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| jiji
146th Post
 
Regular Customer
   
|  "Re(3):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Fri 11 Nov 08:48
I tried reading up on this guy when I saw that news bit this morning. I guess he's kind of like a less threatening, more pliable Bob Sapp? They love their oafish, comedic (?), bald black men over there, don't they? And according to his Wikipedia entry, he wasn't much of a fighter - he got himself on TV a few times and acted the oaf, hence his current success.
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So wait, all I need to get myself drawn by Range Murata and eventually put into a cult fighting game is to shamelessly make fun of my own country, culture and people in Japan? Japan here I come, eating snails and taking no shower for your entertainment.
Not Murata, even - just some guy who was his understudy on Wachenroder and who's good at imitating his style.
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| makatiel
177th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(2):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Fri 11 Nov 10:07
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http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20051110/gou.htm
Who's that guy?
...I can't believe they're doing this.
Bobby Orogon is a nigerian ex-k1 fighter/step n' fetchit-style minstrel, who basically takes black people back to the time when if they didn't say 'yassa' and smile to everything, they got lynched or put in jail.
Naturally Japanese people think he's HILARIOUS. Anyway, it seems they're putting him in the game, so we can all laugh at him, and feel comfortable in how superior we are. Unless we're black, then we probably won't feel that way. I guess the publisher I advised to pick this up will have to seriously reconsider.
I think youve got a pretty negative view of bobby and comedians in general. Comedians try to make us laugh. Generally it involves doing stupid things. Bobby may sound oafish (perhaps due to the fact that he's speaking in a second language) but the content of his commentary is actually quite clever. It's pretty clear that he is a smart, quick thinking guy. If you can't see that, then I question your ability to make judgments on character. Of all the times I've seen him on TV (which is quite often as I live in Tokyo), I've never once seen him make light of his own culture, his skin color or act in any manner that would infer racial superiority / inferiority. His demeanor is never subservient - it is clumsy, but that's his role as a geinoujin. It's his job and he's just got his game face on.
He fought in the K-1 tournament on Dec 31 of last year and beat a veteran K-1 fighter. I actually think he's quite a good fighter - perhaps not in the same rank as real pros like nogueira or hyodoru but leagues above regular guys like us.
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| Bata kun 2730th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
    
    
    
    
 
| "Re(7):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Sat 12 Nov 03:52
How in the world did Bob get to be a thug in the "Taiho Shichau zo!" live drama? I don't know. At least it was fun seeing Natsumi's actress, Itou Misaki-san, give him a good beating.
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anyway, yeah, you're on to something there. I'd make fun of my culture for that! Hell, I'll do it for free!
I could diss southerners here, but since I'm not like that, I won't.
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Nakano's site seems to be down at the moment.
What's the url?
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I would say that this might ruin the good name of Matrimelee but has anybody ever looked to the Matrimelee series for a sense of reserve or class?
The "PI" series has class? I mean, it's fun, but I wouldn't call it a high class series. That's for something like "Street Fighter".
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| HAYATO 540th Post
New Red Carpet Member
| "Re(6):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Sat 12 Nov 05:33
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Dude, it's pretty clear that they're talking of a different guy.
I think I once saw Bobby in a japanese program, they were giving japanese lessons to a group of black people. I remember he said "boku wa Bobby desu", and later he ate a leaf from a plant standing next to him. Also, I don't remember if it was the exact same black people who were shouting WE ARE MORNING MUSUME in another program (or was it the same?).
If he's that same dude, I'm very impressed that he got that far!
Well, you know I'm quite illiterate in anything that involves black people (out of porn, of course...), and I can hardly tell the difference between them (it's been ages since I saw Bob Sap in Antena 3 TV, so I don't quite recall his face...).
Plus, it seems you aren't sure either, so it's about time we ask for.... OMG, EXPLANATION PLZ !!!!11
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| Pollyanna 1499th Post
Red Carpet Executive Member
| "Re(3):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Tue 15 Nov 06:55
I don't get what you mean by Bobby "definitely not flying in America", especially since I've never seen anyone but you have a problem with him. My opinion of him might not be as high as Makatiel's, but I can't find anything specifically offensive about him outside of "just look at the guy!". I especially can't imagine what he would do that's so offensive in the context of a fighting game. I can understand "better safe than sorry" (because it's not worth the risk of offending someone), but I think this is an overreaction.
But beyond that, I think it's for the better, because America only needs Matrimelee in the sense that any 2D fighter is a good 2D fighter. I miss the days when there was a new, mediocre 2D fighter every month, (and enjoyed each of them for that long or less), but that's all I can say for the game. It has poorly-drawn sprites, choppy animation, poor balance, mediocre control and a relatively shallow system. Even if we bitch about KOF every year (no matter how it turns out) the worst KOF is way WAY better than Matrimelee, and they have to put those in twin packs to get them out over here.
People who have a good opinion of the game either haven't played it long enough, don't know anything about fighting games, or are charmed by simple things.
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| KTallguy 766th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member+
| "Re(5):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Tue 15 Nov 08:27
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ok, so absolutely everyone seems to disagree with me on this, so I've taken the post down. I'll admit that my research for this has been entirely internet-based, and I guess this is one of those cases of being led down the wrong path as a result. So! Sorry Bobby, maybe you don't suck.
I don't disagree. But I don't think Bobby sucks.
Your observation on his role in the Japanese media is 90% correct, IMO. Japanese people just think it's funny.
Then again, when you get out of the US, you realize that everyone isn't so anal and PC about stuff like that, and you have to be able to laugh about and accept the differences between yourself and other people, no matter what the race, country, etc.
But I have seen several TV shows that this guy has appeared in, and by American standards it's pretty racist stuff. I watch the show and find myself wondering if he himself is speaking bad Japanese on purpose or not. Every once in a while he says something really spot on or funny (in a smart way) but usually he's just actin' the fool.
Proud Supporter of Next Generation GAMEPLAY
"テメエがヤクブソクなんだよ!"
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"What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Fri 11 Nov 08:09
Z80 AND SH-2 HEART ON FIRE !!
"Re(6):What? (Matrimelee)" , posted Fri 11 Nov 15:48
Best site EVER:
