Smile To The Camera!

Say Cheese!!!

Dollfie Dream Dynamite Miko

This is the box opening video of my very first Dollfie Dream and I decided to go Dynamite to start with nevertheless...  Her name is Miko and she is a standard off the shelf DD which I bought directly from the Volks Japan website.  This is the official introduction but there will be much more of her to come very soon now that I'm back to Blogger after all this time!

Sumo Meets Japanimation

This great short video will definitely put a grin on your face! It's a traditional Japanese sumo match edited to look like a Pokemon fight making it far more interesting than the original version, to me at least. I wish they will do the same to those snooze-inducing sports like golf or car racing.





Via Japandit

Re-Ment Miniature Food

.

Puchi Petites are scaled miniatures of everyday items produced by Japan's Re-Ment company. These kawaii-licious collectibles will surprise you with their ultra-realistic, to-scale reproductions of everyday food items and objects. They are perfect for dollhouses or for the true toy fanatic that loves to build sets and dioramas with their favorite "action figures" and limited-edition toy art.

This Asian art form that has taken Japan by storm is now available for the first time in the United States through their website. These miniatures are fun collectibles you’ll treasure for years to come and are just too cute to ignore. Each piece is hand-painted, so every feature is shown to perfection. You’ll marvel at the incredible craftsmanship, which captures items with detail rarely seen—right down to individual slices of green pepper for your pizza and ice cubes that come out of the tray. Puchi Petites will also remind you of your own childhood, bringing back that sense of childlike wonder you felt when entering the world of your imagination. They are one heartwarming piece after another that scream: Nostalgic! Nostalgic! Nostalgic!

One cool feature on Re-Ment's site is the user gallery "Fun Room", where Puchi Petite's fans display their own mini-sets and diorama creations, featuring Barbies, Blythes and Godzillas interacting with some really cool faux-food products. I love them all!!

Via Plastic & Plush

Monkey Cup With Banana Spoon

This handy item is used for carrying your dipping sauces and spreads for your lunch box. Shaped into kawaii-licious his and her monkey shapes, this mayonnaise cup measures 2x3 cm (0.78x1 inch) and even comes with a banana spoon, used to scoop up the sauces and apply on sandwiches, making this a cute and useful dispenser for your on-the-go needs. A very cute lunch accessory from Japan that's pretty wacky so it makes a great conversation starter. Comes in a pack of 2. US$2.50 each set.

Available at J-List

Rei Kawakubo @ NYT Magazine

Great article on Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo on the NYTimes magazine by Cathy Horyn. It gives great insight on the whole creative process and operation of the world's most conceptual and avant-garde fashion house, founded by Kawakubo almost 40 years ago. Under the Comme de Garcons' umbrella she gave room for the talents of Junya Watanabe and Tao Kurihara, that unlike cheaper CDG collections are separate labels with their own identity and creative independence. Kawakubo claims that the first time she sees their collections is when they are shown on the Paris runways, though they all work on the same office building in Tokyo.

To read the whole article click here

Japanese Snowmen

Leave it to the Japanese to "kawaii-ize" everything they can, so snowmen should be no exception. There shots were taken on the streets of Tokyo and makes winter seems so much less dreary than already is. Love it!

Via Japundit

Clothing For The Homesick

Like a hermit crab why not take your home with you when one is out and about?
Japanese conceptual artists Yoshikazu Yamagata and Mafuyu offer you the choice to carry that "at home feeling" - comfort, security, shelter - a housing for the body, wherever you go.
Not the best "look" for crowded elevators or rush hour subway trains but when was creative fashion practical anyway? Love it!

Via Tokyo Art Beat

Elvis & Afro Man Keyboard Brushes

Oh, the Japanese! Leave it to them to always turn every day objects into conversation pieces. I love how they somehow manage to add a humorous side to gadgets that most people wouldn't give a second thought. Their obsession with kawaii - cute - is very endearing to me and these keyboard brushes are a great example. All you need to do is remove their "wigs" to display the brush bristles, that are retracted inside their little "bodies". Attach it to your index finger and start brushing away all the dust, dead skin cells and debris that we all gather in your hard-to-reach keyboard crevices. Pretty cool, huh?

Via Rinkya Blog

Kaws & Comme des Garçons Collaboration Collection

American artist Kaws has teamed up with Japanese avant-garde label Comme des Garçons to create a series of very cool wallets. These wallets utilize the popular CdG zip style wallet together with the familiar styles of Kaws illustrations. This collaboration includes more than just wallets and will also feature clothing, bags and fragrances. These items are set to debut on November 23rd and will be available at Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Original Fake , Kaws co-owed shop with Medicon Toy in Tokyo.

They do remind me of something eerily organic like little hairy turds or limp penises, am I right? Maybe I just have a dirty mind or could Freud explain it?

Via Hypebeast / Honeyee

Yohji Yamamoto For Mikimoto

When the revolutionary of women’s prêt-a-porter and a 114-year-old Japanese jewellery house collide, the outcome was destined to be a tempestuous affair. So it comes as no surprise that the jewellery range resulting from the collaboration between Japan’s forward-thinking designer Yohji Yamamoto and luxury pearl designers Mikimoto should be entitled 'Stormy Weather'.
The 29-piece line is a combination of innovative designs that evoke the atmosphere of rough waters and stormy skies. Yamamoto is no stranger to collaboration, already having worked successfully with Mandarina Duck and Adidas, and has connected with Mikimoto’s ethos of feminine beauty to create pieces filled with a truly romantic sensibility.
Together these two design giants, both synonymous with Japanese culture, have crafted three themes within the range; Moon, Drop and Le Cri. All feature stunning Mikimoto pearls, ranging from striking white to the deepest black, to create a dark and moody feel to the line. The Moon range draws influence from the lunar cycle, where glittering white gold discs capture a look of luminosity. Drop sees pieces replicate turbulent oceans and Le Cri is a more conceptual design which draws upon death as its main theme with stunningly sculptured pendants that draw inspiration from Munch’s ‘The Scream’.
As a whole, the collection has the feel of fluidity with a dreamlike aura that evokes the flowing silhouettes of Yamamoto’s clothing, and in a similar way to his fashion focus, embodies a striking avant-garde spirit that is far removed from current jewellery trends.

Via Wallpaper

Urban Camouflage in Japan

Great article from The New York Times on the Japanese's obsession with safety and security in modern-day Japan, even when crimes rates are in decline. It showcases their creativity to combat such fears, using camouflaging devices to escape would-be aggressors and bullies, that would bring a smirk to most Westerner's eyes. Take the “manhole bag,” a purse that can hide valuables by unfolding to look like a sewer cover. Lay it on the street with your wallet inside, and unwitting thieves are supposed to walk right by. There is also a line of knife-proof high school uniforms made with the same material as Kevlar, and a book with tips on how to dress even the nerdiest children like “pseudo-hoodlums” to fend off schoolyard bullies. You may also outfit your kid with a backpack that doubles as a mailbox disguise, in case ones is in need of a quick cover-up. The silliest of the bunch might be the skirt that is lifted to reveal a large sheet of cloth printed in bright red with a soft drink logo partly visible. By holding the sheet open and stepping to the side of the road a woman walking alone could elude pursuers — by disguising herself as a vending machine. The wearer hides behind the sheet, printed with an actual-size photo of a vending machine!

These elaborate defenses are coming at a time when crime rates are actually declining in Japan. But the Japanese, sensitive to the slightest signs of social fraying, say they feel growing anxiety about safety, fanned by sensationalist news media. Instead of pepper spray, though, they are devising a variety of novel solutions, some high-tech, others quirky, but all reflecting a peculiarly Japanese sensibility.

To read the full article go to The New York Times website.

Takashi Murakami @ MOCA Los Angeles Exhibit

Arguably the most internationally acclaimed artist to emerge from Asia in the postwar era, Takashi Murakami effortlessly navigates between the worlds of fine art and popular culture and is best known for his cartoon-like, “superflat” style. This large-scale retrospective includes key selections that span the early 1990s to the present. More than 90 works in various media—painting, sculpture, installation, and film—will be installed in three sections, occupying over 20,000 square feet of exhibition space at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. The first portion will be an immersive, theatrically lit environment, recreating the annual “Wonder Festival” comic market convention. It will feature many of Murakami’s acclaimed large-scale otaku-inspired figure projects of the late 1990s, including a new version of Second Mission Project Ko2 (2000-07). The second section will comprise a grid-like shelving display of all of Murakami’s merchandise, including multiples, collectibles, and maquettes, among other items. The final section will trace Murakami’s artistic development since 1991, including early works that engage branding and the evolution of his signature character, DOB. Of particular importance will be the premiere of a new animated film, kaikai & kiki, and the debut of Buddha Oval, an enormous self-portrait sculpture in the guise of a Buddha. The exhibition is organized by MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel with Project Coordinator Mika Yoshitake and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue.

From 10.29.07 - 02.11.08 at the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Los Angeles

Go to MOCA's website for more info