[Meta context: This is the first of 12 blog posts published to the Fairy Ranmaru website during the anime’s airing where the first post corresponds to the 1st episode, the second corresponds to the 2nd episode and so on. An earlier version of this translation was originally published to the Tumblr Magical Girls…and Cerulean on the 16th of December 2021 and the text which is being translated from can be found here, although I’ve been editing the translation as I make it fit for WordPress.]
[T/N: 先日のお客様 at the very top of the page means “Customer from the other day” or “Customer from a few days ago”.]
Shogo Sakata | Role: Ranmaru Ai
“Finally, Broadcasting Has Started!!!”
10th Apr. 2021
Yay—! We’re commemorating the momentous 1st episode which has finally, finally been broadcast—!
[sounds of drums and trumpets] 🎉
Did everyone enjoy it?!!!
I enjoyed it!!! [drum sound]
Thank you to everyone to commented and surprisingly caused the episode to trend on Twitter!
This sort of thing is not a happy thing!
I was searching myself up on Twitter and was enjoying myself as I went around going “Fufu”, “Fuhaa” and “Fuhahaha”.
Watch next week with me too!!! Big Brother Shougo promises you☆
Speaking of which, I’m late in explaining this, but I am what you’d call the top batter for the blog on the official homepage, “BAR F – open for business”, so if you want to call me by a pet name, you can call me “chairman”!
Actually, I’m more talkative in writing than I am speaking. (No, of course I’m practising speaking!)
So, this time I will talk about the appeal of the episode from my perspective! The events of episode 1 from before the opening credits.
First, it starts with a Ranmaru-like character yelling, “What is love?”
What is love? That is something I don’t know, is this foreshadowing…? Sorry, that is something I can’t talk about here, huh? ☆
After that is Junpei Morita’s wonderful speech scene. [T/N: referring to the opening narration]
No, along with the opening song, it’s the same, but when I hear it, I get the feeling that “it’s starting”…
[T/N: I don’t think it’s possible to convey it in the translation because it warps the meaning of the sentence when I try to insert it somewhere, but Sakata likes this feeling that the episode is starting and pronounces it with a rising intonation on the “su” and a falling intonation on the “ki” (since “suki” is “like”) – that’s what the arrows in the Japanese text are for.]
Then the transcendent, cool opening song and footage!!
Really, thank you to everyone in the staff for [making] the greatest opening!!!
A modern cityscape, mixed with the feeling of the extraordinary. I can’t get enough of it…!
Everyone also said it was wonderful, so I’m doing double peace signs like a guy watching his favourite idol.
[T/N: I didn’t manage to pick up on this in 2021, but the phrase 後方彼氏ヅラ has a specific meaning in idol circles. The more you know.]
After the OP, the A part starts! Yes, everyone, let’s pay attention, shall we? Why are they naked?
I also don’t know the reason for this. If you ask me, I can only reply, “Sorry, I don’t understand” like a certain smartphone AI.
Yes, before we dig in, the Ten Laws! Uruu-kun is courteous, isn’t he?
[T/N: This is normally read “jikkun” in Japanese.]
After [that], “jikkun”? Hori often says “jukkun” during the live broadcasts, so I love to smile at him and say, “Hori? ‘Jikkun’☆.”
[T/N: “Live broadcasts” referring to the Kinki Kaihou Namahousou, which are YouTube livestreams of the Fairy Ranmaru voice actors promoting the show/its merch and playing games/hosting talk segments.]
I like the comment which said it was a chance to be reincarnated into another world, but Ranmaru is also the sort of guy who’d be reincarnated into a fantasy world…not.
[T/N: The comment likely came from Twitter, as during the broadcast of this anime, there was a livewatching campaign where some viewers who used the show’s hashtag to comment on each episode would win a signed board (shikishi).]
When we get to the school, the school anthem plays. This is the music that was playing at the production presentation. At that time, I didn’t know what sort of music it was and so I was a bit scared, but it was like this, huh…?!
Eiko is in the classroom, which made me think this was a romantic comedy. I thought it would be, but somehow, it doesn’t seem to be.
Then…Uruu, Juka and Homura are doing their school activities. Speaking of which, Homura-kun? He’s saying he’ll beat their asses, but those Ten Laws…eh?
For some reason, [there is] a perilous atmosphere around Eiko, Mimi and Ichiro. Please get along with each other…
Here, the exchange goes from “What’s wrong?” to “No need to ignore me, now” – [Mimi is] an amazingly evil girl, and I like that…
Time goes by and it’s bath time. This is the 2nd time they’re naked. The director says, “They’re being stripped [of their clothing].”
I love that comment (LOL).
The cut changes and in the night sky, you see a mysterious silhouette.
Ranmaru senses something and dashes.
Then, the cool eyecatch is inserted, then the B part.
Even now, Eiko seems to run into Ranmaru.
Hey Shougo? When did he wear clothes? Sorry, I don’t know.
Then, Ranmaru persuades Eiko.
My [mental] image of Ranmaru roughly seems to have solidified here.
I think Ranmaru is wonderful to be so desperate for someone else’s sake.
After helping her, there was amazingly moody music, huh? (LOL)
“Could I take your heart?”
With a kiss(?), he transforms! Why this plot is so thin, I don’t know!
Anyhow. the transformation scene is beautiful and amazing!
The music is also refreshing and it’s great how it stirs up excitement!!!
After the transformation is Enka time.
[T/N: “Enka” are the insert songs which also function as transformation songs and character theme songs.]
When recording, I was told it sounded a bit like a Showa [era] chanting song.
I sung [as] Ranmaru using my straightforwardness.
When I search for myself online, everyone likes it, so I am happy!
Ranmaru’s response to “There! Haa!” → “Was I wrong?!”, “Stupid!”, is the best tsukkomi comment. 100 points.
I didn’t think it was weird when I was performing, but from the viewer’s point of view, you certainly get a new pattern, LOL.
[T/N: This seems a bit vague, but to my understanding, it’s referring to the order of the dialogue lines.]
As expected, it makes you think, “How would you find a specific location from this picture…?”(LOL)
Then, [when you believe] she did it to Ranmaru (i.e. killed him), the target switches to Mimi. These guys curse people, huh?
Ranmaru revives himself and goes in for the kill!
Certainly, I didn’t understand it when I saw it at first (LOL). No, even though I looked at it first, I definitely didn’t understand it.
The retribution Mimi had received by being the cause of the issue caused her to not make eye contact,-
Eh? Eiko?! Ichiro?!
Well, the pattern is once the problem is solved, the requester loses their memories.
“In front of the gate is…eh, so around the time yesterday after school, they never met up, so they kissed this morning, huh?” I thought.
“What is love?”
Ranmaru definitely doesn’t know [what love is], does he?
So, that’s the ending! Again, the illustrations and the tune don’t match.
When you’re tired, listen to it and soak in the feelings, I think!
The CD will be on sale on April 21st [2021]! Everyone, buy it!
I was first, so please forgive me…!
Everyone, please watch it!!! [That’s] because I’m also hoping to watch it in real time!
Bye then! *wave*
Takara: S-So that’s how it is, huh…?
The Animanga Spellbook 