We pick interesting products and trends for you!
Japanese accessory and jewelry maker JAM HOME MADE has teamed up with one of the leaders in bag making in the Japan fashion scene – Porter. This collection features 4 stylish bags – the Porter 3Way Clutch Bag, the Porter Mobile Case, the Porter Body Bag and the Porter Back Pack and they come with two color choices – all black or black/navy colors.
In Japan, when you order an extra value meal with large fries, Mickey D customers will get a free cup holder that holds the yummy French Fries for your car dashboard. It’s only available in Japan and through the end of May 2013.
What happens when you put together a World Famous Cosplayer, a World Cosplay Summit Grand Champion, and Cosplayer/Singer/Voice Actress together? You get the – Super Dolls featuring Alodia, RiE, and Fujaara with their first single: “アジアの変身（Asia no henshin)” The album drops May 2013 in the Philippines and June 5th, 2013 in Japan.
Captain Harlock is back from TOEI Animation and will be released this Autumn 2013. The animation will be directed by Shin Aramaki. Here’s the teaser trailer:
Image via Blastr.com
What’s trending for Japanese schoolgirls in Japan lately? Photographing anime-inspired fighting moves and it looks pretty awesome.
Image via Blastr.com
One of the great things of owning an iPhone, is looking through all the available accessories and gadgets that work with it. One such gadget I came across, is this Bluetooth enabled G-Shock watch from Casio. I love G-Shocks for their durability and with this one, you can pair your iPhone with it and be alerted to Facebook and Twitter events, calls, or email. It can sync-up time to your phone’s clock and it even includes an iPhone finder feature just in case you misplace your precious smartphone on those “what was I doing again?” days.
The Internet been buzzing about this new manga project by Japanese artist Mari Yamazaki (“Thermae Romae”). The Japanese magazine “Kiss” will delivered the first chapter of this Steve Jobs fantasy driven biopic. It’s too bad I can’t read Kanji characters! I need a translator.
A Bathing Ape’s Spring 2013 Men’s Collection hopes to cover all the bases with this 60-plus set. Of course, BAPE’s famous camouflage design in their various clothing items, but their are also lots of solid bright colors and pastel-like brownish colors in hoodies, jackets, shorts, hats and other accessories in this collection.
A Bathing Ape’s Spring 2013 Women’s Collection has more than 50 pieces, so it’ll be a credit card buster if you buy everything in this collection! The collection features not only the typical graphic tees, hats, hoodies, skirts, dresses and jackets, but also sandals and belts.
With this awesome umbrella that has a replica of a samurai sword handle, hopefully, I can walk down the street without getting stared at by passersby or getting stopped by curious onlookers. But who cares, once I wrap the umbrella behind my back, and with my long rain coat on, I can walk around feeling like a masterless samurai roaming the streets of feudal Japan. And when it starts raining, I’ll be ready and waiting.
MSRP: $35.00USD
For more details, go to: Kikkerland Design – Umbrella Samurai.
In the past Incubot Productions have made some really cool USB flash drives with iconic Japanese anime robots like Voltron and Gigantor. Now Incubot wants to put out this cool legendary anime robot – Grendizer 4GB USB flash.
The head and arms have some articulation, the detail on the robot looks amazing, it comes with a USB saucer, and 4GB of solid state flash! What more do you want? Check out their Kickstarter page for more info and details on how to buy this groovy robot.
What do you do when you have access to a 3D printer? Make life-like gummi candymen! Thanks to FabCafe in Japan – you can just hop into their store and design whatever you can with a 3D printer.
For more details, go to: FabCafe (keep in mind – the website is in Japanese – you will need a translator.)
It’s my French Fry Party!! at McDonalds!! Image via Kotaku.com
These potato parties started out by kids in Japan, since French Fries are cheap, the kids just order a bunch of French Fries at McDonalds. Now it’s all the rage in Asia, as youngsters order bunches of fries. I have to admit McDonald’s French Fries are very yummy, but the my doctor would go nuts! I’m scared to ask for the sodium and calorie count.
If you really hate the Marvel standard 4 inch Iron Man action figures, why not order a Revoltech Iron Man?
Japanese toy company Kaiyodo’s latest Sci-Fi Revoltech action figure – the Avengers Iron Man Mark VII. The figure is slightly pricier at around $60 but you gets lots of cool details, inner workings of the Iron Man suit, and highly articulate ball joints which makes this very posable.
MSRP: $57.00USD
Grab one @ BigBadToyStore.com – Revoltech Iron Man Mark VII.
Nissan celebrated it’s 55th year of the iconic Skyline in 2012. Nissan Japan teamed up with artist Eizin Suzuki to depict every generation of the Skyline with a cool scenic background. The 12 wallpapers can be downloaded for your PC or smartphone for free on the 55th Anniversary website.
Mimobot have always made USB flash drives hip and sexy with great collabs with licenses like Transformers, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, and DC Comics. Now here are some other neat USB flash drive designs.
Mimobot x Emily the Strange
MSRP: $14.95USD – 8GB / $19.95USD – 16GB / $34.95USD – 32GB / $59.95 – 64GB
Just in time for the holidays, brick action figure company Medicom Toys will be releasing Marvel’s Avengers action figures starting with a battle damage Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. The figures will hit stores around December 19, 2012 and will cost around $20 bucks.
For more info, go to: Medicom Toys – Marvel’s Avengers.
How does Mercedes Benz launch a new car? Well, Mercedes Benz Japan teams up with famed anime house – Production I.G (Batman Gotham Knights, Halo Legends & Ghost in the Shell) for the launch of the new Mercedes Benz A-Class. This short anime film follows 3 protagonists chasing a ramen food truck in the city.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2Rf5QX7bNc
Okay, I’m hungry for noodles now.
This week, Pepsi launches their new soda in Japan – Pepsi Special. This soda is very special, since Pepsi claims it uses Dextrin – a diet fiber coming potatoes and is a fat blocker.
Alright – bring this to the US and let’s test this out!
Apple iPhones may get lots of art/design cases, but not to be left out in the cold, the Samsung Galaxy S3 receives some Kimono love. Kimono brings out a collection of Japanese-inspired cases for the Galaxy S3. There are 5 case designs to choose from.
MSRP: $25.00USD.
Buy these Kimono cases @ Strapya World.
Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara latest collab for Rimowa is a collectible figurine. This piece comes with a cute Doggy Radio sculpture and cool looking retro case. Production is limited to only 200 pieces and 25 of these will be made available at Lane Crawford retail outlet in Hong Kong.
MSRP: $5,136.00USD (Yes, this collectible item is pricey.)
Source: Lane Crawford.
If you are a big Disney fan and got to have cool Disney apparel, check out this collab between Beams and Disney. Each of the four iconic Disney characters – Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and Goofy sport a graphic tee with each having 2 color variations to choose from.
Fujifilm has just launched the XF1 – their line of sexy stylish point-and-shoot digital cameras. It has all the basic bells and whistles of any typical point and shoot digital camera, so you are basically paying for the fake leather … I mean the faux leather.
DC Comics fans may feel left out with all the recent Marvel Japanese-style art by Alex Mitchell, but don’t fret. Here’s Chambara Justice League:
For more info and images, go to: Alex Mitchell – Chambara JLA.
Alex Mitchell did his homework when he created these drawings of Avengers as Japanese warriors and gods. It would be great to see Alex taking these “Japanese Avengers” and make it into some kind of full-length anime film. How about a Seven Samurai-like adventure? Now that would be epic.
Check out more of Alex’s artwork @ DeviantArt – Genesischant.
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