Why 2020 Wasn't a Total Disaster | Abroad in Japan Rewind 2020
Added 2020-12-31 14:52:23 +0000 UTC
Well here we are at the end of 2020 - a year which felt more like a final boss battle in a very long video game.
But while I won’t look back too fondly on this year - like most of you I’m sure - I’m still immensely proud of what we achieved on the Abroad in Japan channel over the last 12 months.
I mean, we finally made it into 4K! If that’s not an outrageous achievement, I don’t know what is.
(Truthfully, all Abroad in Japan videos have been shot in 4K since 2018, but it wasn’t until this year we had a computer powerful enough to render them!)
The Abroad in Japan Patreon community is such a huge part of everything we do from supporting the documentaries and podcasts we produce, to generating original ideas (such as Journey Across Japan). And so for the last Patreon post of the year I’d like to share with you the major achievements and milestones we’ve hit throughout 2020.
After all, as supporters of the channel our success is also your success! So let’s take a look at what those achievements were.
2020 IN REVIEW
It’s certainly been a year of firsts for Abroad in Japan as we:
- Moved to 4K and upgraded to full frame camera equipment (Panasonic S1H & Sony A7Siii)
- Hosted Live Shows for the first time ever, from the Sapporo Snow Festival to Natsuki’s Birthday and last week’s Christmas special.
- Moved the Abroad in Podcast to a twice weekly upload schedule
- Launched a decent website with a soundboard at AbroadinJapan.com
- Gained a record 500,000 new subscribers in a year
- Even got a shoutout from Youtube CEO Susan Wojcicki praising the Tohoku Tsunami documentary
- Produced 38 new videos across Abroad in Japan & Abroad Perspective
- Produced the hugely successful series, Journey Across Japan: Escape to Fuji!
- Recorded 78 podcast episodes with Pete Donaldson and guests such as Joey & Sharla
- Released over 30+ Patreon exclusive videos
One upside to spending 3 months of this year sitting indoors for COVID reasons, was that I was able to finally sit down and study cinematograph, lighting and filmmaking in general. If you look at the videos from early this year compared to the second half, the difference certainly shows as well.
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Setting aside numbers though, for me personally when I look back over the crazy and diverse range of videos we’ve produced this year, I have to say I’m genuinely delighted and proud of what we’ve made.
Whether that’s an 18 minute rant on why I hate Japanese television (complete with “groundbreaking” green screen vfx), the driving in Japan episode which showed off the stunning countryside of Tohoku, filming inside the first class cabin of a bullet train with Ryotaro or going on an epic journey with Natsuki and Joey through the Japanese Alps and numerous exotic locations to get the perfect view of Mount Fuji.
Of all the videos we’ve made though, if I had to choose a personal favourite, it’d have to be “What Teaching English in Japan is Really Like.” Before filming that episode, I often looked back at my time as a teacher with a sense of embarrassment.
Particularly in the first year, I wasn’t confident in the classroom and I carry a lot of awkward memories - some of which I revealed in the video. (NickerpokerG springs to mind, hehe).
But while I was scripting the video and going through my box of memorabilia from those three years, I found myself reflecting on my time as a teacher a lot more fondly, and lots of great times came flooding back. By the time I’d finished the video, far from looking back in shame, I looked back on it all incredibly fondly, and glad to spend such wonderful years teaching in rural Japan. It was a weirdly powerful experience.
Then again, I think my real highlight was watching Natsuki incinerate his mouth with the Last Dab hot sauce. We’ll definitely need to do that again next year…
But what was your highlight of this year on Abroad in Japan? Go ahead and let me know!
For now though folks, I hope we were able to cheer you up with the videos and podcasts and give you an escape through this rather unpleasant year.
Wishing you all a very happy New Year and I look forward to seeing you on the other side!
Goodbye 2020.
Chris
P.S. My first act of 2021 will be to do a post to Patreon listing the 30+ exclusive videos from 2020 so you can easily discover watch them!
Comments
Incredible channel, thank you Chris, Natsuki and Risottoro for all the work you do. Whenever I feel blue (and lets face it, 2020 gave plenty of opportunity for that) I just watch (or even re-watch) some of your videos and it makes me happy again, faster than I can drink sake - my money is so much better deposited here than at Netflix. All the best from Switzerland.
Alexander S. Cirko
2021-01-27 09:37:53 +0000 UTCI mean... there comes a point when you've watched hours of content for literally £0.00 that you realise the LEAST you could do is help support the channel. 😅
Bec Evans
2021-01-13 15:07:58 +0000 UTCI became a Patron for precisely the same reason. The Abroad in Japan mini universe is easily my favourite discovery of 2020. ! I'm trying to convert my real-life friends into fans so I have someone to talk to about it :-D
Sonya Ross
2021-01-13 15:05:51 +0000 UTCFor real though. Chris and co. are great antidepressants.
2021-01-08 11:50:02 +0000 UTCFantastic year, thank you for taking us along the journey. It is wonderful to visit places in Japan, I would not have the opportunity to visit because of work.🚧 your year end montage, shows the hard work you and the crew put in for 2019. 🤦♀️👊👌👍👊 Looking forward to 2021, continue your self development, exploration of Japan, and your unique ability to share your ongoing interaction with Japan. 🎭🎭🎥🎥⛩⛩👊👊
Ryori
2021-01-06 02:08:04 +0000 UTCI've just become a patron because your videos and podcast have basically been one of the highlights of my year. Thank you to you and all the amazing people you work with for creating content that's so incredibly fun, engaging and informative. Wishing you all the best for 2021 and I can't wait to see what's coming next!
Bec Evans
2021-01-04 22:49:06 +0000 UTCThank you to the AIJ team, you made 2020 more bearable.
2021-01-04 12:57:51 +0000 UTCAkemashite omedetō gozaimasu, Thank you so very much for all the content that you've provided for us Chris. Not just for this year, though your channel has certainly been a balm for dealing with the shit show that 2020 was. I hope 2021 bring you nothing but prosperity, success and happiness. Not just so you can create move stuff for us to indulge in escapism, but so that you can enjoy doing what bring you you joy and fulfilment, and lets you return to Blighty so you can enjoy time with your relatives too and escape from Japan when you need a break.
Mathew Percival
2021-01-04 08:07:50 +0000 UTCHappy New Years! I've always loved Japan and its culture and I was looking for a real glimpse, not just the Japan you see in anime and film, and I found it here. Now I know I have to go! With all that, the humour, the filming style and all of you guys being generally cool people, this quickly became my favourite channel on YouTube! I don't know how I didn't find it sooner, but I'm so glad I did!
2021-01-03 16:15:19 +0000 UTCThat's all good was just wondering
Thomas
2021-01-02 21:14:39 +0000 UTCHappy New Year's, well done on another fantastic year of content and growth in spite of the difficulties! We all can't wait to see what you achieve in 2021 😊
2021-01-02 20:30:24 +0000 UTCI'm still sitting on that one to be honest! I'm in the awkward position of the video being shot in a hot sunny Autumn, even though we're now in winter. I think we could get it out for Febraury or March though!
Abroad in Japan
2021-01-02 15:02:14 +0000 UTCHappy New Years! Despite living in Japan for years, only this year did I start watching expat YouTubers, and your humor and sarcasm (a vastly underappreciated art form here) were just the tonic I needed in toxic 2020. Here's to more great adventures and videos in 2021.
April Gutierrez
2021-01-02 07:59:10 +0000 UTCHappy new year to you as well and is there any word on that treasure island video you made as you released the trailer months ago just want to know and eta if possible.
Thomas
2021-01-02 06:13:29 +0000 UTCReally grateful for your content, videos and podcast. Really helped with the anxiety of being stuck at home. Looking forward to a new year of Abroad in Japan!
Lucca Saraiva
2021-01-01 21:02:44 +0000 UTCWhat an entertaining year it's been. Thanks, Chris, for all the amazing content. Cheers!
Alicia
2021-01-01 17:25:55 +0000 UTCHappy New Year!
2021-01-01 05:17:24 +0000 UTC😂
Abroad in Japan
2021-01-01 02:12:12 +0000 UTCA highlight for me is how I can always count on Chris to say "For now though folks" :)
Andrew Roque
2020-12-31 22:38:00 +0000 UTCMany thanks for all the great vids, podcasts and posts this year Chris. You more often not make me laugh and your content is a cut or two above most other Nihon based youtubers. Keep up the great work and all the best to you in 2021.
Chris Maddox
2020-12-31 21:54:20 +0000 UTCHappy new year Chris! Thanks for providing a rough year with a little more joy and entertainment!
Parker Brown
2020-12-31 21:03:47 +0000 UTCHappy New Year, thanks for all the great content. I can't wait to see what you produce next year!.
Storm
2020-12-31 20:36:26 +0000 UTChappy new year, all the best
2020-12-31 19:49:26 +0000 UTCWell my new highlight from the 2020 videos is from your new Christmas video where we get to see Pete as Colonel Sanders on the mini KFC bucket 🙈 also I think I managed to listen to every single podcast episode even though I only started listening year in spring. Let's say I wasn't surprised when it was my #1 podcast on Spotify rewind. Thank you for the hard work. Happy New Year!
2020-12-31 18:55:53 +0000 UTCHappy New Year, Chris! What a weird simultaneously slow and fast year it has been. So strange to think that Sapporo was your first (public) live stream ever! And when you mentioned cinematography, it suddenly hit me what a great move it was to get Norm as as cameraman on Journey Across Japan, especially given the trouble you had delegating on the previous run. You know he has an eye for detail and composition and he'll get the best shots possible! I would have given JAJ as my favourite videos of the year, but I made sure I wasn't forgetting anything, and I also really liked the Google Translate video, the shinkansen one, the expensive apartment ones and the Fukushima one! Lots of variety :)
Nynke de Haas
2020-12-31 18:51:20 +0000 UTCHappy New year Chris I discovered your channel around April and have love watching your channel and listening to the podcast, they have helped me get through the crazy year of 2020, you and Pete are the perfect pick me up after/during long days/nights at work. You and Pete never fail to make me laugh. This year has been great for the channel, you have put out some amazing content, it’s really hard to pick a favourite, it’s either you finally see Mount Fuji or your ‘What’s driving in Japan really like’ video. Because It’s just amazing seeing Japan’s stunning countryside. Hopefully this year I will make my first trip to Japan. I wish you, your team and everyone here on Patreon and Happy and safe New Year
Thomas menz
2020-12-31 17:29:21 +0000 UTCA special thanks Jonathan for making the Abroad in Japan Discord a truly spectacular place to chat with folks, enjoy hilarious memes and in my case, receive incredible Christmas presents! Hopefully this year, you’ll be able to make it over here this time around⛩
Abroad in Japan
2020-12-31 17:02:59 +0000 UTCHappy new year! My favourite vidwos from this year were the Tsunami Documentary and of course the Journey Across Japan 2. Looking forward to next year and more great things to watch from you! (And more peaceful walks in the forest listening to the podcast)
2020-12-31 16:27:35 +0000 UTCHappy New Year to you Chris and the gang! I discovered your channel back in February with The Journey across Japan series and started binge watching it from the very beginning. Congrats on the clean, beautiful and entertaining content you are creating and you have come a long long way from the very first videos, though they were entertaining as hell too. I was actually supposed to move to Japan this year in April and since it did not happen unfortunately, your videos made it more bearable. Thank you for introducing this country and it’s stories to me! Hope we all have a better 2021! Happy New year, everyone! 🍾🍾🍾
2020-12-31 16:26:42 +0000 UTCHappy new year Chris. I have watching your channel since 2018 and always your videos have been of excellent quality. I will be traveling to Japan in 2021 and your channel gave me ideas of what to do and places to visit.
2020-12-31 16:10:35 +0000 UTCWhat a thumbnail to finish on, I’d like to think Joey is supposed to represent 2020 there. Cheers and happy new year!
Eels
2020-12-31 16:09:27 +0000 UTCHappy new year Chris!🎍🥳 Thanks for all the wonderful works in 2020. My favorite is the Sapporo Snow Festival. The fun of the low budget avengers made me so happy 😊 Plus, it was such a miraculous trip, before the Virus raged around the world. I hope everyone will be able to travel freely in 2021!!
Satomi Arihara
2020-12-31 15:59:24 +0000 UTCHappy New Year Chris! I found your channel this summer and I binged watched all of it! Thanks for the great content, it has brought me so much joy! On the Christmas live show, you mentioned you know a Gin brewery owner in Japan, that would be an amazing video 😉. I hope you have a Happy 2021! 🎉
2020-12-31 15:46:59 +0000 UTCThank you for sharing your experiences in Japan and bringing joy to many throughout the year. We really needed it! Happy new year to you and yours...looking forward to better days and more adventures from Abroad in Japan!
Jolie
2020-12-31 15:31:02 +0000 UTCHappy new year Chris! My year wasn't a total disaster, but the whole of december wasn't easy for me and my family, to say the least. But your videos kept my sanity somewhat in a normal spectrum. Thanks for your great work, humor and inspiration! Happy 2021, may it be a better year for all of us!
2020-12-31 15:28:38 +0000 UTCHappy New Year! おつかれ! Thank you for all the great content from the past year - and of course the years before. 🍻Cheers! to a brighter year, 2021!
2020-12-31 15:08:31 +0000 UTCNo one on YouTube is making content as entertaining as yours. You deserve every bit of success that’s come your way. Congrats on the firecracker year!
ElectricGecko
2020-12-31 15:05:25 +0000 UTCHappy New Year! 2020 was the year my wife and I discovered your channel. It's provided inspiration for our planned return to Japan in 2021, as well as some much-needed escapism from the shitshow that was this past year. Thank you!
2020-12-31 15:01:49 +0000 UTCHappy New year, thanks for all your hard work. I was delighted to find your channel just a few months ago, and have been gobbling up your content ever since. Hope you have a wonderful 2021! 🤗😘
Niamh
2020-12-31 15:00:03 +0000 UTCHappy New year in a couple of seconds.
2020-12-31 15:00:00 +0000 UTCPersonal highlight on AIJ was when you finally see Mt. Fuji without green screen or any other vfx... Thanks for the most productive years ever 👍
Niken Larasati
2020-12-31 14:59:37 +0000 UTCAs shitty as 2020 has been in general, I agree that it's been a fantastic year for the channel, and so it's hard for me to pick a particular favorite video - except the hot sauce video, if I'm not worried about seeming biased. 😏 It's been an incredible year for the discord too. As time went on we began to see a bigger steady stream of regulars show up and continue to participate in the conversation. We've had a fun-filled AiJ weekly quiz courtesy of Soren. Plenty of the content creators in the community have gotten to share their streams with us. And we've launched two minecraft servers for the community to enjoy! All in all, 2020 has been an awesome year for the AiJ channel and community, and like so many others, I'm grateful to have been a part of it. It's certainly helped keep my head screwed on straight throughout this crazy year. Happy new year Chris, and here's looking forward to a much more prosperous 2021!
Argus9 (Jonathan)
2020-12-31 14:58:47 +0000 UTCHappy Hogmanay! 🥳
2020-12-31 14:58:14 +0000 UTCHappy New Year Chris 🥂
2020-12-31 14:56:10 +0000 UTCThanks for watching Samuel!
Abroad in Japan
2020-12-31 14:54:41 +0000 UTCHappy New Year, Chris!
2020-12-31 14:54:22 +0000 UTCHAPPY NEW YEAR CHRIS! Cheers for the ace videos in 2020! 🍻
Samuel Clements
2020-12-31 14:54:06 +0000 UTC
