While the West was already losing its arcades, Tokyo’s Taito Stations and Sega arcades were cathedrals of noise. 2007 saw the continued reign of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA and the quiet rise of UFO catchers as a serious psychological pursuit. The salaryman leaving work at 9 PM would stop for a round of Gundam: Senjou no Kizuna in a pod, while a high school girl would spend ¥500 trying to win a Death Note plushie.
If your interest is genuine research into Tokyo's pop culture, nightlife, fashion, and entertainment in 2007 (the year the iPhone launched, late Heisei period), here are real-world topics from that time: tokyo hot n0242 rq2007 part1
Shows like Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ and Utaban were appointment viewing. Morning news would dissect the previous night’s dramas (Hana Yori Dango 2 finished its run in 2007). The idol machine was firing on all cylinders: Morning Musume was still a national treasure, AKB48 had just graduated from Akihabara’s Don Quijote store stage to mainstream attention. Entertainment was manufactured, packaged, and consumed in living rooms across the Kanto plain. While the West was already losing its arcades,