Japan Super Challenge 2009

Mao's expression at 5:14 or so in the clips video just kills me every time! Soooo cute!!!

Okami wrote:

I wonder if any native speaker could help me with this part, though:
5:34-5:44
It's too fast for me! I'm not sure if I hear the vowels right.

I was wondering about this myself!!

This is what I have so far:

Kokubun: Kozuka, what do you think?
Kozu: It's painful [regrettable]!!
Mao: すべってる！すべってる！subetteru! subetteru! [I cannot figure out what Mao means by this. Help us, native speakers!]
Nobu [interrupts]: I taught him that. It's my fault.

I'm guessing that Mao is saying something like 'it's all an act' but I don't really understand...Mao almost hiding behind Kozu when she doesn't want to repeat herself was also suuper cute!

I think I got it know! I'll post a little explanatory video once I'm back from my classes.

Must rush now, I overslept.

Okami wrote:

I think I got it know! I'll post a little explanatory video once I'm back from my classes.

Or not... I forgot I have my Nationals 2005/2006 fluffs stored on my PC back home (and I'm living on campus right now). I'm planning to visit my amily tomorrow after classes, though, so hopefully I'll post them tomorrow!

Anyway, both teams were laughing because it looks like Takahiko kept on copying Nobunari's catchphrases and Mao noticed that!

Actually, I noticed right away that some of Takahiko's responses are identical to those of Nobunari from Nationals 2 and 3 seasons ago... But I thought it was just a weird accident.

Before the competition Takahiko said "絶対に負けたくないです！”　- "Zettai ni maketakunai desu!" - "I'm not gonna lose!"
This was a copy of Nobunari's famous (among fans ) interview before Nationals 2005. He and Daisuke were asked about their plans and feelings about Nationals...

Daisuke (serious tone): I will make sure to skate good programs. I want to skate perfectly at Tori... Nationals. Concerning the selection for the Olympic team... It looks like a rival has appeared. I will look forward to our match.
Nobunari (serious tone): Concerning the selection for the Olympic team...
(in a stubborn kid tone): I'M NOT GONNA LOSE! (>_<)#
The entire room burst into laughter and Nobu got a huge applause!

Then, after Team Red lost, Takahiko said "悔しいです。。。” - "Kuyashii desu..." - "It's painful/regrettable..." with a tearful expression. This was Nobu's reply (accompanied with fountains of tears) to an interviewer after the gold medal was taken away from him, and after the LP at Nationals 2006 where he skated cautiously, then made a mistake and lost. (Thankfully Nobu can laugh about it now, but there sure was a lot of drama during the actual competitions, especially at Nationals 2005. )

I wish the whole broadcast was available somewhere! It looks like the scenes in "K&C" were just as funny as the competition itself. Did you see Mao's facial expression when Nobu said that he "didn't think he could win against Mao Asada... err, Team Red"? She then made a "but the point difference was SOOO tiny!" gesture. I also laughed at Nobu using the blue... stick things to gesture and poke Miki with.

ETA: I made the gif animations showing some funny scenes :



http://okami.follownet.pl/fs/upload/MaoRed02.gif <--warning, big image size

Not sure what Okami got from that dialogue, but my understanding of "subetteru" from the context of the thing was that Kozu was trying to be funny when he said ｢悔しいです!｣ (kuyashii desu/it's regrettable!) along with the facial expression.

You usually hear this phrase on variety shows featuring comedians and comedy duos...more often than not the host will request them to make a quick joke/pun/gag/comedic short, and if it's not funny or fails to elicit laughter...you use the phrase, "subetteru" or "subetta." Some Japanese people (like myself) often find the awkward moments after a failed attempt at trying to be funny hilarious - a fraction of comedians even specialize at doing this (すべり芸人, or "suberi geinin").

www.youtube.com/watch?v=siIW474_LEI
I *think* that's what Kozu was trying to imitate... It's a one-shot/facial gag by Ayumu Kato of the comedy duo Zabunguru. Tono/Nobu seems to be into the geinin gags like this and "Gets!" (the ending pose of his Fly Me to the Moon program is almost identical to it) among other things, so that's probably why he "taught" it to Kozu. "Kuyashii desu," anyone?

ETA: Okami's explanation is a lot more sensible, though. And thank you for the gifs!

clovera wrote:

ETA: Okami's explanation is a lot more sensible, though. And thank you for the gifs!

I think that the combination of our explanations makes the most sense - Kozu copying Nobu, and Nobu copying the comedy duos!

And speaking of comedians...
http://okami.follownet.pl/fs/upload/kakujitsu.avi (660 KB)
I stumbled upon it when I was searching for the Nationals fluffs, and !

Okami wrote:

ETA: I made the gif animations showing some funny scenes :

http://okami.follownet.pl/fs/upload/MaoRed02.gif <--warning, big image size

OMG, thank you so much for this! I just *adore* Mao's expression.

And at 3:14 in the video - when Mao's in the background and the announcer's like, "The team captain Mao looked slightly disappointed," and Mao makes this "tears, tears" expression - also priceless.

clovera and Okami - I think you guys figured out the subetteru thing, so thanks for that. The whole scene is just hilarious!

And Okami - thanks for the vid with Nobu. Wow, it's been a while since I've seen the Downtown duo..they used to be on that music show Hey Hey Hey!...I wonder if that's still around...

Hey!Hey!Hey! is still around, and still hosted by them. That, and Downtown DX (the show which Nobu was in from Okami's clip) is still uploaded on d-addicts once in a while, which is always nice for folks like me who wants to have a quick catch-up on Japanese variety shows!

Shiz made a short appearance on the Telephone Shocking corner of Waratte Iitomo on the 5th, IIRC. I didn't record it, nor does it seem like anyone else did...(at least uploading it). Time to search the web...