This captivating promo video for the ARROWS' "Karada no V" track (on the recently released AROI album) features footage from the award-winning "Frog in the Well" performance by the Okayama University Modern Dance Club.
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Tag: ‘Art’
Mashup madness: ‘Nihon Town’ by Ken Taya
23 Feb 2009
US and Japanese consumer/pop culture icons converge in an explosion of mashup madness on the festive streets of "Nihon Town," an illustration by Ken Taya (Enfu).
Search the the high-rez version for the likes of Hello Miffy, Bossbucks Cha-fe, Astroboy-Mickey, Yebiweiser, Doraemon-Garfield, Oubei Baba (Obey Giant meets Giant Baba), and much more. Consult the detailed image index if you get lost.
Poster and print versions of the work are available at Enfu.
Also check out the Enfu Flickr stream for other awesome creations like Super Ultra Man and the yummy-sounding Ase Cola (pictured below).
[Link: Enfu]
‘Blast’ – Naoya Hatakeyama
17 Feb 2009
In his "Blast" series of photographs, Naoya Hatakeyama uses remote-control cameras to capture the drama and destruction of Japan's limestone blasting operations from point-blank range.
The dangerous, close-up views of exploding debris inspire the viewer to consider the human capacity for destruction, while providing a unique perspective on the instant obliteration of these ancient rock formations.
Hatakeyama began photographing Japan's limestone mining operations in the early 1980s. In 1994, he published Lime Works, a photo book focused on limestone processing facilities.
In 1995, he turned his camera toward the detonation side of the mining process, which he has been photographing ever since.
Limestone, a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), is one of the few natural resources in which Japan is totally self-sufficient.
It can be argued that Japan's (and the world's) entire way of life is dependent on limestone, a key ingredient in the production of concrete, steel, glass, plastic, and even medicine.
Japan extracts about 200 million tons of limestone from quarries each year, scarring countless mountainsides in the process.
The nation is believed to have an additional 10 billion tons of limestone deposits at its disposal -- enough to last another 50 years at the current rate of consumption.
Twelve Animals: World maps as Chinese zodiac
12 Feb 2009
In a series of illustrations entitled "Twelve Animals," graphic artist Kentaro Nagai rearranges the world map to create the beasts of the Chinese zodiac.
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake // Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Boar
The images shown here are high-contrast black-and-white photos of Nagai's work, which is on display at the Japan Media Arts Festival at the National Art Center, Tokyo until February 15.
- Added: Also check out the animated Flash version of "Twelve Animals" at Graflex Directions. (Thanks, Patomaru!)
Snow sculptures at Sapporo Snow Festival 2009
07 Feb 2009
Here are some photos of giant snow sculptures from the 60th annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which runs until February 11.
Hakodate Magistrate's Office [Photo: Moontears]
Kinnikuman [Photo: Talk P]
Namdaemun (check out the the LIVE WEBCAM [WMP]) [Photo: Sasakei]
Namdaemun under construction [Photo: tetsu]
Olympic gold medalist swimmer KÅsuke Kitajima [Photo: Sasakei]
Kitajima under construction [Photo: tetsu]
Hamamatsu Castle [Photo: Talk P]
Sento-kun & Manto-kun [Photo: tetsu]
25 years in Japan [Photo: Sasakei]
Japan Self-Defense Force soldiers cleaning mouse heads [Photo: Reuters]
Stitch [Photo: Talk P]
Tsuyo Ink [Photo: Sapporo Snow Festival Official Site]
Snow Zoo [Photo: bigarnex]
Alien Baltan [Photo: bigarnex]
Pekkle [Photo: bigarnex]
Photos: Yoichiro Kawaguchi’s robot designs
02 Feb 2009
Fifth-Dimension Treatment – Tatsuyuki Tanaka
20 Jan 2009
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GIRL: Not yet?
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GIRL: Are they really going to do it?
BOY: I'm telling you, they'll do it. Watch.
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DOCTOR: So... what seems to be the problem?
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PATIENT: Uh, it's just some pain in one of my back teeth. Uh...
DOCTOR: Mmm hmm.
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DOCTOR: I see. The root of your pain does not exist in our dimension. Kishikawa-kun, go get the usual stuff.
NURSE: OK.
PATIENT: Huh?
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DOCTOR: This machine will expand your body into the fifth dimension. Then we'll get rid of what's causing your toothache.
PATIENT: Huh?
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PATIENT: Uh... I think it's just a cavity. What the hell is this?
NURSE: Please don't move.
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DOCTOR: Just relax. This is a long lost technique from the Golden Age that I managed to get my hands on. Trust me.
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NURSE: Here we go!
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PATIENT: Naaaa...
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NURSE: Heave-ho! Heave-ho!
DOCTOR: Looking good. Looking good.
PATIENT: Everything's starting to look distorted.
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PATIENT: I... I can see little people.
DOCTOR: That's fine.
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DOCTOR: Kishikawa-kun. See the toothache spores sprouting up over there? Cut them off.
NURSE: OK.
PATIENT: Oh, that feels nice.
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NURSE: Doctor. The handle is stuck. It won't turn back.
DOCTOR: Again? It's such an old machine.
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NURSE: What should we do?
DOCTOR: Just leave it. It'll come unstuck eventually.
GIRL: Wow.
BOY: Amazing.
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PATIENT: Doctor!!!
DOCTOR: Don't worry. Don't worry.
GIRL: Fifth-dimension treatment!
BOY: Yeah!
[Published in Cannabis Works (2003) // Scans via Digik Gallery]
Video: Ove-Naxx – Ovekeyashiki
14 Jan 2009
Video artist The RP (a.k.a. rokapenis) created this fanciful promo video for Ove-Naxx, an Osaka breakcore/raggacore artist whose quirky sound incorporates elements of everything from dancehall to death metal and J-pop, along with bits of Latin American music and farm animal noises.
More videos on The RP's website and YouTube channel.
Digital mech art
18 Dec 2008
Here is a collection of digital illustrations of mechs, droids and borgs discovered via the Pixiv image sharing site. Follow the link below each image to view the artist's website.
POLIZEI ROBOTER [Hikaru Kanefusa]
COMBAT BALL [Hikaru Kanefusa]
Cyborg [Hikaru Kanefusa]
e9 [MAUVE]
L2C4 [MAUVE]
electric girl [Denki]
Armor Suit [Denki]
UE [VVV]
Hyaku Shiki Kai [Saburo]
Cyber Ninja [???]
Major Maintenance [???]
Urban War [yutori]
AC-style Original Mecha [yutori]
sekizui [Gia]
Gappoi [Gia]
Parent and child [Gia]
Work Vehicles [Higashi]
Karakuri Yasha Maru [CYBERFACTORY-H]
Karakuri Crow Tengu [CYBERFACTORY-H]
Architects [Dragons Heaven]
Divinity, The Descent [Yap Kun Rong]
Untitled [Gang]
Placing Dandelions on Raw Fish [Gang]