ABOUT DENNY SINNOH

Denny Sinnoh writes about Popular Culture.  He thinks this whole “blogging” thing is a lark.  Denny’s claim to fame is his ability to interpret  old music videos and the like.

He does enjoy a good mash-up.

CAUTION: Denny often makes obtuse attempts at humor.  He often utilizes parody, innuendo and hyperbole.  Make sure the “sarcasm detector” on your browser is turned ON.

 

Not Denny.

What is “STARLIGHT FROM AKIHABARA”?

I based this title from an old quip by Elvis Costello.  In a 1980s interview, Costello was asked what he thought of American rap music.  To paraphrase —  from my hazy memory — Elvis replied that to him rap was “like starlight”.  He was making the Astronomical analogy that the light from a distant star may make take millions of years to reach Earth, by which time, the star may not even be there anymore.  The analogy was that the rappers were discussing things in their neighborhood, that had meaning to them, but Costello had no understanding of. By the time the words were broadcast, the subject matter may have lost all meaning.  (I think he was being way too kind, and Elvis was trying to say in a nice way that he just does not get it, but he respects the rappers for making their own unique style of music. )

I’m borrowing this phrase, because I love, and will write about, Japanese popular culture.  I will not say that I can ever completely understand Tokyo pop culture – the anime, the Jpop, and the art.  I am an American.  I’m an old dude, but I have been watching anime movies forever.  I do not speak much Japanese.  Thus, Akihabara culture is like “starlight” —  in that by the time the media reaches me, it may be out of style, or otherwise does not have the same meaning the authors intended.  I don’t care, I love Japan’s popular culture, even if I can’t fully understand it.  I will just write about what is important to me.

Is the Idol still there? … or has she gone supernova, but her light has just not reached me yet?

I cannot compete with young otaku who blog on J-culture.  I am not knowledgeable about the most current anime series, or the most popular music, or what the most fashionable catch-phrases are.  It takes me a while to find an artist or an anime series that I can like and appreciate.  I just “hunt and peck” on Netflix and other websites.   I love all the Miyazaki animes.  Some of my other favorites,  have been “Rouruni Kenshin” “Samurai Seven” “Chobits”  “RIN:Daughters of Mnemosyne” “Bamboo Blade” and “Strawberry Panic”.  These are all a few years old, I know, but I want to blog about all of them.   

It has taken perhaps decades for some starlight to reach my world.

There are some who say that Japan’s pop culture is BAT SH*T CRAZY … and that is just fine with me, and in fact, that is why I like it.   I love Japanese cinema, including all the Akira Kurosawa films, old Samurai movies e.g. the “Zatoichi” series, as well as the delicate Ozu films.  I love the emotional ballads of singer-composer Hanako Oku, but I also like the fun and video styles of AKB48.  I think kimonos are beautiful.  I love Japanese video games, bento boxes, Lolita street fashion, Pokemon collectibles, manga and anime.  I would love to go to an Akihabara  “Maid Café” and a karaoke bar someday.  I would play Pachinko, not for the money, but for the trinkets.

George Bailey never left Bedford Falls …

                                  and  I know that I will never be able to visit Tokyo.

I am also seeking out bloggers who also admire Japanese pop culture, as well as those who can teach me, or correct me regarding my interpretations.  Here you will get an aging baby-boomer’s take on Japan Pop Culture.

... it all comes to me as Starlight   : )

— Legal Blah Blah: I do not own anything on this website. All image credit goes to the authors of the originals. Everything posted here is clipped from the Internet from searches on Google or Bing and such. As far as I know — everything I posted is freely available on the public domain. If I can find it, then any idiot can find it.

… and for the Trolls … please note that I don’t give a shit what you think.

: )