Ricky Gervais podcast

Ricky Gervais before he created the inimitable character of David Brent on the BBC's wonderfully cringe worthy "The Office", used to do a great radio programme with his writing partner Stephen Merchant on London's X-Fm.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the Guardian website (bless their cotton socks) has snagged Gervais & Merchant's new podcast.

The first of their 12 weekly shows will be available on the GU website next Monday.

Mishima's legacy

Reading the paper on the train this evening, came across an interesting article about Yukio Mishima and his relevance to present day Japan. Basically the gist of the article was that Mishima's dream of a rejuvenated Japanese military is only now seeing the light of day with the resurgence a new nationalist agenda:

"Three and a half decades after his death, with the ruling Liberal Democratic party gunning to revise the Constitution, Mishima's desire to see Japan equipped with an official military finally looks to be realized." (The Japan Times, 26/11/05)

Whilst not an original observation, it does provide an interesting perspective from to which to view the current debate, and it is certainly true that discussion of Mishima's politics are no longer considered "taboo".

However, reading the article closely and it is obvious that certain things about his personal life that - in the mainstream media at least - appear to be offlimits, namely his bisexuality. The article itself did a great job surmising the dramatic events of leading up to his death, describing as it does, Mishima's hostage taking of General Kanetoshi Kimitake and the writers call to arms on the balcony of said Commander of the Eastern Defence Force. However, reading the account, you cannot help but feel that something is missing:

"Retreating back into the room and shouting "Long live the Emperor!" three times, Mishima thrust his 17th century sword into his stomach before one of his followers beheaded him in the samurai rite of honour. One of his companions also committed hara-kiri."

Now reading this, you can not help but think that something is missing. Considering the dramatic nature of the scene more exposition is needed, for example who were these two shadowy characters described in the text who accompanied Mishima and why were willing to both kill and die for him?

Well it probably comes as no surprise to learn that the "follower" and the "companion" were actually one in the same person - Morita Masakatsu, who many speculate was Mishima's lover. This simple fact gives the outlined scene more pathos and depth and yet it is omitted. That such a significant detail should be omitted is curious but hardly surprising given Japanese society's reluctance to acknowledge homosexuality in general. For example, if you check out a Japanese senior high school literature text there is absolutely no mention of sexuality, which is strange given that it is one of the major themes of his writing. I asked a teacher and published author why this is and he replied, "its just not something we [the Japanese] are interested in." Indeed.

Its a shame though because Mishima's work - like his life - is complex and beautiful tapestry. Pick at the surface and you'll unravel dramas of the heart that equal that of the one hinted at the scene of his suicide. Take for example, my favorite novel of his, "Forbidden Colours", which is a achingly beautiful story about sexuality, love, loss and aesthetics.

However, the story of Mishima's final days are likely to reach a wider audience with recent talks of bringing the story to the big screen. Mark Devin (the founder of Metropolis and Japan Today) is currently working on a screenplay about the final years of the writer's life and apparently several studios have expressed an interest. I can not help but think that this is a film worth making and I for one would be first in line at the ticket office.

FILM: Upcoming attractions II

• The Fountain (Darron Aronofsky, 2005)

The trailer is pretty illusive but it seems to involve, one man's quest to save his love in the face of some mind bending time travel through three distinct periods of history. It looks like Aronofsky has really pulled out the stops on this one - not only does the film look visually stunning, but it also seems to be a metaphysical sci-fi in the mold of Wong Kar Wai's 2046.

• Walk the Line (James mangold, 2005)

Biopic about the late great Johnny Cash, staring Joaquin Phoneix as the man in Black and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter.

• Breakfast on Pluto (Neil Jordon, 2005)

A rags to riches crushed-velvet-frock-coats story about a young Irish lad's simple refusual to question his identity and in so doing, changes the lives of those hostile forces around him. Neil Jordon is perhaps the most interesting Irish film maker, his films always have an emotional core and have something to say. The fact that this also stars the incredible Cillian Murphy and has a glam rock soundtrack, is set in 70s london and features men in womble suits... is just an added bonus.

• C.R.A.Z.Y (Jean-Marc Vallée, 2005)

This Francophone comingof age story tackles the relationship between a father and his son and comes highly reccomended by my good friend Fufu, who is himself a resident of la belle province.

• Wallace and Gromit (Nick Park, 2005)

Genius, pure and simple.

Another day, another natinal holiday

So get this - I forgot I it was a holiday today - dork that I am. Anyway decided to make the most of it and headed off to Yokohama with a few friends to go bowling. After which we hit the batting cages and relieved some of that pent up stress slugging at baseballs pitched by a holographic "my kitty" (I kid you not). Well it beats "work".

The magic of Bowie

I know some people do not credit Bowie with being much of an actor but, come on, serrriously - "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence", "The Man Who Fell to Earth", the weird guy in the white suit in "Twin Peaks", "Basquiat" "Labyrinth"... !

You got give the guy some credit, whilst all of these parts might not necessarily be oscar material, they are definitely leftfield and and what I would be consider to be "out there". Bottom line anything David does is OK with me.

I was therefore intrigued to read this morning that he has apparently hooked up with Christopher Nolen for his next film the Prestige , which will also star Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Michael Caine. According to IMBD the film is "based on Christopher Priest's 1996 novel Bale and Jackman play rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other for trade secrets. The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers." Sounds pretty interesting to me - think I'll also check out the book before the film comes out.

Diminutive bot and b-boy...

As all the cool indie kids already know, Beck's new video for "Hell Yes" features Sony's QRIO robots busting some fluid moves, whilst a holographic Mr. Hansen floats serenely above them in a cowboy hat.

Cool.

But what you might not know is that these same diddy 'bots (as I like to call them) are also UNESCO science messengers. As such, in keeping with their modus operandi, the small band of QRIO have already been dispatched to school children throughout Japan, India and Vietnam as part of the QRIO Science Program, which "aims to stimulate curiosity about science and nurture a questing spirit to develop creative thinking". And the best thing is one of these little fellows once visited Yoko's office in Tokyo...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is also worth noting that the video was directed by Garath Jennings of Hammer Tongs who created my favorite music video of all Time, Blur's coffee and TV.

Footie, Frisbee and frolicks

Pheeew... what a fun packed day! Can't be bothered to give an account of it but football, frisbee, giant manga characters, pizza, karaoke, pool and darts were all involved.

geek novels

The Guardian just published this list of the top 20 geek novels on their technology blog. Out of the twenty I have read 14 and would probably reccomend only 7:

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy
-- D. Adams
Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell
Dune -- Frank Herbert
I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov
Foundation -- Isaac Asimov
Cryptonomicon -- Neal Stephenson
The Man in the High Castle -- Philip K Dick

And of those seven, Cryptonomicon is the only one I have read since the age of 16 or so. ...obviously I have been neglecting my geeky side of late! Which is a shame because I used to really enjoy reading sci-fi and, looking at the list above, I can see why. All of them are flights of the imagination that make you think about things from a different perspective.

Anyway, if you have got any good geeky novels to recommend to me, please let me know (how else am I to achieve my ambition of becoming an uber-geek!).

Lazy Sundays

Spent a really chilled Sunday afternoon round Yoko's, everyone was there - Ai, Murata and Lintaro. I say chilled, however, I spent most of the time trying to convince ickle Lintaro that I am not some horrible ogre that is about to gobble him up.



Ever time he sees me, he freaks out, and runs to his mother burrying his head in her arms. Can't say I blame him, I must be pretty frighteningseeing a strange skinhead tower over you. Its funny though because kids don't normally freak out when they see me. In fact I am usually used as a sort of ad hoc climbing frame.

Everyone seems to think that it is because I am recognizable a gaijin, which is interesting because it begs the question when do children recognize difference? Younger than I thought obviously.

However, after giving the little fella a toy car a brought with me, he seemed to relax and come to the conclusion that I can not be all that bad

Libby, the Japan connection

Who da thunk it... Scooter Libby wrote a novel called The Apprentice set in the Japan of 1903 . Like the rest of the vaguely literate politiced dipsticks out there in the blogosphere, I now want to read this novel. Listening to this 2002 interview were the man himself describes the process of writing the book, it is interesting to note that one of the major plot twists occurs as a result of someone spreading vicious rumors, whereafter the whole the lives of the protagonists descend into chaos. Sound familiar?

He also mentions the role the constitutional right to preserve the confidentiality of journalists when writing a story - obviously this does not extend to C.I.A. agents - egh Libby?