The use and abuse of English

English is everywhere in Japan, on T-shirts, shops, packets of food and even wrapping paper. It is used to look stylish and also to just fill space. For example, I recently bought a packet of pick and mix (or pic'n'mix if you prefer) from a huge department store called Tokyo Hands. The packet for the pick and mix seemed usual enough; it is clear except for large red words like, “Candy, Cookie, Chocolate,” in the middle.


Then, as I was munching away I realised there was smaller text all over the rest of the packet. Words such as, “secret abode” and “Whacko Jacko,” stood out.


Why would a packet of pick and mix be abusing Michael Jackson I wondered. I read further, “Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt,” this was something to do with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory then. “Tim Burton, Johnny Depp,” aha I realised, a film review.

The review is broken up into paragraphs that end halfway through the last word and don’t make a lot of sense when read by themselves. Whoever designed this bag also did some letter swapping too including, “Jichael Mackson.”


Still there was enough for me to find the original article that this came from. It turns out to be a review from The Japan Times, the main English language newspaper here in Japan. You can read it yourself here http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20050916a3.html.


So one man's film review is another man's pick and mix bag design. I wonder if anyone has ever said that before?