Cool Hunting
This past weekend, the Japan Society in New York City launched a series of events entitled Cool Japan: Otaku Strikes!, which run through the Spring. In the U.S., an Otaku is someone who is considered to be somewhat of a die-hard fan of manga or anime. However in Japan, an Otaku can also be related to music, cooking, video games-- you get the picture. When the term refers to anime or manga, sometimes fans will engage in cosplay, which is short for costume play (shown on the left are cosplayers of the Naruto anime series). This program offers events that explore how the Japanese otaku subculture has impacted film, art and design in Japan. Along with film and dance events, there will also be lectures on Japanese design and Takashi Murakami.
Photo from MasaMania
|
previous entry Archimedes: Chia Pet Meets Tamagotchi |
next entry Destructed Magazine T's |
Director of the anime classic Akira, Katsuhiro Ôtomo's long anticipated Steamboy has hit the theaters. Despite taking place in Victorian England, its themes touch upon the present. Incorporating CGI and cell animation, the themes of industrialization, war, and humanity are woven into a visually stunning story around a young boy named Ray Steam....
Sick of hearing me talk about anime and not know what I'm talking about specifically? Curious about which new series I think are hot? Well, get ready to kill the cat. On NPR's Day to Day, Charles Solomon, an animation critic, did a review on three new dvd releases, Full Metal Alchemist, Samurai Champloo, and Paranoia Agent. It's a nice synopsis piece on each...
Ohayo Gozaimasu! Good Morning! You know that feeling you get when you know you're on to something? Or better yet, just plain right? It rules. Well, avid readers may recall that I attended the Manga, Anime and Japanese Culture in America this past Monday. Also Anime News Network recently reported that Time Warner and Itochu Corp. will jointly produce new Anime to be broadcasted...
In a city awash with museums and galleries, navigating New York's rich cultural landscape can be a daunting task, even for the well-versed local. Still, sometimes the weekly choice of what to do is refreshingly simple. The Japan Society, the city's premier institution for fostering education on the artistic, social, and political concerns of Japanese culture, has a brilliant ongoing film series, with this...
Arakimentari. The subject is the reknowned (or reviled) japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki. He's considered to have changed the representation of female nudity in Japan. The film explores the artist behind the photos by documenting his work ethic and revealing the context in which he creates his work. There are also interviews with Bjˆrk and Takeshi Kitano. This is a wonderful presentation of a man, who...
Mandala, a Sanskrit word of Hindu origin, most often refers to a symmetrical detailed pattern representing the universe and the unconscious self. In some religions it serves as an aid in meditation or to establish a sacred space as well. For Japanese artist Mario Tauchi, who illustrated 108 black-and-white versions of Mandalas for Trolley Book's "Mario Mandala." the motif plays a slightly different role....
