A Bold Challenge
This time let me talk about Japanese Pop culture through Funassyi. Before I tell you about this episode, I would like to talk about the core of his actions and the emotions that were generated in the hearts of those who were impressed by his actions. They can be described as Yamato Spirit & Houganbiiki(Hanganbiiki). The Yamato spirit cannot be explained in a few words, but I will try to do it as simply as I can. It means to have a pure mind, be courageous, and to be willing to risk one’s life when the situation requires. Houganbiiki (Hanganbiiki) is a word that expresses sympathy and missing someone, and is named for the tragic Japanese Samurai lord 源義経 (Minamoto no yoshitune). It has come to mean sympathy and support for the weak and the losers. It’s like an Underdog effect. This time I’d like to talk about the Yamato spirit, which Japanese people are gradually forgetting. Funassyi said I think that boldly taking on the challenge of anything is the Yamato spirit.
Funassyi has tried a bunch of things so far. He has traveled abroad to spread Japanese culture. He attended the Japan Expo held in France and made people smile. (Japan Expo is one of the largest events in Europe showcasing a wide range of things from Japanese culture.) He also attended the Taiwan anime festival and another time he held a Fan meeting. He can speak Chinese fluently by himself, so he won the hearts of the Taiwanese people. In the U.S New York City, He served as an ambassador for the Tokyo Runway Meets New York event. He interacted with the models and staff backstage at New York Fashion Week to ease their tension and liven up the atmosphere. Even supermodels were enthralled by Funassyi’s cuteness and he was extremely popular. He also held a mascot summit with Birdie, the official mascot of New York City, to discuss environmental protection and urban greenings, the only two in New York. He also joined the ranks of Empire State Building-certified celebrities. The Empire State Building, a New York landmark, has been visited by many famous people and celebrities from around the world and has been recognized as a world celebrity. From Japan, Funassyi was recognized following His Royal Highness the Crown Prince (current Reiwa Emperor), a Japanese ambassador and Yoko Ono. You may doubt it, but it’s true. If you visit the Empire State Building, you will find his photo.
The foreign correspondents’ Club of Japan interviewed him. The moderator asked him “How did you manage to become a star without official support?” He said “I think it’s one of those typical Japanese traditional senses where we like thrones that are not the top winners. Like the 判官贔屓 Hanganbiiki. We root for the runners-up and the underdogs. I was acting like “the Pear Fairy. I’m solo. I’m on my own. I don’t have a company backing me up, nor do I have an agency. So, I think people were looking at me as trying to do something and being kicked out of trying to do something, losing and then over time people started to feel that I was developing a story and they started to engage. Also he said “My motto is to boldly try anything, even if it means failing, as is the Japanese spirit.”
I believe that real human stories are not patterns created by statistics. That’s why we are moved to tears by these stories– something I really want to believe that AI can never do. Also, I believe that it is real people who can create stories that truly move people’s hearts, not patterns created by AI using statistics.
I’m a forever beginner English learner. I am trying to be better, but I haven’t made any major changes. Despite this, there is a lot I would like to tell you. Please read my story. Thank you.
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