Craig’s notes
I started with an NT21 broadcast of Pop Rockets ’88. Buck-Tick played “In Heaven” and “Romanesque”; Show-Ya, Mika Kaneko and Up-Beat were in the part we watched too. The commercials kept pace with the music. There was a Toyota Mark II spot, a DeLorean sitting in a driveway in a Misawa ad, and “I feel Coke” showed up more than once.
The second viewing didn’t just pick up with more music. It wandered into a game-show bit about tan lines and then concert material that a viewer connected to Yui Asaka’s Vitamin C Tour. That tour identification still needs a look at the footage. We got another commercial break before stopping, but no sign yet of the television-special preview or title match written on the label. There’s more to watch.
Content inventory
Shows and segments (playback order)
- NT21 television identification; Pop Rockets ’88: Observed music program. The station and program identify this portion, not necessarily every recording on the tape.
- Buck-Tick: “In Heaven” and “Romanesque.”
- Show-Ya: “Come On” and “One Way Heart.”
- Mika Kaneko: Performance noted; song not identified.
- Up-Beat: “Eden,” “Blind Age” and “Dear Venus.”
- Bubblegum Brothers: Temptations and other covers logged as “Get Ready,” “My Girl,” “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” “Stand By Me” and “Soul Sister Brown Sugar”; performer/song readings follow the viewing log.
- DX7: “Gaiya on the Road” in the first viewing. Continued DX7 identification in the second viewing is tentative; “Hippy Hippy Shake!,” “Teya Teya I Want You” and “The Kamui” were also logged.
- Unidentified game-show segment: A tan-line rating bit; a chat suggestion of Gaki no Tsukai is unverified.
- Unidentified film/TV production footage: A “TNN” reading and a speculative movie identification appear in the second viewing log; station and program not resolved.
- Concert-tour material: Logged as Yui Asaka’s Vitamin C Tour by a viewer; the observed songs were “Kiss of Fire,” “Star” and “Stay by Me.” Confirm artist and tour from the tape before asserting either as definitive.
Commercial inventory
Observed Pop Rockets ’88 break:
- Cha Cha Car: Viewing-log reading.
- Beer: Brand unidentified.
- Eyline: Viewing-log reading.
- Philip Morris Super Lights.
- Heinz beef curry: Identification tentative.
- Nissan: No car shown in the logged spot.
- Look East: Identity unclear.
- Drink yogurt: Brand unidentified.
- JR / Japan Railways: Green logo; identification tentative.
- Crackers: Brand unidentified.
- Formula Shell Super X: Marlboro Formula One car in spot.
- Snack cookies: Brand unidentified.
- JR East Niigata Branch: “Young Ladies Monthly Date with the Super City” from the viewing log; exact campaign title unverified.
- Nivea face wash.
- Maru Electric: Viewing-log reading.
- Look East: Girl in water; another logged spot.
- Coca-Cola: “I feel Coke.”
- Toyota Mark II: “Fun to Drive.”
- Japan Rail: Young women in the city / “TYO” reading.
- Japan Rail: Woman in train station.
- Coca-Cola: Club/gambling setting and “I feel Coke” slogan.
- Misawa: DeLorean in driveway.
- JR Tokyo Dome.
Second-viewing break following concert material:
- SQ: Possible alcohol drink, orange-juicing imagery; reading uncertain.
- Countertop oven: Brand unidentified.
- Excavators: Product or advertiser unidentified.
- Roof heater: Melting snowmen.
- Olympics-themed TV spot: Purpose uncertain.
- Bread: Brand unidentified.
- Panasonic Maclord C-Movie: Log calls it an ad.
- Soup: Brand unidentified.
Station and show promos
- Expo 88 roller-coaster item: Logged near the concert material; promo versus commercial status uncertain.
- Expo 88 roller-coaster item: Logged again in the later break; sponsor and exact category still uncertain.
On the label
- Printed/handwritten transcription includes
テレビジョン・スペシャル 次回予告,東洋太平洋タイトル戦,タイトルマッチand293. The tentative English readings are television-special preview and title-match material; none is confirmed in viewed playback.
Tape details
- Format: VHS; partial Japanese home television recording. Condition: Good.
- Viewed: August 19 and August 26, 2026, both partial. The remainder has not been watched in these notes.
- Program year: ’88 appears in the observed show name; the entire tape’s recording date is not established.
