Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

MAKES ME WANNA SCREAM

Regarding “Orei… Oy!” (The Last Word, June 25): What is interesting about this well-written article is really not the wallet story. It’s the fact that this woman was able to live with the “unbelievable inconvenience” caused by the neighborhood grocery store. This is what I thought the article should have been about. It is inexcusable that people living in apartments should have to endure some cruel, inconsiderate company who decides to build their building right next to them, oblivious to their lives, schedules, health, etc.

Jacqueline M. Joseph

I can assure you, Ms. Desjardin, wrapping a cheap towel around your head is not going to “drown out the hammering.” Nothing will, other than moving. And, out of curiosity, why would this “make good entertainment for friends and family back home”? Because you had to endure daily agony inflicted on your eardrums?

The Japanese are pathologically addicted to noise and/or pathologically oblivious to it. Doesn’t it seem odd that they should have someone standing out in front of the store, under your balcony, screaming at the top of their lungs? Yes, it is a “monstrosity” and it is a “big slap in the face.”

One day when I have the money and courage I am going to sue some company here for disturbing the peace to the point where it isn’t funny anymore.

Good story, Ms. Desjardin, good writing, but I wonder next time if you will regale us with how you’ve been coping with the screaming henchman/woman standing below your balcony, hell-bent on making sure that every person in his/her sight comes in and spends as much money as humanly possible, 24/7. How can you live in your apartment building without going downstairs and burning down the new store? I really hope you have a pair of heavy-duty earplugs.—clearsky54*

A LITTLE LESS GUSTO, PLEASE

Regarding “Famiresu Corner” (Dining Out, July 2): I don’t think we need this! Leave that sort of trash to the numerous Japanese food magazines. I don’t know any gaijin who go to family restaurants except when they don’t have any money or when nothing else is open. I suppose Metropolis is just trying to be a bit funny and hip by emulating the Japanese obsession with famiresu. It doesn’t work because wareware gaikokujin don’t share the appreciation.—polpetta*

NO STARS IN THESE EYES

What is it with all these Japanese celebrities crashing the promo events for totally unrelated movies? Last week there was some tart in a miniskirt hogging the attention from Luc Besson and the drop-dead-gorgeous Louis Bourgoin, now I see that the makers of Toy Story 3 were apparently so boring that they had to draft in AKB48 for support (Star Struck, July 9). I repeat: the makers of a film that raked in $109 million on its opening weekend in the States couldn’t fend for themselves without the addition of a few identikit J-pop morons. This is just madness, not to mention totally insulting. Imagine if the makers of Okuribito had been told they couldn’t promote their movie unless they did a photo op with f*****g Ke$ha. Ridiculous.—“The Vulture”

* taken from the Metropolis online comment threads