"THE Pokopokkon" commentary notes
Here's what Masayuki Yamamoto had to say for each album in the 10-disc box set released in November 2000.
Disc 1: Masayuki Yamamoto '88 -- This was the real dream.
Ever since the era of Moeyo [Dragons!], Uguisudani [Music Hall], Hirake [Tulip], or when I began to sing with [Time] Bokan, I wanted to produce an LP record where I would sing all my songs myself....an ALBUM! In 1975, when I was an executive [producer] at Majinsha Ongaku Kubo to promote my rival colleague's debut album, I went to Nagoya, bowed to the people involved in the past and vowed "Remember S-kun", then walked to the broadcasting station, the store, the sales office while drenched in sweat.
Thirteen years later, Tomato paved the way, and Kawase shed the light on me. Here is my - Masayuki Yamamoto - album.
I've gathered so much fun. I invited Kawase to my place and selected only the most upbeat songs. I couldn't help but have so much fun. And it sold very well. New Masayukists started gathering across the nation. Okay, let's think about that soon. Let me bring tears of wonder in your eyes. That is the point behind My Summer.
You'll truly feel it. Dreams do come true.
Disc 2: Masayuki Yamamoto '89 -- This was real love.
It was full of nothing but wonderful personalities. I wrote the plays [Keep Swimming] Viridian and Soyoko['s Style Book] and those cute fellas shone gorgeously at the peak of its fulfillment.
Jumping on the train to play, enjoying the rocks of the boat, leaving sorrows behind on the plane...they absorb every emotional highs and lows. They munched on the fruits, drank some pure water, and digested the essential vitamins. Mii, Masa, and Hiroto stayed past midnight listening to the sound of the waves. As the chancellor spread the word of Heisei, everyone shouted, "Boring!"
This is where the dream lies. Through the actress, prosperity, after death, hometown, the city, the rich and poor, the comedy, my beloved wife, departure, temptation, immorality, adoration, a boy, and the drifting. In a small studio on the 6th floor of a building along the avenue, I finally faced the foreign-made microphone that needs some fixing, and breathed into it. Recording -- what a wonderful sensation to say it.
Who saw through the ordinary melancholy concealed beneath the spacesuit? Who embraced the Japanese guy waving the American flag?
Let it reign as a mystery to the Masayukists even now. Let it scorn as simply a rental costume.
And the clock hands joyfully strike 5 o'clock.
Disc 3: Sainou no Houko -- This was the real adventure.
I had two adventures. First, Kawase switched companies and the production capabilities were inspected. Nope, without delay. Hiroto, Kameyama, Norio and Tana - vividly reminded of my younger brother-in-law - of the former four-man band The Coats, perform Session. This was held at Little Bach Studio at Omotesando, while Kawase still hadn't obtained the president's signature at this point.
I wondered if that take - or this album - will see the limelight, but before long, bearing this timeless song Beautiful [Kirei], the Masayukists soar high. Oh joy.
Another adventure is about the tiger mosquitoes [or Aedes]. The chosen location for the album cover shoot was in the thicket at Odaiba. I'm naturally weak towards bugs. My whole body would be infected and get anemia [not enough healthy red blood cells]. Who should I confess to when my whitened arm inside my white coat becomes really red and swollen? After all, it's a Treasure Trove of Talent, all of its creations. I couldn't believe I'd say that I would lose to a damn mosquito.
The bench was taken in one-shot. And glancing down is a viridian globe - that globe brought me back memories. I'd like to carry the globe on me again. This is the globe of today - as a beautiful lady's heart began to race, certainly growing up on a continent of scorching heat and darkness, transforming into milk for innocent infants, into chemicals, into a blanket, into colored pencils, into an education of gratitude, into universal welfare, into political allusions, and once again, returning to the principles of the earth. I made a comeback there. I've felt tenderness towards that barren globe.
The book I read, "Aviation Principle", was a prop held by Soranosuke Yoshida in the STRANGER play. The envelope I carried in my heart is an airmail from Pink Piggies.
Be intertwined through spacetime and subspace.
Disc 4: COLORS -- This was the real leap.
According to producer Seki, if it was "Let's break out of your anime seiyuu corner", let it begin with the face. I was tasked in creating art on the computer and requested drawing a planet that doesn't look like Earth. I was also requested skyscrapers that don't look like skyscrapers. Nowadays I would occasionally draw on the Mac, but I go by often on the designer's desk. I would receive requests like making something a little bluer, or making buildings a little shorter. I heard they'd charge you nearly a million yen. Perhaps as a result, it boasted the biggest shipping of a Masayuki Yamamoto album in history; this is only the number of copies shipped.
I've made through various radio programs for promotion. Somewhere in a record store, I heard someone say, "Masayuki Yamamoto, you are superb!" and I was quite delighted.
I recorded a seperate take for the single a boy. Since that was the B-side track for the single Isoge Taxi [Hurry Up Taxi] preceding the album, we recorded that first. A few weeks later, members of The Coats gathered up and finished the chorus. Norio's head got some real cracks.
I would've come up with MELTING POT if it weren't for the COLORS. Therefore, even today I would like to bet on the Wreck of Zipangu [Zipangu Nanbasen].
Disc 5: Kane no Ne Hibikite -- This was the real warning.
It's your usual shameful suffering - much ado about nothing. Gum, saliva, exposure, neglect, and a reckless act; would those things ever work for a CD sung by a single person? That's a difficult theme that I could continue real soon; I could rip off the hardened asphalt or fan myself with a big uchiwa.
Since ancient times, they were bragging about the great skies with their fine soil. You're the beautiful lady. With that said, I'd like to feel my fingers through your green hair. I could kiss on your watery lips. You look naive as my heart began to pitter-patter. To all of those evil beings around the world, take note that the star is just a life form. We are all familiar with this. We’ll always love you. I was born here, I will die here, and I will blend in here. There's no way I'm gonna be aging.
All of these crew members become Masayukists. Let's set sail with our might through the serene oceans and the universe, wave after wave. "Alas, I have returned. This must be the place", reads the final page of the Drifting Diary.
Disc 6, 7: Aaa Garagara Dondondon -- This was the real decision.
There’s simply no room for error, just first tries. I was carelessly nervous from start to finish. I noticed right after singing Watashi no Kare wa Kakure Kirishitan [My Friend is a Secret Christian], "Shoot--, I forgot to come up with a password! What should I do~??!" The revision that came to my mind was adding an interlude on my own after the first verse. While playing it, I provided a guide on hidden naming from the lyrics.
During rehearsal, play on F7 on one bar after verse one, then proceed to verse two. Therefore, it'd be best to replace the chords in this verse for the interlude. In that case, Bbm ~ F7 ~ Bbm ~ F# ~ Ebm ~ F7 turned out wonderfully, However, the chord I played for that moment is an Am.
At the turn of my eye, Fujiwara was frozen for a moment. I took that upon and played one bar in Am, then returned to the correct key of Bbm. Nevertheless, I pulled off a completely different arrangement from a planned chord progression for verse two with ease. Fujiwara's hands had already given up and became still.
"Lemme explain: following the second verse, if there are historical figures hidden within, then what are you hiding? Take your time and think about it."
While listening to the song, despite being improvised, hearing the MC say "take your time and think about it" sounds disgraceful! (this was lowered down during the mixing)
Anyways, I've done what I've needed to do. Then, as if nothing happened, we'll be swoopin' as soon as we reached the second verse. In case we signal "Ready!" in Bbm, everyone's gonna arrive simultaneously. Alrighty, "Set, go! Tokugawa bakufu ni~♫"~ Wait...they're not coming? I was the only one who played Bbm in the in the first bar of verse two! I said "Ready"...
In the end, Kishimura felt that way from the F7 in the second bar, Fujiwara from F# in the third, crashing in as if I'm gonna reproach them. Once a musician suspects you, it'll take 2 bars to regain your confidence.
Disc 8: Namakemono ga Miteta -- This was the real Malaysian cuisine.
This was located at Shinbashi, somewhere down the alley near Kasumori Exit, at an Malaysian restaurant where the conference for the release of this OVA was held. As it was a press conference, I don't remember if I have had basically any cuisine. More than half of the reporters assembled were for anime magazines, and of course, they're focused on an interview with the King of Anime - Masayuki Yamamoto. I found it delightfully funny that I'd gotten questions that had nothing to do with the work. I'm a nice fella.
The score was done at Victor Studio. The brass for the Super Elephant theme was tonally amazing, I somehow gained some self-confidence. This BGM was excessively used on a variety of TV shows - it would always play on talk shows, on gourmet trip shows, and even Pro Baseball Chin-Play. A Chunichi [Dragons] player made a foul and At a Broken Dusk [Binbo no Yofuke] was playing in the background. Ahahahaha! It should've played MoeDora instead.
Four [image] songs were previously included in the Complete Works compilation and I personally loved every single one of those, especially At a Broken Dawn [Binbo no Yoake] which hasn't gone stale. I could have Mr. Itsuki to sing that and it'd be a hit!
Disc 9: Warner Collections -- This was the real surprise.
I didn't mean to shout "It's our righteous youth" on purpose. At that time, I was persuaded by Tomato and for some reason, the take I tested it out ended up being used. I deeply regretted having this done during mixing. The clapping for Kyuukyoku Ondo include the sounds of many well-known figures' hands, especially Masami Yuuki. The Iida Line Ballad [Iida-sen no Ballad] plays the one-chorus version in the OVA, but I don't think the way I sang felt a little different. If the 'video size' were to be found, I'll add this in the next Complete Works [album].
Speaking of, if you already own The Complete Works Volume 2, I apologize for adding duplicates. But for the Warner Albums project itself, you have no choice but to own a duplicate CD, so it's a duplicate of a duplicate. Pardon me if it looks authentic.
But in return, I'm bringing you something special: self-covers! I never thought I’d end up singing those songs myself.
Disc 10: Karaoke -- This was the real program.
As a major premise for the KARAOKE, I proclaim some sort of emphasis with the spirit of "Let's all sing with energy", therefore, this is fully loaded with the Hero Series, the History Series and the Bishoujo Series. In addition to a Masayuki Yamamoto arrangement, I'm keen you'll give Please Give Me Stationary [Bunbougu yasan Kudasai na] a listen, in the marching band part. It certainly feels like seeing Ma-kun from grade school. How cute.
And here is the Masayukist's karaoke top choice: A Boy's Dream Has Come Alive [Shounen no Yume wa Ikiteiru] with Ikuro Fujiwara's lively performance, and the request show's inevitable Beautiful [Kirei] with Kohei Tanaka's lavish moves. And finally, Love Song of the Watery Land [Mizu no Kuni no Love Song]. There's no fade-in; it begins with the first bow stroke of the string quartet from Seiya Harukawa's delicate nature.
Come on, let's sing some Masayuki Yamamoto songs!
You're a star, and so am I. You'll be secretly a star yourself too.
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