Mameshiba no Taigun - "Surprise Common Sense Quiz!"

This year, Mameshiba no Taigun started a Variety Show on their YouTube channel. Each episode features the members undertaking different challenges, some of which involve punishments if they fail to complete them.

(*They have the best thumbnails, lol)

In the two most recent episodes, "Surprise Common Sense Quiz", the members answered a series of questions on a variety of subjects. All of them had to answer correctly or they would have to undergo a punishment game as a group. The punishments are all listed on a board, 9 in total, and each round a member draws a question randomly from a box. Whether they all answer correctly or not, the punishment is checked off and they move on to the next round.

My intention was just to translate the punishment board because, even though some will be obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of Japanese, others might not be so clear. After writing up the list, I wanted to translate the quiz portions as well and decided to turn this into a full blog post.

You can both episode here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Punishment Board

Top Row:

- デスソース　(death sauce)
- センブリ茶　(Senburi Tea)
- パンスト被り (Pantyhose wearing)

Middle Row:

- 顔面洗バサミ　(Face Scissors)
- ゲテモノ食い　(Getemono Taberu),
- コンビニダッシュ (Konbini Dash)

Bottom Tow:

- 足つぼ大丈夫サンライズ　(Ashitsubo Daijoubu Sunrise)
- メンバーの嫌なところ暴露　(Exposing the members dislikes)
- クロちゃんの口臭 (Kuro-chan's Bad Breath)

Episode 1!

Question #1: "The Astronaut Gagarin's famous quote "The Earth is__".
(*Gagarin is Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet Air Force Pilot and the first human to travel to outer space)

Answer: "Blue."

Kaede, Hanea, and Nao answered "青かった" (It's blue) which is correct. Aika got it wrong and I think Miyuki was close, but didn't quite have it. The members now have to face their first punishment game.

- Face Scissors: Pretty self explanatory, but you put the close pins on your face and have them pulled off.

Question #2: "In which direction does the sun rise and set in Japan?"

Answer: "Rises in the east and sets in the West."

Kaede, Hanae, and Miyuki answered correctly. Aika and Nao had it reversed. Time for the next punishment game.

- Seburi Tea: Senburi is also known as Swertia Japonica, an extract is an extract from the Swertia Japonica plant native to Japan. It has been recognized for centuries as promoting long life, strength and wisdom. It has a very bitter taste and is said to be the most bitter crude drug (herb).

Question #3: "What metal is the Japanese 1 Yen coin made of?"

Answer: "Aluminum."

Everyone got it right, so they avoid the acupressure performance of Daijoubu Sunrise.

- Ashitsubo Daijobu Sunrise (Acupressure Daijoubu Sunrise): Based on other variety shows, I'm guessing that the members would have to sing the song while getting an acupressure treatment on their feet. Depending on which points on the foot are pressed, it can be quite painful. After re-watching the episode, they included a picture of a mat with a rough surface on it. The members would probably have to step on this while singing.

Question #4: "They succeeded in humanities first powered flight. Who are these siblings?"

Answer: "The Wright Brothers."

Aika and Miyuki got it wrong. They both answered "Space Brothers" which they found amusing.

(*Space Brothers is actually a Manga. Here's the synopsis straight from Wikipedia:

In the summer of 2006, Mutta Nanba and his younger brother, Hibito, witness what they believe to be a UFO, which flies off towards the Moon. Hibito decides he will go onto the Moon whilst Mutta decides he will aim for Mars. Nineteen years later, in the year 2025, Hibito has become a fully fledged JAXA astronaut assigned to go on a mission towards the moon.  Mutta, on the other hand, has not been so successful in achieving his dreams. As Mutta eventually recalls his past ambitions, he receives a letter stating he has been accepted to join a JAXA training program for new astronauts. The series follows Mutta as he seeks to become an astronaut and achieve his longtime dream just like his brother did)

Here's a good image from the Anime adaptation.

The members have to play a punishment game.

- Exposing the members dislikes: This time, they have to say something they dislike, which is about other members. Looks like they just talk about whoever's sitting to the left of them.

What Hanae dislikes about Nao: "When you get sleepy, your attitude gets worse."

What Nao dislikes about Miyuki: "She suddenly yells in public."

What Miyuki dislikes about Kaede: "She hates dogs and children."
(*Sounds like Kaede didn't like the dogs that were on the set of the MV shoot for Daijoubu Sunrise)

What Kaede dislikes about Aika: "The bathroom is dirty (Aika and Nao live together in the dorm)"
(*Kaede says something about pink dirt stuck there)

What Aika dislikes about Hanae: "Her legs are thin and her skin is white."

Question #5: "List the Zodiac 1 by 1 in order verbally."

(*Based on their answers, it looks like they were listing the Twelve Earthly Branches of the Chinese Zodiac,specifically the Kunyomi pronunciations. Kunyomi is a reading based on the pronunciation of a Japanese word that closely approximates the meaning of the Chinese character after it was introduced. These refer to months, not years)

Answer: In order, they are: "Ne, Ushi, Tora, U, Tatsu, Mi, Uma, Hitsuji, Saru, Tori, Inu, and I." Of course, each corresponds to an animal.

Kaede screwed up, twice actually, so they undertake one more punishment game.

- Getemono Teberu: It refers to something that is generally unpleasant to eat like reptiles and amphibians. This is wear the grasshoppers came in.

Nao's final comment after eating the Grasshoppers: "We've had our variety baptism."
(*You could say they've taken their right of passage. Trial by Grasshopper?)

Episode 2!

Question #6: "Who is the person who killed Oda Nobunga at the Honnō-ji Incident?"

Answer: "Akechi Mitsuhide."

(*About the The Honnō-ji Incident or Honnō-ji no Hen (本能寺の変). It refers to the forced suicide on 21 June 1582, of Japanese daimyō Oda Nobunaga at the hands of his samurai general Akechi Mitsuhide. This occurred in Honnō-ji, a temple in Kyoto, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority. I won't go into too much detail, but Nobunga had central Japan under his control and wanted to continue his military expansion by attacking the remaining three clans who were in a weakened state. While Nobunga's forces were spread out, Mitsuhide used the opportunity to take his troops to the temple where Nobunaga was resting (Honnō-ji) and staged a coup. While the temple was surrounded, Nobunaga committed suicide. There are theories as to why Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga, but the exact reason is still unclear)

Kaede is the only one who got it right, although she only wrote "Akechi". Aika wrote "Ishida Mitsunari", a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period. I have no idea what Hanae wrote, but I don't think she finished. Nao wrote "Toyotomo Hideyoshi", a daimyō and politician of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan. Miyuki wrote "Sakamoto Ryoma", a samurai and influential figure of the Bakumatsu and establishment of the Empire of Japan in the late Edo period.

Time for the first Punishment game of the episode!

- Pantyhose wearing: It's pretty self explanatory.

The Punishment game for the next question is Death Sauce. They make a point of mentioning that Nao already experienced it at the Training Camp.

(*Death Sauce is made by the US company "Blair's Sauces and Snacks" and frequently served at the Wack Training Camp. It's insanely hot)

Question #7: "The Era before the Hesei is the Showa, but what is the Era before the Showa?"

Answer: "Taishō era."

Everyone got it correct, so they escape the dreaded Death Sauce.

Question #8: "Take turns and list the months from January to December in English."

Miyuki answered incorrectly, so they have to do a Punishment Game. The other members tried to help her by bringing up the "June Bride" tradition.

- Konbini Dash (Convenience Store Dash): This is pretty self explanatory, but I think there's more to it. As far as the show is concerned, the last person to arrive has to buy something for the rest of the members. They wanted Haagen-Dazs.

(*Konbini Dash is also a hashtag on twitter, but I can't find a good explanation. It's usually connected to video games like the super hot Dragon Egg mobile game. It might be really simple like you really need something, so you have to make a quick run to the store)

Miyuki was first to the Convenience Store followed by Aika, Kaede, and then Hanae. Nao picked the wrong shoes to wear that day, lol.

Question #9: "What number is behind 3 on a set of dice?"

Answer: "4."

Hanae is the only one to get it wrong, so it's time for the final Punishment Game. They remind her that each corresponding side can be added up to seven. Aika even wrote it out: 1/6, 2/5, 3/4.

- Kuro-Chan's Bad Breath: So, that concoction they made a couple episodes ago where they recreated Kuro-chan's bad  breath...yeah they're reusing it here. The usage is self explanatory. They're so efficient on this show. They should find more uses for it, lol.

The members get a dollop of the concoction on their nose and have to do their intro.

With that, the members conclude the quiz and survive this show for another week.