Hello Kitty at the EMP

While we were living in California, Los Angeles or more specific, Little Tokyo was our second home since we attended so many activities and events in that area year round.

After moving to Seattle, our attendance record has gone south and we have missed some great events. A painful example of this consequence was the Hello Kitty Exhibition held at the Japan American National Museum in Little Tokyo.

But imagine our surprise when we found out that Seattle's EMP Museum will be the first institution to host this exhibition while it travels around the country.

Here are some pictures of the exhibition

And here you can watch a couple of videos

We love you Kitty.

Thank you sir, may I have another?

Here we go again...

I read an article on a web site a couple of days ago about the San Diego Comic Con experience. It talked about all the things you have to do to get a badge, an hotel room, a parking spot, dealing with the lines for everything, the struggle of moving upstream in a sea of people and, of course, the frustration of not been able to get into a panel after waiting in line for hours on end.

This is all true. We have been there.

We all have experienced at least one of these frustrations, and when we tell family members and\or friends about waiting in line for 2 hours just to get a raffle ticket that might give us the chance to get the (signature, toy or seat) for that show\actor\actress\personality that we like so much, we can hear what they are thinking, it is coming loud and clear: "what is wrong with you two?"

That is a good question. I am not a doctor but my best guess is that nothing  is really "wrong" us. We like comics, movies, Anime, Manga, Sci-Fi, Horror, costumes, movies and several TV shows, and I am willing to bet that the majority of the humans in this planet share if not all, some of these characteristics as well.

I will concede to you that "the San Diego Comic Con experience" is not for every one. You will not only need a pair of good walking shoes, but a state of mind that can shield you from the unavoidable frustrations that are part of this experience. In a convention of this size, it is almost guaranteed that stuff is going to go wrong at some point.

Just like a marathon, or mountain climbing, this is an endurance test and either you get so frustrated that you swear off Comic Con for good or you let it roll down your back, lick your wounds, check your schedule and go for the next panel!

I wonder how many marathon runners or mountain climbers like comics, movies, Anime, Manga, Sci-Fi, Horror, costumes, movies and several TV shows?

Beto Jubei

For your consideration: The first 12 minutes of the new GITS movie

With less than 10 days before the new and last Ghost In The Shell movie for the ARISE series hits the screens across Japan, we are giving the privilege to watch the first 12 minutes of this feature.

Enjoy

BetoJubei

Sumi Shimamoto at Sakura-Con 2015

Sumi Shimamoto is a living legend in the Anime industry by having performed several leading roles for Studio Ghibli titles such as Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Lupin the 3rd just to mention some.

She was very graceful during the panel and even stayed a little bit longer to take pictures with her numerous fans. 

Watch the entire panel here.

Beto Jubei

Second Trailer for the Attack on Titan Live Action Movie

Feast your eyes on the second trailer for the live action adaptation of Attack on Titan and run for your lives.

Beto Jubei

Voice Actor Steve Blum at ECCC 2015

Steve Blum is one of the most prolific voice actors in recent history. With hundreds of credits under his name is difficult to find a successful title in the game or animation industry where you cannot hear his voice.

In this panel, he discuses his humble start as a voice actor and his incredible upward carer afterwards.

Beto Jubei

GITS Arise coming with TV Series

That is right, the ARISE branch of the GITS universe has spouted a new leaf called "Alternative Architecture". It will begin to air in Japan in April.

This TV series will reuse the original 4 episodes of ARISE plus two new episodes. Here is the preview for this show:

Beto Jubei

New Ghost in the Shell movie due this Summer in Japan

Not even a week after the revelation that Scarlett Johansson will be playing Mayor Kusanagi in Dreamwork's adaptation of GITS when we get this little gem from Japan:

There is no dialog, just text on the screen, thanks to Anime News Network for the translation:

Text: The legendary science-fiction work that caused a revolution around the world.
Text: Original Work - Masamune Shirow
Text: A work in celebration of 25 years
Text: The awakened ghost whispers...
Text: Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie
Text: Opens in early summer 2015

Lost of people familiar with the GITS universe are involved in this project. It is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since Shirow's master piece hit the bookshelves.

Beto Jubei

Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi

Scarlett Johansson just agreed to play the lead role in the Dreamworks' adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Ruper Sanders is on track to be the director.

And so it begins months if not years of speculations, blog posting and debates about not-Asian actors playing roles in Japanese stories, about the fact that Asian American movie stars are almost not existing, and about how american film studios try (and fail in spectacular ways) to "translate" original Japanese works for an american audience because they believe:

1. American movie goers will not be able to digests\understand foreign concepts,

2. The way the story was told originally will only manage to get american audiences lost,

3. American audiences will not go to see a movie if they do not recognize the main actor/actress in the film.

But there is nothing to be worried about because they know how to "fix" these problems. Just check their past success stories: Dragon Ball Z: Evolution, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Oldboy and 47 Ronin just to mention some. (Granted, Avatar: The Last Airbender is not a Japanese original work but you can see what happens when Hollywood "fixes" things).

You can bet that at every step for the creation of this movie from the casting of the roles, to the script, to the costumes, to the editing and post-production work, someone in the back of the room will be making decisions that he\she\they believe will make for a better return on investment, which is, in any case, their ultimate goal.

Let's face it, they are running a business and at the end of the day it is all about the money. That is just the reality of Hollywood plain and simple.

I just hope that in the same room there will be someone who knows and loves the original story, someone who knows and loves the original characters and the original artwork. Someone who's priority number one is not make millions of dollars in profit, but someone who wants to share their love of this story with someone else; you know, a fan of Ghost in the Shell.

Beto Jubei

Happy New 2015!

May this new year be full of Health, Family and Love.

See the Firework video here.

Beto Jubei and Nekosan