＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
In baseball, there is no victory more dramatic than a walk-off grand slam that turns the tide. In other sports, such as horse racing or golf, it is disappointing when a team starts out in the lead only to lose momentum at the end, but on the other hand, it is extremely satisfying when a team starts out behind but then makes a huge comeback at the end.
When Hinako Shibuno miraculously came from behind to win the Descente Ladies Tokai Classic Golf Tournament by eight strokes, it was a surprise to me watching on TV, and I was also very happy. In 2019, Hanshin’s six straight wins led to them coming in third and qualifying for the Climax Series, which I honestly didn’t think was possible, so it was a pleasant surprise.
1. What is “Gyakuten Jinsei（Reversed Life)”?
“Gyakuten Jinsei” is a variety show broadcast on NHK General TV every Monday from 10:00pm to 10:50pm (reruns: every Friday at 11:50pm and every Monday at 3:08pm). The MCs are Ryota Yamazato’ who recently made headlines after marrying Yuu Aoi , and announcer Yuki Sugiura .
The content is well worth watching, but thanks to Ryota Yamazato’s exquisite storytelling, it doesn’t feel too heavy. He introduces stories of failure with plenty of humor, and the subtitles are playful. It airs on Mondays at 10pm, so it may be a show that gives courage to discouraged office workers and exam candidates.
I have a feeling that this might become a popular show like “Project X: Challengers.” The opening song of the show, Miyuki Nakajima ‘s “Chijyo no Hoshi,” left a strong impression. There is no song like this in “Gyakuten Jinsei,” but…
The concept of this show is as follows:
A miraculous reversal from a dire crisis! This world is full of realistic reversals that are more dramatic than Shakespeare’s.
Why not experience the strange fates of the main characters yourself?
(1) “High School Dropout Becomes World’s Best Barista!” (Broadcast on September 23, 2019)
Ryota Yamazato shouted after drinking the world’s best espresso! “My eyes were wide open!” This is the thrilling story of a young man who was a high school dropout and a recluse, but who turned his back on himself to become Asia’s first barista world champion. The protagonist, Hidenori Izaki (29), has become a driving force in global coffee culture, overseeing the cafe latte of a major hamburger shop and even being entrusted with product development for China’s largest coffee chain.
(2) “Militant! Japan’s first blind lawyer” (broadcast on September 9, 2019)
Lawyer Yoshiki Takeshita is known locally as a “militant.” He led the defense team in a lawsuit against the boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi, and won the case. He also defended the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the government by a homeless person whose welfare benefits had been withdrawn, and won the case, making a significant impact on the way welfare is provided. His journey to becoming a lawyer was full of ups and downs. At first, he was not allowed to take the bar exam because he was visually impaired. But with the help of his colleagues, he faced down obstacles and broke through one after another. A thrilling life in which he faced the headwinds of society head-on.
(3) “Failed all exams, skipped school, and made a big comeback” (broadcast on August 26, 2019)
According to the latest survey, one in ten junior high school students nationwide is a potential school dropout. This time, the protagonist is the editor-in-chief of an NPO that publishes a newspaper for children and parents who are worried about school dropouts. Shigeo Ishii (37 years old) stopped going to school when he was in the second year of junior high school due to distrust in his teachers. During that time, he was a volunteer journalist, and the conversations he had with famous people turned his life around. We introduce the wise words of Shigesato Itoi, Jun Miura, and Kenji Ohtsuki.
(4) “An Ordinary Man Beats a Genius: A Late-Blooming Shogi Player’s Big Challenge” (broadcast on May 13, 2019)
He became a professional at the age of 41, the oldest in history. This is a story about the life of a late bloomer shogi player who defeated the unstoppable momentum of Souta Fujii , 7th dan. The protagonist is Kenji Imaizumi , 4th dan, who describes himself as an average person. His performance was poor in the past, and he was forced to leave the Shogi Promotion Association, a training institution for professional shogi players. His problem was mentality. He was unable to win important games. He gave up on becoming a professional shogi player twice, but passed the transfer exam from amateur to professional and realized his dream. Surprisingly, his experience working as a caregiver was the catalyst for his emotional growth.
(5) “Venus Probe Akatsuki: A Determinate Comeback” (broadcast on April 15, 2019)
In 2015, the Japanese probe “Akatsuki” entered Venus’ orbit and succeeded in taking clear meteorological photographs. It attracted the world’s attention. The protagonist in this issue is Masato Nakamura , who led this project. In fact, Akatsuki was a huge failure and went missing in space at one point. It was a miraculous probe that made a tenacious comeback after five years. What supported the leader, Nakamura, was his belief in life, “learning from failure.” A dramatic reversal set in the romantic world of space! We will get to the truth behind it.
2. Famous people who have turned their lives around
(1) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , who resigned midway through his term due to an intractable illness, has made a miraculous comeback thanks to the development of a treatment for this disease, and is now on track to become the longest-serving prime minister in history. His resignation midway through his term was so sudden that, not knowing the circumstances, I jumped to the conclusion that Shinzo Abe’s political career was over. However, he now perfectly embodies the slogan he put forward during the first Abe cabinet: “We are striving to create a society where people can try again.”
(2) Kimimaro Ayanokoji
While working hard as a host of a music show, he never neglected to accumulate “harsh” material and hone his speaking skills. As a result, he made a big break with his stand-up comedy that humorously talks about the sorrows of the middle-aged and elderly generation.
(3) Sachiko Kobayashi
When she was a child, she was hailed as the “genius young singer Hibari II,” but she went through many years of obscurity. However, she gained popularity with the big hit “Omoidezake,” and even had a flashy costume showdown with Kenichi Mikawa at the Red and White Song Battle.