"There's something very shabby about a noble grave... Political power and the power of wealth result in splendid graves. Really impressive graves, you know. Such creatures never had any imagination while they lived, and quite naturally their graves don't leave any room for imagination either. But noble people live only on the imaginations of themselves and others, and so they leave graves like this one which inevitably stir one's imagination. And this I find even more wretched. Such people, you see, are obliged even after they are dead to continue begging people to use their power of imagination." - Yukio Mishima via Kashiwagi in The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. On this, the anniversary of Mishima's transformation into a headless god, a collection of video links. [more inside]
posted by eccnineten on Nov 25, 2008 - 11 comments

A well designed Japanese video about food security
posted by oxford blue on Nov 16, 2008 - 44 comments

Rule No. 1: Two bugs to a fight. Rule No. 2: Bug fights go on as long as they have to. Rule No. 3: No outside weapons in bug fights.
posted by Cool Papa Bell on Jan 5, 2008 - 185 comments

Railway TV. Live video from the front of a train in Japan. [more inside]
posted by brownpau on Dec 10, 2007 - 14 comments

The Japanese Trailer to Kokoro Scan. Japanese game trailers always seem pretty interesting and fun. And, well, most often more-or-less nonsensical. This is for the new game Kokoro Scan, which, um, looks like it might be a dating sim of some sort? Maybe? The animation and segues are pretty interesting, and, though it's 6 minutes -- awfully long for a trailer, particularly one sans any gameplay (I think) -- it's interesting/off-the-wall enough to be engaging. What do cartoon nipples, pixellated white things and bananas have in common? (via)
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me on Aug 3, 2007 - 13 comments

Welcom to Kushami Room.
posted by hama7 on Nov 7, 2006 - 13 comments

"Spare me my life!" In the innocuous early '90's, Fuji TV came up with Zuiikin English, a television program which combined quirky language lessons with bradykinetic exercise. Was Zuiikin English ahead of its time? Or is it merely enjoyable bunk? (More here and here.)
posted by ed on Jun 22, 2006 - 16 comments

Everything you thought you knew about stirring beverages, putting on Band-Aids, rolling up sleeves, removing carpet stains, de-scaling fish, and quieting crying babies is wrong or inefficient.
posted by reformedjerk on Apr 17, 2006 - 32 comments

MU QT [via S/FJ]
posted by felix betachat on Jan 12, 2005 - 23 comments

Just what you wanted, break dancing Japanese geezers
Still photos, live action and animation melted into a music video (streaming Quicktime) by Neo, a duo made up of Londoners Jake Knight and Ryoko Tanaka. More clips on their site. (via Jeansnow.net)
posted by planetkyoto on Jan 16, 2004 - 20 comments

Yatta! This started out as a skit on a Japanese comedy show and eventually grew into its own fig leafed music video. Does anyone know of any other musical gems like this? Warnings: 7.71 MB Windows Media file & scantily clad men
posted by Alison on Nov 18, 2001 - 9 comments