Kintaro Walks Japan

January 9, 2006 8:58 PM

Kintaro Walks Japan A Google Video featuring an American who walks from Kyushu to Hokkaido in the hopes of learning about Japanese Culture and finding his father's birthplace. (Running time ~ 1hr)
posted by matkline (15 comments total)

Great link thanks for this. A shame that Google Video is so low rez. Is there a way to make it higher?
posted by Dag Maggot at 9:52 PM on January 9, 2006

I downloaded Google Video Player on to my computer, along with the file. I don't know whether it helped or not though.
posted by matkline at 9:55 PM on January 9, 2006

Awesome! I just watched the first five minutes, will watch it in full tonight. Reminds me of a book I read called Hokkaido Highway Blues, where this guy hitchhikes from the bottom to the top of Japan.
posted by Jase_B at 10:18 PM on January 9, 2006

Absolutely superb, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for the link.
posted by BobsterLobster at 10:34 PM on January 9, 2006

Also reminiscent of The Roads to Sata.
posted by coelecanth at 11:48 PM on January 9, 2006

As with every single link I've seen thus far to Google Video:

Thanks for your interest in Google Video.

Currently, the playback feature of Google Video isn't available in your country.

We hope to make this feature available more widely in the future, and we really appreciate your patience.

posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:48 PM on January 9, 2006

Stav, have you tried a proxy service?
posted by gen at 12:12 AM on January 10, 2006

Not yet, gen. I'll give it a bash when I get home from work...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:56 AM on January 10, 2006

Does he get less annoying as the film progresses?

The incessant chatter and MTV-style editing/pacing and "comedy" was doing my head in after the first 5-10 minutes.

As a concept (and the visuals) it seems fantastic. But instead of quiet instrospection we get loud extroversion...
posted by slimepuppy at 2:49 AM on January 10, 2006

I liked his youth and enthusiasm. It was the editing and pace that helped to make this such an enjoyable watch.
posted by BobsterLobster at 10:03 AM on January 10, 2006

Currently, the playback feature of Google Video isn't available in your country.

Hi Stavros,

Have you tried the Google Proxy?

Cheers.
posted by cup at 9:43 PM on January 10, 2006

That is beautifully, ironically clever. Thank you, cup.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:52 AM on January 11, 2006

He says that he was open to "anything". I'm thinking he had sex with those two men at the bath house. They got him to try beer for the first time. I think they got him drunk. In the morning they appeared quite stoned.

At the end it says that he lives with his girlfriend in San Francisco but I found his journal and it has no mention Ayumi Meegan. In fact, it appears he's scamming on every girl he meets including his boss.

I watched the entire thing which took me a few days because I live in Malaysia and it can't buffer fast enough to play for more than 2 minutes without stuttering. After the super-long credits it says ... Filmed on location in New Zealand.

Ayumi may live in Japan but her accent is not Japanese. What’s up with that?
posted by patcoston at 3:41 AM on January 16, 2006

just an update - the guy who made this is on the new season of the amazing race.link. Should be interesting.
posted by concreteforest at 1:51 PM on January 31, 2006

Kintaro (Tyler MacNiven) emailed me to correct a mistake in my post and answer some questions. First of all, this is not his journal. My Bad!

He also says that he did not have sex with the men in the bath house.

As for his Japanese girlfriend's non-Japanese accent he said: Ayumi spent a year in England and a year in Singapore growing up. When in Japan she always attended international schools. The Queen's English soaked in. Also, her British father helped make her accent the way it is now.

He's also sending me a free DVD of his movie! What a nice guy!
posted by patcoston at 1:11 AM on February 2, 2006