Japan’s ‘cringeworthy’ cartoon cars make image U-turn

Apr 30 (malaymail.com) - Yosuke Takahata doesn’t care what people think of his “itasha” car, which has his favourite anime character — a sexy, red-eyed horse-woman — emblazoned across both sides.

For him and other owners around Japan, plastering cartoon pictures all over their vehicles is just another way of paying homage to their two-dimensional true loves.

-ADVERTISEMENT-

“Itasha” means “cringeworthy car”, reflecting the misfit image the vehicles had when they first started appearing on roads around 20 years ago.

But perceptions have begun to change, with anime and other hobby subcultures gaining a new mainstream acceptance in Japan.

It’s all the same for Takahata, a 31-year-old car shop employee, for whom looking cool is not the point.

Weather authorities urge caution against floods, landslides in Ishikawa

Japan's Meteorological Agency has changed its heavy rain emergency warning for parts of Ishikawa to a warning. But it is still urging people to stay alert for possible floods and landslides in the central prefecture. (NHK)

Ohtani Hits Milestone with 52-52 Record

Shohei Ohtani returned to Dodger Stadium in spectacular fashion, hitting a home run and stealing a base in his first game back, raising his season total to 52 home runs and 52 stolen bases.

China to Lift Japanese Seafood Ban

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says Japan and China have reached an agreement that will lead to the resumption of China's imports of Japanese seafood. (NHK)

Tohoku Shinkansen Unexpected Detaches at 315 km/h

The Tohoku Shinkansen came to a halt for five hours on Thursday due to an unexpected mid-journey separation of the linked Hayabusa and Komachi trains, 30 minutes after passing Furukawa Station with a total of 320 passengers on board.

Eruption Warning for Izu's Sumisu Island

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued an eruption alert for Sumisu Island in the Izu Islands, following the detection of discolored water in July.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Entertainment NEWS

The Future of Kabuki (The Next Generation, Part 2)

In this video, we continue to highlight some of the young talent in the kabuki world. (Kabuki In-Depth)

U-NEXT Secures Exclusive Rights to Harry Potter

U-NEXT announced on Thursday that it has signed a new exclusive contract with Warner Bros. Discovery, which boasts a library of over 2,500 titles, including the Harry Potter series, to be available on U-NEXT starting September 25th at no additional cost.

Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance | Exclusive Clip

Eleven months into the One Year War in U.C.0079, top Zaku II pilot Captain Solari faces the Earth Federation’s new lethal weapon: the mobile suit Gundam. Check out the opening scene from Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance, a new animated series premiering October 17th. (Netflix Anime)