November 2008 – Jean Snow [.net]

Tokyo Realtime: Kabukicho

It was a long time coming — you may remember that I worked on the project — but the first volume of the Tokyo Realtime series of audio tours finally came out a few weeks ago, and I have to say that it came out beautifully (note that I’m no longer involved). I remember when […]

Gabo for iPhone

One of the strangest games to come out on the late great Dreamcast console was Seaman — a sequel was also released on the PS2. Designer Yoot Saito is bringing back the strange creature from the sequel, Gabo, to its own eponymous iPhone game/app. See this video for a peek. Gabo was supposed to come […]

Vinegar Cafe

Dezeen posts a few images of the Vinegar Cafe, a space designed by Shinichiro Himematsu serving dishes using vinegar from an adjacent factory.

Muji Award 03 Results

Muji has announced the results for this year’s “Muji Award” competition. The gold prize went to Yuki Iida’s Straw Straw (above). Lots of great winning selections this year, a stronger bunch that 2007 I think.

Murakami Will Open Animation Studio in LA

The LA Times reports that Takashi Murakami will open an animation studio in LA. He’s already produced a few shorts starring his mascot characters Kaikai and Kiki, as well as a video for Kanye West. The first project will be a full-length feature based on the “Planting the Seeds” shorts that were created for an […]

Arcade Mania on Sale in US Now

I just learned that Arcade Mania is now on sale from Amazon US! So no more silly pre-orders, if you want a copy now and didn’t want to order from Japan, now’s the time to get your copy! The official release was set for January, so this comes as a nice surprise, just in time […]

PingMag: What It Means

As I announced two weeks ago, starting next Monday I kick off life as editor at PingMag, and that means that I’ll be actively on the lookout for freelance pieces for the site. If you would be interested in writing for PingMag, and have some appropriately Ping topics, do get in touch with me. The […]

Professor Layton Goes to the Movies

If you’re a fan of the Professor Layton series of DS puzzle/mystery games, then you’ll be happy to hear that an animated film is on the way. Professor Layton: The First Movie is set to come out in Japan in January 2010, and will tell a new story. The voice actors from the game are […]

Wonderwall Masamichi Katayama Projects No. 2

Interior designer Masamichi Katayama (Wonderwall) has launched a second monograph (following the release of a special edition for Colette in September). The art direction for Wonderwall Masamichi Katayama Projects No. 2 is by Groovisions.

Tokyo Chinatown Ikebukuro

Could Ikebukuro be getting its very own Chinatown? A plan by some Chinese store and restaurant owners to create a community named “Tokyo Chinatown Ikebukuro” to promote interaction with their local Japanese neighbors is getting a negative reaction. What’s the problem? There has been trouble between Japanese and Chinese businesspeople over problems such as garbage […]