05.05.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Why use the CG Atom image? Curses!
Just when I thought I had forgotten the horror that was the Hollywood film "Astro Boy," I happened upon this sign for the Tokyo World Cup bid. Seriously, it must be written somewhere that it is against the law in Japan, the birthplace of the legendary anime "Mighty Atom," to use the 3DCG image of "Astro Boy" in any public place. My day has been totally thrown off. It just reminds me of the crappy ending to the movie. Why the hell is Dr. Tenma a good guy? Because Nicolas Cage voiced him? And the fact the Dr. Ochanomizu, the real father figure to the robot boy in the manga and anime, is an absolutely useless character in the film. Named Dr. Elefun. I have lost my faith in humanity...
28.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Evil behind the Akiba Smile!
This advertisement is rich, given the state of Akihabara today. It reads, "Akiba Smile! Akiba is beautiful, peaceful and happy." There's something sinister about making such a statement, like the slogan of NERV in "Evangelion" - "God's in his Heaven. All's right with the world!" Who are they trying to convince? We then notice that this is under the auspices of the "Akihabara Town Management Corporation." Truly Orwellian. I guess Akiba has room for a Big Brother, for all the little sisters scampering about....
Tags: Akihabara 0 Comments
24.04.2010 · by Adrian A. Lozano
Akihabara Gundam Cafe & Bar Opens Tomorrow!
Look out Starbucks the grand opening of the Akihabara Gundam Cafe and Bar starts tomorrow at 8:30am. I've lived here long enough to never expect much from these official type shops, most of the time they end up just being second rate souvenir shops with the same Anime goods found at Animate. I hope this Cafe & Bar is more than just another Otaku tourist trap (cough cough Tokyo Anime Center) and that people can actually hang out while getting their drink on.
Bandai will also be holding a SD Gundam Online event a few blocks away over at the Bellesalle Akihabara building this weekend as well. Have at it Gundam fans; I'll be keeping away from Akiba this weekend and trying the cafe's coffee on Monday.
22.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Haruhi gum!
Lotte's new ACUO gum ad campaign features the girls of "Suzumiya Haruhi." Naturally, I snapped a picture of the sign on the train. I noticed that Nagato, who has been on my mind since I watched the Haruhi movie, is dressed as a cat. This bothered me, because I just figured that they were abusing her image and forcing cute in the advert to sell product. Then I came home and saw the CM on TV. Brilliant. Cat mystery all cleared up, and Nagato is seriously cute. I bought five packs of ACUO today.... I feel somehow dirty and used, but at the same time damn satisfied. Viva capitalist exploitation!
20.04.2010 · by Adrian A. Lozano
Carl Macek (1)
For my generation Robotech would be a pivotal televised animated series that would contribute greatly to the formation and foundation of the US Anime industry. Years before Robotech's debut a hand full of other shows paved the way for Japanese Animation for public and syndicated broadcasting, but the main difference was that Robotech carried a red flag making it very clear that animation wasn't just for children any more. One of the most known contributors who worked on the original Robotech series was Carl Macek, who passed away on Saturday April 17th 2010. Carl Macek was the first person I was able to put a face to the name in the Anime industry as a pre-teenager thanks to my Robotech Art 1 book, he was my first Anime celebrity that I would meet later that same year at a small Sci-Fi convention in Anaheim California. Over the years I've meet many Anime creators and producers but meeting Carl Macek has always stood out because it motivated me to find a way in to the Japanese Anime industry. 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of Robotech and regardless of how healthy or unhealthy some my feel about the state of the franchise Carl's passing makes what should be a festive time sad.
17.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Ragnarok signs are the best ever!
Though I love RPGs, I am not a really big online gamer. Still, these new adverts for Ragnarok are just awesome enough to make me want to give it a try. The first one with the salaryman reads:
"Whatever I do is wrong. On Ragnarok Online, I can instantly clear any task!"
Then in smaller letters:
"I want to show my seniors at the office this bravery."
The second one with the old man reads:
"This stubborn old me is popular with the gals on Ragnarok Online."
Then in smaller letters:
"My bad, old lady!"
These signs are there in the Tokyo subway, big as you please. I can't believe they are so bold in implicating everyone in this online gaming culture! Salarymen and old men in traditional dress are usually considered outside the stereotype of gamers.
ちょっと、営業マンと頑固オヤジもオンラインゲームやっているよ!なんか、嬉しいなあ。
Tags: Games CM 0 Comments
10.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Railgun and K-on! figures
Preordered my Misaka-chan from "Railgun" today. Coming out in July. What a beauty this one is! Can't wait for the Max Factory version of Ritsu from "K-On!" Honestly, I don't even like her that much (I'm a Yui man), but this figure is just too cute. Pics are from Tokyo International Anime Fair. If anyone knows more about the release date on Ritsu, please let me know! m(_ _)m
や、やばい。律、ちょっと可愛いかも。。。
Tags: Figure 0 Comments
09.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Shrine to the girls of anime
Also in Nagoya. Advertising for a pachinko parlor, but still beautiful!
Tags: Anime Moe 0 Comments
04.04.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
The reach of moe is long...
OK, so anime of late tends to put in cute girls to attract viewers and sell merchandise. Some people criticize and dismiss it for this reason. But on a recent trip to Nagoya, I realized just how natural the trend towards moe marketing is. A furniture store on Akamon-Dori (the otaku street in Nagoya) put out the advertisement: "We can do moe furniture!" Yeah, a custom couch with a cute anime girl on it. This man, an older gentleman, had survived in a neighborhood fast becoming a young otaku haven by turning to where he knew the market was. It doesn't matter how good his couches are if no one notices them, buys them and sits on them. And it takes the power of moe to get people in the seats. That's as true for furniture stores as it is for anime.
Tags: Moe Travel CM 0 Comments
31.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
On the prowl for banned goods
I visited an underground collector in Koenji who had literally rooms full of books, CDs and items that had been banned in Japan. He also had acquired items from Aum Shinrikyo, bosozoku bike gangs and yakuza. He asked not to be named, of course, as he is worried about being associated with criminals - and pissing them off by flaunting that he sifts through their trash. It was a wild experience just talking to this guy. He allowed me to take a few pictures, including "Misshitsu" (Honey Room), the obscene manga that was at the center of the Shobunkan Trial in 2002. These aren't the sorts of items to be found in the Diet Library or even the Yonezawa Library. Apparently there is an entire network of underground collecting and archiving to save these items for future generations. Just imagine what might be inside all those darkened apartments around Tokyo...
Tags: Otaku Collection 0 Comments
28.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010
The Tokyo International Anime Fair has come and gone again. We go each year, and noted a general shrinking phenomenon. The opening ceremonies were the expected line - anime is a bright spot in the otherwise poor economy, the fair can be enjoyed by people of all ages from all over the world, etc - but it sounded like bluster, given the fact that the anime industry is in fact suffering. The event is still the largest anime trade fair in the world, but many of the big international favorites (Production I.G., Studio 4C, Bones, etc) had very small presences. Gainax wasn't even there (or if there were, we all missed their booth entirely...). Many of the large booths were for studios from overseas (China, for example). There also were many anime trade schools introducing the work of students, who hopefully will be the next generation of creators in Japan. There was a lot of space between booths, too, making the massive hall at Big Site feel empty. An offhanded comparison to the energy and bustle of Comike came off as sobering. That said, there are many very interesting TV shows coming out this year, and the lineup of movies is truly awesome. Not only will "K-On!" have its second season, but on the moe front there is "Angel Beats" (from Key), "Overrun" and "Working!!" A more serious show is "Senkou no Night Raid," which is set in a retro Shanghai and immensely stylish. Bone's will release "Heroman," written by Stan Lee, which has incredible animation. One highlight of the show was the giant "Heroman" bag (we guess that Stan Lee must have heard people give away big bags at anime shows, and decided to one-up everyone with an American-size bag that was so voluminous that looked more like a dress or cape). For movies, there is "Trigun," "King of Thorn," (which looks like something from Otomo Katsuhiro, but is not), "Hetalia," "Welcome to the Space Show," (like a mix of "Totoro," "Night on the Galaxy Express" and "Summer Wars"), "Karigurashi no Arrietty" (from Ghibli), "Mitsubachi Hutch" (a remake of the classic) and "Marduk Scramble" (with Hayashibara Megumi). Fans of "Magical Princess Minky Momo" can expect a stage musical in Ikebukuro. Fall 2010 will see the much-anticipated "Bakuman" anime on NHK, as well as "Occult Gakuen" and "Mitsudomoe." All in all, it seems that things are looking rather dim at the moment, but there is much to look for in the coming year, when the situation may well turn around for the Japanese animation industry.
Tags: Anime Event 0 Comments
25.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Sexy legs, no faces
Just walking through Akihabara and saw this sign for an independently produced erotic video. It is of the sentai-hentai variety, or mixing together Power Rangers and porn. Girls fight, get beat up, slimed, uniforms get torn off, and so on. This gem is called Akibalion, a combination of Akihabara and "GoLion" (aka "Voltron: Defender of the Universe"). What really caught my eye was the picture at the bottom of the poster: the actresses are wearing helmets, but no trousers. The imbalance of this expression of desire seems profound. The sign indicates that this is the second half of what must be an epic story...
22.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Nippombashi Street Festa 2010
I shot over to Osaka for the Nippombashi Street Festa 2010. It was the sixth annual event, and by all accounts was a little more organized and controlled than before. I guess there were police patrolling, and the event had numerous corporate sponsors (the gray-haired suits marched in the parade, which I thought was hilarious). Everywhere you looked, there was Neon-chan, the image character of the area designed by Itou Noizi. (The more I saw her, the more I thought she looks like Cardcaptor Sakura...) But from where I stood it was a really wild time. At 12:00, the massive street in the center of Den Den Town from the overpass by Hero Gangu down to Ebisucho was closed to vehicular traffic. Cosplayers crowded the streets and began performing, including a Macross 7 cover band in costume! The parade itself was cosplayers and maids marching down a thin strip of red carpet taped to the road surface. No fences, no boundaries, just a bunch of people crowding around trying to take pictures. Imagine what the press at the Academy Awards would look like if there was no barrier between them and the celebrities. Yeah. So I am not so sure if this qualifies as organized and controlled. I can't imagine what it must have been like before. From early morning, empty plots where buildings had been leveled became makeshift swamp meets, cosplayers (and many crossplayers) walked the streets. Due to the car culture in western Japan, there were many itasha to be seen, parked right in the center of "Ota Road" parallel to the street through Den Den. People were lining up for special giveaways, and there were live idol performances (and otagei performances in response to them) at a stage. All in all, it was an incredible experience. Like a years worth of energy burst loose for one day. In that sense, it really reminded me of the convention circuit in the United States. That sense of festival, community and play was really there. Great job to everyone involved!
Tags: Otaku Event Travel 0 Comments
09.03.2010 · by ADK
AKIRA: Kaneda's Bike Model - Pictures
This just showed up on the blog of the Japanese Figure & Hobby webshop Amiami: Kaneda's Motorbike as known from AKIRA.
Release is set for the end of March and the model can already be preordered in the shop.
According to the review, the item is better than perfect. Keeping in mind they wanna sell the thing, apart from all the praise the information provided is:
* Product is still in production stage so the final look might differ from what you see in the pictures. Just as the stickers shown further down, subject to change.
* The cowl is removable: it uncovers a well-detailed engine as well as dampers, which themselves are pressure sensitive i.e. work like real ones.
* The front wheel is attached magnetically, thus can be taken on and off without hassle.
* Glows in the dark! Not, but has electric LEDs attached to it. They illuminate five spots on the machine: Wheels, blinkers, head- and tail lights as well as the center console. You can turn it on and off using a switch on the back.
* The engine is actually moving. According to plans, the original motor sound shall also be heard. On top of that it will be attachable to external speakers so you can hear the blast at high volumes and high sound quality.
See for yourself at http://www.blog.amiami.com/amiblo/2010/03/234.html
Tags: Anime Akira Model Toys 0 Comments
07.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Yamakan as 'girls anime'
I have a few issues with this issue of "Spoon," a women's magazine that ran a special on "Women's Anime 2010." It is mostly about "Eden of the East," which I can see, with a few others thrown in there. The issue at hand is the inclusion of Yamamoto Yutaka, the celebrated director of the Haruhi dance, the first episodes of "Lucky Star" and "Kannagi." He is identified in this magazine as Yamakan. The pictures of him are of a serious, sexy director auteur in black. And, instead of anime, his live-action film ("My Unkind Upperclassman") is featured. Issues are as follows:
1) When did Yamamoto Yutaka become "women's anime"?
2) He is known as "Yamakan" in mainstream circles?
3) Rather than moe, he is a live-action director?
4) Not otaku, but sexy man?
There are plenty of other things to bring up, but I am already in tears at how far out of context a personal hero has been taken. Or, even more upsetting, how he might want to present himself in the future...
Tags: Anime Otaku 2 Comments
02.03.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
One Piece ad is a disgrace
I love the manga "One Piece," and I love the cheap and stylish clothes at Uniqlo. But this ad is just plain unfortunate. Maybe it's the straw hat, or the intensity in the model's eyes, but I have never wanted to look away from Luffy so much...
Tags: Anime CM 0 Comments
26.02.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Too much time in maid cafes = moe poisoning
This must be a record. I counted, and I now have 15 full membership cards at Cos-Cha. Actually, 14 full and two half full. 20 stamps per membership card, 1000 yen per stamp. Add it up and see: I go to maid cafes too often. My life is over...
記録的な数ではないかと。やはり、私のメイド喫茶中毒は記録的かも。人生オワタ \(^o^)/
Tags: Maids Akihabara Otaku 2 Comments
21.02.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Kaiju/Musume Event in Akihabara
Kaiju/Musume
In the heartland of anime, manga and games, Akihabara, Schatz Kiste is a maid cafe dedicated to spreading Akihabara's culture to Japan and the world. And now, indie soft vinyl kaiju are invading!
Kaiju and Cute Girls
Shock and Moe
Old-School Japan and Modern Akiba
3D and 2D
What will happen when these elements come together? The only thing guaranteed is that it's definitely something you don't want to miss!
Featured creators will be bringing new original figures for display and sale, and original photography and illustrations featuring a blend of Kaiju and Akiba culture will be on display. Creators will also be stopping in periodically through the week so guests can get a first-hand view of the creative process and inspiration behind their creations.
Featured makers:
Blobpus
Dr. Strange Toys
ILANENA
Monstock!!
Velocitron
Vinyl Junkies
Yamazakura
Opening Party: Feb 26, 19:30
Gallery runs until March 6
Akihabara Culture Cafe Schatz Kiste
「怪獣/娘」
アニメ・漫画・ゲームを始めとした色々な「秋葉原カルチャー」を体験して一日中熱く語れるカフェ「シャッツキステ」にインディーズ怪獣ソフビが集結!!
「怪獣」と「美少女」
「怪奇」と「萌え」
「下町」と「秋葉原」
「3次元」と「2次元」
こんなような絶対混ぜられない物を混ぜてみようとしたらいったいどうなるだろう? 確かなのはこれだけ:絶対つまらないわけありません。
オリジナルインディーズ怪獣ソフビ、イラスト、写真を展示します。参加メーカーの方が来場したり、ソフビの販売も予定しています。
参加ソフビメーカー
BLObPUS
Dr. Strange Toys
Ilanena
Monstock!!
Velocitron
Vinyl Junkies
山桜
オープニングパーティー 2月26日(金)19:30〜
最終日:3月6日(土)
秋葉原カルチャーカフェ 「シャッツキステ」
16.02.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Cooking with Lucky Star
I went out to the suburbs a few days back, specifically Washimiyamachi in Saitama Prefecture. I got my hands on one of the last sets of Tsundare Sauce, inspired but Kagami and Tsukasa. One is a little spicy, the other sweet, just like the girls we love. I am a Tsukasa man, in the end. Can't get enough of the balsamic vinegar goodness...
15.02.2010 · by Patrick W. Galbraith
Yokoso! Japan ad features maid
I just saw this in Shinjuku Station. Didn't give it much thought, but something compelled me to take a closer look. Morbid curiosity. And upon closer inspection, I noticed a maid, right behind the kimono girl to the left, and closely associated with a geisha. It is funny how brazen all of this has become, especially since maids are neither Japanese nor otaku culture. It was a small boom in Akihabara promoted almost accidently by media (details here). Now otaku avoid them, and tourism has been winding down since 2006 or 2007. And yet here a maid stands, right at the center of the Cool Japan image. This of course isn't the first time the government has used popular culture (Puffy has been on signs for years).
Maids, too, have appeared in the past. But not alongside fish mongers, sumo and sushi chefs and other great symbols of Japanese culture. I get the feeling something is amiss here. Oh, and here is one for Hakone with Ayanami Rei on it. I like the way she is associated with Mt. Fuji (=Japan).
Tags: Cool Japan CM Maids 2 Comments