Geeky SKAturday: Some love for Skapara!

For today's Geeky SKAturday, I wanted to look once again at Haruto Suzuki, the first agent known to be a member of the Agents of SKA (Sentinel Khrononaut All-Stars).  He was created/introduced back in February when I tried to highlight how much of an international phenomenon the ska scene is.  And then in March, Haruto got some stats and became the first representative of one of the SKA classes, the Three Minute Hero.

Born in Tokyo in 1981, Haruto has undoubtedly been greatly influenced by the multigenerational champions of Japanese ska, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Ochestra.

Image from TokyTunes

Formed in 1988, the band (often simply called Skapara) have become legendary over their 35+ year history.  They've played on video games, on tokusatsu, and at the Olympics.  Their sound is rooted in ska but influenced by styles from all over the map, and their musicianship is always top-tier.  It just seemed worthwhile to give them a bit of a shout out this week.

This year, they released a "best of" album, but they also continue to drop new singles.  I don't think this week's song of note is previously released, but I could definitely be wrong about that.  And for some reason, the YouTube video seems be blocked from embedding here...BUT, if you'd like to hear the track "Toi Toi," recorded with actor (and singer) Murotsuyoshi (Tsuyoshi Muro), just click here for it...

----------

I think the track does a pretty good job showing off their technical prowess and skill across genres.  I really wish I could embed it.  And I bet there's a way, and I just don't know it, which bugs me.  The GOOD THING, though, is there's a possibility I like the instrumental version even more (with apologies to Murotsuyoshi), and I CAN embed that one!  I could easily see myself using this in the soundtrack for an Agents of SKA game...

----------

So...for Haruto Suzuki, I really think I'd like to put together a custom action figure that will let him cross over from my SKA adventures to my POA (People of Adventure)...er, adventures.  I've never ordered from them before (and I think their website could probably be a little easier to navigate), but I'm thinking of grabbing a custom combo from Marauder "Gun-Runners."  This head and body combo looks pretty perfect for Haruto as a Rude Boy.  I can give him a few guns.  And instruments.  And if I can find a 1:18 porkpie hat somewhere, even better!

link

link

Marauder even has some pretty solid G.I. Joe cred after dipping into the Red Shadows faction for their own figures.  I'll definitely post here if I get Haruto put together and skanking...!

Geeky SKAturday: Bad Leavers' "Another Time"

A pleasant Geeky SKAturday to everyone!  (Well...it's barely Sunday here...but pleasantness to all nonetheless!)  Just a quick one today (if I'm actually capable of that ;).  As a reminder, 2025's Geeky SKAturdays are set to include: (1) a ska (or closely related) song that's new this year, and (2) something ideally related to the song that contributes to a growing RPG setting in which ska musicians and their friends travel through time to protect the integrity of human history and prevent catastrophes.  Yep.

So today we have the song "Another Time" by the band Bad Leavers (the Bad Leavers? not sure...).  I'm excited about finding this band as they're from my home state of Georgia!  It warms my heart to know that there's still new ska being created and enjoyed down in Atlanta.  They have a sound that's very familiar but also not exactly like anything else I know of.  The lead vocals have a definite punk influence (I hear echoes of Tim Armstrong, and maybe even Shane MacGowan), but there's an interesting counter in how nicely he harmonizes with the other voice (voices?) in the band.  Overall, there's a bit of a 2 Tone feel that I really dig.  Reminds me of Johnny Too Bad & the Strikeouts, if that means anything to anyone reading...!

Anyway, their EP Give and Take just dropped a couple of days ago and is very much worth checking out.  Here's "Another Time":

----------

Maybe it's obvious, but besides just liking this song, I picked it because of how nicely a song called "Another Time" fits in with a time travel setting.  So, on that...

How is time travel achieved by the Agents of SKA?  Portals?  Magic?  Terminator-style naked-within-a-sphere time jumps?

I'm really leaning toward fairly a fairly classic time machine trope here.  But of course I want to tie in the ska theme.  So, how cool would it be to have a time machine that looks something like this...?

I don't know that they were all this mobile, but sound systems played a huge role in early ska.  Pic from (and more information found) here.

And of course, a smaller model, built for just one or two travelers, might look something like...

Sticker available here (no connection between me and the seller, but I'll happily testify that she has a bunch of cool items in her store!)

And heck, if I really want to go nuts with Japanese themes when it comes to the first agent, Haruto, I guess I could have the vehicles occasionally capable of transforming into robots...or combining into a giant robot.

I don't want to run the risk of someone thinking this setting is silly, though... ;)