An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla

Sky Ace

HOT TEARS OF SHAME TV - Mandarake Meltdown

Matt Alt and Patrick Macias cool off after a Mandarake shopping spree in Nakano, Tokyo and show off the garbage they've wasted their lives collecting.

HOT TEARS OF SHAME TV - The Boys with Kaleidoscope Toys

Patrick Macias (host, Otaku-Verse Zero) and Matt Alt (author, Ninja Attack!) dare to venture to darkest Saitama in search of treasure at the legendary Kaleidoscope toy store located in Oyama. But will they be prepared for the shock of what they find there?

‘OTAKU-VERSE ZERO’ INVADES TOY COMPANY BANDAI IN EPISODE SEVEN

Tokyo, Japan, January 11. 2011 – Yuu Asakawa (voice actress, K-ON!!, Girl’s Bravo) and Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA magazine) are the featured hosts of Otaku-Verse Zero, a new English language series from web TV network K’zStation.

Updated weekly and filmed in Tokyo, Otaku-Verse Zero aims to bring “otaku all over the universe” fun and lively coverage of anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture.

In episode seven, now available for viewing on-line, Patrick sneaks into Japanese toy company Bandai’s corporate headquarters in Tokyo. In addition to surveying a rare collection of items from Ultraman, Space Battleship Yamato, and Mazinger Z, Patrick sits down to talk with Adam Newman from Bandai Collectors Toy Department to talk about new products. Meanwhile, back at the studio, Yuu confesses her love for Tamagotchi digital pets and Kinnikuman eraser toys.

Otaku-Verse Zero can be viewed for free on-line at www.kzstation.com/ovz/.

About K’zStation

Based in Tokyo, Japan, K’zStation is a web TV channel that

provides original content to two million viewers a month. Their programming features some of Japan’s top comedians, voice actors, and idols including SKE48. For more information, visit www.kzstation.com/.

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Hot Tears of Shame TV - Alt's Clear

Matt Alt explains the appeal of Japanese cutaway robot toys while Patrick Macias holds his ground and operates the camera. Your basic super old skool otaku workout, basically...

Hot Tears of Shame TV - Where the Toys Are

Matt Alt shows off his fabled collection of Japanese toys and comes to the conclusion that he is a superior human being.

Tamashii Nations 2010 - The Year We Get Contacts

I'll be writing a full report on today's Bandai's Tamashii Nations 2010 event proper for the Otaku USA website shortly, but I wanted to get a few pics up before I passed out...

 Out of the hundreds of new items that Bandai had on display. I'd have to say that the one that attracted the most press attention was the Gunship from Hayao Miyazaki's  Nausicaä.

 Although my general disinterest in all things Ghibli is well-documented, I have to say this piece -- part of Bandai's new Formania line of super detailed anime mecha -- is really (as Kevn Costner would say) neat. 

There were also some smashing displays to celebrate the VF Hi-metal series of 1/100 scale transforming Macross Valkyries which weigh in around 5775 yen each.

 Call me old-fashioned IF YOU WILL, but I normally associate the Chogokin brand with, you know, giant robots and spaceships. Nevertheless, the B-Club has expanded the line to include new Vocaloid Hatsune Miku  (above) and *ugh* Buzz Lightyear  figures. Look for a larger Hatsune Miku themed post at OUSA shortly...

 The monster kid in me was practically moved to tears by an immense, nearly five foot long diorama featuring super articulated figures from the new Ultra-Act series (act for "Actor" and "Action"). The fun unfolded in a vaguely geographically correct miniature of the Asakusa ward, complete with Sensoji temple and the infamous Asahi beer building.

The big mass-media baiting whammy of the show was the ever-popular Rocket Punch ala Mazinger Z. Much of this madness was filmed for my upcoming web show that I'm hosting set to debut on-line later this year. And yes, I give it my very best Kabuto Koji wall-shaking scream...

Can your heart stand the shocking facts about "Bukkake Rulers"?

Here’s my official submission to “The Grossest Thing You’ve Seen on the Internet…Today” sweepstakes: a pair of handy “bukkake rulers” given away as free omake inside of recent issues of Shonengahosha’s Young Comic magazine. How do they work? Well, a clear and flexible plastic shell houses a naughty illustration inside. Press down on the darned thing and an unwholesome fluid oozes around until hilarity or boredom results. Who thought this was a good idea, and why on Earth does it only measure objects that are 15cm (5.9 inches) long? Even Young Comic contributing manga artist Denki Watanabe, who presented these objects to me with all the solemnity of a Zen tea ceremony, confesses to being baffled. But that didn’t stop him from furiously demonstrating these “For Mature Adults” caliber items in public even as I tried to chow down on chicken with white sauce stew…

UPDATE: YouTube yanked my demonstration video last night, the reason being "nudity in a sexual context". Fun facts: the illustrations on the rulers are not nude. They're not even real people! Also, the girl on the left doesn't even have nipples! Imagine someone *still* being offended by Bukkake Rulers!

Anyway, you can direct download the video here.

Harlock & 999 Monchhichi sold in Asakusa Nakamise

I love Monchhichi Harlock's cholo hairnet. He needs laser-rapier or a glass of wine tho.

Would you believe: Monchhichi and the cast of Galaxy Express 999! Quick, someone take Leiji Matsumoto to the hot springs...Price is 2,520円-3,045円, about US thirty bucks. 

I've walked by that Monchhichi store in Asakusa beore, but I never went in...because Monchichi is "for girls". Although...the online store has a ton of other strange Monchhichi mash-ups including punk rocker and Chinese army solider. 

Link here

Children's replica gun ads, circa early '70s