Ja-Pan
Even though the country I live in was once subjugated by the Japanese using military might, I remain enamoured towards the land of the rising sun. I really don't know what it is that attracts me so. Maybe its the cartoons, the films, the music! Yes, the media has brainwashed me! Or maybe its the clothing, fashion, shoes! Or maybe its the design, the cars, the electronics! Or the food! Or the Samurais and Ninjas!
Well, I suppose when you boil it all down, its really the spirit behind it all. That never say die attitude, the quest for perfection, the attention to details, the cleverness in appropiating ideas, the cuteness, the adoption of foreign cultural icons, the friendlyness, the quest to go forward. Its so different from Singapore.
So anyway, I love all things Japanese, like anime. I've just downloaded some "classics" like Wolf's Rain and Cowboy Bebop, as well as newer ones like Yakitate!! Japan. The latter is about a boy who wants to bake a Ja-Pan or Japanese national bread, kinda like a croissant is to France. It makes use of a lot of Japanese words puns, which the fansubbers have dutifully included. Ja-Pan is a pun in itself. Pan, means bread. The show itself is rather nationalistic, I mean, baking a Ja-Pan, disregarding the fact that bread is a European thing. Their reasoning is that bread is so ubiquitous so it no longer belongs to just one country. Every country has a bread that represents it. But the Japanese don't. I lurve An-Pan, or red bean cakes, but they're not like a bread bread, but more of a pastry. So the protagonist, Azuma is off to make the Ja-Pan. I'm intrigued to see what it turns out to be.
Like other cooking shows, the humor is injected through the reactions, which are outrageous. The protagonist's grandfather ended up surfing a miso wave before launching into several kicks and chops, proclaiming the wonderful taste. Hilarious! Azuma goes on to make several other Ja-Pans, with absolutely zero knowledge of existing breads, and ends up making his own versions of naan, croissant etc. I love how they explain the baking, prep processes etc and the various wonderful ways of making things work.
Having to read all the puns loses some of the fun for me, plus I hate the protagonist's hair. He's got two feelers sticking out, like a cockroach. His good friend and rival has a really squeaky voice as well. But these minor things aside, its a rather entertaining show.
Japanese fashion and accessories rock. I love how everything is like a collaboration. Like iPod X Gas, with Gas getting some people to design iPod cases. Also there was Playstation X Porter. Porter made some bags and accessories using the PS Pictogram, LV style. Even though I've got lotsa bags now, I'd still want to splurge on a Porter Tote. Edwin is a denim company thats pretty damn cool. Brad Pitt features in every single ad they have. Graniph is a T-Shirt company that uses really big prints. Huge prints that spread all over the shirt, making it a literal canvas. COMME des GARÇONS is the ultimate in cool Japanese high fashion. They opened up a guerilla concept stores around the world, including freakin Singapore. They open for a whole year and then close and leave just as soon as they arrive, regardless of whether they make a huge profit or loss. It might be a testing the waters approach, a hyped up marketing strategy or just something to make them look aloof and different, hence upping the brand factor, but its intriguing nonetheless. I still haven't been there yet! Even though I said I would for a whole year! That's how procrastinotary I am for you. But I will go there at the end of school, just before it closes in late May.
Well, I suppose when you boil it all down, its really the spirit behind it all. That never say die attitude, the quest for perfection, the attention to details, the cleverness in appropiating ideas, the cuteness, the adoption of foreign cultural icons, the friendlyness, the quest to go forward. Its so different from Singapore.
So anyway, I love all things Japanese, like anime. I've just downloaded some "classics" like Wolf's Rain and Cowboy Bebop, as well as newer ones like Yakitate!! Japan. The latter is about a boy who wants to bake a Ja-Pan or Japanese national bread, kinda like a croissant is to France. It makes use of a lot of Japanese words puns, which the fansubbers have dutifully included. Ja-Pan is a pun in itself. Pan, means bread. The show itself is rather nationalistic, I mean, baking a Ja-Pan, disregarding the fact that bread is a European thing. Their reasoning is that bread is so ubiquitous so it no longer belongs to just one country. Every country has a bread that represents it. But the Japanese don't. I lurve An-Pan, or red bean cakes, but they're not like a bread bread, but more of a pastry. So the protagonist, Azuma is off to make the Ja-Pan. I'm intrigued to see what it turns out to be.
Like other cooking shows, the humor is injected through the reactions, which are outrageous. The protagonist's grandfather ended up surfing a miso wave before launching into several kicks and chops, proclaiming the wonderful taste. Hilarious! Azuma goes on to make several other Ja-Pans, with absolutely zero knowledge of existing breads, and ends up making his own versions of naan, croissant etc. I love how they explain the baking, prep processes etc and the various wonderful ways of making things work.
Having to read all the puns loses some of the fun for me, plus I hate the protagonist's hair. He's got two feelers sticking out, like a cockroach. His good friend and rival has a really squeaky voice as well. But these minor things aside, its a rather entertaining show.
Japanese fashion and accessories rock. I love how everything is like a collaboration. Like iPod X Gas, with Gas getting some people to design iPod cases. Also there was Playstation X Porter. Porter made some bags and accessories using the PS Pictogram, LV style. Even though I've got lotsa bags now, I'd still want to splurge on a Porter Tote. Edwin is a denim company thats pretty damn cool. Brad Pitt features in every single ad they have. Graniph is a T-Shirt company that uses really big prints. Huge prints that spread all over the shirt, making it a literal canvas. COMME des GARÇONS is the ultimate in cool Japanese high fashion. They opened up a guerilla concept stores around the world, including freakin Singapore. They open for a whole year and then close and leave just as soon as they arrive, regardless of whether they make a huge profit or loss. It might be a testing the waters approach, a hyped up marketing strategy or just something to make them look aloof and different, hence upping the brand factor, but its intriguing nonetheless. I still haven't been there yet! Even though I said I would for a whole year! That's how procrastinotary I am for you. But I will go there at the end of school, just before it closes in late May.
posted by Unknown @ 10:06 AM
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