Do you know 「ウルトラマン」 (Ultraman), probably Japan’s most famous super-hero?
I wrote a post about him last March. Click here to read it.
How about “Scatman John“? Do you know who he was?
He was an American musician who became internationally famous for his hit song “Scatman” in 1994.
He died, though, only five years later.
Like numerous other musicians, including The Stray Cats, The Ventures, and Deep Purple…Scatman John was more popular in Japan than anywhere else in the world.
When Japanese people are fans of something, they are extremely loyal.
At the height of his popularity here (in Japan), there were Scatman John toys and he even recorded a couple of songs for the Japanese TV commercials titled 「プリプリ・スキャット」 (“Puri Puri Scat“) and 「Su-Su-Su-Super キ・レ・イ」 (“Su-Su-Su-Super Ki-re-i“).
I remember when his songs 「Su-Su-Su-Super キ・レ・イ」 (“Su-Su-Su-Super Ki-re-i“) and 「プリプリ・スキャット」 (“Puri Puri Scat“) were on TV many times about 13 years ago.
「プリプリ・スキャット」 (“Puri Puri Scat“) was for a pudding TV commercial, and 「Su-Su-Su-Super キ・レ・イ」 (“Su-Su-Su-Super Ki-re-i“) was for a make-up commercial (the name means “Su-su-su-super pretty”).
Here’s his video for 「Su-Su-Su-Super キ・レ・イ」 (“Su-Su-Su-Super Ki-re-i“):
The reason I mentioned 「ウルトラマン」 (Ultraman) at the top of this post…and this post is titled 「スキャット・ウルトラマン」 (Scat-Ultraman) is because at the height of Scatman John‘s popularity in Japan, a song and video titled 「スキャット・ウルトラマン」 (Scat-Ultraman) was recorded which featured Ultraman and monsters from the show.
Here it is:
Tokyo Five 
The comment was not so seriously meant and cute and curls should obviously do whatever she sees as right. For me I think there is a time when boys will be boys though and that is about 4 years of age when Ultraman, Kamen rider and whicher Ranger is current are king, god, brother, father and role model to all little Japanese boys. Both my boys are maniacs for ultraman yes. And can`t you see it???!!! Really???
🙂
Damon
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>The comment was not so seriously meant
Actually, I thought so.
>Both my boys are maniacs for ultraman yes.
You have two sons? All of my kids are girls…they’ve never cared about Ultraman at all, of course.
>And can`t you see it???!!! Really???
No, it’s just a kids’ show to me.
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A trip down memory lane with Scatman John. I too didn`t know he`d died in any other way than professionally. Shame, the song it impossible to forget and he@d be happy to know that.
Love the ultraman version, I have a 3 and a 5 year old and they have loved Ultraman for what seems most of their lives; they`ll be dancing away to this later for sure. I don`t think 3 is too young, the characters are pretty harmless, the morals good and they are fun. I didn`t think so at first and determined to keep them away from the fighting, action hero stuff but you can`t avoid it, it is part of the culture and you get to become an expert over time and mostly it`s just silly fun, the kids know that and join in. I`m sure long learn-ed essays have been written on the inate xenophobia of fighting aliens, the wierd Christian iconography in some of the earlier shows and the h0m0er0tic undercurrents to be found in the mask and rubber suit the protagonist always wears but if you ask me it is just kids fantasy escapism. Go buy the doll cute and curls, don`t be mean!
Damon
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I never imagined Ultraman to be xenophobic, christian, or h0m0er0tic.
I don’t see it. 😉
But I don’t think it’s “mean” to not buy Ultraman toys for a kid, if you don’t want to.
Anyways, are your kids both boys?
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^_^ To this aunt, hes still too young hehehehehehe i must be one strict aunt eh.
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I can understand that.
To me, my daughters are still my babies!!
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Who can forget Scatman John?! I remember him back then with his hit Scatman but I never knew he passed away 5 years after that hit. This blog of yours is reminding me to get the Ultraman doll for my nephew. I refuse to get him that doll because I need to get him back to liking Thomas The Tank Engine but everywhere I go for the past week I see Ultraman. Not that I dont like the Superhero, I do but the lil munchkin is still 3 years old.
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I think a three-year old boy isn’t too young for an Ultraman toy. Many Japanese boys that young have them.
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