By Marvin Feltcher
Staff Writer
August 18, 2004
Most would suspect something amiss if they found kids' superhero action figures on sale immediately beside raunchy hardcore adult DVDs, but that's precisely what's on offer at Kobe's Subcul Syndicate, according to Shukan Taishu (8/30).
"I was born in 1971. When I was a little kid, superhero TV shows were at the peak of their popularity, as I moved into the glory years of the photo spread idols and after entering puberty adult video reached its climax. In adulthood, we've moved from rental video, to cell video and now the Internet," Subcul Syndicate's owner, identified only as Yasshi, tells Shukan Taishu. "It's almost as though every recent sub-culture to have emerged in Japan has done so with me in mind. I wanted my store to be like that, which is why you get the mix and matching."
Subcul Syndicate is easily identified thanks to its location under a huge neon sign reading "R18."
Subcul Syndicate refers to itself as a new wave store for collection addicts.
Selling on its stores are a wide variety of adult movies and aids, as well as action figures of Japanese superheroes like Ultraman and Masked Rider.
"I wanted to let people know that simply being hooked on collecting didn't necessarily have to be associated with sex (as it generally is in Japan)," Yasshi says. "This store is my brain. I consider myself a teacher passing on what's going on in the minds of today's 30-somethings."
Yasshi says he has no particular target client in mind, but is advertising heavily in a variety of media ranging from hobby magazines to S&M rags to catch whoever he can.
"We're happy enough to just get customers who understand what we're doing," Yasshi tells Shukan Taishu, adding the Subcul Syndicate currently has a special deal on offer. "Any customer spending 10,000 yen or over is entitled to a session with Ren, the store's resident love doll."
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/index.html
A Ren love doll? "Cum here you EEDIOT..."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002NY8XA/qid=1092813924/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-7319736-6456942?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846