I started watching "Heroes" upon recommendation of Lounge Lizards...

[Matsubara]

We are now on ep. 3.

My wife is a native Japanese, so her big critique is this "Why do all Japanese on US shows have to be ugly dorks? There are lots of good-looking guys here, so why do they always pick huge dorks, and half the time they are Japanese-American (like Masi Oka) or Chinese!"

My critique: The sets and locations standing in for Tokyo have to be some of the must unrealistic I have ever seen. I thought the sets in "Day After Tomorrow" were bad (What's with all the Blade Runner neon signs? There are hardly any in Japan, and the ones they have are different than that!)

But First of all, Masi's office has everyone in cubicles. No. Most Japanese offices do not have cubicles, just desks. If they do have cubicles, they are low partitions, not 6 foot walls. Some companies have employees do calisthenics, but it is not the norm, and I have yet to see a GRASS-COVERED ROOF on a building here. Hell, there is barely any grass on the ground - they are not big on lawns here.

The street scene outside the bar - what is with the weird banners hanging everywhere? they do not exit in Japan.

Then the later street scene where Hiro and Ando rescue some girl from a bus - Again with all of the banners saying "arigato", and the huge mockup of the space shuttle which anyone would know is the Ellison Onizuka memorila in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

I realize going on location is too expensive and they have to do it in the states, but is it too much to ask that they at least look at a photo of a Japanese street before they dress their sets?

Here is a typical japanese city street.

[lies and propaganda]

1. because Americans have a small grasp?

Though I freaking adore the show and you are un for quite a treat!

But I do know with Lost that when they shoot the Korean flashbacks, they go to Chinatown on the island they are in in Hawaii. I always think thats great because you could have fooled me, its authentic as hell to me.

[Matsubara]

3. I found the Korean sets on lost to be SLIGHTLY more believable.

The main thing that's wrong is the TROPICAL vegetation everywhere, but I guess that can't be helped. I loved it when they used some old pineapple or cane fields with that deep green grass and colorful volcanic soil to pass for NEBRASKA.

I think LOST pays a bit better attention to detail than Heroes, and the acting is more believable. But then again, I kind of am hoping that the hokey acting on Heroes is meant to be in keeping with the whole comic book motif. Maybe that's what the crazy colorful banners were about, I dunno, but if you live here it kind of makes suspension of disbelief that much more difficult.

Oh, and Jin on lost is anything but a dork...

[Connonym]

2. I think Ando and Hiro are cute

their being nerdy is sort of essential to their characters. I like nerdy men personally. Wait until you see future Hiro because he's a fierce hotty.