While surfing the web I keep stumbling over interesting japanese stuff - such as the Witch Hunter Robin anime - a live-action sci-fi series with amazing graphics (found via Zy.ca). Then of course Kill Bill Vol. 2 is coming out in a week.
Also the new Pet Shop Boys hit single Flamboyant (click here for Amazon Germany) includes a music video with footage from a famous japanese game show. According to the PSB press release, the video (WMP) is based on the eccentric Japanese tv show Kaso Taisho. The video is directed by Nico Beyer, a German commercials director based on Paris. Show contestants have to come up with a "flamboyant" creative idea to make themselves famous - hence the title of the single.
The video juxtaposes Pet Shop Boys in commercials endorsing a variety of incredible invented products with real footage taken from the game show (one of the most popular in Japan) and narrative footage of a prospective contestant on the show. In typical Japanese game show style, our hero goes through a variety of situations in preparation for his becoming a game of billiards (it all makes sense when you see the video).
The Kaso Taisho game show features stuff such as the japanese matrix-style ping pong game and other stuff.
Oh, Japan looks so great!
Update 12/04/2004: The video is available in various flavours: Real (large 320x240, small 240x180), Window Media Player (large 320x240, small 240x180). While you can always zoom to a full screen version, it´s get heavy pixelated. With the Real version, it´s possible to change to theater mode and then only watch a 2x version. Does anyone know what size is included on the single CD?