Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo (NR)

synopsis

What is it about the Japanese and bugs? Inside a Tokyo pet shop, a little boy delights in selecting his new pet, a rainbow beetle costing $57.00. Japanese aesthetics -- whether textiles, architecture, gardening, graphics, brush painting or haiku -- all reflect a highly refined appreciation for both the diminutive and the transient. Beetle Queen explores the world of Japanese insect-lovers, from the sublime--families who visit the countryside to hear choruses of crickets or experience the yellow-green flashes of light emitted by thousands of fireflies to the ridiculous--beetle cartoon images that infest the zeitgeist.