Channel: Good Mythical More
YouTube Video ID: kFCPdpsCaAc
Episode Post Date: February 16, 2026
Episode Number: 2981
Transcript
Japan didn't know what to do with the Neals. Welcome to Good Mythical More. I wanna tell you more about some things that happened to us, or maybe it's things that we did that then happened to Japan. Ah, okay. Uh, when we visited. And, uh, not only that, uh, we got a couple of more snacks that I brought back that didn't make it. We can try those. And you've been a good boy, so I might have gotten you a present. What, so you brought a gift, so if you're nice, you get to open this at some point. During this Good Mythical More. I bought this in Japan, and you can tell because they wrapped it, but when things are wrapped in Japan, it's different and better and cleaner. It could be neat and it smells great. A stick of butter. It's like one piece of wrapping paper that she just kept wrapping it in different ways and there's like one piece of tape right there. That's it. That's what they do, man. Japan, that's what I'm talking about. Japan right there. I'm very excited about that. I might have broken it. I will say, uh. You know, we both did so well in that episode. We both won and we're supposed to get gold medals. So I would, I would love to re to receive those at this point. Um, well, they're a bit tight. They're a bit tight. Okay. Okay. Alright. Okay. He could, he could, children's sizes could have gone lower. All right. Thank you for that. Okay, so we got our medals. Thank you for that. That it, oh, yep. There comes another one. Oh. Okay. Um, okay. Alright. So that's plenty metals. Okay. That's okay. Here we go again. Alright. This is getting, this is getting more rewarding as it continues now that this, they're just being sort of softly set on my head. So anyway, I went to Japan and I'm gonna talk about that at some point. Okay? Uh, okay. Maybe that's, maybe that's, maybe this is a good point to do that. Okay. Like, just continue. Okay. Alright. Okay. You know what, did we seem like we needed more love today? I think we're good. And you look great. Yeah. I look like a, like a, like a god, like a, okay. Alright. A 1970 like track star from Iowa. Yeah, I'm like Michael Phelps, man. He just won like the 800 meters look at air. Okay. Alright. Okay. Um, where to begin? I, I got, I got two stories for you. The first one, uh, I'm gonna throw Christie under the bus. Good. Uh, I really wanted to go to a vinyl bar. They had these vinyl bars. Stevie, you went to Japan. Did you go to a vinyl bar to shows? Okay. You went to Tokyo, Kyoto. You did? Yeah. Uh, no, I don't think I did go to a vinyl bar. Um, but that's your thing. One of the, I mean, me buying records, it was like a, it was, it was like another level of heaven for buying records. It was amazing. But then they also have slews of, um, bars where they're playing records that are on display and there's a DJ there, and there's this. The one that I wanted to get into, um, it was full because you gotta make reservations for pretty much everything. And Tokyo especially very reservation heavy. Yeah. And you can't show up early for a reservation because they will, they will be like, turn around and go out. Where'd you show up late? We were, well, I was 15 minutes earlier and they told us to leave and that gave us 15 minutes to get in a family fight. That's all you need sometimes. And then, then to go back in there. Um, we also went to another place that Christie had picked out and we get there and I'm like, this is not the place that you said. It's like, no, this is it. This is it. And we go through and it's just a bunch of, um, men in ties. Okay. Drinking Great Start. Um. Beer. Okay. And they all turned and looked at us, and then the chef behind the counter goes to my family and I look at a sign and it says, no one under 22. Uh, drinking age is 20. It wasn't about drinking age, it was just they don't want any kids and they don't want, I didn't think they wanted any Americans in there. There's also a really big culture of like, there's been a bunch of press recently in the US about how like happy hour has died and like coworkers don't go out to drink with each other anymore. Oh, they do that though. In Tokyo. It's like men. Yeah. It's a lot of men after work drinking together, talking. Yes. Oh yeah. Laughing. Talking, having a great time. Okay. None of that happens on a train, of course. Right? Silence. So then we go to an, we go to another place. We, we ended up at a vinyl, we couldn't go into the vinyl bar that I wanted to go to, but then I found one around the corner that was opening right then. And I didn't, Lando technically wasn't allowed to go, but I wanted to go in so badly. I, I wasn't gonna ask any questions, then I was gonna drag him in there. Alright. And, um, I met the guy at the door. He was unlocking it and let him, he, he lets us in and there's. Four of us. So there were six seats in the whole place, and it was one guy who owned it, made all the drinks, and also played the music on a record player. What kind of coffee? No high balls, um, liquor. Okay. Uh, huge speakers. Like speakers this big as far. Across, across the bar as far from me to you. And they were just beautiful speakers. And then in between he had all his records displayed and then he had his record player right here, right here on the bar. And then like the, the amp with the volume and everything was pointed towards me. And I'm like looking at the, I'm just geeking out, looking at the needles moving. And Christy and Land are sitting behind us ordering soda Waters. And me and um, Lincoln are ordering high balls. And this guy just does everything. It's my favorite part about Japan is that you go into these places and there's just one person curating every single aspect of this experience, and that's exactly how they want it to be for you. Took our drinks and what kind? Music did orders, and then there was no music because he had to take a record out and he put the record on and he, and he drops the needle on. Uh, cowboy Carter, Beyonce, and I'm like, okay, alright. And then he pulls out a little notepad and he's like writing on it and like crossing through. And this, this man has a set list that he's prepared. And then when that song's over, he reaches over in front of me and like fades it out. And then he lifts the needle and he moves it over and he puts it down on the other song on that side of the album that he wanted to play. And then he, he's making drinks one turntable. He's not like bringing up another one. He's not, yeah, he's not doing like a, a DJ mixing thing. And then another couple comes in, I'm like, this place is full. We gotta get outta here 'cause we're not ordering enough drinks. And then he drops the needle and Lincoln goes, he's playing this for me. And it was the Jurassic Park theme. Yeah. I, the dude was just like playing, you didn't know what he was gonna play. He definitely was playing it for Lincoln though. And um, then I heard this like. Clink and spill behind me, and I turn around and, and Christy has her phone out. Oh. And she's knocked over her drink trying to take a picture of the place. Oh no. And then I look at her at like, you don't know her. That's what you do at that point. Yeah. And then I looked, who is that woman? Then I looked back at him, he wasn't there. Then I look back at her and there he is already. Oh yeah. It's like a secret passage under there. And he's like wiping up the table and he leans over to her and he says. No pictures allowed. Like did he say it in a sexy way like that? Uh, was that sexy? Well, I mean, that was just me talk. You were trying to That's just me. I just can't, it just, it didn't seem like you were reprimanding. It seemed like he was trying to, he, I think he was trying to be nice and I can't help but be sexy. Okay. All right. We were a little confusing. We were a little embarrassed at that point because he's cleaning up. Then you, and then you left And then we left. Yeah. Then we left. So you went to a bunch of record shops I went to, but what makes I might have gone to 40. Okay. So it's like there's so, there's so many, so close together. But the question I have is that, is it that every one of them was different in a way that you appreciated? Or that there was like you would, oh yeah. Oh, I'm gonna find a new record at this place that I haven't found. Oh yeah, it, they all had like different, there there's a record shop called Disc Union, and each one just has. One or two genres. And some of them have like multiple floors and each floor is a genre. And some of them you just go to different places and you go to like, I wanna go to the hip hop one, so I'm gonna go over here kind of a thing. And there's a lot of, I mean, a lot of heavy duty collecting happening and like numbered hip hop albums that I've been interested in getting. Um. It was like a treasure trove there. Was this a solo activity or did the entire family go to 40 record stores? We would, we would go to an area and we would, we split up. We were all thinking how, whoa. Wow. Yeah. We would split up and, um, Lanter and I would go record shopping. Christie would like shop for ceramics and handmade pottery and stuff like that. And Lincoln would shop for Pokemon cards, which really? Yeah, he got back into Pokemon cards. It's coming back around and, um. Something for everybody, and it's all everywhere in not just Tokyo, but Osaka as well. Um, I love Osaka. No, Lily is what I'm gaining from this. Lily. Lily didn't, Lily didn't show up. We kept, we kept waiting for her show up. She's, she missed a plane too. Cool. She's too cool. Ooh, these are good tomato flavor. Oh, oh. But yeah, I mean, like, not taking pictures, not spilling drinks. Yeah. Not talking too loud. Yeah. Not just ordering waters in a bar. These are the type of, these are the type of boundaries that we're willing to push. Right? Um, yeah. I got another story for you, but I want, I want, I wanna tell you about my favorite thing that I ate there. Okay. But I want you to, uh, I want you to open your present first. Oh. Where, where did you go other than Tokyo and Osaka? Kyoto. Nice. So three days in, um, Kyoto. What was your favorite city? Osaka. I mean, Kyoto, the one would have been to, I bet Kyoto would've, again, it was like, it just wasn't the right time of year to see all of the beauty that it, that it offered. Yeah. Keep, keep that. Oh, look. Look at that. I'm telling you, all you gotta do is just open. That's two pieces of tissue paper. Mm-hmm. Oh my. I think I know what anything you want you can get. Oh, yes, I recognize that. So I, that brand. So I went to a sailor a a specific shop that I know that my buddy really likes. I mean, it might've been Christy's idea, but I'll take credit for it. Christy is my pen buddy. Oh my goodness. Mm-hmm. So that is a Japanese pin? It is. I do not have a sailor. It is one of the brands that I do not yet have. Right. It That is a $3,000 pin. No, it's Oh, it's a screw top. Yeah. Screw it. Is it cap? It's, what is it? Cap? I don't knowable. Okay. Compostable. Look at this. This is the shop. Yeah, it's, it was a shop. Minami. This is Aama. Oh yeah. Do you want, you wanna write something? I don't think that the ink is in it so it won't, it won't write. But you can pretend to write. Well, you know what? They come with a cartridge. I'm gonna ink this sucker right now. Link. Oh, all right. I will tell. Thank you. Whatcha you gonna write with it? Um. I'm gonna write your wife a thank you note. And you know what? She'll probably write you one back. 'cause she also bought one for herself and she has beautiful handwriting. She wrote me a birthday card. You know, she sent, she gave me my own birthday card. That wasn't from you and her. Um, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. What, from your, your birthday? My birthday card. That was from you and from, from her. Her side of the card just was great handwriting. Very thoughtful. Your side, did you go first? Uh, I think I did. Yeah. Yeah, you should go second. Oh, okay. Okay. Um, we're gonna try this. High chew premium. And, uh, Stevie, you want one of these? Two, you had to think about it. I mean, I don't wanna beg you to take one. No, I, I will take one and you'll not hear me Eat it on this mic. Oh, now these are good. These are so good. High choose are good. High chew, premium. I mean, it is just premium. I hope that, um, I think I put it in backwards. Can I get one? But bring the bag. I mean, why have we, the whole hand thing is singular thing from my, there you go. No, no, no. Delivered in the bag. Stevie, of course, with the way that we, um, film these things, um. We we're, you know, we're not hand to mouth with the episodes, but I certainly hope that, um, the comments from Friday's episode are giving you the support that you deserve. I've, yeah. In your decision. We don't, we don't know. I mean, but I'm, I'm, I'm sure, I'm sure that everyone understands and seeks to understand and defer to your ability to make decisions. That are best for you? I think that the, uh, the majority of the Mythical beasts are gonna be in that bucket. Yeah. That being said, you know that there's a segment of the fandom that believes multiple things, including that, uh, Retin I are having a, an affair Yep. With each other despite, yep. Me being gay, I did not know that being, yeah. Um, there is, you could have capitalized on that. There, there, there are people who think that I am slowly poisoning link. Well, that is true. Oh, well, yeah. I, I wanna take full credit for my mental deterioration. Okay. I don't put that on anybody. And I wanna say, I'm not having an affair with RET because the two of you are gay together. That's right. And so that just couldn't be true. And of course I'm, I'm assuming that the, the, the, you know, some, some lovely people will start their posts with, I knew someone at Mythical, and, and that sounds, that sounds legit, you know, but, but like you said, I think the majority of the Mythical beasts are gonna. You gonna understand and celebrate this month? Yep. Change. It's a part of life. Uh, well, at some point I'll figure out how to use this pen. Okay. Yeah. It didn't work. Huh? Is it broken? No, it's just, I don't know which the, usually when you put the, just eat one of these, you'll be happy. Usually when you put the cartridge in, it automatically opens it up and it's usually the side. That has a little perforation right there. Don't worry about it right now. Please. And I'll just stop. Come on. You're embarrassing me and, uh, you're making it seem like my gift sucks. I haven't. No. This is a great gift. This is a, there is, eat one of these. You'll like it. It's a very good brand. I just, oh, you have to tell us about the, your favorite food thing that you ate, you said, so Lando found this place. He's a foodie. Before we went there, he, he was a catalyst for us going to Japan. Well, that, and the episode we just shot. Um, so he found this place and then we, it was, um. A small place that makes a Japanese style of ramen that is like a fusion with Dan Dan noodles. So they're like nutty. It's called, um, Tonton Men or Ton Ramen. Okay. And it's, um, not as spicy as a Dan Dan noodle, and it's, it's got a creamy broth like ramen. I'm sure I have a picture. We can, uh, throw it up in the edit, but. He was like, dad, you're gonna love this stuff and know how much you love Dan, Dan noodles and nutty stuff. So we, they open at six. We planned our day around showing up there at six. 'cause they don't take reservations. Where was this? Which, where? This was in Osaka and I'm not gonna tell you the name of the place for reasons that will become clear, um, over the course of this. Yep. Story. Yeah. Don't even describe it the right way. Um, so we show up and the door's still locked, and I'm like looking through the window and I can see that. I can see there's a guy in there and he's like, Mo moving around with some pots and whatnot, and he lets us in. And, uh, I, I wouldn't say that it was, um, much of a big welcome. Right. It was just kinda like the door opens and then, uh, he just kind of went back to where he was to do his thing. And we go in, we sit down at the bar, we take four of the seats, there's four more seats, and then there is a booth behind us with a, like a 3-year-old boy in it, which presumably is his son. Okay. He's the only person working there. Another co the 3-year-old and the his dad. Oh, okay. Good. Then another, um, couple come in and, well, two people come in and like, they were like, you could tell that he knew him. They didn't talk too much, but like he was a, one guy got a, got one to go and then the other people sat down and so then I guess there were only two more seats because then the, a couple came in and they ended up having to sit down and eat with a toddler. They said they just ate with the toddler and, um. There was a language barrier and uh, he didn't have one of those menus that you can scan and just order a lot of places for people like us, they're like, you scan it and then you're like doing it all on the phone. And then they just give it to you. Minimize the communication. Yeah. He had like a handwritten thing that he like gave to us and we would s he would say it and then we would say it, and then we would bo. I thought we were saying the same thing, but it was like, I just don't know. Gimme an example. He would say a white. No, the, there was a white sauce. Oh, is what he was talking about. And that's the one we wanted. And then it's like, do you want, do you want, um, do you want an egg in it? Do you want, um, pork in it? Do you want green onions? Do you want white onions? And we wanted all of these things. We ended up all ordering. I was like, listen, no, we're all gonna order the same thing. Yes, no substitutes. So then we were like, all, and then. I don't know, someplace, uh, you know, it was a struggle. It was, I feel like it's a struggle in America to go out to eat with you sometimes. I'm really like holding on tight for the rest of this. Yeah. Right. So, so this feels familiar. Yeah. Right. Um, we get the order in and then we're feeling. Okay. Like you get unlimited rice and kimchi while you wait. It was wonderful. I'm, I'm drinking Ashi Ashi Dry Ashi. What? I wasn't trying to, that wasn't, I didn't mean for that to sound like an accent. Okay, well do it again. Ashi Dry. Okay. Is what it just what it is. I just don't know how to say it. Okay. Right. You just got, you just lost your breath. Yeah. Right. Um, the beauty is you get to see him making it and he's like, I mean, he is hard at work back there doing his thing, and then he's, he gets the bowl, the four bowls repair, they're all the same. So like they're all up there. And then I see, uh, Christie, who's sitting to my right. And this is after the record shot, Chris Christie goes, she's doing this. Oh God. And she's like leaning over the bar to take, and later she tells me, well, the four bowls were in perfect configuration and I wanted to get like just a shot of it. Where my Instagram, Hey, listen, her Instagram stories during that trip were she had, she had it on locks. Yeah. Yeah. She had some really nicely composed shots and stuff. Right? Uh, that was not one of 'em because. I'm, you know, she's here, she's doing this and she does it. And I'm like, is she filming him? Gonna place him over? And when she does that, he goes, that's the phone out of the way. Yeah. Poof. Hand goes away, phone goes off, off. No, she didn't lose the phone. But boom, it goes all over there and he says, boom. Something and it, he it, it wasn't positive. It wasn't, it wasn't happy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It wasn't, uh, yeah, it wasn't good. And uh, and then I was just, I just tried to be meek and small at that moment. I just tried to, you know, it's like last thing I'm gonna do is start yucking it up about Christie doing something wrong. 'cause I know that. You know, I'll have my moment soon enough. Right. We eat this stuff and it may be the best thing I've ever eaten. It may be my favorite thing I've ever eaten. It was, so was it a soupy thing? Yes, it was soupy like ramen, but it was nutty, like Dan, Dan noodles and you would add the, um, you know, the, the red spicy stuff. The chili oil, you'd add all of that chili, crisp chili oil on it. And it was just like, it was so good. And it was so cold there that it was just so satisfying. We've gotta get Christie some of those gla those video glasses so she can just be constantly videoing things. Yeah. And not do No. Slaps it out and we get done and I'm like, I have to tell this guy how good this is. Yeah. Yes, you do. You, you do. And I'm like, I'm looking at him. He's like batting back and forth. He's trying to like fulfill other people's orders. You pay on the honor system on the way out. You don't even pay the guy, you don't get his attention or anything, drop of money in a bucket. And so I'm like, I, I don't, I don't know how to get his attention and so I, I just, I pulled out my phone and I pulled out the translate app and I wrote, I just want to let you know that this was. One of the best meals of my entire life. Yes, thank you. And I do not know that woman. And so I type this, I type this out, and I, and you can, there's a button, you can press play and it'll play it. Yes. And I'm like, and I'm looking down at what I wrote and I'm like, proofreading it. That's right. And then I'm looking up at him and he's like, he's not. He's not making eye contact ever. He's not looking. He, he's, he's, he's rummaging and doing stuff. He's busy, he's doing everything except hoping to talk to me, apparently. And so he didn't know. And then I remember the batting of the phone and I'm like, so then I indent and I like do a new one. And I'm like, I'm just like, I just need, I need to get his attention. So I'm like, excuse me. I would like to Thank you. That's good. That's good. I'll do that. Just that. Yeah. And of course the boys are sitting here and Christie too. They don't know any of this is about to happen. So from Lincoln and Land's perspective, all of a sudden they just hear my phone speaking Japanese saying, excuse me. I would like to thank you and. Uh, he's moving, so I'm like playing it like this. And then, excuse me, I would like to thank you in Japanese. And he goes Cooking, cooking, cooking. And then ah, yep. I look, I look back down at my phone and I just look at the next thing and I'm like, yeah, yeah. I just wanted to know so bad that it was so good. It was the best meal of my life and I couldn't do it. I didn't do it. Oh, thank God I didn't do it. I did not do the follow up. Um, and I can't tell you where it is because he doesn't want, he doesn't, he doesn't want me to tell you. Wow. He doesn't, man, he doesn't want, he doesn't want to meet you. He didn't wanna meet me. He probably would've, he'd probably liked to meet you, uh, better than he, than meeting me. But, um, did you get It was still the best me meal I've ever had. So did, I mean, what I have heard is that it is incredible and beautiful. Yeah. Everything tastes great, but they have a lot of tourists. Right? A lot of tourists. And so there's a. There's a, like, we don't, and when they're taking pictures, it's like we don't have, get overrun, run with lines. Like we don't have to be super accommodating to these people because of Australians. They're gonna show up anyway. 'cause the place is so great. Yeah. So did you get a little bit of that? Like, I can tell that I'm not really wanting Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and I respect that. I respect that. I told everyone I was Australian. Good. Good, good, good, good, good. Get an extra peek into link's, trip to Japan on the new vlog. Available now on Mythical society.com. Put your chicken thigh in there, close it back up, which came first. That's what I call it.