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!
For the paper bag comment that you put up there, there is something about Japanese people and bags. It really doesn’t matter what kind of brand it is, mostly girls use them because they are cute. Remember most Japanese people will use anything that is cute, even if it says “I am a fucktard” as long as it’s cute and if it will go well with what they are wearing.
It’s also disturbing and amusing at once that even PAPER BAGS can be considered a target of branding.