mysound magazine [DIR EN GREY] - Shinya
Preface: I checked DIR EN GREY's OHP a little while ago and saw that there was this interview with Shinya on mysound. I also enjoy playing boardgames with my friends, so I was excited to read this interview! I hope you enjoy it, too.
Supporting musical sense! Shinya (DIR EN GREY) talks about fascinating board games [My Favourite Things]
The band DIR EN GREY, who continues to attract fans, touring
not only in Japan but around the world, with a unique view on "pain".
That DIR EN GREY's drummer Shinya is actually a well-known
board game enthusiast.
While giving his BEST 3 recommendation, he talked about the
surprising relationship between board games and music.
The reason for getting into boardgames is "Dobble1,"
"Word Basket2" and "Ghost Blitz3"!4
Q: It seems that you are famous in the industry for being a
board game lover, but how many do you have?
Shinya: I've only been into it for about two years, but I
have roughly 200.
Q: How did it start?
Shinya: I have a friend, the actor Hongo Kanata, and he also
likes board games. When I went to his house, we first played "Ghost Blitz,"
"Dobble," and "Word Basket." It was so fun, that I ordered
them right away. That was… about four years ago.
An introduction to his
board game collection is on his personal blog magazine,
"ShinyaChannel"
Q: From your collection of 200-pieces, you've brought a few
today… But for example, what kind of game is the one called "Dobble?"
Shinya: It's really easy. In total there are 55 cards, and each
card has 8 marks on it from more than 50 kinds of marks. So, you draw two
cards, and you have to quickly declare a matching mark between them.
Q: I see… So for these two cards… ahh, a heart!
Shinya: Like that, the person who says the common mark,
"Heart!" gets the card. One more card is drawn, and you have to say
the common mark for those cards, too. It's easy, right?
Q: It's easy, but… if you're not used to it, you can't guess
right. Can you guess correctly right away?
Shinya: About one second is enough.
Q: One second!? By the way, where does this game come from?
Shinya: France. At any rate, it's a rousing game. So, as a
game, whoever has the most cards at the end is the winner. The rules are easy
enough for an elementary school student to understand, and fun enough for an
adult.
Q: How was the first time you played it?
Shinya: I thought, "There's such an interesting thing
in the world."
Q: Did you get it in one second from the beginning?
Shinya: Ahh, relatively. But it took a little more than one
second in the beginning.
Q: So you've been fast from the beginning.
Shinya: Fast people will know it in an instant. But people
who can't think of it, take more than ten seconds.
Q: What's the difference? Reflexes?
Shinya: I don't know what the difference in strength is.
Q: How do you usually play board games?
Shinya: With people from musicians to managers, and actors…
A lot of the time there's about 15 people who regularly come to my house and
play. There are times when I play multiple times a week.
Q: Even many times a week!? That sounds pretty intense.
Shinya: It is! We generally get together around 9 or 10 at
night, and play until about 5 the next morning.
Q: While drinking alcohol?
Shinya: I used to drink while playing, and had tequila when
I lost, but now I'm too nervous so I don't drink at all while playing. Besides,
if you put a drink on the table, someone will definitely spill it. That's why,
when we play board games, bottles, glasses and liquids are excluded from the
table. However, since it can be compact and portable, it may be brought to a
drinking party. In fact, I often bring "Dobble" to drinking parties.
Q: You mentioned a game earlier called "Word Basket,"
what kind of game is it?
Shinya: This is a Japanese game, and simply put is a
shiritori game. The players' vocabulary is tested. So saying that, even
children can play it.
Q: As a trend, which country's game is great?
Shinya: Of course, Germany's on a totally different level. This
time in Europe for DIR EN GREY's tour, I went to shops all over Europe, but
Germany was overwhelming.
Q: Today, I'd like to practice a game you brought with you,
while you introduce it…
Shinya: Sure. I brought one that I play pretty often.
From an incredible collection of 200 board games, Shinya presents
his best 3!!
Q: From these it may be difficult, but if you could, choose
your favourite 3 board games! Then, from third place!
Shinya: Then, in third place is "Toddles Bobbles5".
Q: What kind of game is it?
Shinya: It's a simple memory game from Russia. The
participating members turn over a card with one of 12 kinds of strange
creatures with only limbs and faces. Then, the person who turns up a character
gives it a made-up name. For example, Cucumber. Then, when the same card comes
up later, the first person to call its name gets the card, so it's a game where
you compete for how many you've collected.
Q: Memory… It seems difficult.
Shinya: I think if proper names were given, it would be very
difficult to remember all the names. I think it'd be amazing to remember all
the names. Everyone already remembers, but when I made a mistake, laughter also
bubbles up, so it becomes exciting.
Q: Then, in second place?
Shinya: A German game, "Ghost Blitz." The rules
are simple. There's a white ghost, blue book, green bottle, red chair, and a
dark grey mouse, so five pieces in total. The participants will draw from the
deck in order, and when the card is drawn, the person who takes the
corresponding piece first wins. This are the basic rules. It's a game based on
reflexes.
Q: Then for your top choice?
Shinya: The game I like most right now, "Cockroach
Salad6." It uses your head a bit, but the rules are quite easy. Everyone holds
the same number of cards, and cards are drawn one-by-one. There are four types
of cards: bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and cauliflower. A card is laid out
face-down, and the person says the name of a vegetable. There is only one rule,
you can't say the same vegetable as the previous person's card. If bell pepper
is laid out, you can say anything but bell pepper. So if you lose, you have to
pick up all the cards, and the first player to run out of cards is the winner.
Q: With only four kinds of cards, isn't it quite a speedy
game?
Shinya: Yes. At one's own home you can play it by sounding a
click.
Q: Do you create your own rhythm for the game?
Shinya: I don't do anything like that (lol). But, because
I'm a drummer I'm strict regarding rhythm. In particular, if musicians gather,
the timing at that time is really intense. If there's no good spirit before, it's
no good and not quite right. If it's someone from a different genre, there's a
slight shift. Still, it's okay if it's around a 0.25 beat.
Q: Strict! (lol) I'd like to buy an try any of your best
three, but do you have any recommendations besides them?
Shinya: This is also a card game, but "TomaTomato7" is also interesting. It's simply like tongue-twisters, so it's a game where you
test your articulation. It entails cards "Tomato," "Mato,"
"Ma," "To," and "Potato" shuffled and arranged,
and you read out the cards in order. Each player adds a new card after reading
theirs out, and arranges it, so what you have to read aloud becomes longer and
longer. For example, if the first card turned over says, "Mato," then
you say, "Mato." If the next is "Ma," then you say,
"Matoma." So, increasing more and more, those who fumble lose.
Faster than slash metal! Immerse yourself in the games
while clicking at a 300 BPM
Q: When playing this game at your house, is the tempo
important?
Shinya: The tempo is about 300BPM. So, it's faster than
slash metal.
Q: In this way you may be able to keep a sense of rhythm.
Like, "You who want to be a drummer, do this!"
Shinya: "TomaTomato" is good for vocalists too,
isn't it? It's perfect for training your tongue.
Q: It seems it can help you develop your musicality, but do
you yourself use board games to help create and play songs?
Shinya: I do like using my head. DIR EN GREY's songs really
use your head, particularly the drums. I also use my super head to remember the
sheet music, so I think it helps in that area. Also…
Q: Also?
Shinya: Also, some people do it, but depending on the game,
the ability to test your reflexes, memory, is different, so you can judge that
you can do this work together with this person. On the other hand, board games
are also used for training those abilities.
Q: So, what if you train your memory to learn the sheet
music like you mentioned earlier?
Shinya: If you train your memory, "Toddles Bobbles"
is good.
Q: So, what would you recommend for vocalists?
Shinya: As I said earlier, "TomaTomato" is good
for speed and articulation.
Q: And your recommendation for drummers?
Shinya: That's "Cockroach Salad." I like this
being done at a 120 BPM or so.
Q: Is there a game to help improve an opposite, slow tempo?
Shinya: Not really. But when beginners get together, they do
it slowly. Beginning around a BPM of 80 or so.
Q: All the games are small so you can take them on tour!
Shinya: I can't take them on tour. There's no one to play
with! (lol)
Q: (lol) Speaking of tour, DIR EN GREY released a new album,
"The Insulated World" on September 4 of last year, and the album
tour, "TOUR19 The Insulated World" starts from March 20. Naturally,
the songs will be from "The Insulated World," right?
Shinya: For the most part.
Q: Is it fun to perform new songs?
Shinya: It's fun, but the first tour is difficult. You have
to remind yourself again. We recorded "The Insulated World" last year
in the summer, so I don't really remember it. (lol)
Q: When that happens, board games must be essential to keep
your memory skills high.
Shinya: You could say that.
Q: Incidentally then, is there a game like that that you
cannot lose?
Shinya: I'm particularly strong at Ghost Blitz.
Q: So is there one you're bad at?
Shinya: Not really. I can play them average.
Q: What if in a group of ten people, you're totally
defeated?
Shinya: It doesn't happen. I'm only first or second. Even if
I go to board game groups outside of normal, I usually get that sort of
position.
Q: Like a competitive match for money?
Shinya: That's right (lol). But there are also games that
use luck. Or the roll of dice. In those cases, I'll lose, but my real ability
is in the games have today. Well, I like board games like that.
Q: Are there board game pros?
Shinya: I'd say so. There are competitions for the most
famous board game, "Catan8."
Q: Do you want to go to that kind of competition?
Shinya: I don't have any such desire. I'm sharing what
everyone can enjoy, and I think it's my duty to create a boom. What I
introduced this time are easy for beginners. In particular, I'd like people who
play music to try them out.
***
Source:
Translator's Notes:
There are photos in the full interview, at the URL above.
4These underlined parts were sort of like
sub-headers, sectioning out different parts of the interview. I've underlined
them, but they're not extremely important. For the most part, they provide a
little bit of a preview for what comes later in that section of the interview.
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