Itadakimasu!!

I decided to buy a Nintendo DSi. It's their new handheld. Why? Well, several reasons. Anyone who knows me, knows I like video games. Not ashamed of it and I consider myself part of a generation where it will be acceptable to do so throughout life. Recently my gaming has focused nearly entirely on my Guitar Hero addiction. I have tapered off a bit, but I am good... really, really good. I will add the disclaimer that I started playing the real guitar before the game and the finger dexterity helps, but in no way am I as good at real guitar as I am at the game. While most people see this as sad, if you have played the game at all, you would likely be somewhat impressed and I am not ashamed, so whatever. I am currently ranked #39 (as high as 28) on the Playstation Network for one of the series' more recent iteration, Guitar Hero Metallica. http://community.guitarhero.com/accounts/773502. Click the "Solo" tab when you get there.

Anyways, wanting to enjoy the games that I like best outside of guitar peripheral requiring music games, I decided to get the DSi. It has a nice selection of RPGs and classic 2D scrollers that I really enjoy. The reason for the concentration of these types of games on the handheld system stems from trends currently occurring in Japan. They love handhelds, Nintendo, and RPGs. So it made sense to me to have one as well. Plus it has wifi access which is cool since I don't do that with my phone... AND it takes pictures and can play music. The whole camera/take picture thing plays nicely into the Japanese stereotype... Stereotypes are great because there is generally truth in them, which is a source of endless comedy. And as long as you don't generalize, it remains harmless.

For a source of endless Japanese stereotypes, check out jpopasia.com/

Of course, J-Pop is Japanese pop music. Stereotypes are generally found in any country's pop culture ESPECIALLY THE USA (Honkey Tonk Badonkadonk? Seriously?) But stereotypes are not the reason I like this website. I like to go to there for a few reasons. The superficial one being that I am of the opinion that Japanese women are some of the most attractive in the world. Just hot. Sorry, that's the way it is. Don't believe me? Just poke around this website for a while until you see something you like http://asianposes.com/ (relax, it's safe for work). Or just check out this cosplayer (Don't know what cosplay is? Look it up)

But I am also there to keep my finger on the pulse as to what is going on with Japan's hard rock and metal scene. It is amazing to me how so many Americans, myself included until recently, take for granted that our pop music is the be all end all. There are so many countries/regions with a pop culture all their own and it is very unique and can be quite an experience the first time you are exposed to it. The cultural interchange between the US and Japan is certainly not anything that is new or hidden/obscure. The popular music interchange between the countries I believe started with glam metal. It was and still is popular in Japan. Bands like the Loudness and X Japan are great examples of Japanese glam metal. X Japan is of particular importance because while I do not think they are necessarily the creators, they are certainly one of the pioneers and the time period's most popular visual kei band. Visual kei translates to "visual style" and is one way of categorizing Japanese bands in multiple genres (pop, rock, and metal). For more check out the Wikipedia post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_kei

Now the Japanese are returning the favor and the fashion of visual kei is coming to the US. What is now being called "scene" is essentially visual kei. Check out the beginning and end of this video to see the two compared: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXTNNV-FmBc.

Now, that style is not so much for me nor do I really think it works for guys at all since it is such a feminine/androgynous look (for girls it's not so bad), but some of the metal that has come out it has certainly caught my attention. The band that made me gravitate toward this was Dir En Grey. They are truly a unique, distinctly Japanese metal band. It has the progressive style of Tool and the aggression of the nu-metal genre mixed with the genre called noise that achieved large popularity in Japan. Check 'em out here: http://www.jpopasia.com/play/4600/dir-en-grey/dozing-green.html

X Japan has some stuff I like, especially a song they did for the Saw IV soundtrack, but to appreciate how, with visual kei, they took glam to the next level check out this image:

Finally, the genre that I will talk a lot about in posts to come, since it is underappreciated in the US, is POWER METAL. It is huge the rest of the world over and Japan is no exception. In fact, many former 80s metal or neo-classical shred guitarists (i.e. Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big/Racer X and Marty Friedman of Cacophony/Megadeth) have made a living in Japan after the trend faded (metal never dies). Power metal itself tends to combine classic metal (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden) and neo-classical shred with added speed or aggression and typically contains clean vocals. I will get into it more later, but I recently came across a visual kei power metal band called Versailles. They have a female lead guitarist which is cool and rare and I like them. http://www.jpopasia.com/play/21125/versailles/ascendead-master.html

So next time I will probably get into power metal with a bit more depth, but in the meantime do not be afraid to check out what is going on internationally in the genre that you like, especially metal. Enjoy stereotypes. Laugh at them, but be aware of them. Because if you know they exist, you can go beyond them and appreciate other aspects of cultures.

And now, from the depths of a chemical engineering transport phenomena book, the awkwardly named property that has made it as today's Power of Two Words phrase:

Skin Friction

Imagine the hilarity that ensued after the unassuming professor first mentioned that in class.

Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.