AltJapan

CNN Go! Go! Go!

CNNgo is GO! For the last few months, a bunch of us have been burning the midnight oil on a secret new project, hidden in plain sight just like SPECTRE's base beneath Mount Fuji.

Operating under the orders of Tokyo Editor David "Tiger" Marx, Hiroko and I infiltrated hotspots across Tokyo. Posing as tourists, our now-declassified missions took us from downtown to the far-flung islands of Izu, as we sampled foods at everything from high-end ryotei restaurants to the fragrant stalls of Piss Alley. In between, we journeyed "upriver" on the Kanda Apocalypse Now-style, filed a report on the sad state of the anime industry, and more. Meanwhile, Hiroko (in true Hiroko fashion) took the lead in shedding light on Tokyo's scary side, filing reports on the curse of Masakado's severed head and the grisly tale of Oiwa from "Yotsuya Kaidan."

It's part of an all-new English-language website called CNNgo Tokyo. And while you're there, don't miss the great stuff by other secret agents, like Andy Szymanski's expose on Gyoza Town in Utsunomiya and Patrick Macias' 6 Tokyo movies that get it all wrong. This is an ongoing new gig, so look for more reports in the coming weeks and months!

How Japan Watches the Watchmen

Japanese fan artists appreciate a classic the only way they know how...

Rorschach MOÉ!

Silk Spectre MOÉ!

Tasukete, Rorschach nii-san!!!

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Twentieth Century Rorschach!

Watchpuff Men!

Fight! Watchmen Rangers!

"No-Pan" Dr. Manhattan!

Collected in part from the Higenashi blog (NSFW), the 5910 blog, the Puchi Tomato wo Tsubusu blog and others. 

Anime Fans Prefer Beta

Another installment from The Yappie Handbook (1984).

YAPPIE AUDIO-VISUAL REQUIREMENTS

Television

In the coming new media age, a television that can accommodate a variety of electronic equipment connections is best. However, televisions with A/V inputs are quite expensive, so a standard, color tone stabilized color television can be used as well. In the latter case, a large cathode ray tube set will offer a better viewing experience than a compact type.

Video

A full-featured video tape recorder with more features than a standard model, such as a remote control, is a necessity. It can be purchased by saving money from a part-time job. The reason for needing such a high-end model is so as to satisfy the needs of someone who will be using it every day. It's a little luxurious, but purchasing both VHS and Betamax types will give you more freedom for dubbing. For those who can't afford both, most anime fans prefer Beta.

Stereo

Yappies tend to be visually oriented, but it's still a good idea to purchase a mini component stereo system tailored to the size of your room.  The most important consideration isn't audio quality but rather to pick a system that has a timer feature and can play multiple cassette tapes in succession. Remember: this will be the background music machine for your anime life.

Other

You may find a "dubbing controller," which will allow you to dub videos, and a portable home computer useful as well.

The Professional

In this September 11th interview  (Japanese language) with "Golgo 13" creator Takao Saito, the legend claims to have a softer side. "Right now, I'm feeling like I want to do something for kids, like Doraemon or Anpanman." 

I can't think of anyone better qualified to teach the tykes that despite what they may have heard on Sesame Street, a silenced, pushbutton triggered M-16 will get you a lot farther in life than "sharing." 

Other insights from the 72-year-old master of mayhem on the comic page, who declares that he'll "keep working as long as he possibly can": "With a fun job like this, who needs hobbies?" I couldn't agree more.

Game Over Desu

Sobering up between bar hops Friday night, Andy and I decided to warp a few parsecs over to Shibuya Kaikan, but the once-legendary top floor, formerly filled corner to corner with retro arcade games priced cheaper than anywhere else in Neo-Tokyo, real classics competing for attention in all their polyphonic bitpoppy glory, the place I spent I think half of my off-hours and most of my weekly food allowance during college, the place I actually was (and this will date me) when I heard Kurt Kobain died, while playing Time Pilot as it so happens, me not him I mean, a shadow of its former self, filled not with Dig Dug and Elevator Action and the rest but rather rows of several-year-old head-to-head Gundam Versus Whatever cabinets instead, tended by a clone-like army of chain-smoking college kids and first-year hires in moptops and cheap suits and thick-framed glasses, who quickly scanned us for the dinosaurs we were, and after a desultory round or six of Time Crisis 2, at which Andy kicked my ass, we traveled floor to floor, a two-man lost tribe from an eight-bit era, bearing gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and fifty-yen coins, eventually landing amidst a paltry handful of vintage games in the manger-like basement, upon one of which which Andy proceeded to kick my ass again. Then the drinking.

How to Defeat Giant Robot Monsters

It's elementary, as this still from an episode of Mazinger Z explains.

There isn't really any need for alarm, though. As I reported a few years back, there's at least twelve giant robot bases in and around central Japan. In case of robot monster invasion, contact the one nearest you.

Stone Cold Lover

I hereby propose that this cornerstone is moved from its current spot in Yurakucho to Love Hotel Hill in Shibuya.

Where's the Beef?

Andrew WK joins the ranks of foreign rockers who've been asked to cover the theme song of the original Gundam series. Compare it to Richie "Mr Big" Kotzen's previous version here. Both suffer from what I'd like to dub the "Mobile Suit Holstein" phenomenon: given the structure of the lyrics, there's no way around having to pronounce "Gundam" as "Gunda-moo."

(And for the truly dedicated, here's the original Japanese version.)

Last Shooting

As the great disassembly continues, Gundam loses his head and left arm. The right is due to come off tomorrow.

Shibuya Station, 1:46 PM

Where was this guy with the giant skull going, and how the hell did he fit through the train doors? We'll never know.