IKIJIGOKU and LOVE/JUICE

[Mark Schilling]

Markus asked: "What is Tsunku Town like"

Well, as it turns out, complete transcripts of the entire show to date --
all thirty installments -- are on the Tsunku Town Web site
<www.tsunku-town.net>. Having skimmed through half a dozen transcripts, I
would characterize the show as an on-going production meeting/promo event.
On the first program Tsunku appeared with 100 million in cold hard yen and
announced that he had received it from unnamed angels to spend on creative
projects that -- the catch -- would make a return (i.e., no showering the
notes from the balcony of the TSE on bemused stock traders, in homage to
the fabled Yippies of yore). Tsunku and his staff hashed out various ideas
and finally decided to -- ta da! -- make a movie. 

Several more shows were devoted to hashing out what kind of movie(s) to
make. The budget was finally set at Y10 million, with the projects to be
chosen from those submitted to the Tsuku Town Web site. They have made
three so far: Go Con, Love/Juice and Ikijigoku. They are currently
recruiting ideas for their sixth film -- a nine-episode ominbus on the
theme of "Tokyo Transport" (Tokyo no norimono). Get your entries in now
folks! 

The half-hour show airs on Wednesday on Fuji TV beginning at 2:55 a.m. --
past my bedtime, I'm afraid. Having seen Love/Juice and Ikijigoku, I would
say they're batting .300 so far, with the first a solid debut, the second a
risible disaster. See my reviews on Tuesday in The Japan Times. 

Tsunku, in case you tuned in late, is a hugely successful pop music
producer who discovered several of his acts, including the monstrously
popular idol group Morning Musume, on camera. Tsunku Town is a late-night
variation on that theme.  

Mark Schilling
schill at gol.com 

  

----------
> From: A.M. Nornes <amnornes at umich.edu>
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Subject: Re: IKIJIGOKU and LOVE/JUICE
> Date: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 9:07 AM
> 
> At 11:09 AM +0900 6/5/00, Mark Schilling wrote:
> 
> >  I find it interesting that the production of these films seems to be
> > following the pattern of Asayan, Urinari and other shows that scout,
nuture
> > and launch pop groups into the market (Morning Musume being among the
most
> > successful examples), while giving TV viewers a vicarious ride through
the
> > whole process. A new twist to TV-film synergy?
> 
> This is really interesting. Could you elaborate? What is Tsukun Town
like?
> 
> Markus