Shibuya Near Family chapter 177: Ikko curries favor with a dog>I am a dog in Yoyogi Park.>Lately, I've been seeing this elementary schooler here who seems awfully fond of me.>She dotes on me normally enough, so I don't really mind, but...>For some reason, her eyes...>Seemed to burn with a sense of duty.
>(*Fwmp*)>Noooo!>I'm not going to school!>So,>she's finally started refusing school.>Why don't you want to go?>Because we're doing drum and fife band practice in the morning.>Can't you just not do it?>It's mandatory to participate.>Why is it mandatory?>...Well...>Why is participation mandatory, you ask...?
>It's traditional.>I suppose.>The children of Koen-dori Elementary have been taking part in the drum and fife band for a long time,>Banner: Bright and cheerful - Koen-dori Elementary School>Sign: Koen-dori Elementary School>and it's become a highlight for many events in the area.>What's with that vibe of "we can justify anything by saying it's traditional"?>I don't think it's unique to us.>Some other schools>have mandatory sumo tournaments.>Or having to swim over to some rock.>Or having to go on nighttime walks.>Or having to form giant human pyramids.>Even if it's dangerous, it gets a pass because it's traditional.>You can justify anything by saying it's traditional.>You might call it...
>"Tradition harassment".>(Tradition harassment)>Surely the teachers should know how long this "tradition" has been going on?>Well, there's been a lot of transfers.>(*Creak*)>Looks like you're working hard, everyone.>I guess that's because it's a tradition.>Says the least traditional-seeming person here.>How long has the band been a tradition?>Why did it start?>Huh!?>It's a tradition>because it's a tradition, right!?>That's the worst answer possible.>I guess you're right. Even us adults...
>Can lose our ability to think clearly when faced with the word "tradition"...>Paper: Tradition>It's possible we've been forcing this on you kids.>And yet,>when Halloween was banned,>you rejected the idea of it turning into some new kind of tradition.>Shibuya's Halloween...>Is one of the three great festivals of the world.>What a countryside view...>He got awfully serious, didn't he?>The most important thing here...>Is that this just isn't "Shibuya"!>So, that's what it was,>in the end.>Think of a more Shibuya-esque drum and fife band!>We're keeping the drum and fife?
>How about a *costume* drum and fife band?>I mean, it *is* Halloween.>That's great!>That's totally Shibuya!>We could perform at the Scramble Crossing,>marching in perpendicular directions.>Like they do at the Nippon Sport Science University synchronized walks.The Japanese term for these walking performances is "shuudan kodou", or "collective action". They take a fair bit of practice from the students, and draw large crowds.This video has a good example of them walking in perpendicular directions around five minutes in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_eM82CQ8Ow>That's totally Shibuya.>Why is everyone>trying to make this as hard as possible for me?>I don't want to do it because I suck at playing instruments.>How about a gal drum and fife band?>Or maybe something like a fashion show —>A Parco drum and fife band.The Japanese says パル鼓笛 (parukoteki), which I'm guessing is a portmanteau of Parco (the Shibuya department store) and "koteki" (鼓笛, "drum and fife").>Everyone,>give the drum and fife thing a rest already!>Do you have any Shibuya-esque ideas?>Huh!? Me!?
>Well...>These days, I think...>Stuff like mystery-solving or escape rooms or werewolf games are pretty popular in Shibuya.>I don't think it needs to be a band or anything.>That's good! I think it's totally Shibuya!>R-right?>In that case...>A mystery-solving drum and fife band.>An escape room drum and fife band.>A werewolf drum and fife band.>The people in this school...>(Eeeeep!)>Are unknowingly having their minds controlled by the drum and fife!>All right, looks like we're going with a werewolf drum and fife band.>Right to left: Werewolf, Escape room, Mystery, TRPG>We'll push back against tradition by pulling off this werewolf drum and fife band!>You're not pushing back against anything!>(*Step step*)>(*Pi-pii~*)>Still, I wonder how a werewolf drum and fife band is meant to work.>One person among us...>Is playing the wrong notes.
>Found the werewolf~>If it's like that, then I'll end up being the werewolf, won't I!?>It's always gonna be me!>But I don't think you got the werewolf role this time, Ikko-san?>I know that, but still...>I think a werewolf drum and fife band might be a bit too difficult.>Thinking about other Shibuya-esque things...>How about a Hachiko drum and fife band? We'll perform while bringing our faithful dogs with us.>I'm telling you, drop the drum and fife thing already!>This whole school is under the control of the drum and fife.>Hachiko drum and fife band it is, then.>Tradition>is a terrifying thing.>Most traditions are just unsavory customs, you know.>TV: [Image] Power harassment during club activities>Shibuya Duty Diary - I wouldn't be able to play the wrong notes if I was holding the baton...>Sidebar: The performance starts at 8:50 in the morning by the Hachiko statue, and the faithful dogs proceed to the Scramble Crossing with the band... That could be pretty good, actually.Thanks for reading! Shibuya Near Family will be taking a break for the next two issues, so the next chapter will be three weeks from now.
Chapter 176: Ikko tampers with the running track>>291962614And here I was wondering how he managed to hold on without any breaks for so long.
And that's all for today. Thanks for reading!
>>291962585Still deciding by amidakuji, I see.
>>291962991Thanks for typesetting!
>>291962991Thank you for posting and typesetting.
