In the history of music there have been few performers quite like “Weird Al” Yankovic, who’s been creating funny parodies of famous songs (and polkas!) for more than three decades. One of the most amazing things about the man is his ability to reach out to such a wide range of listeners, from my mother (who attended one of his live shows with me at the San Diego County Fair) all the way down to my three-year-old nephew, who loves all his songs — for the record, that’s a range of 67 years. About the only other thing I can think of that has such a wide appeal is, well, anime, and I’ve had the most enlightening conversations with young people at anime conventions on the subject. It’s quite amusing, talking with a 14-year-old cosplaying anime fan who longs for “the good old days” of anime, and I can’t think of another form of entertainment that could bring together such a wide range of people.
Classic anime polka mash-up.
