Mari - diary

cocoro and strange ads

What a movie: "How to kill a chocolate bunny." This is the art work "chocolate haas" of this guy.

I picked a dentist patient simroid yesterday. I found the movie of Adtroid DER2 "Cocoro." Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, weird. It might be traumatic for dentists.

Some ad topics. PEPSI ad posters in Germany. Cool!!! This poster is PlayStation3 for Europe. Hmm, I don't get the concept well. Then this is crazy. The low temperature of winter can strip the skin of moisture. So we will see a lot of ads for moisture cream. BUT this TV ad is so scary. Actually I can barely look it. They don't need to zoom.

I laughed at this collection of bugs from "Winning Eleven." Where will he go? Nobody touch it. Ahh ouch!! The field was mud??, they can do it forever, this won't be bug, just a super goal? what's wrong with him,　Ha ha ha, Who is that behind the goal??

what is robot?

Cat site generator lolinator, my site became like this.

"2007 International Robot exhibition" is being held in Tokyo now. As a robot fan, I was bound up by this one: "dental patient robot : Simroid" (Here are other pictures.) She is working as a trial horse for dentists. When the dentist does something wrong, she shouts "Ouch!!" Ohh weird, but it's funny. The developer was the same company which made this Adtroid DER2 "Cocoro". Hmm, guys dentist will learn a good job, I guess.

That news reminds me of this article: "Are Scientists Playing God? It Depends on Your Religion" of New York Times. Japan will use robots instead of cloning for medical research :-) But even though Cocoro is a robot, I would feel bad to hurt her. It won't be the far distant future when we have to discuss the rights and dignity of robots.

However I am confused by a very basic issue... "what is robot?" I need to make sure what a robot is again. ITmedia picked ROBOTS often in their site. This ladybug cleans up the public bathrooms. OK, it's robot for me. This machine recognizes people's face and works as a guard. OK, he is a robot too. But a Takoyaki cooker is a robot? Hmm, why can't I call it a machine?? No, robots are included as machines! This head massager is a robot? Hmm, now I feel I should call my old juicer "a robot." I know we can say "what is a robot" by only its appearance, though I feel wrong if I call this vacume cleaner a robot. It's just a vacuum.

Small topics

This is the windows of illusion in Kyoto. I like the round window of Japanese traditional buildings. They were built to cut the scene and make the scene into a different dimension like a painting. You like it? You can order it here, it's not so expensive.

Ha! It's a cute Christmas card at first glance, but a little bit weird...she is sadistic, isn't she?

Wow!! Whose souvenir? By the way, I like the airport -- the "air" is different there. It'll be because people's energy will be up there. Getting away from the bustle of everyday life is important, right? Anyway, I enjoyed this: the travel IQ challenge. I couldn't go far from level 6; I realized I confuse South America and Africa. Anyway, the map should be bigger; I couldn't point to exactly the place even though I knew it.

This is the official site of Japanese artist Mitil. She integrates animals and plants. I love the Buffalo one "Trunk in me". Check it out.

Fragile is an adventure game for Wii. The stage is a "ruin." Here is the trailer.. That's nice but real ruins are more beautiful...

Japan McDonald did it

Ha! Funny, Fake magazine covers with your picture "MAGMYPIC".

I really enjoyed reading this news from the UK: "Subway announcer fired over spoof messages". "We would like to remind our American tourist friends that you are almost certainly talking too loudly." Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (sorry I laugh too much?)

This is Japanese sweets wagashi photos collection on flickr. They are beautiful.... the taste is good too, very natural and not too sweet. Since most of them don't include butter or flour, calories are lower than western sweets. Check my post too.

I picked the Indian Thriller a few days ago, and I found this today: "Indian Matrix". Hmmm, not so bad, but I think they should use their talent and skill for some original stuff. It's impossible to watch it without laughing.

Banpresto is the toy maker of BANDAI NAMCO Group. They sell a sort of lot "Ichiban Kuji" series at toy shops and convenience stores. You get a 500 yen lot and get one item from their TV character selection. I like the Ichiban kuji because items are not for kids and they have good sense. In November they sell Gundam series. Here are 7 items. This is Char eye musk, you can cool down your eyes. This is good sense Japanese towels. This White base USB connector will be nice as gift for Gundam fans. I like this most: ZAKU HEAD planter...hmm, sentimental.

This year, we had a lot of food scandals. Akafuku, Shiroi Koibito, Meat Hope, Fujiya. They all used tricks on consumers! I can't find any news on foreign news sites, though McDonald's Japan did the same. 4 Mac shops changed the date labels of salads and yogurt, then sold them. It was brought to light by an in-house whistleblower. We had such a lot of food scandals, some traditional shops had to close. However, Mac didn't stop such silliness? It's nasty. It will be big news.

Three days weekend over

I enjoyed a three-day weekend. I went hiking at local area, enjoyed hot springs and ate sushi for dinner. Taking a hot bath while looking up at the perfect moon on a chilly night, that's great.

I remember some of them: "The top 10 IT disasters of all time".

Someone added some English subtitles to this cats talking. Cute, enjoy this this "what's really said".

This is a great site: "trailer club". You can see 70s movie trailers. From Japan, they picked mushroom man "Matango". Thank you.

This guy will like Japanese arts. Hmm, but he makes it more spicy in his style.

This is the pocky board. People share pocky and draw something. Please access and do something. I tried, but someone took my pocky and I'm very frustrated. You can fight with Japanese to keep a pocky there.

This is a fake sign of a Japanese train, and this is original. Weird, but it's funny.

This is a new Japanese movie "Midnight eagle". The story is ...A top secret American forces strategic bomber known as "Midnight Eagle" suddenly vanishes in the Northern Alps. Its payload is a specialized nuclear warhead. If it were to explode, the entire nation of Japan would be hurled into an unprecedented calamity. Ha ha ha. Here is the trailer..... that's not my type. あー見ないね

Crayon Shin-chan

Very interesting! "Bizarre Diseases"

In Korea, a Boot Camp Cure for Web Obsession. It's free? I want to try it. I know I am an Internet addict. ha ha

I wrote this post "Disappeared manga writers." My favorite manga writer, Tsubame Kamogawa, lost his motivation for his Makaroni Horenso and I read that he wrote the manga with a super thick felt pen. Readers could sense that he was appearntly "broke" mentally. I remember in the end the main character talked about Peace and War by means of gestures of Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee.
Recently we had the same story again. It is Crayon Shin-chan. I think Crayon Shin-chan is a gag story manga for kids and actually the TV manga is on air for kids still now. But in the comic book, the series became a very dark story. His teacher, Matsuzaka's fiance died in a foreign country because of terrorism. Matzuzaka fell into alcholism. She learns boxing and has a fight without guarding, which means she is trying to die, and so on... The ustu story of Shin-chan was a big topic on the Internet.  People guess that the writer wants to quit the series, Crayon Shin-chan was such a dark story for adults originally. So it is the disobedience for the public image etc. By the way, finaly the Matsuzaka chapter is over in the comic and Shin chan will start a new chapter. We will see Shin-chan will return to regular gag story or another new utsu story

Michelin's Tokyo guide

Do you know Indian Thriller??? I have nothing to say for that.

Solid alliance released Christmas cake hub. I don't need it though.

Project AIKO. That doll will be one of love doll of Orient co.ltd. But that Canadian guy use her for android project? It that serious one or joke? (I am not sure, AIKO's bra size is important?) That's interesting. Check videos out.

Michelin guide Tokyo has released. Michelin's Tokyo guide awarded 191 stars to 150 restaurants in the Japanese capital, the most number of stars awarded in any city.　Tokyo is the most delicious city in the world? I am happy for that. They choose 8 restaurant for three stars. Here is the list. KANDA (Japanese)
Quintessence (French)
Kojyu (Japanese)
Joel Robuchon (French)
Sukiyabashi Jiro (Sushi) Super famous sushi shop but they don't have any official site.
Sushi Mizutani (Sushi) They don't have official blog too. but when you see their sushi its shape, shine, color. We can sense they are fresh and good.
Hamadaya (Japanese)
L'osier (French)

OF COURSE! I have never been one of them, I will try if somebody treat me. So for me, this bread blog is much realistic so that delicious to me. Since I am super "bean fan", I want to try this one! Looks good.*

the trend item that I bought accidentally

I impressed to see this grave. His wife must have loved him so much. The husband would have happy life.

Japan begins fingerprinting, photographing foreigners today. Well, I did it on LA and it was not a comfortable experience. However, we need accept for security? maybe yes.

Here is the trailer of Death Note spin off movie "L change the world". Last 28 days of L. Hmm I don't have any intersts in that. Actually I don't think Kenichi Matsuyama fits the character of L. L should be a little bit sweeter.

"Men's" is still a strong keywords for products. Family Mart released the men's pudding. There are three kinds of flavores: regular, coffee pudding, chocora pudding. They say puddings are not so sweet and match to bitterness of coffee or chocora. Sounds good. I will try them. I think they will be sold in the Famima in the U.S. too.

I like this ranking "The trend items that I bought accidentally".
1.Mega Mac : We have Mega food boom now. Here is Mega Beef Bowl. It seems to be a reaxtion to the diet boom.
2.Premier Beer : This also seems to be a reaction, but to the cheap fake beer "Happoshu" trend. I am not a big fan of beer, so drank it but I have no impression.
3.Billy's Bootcamp : I have it. Almost everyday I do it still now
4.Mango : Mango flavore sweets were popular this year. Mango pudding, Mango ice cream, Mango yogurt etc.
5.Wii : I have it, but hardly use it.
6.leggings : I can't wear it because my legs are so fat!!
7.Miyazaki prefecture products : Prefectural governor Higashikokubaru was a comedian (disciple of Takeshi Kitano). He knows how to use mdeia. So we had a Miyazaki boom.
8.Expensive doughnuts : finally I ate Krispy Kreme, but what's so special??
9.ipod nano : I have shuffle. but I hardly use it.
10.Yaki Ramen : Yaki means roast. Usually ramen is noodles with soup but Yaki Ramen looks like Yakisoba.

MUJI opened in NY

My favorite site Weekly Teino Bee Woman picked the Peter Pan guy again. (She said you should check his fashion page to know him.) Because he got married with Tinker Bell. 英 語じゃ書かないけど、夫婦で跳具合がすげー。基本はあの格好がデフォルトなんだろうか？　服は全部オーダー？　しかし怖いやら、すごいやらって点は彼が実際あまり歳をとってない風にみえること、これってさ、イコール当人の本気度というか、思い込み度がマジってことだと思うわけよ。

He is comedian? I am not sure, though I like his halfway Japanese page.

Finally MUJI opened in the U.S. Originally MUJI was just one store brand of SEIBU Department store and SEIYU store of SAISON group. But after the bubble, the group broke up. You can read an interesting article about SAISON group on TIME. Since MUJI had good sales, it spun off from the parent company and started MUJI. MUJI is called MUJIRUSHI RYOHIN in Japan. The meaning of MUJI is plain colored; RYOHIN means good quality. And also MUJI includes the meaning of "no brand." In the 80s, we had big a "brand boom." People bought expensive brand clothes, those were really bubble days. MUJI was started as the antithesis to the brand boom. So it's ironic that most of the brands disappeared and MUJI became a big "brand" now.

I picked MUJI before because of their MUJI house. Since I want to live in a small and simple house, I like their plan. I am not sure they sell the same items in foreign stores.　I have these stockers as drawers. With transparent board, you can make a simple desk too. Since their items are very simple, they are always easy to coordinate. I have some attachment to MUJI because my first career after college was trading for MUJI.

Moca (the museum of contemporary art in Los Angeles) has exhibitions of Takashi Murakami. The official site has some making movies and Murakami's talking. Check it out.

nominated list of the word of 2007

I can see Christmans decoration every year and I got a mail about year end part at work today. Ah 2007 is over soon. On the Internet, I can find some anuual year end events.

The nominated list (60 words) of "2007 word of the year" was release yesterday. Last year, it was Ina Bauer and Hinkaku in Japan. Ina Bauer is a figure skating move. Olympic Gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa performed it at the winter Olympics on 2006. Hinkaku comes from a best selling book titiled, "Degnity of a State" by Masahiko Fujiwara. TIME picked the book in this article. My American friend read it and his comment was "arrogant" :-) ha ha ha. the Japan time has this article too. You may also have such an impression of the book, since it was translated into English. Try it.

On the nominated list, words I picked from my posts were included:

KY (stands for "Kuki ga Yomenai")
"Kuki ga Yomenai" means "can't read air" in Japanese, this means that you can't catch the wind. I wrote about it on this this "Japanese woman" post. "To read air" is not a new phrase or words, but this year people say "he is KY" (he can't catch the wind) in such a short way like this, it is a new way to say it.

Victory!!
We have big "Billy's bootcamp" boom, actually I still do it at least 4 or 5 times a week since May, it works fine and everybody says I have lost weight!! Victory is the word Billy shouts at the end of the exercise. I don't think Victory will win the word of 2007, but I suppose it might win the banzuke of "what was big in 2007"..

Betsu ni...
This year, some rude Japanese young people became topics on the news. "Bestu ni" was what Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri said at her movie release. Even though she was the main star of the movie, she showed a negative and rude attitude. She apologized on a TV show a few days later, but she became "No.1" of "the ranking of actresses I hate" now.

Thumbing
Some other rude young people were professional boxers the 'big mouth' "Kameda brothers". Daiki Kameda had a WBC world flyweight champion match with Naito. Before the match, Kameda called Naito "cockroach" - very rude! The match was terrible and Daiki Kamdeda pulled some really dirty moves. One of them was "Thumbing". It means to blind you opponent with the tumb of the boxing glove. I thought Thumbling would be mentioned in the boxing rule, but I can't find it on English wiki. So only Japanese use this word? I don't know. By the way, also Daiki Kamada apologized a few days later and Koki Kameda apologized too. In this case, people criticised the media because they changed their attitude so quickly. They looked like they supported Kameda before the match, but after the match they bashed Kameda. You can read the detail in this post. By the way, in Japan guys cut their hair very short as a sign of serious soul searching.

Net Nanmin
Net Nanmin means an Internet cafe refugee. Sometimes homeless people stay at Internet cafes every night. I wrote about them in this post. Here is a good article about it on CNET Asia.

Enjyo
Enjyo means flamming. We use this word when someone's blog gets a huge number of critical comments. Enjoy is not a new word, though we had a lot of "Blog enjyo news this year. One of them was Sayaka Yoshino (Japanese so so idol, sorry), she wrote "I want to play the part of Motoko Kusanagi" if it (Ghost in teh Shell series) was made into a real movie. Then people attacked her "kiddingly", "Do you really understand the deep world of Kokaku?" etc,. The number of comments was over 500. The day befere, she got only 9 commnets, so we can say those posts were enjyo. I have no idea why Kokaku fans reacted this way, she didn't talk bad about Kokaku. crazy...

Dondake!
This year, we have O-ne character boom and one of them "IKKO" says "DONDAKE"..　Here is an English post about IKKO and Dondake. I guess DONDAKE will get the word of 2007.