Friday Favorites: A Katamari Thanksgiving

I had this early edition of Friday Favorites planned a couple weeks back to take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday, but it seems that its timing was perfect given my current malaise. Luckily, it is a happy, colorful entry, so I don't feel too bad reposting it.

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Since today is the American Thanksgiving, I thought that today would probably be the best day to discuss a game that glorifies the values of excess. Of course I am talking about Katamari Damacy, a fantasy for the tryptophan-soaked mind. If you visit the site with the sound on, well, be prepared to have that little tune permanently etched into your brain, and if you've played it, this could happen to you!

And while it is a very Japanese game (watch the intro for the surreal proof), it also does have some very telling American values in it as well. For most of you, it is a holiday, so I am going to spin you a little scenario.

Think about your job, and your managers... the kind of people who see you are making headway pushing your pile of responsibilities and tasks, and out of spite, drunkenness or laziness they delegate more and more things for you to do around the office while expecting you to keep up the pace, and then when you fail, they try to put the onus on you rather than taking the blame for themselves. That is part of the philosophy of Katamari Damacy in a nutshell, but unlike most work situations, well, you do have the feeling that you did well if you bested your performance from a previous try, and that is saying something.

Of course, since the person doling out the insults and scorn upon the young Prince is his father, the King of All Cosmos, there are also familial parallels to some of the conflicts that people throughout the United States are likely having in kitchens and dining rooms across the country, and like the original Japanese version of the game, alcohol is likely involved. Naturally, as we grow up, we get over many of the issues that face us, usually through acceptance or success, but there are always those lingering doubts, and I am sure the Prince is going to be left with some of his own.

But down to its very core, it is about one little strange man succeeding at a herculean task... because no matter how big the task, that little Prince can keep chugging along, pushing his ball to a mammoth size without ceasing. His performance should put Sisyphus to shame. That is the kind of inspiration story that anyone could root for(even if they don't like the game).



OK, I think WAY too much about things... I accept that.

And, I don't know who this insurance company/ad firm think they are fooling when they say they took no inspiration from Katamari Damacy. Really.

Tags: katamari, damacy, we love katamari, traveller's insurance, sisyphus, king of all cosmos, japanese, namco, thanksgiving, tryptophan, advertising, clump, game, me and my katamari, the prince