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As "The Birth of KKT21" opens, aspiring idol singer Sara is running late. As she dashes into the meeting room where the other four members of her just-formed idol unit have been waiting, she explains that she stopped to give directions to a woman she bumped into on the street who was on her way to donate blood.
That’s all the girls’ manager needs to hear before declaring that hence forth, the idol group will be known as KKT21, an abbreviation of Kenketsu (“Blood Donation”) 21st century.
If the animation is a little choppy, that’s because "The Birth of KKT21" isn’t the latest late-night TV anime offering. The five-and-a-half-minute short was actually produced by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, in response to dwindling blood donations from people in their 20s and teens (though as KKT21’s manager points out to 15-year-old Masumi, you have to be at least 16 to donate blood in Japan).
▼ But you’re never too young to be moved to tears by reading messages of thanks from people whose lives were saved by blood transfusions.
There’s quite a bit of talking, but the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare realizes that when you make an idol anime, you’d better give the audience at least one big song-and-dance scene, which comes when KKT21 sings their debut single, “A-B-O-AB! -Ima no Kimi ni Dekiru Koto-“ (or “A-B-O-AB! -The Thing You Can Do Right Now-“), which we’ve cued up below.
Granted, the members of KKT21 don’t move smoothly or sing in perfect-pitch harmony, but those are criticisms you could lob at a lot of real-life idol singer groups too, especially when they’re just starting out. And even if the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s foray into idol anime ends up as a one-and-done deal, hopefully it’ll still lead to blood donation centers receiving a few extra vials of otaku-sourced hemoglobin.
Images: YouTube/MHLWchannel
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© SoraNews24
19 Comments
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cleo
I gave blood regularly both in the UK as a student, and in Japan, often enough to get a little badge and a certificate. I was always made to feel welcome, and if I happened to have my kids with me, they got tea and biscuits as well, even though they were way too young to give blood. I even appeared on local TV plugging a blood donor campaign. So there's no problem at all with furrin blood as such. Then the BSE thing blew up. I just happened to be in the UK at the wrong time, for just long enough to be disqualified as a blood donor. It's a shame, but if they don't want it, they don't want it.
I would like to encourage my kids to give blood, but they were with me in the UK and are thus disqualified.
The caution is quite understandable; in the middle of the last century lax vaccination practices (re-use of needles) led to hundreds of thousands of Japanese children being infected with Hepatitis B, and I'm sure they don't want to make the same mistake with BSE.
When they find a way of screening out the BSE beasties, I'll be more than happy to donate again.
cleo
The Japanese blood donor programme also excludes people who have had piercings or tattoos done recently (1~6 months) , tooth extraction (3 days), vaccination (24 hours to 1 year, depending on the vaccine), pregnant women up to 1 year postpartum, and workers at Fukushima Daiichi who have received over 100 millisieverts of radiation in the past 6 months. And anyone who's returned from forn parts in the past 4 weeks.
Luddite
Giving blood is altruistic. We should all do it, if we can. I give blood when I'm in the UK, of course Japan doesn't want by nice, disease free and uncommon type blood as I happen to be from the UK. I always wonder what will happen if I ever need a blood transfusion here, I doubt they'll have much of my blood, or O-, which is the universal donor.
Scrote
They don't want my blood either. The incubation period for CJD could be upwards of 50 years, that means I might be in my 70s before it appears. They could use my blood for transfusions in people 50 years or older and the chance of them contracting CJD during their lifetimes would be negligible. Also, don't forget that Japan also had cases of BSE in cattle.
Given a choice between dying due to a lack of available blood, or possibly contracting CJD in 50 years time how many people would willingly choose the former? In Japan they won't be given a choice.
Ascissor
Now when Japanese people ask me my blood type, I can answer: "1996 BSE-tainted"
Kenji Fujimori
Sigh... enough with the pedo hentaiesque imagery in anime to attract people already.. Shame on the PR dept. Donating blood is a serious thing and not a joke.
Andrew Crisp
Each Country has their own unique way in recruiting blood donors this is Japans version obviously because Idol groups are popular.
Disillusioned
Oh, goodie! More cartoons for the adult children!
Kenji Fujimori
Andrew Crisp
Every other Japanese seeig it, takes it as a joke, man children and otaku, do NOT represent the Japanese psyche and mindset.
JapanFan
Tokyo-mToday 09:37 am JST
You are wrong. That question is asked here in Hawaii and the other 49 states , and I have been saying for years that I have not be in the UK for a total of five years. AND they do ask you about various diseases.
BTW, I just donated my 200th point.
vinarius@pm.catv.ne.jp
Japanese should start thinking abt their society.
extanker
Unless you're one of the 200 cases...
SaikoPhysco
You know you live in a totally infantile place when they use an anime girl band to promote Blood Donation.
BackpackingNepal
Are u really proud to donate common O+ ? Even poor ones do easily.
Can u able to donate AB if u have?