September 2002 (2002-09) – November 2007 (2007-23)
Japanorama is a series of documentaries presented by Jonathan Ross, exploring various facets of popular culture and trends of modern-day Japan.
Each episode has a theme, around which Ross presents cultural phenomenon, films, music, and art that exemplify facets of Japan. The series is colourful in both its creative use of subject matter, and its use of bright colours that helped accent the action on screen rather than distract from it. Subjects are separated by eye catches that often featured the artwork of Junko Mizuno. Ross hosted each episode in suits so bright and stylised they could have been stolen from an anime character.
Fans have praised the series for the care that both Ross and the BBC have placed in its production. Time was given to delve into each subject, and he was able to interview various figureheads of culture and industry, including Mamoru Oshii, Hayao Miyazaki, Takeshi Kitano, Takashi Miike, Takashi Murakami, and Sonny Chiba.
The theme song of the show was Kiyoshi no zundoko bushi by Kiyoshi Hikawa.
Series and episode list
Japanorama consisted of three series, each with six episodes. The first series was shown on BBC Choice in 2002, while series 2 and 3 were shown on BBC Three in 2006[1] and 2007 respectively.[2]
Architecture: Buildings in Omotesandō, Tokyo. Interview: Pop and video artist Nagi Noda, creator of the Hanpanda. Custom: Slurping when eating noodles. Interview: Nigo, creator of A Bathing Ape. Interview: Tadanobu Asano. Technology: Robots, such as ASIMO, and an interview with robot builder Tatsuya Matsui.
Culture:Akihabara Film:Densha Otoko Interview: Toru Honda, "King of Otaku" Culture:Garage kits and other anime model kits, as well as Wonder festival, an annual event dedicated to these things Culture:Moe Culture:Cosplay Culture:Maid cafés Custom: Lying and the Japanese saying that doing so would cause you to lose your tongue in the afterlife Music:AKB48, Interview with Akimoto Yasushi
Culture:Harajuku, Tokyo and the subcultures who go there to show off – Gothic Lolitas, gyaru, rockabillys and the like. Music: Junko, dancehall queen. Custom: On graduation day, girls ask the boy they like for their second uniform button – the one closest to his heart. Interview:Paul Smith Culture:Yakuza and their style in clothes and tattoos.
Culture:Hello Kitty. Music:Ichirou Mizuki, King of the Anime Singers. Custom: The tradition to throw a fallen-out bottom tooth over your house to symbolise the new tooth growing straight up quickly. Upper teeth should be thrown under the house. TV:Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta: Mr. Stain on Junk Alley and Funny Pets by Ryuji Masuda. Culture: Gloomy Bear and an interview with its creator, Mori Chack. Culture: Japanese dolls, in particular the Super Dollfie dolls.
Religion:Shinto shrines with fertility rites and penis festivals. Culture:Host clubs where women go to meet well-paid male hosts for companionship. There are also onnabe hosts – women dressed as men and taking hormones to grow beards. Culture:Takarazuka Revue, an all-female revue form of theatre. Manga:Yaoimanga, comics featuring romance and sex between males. Culture:Air sex, like air guitar but pretend sex instead of guitar play. Culture: Businesses renting rooms with latex love dolls to men.
Culture:Takashi Murakami's "Superflat" style of subversive characters derived from Manga and Anime, turned into merchandise Culture: Gesai #10, Tokyo fair for young artists, 2006 Culture: Toast Girl uses household items for performance art Culture:Yoshitomo Nara and his paintings with dark childlike figures Culture:Toy-art, collectible figures created in limited editions Culture: Tomohiro Yasui creates paper figures of wrestling robots Culture:Hard Gay's paintings and sculpture, showing a giant anus Culture:Keiichi Tanaami has created colorful psychedelic art since the late 1960s.
^the Remake version of Resident Evil was not released in Europe (including United Kingdom where Japanorama was originally aired) until Friday the 13th of September 2002.
