Stylish Yankee Doodle

About

Stylish Yankee Doodle (Japanese: スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく, Stylish Ichiman Jaku) refers to a series of hand-drawn animated videos on Nico Nico Douga (NND) where various characters strike stylish posing while playing the Japanese version of a well-known Anglo-American song “Yankee Doodle”.^[1]

Origin

This 17th century Anglo-American song is given original Japanese lyrics taken from fatherless mountain lovers’ song about Japanese North Alps^[2] and has been familiar to Japanese people as a lively mountain song “Alps of 10,000 shaku^[3]” (アルプス一万尺, Arupusu Ichiman Jaku). Besides, it’s a popular hand-crapping song among Japanese children since 1960s (shown below, left).

Meanwhile, the trigger of this fad was a hand-drawn animated video titled “Stylish Ichiman Jaku” where Archer and Tokiomi Tohsaka from Fate/Zero, a prequel to Fate/Stay Night by Type Moon, strike “stylish” posing and a smug look along with the song (shown below, right). This video was posted to NND by female user Kei (けい)^[4] on December 3rd, 2011. The creator said in the video’s description^[5] that she made it to introduce this very stylish and elegant hand game invented by a frined of hers and share it with other people.

【ニコニコ動画】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく、踊ってもらった【手描きFate】

Translation:

Arupusu Ichimanjaku Koyari no Ue de Arupen Odori wo Saa Odorimasho! (Hey!)
(On the height of 10,000 shaku in the Alpine mountains, let’s dance to Alpine music!)

Lalalala Lalala Lalalala Lalala Lalalala Lalalala Lalalalala･･･

Spread

The video was positively received with NND users, especially female users who had enjoyed hand games in their young days. It soon became to the subject of mimicking among those female users as same as other hand-drawn animation fads. On NND, there are about 300 videos of recreating this stylish hand game by hand with their favorite Anime, Manga or Game characters.^[6] And dozens of source illustrations used in the videos are uploaded to Japanese illustrators community pixiv.^[7]

Notable Examples

【ニコニコ動画】【進撃の】すたいりっしゅいちまんじゃく【巨人】【ニコニコ動画】【緑間】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃくなのだよ【高尾】
Left: Attack on Titan / Shingeki No Kyojin | Right: Kuroko’s BasketBall
【ニコニコ動画】【手描きペルソナ】番長とキタローでスタイリッシュいちまんじゃく【ニコニコ動画】【手描きIb】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく、踊ってもらった
Left: Megami Tensei – Persona | Right: Ib
【ニコニコ動画】【ホリデイ岡山】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく踊ってみた【優雅に】【ニコニコ動画】【タイバニコスで】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく【やってみた】
Left: Dance Cover | Right: Cosplay for Tiger & Bunny

1st Anniversary Edition

On December 3rd, 2012, Kei posted the 1st anniversary edition of a self dance cover for this stylish hand game, and it included a tutorial of she and her friend demonstrating the game as a bonus track.

【ニコニコ動画】【一周年】スタイリッシュいちまんじゃく、踊らせていただいた【本家】