For those that missed them:
Part One: Self-Introduction
Part Two: Friends
Part Three: Midwestern Conflict
Part Four: The Cold
Part Five: Food & Drink
And here’s Part Six:
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Here’s the Douji Morita song referred to in this comic, in case you really wanna get the party started at your next karaoke outing:
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As always, you can follow me on twitter or subscribe to me on Facebook as I’ll announce any new comics there. Toodles!
18 responses so far ↓
1 Sarah D // Feb 24, 2012 at 8:47 am
Hahahahaha! I’ll have to do the “real” Japanese karaoke sometime, Lars! The only time I have done it so far was in Kameoka that one time with you all – and I definitely did it the Amurkan way!!!
2 Sarah M. // Feb 24, 2012 at 9:47 am
That does sound fun! When you are back sometime let’s try your style of karaoke except with better pizza.
3 Lars Martinson // Feb 24, 2012 at 9:57 am
Yes Sarahs!
Join the… fun…!
The fun of… Japanese-style. Karaoke.
*cough*
4 Steve M // Feb 24, 2012 at 11:24 am
Another great blog. And thanks for also posting the video of Douji Morita.
There is a third style of Karaoke you didn’t cover – the American Otaku who longs to visit Japan, but bought the last compact karaoke machine from BestBuy before they stopped selling them instead, then sits in the basement, with window blinds closed, singing with gusto until the cheap machine dies. . .
5 Sarah M. // Feb 24, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Don’t cough, Lars. You sit nice and polite while I sing for you. Fold your hands. Sit straight. Exhibit patience.
6 Lars Martinson // Feb 24, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Steve: Yup, that Douji Morita is great. She had another depressing song that would have worked well for this comic called “If I should die, for instance”: http://youtu.be/7xDMgOQygmQ
I was sure that she had committed suicide, but when I did the research for this comic, it turns out she only retired from music. All her songs are so sad I guess I invented the suicide thing.
Sarah: I will convert you to my own brand of depressing fun.
7 Victor Edison // Feb 24, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Ha! I don’t really drink, but I gotta say, I like the American version of Karaoke (as long as I’m the only American in the room). ^_^;
Right now I usually bring the house down with this little number: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWoL_I47RjI&feature=relmfu
…but, my goal is to be able to sing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teGJw2rD0y8
ウルフルズ 万歳！
8 Lars Martinson // Feb 24, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Huh, that surprises me! Based on your comics I thought you’d totally prefer the low-key Japanese style (for some reason).
Also, what do you mean by “as long as I’m the only American in the room”? Like, you prefer to dance around by yourself while Japanese people silently, awkwardly watch you? (笑)
9 Victor Edison // Feb 24, 2012 at 10:30 pm
Ha! Wait, uh…
Well, I don’t think I’ve actually gone so far as to start dancing by myself, but the few times I have gone to Karaoke they have been with Japanese people my age, who will happily get into it.
…or maybe I was just so into myself at the time I didn’t notice that they were only being polite. (泣)
10 tats // Feb 26, 2012 at 2:25 am
FYI
“Our Failure” was recorded in ’76, and became well-known in ’94 after being used as a title track for a TV drama “Koukou-kyoshi:Kindan no ai to shirazuni”(High School Teacher:Not Knowing It Is Forbidden Love) It is a story about a high school teacher working at a girls school. He falls in love with a student there.
The drama features rape, lesbianism, arson, stabbing, and suicide. In the final episode the teacher runs away with her to nowhere. The drama ends with a scene where both are sleeping on a train, which suggests they will commit suicide. The tenth episode is titled “Our Failure.”
11 Lars Martinson // Feb 26, 2012 at 3:10 am
Interesting. Thanks for the background, Tats!
12 tats // Feb 26, 2012 at 4:28 am
In case you can’t find a clip from the drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSNUYa0alRQ&feature=related
It is said in Japan that destined soul mates are linked to each other with an invisible red thread.
13 Leon // Feb 27, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Sounds like Taiwanese KtV but Taiwanese act like Americans and drink like mad. And their song collections are usually 50 year old English songs that are guaranteed in every song book island wide… I am the Ktv king.
14 Junglebean // Mar 7, 2012 at 3:56 am
Karaoke Japanese style, American style or Korean style is a no-go with me. No, sir! There’s nothing like a tour bus full of Korean ajumma singing to a karaoke machine. The horror, the horror.
15 Peter // Mar 10, 2012 at 7:27 pm
A couple of years ago I went to visit a friend in NYC and he took me to a place that had the Japanese-style private rooms—and the place was packed. So maybe there’s hope for America.
16 Minh // May 10, 2012 at 1:31 pm
They have japanese/korean style karaoke bars in Texas… There are quite a few of them actually. One of them is a hybrid with a public bar “American style” with private box rooms. I’m sure we can’t be the only state that has them.
Proof: http://www.yelp.com/biz/zeller-zone-karaoke-and-bar-dallas-2
17 Anonymous // May 10, 2012 at 1:33 pm
such a good song, nice choice
18 Jeff // May 11, 2012 at 3:12 am
A lot of Korean noraebang places are like normal Japanese karaoke boxes, but some have small dances floors, lasers, and give you animal onesies to wear.
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