BIG IN JAPAN
Salaryman Kintaro
 |
Courtesy of TBS |
Salarymen: you' got to
feel sorry for them. At first they were ridiculed as featureless cogs of the Japanese
capitalist machine, and currently they are blamed for indirectly causing the so-called
decline in Japanese morals by being absent fathers. Then there are the ever-present fears
of burn-out through overwork, or unemployment through the dreaded
"restructuring".
Recently, however, a new icon has appeared in the Japanese pop-culture pantheon. He is
decisive, aggressively masculine, but also not afraid to bare his feelings to those he
cares for. He is Salaryman Kintaro, played on TV and film by Katsunori Takahashi.
Salaryman Kintaro first began life as a comic serial in Young Jump
written by Hiroshi Motomiya before it jumped to the small screen. The 1999 TBS TV series
was a huge hit and made a star of Takahashi.
Kintaro began life as a no-good hard-as-nails bosozoku biker, who reached the
point where he thought there must be something more to life than beer, bikes, fights and
girls. Unusually he also has the responsibility of an infant son (played by Tomonosuke
Shimada), the child of a mysterious relationship (the girlfriend died before the series
began). One night, by accident, he saves the life of company president Yamato (Masahiro
Tsugawa) by stopping some local thugs from beating him up. The tearful and grateful
president says he will give Kintaro anything he asks for; and Kintaro decides that what he
wants is a normal life - and so begins a white-collar job in Yamato's firm.
What makes Kintaro such a fascinating (and tragic) character is that he can never
completely escape from his bosozoku past. Kintaro's way of doing business is basically
simple: shout, shout and shout again. One catch phrase from the first series, usually
delivered at top volume, was "Salaryman o namen jya nee yo!" About the closest
you can get in Japanese to saying, "Don't f**k around with a salaryman, pal!" If
the shouting doesn't work, then a serious bout of shoving, kicking and punch-throwing
usually settles the dispute. Despite Kintaro's unconventional (to say the least) methods,
it's impossible for him to get fired - because Yamato feels such a strong bond of giri
(obligation).
Kintaro also moves in with Yamato's friend, Kayo (Yoko Nogiwa) and her daughter Masumi
(Michiko Hada) who provides the love interest. The three form an odd surrogate family for
the hapless, reluctant hooligan and his child.
This saga of New Japan has made many telling points about Japanese masculinity and has
proved immensely popular with viewers and readers. A big-screen version was released in
November 1999, and a second TV series appeared on TBS early this year. The manga
is still selling well too, and is approaching 20 volumes in omnibus format, while
Takahashi has also played the character in a bizarre double-headed beer commercial with
legendary ’60s comedian, Hitoshi Ueki. With the series already a game for
PlayStation, and plans for a second film on the horizon, Kintaro could end up with the
appeal and longevity of a 21st Century Tora-san.
Salaryman Kintaro; for making it cool to wear a cheap polyester suit again, we salute you.
James Walker |
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