Yes, this post is a not too subtle acknowledgement of the fact that I be old, but I don’t care. Buckaroo Banzai is one of those movies that just shaped such a huge part of my mental furniture that I have to acknowledge that today is the 40th anniversary.
The attraction for me is the lead character. I wanted to grow up to be Buckaroo Banzai. Still do. I always loved the portrayal of someone smart and a willing to go full bore into pursing passions: science, music, and helping others. And maybe that I also had a name that evoked Japan increased my identification with the character a bit.
Just before he utters one of the film’s most famous lines, “No matter where you go...”, there’s another moment that underscores the character:
“Don’t be mean. We don’t have to be mean.”
It reminds me a lot of a line that is shared often around on acadamic social media: Lots of people are smart. Distinguish yourself by being kind.
