Wish I had THAT connection to my childhood

Typical Chinese my age - most folks would easily assume I had my fair share of kid icons like anime or sentai heroes (Power Rangers) before they ever made it big here. But that's actually not so true since I grew up here. And you know, that's a shame because I just saw the most incredible video clip tonite.

Around here, you're expected to "grow up" at some point in your life and all of a sudden, it's socially unacceptable to enjoy childhood interests like cartoons and stuff. But what if (for the sake of arguement) there was a singular icon from your childhood that you just couldn't let go of. I don't mean you watched Star Trek as a kid and that you're a geek now for still liking reruns from 1968. I mean, an icon that was designed expressly to entertain kids. And let's say that icon was so huge that everyone in your generation remembers it just as fondly as you do. And let's also assume that the production company knows that it can tap into that nostalgia and come up with a special live performance that reunited the cast of such an icon. Perhaps the original artists who performed the theme songs or something. And better yet, all these participants are actually not embarrassed by their involvement in this iconic franchise and are thrilled to put on a show - Just. For. You.

Now wouldn't that just be a load of fun?

Alas, such a thing wouldn't ever happen here... but it happens in Japan on a fairly regular basis.

Back to the video clip: it's from a concert put on by the cast and singers from the original Sentai team Goranger. From circa 1975, the show is so old that it never made the transition to American "Power Rangers" adaptation. But the fans were gobbling it up. The clip is a professionally recorded performance of one of the theme songs and very clearly, the aging star of the Goranger show (now in his late-50s) was smiling the whole time and everyone on stage sang their hearts out and seemed to be having a blast. And at choreographed moments during the song, would wave their hands in typical "ranger" action poses. And it got better: the fans in the crowd, let's assume their in their late-20s/early-30s, clapped along and at their cue all pumped their fists in the air and shouted the battle-cries at the right moment... the whole image was just surreal to see so many grown men and women enjoying their childhood heroes on stage.

If I were a little ambitious (and I'm not) I'd post the clip on a Yousendit.com address and share it. But well, I'm not quite sure it's worth that effort. If you really wanna see it, find a homepage called #TV-Nihon and go to their bittorrent page... Look for a torrent called "Super Sentai Spirits 2004 Live." It's just so... weird to see.

Anyway, I kinda feel like I missed out on something special having grown up here in North America...