TOKYOMANGO

Gourmet ramen joint has $100 emperor bowl

Fujimaki Gekijo is the fanciest ramen joint in Tokyo. In fact, with it's basic 3000 yen bowl ($30!) I feel like I should really be calling it a ramen restaurant. 40-year old owner Shoichi Fujimaki opened up shop last May when he realized that people were willing to pay a premium for things like rare ingredients and quality service. He had a normal-priced shop before, but he closed it, rented a fancy 2-story space in Kami Meguro, and laid down red carpets and put art on the walls. I have never been here, nor do I know if I'm willing to pay 3000 yen for ramen that he admits is no different ingredients-wise than something a third of the price. But hey, if you're in the mood to splurge, you should go there and try the Emperor Ramen, it's 10,000 yen and you need to reserve it three days in advance. The web site says that this restaurant will be members only from 2010, so now's your chance.

Fujimaki Gekijo via the Japan Times (Thanks, Mary!)

Shokotan in a hazmat suit for Norton ad

Check out this awesome Norton Symantec anti-virus ad featuring otaku celebrity Shokotan in a Hazmat suit. Pret-ty cute!

via Pink Tentacle

Japan beats S. Korea in world baseball classic

Just watched the World Baseball Classic finals on TV. Japan won for the second time in a row, yay! They beat the US in the semis last night, and tonight they had a 10-inning game vs South Korea. If you missed it and didn't TiVo, you can check out the play-by-play on ESPN.

Japanese baseball is so strategic and team-oriented. For more on that, read my post on the Giants vs Tigers. Image by AP

Japanese Teen Who Pilots Giant Robot Fails Driving Test

by Grant Goodman
March 19, 2009

A week after discovering a buried giant robot and piloting it to fight off hideous monsters, Sawara Tomonobu failed the test for his driver's license when he was unable to parallel park his 1999 Honda Civic at the Semboku city Department of Transportation.

His father, Subaru Tomonobu, expressed extreme disappointment and frustration with his son's performance: "The boy jumped into the robot, hit a bunch of random switches, pulled on some levers, and flawlessly dispatched of a great threat to human existence. And now he tells me a steering wheel and two pedals are too complex to operate?"

The day before the test, Tomonobu-san successfully fought off three demons from the Earth's core, saving the entire world from being devoured by the imprisoned sons of ancient gods. According to sources on the scene, Sawara struck them all down with a single, arcing spin-kick, struck a cool pose, and stood still as all three demons exploded. Property damage has yet to be determined by the Japanese government.

Tomonobu plans on re-taking the test in two weeks, unless, he adds, "The ancient prophecy comes true and I must venture beneath the surface to fight the Volcano God. But, really, when did prophecies ever come true?"

(Grant was the winner of my Make T-shirt contest; This is a work of fiction.)

The Make t-shirt contest: we have a winner!

Hey guys! Thanks so much for your awesomely entertaining entries to my I'll Make You a Make T-shirt Contest. It was a tough call, but the winner is Grant Goodman for the headline (and article) Japanese Teen Who Pilots Giant Robot Fails Driving Test.

His post will follow this one. Grant, please email me your address and some other info about yourself so I can make you a custom t-shirt.

By the way, if you didn't win but you still want a Make t-shirt, you can buy one here.