Dekotora Trucks: "ALL THE WRONG PLACES" by MINI + VICE

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: We're in Tokyo right now.
Everyone's well aware of the subcultures and fetishes that
exist here.
That's inside the city, happening around me right now.
But outside the city there's another subculture.
It's called Dekotora.
Basically it's Pimp My Ride for trucks.
And these huge Transformer-esque type things
with neon lights and murals and chandeliers.
And our mission while we're here is to meet the guys who
started it.
For all these different missions I'm going to have
someone along with me, who I'm going to call my co-pilot.
And you're going to meet her tomorrow.
But for now, I'm going head round Tokyo and try and soak
this all up.

So I told you guys that we're going to have a co-pilot along
for the ride and it's Maggie Stoody.
Can I call you Maggie?
MAGGIE STOODY: You can.
Thank you.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: It's Mags.
What do you want?
MAGGIE STOODY: Oh, it all looks so appetizing.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: So you want to be crazy kickboxer
or upset pork man.
What do you want to be?
MAGGIE STOODY: I think I'm going to go crazy kickboxer.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: It's hot.
It's hot, pre-warmed pork noodles.

What do you do when you're not in Tokyo or going out to
discover Dekotora trucks?
MAGGIE STOODY: I am a Chicagoan.
I travel a lot.
Just got back from Ecuador a couple weeks ago.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Sweet.
What were you doing in Ecuador?
MAGGIE STOODY: Just bumming around.
And my brother and I are starting a
small sunglasses company.
And a portion of our profits go to eradicating vitamin A
deficiency which is a huge world health crisis that not
that many people know about.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: OK cool.
MAGGIE STOODY: Yeah.
So I know we're on the mission to find Dekotora trucks but I
have to admit I don't really know what they are.
MAGGIE STOODY: Dekotora trucks basically
means decorated truck.
It all starts off these guys, just ordinary truck drivers,
start a whole new subculture.
In '74, there's a production company and the guy was
working there, saw one of these Dekotora trucks, was
inspired and fascinated by it and started off this whole
sub-genre of movies about truck guys.
And the first one's called Truck Rascals.

They formed a group of Dekotora truck drivers to make
it easier for the production company.
It really exploded and other groups started forming around
the country and it became a big thing.
It's really dwindling.
You don't see Dekotora trucks in Tokyo anymore.
We're going to bump into the newer
generation of Dekotora drivers.
MAGGIE STOODY: Cool.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: See them with their pimped out rides
and just hanging.
MAGGIE STOODY: Cool.
I can't wait to hang.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Just hanging with
the big white trucks.

We're on our way to Gunma in Central Japan, about two hours
west of Tokyo.
We're supposed to meet with one of the old school original
Dekotora truck drivers.
His name is Taguchi San and he's been in the scene for the
last three decades.
We're going to find out a little bit more about the
history of Dekotora and how it started.
MAGGIE STOODY: Thank you for having us.

MAGGIE STOODY: Thank you.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Thank you so much.
Arigato.

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: We're in Gunma.
Behind me is the Dekotora store, and this kind of acts
as a truck stop for guys.
There's a diner over there.
Or the guys stop here and they get a tune up as well.
But this is also where they get all their supplies for
Dekotora, the lights and the neons, and the horns.
And we're going to go inside now and go and check it out.

MAGGIE STOODY: Enormous.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: The bombardment on your senses
with all the flashing lights and everything and everything.
MAGGIE STOODY: Whoa, it's so big.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: From decorating the outside to the
chandeliers to the upholstery, anything you can get for the
truck is here in this store.
MAGGIE STOODY: A little unicorn action for ya.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Here's your--
MAGGIE STOODY: Wow!
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Your finishing
touches, your grills.
MAGGIE STOODY: Look at these little guys.

It's an enormous key chain.
I already know how I would do my Dekotora.
Murder out the outside, matte black finish, and then all
sparkle black on the inside.
[GASP]
These!
Ridin' dirty.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: You can take your Lil Wayne Dekotora
and you can shove it.
MAGGIE STOODY: I really would too.
Like you could go grandma's Dekotora.

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: This is just crazy.
MAGGIE STOODY: So cool.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: The fact that we have three lined up
and with the sun bouncing off of them, with all the silver.
MAGGIE STOODY:The bling.
Disco balls.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: And everything glimmering.
MAGGIE STOODY: It's so beautiful.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: And here are the guys.
SEKINO SAN: My name is Sekino.
ELLIOTT AND MAGGIE: Sekino, nice to meet you.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Nice to meet you.
Thank you.
MAGGIE STOODY: Thank you.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Where do you even start with getting
the stuff on?

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: The murals on the side, how did he pick
this one out and who commissioned it?
Who painted it?
ERINA SUTO: He painted it himself.
MAGGIE STOODY: Wow.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: You did it yourself?
MAGGIE STOODY: So beautiful.

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Is it rude to ask him how much he spent
all together?
If he could estimate.

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Does he have it specifically insured
for that amount?
ERINA SUTO: No insurance.

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Does he have any idea how many light
bulbs are in this?

ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Oh, sweet.
So it's a cool little cabin.
MAGGIE STOODY: Wow.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: So it's life a home away from home.
TV.
Stereo.
MAGGIE STOODY: Chandelier.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Imagine the guys sitting here playing
poker, having a few beers.

MAGGIE STOODY: So maybe they'll Dekotora our Mini?
We can be part of the club?
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: That's a good idea.
MAGGIE STOODY: Yeah?
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Yeah?
MAGGIE STOODY: All right.
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: Thank you so much.
MAGGIE STOODY: And thanks for letting us see your truck.
It's beautiful.
Arigato.

[JAPANESE]

[TECHNO MUSIC]
ELLIOTT BAMBROUGH: We've just been told that the Mini has
now been Dekotora'd so it's time to go in the workshop and
get it out.

They're going to town with it, I love it.
Now you guys know a little bit more about Dekotora.
Right now I'm off to the next adventure.
[TECHNO MUSIC]