Tamori, the doyen of entertainment is no exception, Otaku thumb their nose to the recession.

Tamori, the doyen of entertainment is no exception,
Otaku thumb their nose to the recession.

SUGOCA

MONSTER HUNTER and Wii Fit are examples of game software that have been a big hit – in an industry that seems impervious to the recession. In fact, in these difficult economic times the game industry, backed by its core fans, has seen companies post record profits.
Recently Fukuoka has seen the debut of a number of public transport IC tickets (*1. After the release of the Nishitetsu train and bus IC ticket “nimoca”, JR Kyushu released its own IC ticket “SUGOCA” on March 1, and on March 7 the Fukuoka City Subway (Airport, Hakozaki and Nanakuma lines) started their “HAYAKAKEN” card. 20,000 limited edition commemorative SUGOKA tickets have been produced, and on the day they went on sale over 800 people queued up to buy one, making you wonder where the recession went. At the same time there were railway fans who bought more than one of these tickets. Even in severe economic conditions railway goods sell.

*1. Gets you through the ticket gate with just a touch, and you can use the card for electronic cash purchases at affiliated restaurants, shops and vending machines.

The sound of the station makes it onto a CD

Would you believe that there is a CD titled “KEIKYU Station Melody Originals”? This CD features the melodies played at 16 stations along the KEIKYU line from Haneda Airport Station. Different tunes are played at each station to notify commuters of an approaching train.

otakuotakuWhen JR Higashi Railways released a similar CD in March 2004 it sold 60,000 copies – compare that with one of the most successful singers aiko’s new single “MILK” which sold an estimated 71,470 copies in its first week putting it at number one on the Oricon Chart.
The Keikyu Station Melody Original CD has the backing of Keikyu Railways, with a photo of a train on the jacket. The CD includes a song by the popular bands Kururi “Akai Densha” (Red Train) and “LIFE” by Kimaguren, a band that made it big in 2008.
Even Tamori, a famous celebrity who fronts the variety show “Waratte Iitomo” talks about the CD on one of his other shows called “Music Station”. Hard core fans are really looking forward to this release.

"Keikyu Trivia"

Tamori also formed the “Tamori Train Club”, consisting of around 20 celebrities who love trains, on his another popular show, “Tamori Club”.

otakuThe leader of the popular band Kururi, Shigeru Kishida is also a train fan, and often appears on Tamori Club. Their train song “Akai Densha” was a hit. The song uses melodies played at stations like Shinagawa and Haneda Airport.

otakuPlay Station 2 has released the game “The KEIKYU Express”, a train driver simulation game. Minoru Mukaiya, a Japan’s leading jazz musician and the gold member of the “Tamori Train Club”, produced the game. It shows real video and the driver must physically calculate times in detail to drive the train. The fans love it.

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