Japanese Pop Culture Q & A: Miyazaki!

Melbourne trio Miyazaki! aren’t your usual punk rock band. They don’t get sports, and apparently sort of struggle with human interaction. We thought we’d throw the gents some wacky questions about Japanese pop culture and find out a little more about their latest EP ‘I’ll See Myself out’.

If Goku and Naruto were to have a fight to the death, who would be victorious?

Josh: This is more impossible than the Superman vs. Goku fight! I can’t pick a clear winner but we know it would take at least 40 episodes.

Luke: I’ll grab the popcorn!

If you could be any anime character for one day, who would it be?

Josh: Shinji from Evangelion. Kidding!!! Seriously, that kid’s screwed up. Either Edward Elrich (because Alchemy is the single best representation of magic on screen) or Brock from Pokemon so I can get the ladies. He got them right?

Luke: I think I’d want to just be one of the spirits hanging out in the ‘Spirited Away’ bathhouse. If I’ve only got one day, might as well spend it in leisure, right!?

You’re given the rights to make a new anime series – in under 5 sentences, give us the plot and lead characters bio?

Josh: Magical girls but instead make it magical rock band. Full transformation sequences, produced by Trigger in the style of Kill la Kill. Classic set up, over-the-top front man who is also an archaeologist. He travels the world with his scientist friends, who he also plays in a magical band with.

Luke: Just make the Pokemon anime as interesting as the plots in the games again!

In your own opinion, the ultimate piece of sushi is?

Luke: Ever had Butterfish Nigiri? Butterfish tastes exactly how it sounds. it’s awesome! I live near a Sushi Train that sells something called the “Mt. Fuji” that’s very large, extravagant, and expensive. I’ve never been game enough to try it but it looks ballin’.

Josh: Fresh Tuna. Simple and perfect.

Do Goku’s hair everyday for a year or fight Piccolo for 10 minutes?

Josh: This is the definition of Sophie’s choice, but if you hate both things. Anti-Sophie’s choice?

Luke: Honestly, I feel like the hair is a task I could get into. You’d have the benefit of looking awesome at least. There’s no positives to fighting Piccolo.

In a world full of Samurai’s, who would be the Samurai lord and who would be their first target?

Josh: Kevin Spacey would be an incredible samurai lord. With any luck he’d take out D-Trumps.

LS: Donnie Yen! That dude is a total BAMF. I’d wish him after whoever gave ‘Highlander: The Source’ the green light (I like ‘Endgame’ though!).

How many Studio Ghibli films back to back is considered emotional trauma?

LS: I’m an emotional mess. I struggle to get through even one without shedding a few…

Josh: You can pretty much go indefinitely until you hit ‘Grave of the Fireflies’. After that point, well…no one can take that kind of emotional trauma.

Is Nintendo 64 or Nintendo Wii the best gaming console ever made?

Josh: Nintendo 64! One of the best runs of games on any console! Mario Kart 64, Super Mario 64, Goldeneye, Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, Diddy Kong Racing, Mortal Kombat, Podracer, Mario Party 2 and 3! I’m biased though, I have at least a few backup consoles at home for when my N64 finally dies.

Luke: 100% agree with Josh on this one. Star Wars Pod Racer was the only good thing that came out of Episode 1.

In 4 words, without using the letter “E”, describe your music?

Josh: Loud, Raucous, Fun, Star Wars. Star Wars is one word, yeah?

Luke: W ar rally good!

Your EP’s lead single Tecate Nights is killer, who are the main influencers behind your sound?

Josh: We all come from really varied backgrounds but this particular song definitely has its roots closer to early Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance than our usual sound.

Luke: I never grew out of my mid-00s Emo-Pop phase. We don’t have a whole lot of artists that we all unanimously like but the few we can agree on are Brand New, The Matches, Modest Mouse, and Billy Bragg. It’s a bit of a mix but take it as you will. We always try to do our own thing. We just want to sound like Miyazaki! and not try to imitate anyone else.

We hear your lyrical content has a pretty strong overall theme. For the uninitiated, what do you guys sing about?

Luke: I have pretty shocking social skills (I try really hard though!) so most of our music is about my failed interactions with other human beings. The new EP has an overarching theme of growing up and struggling to find your place in the world; I’ve worked some pretty shocking jobs in my time so there’s a lot of stuff in there about hating that. Also sports. Sports suck.

Josh: We pretty much only sing about failing at adulting.