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Television

Oct 25 2007 6 Comments

The fickleness of fame

With Japan’s seemingly insatiable fondness for fads, Andy Warhol’s prediction of 15 minutes of fame could arguably be classed as a little on the long side, with many products and personalities whizzing by at such a frantic pace that one barely has the chance to holler has-been or even ask who?

Yet there are exceptions, or at least there used to be, as even the once mighty it seems can unfortunately fall foul of Japan’s unfaltering fickleness. Like, for example, the recent failure of the once formidable Anpanman empire.

Japanese anpanman museum

With a large selection of anime, stacks of merchandise and even a museum to his name, a lifetime of leisure seemed certain; however, even being based on a bun filled with beans obviously isn’t enough to fend off the never ending flow of fads. A dramatic fall in sales and a series of salacious slurs resulting in the once massive Anpanman travelling the country desperately searching for day jobs, his rosy cheeks now unabashedly blushed with booze rather than the aforementioned beans.

anpanman tokyo

A downfall that not surprisingly has sent shockwaves through the industry, with commentators all over Japan contemplating who may be next. Mickey working at McDonalds perhaps, or even, heaven forbid, Hello Kitty on heroin rather than a heroine?

Categorized: Photography, Television

Oct 01 2007 1 Comment

Japanese fitness facsimile

With countless Japanese television appearances under his comfortably fitting belt, along with rave reviews from Tokyo’s more rotund residents, the fame of fitness guru Billy Blanks would appear to be far from fleeting, despite Japan’s fondness for fads. In fact, the unprecedented popularity of Billy’s Boot Camp has propelled the six-pack-sporting star’s DVD to the dizzy heights of third on the list of hit products for the first half of 2007. The mega-selling exercise regime only being edged out by the big business behemoths of flat-screen TVs and game consoles.

billy

Yet regardless of how often they work out, many of those who bought the DVD will never have a body like that of their hulking hero. On the other hand, for substantially less than what they paid for the programme itself, they will be able to look just like him. This fabulously realistic mask and body suit causing many customers — admittedly of an elderly nature and a need for glasses — to believe that the man himself was actually amongst them.

billy

Categorized: Television

Sep 10 2007 5 Comments

Tokyo tease

Japanese snack maker Meiji has recently released its latest comically named chocolate product, Panky.

Japanese chocolate panky

Yet despite Mao Inoue appearing in the promotional campaign, there’s hardly even a hint of any ‘hanky’.

Japanese chocolate panky

A wasted opportunity if ever there was one, with the somewhat bizarre accompanying commercial offering little in the way of compensation.


Categorized: Food and Drink, Television

Aug 31 2007 1 Comment

Japanese food-related fashion

With food-related programmes dominating Japanese television, it’s very easy for the viewer to be left slavering at the sight of the succulent snacks on display or, on occasion, the saucy delights of those sometimes serving up the samples.

sexy japanese tv

The only problem is that all this food-based frivolity can leave the practice of preparing dinner seem all the more mundane, with no fancy dishes or flirty females to fire the imagination. Yet for the cost of only 1,980 yen (17 dollars), any dinnertime disappointments can be easily eradicated — this breast-boasting apron effortlessly putting a morsel of merriment back into meal times.

Japanese fashion

Perhaps.

Categorized: Food and Drink, Television

Aug 13 2007 3 Comments

Jiggling Japanese jubblies

The interconnected topics of bikini-clad model shoots, mesmerised males and massive melons are generally reserved for websites and semi-salacious weeklies; however in a bold move, Japanese ice cream maker Akagi has cleverly combined all three in a naughty new campaign.

An approach that will no doubt have customers the length and breadth of the country licking their lips and quite possibly salivating at the mere thought of sucking on such succulent cones.

A commercial that as well as selling lickable light snacks, is also something of a breakthrough for model Harumi Nemoto. An obviously talented young Japanese lady who for reasons unknown has unfortunately had to make do with being begged to jump up and down on live TV. The more lofty her leaps the better.

A rather degrading state of affairs it has to be said, although on the strength of this new ad, things may be about to change.

Harumi Nemoto

Perhaps.

Categorized: Food and Drink, Television

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