I've been commuting by train ever since Madhouse moved to its current location. The Tokyo Metro line I use has an ongoing "Manners Campaign" to remind people of proper manners through a series of illustrated posters, each featuring a typical annoying behavior on the part of some train passengers. One such behavior that particularly annoys me is girls applying full makeup, starting from slapping skin lotion on their faces, all the way to smearing five coats of mascara on their fake lashes. I even saw a absolutely beautiful girl plucking nose hair with her fingers while she examined her nostrils in a 12" vanity mirror. She probably won't do it in front of her boyfriend, so I don't understand why she thinks it's okay to do that in full view of the general public. This never, never happened when I was that age; even checking your makeup in a compact mirror was somewhat frowned upon.

Later, I saw a TV program featuring the Harajuku's Hokosha Tengoku (Pedestrian's Paradise) from the 80's and 90's. I suddenly remembered that many of the youths who performed on the streets back then used to change into their gaudy costumes right there on the train. Although Harajuku's Hoko-ten is long gone now, so maybe the habit of changing clothes and applying makeup on the train remained part of the youth culture.

On my way home tonight, I saw a drunken salaryman all sprawled out inside the the train doorway. He was getting kicked and stepped on, but looked too drunk to be bothered by such actions. Maybe applying makeup on the train isn't as bad compared when to that human doorstop.

I'm happy to hear that Akiba is getting back on its feet again after that horrible incident approximately one year ago (6/8/2009). The Hokosha Tengoku (Pedestrians' Paradise) will resume this summer after reinforcing security measures throughout the area. That guy who randomly stabbed pedestrians with a knife is still on trial. His name is Tomohiro Kato; do remember the name of this loser, who blamed others for his own pathetic problems. He was a loner, and actually believed that all his problems were linked to the fact that he had no girlfriend. He blogged about his plan to kill people in Akihabara on the morning of the incident, and continued to update his entries approximately 30 times until the moment he reached Akihabara in a rented truck, which he drove all the way from Shizuoka Prefecture. That's a lot of updates--about as many as I tweet in two weeks if I'm really doing a lot of them. Maybe it was his way of showing that he wanted someone to stop him from executing this violent plan, but apparently no one paid serious attention to his entries. He ran over five people with his truck once he got there, then got out and stabbed twelve more. Seven people died.

Just recently, on 6/22/2010, another crazy guy ran people over eleven people with his car at the Mazda factory where he used to work before he was laid off. He also intended to stab people with a knife, and mentioned that he got his idea from the Akiba incident. It makes me sad to think that he won't be the last to commit such senseless copycat murders.

On and before the Akiba incident's one year anniversary, 2channel was buzzing with entries made by sick people who called Kato a "god", and praised him for killing a beautiful 21-year-old girl, whom many 2channelers love to hate for some twisted reason. Okay, stop right there, guys. Remember that most of the victims were men of all ages. So be careful what you wish for; the god of destruction you praise so much may choose you as his victim next time.