Japan Needs a New National Anthem

Nobuo Uematsu, composer of the Final Fantasy theme song, thinks Super Mario Bros should be Japan's new national anthem. As much as I love Mario, I have to disagree. First of all, Mario is Italian. How could a song about an Italian represent Japan? Second of all, the Mario song is fun and exciting, but it doesn't have the "for the land of the free" climax moment that, say, the US national anthem has. We need that. Obviously, the current song, Kimigayo, isn't really cutting it. I think the government should hold a contest. There are so many talented musicians out there right now, I bet Ryuichi Sakamoto or Cornelius could whip up a better one in a few hours.

1up via Boing Boing (Thanks, Brian!)

Comments

[enrique]

Changing the national anthem to Super Mario Brothers makes about as much sense as the Americans changing theirs to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". Plus, it comes off to me as a conflict of interest. Imagine this: Your national elections -- brought to you by Nintendo!

[kungfupiggy]

It would be ridiculous to change it to Mario theme.
The melody of Kimigayo is fine. All you need is a better arrangement with firmer and more forward feeling instruments.

[vagrant]

I only hear it at the end of each Sumo tournament.
Hey! you linked Nakashima Mika singing it. I only like one song she sings, but I enjoy it a lot. It's one of my top favorites of all time. Love Addict: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMjSToPeScQ

[Pixoshiru]

Kimigayo seems fine to me.
It represents a certain vision Japan, possibly a vision that is now disappearing.
Uematsu's idea is original and fun, but I guess it was more of a joke, from him.
I'm not too much of a conservationnist (is this a real word??) but Japan has been growing very fast. It should try not to overdo it by ripping off every bit of its past culture.

[Pon-chyan]

It's "o'er" (a contraction of "over"), not "for."
As in, "Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"