Mozenator '15 comments

Good list but I must reamrk on your "take" on tipping in restaurants in the US...It is not "Extra Money" it is how servers (and the ENTIRE support staff, bartenders, bussers, and sometimes other employees as well) make ANY money at all. Servers in the us make below minumum wage...around $4.25/hr which after taxes = ZERO,

The tip is how they make money. If the restaurant (an some are changing over to this) declared a "No Tipping" policy it would mean not ony that they incresed (significantly) the employees wages but would also therefore have to increase the menu prices as well.

When you tip 20% (which you should always do no matter what unless something is really amiss, then ask for a manager and things will be put right if you are in a respectable place) that does NOT all go that server. The server, out of his/her tips then has to "TIP OUT" their support staff, which includes at the least: bartender and busser, but sometimes more. Sooo..say your bill is $100. You tip $20. Ok That server must give around 40-50% out to support. SO about $10 of that will go to the Bar and $5-$8 to busser and maybe a couple to the dishwasher or some other staff.

Many people do not realize any of this. You may not like it, but that is the system we have. But it's not some kind of situation where the servers are trying to get you to give them "Extra money". Hardly. ANd any place where the staff is over ingratiating is probably just doing what their managers are wnating them to do and so many restaurant goers expect that and want to feel "special"..a good server should be able to feel out the guest and sense how to approach them. There is an art to it. Or at least there can be.

Oh, and you forgot one:

22. No Idols. No Idol No Life.

HIKKI'S BACK!!!! YAY! Can't wait! Don't know what the haters above are talking about..she's awesome! I'm really looking forward to hearing what she has to offer us all...and I KNOW i 'm not the only one!

SWEET!! i went to Fukuoka and Nagasaki on my very first trip to japan last year and would LOVE to go back, as it was my favorite part of the trip!!

I was based in Tokyo and flew Skymark for $100 coming from Hakata and took advantage of my JR Pass to get there from Tokyo.

Sion Sono, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Hiorkazu Kore-eda are three bright spots, but there needs to be a new movement of new directors..how about some WOMEN too!

I want to work with him...

why isn't this huge headlines everywhere....

kyushubill and everyone else need to chill about idols. They are a wonderful and important part of Japanese Pop culture that touches people all over the world young and old and gives them happiness and hope and inspiration.

The girls are not dumb they know what they are signing up for and do it willingly. If they don't like it they are welcome to leave. And yes some do, but many stay and some for a long time (Momochi, Sayumi Michishige, Minami Takahashi). I gives them an opportunity to enter the entertainment world and become what they dream of becoming, actors, variety stars, singers..or for some it's just a fun way to spend their youth and live the excitement of being a star and a performer.

This "slavery" argument and "oh my God it's terrible what they're doing to these girls" is disingenuous at best and actually misogynistic and ignorant. These girls, most Idols, work harder than anyone in the entertainment business and they are AMAZING and WONDERFUL performers and entertainers. And unlike here in America, young girls, boys and people of all ages and genders can LOOK UP TO THEM as role models!

This Idol bashing or bashing of the industry is just plain wrong. Managament groups like Stardust (Momoiro Clover Z, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, Team Syachihoko) treat the members wonderfully, with many female staff and allow them to be kids...UpFront has an amazing training program and the groups (morning Musume 15, C-ute, Angerme, etc) are more professional and entertaining than most "regular" groups anywhere in the world!

Many, many groups have top notch world-class producers creating the best pop music in the world today, cutting edge stuff that blows away tired and predictable pop music in other arenas and countries.

Stop your knee-jerk reaction to things you read about and know nothing about. And look into EbiChu for instance, or MM' 15 and learn to respect these young people's life decisions and see them for the true and worthy entertainers that they are. Something Japan should embrace and be proud of.

um.. a link to the actual list might be nice...

Have to add my two cents to all the yawn totally expected and ignorant anti-Idol comments that abound here.."AKB48 this and 48 Lolitas that"...

Idols are decades long Japanese pop culture phenomenon. It is a common misconception to deride them as no-talent cuties of the month...this is really sad and too bad. There are so many more Idol groups than the "48" groups, and even they have some wonderful performers and songs and have also done much to help lift the spirits of Japan and the Tohoku region with tireless appearances and efforts.

These girls work harder than anyone in show business and hardly get paid. They work tirelessly to make people smile and inspire people, not only in Japan, but all over the world. The majority of fans outside of Japan, and increasingly IN Japan, are actually young females, who look up to Idols as a source of inspiration and role models and work ethic..

From Momoe Yamaguchi, inthe 1970's one of the most talented singers and performers of all time to modern groups as diverse as Little Glee Monster, Tokyo Girls Style, ANGERME, ℃-ute, Morning Musume '15, BABYMETAL, Ayami Muto, Momoiro Clover Z, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, Anna☆S, BELLRING Shoujou Heart and so many more...

Idol music/performance have genres of music as diverse as pop music itself and something for everyone. If there was ever a positive, fun & cool pop culture phenomenon to promote proudly to the rest of the world, it is this.

Amuse, the company who manages BABYMETAL understand this and have done an exemplary job of promoting their act worldwide to much acclaim and success with not one misstep.

I also have to say to casually dismiss these young girls feels more than disingenuous, it smacks of misogyny and sexism.

Like I stated, no one works harder than these girls (AND they go to school!!) and tries harder. They deserve our support and respect.

Eri Kamei and Risa Niigaki did this years ago already!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiAx_wmAmYs

Also AKB48's Undergirls have a great PV where they did this too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX7RxVlIPDo

nothing new here and the over-****hype on this girl is ridiculous! there are many Idols just as good and many much much better..

I have to ALSO agree with Hoodlum here.

Misogyny abounds in the comments above and these girls work harder and have more talent than you ever will.

GIRL POWER CAN HEAL THE WORLD!!

Idols should be seen as a National Treasure in Japan.

They are ambassadors of happiness and good will and people the world over look up to them and believe in them as they have affected and changed many of our lives for the better.

They are also a purely Japanese phenomenon, from Momoe Yamaguchi and Pink Lady through Seiko Matsuda, Chisato Moritaka, and the early years of the big groups, Morning Musume and then AKB48 and it's sister groups.

Now with the reach of the Internet the whole world is learning about this wonderful and intrinsically Japanese genre.

Yes, BABYMETAL are huge (and rightfully so, they are amazing) but so are the 48 groups, Hello! Project with C-ute and Morning Musume (who just had a sold out concert in NYC last October) among others, the wonderful Stardust Groups, Momoiro CLover Z, EbiChu and Team Syachihoko not to mention the wide breadth of styles, genres and producers in the Indie Idol scene, from BELLRING GIRLS HEART, Lyrical School and Especia to ANNAS, Tsuri Bit and tons more... yes some better than others, but incredible music and production is being made in this extremely creative genre.

You don't have to like it yourself, but understand it is much more than what some see on the surface and means so much to people of all ages around the world.