Last summer the international pop-star Pharrell Williams rocked Japan with his single, “Happy,” which launched countless fan-made remakes across the country. Joining in with the “happy” Japanese people, he has since collaborated with renowned artist Takashi Murakami to make a remix of virtual star Hatsune Miku’s video “Last Night, Good Night (Re:Dialed).” This time around, however, Pharrell is trying to bring fun Japanese culture to the rest of the world.

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Pharrell once again mingled with Murakami in creating the video for his song “It Girl.” As director, Murakami managed to bring in almost every facet of Japanese pop-culture. Let alone the bright, flashing colors and pop-out words (in both English and Japanese), the video fluctuates from 8-bit video game style, to rotoscoping, and to good ole Japanese animation and back again. It’s a lot to look at, if not borderline overwhelming.

▼This video has a lot of cute going on.

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One cool aspect of the video is that it contains some nice scenes of a typical Japanese summer that uninformed Westerners wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. The appearance of Pharrell in 8-bit and anime-style was kind of cute too – except the part where he peeps on bikini-clad anime-girls with binoculars…

▼ He’s just watching dolphins with those binoculars, right?

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While Japanese and Westerners alike were surprised by the excessive cute and moe images, they reacted quite differently. The Japanese seem to appreciate Murakami’s “art” of combining rough hip-hop culture with overly-cute otaku culture.

Westerners on the other hand, are either rejoicing over Pharrell’s open-mind and creativity or are disgusted and now see him as a creeping pedophile (again, the binoculars). Others were displeased for other reasons, seeing the video as doing anime, and many of its fans, a dishonor by inaccurately portraying “typical” anime.

I actually got a little caught up in reading the vehement and often explicit arguments going on in the comment section on YouTube between the pro- and against-Pharrell viewers. Check out some of the (more appropriate) comments from English-speaking viewers:

The against-Pharrell viewers:

“Hentai.”

“This is actually disgusting. And please STOP with the ‘how do you know it’s an underage girl!!’ … This is gross and I don’t see how anyone can support it. Ewww.”

“There are so many things wrong with this video…”

“He looks like a pedofile (sic) stalking little girls lol.”

“This is the Anime I stayed away from.”

“Dude, you’re ruining anime for people.”

▼ Those comments have gotta hurt…

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The pro-video viewers:

“This is awesome, I give you major props for this. It’s creative and something you like, so never be afraid to share it with others. :)”

“Now I love this guy more. (￣▽￣)ノ＿彡☆Respect！!”

“Thank you Pharrell for being original and for loving the anime, you rocks bro! (✧∀✧)”

▼ Don’t worry Pharrell, not all of your fans are doubting you.

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I can come to understand how the scantily clad, long-legged, big-breasted girls of anime, and those other anime girls who might look younger than their years, could cause some unaccustomed/uninformed people to be offended by the video. I have to say though, I’ve watched my fair share of anime over the years and the cute, pig-tailed blond that Pharrell’s character becomes infatuated with seems a little pre-adolescent-looking to me too. But hey, I’m no expert.  Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

Source: NetLab
Image: YouTube (PharrellWilliamsVEVO)