November 28, 2007
Shiba SoftBank Ads - Part I
First off, I want to give credit where credit is due. Most of the translations below came from this thread on Dogster. The person who was nice enough to post them is not a member of Dogster, so I couldn't send them a message to ask for permission to include the translations here. However, I hope they won't mind if I share the transcripts to these funny shiba commercials with you guys. Also, I would never have known about this thread, if it wasn't for our authority on all things Japanese, Blue (who also provided translations for all of the commercials that had not already been transcribed).
According to the person who did the translations on Dogster, the funniest part of these ads is the extremely unorthodox casting. The mother and daughter are normal looking Japanese people, but the dad is the cream shiba, and the son is the black guy. This is not meant to imply that a Japanese family adopted a black son, it's just super silly casting that is meant to be absurd.
The name of the cellular phone plan being advertised is "White Family 24," and the name of the service provider is SoftBank.
Characters
Father: Cream Shiba
Mother
Daughter: Aya
Son
On to the commercials...
White Family - Part 1
***At the service counter of SoftBank.***
Male customer: What is "White Family 24"?
Aya: If you join, domestic calling to your family members is free 24 hours a day.
***Aya comes home tired from work.***
Mother: Hey, Aya.
Aya: Mmm?
Mother: What is "White Family 24"?
Aya: I don't wanna talk about my job at home.
Son: I'd like to know, too.
Aya: Bro, too? I thought you said you would be home late today.
Son: I didn't hear that.
Aya: What are you saying?
Father (Cream Shiba): I want to know, too.
Aya: Dad, too?
Mother: You do not have to know.
Father: How come?
Son: [laughs out loud.]
Father: What is so funny?
Son: I'm sorry, dad.
Mother: So what is it, "WhiteFamily 24"?
Daughter: What?
Male voiceover: Free domestic calling to family members. Softbank.
Contextual Note: The mother and daughter treat the father (who talks and acts like a tyrant) like nothing, only the son is obedient.
White Family - Part 2
Doesn't include any shibas.
White Family - Part 3
***At the service counter of SoftBank.***
Aya: Thank you very much!
Next customer, please. Thank for your waiting.
Son: Aya.
Aya: Bro!
Son: Aya, I have something to ask you.
Aya: What is it (you have to come here for that)?
Son: Can I ask just one thing?
Aya: So, what is it?
Son: What is "White Kazoku(means family) 24"?
Aya: That means, if you join this calling plan, you can call your family members for free 24 hours a day, if it is within our country. Isn't that awesome?
Son: That is great! But, why so? I don't understand.
Aya: Why? I don't know why, either. I don't even know why my father is a dog.
Father: Everything has a reason.
Aya: A reason? What is the reason, dad?
Father: You are still too young to understand!
Male voiceover: Domestic calling to your family members is free 24 hours a day. SoftBank.
White Family - Part 4
The pink cell phone rings and Aya picks up.
Aya: Yes, mom, what is it?
Mother: Do you know where my dorayaki is (a traditional Japanese pastry made from sweet red bean sauce that is sandwiched between two small pancakes)?
Aya: Maybe bro knows, or ate it.
Mother: Yeah, maybe so. I will ask him.
Mother: Hello.
Son: I don't know.
Mother: What? I haven't said anything, yet. Oh dear, everybody is here (I didn't realize that).
Aya: Yeah.
***Mother talks to father. ***
Mother: Do you know where my dorayaki....
Father: [walks away]
Mother: Where are you going?
***Mother chases him.***
***Father enters his study.***
Father: I am in trouble.
***Mother bangs on the door. ***
Mother: Open this door now!
***Mother calls him.***
Mother: My dorayaki!
Father: I ate it.
Contextual Note: Even though the father talks and acts like the boss of the family, the mother and daughter do not treat him that way.
White Family - Part 5
***Two white poodles are in the park.***
Female poodle (Shiroko): Shiro (which means white in Japanese), phone me more.
Male poodle (Shiro): Yes, I will definitely do that, Shiroko (the female version of the name Shiro).
Shiroko & Shiro: We are Shiro and Shiroko, double white.
Shiro: It's very economical.
Shiroko: Yes!
Male voiceover: More economical. Double White (the name of the calling plan).
The family members are watching the TV at their home.
Aya: This ad doesn't mention that you can get 50% off with Double White, even when you call someone who has another provider.
Mother: Is that so?
Son: I didn't know that.
Aya: This ad is no good.
Father: Do not say, "No good."
Mother & Aya: How come?
Father: These dogs are doing their best.
Aya: How can you tell?
Father: How? I can tell because I look deep deep into their eyes.
Male voiceover: 50% off with Double White. SoftBank.
Contextual Note: It is so ridiculous that the shiba sounds like a typical traditional stubborn Japanese dad, which is very rare recently.
White Family - Part 6
***Five dogs are having a talk in the park.***
Dalmatian: How is the number of applicants for our cell service increasing?
One of the dogs: SoftBank was number one, even in July.
Dalmatian: What? July again?
Father: Finally, it's happening!
***Mother and Aya are having a cup of tea at their Tokyo middle to upper middle class home.***
Aya: Mom, what dad is doing?
Mother: He is in a business meeting.
Male voiceover: The number of applicants has been number one in the industry for the last three months. SoftBank.
White Family - Part 7
Thanks to Blue, we now have a transcript for Part 7!
***Five dogs are having a talk in the park.***
One of the dogs: Unbelievable, isn't it?
One of the dogs: Unbelievable, indeed!
Lab: Unbelievable, indeed!
French Bulldog: The number of applicants for the cell service...
Dalmatian: SoftBank was number one again for the last month.
Father: It's happening!
***Mother and Aya are having a cup of tea at their Tokyo middle to upper middle class home.***
Aya: Mom, what is dad doing?
Mother: He is in a business meeting.
Male voiceover: The number of applicants has been number one in the industry for the last four months in a row. SoftBank.
Contextual Information: This is obviously an updated version of Part 6. However, their family home appears to belong to more middle class. The fact that their father has his own study makes them upper middle class considering the housing condition in Tokyo.
White Family - Part 8
***Son is on the phone and walking through a busy Tokyo street. Unlike New York, or any other big cities in the US, Tokyo has big streets and small alleyways filled with lots of small stores.***
***Son arrives at a very expensive Chinese restaurant. His family is waiting for him. ***
Son: Sorry for being late.
Father: Yeah, late.
Mother: Use your phone when you think you're running late.
Aya: It's free to make a call to family members with "White Family 24."
Son: I have been on the phone for some other business.
Father: You cannot have other business!
Son: Understand, dad.
Male voiceover: White Family 24
White Family - Part 9
***At a business meeting of SoftBank's rival corporation.
Male voice: What did Softbank start?
Young employee: It is a new project to make a calling plan where members can make free calls to their friends.
Male voice: Wow, they are doing a good one.
Senior employee: Hey you, are you listening?
Son: Sorry, I wasn't.
***At their home.***
Son: [big sigh]
Aya: That's no good, bro. You should try to be more passionate about your work. Don't you agree, dad?
Father: That is no good!
Male voiceover: New project started. SoftBank.
White Family - Part 10
Thanks to Blue, we now also have a transcript for Part 10!
***Mother and Aya (with her new shorter haircut) are walking in the park with the father. They are startled to see their son is walking with an unknown girl.***
Aya: Bro!
Son: Everybody together, I have not heard about that.
Aya: What are you saying?
Father: Oh, the discovery!
Mother: Who is she?
Aya: Gee, isn't she your girlfriend?
Son: Not yet.
Unknown girl: Tada-no-tomodachi-desu (I'm just his friend).
(In this sentence, "tada" means "just.")
Mother: Just?
Aya: Does "just" mean that you are from Ameriya?
(I do not know what Ameriya means. Probably the company the son works for, the competitor of SoftBank?)
Unknown girl: Yes, Tada-Tomo.
(She abbreviates Tada-no-Tomodachi to Tada-Tomo. The young generation of Japanese loves to abbreviate the words.)
Father: Do not abbreviate the words thoughtlessly!
Unknown girl: Wow, you speak! How cute!
Father: Oh, really?
Mother: You!
(She realized that his attitude was suddenly softened by the remark and petting from this girl.)
Aya: But making new friends is wonderful, isn't it?
Unknown girl: Huh?
Aya: Let's put our hands onto each other's like this.
Male voiceover: Let's expand the circle of Tada-Tomo. SoftBank.
Contextual Information: "Tada-Tomo" seems like SoftBank's new slogan. Tada means "just" but also means "free" (no charge). So, "Tada-Tomo" means the friends you can call for free (if you join the plan from SoftBank).
White Family - Part 11
With many thanks to Blue, we now have a transcript for Part 11.
***At their home.***
Mother: Writing a slogan (for the ad)?
Aya: Yeah, for the promotion to get more Tada-Tomo.
***The subtitle says, "Tada-Tomo: Friends you can call for free."***
Mother: Mmmm, a slogan.
Aya: How about it, bro?
Son (wearing a headband that says, "getting an idea"): That sounds hard.
Aya: Dad, do you have any?
***Father is just eating.***
Aya: Geeeeee.
Son: Oh, how about this, "Yosogai-no..."
(This actor has become quite famous in Japan because of these ads and is nicknamed "Yoso-guy," as yosogai means "unexpectedly." I guess this nickname came from this silly casting.)
Father: No, no, no good!
Aya: (sigh) Is there any slogan writer?
Mother: How about asking Uncle Shinone?
Aya: Ahhh!
***Aya is on the bullet train and eating Ekiben (Eki-Ben).***
(Eki means station and Ben is the abbreviation of bento, which is a box-lunch. All of the major stations in Japan have their own box lunch featuring their regional specialities and delicacies. They are cooked and arranged in such a neat way in small containers. One of the joys of traveling through the Japanese countryside is tasting these Eki-Bens.)
Aya: I wonder if Uncle is doing fine.
***Aya is running to...***
Aya: Uncle!
Uncle (beluga whale, another case of the super silly casting): Aya, you are all grown up.
Aya: Do you have any good slogans, uncle?
Uncle: Wa, wa, wa (means circle or ring).
Aya: Wa, I see. Wa of Tada-Tomo.
***At their home.***
Mother: Wa, he said.
Father: Uncle, you really beat me (I have nothing but a praise for you).
Male voiceover: The circle of Tada-Tomo.
Posted by Mom at November 28, 2007 10:13 PM | TrackBackThese are hilarious! I think it is so fun how language gets totally misaligned when translated, and it cracks me up that the Japanese have such an odd, but great, sense of humor. They are so wrapped in traditions, and properness, yet they as a country, are very goofy as well... thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Rachel at December 1, 2007 8:05 PMPart 7
***Five dogs are having a talk in the park.***
One of the dogs: Unbelievable, isn't it!
One of the dogs: Unbelievable, indeed!
Lab: Unbelievable, indeed!
Frechbull: The number of applicants for the cell service...,
Dalmatian: SoftBank was number one again for the last month.
Father(cream Shiba): It's happening!
***Mother and Aya are having a cup of tea at their Tokyo middle to upper middle class home.***
Aya: Mom, what is dad doing?
Mother: He is in a business meeting.
Male voiceover: The number of applicants has been number one in the industry for the last four months in a row. SoftBank.
This is obviously an updated version of Part 6.
However their family home appears to belong to more middle class, the fact that their father have his own study makes them upper middle class considering the housing condition in Tokyo.
Well, I guess I should not contemplate too seriously becuase this is just a silly TV ad.
Part 8
***Mother and Aya(with her new shorter haircut) are walking in the park with the cream Shiba(Father). Then they are startled to see Son is walking with unknown girl.***
Aya: Bro!
Son: Everybody together, I have not heard about that.
Aya: What are you saying?
Father(cream Shiba): Oh, the discovery!
Mother: Who is she?
Aya: Gee, isn't she your girl friend?
Son: Not yet.
Unknown girl: Tada-no-tomodachi-desu(I'm just his friend).
(*This "tada" means just.)
Mother: Just?
Aya: Does "Just" mean that you are from Ameriya?
(*I do not know what Ameriya means. Probably the company the son works for, the competitor of SoftBank???)
Unknown girl: Yes, Tada-Tomo.
(*She abbreviats Tada-no-Tomodachi to Tada-Tomo. The young generation of Japanese loves to abbreviate the words.)
Father: Do not abbreviate the words thoughtlessly!
Unknown girl: Wow, you speak, how cute!
Father: oh, really?
Mother: You!
(*She realized that his attitude was suddenly softened by the remark and petting from this girl.)
Aya: But making new friends is wonderful, isn't it?
Unknown girl: Huh?
Aya: Let's put our hands onto each others like this.
Male voiceover: Let's expand the circle of Tada-Tomo. SoftBank.
"Tada-Tomo" seems like SoftBank's new slogan.
Tada means just but also means free(no charge).
So "Tada-Tomo" means the friends you can call for free(if you join the plan from SoftBank).
Everybody kneeling down to ajust themselves to the height of Shiba on the last shot is so hilarious and cute!!
Part 9
***At their home.***
Mother: Writing a slogan(for the ad)?
Aya: Yeah, for the promotion to get more Tada-Tomo.
***The subtitle is saying that Tada-Tomo: Friends you can call for free.***
Mother: Mmmm, a slogan.
Aya: How about it, Bro?
Son(wearing a head banner that says getting an idea): That sounds to be hard.
Aya: Dad, do you have any?
Father is just eating.
Aya: geeeeee.
Son: Oh, how about this, "Yosogai-no..."
(*This black guy has become quite famous in Japan because of these ads and is nicknamed "Yoso-guy". As Yosogai means unexpectedly, I guess this nickname came from this silly casting.
Father: No, no, no good!
Aya: (sigh)Is there any slogan writer?
Mother: How about asking Uncle-Shinone?
Aya: Ahhh!
***Aya is on the bullet train and eating Ekiben(Eki-Ben).***
(*Eki means station and Ben is the abbreviation of Bento which is a box-lunch. All of major stations in Japan have their own box lunch featuring their regional specialities and delicacies. They are cooked and arranged in such a neat way in small containers. One of the joy of traveling through Japanese country side is tasting these Eki-Bens.)
Aya: I wonder if Uncle is doing fine.
***Aya is running to...***
Aya: Uncle!
Uncle(Beluga Whale, another case of the super silly casting): Aya, you are all grown up.
Aya: Do you have any good slogan, uncle?
Uncle: Wa, wa, wa(means circle or ring).
Aya: Wa, I see. Wa of Tada-Tomo.
***At their home.***
Mother: Wa, he said.
Father: Uncle, you really beat me(I have nothing but a praise for you).
Male voiceover: The circle of Tada-Tomo.
Oops again!
They are not part 8&9, but rather part 10&11.
sorry for that!
this is completely believable. i am a white shiba inu and i totally am the patriarch of my family.
Posted by: Shiro at January 5, 2008 9:40 PM
