Japanese against Brainwashing/Why Korean Dramas Spark Protests

On August 21, there was a major protest (over 8,000) took protest in Odaiba, Tokyo, as people marched against Fuji TV, one of Japan’s television network. In Japan, such a large-scale protest is rare.

However, the English-media, as per usual, has not covered the incident accurately at all! Instead, they have simply reported the protest to have started as a result of “people getting upset over Fuji TV showing too much Korean dramas”. Which is totally inaccurate.

The issue is more than just “showing too much Korean dramas” (although the network does show an inordinate amount of it (40 hours a week), compared to other networks). The issue here is that the network is accused to be guilty of submitting subliminal messages, in which viewers feel as if they are being told to like Korean dramas. The protestors were demanding “a proper journalism that is not prejudiced”.

Here are few of the recent incidents from the network under fire that have caused a few eyebrows to raise.

Subliminal messages:

*Japanese flag being censored in a music video. Furthermore, in sporting matches Japanese national anthem is not broadcasted, while Korean national anthem is fully aired.

*The world map in a weather report segment of a news report has Korea as the center. Or they show Korea when the weather report is only about Japan.

*The Korean flag is presented in the center of the TV set, or a TV set has been accused of submitting subliminal messages by featuring a pattern seen on the Korean flag.

*Korean food is always ranked highly in any food ranking conducted in the TV shows Fuji TV runs. Although Korean food is popular in Japan, the popularity that the shows purported was highly unnatural. For example, for the survey in which they asked “what is your favourite hot pot dishes?” people from all age group (even senior citizens) claimed to like “Kimchi hot pot” the most according to the survey.

*When Mao Asada, a Japanese figure skater, was invited to the studio, the interview took place with a large cardboard cut-out of her tripping. Which was a pretty vile thing to do.

*The names of K-pop artists are frequently mentioned or printed on the background without any proper justification/reason.

TV dramas:

* In “Zettai Reido”, the names of former Japanese prime ministers were used for the names of criminals.

* In “Ikemen Paradise”, the heroine was seen wearing a shirt with “Little Boy” printed on it. Little Boy is the name of an atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The episode was aired the day after the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima. It is highly unlikely that none of the Japanese staff knew what the name “Little Boy” stands for.

*A magazine shown in “Soredemo Ikiteyuku” had “**** JAP” in Korean printed as the headline.

Miscellaneous:

* Commentators  in a TV show commented on Mike Havennar’s (Japanese soccer player of Dutch decent) appearance, and made fun of how “he doesn’t not look like Japanese at all”. (Well, seeing that his parents are Dutch and he became Japanese after being born and raised there….)

*During the prime minister’s conference, the microphone accidently picked up conversations between the Fuji TV staff, where they scoffed by saying, “Ugh, they are talking about nuclear power again”. “Man, I’m gonna start laughing”.

These are just a few examples.

If it was a one-off incident, it could be considered to be a coincidence. However, if it’s a repeated thing, people will start to question if a subliminal message is being emitted.

Although the western media is trying to portray the protest as being a xenophobic racist protest, a TV network that refuses to air its own country’s national anthem or censor its country’s flag should be bashed by all means. No one likes being told what they should like (at least explicitly), and a TV network shouldn’t be airing messages that can be construed as subliminal. That being said, I’m pretty sure some of the protestors were xenophobic, which is unfortunate.

Fans Dish Out $27,640 to be on His Shoulder

Say, you have a place you would really REALLY like to be.  And say, ebay was selling the right to be there and take a commemorative photo.  How much would you dish out?
100 dollars?  200 dollars?  Try 27,640 U.S dollars.

As some of the readers might have already read about it, the real life-size 18m Gundam built on Odaiba to commemorate the 30th anniversary for two months only has been causing quite a sensation among geeky fans, Japan enthusiasts, tourists, and well, Tokyo-ites looking for some excitement.

On July 17, 17:00, the “right to get up to the height of the Gundam’s shoulder to take pictures” was sold.  As the bidding increased from 100,000 yen, 1,000,000 and soared to 2,000,000 yen (21,253 USD), different news source reported the bid price, making the readers wonder the final price.

As you know with Internet auctions, the bidding escalates, then stops, and culminates with the bidding war right before the cut-off time.  At 16:00, the bidding exceeded 2,500,000 yen, and the bidding stopped around 16:37.  Around 16:56, it started again, and swelled up to 2,509,000  yen, surpassed 2,60,000 yen, and finalized with 2,601,000 yen.   A total of 504 bids were made.

It is good to know that there are people out there who seems to be quite unaffected by the current recession.  But I guess the privilege to be the “only person to be able to come in proximity of Gundam and take a picture in the whole entire world,” was worth it.

The proceedings will be donated to the Tokyo Olympic Paralympic Invitation Committee by the GREEN TOKYO Gundam Project.

The winner of the bidding war will be able to climb up to the Gundam’s shoulder on August 1, 10:00 as a part of “Real-life size Gundam, Tokyo Olympic Invitation Logo 掲出 ceremony.”

More info and pictures can be found here:
http://news.walkerplus.com/2009/0717/30/photo01.html

Bye Bye “Six Days in Fallujah”

WOOOT!

Konami’s controversial “Six Days in Fallujah” is official canned.

The Japanese game company, most famous for Silent Hill and Metal Gear Series, decided to pull out from the ill-informed project.
Konami has been cited stating that “We had intended to convey the reality of the battles to players so that they could feel what it was like to be there.”

Yes, I am pretty confident that a videogame can successfully present information from both sides to the gamer, and that the gamer will not identify with the protagonist who kills citizens.  Yeah- right!  I haven’t played the game, but something tells me that this game will not be informative as Konami painted it.

Videogame will never be an adequate resource for information.  Just look at the failed Mario’s educational games.

Source:

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2009/gb20090428_228395.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_global+business

Top 25 Anime Character You Wanna Have Sex With

This just in. The extremely bored… I mean people with lofty amount of time in their hands at Japan’s biggest forum 2 channel has compiled the list of top anime characters that you wanna do it with

http://news.ameba.jp/weblog/2009/05/35000.html

The eternally sexy Ms. Fujiko

The gal taking the first place is, no surprise, Fujiko Mine from Lupin the Third. This old-school femme fetal has vexed the titular character Lupin many times with her conniving charm, yet it is hard for any one to get mad at. She got the brain, muscle, and the skill to match her exuding sexuality.

In second place is the cool & deadly android that woo-ed Krilin, Android # 18. How can you not find a woman that can kill attractive?

The tsundere beauty that unwittingly yield an amazing power, Haruhi, the symbol of geek fandom, comes next. Proving the moe-factor is still strong, Mikuru Asahina from “Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,” comes next.

In the fifth place is Lum-chan, a girl who single-handedly made cosplay into mainstream.

My personal favorite is number 10, Honey Kisaragi aka Cutie Honey. A boxom cyborg that seem to be unable to fight without her clothes getting ripped off every time! A bit crass, and feminists may frown, but she is the first solo female action hero in anime.

Some of the names in the list come as no surprise. But as it goes on, you could tell that people were taking the piss towards the end. Maruko!? Really. That is just downright wrong. The girl’s supposed to be 11 or something.

Memorable characters are requirements for having a hit anime series. We know that they are not real, yet they manage to engross us, and dazzle us. Anime that you grew up will bring us back the fond memories that we had as a child. These sexy ladies have proven that they have what it takes to catch our attentions.

The complete ranking is as follows:

1. Fujiko Mine (Lupin the III)

2. Android 18 (Dragon Ball Z)

3. Haruhi Suzumiya (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

4. Mikuru Asahina (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

5. Lum (Urusei Yatsura)

6. Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

7. Yuki Nagato (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

8. Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangellion)

9. Haman Khan (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam)

10. Misato Katsuragi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

11. Honey Kisaragi (Cutie Honey)

12. Ryoko Asakura (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

13. Bulma (Dragon Ball Z)

14. Ms. Machiko (Mai-ching Machiko Sensei)

15. Maya Ibuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

16. Ritsuko Akagi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

17. Maetel (Galaxy Express 999)

18. Selene (Devilman)

19. Ai Amano (Dengeki Shoujo)

20. Shizuka Minamoto (Doraemon)

21. Maruko (Chibi-Maruko Chan)

22. Dorami-chan (Doraemon)

23. Jaiko (Doramon)

23. Noguchi-san (Chibi-Maruko Chan)

25. Wakame Isono (Sazae-san

Dutch People, Too Open-Minded for Me

Those people from the country above did it again. I thought I was open-minded – I support the women’s right to choose, am 100% for rights for transgenders, and love tofu – but next to Dutch politicians, I may be as closed-minded as Beenie Man.

From: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25402957-12377,00.html

“Dutch park unveils signs pointing to gay ‘cruiser’ areas A PARK near Amsterdam has unveiled information signs pointing out spots where officials say gay men are known to have sex – so no visitors are taken by surprise. The signs “clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice ‘cruising’,” municipal spokeswoman Manon Koffijberg said. Cruising is a slang word used to describe the act of trawling for casual sex. “If you don’t want to be confronted by a vision of that sort, the signs allow you to avoid specific areas,” said Ms Koffijberg. The De Oeverlanden park in Slotervaart, southwest of Amsterdam, is known as a place where homosexuals from all over the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe go in search of sex partners. Ms Koffijberg said that while having sex in public was against the law, the park has been used for this purpose for so long that it has become “gedoog”, a Dutch word for tolerating unwanted behaviour. The sexual activities of cruisers, she said, kept mostly to the bushes in the park, and the new signs sought to ensure that they stayed there. “There are various groups of users of the park; people with small children who bathe on the beaches, those who walk their dogs, gays cruising and nature lovers,” said Ms Koffijberg. “Things are arranged so that each group can relax in their own area without intruding on each other.” There had been recent complaints of gay bashing in the Slotervaart area, populated by a large group of immigrants of Muslim origin, with reports of robberies and violence against gay men in De Oeverlanden park.”

Ewwwwwww……. Unless you are George Michael, “cruising” in park is gross. This coming from a man who didn’t know what that term meant until his co-worker used it. That park sure sounds like a busy place. Horny gay prowlers, granola-eating guitar-strumming health-conscious (40% of them wearing sandals) indie chicks/dudes, and parents with kids. It’s just like a disneyland. “On the right, there is the Buttlove World, right next to Nature World.”

I’ve been cruised once, in Japan. I was walking down Shibuya, around 10 or so in the evening, after saying bye to a friend. This latino looking men who was standing on the street made a blowing kiss gesture. It was strange. Being cruised at unsuspectingly leave you with a strange emotion. A mixture of disgust, flattery, and curiosity, I would say. As in, you wonder, “is this guy that sex-starved?” Or, “how could he tell I’m gay?” Yes, I am pretty obvious, and I would say 95% of accomplished gays would be able to tell that I am gay. But still. Having a guts to make a move on to some guy walking down the street?

I once was on a train, and this Indian guy placed his hand right next to mine on the train pole, and tried to hit on me. I was grossed out. Yet again, I was curios. There was a slight temptation for me to pretend to be interested, get out of the packed train together with him. He would follow my lead, walking behind with eyes glittering with hope. After taking few strides away from the platform, I would then turn around quickly, and shoot a barrage of questions: “So do you do this often? Do you get on a train and start hitting on guys?” “What is your success rate?” “Do you simply do it in the disgusting train toilet then?” “Are you too ashamed to go to gay bars? Or do you go to them, but your sex drive is off the roof, and you simply can’t contain myself?” “And please don’t tell me that you couldn’t help yourself cuz I’m ‘special.’ Do I look like I’m 13?”

Talking about the Netherlands, open-mindedness, and park, last year, roughly the same time (March 10, 2008), the councillors over there decided that people can have sex in a popular park -provided that it is not in the proximity of the playground and is done in the evening – but banned dog owners to walk their dogs without a leash.

From http://www.orange.co.uk/news/quirkies/default.htm?rm=storyitem&storyId=2761207

Dog owners angry at public sex plan

“Dog owners in Amsterdam are angry after the city legalised public sex in one of the city’s most famous parks. Councillors agreed that heterosexual and gay couples could have sex in the Vondelpark which has ten million visitors a year. But they promised to clampdown on dog owners who let their pets walk in the park without a lead. One dog owner protested: “As long as the park has existed, we’ve been allowed to let our dogs run freely. It’s outrageous that we will be punished from now on but public sex won’t.” A spokesman for the council which runs the southern part of Amsterdam said: “When the dogs are not kept on a leash they pee on whatever they see and they cause a lot of nuisance for other visitors.” Alderman Paul Van Grieken defended the decision to allow public sex in the park from September. “Why should we oppose a rule on something you can’t oppose a rule on. Moreover it isn’t a nuisance for the other visitors and gives a lot of pleasure to a certain group of people,” he said. “There still are rules,” he added. “They must take their garbage with them afterwards and never have intercourse near the playground. The sex must be limited to the evening hours and night.””

I think it is the first time in history, that a park which is popular enough to be listed on wikipedia (it even has a film museum and open air theater!) legally sanctions public sex!

HELL YEAH!

Being a film buff, I think it is cool that film fantatics are given a chance to recreate a scene from the indie-favorite “Wicker Man.” For those that do not know the story, the film is about a devout Christian cop goes to a f-ed up sexually charged island to investigate a missing girl case. In one particular scene, my fave scene of the film, he stumbles across a park where bunch of couples are having sex. In the evening, of course. It would be amazing if local film groups host an event trying to recreate that scene! Oh, of course they will clean up after their mess. Film fans have great manners, don’t you know?

Gay Icon is a BS

I hate the gay community.

By gay community, I am not referring to gay people overall, but the outspoken members that speaks public about the gay people as a whole, and clamor around the gay venue in masses.

I simply do not find anything common with them. I think gay parade is tacky and gross. Yes, it had a meaning back then. Back when people used to accentuate the gay stereotypes in order to combat and ridicule the fears that majority had about the homosexuality. But now, as Lisa Simpson once shouted at a gay parade, “we know that you are here, and that you are queer. We got used to it.” It is rare for me to have a gay friend, but I still have them. I simply do not go to a gay bar with them.

I also don’t agree with the mentality that most people hold. As my ex once said, “some gay people are obsessed being gay.” Okay, I do write about being gay, so I guess I’m guilty in this one. Anyways. What I don’t like is people dictating how gay people should act. They decree, saying gays have to like Madonna. They have to have casual sex. They have to wear Calvin Klein underwear and Abercombie & Fitch. The last time I checked, the only prerequisite you needed to be gay was to like the member of the same sex. Since when did music come into this? Some gays are feminine (like me), but just like not all girls like pop music, not all gays like pop music. If you are confident with sexuality, you wouldn’t care how much or how little sex other gays decide to have. I don’t agree with a lifestyle where everyone dresses the same, and some act all b1tchy, gossiping and trying to be one step ahead of other gays, as if we are manufactured that way. I don’t like going to venues where people sit with their noses up high, peering at the new meat the just came in the bar, while wearing some brand name clothes that do not fit them at all.
Well, That was a longer intro then I planned.

I was stunned to read the following:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/entertainment/2009/04/britney-honored-by-gay-community-austin-city-limits-music-festival-headliners.htm

“Britney Spears will be honored with the Always Next, Forever Now Award at Logo’s NewNowNext Awards. The pop star is scheduled to accept the special award, which “pays homage to beloved Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender icons.” The second annual awards show, hosted by RuPaul, airs June 13 (9 p.m. ET/PT) on Logo, MTV’s gay-and-lesbian-themed network. …”

What??? What did B.S ever do for gays???? What the hell?

If people wanna like B.S, be my guest, but don’t call her a gay icon. I find that a bit scathing.
Shouldn’t these awards go to someone who actually did something for “the gays?”

It’s not as if every time she was on TV, she shouted “vote against Prop 8 y’all!”

I can think of so many celebrities that did more than what she did for gay rights. America Ferrera, Tony Plana & Ana Ortiz to begin with. They actually put their careers in line, staring in a few anti-prop 8 ads. Theirs especially targeted the “family-oriented” latino population.  They may have alienated some fans in appearing on this ad.

I like myself, and am confident about myself (although I wish I wasn’t disabled). So I feel no need to like the music that the “community” likes, or other people with low self-esteem want all the gays to do.  To paraphrase the extremely progressive thinking response that was on North Korea’s official website on the question, “what is the North Korea’s stance on homosexuality,” I will continue to “reject many characteristics of the popular gay culture in the West, which many perceive to embrace consumerism, classism and promiscuity.”

Lindsay Lohan really decided to sell out and doom herself to a sh1tty career until her 40s at least, when she’ll make some kind of amazing come back movie

This is two weeks old, but I have to share, cuz I can’t stop watching the hilarious new ad for Fornarina featuring Lindsay Lohan. It is SUCKTASTIC.

I like Lindsay Lohan, I do.

She IS talented.

Have you seen “The Parent Trap?” That is when most of us saw Lindsay first. She plays twins, and I honestly thought a pair of twins were playing the roles. It was that convincing. She was 12 back then.

Her next big splash into the mainstream was 2003, where she played a mom whose spirit gets trapped in her teenage daughter’s body in “Freaky Friday,” opposite Jamie Lee Curtis. Both lead actresses were highly praised for their acting. Then came Mean Girls, which really propelled her career as a tween star.

I personally thought the trailer for Mean Girls was horrible, and refused to watch. Until I fell ill, and that was the only DVD that was available (brought to by my friend).

Then her horrible dysfunctional family (that is an understatement) helped ruining her career, along with her unkempt partying ways and horrible career choice.

If those who thought “I Know Who Killed Me” was a horrible role to play, they have to watch this ad. It is sucktastic.

E!’s “The Soup” joked about this.

Joel McHale, the host, made fun of it by re-enacting the ad, saying, “Desperate.Need cash.Mirrors cut lines.Need more cash.Crash car.Narnia.”

Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay… Fire your agent. And (as one youtube poster commented), you need to click, flash, wow yourself a sandwich. Still looks hot though…

The title comes from another youtube comment, where a user stated that, “this is a perfect moment to seen when she really decided to sell out….”

And if you haven’t watched the horrible trailer of Mean Girls, please do so. I like to inflict my pain to others, just like that evil chick in that horror movie (you know which movie I’m referring to, right?)

Eleven Students Try to Kill Their Teacher’s Baby

Seventh Graders in “Let’s Make the Teacher Have Miscarriage” Club

More itai (painfully embarrassing) news from Japan…. The word “itai”, which can mean “painfully embarrassing,” can apply to the existence itself, like the case below.

From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20090328-OYT1T00563.htm?from=main1

“On 28th, school officials in Aichi-perfecture found out that eleven seventh graders established the club to “make the teacher have miscarriage,” repeatedly playing nasty pranks to their female teacher, such as mixing foreign substances in her food. According to the school officials, the victim was their female teacher in her 30s, 5-6 months pregnant. The eleven students were unhappy with their seating changes, and being told off in school society.

Since the end of January, they have been been putting chalk powder to her car, and unscrewing the backrest of her chair to make her fall. On February , they’ve taken substances (alum) used in disinfecting from the science lab, and mixed within the teacher’s meat sauce. The female teacher who ate the food showed no damage to her health. Their actions came into light when one of their classmates became concerned and notified the authority after. The school called the students’ parents to and had a talk. The students reportedly showed remorse over their behaviors.”

Am I the only one that find this news article completely shocking???? Although the teacher herself is all right, having eleven kids in a school trying to kill your baby is a scary thought! And isn’t it the “intention” that really decides the weight of the crime? They are probably 12-13 year olds, but they shouldn’t get away with trying to kill a baby! They’ve simply been told off by the school. No expulsion? Jesus. It is scary to think that these kids will become adults themselves! Keep them in the school forever. Don’t let them out in the society.

Mornings in Tokyo is this Crazy

Ladies and gentlemen, a resident in Tokyo has spoken.

YES, mornings in Tokyo is this crazy

The clip above was introduced by Japanese media outlet, J-Cast news, as being popular overseas with over 42,000 views.

Most people, like me, HATE mornings.  But if you know that in each morning, you have to endure this, it is extremely demoralizing.

Ever since I said bye to train commute, and now commuting by bicycle, things have been much much better.  Though, sometimes I’m way too sleepy to ride the bike.  I skip the horrible morning commute, and the evening rush as you are competing with other business people for a space in the train for a ride home, when you are exhausted from the long day’s work.

I've no idea which line this is, but my commute was never this bad.

Not all trains are like this.  Some lines are hellish, whilst some lines are really vacant.  For example, if you live in the “posh” area or the town central, like I did (although I lived in a dilapidated apartment with f’ing losers that got paid so much less than I did and were single, although they were well in their 50’s and thus always cranky and crazy), morning commute is a breeze.  People who live in the most highly sought after scrap of the land are an esoteric bunch, who can also afford a pleasant morning commute.  But if you live in a residence area/suburbia, where the housing density is high, it is gonna be hell in the morning.

Well, what did you expect?  2/3 of people in Japan live in Tokyo (craziness!).  With population of 12,369,000, the metropolis is far more crowded than other notoriously expensive competitors, like London (population: 7,700,000).

And you wonder why people keep pushing…  Well, for one thing, because there is enough space for just one more!  Most people are damn lazy and stop walking once they get in the train.  The middle section of the train (where there are seatings) has enough space to move around!  So you have to push your way through.

I really hate it when the loudspeaker tells you to “please do not force it, and wait for the next train.”  Well, you’re gonna be late for work if you wait for the next train!  It’s not like we love being squashed by bunch of strangers, 99.9% of them being not hot.

And having your whole entire body surrounded intimately by completely stronger that don’t care about you at all for 15-30 minutes straight until the train releases you at your destination is…. well, you DO get used to it, but sometimes you simply cannot handle.  The breath of people exhaled onto your shoulder.  The girl on your side not standing properly, using you as a human cushion whenever the train swerves a bit.  The book the student in front of you is reading keeps jabbing you.  And if you are a guy, you really do need to be conscious of where your hands are, as to not be accused of groping anyone when you weren’t.  The intrusive signs of actual foreign living beings, all at once, is simply aggravating.  People try to honor the other people’s personal space, killing their breaths, and steadying their glances as much as they can.  If things get too much, I suppose you can always close your eyes, and imagine that the train is full of hot sexy celebrities you like, each rubbing their arms against all over your body….

I think that is perv in a making speak.

Should Manga Simply Not Include a Korean Character at All?

It’s official. Hetalia has been axed.

The five-minute political satire has been canceled before its TV debut. Although the anime version does not feature the Korean character, and the network hasn’t given any particular reason except for “various reasons,” most people cannot help but to assume that the recent uproar from the Korean netizens, which has been featured in Japanese media news, to be the cause of the abrupt cancellation.  Seeing no other clear reason for the cancellation, most people assume the cause to be “to not offend any Korean.” Although anti-Japanese movie, such as Hanbando (released in 2006), had become a hit in Korea before, the “controversy” was introduced in Korean news, referring it as “right-wing manga”, and even in the South Korean Congress, referring the anime as “a criminal act.” http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_btds9-kM&feature=related

This isn’t the first time that such a thing has occurred. The popular shogi manga “Hikaru no Go” has likewise ended abruptly despite the popularity without giving any particular explanation. The manga finished soon after a Korean character, who served as the rival of the main character, made an appearance. The author didn’t give any explanation either, fueling the suspicion among fans. It was also reported that the anime, which had a strong Shinto element, was heavily edited to remove “anything Japanese” when shown in Korean networks, including the Shinto outfit of one of the major character.

Likewise, a famous anime producer Tanaka Masakazu stated in an interview that Inyasha probably won”t be able to be shown in Korea for it included Torii, a gate at the entrance of Shinto shrine.