An interview with the father of G-Shock, Ibe Kikuo-san

 Mister Ibe Kikuo is the man who originally developed the first G-Shock at the Research and Development department of Casio almost 30 years ago. I have read several interviews of him and I also met him in Barcelona October 2009. In all interviews I read about mister Ibe are about his watches, I tried to find out more about the man, who developed the watches. I was very happy that Mister Ibe made some time to have a little talk with me.Also I like to thank mister Watanabe, Managing Director of Casio Benelux B.V.. Without him and his interpreter qualities, this interview would not have been possible.

Sjors: "Mister Ibe, I’ll know you developed the G-Shock 30 years ago. Do you think you are considered a senior of Casio now, I mean is your name known under the people of Casio?"

Mr. Ibe: "Casio has about 12000 employees worldwide. Maybe most of the employees must have heard my name, but I am not sure."

Sjors: "I know you like watches, but beside watches, do you have other hobbies?"

Mr. Ibe: "I very much like to exercise."

Sjors: "Running?"

Mr. Ibe: "Yes Running."

Sjors: "Oh, that brings me to an interesting question. Are there going to be G-Shock for running specially with a lap timers?"

Mister Ibe is thinking deep. “There must be one”.

Sjors: “Yes, know. If I’m right it is the G-2400”

Mr. Ibe: “Aaahhh, okay” (looking impressed).

Sjors: “Yes, I know my numbers”

 

 From left to right: Mr Ibe Kikuo, Liza Koifman (OntFront), Tomas Overtoom (OntFront), Kevin Langeree (PKRA World Champion Kit Surfing 2009 and Brand Ambassador of Casio G-Shock) and Mr Shigeru Watanabe (Marketing Director Casio Benelux B.V.).

Mr. Ibe: “Do you mean, there should be more G-Shocks, for runners?”

Sjors: “Well, it’s a question I have heard many times. I’m part of a pretty large G-Shock community of users and collectors. There are also runners amongst them and they say the only thing is missing on a G-Shock is a Lap Timer.”

Mr. Ibe: “Ah that’s interesting, maybe in the future.”

Sjors: "I know you have only black watches…"

Mister Ibe shows proud his DW-5600E, which flawless survived a hit test during his presentation.

Sjors: "…though I know you are a color full person. What do you think of all those bight color variations of G-Shock that are out now?"

Mr. Ibe: "I like all the color variations. It can show who you are and you can match your watch with your clothes"

I look at my HTML x G-Shock shirt and my red Frogman. I had definitively not the right color, but then I saw Mister Ibe’s red shirt, which matches my red Frogman. “Normally I try to match my G-Shock to my clothes, but I don’t have a red G-Shock T-Shirt.”

Mr. Ibe: “That´s a beautiful T-Shirt”

Sjors: “Yes, thank you. I bought it in Japan. I had a friend and G-Shock Collector there who arranged it for me. There are now a lot of collectors of G-Shock in the world, what do you think of this?"

Mr. Ibe: “Well, I didn’t expect it all in the beginning, but of course, I appreciate it very much that people love the G-Shock so much.”

Sjors: “Yes, I am active with G-Peopleland on Facebook too and many people from all over the world tell me they love G-Shock so much. I always am amazed as I am actually a guy who lives in the countryside.”

Mr. Ibe: “Where are you from?”

Sjors: “I live in Middelburg, a small town in the South of The Netherlands, but in the past it was an important town where also ships left to Japan for trade. The Dutch were the only allowed to trade with Japan from a small Island.”

Mr. Ibe: "Ah, that was on the Western part of Japan, you do you mean about 400 years ago??"

Sjors: "Yes"

Mr. Ibe: "Oh, that’ was at Dejima at Nagasaki"

Sjors: "Is this the first time you visit The Netherlands?"

Mr. Ibe: "It is the second time I am here."

Sjors: "The second time already, so what do you think of country?"

At the end of the presentation Mister Ibe Kikuo showed this slide and read the text. Translated it says: "I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the volunteered support given by the people of The Netherlands after the severe earthquake that hit Japan earlier this year"After Mr Ibe had read the words there was a moment of silence, followed by a big  applause.

Mr. Ibe: "First thing,  I was impressed. The towns and cities are very clean. Also outside the towns it’s beautiful. Not only the nature, but also the farms and so. It is a nice scenery. Second thing, I find the people are warm and have an open mind. That impressed me also very much."

Sjors: "That last thing, I think, is typical Dutch."

Mr. Ibe:"Yes" (interrupted by a worried girl, about a the OntFront collaboration model, that tipped over in the display).

Sjors: "Where do you live?"

Mr. Ibe: "I live in Hamura. It is a city, north of Tokyo." 

Sjors: "It’s funny you mentioned it’s clean here, as I have been in Tokyo and New York and thought it was clean there."

Mr. Ibe: "Yeah, he laughs, right."

Sjors: "I noticed you always do your presentation at Shock The World always in the language of the Country."

Mr. Ibe: "Ha, ha, You know it."

Sjors: "I am very impressed you did your presentation here in Dutch and when I was in Barcelona you did it is Spanish, which was impressive, but a little pity for me, as I don´t speak Spanish. So now I am curious, how many languages do you speak."

Mister Ibe is laughing and amused: “Not many actually. Every time I go to Shock The World, I practice. I think, for this time in Amsterdam, I started the preparation more than a month ago. I was in Japan when I was preparing. I had a Dutch speaking tool and I had a Dutch teacher in Japan, so I trained a lot.

Sjors: "So, you do this every time you go to visit Shock The World?"

Mr. Ibe: "Yes"

Sjors: "That’s impressive."

Mister Ibe smiles and repeats his life motto: “Never Give up!”

Sjors: "I am impressed. I have been in Japan recently. The difference between Japanese and English and Dutch are so difficult. I remember I had to call a friend on the train ( it’s actually very rude to use a phone in a train in Japan) which station I should get of. At the time I hung up the phone I was already forgotten the name of the station, so I sometimes had to call 2 or three times to ask the name again. It must take a lot of time and energy to learn these languages for you. Why do you always speak at Shock the World in the local language?"

Mr. Ibe: "This is the way I show my respect and also politeness to the people who come all the way to participate in the Shock the World, that is why I do this."

Mister Ibe Kikuo at the display case with his creation. The DW-5000C from 1983. 

Sjors: "Well, I think that’s all I wanted to ask. Thank you very much for making time for this interview."

Mr. Ibe: "Thank you, thank you very much."

Sjors: "Can I ask you a small thing?" (while I open my camera bag and take out two 2 g-Shocks and a fine ti marker). I don’t have to ask any more. Mister Ibe signs my yellow and Green Collection G-6900 G-Shocks.

Photo's: by Jack van de Wege and "Lester Burnham" and Sjors.

G-Shock #25: Dolphin & Whale Research Network 2004

It's the 25th G-Shock article this week. Half way my goal of this year. Today’s G-Shock is a model I wanted to have for a long time. I recently finally acquired it in May. It’s the I.C.E.R.C. Frogman of 2004.

Casio releases since 1994 special models to support international dolphin and whale research. I normally associate blue, aqua, white and light gray with the sea and oceans, but the first I.C.E.R.C. release (DW-6100DW-9) was also in this yellow/black color scheme. This color scheme also returned on the 1999 Gulfman and the 2009 Gulfman. Although I do not see the link to the sea or the I.C.E.R.C. it is a pretty cool color scheme. With this model Casio honors this is the 10 annual Dolphin and Whale model. I’m already looking forward to the 2014 model, as I suspect I already know the color scheme.

I.C.E.R.C. stands for International Cetacean Education and Research Centers. This non-profit organization was founded in Australia in 1988 and has departments all over the world. During their existence they have tried to study these four goals:

1 ¬ The study of dolphins and whales in their natural environment

In a practical manner, what can we learn from dolphins and whales? Watching the cetaceans' daily life in their natural habitat is a quasi-inexhaustible source of learning. If women and men of this planet were inspired even remotely by the way of life of their marine cousins, this would speed up their evolution towards a really human being.

2 ¬ Tribes of the Earth "Stories and legends"

Memories of certain ancient tribes can bring us some missing pieces from the puzzle formed by the great mysteries of the creation. Atlantis Lemurians Are these stories true? Or are we faced with legends? Make your choice!

3 ¬ The importance of the recognition, the study and the integration by western culture of the "energetic" dimensions of the existence
 

The vibrating level of the vital energy of a person increases during a meeting with a dolphin or a whale. Then the human finds himself in a sort of Meditation State that is extremely beneficial for his health, his well being and the evolution of his conscious... Our marine cousins are in this state 90 % of their time. It seems that this state permits cetaceans to use all of their brainpower. What do cetaceans use their intelligence for? Why do women and men today only use 5 to 10 % of their brain? What could they use the remaining 90 % for? What is the vital energy ?

4 ¬ The dolphin awakes in us a desire for a greater liberty

How could the human race speed up their evolution towards these beings free, autonomous and independent?

A lot of activities organized by these Educational and Research centers consist of observing cetaceans in their natural habitat. A funny coincidence is that lately humpback whales are spotted at the Dutch Coast. This might be a good sign, as in the far past whales were spotted more often in the Dutch waters.

The whale featured on this GW-204K-9DR (overseas model of the GW-204K-9JR) is a sperm whale. This mysterious whale has a big head. The animal thanks his name to its spermaceti organ, which gives this whale it’s characteristic shape of its head.

The spermaceti organ contains a wax like substance. This spermaceti-oil was in the past a very valuable product. It was used to make candles, soap, cosmetics and machine oil. A full grown sperm whale can have up to 3000 kilograms of this oil in its head. In the past this substance was mistaken for the whale’s sperm, hence the name. The function of this wax like oil is not really known, but scientist think that the whale can regulate the temperature of the spermaceti organ. At the start of a dive, the blood flow to the spermaceti organ stops, so the substance turns cold and solid. This gives the whale a relative high specific density, making a fast decent possible. At great depths the whale can restore the blood flow, so the substance liquidities. It makes the whale’s specific density lower, making it easier for the whale to go to the surface.

The sperm whale has a blood volume of about 3000 liters, giving the whale the opportunity to store enough oxygen for up to 2 hours. A sperm whale dives to 3000 meter depths and can easy stay 90 minutes under water. The spermaceti organ probably also plays a role in the sonar system that the whale uses to locate its prey, squid.

Back to the watch. Normally an I.C.E.R.C. model is released in a special printed cardboard G-Shock show box, but the box for this model is different. I somehow see this show box as a kind of aquarium. This cube shaped box has on 5 sides round show windows. In three of them there is the I.C.E.R.C. motto : “All As One” and “The 4th Dolphine & Whale Eco-Research Network” written around the window. The one on top also shows a sperm whale. On the two sides there is the image, which we also find on many I.C.E.R.C. models etched on the back.

 (for better reading, of the I.C.E.R.C. leaflet, which is inclided in the box with this Frogman, right click on image and open in an other tab or window)

The Frogman is placed in a clear plastic inner box. I am always very careful with these boxes. I have several late 90’s models, which came in show boxes, made of similar plastic. If there is any damage, the material tears easily further. Next to the Frogman there is a small button with the colored I.C.E.R.C. logo. Very cool, I didn’t know this was included in the box.

The GW-204K-4DR is a special edition of the Tough Solar GW-200 Frogman with the usual 2422 module. Every Frogman is ISO certified 20 bar water resist (equivalent to a 200 meter water column).

What’s on board of the 2422 module… It starts with a 10 dive sites Site Mode. It’s a bit stripped World Time function. The main time is locked to one of the site’s time zone. Standard it is locked on the Japan time zone. Best way to set your Frogman is to change one of the dive sites (except when you live at one of these sites, of course) to your location and then lock the main time to your time zone.

Next is the Identification Mode. Standard it stores your credit card number, passport number and blood type, but you can also store information as your scuba license number. I’m not sure if it’s wise to store information like your credit card number on your watch.

The last three mode are a 24 hour Stopwatch, a 24 hour Countdown timer and an Alarm function with three alarms and a hourly chime.

One special function is hidden. If you press the MODE button for about three seconds, you enter the Dive Time Measurement Mode. Well, the name of this mode says enough. It’s a kind of special Stopwatch function that records your dive time. If you start diving, it shows the current time, the time your dive started and the time you spend diving.

Back in 2004 it was relative easy to get one of these Frogman models. The retail price of this watch was 27000 yen in Japan and if I remember correct, it was sold outside Japan for around $250.- (which was a lot of money for a GW-200 Frogman in 2004). The US$ was quite high compared to the Euro. I think it was somewhere around €220 - €230 around that time.

For this watch I have paid quite a lot. It cost me €350.-, which makes this watch one of my most expensive G-Shocks. Is it worth it? I have been wanting to have this watch since it was released. The only problem was that I had no funds. At the end of 2003 and beginning 2004 the GW-203KK-4JR was very easy to find. I had bought two of those in a short time span, so I couldn’t afford to buy this Frogman. I very much like the yellow color and the black yellow color scheme on this watch. A friend and “former” G-Shock Collector offered this watch to me a few months ago. He could hold it for me, so I could save up the money for this Frog. Well, I have it in my collection now, that counts. I always say, “if you like it and you can afford it, then buy it”. Finally I have it.