Constant readers may have thought that I have left this slightly insulting but always salty topic behind, but Nooooooooo!
Zenryokuzaka – A Bizarre TV Show Featuring Women Running Up Steep Streets
“Every night at 1:20 a.m., Monday to Thursday, thousands of people tune in to TV Asahi to watch the latest episode of Zenryokuzaka, a bizarre show featuring women running up steep streets. Each episode lasts no more than six-minute, including the opening and closing credits, and focuses solely on following the protagonist as she runs up the street. It’s an extremely simplistic concept, even for late-night TV, but one that has somehow remained popular in Japan for the last 15 years.
“Apart from the different protagonist and location, every Zenryokuzaka is pretty much the same, down to narrator Mitsuru Fukikoshi uttering the phrase “This, too, is a hill that makes you want to run up it,” as the young woman starts running up the street.”
Gerard Van der Leun
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Slue footed runners in lousy running shoes don’t usually do so well over time. And what’s with running in dresses?
I’m going with “too much” on this one. My reasoning is as clear as my understanding of this show, completely フバール.
Oh my… Jack…. Jack …. Jack unfortunate lad.
Somebody lend Jack some insight on this one. (Hint: It’s not about the running per se.)
Jack…you ignorant slut.
Jack! You PHIRRISTINE!!!
It’s the panting, fer shure.
The Japanese definitely have the proclivity market cornered.
Zenryokuzaka isn’t any weirder than Japanese cat treat commercials. This one goes on for three full minutes, but at least it has a catchy jingle and an English translation. Maybe Olive would like to be a model in a Japanese cat food commercial– they do know how to serve quality tuna.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oO97JnzkS8&ab_channel=INABAPremiumCatandDogTreats%26Foods
Honorable Jack step in deep sushi.
🎶 Churu Churu Ciao Churu 🎶
Thanks,PA Cat. The Japanese are obviously as nutty about their cats as we are. Beautiful kitties.
I think the one from Hiroshima should have been named Atom.
Nori– If you enjoyed the Inaba cat treat commercial, you’ll also like the Lotte chewing gum commercial– in which a giant cat picks up the young businessman waiting for his commuter train and delivers him right to his office:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj1ty6gUnIA&ab_channel=stupidstufffromtv
(Maybe Super Cat is Atom from Hiroshima)
Back in the early tech days I made over 30 trips to Japan, most averaging a week, so let’s call it six months in Japan. Incredibly interesting, fun, yet weird place I loved to visit, but could never understand. Having been in places ranging from robot theme restaurants to bars that could seat at most five people these videos do not surprise me at all.
Been to Japan 16 times. Got out of the airport only once.
I know, I know. Ya’ll are right, it’s not about the running but I was a serious runner for years and now I’m only an observer. So, I observe.
My vote: Too much
Srsly Jack, I’ve tried to look at standard TV a couple times in the past year and try as I might I just can’t do it. Not sure what to make of it. For the life of me I don’t understand how anyone can watch any of what I tried to watch, but, if no one watches it than how is it even on? For the advertisers alone? If so, don’t they require some return on their investment?
And not just OTA (over the air) stuff neither. Same with streaming. Take Yellowstone (Kevin Costner). Nothing but lying, cheating, stealing, conniving, criminal bullshit. Who watches this shit? Better Call Saul? Ditto.
Current movies? fuggetaboutit Same story. Shallow, vacant templates of each other.
Recently I tried listening to the radio in my truck. fuggetabout that shit too. Nothing but mindless yapping from front to back and every station. WTF?
We have a couple TV’s, a big radio/turntable/CD player/USB combo in the living room but none of it gets used because, well, as explained above. Sometimes my wife will put a CD on. And we’ll watch an old DVD show from a 1950’s TV series at suppertime (tonight is Perry Mason, last night was Gunsmoke) but other then that that equipment has little use to us if it connects to the outside world.
So in light of my observations the japanese hoes running is just as valid as anything else I have seen. The popular media driven world, it seems, is going in a direction that is detestable to normal people and I wish it wasn’t but that is not my choice. My choice is to keep being who I am and let others do as they please no matter how retarded that is.
Hey Babe, can I run up your hill?
wink wink nod nod
I lived in Japan in the late 70’s, well before this kind of nonsense was quite so prevalent. The Japanese do have a special twist, however. I was on Kyushu for 2 years and most of the weird stuff was in the bigger cities. In smaller towns and rural areas, folks were just folks and were mostly concerned with family, school, the job, paying the mortgage, you know, the usual stuff. In the larger cities, I think that the pressure of the salary-man position moves them to, and sometimes over, the edge into the abyss of weirdness.
Still, Vic Romano and Kenny Blankenship are my favorite adapted Japanese characters.
PA Cat: I’d be willing to pay serious bucks to import a pack of Lotte if it comes with Super Cat Atom!
Gotta love the Japanese fascination with giant animals,robots,etc.Seems to have started with the great reptilicus, (said in loud Japanese accent) “GOJIRA!!!” aka Godzilla,to us westerners.
Zenryokuzaka…long may it grace this place.
Domo arigato,Mr V & company.