Taiso

As you may already have heard, blood type is kind of a big deal here in Japan. As well as being asked about your age, hobbies and family, it’s not in the least bit unusual to be probed about your blood type during welcome parties, dates or mixers. This isn’t because any of the attendees are sick and hoping to leech your life-giving fluid, but because there is a set of commonly held beliefs that blood type determines personality, and knowing whether someone is blood type A, B, AB or O can act as a shortcut to getting to know them. Or at least that’s the theory.

Today, we bring you a morning exercise routine devised especially for those who are blood type B. In case you hadn’t already guessed from the above GIF, the moves you’ll be performing here are made for those people who give up on things quickly, absolutely hate being told what to do and who aren’t afraid to show it.

Radio calisthenics, or rajio taisō, have been a part of Japanese culture since the 1920s. A set of morning exercises designed to wake people up and help prevent injury during the day, they are still aired – now on TV as well as radio – each and every morning on certain channels. Few members of the younger generation would ever dream of following along to the routines unless they absolutely have to, but for many people these morning stretches are a part of everyday life, and a number of companies still have their own morning routines for employees to participate in.

▼ If you’re feeling a little stiff this morning, why not give this a try?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS92XkVKM0Q

But there are some who, for no reason other than the blood type they were born with, lack the concentration and energy required to properly perform such stretching routines. They have every intention of joining in, but no sooner have they started than they’re already sick of it and angry at the world for making them follow along.

Here we see a number of traits purported to be common to B-gata, or those with blood type B.

1. Initial enthusiasm immediately followed by lethargy and a desire to quit 

▼ Up!!

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.17.38 AMYouTube

▼ Pffft

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.18.00 AMYouTube

2. Hating being told what to do

▼ Sure I’ll swing my arms around, but I’m not gonna pretend to like it

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.20.10 AMYouTube

▼ “Yadaa!” (“I hate this!”)

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.20.23 AMYouTube

3. A little bit more lethargy…

▼ Few can yawn through a morning exercise routine quite like B-gata people

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.20.50 AMYouTube

4. And finally, a lack of consideration for other people’s feelings

▼ From the left…

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.21.14 AMYouTube

▼ …to the right!

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.21.23 AMYouTube

▼ Ah, he wasn’t fooling anyone with that comb-over anyway!

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.21.31 AMYouTube

This video is actually a few years old now, but was recently re-discovered by Japanese net users and discussed at length. A few felt that it was a little bit hard on B-gata folks, who are often unfairly labelled as akippoi, or quick to give up, whereas others felt that as B-gata themselves it described them perfectly. But regardless of whether we should pay much attention to the statements the video makes, it’s still tremendously funny, so let’s watch it together!

If you’re curious to learn more about blood type and personality, be sure to check out our previous article. Unless you have blood type B, in which case, um, don’t check it out.

Source: Kinisoku 
Video/screenshots: YouTube