[Transcript] AbemaTV 72 Hour TV Paripia with Mori Part 3
The guys getting to know Mori's life from the past 20 years. And Tsuyoshi almost fell asleep on Mori's bed. And Shingo locked Mori and Goro in the room so they can be awkward around each other.
Master list:
(1) Reunion
(2) Cafeteria
(3) Dorm
(4) Walking the track
(5) Garage
PART 3 "DORMITORY"
[S=Shingo, G=Goro, T=Tsuyoshi, M=Mori]
(Walking toward the dorm)
S: The dorm
M: Yes we will go visit the dorm.
S: In total, how many people live in the dorm?
M: 96 people
S: That many?
M: Yup. 8 people in each race, 12 races in total, so 96 people. Every race 96 people stays here. What year was the dorm built? I think it's pretty old.
M: At my home base, Kawaguchi Auto, they rebuilt the dorm the same year I debuted, so it is really nice.
S: A lot of people just came out.
M: This is the dorm. Let's go in.
(Arriving at the dorm)
S: Here?
M: Yes, just put on any slipper.
(Entering the dorm)
(Taking off their shoes to put on slippers)
T: Wow, this is an unknown world for us.
M: This is like a Japanese style hotel right?
S: Yes, it screams "DORMITORY"
M: This way.
(Shingo looks into a room at the entrance)
S: Oh, lockers for shoes?
M: Yes, shoe lockers. Ready? Let's go in.
(Walking down the hall)
M: This time I am staying on the second floor.
S: Women also stay here right?
M: The women's dorm (looks at the first room on first floor), yes women stay here too.
T: Yes I was surprised.
(Camera zoomed in to the sign at the door that says "Women's dorm" with 3 female names)
S: There are 4 people in each room?
M: In this room there are 3 people. 1, 2, 3. Right.
S: (Looks at the sign) Oh right, 3 people.
M: Okay let's go upstairs.
S: The rooms don't all look the same right? When you go to different race tracks.
M: They are all different.
S: Are they very different?
M: But they are basically very similar.
S: They are all like this?
M: Yup. Other than my home base, Kawaguchi.
(Walking up the stairs to 2nd floor)
G: They look like our dressing rooms.
(All 3 looked down the hall after arriving at 2nd floor)
All: EH!!!!
M: (Giggles) You're shocked? You will be more shocked. (Turns to his room)
T: This is your room?
M: Yes. (Points to the sign with 4 names at the door, including Mori's) This time I am staying with my peers*.
(*Translator note: By "peers," it means people Mori graduated with from autorace school, the 25th class)
S: They are all your peers?
M: We are all the same seniority...well it's easier to show you, let me turn on the lights.
(Mori enters his room, turns on light)
M: It's quite something. (Giggles)
(Paripia looked inside and gave the camera an amazed look)
(They entered Mori's room)
G: Wow, so it looks like this!
M: First, bunk beds. Bascially it's all bunk beds.
G: Wow it's bascially all bunk beds?
M: Yes. It's pretty much like this everywhere. Except for my home base where only 2 people share one room.
M: In Hamamatsu, Sanyo, and Iizuka they have bunk beds. If people occupying the room differs in seniority, then the junior person must sleep in the upper bed.
S: So the senior always get to sleep in the lower bed?
M: The senior sleeps in the lower bed. And the junior sleeps in the upper bed.
------------------
(They walked pass the bunk beds and went to a common tatami space.)
S: Can we go on the tatami?
M: Of course, go ahead. This is the layout of our rooms.
All: Eh!!
M: After we are done with the maintenance of our motorcycles, we come back here to sleep at night.
T: Mori-kun you sleep on that bed? (points to a lower bed on the left)
M: Yes I sleep here (points at the bed), since we are all peers we did a round of paper-rock-scissors, I won and picked the lower bed.
S: That's right, it's because you all are the same seniority.
M: Yes because we are peers, we duke it out with paper-rock-scissors to decide who will sleep where.
T: That means...people you compete against also stay here?
M: Of course.
T: You are sleeping in the same room with your competitors?
M: Yes. We do.
T: Wow!
M: But we basically...there are lots of factions/groups amongst us.
M: Amongst the autoracers, we get into different factions. I wonder how many groups there are? There are quite a few.
M: You form a group with people you get along with and you share a room.
G: Is it like a team?
M: No not a team.
G: More like factions.
M: Yes, because when we race, we are on our own.
T: I see. That's amazing.
M: It is.
(Shingo sits down and cleans out the table, they all sit around a coffee table on the tatami)
S: What do you mean by factions?
T: Like you are with your friends...like you hang out with people you get along with
M: Yes. Here take this. (Distributes cushions)
G: Oh so that's the kind of faction you are talking about?
T: Like there are racers you get along with, and people you don't get along with.
M: Yes, well first there's a master there, like a mentor. And then people who get along well would join that mentor to form a group. We would work on our bikes together.
G: Oh I see!
M: The engine is too heavy for one person to lift. It's too heavy for one person to put in or take out an engine from the bike. That's why we form factions to help each other out. But I am not in a faction now.
S: What do you mean?
M: My mentor quitted, so I don't belong in any groups now. I just stick with my peers, and have them help me out.
T: Hm~~~
G: I see. I see.
M: This is quite something right? This scene! Look at this fridge!
(Shingo touches the fridge and let out a "wow")
M: It was made in 1980.
G: It's retro. It looks like the kind of fridge that you see in a movie set dressing room.
M: From long time ago.
S: Wow.
M: Even this TV stand, (points to a metal TV stand situated on top of a furnace), it's probably our senior, well this is someone else's room...
M: This part here, this is probably handmade by a senior racer.
S: This? (touches TV stand)
M: Yes see how this is latched? It's probably handmade. Because racers are really handy with tools.
G: What do you do before you to bed? I know you have to work on your bike.
M: We are in our lockers until 9 pm, so at 9 pm I take a bath, and hang out here until lights are out at 11:30 pm.
M: I would chat with my roommates, then sleep at 11:30 pm when the lights go out.
G: A day goes by fast then.
M: It goes by quickly.
S: Then for 5 or 6 days you can't look at your cell phone.
M: I can't. We only get to watch TV, or read the newspaper. So we kind of find out what's going on in the world from newspapers.
S: Can you go to convenience stores?
M: Of course not! We can't go out!
G: You can't go out?
M: Yup. Oh! I can show you later, at the cafeteria they have something similar...
G: Like a vendor?
M: They have a vendor, we can buy drinks and other things there.
G: Why aren't you allowed to go out?
M: Because they don't want us to be in contacts with outsiders.
G: Like the jockeys in horse racing?
M: Yes. Information might be leaked to the outside. That's probably the main reason, it's always been this way.
T: Because people bet money on your races.
M: Money is involved.
S: They don't want racers leaking information like, "That racer is in a bad condition."
T: I see.
M: It's probably that.
S: I don't really know though.
------------------
(Mori looks around the room)
G: What time do you get up in the mornings?
M: I get up at around 6:30am, 7am.
T: Wow.
S: You get up at 6:30, 7am, then what do you do?
M: Eat breakfast, go to the garage and work on my motorcycle, then work out with everyone outside, run, walk, bicycle. We work out. Also take a bath in the morning.
S: And then?
M: Work on the bike.
S: Like for today, you only race one time.
M: Yes only one race everyday.
S: From the time you wake up at 6:30, until your race at 3pm, you do all those things?
M: Yes, there are many things to take care of. The engine's condition changes with the weather, so...
S: From day to day?
M: From day to day, the engine's condition changes, so I have to tune it up. I do this all day long.
G: You do it alone?
M: You mean the tune up?
G: In Formula One, you get a whole crew of engineers working on your car right?
M: For an autoracer, we do it by ourselves. There are no mechanics.
G: Is that so?
M: Yup. We have to do it all on our own.
S: What about the name of your bike?
M: As long as it's less than 7 characters, we can name it anything.
S: What was the name of your bike again?
G: Je...je...
M: Medjai. Medjai 23.
T: What does it mean?
M: Medjai is from a movie, it's means strong warrior. One time I did really bad, and when I started using the name Medjai I started racing really well. So this time I decided to use this name again.
S: What about 23?
M: 23 is the number I first got when I started my training at racing school. My bike at that time was No.23.
All: Oh~~~
M: That's why it's 23.
-------------------
S: Tsuyopon why don't you go lie in Mori-kun's bed?
T: Can I?
M: Are you going to sleep? Go ahead.
M: Here in Hamamatsu, the bed is wide and long.
T: Can I sleep on it?
M: In Iizuka circuit, we have to curl up.
(Tsuyoshi climbs onto Mori's bed)
T: Maybe I will really fall asleep.
(Laughter)
G: But Mori you are pretty tall amongst racers.
M: Yes I am tall.
G: So...
T: This is comfortable! Or is it because I am sleepy?
M: (Giggles) He just might fall asleep.
T: This is good. It's pretty wide.
M: Yes, the beds in Hamamatsu are big.
G: And after a race you go home.
M: Yes.
G: What is the schedule like? In a year...
M: In a year, half the time I am not home. Half of the year I am in the dorms.
S: You are not home? Half the year you are in a place like this.
M: Yes, in a dormitory. While I race.
S: But the other half of the time you are home.
M: Yup.
G: If you race for 5 days, then you get 2 days off?
M: No, it varies. Sometimes we get as much as one month off. As little as only one day off.
M: For this race, after tomorrow I get three days off.
T: (still in Mori's bed) I am really falling asleep.
S: No!
M: Don't! (in a sweet big brother tone)
S: You only have a little more to go!!
T: We only have a little left?
S: Only a little left! "ONLY" 28 hours left.
T: OK! (gets up from bed) At this rate, it's bad!
(Laughter)
S: It's fine to sleep. We didn't say we would not sleep at all yo. It's fine.
T: But not at this timing yo.
S: Not now yo. But we don't have a good timing to sleep yo. This sounds like a weird rap. Not now yo.
M: (looks at Shingo) Your hair is a mess haha!
S: Really? (messes with hair)
G: Then you can't really go on long trips for vacation. Oh but sometimes you get a month off.
M: Yup. Once a year, we get about a month off.
T: When you are off do you eat whatever you like?
M: I eat what I like. If I have a week off, half of the week I eat tons.
M: The other half of the week approaching the next race, I gradually cut down.
M: When I arrive at the circuit, I would go into the sauna, I would work out, and go on a diet to lose weight.
----------------
S: As for the prize money, the champion gets 16 million yen if they win tomorrow's final race.
M: Yes, 16 million...or was it 13 million yen...well this is the biggest race of the year, everybody racing at leveled playing field.
S: This is the biggest race.
M: The biggest. Well at the end of the year there's a bigger race, but only 16 racers get picked to compete in that one.
S: Do you get to keep the prize money?
M: We get the money, I take cash.
(Silence)
S: Huh?
M: I receive my prize money in cash. You can have it deposited in a bank too, but on the last day of the tornament,
G: Like as a reward for yourself, "I won!"
M: To pat myself on the back, "I tried my best." So I take the cash.
S: When is the last day?
T: Tomorrow right?
M: Yes, tomorrow.
S: That's when you receive your prize.
M: Yes when we leave the circuit. We receive the prize after all the races are finished.
G: But you don't ask for it to be deposited.
M: I think most racers have their money deposited.
S: You get prize money even if you are not in first place?
M: Yes.
T: You just get less money.
M: Yes.
S: Everybody?
M: Everybody, all 8 racers get a prize money. For today's semi-finals the prize is 720,000 yen right? For the winner.
S: Yes that's the one where we are saying it matches with 72 hours TV.
M: Finishing last place, I get 20%. That's my prize money.
S: How much is that? (asked staff) 140,000 yen.
M: It gets less and less. First place gets 100%, second place 70%, third place 50%, fourth place 40%, and it keeps going down to last place 20%.
S: What about yesterday?
M: Yesterday, first place prize was around 260,000 yen I think.
S: Oh.
M: That's why it gets tough financially if we don't get into the finals. It costs a lot to buy the parts for our bikes.
G: Oh I see.
M: Take today's example, you only get 720,000 yen from winning today, but if you win the tournament tomorrow it's over 10 million yen.
S: That's true!
M: Everyone is aiming at winning the finals.
G: I see you have to buy your own parts.
M: Yes for autoracers we have to buy our own parts.
G: You can't get sponsored?
M: It's not allowed. We have to buy our own.
G: It's not like you race for a certain manufacturer.
M: There's only one manufacturer, they have a parts center where we buy all of our parts from. We are not allowed to modify the parts.
T: Is that so?
G: That's like sports...you guys are true athletes!
S: Then in that case, everybody knows your income based on the prize money?
M: Yes everyone knows, of course.
S: So people can check the results of each race and figure out how much money you have made so far?
M: They can figure it out, the fans would calculate it.
G: Of course, because it's a sports.
S: The spectators all know?
M: They do. Like, "This guy made this much money at this tournament." They all know.
G: Because it's all prize money.
M: (nods).....that's right.
-------------------
S: How many years have you been racing?
M: 20 years.
S: 20 years. In the beginning you were in a school.
M: The first year I trained in a school.
S: You have lived this kind of life for 20 years. (looking around the room)
M: Yes.
T: Do your skills change then? Like for us we improve our singing or acting in 20 years.
M: Well as you gain more experience, you learn how to better tune up your engine, and of course you also improve on your riding skills. The experience counts.
M: But I do have to say young racers these days are so quick! I wonder why, they are great!
G: It's like that in many sports, such as in baseball.
M: Young people nowadays they learn so quick.
G: It's like that in showbiz too, acting and dancing, the young ones have a knack for it.
T: Until what age can you keep racing?
M: There's no rule. As long as you don't get fired...well we have different ranks. People who are at the bottom of the rank are fired.
M: It doesn't matter how old you are, as long as you are in the top ranks, or don't fall under, then you can race.
T: I see, as long as you have good results.
M: At a recent race, there was a racer there who was 73 or 74 years old.
G: A racer?
M: Yes. He is a Hamamatsu racer. I saw him wearing his gears and walking around in the garage.
All: Hm~~~
M: If you work hard for it, it is possible.
S: How would you rate yourself in your career so far?
M: (lets out a weak laugh) Well...
S: I don't mean having it all planned out, but gauging whether you have done well, or totally not making it.
M: .....well.....
S: I don't mean the actual results/placements. In your heart how do you feel about your career?
M: I think it's a complete fail. At first I thought it would only take me 3-4 years, or 5-6 years at most to win the big championship.
M: I entered the racing world thinking I can win the whole thing in 5-6 years, yet here I am 20 years later still haven't won it.
M: It's very difficult to make big changes to my game. But I also will not give up.
S: What were you trying to win in 5, 6 years? Japan Championship?
M: Japan Championship. Before I became a racer...
S: That's the championship you are racing in today right?
M: Right. Today's Japan Championship is the one that I really wanted to win. Even before I became a racer, it was my dream to become Japan champion, that's why I became a racer.
S: Today's actually a really important day for you. And then we showed up.
M: (nods)
S: Then you still have ways to go.
M: I still have long ways to go!
S: Today you were in last place.
M: Yes...in last place.
S: I mean, if you had won today's race, and then win tomorrow's race, then you would've fulfilled your dreams as a racer.
S: Tomorrow was supposed to be the day your dream comes true.
M: Right...
S: That's what it is...
G: It goes to show what a big challenge it is, for him to have tried for so many years. What was your best result at the Japan Championship?
M: Semi-finals...I have never advanced to the finals at the Japan Championship.
S: Semi-finals...
G: The best was to get to today's race.
M: My best finish was 3rd or 4th place in the semi-finals, like today's race.
All: I see.
G: You go from there!
T: But you have gotten all the way to 3rd, 4th place?
M: Yes, 3rd or 4th place. I have to go from there, to get to at least 2nd place to advance. It's difficult.
T: If you look at it another way, you still have a goal to work after. I think that's great. You will keep putting in your best effort.
M: Yes because I haven't won the championship it keeps my motivation going.
T: It's frustrating right?
M: It's frustrating.
T: When do you feel the most frustrated?
M: The moment I lose, and riding back to the garage right after I feel very frustrated.
T: I see. That's true.
M: I get really frustrated.
T: "Damn it I lost!"
M: I don't want to show the emotion after taking off the helmet, so I let myself feel down until I take off my helmet.
T: Settling your emotions and calming down inside your helmet.
M: Right.
T: That emotion is also what pushes you to keep racing.
M: (nods)
T: That's the Mori-kun I love!
M: (faint laugh) Thank you.
S: Wow, so you...
T: There are times you cry inside the helmet.
M: (nods)
T: That's right. But you don't want anyone to see.
S: For people who still obsess about their loss after taking off the helmet and going to bed, they don't make good racers then.
T: Of course. Because you still have to race the next day.
M: You still have to race the next day.
T: I really learned something today.
G: Again today we got a taste of this cruel, professional world of racing. It's not like you can easily get away with things.
G: We kind of have that conversation with Sakai-san last night. He talked about how fans would forgive us for many things if we act sweet.
T: For idols.
G: Yes for idols. But for a racer, it's a very severe world. Wow.
T: Wow.
--------------------------
S: Mori-kun do you know about Atarashii Chizu?
M: Of course I do.
S: Yay.
M: I...who is doing Instagram?
S: I am.
M: I am your Instagram senior.
S: Eh!!!
M: You didn't know? Well something happened and it's no more.
S: ?
M: Because of a certain circumstance. 3 years ago I joined Instagram and did it for about 1 and a half years.
S: Will you start it again?
M: If an opportunity arises I want to start it again. It's fun right?
S: It's fun.
M: It's fun.
S: I started yesterday and has been posting things. Is it better not to ask you about the "circumstance?"
M: Well I did not start the Instagram on my own, it was in a partnership with a sponsor.
G: So only Instagram? Were you on Twitter?
M: I wasn't, only on Instagram.
S: We all started on social media, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
M: Wow. (Shingo laughs)
G: You want to do it again?
M: I want to, it was fun.
M: I probably know more than Shingo-chan?
S: What?
M: Because I love playing on my phone. I'm always looking at it.
S: Eh!!!
M: Don't tell me...no you don't use flip phones anymore right?
S: We don't.
M: I thought so (giggles)
G: I was really unfamiliar with it. I didn't know how to use social media at all. So we are all learning as part of the show.
G: As we start Atarashii Chizu, we are trying new things.
M: I watched that, that 7.2 mins thing? 7 min clip? You guys did a workshop right?
S: Oh! Did you watch that? The clip from this show?
M: I did.
S: Hm~~~~~ Did you watch the clips from Atarashii Chizu?
M: I did. How many were there? 2?
S: 2
M: I saw it.
S: How was it?
M: It was cool. Did you make it? Shingo-chan you made it?
S: No! It was made by many professional creators who are helping us out.
M: Just from watching the video I felt moved. It assembled everything.
G: You watched it. It seems like you have watched us on TV over the years too.
M: I watch your shows, like Ojamap. I saw the last episode of SmaStation. I was at the circuit.
M: I was at a circuit, but I watched the episode. After that I couldn't sleep.
M: For the first time in my career I overslept at a circuit and missed the morning practice.
S: .......what do you mean?
M: We all have practice in the morning. But I watched SmaStation at the circuit and that night I could not sleep.
S: You mean after the show.
M: Yes, the next morning I could not wake up. For the first time in my career I missed my morning practice.
S: .......(Tsuyoshi laughed a little)
M: But at that race I won first place.
S: Eh~~~~ You should've just called me!
M: I don't have your number! Hahahaha!!
S: You don't have my number, but I can't believe you have Goro-chan's number! You have his number!
S: Goro-chan did you tell Mori we were coming to the circuit?
G: Of course I didn't tell him.
S: You don't talk about that?
G: Somehow...Mori-kun probably had the same feeling, we both know. If we had breached the topic with each other beforehand, then the show won't be as interesting.
G: Mori-kun understood this too, because he was also a "middle management" like me.
M: Yes
G: Right, we are the same age.
S: I really don't know what your retationship is like.
G: But we didn't...
M: We used to talk a lot about cars.
G: We did! That's right.
S: (turns to Tsuyoshi) Do you know what they are like with each other?
T: No, but when Goro-san was young he was quite the rebel.
G: That's right, I was.
T: When he was young, he didn't give off the same vibe as now. He was not who we see now.
G: I think Mori-kun was more...
T: Not like Goro-san was a bad guy, but...
G: I probably gave off a vibe that made people unsure whether they should approach me.
T: You were really off limits, really off limits.
G: I probably was giving off this strange mood around me, now that I thought about it.
S: I used to think that Goro-chan and Mori-kun were complete opposites, but now I think about it,
S: Mori-kun was the cheerful badass and Goro-chan was the depressed badass.
T: yes yes yes
G: Well well well
M: (giggles) maybe that's true.
G: We used to be together a lot too in Kyoto, for stage play.
S: Why don't you two talk for a while!
G: Us two?
(Shingo stood up)
S: Tsuyoshi you too, get up. Just those two in a room for a while.
G: Sure, but would fans enjoy watching this?
S: I think it will be fun. I haven't really seen you two together much.
S: Should we break for commercials? After the commercial Inagaki Goro and Mori Katsuyuki will talk to each other.
S: I want to see it! Let's go Tsuyopon.
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi leaving the room)
--------CM----------
(Mori, Shingo, Tsuyoshi in the room)
S: During the commercials, Goro-chan said he has to use the restrooms.
M: He wanted to go to the toilet.
S: He went to the toilet...
G: (from outside) Sorry! Sorry!
S: Wait don't come in yet! Wait out there!
G: Don't be weird, why do I have to wait? It's filming over there already.
S: Wait there!
G: I went to the restroom only...
S: Wait outside!
G: Argh! (turned around to go outside) Should I close the door?
S: Wait there! (looks to Mori)
M: Speaking of which, me and Goro-chan, what should we talk about?
S: (laughs)
(Tsuyoshi, after playing with something on the fridge, sat back down and started taking photos of the coffee table with his digital camera)
M: I really haven't chatted with him alone much, seriously.
S: I KNEW IT!!!
M: I think we will be stuck with nothing to talk about.
T: It's not like you don't get along.
M: We are not in bad terms.
(Tsuyoshi tries to take a selfie with Mori, Mori wasn't paying attention)
(Translator's note: I just love how Tsuyoshi just exists in a different channel than everyone else)
M: However, we might not be able to have a conversation with just the two of us.
S: Tsuyopon let's go.
M: Oi! Oi! Oi! For real?!
(Tsuyoshi still taking selfie)
S: Let's go!
T: Wait let me take this picture.
S: Just leave it! Come on! Let's go!
M: For real???
S: (Gets up to leave) Then the staff, oh great you already have a camera set up on a tripod, then we can leave you two alone.
(Tsuyoshi still checking his digital camera)
M: FOR REAL??? (whiny)
S: I really don't remember seeing them together.
M: (stole a glance at the door and burst out laughing)
S: What? (looks out) This is something amazing.
G: Can I go in now?
(Shingo left the room)
(An announcement in the building--Today's practice will end at 4:47pm. There will be 3 practices for the start with a timer.)
G: In about 12, 14 minutes.
S: You get to practice the start 3 times!
(Announcement continuing)
T: Mori-kun don't you have to practice?
M: It's okay. It's okay.
(Announcement--after the evening practice ends, please don't rev up your engines)
S: Don't rev up your engine!
G: I will be careful not to.
(Shingo, Goro, Tsuyoshi all outside the room, leaving Mori alone in his room)
(Announcement--today's practice finishes at 4:47pm)
G: You already told us that.
(Announcement--practicing the start with a timer...)
G: You said that too.
S: Oh she's repeating the whole announcement.
G: In 12 minutes.
(Announcement--the motorcycle maintenance is until 9pm)
(Camera zoomed in on Mori inside the room, he looked out and giggled)
S: The rev up part is coming!
G: No reving up the engine (gestures with hand "X")
(Announcement--after the evening practice ends, please don't rev up your engines)
S: See! Here's the rev up part! Okay!
(End of annoucement)
(Goro getting ready to enter the room)
S: It seems Mori-kun is eager to talk to you.
G: Really? (Walks into the room)
S: He wants to talk to you about this and that. (Half pushes Goro inside, closed the door on him)
G: For real? (behind closed doors)...huh? We don't even have a cameraman in here?
M: Yes he left.
(In the room, Goro sat down with Mori)
G: Is this really on air?
M: It's quite something.
G: Unbelievable.
S: (Off camera) We can listen in with this.
G: This is on air!
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi sitting outside listening in with earphones)
M: Is this going to be okay? We are broadcasting this to the whole world?
G: I am not taking responsibility.
M: What?
G: I don't feel the responsibility of being on air.
M: (laughs a bit) is that so. This is amazing.
G: Yes to be alone. Shingo left us two here. He said you wanted to talk about this and that, what do you want to talk about?
M: Nothing.
G: Nothing?
M: Nothing. I told Shingo I don't know what to talk about.
G: Then it's a bit...
M: Shingo-chan says it's more interesting if we fumble through this.
G: He is that kind of person.
M: Yes.
G: He enjoys watching people fumble.
M: It's being broadcasted.
(Another announcement started)
G: Is it okay you are not at the practice that will end at 4:47pm?
M: It's fine. I practiced intensely this morning already.
G: Really...
M: So it's fine.
G: You know, I was really moved today.
M: That's good.
G: I am serious. Really.
M: Right, even though I have taken Shingo-chan to a circuit before, I have never taken you to one. Even if I asked you to go with me you would reject it.
G: No I won't reject you...
M: At that time, I was into motocycles but Goro-chan was more into reading or watching movies. You were totally indoor!
(S: (listening in from outside, laughs) "You were totally indoor!")
G: Maybe that was my personality...
M: But you are not that way now...right you play golf!
G: I like to play golf.
M: I couldn't believe it, when we did a TV show the people would go play golf right?
(S: Wow they are talking about everything!)
G: I couldn't join at that time.
M: Is that why?
G: During Yume ga Mori Mori
M: Yes. Did you not join in?
G: I would get invited to play golf, but at that time I didn't do any sports. I was not sporty.
M: People think you suck at sports.
G: I really did suck at sports. So much that I start to doubt why I chose this profession in the first place.
M: Then why did you start playing golf?
G: Well I started meeting people, and those friends taught me how to play golf. That was my moment of transformation.
M: And you play golf really well too right?
G: Not at all.
M: You're acting all humble.
G: No, I just enjoyed playing it. And I have played golf for a long time, since I was around 30. Do you play golf?
M: I don't play golf at all.
G: Do you do other sports?
M: Not really. I don't have hobbies. My hobby is autorace.
G: Your hobby...well you always liked motocycles.
M: Yup, but because I ride motorcycles in races, I understand how dangerous it is to ride on the road.
G: Right you would understand that.
M: So I don't ride my bike anymore in my private time.
G: Motorcycle was your hobby before, what other hobbies do you have? Didn't you ski?
M: I used to ski too.
G: Or snowboard?
M: But I could not ski anymore after I got injured. When I was training at the autorace school I broke some bones.
G: Oh really?
M: Yup, so I could no longer do any sports that involves big steps, like skiing or tennis.
G: What about karaoke? Mori-kun had always liked to sing right?
M: Did we used to go to karaoke together?
G: You probably went to karaoke with Shingo and Tsuyoshi. But I didn't like to karaoke much, since I am an indoor person.
(Tsuyoshi giggled)
G: Do you still sing now?
M: I do...
G: It was really funny! When you sang that night.
M: I really have no memories of it!
G: "That" phrase from "that" song.
M: Really?
G: I will get scolded really badly if I say the song title so I can't say it.
M: Really? It's ok if I say the song title then?
G: It's fine for you.
M: What was the title? What did I sing that night?
G: It's the song that's really reminicent of you.
M: Oh~~~
T: Mori-kun is really good at singing, really.
G: Right? It's a song that makes people think of Mori-kun. A song that you would even want to sing alone.
M: Oh! I know which one! I know!
G: That was really entertaining.
M: Really? I see...I really don't remember. I think I drank too much.
G: You are not singing?
M: What?
G: You are not singing at all now?
M: I sing.
G: At the karaoke?
M: At the karaoke.
G: At that time Mori-kun was good at singing, so you were the lead singer. Our very early songs were pretty much only your voice.
M: But I heard you guys sing recently, the three of you, you all have gotten really good at singing.
(S: We really never see it right? To see Mori-kun and Goro-chan talking about the past with each other.)
M: You all have grown in your skills.
G: That's so interesting.
(T: They should go out for a drink.)
M: Well I haven't seen this show since I am at the circuit, are you three singing together?
G: We don't have any songs planned yet. We still have some ways to go.
M: What about the ShinTsuyo thing?
G: Well Tsuyoshi is just singing at his own convenience.
M: While playing the guitar?
G: Yes. He plays forever.
M: That's nice.
G: That's his new hobby, just like how I picked up golf.
M: That's true! He didn't use to be someone who would pick up a guitar.
G: You don't ever picture Tsuyoshi with a guitar right?
M: It's hard to imagine. I can't imagine it.
G: You also don't picture him with motorcycles either right?
M: No! I can't picture it! What was Tsuyoshi's hobby before?
G: That guy was a strange person too.
M: Huh? What was Tsuyoshi's hobby? Oh jeans! Jeans! That didn't change.
G: His love for jeans hasn't changed.
(S: Those two are talking faster and faster, like they don't want this space to feel weird.)
M: When we traveled for concerts, he was always on the hunt for jeans.
G: Was he?
M: He went looking for them. I remember he was always going out to look for jeans.
G: Is there anything else you want to do in the future? Or are you going to keep racing?
M: Well I really am not interested in anything else.
G: Then this is really distracting you right?
M: I don't know
G: I think it's really tough, you have to do so much in order to race, but it must be very fulfilling and satisfying...
-------------------------
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi entered the room.)
S: Ok that's good!
M: Don't tell us our talk was not broadcasted!
G: If that was the case...right now I really wanted to ask Mori-kun's plans for the future.
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi sat down.)
T: Just from listening to you talk, it almost seems like you too have gone out to drink before.
M: We haven't.
S: In the end, when you started talking about Tsuyoshi you two got very passionate about the topic.
G: What the heck? Mori-kun and I have always been this way with each other.
G: We are not cozy like we always chat or share a dressing room or sleep over at each other's house.
G: I don't know how Mori-kun feels about our relationship either.
T: Mori-kun I remember you liked Tsingtao beer!
(Shingo laughs)
M: (doubles over in laughter) You remembered well!
T: You like Tsingtao beer.
M: I loved it.
T: He had a lot in his home.
G: The restaurant in Jinboucho.
M: Yes.
T: You had Tsingtao beer at your home right?
M: I had them in my home.
T: I first encountered that beer because of Mori-kun.
M: Really?
T: I was like, "What's Tsingtao beer?"
G: Tsingtao...we are extending this talk with Tsingtao beer?
M: It's delicious!
T: You liked it!
M: I like it, Tsingtao beer goes well with Chinese cuisine.
T: You like it even now?
M: I like it even now!
T: Even now? (LOL)
G: Now that I think about it, Mori-kun was the one who introduced me to Tsingtao beer too!
S: Yes, yes.
T: For real?
G: Mori-kun is the person who taught us about alcohol.
M: Probably so, because I liked to drink, I still like to drink.
G: But you have to control your intake now right?
M: Yes I do. During a race.
T: Now I remember.
S: I was surprised by the lack of it.
G: ....you mean Mori-kun and I?
S: I couldn't even find one memory with you two alone. Like, "That one time we did this....."
M: There's none.
S: There's none?
G: Sorry, there really is none.
M: There really is none.
S: Not even one memory of you two going out for a meal?
(Mori and Goro thought hard)
M: ...none.
G: ...The only one I could remember when we first went to Budoukan as backdancers. It was the year we joined the agency, 2 months after we joined.
G: That day I arranged with Mori-kun to meet up at the Kudanshita train station and walked together to get Shingo because this kid was still in grade school and didn't know his way around. We took him to Budoukan.
M: Yes, we did that.
T: That's good, that's good.
G: I have a feeling I still kept the photos we took from that day.
T: Then we really have to go back to the time you first joined the agency to find memories of you two together.
G: When we first joined, the first 2 months we hung out a little. We were the same age and were both nervous.
M: For dance lesson, Goro-chan your elder sister was there right?
G: Yes.
M: When we backdanced at Budoukan...or were we there to watch a concert? We were there to watch a concert. We met up and went together.
S: But when you think about it, your time together really was only to walk from Kudanshita to Budoukan right? (Translator's note: it takes 5 mins XD)
T: That's probably the extent of their relationship.
S: Wow.
G: That was interesting because even so we didn't feel there's anything wrong with that picture.
S: Right, even when we dug into our memories and questioned if you two got along, you don't get the feeling that you hated each other.
G: We were both mature!
M: Even without talking, we understood each other and knew what each other was thinking.
G: When you think about our own friends, Mori-kun probably doesn't hang out with people like me, and none of my friends are like Mori-kun. But we maintain civility.
M: On the other hand, as we age we could probably be able to bond in many different ways.
G: That's right. Just happen naturally.
S/T: Hm~~~~
S: Let's take a group picture.
T: Sounds good.
(Shingo takes digital camera)
S: Since we are not using a phone, the pictures we take in this camera we can upload them later.
M: Yes, you download the pictures first.
(Tsuyoshi took the camera)
T: Should we have someone take the picture for us?
M: Wow we are taking a group picture in my dorm.
(A staff came in to take pictures for them.)
(The four sat close together for the picture)
(Staff took a couple of pictures and said he got a good shot)
(Shingo took the camera back to check out the pictures)
S: Where is it? ....here?
M: Nice!
(Shingo shows everyone the picture)
M: It's kind of like...
T: It's like Myojo!
M: Eh! (surprised face)
(Goro makes a "I did not want to remember that!" face, whispers "like Myojo?!")
T: Long time ago we would go to Shingo's house.
M: We always went!
(Shingo shows the picture)
(Mori looks at the picture again)
M: This room...it's very Showa (old fashioned) If we didn't have this TV it would be completely Showa like.
T: So you live in a place like this. (looks around)
S: What about Mori, Tsuyopon and me?
T: We used to meet up. Shingo lived in an opposite direction to us, so when you had time you would go the opposite route on the Hibiya Line to join us.
G: I see, if you depart from Roppongi.
T: Yes.
S: Everything started from Roppongi.
M: Yes.
S: After all we met each other for the first time in Roppongi. When we were children we gathered at Roppongi for work.
M: (looks at the clock) Oh it's 4:40 pm.
S: 4:40 pm
M: In a short while we can walk out to the track.
S: We can go on the circuit?
M: We can go on the track.
G: Oh I want to go!!!
T: I want to go!
M: Then I will take you there.
S: We can walk on it?
M: We can walk on it...and...do you want to ride on a motorcycle?
T: We can ride on one?
S: Eh!? (looks at staff)
M: (looks at staff) Oh let's not do it.
TO BE CONTINUED
Master list:
(1) Reunion
(2) Cafeteria
(3) Dorm
(4) Walking the track
(5) Garage
PART 3 "DORMITORY"
[S=Shingo, G=Goro, T=Tsuyoshi, M=Mori]
(Walking toward the dorm)
S: The dorm
M: Yes we will go visit the dorm.
S: In total, how many people live in the dorm?
M: 96 people
S: That many?
M: Yup. 8 people in each race, 12 races in total, so 96 people. Every race 96 people stays here. What year was the dorm built? I think it's pretty old.
M: At my home base, Kawaguchi Auto, they rebuilt the dorm the same year I debuted, so it is really nice.
S: A lot of people just came out.
M: This is the dorm. Let's go in.
(Arriving at the dorm)
S: Here?
M: Yes, just put on any slipper.
(Entering the dorm)
(Taking off their shoes to put on slippers)
T: Wow, this is an unknown world for us.
M: This is like a Japanese style hotel right?
S: Yes, it screams "DORMITORY"
M: This way.
(Shingo looks into a room at the entrance)
S: Oh, lockers for shoes?
M: Yes, shoe lockers. Ready? Let's go in.
(Walking down the hall)
M: This time I am staying on the second floor.
S: Women also stay here right?
M: The women's dorm (looks at the first room on first floor), yes women stay here too.
T: Yes I was surprised.
(Camera zoomed in to the sign at the door that says "Women's dorm" with 3 female names)
S: There are 4 people in each room?
M: In this room there are 3 people. 1, 2, 3. Right.
S: (Looks at the sign) Oh right, 3 people.
M: Okay let's go upstairs.
S: The rooms don't all look the same right? When you go to different race tracks.
M: They are all different.
S: Are they very different?
M: But they are basically very similar.
S: They are all like this?
M: Yup. Other than my home base, Kawaguchi.
(Walking up the stairs to 2nd floor)
G: They look like our dressing rooms.
(All 3 looked down the hall after arriving at 2nd floor)
All: EH!!!!
M: (Giggles) You're shocked? You will be more shocked. (Turns to his room)
T: This is your room?
M: Yes. (Points to the sign with 4 names at the door, including Mori's) This time I am staying with my peers*.
(*Translator note: By "peers," it means people Mori graduated with from autorace school, the 25th class)
S: They are all your peers?
M: We are all the same seniority...well it's easier to show you, let me turn on the lights.
(Mori enters his room, turns on light)
M: It's quite something. (Giggles)
(Paripia looked inside and gave the camera an amazed look)
(They entered Mori's room)
G: Wow, so it looks like this!
M: First, bunk beds. Bascially it's all bunk beds.
G: Wow it's bascially all bunk beds?
M: Yes. It's pretty much like this everywhere. Except for my home base where only 2 people share one room.
M: In Hamamatsu, Sanyo, and Iizuka they have bunk beds. If people occupying the room differs in seniority, then the junior person must sleep in the upper bed.
S: So the senior always get to sleep in the lower bed?
M: The senior sleeps in the lower bed. And the junior sleeps in the upper bed.
------------------
(They walked pass the bunk beds and went to a common tatami space.)
S: Can we go on the tatami?
M: Of course, go ahead. This is the layout of our rooms.
All: Eh!!
M: After we are done with the maintenance of our motorcycles, we come back here to sleep at night.
T: Mori-kun you sleep on that bed? (points to a lower bed on the left)
M: Yes I sleep here (points at the bed), since we are all peers we did a round of paper-rock-scissors, I won and picked the lower bed.
S: That's right, it's because you all are the same seniority.
M: Yes because we are peers, we duke it out with paper-rock-scissors to decide who will sleep where.
T: That means...people you compete against also stay here?
M: Of course.
T: You are sleeping in the same room with your competitors?
M: Yes. We do.
T: Wow!
M: But we basically...there are lots of factions/groups amongst us.
M: Amongst the autoracers, we get into different factions. I wonder how many groups there are? There are quite a few.
M: You form a group with people you get along with and you share a room.
G: Is it like a team?
M: No not a team.
G: More like factions.
M: Yes, because when we race, we are on our own.
T: I see. That's amazing.
M: It is.
(Shingo sits down and cleans out the table, they all sit around a coffee table on the tatami)
S: What do you mean by factions?
T: Like you are with your friends...like you hang out with people you get along with
M: Yes. Here take this. (Distributes cushions)
G: Oh so that's the kind of faction you are talking about?
T: Like there are racers you get along with, and people you don't get along with.
M: Yes, well first there's a master there, like a mentor. And then people who get along well would join that mentor to form a group. We would work on our bikes together.
G: Oh I see!
M: The engine is too heavy for one person to lift. It's too heavy for one person to put in or take out an engine from the bike. That's why we form factions to help each other out. But I am not in a faction now.
S: What do you mean?
M: My mentor quitted, so I don't belong in any groups now. I just stick with my peers, and have them help me out.
T: Hm~~~
G: I see. I see.
M: This is quite something right? This scene! Look at this fridge!
(Shingo touches the fridge and let out a "wow")
M: It was made in 1980.
G: It's retro. It looks like the kind of fridge that you see in a movie set dressing room.
M: From long time ago.
S: Wow.
M: Even this TV stand, (points to a metal TV stand situated on top of a furnace), it's probably our senior, well this is someone else's room...
M: This part here, this is probably handmade by a senior racer.
S: This? (touches TV stand)
M: Yes see how this is latched? It's probably handmade. Because racers are really handy with tools.
G: What do you do before you to bed? I know you have to work on your bike.
M: We are in our lockers until 9 pm, so at 9 pm I take a bath, and hang out here until lights are out at 11:30 pm.
M: I would chat with my roommates, then sleep at 11:30 pm when the lights go out.
G: A day goes by fast then.
M: It goes by quickly.
S: Then for 5 or 6 days you can't look at your cell phone.
M: I can't. We only get to watch TV, or read the newspaper. So we kind of find out what's going on in the world from newspapers.
S: Can you go to convenience stores?
M: Of course not! We can't go out!
G: You can't go out?
M: Yup. Oh! I can show you later, at the cafeteria they have something similar...
G: Like a vendor?
M: They have a vendor, we can buy drinks and other things there.
G: Why aren't you allowed to go out?
M: Because they don't want us to be in contacts with outsiders.
G: Like the jockeys in horse racing?
M: Yes. Information might be leaked to the outside. That's probably the main reason, it's always been this way.
T: Because people bet money on your races.
M: Money is involved.
S: They don't want racers leaking information like, "That racer is in a bad condition."
T: I see.
M: It's probably that.
S: I don't really know though.
------------------
(Mori looks around the room)
G: What time do you get up in the mornings?
M: I get up at around 6:30am, 7am.
T: Wow.
S: You get up at 6:30, 7am, then what do you do?
M: Eat breakfast, go to the garage and work on my motorcycle, then work out with everyone outside, run, walk, bicycle. We work out. Also take a bath in the morning.
S: And then?
M: Work on the bike.
S: Like for today, you only race one time.
M: Yes only one race everyday.
S: From the time you wake up at 6:30, until your race at 3pm, you do all those things?
M: Yes, there are many things to take care of. The engine's condition changes with the weather, so...
S: From day to day?
M: From day to day, the engine's condition changes, so I have to tune it up. I do this all day long.
G: You do it alone?
M: You mean the tune up?
G: In Formula One, you get a whole crew of engineers working on your car right?
M: For an autoracer, we do it by ourselves. There are no mechanics.
G: Is that so?
M: Yup. We have to do it all on our own.
S: What about the name of your bike?
M: As long as it's less than 7 characters, we can name it anything.
S: What was the name of your bike again?
G: Je...je...
M: Medjai. Medjai 23.
T: What does it mean?
M: Medjai is from a movie, it's means strong warrior. One time I did really bad, and when I started using the name Medjai I started racing really well. So this time I decided to use this name again.
S: What about 23?
M: 23 is the number I first got when I started my training at racing school. My bike at that time was No.23.
All: Oh~~~
M: That's why it's 23.
-------------------
S: Tsuyopon why don't you go lie in Mori-kun's bed?
T: Can I?
M: Are you going to sleep? Go ahead.
M: Here in Hamamatsu, the bed is wide and long.
T: Can I sleep on it?
M: In Iizuka circuit, we have to curl up.
(Tsuyoshi climbs onto Mori's bed)
T: Maybe I will really fall asleep.
(Laughter)
G: But Mori you are pretty tall amongst racers.
M: Yes I am tall.
G: So...
T: This is comfortable! Or is it because I am sleepy?
M: (Giggles) He just might fall asleep.
T: This is good. It's pretty wide.
M: Yes, the beds in Hamamatsu are big.
G: And after a race you go home.
M: Yes.
G: What is the schedule like? In a year...
M: In a year, half the time I am not home. Half of the year I am in the dorms.
S: You are not home? Half the year you are in a place like this.
M: Yes, in a dormitory. While I race.
S: But the other half of the time you are home.
M: Yup.
G: If you race for 5 days, then you get 2 days off?
M: No, it varies. Sometimes we get as much as one month off. As little as only one day off.
M: For this race, after tomorrow I get three days off.
T: (still in Mori's bed) I am really falling asleep.
S: No!
M: Don't! (in a sweet big brother tone)
S: You only have a little more to go!!
T: We only have a little left?
S: Only a little left! "ONLY" 28 hours left.
T: OK! (gets up from bed) At this rate, it's bad!
(Laughter)
S: It's fine to sleep. We didn't say we would not sleep at all yo. It's fine.
T: But not at this timing yo.
S: Not now yo. But we don't have a good timing to sleep yo. This sounds like a weird rap. Not now yo.
M: (looks at Shingo) Your hair is a mess haha!
S: Really? (messes with hair)
G: Then you can't really go on long trips for vacation. Oh but sometimes you get a month off.
M: Yup. Once a year, we get about a month off.
T: When you are off do you eat whatever you like?
M: I eat what I like. If I have a week off, half of the week I eat tons.
M: The other half of the week approaching the next race, I gradually cut down.
M: When I arrive at the circuit, I would go into the sauna, I would work out, and go on a diet to lose weight.
----------------
S: As for the prize money, the champion gets 16 million yen if they win tomorrow's final race.
M: Yes, 16 million...or was it 13 million yen...well this is the biggest race of the year, everybody racing at leveled playing field.
S: This is the biggest race.
M: The biggest. Well at the end of the year there's a bigger race, but only 16 racers get picked to compete in that one.
S: Do you get to keep the prize money?
M: We get the money, I take cash.
(Silence)
S: Huh?
M: I receive my prize money in cash. You can have it deposited in a bank too, but on the last day of the tornament,
G: Like as a reward for yourself, "I won!"
M: To pat myself on the back, "I tried my best." So I take the cash.
S: When is the last day?
T: Tomorrow right?
M: Yes, tomorrow.
S: That's when you receive your prize.
M: Yes when we leave the circuit. We receive the prize after all the races are finished.
G: But you don't ask for it to be deposited.
M: I think most racers have their money deposited.
S: You get prize money even if you are not in first place?
M: Yes.
T: You just get less money.
M: Yes.
S: Everybody?
M: Everybody, all 8 racers get a prize money. For today's semi-finals the prize is 720,000 yen right? For the winner.
S: Yes that's the one where we are saying it matches with 72 hours TV.
M: Finishing last place, I get 20%. That's my prize money.
S: How much is that? (asked staff) 140,000 yen.
M: It gets less and less. First place gets 100%, second place 70%, third place 50%, fourth place 40%, and it keeps going down to last place 20%.
S: What about yesterday?
M: Yesterday, first place prize was around 260,000 yen I think.
S: Oh.
M: That's why it gets tough financially if we don't get into the finals. It costs a lot to buy the parts for our bikes.
G: Oh I see.
M: Take today's example, you only get 720,000 yen from winning today, but if you win the tournament tomorrow it's over 10 million yen.
S: That's true!
M: Everyone is aiming at winning the finals.
G: I see you have to buy your own parts.
M: Yes for autoracers we have to buy our own parts.
G: You can't get sponsored?
M: It's not allowed. We have to buy our own.
G: It's not like you race for a certain manufacturer.
M: There's only one manufacturer, they have a parts center where we buy all of our parts from. We are not allowed to modify the parts.
T: Is that so?
G: That's like sports...you guys are true athletes!
S: Then in that case, everybody knows your income based on the prize money?
M: Yes everyone knows, of course.
S: So people can check the results of each race and figure out how much money you have made so far?
M: They can figure it out, the fans would calculate it.
G: Of course, because it's a sports.
S: The spectators all know?
M: They do. Like, "This guy made this much money at this tournament." They all know.
G: Because it's all prize money.
M: (nods).....that's right.
-------------------
S: How many years have you been racing?
M: 20 years.
S: 20 years. In the beginning you were in a school.
M: The first year I trained in a school.
S: You have lived this kind of life for 20 years. (looking around the room)
M: Yes.
T: Do your skills change then? Like for us we improve our singing or acting in 20 years.
M: Well as you gain more experience, you learn how to better tune up your engine, and of course you also improve on your riding skills. The experience counts.
M: But I do have to say young racers these days are so quick! I wonder why, they are great!
G: It's like that in many sports, such as in baseball.
M: Young people nowadays they learn so quick.
G: It's like that in showbiz too, acting and dancing, the young ones have a knack for it.
T: Until what age can you keep racing?
M: There's no rule. As long as you don't get fired...well we have different ranks. People who are at the bottom of the rank are fired.
M: It doesn't matter how old you are, as long as you are in the top ranks, or don't fall under, then you can race.
T: I see, as long as you have good results.
M: At a recent race, there was a racer there who was 73 or 74 years old.
G: A racer?
M: Yes. He is a Hamamatsu racer. I saw him wearing his gears and walking around in the garage.
All: Hm~~~
M: If you work hard for it, it is possible.
S: How would you rate yourself in your career so far?
M: (lets out a weak laugh) Well...
S: I don't mean having it all planned out, but gauging whether you have done well, or totally not making it.
M: .....well.....
S: I don't mean the actual results/placements. In your heart how do you feel about your career?
M: I think it's a complete fail. At first I thought it would only take me 3-4 years, or 5-6 years at most to win the big championship.
M: I entered the racing world thinking I can win the whole thing in 5-6 years, yet here I am 20 years later still haven't won it.
M: It's very difficult to make big changes to my game. But I also will not give up.
S: What were you trying to win in 5, 6 years? Japan Championship?
M: Japan Championship. Before I became a racer...
S: That's the championship you are racing in today right?
M: Right. Today's Japan Championship is the one that I really wanted to win. Even before I became a racer, it was my dream to become Japan champion, that's why I became a racer.
S: Today's actually a really important day for you. And then we showed up.
M: (nods)
S: Then you still have ways to go.
M: I still have long ways to go!
S: Today you were in last place.
M: Yes...in last place.
S: I mean, if you had won today's race, and then win tomorrow's race, then you would've fulfilled your dreams as a racer.
S: Tomorrow was supposed to be the day your dream comes true.
M: Right...
S: That's what it is...
G: It goes to show what a big challenge it is, for him to have tried for so many years. What was your best result at the Japan Championship?
M: Semi-finals...I have never advanced to the finals at the Japan Championship.
S: Semi-finals...
G: The best was to get to today's race.
M: My best finish was 3rd or 4th place in the semi-finals, like today's race.
All: I see.
G: You go from there!
T: But you have gotten all the way to 3rd, 4th place?
M: Yes, 3rd or 4th place. I have to go from there, to get to at least 2nd place to advance. It's difficult.
T: If you look at it another way, you still have a goal to work after. I think that's great. You will keep putting in your best effort.
M: Yes because I haven't won the championship it keeps my motivation going.
T: It's frustrating right?
M: It's frustrating.
T: When do you feel the most frustrated?
M: The moment I lose, and riding back to the garage right after I feel very frustrated.
T: I see. That's true.
M: I get really frustrated.
T: "Damn it I lost!"
M: I don't want to show the emotion after taking off the helmet, so I let myself feel down until I take off my helmet.
T: Settling your emotions and calming down inside your helmet.
M: Right.
T: That emotion is also what pushes you to keep racing.
M: (nods)
T: That's the Mori-kun I love!
M: (faint laugh) Thank you.
S: Wow, so you...
T: There are times you cry inside the helmet.
M: (nods)
T: That's right. But you don't want anyone to see.
S: For people who still obsess about their loss after taking off the helmet and going to bed, they don't make good racers then.
T: Of course. Because you still have to race the next day.
M: You still have to race the next day.
T: I really learned something today.
G: Again today we got a taste of this cruel, professional world of racing. It's not like you can easily get away with things.
G: We kind of have that conversation with Sakai-san last night. He talked about how fans would forgive us for many things if we act sweet.
T: For idols.
G: Yes for idols. But for a racer, it's a very severe world. Wow.
T: Wow.
--------------------------
S: Mori-kun do you know about Atarashii Chizu?
M: Of course I do.
S: Yay.
M: I...who is doing Instagram?
S: I am.
M: I am your Instagram senior.
S: Eh!!!
M: You didn't know? Well something happened and it's no more.
S: ?
M: Because of a certain circumstance. 3 years ago I joined Instagram and did it for about 1 and a half years.
S: Will you start it again?
M: If an opportunity arises I want to start it again. It's fun right?
S: It's fun.
M: It's fun.
S: I started yesterday and has been posting things. Is it better not to ask you about the "circumstance?"
M: Well I did not start the Instagram on my own, it was in a partnership with a sponsor.
G: So only Instagram? Were you on Twitter?
M: I wasn't, only on Instagram.
S: We all started on social media, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
M: Wow. (Shingo laughs)
G: You want to do it again?
M: I want to, it was fun.
M: I probably know more than Shingo-chan?
S: What?
M: Because I love playing on my phone. I'm always looking at it.
S: Eh!!!
M: Don't tell me...no you don't use flip phones anymore right?
S: We don't.
M: I thought so (giggles)
G: I was really unfamiliar with it. I didn't know how to use social media at all. So we are all learning as part of the show.
G: As we start Atarashii Chizu, we are trying new things.
M: I watched that, that 7.2 mins thing? 7 min clip? You guys did a workshop right?
S: Oh! Did you watch that? The clip from this show?
M: I did.
S: Hm~~~~~ Did you watch the clips from Atarashii Chizu?
M: I did. How many were there? 2?
S: 2
M: I saw it.
S: How was it?
M: It was cool. Did you make it? Shingo-chan you made it?
S: No! It was made by many professional creators who are helping us out.
M: Just from watching the video I felt moved. It assembled everything.
G: You watched it. It seems like you have watched us on TV over the years too.
M: I watch your shows, like Ojamap. I saw the last episode of SmaStation. I was at the circuit.
M: I was at a circuit, but I watched the episode. After that I couldn't sleep.
M: For the first time in my career I overslept at a circuit and missed the morning practice.
S: .......what do you mean?
M: We all have practice in the morning. But I watched SmaStation at the circuit and that night I could not sleep.
S: You mean after the show.
M: Yes, the next morning I could not wake up. For the first time in my career I missed my morning practice.
S: .......(Tsuyoshi laughed a little)
M: But at that race I won first place.
S: Eh~~~~ You should've just called me!
M: I don't have your number! Hahahaha!!
S: You don't have my number, but I can't believe you have Goro-chan's number! You have his number!
S: Goro-chan did you tell Mori we were coming to the circuit?
G: Of course I didn't tell him.
S: You don't talk about that?
G: Somehow...Mori-kun probably had the same feeling, we both know. If we had breached the topic with each other beforehand, then the show won't be as interesting.
G: Mori-kun understood this too, because he was also a "middle management" like me.
M: Yes
G: Right, we are the same age.
S: I really don't know what your retationship is like.
G: But we didn't...
M: We used to talk a lot about cars.
G: We did! That's right.
S: (turns to Tsuyoshi) Do you know what they are like with each other?
T: No, but when Goro-san was young he was quite the rebel.
G: That's right, I was.
T: When he was young, he didn't give off the same vibe as now. He was not who we see now.
G: I think Mori-kun was more...
T: Not like Goro-san was a bad guy, but...
G: I probably gave off a vibe that made people unsure whether they should approach me.
T: You were really off limits, really off limits.
G: I probably was giving off this strange mood around me, now that I thought about it.
S: I used to think that Goro-chan and Mori-kun were complete opposites, but now I think about it,
S: Mori-kun was the cheerful badass and Goro-chan was the depressed badass.
T: yes yes yes
G: Well well well
M: (giggles) maybe that's true.
G: We used to be together a lot too in Kyoto, for stage play.
S: Why don't you two talk for a while!
G: Us two?
(Shingo stood up)
S: Tsuyoshi you too, get up. Just those two in a room for a while.
G: Sure, but would fans enjoy watching this?
S: I think it will be fun. I haven't really seen you two together much.
S: Should we break for commercials? After the commercial Inagaki Goro and Mori Katsuyuki will talk to each other.
S: I want to see it! Let's go Tsuyopon.
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi leaving the room)
--------CM----------
(Mori, Shingo, Tsuyoshi in the room)
S: During the commercials, Goro-chan said he has to use the restrooms.
M: He wanted to go to the toilet.
S: He went to the toilet...
G: (from outside) Sorry! Sorry!
S: Wait don't come in yet! Wait out there!
G: Don't be weird, why do I have to wait? It's filming over there already.
S: Wait there!
G: I went to the restroom only...
S: Wait outside!
G: Argh! (turned around to go outside) Should I close the door?
S: Wait there! (looks to Mori)
M: Speaking of which, me and Goro-chan, what should we talk about?
S: (laughs)
(Tsuyoshi, after playing with something on the fridge, sat back down and started taking photos of the coffee table with his digital camera)
M: I really haven't chatted with him alone much, seriously.
S: I KNEW IT!!!
M: I think we will be stuck with nothing to talk about.
T: It's not like you don't get along.
M: We are not in bad terms.
(Tsuyoshi tries to take a selfie with Mori, Mori wasn't paying attention)
(Translator's note: I just love how Tsuyoshi just exists in a different channel than everyone else)
M: However, we might not be able to have a conversation with just the two of us.
S: Tsuyopon let's go.
M: Oi! Oi! Oi! For real?!
(Tsuyoshi still taking selfie)
S: Let's go!
T: Wait let me take this picture.
S: Just leave it! Come on! Let's go!
M: For real???
S: (Gets up to leave) Then the staff, oh great you already have a camera set up on a tripod, then we can leave you two alone.
(Tsuyoshi still checking his digital camera)
M: FOR REAL??? (whiny)
S: I really don't remember seeing them together.
M: (stole a glance at the door and burst out laughing)
S: What? (looks out) This is something amazing.
G: Can I go in now?
(Shingo left the room)
(An announcement in the building--Today's practice will end at 4:47pm. There will be 3 practices for the start with a timer.)
G: In about 12, 14 minutes.
S: You get to practice the start 3 times!
(Announcement continuing)
T: Mori-kun don't you have to practice?
M: It's okay. It's okay.
(Announcement--after the evening practice ends, please don't rev up your engines)
S: Don't rev up your engine!
G: I will be careful not to.
(Shingo, Goro, Tsuyoshi all outside the room, leaving Mori alone in his room)
(Announcement--today's practice finishes at 4:47pm)
G: You already told us that.
(Announcement--practicing the start with a timer...)
G: You said that too.
S: Oh she's repeating the whole announcement.
G: In 12 minutes.
(Announcement--the motorcycle maintenance is until 9pm)
(Camera zoomed in on Mori inside the room, he looked out and giggled)
S: The rev up part is coming!
G: No reving up the engine (gestures with hand "X")
(Announcement--after the evening practice ends, please don't rev up your engines)
S: See! Here's the rev up part! Okay!
(End of annoucement)
(Goro getting ready to enter the room)
S: It seems Mori-kun is eager to talk to you.
G: Really? (Walks into the room)
S: He wants to talk to you about this and that. (Half pushes Goro inside, closed the door on him)
G: For real? (behind closed doors)...huh? We don't even have a cameraman in here?
M: Yes he left.
(In the room, Goro sat down with Mori)
G: Is this really on air?
M: It's quite something.
G: Unbelievable.
S: (Off camera) We can listen in with this.
G: This is on air!
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi sitting outside listening in with earphones)
M: Is this going to be okay? We are broadcasting this to the whole world?
G: I am not taking responsibility.
M: What?
G: I don't feel the responsibility of being on air.
M: (laughs a bit) is that so. This is amazing.
G: Yes to be alone. Shingo left us two here. He said you wanted to talk about this and that, what do you want to talk about?
M: Nothing.
G: Nothing?
M: Nothing. I told Shingo I don't know what to talk about.
G: Then it's a bit...
M: Shingo-chan says it's more interesting if we fumble through this.
G: He is that kind of person.
M: Yes.
G: He enjoys watching people fumble.
M: It's being broadcasted.
(Another announcement started)
G: Is it okay you are not at the practice that will end at 4:47pm?
M: It's fine. I practiced intensely this morning already.
G: Really...
M: So it's fine.
G: You know, I was really moved today.
M: That's good.
G: I am serious. Really.
M: Right, even though I have taken Shingo-chan to a circuit before, I have never taken you to one. Even if I asked you to go with me you would reject it.
G: No I won't reject you...
M: At that time, I was into motocycles but Goro-chan was more into reading or watching movies. You were totally indoor!
(S: (listening in from outside, laughs) "You were totally indoor!")
G: Maybe that was my personality...
M: But you are not that way now...right you play golf!
G: I like to play golf.
M: I couldn't believe it, when we did a TV show the people would go play golf right?
(S: Wow they are talking about everything!)
G: I couldn't join at that time.
M: Is that why?
G: During Yume ga Mori Mori
M: Yes. Did you not join in?
G: I would get invited to play golf, but at that time I didn't do any sports. I was not sporty.
M: People think you suck at sports.
G: I really did suck at sports. So much that I start to doubt why I chose this profession in the first place.
M: Then why did you start playing golf?
G: Well I started meeting people, and those friends taught me how to play golf. That was my moment of transformation.
M: And you play golf really well too right?
G: Not at all.
M: You're acting all humble.
G: No, I just enjoyed playing it. And I have played golf for a long time, since I was around 30. Do you play golf?
M: I don't play golf at all.
G: Do you do other sports?
M: Not really. I don't have hobbies. My hobby is autorace.
G: Your hobby...well you always liked motocycles.
M: Yup, but because I ride motorcycles in races, I understand how dangerous it is to ride on the road.
G: Right you would understand that.
M: So I don't ride my bike anymore in my private time.
G: Motorcycle was your hobby before, what other hobbies do you have? Didn't you ski?
M: I used to ski too.
G: Or snowboard?
M: But I could not ski anymore after I got injured. When I was training at the autorace school I broke some bones.
G: Oh really?
M: Yup, so I could no longer do any sports that involves big steps, like skiing or tennis.
G: What about karaoke? Mori-kun had always liked to sing right?
M: Did we used to go to karaoke together?
G: You probably went to karaoke with Shingo and Tsuyoshi. But I didn't like to karaoke much, since I am an indoor person.
(Tsuyoshi giggled)
G: Do you still sing now?
M: I do...
G: It was really funny! When you sang that night.
M: I really have no memories of it!
G: "That" phrase from "that" song.
M: Really?
G: I will get scolded really badly if I say the song title so I can't say it.
M: Really? It's ok if I say the song title then?
G: It's fine for you.
M: What was the title? What did I sing that night?
G: It's the song that's really reminicent of you.
M: Oh~~~
T: Mori-kun is really good at singing, really.
G: Right? It's a song that makes people think of Mori-kun. A song that you would even want to sing alone.
M: Oh! I know which one! I know!
G: That was really entertaining.
M: Really? I see...I really don't remember. I think I drank too much.
G: You are not singing?
M: What?
G: You are not singing at all now?
M: I sing.
G: At the karaoke?
M: At the karaoke.
G: At that time Mori-kun was good at singing, so you were the lead singer. Our very early songs were pretty much only your voice.
M: But I heard you guys sing recently, the three of you, you all have gotten really good at singing.
(S: We really never see it right? To see Mori-kun and Goro-chan talking about the past with each other.)
M: You all have grown in your skills.
G: That's so interesting.
(T: They should go out for a drink.)
M: Well I haven't seen this show since I am at the circuit, are you three singing together?
G: We don't have any songs planned yet. We still have some ways to go.
M: What about the ShinTsuyo thing?
G: Well Tsuyoshi is just singing at his own convenience.
M: While playing the guitar?
G: Yes. He plays forever.
M: That's nice.
G: That's his new hobby, just like how I picked up golf.
M: That's true! He didn't use to be someone who would pick up a guitar.
G: You don't ever picture Tsuyoshi with a guitar right?
M: It's hard to imagine. I can't imagine it.
G: You also don't picture him with motorcycles either right?
M: No! I can't picture it! What was Tsuyoshi's hobby before?
G: That guy was a strange person too.
M: Huh? What was Tsuyoshi's hobby? Oh jeans! Jeans! That didn't change.
G: His love for jeans hasn't changed.
(S: Those two are talking faster and faster, like they don't want this space to feel weird.)
M: When we traveled for concerts, he was always on the hunt for jeans.
G: Was he?
M: He went looking for them. I remember he was always going out to look for jeans.
G: Is there anything else you want to do in the future? Or are you going to keep racing?
M: Well I really am not interested in anything else.
G: Then this is really distracting you right?
M: I don't know
G: I think it's really tough, you have to do so much in order to race, but it must be very fulfilling and satisfying...
-------------------------
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi entered the room.)
S: Ok that's good!
M: Don't tell us our talk was not broadcasted!
G: If that was the case...right now I really wanted to ask Mori-kun's plans for the future.
(Shingo and Tsuyoshi sat down.)
T: Just from listening to you talk, it almost seems like you too have gone out to drink before.
M: We haven't.
S: In the end, when you started talking about Tsuyoshi you two got very passionate about the topic.
G: What the heck? Mori-kun and I have always been this way with each other.
G: We are not cozy like we always chat or share a dressing room or sleep over at each other's house.
G: I don't know how Mori-kun feels about our relationship either.
T: Mori-kun I remember you liked Tsingtao beer!
(Shingo laughs)
M: (doubles over in laughter) You remembered well!
T: You like Tsingtao beer.
M: I loved it.
T: He had a lot in his home.
G: The restaurant in Jinboucho.
M: Yes.
T: You had Tsingtao beer at your home right?
M: I had them in my home.
T: I first encountered that beer because of Mori-kun.
M: Really?
T: I was like, "What's Tsingtao beer?"
G: Tsingtao...we are extending this talk with Tsingtao beer?
M: It's delicious!
T: You liked it!
M: I like it, Tsingtao beer goes well with Chinese cuisine.
T: You like it even now?
M: I like it even now!
T: Even now? (LOL)
G: Now that I think about it, Mori-kun was the one who introduced me to Tsingtao beer too!
S: Yes, yes.
T: For real?
G: Mori-kun is the person who taught us about alcohol.
M: Probably so, because I liked to drink, I still like to drink.
G: But you have to control your intake now right?
M: Yes I do. During a race.
T: Now I remember.
S: I was surprised by the lack of it.
G: ....you mean Mori-kun and I?
S: I couldn't even find one memory with you two alone. Like, "That one time we did this....."
M: There's none.
S: There's none?
G: Sorry, there really is none.
M: There really is none.
S: Not even one memory of you two going out for a meal?
(Mori and Goro thought hard)
M: ...none.
G: ...The only one I could remember when we first went to Budoukan as backdancers. It was the year we joined the agency, 2 months after we joined.
G: That day I arranged with Mori-kun to meet up at the Kudanshita train station and walked together to get Shingo because this kid was still in grade school and didn't know his way around. We took him to Budoukan.
M: Yes, we did that.
T: That's good, that's good.
G: I have a feeling I still kept the photos we took from that day.
T: Then we really have to go back to the time you first joined the agency to find memories of you two together.
G: When we first joined, the first 2 months we hung out a little. We were the same age and were both nervous.
M: For dance lesson, Goro-chan your elder sister was there right?
G: Yes.
M: When we backdanced at Budoukan...or were we there to watch a concert? We were there to watch a concert. We met up and went together.
S: But when you think about it, your time together really was only to walk from Kudanshita to Budoukan right? (Translator's note: it takes 5 mins XD)
T: That's probably the extent of their relationship.
S: Wow.
G: That was interesting because even so we didn't feel there's anything wrong with that picture.
S: Right, even when we dug into our memories and questioned if you two got along, you don't get the feeling that you hated each other.
G: We were both mature!
M: Even without talking, we understood each other and knew what each other was thinking.
G: When you think about our own friends, Mori-kun probably doesn't hang out with people like me, and none of my friends are like Mori-kun. But we maintain civility.
M: On the other hand, as we age we could probably be able to bond in many different ways.
G: That's right. Just happen naturally.
S/T: Hm~~~~
S: Let's take a group picture.
T: Sounds good.
(Shingo takes digital camera)
S: Since we are not using a phone, the pictures we take in this camera we can upload them later.
M: Yes, you download the pictures first.
(Tsuyoshi took the camera)
T: Should we have someone take the picture for us?
M: Wow we are taking a group picture in my dorm.
(A staff came in to take pictures for them.)
(The four sat close together for the picture)
(Staff took a couple of pictures and said he got a good shot)
(Shingo took the camera back to check out the pictures)
S: Where is it? ....here?
M: Nice!
(Shingo shows everyone the picture)
M: It's kind of like...
T: It's like Myojo!
M: Eh! (surprised face)
(Goro makes a "I did not want to remember that!" face, whispers "like Myojo?!")
T: Long time ago we would go to Shingo's house.
M: We always went!
(Shingo shows the picture)
(Mori looks at the picture again)
M: This room...it's very Showa (old fashioned) If we didn't have this TV it would be completely Showa like.
T: So you live in a place like this. (looks around)
S: What about Mori, Tsuyopon and me?
T: We used to meet up. Shingo lived in an opposite direction to us, so when you had time you would go the opposite route on the Hibiya Line to join us.
G: I see, if you depart from Roppongi.
T: Yes.
S: Everything started from Roppongi.
M: Yes.
S: After all we met each other for the first time in Roppongi. When we were children we gathered at Roppongi for work.
M: (looks at the clock) Oh it's 4:40 pm.
S: 4:40 pm
M: In a short while we can walk out to the track.
S: We can go on the circuit?
M: We can go on the track.
G: Oh I want to go!!!
T: I want to go!
M: Then I will take you there.
S: We can walk on it?
M: We can walk on it...and...do you want to ride on a motorcycle?
T: We can ride on one?
S: Eh!? (looks at staff)
M: (looks at staff) Oh let's not do it.
TO BE CONTINUED