QotW: What are you trying to forget about 2020 or looking forward to in 2021?

In Japan, the end of the year brings bounenkai, or get-togethers with friends or colleagues for the purposes of forgetting the past year’s ills. Typically that involves lots of alcohol, but 2020 is the type of the year demands boatloads of it. Even sadder, 2020 is also a year in which many of us can’t get together with our friends at all. However, bounenkai is also an opportunity to look ahead to the coming year with optimism. We’ve all been on a roller coaster journey together this year, with plenty good news countering the avalanche of sad, and we couldn’t have made it with you, the readers that comprise our little corner of the web. So let this QotW be your virtual bounenkai, whether it’s something car-related or not.

What are you trying to forget about 2020 or looking forward to in 2021?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What are you asking Japanese Santa Claus for this year?

The JNC family of readers has experienced a lot of downs this year, with jobs being downsized possibly due to COVID-19, cars being stolen, and tragic losses of close family members. Like we said, it’s been a tough year. Our hearts were warmed, though, to see some members asking Japanese Santa Claus to give to JNCer less fortunate than themselves. Thank you for carrying forward the spirit of JSC. Ultimately, 2020 was a year in which we could all use a good laugh, and Ellis Castle‘s comment provided that in spades:

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Total control and ownership of the company. For decades Mitsubishi made some of the coolest cars around (FTO, GTO, EVO, GSR, Starion and many more!) and now look at them. I’m not saying I’d be better at running a car company than current management but I don’t see how things could be much worse. Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Mazda & Nissan are all making excellent sports cars right now. The era of the internal combustion engine is coming to an end. I don’t want the Evo X to have been Mitsubishi’s performance car swan song. They can do better. We deserve better. As fans and as enthusiasts.

And if for some reason ownership of a car company wont fit in Santa’s sack then give me a zero miles Tommi Makinen Evo.

Thanks for a great year JNC! And Merry Christmas to everyone.

Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!

JNC Decal smash

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9 Responses to QotW: What are you trying to forget about 2020 or looking forward to in 2021?

  1. エーイダン says:

    I’m looking forward to the day the local government removes their “essential goods” nonsense so I can buy some more JNC Hot Wheels and Tomica again……

  2. Land Ark says:

    I’m trying to forget the once-in-a-lifetime 3 week epic trip to Japan we had planned for April that I was anticipating for over a year after we started planning it. It would have been my 3rd trip to the Land of the Rising Sun and it made me extremely sad to have to officially cancel it.

    I’m looking forward to my currently rescheduled once-in-a-lifetime 3 week epic trip to Japan in May 2021. Things need to accelerate and fall into place for this one to work out otherwise I’m going to be supremely salty if I don’t get to go again. Especially if I lose out of the JR passes we bought that are good through September.

    Fingers crossed!

  3. Ellis Castle says:

    Thanks for picking my comment, a nice high note to end 2020 on! And for those wondering, no, Santa didn’t bring me what I asked for 🙁

    Happy new year everyone!

    • My_Fairlady_ZFG says:

      That’s a real shame. That would’ve been a present for all of us. I don’t consider myself a fan of Mitsubishi or anything, but it really bothers me what they did to all their cool stuff. Especially using the Eclipse name for a CROSSOVER. That’s adding Insult to injury right there. Rubbing salt in a wound.
      They should be ashamed of themselves.
      And killing the Lancer Evo??
      Who am I kidding? I guess I am a fan.

  4. Alan Franklin says:

    Trying to forget about 2020, at least automotively speaking? That we won’t get the new range-extender Wankel here in the US.

    What am I looking forward to in 2021? Finding a brake master cylinder for my ’88 hardtop AW11. The pandemic has made finding parts for JNCs – or indeed any vintage car – virtually impossible.

  5. Negishi no Keibajo says:

    2020: Everything. Covid. Stolen car. Career upended (…but I’m thankful I have a job. Another family member wasn’t so lucky).

    2021: Going out of my hotel room in Tokyo. I go to Japan for work but I can’t go out my hotel because of the restrictions. Decent Tonkatsu! Finding the right car to replace the stolen one above & tweaking it right (again).

    2020: Everything.

  6. My_Fairlady_ZFG says:

    While there were many many countless horrible things that happened in 2020, I want to encourage everyone to remember the good things that happened too. Even when we want to only look forward, it’s important to look back to understand how far we’ve come, and figure out how to continue on to get where we want to be.
    Regarding cars, I resolve to get my 240Z running and driving this year, so that I can be able to daily it this summer. It will take some work, but I am up for it.
    I also want to continue learning and growing as a person. This past year taught me a lot about where I am and also where I still want to be. Room for improvement. More to come. Stay tooned.

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