First of all… GO FLOYD LANDIS! American domination of Le Tour is a good thing. Especially when this domination comes from iron men like Lance (The one-balled wonder) and Floyd (Mr. Arthritic Bum Hip) Landis. 0:29″ lead going into Paris, including a single stage that may be the greatest comeback in Le Tour history. Landis really deserves this one, and I can’t wait to see pictures of Lance and Landis living it up around all the French who hate every second of an American winner.
So today, Mai and I decided to go to Kobe. It was awesome, but I blew way too much money (almost $200 USD). It started out by grabbing a Banana Mocha frap at Starbucks and heading to Kobe, where we hit up Toys R Us and I almost bought a Noble Pink DS lite for ebay, but a check of prices made me happy that I didn’t. I did pick up some new board shorts and a tshirt at another shop in the same mall. Then we walked around Mosaic (an outdoor promenade) and I noticed there is a brazilian churrassco place in Kobe now, but it isn’t near the quality of Eterna in Shinsaibashi. Afterwards we walked around discussing the neccessity of diamond engagement rings and the sheer idiocy of DeBeers global monopoly on the diamond trade. Really, that should be ended immediately. But DeBeers is DeBeers and getting married won’t get any cheaper. We hit up the foreign bookstore and they were selling Moleskine but at insane prices, so I took a pass, even though I want one. Next up was a walk to Guild, a rocking American comic book store in Kobe, and they were having a sale on toys. Their american toy selection is much better than Toys R Us (THEY HAD THE COMIC CON EXCLUSIVE LEON S. KENNEDY IN STARS FIGURE!!! for 3200 yen 
!!!) and I had to partake. I picked up a Buddy Christ bobblehead for my desk, along with a Scarface figure and a Jay figure from Dogma. I also picked up the first two issue of Udon’s Rival Schools comic (for 997 yen an issue… ouch!) and they don’t look very promising, but I figure my one man army can bring the series back to prominence. Next up was a stop by the huge Junkodo bookstore where this geeky dude in the English section kept staring at Mai and mumbling to himself, prompting me to make a hasty retreat with Mai in tow. Then we went downstairs to HMV, who was also having a killer sale… I scored a couple of cds. One was Nick Warren Global Underground Budapest. The second was Musique Vol. 1 by everyone’s favorite mask wearing dance act, Daft Punk. I also picked up the lastest issue of DJ Mag featuring an interview with Ferry and two DVDs, Team America and Almost Famous/Untitled 2 DVD pack. Untitled (the directors cut) is really pricey in the states, and I traded my copy in back in the day, so I was happy to pick it up again for 1890 yen. After our shopping extravaganza, we went to Star Child’s, the best burger place in Kansai, and had burgers… Excellent as always, and particularly tasty after a long day of walking/shopping when washed down with a true pint of Heinneken. After that, we hightailed it home.
On a less fun note, I bought TDK’s Kanji game last week. It sucks hardcore. I’m trading it in for Mario Basketball when I go to pick up Digidrive next week. Such a disappointment.
Since I made a choice to listen primarily to dance music, I have felt old…
Muse, Coldplay, The Mars Volta, etc. All of these post-pop bands and their fans baffle me. I fail to see the originality or inspiration in their music. I readily admit to liking Gnarls Barkley quite a bit, but The Gorillaz are beyond me. Perhaps I am just not tragically hip, but I do not understand the appeal of post-pop, sites like Pitchfork, the fans, and those of a similar ilk.
Someone explain to me why this music is relevant or important, because sonically I find this stuff boring and lyrically I fail to relate, or connect.
Am I old? Am I out of touch with what has happened to my generation in the US? Or am I genuinely right in feeling that popular music, and post-modern popular music in particular, are shams holding nary a candle to The Beatles, Nirvana, or even Weezer?
Don’t even get me started on emo…
I’ve been a bit distressed with the state of Japanese culture as of late… To be honest, two specific things have been bothering me.
1) Using Brand Name Designer Paper Bags
Yes. Paper bags. The kind that they put your bag, jewelry, clothing, etc. inside. Not the actual goods, but the packaging for said goods. DON’T WALK AROUND WITH THIS BAG 3 MONTHS AFTER YOUR CHEAP BOYFRIEND BOUGHT YOU A 20000 YEN KEYCHAIN. Yes, OL types, I am talking to you. I don’t give a damn what you bought or when you bought it, putting your bento in a tattered brown louis vuitton paper shopping bag is the tackiest thing you could possibly do. Ever. When I see a months old Tiffany bag stuffed with your sweat towel and lunch, I don’t think “look at the girl who is shopping at Tiffany”… I think “look at the douchebag who isn’t smart enough to realize that using the bag makes you look poor, not rich!”
2) Movie Programs And Japanese General Reactions To Movies
Why? Why oh why do you essentially buy a website printout for 800 yen? Seriously? I know movies in Japan are expensive, but what in god’s name are you going to do with a 6 page full color brochure that should be given to you for free? And while we are on the subject, why must you always say the last movie you saw is the best movie you have ever seen? I went to see Pirates 2 this past weekend, and it’s got that bullshit response written all over it. Come next week and the full release, mixi will be filled with idiots singing the praises of a very well made popcorn flick and declaring Johnny Depp the second coming of Yon-sama. Don’t get me wrong, I dug the movie, but if I have to hear another gaggle of herd-like Japanese declare this the best movie ever, I may well force them to watch Ozu or Mizoguchi. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory created the same response. PEOPLE, THE MOVIE SUCKED. TIM BURTON SUCKS. YOUR TASTE IN FILM SUCKS. Please stop thinking that your twice yearly trip to the cinema has somehow given you insight into good film.
In other news, nothing really interesting going on as of late, so I will leave you with a few pictures of life in Japan.
Tenmabashi Car Porn
Say hello to my little friend…
They may have been united by fate, but now they are united on my desk.
I also have started making Chicken Penne alla Vodka at home… It turned out quite well, if I do say so myself. Since Mai went home to Chiba for a week, it was a nice quiet dinner for one.
Oh, on a final note, I bought the absolutely excellent LocoRoco for PSP. Congrats to Gregg and the rest of the team for making an excellent game. In an odd bit of coincidence, Shimoyan from the LocoRoco team was the 600th person to view my mixi profile. Interesting. In another bit of odd coincidence, the voice actor for the blue locoroco is Greg Irwin! The same Greg Irwin who is the oft-imitated narrator of Street Fighter Zero 3. It seems his career is going well… Triumph or die man!
There is a hilarious new God Hand trailer up!
http://www.cloverstudio.co.jp/godhand/
Spread the word.
