Categories
Anime

Spring Anime 2007

070310-reideen

I’ve been out of the anime scene for close to a year now — haven’t watched anything since last year’s KEMONOZUME — and wasn’t paying attention much until I read that 50 anime series are premiering this spring (see a list here)! I just took a quick glance at some of the new shows, and so a few highlights:

  • REIDEEN, the latest from Production I.G, looks pretty (check out the trailer here, and here they talk about the series), and is airing on WOWOW (Saturdays at 19:00).
  • I guess it’s worth noting that an animated adaptation of the BLUE DRAGON game, featuring character designs by DRAGONBALL creator Akira Toriyama, is debuting in April as well.
  • I don’t know much about BOKURANO, but the character designs look nice. It’s from Gonzo.
  • THE SKULL MAN could be a good actioner — see the trailer here.

UpdateTwo shows to add: MOONLIGHT MILE (“a hard sci-fi about a developing space program”) and SEIREI NO MORIBOTO (fantasy from the director of GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX).

Categories
Events Music

TFP at Apple Store Shibuya

Mark your calendars: there’s no “Juliana” party this month, but Tokyo Fun Party will still be in effect with a live appearance by Digiki and Chimidoro at the Apple Store Shibuya on March 25. Start time is 20:00, and as with all Apple Store events, entry is free.

Categories
Fashion

PingMag Loves Men’s Handbags

PingMag takes a look at men’s handbags with a street report. I swear by my various Porter bags from Yoshida Kaban.

Categories
Web

Diamond Agency’s Clast

What is the Clast blog? “Breaking down consumer and media insights in Japan,” is what it claims, and if you’re thinking Marxy, then you’re right to do so, since he’s the man behind the posts of this new blog from the Diamond Agency. Expect the same sort of cultural coverage and dissection readers of his Neomarxisme blog will already be familiar with. Oh, and it’s also available in Japanese.

Categories
Photography Web

Tokyo Favorites

In case you don’t, you really should be following Alin Huma’s photography blog. I’ve been enjoying his recent series of “Favorite Tokyo Places,” like this one. Pictured above: Komazawa Olympic Park.

Update (16/10/30): The image is no longer available.

Categories
Art Games

Tetsuya Mizuguchi Art Giveaway

As a promotion for the release of Tetsuya Mizuguchi‘s PSP game EVERY EXTEND EXTRA in Europe, DRAWN! is giving away a original piece piece of art from the game designer. Enter the draw here. And regarding EEE, I’m much more excited by the just-announced news that the game — retitled EVERY EXTEND EXTRA EXTREME — will be be coming out on Xbox Live Arcade sometime this year.

Categories
Events Meta

PauseTalk Vol. 8

Last night’s edition of PauseTalk was a bit of a strange one. It may have been because of the bad weather — and stopped train lines — but most of the attendees were new faces, with few regulars, which made it a bit awkward to get into the nitty gritty of the 8mm Film Project. But it ended up making for a good development, as we’ve decided to move aspects of project development online, which probably makes more sense — the monthly gatherings probably work best as a time for discussion, updates, and socializing. I will post later with more details on how this is going to happen — you can start by visiting the 8mm Film Project page on the wiki and by joining the PauseTalk network on Ning — so for now let me remind you that the next PauseTalk will take place on April 2, with the usual start time of 19:30. The following is a list of last night’s participants.

Alin Huma (Photographer)
Chris Kirby (Industrial Designer)
Christophe Sautot (Web Designer)
David Macklem (Web Designer)
Hiroki Otsuka (Cartoonist/Artist)
Joe Keenan (Graphic Designer)
Jean Snow (Writer)
Keiji Ashizawa (Architect)
Max Hodges (Publisher)
Sverine Zajtman (Architect)
Tokyo Alice (Illustrator)
Tomoko Okazaki (Publisher)

Categories
Design Stores

Muji in New York

A reader was kind enough to send me these details regarding Muji‘s upcoming flagship store in New York, set to open sometime before the 2007 holiday season.

Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) announced that MUJI, the environmentally conscious retailer based in Japan, has signed a lease for its first flagship store in the Americas at The New York Times Building. The store will open in time for the 2007 holiday season, serving thousands of workers in The New York Times Building at 620 Eighth Avenue as well as the half-million New Yorkers and visitors who pass through Times Square every day. MUJI is leasing approximately 5,000 square feet along 40th Street overlooking the moss-and-birch-tree garden on the ground floor.

Bruce Ratner, President and CEO of FCRC, said, “We are honored that MUJI–a retailer known the world over–has chosen to put its American flagship store in The New York Times Building. I’m especially pleased that a global pioneer in environmentally friendly retail practices will be a centerpiece of our retail mix. MUJI’s dedication to useful and well-designed products makes them a perfect fit for the elegant and environmentally advanced tower Renzo Piano has designed.”

Hiroyoshi Azami, President of MUJI U.S.A. LIMITED, the U.S. subsidiary of MUJI’s corporate entity, commented, “We feel that the ideal location for our American flagship store is at the crossroads of the world–and that describes The New York Times Building exactly. MUJI products are known as ‘essential elements of living,’ and are based on a philosophy of simplicity, minimalism and consumer functionality. We look forward to sharing both our products and our philosophy with New York City and America at large.”

[…]

The renowned Japanese interior design architect Takashi Sugimoto, principal of Superpotato Co. Ltd.–the international firm known for its retail interiors–will design the MUJI store so that it is seamlessly integrated with the dramatic New York Times Building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, in association with FXFOWLE Architects.

Categories
Events Music

Polypunk 16

Digiki is back with another episode of his terrific podcast series, POLYPUNK (16). Also, tomorrow night (March 7) sees “Le Baron Night” event at Le Baron de Paris in Aoyama, featuring Digiki, KazuNoco, DEXPISTOLS, and a few guests. Things kick off at 20:00, with entry at 1500 yen (includes a drink).

Categories
Architecture Events

Atelier Bow-Wow at PingMag

PingMag interviews Atelier Bow-Wow. The duo also have an upcoming exhibition, “Practice of Lively Space — Detached House and Micro Public Space,” at Gallery MA, running March 8 to June 15.