People not in positions of authority might feel they can do little to change a political situation they disagree with, but for one of the nation's leading parodists, the answer is simple: ape those in positions of power in an unflattering way.
"Mad" Amano, a leading figure in the field who has contributed to papers and magazines, is severely critical of the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, reckoning that it is being strung along by the United States in Iraq.
"I believe (expressing) anger and ridicule is the most effective weapon for us common people to take a stand against authority," Amano, 65, said in a recent interview.