Den Den Town - Japan

Den Den Town, Ponbashi, Geek-Vill. It's where I bought robots and looked at disturbing comics. You can look at the full, ponsy, wiki down low here.

Robots, Robots, Robots

You didn't think I'd go to Japan without getting my robot fix did you? Thank you Den Den Town...

After days of soaking up the ancient history and culture of Japan, I decided I need to see massive guns, attached to massive mechanical arms, shrunk down to a purchasable size and put on display. And display they did...

I blew my budget all over robots and robot related paraphernalia within days. Books, hobbie magazines, robot kit sets, the works. Luckily, working only 25 hours a week i have enough time to ponder over them all :)

Retro Advertising Posters from Japan

These must have been successful at the time, but if your product morphs me into Harry Potter or turns my skin a putrid green colour I ain't buying. The Marlboro poster is actually modern, but thought it fitted with the others regardless.

All Manga'd Out

You know there's a lot of Manga out there when it seems like a good sales idea to release a comic about an Executive Marketing Director. However there were 6 thick compilations of this comic, so I'm obviously behind the times.

Grizzly Tang Visits Japan

I was lucky enough to visit one of the design Meccas of the world, Japan, for one week recently. I didn't make it up to Tokyo, but spent a fantastic time in both Kyoto and Osaka. Full heartily recommended to all Tangers.

These are just some random images that caught my eye. Kyoto was a beautiful older city, which reminded me of Rome, and Osaka was a bit more Metropolitan, with all the relevant fashion quirks that come along with it.

Retro Asian Movie Art.

Found in the Seoul Animation Center... I'm at a loss for words.

Gassed in a Subway? Look for Snuffie

This logo is very cute. However it seems a little less cute when you see that it's on a box containing 20 gas masks.

Which leads you to think "Why would we need 20 gas masks?"
Which leads you to think "In a subway station with 300 people?"
Which leads you to think "Stuff that, I'm standing next to this gas mask vending machine just in case."
Which leads you to think "Stupid elephant."

Squidy and Butter Strike Again!

When I first got to Korea I'd stop every few steps for a wtf moment due to things like this. Now I don't bat an eyelid.

Korean Graphic Design and Toilets!

One of the things you notice when you visit Korea is the Graphic Design and Illustration -it's everywhere. Somehow they resist the urge to put smiley, beautiful people on everything in photo form. In these examples they've even give the middle finger to those chubby stick figures we're so fond of in the west. Take that, you generic stand in for me.

Asia would be a good place to be a designer of the Illustration persuasion me thinks. So many businesses have little characters, cute little stand ins for logos and such. More to come later...

Retro Animation Posters from the Seoul

Poster art. You've got to love it. Because if you don't you've got to love garden gnomes instead, and that's for losers. It's either one or the other. You decide... annnnnyway

These are from the Seoul Animation Center which is a funky little idea. It has an exhibition hall, editing rooms, sound design rooms etc, a comic library (containing mainly Korean and Japanese comics with a few X-men thrown in for good measure). I'm not sure that these posters were actually for public display, but I could always say that I couldn't read the warnings - which is technically true.

Basically I used my Navy Seal-esque skills to bring you these images. I had to smuggle my camera out... don't ask, but rest assured, you owe me.

Ahhhhhhh! Korean Toys

So, there's a cool area in Seoul called Insadong. I lived there for almost a month before moving to a more 'suburban' area. I miss it, because they have a Toy Museum...

And it's packed. Toys are on the floor, in shelves, on top of boxes, on top of other toys, hanging from the ceiling, in nooks, in crannies. Sweet Hey-Zeus, they're everywhere.

I took over 50 photos, you only get to see 3, cause I paid the 2 dollar entry, and you didn't ya cheap blighters.

daynightdusk™ Music Video

Gang of ruffian designers and Mo-Graphic doctors daynightdusk™ releases 'So Free,' and music vid for up and coming Kiwi band 'The Ricksaws.'

You all know how much i dig the retro horror and sci-fi imagery of the film industry - so the reason I dig this should be obvious. You should dig it to. Go on, you know you want to....

Enter the Dragon

So long and thanks for all the Fish (and Chups)

So I've moved to Korea. It's random, I know...

The work that I was doing was great fun, I'd been doing Concept Art at weta for the last year or so, and was getting better every day. But I felt like my life needed a change. Apparently a big change.

Moving to Seoul is that change, and I'm feeling pretty good abut it. I have a lot more free time now to work on my own projects. Moth-City and Dead-Guy are progressing very well and I expect to have more time to work on personal illustrations and designs. Moving to a new city, especially one so different from Wellington, has really opened my eyes - like only traveling can, and I expect it to have a big influence on both my life and my work for years to come.

Have spotted some extraordinary pieces of design and architecture and I will post these up as soon as I get sorted.

Updates soon :)

My new Favouite Music Vid

New stuff from the Holograms, Kap10kurt Music video revisits the eighties, somewhere in between manga and motion design, the past and the future.

In a world full of danger, where music is banned by an evil militia, Kap10Kurt, an easy-going hero, helped by his sexy mate Leah, will blow up this Machiavellian conspiracy....

Directed by The Holograms (UFO LABEL).