American Cartoons

When my family stayed in Hawaii, my daughter found a funny American cartoon on TV.  Does anyone knows the title of it?  Please leave a comment.  I want to watch it !  The story was very interesting.   The father turned out to be a gay, then he got a sex change surgery and became a female!  lol   What a story!  I’ve never heard the story like that even on a TV program for adults in Japan.  In addition, pictures of American cartoons are very different from Japanese ones.   They are very unique.     Some of American cartoons are available to watch on pay-TV in Japan.

The Keroro Tram

This post is about Kumamoto where I live again.   In Kumamoto city, the tram cars run around downtown.    I sometimes see a tram painted colorfully.   The other day, when I was driving my car,  the Keroro tram passed by me.   Have you heard  “Sgt. Frog” (Keroro Gunso)?    It is a popular cartoon in Japan.     Check out Wiki.    This comic artist grew up in Kumamoto.

Here is another Keroro tram.    I watched Sgt.Frog on TV for the first time when I traveled to Hong Kong.   He seems to be popular even overseas.

In the tram, Keroro announces the next stop.   His voice is very cute.

Collaboration between Kumamon and Hatune Miku

The Hatune Miku version of “Kumamon Dance” was released this month.    Miku just sings the theme song.   I want her to dance with Kumamon.   Kumamon is very good at dancing.    His dancing looks very cute.   I wonder who the man inside the stuffed suit is.   For your information, Miku sings the song of Bon Dance Festival of Koshi City in Kumamoto.   Additionally, Kumafes that I mentioned before will be held this year again.    Kumamoto might be a unique place.

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Cosplay

Kumafes Final Report

Finally, this is the last post of the series.   It took longer than I expected to finish the reports.  The final report is about cosplay.   Many cosplayers gathered in Kumamoto Castle.    Cosplayers dressed up in the costumes of their favorite anime heroes and heroines.   I could take only this photo on a street because I couldn’t get in to the event area.  What did he intend to cosplay as?

I found another cosplayer’s photo on Yue’s photozou.   This is cool.   The background is the stonewall of the castle.   There are more photos on Cosplay at Kumafes

This is just a aside note.   A conspicuous car was running in front of me yesterday.  The car is owned by the locally famous confectionery company.  Is it Itasha too?

I would like to say thank you for reading my blog this year.    May your holidays be filled with peace and joy and happiness.  Happy New Year! ヽ(^o^)丿

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Concert

Kumafes Report, Part 7

The concert was held after the dance.     Unfortunately I couldn’t see it , but  found a good video on YouTube.   It was absolutely hilarious.   Please watch a dancing yellow-man appears in the middle of a song.   I can’t restrain my laughter. 　 I remember the man and smile over it.   His facial expression was wonderful!!!

Additional information

I let my friend watch the video and after I asked her impression of it.   She said  “Sorry,  it’s an unknown world and incomprehensible to me.  I don’t know what to say.”    I was surprised  there are people who exists that don’t  feel anything toward a  video which I think is really funny.   In addition, what surprised me most was  the man turned out to be Hinausa, who was in the previous post.

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Hip Hop Dance

Kumafes Report, Part 6

The next performance was a Hip Hop dance by HIGOm@tic.   They were very skillful dancers.    I know how hard it is to memorize  dance moves and move quickly to the rhythm of Hip Hop music.    But I’m sorry to say that the supporter’s  weird dance attracted my attention.   I ‘m used to seeing  Hip Hop instructors dance at the fitness club.     For me, dancing by myself is more fun than watching Hip Hop dances.   In fact, I went to the fitness club and did a Hip Hop  workout today.   Middle-aged ladies are dancing vigorously in the day time!

Japanese Anime Festival”Kumafes”Pretty Cure

Kumafes Report, Part 5

After the Japanese dance, “Teizoku Kigekidan” appeared on the stage.   How should I translate their name?  Low Comedy Duo?   Their names are  Hinausa and BurenD.   Their performance were great!!!   They made the audience roar with laughter.   I became a fan of Teizoku.    I heard they are Itasha owners.  Look at their dance!   Especially pay attention to Hinausa,  the rabbit-man on the right.   What a funny man!   How can he move so sharply?

The song was the theme song of Pretty Cure(PreCure).  This anime is very popular with little girls.   Little girls must have been disappointed that it wasn’t a real PreCure show.

The following video is more exciting.   Teizoku and the supporters did the unique dance called “Otagei”.  Don’t miss it!

Look!   They can jump incredibly high!

I think you want to watch  the full version of Hinausa’s dance.  OMG!  Hilarious!

There are more videos on YouTube  happyuanblog

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Japanese Dance

Kumafes Report, Part 4

After Hatune Miku, Masahito Hishiki did Japanese dance to the tune of an anime theme song.   It brought me a fresh sense combined a Japanese traditional culture and the latest one.    I hope he will inspire the  Japanese traditional dance field.  His dance may have a positive impact on young people who aren’t interested in Japanese dances.     I think his dance would have been better if he had sharper movements.    I couldn’t help comparing with my mother’s dance, who is learning a  Japanese dance for decades.   I hope he will be a help to preserve Japanese culture.   I hear he is also an actor.  I look forward to his activities in the future.

This is the theme song of anime “Gunslinger Girl” sung by Kokia.  It has a beautiful sound with sadness.   Masahito Hishiki chose  good music.  Did you dance on the last post?  Then, sing a song this time!

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Hatune Miku

Kumafes Report,  Part 3

The next performer was  “Mito” impersonating Hatune Miku.   She mimicked Miku’s dance moves.  Hatune Miku is one of the  vocaloid  characters.   Vocaloid is a singing synthesizer program, which can create a natural sounding voice.  My daughter likes Hatune Miku very much.  She prefers songs by synthetic voice to human voices.  Hmmm strange.

I know the feeling that people want to mimic her dance.    I used to dance with my daughter, playing a Wii dancing game of Japanese songs.   To get a good score, we waved, swung and shook the wii remote control to the beat of the songs.  lol   Furthermore, I wanted to dance to American music, so I bought “We Cheer”.  But the reaction of remote control wasn’t as good as Japanese one.  I wonder if  the latest We Cheer has improved?

Back to Mito,  she was cute dressing up and dancing as Miku.   I pasted the nice Miku’s dance video along with Mito’s one.    I’m tempted to synchronize these videos.    Doesn’t this video make you want to dance?   Let’s dance!

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” One Piece

Kumafes Report,  Part 2

After seeing the Itashas, I went to a dance show.   There were several dance performances on the stage.   The first performer was “Grand 12Gradan” dressing up (cosplay) as the characters of  “One Piece”.   One Piece is a very popular cartoon in Japan.