Shiftless Japanese Otaku to help save the world (at least on US TV)

[Kuang_Grade]

[Taro Toporific]

.....on his desk in a pretty-non Japanese looking office cube farm (notice the Godzilla figure and other Otaku scat on his desk). I’]

[SIZE="7"] Shenanigans![/SIZE]-- You called it right.
NBC is foisting off faux Japan.
A cube farm in Japan is a rarity. Only SoftBank has them commonly---Japan Inc uses gunmetal gray desks crammed together into giant rafts in a sea of industrial gray warehouses for drones. Japanese cubes are for company royality or salesman forced to make cold calls all day. Even the shacho of Hitachi, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, NHK, and a dozen more CEO offices I've visited don't have doors on their offices.

However, "Godzilla figures and other Otaku scat" can be found on less-public desks of programmers in J-offices.

[Mulboyne]

There's an interview with actor Masi Oka, who plays Hiro Nakamura, here:

Will the Japanese/subtitle thing continue into the series or will Hiro somehow gain the secondary power of instant translation?

Oh, well I'm gonna quote Mr. Tim Kring on this one. "Hiro speaks limited English, that seems to get better and better as we go along. He can get by with his limited vocabulary, but also with the sheer force of his charm and personality. The audience will have fun watching him get more and more comfortable with it." So, it looks like Hiro will definitely slowly learn at whatever pace he picks up English. I personally think that, because he reads a lot of American comics, I'd love for him to speak English, but only in comic book phrases. That would be a funny thing to do.

[Mulboyne]

Naoko Mori is appearing as "computer genius" Toshiko Sato in Torchwood, the new BBC Doctor Who spin-off. Short profile here.

The actress was born in the industrial city of Nagoya, Japan. When she was four, her businessman father was transferred to the US, so the family moved to New Jersey, where Naoko and her brother and sister learnt to speak English. Eight years later, the Moris moved to the UK, settling in Surrey, where Naoko began to take singing lessons. By the age of 13, she had left her childhood dream of becoming a golf pro at the first hole and decided her future was in singing and acting.

This from Wikipedia:

Sato's sexual orientation has not been addressed on the show as yet. However, The Sun newspaper has claimed all the members of Torchwood as bisexual, as backed up by comments on the Torchwood website, including an instant messenger communication where she claims to be "looking for a woman", imply that, like many other characters from the show, she is either homosexual or bisexual (although it may also be a reference to a missing person search in the second episode).

[American Oyaji]

That show Heroes is an EXCELLENT show.

[kurohinge1]

[SIZE="4"]Six more new Heroes[/SIZE]

The NBC series "Heroes" (which includes a Japanese Hero named . . . "Hiro" ), will reportedly include six fresh faces in the second season including a Japanese princess, played by Japanese pop star Eriko Tamura, and Hiro's hero, "Takezo Kensei", a legendary samurai, played by . . . David Anders . . . more

I can almost hear Takechanpoo choking on his nattou as he reads that a gaikokujin will be playing the role of the legendary samurai. Cue some outraged gibberish: 3...2...1...

[Doctor Stop]

What? No Feldwebel Schultz?

[6810]

Heroes was/is the best TV show of 2007. Can't wait for the next season.

I wonder if heroes will do an ER or 24 in Japan...

[Gestalt]

a Japanese princess, played by Japanese pop star Eriko Tamura, and Hiro's hero, "Takezo Kensei", a legendary samurai, played by . . . David Anders

Sounds like we can look forward to more quality Japanese dialog next season..

[IkemenTommy]

Fuck Take-chan!

Heroes was/is the best TV show of 2007.

A bit overrated in my opinion, but to each his own

[American Oyaji]

A bit overrated in my opinion, but to each his own

Not overrated. Freaking excellent show.

[IkemenTommy]

Not overrated. Freaking excellent show.

Watched it once. Freaks with super powers but can't act worth shit.

The best show for 2007 is 24.

[EKen9]

No the best show was Battlestar Galactica

[kurohinge1]

No the best show was Battlestar Galactica

Oh, that's a whole other thread.

[Charles]

No the best show was Battlestar Galactica

You've got to be kidding. That show pretty much fizzled out during season 2. Some critics labeled the last season "Grey's Anatomy in Space."

On the other hand, Doctor Who 2007 looks pretty good. They're just hitting their stride in their third season. I just [SIZE="1"][color="Red"]<redacted>[/color][/SIZE] started watching it, it kicks "Heroes" ass. It starts showing in the US on SciFi Channel next week.

[IkemenTommy]

No the best show was Battlestar Galactica

Oh yeah? I'll top that with MacGyver

[Ke11iente]

Even though Dr. Who has been around for--what is it, 40 years-- I've just this year become a newly-minted Dr. Who fan.
Thank you Internet.

[eighty5er]

I thought Heroes was great when it came out, declined a little near the end of the season imo.

I can't compare it to other recent USA TV shows, I don't know any. Can't say I have the time to download and watch them all. Heroes just happened to fall on my lap and I liked it.

[kurohinge1]

[SIZE="4"]Heroes' Hiro's New Superpower - The ability to change English[/SIZE]

The Japanese exclamation "Yattaaa!" (Yippee!) has become a buzzword in the United States, and Japanese actor Masayori "Masi" Oka is behind its popularity.

Oka has a regular role on NBC's hit TV drama series Heroes. The program will be aired in Japan from October on Super! drama TV, a satellite and cable channel specializing in foreign television programs.

. . . Hiro Nakamura, played by Oka, is an innocent otaku in Tokyo who loves manga and has long admired superheroes. One day, he realizes that he has a supernatural ability to stop time and to transcend time and space.

Oka says Hiro's personality is very similar to his own. Like Hiro, Oka loves manga and has been subscribing to weekly Japanese comics Shonen Jump and Shonen Sunday while living in the United States. He says reading them helps him build Hiro's character.

Oka said he watched the blockbuster love comedy Densha Otoko and learned about otaku behavior and vocabulary from the main character, played by Takayuki Yamada.

. . . The word "Yattaaa!" was used on the first show of the series, when Hiro stares at a clock and succeeds in turning it back a little bit by using thought vibes. He throws his hands on the air and runs triumphantly around the office.

Oka said he was confused at first, as the original script called for his character to say, "Bonsai." Reading the script, he wondered, "Why a bonsai plant?" He then realized it actually meant, "Banzai."

He suggested to executive producer Tim Kring that it would be better to change the phrase, as "banzai" evokes an image of war.

That's how the word "Yattaaa!" came to appear in the television program and eventually became a buzzword.

"Which Japanese word can I make popular in the United States next?" Oka says mischievously. "'Maji de' [really] might be a good one."

Oka was born in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, and lived there until he was 6. He then moved to the United States with his mother. When he was a child, he graced the cover of Time magazine as a boy genius with an IQ of 180.

After graduating from university he worked at VEX, a visual effects company owned by George Lucas. Helping to extend the Star Wars series, Oka also worked as an actor appearing more than 30 dramas and movies. Among them, though, he says Heroes means the most to his career. . . more

[Mulboyne]

[Charles]

So you speak Japanese on the show?

Yes he does, very very poorly.

[amdg]

Is ''Turning Japanese'' your new theme song?
That's what my Japanese coach says after I say something right. (in Japanese accent) ''Goood, I think you're turning Japanese.'' And one day, after four hours of Japanese training, I get into my car and my iPod had been on shuffle and, sure enough, Oingo Boingo is playing.

What the hell does Oingo Boingo have to do with "Turning Japanese"?

Anyway, I caught the first few episodes of the show recently and it was tolerably good - a bit campy, but still fun. The only part that sets my teeth on edge is when that doctor guy goes on and on about humanity 'evolving' into superheroes overnight. No! (slap) Bad doctor! That's called 'magic'.

[Tommybar]

"Reptiles And Samurai" from their 'Nothing to fear' album? (But his version was problably from their 'Farewell' album.)

He is a Samurai in the show...

But your probably right, he has Oingo Boingo confused with the Vapors...

[YT]Br-3JPUYEA8[/YT]

[Mulboyne]

We couldn't get the real actors for the DVD promotion party so...

[Samurai_Jerk]

Good-bye Hiro.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3005162/heroes_cancelled_after_years_of_fading.html

Heroes canceled rumors had swirled around for some time. Years ago, having Heroes canceled looked unlikely, after its first season was such a big hit. But the fall of the NBC sci-fi show has been well documented, as many viewers wished they could wipe their memories of the last several volumes. The show has gotten several last chances, and had ultimately failed in each one, even as some fans maintained their devotion. Ultimately, not enough stuck around to the end, and NBC was the last to give in, as they declared Heroes canceled in one final defeat. ...

[IkemenTommy]

I thought Heroes had a pretty strong fan-base but I guess I was wrong. I personally only watched one episode and it was enough for me. No big loss.

[Kuang_Grade]

I thought Heroes had a pretty strong fan-base but I guess I was wrong. I personally only watched one episode and it was enough for me. No big loss.

The series lost steam during the second season cut short by the writers strike and never really recovered and fan support pretty much fell apart midway through season 3....it got renewed by the skin of its teeth last year, probably because they felt they might get some DVD sales down the road vs some new show that wouldn't probably last more than 4 weeks.

[Ganma]

The series lost steam during the second season cut short by the writers strike and never really recovered and fan support pretty much fell apart midway through season 3....it got renewed by the skin of its teeth last year, probably because they felt they might get some DVD sales down the road vs some new show that wouldn't probably last more than 4 weeks.

I thought the first 2 seasons were great. But yeah, season three was ridiculous. I just recorded it off the TV so no loss, it was still entertaining even if it was a joke.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The series lost steam during the second season cut short by the writers strike and never really recovered and fan support pretty much fell apart midway through season 3....it got renewed by the skin of its teeth last year, probably because they felt they might get some DVD sales down the road vs some new show that wouldn't probably last more than 4 weeks.

Yeah, season two started off good but you could tell they just hurried to end it in as few episodes as possible while hitting all the major plot twists after the strike. Killing off a major character in such an anti-climatic way was fucking ridiculous.