here.

0:15:50
Showa 54 (1979) The Space Invader craze hits Japan.


0:15:51
A recollection of Sada Masashi's 関白宣言 (Kanpoku Sengen) available here.




0:16:10
"Sexual Violet No.1" by 桑名正博 (Masahiro Kuwana)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_hOLCf0Uu8






0:16:27
A recreation of a press conference announcing the marriage of Japanese/American singer Ann Lewis.


0:17:18
Showa 55 (1980) and the Rubik's cube craze hits japan.


0:17:26
宮崎美子 (Miyazaki Miko) in what appears to be a Minolta commercial available Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um1FjRFzJWQ








0:17:49
Next is 赤道小町ドキ (Akadokomachi Dokii) by 山下久美子 (Yamashita Kumiko)
The song isn't bad (a little New Wave) and is available in many places, like here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ocYV0qNSFM
But I can't find a video which matches Yamasaki's parody (with the bikini top.) The best I can do is this image comparison:






0:21:05
Seiko Matsuda's Daite, closing the episode is, in my opinion, Japanese popular music, Shōwa or otherwise, at its lugubrious worst:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s75gDxs62nQ