So I was looking through my old yearbook…well, maybe not.

So I was looking through this buddy of mine’s yearbook…er…no, I guess I wasn’t.

So, I was using this website that lets you upload pictures and it will superimpose them onto super retro yearbook photos for your laughter and enjoyment. I know I enjoyed it. I did it to myself and posted it up on my personal blog, BoxedTofu. I then did an article over on my “about America blog,” コウイチ弁. That’s two out of three, right there. So I thought, “hey, maybe I can work this whole yearbook thing into Tofugu as a roundabout way of telling people about a few fun Japanese celebrities. So, that’s what I’m doing, afro and all.

Yasuo Fukuda

This, my friends, is the current prime minister of Japan. From the looks of it, the seventies and eighties were good to him. He became prime minister when Shinzo Abe abruptly resigned from office (he claims it was horrible due to diarrhea).

Shinzo Abe

This is the guy who had terrible diarrhea and had to quit being the prime minister of Japan. The guy above him is the guy who took over. Must have been after 1998 when he gained all that weight…

Junichiro Koizumi

Koizumi was probably one of the coolest prime ministers of Japan, mostly because of his hair. I think he did a pretty good job, and was able to do a lot of economic reform. I think a lot of people were sad to see him go, and be replaced by really bad prime ministers.

Segata Sanshiro

Yes, the man who fills your dreams with Sega Saturn nightmares, even to this day. If you don’t know who he is, you are missing out, big time. He’s like, Chuck Norris’ daddy. Basically, he was responsible for Sega Saturn’s popularity in Japan (he never appeared in America, no wonder nobody was scared into buying it it wasn’t popular!). And damn, he makes for terrifying yearbook photos.

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=joNwYPdEBTc]

Beat (Kitano) Takeshi

Does everyone know actor / comedian / director Beat Takeshi? He was in cult films such as Battle Royale, and the new Zatoichi (which is a great movie, by the way). He’s kind of a scary looking dude, not to mention his nickname is “beat,” like, “I’m going to beat you down.”

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=XS3b9s56184]

Shokotan’s Nakagawa Shoko

This girl is one of the top ten most popular bloggers in Japan. She blogs about all sorts of weird things, though it seems as though half of her entries are just pictures with cats (apparently, she loves them). Then, there are other entries, where she puts cicada shells all over her hair. Ironically, PinkTentacle just blogged about this, so now you can see for yourself.

Matsudaira Ken

I have so many memories of this guy. I grew up watching Abarenbo Shogun. This show lasted from 1978 until 2002 (with a special in 2003), and is about this Shogun (played by Matsudaira Ken) who goes around and helps the people. At the end of almost every episode is a fight scene, that is the same choreography over and over episode after episode. Still, it’s an awesome show (that’s why it lasted so long!). Other people might know of Ken for Matsudaira Samba…Seriously, this ought to be the Rick Roll of Japan. I hear retired folks like it though.

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=vdLt-yYTldM]
You can’t beat that.

Becky

Becky is a half Japanese half British talent who appears on a lot of Japanese television shows. She’s pretty funny, and was often in a show that I liked back in the day, Warau Inu. They’re the folks that did the Yatta song, which I’m sure a lot of you know of.

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=a3jh-tBNbnQ]

Nabeatsu

If you haven’t heard of Nabeatsu yet, you’ll do yourself a favor and check him out. You’ll either love him or hate him, he’s that kind of comedian. All he does is count. When he hits a number with a three in it, or a number divisible by three, he “becomes stupid.” Sometimes, some other numbers get special characteristics as well. I love it. Simple humor is great. I’ll even provide a video or two below, that’s how cool this guy is. The mustache goes well with all these pictures, too!

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=QaWlsQ4hxZg]

[youtube:http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=5A4K8ZGSPWY]

Ultraman

Who didn’t think Ultraman was the shiznit as a child? Anyone that’s younger than me, probably. But there was once a day where Ultraman was more popular than those dirty racist power rangers, and those days were good. This one is my favorites. His face is just so…perfect!

So there you have it – either you learned about some new celebrities, or you enjoyed looking at parodies of them. Hopefully one of the two. In the meantime, go practice counting like Nabeatsu and lose all your friends!

I know this post was kind of weird and random, but there’s a few language posts coming soon, so, you know, gotta balance, right?