67 posts tagged “japan”
I don't know how I ever thought of checking out Asimo while in Japan. But I just found myself asking Atsuko-chan when we had drinks how to see Asimo. And being the science and technology journalist that she was, she knew exactly how and where. So on the morning I was flying back to Bangkok, I went to the Honda showroom in Aoyama. My luck, they had an Asimo demonstration that Sunday morning. And oh my goodness, move over Arashi and Takuya, I'm in love with another Japanese. His name is Asimo. And he's a robot.
Ah this Matsujun, first few minutes into SMILE and he's already making me cry.
I don't know where the drama is going. It feels so heavy for me. It's also so unlike Matsujun's previous roles (Bambino comes to mind, he was also the underdog there but that did not tackle such a sensitive topic as SMILE does). I hope he gets an award for his efforts.
Still stuck on YT and it's Monday morning already.
Kokuritsu or Tokyo's National Stadium is so huge (the red box onscreen indicates Point A to Point B) that Arashi had to take these bikes to get from one point to the next:
Who knew one day the five bakas would perform there and fill it up?
Japan marks Seijin Shiki every second Monday of January... otherwise known as the Coming-of-Age ceremony when girls aged 20 deck out in their loveliest winter kimonos to celebrate their passage to adulthood (20 being the age of majority in Japan). Kimono and snow... perfect combo.
(Photo by The Daily Yomiuri)
I woke up early this morning for this.
This being the last episode, it comes full circle. Mojakura's students pay him a surprise visit in Tokyo. All the other important casts like Onoda and the campaign staff in Fukuoka all make an appearance. Ubukata, Keita's loyal ally at the Diet, even becomes temporary PM while he was recuperating. And of course, we have the highlight of the episode, Keita's 30-minute speech (I didn't watch the time but that was how Fuji TV hyped the finale: "a half-hour live broadcast") where he recalls his accidental foray into politics three months ago and ending, not only with taking responsibility for the corruption scandal, but going a step further and surprising everyone by announcing that he was dissolving the House of Representatives and calling for snap elections.
The romance between Keita and Miyama is played ala-HERO. Very subtle. Is this how Japanese do their courtship? Like you bow your head to your fiance and say something like "please take care of me"? But it's quite cute the way Keita held her hand as they stood looking at the facade of the PM's office.
And so we come to the elections. And that's where it ends. But Keita's message in his emotional speech resonates. Like how important your vote is. We always say that every elections. But do we really realise the significance of that? "Your vote can change politics and society," he said, adding that the power of the land lies on the people and not on politicians.
But I suspect that this is possible only in advanced, developed countries like Japan whose democracy has reached a certain level of maturity. Sure, there is still a prevailing patronage politics but the people know what their rights are and what is due them. They live their lives not dependent on dole-outs and politicians' "help" that in truth come from public coffers. For poor countries like the Philippines, can you blame those who gamble their vote in exchange for five hundred pesos? I'm not justifying that but that is the reason why Philippine politics is nowhere. And why are there still people living in poverty when the country has so many resources and its growth rate has been steadily growing? It's because of the people who run it and who propagate poverty to serve their interest. The poorer the people are, the less empowered they are, the more dependent they are on politicians. Look at European countries where people are empowered and are not dependent on the government, they have a system that works. What I'm saying is, let's not depend on our government for giving us a decent life. We have to fend for ourselves in the best possible and decent manner.
But I digress. Keita said that by calling for general elections, he is able to squeeze out the puss in politics. I wonder when we can do that in the Philippines?
At last, the finale's ratings topped the season's per episode record at 27%. Taku has been justified and he won the Drama Grand Prix for best actor. Like he said, he will make his critics eat their words. Mojakura hairstyle notwithstanding.
I'll miss Taku. I'll miss Hiroshi Abe's Niracci. I'll miss Team Asakura.
It's not just about Takuya as Prime Minister Asakura Keita.
It's about idealistic bureaucrat Miyama (Kutasu Eri) who shapes the future PM but in the process is dealt with a a bitter realisation over the man she has looked up to as her mentor. Her breakdown scene with Keita was just touching although nothing still beats Keita's breakdown from episode 7.
It's about election planner Nirasawa (Hiroshi Abe) who has never lost an election except the first one, ironically, his own.
It's about the clumsy bodyguard Danbara (Ohkura Koji), fangirl Miyamoto (Kato Rosa) and the four snooty presidential aides. It's about scheming Kanbayashi, newly enlightened leader Onoda and the other politicians that crowd the Diet.
I's about idealisms that seem dead in the world of modern politics.
That's why when I saw Kanbayashi seemingly mellowing down after Keita talked to him, I was shaking my head--this doesn't happen in real life! I'm so glad it turned out to be a farce and that the teeth Kanbayashi bared when he smiled at Keita was not that of an old man impressed but of a shark gearing for the kill.
I can't wait for Team Asakura to show its force.
(And thank you for more Hiroshi Abe craziness. His scene with the wig was just hilarious.)
"My favorite star is the Polaris.
It's a star that's always there when you look up.
I want to be a leader like that."
-- Asakura Keita, CHANGE
It's only the third episode of CHANGE and Asakura Keita--a first-term parliamentarian/ reluctant politician/ ex-grade school teacher/ astronomy enthusiast--has been elected as Japan's prime minister, the youngest at 35. He has become popular with the masses starting with his good looks and has been dubbed as parliament prince.
Familiar story?
At first glance, it sounds like Philippine politics too. We have seen political scions rise to prominence in public office. Chiz, Migs, Mar, to name a few. But the similarity ends there. Our typical Pinoy politicians usually play it coy claiming they are reluctant to throw their hat into the political arena but that they had no choice because politics runs in the family, as if it was a birthright for them to be seeking public office. That they want to serve the public as if they're the only ones able to serve their country. Puhleeez. (And when they are elected, they act like God's gift to the Philippines, as if they did us a huge favour by running. *gags*)
Sure, that's real life and it's very different from a Japanese drama. But one can find familiar characters here and there.
Keita ran because he wanted to spare his mother from running not knowing that he just fell into the trap set by the ruling party. He does not expect to win but wins anyway by the skin of his teeth in the by-elections. He goes to the Diet and the next thing he knew, he has been handpicked by senior politicians to run for PM. Unknown to him, it's just a scheme and he's only being used to save the failing fortunes of the party. By having someone fresh, pure and even naive (his public debates with his two political rivals would make even the uninitiated in politics squirm), they are confident that they will be able to regain their hold in the Diet before the next general elections that will happen in three months. In short, Keita is just a panakip-butas (a temp), and he will be booted out after three months at a time that they expect the party will be back in the public's good graces.
Of course Keita does not know this, nor do his loyal supporters from election planner Nirasawa (Hiroshi Abe) and secretary Miyama (Fukatsu Eri), who is unaware that her former boss Kanbayashi (the minister of internal government) is the great schemer. That last scene of Kanbayashi getting a call from the US president and pretending he's the prime minister was creepy, as creepy as real politicians go.
"People who bow their heads during election, then act like royalty after winning, are not real politicians." -- Keita
P.S. I don't think the Philippines will ever have a Keita because we need more than just the usual faces to be able to inspire the Filipino people to have faith in the country's politics again. There's no one as pure and naive and unambitious around that makes you want to root for him even if he is being clobbered and criticised by the seasoned politicians. Of course that's asking for too much because Keita is purely a work of fiction, a character in a drama. Still it's worth reflecting on this... frankly, it's been a long time since I saw a politician that I'd like to root for, believe in and in whose hands put the fate of my country. NO ONE.
Yes, it's official. This is how he looks in Change, where he plays a teacher who becomes Japan's youngest prime minister.
They call the hairstyle 'cauliflower'. But for me, it only brings to mind a commercial called "curly shuffles" (and my classmates sang that to me when after summer vacation, I showed up in school with a permah; not so pleasant memories, even my dad who doesn't really say much, took one look at me and asked: "what happened to your
* you're feeling depressed,
* you miss your mom,
* you know someone who has cancer,
* you hate manipulative movies.
However, watch it if:
* you need a good cry,
* you just had a fight with your mom,
* you have 140 minutes to spare,
* you want to know who Joe Odagiri is.
I'm glad I did not watch this movie at the cinema, otherwise, I would have made a bawling fool of myself. In fact, I had to take several breaks to breathe. It wasn't really outrightly heavy because it was laced with humour. Odajou plays a talented illustrator Masaya who slacks through most of his school life, as he called it--'living off his mother'--and later brings his mom to live with him in Tokyo. The film criss-crosses between Masaya's childhood to the present time when his mother is fighting cancer. Obviously, all the ingredients for a tearjerker but there's comic relief courtesy of Masaya and his quirky mom.
unusual too and is apparently known for his role in Kamen Rider (which frankly, I just heard from Haru in Pride; so siya pala si Kamen Rider). One of the well-known stories about him was how he enrolled at the theatre and arts department of the California State University in Fresno by mistake when he originally wanted to study film directing. Well, blessing in disguise. Otherwise, the land of the rising sun won't have odagirism and Odajou, the epitome of 'cool Japan'.
Taku, please tell me you're kidding. Is this how you look in your new drama???
