Noted manga and Rozen Maiden fan Tarō Asō in running to be Japan's next Prime Minister

by Iri
Sep 14, 2007 2:58 PM | 24 Comments

Tarō Asō, current Secretary General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, has been cited as a frontrunner to replace resigning PM Shinzo Abe. He has been quoted as generally reading 10-20 manga per week and is particularly noted as being a large fan of Peach-Pit's Rozen Maiden, picking up the nickname "Rozen Aso" in the process. He spoke at a large campaign rally nearly a year ago in the otaku-centric Akihabara neighborhood where the majority of his speech involved anime, manga, and other Japanese popular culture.

In related news, shares in manga-related stocks jumped considerably on news of Aso's possible ascension to PM, with Broccoli up 71% yesterday.

Sources:

Reuters
ANN
Japan News Review

20 of 24 Comments Recent Comments

Iri said:

It was interesting that the last couple of days were GDH's highest-volume days in several months though. Even during the total collapse over the summer, it hardly ever traded at over 2,000 shares/day, and each of the last two days more than tripled that. It's sort of hard to figure what's really going on at such low volumes (compared to the larger-scale trading models I'm used to seeing on the American markets) since there might potentially be only a few dozen or hundred investors steering this whole thing.

But, to get back on topic: If Aso shows up to the inauguration in Sanya Litvyak gear, then Gonzo will truly be saved.

That surge in trades simply reflects investors' anticipation of a short-term Aso-effect. GONZO has only six months left before it gets kicked out of the market. Only way to save GONZO is Aso gains Geass power and orders "Buy the flying Loli without pants anime untill you empty the wallet!"

Sep 3, 2008 8:27 AM by dtshyk

dtshyk said:

Iri said:

Broccoli up 21% today.
Mandarake up 16.5%
GDH K.K. up 13.5%

HEADLINE: GONZO ANIMATION SAVED BY OTAKU PRIME MINISTER/FLYING LOLI WITCH MECHA CATGIRLS WITH NO PANTS.

GDH stock price dropped by 75-80% for these four months. (dropped by 98.6% since 2006) Such slight increase doesn't make differences. Today it dropped by 11%. SAYONARA~ GONZO. Pantsless witches anime was your end-of-life fireworks.

Absolutely true, but in stock death spirals like this, it's important to at least hit a bottom, if only for psychological reasons. With only 88,000 GDH shares outstanding at that price and a bottom maybe in sight (and that's a big maybe), this might (although it probably won't) mean the difference between a new buyout investor taking a risk by picking up the company for a song and outright liquidation.

It was interesting that the last couple of days were GDH's highest-volume days in several months though. Even during the total collapse over the summer, it hardly ever traded at over 2,000 shares/day, and each of the last two days more than tripled that. It's sort of hard to figure what's really going on at such low volumes (compared to the larger-scale trading models I'm used to seeing on the American markets) since there might potentially be only a few dozen or hundred investors steering this whole thing.

But, to get back on topic: If Aso shows up to the inauguration in Sanya Litvyak gear, then Gonzo will truly be saved.

Sep 3, 2008 3:46 AM by Iri

Iri said:

Iri said:

Buy manga stocks NOW. :D

Broccoli up 21% today.
Mandarake up 16.5%
GDH K.K. up 13.5%

HEADLINE: GONZO ANIMATION SAVED BY OTAKU PRIME MINISTER/FLYING LOLI WITCH MECHA CATGIRLS WITH NO PANTS.

Sep 3, 2008 2:40 AM by dtshyk

Iri said:

Buy manga stocks NOW. :D

Broccoli up 21% today.
Mandarake up 16.5%
GDH K.K. up 13.5%

HEADLINE: GONZO ANIMATION SAVED BY OTAKU PRIME MINISTER/FLYING LOLI WITCH MECHA CATGIRLS WITH NO PANTS.

Sep 2, 2008 2:56 PM by Iri

Someone should ask if he's read Sanctuary.

Sep 1, 2008 5:51 PM by Plate

wowz

Sep 1, 2008 5:48 PM by Rei_12

Aso Taro reading Rozen Maiden

Aso participated in Montreal Olympic skeet shooting game.

"I sometimes post comments to 2channel." "I read 12-13 manga a week" "I subscribe to Weekly Shounen Magazine, Jump, Sunday, Champion, Big Comic Original, Weekly Morning, Young Jump, Young Sunday..."

Sep 1, 2008 5:45 PM by dtshyk

kei-clone said:
well, looks like he lost to Fukuda as expected. better luck next time :(

Necro-bumping since next time appears to be right now, as Fukuda resigned this morning and Aso is most likely to follow:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24280184-26397,00.html

Aso's a hardcore nationalist who will divide the country, but he also likely has tons of Hina Ichigo merchandise, so I'm torn.

Buy manga stocks NOW. :D

Sep 1, 2008 9:32 AM by Iri

BadSeafood said:
I'm a little bit more preoccupied with his ability to govern than his taste in Manga.

QFT!

Sep 27, 2007 2:33 PM by DimmuBorgir

I'm a little bit more preoccupied with his ability to govern than his taste in Manga.

Sep 27, 2007 1:24 PM by BadSeafood

No way, I wouldn't wish luck for a nationalist pig.

Nationalists in any country suck bad, but in Japan they're like, five times more annoying, stubborn, and idiotic.

Sep 27, 2007 1:19 PM by accela

well, looks like he lost to Fukuda as expected. better luck next time :(

Sep 24, 2007 9:44 PM by kei-clone

Interesting news, I read it in the Globe and Mail the other day.

I hope people don't vote for him solely on the basis that he likes anime/manga. From what I have heard he isn't a very good guy and has done a hack job so far in some ways.

Sep 15, 2007 4:18 PM by charlie_l

Hmm…would he be a good pm? I mean he reads a lot of anime and manga, would he have to drop some of it, so he can take on the work load of being a pm? You know like not reading so much?

Sep 15, 2007 11:10 AM by YoshikoHatake

lawl this sounds intresting xD

Sep 15, 2007 9:45 AM by DareDevin

I wish I had stock XD

Sep 15, 2007 9:39 AM by vaprrenon

kei-clone said:
I knew about Taro Aso and his anime tastes a while ago. Glad to hear he's in the running for PM. but why rozen maiden? >_>

somone slap him :P

doll-cest FTW!

Sep 15, 2007 9:00 AM by Ranivus

otakuman706 said:

kei-clone said:
If he speaks english we should have him throw together a list on MAL.

Agreed.

But all I have to say on this is... lol.

Sep 15, 2007 8:33 AM by atlantiza