Foreigner fans of Tora-san, episode 1

[torasan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya579gUSIpk
[YT]Ya579gUSIpk[/YT]

[torasan]

foreigner-who-loves-tora-san-youtube.

blog:
http://bbfot101.blogspot.com/2011/07/foreigner-who-loves-tora-san-youtube.html

[Taro Toporific]

foreigner-who-loves-tora-san-youtube.

blog:
http://bbfot101.blogspot.com/2011/07/foreigner-who-loves-tora-san-youtube.html

Hey thanks. My Japanese OLs had giggle-fits reading that and watching the video.

[torasan]

Hey thanks. My Japanese OLs had giggle-fits reading that and watching the video.

In the actual news footage that was later shown on Tokyo TV variety show that year, I was actually filmed chatting with a group of OLs walking through
Kabukicho that night, and they also were having giggle-fits seeing this eminently faux Tora-san carrying this suitcase through town. One of the best memories of my [short-lived] TV career. I just found a long two hour VHS videotape in my desk that contains the original Tokyo TV shoot that night, 120 minutes or so, of which they just showed 30 seconds of so on the TV show. Well, about 2 minutes was the length of the piece. But fun! And I remain a big fan of dear ol' Tora-san! In fact, I had an idea which maybe someone can pass on to a producer: in the post Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuke Plant era of Japan now, wouldn't it be nice if someone started up the Tora-san series again with a new episode? Find a new star to replace Atsumi Kiyoshi (1915-1996) and make sure he looks a bit like Atsumi and let a new generation of Japanese find pleasure in the life and loves of ye olde Tora-san. If I was Yoji Yamada's agent, I would greenlight the project today! Remember how there was one later Tora-san novie about the earthquake in Kobe? That touched a lot of people's hearts.....A new lease of the serioes, this would be episode 49, would be "interesting".....but i am sure for copyright and trademark reasons, nobody will even try it..... but if you have Mr Yamada's EAR, whisper to him....

btw, Japan Times backgrounder here:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20081114a1.html

[Takechanpoo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya579gUSIpk
[YT]Ya579gUSIpk[/YT]

Dude,
you know there is a plausible argument that the character of Torasan is based on Zainichi Korean(Most of Japanese deny it, though. Because Torasan is regarded as a example of good old days' Japanese oyajis.) Actually the directer Yoji Yamada have created movies about minorities in Japan.
And this is the reason Kim's dad and son of North Korea loved this Torasan series.

[bornbitter]

[Taro Toporific]

you know there is a plausible argument that the character of Torasan is based on Zainichi Korean...And this is the reason Kim's dad and son of North Korea loved this Torasan series.

Damn, I gotta agree with you again.

Over the years, I have come to know and make friends with the wandering peddlers at my local matsuri (from year to year it's very easy from them to remember a Japanese-speaking, quadruped, albino, alien like me). I've learned that most, maybe 80%, of the itinerant matsuri people are Zainichi Korean. By my reckoning, based on Torasan's profession as a itinerant matsuri peddler, his Zainichi neighborhood in Tokyo, and many other actors/staff of the Torasan movies were Korean.

THink about it, Tora-san is loud, obnoxious, attracts trouble wherever he goes, and does not fit in]Bottom Line:[/I] Fuckque, the Emperor is Korean so why not Tora-san too?

[Greji]

Dude,
you know there is a plausible argument that the character of Torasan is based on Zainichi Korean(Most of Japanese deny it, though. Because Torasan is regarded as a example of good old days' Japanese oyajis.) Actually the directer Yoji Yamada have created movies about minorities in Japan.
And this is the reason Kim's dad and son of North Korea loved this Torasan series.

Good post Take. It was also whispered for a long time that Yamada was an avid supporter/or actual big time member of the Japan Communist Party...Don't know if that was ever proven, or whether Yamada has acknowledged it.

[torasan]

An idea, a suggestion for the post-Earthquake, post-Tsunami, post-Fukushima Japan of 2011. Maybe .......bring Tora-san back now, with a new and rising Japanese star to take over the role that Atsumi so deftly played for many years and use the new film to give renewed hope to the Japanese people with a Tora-san comedy that brings some cinematic joy and happiness to a very depressed people? Yamada could direct, a new star and leading lady could be hired, and Japanese film-goers would have something to take their minds off the troubles they have known this terribly tragic year. Workable idea or impossible? Is Yamada still working?

Link to Hollywood story today with idea added:

http://www.hollywoodstarshoney.com/movies/tora-san-japan-movie-jewel.html

[Greji]

Workable idea or impossible? Is Yamada still working?

He just got an award (last year?) for his movie "Otouto", so I assume he is still working, but for how long?
He was born in the early 1930s (1931?)...