【MAD】 modern strange zoku
By: Charz
Tags: Beauty by the Lake, Ben-To, Bentō Zoku, Cowboy, Ice Witch, Kaito Shibano, Needless, Otaku-zoku, Post-modern tribalism, Pride, Proletarian Economy Research Society, Respect, Season of the Sun, Yō Satō, Zoku
Ben-to X Needless
Bentō-Zoku
The Season of The Sun was published in Japan in 1955. The story of hedonistic, dissident and urban subcultural youth caused a sensation at the time with many young people all over Japan imitating the gestures, behaviours and styles ot the youth in the novel. The dominant culture, mobilized by mainstream media, termed such youth ‘the Sun Tribe’ (Taiyo-Zoku). After this event, the Japanese dominant or mainstream culture have always used the terme ‘tribe’ (Zoku) to define unknow youth subcultures : for example, motor speed tribe (Bouso-Zoku), Crystal tribe (Japanese yuppies, Crystal-Zoku), Otaku-Zoku (media mania or nud).
David Muggleton, Rupert Weinzierl, The post-subcultures reader, 2003,p 102
3 comments on “【MAD】 modern strange zoku”
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I wonder if it will be common to fight for half-priced food. In Poland suprisingly they are fighting for it and once i saw a battle like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39DrQ6hZyyc
or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO168Ug8LVI
I understand them, almost all elderly in Poland receive 200 euro pension for a month. It’s because of changes after communism.
It’s tempting to see in Ben-To story the current issue of food riots and global crisis. There is a bit of it : poor students fighting for bargains. But the comparison ends here. Satou-san could pick with no effort some cup noodles (very cheap), he prefers to fight for more expansive and more delicious food (bento).
One could think of Black Friday crazyness (here, here, and here). People buying ‘things’ they don’t need with money they don’t have), a symptom of hyperconsumerism.
There is a bit of it too. But that materialistic approach is not satisfatory too. Satou-san is not motivated by greed. He is not fighting to get the latest Iphone, but for something vital symbolized by food. Satou-san explained it at the beginning : he was searching for himself. The meaning of its own life. A spiritual quest. And the bargain is just an excuse justifying the competition. This point is clearly demonstrated in episode 3 where Satou-san find no taste in ‘free’ bento.
Pride of okami.