The 28th in Tokyo

[davemerrill]

On Saturday we got up and took the train out to Setagaya to meet up with Roy. Setagaya is near Toho Studios and as such is, or was, close by where Tsubaraya Productions had its offices, and as we all know Tsubaraya are the people behind that famous live-action SF superhero show that was popular the world over, Jumborg Ace. I mean Ultraman!



so the main drag by the train station is "Ultraman Street" and is decorated by a arch at each end featuring Ultraman flying overhead, giving traffic reports every 15 minutes during rush hour.



The streetlights are also stylized Ultra masks - most of them are regular Ultraman but a few are Ultra Seven.



If you need to find your way around, simply consult the Ultra Map!



Hey, uh, Ultraman, what's wrong with your, uh, area?



Now that right there is disrespectful to Ultraman. Anyways we wandered up and down Ultraman Street, and then we got on the train and went to Shimokitazawa and did some toy shopping, and then we got on the train and went to Roy's neighborhood and had some of the best sushi I have ever had in my whole life. We hung out at Roy's for a bit and looked at the Olympic opening ceremonies on the DVR and then it was back to the train. On the way we passed this guy's house:



Yup, a full-size Lawgiver from PLANET OF THE APES, just hanging out in somebody's front porch, dispensing the law to all who pass. Behind him is Grimace from, you know, McDonaldland. I will say that this trip to Japan wasn't quite as full as the 'what the hell' factor as our first trip was, which is understandable, but this image more than makes up for it. And from there we went to Higashi Nakano to meet Ardith, but failed to meet her because there are TOO MANY FAMILY MARTS IN TOKYO, but it's all good, we met up with her on Sunday! Which I will tell you about next. Anyway we went back to Ikebukuro and took baths and then went out to "Beersaurus" for beer and dinner and watching Olympic Judo on the TV. That's one thing about NHK's Olympic coverage, if judo is going on, they are going to cover it.

Comments

[tochiro998.livejournal.com]

Of course the problem with Ultraman doing traffic reporting is, he can only do it for 3 minutes!

And that Lawgiver statue (I think I've heard of the guy who owns that), that clearly needs to be wearing a Santa Claus suit come December. Nothing else would be appropriate.

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

I think the Lawgiver statue is something you can actually buy.

Crazy thing I learned this trip: the Colonel Sanders statues outside KFC in Japan, those statues are wearing REAL GLASSES. Saw it with my own eyes.

Also, Steve: 8th floor Tobu dept. store, big Tamiya model kit exhibit. They brought in a real actual US Army jeep. It was kinda rad.

[tochiro998.livejournal.com]

I love Tamiya kits. I was a 1/35 scale kit building FOOL back in the mid-'70s. Damn things are too expensive now. Stupid exchange rate.

The statues have REAL glasses?! that's...crazy. Do you think they come alive and seek human blood?

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

They had t-shirts for sale with the Tamiya logo across the front; I saw them worn later in the trip, one of them worn by a member of a band playing anime/tokusatsu music.

The statues don't come alive, but the destitute will sometimes steal the glasses.

[dave-iii.livejournal.com]

Those street lamps are creepy. O_O

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

Forgot to mention they have little peep-holes inside, you look in and there are pictures of Ultraman monsters. The Ultra Seven posts have pix of Ultra Seven.

[tochiro998.livejournal.com]

See, now THAT is strange and weird to us here in the States. I can't think of any city civic venture where they would actually put peepholes and cool monster pics in a street lamp. There would be too much fear of people sticking...things...into the hole. Plus 1 for Japan I think. :)

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

It would be nice to see America with more comics museums, character-themed neighborhoods, etc. More stuff like the big Disney family museum in SF or the Schulz museum, which is, uh, also in the Bay area. Imagine a "Star Trek" street or more of what TV Land was doing with the sculptures of Bewitched, Bob Newheart, etc.