You´re the only japanese guy I have any form of contact with so I thought I´d blabber a few questions at ya, if you dont mind
I just wonder what the japanese public in general thought of Akebono quitting sumo and starting up a career in K1. As I understand it he must have been a very repsected person as a yokozuna, but what was the "opinion on the street" so to say about him putting on a pair of K1 gloves?
I´ve seen him lose all of his matches now, against Musashi, Remy Bonjaski and Bob Sapp
and Im not impressed.
Another question, will Asashoryu be allowed to fight Bob Sapp in Pride? At one Pride gala I saw him pick up a mic and challenge Asashoryu in his usual "beastly" manner. Will that ever happen?
Yet another question:
How does the japanese public react to western movies about Japan? Meaning movies like "The Last Samurai"
Do you laugh at them, pointing out inaccuracies, or do you feel flattered by them. . .Im just curious hehe
An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind.
wassup guys. I just flew back from miami just a few hours ago.
Akebono.. Well, people laugh at him. Everyone sort of knows in their hearts that he's never going to win. But there's also another episode beside him just hopping on stage, and I remember it had something to do with Akebono and his wife. Something like Akebono trying to impress his wife or something. I can't remember. And there's always the money factor. I doubt Akebono, or the k-1 organization really cares if he wins or not, so much as the financial effects of his being on stage.
Asashoryu, I don't know. I'm not much of a fan of these fighting programs.. But again, since Akebono paved the street for sumo wrestlers getting into these mixed style fighting arenas, and the financial numbers are quite impressive, the Pride organization has little reason to refuse Asashoryu for. He'll probably do a bit better than Akebono tho. I've seen Asashoryu's sumo.. and it's fast, smart, and wild. Much better fighting than Akebono.
Western movies about Japan. Last Samurai did fairly well in Japan. I thought it was going to totally flop, but never underestimate the power of Tom Cruise. They were really smart with the casting I think, in using some well known Japanese actors. (way to make a product targeted for Japan) Some people who like history went into pointing out detailed mistakes, but all in all, the general opinion was that it was a good movie.
My opinion was that it was tough to accept the fact that it was a movie about Japan, but Japan couldn't have done such a good job. The Japanese movie industry sucks, they have no money, the staff are too hard headed, and too little people pay to see it in the theaters.
On another note, Kill Bill didn't good at all I don't think. Don't know the box office numbers, but the general public opinion was that they couldn't understand it. As for me, having taken a bite out of both Japanese and Western culture in general, I could understand the jokes and sarcasm used throughout the film.. so I thought it was kinda funny. Tarantino, man that guy's watchd waay to many old Japanese films. Much more than most Japanese people. He's sure done his homework.
Not sure, but I'm guessing it costs quite a lot. I can ask around. Older people (close to the silver zone) are pretty into the sumo stuff. I try to keep up sometime, but since a basho takes place every day, over an hour a day, it's hard to keep track of the results.
Really interesting stuff tho, especially with the english narration. The Japanese narration is a bit too much "sumo talk" for casual viewers since they use lots of sumo terminology. It gets confusing for even a typical Japanese (me) to understand.
All I can say for the recent basho is that I was surprised Asashoryu lost as much as he did. May have had to do with his getting married. Not to be anti feminine or anything.. I mean, the whole ritualistic portion of marriage can be stressful.
I'm just surprised you even get sumo over in Sweden. Or even k-1 or pride. Don't you have beautiful blonds to keep your eyes busy over there?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2004-10-20 08:48 ]</font>
But you´ll go crazy if you let women take up ALL your time. I know of only one european channel that shows sumo, and I´ve watched every basho for more years than I can count. I even remember the time before Kyokoshuzan (sp?) the first mongolian entered the makuchi division.
The same channel shows K1, because its owned by frenchmen and kickboxing is big in France. We only get snippets 3 months after the event actually happened.
Pride doesnt feature anywhere, I have to download through filesharing.
An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind.
"Tampopo" is a hilarious Japanese movie. One of the most funny movies I have seen in my life.
"Shall We Dance" was a nice little Japanese movie. Now it was made into an American movie. I am sure we runined it. One thing America knows how to do is make really bad movies.
"Spirited Away" is an incredible Japanese animation which blows away anything Disney could ever make.
on a note of "spirited away", lots of people say that Miyazaki Hayao, the director, has gone mad. It's like a disease. He has to keep directing, or he'll go crazy. Great stuff he makes.
Every know that Anno Hideaki, the guy who did the Evangelion series, worked for Studio Jibli (Miyazaki's studio) for a while? So, it's no wonder where Anno gets his near perfect storyboarding.
About "The Last Samurai". Even I pointed out a HUGE historical mistake in there, Ken. When the samurai ride by the peasants, the peasants are not lying down bowing in the mud and some even stare at them passing by which was considered by samurai as an offence .
Other than that I enjoyed that film immensely.
How did it go in Miami?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: paulrmartin on 2004-10-21 10:38 ]</font>
Miyazaki
love his work, esp spirited away, which i think was first one that really surpassed nausicaa...
also music for this stuff by Joe Hisaishi is totally excelent
Eva series is very special to me, i usually watch it when i am in fucked up mood
tho' i enjoyed FLCL a lot too
on a kill bill note, i loved animated bit in first part. lots of similarities with kite i noticed
just because you cannot imagine something that doesn't exclude it from reality.
