Monday, October 31, 2011

Just a little somethin'. (ちっちゃいもんだけなんや。)

I know, I know, I'm a horrible blogger. My only excuse is grad school apps, and really, that's not a great excuse when you think about it. I am, after all, half-way done as of about twenty minutes ago.

(Hooray!)

I will try for some regularity after I'm done with all this hooplah, I promise--I have one or two ideas swimming around in my head, and I'm sure I'll get the gumption to write them up eventually. If only you lot shared my passion for academic studies incorporating gender and Japanese popular culture, then I could share with you the brilliant dissertation topic I came up with last night...

BUT. Since I'm not sure how many seedy academics troll the interwebs in search of brilliant dissertation ideas, I won't. I'm keeping this baby all to myself until at least two professors have seen it.

... I wonder if paranoia is common among those involved in research. Probably.

Anyway.

BUCK-TICK is currently doing some pretty snazzy things, including a new single, a new album, and, yes, that's right, a whole new label. Now all you indie kids can listen to some decent music without feeling guilty about selling out to the man! (Also, wash your hair. Geez.) You can head on over to their website to check it out, or, as always, The Blog-Tick Phenomenon.

Personally, I think you should head over to their official site for a second even if you can't read Japanese, just to experience Atsushi in his shiny cape. It is shiny. On top of his vaguely vampiric hair-style and what appears to be a blue, crushed velvet suit... well. You have to see it now, don't you? Also, Imai has some lovely dandy-esque hair at the moment that I am enjoying thoroughly.

Look, just go, all right? I can't save the image and post it here for you, otherwise you know I would. Go. Go now. It'll take you five seconds. Come on.

How about some mood music for incentive?

I'll even keep it to songs that my dear old grandmother might enjoy.



ミウ(Miu) is definitely underrated. Melodic, haunting, and just all around beautiful.

The video, however... it makes no sense. It does have the haunting bit down, and I admit that anything which focuses on Atsushi's face for such extended periods does certainly qualify for "beautiful"... but still. I love it anyway, sense be damned. Cowboys, body parts, and a reprise of the asylum theme from BRAN-NEW LOVER with some sort of mummy get-up? I'm sure there's some deep, deep imagery going on here, but I'm equally sure that anyone who tried to explain it to me would sound completely off their nut.

Also, Imai is terrifying. Terrifying. He is a genius, yes, and I adore him and all the strange sounds he makes, but good god. Toll's a little scary too. It helps that the last time I heard him interviewed, he sounded like such a stereotypical old Japanese man that I couldn't help but laugh. Imai still sounds like Imai.

... speaking of BRAN-NEW LOVER...



Yes, yes, I know I posted this before, but it's one of my favorite songs, and the video is basically a crazy cyberpunk romp, and that is just awesome.

Also, Atsushi writing in a straight jacket. You don't have to be a slobbering fangirl to appreciate that.

.... the less said about the tentacles, however, the better.

And speaking of underrated songs...



I love 蜉蝣ーかげろうー (Kagerou, Mayfly) as much as the next guy, but I really think it's the single's second track that stands out. You want beautiful and melodic, here's your number right here.

It's an interesting bug theme that they went with... 蜉蝣 meaning mayfly or dragonfly and 空蝉 (Utsusemi) being, loosely, a discarded cicada shell. Of course, Utsusemi is also a character from The Tale of Genji, not to mention a metaphor for this world (as opposed to different Buddhist planes, usually) or a person living in it... And, ok, so, technically, 蜉蝣 can mean ephemerality, which I buy and therefore gives us a Buddhist theme, but my sources insist that reading it as "kagerou" removes that meaning, making it... well, honestly, I suppose that doesn't mean anything when we're talking about V-kei lyrics, if Dir en grey has taught me anything, but I do prefer to be neat, and... oh, forget it.

Really, 空蝉 is just a snazzy kinda song.

Admittedly, I don't belt out the lyrics when it comes on in the car like I do with 蜉蝣, but still.

And... uh... speaking of things you... belt out in various locations... (bear with me here)



Ah, this was the first tour I ever attended. How young and naive I was... and yet excited and appreciative as hell. Especially about the pimp hat and cane (not pictured here, unfortunately).

Admittedly, this is off of the DVD (which I own, but was not at the filming of), so I didn't actually get to see Atsushi's evil-twin-pirate goatee in person...  He did fall off a speaker, though, which was on the one hand very concerning and on the other, hilarious (after, of course, he joked about it, slapped his "bad" leg and showed no ill effects.) Never step on triangular speakers, kids.

Regardless. This is, in my humble opinion (hah), the best arrangement for this song. The original and the NOT GREATEST HITS versions can't even compare in terms of energy and the ability to cheer you the hell up.

Also, the Imai-kick (tm) and Imai-dance (tm) routine is a great workout. Try it, just for the duration of this song, and only when he does it. You'll be panting, I promise. And you wondered how he stays in such good shape.

He does that the whole time. Every show.

... ok, not the whole time, but still, enough so that it's goddamn impressive.

I kinda think he cut the hair so it wouldn't weigh him down anymore.

... BUCK-TICK is awesome.

This is Edo, signing off with a very pointed look at every one of you who did not, after all that, click the link. Come on.

Friday, October 14, 2011

A Musical Review! (音楽の批評記事や!)

Not a Revue, because I'm sure that's just not what you're here for. Anyway.

Oftentimes, when thinking of what to write in this blog of mine, I become fearful that I have run out of topics--what else, I moan, can possibly be written? And, of course, after about five minutes of this kind of thinking, a blog post is almost fully formed in my head, ready to go.

Unfortunately, this usually happens when I'm in bed and the computer's off for the night, so I'm forced to cling to my ideas until the morning hours, hoping that something, anything, stays in my brain long enough to get down on the interwebs.

As my brain right before sleep is not in prime memory-making mode... well. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway.

To the delight of some, and to the ambivalence of many (I'm sure), I'm going to return to my musical phase today!

...although really I don't think I've ever done song commentary, and have mainly stuck with general band description plus songs as a necessary by-product thereof, but generally subservient to the greater plot of band informant...

But whatever.

Today, thanks to this post taking a long time coming, I have two singles to talk about:

DEATHGAZE's SILENCE/THE END (because when you can't choose the title, why not compromise?) and Dir en grey's DIFFERENT SENSE.

... I'll never understand why recent V-kei/J-Rock bands feel the need to ignore standard capitalization rules. I mean, it could be that they're shouting everything... oh, ok. Well. That makes sense, forget I asked.

Anyway.

DEATHGAZE - SILENCE/THE END
Yes, that is the album cover. Not entirely black, there are some spots of white and grey in there if you look... maybe it's supposed to be deep space?

Really, though, when bands start doing this for covers, I have to wonder if it really is so much artistic as it is damn lazy on the part of their graphics guy... Although, in the case of Dir en grey's THE MARROW OF A BONE, it was actually a mistake, particularly in the American release, for some reason. What looked to be a black cover with only the title standing out should have, in fact, been a monochrome (... is it monochrome when it's all in shades of black, really?) picture that was actually quite detailed. I think there was a deal where Americans could send back their copy to get the proper cover. Pretty sure I stuck with the mistake cover, but would have to actually dig out my copy to confirm.

... ANYWAY. (These are really just self-cues to get my hiney back in gear at this point, pay no heed.)

As you may (or may not, if you're a brandy-new reader... hello, brandy-new reader!) know, I am a fan of DEATHGAZE. Seen them live twice, have most if not all of their stuff. They're great. Put on a good show, and produce consistently good music. Ai has a great voice, and he doesn't growl or scream too much--which, really, is extra nice, as he has one of the most distinctive voices I've ever heard. In a good way. In a good, deep, make-you-all-tingly way.

I'll stop.

Track 1- SILENCE

Like I said, they weren't very creative in naming this single. Guess what the next track's called.




Now, I like some hard rock. No one can say otherwise. I especially like hard rock with a melodic interlude, or, even better, a melodic chorus. While sometimes I admit that I do like to headband and scream with rage, most of the time, I'm just not in that sort of mood.

Er, right now anyway. No telling what tomorrow brings to my emotional state.

Regardless, I think loving BUCK-TICK has seriously affected my love for the harder stuff. Oh, well.

And anyway, Ai has too nice a voice to waste on nothing but screaming. Luckily, he didn't disappoint. He's a good kid.

(Yes, I promise. Press play, and get through the first... oh, thirty-nine seconds. It gets less angry. Not that there's anything wrong with angry, mind you. They're almost a metal band, depending on your definitions, so give them a break.)

These guys are just a very well put together band. Lately, the world of Visual Kei has produced naught but knock-offs and really awful music (I'm looking at you, GAZETTE.) When someone like this pops up? You can't help but do a little dance of joy.

lynch. is pretty good too, but DEATHGAZE is definitely my favorite new-age (in my terms, having started putting out music oh, say 2003 or later) V-kei band. (And don't bug me that DEATHGAZE might not fit into that classification--I'm not counting when Ai wasn't the vocalist, because honestly, I don't know if they would have worked as well without his voice. And hey man, the website says 2003, so back off. It also seems to suggest that Ai's gone blonde again... oh, well. Whatever floats his boat. Naoki is still adorable and tiny, so at least there's some consistency. Honestly, I could break the man in half... Woman at the goods booth tried to suggest that, hey, Naoki wears an M, so that should be ok for you, right? I gave her a look and said "Yea, no, L please." Maybe I should take it as a compliment, or that she really needed new glasses.)

Track 2- THE END


You guessed it. Hey, at least they let you know what you're getting in to.




Ah, they certainly never disappoint with percussion. Naoki may be tiny, but he's damn good.

This one is a bit angrier, despite a non-screaming start and some nice melodic bits, so I would recommend that those with tender sensibilities stick with the first track. That, in general, is a pretty good rule with these sorts of singles, unless you know for a fact that the first track is really hard. In that case, by all means, exert every effort to find a song on the single you prefer. No judgement here.

You know, it's interesting that I'm reviewing both DEATHGAZE and Dir en grey in this post. I mean, of course, it's because I like the both of them, but I've heard more than one person say that DEATHGAZE is a nothing more than a re-hash of Dir. And, while I disagree with this, I can see that they were very clearly influence by Dir, and that is ok. Dir is a very good band, despite my feelings towards their recent fashion sense--they are solid  musicians, with some of the best performances out there. Kyo, like Ai, has an amazing voice that can switch between angry scream-o and beautiful melody in a heartbeat. You can definitely say that they are similar sounds, which may be why I like them both.

What I mean to say is that, in this song, and a few others, you can definitely hear the Dir influence. If you listen to SORROW, you can't help but hear it--honestly, even I was a little dubious about how much they were listening to THE FINAL while writing that one. Nevertheless, I like both songs, and still think it's ok for a band to pay homage to and learn from one of the greatest in the genre.

So there, those of you who hate DEATHGAZE. You can just back right off and take your heads out from your behinds, thank you very much.

Next.


Dir en grey- DIFFERENT SENSE
I don't care what they say their capitalization scheme is now, I grew up with 'Dir en grey', so I'm keeping 'Dir en grey'. And you guys with your shaved heads and feathery coats and your recent lack of melodic tunes can  bite me.

(It's sad when your first love falls out of favor.)

Track 1- DIFFERENT SENSE





Now, as I mentioned, I prefer melodic tunes that use the vocalist's talents for beauty to songs that are just... growly. Sometimes, Dir caters to my preferences. The recent single LOTUS was, after all, quite nice. 激しさとこの胸の中で、絡み付いた灼熱の闇 (Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de, karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami) (... yea, way to make most of the chorus your title, guys) was more towards the screaming and growling end of the spectrum, but it still had a very nice echorus that demonstrated what Kyo can do with his voice.

While I was waiting for another beautiful, heart-wrenching song, like GLASS SKIN from UROBOROS (it was on of the singles, following a more angry one, so I think I was right in hoping, really), what I got was... kind of an angrier, growlier 激しさ.

Sigh.

Yes, darling, we all know that you can make some truly spectacular noises, particularly considering what a very small body you have to work with (hey, it's impressive, the man is 5'3".) But can't you impress us with your range, instead? You can go ridiculously high and beautiful considering your deep speaking voice. Let's hear that--it's far more impressive, especially considering that, hey: EVERYONE'S growling now!

Seriously. It's everywhere. You're no longer cutting edge with this stuff. Admittedly, you may be the best at it, but come on. If you're going for wild and crazy, in the present genre? Might want to go back and try for that haunting beauty angle again. Trust me, it works.

I mean, you do it a little here, and I really dig it. Particularly when you layer your singing (I've always loved that trick), juxtaposing the pained screams with the deep, melancholy singing. I love that. I also love the interludes of acoustic guitar and just the singing. Really. You have a beautiful voice.

... I just wish it was more than, oh, twenty percent of the song. Sigh. I plead in vain.


Track 2- 罪と規制 (つみときせい, Tsumi to Kisei, Crime and Regulation)


That's my translation, so back off.




I've gotta say, when I first saw this track name, I thought it would be some sort of remake of their very, very old song (off of GAUZE, which was, I believe, their first full-length, non-indies album) 罪と罰 (Tsumi to batsu, Crime and Punishment). As their style has changed quite a bit since then (as happens with most good artists), I thought it would work well, especially considering their recent theme of remakes, what with HYDRA-666- on the DOZING GREEN single, a really super growly version of 残 (Zan)  (also from GAUZE) and that really cool shot-in-one-take version of 蝕紅 (しょくべに?しょくこう?しょっこう?No idea. Possibly means "Crimson Meal," and is from VULGAR) on 激しさ, and the super-beautiful, better-than-the-original version of undecided on the GLASS SKIN single. I mean, hey. Remakes are cool, especially with Dir, as they always go all out in making it truly distinct from the original. Kind of like going back and editing an old paper--it was good, but damnit, now that you see it five years later, there's so much you want to fix. Or, you know, just change.

Anyway. Thought it was going to be a remake of 罪と罰. Particularly fitting, as the original was pretty damn repetitive and, in hindsight, a little boring, even compared to other songs from the same album (lookin' at you, アクロの丘 [Akuro no oka, Hill of the Bad Road] and MASK. Even 予感 [Yokan, Premonition]. I love 予感.)

And... honestly? For the first two minutes, it's hard to be sure whether it is or not. It's pretty goddamn growly.

And then, ah ha. There you are, my old friend.

Ok, so the original wasn't their best song. At the same time, I'm not sure how much of an improvement it is to GROWL the whole damn thing, dude.

I'll let you judge for yourself.




Honestly? I don't blame you if you don't hear it. I listened to this song a lot as a young, impressionable teen, so I'm going to hear it a lot quicker than most. And remember, it took even me the first two minutes to figure it out.

This is a loose, loose remake, people. I'll stick with the ones mentioned above to get my old-turned-new fix, thanks.

Track 3- RED SOIL [Live]





... I don't know, I have mixed thoughts about using live tracks to fill out your Single. I mean, sometimes they're really good--BUCK-TICK is always fun live. Even Dir is very good live--unless, of course, the three shows I saw were all flukes. Plus the DVDs. But hey.

The problem is... this isn't really a great live track. I mean, I do always like the audience bits--it helps you relive when you were there (in some cases) or just get a better feel as to what it's like actually being at a live show. AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS from DOZING GREEN is pretty good on that front, especially if you remember the appropriate hand motions. Not to mention it has that nice, haunting intro that the album version just... doesn't.

But, yea. Nothing really makes this live version stand out from the song off of UROBOROS, aside from some minimal audience shouting. Not a bad choice, per se, but they could have made a better one, I feel. LOTUS had two remakes; 激しさ had two remakes (one of which was that kick-ass 蝕紅, like I said). Thus, with one remake and a live recording? I somehow feel cheated.

Admittedly, this version was apparently recorded in Osaka, which is always  good. It's nice when a lot of the band is from Kansai--they understand, man. Not to mention that, hey, it might have been recorded at the show I was at. Probably not, considering the time frame (a 2011 single pulling from a show at the end of December 2008? I guess it's possible...), but there's always that possibility! And that's a good thing.

Well, that's it for today's musical review time with Edo. I hope you learned something today. Admittedly, there's not a huge chance of that, looking back at more sporadic and highly subjective reviewing style... Oh, well. Be sure to pick up your coat on the way out.

Oh, and... don't ask about the little pictures on the music players. They're quite random and have nothing at all to do with the music. Sorry about that.

This is Edo, signing off with the sneaking suspicion that she'll never get a job with Rolling Stone.

PS- Oh... why not. Here's the kick-ass 蝕紅, too. Remember, it was shot in one take, which means this was all done without layering. Not to mention all in one go, without piecing the bits and pieces that worked out best together. That's kick ass, not to mention a sign of true talent.

(The best part is from 3:08 to 3:32. You don't even know, man. Just wait, you'll see.)



See, I do still love them.


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

A Serious Interlude: On Leaving Japan. (真剣な合間: 日本から帰国について。)

Every now and again, perhaps after seeing a facebook post from a friend living overseas or when remembering a particularly good cup of milk tea, I find that my chest tightens a little over the loss of a life in Japan.

And then I begin to wonder--did I make the right choice, giving up my visa and returning to the land of my birth, especially when I, like so many of my friends, have a difficult time remembering anything but the positive from my ultimately temporary Japanese lifestyle?

Worse still, I return to wondering: am I a coward for boarding that plane at KIX (albeit with a distinct feeling of melancholy, and perhaps even a few tears blurring my vision--this time not for a boyfriend, but for a beloved country, culture, and best friend that I was leaving behind for an indeterminate period of time) instead of sticking it out, as have so many of my friends  with (apparently) nothing but happy results?

Though it is sometimes difficult to come to terms with, especially when I am feeling nostalgic and Japan-sick, the answers to these questions, for me at least, are yes and no, respectively. Mentally, I have come to grips with the fact that Japan, at least long term Japan, is not for me.

I'm actually quite a sensitive person (in the easily offended way, not the touchy-feely way; I mean, come on, blech), despite my common declarations  to the contrary and insistence otherwise, and I take social isolation quite hard when it's forced upon me. Self-induced isolation is another story entirely, as it often is with those of us who fall into the "introverted loner" box so commonly prescribed for us. Being apart from people at your own choosing is one thing--you are in control, and can decide when and where you will end your isolation and refill your social interaction quota. Humans are, after all, social animals, no matter what those novels about lone wolf types say. Sure, those on the fringe with no need for outside human contact exist--hermits are a reality, after all--but they're certainly not in the majority. It would make for very crowded forests, after all.

What I mean to say in my long, drawn-out and rambling way is that, unlike many friends and acquaintances who have better capacities  than I for not taking things too personally, I find it difficult, after long periods of time, to not get angry or upset when greeted by the common reactions to a foreigner and general xenophobic attitude which Japan still finds it necessary to cling. People staring as though I'm some sort of giant, hairy beast (which, I suppose, from certain points of view, I am) at every turn gets old; refusal to trust in my linguistic and cultural knowledge because I am so clearly foreign grates on my psyche. Failure to be recognized as a fellow human being capable of, say, a nice dinner or night on the town due to my failure to conform to local beauty standards (again, the giant hairy beast thing comes into play) eats away at my self-confidence until, eventually, I believe that everyone else has the right of it and I am some sort of repulsive sub-human creature that is best avoided.

Now, like I said, a lot of people learn (or know intuitively, I suppose) how not to take things so personally. A lot of people can laugh things off, and I respect them for it as it belies a deep and profound sense of inner security that I, unfortunately, still lack outside of my intellectual pursuits (and even there, sometimes, I falter.) A lot of people, therefore,  live in Japan long-term, even indefinitely--they don't get my severe pangs of homesickness and self-loathing brought on by life as a foreigner in Japan. Even if they do, they are short-lived and manageable.

I am not aiming to garner sympathy here, though I understand that it may seem that way. To the contrary, I am hoping to demonstrate my own empathy, to anyone in a position similar to mine. As wide as the internet is, I cannot help but feel that there are a number of you out there who, like me, find themselves rapidly leaving the "honeymoon phase" with Japan, despite having sworn to live there forever. I also know that, like me, some of you probably are having doubts, and wondering what it means about you, personally, that you are suddenly having such an intellectual and emotional reversal about something so major in your life.

What it means is that you've grown. This does not mean that growth necessarily leads homeward--for many it is exactly the opposite, and even in our case, returning to one's native soil is not equivalent to running home, despite what some people may tell you. It means that you have, in the general human way, absorbed a number of experiences and, surprise surprise, changed your mind based on those experiences and what they mean to you personally. Some people grow towards Japan, some people grow away. Some people grow towards Azerbaijan, I'm sure, and all of that is perfectly acceptable. None of these paths are inherently better than any other--you are not failing for returning to your home country, nor indeed are your friends or colleagues necessarily succeeding by staying in Japan. Both you and they are doing what feels right at that particular time, and what's "right" differs from time to time, person to person, situation to situation. Think about it: would you want what you thought was "right" at, say, sixteen? I certainly wouldn't--I was pretty stupid back then. But then again, I was pretty stupid at eighteen, nineteen, twenty... Honestly? Sometimes, I think one of the best things to do is to aim everyday to be a little less stupid than you were the day before. But that's a post for another day, when you're not already sick of my cheap philosophizing on some other subject.

If you feel that leaving Japan is right for you, don't worry about what others think (though I suppose that rather invalidates this entire post.) Don't worry about not meeting expectations, or not measuring up--anyone who cares about you will support you no matter where you live, and they'll want to see you happy above all else. Ignore anyone who gives you a hard time, or questions your reasons for leaving (outside of a constructive discussion which you may have instigated to help sort out your thoughts, of course). Unfortunately, the world is full of insecure people who feel the need to belittle those around them, using any and all ammunition they find. The people who scoff at or mock your decision, or indeed you for making it, are not worth your time.

My hope is that this post helps at least one person--that at least one person can avoid the internal turmoil that I suffered (and occasionally still do) regarding my decision to leave Japan, knowing that someone, somewhere, supports and backs their own decision wholeheartedly. I suppose it may seem like we must be few and far between, but I can't help but feel there must be one person out there going through what I did.

I feel like those of us foreigners who live in Japan for any significant length of time share some sort of understanding--tenuous as it may be in some cases--and have, to an extent, developed our own very specialized subculture. With that subculture, of course, comes pressures. Outside expectations weigh down upon us from all sides, and a lot of us constantly troll the internet for personal advice regarding our difficult situations, and then support for decisions that may go against the cultural norm. The subculture itself is divided, encompassing those who understand, those who are ambivalent, and those who absolutely oppose our decisions, no matter what they may be. In some ways it is a cutthroat subculture, like so many are, and often not the kindest to be a part of.

So, know that someone supports you, no matter what you decide in regards to your Japan-life. Whether your decide to stay or leave, pursue a job as an English teacher, translator or hostess, know that someone thinks that you need to do what makes you happy.

As a final note, I want to point out that I still love Japan. I don't regret any of my time there, as a student or otherwise--not a day of it. While I may have gone through some, for me, rough times, and tangled with bouts of depression, I've also had some of the greatest times of my life in Japan, and I will always remember them. I also know that, had I not returned to Japan after graduation, and instead remained in the US from the get-go, I would have always been discontent, wondering whether or not I had made the right choice. Furthermore, Japan and I are not finished--not by a long shot. I am planning on pursuing my PhD in Japanese literature, and spending a number of years research and perhaps teaching in Japan on my path to becoming a professor.

What I mean to say is, just because you're leaving Japan now, it doesn't mean that you can never go back. It doesn't mean that your career won't in fact stick you right back on that plane in a number of years, and possibly even on a funded ticket to boot. If you love Japan, don't worry too much about leaving now. They won't be able to keep you away, and you'll feel much better about it in general once some of the anger/hurt/depression/whatever has melted away.

So, here's to you, kid--whether you're staying or going, as long as it makes you happy? You're making the right choice. As a number of very intelligent people have said to me: nothing is permanent, and you can change your mind later. Be happy, and don't worry so much.

This is Edo, signing off, still a little wistful but ultimately happier and better off for it.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Read any good books lately?


And hey, though it's hard to be sure until the Protector of the Small quartet, there's an entire nation based on Japan in this universe, the Yamani Islands. Sure, references seem to be a random hodge-podge of time periods and a little too idealistic when it comes to gender equality, not to mention strange ideas about emotion that are probably a bit too over-generalized from participating in too many Zen Buddhist lectures,  but the language is lifted exactly, kimono and naginata are prominent, and really, Yamani, Yamato? Not much of a jump there. (Though I think that turning a country name into an i-adjective--which I assume is what she was doing with the whole Yaman/Yamani thing--is a stretch at best... though it's not the only problem. But hey.)

Oh, and then Pierce said that, for all intents and purpoes, Yamani Islands = Japan. That good enough for you, Mr. Skeptical? Geez.



(読みたいと思ってるのに英語で読みたくないのなら、大丈夫。実はうちもその感じ分かるさ。日本語の本を読むのなら、あまり「楽しい」と思わないな。だから、和訳あるってよかった!   

日本語で読んで好きのなら、英語で読んでみれば何とかなると思うで。うちさ、今ハリー・ポッターの和訳を読んで、話などがよく分かるから、他の日本の本を読むより楽で、なんか日本語能力自信アップって感じになっちゃう。
そして、和訳は「ヤマニ」のことどうするの、教えてちょうだい~ものすっごく知りたいから。