05 6 / 2012
東京 | Akihabara: Geek heaven or hell?
School’s out and some of us geeking out by strolling around Akihabara, the Otaku heaven, or hell, depending on how you look at it. For me, it was kind of both. Heaven because there are just so many toys and games I could browse for hours, and hell because the challenge is to get out of there empty-handed. So far, I’ve never been able to resist the temptation.
This was only an example of what I meant by both heaven and hell.
Having said that, there’s always an exception to every rules. The Gundam Cafe, was pure heaven. Granted, the food there may not win any Michelin stars but who cares when you can enjoy your meal in a universe full of Gundam artworks and characters? Plus, you get to enjoy some of your grub in the shape of your favorite Gundam character. Double Win!
And this, on the other hand, was pure hell. The Maid Dreams cafe obviously catered exclusively to males with either Oedipus complex or those belong in Hikikomori* category. Served mainly by girls dressed in mini maid-like outfit, the cafe could probably be called as pervert heaven. This is one aspect of Japanese phenomenon that I could never grasp. Which part of adoring young girls or adult dressed as little girls that is not disturbing? And this is apparently a behavior widely acceptable in Japan and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. There are even scores of adult Manga that exclusively indulge such perverted behavior. I, of course, beg to disagree.
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For further reading on Hikikomori, read Michael Zielenziger’s ‘Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation’.
02 6 / 2012
東京 ｜ ハローキティ
We had the pleasure to enjoy strolling under the rain in our second day of class. Rainy day in Tokyo means people out and about in a brisk walk in their colorful and cute umbrellas, myself included. It’s the only time I allowed myself wearing anything pink. ^_^
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I wondered why the school choose to held the class in Roppongi. While it’s cool, I couldn’t help but being critical of the choice. Don’t get me wrong, Roppongi is cool and everything, but it’s also not really authentic as it mostly occupied by uninteresting block after block of skyscrapers.
Controversy has also surrounded the best-known development, Roppongi Hills, with its 54-story barrel-like office tower. When it was completed in 2003, the opulent complex — which includes fashion boutiques, condominiums and a television studio — was heralded as a symbol of the end of Japan’s “lost decade.” But it soon turned into a symbol of the excesses of Japanese revival, when its most famous tenant, a Ferrari-driving Internet entrepreneur, Takafumi Horie, was arrested for insider trading.
Set aside the hubbub on the controversy, there’s an upside of having the class conveniently held in Roppongi, which means the Mori Art Museum was just a stone-throw away. Isolated location aside, the private museum often showcase various inspiring exhibition, this time it was the first large-scale solo show from Asia’s leading female artist, Lee Bull ’From Me, Belong To You Only’. I had to admit, upon entering the exhibition hall, I was a bit repulsed by her sculpture works as it reminded me of decapitated monsters in post-apocalyptic zombie war. Then slowly as I went through her arts, they started to speak to me. The most prominent one to me was the Infinity Walls. It reminds me of Atlantis. Having a glimpse to her studio and her sketches, the word passionate seems too mellow to describe her. Obsessive would be more appropriate. One can tell that she isn’t your run-the-mill artist. She truly believes in her work.
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I actually think this is an inherent condition of utopia
- to always has the feeling that it’s getting closer.
So human beings are always fared to dream of it and plan it.
And yet we’re also fares to be disappointed by the inevitable realization that it’s I reachable.
Still we dream. I’m fascinated by those failures,
as well as the dreams that the dreamers knew could never matiralize.
(Lee Bull • Tokyo • 2012.05.22)
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Meet Hello Kitty…
Going back to class after enjoying such inspiring exhibition to sit in the afternoon session about Hello (who dat) Kitty, was not my idea of how I wanted to end the day. A bit like anti climax, if you asked me.
No disrespect to Sanrio, but boy, if we were to talk about Cool Japan, I wouldn’t include Hello Kitty in the conversation. For one, Hello Kitty is a has-been in my book. Not only was the hip happened before my time but Sanrio was no longer inventing anything new since the Kitty introduced back in 1974 in Japan. I was never into it. In fact, I hate cats. Give me anime, manga and robots anytime. Thank you.
However, it was kind of interesting to learn Sanrio’s journey to fame that eventually led to its downfall. Was it laziness, internal organizational politics (which I doubt it’d be publicly aired), or simply lack of innovation? I’m sorry, but slapping another color or change Hello Kitty appearance or accessories ain’t exactly what I would call ‘innovative’. It’s just repetition of the same thing and putting different label on it.
One couldn’t help but wonder whether Sanrio decline is a classic case of a brand being too comfortable that it cease to innovate?
