He's got the looks, he's got the dress -- from baggy jeans to a pierced nose -- but the one thing that makes him different from the rest of the teenagers that walk down the streets of Shibuya is his talent on the slopes.
With his dazzling performances, teen snowboarder Takaharu Nakai had the crowd on their feet when he participated in the snowboarding half-pipe competition at the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games last February. Standing only 165 cm tall, the miniscule athlete's dynamic and thrilling tricks drove the local crowd to boo when he finished in fifth-place.
Youths that enjoy the same sport today respect and admire pro boarders like Nakai not just for their talent, but also view them as fashion role models.