tbA Highlights: June 16
Obama, Japan - Neatorama
The resident of the small town of Obama, Japan (pop. 34,000) is taking advantage of Obama running as the democratic candidate for president to try and get new residents and put themselves on the map. They’ve made T-Shirts, chopsticks of Obama and they even have a Obama dance troupe called the Obama Girls.
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A: Google Reader Does Contra Code - fanpotai
Google Reader is finally getting in on the most famous cheat in video game history - Konami Code (Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A). If you have a Google Reader, just type that in and watch what happens.
Hulk Hogan: Carefree in Japan - Weird Asia News
Another Japanese commercial starring an American celebrity. This time it’s Hulk Hogan….
Chinese Man Pierced 2008 Times for Upcoming Olympics - Weird Asia News
In an attempt to grab attention and be patriotic, this 60 year-old Chinese acupuncturist have pierced his head, face, chest, and arms with 2008 decorative needles in five different colours. Enough said.
Release of Metal Gear Solid 4
This week marks the end of a legendary Metal Gear Solid series. I hope, by now, most of you would have gotten the game and be thoroughly enjoying it. A review of it will be coming up soon, so stay tuned and let me ask you - is your age of hero over yet?
A little trailer to jog your memory:
That’s all for this week.
First Gurren Lagann Music Video
Gainax is currently doing a Gurren Lagann Music Clip Project (or Gurren Lagann Parallel Works) from June 16 to June 22. This first video is places the gurren lagann crew in a medieval fantasy setting where Viral, Shimon and Kamina are going to infiltrate a castle to rescue a princess. The video is directed by Keisuke Watanabe. I won’t spoil too much, so go watch the video already!
Here it is:
You can visit the official site for the videos here. Also, the next video is expected to be out on June 23.
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ANN
Goldfish Keychain Shocks RSPCA
Not the best day for the Beijing Olympics’ image. Someone in China, Qingdao (where the Olympic sailing event will take place) has made a heart-shaped novelty plastic keychain with a living goldfish inside and Huan Huan (one of the 5 official Beijing Olympics’ mascots) printed on it.
This marketing gimmick to earn a quick buck has struck many people as cruel and appalling as the goldfish has little room to swim in and with oxygen that will run out in the matter of hours. Also to note, this will most probably damage the Beijing Olympics’ image.
The RSPCA only had the following to say on it:
“The fish would survive just a few hours, and would be lucky to make it from the manufacturers to the point of sale. This product shows a shocking lack of respect for a living thing and should be withdrawn from sale. We are shocked and appalled. It is a gimmick and shows no respect for the animals at all. We can’t understand why anyone would want to buy such a thing.” - telegraph.uk
Just think of every one of those little goldfish suffocating and dying a slow painful death! I do hope the Beijing Olympic Committee or the local officials do something about it and do it quick! I’m sure no tourist going to China for the Beijing Olympics will be picking one of these up…
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Source:
Telegraph.uk via WeirdAsiaNews
Picture courtesy of telegraph.uk and picasa web
Tokyo Sky Tree
The ever so popular Tokyo Tower has made countless appearance in movies, shows and even anime will soon have a taller and more stylish successor, the Tokyo Sky Tree.
The name itself may put some of you off initially, but the soon-to-be tallest tower in the world is just an architecture marvel. It will stand at 610 metres with its completion date planned for 2011. It’s expected the new tower will replace Tokyo Tower as the new broadcasting antenna with its superior height and equipment.
Here’s a video (in Japanese, but the video is very much self-explanatory) that explains and illustrates the towers design:
The unusual name was picked through a poll with the options of picking: Tokyo Edo Tower, Tokyo Sky Tree, Mirai Tree, Yume Miyagura, Rising East Tower and Rising Tower.
Here’s a video showing the ceremony where the new name was unveiled.
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Source:
JapanProbe via Japanator
Picture courtesy of JapanProbe
Shouting vase relieves stress
Another whimsical item from Japan, the ‘Shouting Vase (Sakebi no Tsufu)’ will help you release and relief stress. How? Well, the manufacturer of this special vase says all you have to do is let out all that bottled up anger and stress, and shout, yell and even scream into the vase.
The vase is made of thermoplastic plus the inner structure will turn all that shouting into a mere whisper. For those that need some stress-relieving, sadly, the vase is currently only available in Japan for USD$48.
Source:
CrunchGear via Gizmodo
Picture courtesy of Gizmodo
Japan’s 21-Leaf Clover
Happiness lies in a 4-leaf clover; a 5-leaf is wealth and luck, the 6-leaf is said to be — fame. (Shigeo) Ohara’s dream is a 30-leaf clover.
(四つ葉は幸せ、五つ葉は金運、六つ葉は名声──といわれるクローバー。小原さんの夢は、３０枚葉という。) - Yomiuri
Today, Shigeo Ohara, dream has come ever so closer to being a reality with his world record breaking finding of a 21-leaf clover. As a formal government food crop researcher now at age 83, Mr.Ohara spends his time researching clovers in the Iwate Prefecture.
The 21-leaf clover is described to have leaves with about “1cm long that overlap each other like rose petals on a 3-centimeter stem” (From Yomiuri, translated by Pink Tentacle).
Some of us might not and may never even set eyes upon a clover with more than 3 leaf, but astonishing enough, Mr.Ohara is also the current official record holder for a 18-leaf clover which he found in his garden in May of 2002!
That’s not all! Mr.Ohara stated that just last month, one of his family member found a 27-leaf clover which has yet to be confirmed!
I guess Mr. Ohara’s research on the genes of clover’s leaf count, colour, pattern and size will be a retirement hobby that will bring him plenty of luck.
Source:
Yomiuri
Pink Tentacle
Trailer for 20th Century Boy Finally Here
Previously, fans and enthusiasts of the 20th Century Boy Live Action movie wasn’t given much to see, let alone expect from the movie. But now, a full fledge trailer is here to curb your curiosity and to demonstrate the level of excitement that will be coming your way.
It’s in Japanese, but hey! The video speaks for itself. It seems they stuck to the plot really well which is great news.
Here’s the video:
Source:
Japanator
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