Part of the Chicago Cubs new print ad campaign. They’re obviously expecting big things from Kosuke — as Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano are the only other Cubs to get this treatment.
I like the design. The words are kind of funny and the rising sun logo is cool.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Fang // Jan 24, 2008 at 11:08 am
I wouldn’t mind a shirt with that across it. Interesting they used an old photo of him from Chunichi.
2 itchy // Jan 24, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I wonder if the designers were aware of the significance of that type of Hi No Maru — used by the military during WWII and subsequently signifying Japan’s imperialism in the Pacific.
3 TRob // Jan 24, 2008 at 1:54 pm
But the Hinomaru is used today by the current Japanese navy is it not? I’m sure the Cubs have no idea of the significance.
I’m not offended.
4 1908 // Jan 24, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I doubt the Cubs’ advertising firm gave it much thought. Besides, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force still uses a ensign very much like that today.
5 Shinsano // Jan 24, 2008 at 2:32 pm
And away we go:
http://with-malice.com/2008/01/24/cubs-asian-faux-pas/
I thought about mentioning the significance in the post, but I also remembered (as 1908 mentions) that the Japanese Navy uses the flag today.
The writer in the above post says its fair to compare the using of the rising sun to the Dallas Mavs using a nazi flag to promote Dirk and the team.
Uh, no it’s not.
6 JJ // Jan 24, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I copied this from the author of the above post’s site. From wikipedia:
This flag is often considered offensive in countries which were victims of Japanese hostility, particularly China, Australia, United States and the Koreas, where it is seen as alarming, nationalistic and hostile
That’s enough proof for me.
7 Waffles // Jan 24, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I don’t know about that. There are plenty of things….like the Korean Hitler Bars in the column to the right of your screen…that people can be upset about before this. I don’t think taking down the Chicago Cubs over a design that implies.. emphasis on imply… the design used by the Japanese imperial army.
8 Jackson // Jan 24, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I don’t think the issue here is the offensive-ness of the design, it’s more the kind of cliche aspect of it. I hope one day Japanese players will become commonplace in MLB to the point that their nationality isn’t really noticed anymore. It’s not like every time an MLB team signs a Dominican Player they make some obvious merengue reference. Hopefully soon the novelty will wear off to the point where these kinds of things aren’t highlighted as much. It’s just kinda trite.
Cool design tho, at least graphic design wise, apart from the possibly politically un-PC implications of it.
9 westbaystars // Jan 24, 2008 at 10:32 pm
The same issues were raised when Robert Whiting published “The Meaning of Ichiro” with the same type of flag on the front cover. U.S. WWII veteran groups were turned off of the book because of it. But I never read about any serious protests.
To those of us who were raised in the era of piece that followed, it’s just a good looking design. I know I have a few flags/bandannas like that around the house, including the one on my Mt. Fuji climbing stick that I display proudly in my bedroom.
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