I turn 33 today, which I think is a rather nice number. I’ll be celebrating tonight at this month’s edition of Pecha Kucha Night, which just so happens to be vol. 33.

For those who follow the English version of the REALTOKYO site quite regularly (like me), here’s a bit of bad news for the coming month:

Digiki has a new episode of Polypunk (008) up!

I recently got my hands on two great little books produced by Klein Dytham Architecture to highlight their work. Each book, THE KDa CATALOGUE OF QUOTES and KLEIN DYTHAM ARCHITECTURE 2005 HIGHLIGHTS, acts as a showcase, and instead of describing their works themselves, they let others do it for them. Featuring fun graphics by Namaiki, and at only 1500 yen each (2000 yen worldwide, and both can be ordered from their site), they’re well worth getting.

A writer for JAPANZINE is starting a monthly column called “10 Questions for a Starving Artist,” and she’s on the lookout for possible interviewees. In her words, “I want to interview local artists, ones who are dedicated to making it in the arts (not just hobby artists) and are trying to eek out a creative, bohemian lifestyle in Tokyo (and find out how they do it and what keeps them going). And I want to give artists and the Tokyo art scene a little bit more visibility.” The call is open to anyone whose art is their main focus, with any part-time job just being a means to an end. If this is you, then get in touch with her and get some free exposure.

Uber-stationery store Ito-ya is holding a celebration of all things Freitag!

Remember the site last year that was selling pixel spacing? Someone is doing something similar for Japan, calling it Break Into Japan, with a good portion of revenues donated to charities. There’s a Japanese version as well.

One of the showroom floors at the KDDI Designing Studio in Harajuku.

As I mentioned yesterday, I recorded a new episode of TOKYO BOY last Friday, this time during a speed visit of Ginza (crunched in between a meeting and then heading to work). Again, it sounds like crap, so if the quality from past episodes annoys you, then stay away. I will be getting a small mic sometime this week though, and that should hopefully rectify the problem for future episodes. Here are links to all the episodes, or you can subscribe to the feed.

• Tokyo Boy 04 (10.6MB, 11:21)
• Tokyo Boy 03 (10.9MB, 22:54)
• Tokyo Boy 02 (7.6MB, 15:48)
• Tokyo Boy 01 (9.5MB, 18:44)

Regarding first day sales for NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. on the Nintendo DS:

I got my copy today, and I have to say, it’s truly glorious. I really think they’ve managed to create the absolute perfect 2D platformer. That being said, I had ordered it on eBay alongside another DS game, PRINCESS PEACH, and 2 Gamecube games, PAPER MARIO: THE THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR and STAR FOX ASSAULT, and I’ve just played 4 straight hours of PAPER MARIO. I never thought an RPG could be this much fun!

I’d like to try doing some sort of video podcast, or at least do some short videos. I have a MiniDV camera that I haven’t used in ages, but I don’t really have any good ideas right now on what would make a good topic (something that would be good for video). Any suggestions?

I was in Ginza this past Friday (recorded a new episode of TOKYO BOY, which will be up later today) and of course stopped by Muji Yurakucho. The current exhibition at Atelier Muji had to do with stitching, and you had all these children-sized t-shirts mounted on a wall. Here’s another shot from inside the gallery.

While the Foret building is closed for renovations, the Lapnet Ship gallery has moved down the street (coming from Omotesando, turn left before you get to Foret). The current show covers the Nintendo DS game ANIMAL CROSSING, but I didn’t have time to go in have a look (you had to register or something at the entrance before going in). I imagine there must be some sort of downloadable content, as there was a girl crouched down just outside, DS in hand.

Back from the dead — episode 08 of RADIO OK FRED is now up! If you subscribe to the feed, then you should already have it, if not, here’s a direct link (and you can get previous episodes here).

The biggest change is that this is the first time we record directly to Garageband (previously, it was done through a mixer live), and as you’ll notice, we’re still experimenting with the levels — the voices are too low (which we only realized later when editing everything down). We can’t record them again since my co-hosts have left for France and we won’t be able to record another show for a month, but I thought best to put it up now, and then hopefully we should have the recording volume settled by the time we do another episode.

Yuki made it out to Design Festa Vol. 24, and has the Flickr photoset (with 62 photos) to prove it.