Tokyo City View

Taken from the top of the Mori Building in Roppongi. Great view but a little pricey.

Super Festival Loot

Not at bad day at Super Festival 47 today, picked up a few nice things. The Astro Zombies Skullwings are looking really cool, I found some cheap Microman pieces, and the blank Space Troopers promotion figure should be fun to paint. Also the Escaregot figure by Josh turned out pretty cool. Pretty happy with today's loot, just super tired.

Super7 Show Opening Party

A couple of photos from tonight's show. Lots of exclusives, custom figures and art prints by Brian Flynn, and original artwork by Joshua Herbolsheimer. Good crowd and good times. Good night.

New Tokoji Seijin

The new Gargamel Color Version Tokoji Seijin, to be released at the Super7 Art Show at Thrash Out this weekend. Bright blue vinyl with metallic sprays.

Super7 x Thrash Out

The Super7 crew is teaming up with Gargamel for an art show and toy release party at Thrashout, the Gargamel Flagship store! Monster mayhem is sure to ensue with custom painted vinyl figures, original art and top-secret toy surprises! Opening party starts at 6:00 pm on September 27. See you there!

More Crap

So I'm going to get a physical tomorrow and the hospital sends me a stool sample kit with these crazy poop characters. Why does everything in Japan have to be cute? I know these guys are more dorky than cute, but they tried. Characters are a big part of Japanese culture, they make us buy stuff, tell us what to do, and how to do it. It's sometimes crazy where you find them.

Kusoft

Last week we went to Yamanashi Prefecture and found this ice cream stand selling their famous Kusoft. Kusoft is a kind of play on words, kuso meaning crap and soft from "soft cream". Kusoft comes in a plastic container shaped like a Japanese style toilet and every order comes with a fly (attached to the spoon) and chocolate coated cookie (which looks very much like a mini turd). The ice cream is chocolate of course, but other flavors can be served upon request. A little expensive at 500 yen but where else are you going to find tasty crap?

Smoggy by Le Merde

Gargamel Smogun hand painted by Le Merde. Too cute!

LE MERDE

Cosmos Eaton

Cosmos Eaton is looking really nice, metallic blue body with gold, and a black head with red eyes. Available this Friday at noon from the Grass Hut Shop. Link below.

GRASS HUT SHOP

Super Puncher

Super Puncher 1994 style super robot monster yokai. This lonely otaku collected too many of the same used condition toy robot. This was unhealthy, so he died and returned as Super Puncher Robot Ghost!

Super Puncher is the newest figure in Gargamel's Pocket Kaiju line. Designed by Sun-Min and David of Uglydolls, Super Puncher will make his debut at Uglycon Tokyo. See my previous post for more info on Uglycon.

Uglycon Tokyo

Uglycon Tokyo opens October 10th 2008. The show will feature plush, paintings, prints, drawings, show exclusive items, and artwork from several Japanese artists and designers. I will have a hand painted soft vinyl figure in the show and Gargamel will have a nice surprise as well. The event takes place at Stitch Tokyo in Daikanyama, with the opening party starting at 5 pm. Should be a fun time.

Kaiju Monster Invasion

Art Center South Florida and the Harold Golen Gallery present Kaiju Monster Invasion, opening Wednesday, December 3. The event will feature pieces by an impressive list of American and Japanese artists. Kaiju Monster Invasion will take place during Art Basel, at the nearby Harold Golen Gallery in Miami. What you see here is an awesome painting by Mark Nagata with a tentative list of artists involved. The Harold Golen Gallery website will provide more information on the event and exclusives as the date comes nearer. Link below.

HAROLD GOLEN GALLERY

New Tokoji Seijin Release

As seen in the new Hyper Hobby magazine. Blue soft vinyl and paint job by Kiyoka. To be released later this month. Better photos to come.

Izu Teddy Bear Museum

The Izu Teddy Bear Museum is located in Izukogen and has all sorts of stuffed critters on display (mostly teddy bears of course). Included in the collection are some vintage teddy bears made in America and Germany in the early 1900s. Quite impressive. The displays also include some newer artist designed bears of all sizes, shapes, and colors. The second floor of the building is used as a gallery for special exhibitions, right now they're showing My Neighbor Totoro stuffed dolls and dioramas. And in addition to all this, there is a cute cafe and souvenir shop. We had a good time.