If you weren’t satisfied with this year’s lame Bandai America’s Godzilla Destruction City playset, why not try ALGERNON Product Geocraper – Tokyo Scenery Vol. 1 series? Yupe, this toy line is called GEO-CRAPER, something got lost in translation here, but I digress. This is a great way to build a mini-toy diorama playset and putting your toy kaijus on display.
The Tokyo Diorama Set
September 23, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Love of Sake
September 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I love watching this Vice off-beat foody channel Munchies! Host Yuka Uchida takes her friend around Tokyo to explore the Japanese love of sake. The girls go sake-hopping learning everything and anything about sake.
Japan: The Burger King Black Burger
September 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Burger King Japan re-introduces the “Black Burger” which features bamboo charcoal powder to get the dark color buns and cheese. The sauce is made of BBQ sauce and squid ink.
Super Deformed Big Head SDF-1
September 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Macross (Robotech) fans will enjoy this cool SDF1 toy from Master Made. The SDF1 Makuros gets the cute super big head treatment. The Makuros is also transformable and has articulation. It comes with a neat base stand and two Veritechs with stands.
Viral Video Friday: Montage of 2 Weeks in Japan
September 12, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Marc Ambuehl spent 2 weeks in Japan and bought along his Canon 5D MKIII and various Canon lenses and captured some vivid everyday scenes. He traveled to Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima and Kinosaki.
Food: The Ramen Burger on Conan
September 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I get hungry just watching this. Team Coco gets to eat new foody fad – the Ramen Burger by Chef Keizo Shimamoto. Chef Shimamoto created his own style of ramen noodles to go with a beef patty.
Video Link: Conan – Ramen Burger with Chef Keizo Shimamoto.
ILLEST x Voltron
September 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
As a kid growing up in the 1980s and watching lots of cartoons on the tube after school, the animated cartoon Voltron has a special place in my heart. Just dropped is the coolest of cool collabs – Illest x Voltron. This mini-capsule collection features kids tees, adult tees, keychains, stickers. and 1 lanyard.
A Montage of Clips through the Lens of a iPhone 5S
September 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It’s pretty incredible what you can do with a smartphone these days. You can play Candy Crush, try date somebody on Tinder, or do something creative like making one cool video montage of your travels. And that’s what photographer Markus Kontiainen has done with his “Moments in Asia.”
Ultra Eye: A Hipster Guide to Tokyo Parts 1-3
September 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The last time I was in Japan was like 2009, so maybe it’s time to go back? I do need to get some new bags and boots. The Reserve Channel’s Ultra Eye takes a 3-part look at Tokyo.
Ultra Eye travels to Singapore Parts 1-4
September 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The summer maybe over, but I feel the need to travel again. Maybe The RESERVE Channel’s Ultra Eye takes will point me in the next direction – Singapore! Check out this 4-part series on tourist spot – Singapore.
GODAIZER: Animated Film (19 Minutes)
August 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
If you like giant robots and kaijus, this animated 19 minute Godaizer is just for you. This may have been released 2011, this independent animated flick caught me my attention again. Directed and produced by Hillary Yeo and the Media Development Authority of Singapore.
Street Fighter 2 on your knees!
August 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
If you find yourself in Japan this summer and spot a vending machine selling capsule toys, then you might want to pick these neat looking Street Fighter 2 phone accessories. Zarigani Works and Capcom have made 8 PVC characters “bowing for forgiveness” from Street Fighter 2 series.
Martin Hsu “In Dreams” Gallery
August 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
If you’re in Taipei this August through September, stop by artist Martin Hsu’s exhibition “In Dreams” at the Wrong Gallery. “In Dreams” is Martin Hsu’s take on “Little Red Riding Hood” and bowl of noodles. The “In Dreams” exhibition runs from August 9th thru September 2nd, 2014.
Jpop Summit & Ramen Festival 2014
July 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Ramen crew attends the annual Jpop Summit Festival in SF Japantown and Union Square. The festival celebrates not just the genre of Jpop music, but also anime, manga, cosplay, and Japanese culture. Also this year, they introduced the Ramen Festival this year which packed-in the crowds.
Kids Logic Mecha Nations MN03 Transformers Megatron
July 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
HK toy maker Kids Logic is on a roll with their big-head cute Hasbro-approved Transformers G1-style line-up of light-up LED action figures. Here’s the latest from Kids Logic, the Mecha Nations MN03 Transformers Megatron 6″ figure.
How Ramen Noodles Are Made :)
July 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Great timing, our Ramen crew today will be at the Jpop Summit Festival here in San Francisco’s Japantown and will also be at the Ramen Street Festival for some yummy ramen eating fun. Here’s a look at how ramen noodles are made.
Japan: Mario Kart in Harajuku
July 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Do you play Mario Kart? If so, did you ever wish you can dress up like a character from Mario Kart and drive a real Mario Kart on the streets? Well, now you can. First you must have an international drivers license and hop on a plane to Tokyo, Japan. After that, you can check out Akibakart. You can rent these Mario Kart-like go-carts and ride along the streets of Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan.
BE@RBRICK x Transformers
July 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Just hitting the retail shelves is a collaboration between Medicom and Takara. The popular toy brick bears meets the transformerable robots in this neat merchandising product line. The 4 figures: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream and Bumblebee figures can transform into their BE@RBRICK form or G1-style robot form. Now that is cool, so just take my wallet and credit cards now!
Japan: The Future of Robotics
June 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Remember watching anime like Bubblegum Crash or Ghost in the Shell about androids and cyborgs? Is it here already? Engadget is at the “Android: What is Human?” Exhibition in Toyko, Japan.
Frankie’s Garage: WekFest Japan 2014 in Nagoya
May 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Our Retrenders team have been to many WekFest events here in the States, but not in Japan. Check out this mini-tour of WekFest Japan 2014 – Port Messe, Nagoya by BOWL Films.
The Search for General Tso
May 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Another documentary that is on my watch list and is now hitting the film festival circuit is “The Search for General Tso” by filmmaker Ian Cheney. If you been to any Chinese restaurant in America you will find some-type of “General Tso” chicken dish. This dish is unheard in native China, a typical Chinese-American dish like Egg Rolls and Beef & Broccoli. This documentary tries to find the origins and effects of “General Tso” chicken.
Avril Lavigne “Hello Kitty”
April 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Pop singer Avril Lavigne gets in on the Hello Kitty celebration.
Patlabor attacking the streets of Japan
April 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A couple of weeks ago a full-size AV-98 Ingram mecha from the live-action series Patlabor created a buzz in the crowd and caused a ruckus of a traffic jam.
Monster Massacre Vol. 2 “East Meets West”
April 1, 2014 by 1 Comment
Monster Massacre is back with more deadly femme fatales and sexy gun grinding action. Monster Massacre Volume 2 showcases the top two art studios in Asia. The top creative talents in Asia at Imaginary Friends Studios based in Singapore and Stellar Labs based in Jakarta team-up for this monster anthology. Many of these writers, artists, colorists, letterers and designers have work with the likes of DC and Marvel comics.
7-Eleven Marvel/Disney Exclusive Figures
March 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In Singapore 7-Eleven stores are selling exclusive limited run of Heroes & Friends Unite. The set of 8 figures features Marvel characters: Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk and Spiderman; the Disney/Pixar characters are: Scully & Mike from Monsters Inc, and Woody & Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. The toy promotion runs until April 22, 2014.
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