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September 2007 Archives

September 1, 2007

TV Guide Magazine Tunes Out

TV Guide magazine covers for Star Trek, Superman, the Six Million Dollar Man, Lost in Space, and Land of the Giants.

It looks like good old TV Guide will cease to be published as a magazine, alas the company will live on but the publication will fade into history. As a fanboy this is rather sad for me as TV Guide has such a rich history of featuring all sorts of cool shows on their covers, making the back issues very collectable. Shown above are covers for Star Trek, Superman, the Six Million Dollar Man, Lost in Space, and Land of the Giants.

Update: This turns out to be a false alarm as it turns out that TV Guide will continue to kill trees! Thanks to the Minimalist Weblog for the update.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 1, 2007 12:01 AM |

Dan Dare Returns

Dan Dare by Frank Hampson

It looks like Virgin Comics is going to bring back Frank Hampson's Dan Dare back to life:

Legendary British Hero Returns To Comics

Continue reading "Dan Dare Returns" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 1, 2007 10:55 AM |

Russia Plans Moon Mission

soviet-lunar-lander.jpg

When I first read this I got excited, the idea of Russia or China landing on the moon would force the United States to re-invest in NASA and perhaps lead to a Mars landing as part of a new space race. But alas my fanboy hopes were dashed when I read further as it seems the Russians don't even want to get to the moon until 2025 which pretty much makes their plans science fiction:

Russia planning moon mission

"MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Russia says it will send cosmonauts to the moon by 2025, with plans for a permanent manned base. Anatoly Perminov, head of the space agency, said a manned flight to Mars is scheduled for after 2035."

...illustration of the LK "Luniy Korabl" Lunar Ship is from deepcold.com.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 1, 2007 3:57 PM |

September 2, 2007

Tarantino Slags Casino Royale

Director Quentin Tarantino

Not only is Tarantino correct that he was talking up Casino Royale before it was made, but also his vision of setting the film in the 60s was much more creative:

Tarantino hits out at Bond remake

"Director Quentin Tarantino has slammed the Casino Royale producers for making the movie without his input, according to the UK movie magazine, Total Film. Tarantino, 44, best known for hit cult films like Pulp Fiction, said remaking the Bond movie was originally his idea.

"I never saw Casino Royale because I was so mad at those guys," he said. "They said publicly that Casino Royale was un-filmable. The minute I said I would do Casino Royale, it's on all the websites and it is the film that people want to see. They should have said thank you, " added Tarantino."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 2, 2007 12:01 AM |

Live Action Dragonball Z Movie

Dragonball Z

If done correctly Dragonball Z fanboys might get a kick out of this film:

Live-Action DBZ Movie Announced!!

"After years and years of rumors about a potential live-action Dragonball Z movie, it has finally been announced that work is soon to commence! April 1st was a long time ago, so I am guessing this time the news is for real. The film will be produced by 20th Century Fox (as had always been rumoured) and will have a budget of US$100 million. Filming will take place in Montreal this fall and winter. There is good potential Fox will screw the film up, but is is certainly extremely interesting news for DBZ fans nonetheless."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 2, 2007 4:05 AM |

Ultra Q: Challenge From The Year 2020

Shown above is a clip from a 1966 episode Ultra Q titled "Challenge From The Year 2020". Ultra Q was a sci-fi/horror tv series which was like a cross between the Twilight Zone and the Toho monster movies. When this came out it was the most hight budget tv series being produced.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 2, 2007 1:01 PM |

September 3, 2007

The Rebirth of the Flying Car?

The Moller Skycar

This is an interesting story from the BBC on a skycar that a company called Moller is working on (their website is quite interesting and worth a glance). It's funny because I grew up watching science fiction I've always not thought much of skycars because you'd see them in shows like the Jetsons, while more realistic technology like a permanent moon base would be featured in shows like Space:1999, so it would be ironic if I lived to see flying cars take off in my lifetime while we're still so earthbound:

'Flying saucer' nears US take-off

Continue reading "The Rebirth of the Flying Car?" »

Posted by Michael Pinto on September 3, 2007 12:02 AM |

Manga Coffee: Seichi no Kohi

manga-coffee.jpg

This may be the best fanboy invention since they put comics on the back of cereal boxes:

Manga-illustrated coffee
a hit at Tokyo exhibition venue

"A manga-illustrated canned coffee product that went on sale during the Comic Market (Comiket) 72 convention in August has turned out to be a hit among visitors to the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition venue. The "Seichi no Kohi" (sacred-site coffee) features two manga-like designs. One shows a girl carrying a bag along with another girl wearing glasses and carrying a thick book, resembling one of the official Comiket guides. The other shows a cosplay character in a sailor-type school uniform. The product was conceived by Big Sight Service, a company that operates stalls at Tokyo Big Sight, where Comiket is held."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 3, 2007 6:43 AM |

Skype Me Obi Wan Kenobi!

R2-D2 Wireless Webcam with Skype Phone

Shown above is a R2-D2 Wireless Webcam and Skype Phone from Hammacher Schlemmer, which is also bundled with a lightsaber shaped remote control unit:

The R2-D2 Wireless Web Camera

"Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the original iconic Star Wars film, this replica of the headstrong astromech droid is a full-function, 628 x 528 pixel web camera that wirelessly transmits real-time video and audio to a computer, and has worldwide remote access capabilities, allowing you to control R2-D2's movements and access the web camera from a laptop or a PC anywhere in the world."

Found via GeekAlerts.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 3, 2007 2:02 PM |

September 4, 2007

Shimura Zoo: Monkey & Bulldog Exercise

Shown above is a cute clip from Shimura Zoo showing a monkey and an English bulldog in an exercise class.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 4, 2007 12:02 AM |

Chesley Award Winner: Stephan Martiniere

Chesley Award Winner: Stephan Martiniere

Shown above is the Chesley Awards winner of the best hardback cover illustration which is awarded at Worldcon each year by the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists. The artwork is for the cover of the book River of Gods, and the talent behind the painting is Stephan Martiniere. For me the real test of artwork with a fantastic theme is if I would want to step into the painting and explore the world being show, and in this case Martiniere has created a very inviting world with a wonderful sense of scale and architecture.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 4, 2007 10:55 AM |

September 5, 2007

Kamen Rider Card Commercial

Shown above is a Japanese TV commercial for Kamen Rider bubble gum cards from the 70s.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 5, 2007 12:02 AM |

Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy

Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy

Shown above is Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy from the latest series of action figures put out by McFarlane Toys to tie into the The Simpsons Movie.

Found via Toy News International.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 5, 2007 11:02 AM |

September 6, 2007

E.T. vs. the Atari 2600

E.T. vs. the Atari 2600

By chance I came across the following video on YouTube which shows the Atari 2600 game based on the classic movie E.T.:

But what's funny is that I don't recall seeing this game when it came out, but my first reaction looking at the video was "that looks horrid!" So I knew there had to be a good story behind the game, and it turns out that E.T. was the start-of-the-end for the golden age of Atari:

Continue reading "E.T. vs. the Atari 2600" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 6, 2007 12:04 AM |

Asteroid Pile-up Dooms Dinos

Asteroid Pile-up Dooms Dinos - illustration by Don Davis

Here's another cool theory on the extinction of dinosaurs which involves multiple asteroids hitting each other and then showering Earth with chaos:

Space pile-up 'condemned dinos'

Continue reading "Asteroid Pile-up Dooms Dinos" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 6, 2007 10:11 AM |

Two Word Reviews: Bionic Woman

Two Word Reviews: Bionic Woman

Continue reading "Two Word Reviews: Bionic Woman" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 6, 2007 10:55 AM |

Family Guy Star Wars Poster

Family Guy Star Wars Poster

Shown above is a special promotional poster for Family Guy from the season premiere episode which pays tribute to Star Wars.

Found via iesb.net.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 6, 2007 7:29 PM |

September 7, 2007

Star Trek Chandelier

Star Trek Chandelier

The above chandelier from the “Novelty Collection” by Elk Lighting was inspired by the Enterprise from Star Trek and is available from LampsUSA.

Found via GeekAlerts.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 7, 2007 12:01 AM |

Wallace and Gromit Statue Planned

Wallace and Gromit

Well this will make Preston a must see fanboy tourist destination:

Wallace and Gromit statue planned

"A statue of Wallace and Gromit is to be built in Preston, Lancashire - the home city of their creator Nick Park. The Oscar-winning animator is working on designs for a permanent bronze tribute to the pair. Preston City Council must raise £100,000 to build the statue which it says would give a "boost" to the area. Mr Park, who dreamt up the characters as a student, said the statue would be "a wonderful honour". He said: "This is a really exciting project and I'm delighted to be working on the designs."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 7, 2007 3:47 AM |

Low Budget Batmobile

Low Budget Batmobile

Found via tackyraccoons.com and neatorama.com.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 7, 2007 10:55 AM |

September 8, 2007

Godzilla Hates Cats

I got a kick out of this fan made film by Koichi who lives in Portland, Oregon. And I had no idea that Godzilla is allergic to cats...

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 8, 2007 12:01 AM |

Thank You Mrs. Madeleine

a-wrinkle-in-time.jpg

On September 6, 2007 Madeleine L'Engle passed away. For many a young fanboy (and fangurl) Madeleine's novel A Wrinkle in Time served as a early introduction into the world of science fiction. She wrote the book between 1959 and 1960, but after at least 26 rejections from publishers the book came out in 1962 and went on to win many awards and serve as an inspiration to generations of kids. Thank you Mrs. Madeleine!

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 8, 2007 3:17 AM |

Spinning Homer Simpson USB Hub

Spinning Homer Simpson USB Hub

The perfect toy to play with when you're eating donuts in front of your computer:

Animated Homer Simpson Multi-USB Port

"Woo-hoo! It's completely practical, honest. Plug in with up to four extra USB ports and every time you do, Homer celebrates with a quick spin and his trademark celebratory howl (you can turn off the sound and/or spin action if your office is not hip to Homer humor)."

Found via GeekAlerts.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 8, 2007 10:53 AM |

September 9, 2007

Hello Kitty Wedding

This is a video of a Hello Kitty themed wedding in Hong Kong. Of course if you live near Vegas you can always get a Star Trek wedding if Kitty isn't your cup of cute.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 9, 2007 12:03 AM |

Casanova #9

Casanova #9

Casanova #9

Casanova (published by Image) has a more playful look that I'd like to see in more comics these days. Shown above is the cover of from issue #9 illustrated by Gabriel Ba which has a wonderful graphic quality to it, and below that are some interior panels by Fábio Moon which remind me quite a bit of French comics from the 60s. Fábio and Gabriel are from São Paulo. Brazil and you can check out their blog here.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 9, 2007 10:25 AM |

September 10, 2007

Luke: Turn to the Light Side!

Darth-Vader-Lamp.jpg

This Darth Vader lamp looks quite swanky for the Star Wars fanboy in search of decor:

Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader EVA lamp

Found via GeekAlerts.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 10, 2007 12:04 AM |

Mona Lisa Redrawn

Mona Lisa Redrawn

The September issue of Nickelodeon magazine features cartoonists doing their individual take on the Mona Lisa. Shown above are illustrations by Greg Clarke, David Sheldon, James Kochalka, Hal Mayforth, Jef Czekaj, Calef Brown, Gary Clement, and Sam Henderson.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 10, 2007 4:01 AM |

Yumi Modal Sculptures

Yumi Modal Star Wars Yoda Sculpture

Located in Thailand Yumi Modal makes amazing large scale fine art sculptures inspired science fiction films like Alien, Terminator, Mobile Suit Gundam and Star Wars (which is shown above). Looking at the craftsmanship you can tell that the artists love what they're working on.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 10, 2007 11:05 AM |

September 11, 2007

Tex Avery Documentary

Shown above is the first part of a very well done documentary from 1988 on the life and work of animation legend Tex Avery.

Continue reading "Tex Avery Documentary" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 11, 2007 12:02 AM |

Iron Man: New Official Trailer

This looks silly but fun! I guess we'll find out in May 2008...

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 11, 2007 3:33 AM |

Parade with Fireworks

Parade with Fireworks

Parade with Fireworks

Shown above are the cover and some interior panels from Parade with Fireworks by Michael Cavallaro. What I like about the book is that it features a film noir feel to the storytelling, yet the artwork has a very colorful illustrational looking style to it. Cavallaro came up with the story as well, and took a page from his own family history:

"These are tales that I grew up hearing from my relatives. The basis of the comic spans decades of my family's history on their journeys from an Italian countryside lost between two World Wars, to the coal mines of the American south and the factories of the Northeast. Parade is the beginning of these stories."

...there's a good hint above for all of you aspiring writers out there, always write about what you know (special thanks to my Mom for always reminding me of that every now and then).

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 11, 2007 10:44 AM |

September 12, 2007

I Lived on the Moon

I lived on the Moon is an animated short created by Yannick Puig who draws inspiration from Tim Burton and Hayao Miyazaki. Yannick works as an animator in Europe (France and Spain), here is his explanation of the film:

"In 'I lived on the moon', a father speaks to his son. He explains how was his life on the moon. A place filled with flying snakes, fireflies and three tailed monkeys. A beautiful place, safe and far away from the human culture. A place for imagination, a place in which you'll find the entrance only if you open your mind."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 12, 2007 12:02 AM |

Star Trek Minimates

Star Trek Minimates

Diamond Select Toys is taking pre-orders on the Star Trek Minimates Series 2 Case:

"The second series of Star Trek Minimates, this Classic Star Trek assortment features Battle Damage Kirk & Gorn, “The Cage” Spock & Uhura, Sulu & Chekov and the limited Swashbuckling Sulu!"

...Captain Pike fans will have to order Minimates Series 1.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 12, 2007 10:48 AM |

September 13, 2007

Ugū!

Shown above is the character Ayu Tsukimiya from the anime series Kanon whose favorite catch phrase is (you guessed it) Ugū!

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 13, 2007 12:02 AM |

Femtroopers

Star Wars: Femtroopers

Thanks to Digg I discovered this blog entry on Femtroopers (feminine versions of Star Wars stormtroopers):

Stormtroopers blast through gender barrier

"If you want to check out a very welcome new trend in science fiction fandom (assuming you're a huge geek), then Google the word "Femtroopers". This is perhaps the most celebratory development for horny Star Wars fans since Princess Leia became Jabba the Hutt's barge ho."

There's also a nice photo essay on the topic here (don't worry it's safe for work).

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 13, 2007 3:02 AM |

September 13th, 1999

Space:1999

Between the era of Star Trek re-runs (maybe 1974?) and the dawn of Star Wars (1976) my favorite show in the universe was Space:1999. I must have only been nine years old when the show came out, but man did it make an impression on me for years to come. Every year when it's September 13th I always think of the first episode which was titled Breakaway.

Continue reading "September 13th, 1999" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 13, 2007 10:50 AM |

September 14, 2007

Gogo Yubari & Green Tea Ice Cream

Chiaki Kuriyama is best known to me for her role as Gogo Yubari from the film Kill Bill, but shown above is a recent ad she did for Glico Ice Cream in Japan. The commercial is sweet, but as a fanboy I wish it had some martial arts action!

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 14, 2007 12:02 AM |

Dragon Wars

Dragon Wars

I don't know if the film will be as good as the promotional artwork shown above (sort of reminds me of a cross between King Kong and the Towering Inferno) but Dragon Wars will be hitting theaters today. The trailer below looks cute, although I have to admit that the Korean subtitles may make the film seem more interesting than it may actually be:

Continue reading "Dragon Wars" »

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 14, 2007 11:04 AM |

Manga Fanboy to be Prime Minister?!

Taro Aso: Manga Fanboy to be Prime Minister?

Taro Aso is a cool guy, earlier this year, he oversaw the creation of the International Manga Award to honour non-Japanese cartoonists:

Manga shares gain on leader hopes

"Japanese comic book shops have been the surprise beneficiaries of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's shock exit. Shares in retailers selling the "manga" cartoon strips surged on belief that manga-fan Taro Aso is the leading candidate to replace Mr Abe. Mr Aso, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is a big promoter of manga cartoons abroad.

While the main Tokyo market fell after Mr Abe's resignation, manga-linked stocks like publisher Broccoli rose. The Nikkei 225 index of the largest Japanese shares fell 0.5% as political uncertainty led investors to drop out of the market until the situation became clearer. But investors pounced on manga publishers and bookshops selling the fantastical cartoon strips."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 14, 2007 6:44 PM |

September 15, 2007

Star Trek Retro Action Figures

Star Trek Retro Action Figures

These classic Star Trek action figures are made for action! Nope you won't see a wussy Jean-Luc Picard figurine holding a cup of Earl Gray Tea with his pinky sticking out, nah this set features Kirk with a phaser set to kill and a Klingon pal ready to rumble:

Star Trek Retro Action Figures

"Ah, the 70s. So many things happened which affected Geekdom forever. Perhaps the most important thing to happen was the introduction and proliferation of Mego action figures. There were tons of cool figures to choose from, but the Star Trek figs held a special place in our hearts. And now the great folks at Diamond Select have made wonderful reproductions for a whole new generation of Mego fans."

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 15, 2007 12:41 AM |

Nicholas Cage Pimps Pachinko

Shown above is Nicholas Cage in a somewhat silly Japanese pachinko TV commercial. I may date myself but I still associate Cage with the 1983 film Valley Girl which had an amazing new wave soundtrack.

Found via JapanSugoi.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 15, 2007 10:58 AM |

September 16, 2007

Galileo Seven Remastered

Star Trek: Galileo Seven Remastered

Star Trek: Galileo Seven Remastered

Just a reminder that the remastered version of the classic Star Trek episode Galileo Seven will be on the air today (check your local station listings).

Posted by Michael Pinto on September 16, 2007 12:07 AM |

Sushi-Rolling Machine

Sushi-Rolling Machine

It's not as good as having your own sushi robot, but this automatic sushi roller from toymaker Bandai Namco is amazing! Here are the instructions thanks to Google translate:

1. The boiled rice tool material is set to the transparent seat part of the substance.

2. The steering wheel is turned round and round.

3. Inserting the paste, when it turns the steering wheel again, the paste keeps being sucked.

4. It is completion! (Size of the kanpyo roled in rice and seaweed is length approximately 9.5cm)

You can buy the machine here, and here is the press release (in Japanese).

Found via TokyoMango.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 16, 2007 10:37 AM |

September 17, 2007

Confessions of a Blabbermouth

Confessions of a Blabbermouth

I took a look at the free preview (shown above) and I have to say that Confessions of a Blabbermouth looks like a cool comic in my book:

"When Tasha's mom brings home an annoying hack novelist boyfriend, Jed, and his deadpan daughter, her dysfunctional family is headed for a complete mental meltdown. But Tasha has her blog, BLABBERMOUTH, as the ultimate weapon — and she's not afraid to use it. Especially when she starts to suspect that the obnoxious Jed has a guilty secret that goes far beyond his bad prose."

The artwork is by Aaron Alexovich and the story is by Mike Carey and Louise Carey - and cooler yet is that Louise is Mike's 15-year-old daughter! I also have to admit the idea of having a blog as central plot device is always a good way to get notice in another blog...

Found via ComicsSnob.

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Posted by Michael Pinto on September 17, 2007 12:08 AM |

An Experimental Tezuka Film from 1962

Before Astro Boy went on the air in 1963 (although it was a well known manga before that), Osamu Tezuka made the above experimental animated film Male in 1962.

The film was made in a hurry to meet the exhibition date and is a Tezuka take on the novel Wagahai wa Neko de Aru ("I am a Cat") by the Japanese author Natsume Soseki. The novel was written in 1905-1906 (about a hundred years ago!) and is a satire on Japanese society in the time of the Meiji Emperor. In the novel a cat observes his master's ordinary life, however Tezuka's twist in the film is that his cat observes an extremely odd situation in which a man kills the woman he loves and then waits for the police to come.

Although Tezuka would go on to experience success with his more commercial work he did continue to make a few more very well done experimental shorts including my favorites