A few years ago, Kumamon, popular bear character representing Kumamoto prefecture, made the “yuru-kyara” boom in Japan. Yuru-kyara means typically soft, plush mascots representing cities, government bodies or companies with a mix of cute and bizarre. Recently, Funassiyi, “pear fairy” unofficially representing Funabashi city, has shaken up Japanese Character world. In a packed room of reporters, Funassyi told that he respected Kumamon as a “senpai”. Funassyi has appeared on television many times and made the Funabashi city famous as a leading grower of pears. Funassyi goods have been sold in a store of Funabashi shopping center. He said the “economic effects” of its popularity have reached into the hundreds of millions of yen.
I think Yuru-kyara can make the features of local cities and prefectures known to many people and can make economic effects. In Japan, many local cities and prefectures have very few young people and little money, although urban cities have many young people and much money. Yuru-kyara advertises the good points of his city or prefecture. People who like the yuru-kyara go to the city or prefecture where the character lives and cheer it. Yuru-chara can help the local city or prefectures which don’t have much money.
Month: December 2015
Star Wars on course to land US box office record
1) The summary of the article
Finally the latest theater exhibition of Star Wars began last week. The public opening sales were record breaking. More than 200 million dollar ticket sales overnight, it’s a record since Jurassic Park. In the United States and Canada of the public first night it was more than a record of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows : Part 2 in 2011. Not only Japan and the United States, its also sales in the UK was a record. Furthermore, analysts explain that the space saga will increase sales more and more. Of course the world of people, and also Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise this one.
2) Opinion
I also tried to see in the public first night, but tickets did not enter into the hands. Was almost the ticket is sold out at the stage of two days before the reservation begins in the center of Tokyo movie theater. Popular series work to be loved in the world is immeasurable. I wonder that Star Wars is loved by how many people. Enthusiastic fan of friends is said to go to see again. Economic effect is likely to be expected in the future, I think that the publication period of the movie long. I’m looking forward to next project.
Transgender model was ’70s face of Clairol
In the last class, we discussed the article about the first black transgender model . The summary and my opinion are as follows.
Tracey “Africa” Norman get plucked from a model casting call for Italian Vogue in 1970s, and she was signed by a top agency. Then became the face of Claiol’s, Avon, and several times photographed for Essence magazine. She had been born as male, but her inside is female. In 70s Black was already faced discrimination based on their skin color and she knew that also transgender would have ended her career and her life so she kept her secret. Now she is 63, she has become an icon to younger transgender performers. Although it can still be unsafe to be out transgender person, she seems ready to embrace her identity.
I think in Japan, transgender people are less accepted in public than in U.S.A. Actually recently celebrities, artists, and entertainers who are transgender increase in the Japanese entertainment world. However they are some kind of character about their gender(ex.”Okama”). Compared to that, in U.S.A they announce their gender separately from their play or performance.
Furthermore, I feel image of media much influence to people. Some fashion brands have appointed the models who are not too much thin, then now we look a little fat people appear on a lot of music video in U.S.A.
It is important the star who is much influential more announce and make reference of social problem.
Miss Universe Gaffe Sees Wrong Winner Declared
In the last class, we discussed the article about a gaffe made by the host of the Miss Universe contest.
The article says that the presenter Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia had won the pageant with the Philippines contestant as runner-up. As a result of this blunder, Miss Colombia, who had already been crowned, had to take off the glitzy trinket and hand it to Miss Philippines. After this accident, Harvey apologized to Miss Colombia and Miss Philippines for his huge mistake on Twitter.
After I read this article, I felt ′terrible′ for this mistake made by the presenter. His gaffe can be considered as hurting their pride.
If I was Miss Colombia, I would not be able to hold in my temper. And I would not be willing to part with the success that I had gotten once. If I was Miss Philippines, I would not be able to be deeply pleased. It means that the victorious goes down in value.
In relation to this article, I’d like to make reference to the Miss Universe representative from Japan, Eliana Miyamoto. When she was elected, some people criticized her because of her looks. She is half Japanese and half American so she does not look like a Japanese.
I argue that it is no mistake to elect her as a representative. Actually she is not a ′pure′ Japanese, however she is also key to multiculturalism. This controversy is the chance for Japan to take the first step into a new era.
Why Madonna Continues Her Performance
Madonna played another performance at de la repubulique after her Paris concert. She sang her own songs and other artist’s songs, such as John Lennon’s “Imagine.”After the terrorism in Paris, She decided to continue her “Rebel Heart Tour.” She explained the reason in the performance in Stockholm, Sweden. She said that she feels sad to dance and have fun when many people are crying over the loss of their loved ones. However, the terrorist organiation wants to shut them up, so she decided to continue the tour and expressed the intention of the resistance.
I think Madonna’s action is right. If she was frightened by the terrorism and gived up to continue the tour, she will end up just what the terrorist organization wanted. To get rid of terrorism, it is no use only by accepting their demand. We need to express the intention that “We never lose.” I believe this brave action will lead people to think they will never yield to the terrorism.
(I am really sorry for the late post.)
Zombie nativity scene draws ire and donations in Ohio
Summery
An Ohio couple defied orders to remove a zombie-themed nativity scene from their front garden.
The local assembly have said the display violates zoning laws, and local religious groups have denounced it. this couple could face a fine of $500 per day.
The couple is seeking donations to keep the display alive on a Facebook page. They said about this structure that “a wonderful piece of artwork”.
Opinion
I’m an agnostic. So I can’t know how much the Christians felt annoyed with the structure. But I imagine that it likes what I feel if I sow that my ancestor’s portrait are drew in the image of zombies. Because Japanese people enshrine their ancestors.
I guess this statue can be interpreted as the celebration both to Jesus Christ’s birth and the Resurrection. Zombie may means the resurrection. According to my mother who had attended Christian school for 6 years, the resurrection is put greater emphasis than the nativity, because the resurrection means that Christ who was born as a human entered the field of God, and promise of the eternal life. If my conjecture ware right, the couple’s structure have religious meaning and it may raise a question about the the commercialization of religious festival.
Star Wars fans set for world premiere in Los Angeles
Summary
The premiere of the Star Wars : The Force Awakens are placed in Los Angeles, and it would be shown in the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre and the El Capitan Theatre. Interestingly, First film of the Star Wars series took premiere in TCL Chinese Theatre also. The Star Wars : The Force Awakens are seventh stories of Star Wars series, and also original actors – Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher appear in the seventh story. Lots of big fan in US must wait for 24hours to buy a pair of tickets. In addition, some cinema websites exploded by people who want to buy tickets in October.
Opinion
When I was first grade of the Elementary school, I went Theatre with my family for Star wars : The Phantom Menace in 1999. That was the first movie of my life and it was fantastic. Now 2015, new series of the Star Wars premiered to whole world. As expected, it recorded 125million dollars in opening day and it broke record also. Moreover Disney took over Lucas film for 4billions, so before premiered, I can see Star Wars Characters in everywhere – convenience store, clothing shop and so on. I worried about mass production of the Star Wars series. Disney says Stars Wars series will be taken every each 2 years. I am very interested in new Star Wars series but I also worried about theirs qualities.
“Ed Sheeran Is Taking a Break From Social Media”
In the last class, we discussed the article about Entertainment.
The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.
1) The Summary
Ed Sheeran, the British singer, announced his departure from all social media until the next autumn. He plans to travel the world during the break in order to see the real world not through a screen but with his own eyes, he said.
He will also have surgery in January because he injured his ear drum, which he injured by knocking his ear when he jumped off a yacht during this summer vacation.
2) My Opinion
I love Taylor Swift, the American popular female singer, and so I would be very shocked if she decided to stop her musical activities. Actually, I suppose that a lot of fans of Ed Sheeran are probably very discouraged by his announcement that he quit all social media for a while. However, I knew his plan to travel the world in order to see the real world, and I thought it is fantastic. Now that information and communications technology has rapidly developed, we can communicate with our friends living very far away and we can travel almost everywhere on the earth through a screen. At the same time, however, such technological development have made many of us forget the importance of seeing the world with our eyes directly and the emotions that we can get only by it. For example, I went a fireworks display during this summer vacation and watched many beautiful fireworks. I was deeply moved by it. However, many people around us were absorbed in taking pictures and I doubted if they really enjoyed it. Therefore, I was very impressed with Ed Sheeran’s plan to quit all social media and see the real world with his own eyes. I want to have many experiences and see many things with my own eyes so that I do not miss the precious things in front of my eyes.
Ed Sheeran is taking a break from social media
Recently, Ed Sheeran the British singer who has a non-stop touring concert since 2014 damaged his ear drum because of wrong landing when he falling off from a yacht. For this reason, Ed Sheeran decided to have an ear operation in next year 2106, January. Ed Sheeran also noticed that he would take a break from social media since he want to see a ‘real world’, rather than the world shown from a screen. Now he is planning to spending free time with friends and to going to travel somewhere.
In class, we have discussed about singers retiring from their job because of their private problems. In this article, Ed Sheeran announced that he is planning to retire social media because of his stupid behavior. In my thought, celebrities which include singers have to be responsible for communicating with their fans. Sometimes fans take energy from hearing songs sung by the singer who they love or watching news and tweets of the singer. Therefore, in my opinion, fiduciary relation would be lost between singer and fans if a singer stops his or her activities in a ridiculous reason. Celebrities have to make an effort to keep contacting with their fans, without this effort, fans will disappoint to that singer. In addition to keep contacting with their fans, celebrities have to manage themselves steadily.
Madonna’s deeply emotive performance
In the last class, we talked about the article “Madonna gives surprise Paris street performance in place de la Republique”.
On December 9, Madonna gave surprise performance and sang some songs in place of Republican where is the place for mourning for the dead of the victims by synchronized terrorists attacks. The reason that she did so was the terrorists’ demand was to make her and her audience be silence, so she wanted to confront them. She broke into tears and explained this reason at a concert held after the Paris attacks.
After reading this article, I thought that Madonna’s decision and action was right. She claimed how terrible and cruel the terrorists’ act was. Recently, many young people are apathetic about politics. They are not interested in the politics of their own countries. They are tend to think those problems as other people’s affairs and think lightly. However, young people should have more interests in politics and consider those problems more seriously. Those who will make the future world are present young people. To make the world more peaceful and more comfortable, it is necessary and important to raise the young to be thoughtful and smart adults. I think Madonna’s behavior was admirable and inspiring the hearts of many people in the world.