Japanorama | |
---|---|
Created by | Hotsauce TV |
Written by | Jack Barth |
Directed by | Peter Boyd Maclean |
Starring | Jonathan Ross |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of series | 3 |
No. of episodes | 18 |
Production | |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | BBC Choice BBC Three UKTV |
Release | September 2002 – November 2007 |
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.
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]
Title | Episode | First aired | |
---|---|---|---|
Science Fiction | 1 | 9 June 2002 | |
Segments include: | TV: Ultraman and interview with director Kazuho Mitsuta | ||
Youth | 2 | 16 June 2002 | |
Segments include: | Film: Waterboys (2001), a high school comedy film about five boys who start a synchronized swimming team. | ||
Sex | 3 | 23 June 2002 | |
Segments include: | Film: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), a Shōhei Imamura last feature film. | ||
Crime | 4 | 30 June 2002 | |
Segments include: | Film: Tokyo Drifter (1966) | ||
Swords | 5 | 6 July 2002 | |
Segments include: | Manga: Lone Wolf and Cub , Interview with writer Kazuo Koike | ||
Horror | 6 | 13 July 2002 | |
Segments include: | Interview: Architects and Godzilla actors |
Title | Episode | First aired | |
---|---|---|---|
Kakkoii (Cool) | 1 | 7 September 2006 | |
Segments include: | Architecture: Buildings in Omotesandō, Tokyo. | ||
Otaku (Nerd Culture) | 2 | 14 September 2006 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Akihabara | ||
Zoku (Tribes) | 3 | 21 September 2006 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Harajuku, Tokyo and the subcultures who go there to show off – Gothic Lolitas, gyaru, rockabillys and the like. | ||
Owarai (Comedy) | 4 | 28 September 2006 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Manzai, stand-up comedy | ||
Bushido (Samurai Spirit) | 5 | 5 October 2006 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Beetle sumo | ||
Kawaii (Cute) | 6 | 12 October 2006 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Hello Kitty. |
Title | Episode | First aired | |
---|---|---|---|
Gaijin (Outsiders) | 1 | 19 March 2007 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Bosozoku (bikers) | ||
Ai and Koi (Love and Romance) | 2 | 26 March 2007 | |
Segments include: | Religion: Shinto shrines with fertility rites and penis festivals. | ||
J-Art (Japanese Pop Art) | 3 | 2 April 2007 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Takashi Murakami's "Superflat" style of subversive characters derived from Manga and Anime, turned into merchandise | ||
Densetsu (Legends) | 4 | 9 April 2007 | |
Segments include: | TV: 40 years of Ultraman, and the "Ukulele Ultraman" pop video | ||
Kaidan (Scary Stories) | 5 | 16 April 2007 | |
Segments include: | Culture: kimodameshi (scary walks for children) | ||
Gyaru (Bad girls) | 6 | 23 April 2007 | |
Segments include: | Culture: Kogals, Ganguro and Yamanba girls. |
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