Japan

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(just realized this page doesn't include the one where they literally go to Japan (the characters I mean, not the actors))
(General cleanup - formatting, contextualization, and content.)
 
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[[File:Nohito.PNG|thumb|KING BUBSGONZOLA SUPREME: 譲歩の人]]
[[File:Nohito.PNG|thumb|KING BUBSGONZOLA SUPREME: 譲歩の人]]
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References to '''{{w|Japan}}''' other than [[Anime|its animation industry]] have been done a few times in [[Homestar Runner (body of work)|Homestar Runner]].
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References to the culture, history, and geography of the country of '''{{w|Japan}}''' have been made throughout [[Homestar Runner (body of work)|Homestar Runner]].
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The surreal or otherwise odd style of early Homestar Runner works were partially inspired by how westerners could be confused or intrigued by Japanese works{{ref|1}} {{--}} as [[the Brothers Chaps]] put it, "We sort of wanted it to be like when you see a Japanese storybook for the first time, but there's this history behind them that you're supposed to understand."{{ref|2}} This can be seen in [[Super NES]] (which utilized ''[[Mario Paint]]'''s text stamp tool to apply nonsensical Japanese characters), or the songs "[[Everybody Everybody]]" and "[[Homestar Runner Theme Song]]" (where the brothers' voices were sped up to sound like the Japanese children's choir of "{{p|l=https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Gamera_March Gamera March}}").{{ref|3}} A trend of [[deliberately poor English]], recalling lower-quality English localizations of older Japanese video games, occurs throughout [[Games|games]] produced by fictive company [[Videlectrix]].
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In addition to appearances noted here, many references are made specifically to Japan's animation industry: [[anime]].
==Appearances==
==Appearances==
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*[[Museum]] — The description for [[Sketchbook (museum)#Ice Cream|Ice Cream]] described that the treats fashioned after [[Homestar Runner]], [[Pom Pom]], and [[Strong Bad]] "were {{w|Big in Japan (phrase)|HUGE in Japan}} the summer of [[1987|'87]]!".
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*[[Museum]] {{--}} The description for illustrations of [[Sketchbook (museum)#Ice Cream|ice cream treats]] fashioned after [[Homestar Runner]], [[Pom Pom]], and [[Strong Bad]] says they were "{{w|Big in Japan (phrase)|HUGE in Japan}} the summer of '[[1987|87]]!".
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*[[Super Brave!]] — A shot of a group of Japanese kids from an English school in {{w|Osaka}} appears.
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*[[Super Brave!!]] {{--}} A group of Japanese schoolchildren from an English school in {{w|Osaka}} share their drawings of Homestar Runner.
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*Email [[pom pom]] — Strong Bad's blindfold features the pre-1945 design of the {{w|Flag of Japan}}.
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*Email [[pom pom]] {{--}} Strong Bad's {{w|Hachimaki|blindfold}} features the pre-1945 "{{w|Rising Sun Flag|Rising Sun}}" design of the {{w|flag of Japan}}.
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*{{dvdcom|modeling}} — [[Matt Chapman]] refers to {{w|Bushido (role-playing game)|Bushido}}, a role-playing game set in {{w|Feudal Japan}}.
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*{{dvdcom|modeling}} {{--}} [[Matt Chapman]] refers to ''{{w|Bushido (role-playing game)|Bushido}}'', a tabletop role-playing game set in {{w|feudal Japan}}.
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*Email [[technology]] — Strong Bad refers to robots as primarily used for "destroying Japan", which is the standard practice in most {{w|kaiju}} and {{w|tokusatsu}} movies and TV series.
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*Email [[technology]] {{--}} Strong Bad refers to robots as primarily used for "destroying Japan", in reference to ''{{w|Mecha|mecha}}'' "super robots". Such robots are commonly featured in Japanese science fiction, including effects-heavy ''{{w|tokusatsu}}'' (and its subgenre giant monster ''{{w|kaiju}}'') movies and TV series.
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*Email [[unnatural]] — Somewhat inaccurate Japanese text appears at the end of the King Bubsgonzola Supreme segment that takes up most of the email, as well as in an Easter egg. King Bubsgonzola Supreme's theme uses a traditional Japanese string instrument.
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*Email [[unnatural]] {{--}} [[King Bubsgonzola Supreme]] is portrayed in the manner of a stereotypical ''kaiju'', like {{w|Godzilla}}.
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*[[Strong Badia the Free]] — The flag of [[Pompomerania]] is based on the design of the flag of Japan, with the red circle being replaced by Pom Pom's body, sans head and limbs. Pom Pom here is a {{w|shogun}}.
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**King Bubsgonzola Supreme's theme uses a traditional Japanese string instrument.
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*[[Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective]] — [[Dangeresque (character)|Dangeresque]] goes to {{w|Tokyo}} to look for [[Perducci]]. [[The stone bridge]] is decorated with a cardboard cutout of {{w|Mount Fuji}}.
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**The Japanese text on the poster roughly translates to "Concession Man", albeit using the wrong definition of "{{p|l=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/concession concession}}": "the act of conceding" rather than "an item sold from a concessions stand".
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*[[4 Gregs]] — One of [[The Gregs]], [[Japanese Culture Greg]], is a stereotypical {{w|otaku}}. {{w|Akihabara}} is a shopping area in {{w|Tokyo}} that, since the 1980s, began to become associated with the otaku subculture the world over.
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*[[Strong Badia the Free]] {{--}} The flag of [[Pompomerania]] is based on the design of the flag of Japan, with the red circle being replaced by Pom Pom's body, sans head and limbs. Pom Pom holds the title of {{w|shogun}}, as was used by the military leaders of Japan in the past.
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*[[Record Store Day]] — A poster for the DVD release of [[sloshy]]'s [[Engrish|All Tomorrow's Euro-Restrooms]] is seen, with an August 5 release date.
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*[[Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective]] {{--}} [[Dangeresque (character)|Dangeresque]] goes to {{w|Tokyo}} to look for [[Perducci]]. Throughout the movie, [[the stone bridge]] is minimally redecorated to depict various countries; for Japan, a cardboard cutout of {{w|Mount Fuji}} is applied.
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*[[@StrongBadActual Tweets 2020 Aug]] — Strong Bad answered a tweet about Kujiran, the whale mascot of {{w|Muroran}}, a city in {{w|Hokkaido}}, which compared it to the [[Blubb-O's]] whale.
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*[[4 Gregs]] {{--}} [[Japanese Culture Greg]], one of [[the Gregs]], is introduced and becomes a recurring character; as his name suggests, he is a stereotypical {{w|otaku}} obsessed with Japanese pop culture. His shout of "{{w|Akihabara}}!" refers to a Tokyo shopping district draws otaku from the world over for its offerings of video games, anime, manga, and more.
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*[[Disk 4 of 12 - FriendlyWare]] — One of the prizes is a trip to Japan.
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*[[Record Store Day]] {{--}} A promotion for the DVD release of [[sloshy]]'s ''All Tomorrow's Euro-Restrooms'' has Japanese text listing its August 5 release date.
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*[[Disk 4 of 12 - World Games]] — Japan is a playable country in the selection screen.
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*{{postref|1293951745924702208|13|Aug|2020}} {{--}} Strong Bad reacts to a comparison between the [[Drive-Thru Whale]] and Kujiran, the whale mascot of the Japanese city of {{w|Muroran}}. As Kujiran's mascot costume includes human legs, Strong Bad jokes that "He needs to [[Drive-Thru|sever those legs]]!"
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*[[Disk 4 of 12 - FriendlyWare]] {{--}} ''{{w|FriendlyWare}}'' minigame "{{w|Matching game|Match}}" requires players to match prize names. One of the prizes is a trip to Japan, which Homestar uncovers but does not correctly match to its partner.
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*[[Disk 4 of 12 - World Games]] {{--}} One event in ''{{w|World Games (video game)|World Games}}'' is {{w|sumo}}, from Japan. In addition to mentioning the wrestler seen on the game's cover, Strong Bad plays the sumo wrestling minigame.
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==References==
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# {{note|1}} Allin, Jack. [https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18236 "Strong Bad's the Brothers Chaps"]. [[Adventure Gamers Interview - 12 Dec 2008|''Adventure Gamers''. 12 Dec 2008]].
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# {{note|2}} Hirsch, Deborah. [https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2003/07/22/tooned-in-2/ "Tooned In"]. ''The Orlando Sentinel''. 22 July 2003.
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# {{note|3}} Berry, Robert. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180303130845/http://retrocrush.com/archive2/homestar/ "An Interview With Homestar Runner Creators, The Chapman Brothers"]. [[retroCRUSH Interview|''retro CRUSH''. Early 2001]].
==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[Anime]]
*[[Anime]]
*[[Japanese Culture Greg]]
*[[Japanese Culture Greg]]
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*[[20X6]]
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*[[Chinese]]
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*[[Korea]]
[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:Countries]]

Current revision as of 02:06, 25 May 2026

KING BUBSGONZOLA SUPREME: 譲歩の人

References to the culture, history, and geography of the country of Japan have been made throughout Homestar Runner.

The surreal or otherwise odd style of early Homestar Runner works were partially inspired by how westerners could be confused or intrigued by Japanese works[1] — as the Brothers Chaps put it, "We sort of wanted it to be like when you see a Japanese storybook for the first time, but there's this history behind them that you're supposed to understand."[2] This can be seen in Super NES (which utilized Mario Paint's text stamp tool to apply nonsensical Japanese characters), or the songs "Everybody Everybody" and "Homestar Runner Theme Song" (where the brothers' voices were sped up to sound like the Japanese children's choir of "Gamera March").[3] A trend of deliberately poor English, recalling lower-quality English localizations of older Japanese video games, occurs throughout games produced by fictive company Videlectrix.

In addition to appearances noted here, many references are made specifically to Japan's animation industry: anime.

[edit] Appearances

[edit] References

  1. ^  Allin, Jack. "Strong Bad's the Brothers Chaps". Adventure Gamers. 12 Dec 2008.
  2. ^  Hirsch, Deborah. "Tooned In". The Orlando Sentinel. 22 July 2003.
  3. ^  Berry, Robert. "An Interview With Homestar Runner Creators, The Chapman Brothers". retro CRUSH. Early 2001.

[edit] See Also

Retrieved from "http://hrwiki.org/wiki/Japan"
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