Gatsby commercials

Japanese commercials are often quite immaginative and fun. And thanks to the very liberal advertising laws they can not only be seen on tv and in the cinema but also on oversized LCD screens at major squares in Tokyo and other cities (most famously at Shibuya crossing) and on small screens on trains. Yes, not only are trains in Japan completely plastered with print commercials, now they also feature tv screens above the doors that play the latest commercials.
Gatsby is the most popular brand for male hairstyling products and I find their commercials some of the funniest. The background music can get on your nerves, true, but the commercials are still entertaining. The face of Gatsby is again "Kimutaku", the former boygroup member become Superstar/-hero with a capital "S" Takuya Kimura (See previous post "The talented Mr Kimura"). Not that this is the only product I've seen his face advertising for. He virtually seems to be marketing every possible product. Chewing gums, Toshiba notebooks, Samantha Thavasa handbags and of course his own new tv drama "Mr Brain" (...)
Here a few of the Gatsby commercials with Mr Kimura:
This one if very funny and an illustration of different esthetics across cultures. Imagine that spot on one of our tv channels - people would die from laughing (ok, might make them buy the product). Lascivous hair spraying - that's how it's done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5BzT_BaKoo&feature=related
Kimutaku alias Dorian Gray, admiring his own reflection and finally pulling a cutsy tongue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhfdJNLMoM&feature=related
Hm, kindergarden? "I don't listen, don't listen, just pull my hair..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-2ZwoGKGEw&feature=related
A world premiere: The man with the rubber legs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIrMl1Rl3jg&NR=1
And now watch and enjoy...

The talented Mr Kimura

There are a few celebrities who start off their career in one area, like acting and after a while they become Miss or Mister everything and everywhere. You see them doing tv shows, hosting sport events, doing community work, their face is on commercials everywhere. They are hyper public, living their life in the brightest spotlight and eventually you become a little tired of seeing them. Heidi Klum is an example, formerly a model, now presenting shows on tv, a face for all sorts of products, and companies even such unlikely ones as Mc Donalds. Or David Beckham, soccer star turned model, advertising champ and gay icon.
Japan`s interpretation of the multi-functional star is Takuya Kimura or "Kimutaku" as his fans obiously like to call him. He started off as a member of a boy group named S.M.A.P. The principle is the same as with all boy groups, a couple of cute boys casted at a very teenage age, each given a fake "character" (the "rebel", "mama`s boy", etc.) are chased around the country to woo teenage girls. The bands usually disappear quickly with a few exceptions (Backstreet Boys) and their member equally disappear from the public stage, again with a few exceptions (Justin Timberlake). S.M.A.P. was the one of the very first group of this type in Japan and has known success for many years. They still occasionally appear in concert, most recently this spring again. The members are in their mid-30s now and Kimura is by far the most successful.
Walking around the city you virtually see him everywhere. Currently he is on posters for Levis jeans, Toshiba laptops, some chewing gum Xyli-something, Gatsby hairgel and Samantha Thavasa handbags (hmmm, but metro is cool here...). He appears in tv commercials for these companies as well. He has been a long term model for Levis for example and was the first Asian male model to star in their campaign. He has been voted "Sexiest Man" in Asia for the past 11 or so years. He stars in various tv dramas, the best known is "Hero" where he plays an prosecutor. I have actually seen an episode of it on my flight back to Europe in December, so although it`s a few years old it still seems to be in demand. He also starred in some "serious" movies and was nominated as best actor at the Japan Academy Awards for his role as a blind samurai in "Buchi no Ichibun".
So maybe not just another pretty face, but some real talent? Well, I`ll keep watching, it`s hard not to notice him on posters and screen these days anyway and it`s sure a pleasant sight.Takuya, Takuya, whereever I venture, your pretty face catches my attention... Here one of his Levis commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRZ54hAB42w

This week's sample...

... of J-Pop music... This time I'd like to cite the not-so-scientific book "Dirty Japanese" that mentions the subject, but the author's speaking my mind... :
"Speaking objectively, I have to warn you that Japanese pop music is relentlessly horrendous crap. This is a quantified fact, but also one of the world's great misteries. I mean, Japanese visual arts are uniformly amazing, right? Japanese fashion is light years ahead of everybody. Japanese cuisine is nothing less than delectable. And Japanese video games have invented the industry. So why is J-Pop so unlistenable? Oh yeah... They don't have black people in Japan."
I love "relentlessly horrendous crap" - couldn't find a better expression to describe the J-Pop phenomenon! All the flatteries are correct too, especially the one on fashion, Japanese people tend to look like stylish time travellers from the 22nd century. The last comment has to be corrected though, there are black musicians in Japan, but they now sing Enka, traditional Japanese folk songs, or "Schlager" as we call it in German. I am refering to Jero, the black singer I've read about in a magazine in July and who's now all over tv channels in Japan. A HipHop-looking guy singing cheesy Japanese songs.
Well, here's the J-Pop hit of the week. I handpicked it for my dear blog readers for it's poor quality music and the examplarily silly video. TV watchers of MTV Japan and other music channels are tortured with it every day right now...

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=DIm5lpWaEWc
If you think Enka might be your relief from J-Pop, have a look at Jero's work:
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=YEmeVeQe56U