Music TV | Other TV | Gestures | Gaikokuland
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Music TV | Other TV | Gestures | Gaikokuland |
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Music
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Music Station is hosted by the grand daddy of Japanese TV, Tamori (real name: Morita Kazuyoshi). Turn on the TV and there's a good chance he'll be on one of the channels. He was once a famous singer, before that, an insurance salesman, but is now a comedian and presenter on many, many TV shows. He's also famous for his sunglasses (which he never takes off). There is also the obligatory female presenter who, this being Japan, does little more than smiling, looking pretty, and going "really?" Music Station, shown on Asahi TV on Fridays at 8pm, is the highest authority on what is cool in Japan, despite its less-than-cool host. Most of the cheesy bands come here, like Morning Musume and Exile, but the more credible artists like Mr Children, Utada Hikaru and Hirai Ken will also show up regularly. A lot of effort is put into the amazing sets which change magically during the artists' interviews. Any help in getting into the audience is greatly appreciated! Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ is the other big music show, presented by comedy duo Downtown. It's on Fuji TV, on Mondays at 8pm and is another good show to watch, however it's less popular than Music Station. Artists perform here too, but there's much more talking which gets a bit much when you can barely understand it. However, from time to time thay have specials (for example, the year's Top 50 singles) which are really worth watching. If all this isn't enough, then subscribe either to Japanese MTV or Space Shower TV for wall-to-wall J-Pop. I can definitely recommend the latter (especially as it comes with most cable packages). |
Hey! Hey! Hey!
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Gakko e Ikko (Let's go to school!) Hosted by V6, this show features high-school themed antics, like the chance to shout from your school's roof, and a very popular game called "Rhythm Four" where you have to keep up the clapping rhythm whilst repeating a name a chosen number of times. If you mess it up, you get flicked in the head with a pencil. The game sounds complicated, but you'll be delighted to know that a full explanation (in Japanese) is given on the following site: www.tbs.co.jp/gakkou . You'll be pleased to know that "Kids are alright groovy after school!" More information (in English) on this
programme can be found on this site:
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Trivia no Izumi (The Fountain of Trivia) This show features generally mindless trivia (for example, "Astronauts wear disposable nappies") which contestants (usually including Tamori) have to judge in terms of how much they're amazed by it. They do this by pressing a button in front of them which emanates an electronic "hee" sound; they can do this up to 20 times. Doing this in front of students when you hear something amazing has its effects, but sadly this action has now officially stopped being cool. |
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Londonhearts This show is a way to make cheap - and pretty embarrassing - entertainment, out of setting up men to be unfaithful to their partners in front of millions. This is generally done via text messages, sent from an apparent "old flame", often followed by a date... with the inevitable *hilarious* consequences when the girlfriend confronts her partner, having watched the whole thing on TV. The genders are also reversed for double the fun. |
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Good, cult viewing can be found in the form of Ainori, where 6-7 people travel to far-flung world locations in the hope that two of them will fall in love and go back to Japan together, otherwise they face a long trip back to Japan all alone. More information can be found on this site: ainori.tripod.com Who Wants to be a Millionaire is pretty widely known too, especially the phrase "Final Answer". I've incorporated the three lifelines into games of Hangman and it's worked a treat in lessons. Instead of the smug Chris Tarrant, the presenter is a well-loved salesman type called Mino Monta. Watch out though, there are many more advert breaks than in the British version, coming almost every question. Finally, the recent Korean drama Fuyu no Sonata (Winter Sonata) has grabbed a lot of emotional attention from people, and an annual New Year's Eve music fest called Kohaku Uta Gassen is THE show to be invited on; definitely worth watching for a cross section of Japanese music, modern and traditional. |
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Dandy Sakano |
Gestures that have been popular in the past (but aren't now) are included because students still like to get their ALTs to do stupid things. Here are some examples: GET'S!!! is my personal favourite. Invented by Dandy Sakano whilst working in McDonald's, it involves an aggressive point at another person with both index fingers and a huge smug grin, synchronized with a triumphant utterance of "GET'S!!!". Nande Daro? means "Why would that be?", made famous by two men in red and blue tracksuits. The slogan comes with an accompanying song (by the same name) and the gesture involves bending your arms in front of you. One of them is from Yamagata, but that hasn't stopped them becoming uncool here now. |
Tetsu and Tomo |
Magii Shinji |
All is not lost. Possible "next big things" include a comedian called Maikeru and a magician, who pulls a huge ear out of his head, called Magii Shinji. They both appear on a show called Warai no Kin-medal (Gold medal of laughter) which is on directly after Music Station. Also advertising this show is old favourite Bob Sapp, a K-1 wrestler from the US who is everyone's favourite chunky, crazy gentle giant, whilst similarly making gaijins all over the country very, very embarrassed. 
Maikeru |
Bob Sapp |
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Aside from Bob Sapp, other people from Gaikokuland to have penetrated the Nippon Conciousness include famous penalty-taker David Beckham, scar-headed Harry Potter and many film stars such as Tom Cruise and Elijah Wood. (Of course, Daniel Radcliffe is a big heart-throb for junior high school girls). As for musicians, here's a selection of gaijin musicians that are famous in Japan: The Beastie Boys ~ The Beatles ~ Blur ~ The Carpenters ~ Eminem ~ Franz Ferdinand ~ Nelly Furtado ~ Norah Jones ~ R Kelly ~ Avril Lavigne ~ Muse ~ Stacie Orrico ~ The Prodigy ~ Queen ~ Radiohead ~ Razorlight ~ Britney Spears I get the impression that, on the
whole, British music is pretty big right now, but then I'm probably biased.
Wherever you're from, don't forget that students are just as interested
to hear what you like from home, and not just what you like in Japan.
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