For cheap trills I always love picking up little packages in Japanese grocery stores, so the Pokemon cards-n-pubble gum package above caught my eye right away. I was quite impressed with the level of detail in the package, even the package containing the gum was entertaining to look at for me. Of course the gum itself was another story, I think that may have been the worst gum I’ve had in a long time (I guess you can’t have it all).
“As you probably already know the Transformers are coming to wage war across our puny planet. We recommend you choose your alliances now and make sure to hide those extra stashes of energon. And hey it couldn’t hurt to demonstrate your good faith by picking up some Transformers related apparel like these cool animated glowing T-Shirts. Each features the Autobot or Decepticon logo, lights up and animates. We suggest you purchase one of each just in case… you don’t want to be on the wrong side when transforming robots from Cybertron battle.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 21, 2007 in Comic Books
You’ve got chocolate in my peanut butter, so who not mix westerns with sci fi? I’m not crazy from what I’ve seen from this comic (I’ll admit it, the artwork looks soooo lame) but maybe this concept might not be so bad as a live action flick:
“DreamWorks and Universal Pictures will join to turn the graphic novel “Cowboys & Aliens” into a live action feature. Imagine partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will produce along with Platinum Studios chairman-CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Ervin Rustemagic and Rich Marincic co-produce. Script will be written by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby.
The graphic novel mixes Western and science fiction genres. Set in 1800s Arizona, a skirmish between cowboys and Apaches is interrupted by the crash landing of a space ship. The alien commander plans to tame the Old West and enslave everyone, but the cowboys and Native Americans turn their six-guns against the alien invaders. Rosenberg, who ran Malibu Comics when “Men in Black” transferred from graphic novel to hit film, created the concept for “Cowboys & Aliens” and published the graphic novel in 2006.”
…take note Hollywood hopefuls, it’s looking like the best way to get your script made is to do a comic book first!
Hollwood Zombies is a new card collection from Topps which features well know celebs illustrated as the flesh-eating creatures we know them to be! I think my favorites are Paris Hellton, Leo DeCapitate, and Posh Slice. Hollywood is so much more fun when it’s undead…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 20, 2007 in Animation
When I first read about this I wasn’t too happy, I mean why try and re-make a classic? But getting to the end of the article I discovered that Peter Fernandez was going to be doing voice over work (he was the original Speed to me) I realized that maybe this might not be so bad afterall:
“Here he comes, here comes “Speed Racer,” back on the smallscreen. Lionsgate will announce today plans for its first animated series, a new version of the 1960s toon “Speed Racer.” Nickelodeon’s 24-hour cartoon channel, Nicktoons, is aboard to run the initial 26 episodes.
In the new franchise, young Speed Racer enters a racing academy for the fastest kids on Earth — and discovers that he’s the son of the legendary (and original series’) Speed Racer. He also finds out in the first few episodes that he has a brother — the new Racer X — whom he never knew existed.
Speed Racer wows the school with his Mach 6 (an updated version of the original show’s Mach 5) — the most advanced vehicle in the universe, which doesn’t run on gas. Speed and X team together to prevent villains from stealing the Mach 6 and to find out who’s behind the mysterious disappearance of their father. Other characters returning include original Speed Racer’s younger brother Spritle, now headmaster of the racing academy. And chimpanzee Chim-Chim is now a mechanical robot.
Peter Fernandez, who voiced Speed Racer in the dubbed American version of the original “Speed Racer,” is aboard to voice Spritle. Katsumoto and Rocknowski said the new version will stay as true to the original as possible, while allowing for updates like CG animation (including the cars and the background images) and more accurately synched voices.
Every three episodes of “Speed Racer” will operate together as a mini-movie but will also be divisible into a daily strip. “Speed Racer” first hit U.S. shores in 1967, one of the first Japanese anime-style franchises to make it here. The franchise was briefly revived twice in recent years, in 1993’s “The New Adventures of Speed Racer” and 2002’s “Speed Racer X.” Neither lasted long.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 20, 2007 in Comic Books
If you’re in Manhattan this weekend you should go to the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art’s Sixth Annual Arts Festival. $10 buys you a weekend pass for an event that’s features everything from Bill Sienkiewicz signing autographs to Nordic animation. No this isn’t some oversized overhyped event like you’d find in say San Diego, but this low key event is a real chance to hang out with professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. Well as relaxed as one can get in NYC anyway…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 20, 2007 in Animation
I was blown away by the above animation for the above music video “Machines” for the band Kiss Kiss. The video is directed and animated by Robert Schober (nicknamed roboshobo) and I love that fact that while it features 3D animation that the animation itself isn’t very slick and has a hipster illustrational look to it. And of course I’m always a big fan of oversized robots running about the place!
I was very impressed with the above package design the minute I spotted it at my local Japanese grocery store, matching the cartoon body to the chocolate face brings the character to life in a wonderful way (or a chocolate death in your mouth). The character featured on the chocolate treat is Anpanman, who I admit that I haven’t heard of before even though I’ve been following anime for too many years. So running to Wikipedia I found this interesting entry for Anpanman:
“Anpanman, written by Takashi Yanase, a Japanese writer of children’s stories, is one of the most popular anime cartoon series in Japan. It is produced by Nippon Television Network Corporation. Each animated cartoon is approximately 24 minutes long split into 2 episodes of approximately 12 minutes each. Yanase has been writing Anpanman since 1968. The television series called Soreike! Anpanman (それいけ！アンパンマン Go! Anpanman?) has been on the air in Japan since 1988. Yanase became inspired by the idea of Anpanman while struggling to survive as a soldier in World War II. He many times became faced with the prospect of starvation which made him dream about eating a bean-jam filled pastry called Anpan.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 19, 2007 in Videogames
Sphere is a very engaging Flash game from Japan, I’ve already wasted a bit of time playing it (but enjoyed every minute of it). A hints page can be found here.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 18, 2007 in Comic Books
Ted Naifeh illustrated the above cover for Death Jr. Volume Two published by Image Comics and I just love it because it has a candy-coated goth feeling to it without the usual dark colors that one associates with a Bauhaus t-shirt.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 18, 2007 in Animation
Shown above is Lucky Star episode #5 which features Tsukasa repeating the words “balsamic vinegar” which is a funny sounding onomatopoeia in Japanese (or so I’ve read in other blogs). But what’s funny to me is that fanboys are now starting to make their own parody videos based on the gag:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 17, 2007 in Animation
You know what’s amazing about the above concept art for Ratatouille? It looks like something you’d see from the classic age of Disney! However it makes me wish that Pixar did Ratatouille as a traditional 2D film instead of the same old 3D animation.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 17, 2007 in Comic Books
I was somewhat surprised to see that the above cover for Cable & Deadpool #41 was by Skott Young. I had noticed his work before on a cover for the New X-Men, however the above illustration almost looks like it was done by an another artist, it’s much more goth and uses a powerful painterly technique. I have to say that I’m impressed by any illustrator who can be at home in multiple styles so I’ll be keeping an eye out for more Skott Young covers.
Qee (pronounced as the English word “key”) are a collection of designer toys created by Hong Kong-based company Toy2R, and shown above is the Qee 8″ Hell boy figure which I just spotted at Toy News International:
“They began their Qee line with the classic 2.5 inch Hellboy Qee. Next up, the much-coveted large size 8″ Qee. Only 1,500 will be sold worldwide, making this an instant collectible. Hellboy and Qee fans can rejoice and unite in toy heaven!”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 15, 2007 in Science
The amazing walking robot above was developed in South Korea by the Humanoid Robot Research Center (Hubo Lab). Here’s the description of the project:
“HUBO-FX1 is the human-riding robot having 12 DOF. The development concept is that the robot can walk naturally with carrying a person or a load of 100kg, so the lower body takes after legs of human and the upper body takes after a chair. A person who sits on the upper body can control the robot naturally using the built-on joystick installed. It has many kinds of sensors. Each ankle has the 3-axis force/torque sensor which measures a normal force and 2 moments. Each foot has the inclination sensor which measures angle of the slope. Also the rate gyro and the inclination sensor of the body can do a stabilization of itself. HUBO-FX1 is 2m in height and 150kg in weight. It is possible to perform forward walking, backward walking, side walking and turning around.”
Concert Pianist (and sometimes fanboy) Michael Gluck specializes in the performance of music from anime and videogames soundtracks. Since 2003 he’s been on the road giving performances at various anime conventions raising tens of thousands of dollars for organizations like The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Race for the Cure.
This month, Gluck is launching a website for his game/anime music CD called GAME, which is currently available for pre-order on the site. The videogame publisher Electronic Arts is partnered with me in this effort, and together they’ll donate an amount equal to 20% of all profits from GAME to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. So for a worthy cause and some good listening go to:
I love this strange fan made video from Japan! It features the Prince of Tennis crew in a Lucky Star opening title sequence, but the best part is that at the end they’re being attacked by the LOL cats.
“The world of Edward Gorey is coming to the big screen for the first time with a live-action feature based on the illustrator-writer’s classic tale “The Doubtful Guest.”
The project is being developed by Walden Media, the firm behind the “Narnia” franchise, Fox 2000 and the Jim Henson Co. Brad Peyton (“Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl”) will direct from a script written by Matthew Huffman.
Originally published in 1957, the whimsical story revolves around a quirky family whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious, mischievous creature arrives unannounced and unwelcome, bringing trouble with him and wreaking havoc.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 14, 2007 in Animation
Shown above is a backpage ad that I found in an Anime Mook for Terra He from 1980 (click the image to view at the full size). What’s cool about the ad is that it features both Mobile Suit Gundam and Space Cruiser Yamato (Star Blazers). New anime has come and gone but it’s funny for me to think that the two shows are still so popular today (I guess you can say the same thing about Star Trek and Star Wars).
You old Robotech fanboys will get a kick out of the above video, it’s some strange concert from Japan where they’re singing the theme song from Macross dressed as the mecha from the show. It’s very very silly stuff, I love it when their voice cracks mid-way…
“From the hit TV show South Park, Mezco Toyz continues it’s popular South Park line with Butters evil alter ego, Professor Chaos. The nefarious, yet ineffective, Super Villain responsible for atrocities against mankind such as “Soup Switching & soda can shaking” comes to life in this cartoon accurate action figure. Includes presentation board revealing his evil plot and two evil hamster minions.
Features articulated arms, head and waist. Limited Edition of 2000 pieces, this figure will not be available to retailers. Available this summer to attendees of San Diego Comic Con and Wizard World Chicago.”
You know I hate to say it, but these guys have * THE BEST * Lucky Star choreography that I’ve seen to date! Although they’re some what lacking in cosplay skills their fast foot work more than makes up for that…
The package design above is for Fujiya Chocolate Cookies. I tend to notice that Japanese package design (and perhaps Japanese graphic design in the larger sense) comes in two flavors: ultra minimalist and jam packed to the edges. I think the illustration above is in the jam packed category.
Whenever I spot these goodies in Japanese and Asian grocery stores I always snap them up, however in some cases the contents don’t quite live up to the quality of the packaging. However I do get a kick out of sharing the gift warpping with my friends on the net. By the way to see each illustration at a larger size just click on the image.
Below is the bag for the cookies, and below that is the inside of the box showing all of the characters and creatures featured on the faces of each cookie:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 11, 2007 in Japanese TV
Shown above a Japanese news reader pays a visit to a maid cafe. I had no idea that a guy could get a manicure at a Japanese maid cafe! I love how the maids are willing to go on tv but those poor otaku customers don’t want to be seen on camera. By the way I’m not 100% sure but I think the cafe they are showing is the Nagomi cafe, you can read their blog here (if you know Japanese):
