Daiya no Ace: The Dramas #10: Third Year Study Group
An explanation…
To keep my brain from rusting I started a project to translate the drama tracks that came with the character song CDs and other stuff relating to Daiya no Ace (because I love them and they’re all hilarious). My disclaimer - I am not a native speaker of Japanese, but I will do my best!
Character Song CD 07 Yuuki Tetsuya Drama Track 02 featuring Tetsu, Jun and Tanba.
Scene: Tetsu, Jun and Tanba have got together – either in the dorm canteen or their classroom – to hold an exam study group for the examinations coming up. The subjects they are most concerned with are those taught by the teachers who run the baseball club, especially Kataoka’s ‘Modern Japanese’ class…
Translator’s Note: Another appearance by the third years! And also, this time, the coach appears! And we learn some interesting trivia about the senpai! This drama is full of word discussions, so I’ve done my best to make it clear!
Tetsu: It’s finally tomorrow, huh.
Jun: There’s seriously not enough time
Tetsu: We can’t ignore Modern Japanese…
Jun: The coach is the teacher, after all. And we have to really be careful of Social Studies and English as well.
Tetsu: Ōta Buchou and Takashima Fuku-buchou’s classes, huh.
Jun: Even at the very worst we need to get above the average mark. And more to the point, where’s Tanba? I said I’d study too because he said he was going to do exam revision!
Tetsu: He said he was going to wash off the sweat of training and then come.
Jun: He’s in the bath, huh. How long is he planning to spend in there?
The door opens and Tanba enters.
Tanba: (Stretches and sighs).
Jun: Oi, you finally turned up, Tanba! How long did you take in the bath, dammit?
Tanba: I shaved my head. Completely.
Jun: You’re really laid back, you know. We have exams from tomorrow.
Tanba: I did it to focus my emotions.
Tetsu: Mm. It seems like the sparkle on your head is even greater than usual. (I think he pats it).
Tanba: Hey! Don’t touch it, Yuuki! I just got myself hyped up and you’ll ruin it!
Jun: Hey, let’s get down to it, guys!
Tetsu: Mm. What shall we begin with?
Tanba: I want to start with figuring out a strategy to tackle Modern Japanese.
Tetsu: Because it’s the coach’s class, huh?
Tanba: That’s a part of it, but it’s also the first exam tomorrow morning. If we can do a good paper then, it will set us up with a good vibe for the rest.
Tetsu: Mm. You’re quite right.
Jun: Yosh! Let’s start with Modern Japanese! Someone get the textbook open, dammit!
(they get to work).
Tanba: Hrm, it seems like the key to Modern Japanese is definitely reading prowess.
Tetsu: The power to read a paragraph, and understand the contents and meaning from doing so, huh.
Jun: I’m always reading books, so I’m pretty confident about that.
Tanba: Me too. What about you, Yuuki?
Tetsu: I often read books that examine good moves and strategy.
Jun: Those are shougi books, right? That’s not helping your reading ability, but more like your ability to carry out exercises.
Tanba: Yosh. In that case I’ll lend you a book written by the person I respect the most.
Yuuki: (takes the book): Okamoto Tarou. (Translator’s note – I believe he was a Japanese artist…but am not quite sure how that feeds into what Jun and Tanba say, so I may be missing a more native Japanese joke here. Or maybe Tanba is just really into abstract art.)
Jun: That’s a book on guidance for life, right?
Tanba: Yes. It resolves all the troubles I have and answers all my questions perfectly. It’s really beneficial.
Jun: But it’s not going to come up on the exam.
Tetsu: I’d really like a book that’s going to help with my results.
Tanba: In that case, Isashiki, don’t you have anything?
Jun: Huh? Me?
Tanba: Yeah. Something relevant to the exam.
Jun: I have, but…
Tetsu: Please lend it to me, Jun.
Jun: Tsch. I guess it can’t be helped. Here you go.
Tetsu and Tanba gasp.
Tetsu: Chihayafuru?! (Translator note: I had to stop the drama to laugh at this the first time I listened to it. I also love Chihayafuru. Go Jun!)
Tanba: Shoujo manga?
Jun: (defensive): What, you got a problem with it?!
Tanba: Uh…well…no…that’s not what I…
Jun: It helps with reading skill and with learning the hyakunin isshū as well! (Translator note: If you’re not familiar with Chihayafuru, it features a card game called Karuta in which players have to match the top and bottom halves of waka poems before their opponent. These poems come from an ancient collection of traditional Japanese waka poetry called the hyakunin isshū).
Tetsu: (Serious) It certainly sounds useful.
Tanba: But…Isashiki…The hyakunin isshū aren’t on the syllabus this time around.
Jun: (angry): What?! In that case, what about Asaki Yumemishi! (Another manga, based around the ancient text Genji Monogatari, also known as the ‘Tale of Genji’)
Tetsu: Genji Monogatari, huh…
Tanba: That’s also outside the syllabus.
Jun: WHAT?!
Tanba: In any case, both of them are based around things from Classical Japanese, not Modern Japanese! Let’s focus on Modern Japanese!
Tetsu: Right. Then what other skills are likely to be tested?
Tanba: Vocabulary knowledge, probably. Whether we know the correct meaning for idioms or kanji.
Jun: Oh! In that case, let’s try some practice questions!
Tanba: That’s a good idea. The one asking questions and the one answering them will both get something from that.
Tetsu: Yosh. Then I’ll ask some questions.
Jun: All right! Bring it, Tetsu!
Tetsu: Mm. Kanji or idiom meanings, huh…first is, ��hachiku no ikioi’ (literally, the force taken to split bamboo, idiomatically, an irresistible force).
Tanba: Yes!
Tetsu: Tanba.
Tanba: To advance with fierce energy, right?
Jun: Pretty much the same thing as taking the national title, then!
Tetsu: Correct. Next. ‘Kouitten’ (literally, one red point, idiomatically, a woman that stands out from the crowd).
Tanba: Yes!
Tetsu: Tanba.
Tanba: Takashima-sensei..? (Translator’s note: Something you want to tell us there, Tanba?)
Jun: No, more like one of the manager girls, surely?
Tetsu: Nope, those answers are no good. (he answers very matter-of-factly). Next. ‘Kendou juurai’ (Literally this one makes no sense, idiomatically to regroup to try again)
Tanba: Yes!
Tetsu: Tanba.
Tanba: Finding the power to try again at something you already failed at once. To turn the tables back on a defeat!
Jun: Just you wait, Inajitsu! Next time we will DEFINITELY WIN!
Tetsu: Correct.
Tanba: You really know these answers well, Yuuki.
Jun: How did you learn them?
Tetsu: I didn’t do anything particularly special. I just watched a lot of TV dramas…and they naturally just stuck in my head.
Jun: That reminds me, you like Yorozuya Kinnosuke, don’t you? (Translator’s Note: A famous Japanese actor, who performed on both stage and screen).
Tanba: From watching period drama, huh…ah! But now we really need to get back to doing Modern Japanese!
The door of the room opens and Kataoka enters. Maybe Tanba’s sudden flurry back to study is because he sees the coach coming!
Kataoka: What’s that about Modern Japanese?
Jun: C…Coach!
Kataoka: What are you guys doing here this late at night? Don’t tell me you think you can overnight cram my class material, do you?
Jun: Of course not!
Tetsu: We were just making some final clarifications together.
Tanba has basically frozen like a statue and is making incoherent sounds.
Jun: Don’t freeze up, Tanba, say something!
Kataoka: The most important thing in studying is to build on it, day by day. You understand that, right?
The boys: Yes sir!
Kataoka: I believe you can apply the dedicated attitude you have towards baseball to the approach you take to your studies. I am expecting good results from you all.
Jun: Yes sir!
Kataoka: Mm! It will soon be the time to close up. Yuuki, hurry up and go home.
Tetsu: Yes sir!
Kataoka: Isashiki and Tanba, you should go get some sleep.
Jun and Tanba: Yes sir!
(he leaves).
Jun: Ah, that was a shock.
Tanba: My palms are sweating.
Tetsu: Tonight’s study group is disbanded then, I guess.
Tanba: The coach said he expects good results from us…what do you suppose that means?
Jun: Getting higher than the class average is probably not going to cut it.
Tetsu: He probably wants us to aim for the top rankings.
Tanba: What should we do…
Jun: No point in flapping about it! The exam is tomorrow. All we can do is take it on the best we can!
Tetsu: I don’t know about results, but if we leave our fortunes to heaven, we can do our best.
Tanba: Yes!
Tetsu: Tanba.
Tanba: ‘Ichikabachika’, right? (to sink or swim).
Tetsu: Tanba. You are correct.
Jun: You nailed it.
Tanba: Uh. But…that one isn’t on the syllabus.
Tetsu: What?!
43 notes
·
View notes