12:58 PM


So while I've been gathering screencaps from the Hi-Ho Flash animations, my friend Glenn Austin has dug into the mysteries of Hi Ho, and reports in with the following (in clicking on any Hi-Ho related links, if you're using Explorer just click Cancel whenever prompted to install Japenese language components; you'll still be able to be baffled with the rest of us):

Intrigued by the goofy animations, I went poking around the
site. Between my rudimentary japanese and babelfish, I was able to
find their e-cards section, and I generated this little gem:

http://town.hi-ho.ne.jp/cgi-bin/town/ed/sc4.cgi?095529827248974337

It sent it to me in a japanese email, which in mercy for your system,
I won't include. However, here's what the fish had to say about it:

It starts with a link to a flash ad for universal studios japan, at:

http://www4.ynot.co.jp/site/hiho/ad/html/20312usj_g2f.html

and then went on to say (babelfished):

>Hi-ho E card transmission completion
>
>Glenn Loos-Austin[glenn@clotho.com]
>
>To above-mentioned one,
>The hi-ho animation E card of request was sent.
>The hi-ho E card utilizing, thank you for.
>For you to view the E card which you send, please click the URL below:
>http://town.hi-ho.ne.jp/cgi-bin/town/ed/sc4.cgi?095529827248974337
>(Clicking the URL above, when the E card is not indicated,
>everything copying in the URL address input column of the browser,
>please view.)
>
>* As for hi-ho E card Panasonic hi-ho and Ynot Inc. Cooperating, it
>is the service which we have reported. In inquiry, Ynot Inc. From
>you reply. No soldier/finishing please acknowledge.
>
>* As for question * opinion to
>this way !" help-hiho@ynot.co.jp
>
>* Hi-ho E card: http://town.hi-ho.ne.jp/ecard
>
>* Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. corporation Panasonic hi-ho
> http://home.hi-ho.ne.jp
>
>Powered by Ynot Inc.



All in all, I have the following observations/speculations:

It appears to be a goofy mascot for a ADSL broadband service. The
opening animation of the flash says "ADSL, 750 yen a month" among
other things.

I'm guessing the animations linked from your page are either parts of
e-cards, prototypes for e-cards, or independant animations intended
for some similar indirectly promotional purpose.

It seems not too dissimilar from something like the 7-up dots
promotions of a decade or two ago. The relationship to the actual
product is dubious. Had the web existed, I bet there would have been
7-up dot e-cards that seemed as contextless as these do.



So, driven by curiousity, I have translated the subtitles of the
animation that you characterized as "too inexplicable to summarize".
My best effort is:

Hey! Come see! (kids against white)
HI-HO! HI-HO! (kid with microphone)
The mouse dances! (4 dancing mice)
Yes!
With provider HI-HO! (cresting wave in background)


beloved internet, (growing thought bubble)
(as you call it) (-showing other expensive utilities)
HI-HO! (waving computer)
With our cheap plan (computer with flying yen)
we will perhaps even allow (might purse with coins)
your dinner of tomorrow to be (chopsticks and bowls)
Sukiyaki! (picture of hot-pot)


chattochatto (cha-cha-cha)
chattocharanto (cha-cha-cha)
charirarirariraan (la-la-la)
HI- HI- HI- HI- HI- (also could mean Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes)
HI-HO!


Thanks to Glenn, it all starts to make a strange sort of sense. I have even delved into the Hi-Ho e-cards section to make a very special Choose Your Own Adventure Hi-Ho card just for OD readers. No, I don't speak Japanese, so I don't know why the kid's dad seems to be portrayed as a devil figure either.



One last thing, caps of the Hi-Ho Gang, for your Photoshopping pleasure:



Enjoy, and have a good weekend.