Ghibli Great Exhibition: from Nausicaä to The Red Turtle

A reconstruction of the battleship from Castle in the Sky

For Studio Ghibli's 30th anniversary, an exhibition of rare Ghibli-related items, from its 1984 hit Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind to its most recent release The Red Turtle, is being held at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi until September 11.

The seemingly haphazard way the exhibition is non-chronologically arranged is consciously intended, Ghibli producer Suzuki Toshio explained in an interview with nippon.com. The exhibition tries to recreate the experience of extracting memories arranged in a filmgoer's mind. The exhibition was based from the exhibitions held in Aichi and Niigata Prefectures in 2015 but a section on The Red Turtle, which is scheduled for release on September 17, is added to the present exhibition.

The displays showcase around 2,500 items related to the films released in the past 30 years, with a large volume composed of promotional items like flyers and posters. The invitation sent by the Academy Awards to Studio Ghibli for its Awarding Ceremony in 2001 is exhibited for all visitors to see. Of course, displayed beside it is the signature golden trophy of the Academy Awards won by Spirited Away for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, making it the only hand-drawn Japanese film to win a Best Animated Film award.

Other highlights of the exhibition include a life-sized Totoro behind a counter greeting the visitors upon entry, a Cat Bus where visitors can have their pictures taken (but there is always a long line in this section so you would only be allowed to pose for a few seconds, so make sure you give it your best shot!) and a reconstruction of the battleship from Castle in the Sky before you exit. 

This is indeed a must-see for Ghibli fans who would like to trace the 30-year history of the studio and marvel at the authentic old posters and previously unseen and unreleased sketches of Ghibli characters and scenes. The lack of English translation of the description of the items can be a turn off at some points (knowing that Mori Art Museum usually puts them but why not in this exhibit). The exhibition would have been more fun if visitors could actually understand the historical significance of the specific objects in Ghibli's long history but this is not a distraction that should put off a real Ghibli fan from seeing what other things the exhibition has to offer. 

Unusual Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss in Autumn

Visiting spots where people can marvel at the beauty of red, yellow and orange leaves neatly woven together in a breathtaking tapestry is quite a common activity once autumn sets in. However, for those who would like to dig into Japan’s rich history (and of course for those up for a little more adventure), here are some interesting Autumn festivals that would definitely sprinkle a tinge of wonder in your autumn experience:

Laugh your heart out at the Hidakagawa Warai Festival in Wakayama. Laughing is an instinct that has been taken for granted by many people in many occasions, but definitely not in this festival. This actually encourages a lot of those! During the festival, a sendatsu, a man with his face covered in white make-up, parades the streets with a bell in his left hand and a treasure box in his right together with 12 warai otoko or laughing men garbed in traditional costume carrying 12 different kinds of autumn crops skewered on sticks. They encourage the spectators to laugh with them as they shout, “Warau, warau!” This festival is said to have originated from a legend saying that a goddess named Niutsu Hime no Mikoto overslept and missed an annual gathering of the gods. Feeling terribly upset with the incident, she locked herself in the Niu Shrine and wouldn’t come out so the villagers tried to cheer her up by, as you have guessed it, laughing! This, in turn, uplifted not only the goddess but the villagers as well. This event is annually held in early October, on the Sunday following the National Athletic Holiday. 

Enjoy the floats at the Autumn Takayama Festival in Gifu. This festival is regarded as one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan together with Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and Chichibu Matsuri in Saitama. This festival, also known as Hachiman Matsuri and done at Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine, has a spring counterpart known as the Sanno Matsuri and is held at the Hie Shrine. The autumn festival is annually held on October 9-10. The highlight of the festival is the parade of 11 intricately designed floats or yatai kaikan which reflect the rich craftsmanship of the many generations of artisans living in this town.  

Watch horseback riding archers at Ana Hachimangu Yabusame Festival in Tokyo. Happening on October 2 every year, this festival is one of the must-sees in Tokyo. The highlight of this festival is a demonstration done by archers, dressed in traditional Japanese attire, shooting arrows to a target while seated on a horse . In 1728, then shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, asked the people of this town to keep on practicing yabusame as a form of prayer to the gods to heal his sick son. 

Light some fire at the Kurama Fire Festival in Kyoto. On October 22 every year, villagers carrying torches march around Mt. Kurama, where Minamoto no Yoshitsune was said to have learned his sword skills from the king of the evil deities, Sojobu Tengu. At sunset, the villagers set up bonfires outside their houses and bring out their family treasures like armors and screens. Men and children then carry the torches, some of which are 80kg in weight and 5meters long, around the village. The people gather at the Yuki Shrine to worship and end the long night. This festival originated when the emperor ordered the transfer of the Yuki Myojin, one of the guardian demons of the imperial court, to the North of Kyoto after the city was hit by a strong earthquake in 940 to protect the city. When the guardian first came to Kurama, the villagers are said to have welcomed it with torches. 

Walk like a daimyo at the Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Festival in Kanagawa. This festival is conducted on Culture Day, November 3, every year at Yumoto Onsen in Hakone, Kanagawa. Almost 200 people dressed as samurai warriors, princesses, and court assistants parade around the town covering a distance of about 6km. The parade was a reenactment of a daimyo’s (feudal lord) procession during the Edo Period (1603-1858) known as the sankin kotai. As ordered by the shogun, the daimyos needed to take residence alternately in the capital for a year and in their fief the following year to ensure their loyalty. The festival parade starts at Sounji Temple at 10am and ends at Yumoto Fujiya Hotel at around 2pm. There are also marching bands and performances accompanying the daimyos and the members of their entourage.   

*** Published in the September 2016 issue of the Filipino Japanese-Journal

Narratives of the Body at Roppongi Crossing 2016

     With new discourses come new perspectives. This is what the exhibition Roppongi Crossing 2016: My Body, My Voice is trying to convey with its wide selection of artworks from photographs to paintings, from music to videos, from machine-like installations to interactive games. The exhibition was first mounted in 2004 at the Mori Art Museum to showcase the works of contemporary Japanese artists, reflecting a vast range of creative techniques. This year, 20 artists selected by curators from Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, displayed their works depicting complex relationships between the body and the world around it as told in visual narratives that were distinct and personal. 

       Makoto Aida, one of the participants in the first Roppongi Crossing exhibition in 2004,  noted in a short interview conducted by the Mori Art Museum, that seeing this year’s exhibition gave him the impression that the works contained very personal elements. Participating artists this year tried to explain, through their chosen medium, their answers to the questions, “Who am I? How is my body connected to history and to other people?” Their interpretations of these questions and their corresponding answers reflected a process of looking at the self and projecting the self to the context – time, place, dynamics – of the world where it is placed. 

Katayama Mari, Courtesy of TRAUMARIS, TOKYO

Some artists focused on the relationship between the body and the creation of a distinct identity of the self. Katayama Mari, who had both of her legs amputated at the tender age of nine and has since used prosthetics, displayed her self portraits together with her dolls to represent how she reconciled the idea of who she is as a person and as an artist in relation to her body. Her photos in her room filled with dolls seemed to suggest the objectification of her body as parts of it are joined and rejoined. Through these self-portraits she depicted how the society sees her and with a lifesized doll with a mirror for a face, she depicted how she absorbs the things going on in the society around her.

Goto Yasuka showcased her paintings created with the use of Japanese ink depicting scenes during the Second World War, which she had reimagined based on the stories told by her relatives. Her paintings featured her grandfather who was drafted to war. The paintings showed him writing letters together with other soldiers before they were sent to different places for the war and riding a navy ship about to be deployed in a faraway camp. The very distinct expressions on the faces of the soldiers, which showed their emotions, personalities, worries and fears in the middle of the raging war, were very notable in of her art. One of the most notable pieces of this collection was the Aioi Bashi, which showed a panoramic painting showing her grandfather as a young boy who wanted to enlist in the army facing his adult self who was already drafted to war as a soldier and was facing the horrors of it. 

Yosegaki by Goto Yasuka,
Courtesy of The National Museum of Art Osaka

Hasegawa Ai presented photos showing the projected appearance of the would-be children of a real life same-sex couple if the technology of using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) became possible and ethically recognized. This technology would allow the children to inherit the genes of both parents even if they are of the same sex. The installation featured photos of the couple with their children happily having breakfast and celebrating a birthday.  

       As this exhibition depicted new ways of presenting the body and the self in relation to time and place, new perspectives were brought into the center to instigate its audience to ponder on them. Aida Makoto referred to the exhibition as interesting because “it makes you realize what you don’t know.” Everyday identities are being invented and reinvented, relationships being established and demolished, and bodies move in a projection of time that transcends ideas and space. With this, reinterpretation of old discourses are strongly encouraged and the formulation of new narratives are more than welcome not only in art, but in everything else, where bodies can be used to communicate to others.

      This exhibition ran at the Mori Art Museum from March 26 to July 10, 2016 and was curated by Natsumi Araki of the Mori Art Museum, Sunjung Kim of the Art Sonje Center, Keisuke Ozawa of the Arts Initiative Tokyo, and Dar-Kuen Wu of the Taipei Artist Village. 

Photos: Grabbed from the website of the Mori Art Museum

1.Flyer/ promotional banner of Roppongi Crossing 2016 

2.you’re mine#001

2014

Katayama Mari

Lambda Print

104.8 X162 cm

Private Collection

Courtesy of: TRAUMARIS, Tokyo

3.Yosegaki 

2008

By Goto Yasuka

Oil, acrylic and Japanese ink on canvas

304 x 480 cm

Collection: The National Museum of Art, Osaka

*** Published in the August 2016 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal

Reinventing ‘A Piece of Cloth’: The Works of Issey Miyake

*Published in the July 2016 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal

“The act of design and its process are synonymous with excitement and joy.” 

–Issey Miyake

Japanese designer Issey Miyake is well-known for his out-of-the-box ideas translated into avante-garde collections created all through out his almost 50-year old career (and still counting). And as what these collections reflect, every piece of cloth has a story. These stories are brilliantly told in a recent display of his creations titled, “Miyake Issey Exhibition: The Work of Miyake Issey” held at The National Art Center, Tokyo from March 16 – June 13, 2016. 

Official poster of the exhibition

Issey Miyake went to Paris in 1965 to continue honing his skills in the field. In 1968, he witnessed the May ‘68 protests where young people expressed their sentiments against authoritarianism. This experience inspired him to “create clothing like jeans and t-shrits that can be worn by everyone.” This is when he started expoloring the relationship between “a piece of cloth”, the body and the space between them. Combining his love for research, his enthusiasm for experimenting on the use of new materials and his good grasp of Japanese traditional craftsmanship, he was able to develop a kind of signature style that is distinctively his own. Miyake explains his vision by saying that, “Every day, I imagine something new, create something that has never existed, and build a new reality.” But despite the spontaneous flow of diverse creative ideas, his basic principle remains the same, making clothes from “a piece of cloth.”

The exhibition, divided in three sections, showed how Miyake’s experiementation with clothes has progressed through the years. The spaces in Sections A and B were designed by TokujinYoshioka. Section A exhibited Miyake’s earlier works. He has continually sought new methods and technologies for making clothes since he established the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. Because of his forward-looking mindset, Miyake refuses to be bound by convention. Although he uses Japanese traditional crafts and materials as a starting point, he adds his own style by recreating the clothes into something more contemporary. Miyake and his team experiment with ways to turn their ideas into realities and then deliver the finished, tangible pieces to people who can fully utilize them. Some notable pieces in this section were the Shohana Momen, made from a frabric traditionally used to line men’s kimonos; Sashiko,  made from a quilted-fabric used for Judo uniforms and farmers’ work clothes; and Tanzen, a kimono-style coat with a tie-belt. 

In Section B, Miyake’s clothes were displayed on “Grid Bodies” that were specifically designed by Yoshioka for this exhibition. Because of Miyake’s vision to connect the cloth and the body, he created a body series from 1980-1984 that showcased materials that are uncommonly used for clothes like plastic and rattan shaped into wearable pieces. In 1980, Miyake displayed a new collection called Plastic Body for the Autumn/Winter collection. The pieces were made using fiber-reinforced plastic on a mold of a human torso. Two years after, he showcased Rattan Body for his Spring/Summer collection. Using the techniques of Shochikudo Kosuge, a Japanese artist from Hayama, Miyake sculpted rattan and bamboo materials into wearable forms, creating a contemporary interpretation of a Japanese samurai armor. This collection was also featured on the cover of an American art magazine, Art Forum, in February 1982. Needless to say, it is a notable achievement for a piece of clothing to be featured in an art magazine. Wire Body and Waterfal Body were released in Autumn/Winter 1983 and Autumn/Winter 1984 respectively.

The space in Section C, designed by Taku Satoh, was meant not only as a display space but also as an interactive space where visitors could try folding clothes with complex structures and watch demonstrations. This section exhibited five of the most innovative aspects of Miyake’s work. Right next to the entrance to this section, a row of Olympic Team uniforms were displayed. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Miyake was commissioned to design the uniforms of the athletes from Lithuania. From this experience, Miyake thought of showcasing the designs of ten more teams for his 1993 Spring/Summer collection. The Materials area showcased the different materials that Miyake used for making clothes like polyster, horsehair, ramie, rayon and silk. In the IKKO TANAKA-ISSEY MIYAKE area, pleated kimonos printed with basic shapes like circles and triangles neatly arranged to form an image of a Japanese woman’s face were on display. Dresses in the A-POC section were said to have  been created from a single piece of thread in a single process. Also exhibited in the Pleats area was the pleats machine used by Miyake in making his pleats designs. A special demonstration was held every morning during the exhibition. When making pleats, Miyake makes the clothes first and then feeds them through a heated pleating machine, contrary to the usual practice of creating pleating first and then turning the pleated fabrics into clothes. Miyake’s 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE/IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE collection showcased dresses with complex folding structures. 

In the last part of the exhibiton, there were also some short films about Miyake that were shown to the audience. First, there was a motion graphic called “Making Things” created by Yugo Nakamura and music composed by Cornelius. Other works shown were: The Work of Issey Miyake 1960-2015 directed by Shinya Nakajima; Beyond Time and Space directed by Yuriko Takagi; Visual Dialogue directed by Irving Penn; Waterfall Body and Kamiko directed and edited by Yu Yamanaka.

Miyake believes that clothing should not only enrich people’s lives but also bring joy to anyone who is wearing them – something that Miyake has done and has continued to do all these years. From a piece of cloth, he was able to visualize and revitalize a new clothing revolution that, as he says, “turns ideas into realities.”

Learn to Bake in Tokyo!

Raspberry Fromage

How about learning how to bake? Well, I recently thought about that. I thought I need to learn some new skills while I am enjoying my life in Tokyo. I am not really very good with domestic tasks, i.e. tasks at home, so I thought I might as well try my hands on something I view as a challenge. I decided to take baking classes at ABC Cooking Studio with a friend. We only took three classes to test the waters before fully committing to the whole course. 

We first took a free trial class where we made Ham and Cheese Bread and Chocolate Chip Rolls. This trial class was free for us because of a campaign for the opening of this particular branch. But on regular days, I think a trial class only costs Y500. At the trial class, you would be asked to "share the experience" with someone, meaning, you have to share cooking utensils and alternate with another person in doing the exercises since only one set of utensils and ingredients are set before you. But no worries, because the amount of ingredients you have will be enough for two persons! You can take home at least four pieces of yummy bread after! While waiting for the bread to cook, the staff would offer you their packages. This studio also offers dessert making classes and traditional Japanese cooking classes. Take your time thinking about which package to choose. Do not feel pressured with the staff who would constantly keep on coming back to ask you if you had already made your decision. If you are really not up for it and would really just want to try the trial, I think it fine. Just clearly and politely tell the staff about your decision.

After enrolling to the class, you can choose the schedule of your classes. Usually, there is a set period for you to complete your classes. For our three classes, I think we had three months to schedule and finish the three classes. They have time slots for each branch and you can choose the most convenient for you. You can reschedule your class if something has came up but you should double check the rules they have for rescheduling - the change should be done before 11am of the day prior to your chosen schedule. 

Each class lasts for two hours. You will have a lot of down time in the middle of the class because you have to wait for the dough to rise or wait while the oven preheats. You can drink some beverages for free while waiting. I recommend taking a class with a friend. It is more fun when you have someone to laugh with during crazy kitchen moments and you will have someone to ask when you do not understand the teacher's instructions. The teachers are very nice and they would try to help you as much as they can. Knowing that my friend and I do not speak Japanese fluently, our teacher used very simple Japanese to communicate with us. She would also reiterate instructions when we appeared clueless or demonstrate a technique for us to understand. Not all teachers though are like that, I must say. Some of them tend to hurry in the lesson because several classes are scheduled one after the other so there should be no time for over time! If you already find a teacher with whom you have a good rapport, you can schedule your class with that teacher for the rest of your classes. 

Taking classes at ABC Cooking Studio is a cheap and fun way to develop new skills!

DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored post. I was not commissioned to write reviews or post any promotional content for the studio. I am merely sharing my experiences as a happy camper. 

Mga Nagwagi sa ika-18 Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia

Ang taunang Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia (SSFF & ASIA) na nasa ika-18 taon na ng kanyang pamamayagpag ngayong 2016 ay ginanap mula June 2 – June 26 sa iba’t-ibang lokasyon tulad ng Shibuya, Omotesando, Futako Tamagawa at Yokohama. Ipinalabas ang halos 200 short films mula sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo na sinala at maingat na pinili mula sa halos 6,000 entries. 

Ang Pagsisimula

Ang SSFF & ASIA ay pinasimulan ng aktor na si Tetsuya Bessho noong 1999 sa Harajuku kung saan ipinalabas ang 6 na short films ni George Lucas, ang gumawa at nagpasikat ng pelikulang Star Wars. Layunin ni Bessho na ipakilala ang short film bilang isang yumayamang porma ng pagkukuwento at pagpapalabas na noon ay hindi pa gaanong kilala ng mga manunuod sa Japan. 

Simula 2004, kinilala ang SSFF & ASIA ng Academy Awards bilang accredited festival. Dahil sa pagkilalang ito, maaaring maging nominado ang nanalo ng Grand Prix Award sa isa sa mga short film categories ng Academy Awards. Ang SSFF & ASIA lamang ang tanging festival sa Japan na nakatanggap ng ganitong prestihiyosong pagkilala at pakikipagkolaborasyon. Sa taong ito, naiuwi ni Reza Fahimi ang Grand Prix Award para sa pelikulang “Clound Children.” 

Ang mga Nagwagi

Ang competition ay binubuo ng iba’t-ibang kategorya tulad ng Official Competition na nahahati sa International, Asia International at Japan; Save the Earth! Competition; CG Animation; Music Shorts; at Music Video. 

Sa International Competition, nanalo si Lotfi Achour ng Best Short Award para sa pelikulang “Father” at Audience Award naman ang napunta sa “Catching Fireflies” na ginawa ni Lee Whittaker. Si Mailesan Rangaswamy na gumawa ng “Bicycle” ang nagwagi ng Audience Award sa Asia International Competition at Best Short Award naman ang naiuwi ni Reza Fahimi para sa “Cloud Children.” Sa Japan Competition, nanalo si Tsukasa Kishimoto ng Japan Competition Best Short Award/ Governor of Tokyo Award para sa “Kerama Blue.” Nanalo naman ng Audience Award si Yuki Sato para sa “Gotham Jumble Parfait.”

Nagsimula noong 2008 ang Save the Earth! Competition sa ilalim ng titulong “STOP! Global Warming Competition” sa pakikipagtulungan ng SSFF & ASIA sa Team-6%, isang programa na inilunsad ng Japanese Ministry of Environment upang higit na palaganapin ang impormasyon tungkol sa pagtitipid ng enerhiya. Noong 2013, pinalitan ang dating pangalan ng kategorya at mas pinalawak ang mga isyung sakop ng paligsahan. Hindi na lamang ito nakasentro sa Global Warming kung hindi pati na rin sa ibang isyung pangkalikasan na napapanahon at marapat talakayin. Sa loob ng nakalipas na 8 taon, nakapagpalabas na ng 84 na shorts sa ilalim ng kategoryang ito. Sa taong ito, nanalo si Marlene Van der Werf na gumawa ng “Once Upon a Tree” ng Save the Earth! Competition Best Short Award samantalang J-Wave Award naman ang naiuwi ni Emily Driscoll para sa pelikulang “Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night.” 

        Ang CG Animation Competition naman ay unang inilunsand noong 2012 sa pakikipagutlungan ng SSFF & Asia sa Digital Hollywood, isang kilalang IT university sa US sa larangan ng CG animation. Sa taong ito, napanalunan ni Jossie Malis ng “Bendito Machine V – Pull the Trigger” ang CG Animation Competition Best Short Award. 

        Para sa Music Shorts, nanalo ng UULA Award ang video ni Iori Fujiwara na pinamagatang “Shiori” kung saan inawit ni Tomoko Tane ang “Waratte te.”Cinematic Award naman ang naiuwi ni Santa Yamagishi na gumawa ng “Ikite Yuku Full Ver.” na kinatatampukan ng KANA-BOON na umawit ng Ikite Yuku.

Mga Natatanging Pelikula 

Ilang sa mga natatanging pelkikula ay ang “The Audition” ni Martin Scorsese na kitatampukan nina Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt at Robert Deniro na nagkukuwento ng pagbubukas ng isang magarbong casino sa Macau. Ang “Ellis” naman na ginawa ni JR at kinatatampukan ni Robert De Niro ay nagkukuwento ng malulungkot na alaala ng isang migrante sa US. Isa rin sa mga naging highlight ng festival ay ang pagpapalabas ng mga pelikulang ginawa ni Takumi Saito, isang sikat na artista na ngayon ay sumabak na rin sa directing. Nagsimula siyang mag-direk ng pelikula noong 2012. Isa sa mga natatangi nyang gawa ay ang “Half & Half” na na-nominate sa International Emmy Awards noong nakaraang taon sa ilalim ng Digital Program: Fiction Category. 

Iba pang Pakulo

Simula ngayong taon, pumili rin ang jury ng limang filmmakers sa Short Film & Tokyo Project upang gumawa ng shorts tungkol sa Tokyo bilang promotion para sa nalalapit na 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. 

***Published in the July 2016 issue of Pinoy Gazette

Green Day's American Idiot Musical in Manila!

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Fujigaya Taisuke Leads the Cast of Take Five 2

Take Five 2 is the sequel of the Take Five franchise, which ran at the Akasaka Act Theater from May 4 - 25, 2016. The first stage play was staged in 2015 with Fujigaya Taisuke (lovingly referred by his fans as "Taipi") in the lead role. This play was based on a drama that was first aired in 2013 with Karasawa Toshiaki as Homura Masayoshi. This year, Taipi reprised his role as Homura and also portrayed another character, Mamiya, who came from the future to save the former from impending harm. This year's production was top billed by other experienced TV and stage actors such as Yamamoto Yusuke, Suruga Taro, Shinkawa Yua, Asakura Aki, Kozuda Yasuto, Nekoze Tsubaki, Yasoto Yuichi and Aran Kai. 

The Akasaka ACT Theater after the show

My thoughts after the curtains closed and the lights on stage turned off: I had so much fun watching Take Five 2! Though I cannot really say that it was a GREAT show because of the bland acting, it had its moments too. Yusuke was so hilarious especially when he was imitating Kisumai's dance steps! Taipi did not stand out but at least his performance was consistent - not awkward, not overacting, just calm and cool the whole time, enough to send a fangirl home with a smile.  For the first half of the play, I thought it was "okay" but not amazing, but when Taipi did his short dance sequence in the middle of the play, I thought, "Okay, I already got what I came for." I almost screamed and cheered for him, almost forgetting that I was watching a play, not a Kisumai performance!

Promotional poster with the cast

If there was anything that amazed me that night, it was probably the stage production. The interactive screens were so cool I felt like I was watching a stage play one instant and spying on the whereabouts of the "real" Taipi the next. It was the first time that I watched a play that successfully merged traditional sets and interactive screens, not to mention a hologram in one of the scenes where Taipi was talking to himself! It created a "believable" world within an unbelievable one

.

The stage after the show

The stage before the show

Take Five 2 was a play worth watching for the entertainment value it offered. It was the kind of play that did not require a showcase of acting prowess, but rather targeted the satisfaction of the audience. And yes, it did a pretty good job in staging lovable moments with satisfying fan service. After watching this show, I finally ticked my bucket list to see Taipi on stage. I even saw him after the show waving goodbye from his car. So I guess, I got more than what I have asked for. 

Japan Content Showcase 2014: Pagpapalitan ng produkto, kultura at impluwensiya

***originally published in the November Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

Kuha mula sa Official Facebook Page ng Japan Content Showcase 2014

Napansin niyo ba kung bakit mas maraming mga dramang mula Korea ang naipapalabas sa Pilipinas kaysa sa mga dramang Hapon? Nakakatawa naman ang mga dramang Hapon, mas maiikli kaya mas madaling subaybayan at hindi naman kumplikado ang mga kwento, pero bakit hindi ito karaniwang binibili ng mga local networks samantalang ang mga anime naman ay namamayagpag sa local channels?

Siyempre, isa sa pinakamahalagang bahagi ay ang negosasyon sa pagitan ng mga kumpanya: gaano katagal ipapalabas ang isang drama sa Pilipinas, ano ang mga restrictions na nakakabit sa pagbili ng rights nito, magkano ang presyo nito at mababawi ba ang halagang ito kapag ipinalabas  na ito sa local channel?

Isa ang Japan Content Showcase sa mga venue kung saan nagaganap ang mga ganitong usapan.

           

Ang Japan Content Showcase 2014 ay ginanap sa Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba kamakailan. Ginaganap ito taun-taon upang tipunin ang mga content holders at buyers mula sa iba’t ibang industriya tulad ng pelikula, musika,t elebisyon, animation at iba pa. Dito ay nagkakarooon ang mga content holders/exhibitors ng pagkakataon na ibenta ang kanilang mga produkto sa mga potensiyal na mamimili na mula pa sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo.

Ang Mga Nakibahagi

Ang taong ito ang nagtala ng pinakamaraming exhibitors at buyers na dumayo pa ng Japan para lang maging bahagi ng malaking pagtitipong ito. Record-breaking na maituturing ang bilang ng  mga sumuporta, dumalo, nag-volunteer at naging bahagi ng event na ito sa iba’t ibang paraan. Sa loob ng tatlong araw, nakibahagi ang 331 exhibitors mula sa 25 bansa; 1,158 buyers mula sa 39 bansa; at 18,000 katao. Marami sa mga exhibitors ay mula Korea, Taiwan at Cambodia. Ito rin ang kauna-uanahang pagkakataon na may lumahok mula sa Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire at Estonia.

Mapapansin din ang unti-unting pagbubukas at paglawak ng merkado ng mga bansa mula sa Southeast Asia tulad ng Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam at Singapore na hindi lamang bumibili ng content mula sa Japan ngunit nag-e-export na rin ng sarili nilang gawa. Sa taong ito, tumaas ng 19% ang mga exhibitors mula sa Southeast Asia. Wala mang malaking exhibitor na mula Pilipinas, mayroon namang mga dumalong mga indibidwal na Pilipino na ipinadala ng kanilang mga kumpanya at organisasyong kinabibilangan.

Mga Itinampok na Seminar

Hindi lamang puro negosasyon sa bilihan ng content ang nagaganap sa Japan Content Showcase, mayroon ding mga seminar na kapupulutan ng mga impormasyon tungkol sa iba’t ibang industriya sa Asya. Ilan sa mga interesanteng seminar ay tumalakay sa mga sumusunod na paksa:

·         Sa seminar na pinamagatang “Introducing Japanese Music Overseas: Issues and Potentials,” pinag-usapan ang ilan sa mga matagumpay na karanasan ng mga organizers sa pagma-market ng mga Japanese artists tulad ng Xjapan, One OK Rock, Morning Musume at Hatsune Miku sa Amerika at Europa.

·         Sa “Initiatives for the Development of Content Industry in Each Country and the Asian Region: Possible Cooperation in the Asian Region,” tinalakay ang malaking potensyal ng co-production para sa mga nais gumawa ng pelikula o animation sa tulong ng mga agencies o production houses sa ibang bansa. Binanggit din ang posibilidad na makakuha ng mga subsidy sa mga ahensyang pang-gobyerno kung makikipag-ugnayan sa kanila tungkol sa mga proyektong nais gawin sa bansang iyon. Ang mga panelista ay nagmula sa Thailand, Singapore, China, Japan at South Korea.

·         Sa “Southeast Asian Visual Contents: The Present and Future in Film-TV Market” ipinaliwanag kung anong mga pelikula at TV show ang popular sa Southeast Asia at kung saan posibleng tutungo ang mga trend na ito sa mga susunod na taon.

·         Para naman sa mga gustong makipagtulungan sa mga Japanese TV companies, ipinaliwanag sa “How to Find a Partner – Essential Tips on Collaborating with the Japanese TV Industry” ang kasalukuyang kalagayan ng industriyang ito. Nagbigay rin ang mga panelista ng mga suhestiyon kung paano makakapagbukas ng pagkakataon para makipagtrabaho sa mga ito. Nagbahagi rin sila ng mga karanasan nila sa pakikipagtrabaho sa mga production houses mula sa ibang bansa.

Iba pang Kaganapan

Kasabay ng Japan Content Showcase 2014 ay ang Tokyo International Music Market kung saan nagpakitang-gilas ang ilan sa mga bagong Japanese artists sa kanilang mga live performances, at ang Tokyo International Film Festival na siyang nagtampok sa mga pelikula mula sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo kabilang na ang tatlong entries mula sa Pilipinas.

Kasabay nang mabilis na pagbabago sa kalidad at nilalaman ng mga pelikula, TV show at musika mula sa Japan at sa iba pang bansa na pumapasok sa Pilipinas, mabilis din na nagbabago ang impluwensiya ng bawat bansang nagbebenta at bumibili ng kanilang mga content mula sa isa’t isa. Naging saksi ang Japan Content Showcase 2014 sa lumalaking bahagi ng Southeast Asian market sa malayang pagpapalitan ng produkto at kultura sa bahaging ito ng Asya at siguradong patuloy pa itong magiging saksi sa mga susunod pang taon.

TOKYO GAME SHOW 2014: Isang Makabagong Mundo ng Laro

***originally published in the October Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

Para akong pumasok sa isang kakaibang mundo noong una akong dumating sa Makuhari Messe para sa pagbubukas ng Tokyo Game Show 2014 (TGS 2014). May mahigit 300 game developers, hindi lang mula sa Japan kung hindi pati na rin sa iba pang panig ng mundo tulad ng Asya, Amerika at Europa, ang nagsama-sama para sa pinakamalaking taunang pagtitipon ng mga game creators at game enthusiasts.

Mayroong cosplayers, malalaking posters ng anime, matataas na gundam models at dragon sculptures, at samu’t saring laro na maaaring subukan ng libre! Sa taong ito, ginanap ang TGS noong Setyembre 18-21, kung saan ang unang dalawang araw ay inilaan para sa mga press at businessmen at ang huling dalawang araw ay para naman sa publiko. Sa loob ng apat na araw ay dinaluhan ito ng mahigit sa 250,000 tao.

Sa TGS makikita ang iba’t ibang games mula sa mga pambatang laro tulad ng Doraemon at Cooking Mama, mga Role-Playing Games (RPG) tulad ng Final Fantasy, arcade games tulad ng Dragon Ball Z, virtual reality tulad ng Oculas at romance simulation games tulad ng Animal Boyfriend.

Ang tema ng TGS sa taong ito ay “Changing Games: The Transformation of Fun.” Base sa malawak na selection ng mga laro na itinampok sa TGS, mula sa mga classic arcade games na ngangailangan pa ng game controllers hanggang sa makabagong virtual reality games na kayang madetect ang body movements ng manlalaro, tunay ngang makikita kung paano sa panahaong ito ay malaki na ang ipinagbago ng teknolokiya sa paggawa ng mga laro at kung paano rin nagbago ang pagtanggap ng mga naglalaro sa mga ito.

Ang Mga Makabagong Laro

Sa dami ng mga magaganda at kakaibang laro na maaaring subukan sa TGS, mahirap pumili kung ano ang uunahin kaya naman pinagsama-sama ng TGS sa isang partikular na lugar ang mga exhibitors na may magkakaparehong uri ng laro.

General Exhibition Area. Dito makikita ang karamihan sa mga video game software at digital entertainment products tulad ng Bandai Namco, Capcom at Sony Computer Entertainment.

Smartphone Games / Social Games Area. Dito makikita kung anong mga bagong laro ang maaaring idownload  sa mga smartphones at tablets (ios man o android) tulad ng mga gawa ng QUBIT Games at 7Quark.

Family Area. Dito makikita ang mga larong pambata na gawa ng SEGA, Happymeal at Cooking Mama. Tanging mga elementary students at kanilang mga kasama lamang ang maaaring pumasok sa area na ito.

Game Device Area. Ang mga laro na kinakailangan ng device o game console tulad ng PC, controllers at keyboards ay matatagpuan sa bahaging ito. Ilan sa exhibitors dito ay DXRACER, Logicool G at Aver Media Technologies.

Game School Area. Dito ipinapakilala ang mga video game schools, universities at distance learning institutes para sa mga interesadong mag-aral ng game developing tulad ng Osaka Designers’ College, Tokyo Design Technology Center, Tokyo Designer Gakuin College, Tokyo University of Information Sciences, at Arts College Yokohama. 

Romance Simulation Game Area. Dito ipinapakilala ang mga romance games para sa kababaihan kung saan maaari silang magkaroon ng virtual boyfriend o maglaro ng mga drama game series. Mayroon din na photobooth kung saan maaaring magpa-picture ang mga kababaihan kasama ang mga lalaking naka-suit at tie bilang bahagi ng promotional strategies ng mga kumpanya. Ilan sa mga exhibitors dito ang Ambition, R-Infinity, Sunsoft at Voltage.

Indie Game Area. Kung mga original games na gawa ng mga independent game developers naman ang hanap mo, dito iyon matatagpuan sa bahaging ito. Itinatampok sa area na ito ang ilan sa mga game platforms na sumikat sa buong mundo tulad ng mga gawa ng Archive Entertainment, Bertram Fiddle, Chorus Worldwide Limited at Gemdrops.

PC Game Area. Dito makikita lahat ng laro na may kaugnayan sa paggamit ng PC. Maaari rin na magpa-install ng mga bagong laro rito.

Merchandise Sales Area. Kung souvenirs naman ang hanap mo, dito makakabili ng mga cute na bagay tulad ng mga keychain, towels, t-shirts, at iba pang gamit na may mukha ng mga kilalang game characters.

Asia New Stars. Sa bahaging ito matatagpuan ang booth ng mga bagong kumpanya mula sa Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam at siyempre sa Pilipinas, na nagsisimula pa lamang pumasok sa mainstream game industry.

Ang Pakikibahagi ng mga Pinoy

Bahagi ng promotion ng TGS ang pakikipag-ugnayan nila sa sa mga ahensyang pang-gobyerno ng ibang bansa lalo na sa Southeast Asia para maipakita ang gawa ng mga umuusbong na game developers mula sa ibang bansa. Kasama ang Pilipinas sa 10 bansa mula sa Asya na nagtampok ng kanilang mga bagong gawang games.

Mayroong pitong independent game developers ang mula sa Pilipinas. Sila ang Funguy Studio, Pointwest Technologies, The Studio of Secret 6, Toon City (Morph Animation), Top Peg Animation & Creative Studio, TeamApp/ Holy Cow Animanation at White Widget.

Japan Game Awards 2014

Sa pagtatapos ng unang araw ng TGS, pinarangalan din ang ilang mga developers ng mga larong nagkaroon ng matinding kontribusyon sa game industry noong nakaraang taon. Ilan sa kanila ay ang:

Grand Award -- Nag-tie ang Monster Hunter IV at YO-Kai Watch para sa pinakaprestihiyosong award sa taong ito dahil ang parehas na laro ay nagbigay ng malaking kontribusyon sa game industry noong nakaraang taon.

Global Award (Japanese Product) -- Iginawad sa Pokemon X at Pokemon Y na ni-release sa pitong iba’t-ibang lengwahe.

Global Award (Foreign Product) – Nakuha ng Grand Theft Auto V na nakabenta ng 5 million units sa buong mundo.

Best Sales Award – Pokemon X at Pokemon Y na siyang nagbigay ng pinakamalaking revenue sa Japanese Market. Mula January 2013 ay nakabenta na ito ng 12.26 milyong unit. Malaki pa rin ang impluwensiya ng Pokemon Games sa industriya 18 taon na ang nakakalipas mula ng una itong lumabas noong 1996.

Game Designers Award -- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, isang larong tunay na pinag-isipan kung saan mayroong dalawang magkapatid na maaaring gamitin sa laro ng sabay.

Award for Excellence – Kan Colle, The Last of Us, YO-Kai Watch, A Realm Reborn – Final Fantasy XIV, Moster Hunter IV, Grant Theft Auto V, Pokemon X at Pokemon Y, Mario 3D world, Puzzle and Dragons Z, Dark Souls II, at Metal Gear Solid V.

Maraming kakaibang laro sa Tokyo Game Show na kahit mga hindi gamers na tulad ko ay matutuwang subukan. Sa susunod na taon ay gaganapin ang TGS 2015 sa September 17-20 sa Makuhari Messe, kaya huwag na itong palalampasin!

Art Overdose: Art Fair Tokyo 2014

***originally published in the May Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

Kuha ni Munetoshi Iwashita

Noong nakaraang buwan ay ginanap ang pinakamalaking art event sa Tokyo na pinakaaabangan hindi lamang ng art collectors at professional artists, kundi pati na rin ng mga nag-aasam gumuhit at mga gusto lamang makakita at mamangha sa iba't ibang klase ng malikhaing gawa. 

Ang Art Fair Tokyo 2014 na ginanap sa Tokyo International Forum ay nilahukan ng mahigit-kumulang 180 galleries, organizations at sponsors mula sa 28 siyudad sa Japan at iba pang bahagi ng mundo. Kabilang ang Embahada ng Pilipinas sa mga sumuporta sa event na ito. Sa nakaraang walong taon ng Art Fair, ito ang unang pagkakataon na mayroong lumahok na gallery mula sa Pilipinas. 

Dumalo ang ilang mahahalagang tao tulad ni Unang Ginang Akie Abe, maybahay ni Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, sa Kagami-biraki sake cask ceremony, na opisyal na nagbukas sa Art Fair. Sa loob ng apat na magkakasunod na araw ay itinampok sa Art Fair ang iba't ibang klase ng gawa, nasa linya man ng fine arts o applied arts kabilang dito ang Nihongo o Japanese-style painting, Yoga o Japanese oil painting, contemporary art, media art, pop art, mga litrato, at ilang antique at handicraft. Nagkaroon din ng mga panayam tungkol sa woodblock prints at media art. Nagsagawa rin ng guided tours para sa ilang mga bisita. 

Bukod sa indibidwal na mga gallery na nagpakita ng gawa ng kanilang mga sariling artists, ilan sa mga highlights ng Art Fair ay ang sumusunod:

Discovering Asia. Sa section na ito nakibahagi ang ilang mga gallery mula sa Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia at Pilipinas upang ipakita ang mga gawa mula sa kanilang mga bansa kabilang dito ang 1335 Mabini na mula sa Pilipinas. Sila ang kauna-unahang Filipino gallery na nakilahok sa Art Fair.

Artistic Practice. Ang section na ito ay may temang “Modernity, Created by Japan” na siyang kinabibilangan ng mga modern painting na nagpapakita ng pagbabago sa tema at technique sa pagguhit ng isang bagong henerasyon ng Japanese artists. Kabilang ang ilan sa mga gawa nina Kaoru Yamaguchi, Soutaro Yasui, at Ryuzaburo Umezawa sa ipinakita sa Art Fair.

Tokyo Unlimited. Sa bahaging ito ipinakita ang iba't ibang applied art tulad ng handicrafts, pottery, ceramics at alahas. Ilan sa mga gallery na nakibahagi ay ang Toyama Glass Studio, gallery deux poissons, O-Jewel at Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kubo.

Art, Media and I, Tokyo. Kapansin-pansin kamakailan ang pagiging popular ng media art kung saan gumagamit ang mga artists ng kanilang sariling sistema, device at medium ng paggawa ng painting na iba kaysa sa pangkaraniwang ginagamit. Ang section na ito ay may layuning ipakita kung paano ang mga media art na gawang Hapon ay higit na maipapakilala sa global art market. Tampok sa exhibit na ito ang mga gawa ng ShimuraBros at nina Yuko Mohri, at Lyota Yagi.

Total Recall - Works of Mitsutoshi Hanaga (1959-1999). Itinatampok sa bahaging ito ang mga larawang kinuhanan ni Mitsutoshi Hanaga mula 1959-1999 na nagtatampok ng mga aktibidades ng mga avante-gard Japanese artists tulad ng grupong Hi-Red Center at nina Tetsumi Kudo, Akaji Maro at kanji Ito.

Pap-Aki Cafe Project. Gamit sa munting cafe na ito ang mga upuan at lamesa na gawa sa makakapal na karton na ginuhitan ng matitingkad na larawan ni Aki Kondo. 

Dinaluhan ang Art Fair ng halos 50,000 bisita mula sa iba't ibang panig ng Japan at ng mundo. Umabot rin ng halos isang bilyong yen ang halaga ng mga art pieces na naibenta sa loob ng apat na araw ng Art Fair. Patunay lamang ang ika-siyam na taon ng Art Fair Tokyo sa patuloy na pagiging globally competitive ng bansa at higit na nagkakaroon ng mataas na value ang mga malikhaing gawa mula sa Asya.

Waseda vs Keio: Hit and Run!

***originally published in the November Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published in Pinoy Gazette's official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

“Fureeeee, Fureeeee Waseda!” Umaalingawngaw sa buong stadium ang nakakabinging hiyawan ng mga manonood – karamihan ay estudyante, mayroon din mga alumni, magulang at ilang mukha na hindi mo maisip kung bakit nandoon bukod sa hinalang fan sila ng baseball.

Ito ang unang beses na nanood ako ng baseball game sa pagitan ng Waseda University at Keio University. Dati, nagbabasa lang ako ng updates tungkol sa laban at naiinggit sa mga litratong naka-upload sa social networking sites. Pero ngayon, personal na akong nanood sa stadium habang nakikisayaw, nakikikanta, nakikiwagayway ng mga banners para i-cheer ang Waseda.

Kaparis ng UAAP

Sa Pilipinas, masasabing ang University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) ang pinakasikat na inter-collegiate basketball tournament na inaabangan ng marami taun-taon. Nagsimula noong 1938, mayroong 15 iba’t ibang sports ang pinaglalabanan dito sa kasalukuyan tulad ng volleyball, swimming, judo at iba pa na nahahati sa senior (collegiate) at junior division (high school) na siya namang binubuo ng women’s at men’s divison. Pero siyempre ang pinakaaabangan at pinakasikat na laro dito ay ang collegiate men’s basketball na karaniwang ginagawa sa Araneta Coliseum o Mall of Asia Arena.

Mayroon din ganitong hype sa Japan pero hindi basketball ang gusto nila, kung hindi baseball. Tulad ng UAAP, mayroon din silang tinatawag na Tokyo Big 6 Baseball League (東京六大学野球連盟, Tōkyō roku daigaku yakyū renmei) na  binubuo ng anim na pinaka-prestihiyosong mga unibersidad sa Tokyo. Ito ay nagsimula noong 1926. Karaniwang ginaganap ang mga baseball games sa Meiji Jingu Stadium.

Kung ang UAAP ay binubuo ng University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Dela Salle University (DLSU), Adamson University, National University (NU), University of the East (UE) University of Santo Tomas (UST) at Far Eastern University (FEU), ang Tokyo 6 naman ay binubuo ng University of Tokyo, Waseda University, Keio University, Meiji University, Hosei University at Rikkyo University. Mayroon silang laro tuwing spring at autumn ng bawat taon, samantalang ang UAAP naman ay tumatakbo mula Hulyo hanggang Oktubre ng bawat taon.

One Big Fight Waseda, Animo Keio

Kung sa Pilipinas, labanang Ateneo-La Salle ang pinakaaabangan, may bersyon din sila ng ganyan sa Tokyo 6. Ito naman ang mainit na sagupaan ng Waseda University at Keio University. Mas kilala ang rivalry na ito sa tawag na “sōkeisen” (早慶戦) na mula sa pinagdikit-dikit na “sou” (isang basa sa kanji ng Waseda), “kei” (mula sa Keio) at “sen” (ibig sabihin ay “laban” o “kumpetisyon”). Bawat koponan ay may bitbit na sandamakmak na cheering squad at live band na nagbibigay-sigla sa bawat laro.

Ang mga babaeng cheerleaders ay cute na cute sa kanilang maiikli at hapit na hapit na cheering uniforms. Pero ang mas nakapagpamangha sa akin at nakatawag ng aking atensyon ay iyong mga lalaking miyembro ng cheering squad o “ōendan” (応援団). Nakasuot sila ng dark school uniform, may mga tali sa ulo at walang katapat ang energy kung makapalakpak na parang matatanggal ang kanilang mga braso habang sumisigaw gamit ang malalaki nilang boses.

Pangalawa ang Waseda -- na may 43 panalo -- sa may pinakamaraming championship titles sa Tokyo 6 samantalang pang-apat naman ang Keio na may 33. Hosei na may 44 panalo ang pinakamarami, ang Meiji ay may 34, ang Rikkyo ay may 12 at wala pang napapanalunan ang Univeristy of Tokyo.

Sa UAAP naman, parehas na may tig-8 panalo ang ADMU at DLSU. Ang FEU naman na may 19 panalo ang may pinakamarami, ang UST at UE may tig-18, UP may 2, at NU at Adamson may tig-1.

Tuwing mapapalo ng batter ng Waseda ang bola, maingay na nagchi-cheer ang mga taga-Waseda. Sa mga pagkakataong ito, ina-assume ko na nananalo kami. Kung ikukumpara kasi sa basketball, ‘di hamak na mas kumplikado ang baseball. Maraming mga rules at maraming nangyayari sa loob ng field. Ang isang laro ng baseball ay binubuo ng 9 na player – isang pitcher, isang batter, 4 na infielders at 3 outfielders.

Sa collegiate baseball, may 9 na inning sa bawat game at sa bawat inning may tig-isang pagkakataon ang bawat koponan na mag-pitch at mag-bat. Sa mas pinasimpleng lohika, kung sa basketball, paramihan ng mashu-shoot na bola, sa baseball naman, paramihan ng run na magagawa. Ibig sabihin, ang koponan na may pinakamaraming beses nakaikot sa apat na base ang siyang panalo.

Laro ng buhay

Sa tingin ko nanalo naman ang Waseda noong araw na iyon. Pero manalo o matalo, minsan higit pa doon ang kwento ng bawat laro na nilalahukan natin. Mas mahalaga kung paano lumaban ang bawat isa na kasali rito. Maliksing tumakbo ang mga infielders, eksakto ang galaw ng batter at maganda ang pagbato ng pitcher. Sa akin, ayos na iyon. Kung naging kasing liksi ako ng mga infielders sa pagpasok ko sa university araw-araw, kung naging kasing eksakto ako ng batter sa pagsagot sa mga exams ko, o kung naging kasing passionate ako ng pitcher sa pagsulat ng thesis ko, sa palagay ko, iyon ang mas mahalaga. 

Sa laro ng buhay, hindi tayo laging panalo, but we always get a chance to fight. Parang baseball, we might not always win, but life provides us with opportunities to get a homerun. Kung hindi tayo naka-homerun ngayon, mas magsumikap pa tayo para sa susunod magawa na natin. O baka naman, hindi nga tayo naka-homerun ngayon at isang mabagal na transisyon sa bawat base ang naging paglalakbay natin, pero sa huli, nakarating din tayo kung saan natin gustong makarating.

Noong tinugtog na ang school hymn ng Waseda sa dulo ng laro, nagsitayuan lahat ng mga tao sa banda namin, proud na itinaas ang mga kamay sa ere at sumusuntok sa hangin habang kumakanta. Nakakatuwang makita ang isang matandang mama, puti na ang buhok, naka-khaki na suit at malakas na kumakanta na parang proud na proud siya sa ginagawa niya. Makikitang puno siya ng pag-asa at hindi pa rin nawawala ang kanyang enthusiasm sa laro ng baseball at sa laban ng buhay. Sa basketball man, baseball o sa kahit anong laban ng buhay, dapat laging walang urungan at walang humpay na “Fureee, fureeee” lang ang sigaw mo, dahil baka sa susunod, ikaw na ang maka-home run!