BeMani turns 10, Konami gets dressed

by Jonti Davies { Jan 23rd 2007 at 12:40AM }

Has it really been a decade since Konami made the rhythm-action genre a cultural phenomenon? Apparently so. And to celebrate BeMani's 10th anniversary, Konami is holding a 'Pop'N Music Culture Festival' next month at Tokyo's Laforet Museum. Fans should make arrangements to be in Harajuku, Tokyo on February 24/25. Limited edition BeMani-related goods will be on sale at the event, while Konami plans to keep the party dancing with a string of live performances from dance troupes and DJs.

The best mementos of this anniversary, though, are the Pop'N Music t-shirts being made by Graniph (a Japanese t-shirt designer that's more Benetton than Bape) to commemorate everything that's been funky about BeMani over the past decade. Only 500 of these shirts are being made, so residents of Japan should make their orders "pronto".

Tags: BeMani, Japan, Konami, Tokyo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

FSK405K @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:24AM

Hmm, call me ignorant but I thought Parappa the Rapper started all this.

Petrie @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:39AM

Parappa helped get the ball rolling, but Konami and their Bemani collection of games are what made them the cultural phenomenon, instead of a passing fad.

FSK405K @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:42AM

Ah, so like how the Odyssey was soon outperformed by Atari.

BobSaget @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:53AM

I'm a Pop'N fan, but that shirt just doesn't look that good.

And Parappa did come out a little bit earlier than Beatmania, but Beatmania is what made it a 'cultural phenomenon' (I think that's the part you're trying to pick out). Not only did it make a bigger splash, but the multiple scrolling notes display is an important part of making a game like this more than just a jukebox with requirements.

Petrie @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:54AM

Exactly, they didn't invent it, but they helped to perfect the genre. I mean look where poor Parappa ended up.

mrdelayer @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:13AM

Meanwhile, the M in "Bemani" shouldn't be capitalized.

mkoracer @ Jan 24th 2007 12:39AM

I just accidentally broke my PaRappa PS CD when I was moving. So sad. I will no doubt purchase a PS3 the very instant I can download and play the PS version of PaRappa on it.

flaeshal @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:04AM

That pop'n shirt is kinda ugly :(

needs more 2dx and drummania.

DarkTetsuya @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:37AM

#6: Why not? it *is* short for 'beatmania' after all. (Though if you want to be technical, the entire thing is actually capitalized, like on the official trademark that appears in every bemani game ever. and 'beatmania' is lowercase as well, so perhaps none of it matters anyway.)