Design Tide Update
Design Tide has updated the Tide Audio section of their site with some new creator interviews.
Nov 23, 2005
Digiki in Osaka
If you’re on in Osaka on December 2, then go and catch Digiki at Club Saomai for the “8 Bit Generation” event. More info here.
Nov 23, 2005
Muji Xmas
Muji has started a new Christmas campaign, featuring new gift ideas that have been “found” (or adapted) around the world. It’s a nice set of items, like a tin robot or some toy blocks that represent various cities, but one of the nicest touches is the mini-catalogue they’ve released. To promote the international aspect of the campaign, everything inside is presented in 4 languages (English, French, Chinese, and Japanese), and the whole packaging in general is just nice (layout/photography). Head on down to your local Muji store, and pick up one up to see for yourself.
Nov 23, 2005
Beer & Architecture Vol. 4
Beer! Architecture! Yeah!
Photography is an essential medium for architects to produce architecture. This fourth edition of “Beer & Architecture” invites visitors to inspect several pieces of architecture photography and discuss the state of architecture from the 1960s to the present, and of course, have a beer or two. Special guest is Ohashi Tomio, a photographer who singlehandedly sparked off a new trend through his work, most of which was published in “Kenchiku Bunka” magazine. Expect to see pictures of Tokyo St. Mary’s Cathedral and (maquettes of) Sendai Mediatheque, and hear episodes from the shootings, which together will surely reproduce some of the mood of the time when architecture photography was still a pretty exciting and innovative genre. (REALTOKYO)
It takes place at Asahi Art Square, December 10 (starts at 19:30). Entry is 1000 yen, including a drink.
Nov 23, 2005
Midnight Eye Update
Japanese film site Midnight Eye updates with new features and reviews, including a look at the DENSHA OTOKO (TRAIN MAN) phenomenon. I’ve been watching the TV series with Yuko lately (I’m on the last episode now), and I must say that even with all the cheesiness involved and ridiculous over-the-top acting, it was quite fun to see.
Nov 23, 2005
TDW by Designboom
Designboom has over 200 pictures from Tokyo Design Week 2005. Link via Dezain.net.
Nov 23, 2005
Beef or Chicken
Marxy gives the lodown on the just-released debut album by Teriyaki Boyz (the Nigo vanity project), BEEF OR CHICKEN.
Me, I haven’t listened to it yet (I am curious though), but I do think it has one of the ugliest album covers I’ve seen in a while.
Update: Marxy’s review of BEEF OR CHICKEN for THE JAPAN TIMES is now online.
Nov 23, 2005
Paper Mac
Oh, I love this! From Joi Ito’s blog:
My friend Kenji Eno was reminiscing about how cool the old 128K Mac was. He Googled around looking for pictures and had a hard time finding one. He was going to sketch an illustration of one, but ended up making a cut-out paper craft version of it that you can download as a PDF.
And here’s a paper video iPod, also by Eno.
Nov 23, 2005
Mamma Gun Has Left the Building
Some closing words from Jesper over at the TSiG blog about the end of the Mamma Gun event, with a few choice links for those who missed out on everything.
Nov 23, 2005
Itchin’ for Some Killin’
I got a Christmas present from my parents a bit early this year, when yesterday’s mail revealed a box with a bunch of goodies. Included was the EPISODE III DVD, a bunch of BDs (the latest albums in the Astérix, Spirou, and Yoko Tsuno series), and… GRAND THEFT AUTO: LIBERTY CITY STORIES for the PSP! Man, I cannot stop playing this, and I’m absolutely itchin’ to try some of the new multiplayer modes. So if you’re in Tokyo and you imported the game, let me know.
Nov 22, 2005
The Roving Reporter
Me with designer Kenichiro Ohmori of the unit Bridge, at his 100% Design booth. One of his fellow Bridge-members wanted to take a picture of us because we were wearing similar brown jackets. Ohmori’s Ice Partition, which you’ll notice in the back, gets a mention in my latest “On Design” column.
Nov 22, 2005
On Design for November
Just a reminder that this month’s edition of my “On Design” column appears in tomorrow’s THE JAPAN TIMES (Tuesday). It takes a look at some of the products I liked from the Tokyo-debut of the 100% Design trade show, and features Chihiro Tanaka’s Spore, Bridge’s Ice Partition (by designer Kenichiro Ohmori), Metaphys’ Factory, the E.P.A + GELCHOP Bike Protector, the JDMC Ryu Line Black Series of chairs, and pd DESIGN’s Green Day.
Also, my much larger piece on Tokyo Design Week will appear this Thursday (November 24) in the Arts section.
Nov 22, 2005
The Last Participant
Being pretty much the last Swedish Style participant to check in at the embassy (he leaves Tokyo tomorrow), Jesper gets an entry at the Swedish Style blog.
Nov 20, 2005
DJ Marxy in da House
Marxy will be DJing at the Kiiiiiii record release party November 30 at Kichijoji’s Star Pines Cafe. He’ll DJ once solo, and once as MXUT (the team that made the great MXUT edition of Radio OK Fred, which you can download here).
Oh, and here’s what Marxy does on Friday nights.
Nov 20, 2005
Beck and the Qrio
Beck gets down with the Sony QRIO in his latest music video, for the single “Hell Yes,” directed by Garth Jennings. Link via Boing Boing.
Nov 19, 2005
Jean Snow is a contributor to 
He will be contributing to the upcoming fifth editions of 
