A few of my comments from this event...

On Wed, 1 Oct 1997, Hitoshi Doi wrote:

> IMAGINEER (TOYOSHIMA MACHIKO)
> Event
>     Kaitou Ranma
> Guest
>     Toyoshima Machiko
>        
> I went to this event after the Sotsugyou Vacation event, so I was
> pretty much in the back, and could only see the heads and upper bodies
> of the people on stage. They made everyone stand in the booth, instead
> of sitting down..

We were all sitting, but they told us to stand.  Then they told us we were
too close to the stage, and had to move back.  Then they decided it would
be best if everyon sat down again, but by then there were too many people
packed in, and they couldn't do it.

Every other event at that booth that day people got to sit down.  But they
were standing again for the next day.  Maybe they just wanted the place to
look "fuller" for the live Internet broadcast?
 
> Machiko came out. [I forgot what Machiko was wearing.] Don talked
> about how bad Machiko was at voice acting when she first started. Then
> a bit later, there was a rumor going around that she had gotten
> better.. but Don found out that it was Machiko who had started that
> rumor.

Quelching the rumors that *I* am at all fluent in Japanese, I didn't catch
any of that at all.

Don talked with the crowd a lot.  He asked where I was from, and I said
"Ikebukuro"  Then he said "This is a worldwide broadcast, you have to say
something a little more impressive than that!"  Or something like that, I
was watching Machirin and wasn't paying attention until he stuck the
microphone in my face again.  Fortunately, I knew the usual follow-up to
"where are you from?" question, so I said "America"  Then Machirin asked
Don, "Well where are you from?"  Don said he was from France, so Machirin
starting speaking French to him.

Next time I will say I'm from France too.

> Q: Do you want to get married?
> Machiko: Of course!
> Q: When?
> Machiko: Around 30.. but there are many seiyuu who aren't married. I'm
>  worried. They are so nice and cute, but they aren't married.
> Q: Who?
> Machiko: Usagi-chan..

Don: Oh, you're talking about M-san, right?

> Kaitou Ranma
> ------------
> Then they talked a little bit about the game Kaitou Ranma, that was
> coming out next spring.

They brought out the producer of the game for this, who did most of the
talking.

The game came out last week for Windows 95. 
 
> mini drama
> ----------
> Don and Machiko did a mini drama together.

This was very funny.  Machirin did a VERY cute adlib when Don's character
asked if she had a boyfriend.

At one point Machirin was so flustered that she couldn't talk for about 10
seconds.  So I led a round of applause to fill the dead air.  (^_^;)

After the play ended, Machirin said it was the most embarrassing thing
she's done since graduating from Aoni juku.
 
> talk
> ----
> Then Machiko started eating some snacks. She ate a piece. Then Don
> gave two little pieces (that Machiko cut) to people in the crowd.. Don
> chose the "gaijin" for one piece.

When Machirin picked up her cake, everyone started laughing, because the
little de-oxyginator package was stuck to the cake!  Don had to stop her
from eating it, then found that the other piece of cake had it as well.
The aide who had brought the food out and was standing backstage suddenly
dissappeared.  A little later, she was standing there (outside of camera
view) with a sign saying "Gomen nasai!"

After I and another person got the cake, Don asked me how it was.  I said
it was delicious.  As I was eating more of it, he asked me something else
that made me laugh, which caused me to start choking on the cake!  But
this time Machirin came to my rescue, talking to Don about "gaijin doushi"
 
> Presents
> --------
> They gave away some presents, including a Kaitou Ranma demo CD-ROM.

People played "Jan Ken Pon" (rock paper scissors) with Machirin for the
prizes.  Never came close this time, but I made it all the way to the last
round with Kuwashima Houko the next day before losing.  Houko is the only
person I know who always used the full chant "Saisho ha guu, janken
[whatever]" when playing.

Joe Petrow--joepet@server.berkeley.edu--http://server.berkeley.edu/~joepet
/------------\   Kimi ni ageyou  oozora tobu tsubasa wo    /-------------\
|    chi     |    Mou kowakunai ashita he to tobitatou     |  Toyoshima  |
|  Ma   rin  |     Sou kokoro wo jiyuu ni tokihanatou      |   Machiko   |
\------------/Mou nakanaide hitori ja nai da kara nigenaide\-------------/