Kuala Lumpur (The Star/ANN) - His dad is the world famous shoemaker Datuk Jimmy Choo but son, Danny, is no wallflower as he is also making a name for himself in the Japanese pop culture scene.
Danny, who first began exploring Japanese culture by playing video games on his Sega console, is now a creator of Mirai Suenaga, a character from an upcoming Mirai Millennium.
The character has since spawned various merchandise and even makes cameo appearances in other anime shows in Japan.
A former aviation engineer, Danny said his hobby eventually turned into a dream to work in Japan and learn more of its culture.
"In London, I would help my dad make shoes and even created my own pair, called the Black Rock shoes. But every time I went to Japan, I wanted to absorb Japanese culture.
"When I graduated, one of my friends called me to join as an engineer in the aviation industry in Japan," said Danny, who is now based in Tokyo.
He said he even met his future wife while working as a waiter in a Japanese restaurant.
Danny, who was relating his experience at a slot during the Anime Festival Asia Malaysia 2012, has never turned back since.
He started his own company Culture Japan Corp in Japan, which recently began collaborating with a Japanese television network, Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corporation, on an anime series.
The series received positive response from the Japanese audience, lasting for three seasons, he said.
Danny said when he first came back to Malaysia after 10 years, he was surprised by the number of locals interested in Japanese pop culture.
He said he had only expected no more than 20 people to turn up for a meet and greet session with him as a blogger on Japanese pop culture but hundreds actually came.
Danny said he was optimistic about the presence of Japanese pop culture in Malaysia, adding that it would allow locals to explore the cultures and languages from other societies.
Choo will also hold a meet and greet session at the "Cultural Japan Night Malaysia" to be held in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
