For the past six years, January 6th has been… a strange day. Every year.
If you’re familiar with American politics, you already know why. If you’re not — don’t worry. This post isn’t about that.
It’s about how a group of people I’ve never met before, completely unrelated to one another, helped me to see this day differently, and brought me out of my shell on the third day of the Yokohama stop on Travis Japan’s fourth national tour as a debuted group.
Anyone who knows me knows that over the past few years I’ve been incredibly lucky to experience some truly special opportunities in the entertainment world. One of the most meaningful has been getting to know the members of Travis Japan through interviews for outlets in the U.S. and abroad — including Life In Cartoon Motion. I’ve seen them open two concert tours in Japan, and I’ve caught countless performances back home in Los Angeles during the international legs of those tours and other special events.
What fewer people know is this: I’m not great in large crowds.
I get anxious. I get shy (yes, really), and sometimes I even get a little awkward. Again, a lot of that anxiety comes from things that seem to happen at an alarmingly high rate in the United States, so I do better in Tokyo, but even then, standing alone in massive crowds can still send me spiraling into panic mode.
So when Dumpling Box asked if I’d help with a fan promotion, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure how I would handle it, but since the site has been nothing but kind and supportive to me – besides, helping to support the guys felt important. Plus, the owner of the site promised she’d stay on the phone with me the entire time. So I said yes.
And just like that, I found myself standing among 17,000 fans at Yokohama Arena. Physically alone.
To make myself a little more recognizable — as if being the only white guy there didn’t already do the trick — I clipped a small plush of my favorite TJ member, Kaito Nakamura (Umi), onto my Loungefly Rainbow Brite Sprites Crossbody Bag. That tiny plush turned out to be the perfect icebreaker. It sparked conversations instantly, especially with fellow Umi fans.
I met two little boys and a little girl dressed in green (Umi’s member color) holding uchiwas, and carrying the same little plush. They were excited when they saw mine, and even more excited when I gave them the stickers Dumpling Box created.
Two teenage girls were the same, also commenting on my bag and sweatshirt. Then I met a young couple in their twenties (Male and Female). She was a major Umi fan while he seemed to like Chaka.
One woman — probably around my parents’ age — stopped to show me a handmade tiger costume she had for her Umi plush. (For those who don’t know, the group is affectionately known as the Unique Tigers – Umi is the Pet Tiger.) It was absolutely adorable. We talked for a bit, and she was genuinely thrilled that someone from overseas not only supported the group, but shared her bias.
Then she did something I wasn’t expecting.
She gave me the costume.
It was such a small thing, and yet such a profound act of generosity, which also started more conversations from other fans, including a fellow writer, Yuuka from Okinawa, who thought the tiger costume was adorable!
Every part of it was wonderful, but it was that small act of kindness from a stranger that completely shifted my day — and, honestly, how I’ll remember this date going forward.
Moments like that are a reminder of how fandom transcends language, borders, and age — helping artists like TJ continue to grow and be loved around the world. TraJa-TAN are the best fans.💜🐯💚
There will be more soon so…
Stay Tuned!
Life In Cartoon Motion 