Darth Vader has metamorphosed from an innocent boy to one of cinema's quintessential symbols of evil. But now he's getting back to his roots — in Japan.
A Tokyo-based traditional dollmaker, arguing that Darth Vader was inspired by Japan's samurai knights, has designed a set of armor fashioned after the Galactic Empire's dreaded enforcer.
Fans in touch with their dark side can buy a 90-centimetre tall samurai outfit handmade out of silk, aluminium and brass that covers the torso, arms and legs, along with a pair of black boots with padded soles.
"Darth Vader's costume was originally inspired by the Japanese samurai, so now we're returning the favor," said Norifumi Tanaka, manager for the Yoshitoku dollmaker, which will be soon mark its 300th anniversary.
The set also includes a bow and arrow and a sword — one of the traditional Japanese variety rather than the bright Star Wars lightsabers.
The suit is being released ahead of the 30th anniversary of the original Star Wars film along with Japan's traditional May 5 holiday for boys.
But with the full outfit costing 346,500 yen (NT$96,976), the dollmaker acknowledges their customers will be adults.
"Mainly people who are maniacs about this film are buying this — essentially men in their late 20s and older who grew up with this film," Tanaka said.
But Shigeki Sugihara, 34, taking a peek during his lunch break, said the price tag was just too much.
"The melding of the samurai and Darth Vader is certainly impressive, but it seems a little too expensive for what it is — and I'm disappointed that the sword doesn't even light up."(AFP)
星際大戰中的黑武士達斯?維德從天真無邪的小男孩,變型成電影中典型的邪惡象徵。但是,他現在回到了根源地︰日本。
東京一家傳統人偶商指稱,達斯?維德的靈感源自於日本武士,這家人偶商已設計一套以這位銀河帝國駭人武士為藍圖的盔甲。
和黑武士有所共鳴的影迷,可以購買九十公分長,長及軀體與雙腿、材質為絲、鋁銅合金的手工武士盔甲,還搭配了一雙加墊的黑靴。
即將邁入三百年歷史的吉德大光人偶廠之經理田中則文說︰「達斯?維德的服裝靈感源自日本武士,現在我們不過是互惠罷了。」
這套盔甲還包括了一對弓箭與一把日本傳統寶劍,而非《星際大戰》中閃亮的光劍。這套盔甲預計在《星際大戰》電影三十週年紀念、日本五月五日男兒節前上市。
不過,一整套的裝扮售價高達三十四萬六千五百日圓(新台幣九萬六千九百七十六元),這家人偶商顯然將消費群鎖定為成年人。
田中則文說︰「許多星際電影迷都會購買‥‥‥尤其是跟著這部電影成長的二、三十歲或年長男性。」
不過,趁午休時一窺究竟的三十四歲的杉原茂樹卻說,價格訂得太高囉。
「日本武士與達斯?維德的綜合體相當吸引人,但似乎有點太過昂貴。我對劍不能發光感到失望。」
(法新社/翻譯︰賴美君)
SAY WHAT? 說說看
be a maniac about sth
著迷,著魔
If you are a maniac about something, then you love it and probably spent much of your time on it. "Sam is a maniac about anime. He reads five comic books a day." You could also say Sam is mad about anime or Sam is crazy about anime.
If a person doesn't spend quite so much time on their hobby or interest, but still enjoys it, you could say that he is into his hobby. "Emily is into baseball. She reads the sports section every day."
假如你是某事的「maniac」,你熱愛這件事,也可能將大多時間投注在上頭。例如︰「山姆簡直是動漫畫迷。他一天可讀五本漫畫書」。你也可以說山姆「is mad about」或「is crazy about」動漫畫。
假如有人沒有花很多時間在自己的興趣上頭,但還是很喜歡這樣做,你就可以說那個人「is into」他的興趣。例如,「艾蜜莉很喜歡棒球。她每天都會讀體育版」。
OUT LOUD 對話練習
Chloe: Have you seen all the Star Wars movies?
Samantha: I think I saw some of them when I was a kid, but I haven't watched them in a long time.
Chloe: You've got to be kidding me! Those are the greatest movies ever. I can't believe you haven't watched them all!
Samantha: Don't go overboard. They might be good, but I'm sure they're not the best movies ever.
Chloe: Well, in the end it's just a matter of taste.
克洛伊︰你看過所有星際大戰電影嗎?
莎曼珊︰我想我小時候看過一點,但很久沒看了。
克洛伊︰你一定是開玩笑!那是史上最偉大的電影系列。我不敢相信你沒看完!
莎曼珊︰別太誇張了。那些電影是不錯,但我確信他們不是史上最佳的電影。
克洛伊︰這終究還是個人品味。
go overboard 太誇張了
If someone goes overboard, then they act in a manner that's too extreme. "Catherine said she was having a BBQ, but I didn't expect her to go overboard and roast three whole pigs."
假如你說某人「goes overboard」,是指那個人行事太過份。例如︰「凱薩琳說她要烤肉,但我沒料到她那麼誇張,竟然烤了三隻豬」。
Rice is an essential ingredient in Taiwanese cuisine. Many foods are made of rice, adding more variety to our cooking, such as rice cake, or “gui.” Wagui is made by steaming rice flour batter in a bowl. The term “gui” refers to a type of food made from rice, while “wa” refers to a bowl. The pronunciation of “gui” in Taiwanese Hokkien is similar to the word for “nobility” in Chinese, so it is common for people to prepare various types of gui, including wagui, as offerings to the gods or ancestors,. 米是台灣重要的主食,用米製成的食品十分多元,豐富我們的飲食,如米做成的「粿」。粿的意思是米做成的糕點,碗粿是將在來米漿倒入碗中蒸熟,因而得名。粿因為音同「貴」,因此碗粿等粿食常用作供品祭拜神明和祖先。 nobility (n.) 高貴,高尚;貴族 offering (n.) 供品 While Taiwan may not be
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