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In Japan, if you've made it into a comic book, you've made it.
APPARENTLY Japanese men won't pay attention to information unless it is presented in the form of a comic book, says BF Japan Sales Consultant, Ruthy Kanagy.
Of the thousands of convenient, pocket-sized comic anthologies a Japanese commuter can buy, there's one devoted to promoting a different bike shop or bike brand every so often. And guess who featured in the latest issue #6 from Young King Comics? TWO Oregon, USA-designed bikes!
One of them happens to be a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro. The other is the sadly defunct Bike E.
Ruthy was ecstatic when she discovered this, exclaiming that we have "officially entered the public eye in Japan." And she'd know - having been born and raised there.
I scanned some pages and published them using a web facility called Flikr, which you can see here. Flickr is cool - you can mouse over the certain sections and read translations and explanations of what you're looking at.
Who said comics are just for kids?
HERE'S THE TRANSLATION courtesy of Ruthy Kanagy:
From "Aoba Bike Shop on Tree-Lined Bridge Ave., Vol. 6"
by MIYAO Gaku, 2004
Akane Redwell works as an assistant for Blackwell's Detective Agency. It is Akane's birthday and Blackwell searches for a suitable gift. His rival, Whitewell gives her a white box containing a wedding gown. Blackwell presents Akane with a black suitcase.
He opens the case to reveal a bicycle--a Bike Friday.
Akane: "Wow, a bright red bicycle!" Whitewell: "From a su- suitcase?"
Granny: "A bicycle?!"
Akane tries out the Pocket Rocket Pro.
Akane: "Wow, it's really fast! And the acceleration!" Whitewell: "Hey, Blackwell, isn't that against your principle of sticking to black?" Blackwell: "Well, this is a special case." Whitewell: "I'm not going to lose the second round." Akane: "Blackwell, this is a great bike--it's fast and light, and the color is perfect--red, like my name!"
Blackwell: "Hey Akane, the name is great, too."
Akane: "Bike Friday ... Pocket Rocket!"
Now this is Japanese so we read from right to left. The right page is the last page of the previous story and the left one is the cover for our story. The writing translates to "Red and Black."
Walter Lapchynski, BF Sales Consultant
LOOK at pages of the comic book
Bike Friday Club of Japan News
Emailable link to this article: http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/bfjapancomic