Post by Katahime Taisou on Nov 22, 2019 11:50:18 GMT -4
The TV sparks to life with an inordinate whine of static, automatically tuned to the local TV broadcasts in the area. As soon as the static lifts, you hear the grainy sound of an old film camera in harmony with a very clearly royalty-free up-beat jazz track. A man who clearly has no business in front of a camera steps into view; the look on his face was intense even despite the smile and his oiled muscles took up most of the frame, light glistening off those bulging biceps.
"You wanna get buff? 'Course you do!" You nod. You have been thinking of going to the gym lately. "Then come on down to Renji's Jolly Gym in the Shimokitazawa District! You'll find us just off the main road!" The camera zoomed out quickly, showing the man standing in a large open-plan gym space with a very varied load-out of equipment, including the components of a deconstructed boxing ring shoved up against the far wall, lots of weights and lighting machines and punching bags that looked to be... well, let's just say 'well used'. Still, you had to admit, the atmosphere looked rather charming.
"Here at Renji's Jolly Gym, we break the bank so you can break the records! Seasonal memberships are only ¥17'000!" The camera cut abruptly, switching to a scene of the man talking in front of a bunch of gym patrons lifting weights and slapping hands. You can almost see the oil dropping off of their bodies and you can tell they thought that was a good aesthetic to go with. "That's right, only ¥17'000 for a full 4 months of membership! And for that membership you get personalized instruction and training from me, Renji Taisou, Olympic bronze medal winner in Boxing and Wrestling!" The screen lit up with two pictures of the same man, this time with a much more full set of hair, smiling and holding up two Olympic models.
"But that's not all, ladies and gentlemen, oh no! You also get access to our all new, state of the art sauna, hot tub and shower room! We tried hard to replicate the experience of a country onsen right here in the capital! Relax your muscles after a long, hard day of pumping iron for only ¥17'000 for the season!" The sauna and hot tub did look rather convincingly like an onsen, though it did look rather small. You supposed that was all they could do with the space they had in the middle of Tokyo. "So come on down to Renji's Jolly Gym, in the Shimokitazawa District today to start your journey to a better, stronger, harder, meaner body! Don't be a wimp!" The last word was very clearly dubbed over. Reading his lips, you can tell what he said and you can also understand why they dubbed it.
Located in one of Tokyo's most crowded districts, Renji's Jolly Gym sits just off the main road, a rather lukewarm location for business but at least no one has to exercise with the sound of cars and people storming past. The Shimokitazawa District itself is known as the 'hipsters paradise' in Tokyo because of it's unique independent business flavor. Whereas Shinjuku and Akihabara are mostly dominated by large corporations or chains, Shimokitazawa is local shops and businesses all condensed into a wild network of interesting and cluttered architecture.
The gym itself takes design choices inside and outside from gyms in the United States, emulating the hole-in-the-wall type buildings that were ever-present in the 80s and 90s US cities; while this was certainly by design it was also a cost factor. It's easier to make something look old when the building itself already is old. Renji himself spent almost a decade of his young life in the US and became hooked on old US sports movies such as Rookie Balbo, The Mighty Geese, Creek, etc. and when he earned enough money from his various sports endeavors and sponsorships, including winning two bronze medals in two different sports (Boxing and Wrestling), he settled down with his wife Mio in his home city of Tokyo, doing what he did best.
Renji himself is an interesting character, standing at a solid 6'4" and looking like a regular Holk Hoogan, he definitely tends to stand out from the crowd, especially with his sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. In reality, Renji is only half-Japanese, inheriting a lot of his looks from his Norwegian mother and then passing some of them on to his daughter Katahime. He runs the gym as if it were a restaurant, giving a lot of personal time and attention to every patron that walks in. This isn't just a business tactic, it's something he believes incredibly passionately about.
Not many people know about Renji's Jolly Gym but the people who do swear by it. Is the building old and a little crusty? Yes. Is it maintained by an aging woman who can't really keep it in the best of care? Yes. But the passion for taking care of your body and the motivation to push beyond your limits are ever-present. Renji wants you to succeed and he will do anything he can to help you do that!
It boasts an impressive array of equipment, including barbells, punching bags, boxing and wrestling rings, full weight-lifting machines, treadmills, spaces for yoga and a sauna and hot tub in the back that, while lacking on space, is at least new and more well-maintained than the rest of the gym. Renji has been known to take on a lot of proteges in his time, teaching them the ins and outs of boxing, wrestling, judo, muay thai and various other martial arts that he's taken up over the years. He's even opened applications for people to work there as a part time job before... though no one applied.
So feel free to visit Renji's Jolly Gym in your travels and work out! Push beyond your limits! Be the best you can be and Renji will do his best to keep you motivated and strong!
And remember, don't be a p-... I mean wimp!
"You wanna get buff? 'Course you do!" You nod. You have been thinking of going to the gym lately. "Then come on down to Renji's Jolly Gym in the Shimokitazawa District! You'll find us just off the main road!" The camera zoomed out quickly, showing the man standing in a large open-plan gym space with a very varied load-out of equipment, including the components of a deconstructed boxing ring shoved up against the far wall, lots of weights and lighting machines and punching bags that looked to be... well, let's just say 'well used'. Still, you had to admit, the atmosphere looked rather charming.
"Here at Renji's Jolly Gym, we break the bank so you can break the records! Seasonal memberships are only ¥17'000!" The camera cut abruptly, switching to a scene of the man talking in front of a bunch of gym patrons lifting weights and slapping hands. You can almost see the oil dropping off of their bodies and you can tell they thought that was a good aesthetic to go with. "That's right, only ¥17'000 for a full 4 months of membership! And for that membership you get personalized instruction and training from me, Renji Taisou, Olympic bronze medal winner in Boxing and Wrestling!" The screen lit up with two pictures of the same man, this time with a much more full set of hair, smiling and holding up two Olympic models.
"But that's not all, ladies and gentlemen, oh no! You also get access to our all new, state of the art sauna, hot tub and shower room! We tried hard to replicate the experience of a country onsen right here in the capital! Relax your muscles after a long, hard day of pumping iron for only ¥17'000 for the season!" The sauna and hot tub did look rather convincingly like an onsen, though it did look rather small. You supposed that was all they could do with the space they had in the middle of Tokyo. "So come on down to Renji's Jolly Gym, in the Shimokitazawa District today to start your journey to a better, stronger, harder, meaner body! Don't be a wimp!" The last word was very clearly dubbed over. Reading his lips, you can tell what he said and you can also understand why they dubbed it.
--------
Located in one of Tokyo's most crowded districts, Renji's Jolly Gym sits just off the main road, a rather lukewarm location for business but at least no one has to exercise with the sound of cars and people storming past. The Shimokitazawa District itself is known as the 'hipsters paradise' in Tokyo because of it's unique independent business flavor. Whereas Shinjuku and Akihabara are mostly dominated by large corporations or chains, Shimokitazawa is local shops and businesses all condensed into a wild network of interesting and cluttered architecture.
The gym itself takes design choices inside and outside from gyms in the United States, emulating the hole-in-the-wall type buildings that were ever-present in the 80s and 90s US cities; while this was certainly by design it was also a cost factor. It's easier to make something look old when the building itself already is old. Renji himself spent almost a decade of his young life in the US and became hooked on old US sports movies such as Rookie Balbo, The Mighty Geese, Creek, etc. and when he earned enough money from his various sports endeavors and sponsorships, including winning two bronze medals in two different sports (Boxing and Wrestling), he settled down with his wife Mio in his home city of Tokyo, doing what he did best.
Renji himself is an interesting character, standing at a solid 6'4" and looking like a regular Holk Hoogan, he definitely tends to stand out from the crowd, especially with his sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. In reality, Renji is only half-Japanese, inheriting a lot of his looks from his Norwegian mother and then passing some of them on to his daughter Katahime. He runs the gym as if it were a restaurant, giving a lot of personal time and attention to every patron that walks in. This isn't just a business tactic, it's something he believes incredibly passionately about.
Not many people know about Renji's Jolly Gym but the people who do swear by it. Is the building old and a little crusty? Yes. Is it maintained by an aging woman who can't really keep it in the best of care? Yes. But the passion for taking care of your body and the motivation to push beyond your limits are ever-present. Renji wants you to succeed and he will do anything he can to help you do that!
It boasts an impressive array of equipment, including barbells, punching bags, boxing and wrestling rings, full weight-lifting machines, treadmills, spaces for yoga and a sauna and hot tub in the back that, while lacking on space, is at least new and more well-maintained than the rest of the gym. Renji has been known to take on a lot of proteges in his time, teaching them the ins and outs of boxing, wrestling, judo, muay thai and various other martial arts that he's taken up over the years. He's even opened applications for people to work there as a part time job before... though no one applied.
So feel free to visit Renji's Jolly Gym in your travels and work out! Push beyond your limits! Be the best you can be and Renji will do his best to keep you motivated and strong!
And remember, don't be a p-... I mean wimp!
• Created by Beck for TruePath •
