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After you’ve just finished a round of Ultraman golf, why not relax with a glass of Ultraman wine? This futuristic merlot comes with a matching glass, and is designed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of 20,000-year-old.
Via AltJapan
Kanye West shows it’s possible to ruin two pieces of greatness in 4 minutes and 27 seconds. Actually, he pretty much does it in 10 seconds. His new single, Stronger, not only samples Daft Punk, but has a video that’s basically a mini live action version of the anime classic, Akira.
Check out Montoya Hearald’s scene by scene comparison.
Via Anime UK News
Ok, I know this will only be of interest to some of you, but it does feature one of the greatest bands ever to exist - Yellow Magic Orchestra. They appear in the new Kirin lager ad performing Rydeen:
If you haven’t heard YMO before, please check them out. See if you can track down a tune of theirs called Plastic Bamboo while you’re at it!
A lot of the time fictional characters are simply a clever combination of two existing animals, objects, whatever. At times, the mix just seems completely random. This is definitely the case for Fuji TV’s excellent new character, Goringo; the gorilla and apple (’ringo’ in Japanese) hybrid.
Enjoy the title sequence and its incredible tune here.
If you don’t love Jonathan Ross then you’re a weirdo. He’s back with the third series of Japanorama, which starts tonight in the UK on BBC3 at 11pm. Only 6 episodes long, each one “investigates a significant aspect of Japan’s world leading, trend-setting culture.” The 6 episodes are titled:
Gaijin - Outsiders
Ai and Koi - Love and Romance
J-Art - Pop Art
Densetsu - Legends
Kaidan - Horror
Ganguro - Bad Girls
Read more about the show on the BBC site.
Kelly Osbourne’s new TV series, “Turning Japanese”, starts on ITV2 in the UK this Thursday at 9pm. From the listing:
“Kelly Osbourne loves shopping in Japan, but will her working holiday leave her dying to stay or longing to leave? Her first raft of jobs include managing a Tokyo Love Hotel, training with the Samurai and waitressing in a very strange cafe.”
UK newspaper, The Sun, also spoke to Kelly about the show.
“In public toilets you don’t have to touch anything. A machine gives loo roll and makes birdie noises so you can’t hear the person next door break wind. It spoils the fun!”
Hmm, I would say that is the fun, but anyway. The programme is repeated on Sunday at 10pm if you miss it.
Zigorow gives me the creeps. Anyone who’s seen him on the show Saku Saku will understand. For those who don’t know about him, Patrick sums up the show well on his blog, chipple.net. If you want to creep me, and no doubt many others out, get one of these new Zigorow phone straps from StrapYa. Eeeeeeee!
Norio Minorikawa is a face you’ll see on Japanese television frequently. Not only does he host news shows, but also talk shows, wildlife shows and Japan’s version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ Spending 21 hours and 42 minutes on live television every week, he has earned a Guinness World Record. Minorikawa, who is also known as Monta Mino, hosts 11 live shows across the week to win him this title. In his spare time he also hosts five prerecorded shows. At the presentation ceremony in Tokyo, Minorikawa said, “I’m touched. I want to die talking.”
Source: CBS News
Tom Cruise’s massive involvement and love for Japan has resulted in the announcement of “Cruise Day” by the Japan Memorial Day Association. Cruise has visited Japan more than any other Hollywood star, and his film The Last Samurai grossed 14001 million yen ($117m/£63m) more in Japan than it did in the USA. On a promo trip for the film Mission: Impossible III, he had his photo taken with over 100 fans while riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka. The Japan Memorial Day Association emphasized that Cruise is the first Hollywood star to receive this honour.
Via Hollywood.com
Little Martin Scorsese has chosen 16th Century Japan as the location of his next feature film. Silence, is an adaptation of the 1966 novel by Japanese writer Shusaku Endo. Production Weekly provided the outline:
“Silence is set in sixteenth century Japan, where Portuguese missionaries must contend with traders from rival European nations and the persecution of Christians by Japanese feudal lords. The feudal lords want to drive Christianity out of Japan, and try to do so by torturing priests into apostasy, denying their faith. This is done symbolically by stepping on a “fumie,” a Christian image, like a picture of Mary or a crucifix. Two Portuguese priests, Sebastian Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, make a dangerous journey to Japan, both to locate and comfort Japanese converts, and to discover the truth about a supposed apostate priest, Ferreira.”
Sounds fun!
Source: Cinema Fusion
Denn? Senshi Porigon, or Computer Soldier Polygon, was an ‘episode’ of Pokemon that caused a total of 685 children in Japan to be taken to hospital by ambulance. The scene in question featured flashing lights that triggered “photosensitive seizures”. Watch at your own risk!
Read more about the incident here.
Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z episodes have started to appear online! The series is the Japanese version of the American Powerpuff Girls series created by Craig McCracken. Despite being commissioned by Cartoon Network, Powerpuff Girls Z is produced in Japan by Toei Animation and Aniplex. Watch the first episode here.
Best friends, Capcom, Wowow and Madhouse, announced at the Tokyo Game show that they will bring popular video game Devil May Cry to the small screen. A 12-episode long TV anime series will air in spring 2007. Visit the official site.
This week Apple Computer announced a movie service via iTunes, where films old and new can be downloaded. However, due to the gigantic level of piracy across much of Asia, and problems with licensing agreements from record and movie companies, the service won’t be offered to much of the continent. Fortunately, the service will be available in Japan and Australia, especially since Japan is the world’s 2nd largest consumer of music.
Source: Forbes
