Kurayami Gatari – Youen Ibun

Kurayami Gatari ~Youen Ibun~

Yuuya Rokujo (CV: Tsuda Kenjiro)

Track 1 – The Mysterious Storyteller

Tale of Darkness – A Bewitching Story

Hmm?

Welcome. Why do you seek my advice?

Oh my. You’re asking me how I know you need advice?

That’s because everyone who visits this place is worried about something. Their worries are all strange and mysterious ones. You’re here for the same reason, aren’t you?

To tell the truth, you wouldn’t have been able to find this place unless you were possessed by something, as you are.

[00:59]
Come over here.

That’s right. You are possessed.

By what? What do you think has possessed you?

A ghost. A monster. An apparition.

It’s something like one of those, but strictly speaking, it’s somewhat different.

You want to know what makes it different? When you understand that, your problem will be solved. Shall I try and guess what your problem is?

Well…you’ve been seeing strange things recently. Things like a woman covered in blood and a man with his head cracked open. Strange things are also happening around you, one after another.

[01:52]
Has someone you know passed away?

I knew it.

You’re asking me how I knew that? This is my job, so I wouldn’t be able to get any work done if I didn’t know things like that. My job is getting rid of evil spirits. Driving away the thing that possesses you is my responsibility.

Am I a medium? I’m not one of those. I do my work by telling a story.

[02:37]
Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yuuya Rokujo. Although I will be telling a story, I won’t be telling it to an audience. You are my only listener. The thing that possesses you will disappear when you hear the story.

Of course, I will be taking some form of payment.

Right…perhaps I’ll take a kiss as payment.

Oh my. You seem quite unhappy about that.

Hmm. So there’s already someone you’ve got your heart set on.

Very well then. I’ll do something special for you. I’ll take your payment after the story is over, when you’ve sorted out your feelings. If you are satisfied when that time comes, then please take care of your payment at that time. Alright?

[03:40]
Ah. I’ve got one request. While you’re listening to the story, make sure I’m the only one you can hear. I’d like you to cover your ears with something, perhaps an object that resembles a pair of earplugs, so that you can’t hear what’s happening around you.

Are you ready? Let me check.

From this ear, all the way over to this one. From this ear, and back over here once again. Can you hear that I’m moving?

Hmm. Very well. Let us begin the tale of darkness.

Track 2 – Yuuya Rokujo Will Tell a Story

Yuuya: First, I’m going to talk about you. I started doing this earlier, but I’m going to guess a few more things about you. This would normally be a medium’s job, but there’s nothing someone can’t do when they try. This is a natural thing for a proficient storyteller to do.

It seems that your mother passed away quite early on in your life. You don’t know your mother’s name or what she looks like. Your father also passed away quite recently. Well, it didn’t happen that recently, but less than a year has passed by since his death.

Having lost both of your parents, you were alone and came to this town with the help of an old acquaintance of your father. That’s right, isn’t it?

Then you fell in love with someone. His name is Shinichi. I can see that he is quite a handsome man. You were drawn to him because of his calm personality and constant smile.

Ah…hmm. You met him when you were wandering around, unsure about how to ride the railway, and he helped you.

[01:34]
Shinichi: Is there a problem?
Ah, you’re on the wrong platform.

Yuuya: Well, I don’t really care about how you met him. I don’t like telling love stories anyway. What is the fun in doing that when I don’t even have my own lover? That makes me care even less.

[02:00]
Shinichi also lost his parents when he was a young boy and the two of you, who were in a similar situation, were naturally drawn to one another. Because choosing who you love has become a common thing in this time, it goes without saying that you two became close to one another.

However, where there is light, there is also darkness. The darkness is always beside us. That’s right, darkness exists within the hearts of people.

Track 3 – A Single Darkness

Yuuya: You weren’t the only one who was in love with Shinichi. Another woman named Sakura will make her appearance now. As her name suggests, she is a beautiful woman, however, she was also deeply jealous.

The cherry blossom flower is said to be the colour of blood. [1]

A single darkness.

Then there was a nasty man. His name was Shingo, and he was the older brother of Shinichi, born from a different mother. He was a delinquent who indulged himself with alcohol and women. Unfortunately, he fell in love with you at first sight and became very attached to you.

Another darkness.

[01:02]
Sakura approached Shingo and said “I want you to rape that woman. I’m sure she’ll leave Shinichi if you do.” I suppose you could say they both had something to gain. The thoughts of a woman driven mad by jealousy are a frightening thing.

Shingo was feeling quite lucky. He’d be able to have the woman he wanted and get rewarded for it too. He sneaked into your room in the middle of the night, carrying a knife with him.

[01:49]
Shingo: Be quiet. I won’t hurt you if you stay still. I can’t bear this. You’re wasted on someone like Shinichi. Don’t bother shouting out. I’ll stab with this if you do.

Do you understand now? Good girl.

I’m going to start now.

Here too.

Be quiet.

[02:56]
Yuuya: I think I’ll stop here. Please excuse me for that.

Unfortunately, you were unable to fight back. You were frightened and hated what was happening, didn’t you? However, you were unable to do anything. You couldn’t shout out loud.

The only sound was the rustling sound of movement and that of Shingo breathing in excitement. That incident went unnoticed. Or so it should have…

[03:37]
However, at the same time, there was someone proudly telling Shinichi about that incident. It was Sakura. She said “You should leave that woman now. She’s been ruined.”

That was such a foolish thing for her to do. There was no way that Shinichi would agree to be with her after that happened.

Shinichi: What have you done, Sakura?! I’ve got to go and help her now!

Yuuya: When Sakura tried to stop Shinichi from going to help you, he angrily pushed past her.

Shinichi: Don’t get in my way! Move!

No…

Yuuya: Shinichi had pushed Sakura with all his strength and she fell against the wall, her neck twisted into a strange position.

Shinichi: Sakura… Hey…this can’t be happening…
She’s not breathing…she’s dead!

Yuuya: How terrible. Shinichi had killed Sakura in the heat of the moment.

Shinichi: What should I do? I’ll get caught if I don’t do something!

That’s right! I’ve got to hide her body!

[05:06]
Yuuya: Shinichi picked up Sakura, just like a man holding onto his lover. Fortunately, Sakura had only broken her neck and she didn’t have any conspicuous external injuries, so the two of them simply looked like an intimate couple who didn’t care about the gazes of others. Sakura was finally in Shinichi’s arms. Unfortunately, by that time, she had become a corpse.

Notes:
[1] There is a legend that cherry blossom flowers [sakura] used to be white, but turned red when bodies were buried beneath the trees.

Track 4 – The Forest Shrine

Yuuya: Shinichi held onto Sakura’s body, which was gradually becoming colder, and begun walking. He had an idea of where he could bury her body. In the grounds of a nearby temple, there was a small shrine surrounded by a dark forest that no one ever entered.

The shrine had been built quite recently, but for some reason there were rumours about ghosts appearing and strange voices being heard in that area. People rarely visited that shrine either.

Shinichi: No one will find her if I bury her here. No one will know. That’s right.

[00:58]
Yuuya: At night, an eerie atmosphere could be felt around the shrine. Shinichi probably wouldn’t have gone there if it hadn’t been for the situation he was in. When Shinichi arrived at the forest, he began digging the dirt with his bare hands, but that didn’t go according to plan. A large hole is necessary when burying someone. It’s not something anyone could do with their bare hands, but in his anger, Shinichi failed to consider that.

Shinichi: Quickly! I’ve got to bury her quickly!

[01:49]
Yuuya: That was the only thing on his mind. One reason for that was because he might be discovered by someone else.

Sakura had just died, yet she seemed to be staring in Shinichi’s direction, as if she might start moving at any moment if he didn’t bury her quickly.

A strange presence seemed to be coming from inside the shrine. It felt like the presence of a beast. At that time…

Shingo: What are you doing?!

Yuuya: Someone had entered the forest which should have been empty. That someone was…

Shingo: Shinichi!

Shinichi: Brother…

Yuuya: It was Shingo, who had raped Shinichi’s girlfriend.

Shingo: What are you doing here? And that’s…Sakura…
You killed her?!

Shinichi: I could ask you the same thing! You raped my girlfriend…

Shingo: How did you know about that?! I can’t let you live now.
No one will know about it if I kill you.

[03:23]
Yuuya: Shingo was holding a knife covered in blood.

Shingo: Now that I think about it, I’ve never liked you! If it wasn’t for you, my mother and father wouldn’t be dead! I wouldn’t have lived such a terrible life either! Die!

He’s dead now, huh. Serves him right.

[04:10]
Yuuya: Shingo was so excited that he failed to notice something. The presence had grown dark and was now escaping from the shrine. The surrounding area was deathly quiet. Shingo suddenly returned to his senses.

Shingo: Isn’t it unusually quiet here? I get the feeling that someone is staring at me.

There’s no way that’s possible. Alright, I’ve got to bury his body quickly.

Tch. This is gonna be tough work.

Yuuya: At that moment, Shingo felt a strong gaze coming from behind him. Someone was looking at him, from the direction of the shrine. He was scared. He didn’t want to turn around.

Voice: My…child…

[05:19]
Yuuya: He suddenly felt as if someone was speaking directly into his ear.

Shingo: No, that’s not possible.

Yuuya: But a strange voice clung to his ears. He felt that he had to turn around and see who that voice belonged to. Someone might have seen him murder Shinichi. Shingo turned to look behind him…

Voice: No one will know.

Yuuya: Shingo’s screams echoed through the forest that night. His body wasn’t discovered until several days later. Its discovery became somewhat of an incident. It wasn’t just the bodies of Shingo, Shinichi and Sakura that were found. Many bodies which had rotted into skeletons were pulled out from the forest. It seems that the forest was known as a suicide spot, as well as a secret burial ground for corpses. The police were troubled by the large number of bodies.

Track 5 – Intermission

This is your story. Three of your acquaintances passed away in one evening. They had killed one another too. It was no ordinary incident. The police are probably unaware of this, but this is what we call fate. You’ve been seeing strange things since then, haven’t you?

[00:32]
You’re possessed by something, so it’s understandable that you see those things. Considering what happened to you, it’s no surprise that you’ve become possessed. I’ll tell you another story to undo that fate and release you from what possesses you.

Don’t forget to pay me after you’ve been released.

Track 6 – Souji and Haru’s Love

Yuuya: This is a story that happened not so long ago, around twenty years before now, in this very town. Peoples’ memories of the restoration [1] had faded, but Japan was still in a state of confusion as it was at war with the rest of the world. However, this story doesn’t involve the military. Neither China nor Russia will make an appearance here. Instead, an ordinary man and woman will appear in this story. Their names are Souji and Haru. Those really are quite ordinary names. Perhaps you have some acquaintances with similar names? That shows how common those names are and how ordinary this story is.

[00:59]
One day, Haru moved to this town. Her situation was like yours. Then she met Souji. Souji was a kind and good natured man. Haru was a gentle and beautiful woman. They were both around the age where they were ready to settle down. Perhaps it was natural for the gentle Souji to want to protect Haru, who had no one to rely on.

This sounds familiar to you, doesn’t it? Well, it’s quite a common occurrence.

The two of them quickly became close enough to call each other by their first names. Souji’s words to Haru were as sweet as honey, like this:

[02:03]
Souji: Ah, Haru-san. I want us to be happy together. Will you stay with me?

Why are you crying? I love you.

Yuuya: Souji must have been quite a modern man to use such a new word. It was no surprise that Haru, who had just arrived from the countryside, fell in love with him. But Souji also had a habit of moving too fast. He even said this:

Souji: It’s true that I have a fiancée. But that was something my parents decided for me. That kind of marriage is happening less and less often now. How someone feels is the most important thing. You’re the one I love, so I want us to be together.

[03:05]
Yuuya: You could say that this was the beginning of the liberal mood that was becoming more common at that time. It was a wonderful thing. However, Souji was too pure. He believed everything would be fine as long as he had love. In this world, there is a darkness that the light of change cannot shine upon so easily. That’s right. The two of them had stepped into the darkness present in the hearts of people.

Notes:
[1] Meiji Restoration – The restoration refers to the date when power was restored to the emperor (1868). The CD itself is set during the Taisho period (1912-1926).

Track 7 – Another Darkness

Yuuya: The name of Souji’s fiancée was Yae. Her name sounded like one an actress would have, and she was as beautiful as an actress would be. She also had quite a sharp temper.

I mentioned that Haru was quite a beautiful woman, but her beauty was like that of a lovely white clover growing in a rice field.

In contrast to that, Yae resembled a peony that blooms in the city. If you were to ask a hundred men which woman they preferred, all but one would probably have chosen Yae. The one man who wouldn’t have chosen her turned out to be her fiancé.

Unfortunately…or perhaps I should say this was a fortunate thing, Yae truly loved Souji. Yae thought of their engagement as more than just a marriage that had been arranged by their parents.

[01:00]
So, there is a single darkness right here. Another man will make his appearance in the story. His name was Shinkichi and he was Souji’s older brother. Shinkichi was an extreme womaniser. Darkness lay behind his smile, and women would go crazy about him when he was walking around town. He would have made a good actor, but Shinkichi was unfortunately a ladies’ man.

That may have an attractive ring to it, but instead of working, he went from woman to woman, asking them for money. This is a common story that you may have heard somewhere before. Anyway, because of his behaviour, the engagement was offered to his younger brother instead of him. No parent would want a man like Shinkichi to be with their daughter.

[02:10]
There is yet another darkness. Shinkichi had an incredibly twisted personality. Although he made no effort himself, he desired what others possessed. That was especially true of the things that belonged to his younger brother. When his parents decided that Souji would be engaged to Yae, Shinkichi became very attached to Yae.

Shinkichi: Why not, Yae? What good will it do being faithful to that man? I’m more intelligent and handsome than him. I’ve got money too. Come on, say you’ll be mine. I’ll make your body and heart feel as if they’re melting.

[03:00]
Yuuya: The money Shinkichi had was money he had taken from other women. Yae knew that, and so she paid no attention to him. Shinkichi was a persistent man, so he tried everything he could to pursue her, but Yae had the upper hand.

I compared Yae to a peony earlier, but a rose may have been a better example. A beautiful woman who also had a thorny side. But her fiancé Souji now had a girlfriend called Haru, a woman who had come from the countryside, and Yae started to change.

Yae began to open up to Shinkichi a little. At first, Yae would just complain to Shinkichi sometimes. They’d go somewhere like a café together and talk. It seemed that Souji was seeing another woman and as Shinkichi was accustomed to that kind of situation, he treated her kindly.

[04:08]
Shinkichi: What did you say? I can’t believe my younger brother is ignoring a beautiful woman like you. That country girl is nothing compared to you. He’s just being used by that woman because he’s kind. She came from the countryside and pretended to be lonely. I’m sure he really loves you, Yae.

Yuuya: Yae was charmed by those words because they were what she wanted to hear. This is when people become possessed. Possession isn’t just something ghosts do, people can be possessed by sweet words too. Yae let her guard down. Although she had been opposed to Shinkichi, thinking he was nothing more than an undesirable person, she opened her heart to him a little.

So, Shinkichi and Yae began meeting each other occasionally. Then this frightening thing came up in one of their conversations:

[05:25]
Shinkichi: How about I get rid of that Haru woman? She’s just a country girl, without any family. No one will notice if she suddenly disappears.

Yuuya: It might have been a joke at first, but people become attracted by the darkness in situations like that. In the end, they turn into the darkness itself. Yae became possessed by the idea of killing Haru. If thinking that way was all she had done, it wouldn’t have been a problem. People sometimes have thoughts like “I wish that person were dead.”, but acting upon those thoughts is a completely different matter. Of course, not even Yae had the intention or the courage to do that. However, another darkness was ready and waiting.

Track 8 – The Cherry Blossom Blooms and the Peony Withers

Yuuya: Shinkichi did more than just treating Yae kindly. He waited for the time when Yae would let her guard down. And when he had his chance, he took her by surprise.

Shinkichi: Go on, try and fight back. I like forcing myself upon that kind of woman. That’s right. Be even more afraid. I can’t get enough of this. This is what it’s like to forcefully hold down an arrogant woman like you.

You have beautiful skin.

I’m going to lick your skin. Defiling your beautiful skin like this feels amazing.

Here and over here.

Here too.

[01:50]
Yuuya: It was only at times like this that Shinkichi behaved in a sly manner.

Shinkichi: Hey. It’s no use accusing me of raping you. We’ve been together so many times. Do you really think no one saw us? People already think we have a more personal relationship. You’re only going to end up getting embarrassed if you accuse me of that. We are accomplices. So let’s have a little more fun.

Yuuya: Yae was unable to do anything. Then Shinkichi said this:

Shinkichi: Just think about it. If you are ruined now, then Souji will be able to break off the engagement without any worries. He’ll be free to marry Haru too.

[03:12]
Yuuya: That’s right. Souji and Haru were happy together, so it was only a matter of time before they married. But Yae was sleeping with a man she didn’t even love. Yae’s heart began to be coloured by darkness.

She even became pregnant. Of course, Shinkichi was the father of that child. Her misfortune continued and she died while giving birth to that child. Western medicine had advanced, but at that time, she was unable to benefit from it.

Although her child was a healthy boy, there was no one to raise him. It seems strange to mention this now, but Shinkichi had another lover. He had also fathered a child with that woman not so long ago. Shinkichi conveniently left Yae’s child with that woman. He really was an irresponsible man.

[04:32]
Unfortunately, that woman was madly in love with Shinkichi and pretended to act as his wife. There was no way that she would be happy about Yae’s child. So she bullied the child as she raised him. She didn’t care if he became ill. It would have actually been convenient for her if the child died. Yae was rejected by the man she loved and raped by a man she didn’t love. Even the child she left behind suffered misfortune. So of course Yae was unable to rest in peace.

Track 9 – No One Will Know

Yuuya: Some time after Yae had passed away, the woman who had taken her child died after developing a fever for no reason. It was said that Shinkichi laughed when that happened.

Shinkichi: She’s dead? Well, isn’t that good news? I was tired of that woman acting like she was my wife. It’s annoying that those children are still around, but all I have to do is leave them with somebody else. If that’s no good, I’ll just throw them in the river. No one will know.

Alright, I think I’ll have a drink to celebrate.

Yuuya: He was a completely rotten man. Although the woman who had been his lover had just died, he went out to drink. On top of that…

[01:00]
Shinkichi: Hmm? There’s a pretty woman over there.
Hey, Miss. I’m feeling lonely by myself, so how about you have a drink with me?

Yuuya: The woman was a very beautiful one. She was just like a peony.

Shinkichi: Hey. It’s alright, isn’t it? You’re so cold. I know you might have a husband, but no one will know about this.

Wait a minute…I’ve seen your face somewhere before…

That’s impossible…you’re…

Yuuya: That woman smiled slowly and said nothing.

Voice: No one will know.

[02:13]
Shinkichi: Stop that!!!

Yuuya: The next day, Shinkichi’s cold corpse was found by the side of the road. The cause of his death was unknown. He had no injuries. It didn’t seem as if he had been ill either. But his face was fixed in an expression which looked as if he had seen something incredibly terrifying.

Track 10 – The Visiting Woman

Yuuya: Souji and Haru decided to get married. But because of the unfortunate things that had happened around them, it was only a small ceremony. They began living together and Haru became pregnant.

You may have forgotten this, but having a child really is a happy occasion. As he was about to become a father, Souji worked even harder at his job. One evening, he returned home after enthusiastically working all day.

Souji: Oh? There’s a woman standing in front of the house. It’s strange for someone to be here at this time, what do you want?

Yuuya: When he called out to the woman, she suddenly disappeared. She had a frightening grin on her face as she disappeared. Souji felt as if someone whispered in his ear.

Voice: No one will know.

[01:24]
Yuuya: Souji didn’t understand what the woman was talking about, but she looked familiar to him.

Souji: That was…Yae! She’s supposed to be dead!

Yuuya: Souji panicked and ran into the house. Haru, who was heavily pregnant, was sleeping soundly there. Souji gave a deep sigh of relief. But he shuddered when he heard what Haru told him after she woke up.

Haru had a dream where a woman appeared and said:

Voice: You’re just a country girl without any family. No one will notice if you disappear all of a sudden.

[02:23]
Yuuya: The woman had a laugh that was as brilliant as a peony. Souji felt a shiver run down his spine. Despite Souji’s concerns, nothing happened in that next month.

Not long after that, Haru went into labour. While she was giving birth inside the house, Souji wandered restlessly outside the front of the house. Men are helpless and can’t feel calm at times like that.

He felt as if his surroundings suddenly turned dark. He looked around and there was a woman slowly walking in his direction. When he had realised what was happening, he had become unable to move. He was unable to say anything either. The woman slowly continued to walk towards the house. There was no doubt that it was Yae. Souji was unable to stop her, but shouts filled his mind.

Souji: Stop! Stop! Please help me! Yae! Please help me! Please! Please!

[03:50]
Yuuya: But the woman kept on walking slowly, step by step. The door opened by itself, without a sound. The woman came into the house and the moment she entered, Souji was no longer paralysed.

Souji ran into the house, where the newborn child was crying loudly. When Souji had calmed down, he heard a voice.

Voice: No one will know.

Yuuya: That was impossible! There was no way the child could have spoken. However, Souji noticed something even more frightening than that. Haru’s body had turned cold.

It seems that Souji left the town with his child after that. Shinkichi’s two children were also taken in by someone else. After that, a small shrine was built in memory of Yae, at a temple in a nearby forest.

Track 11 – Untying the Darkness

Well, how was it? That was the ghost story of Yae, which is well-known in this town.

Oh, you haven’t heard of it? The shrine where your boyfriend died was Yae’s shrine.

You’re beginning to understand your fate now, aren’t you? Now you’ve heard this story, what possesses you should be gone.

Oh, it hasn’t gone. This is troublesome.

It seems to be quite persistent. How about if I tell you something else?

[00:45]
Shinkichi and Yae’s child was given the name “Shinichi”. His older brother, who had a different mother, was called “Shingo”. You understand now, don’t you? The fate that you encountered was something that began twenty years ago.

As for what possesses you… That’s right. Your father who passed away was called Souji. You may not know this, but your mother’s name was Haru. You are the child from the story, Yae.

I wonder why Souji gave you that name. Perhaps it was in a memory of Yae or maybe he believed that his daughter had been possessed by Yae’s ghost.

[01:52]
You aren’t possessed by Yae’s ghost. You didn’t know about her until I told you that story, did you? If she had possessed you, then you would have known that. You’re possessed by something different. I told you the story of what happened twenty years ago because I wanted you to understand the fate behind the misfortune you experienced in this town. You might not be able to agree with it, but that is what fate is like. So I want you to realise something now. You’re dead.

[02:50]
You are possessed by the belief that you are still alive. You said you were seeing strange things, didn’t you? You are already dead, so it’s only natural for you to see strange things. The people you were seeing are just like you.

When did you die? It was the night Shingo raped you, of course. He became too excited and killed you with the knife he had brought to threaten you with. So Shingo’s knife was coloured red that night. That was why Shingo appeared in the forest. He came there to bury your body. Do you remember?

[03:39]
Unlike you would think, people are unaware of their deaths. There are quite a few who continue on as if they are still alive. In any town, there are actually ghosts walking amongst the living. Those ghosts aren’t doing anything wrong, so they can be left alone, but there are sometimes exceptions to that. The other Yae, who was sealed away in the shrine, was one of those exceptions. She was what you would call a vengeful ghost.

People who die whilst holding onto strong feelings become possessed by those feelings. In Yae’s case, the feeling she held onto was a mother’s love. She wanted to protect her child, but her heart was coloured by darkness because of all the misfortune she experienced.

Yae was possessed by Shinkichi’s words “No one will know if she gets killed”. She no longer has a sense of reason, so she is only being moved by those words. I’m doing my best by visiting the shrine occasionally and telling her entertaining stories, but vengeful spirits are unwilling to listen, so it seems that it will be a long process.

[05:17]
Other people might still become involved in this situation, just like you did.

Well, do you understand things now? Let me give you some advice. It would be better if you went to heaven and became reincarnated before you end up like Yae. I’m sure you’ll be reunited with Shinichi in another life.

I’ve finished getting rid of what possessed you. The story of darkness has come to an end. Now that you’re satisfied, I’d like to take a kiss as payment.

Hey! Wait! Don’t go to heaven just yet!

Ah…she’s already gone. That’s all from me then.

Track 12 – Free Talk

Thank you very much for buying Kurayami Gatari. I’m Kenjiro Tsuda, the voice of Yuuya Rokujo. How was it? Did you feel like shivering?

Alright, I’m going to try my best so everyone enjoys the free talk! I’m going to make full use of the dummy head mic during the free talk too. This CD was recorded with the dummy head mic, which is in the shape of a human head. I called it dummy head mic-chan!

[01:00]
I tried my best while telling the story, but moving around the dummy head mic is unexpectedly difficult. It picks up noise quite easily, so you have to approach it slowly. Like when creeping into a room at night.

Which is your favourite position? This position? Or this position? This position? This position? This position? Here, here or here? Here, here or here?

Where could it be? I’m going to look for the place you like best. I wonder where it is. Here, here, here, here or maybe here? Well, which was your favourite place? Did you understand yourself? Did your find your weak spot?

[02:30]
Okay, let’s move onto a different subject.

Do you believe in ghosts?

I don’t really believe in ghosts. I don’t really know much about ghosts, but I wonder exactly how many people have passed away since the birth of humans. Now that I think about it, it must be an overwhelming amount. This studio could be full of them. They might be floating around.

People who believe in ghosts would say ghosts exist because there are people who die with a sense of resentment or a grudge. But if you think about history, there are probably plenty of people who’ve died like that. This studio could be so full, that it’d be impossible to move.

So I think if ghosts do exist, there would be an overwhelming amount of them. That makes me think it’s possible that ghosts don’t exist. But I do enjoy ghost stories and so on as a form of entertainment.

[04:34]
What’s the scariest experience you’ve had? (It doesn’t have to be about ghosts).

Well…if it doesn’t have to be about ghosts, then I’d say the fear of forgetting my lines while performing. I don’t have dreams that often, but there is one I have when I’ve got a performance coming up. In that dream, I’m in a dressing room and that’s where the dream starts. However, everyone else is getting ready and I’m the only one who doesn’t know what kind of performance it is. Everyone else is doing things like putting on makeup or re-reading their lines.

When I ask what kind of performance it is, I get replies like “Oh, come on!” or “There are five minutes to go” or “Stop telling jokes!” and I really am the only one who doesn’t know what’s happening. Then the starting bell rings and someone tells me it’s my turn. I go out covered in sweat and that’s when I wake up. I wonder if there’s anything scarier than that. Ghosts are no big deal!

[06:02]
Anyway, as for ghosts, I’m not scared of them, but a friend of mine is. This happened when I was in high school. I went to his house to hang out and his father had installed cable radio in their home. You know what cable radio is, don’t you? There are a lot of different stations with things like radio programmes, rakugo [1] and music.

Among those stations there was one with Buddhist sutras. That station would play a recording of Buddhist sutras all day, every day. That station caught our interest. When I called my friend quite late in the evening because I hadn’t been able to come round, and put on that station in the background. Then my friend said to me “I think I can hear something”. I acted surprised and said I couldn’t hear anything. I suddenly put down the phone, so he called me back. When I picked up the phone, I played that station again for about three seconds. Then I put down the phone again. He was quite worried about me.

[08:10]
After that, I saw my friend at school and he insisted that he heard something. That event happened while I was in high school, and he still doesn’t know the truth behind it. Even now he believes that story. I’m sure he has fun telling it to his friends when summer comes around.

[08:52]
In this CD I was a storyteller playing several different roles, so I’m going to talk about that experience. There were lots of characters, even women. Playing a lot of characters like this is quite fun. But it’s a scary story, so a feeling of tension is important. I tried to produce that feeling when I played the characters. I’d be interested in hearing about how the experience was for you though. I’d like it if you enjoyed it. I’ve still got plenty to talk about, but I’m going to stop here. I’d be happy if you continued to support Kurayami Gatari from now on. This was Kenjiro Tsuda.

[09:58]
I know this has gotten quite long, but lastly, I’d like to give you a message as Yuuya Rokujo.

Was I able to get rid of what possessed you? I’d be glad if you’d listen once more even after this is over. I’ll be waiting for the day when we meet again, but I’ll say goodbye for now. Thank you very much. This is the end of Kurayami Gatari.

Notes:
[1] Rakugo is a form of entertainment involving a single story teller performing the voices of several characters.