So Sorry, Johnny

Sometimes I forget how secluded Japan is. Nearly all their information about the outside world comes from the media, which, by the time it gets to them, has been filtered significantly. For example, they think Snoopy is the star of his own show, entitled, "Snoopy and Friends". Both Jack Skellington and Stitch are popular characters over here, but if you ask what movies they come from, you'll get a glazed look and a shrug. While children have never heard of Winnie the Pooh, they all love that adorable yellow stuffed bear, “Pooh-san.”
We tried an exercise today on how (A) is more famous/interesting/beautiful than (B). I decided it would be fun to pit an American movie star against a Japanese one. I asked them:
“In America, who is more famous, Johnny Depp, or Toshio Mifune?”
“who?” they asked.
“Johnny Depp,” I said again, thinking I had said it too fast, or maybe they just couldn't believe that I dared recite a pop culture reference in the holy sanctum that is English class.
“Who's Johnny Depp?"
I then try to explain to them who Johnny Depp was, using all the Japanese I can muster through the haze of disbelief that is engulfing me, threatening to dissipate what sanity I have left after six months of living here, when the teacher pipes up, “Oh, you mean that pirate guy?”
“Ooh, the pirate guy!” all the children squeal, “He's so cool!”
Just to make things clear, I used Johnny Depp because I'd seen “that pirate guy” on almost every piece of merchandise imaginable. People dress up as him for Halloween. He's on pencil cases, lunch boxes and backpacks. He's in your cereal. And yet these people don't know Johnny Depp?
“yes, the pirate guy,” I say, getting back to the lesson, “The pirate guy is more popular than Tohsio Mifune.”
“Who?”
Okay, Japan. You're on your own.