How do you see yourself? Maybe you don’t think about it all that much. As a cartoonist, drawing a version of “me” for all of you often makes me think about how I come across to the world.
I often feel it doesn’t align with what others see.
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Would you freak out if you saw a raccoon calmly sauntering its way through the ticket gate to the subway? Almost like it does this every day.
Just an average day for a busy tanuki.
On September 2nd, a little furry commuter was seen at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan, walking in amongst thousands of other people on a busy Friday evening.
In the photo above and video below, you can see it even had its own personal usher on hand, a station employee clearing a path for it and ensuring passersby gave it personal space. Even though it was treated like a celebrity — it was only a wild tanuki.
JR新宿駅構内にタヌキがいた。 pic.twitter.com/2veMxdtvz1
— CORE Kaopy (@core_kaopy) September 2, 2022
A reader of my Little Fried Chicken and Sushi strip shared this story with me in the comments on the GoComics site, and it got my imagination racing. A tanuki is thought of as a magical creature in Japan that can shapeshift and play tricks on people. Was there a spell involved in this encounter?
I love having Tanuki as a character in my strip, and this event brings the idea of an animal doing human things to life in a new way. Some might have wondered if this raccoon forgot to turn itself into a salaryman to blend in. Maybe it uses the train regularly to get around Tokyo?
The Shinjuku train station it was spotted in has a mascot of a Tanuki with a white swirl on its belly. The mascot’s name is TanuTanu. Was this the real thing?
An advertisement for TanuTanu the subway mascot.
No one was sure about where the Tanuki came from, but it was spotted at the station around 9:30 p.m. The staff guided it from the platform, and the animal went up the stairs and towards the New South Exit, where the video was taken. Then, it walked through the ticket gates and disappeared into the night.
We’ll never know what the Tanuki was up to, but it sure seemed comfortable in its surroundings. Not scurrying away, frightened of people, makes you think it does this often without much fanfare.
The city must be a tough place for a raccoon. I’m glad the station attendants helped him get where he needed to go.
It’s similar to the time Tanuki started working an office job. It didn’t last too long, though.
P.S. If this was indeed “the” TanuTanu mascot, spirit of, or a real magical tanuki on his way home from a long day of work pretending to be human, it stood out. Still, it was ultimately accepted by the people all around.
The video and news reports didn’t talk about people running away from it in fear or getting scared because a wild animal was walking next to them.
As a human being, a black male, who gets stared at, surprises others by being a tall foreigner on the train and sticks out just about everywhere when I’m visiting Japan. I’m not sure how to feel about this. A wild tanuki in the subway station is unique enough to make the news, but it doesn’t shock or get people’s attention the way a person who looks different can.
Sometimes, I wish I could shapeshift into a tanuki, ride the train with help from attendants, and everyone thinks it’s so cute.
Am I jealous of TanuTanu, the raccoon? Not really. Maybe a little envious, though.
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A couple admiring all the gachapon choices. Photo- Rittis/Shutterstock.com
Gachapon or gacha gacha capsule toy machines have exploded in Japan.
They’ve been popular for years, but I kept seeing them everywhere in Osaka during my latest trip—entire store sections of them in malls and even at revolving sushi restaurants.
I was only away for three years, and now almost any kind of toy is in a gachapon.
They’re like gumball machines where you put your coins in and turn the knob, it makes a gacha gacha sound, and a plastic ball falls out with a toy inside. You pop it open and see which character or object you’re lucky enough to collect this time.
Each machine has a different toy theme based on anime characters or just about anything imaginable. Yup, there are plenty of gacha toy collectors hoping to find that missing character from their collection. It’s not just for kids. Adults love discovering their favorite gachapon wherever they go.
Most gachapon toys cost around three hundred yen each or roughly three dollars, which might sound expensive, but it doesn’t feel like it because you’re using coins.
There’s a one hundred yen coin, and dropping three of them in a gachapon feels easy and fun. I couldn’t resist taking photos of some of the more interesting toys available for your gacha gacha purchase.
Here’s a Naruto gachapon toy in my hand for size reference.
Who wouldn’t want birds hugging bread?
Cute animals are everywhere doing strange things. Maybe some of these are associated with manga or anime, or they’re mainly there to make you smile and wonder about their meaning.
Cute bears wrapped in food? Should you hug them or eat them?
Panda bread looks delicious!
Cute kitty cat pancakes. They don’t look very happy to me.
Aaaaah! Scary cats!!
Sometimes, the animals are busy doing one of their hobbies. Or waiting for you to squeeze them.
This one looks like a cat’s dream.
Nothing’s more relaxing than squeezing the life out of a cute squishy bird.
If you’re a foodie, I guess these gachapon toys might be something you could collect.
Oooh! The sashimi looks so fresh!!
Stackable burgers are so hot right now.
Wait. Is this even food?
I didn’t know furniture was an option for gachapon toys. If you’re into miniature models, these are for you.
Airplane seats that recline. Buckle your seatbelts.
I love the sophistication of this Karimoku collection. So rich!
I purposely avoided the standard cartoon character toys based on anime and manga you see everywhere. It was fun looking for ones that were creative and different.
I couldn’t resist these, though.
Mini Squid Game murderers for your keys.
You can get the whole bloody family!
If you visit Japan someday, make sure to get a few gachapon toys. They make great souvenirs and are fun to shop for while you’re sightseeing.
What creative capsule toys have you seen or bought?
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Photo by note thanun on Unsplash
“If I move to another country, I’m staying myself. There’s no way I’m becoming a different person.”
A coworker said to me after telling him about my experiences living in Japan for two years, meeting my wife, and explaining how the experience changed me for the better. I shared that I had to become a different person while living there. The look of utter disbelief on his face threw me off.
He couldn’t see something like that happening to him. He explained further, “You never stop being who you are just because you’re in a different place. I’m always me at my core.”
I understood where he was coming from but disagreed and couldn’t think of what to say at the time in response. I knew for a fact this person never lived overseas. How could he know? I learned that he had visited other countries, sometimes for several weeks, but never spent a year or more in one. Let alone a country in Asia.
Living as an expat takes an open mind and a great deal of flexibility.
I believe, to respect the culture you’re living in, you have to change some of who you are if you hope to join in and succeed. Some of it means living the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
The other side involves making peace with becoming a different person. You can’t stop it from happening. Accepting your change doesn’t make you weak.
If you’re a good person at heart, I think you can stay you deep down, but you will grow and evolve. I’ve seen how living abroad can change people for the worse and how they can even surprise themselves.
As soon as you leave a familiar environment and accept the fact that you’re not going back to it anytime soon, you change.
The jolt of culture shock hits right after arriving in Japan.
I moved to Osaka to teach English in Junior High Schools with the JET Programme. My interest in learning about the country, culture, and language brought me there. The application process for JET took almost a year, so I was thrilled when I was accepted and finally arrived.
JET chooses where to place you but gives you the option of living in the city, suburbs, or countryside. I’m not a big city person, so I chose the suburbs. Even though I knew very little Japanese, I figured there would be enough people who spoke English there to help me settle into life.
I was wrong.
Another JET teacher who lived in a town nearby was sent to my little area of Shimamoto, thirty minutes north of Osaka city by train, to help show me the basics. The apartment JET chose for me was old and unfurnished. I had to shop for futon mattresses, no western-style bed, that I would roll out every night to sleep right on the tatami mat floor. Totally different from how I slept in the U.S.
August, one of the hottest months in Japan, and my air conditioning unit was broken. I met the other JET teacher in town, and she told me I could buy a new one, but it might take a few days to get it delivered and installed. Of course, she, or someone who could speak Japanese, would need to come with me to buy one.
I remember crying alone that night thinking, “What have I done?” Traveled across the world from Atlanta, Georgia, to Osaka, Japan, without friends or family to live in an old hot, and humid apartment without air conditioning. The culture shock hit me hard.
Someone had to help me open a bank account, teach me how to get around on the subway. I worked in a school where I was the only non-Japanese person and couldn’t understand what anyone said.
Needless to say, I was uncomfortable. Living with discomfort was my everyday reality.
Did this change me? How could you say it wouldn’t?
I had experience with living abroad as a youth. My father worked as a diplomat, and I was fortunate to live in countries like Germany and the Bahamas during my middle school years. Moving to Germany was difficult because I didn’t speak the language. It was scary going out with family and not knowing what people were saying.
The way of life was similar enough to America I found. People were a little more reserved and private than in Georgia and took a long time to get to know you. Over time, I learned to understand the people and culture. I got the idea that the language barrier and having patience with settling in was the most challenging part about living in another country.
Traveling to live in Japan as an adult changed me even further. I was still me, but I discovered there can be much more to adjusting to a place when it’s very different than anywhere you’ve lived before.
I truly became a new version of myself.
If I had time to explain all of this to my coworker and condense it down clearly and concisely, I wonder if he would see my side?
Yes. You could be stubborn. Try and decide to behave like nothing in this new country can change you. I have a few ways this might prove difficult, however. Especially if you live in an Asian country where so much is so different.
The rules of polite society force you to change.
When you meet new people in Japan, you bow instead of shake hands. If you decide that just isn’t you and try to force a handshake, it will come off as odd or worse, rude. Not only do you bow, but you must learn not to bow too low depending on who you’re with. If you’re with a manager or an elder and you only give a little head nod, you’ll look like you’re being disrespectful.
Learning these specific cultural rules was exciting to me, but I didn’t catch on all that fast. I can’t even count the number of times I bent my head down low to bow for the principal at my school, and someone pulled me aside later to let me know, “Your bow. It was too low.”
Eventually, I learned but let me tell you, I still make mistakes today. Not growing up with this custom means it isn’t second nature and can be frustrating at times. Learning how to bow is a part of living in Japan; you must learn.
You are seen as a foreigner and not a citizen.
As an expat in Japan, you’re seen as a minority, even though you might have been part of the majority in your home country. Several white friends of mine had a real hard time with this realization. They stood out everywhere and weren’t used to it.
They were seen as exotic and strange yet cool and interesting but not looked at as equals. Not as Japanese. If you don’t look Asian, you will be seen as a foreigner immediately—you can’t blend in. Even if you’ve lived in Japan for thirty years.
You start to see yourself differently. Wondering what you can do to fit in. Learning to speak Japanese to communicate better or working for a Japanese company might help. Perhaps, but on the outside, you’ll still look foreign—different.
What might this do to you over a long period of time? Thinking it won’t mold you into a different person isn’t realistic.
Getting away with more than in your home country.
Looking different and being a foreigner in Japan has its advantages as well. You can get away with not following some of the rules of society in ways Japanese people can’t. No one will expect you to be an expert with all the rules of Japanese society.
Some Japanese friends you make may feel envious of how much more relaxed your life can be in Japan compared to theirs.
When my wife and I were visiting Tokyo several years ago, we had our suitcase with us after checking out of our hotel but wanted to do more sightseeing. A major hotel chain in the area we wanted to explore had a line of people, staying at the hotel, no doubt, giving their bags over to be held until they checked in. I had the idea to act like we were staying there and ask them to hold our suitcase until we come back in a few hours.
My Japanese wife, thought it wouldn’t work, especially if she’s with me. As a tall Black man from America, I could probably get away with it by myself, though. I had to try.
Sure enough, I got in line, fully expecting someone to ask me which room I’m staying in or to show proof I checked in at the hotel, but no. They just smiled, took my bag, and gave me a return ticket—as my wife watched in amazement at a distance.
This is called a “Gaijin Smash” by some expats. When you take advantage of a situation, most Japanese citizens can’t because you know you won’t get in trouble. The word “gaijin” is slang for foreigners. This fact makes overseas travelers say and do things they never would at home, somewhat like foreigner privilege.
There’s no way I would have tried something like this in America. I felt a bit guilty for flexing my foreign powers, but we were able to enjoy the rest of the day without lugging our suitcase around. When I came to pick my bag up, they happily returned it free of charge with no questions asked.
The fact that this is possible changes you. You rationalize and try to make it okay by thinking of all your frustrations with living in the country. Reviewing in your head the times you didn’t fit in, made mistakes, and embarrassed yourself. The studying like crazy to learn the language and never speaking quite fluently enough. “I deserve some breaks every now and then.” you think.
Living in Japan is hard. Making a life for yourself is challenging anywhere, let alone in a foreign country.
The expat exceptionalism can consume you. Unless you paid attention to how you’ve changed and decided what stays and what goes, it could turn you into a monster. Recognizing the privilege that comes with being different in Japan means thinking deeply about your actions and who you are.
I don’t think I did as much of that before Japan.
Allowing people who are different from us to open our minds.
Learning to live in another culture can help you appreciate differences and see people for who they are as humans. Because of this, you’re forced to look in the mirror at yourself and your beliefs. In fact, that can be the most challenging part of travel.
My coworker may feel like living abroad could never change him, but it’s inevitable. You will change.
If you live in Europe, maybe not as much. Surely, you will need to adjust to different cultural expectations there, too, and different attitudes towards world politics, religion, and relationships. You will still grow and change.
If we can see that as a good side effect to travel and accept rather than reject how we’ve adapted to new environments, our tolerance for differences will grow. I hope more people will spend time in other countries and take on the personal growth involved in living abroad.
You can read Khalid Birdsong’s comic strip inspired by his experiences living in Japan at www.friedchickenandsushi.com
Sometimes you need to sleep. I’m talking about amongst the people, on a train or bus, or even in the park. Life can be exhausting. Why can’t we do some of our recharging in public?
Well, now you can, with this simple three-step method inspired by my years living in Japan. The word “inemuri” means being present while you sleep. It’s synonymous with sleeping on the job or in public places. The Japanese are so overworked that it’s become commonplace to see a large number of people sleeping just about anywhere.
Taking naps is said to be a good thing. Even though accepted in Japan, it’s not allowed at work—even though that rule is mostly ignored all the time. If you’re in a location where you can set an alarm to wake you, it’s relatively easy, but what if you’re on a train or the subway? Not waking up in time for your stop can be frightening.
Listen in as our Japanese raccoon, Tanuki, from Fried Chicken and Sushi comics explores how to nap on the subway in three steps.
Decide to give it a try with the intent to master inemuri with help from others.
2. Pick a friend or family member who you know would never let their guard down.
3. Ride on a train with a loudspeaker that penetrates your soul.
Great job! If you follow these Tanuki steps, you too will be sleeping on the train in no time. Just imagine the freedom you’ll have to get the rest you need anywhere you have to wait.
Take these tips to the cafe, while waiting for your coffee, or to the DMV, waiting for your number to be called. There are so many uses, and you’ll feel well-rested and ready to tackle whatever life throws at you daily.
Now, get out there and nap.
Drawing Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comics on paper, during these crazy times, has been good for my soul. There’s so much magic in feeling the paper’s pull and having to be fully present with every line drawn in ink. Not to mention, I can take cool photos of my originals and share them with you.
Don’t worry. I’ll still make strips digitally as well. From here on out, I think the story will dictate whether or not I use Clip Studio Paint software or bristol board and Pigma Micron pens.
The Black Samurai is back! This time, he’s mixed with the true story of the real African Samurai, Yasuke.
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Photo by Galen Crout on Unsplash
Moving back home to the U.S. after living in Japan for two years was a shock to my system in more ways than one.
You always hear about how harmonious and helpful everyone is in Japan. I love the country, but it’s not an easy place to live as an ex-pat, especially if you speak very little Japanese.
Photo by Alexander Smagin on Unsplash
Life in the ‘land of the rising sun’ does have its perks, though. You can have a level of peace and solitude that I find difficult to come by in the United States. Crime is low and everyone is accustomed to living politely (and quietly) with their neighbors.
That tranquility among the noise is a massive part of what I miss about being in Japan.
I felt like a human being instead of a threat.
Living in Japan for two years as an African-American male was a challenge, but also liberating.
I was an English teacher with the JET Programme and truly loved the cultural exchange with the students and teachers in the Junior High Schools where I worked.
For me, in particular, I was not just a “black man” there, with all the fear and stereotypes that come along with it. I found I was lumped into one general category—foreigner.
Students saw me as a person from another country, fascinated with my hair and curious about what America was really like.
As I walked the streets of Osaka, I felt like a person and not someone the public would see as a threat. It was miraculous!
Sometimes people stared because I looked different.
Only because I wasn’t Japanese and not because I was black. Being six feet three, I found people were also mesmerized by my height.
It was astounding, no women clutched their purses as they passed or crossed the street when they saw me walking towards them on the sidewalk.
The biggest load-off my mind? Not worrying about getting shot by the police. I’m dead serious. That was a game-changer.
You should always be aware of your surroundings anywhere you go. Still, I’ll admit, I became pretty relaxed within the safety of the cities in Japan. Watching my back became a distant memory.
I felt like a person.
I love my country but after years of feeling like the “negative other” in America, I can forget I have value. Believe it or not, when I’m in the U.S., there are plenty of instances when I feel like saying the phrase popularized by Jesse Jackson, “I am somebody” to myself. Just to remember, I matter.
I have to consciously think about this when moving through life in the U.S. Tell myself I have value. Most of the negative stereotypes for black people perpetuated in the media and entertainment, tell a different story.
When I daydream about moving to a quiet rural area, where I can have solitude, reality always seeps in. It’s not the answer for all people. Jobs may be scarce, and if you’re not independently wealthy, you’ll need to pursue a career in a major city to make money to live the life you want.
Even as a black male, I’m afraid people living outside of big cities may have fewer interactions with people of color and be more closed-minded.
Living in Japan, experiencing each day as a different kind of “other”— compared to in America— was a special time in my life. I will say though, I do know through that experience, what it feels like to be seen as scary, only because I look different.
Photo by Laura Thonne on Unsplash
You experience prejudice as a foreigner in Japan. It’s just different.
Each day wasn’t perfect. There were times I would sit down on a subway train, and the person next to me would stand up and walk to a different area. Renting an apartment can be a challenge because some buildings do not rent to non-Japanese.
Getting together with other ex-pats helped relieve some of the microaggressions. You quickly understand that it doesn’t matter where you’re from or the color of your skin. If you do not look Japanese, you have situations where you are treated as a guest and not a citizen. Everyone could relate, come together, and vent their frustrations and also share what they love about living in Japan.
I often thought about how sad it was I had to leave my country of birth and move all the way to Asia to feel safe and at peace.
You don’t need to live in Japan to find yourself. Although, for an experience of a lifetime, visiting is most certainly recommended. The country is beautiful, rich in history and culture, and Japanese people are very kind to visitors. Things get more complicated when you live there for a long period of time.
Don’t let this scare you.
Have the courage to move to a new place if you feel the urge to experience something exciting and different.
I’m still searching for my next tranquil place to call home. Something close to what I had in Japan. The reality of moving to any new country will always stick with me, though.
Living abroad helps you understand that no country, city, or neighborhood, is perfect.
When I find my next tranquil home, I expect to enjoy the positives and take the negatives with a grain of firm salt.
This illustration by Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist, Bill Watterson, reveals the top secret method for coming up with ideas for comic strips.
Putting your butt in the chair and staring blankly into space until inspiration hits you.
Ok. Maybe it’s not that simple but it feels like it sometimes. The true key to consistent creativity is a daily routine you schedule into your life and stick to, no matter what.
Coming up with ideas for what to write or draw is still a challenge. When I’m sitting at my drafting table, mechanical pencil in hand, upset that inspiration isn’t striking yet, here’s what I like to do.
Pull it back. I will probably have one of my Fried Chicken and Sushi characters in mind that I want to create a comic strip about but no idea what to do with them. Even if I’m lucky and have a theme in mind, there’s one element that is of the utmost importance.
The feeling. The feels. Whatever you want to call them, your first question before even coming up with the joke should be-
What are you trying to get your readers to feel?
If you pull this into your creation process, you can move on to ‘the what’ and ‘the gag.’
After all, you know your work will have characters and something exciting or humorous happening, but will anyone feel anything? Will your readers care?
I’m still working on getting better at this myself. There’s so much more I need to learn so that I can improve as a writer and cartoonist. Hopefully, to one day, get close to the genius of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes.
But I believe that adding emotion to your work is key to quality.
Think about it. Plenty of content out there you can watch and read might be fun but can leave you feeling empty. After consuming any content, ask yourself-
Did you discover anything new about life or the world? Perhaps what you read mirrors your life in some way and helps validate your choices or represents who you are? Maybe, it just made you feel good about being human.
If it made an impact, even in a small way, then it matters. Are you making people feel happy about their choices or sad? Are you looking to get them riled up about a topic and take action to make a change? Are you trying to take the blinders off and get them to think deeper about an issue in a new way?
A lot of questions, I know. But this is how I work through an idea to determine if it will resonate with an audience.
When I’m really having a hard time coming up with an idea for a funny gag, I take the feeling I want my readers to have about my comics and craft a plan around it. This question always haunts me-
Can I get people to care about my characters?
Here’s an example-
For the FC&S storyline where Tanuki, our magical raccoon character, wears a suit and sneaks into an office in Japan to see how it feels to work as a salaryman, I was looking to create a positive sense of fun with a touch of reality.
After several strips on this theme, I wanted readers to feel sorry for him in the final strip that ends the arc. That feeling led me to think about how that could happen in this situation.
Tanuki can get a little cocky at times and even though we love him, reality should set in at some point. He’s a wild animal in an office. Why would people want that wild animal to leave?
Here’s the final comic strip-
Did you feel sorry for Tanuki? Maybe you think he deserves to be kicked out. Either way, you’re feeling and thinking about the characters in the comic.
Hopefully, your overall feeling for FC&S is still positive and you care about Tanuki. That’s my goal. Fried Chicken and Sushi should make you smile and leave you feeling good. Not just from the laughter, but from what the characters try, and often fail, to do in their lives.
I’m not on the level of Bill Watterson as a cartoonist. I do believe that he understands the concept of making something people care about and feel. You get that from each and every one of his comic strips. Even if he had to stare blankly at a wall sometimes for ideas.
Before I go, there’s one more question you might have.
What if a reader hates my work that day and “feels” like it was terrible? Well then, they will make sure to read the next strip or article you post to see if you give them the feeling they want. Over time, the reader might decide to stop following your work.
Publishing your art for the world and making people think and feel on a regular basis is hard. You should be prepared for critics, haters, and if you’re lucky, hardcore fans.
Let people decide what they like.
You, my creative friend, make them feel.
Sumimasen -the word that works for everything. I'm sure there are uses I left out, and will most likely put in future strips. Sumimasen is one of my favorite Japanese words, and I marvel at how effortlessly people use it in various situations.
I forgot that creating a comic about living in another country gives plenty of opportunities to teach language and how it relates to the culture. As I grow as a cartoonist, I hope these examples of "international cartooning" improve over time.
The Urban Dictionary defines sumimasen as:
Japanese word meaning, "I am sorry".
Sometimes used together with doumo. "Doumo sumimasen" also means I'm sorry.
Often in conversation "doumo sumimasen" or "sumimasen" are used in place of "Thank you". Perhaps Japanese feeling is, I'm sorry bothering you, but thank you very much to be so considerate.
1. Sumimasen I broke your dish.
2. When a gentle person gives away a seat on a crowded train to an aged person, the person who received the favor may say, "sumimasen" or "doumo sumimasen".
Thanks for your support and don't forget to like and share the comic with the world!
Khalid
Goodness knows, Disney does not need my endorsement or free advertising, but I had to let you know how enjoyable it was at Tokyo DisneySea theme park in Japan.
Even in a typhoon. That’s right. A typhoon was ripping its way up the western side of Japan at the time, and we were so afraid of getting weather bashed-out of all the fun.
Fortunately, the weather cooperated, somewhat. We did get hit with strong winds and some rain, but generally, it was bearable. You want to know the best part?
Bad weather means fewer people at the park! So, there were shorter lines and less wait time for rides.
I have a feeling that DisneySea is not as famous as Tokyo Disneyland, so there are fewer visitors. It’s one park where as soon as I entered, I felt transported to another world!
The gorgeous architecture in the harbor grabs you as you first walk in and is influenced by the Mediterranean, with a bit of fantasy flair! Every area feels like another adventure and even when it’s busy, feels relaxed and comfortable.
I will admit that the rides are not as fantastic compared to Disneyland, but they are enjoyable and imagination filled. The more intense ones are in the Lost River Delta area where you can explore with Indiana Jones or take a roller coaster ride through Raging Spirits.
Raging Spirits ride!
One of my favorites was the FINDING NEMO ride at Port Discovery. It made you feel like you were in a small submarine going on adventures with Nemo and Dory through the ocean. If you get seasick though, this is NOT the ride for you. Plenty of rocking and gliding up and down!
In the American Waterfront area that looks like New York City in the 1920’s, you have the famous Tower of Terror ride, which we didn’t get on because we’ve been on it in America and the Turtle Talk experience where you can talk with an animated version of Crush the green sea turtle from Finding Nemo. This one was surprisingly fun, and even though it was in Japanese, relatively easy to understand.
I love the Toy Story movies but the ride, Toy Story Mania!, even in bad weather, was the one ride that was packed all day long with insane wait times, so we had to skip it. If you had a chance to make it in, let me know what you thought!
The Mysterious Island area looked the coolest, and we had fun riding 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. We will need to go back to the Arabian Coast and ride Jasmine’s flying carpets -even though it’s basically the Dumbo ride.
Because the weather was rough due to the typhoon, it was an excellent relief to head over to Mermaid Lagoon where they have an entire indoor play area with rides, food and a playground.
In front of the Mermaid Lagoon
Our absolute favorite show was in the Mermaid Lagoon Theater where a performer, dressed as Ariel, is suspended from the ceiling on wires and swings around over the audience below like she's swimming and sings well-known songs from the Little Mermaid film.
My eight-year-old daughter loves mermaids and almost didn’t see it. We waited forty-five minutes to get in and as soon as we sat down, with amazing seats, by the way, she says, “I need to go to the bathroom!” Really? We were just standing all that time, and you didn’t think about going then?
She couldn’t hold it so my wife, who watched this show here before, was kind enough to take her out to the restroom but of course, the theater needed to close the show so they couldn’t get back in.
They thought it would be best for me to at least stay and watch it since we waited all that time and I’ve never seen it. I must admit, it was pretty fantastic and felt like a small Cirque Du Soleil show!
When it was over, I was so ecstatic about the experience, my daughter was more than ready to stand in line again. She loved the performance, and I was glad to see it a second time! Make sure to look for the Mermaid Lagoon Theater, it’s pretty hidden in that indoor play area, and see the show when you go.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip to Tokyo DisneySea even in such a massive storm. We never got extreme rain, but some pretty strong winds hit us a few times. In the evening, we stayed to watch the Fantasmic Mickey Mouse light show that was pretty fun. They had to modify it a bit due to the weather but still worth watching.
For a new Disney parks experience, I strongly recommend taking your family there next time you’re in the Tokyo area. Ta-ta for now. See ya' real soon!
Khalid
Let’s just say you want your art, writing or comics to feel more genuine and appealing to your audience.
For this Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic, I needed to show Tanuki using his magic and the theme for the week’s strips was Origami paper folding. That in and of itself pertains to Japanese culture, but I wanted to see if I could add more.
I jumped over to Google and looked up the most popular things to make with Origami. Cranes, shuriken, boats and paper cranes came up. A boat! They could be riding on a large origami boat that Tanuki made. But where?
It could be going down the river in their town of Shimamoto but the background is rural so would not look like any recognizable place in Japan.
Choosing the Yodo river that runs through Osaka city would give more choices of buildings and bridges to draw that readers who have been to the city would know.
Drawing the Umeda Sky Building behind them was a fun addition. The curving white bridge to the left of them- I have no idea what it’s named- is a well-known sight in Osaka as well.
That was an easy answer for this strip. The boat is made out of paper!
Perhaps, Tanuki’s magic is surrounding the paper boat and allowing them to stay afloat but the fact is the situation is odd. Come to think of it, so is a ‘paper’ boat!
You know, if this were real life, someone would have pointed that out. J is usually the character who thinks about important issues or solves problems creatively. So, it felt natural that he should be the one delivering the punchline.
When you’re writing or drawing, keep asking yourself how you can make it specific and general at the same time.
Fireflies are a beautiful part of June in rural areas of Osaka. Tanuki adds a little magic to the experience in this comic! Would you soar with real fireflies?
I remember it was magical going down to the river when I was living outside of Osaka city in Shimamoto, to see the fireflies in the evenings of mid June. All the kids out trying to catch them or count how many they can spot first.
Go out and make some magical memories with your friends and family this summer! Time really ‘flies’ by fast.
If you grew up in the south, you must have called fireflies ‘Lightnin’ Bugs’ at some point! Even if you were in other parts of the U.S., I bet you did.
My wife was raised in the city and never saw them before visiting my little suburban town of Shimamoto, back when I lived in Japan. I’ll never forget how excited she was to see them for the first time.
I loved seeing fireflies growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. It was so magical to go out on a summer evening and look for them by the creek.
Other kids were talented at catching them and pulling the fireflies apart to add to necklaces. That was a little too cruel, and gross, for me. I did enjoy capturing them in jars though to watch them light up together.
It’s a blessing to have an opportunity to share summer memories with you through writing and comics. Hope yours is the best yet!
New Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic strips relaunched on Monday, March 26 here and on GoComics. There was one change to the strip. Did you notice?
That's right, Tanuki's character design got an upgrade! He's cuter and has actual hands that will make it easier to create gags where he needs to hold objects. Take a look at this model sheet I put together with pictures of actual Tanukis for comparison.
What do you think about his new design? Let me know in the comments.
Surely you’ve heard of Gudetama the egg character from Sanrio, the same company that brought you Hello Kitty. He whines about not wanting to do anything and his purpose in life is to lie around and wait to be eaten. He’s all over the internet and television in Japan, with over 650K followers on Twitter and animated shorts on the TBS channel.
I love this guy and think he's pretty hilarious! You can imagine my surprise when I was out with my wife shopping in Osaka and came across a restaurant named Cafe Costa Mesa in Namba Parks that was serving special dishes with eggs that look like Gudetama. I’ll admit, we didn’t have time to eat there but I had to take a few pictures for you.
Cafe Costa Mesa serving breakfast, desserts and even salad with Gudetama. Looks like they have merchandise as you walk in.
Which one would you try?
Gudetama is Sanrio’s most unmotivated character and has absolutely no energy to move. The first part of his name, Gude pronounced (goo-deh) is a Japanese onomatopoeia for describing something or someone with no strength. Tama comes from the word tamago, which means egg.
Even though he looks like just one character, he actually represents every egg in existence since the age of dinosaurs! Sometimes you even see two of them lying around making sure to do nothing.
You can buy merchandise with Gudetama on it like chopsticks, keychains, pens and iPhone cases. Now, you can go to a restaurant and eat him! After all, the saying on his Twitter account page is, “I’m only going to be eaten in the end.” Thanks Cafe Costa Mesa for giving us the opportunity!
Fried Chicken and Sushi is a Blog and humorous comic strip about living in Japan and Japanese pop-culture.
© copyright 2010 - Khalid Birdsong All Rights Reserved.
