JAPAN TRIP #3
july 17-august 8 2002
(for my Korea, Norway, and Vegas trips click here)
I'm continuing my investigation into Japanese subcultures. Those weird, out-of-control hobbies that seem to exist only here. Things like Visual Kei (homoerotic vampire glam rock for headbanding 15 year old girls), cos-play (video-game soft porn for nerds), Yaoi Manga (gay comics written by straight women for straight women), and transvestite hostess bars.
I'm not so interested in the specific hobbies right now, but in the common thread that unites them: mania. The specifically Japanese characteristic of becoming super obsessed, super formalized and super anal retentive about one's hobby.
Also I'm interested in the way that Japan takes on such American institutions as Rap music and Punk Rock, and napkins.
Also I just wanted to find out why they're so insane over there!
click on the following pages (handily arranged in chronological order)
page 1 (July 16-23): tokyo anthropology, porno in the park, progressive Klesmer music, glam rock reviews, and pimping Taxidermists.
page 2 (July 24-26): glam rock PICTURES, transvestites, japan dancing styles
page 3 (July 27): sanrio, (hello kitty) theme park
page 4 (July 27-29): heavy metal show pictures, cos-play, nerd subcultures
page 5 (July 30-31): cemetary cats, japanese rap show
page 6 (Aug 1-2): japanese modern art, electronic music, and heavy metal karaoke
page 7 (Aug 3): hardcore punk
page 8 (Aug 4): nerd anime, videogame model-building mania
page 9 (Aug 4 (continued)): more cos-play
page 10 (Aug 5-8): more karaoke, more transvestites, more hardcore punk, mullets
page 11 -- just because it needed to be done, here's the COMPLETE INDEX OF ALL ABSURD JAPANESE BAND NAMES
so, have fun reading, and if you have any questions or comments, pleae merely view my other sites:
TOKYO DAMAGE REPORT -- over 300 different reports about Tokyo subcultures, with pictures and everything. also, my tokyo tour guide!
HOME DESPOT -- absurd satire, rants, nightmares, pranks, and short stories.
CALI DAMAGE -- my current blog. Updated several times a week.
INEPT RECORDS -- free downloads of my bands.
TRAVEL REPORTS- finland, norway, korea, japan . . .
GANDALF-BALROG MS-PAINT RAP BATTLE
HELLODAMAGE forum -- i welcome your comments. or rage.