(BBtv) Stormtrooping Akihabara: Silicon Valley meets Tokyo meets Star Wars meets Sexy Maids / feat. Joi Ito + Danny Choo

I hope you are sitting down when you hit "play." Joi Ito, the host of today's special Boing Boing tv episode from Tokyo, explains what you're about to witness:

This year, the Digital Garage New Context Conference and Ellen Levy's Silicon Valley Connect worked together on a program for visitors from Silicon Valley to Tokyo. Silicon Valley Connect is a program that Ellen runs which brings executives and visionaries from Silicon Valley to various parts of the world. This year, we organized a group to visit Japan.

As part of the "cultural program" we decided to take a tour of Akihabara, the mecca of all things otaku, anime and electronic in Japan. I asked a very special friend, Danny Choo, son of the famous shoe designer Jimmy Choo, to lead the tour. I call Danny "The Prince of Akihabara". He is one of the world's experts on Japan's otaku culture and has one of the most popular English language websites about Japan.

One of his favorite things is to dress up as a storm trooper and spread his love and happiness in Akihabara. He is often accompanied by his side-kick Darth Vader, played by Hector Garcia who also has a super-popular blog about Japan. (Danny on CNN talking about this hobby of his.)

When I talked to Xeni Jardin about this, we decided that this might make a good Boing Boing TV episode... and I think we were right.

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped.

Participants from Silicon Valley included Ellen Levy (LinkedIn), Ken Glidewell, Loic Le Meur (Seesmic), Geraldine Le Meur (Le Web), bunnie Huang (Chumby), Jean-Marie Hullot (Fotonauts), Matt Flannery (Kiva), Julie Hanna Farris (SocialText) and Chamath Palihapitiya (Facebook).

Update: Danny "Prince of Akihabara" Choo has blogged his thoughts about the stormtroopin' hijinx on dannychoo.com. He has a wonderful photo gallery from the tour here.

Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by jpoulos , December 4, 2008 9:15 AM

Isn't he a little short for a stormtrooper?

#2 posted by Phil Hilliker , December 4, 2008 9:31 AM

I love when they Da-Da-Da-Da-Da'ed their way through the Imperial March towards the end. Looks like crazy amounts of fun.

#3 posted by Anonymous , December 4, 2008 10:04 AM

Anyone know what that track was in the middle there? I couldn't find it in the credits, and it was awesome!

#4 posted by Xeni Jardin

, December 4, 2008 10:23 AM

It's pretty hot, huh? It's not commercially available, it's music from a licensing firm we subscribe to. Ping me offline if you want more details, but it's not something you can download for $.99, alas.

#5 posted by igzabier , December 4, 2008 12:55 PM

fun fun fun , and nice memories for me, and congrats to mrs.Ito for new marriage!!

#6 posted by dannychoo , December 4, 2008 1:17 PM

Great video guys!
I posted photos that we took on the day.
http://www.dannychoo.com/adp/eng/1610/Silicon+Valley+in+Tokyo.html

#7 posted by frankiez

, December 4, 2008 6:37 PM

WOW!
Great to see Danny on BoingBoing!!

#8 posted by ssakamoto , December 5, 2008 3:44 AM

I made a documentary on a maid cafe in akihabara if anyone's interested:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=uHbUurgYsog

#9 posted by geopet , December 6, 2008 8:33 AM

Loved this and I'm right there with #3 -- great music. The dancing scene early on in the video left me cracking up.