VOX POPULI: 3-D adventures well suited for playful minds

Pop-up children's books are great fun. A Japanese-language pop-up version of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," the award-winning book by Eric Carle, was put out last spring by publisher Kaisei-sha Ltd.

When the familiar cakes and fruits with wormholes pop up, readers may feel that their stomachs are full. Soon a much fatter caterpillar pops up.

"By making pictures pop up or creating sounds, we can build a bridge from toys to books," says Koji Ogawa, president of Dai Nippon Kaiga Co., which publishes many movable books. With the turning of each page, children become engrossed in the stories.

What about "pop-up moving images"? Behold the new marketing battle over 3-D television.

In addition to Panasonic Corp., which launched 3-D models this month, Sony Corp., Sharp Corp. and Toshiba Corp. will also release 3-D televisions by summer. These Japanese electronics makers are locked in head-to-head rivalry with South Korean companies in overseas markets.

The TVs display images for the right and left eyes alternately, which the brain "reads" to simulate depth and solidity, usually with the help of special glasses.

In order to avoid image-induced vertigo, the government and the electronics industry recommend viewers to take a break if they feel tired.

It will take time before regular programs are aired in 3-D. Meanwhile, the 3-D attractions will center on paid broadcasts of sports events and movies, as well as video games.

When I heard that images "jump out of the screen," I got restless and started thinking of horror movies such as "Poltergeist" and "The Ring."

I visited an electronics retail store in Tokyo's Shinjuku district and discovered firsthand that both horror and fun can be out of this world on 3-D screens.

After waiting in line for 10 minutes, I watched pro golfer Ryo Ishikawa hit a bunker shot. I could almost feel the sand hit my face.

With the switchover to digital terrestrial broadcasting, consumers are rushing to replace their TV sets with compatible models that have flat, large display panels.

Concerned with falling prices of conventional flat-panel TVs, electronics makers are already trying to whip up the interest of consumers who like novelties with the "next" new products.

Like the caterpillar with a big appetite, playful minds are always hungry.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 23

* * *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.