みんなで Japanese Conversation [1] and Streamers the Band

 For this weeks Listening/Watching excersize, I took a dive into two mediums I typically don't explore- the unscripted conversation of もしもしゆうすけ and the musical inclinations of Notre Dame Graduates Streamers the Band.

This is not the first time I have watched Yusuke, with some of his videos serving as some of the first introduction into the world of Japanese conversational videos. It was interesting consuming his content however in a medium that wasn't a monologue. 

 

In the video we are introduced to Igor, a Belarusian national, who has traveled to and lived in Japan slowly becoming familiar with the language and the culture. During this conversation, we learn a number of cultural differences that Igor and Yusuke note and discuss, including the perception of smoking as a past time, in which Yusuke views the action as a form of mental health, a sharp contrast to the more pessimistic views of Igor and myself. 

The video also discusses actions of a foreigner in Japan including actively studying and prepping for the JLPT and even the existence of schools dedicated to preparing foreigners for the exams. The video goes on to discuss other day to day actions experienced by the individuals including the massive lines experienced in Tokyo for even a typical action(waiting 20 people to buy anything from a convenience store) and pursuing parks and less touristic areas to escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

The video was interesting and I found myself able to comprehend the content largely without subtitles, including conversational daily actions, different actions that are bought and sold, and even discussion about duration of actions and long term goals. The video was fun and interesting as well as serving as a good contrast to the meticulously crafted and scripted content that I was familiar with, as the charterers took time to reflect on the various questions before responding.         

                                        

As to the song もう音楽しかない by Streamers the Band, it was really interesting to be able to see Notre Dame students continue to pursue their passion of Japanese after graduation. The song, which translates to Losing Myself in the Music, serves as an J pop variant of their previously released song.

It is clear to see the Japanese influences on the song itself, seemingly drawing heavily from the City Pop genre of the 1980s and artists like Yasuha and Tomoko Aran. While I was not able to understand the song extremely well due to the more reflationary/dream like nature of the song, it was fun to listen to. Even if I was unable to understand the song completely, I found myself able to understand some of the grammatical structures of the song- especially the plain negative nai structure and verbs like 聞. I am unsure whether I will continue to listen to the band regularly but I had fun listening to it by and large.

Records of Ragnorak

For this weeks listening/watching, I once again dove into the world of Anime: this time watching the Netflix Original Series Records of Ragnarok.  The show, similar to Mashle, draws on my interests of when I was a child- though this time it pertained the world of Mythology rather than the world of magic. The show follows the story of Brunhilde- a Valkyrie of Norse Mythology as she enacts Ragnarok, a best of 13 battles between the Gods and Humanity in a last minute attempt to saves humanity from extinction at the whims of the god.

                                                                

The show itself was fun and interesting with an introduction to a number of historical figures I was unfamiliar with before watching the show, like that of Sasaki Kojiro the Japanese swordsman, and Raiden Tameemon, the Foremost Japanese sumo wrestler, among other historical figures like Jack the Ripper* and Nikola Tesla.

                                                                   

The show introduces not only new figures of humanity I was unfamiliar with but also various gods and deities. These include the usual Greek figures of Zeus and Ares as well as Odin and Loki from the Norse legends. 

One of the interesting aspects of the show I found was the variation in historical recollection- with the God Poseidon having killed his brother Hajun (who seemingly is based on Hades) or even the alterations made to children's nursery rhymes as shown by Jack the Ripper's London Bridge is Falling Down. Most of the shows I consume either stay pretty true to the established mythology or develop their own characters completely unrelated to existing universe.

I will say however this show is pretty violent all in all, as one would expect with a show depicting 13 battles to the death with the fate of humanity on the line. While it is interesting to see the different warriors from across humanity(or at least the strongest* individuals throughout) I would not recommend watching the show if you are looking for a fun slice of life show.                                                                   

Due to the newer nature of the program, as well as the battle heavy nature of the program, I was unable to utilize my knowledge of Japanese and Japanese culture to predict the themes and plots of the episodes before they came to be. Despite this I did learn about the various styles of garb warn throughout the different eras of Japan, along with more minute changes like that of hairstyles and identities as warriors.

The show was fun and a new spin on the traditional meaning of Ragnarok in Norse Mythology, typically referred to as the death of the universe/the gods themselves.

Mashle- Magic and Muscles

 For this weeks Reading/Listening, I dove into the wonderful world of anime as I watched the first two episodes of the newly airing tv show Mashle. Mashle, or its alternative title, Mashle- Magic and Muscles, drew my intention as a new and interesting approach to world of magic, reminding me of a cross between Harry Potter and Black Clover.

                                             

The show follows the protagonist Mash, a man who has dedicated his life to physically enhancing his own physical capabilities to make up for his own lack of magical abilities, abilities that all other members of the world have, as he enrolls in a magical academy to escape trouble with the government. There he utilizes his pure strength to create "practical" solutions to tasks typically magical problems- like opening locks with brute strength, throwing wands as a sort of throwing knife, and threatening magical items with there destruction should they fail to behave nicely.

All in all the show was a fun way to take a break from studying for the upcoming exams, and it will definitely be something I will continue to watch as the season airs. I wouldn't say however that the show has contributed greatly towards my ability to further understand the language. The shows slapstick esque humor and fantastical world(filled with magic) leaves much of the narrative secondary, though the show is fun nonetheless and I learned the term for a new desert that I love- Shu Cream or cream puff.

                                                         

Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman

                                                                   

This week I once again dove into the world of Japanese Television, specifically the show Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman. The show follows the main character Kantaro, an uptight and closed off Programer who has recently joined a publishing company. We discover that the reason behind Kantaro’s change in employment stems from his love for sweets and deserts, and that his time as a salesman allows him to visit the thousands of different specialty cafes located around Tokyo.

It adopts a comedic tone as Kantaro is forced work under extreme pressure to successfully complete his work while hiding his frequent stops at different cafes. In doing so he adopts an inhuman, robotesque characteristic, whose veneer only breaks in the presence of a new sweet or dessert.


The episode focused on introducing the character as well as the Japanese Dessert Anmitsu, a traditional Japanese cold dessert made of white, semi-translucent jelly covered with syrup. What’s interesting about the show is that it not breaks down the cultural significance of the dishes but the surrounding atmosphere of the eatery, and the decorations that appear in the restaurant.                            
                                                                     
The show reminds me greatly of Samurai Gourmet, though where in the former Kantaro utilizes food to connect with his softer emotions, the later has Kasumi embracing his selfish qualities to enjoy foods and actions new to him. Similarly, both shows utilize absurd cutting sequences to establish the protagonist's thoughts of the food, with Kantaro becoming the Anmitsu at one point before he fully consumes it.


I found the show to be an interesting premise and view into the more niche world of Japanese confectionery, though its outlandish depiction of its characters and foods makes it feel like an Anime rather than a TV drama that I would dedicate extended time too. I was able to follow the plot of the episode well, learning about specific ingredients in addition to my vocabulary surrounding sweets and food in general. I was also able to understand the descriptions of the characters, with Kintaro drawing greater attention to the world/god of flavors that permits the tasting experience he has had.


While I personally would not continue to watch the show, I found the premise to be interesting and a good way to learn about Japanese sweets,even if it's only through reading the episode descriptions going forward.

 

A Japanese Boy Who Draws

 For this week's watching and listening assignment, I dove into the world of Japanese Manga artists in A Japanese Boy Who Draws. This was one of my favorite short films I have watched to date. The film follows the life cycle of an artistically gifted child who strives to become a Manga author. The film is told from the perspective of the protagonist's drawings with sentence structure and the animated drawings becoming more developed as the student grows and develops better art. 

                            

    Not only does the film create a unique view into the struggles of aspiring artists in Japan, but it also broaches on childhood dreams as well as the perception of special needs children in society through Masaru, Shinji’s childhood friend who we learn is autistic.

I was pleasantly surprised to understand much of the video up until Shinji’s university/salaryman period, in which the speech patterns and terms switch to gruff casual speech, similar to the depiction of gang members or yakuza in modern Japanese films.

The film was artistically stunning with a heartwarming story, as well as an ending that is both interesting and relatable- that despite Masaru’s art exhibition reestablishing Shinji’s dream and passions, Shinji would ultimately be a commercial failure despite his passion and love for the industry.

I highly recommend this film for anyone that has twenty minutes of free time in their day, as its themes, art style, and narrative are something that is both entertaining and worthwhile.