by "Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
Published 10/29/2017 at 03:03
by "Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
Published 10/29/2017 at 03:03
No Tags
STARS: 11
Because of a previous post, I am now watching Tokyo Drift on this day of Tokyo Drizzle (typhoon, rainy as all get out, can’t work on the car). And I thought I’d point out all the problems with Tokyo Drift.
1) These aren’t high schoolers. These are adults.
2) “Winner gets me.” Girl, you’re a human being, not piece of property. Have more self-esteem.
3) Unless, as a minor, Sean’s prior convictions are sealed, there is dubious realism to the Japanese government granting him a dependent visa.
4) Sean’s school does seem to be set up correctly architecturally, but hard to tell if it’s a real building or a a mocked up set. Major problems are that Sean would not be in a Japanese school as a “transfer student” as a high school student. Japanese high school is not mandatory and therefore also not provided, unlike elementary and junior high school. It’s possible he could enter as an “exchange student,” but as I understand the teacher’s Japanese (I did not the last time I watched this silly movie), she clearly identifies him as a transfer student. He would go to an international school, probably. I taught at one last year in Tokyo.
5) The teacher is also wearing STUDENT school slippers, and as teachers, we don’t do that. We have our own inside shoes, and they’re just whatever we want as long as they are worn inside only.
6) Shoes are changed at the entry way to the building, not the classroom. Otherwise you’d track outside dirt all over the hallways. Also, maybe the school bought Sean’s “uwabaki” but usually you have to provide your own.
7) Despite “yankee” appearances, most high schools are actually pretty strict about grooming. A high school in Osaka is being sued because it made a naturally brown haired girl dye her hair black. They claimed in court they’d do it to non-Asians, too. I hope they lose, badly.
8) Twinkie identifies them as “army brats,” but Department of Defense has its own on base schools, and if Sean’s father is active duty, well, duh, that’s where he’d be. I always thought his dad was a retiree and just a lifer in Japan. There are many, so Sean wouldn’t have access to DoD schools. UPDATE: Sean’s dad is clearly an active duty LT, we see him in Khakis. So why isn’t Sean in a DoD high school on base? Silliness.
9) The fashion isn’t quite right for the age range, but then, you know, see number 1.
10) Use of the word “gaijin” (which is an extremely offensive slur that is often used too liberally by western media, Japanophiles, and expatriates) here is odd with the villain macking on a girl who is both underage and potentially of mixed heritage (and a native speaker of English). This entire scene is sooooo uncomfortable.
11) While it’s true that Japanese police won’t chase you, they have other means. I wrote about it in my bosozoku article for Jalopnik. They film and once they have enough evidence, they merely show up at your door and arrest you. So what Han says is a half-truth at best.
12) Very few Japanese high schools use any kind of tablet or laptop computing. And they tend to be the best of the very best. I doubt there would be laptop usage for Japanese language and literature class in any high school where non-Japanese speakers could just suddenly be enrolled. Also, of course, there is no way Sean would be able to understand this class at all, obviously.
13) I always feel like, since they’re both from Alabama, and they both have the same accent and general attitude, that the actor’s character in NCIS: New Orleans is actually an adult Sean like ten years later.
14) I want to say that DK’s comments to Neela about her mother’s past and what might have happened to her was bunk, but honestly, I can’t be sure of that. The truth is that the Japanese foster care system is absolutely atrocious, and there are a number of “stateless” children who end up in the system where parentage is difficult to determine. I hate to say it, but if DK’s family hadn’t taken Neela in, and with their Yakuza connections, probably formally worked the paperwork to give her a legal Japanese identity, she would definitely have had issues. So I guess this scene, while incredibly creepy and uncomfortable, is shockingly one of the most realistic scenes in a pretty unrealistic movie.
15) This is not the Tokyo Metro or the Toei Subway, I live on the Tokyo Metro.
16) And lastly, there is no mountain like that so close you can see individual buildings in Tokyo. Just nope.
All that said, even looking for obvious examples of counterfactual stuff, it was still an enjoyable watch. Because ultimately, the F&F movies aren’t about reality. They’re about fantasy. Nobody likes the tuna.
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
10/29/2017 at 03:06, STARS: 0
its a movie.
boom. mind blown
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 03:12, STARS: 3
Of course it is. About my city. It’s like when New Yorkers poke fun at movies that take place in “New York.” I think it’s fun and interesting to think about the problems since I haven’t seen it in years.
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
10/29/2017 at 03:15, STARS: 2
well that and the fact they made the movie happen in the middle of the series.
Its the best driving in the fast and furious movies tho... probably because it was pro drifters doing all the driving.
And because of this song
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 03:20, STARS: 4
Oh, I love the F&F movies. They’re AWFUL and by AWFUL I mean HIGHLY ENTERTAINING. This is just a fan project for me as a Tokyoite on a day I can’t leave the apartment without getting soaked in five seconds.
"Little Black Coupe Turned Silver" (littleblackcoupe)
10/29/2017 at 03:25, STARS: 0
John = Sean
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 03:27, STARS: 0
Corrected. I swear I keep hearing JOHN though. Maybe this audio is shit.
"Little Black Coupe Turned Silver" (littleblackcoupe)
10/29/2017 at 03:28, STARS: 0
Are you watching a US or Japanese version? Maybe they changed his name?
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 03:28, STARS: 0
I’m watching it in English, so I dunno.
"RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire" (ricerocketeer2)
10/29/2017 at 03:30, STARS: 2
I had an ex that made me blast that song whenever we were in my fixed up Acura. I never figured out if she was making fun of me or what.
Also, I’ve met the woman on the right at 0:57 in the video - she was an instructor at some of the BMW promo events I’ve been to.
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
10/29/2017 at 03:34, STARS: 0
hahaha if i was building a drift car i would blast it the whole time
"Little Black Coupe Turned Silver" (littleblackcoupe)
10/29/2017 at 03:48, STARS: 0
When it was made it was a last attempt to keep the series alive. 2 Fast suffered since it didn’t have Vin Diesel, and then this movie went and replaced Paul Walker too.
No one expected the reaction it got, especially how much people loved Han. So they ran with it, and decided to just alter the order. Star Wars wasn’t released in order either...
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
10/29/2017 at 04:16, STARS: 1
No mention of how Shibuya (or Tokyo) in general bears an odd resemblance to DTLA with signage changes? :D
"PS9" (PS9)
10/29/2017 at 04:19, STARS: 0
Problem #1; It exists.
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 04:20, STARS: 0
I don’t know anything about LA, and I only know my own Ku very well at this point. I’ve been to Shibuya, and they got the central crossing right, but otherwise... I assume they used a lot of green screen and computer landscaping, but I am not sure?
"Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder" (pabuuu4)
10/29/2017 at 06:37, STARS: 1
I’ll be a student in Japan next year for half a year, stop crushing my Tokyo Drift dreams pls
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
10/29/2017 at 07:47, STARS: 4
It’s my job. I used to do a panel at anime conventions called “So You Wanna Live In Japan” where I destroyed some very common rose-colored myths about living here.
"aquila121" (aquila121)
10/29/2017 at 08:58, STARS: 0
It’s a mix of establishing shots taken in Tokyo and downtown LA populated with JDM cars and changes to street signs. The drift through the Shibuya crossing was the major green-screen composite shot, I think.
"Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder" (pabuuu4)
10/29/2017 at 09:22, STARS: 0
oh I know what Japan is like and I wouldn’t want to live there permanently. I was there this summer and it more or less confirmed my thoughts. My study does an excellent job at showing the reality to the japan-crazed people my study attracts. I will be either in the Tokyo area or Kyoto/ more rural area. I’m really hoping my study abroad experience will be a fun one. I am planning to go to as many car shows as possible, as well as networking with some car export businesses.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
10/29/2017 at 10:04, STARS: 0
I don’t think any of that movie was actually filmed in Japan. The final race certainly wasn’t filmed on a Japanese Mountain pass. Looked more like a rock quarry.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
10/29/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 2
Disputes its flaws it’s still my second favorite Fast and Furious movie. With the original obviously in first place. The. 2F2F. And everything else is ranked in last place because I can’t be remember them enough to rank them.
The biggest let down in Tokyo Drift is of course the final race. Especially when you scene Initial D. You have this idea of what a Japanese mountain pass looks like, whether it’s correct or not. Even road in the practice montage looks better. The road in the final race looks like a rock quarry. The cheaper out on what could have been a cinematicly beautiful climax to a pretty good movie.
I’m guessing they blew their budget on the very detailed chase scene with the RX-7 and DK’s Z. The first race is also pretty fun to watch.
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
10/29/2017 at 10:17, STARS: 0
But it’s all ok because Konishiki has a cameo!
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
10/29/2017 at 10:23, STARS: 1
Verena Mei! I know her too, she was part of the rally scene for a few years
"AdverseMartyr" (ewilliamson)
10/29/2017 at 10:28, STARS: 1
Stalk Flavien’s posts. His drives around where he lives will keep your dream alive.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
10/29/2017 at 10:29, STARS: 0
“...on a day I can’t leave the apartment without getting soaked in five seconds.”
Provided it’s a day that I am not working, I would see getting soaked in five seconds as a good thing. Yes, I have problems. lol
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
10/29/2017 at 10:43, STARS: 3
Kat!!!!!! It’s always a welcome surprise to see you drop in! <3 <3
Tokyo Drift remains my favourite in the series despite the inaccuracies. It gave a glimpse into a part of car culture I didn’t know anything about while also taking a turn away from the story of Brian.
"Dogapult" (dogapult)
10/29/2017 at 18:32, STARS: 0
I’ve been meaning to go back and rewatch, but I remember seeing in the previews that the license plates on a lot of the cars are very, very wrong.
"RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire" (ricerocketeer2)
10/30/2017 at 20:01, STARS: 0
that “Tokyo metro” looks suspiciously similar to the LA red/purple line ...