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Igniting A Fervor For Fitness In Japan
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There is, however, more to the Billy boom than anxiety about one's shape. It allows the Japanese to luxuriate in one of their favorite cultural pastimes -- a semi-ridiculous fad.
In his 2003 book "The Image Factory," the prominent cultural critic Donald Richie argued that the Japanese throw themselves into fads not to assert their individuality but to celebrate their membership in a group.
He argues that people everywhere -- including supposedly individualistic Americans -- do more or less the same thing, but that the Japanese do not waste time and effort on a pretense of marching to a different drummer.
Perhaps the greatest testament to the fad power that "Billy's BootCamp" has generated here is the extent to which it is being imitated -- for fun, fitness and profit.
Upscale fitness clubs, high school physical education classes and naked porn actresses have begun offering boot camp-style classes and workout tapes.
Mochizuki, the systems engineer in Yokohama who has tightened up his tummy, said the genius of Billy Blanks is that he has made the Japanese feel more confident about themselves.
"Even at work, I feel I shouldn't give up," he said.
