NIPPON-ICHIGO

In February, Jun Seba passed away — accidentally, in a car accident (caused by an earthquake?). Most people didn’t know until about a month later. People like you and me knew him as Nujabes, and perhaps started listening to his music more after seeing Samurai Champloo for the first time. For everyone, it was amazingly sad; you’re never prepared to hear about someone with influence in your life, someone still so young, just up and leaving this world, and you’re never sure what to do afterward. You don’t think of such people as invincible, but you do think things like “someday I may meet them, even briefly.”

With his record label, Hydeout Productions, he collaborated with people from all over, music that could touch souls from all the way across the sea. He produced music like no one else had. His enlightening hip hop beats helped me get through a rough patch in my life… not all music can do that.

It’s people like him I look up to — real innovators, with real passion, inspiring all who hear his music. People like that are of real value to the world…

…which is why it comes as a shock to most of the world, especially the creative world, that now, just Wednesday, Satoshi Kon has also died. Prevalent in the famous director’s work was a real unconventional approach to heady topics in animation, much different than anime and movies in general.

His last words, posthumously publicized, have been unofficially translated. I cried…I felt emotional for a good part of the day. No one knew about the nature of his condition until nigh the very end; understandable, as he had his reasons… I especially respect someone who admits his own flaws, who obviously has reverence for other people, with maturity in coming to terms with things. I want to cry again…

This has lit a fire under me to finally see more of his works. I’ve been intending to see the rest of Paranoia Agent for ages… Kon’s work is intriguing in a way that snags me, questioning the perspectives of characters, of viewers, of people, probing the mental, the subconscious, the emotional. I watched Paprika with friends the other day, and I can recommend it to anyone.

Thanks for doing what you did, Kon and Seba. We’re all glad you did what you loved and enjoyed it. Your influence will be seen in the world for ages to come.

News about this is EVERYWHERE. Takeru Kobayashi, famous Japanese hot-dog-eater, wasn’t allowed to eat in this year’s Coney Island Fourth of July hot dog eating contest! According to THE NEWS, it’s because he refused to sign an exclusivity contract with Major League Eating, the major leagues of eating contests…because there’s more than one, apparently.

On that, I’m with Kobayashi, but not so much on the crashing-the-competition-and-then-getting-arrested part. It’s not a good idea to resist the police just because you want attention, either. I’m sure this will all be worked out eventually. Don’t compromise your hot dog eating freedom, Kobayashi!

While I’m at it, here, watch this commercial featuring two hot dog champions going at it in a convenience store. I couldn’t even remember what this commercial was for until I watched it again just now:

Kawaii is more than just a word meaning “cute” to be thrown around by 14-year-old manga fans on deviantArt. In Japan, it’s an entire culture, one that has captured the hearts of many and slowly creeped its way westwards to claim others as well. Good thing, too: I’m weak to adorable and tiny things. Very weak.

Sweet lord.

Japan has pretty much cornered the market on cute. And since Japan appointed a cartoon ambassador of anime last year, it stands to reason that the next step would be appointing (non-cartoon) ambassadors of cuteness.

They're so cute it's killing me

It’s no surprise they’re already popular in Harajuku. They look like they stepped right out of anime. They might start glittering and undergo a magical transformation at any moment…and then giggle innocently, completely unaware of why you gape and stare.

Foreign Ministry head of cultural affairs Tsutomu Nakagawa said this:

“We want people abroad to know these kind of people exist in Japan and to feel close to them.”

I think what would surprise us more is letting us know that people other than this exist in Japan. Because, let’s face it — all these foreign otaku and other sorts obsessed with Japan abroad would like to think one out of every two Japanese people they would encounter would appear to be this way.

Anyway, I like it. I’m all about style, and “kawaii” never dies. Japan already has huge cultural appeal, but still seems aloof to many. This will help.

Yes, it’s true; the only people to have seen Kusanagi’s nude (and drunkenly disgraceful) glory the other night were policemen and people legitimately concerned for their own well-being.

Hinokicho Park. 3 AM. Kusanagi, drunk, just feels like being naked in a park. Is that so wrong? Arrested while chilling on the grass, I see a surreal humor in this. He’s the least-outspoken member of SMAP and certainly looks the part.

Party boy.

In everything, I can’t help but feel a little sorry for the guy; then again, you realize what a discomfort it is to everyone else when someone is drunk, even more when someone is drunk and wants to take off all his clothes right next to you.

And to say this guy was drunk is a vast understatement: dude was pissed out of his mind. Ten rounds of sake will do that to a fella.

This presents a problem: his face is everywhere. Companies commercially associated with him are considering blacklisting him (or already have). For a little drunken mid-night nudity, it seems harsh, yet may very well be justified, as I can’t imagine him appearing anywhere anymore without someone bringing up his “scene”. Now all his planned appearances and TV commercials have been canceled. You’d think he killed a guy.

Unfortunately, I can’t say I’m affected as a fan (flash back to when I discovered Daishi Kajinaga was arrested for possession of cocaine and measure my reaction against this – basically, I was heartbroken); I’m not much for pop, and the only song of SMAP’s I’ve ever heard was one in Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, in which I liked the female cover more than the actual song.