Midori Hirano is finally getting ready to release her first full-length album. LUSHRUSH, on Noble, will be out September 25. Fans of OK FRED will notice that the cover is by our dear Ay2. Patrick has more info on his Agenda, including a complete track listing.

Kiiiiiii are now taking international orders of their DVD through PayPal!

Update
Here’s a trailer for the DVD on YouTube.

I’ve set up a mailing list for PauseTalk through Google Groups, as a way of staying in touch with participants, and to be able to send reminders of upcoming events/themes. You can join by subscribing here. Although the group is public, only members can reply or send messages.

The US Apple site has put up a rather nice video profile of multimedia artist Masakatsu Takagi. They’re also hosting a few of his video works. I reviewed his new album in the latest issue of OK FRED.

• As mentioned the other day, the new issue of PAPER SKY (18) goes bilingual with its guide to Tokyo’s Akihabara district. It’s a rather nice selection, which also includes some themed walking routes. Also, the goods section includes the new collaborative tee with PMKFA’s “It’s Our Thing” line, which we recently exhibited at Cafe Pause.
• This month’s MAC POWER (200) joins the book selection party (a favorite topic of Japanese magazines this year), by offering its own guide, which they’ve done by asking various creators to list their favorites. I must say I’m quite jealous of art director Yasushi Fujimoto’s (CAP) private library. The issue also includes a guide to podcasts.
• TITLE (78) helps you find a “Good Company, Good Job,” with a feature filled with attractive work spaces. They also take a look at some classic Japanese brands (Shiseido, Onitsuka Tiger, and Meiji Seika), and include an insert (of course) on “How to Make a Good Company.”
• DESIGN NOTE (8) offers up a look at the world of graphic design, but it mostly focuses on book design. I liked the bit that showed the thinking behind the design of a manga volume.
• DESIGNERS’ WORKSHOP (148) is again filled with lots and lots of Japanese design eye candy, and it’s a joy to leaf through, and take in all of the latest creations. The magazine itself is aimed at professionals, but serves up inspiration for one and all.

You’ve probably noticed me using the term LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) often in my “This Week in Magazines” posts, since it’s become a favorite topic of quite a few magazines. If you’re not really quite sure what the term represents and how it got started, last week’s issue of METROPOLIS had an informative cover feature on the LOHAS concept, which should clear things up.

Also, in that same issue, Andrew Conti does a good job of covering (if the link has expired, look in the sidebar for the new link) the newly re-opened ICC — more detailed than the short post I wrote for Gridskipper a while back.

The AtoZ Cafe in Aoyama.

One of the frustrating things for anyone living here who’s into foreign films but who can’t read Japanese subtitles is that you’re pretty limited in what you can watch. I was just sent a link to this site, Expat Video, which is a Japanese DVD rental-by-mail service specializing in Japanese films (and other foreign films) with English subs. Looks like a nice way to keep up with the latest art-house offerings.

THE JAPAN TIMES has just launched its first blog, and it’s to cover this weekend’s Fuji Rock festival. If anyone catches Marxy out there, point to him and laugh — he’ll love you for it!

The new issue of PAPER SKY (18), featuring a bilingual cover story and guide to Akihabara, is now out. I love that Lego cover!

A trailer for Satoshi Kon’s upcoming film, PAPRIKA, is online for your viewing pleasure — don’t you just love YouTube — here. The film is set to come out in January of next year.

She’s probably going to bully me because I re-sized her image, but here’s the latest from Yuki, a piece she was commissioned to do.

A nice new tee from the Groovisions online store, GRV1788.

Tokyo-based art director Johan Prag has just updated his site, and if you go see this month’s ADC exhibition at the Ginza Graphic Gallery and Creation Gallery G8 (ends July 29 — I saw the GGG part earlier in the month and quite enjoyed it) you’ll see his award-winning TV commercial for Kewpie Defe.

I featured METAPHYS‘ Cyclone Cleaner a few months ago in my “On Design” column, and I’ve just been informed that it’s finally made it out to retail stores and you can now find it at, among other places, Idea Frames in Omotesando, VICEVERSA SHIBUYA, VICEVERSA SATELLITE in Daikanyama, and ACTUS in Funabashi.