Japanese phrases on T-shirts

< Original Post: http://mindthemap.tumblr.com/post/410866435/t >

I watched the 30-minute sitcom "The IT Crowd", broadcast on the UK. This program is what I had wanted to watch and I thought I didn't watch such genre, except "Full House".

I unfortunately am poor at listening in English and I didn't understand the whole story, but I felt it was so funny!

*Spoiler warning: The following describes the plot somewhat.

The story goes around an IT department which locates on the manless basement of a big company, as you find a word "IT" in the title. It reminds me of a mixed image of 2 Japanese dramas called "ショムニ(Shomu-ni)" and "電車男(Densha-otoko)". (My image may not be right, though. :-P)

The characters in this comedy are unique, I thought. The very geek-looking guys Roy and Moss at the IT department, and the new chief Jen who doesn't have any luck of men. The parent-child presidents of this company are somewhat stupid.

This comedy has 3 series until now and the last series was broadcast 2 years ago, so I can't wait the new series.

I unexpectedly found several jokes about Japan in the story, like a Japanese president stamps the ground with the boots like "Godzilla". And particularly, a little bit strange Japanese phrases on T-shirt caught my eyes!

Those phrases appeared on the following 2 scenes (as long as I remember). I added the English translations with my poor English.:-P

"幸せだと泣きたくなる (When I feel happy, I could cry.)"
This phrase is printed on the president(child)'s T-shirt. He wears it and talking with Roy on the phone at his home. After that they decide to watch a South-Korean horror DVD. (But I don't know why.)

"私のペットモンスター (Here are my “Pet-Monsters”.)"
This phrase appears on Roy's T-shirt. With the phrase, several silhouettes of animals are also printed. I guess "Pet-Monsters" comes from "Pocket-Monsters (Pokemon)", Japanese famous video games.

I never thought such T-shirts appeared on a foreign comedy.
I don't remember in which episodes you can see them, so find them yourself!

And I also never thought that the Japanese-translated version were already released! But the title, "ハイッ! こちらIT課!" (literally means "Hello! This is IT!"), gives me a little strange feeling. The IT team don't answer the phones such cheerfully.


Sigh, it took several hours to translate. I got tired.