Posts Tagged ‘Japan’

A Photo Tour of Depopulated Rural Japan

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Just what the title says, and quite fascinating. For all the urban bustle, many parts if rural Japan are turning into ghost towns, driven by the relentless population decline and aging demographics.

In 2010, Japan is the oldest society that has ever existed in the history of humanity on the planet, and will remain so, not remotely challenged, for several decades at least.

(Hat Tip: Fark.)

Kirsten Dunst is Turning Japanese

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Something for Dwight’s “Art, Dammit, Art!” watch. Here’s Kirtsen Dunst dressed up as an anime character and signing The Vapor’s “Turning Japanese” in the middle of the Akihabara.

So, you think it’s a publicity stunt or she’s doing an album. But not, even though Dunst is singing and the video is directed by McG, this is actually a performance art piece called “Akihabara Majokko Princess” by Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami.

O….K…..

Anyway, though I think she looks better as a red-(rather than blue-)head, she is quite fetching in that outfit…

{Note: Video includes real shots from the Akihabara, some of which fall into the NSFW category.)

For comparison, here’s the original (embedding disabled, alas).

Updated: The YouTube video was pulled, so I’ve switched to one from eBaum’s World.

Top Five Anime

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

SF Signal has a Mind Meld up asking people to name their top five choices for anime. I wasn’t asked to participate in this one, but if I had been, my list would probably look like this:

  1. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  2. FLCL
  3. Princess Mononoke
  4. Spirited Away
  5. Voices of a Distant Star

My review of GitS:SAC can be found here. I also have a review of FLCL available, should I be able to find someone who’s willing to pay me for it…

Alan Moore as a Hot Teenaged Japanese Girl

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Comic tribute to Watchman creator and comic-God Alan Moore? Got it.

By a Japanese illustrator? Fine.

As a Dojinshi comic depicting Alan Moore as a hot teenage Japanese girl?

Ow! You broke my brain!

And here’s some more art from it.

Life Imitates William Gibson’s Idoru

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Japanese man marries his virtual dating sim girlfriend.

Now don’t you feel better about your own love life (or lack thereof)?