Japan produces some of the niftiest, coolest toys on earth — and I’m not talking of just game consoles or those cool robots. Take for example this new product from Gakken Toys, almost industrial type Lego-like building blocks that you can form into the Tokyo Tower. The figure is very easy to assemble and will really give your mind a good workout. When you’ve finished building it, turn off the lights and light up the tower and what you’ll have is a very cool light fixture at home (or at the office) that will surely elicit many positive comments from visitors. It is a true conversation piece. When you’ve gotten tired of the Tokyo Tower just disassemble it and build it into any structure or figure you want. This means endless fun not only for the kids but for you as well.
A love for Sentai
One of my fondest childhood memories was excitedly anticipating 6pm on a Saturday. No, it’s not because my mother was going to prepare a favorite dish. It’s when Goranger is shown on one of the local channels. Goranger was one pay for research paper of the first Sentai series to come out of Japan. They were also one of my favorite heroes. It’s been almost three decades (!) since I’ve seen Goranger but I still have a soft spot for it. It practically defined my childhood.
Sentai are one of the quirky genres that can be categorically confirmed as purely Japanese created. If you’re confused about what Sentai is then just look at any of the current iterations of the Power Rangers, because the Power Rangers are absolutely Sentai. The Sentai phenomenon spawned so many different titles and heroes that only the most hardcore sentai fan would even recognize all of them. But a common theme does run through all of the sentai series and heroes — the preference for distinctive colors to identify individual heroes, distinctive designs on the helmet, a group of four or five, and unique abilities for each sentai hero. With the emergence of Super Sentai, other conventions became established — separate vehicles that could either form into a robot or enter a robot and a first battle with a villain that culminates with the robot battle.
Adults watching a sentai series now may find it quite silly. But in our childhood, they were the pinnacle of cool. I admit, they are still the coolest things I’ve seen on TV, and I still secretly long to become the Aka Ranger.
UTK brings a different light to manga
Talk about manga usually revolves around Japanese style superheroes, mythological beings and mecha robots (okay, some of you dirty devils would also think about those disturbing porn). These genres have become so entrenched in manga culture that a title like Urayasu Tekkin Kazoku is like a breath of fresh air to the medium.
The title, also known as UTK, is written by Kenji Hamaoka. Roughly translated, the title means “the steel-reinforced concrete family of Urayasu.” This manga tells the story of the lives and various adventures that happen to a bunch of children from elementary school as well as their families.
UTK is one of the best drawn mangas to come in a while. The attention to detail in the comicbook is worthy of attention. It really shows that the people working on it do it with love. The characters are also people that you will come to love and admire. Just like everyday people, the slow unfolding of each person’s character may take time but what you have invested in it pays off in the long run. One bad thing though is that since the stories are very entrenched in contemporary Japanese culture it may be quite hard, if not impossible, to see an English translation of this wonderful manga. But then stranger things have happened. Hopefully, UTK does get a translation deal because this is the kind of manga that more people should read.
Quirky video games in Japan
When it comes to quirky games nothing can beat the Japanese. They have practically invented the genre and the market for games that are so out of this world in concept and gameplay that you wouldn’t even think that it is playable, much less marketable. And yet, the Japanese have proven time and time again that their formula actually succeeds in capturing the imaginations (and the wallets) of gamers.
Of course, most of these quirky games would really cater more or less exclusively to the Japanese domestic market itself. Take for example the popularity of “dating” simulators. These dating games are one of the biggest game genres in Japan but it has yet to really penetrate the market abroad. But thent there are games that are soo out there in concept and gameplay mechnics but still manages to get a worldwide audience.
Katamari Damacy is a puzzle/adventure game. You play the role of an alien who needs to replace “lost” stars in the sky and the only way you can do that is by accumulating all types of things on earth by rolling a “sticky” ball until you reach a desired diameter. It’s a really crazy concept but it became a really huge game when it was released and even spawned a sequel.
I think we should try to imitate the Japanese people’s ability to become open about new changes and ideas.
Urban camouflage shown by Japanese designer
Japan is known for being a leader in technological innovations. But it has also gained a reputation for being a center for wacky ideas and innovations. The Japanese have a knack of really thinking out of the box and devising really weird inventions that may make us laugh but at the back of our minds, it would also make us think and say “why didn’t I think of that?”
Take for example the idea of Aya Tsukioka for urban camouflage. This camo is an answer to the rising incidence of street crime in Japan. Other people might think of personal security devices like mace, tasers, personal alarms or security cameras. But leave it to Tsukioka to think of a more innovative and definitely more outlandish answer to the problem. Tsukioka, who describes herself as an experimental clothing designer, designed a skirt where, if you lift up a flap, will transform the wearer into a soda vending machine. The illusion is believable enough.
She has designed a line of different products with the same “camo” dual feature, like a purse that becomes a manhole cover and bag that can become a fire hydrant. It would be cool to imagine a whole city that has assimilated Tsukioka’s designs. I can just picture men and women suddenly disappearing and turning into benches, trees or phone booths. It would be such an interesting city to live in!
For $800, you can bring the reality of a wearable vending machine home.