Hey, Blythe! : Part I

The first time I saw a Blythe doll was on VH1's I Love the 70s and they completely freaked me out. With their abnormally large heads and ability to change the color of their eyes with the pull of a string (blue, green, pink and orange) I thought, "That is the scariest and ugliest thing I've ever seen!" My tune has changed since, but more on that later.

Blythe dolls were originally produced by Kenner (now owned by Hasbro) and made their debut in 1972. But with poor sales, the big-headed darlings were quickly pulled off the shelves after just one year of being in production.

In 1997, photographer Gina Garan was introduced to Blythe from a friend saying she looked like the doll. With an old camera she had been given, she began taking photos of Blythe dolls and brought them with her everywhere she went. In 2000, Chronicle Books published a compilation of her photos in This is Blythe.

Somewhere in between all that, Blythe dolls began to gain popularity in Japan. In 2001, the first of the neo-Blythes (newer, up-dated dolls) were produced by Takara. And on eBay, original Blythe dolls jumped in price from $35 to $350. But nowadays, you'd be lucky to find an original Blythe for just $350 -- now they can be found for over $1000!!! Yikes!

For a more thorough history, check out Gina's site.

Ok, now fast-forwarding to present day. Blythe dolls are still ever so popular and have even reached an underground cult status. People take their dolls out and about and snap their own pictures of them, make dollhouses out of bookshelves, and customize their dolls like crazy. Just go on Flickr and type in Blythe -- you'll see!

I discovered my friend Jean had a fascination with Blythes and has one of her own (actually, she now has 4). The two of us planned a little photo session with her Blythe, a French Trench named Sylvie, and some of my toys (vinyl figures + Uglydoll). Sylvie freaked me out at first, but by the end of our amateur photo spree, I became very intrigued and did some research.

And then I said, "I must have one!!!" Looking at all the photos on Flickr made me want to get in touch with my inner Brian McCarthy. I happened upon one Blythe model, the Lounging Lovely. With her black hair and retro pink & purple pajamas, I knew that was the one. Plus she was like a mini-me :) Jean knew I was itching for my own Blythe so she generously lent Sylvie to me -- I had her for almost a month.

[Photo by NiNa, doll owned by Jean]

Alright, well this is getting too long. Stay tuned for Part II where I'll talk more about the Blythe cult following, some steps people do in customizing their dolls, how owning a Blythe doll(s) is pretty much like having a child (I made a room for mine for Pete's sake!), and I'll also show off my own little Blythe, Tigerlily! Actually, I'll just go ahead and sign off with a photo of her:

[Photo by NiNa, doll owned by NiNa -- don't steal my photos, please!]

More to come, stay tuned!

Sket-One presents Oil!

Oil by Sket-One is being the first release from Red Magic's Love Original Series in conjunction with Sket-One's solo art show in NY "Night & Day".

The black-flocked vinyl figure is so exclusive and rare that it is limited to only 150 pieces (80 available in North America) and is only available at My Plastic Heart.

Make sure you scoop this vinyl treasure up before its gone!

They're Coming...

OOoOoOOoO...the plot thickens....O_o

The Ghost Whisperer will be coming out with animated shorts this fall season which will coincide with the television series.

See more of the Ghost Whisperer Animated Teaser here.

[web shots courtesy of The Ghost Whisperer ]

Crystal Ballin'

Trip out yo,
I finally tried out the The Crystal Ball feature on the Ghost Whisperer website I posted about earlier, and golly darn it...

[image courtesy of ghost whisperer]

i wanna know, "howdya do that???"

Think of any two digit number, add the numbers together, then subtract the total from your original number. Then look at the table, look for your number, and think about the symbol that corresponds with your answer...

So i picked 27. so, 2 + 7 = 9. then 27 - 9 = 18

And whatdya know...

[image courtesy of ghost whisperer]

The freakin' ball got it right! I did it a couple of times, and golly, it got it right over and over again!

okay, can any one tell me how that thing does it? really...there's gotta be some mathematical equation to it....

Hello, Barbie!

[photo courtesy of barbiecollector.com]

After my Birthday Barbieque (like my play-on-words? hehe), Leslie, a pal of mine, was telling me the latest scoop on Barbie. She too is a Barbie fan and she told me the most coolest news:

Another big collabo is coming our way!

[she's in their fall catalog! photo courtesy of barbiecollector.com]

The Hello Kitty® Barbie® Doll is set to hit stores on September 14. It will be a pink label barbie, which means it does not have a "run" limit and should be found at most retailers, premiere destination to be at Walmart. Also, it can be purchased on barbiecollector.com.

Golly, yet another thing to watch out for! I also can't wait for the Tokidoki & Hello Kitty Collabo too!

There was a Hello Kitty Barbie that was released before:

[photo courtesy amysvp1]

Looks super rare. Luckie....

Create Love

Have you checked out The Ghost Whisperer page yet?
The cool artwork of "Melinda" (aka Jennifer Love Hewitt) was created on Adobe Photoshop 7 by a "speed painter" named Nico Di Mattia aka Nexx. It took 8 layers and 6 hours to create Miss Love! It's amazing...Check out below to watch the process:

Bitchin' Contest!

[Photo courtesy of The Donnas]

It's time to bust out your sketchbooks, sharpies, colored pencils, Adobe Illustrator and Wacom Pads because you have the chance to design a tour t-shirt for The Donnas' upcoming fall tour for their new album Bitchin'.

First things first: in order to participate in the contest, you have to become a member at iMeem and then join The Donnas group page. After that, you're free to let your creativity run amuk with visions of their new album Bitchin' and fall tour to fill your head with inspiration -- 'cause that's what the design is supposed to be themed on. The winning design will be chosen based on ratings, comments, and a panel of judges.

The winner will receive two tickets and backstage passes to the Dallas, Texas show (10.16.07) and accommodations for two at hotel near the arena. Woo-hoo! Ain't that bitchin'? <-- I had to!

Deadline is October 1. For more details on the contest, go here. Bitchin' drops on September 18.

Play with Ghosts! yay.

[photo taken by MURSE1 © All rights reserved.]

Ok, as promised, I went through the promo reel I got and ok, not too scary. but I did have to turn on light (mind you, the sun has not set yet. but hey, i'm home alone, so there =P)

Anyhoo, what is really cool about The Ghost Whisperer is it is more than just a show. Their website alone is entertaining. There are tons of stuff to check out on their site. Like, ask a real ghost whisperer questions, tarot card reading and look into a crystal ball where your fate can be told. The tarot card reading and crystal ball feature will also be a bonus feature in their upcoming Second Season DVD due out on September 18.

[ok, see? Doesn't this scream scary??]

So I built up the courage to roam their site (so what if i have my computer on mute? Hey, you want a story, right? ha, gotta do what i gotta do to get things done) and played the Tarot Card feature, and golly (juli) gie willikers, chills...chills i say (even on a hot cali day.) My fortune was all too true.

[my scary tarot reading.]

okay, besides the headless flying woman wearing white (see, i told you it's scary!) the fortune was right on point with what is going on in my life...dun dun dunnnn....
it says:

"The Winged Woman hovers, wings fully extended. They keep her aloft, yet her clothes tether her. Recognize things in your life that hold you back. Then cut loose = Free Yourself!"

ayemen sista!!!

Try it out and let me know how your Tarot Card Reading goes.

Still more later...
(ha, the sun is setting...haha. yes, i'm a chicken. and?)

The Oracle of Starbucks

Forget about horoscopes telling you you like a lot of attention because you're a Pisces or that you're materialistic because you're a Capricorn (harumph!) .

Instead, let your regular Starbucks drink determine your personality via The Oracle of Starbucks.

Just type in your full drink order, including the size [tall, grande, venti], and voila! Instant personality analyzed by your usual Starbucks order.

Here's the results I got for my usual: Tall Caramel Frappucino

Personality type: Clueless

You don't go to Starbucks much; when you do you just tag along with other people since you have nothing better to do. You would like to order a Tazo Chai Crème but don't know how to pronounce it. Most people who drink tall caramel frappucino are strippers.

Also drinks: Wine coolers

Can also be found at: The mall

I got the same result for my winter usual -- Tall White Chocolate Mocha. So is it accurate, you're wondering? Well let's put it this way, I can be found at the mall when class is cancelled -- that's about it. No pole dancing for me!

Whatever, it's fun. Go try it and tell us what your drink says about you!

*Note: The Oracle of Starbucks isn't affiliated with the Starbucks company.

Tokyo Jihen - Killer Tune (08.22)

"Killer Tune((キラーチューン)", the latest single to be released off of Tokyo Jihen's upcoming album Variety, will be released on August 22nd.

(Image from ringoran.wordpress.com)

The single will contain three tracks:

1. Killer Tune (Lyrics: Shiina Ringo, Music: Izawa Ichiyou)
2. BB. Queen (Lyrics and Music: Ukigumo)
3. Karada (Lyrics: Shiina Ringo. Music: Ukigumo)

I picked up Tokyo Jihen's other recent single release "OSCA" and I have to say that they definitely stepped it up since their last album release two years ago. The difficulty to label or place Tokyo Jihen into any one genre is about 10 stars in Street Fighter II...possibly harder since you'll fail anyway. This is one of the reasons why I was attracted to Shiina Ringo and later Tokyo Jihen in the first place. Shiina Ringo is such a trip and so eccentric in a way that she leaves me wanting more (what a tease she is). I swear, if I can find a girl with the same swagger and steez as Ringo I will be one happy man. Currently taking applications. HA!

Make your order for the single or pre-order Variety here.

Killer Tune PV:

Special hello to "anonymous." You know which one you are. BLAHAHAHAHAHA!

Simone makes house calls!

[photo courtesy of extreme makeover]

Didya catch Sunday's Extreme Makeover Home Edition?
Our friend, Simone Legno, helped out the Extreme Makeover crew and created the coolest room ever. Ok, so i'm biased =P

[photo courtesy of extreme makeover]

Simone, along with the crew of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, came out to help the O'Donnell Family. Five out of their six children have multiple forms of autism that range from simple communication limitations to severe physical and social problems. The mother stays at home while the father works two jobs to keep the family (barely) afloat. Before the Extreme Makeover Crew came, the O'Donnell's had thirty days left until foreclosure. =/

[photo courtesy of extreme makeover]

Simone created a greek themed, tokidoki-esque room for one of the girls. Doesn't Simone's version of Medusa look fierce!? And oh, the cute Centaur! They also threw in some tokidoki swag for the lucky little girl to enjoy! Yay! =)

Seen in the pillar book shelf: Mozzarella, Sabochan, Sandy vinyl figures, and a LeSportsac Bambino Mini Bag (was she given a brand new print???)

[ photos courtesy of extreme makeover, tokidoki, kawaii.vox, arranged by me =) ]

thanks to reader, Kimboy, for the heads up =)

Under the Blacklight

[Photo Courtesy of Rilo Kiley]

After three years of waiting since their last album More Adventurous, Rilo Kiley is back! Their fourth album, and major label debut, Under the Blacklight drops on Tuesday, August 21.

When I first heard the album's first single, "The Moneymaker", I have to say I was confused on whether I liked it or not. Sure the hook was catchy and it made my head bob, but it just didn't sound like the Rilo Kiley I was so used to -- folky, kinda rockish, and serene-like. Some fans might even call them sellouts, but not I!

"The Moneymaker" has grown on me and after previewing Under the Blacklight's 11 tracks on Rilo Kiley's MySpace, I'm comfortable to say they're still the Rilo Kiley I've grown to love oh-so-much :)

I almost feel like this album should've been called More Adventurous because they've experimented with electro beats, soul-singin' back up vocalists, and even have a few uptempo numbers -- there's even one with some Spanish ("Dejalo")! The two tracks I like most are "Silver Lining" and "Breakin' Up". That'll probably change once I listen to it more.

If you haven't heard of Rilo Kiley before (where've ya been?), I suggest you check out their first 3 albums: Take Offs and Landings, The Execution of All Things, and the aforementioned More Adventurous.

For now, check out the music video for "The Moneymaker":

Dear Earthling, you're so Schmancy.

[image courtesy of dear earthling]

I recently came fresh from a long roadtrip from Seattle, Washington.
Besides a very beautiful city with an even bigger heart, I also discovered this great little designer toy store/gallery in the heart of downtown called Schmancy Toys.

For those residing in the Seattle, your fellow Seattlite artist, Dear Earthling, will be having a show tonight from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the awesome toy store and gallery Schmancy. There will be plenty of his work for sale as well as plenty of great designer toys for sale.

Find out more about Dear Earthling at his site or befriend him at his myspace.

For those not residing at the wondeful (not a typo) city of rain, coffee, and grunge, I'll be posting a full review of Schmancy as well as the trilogy of awesome that are its complimentary stores *Fancy * Schmancy * Pants* ;) very soon!

--janus saint's sidekick

Move over 90210...

[images courtesy of saks.]

Another popular zip code is here officially here today!

1 0 2 2 2

The Saks Fifth Ave in New York has a new shoe section that's SO BIG that it has its own zip code!

uh, when can i move in???

Ribbon cutting ceremony happened today at 9:30am with stylist to the stars, Mr. Philip Bloch (such a doll!). 10222-Shoe officially opened its doors today at 11:00am.

[old pic of philip with homechica, jLo (love her!) courtesy of the sydney morning herald.]

"10222-Shoe" will have its own express elevator, private vip rooms, and its own cafe. my, my my!

To commemorate this joyous (bordering ridiculous, like c'mon, its OWN ZIP CODE?) event, USPS has printed a special issue of stamps depicting shoes designed by some of the industry's top designers! Those who cannot make it to New York, you can purchase any shoe on saks, put in the code, SHOE, and you get the collectible stamps free! Ha, and if you don't want your stamps, I'd be happy to give them a nice home ;)

[images courtesy of saks.]

Mimo-What?

[Photo by NiNa]

For the longest time I've been needing to get a USB flash drive, but kept holding out because I really, really wanted a Mimobot (by Mimoco). It's like a functional doo-dad that could also double as a toy -- what's not to love about that? They even have a little story: they're from the Planet Blooh located in galaxy 4210 . . . you can check that out here.

At 2", they come in an array of designs by contemporary artists and have even teamed up with some pretty awesome franchises like Gloomy Bears, Star Wars (remember our past post about them?) and most recently Happy Tree Friends.

[Photo by NiNa]

You can get these little dudes in capacities of 512 MG, 1 GB, 2 GB and 4 GB. And depending on which design you get, they're produced in limited editions of 250 - 3,500 units. See, they're collectibles and compatible with both Macs and PCs. Prices range from $39.95 - $109.95.

I finally got one when I went to Comic Con -- the 2 GB Gigglebyte. Originally I was going to get the Fairybit, but I guess the saleswoman thought I was pointing at something else . . . oh well. I got the last 2 GB Gigglebyte so HA!

And with my purchase I got a free Vimobot. Vimobots are 4" vinyl toys and are blind-boxed. The designs they have out right now are of the Mimobots from the first core series.

It's also available in plain white for your DIY pleasure, plus its also a contest! Take a picture of your DIY creation and submit it to Mimoco. People will get to vote on designs and the ones that win will get to see their Vimobot turned into an actual Mimobot!

Round one is done . . . bring on two!

LOVE ghosts?

[Disclaimer: Ok, so I know I have been lagging to write this post, but really I have a good reason. I'm not going to blame it on having regular work, freelance work, everyday life events, being pooped from the con, getting sick, celebrating my birthday, or being out of town away from the computer. Nor will I remind you all that we write for okeedorkee as a hobby. The reason why I lagged is because, I am scared of ghosts. I usually write my posts at nite and yes, I am a fraidycat. so I can't explore the ghost whisperer website as far as I like to or even check out the promo disk I was given at the con. Even with the sound off, I still get scared of the images. So, bare with me and I will promise to try really super duper hard to watch the promo disk and go on the website during the day right after work. soon. sooner than later. so sorry again. forgive me? love you! ok, now back to our regularly scheduled program...]

If you do, these people are ready to scare the bejhesus outta ya. Ok, ok, they don't want you to be too scared...just be aware. (o_O) OoOoOoOooOOoOO....

[l to r: kim moses, justin fisher, jennifer love hewitt, ian sander. photo taken by MURSE1 © All rights reserved.]

Executive producers, Kim Moses and Ian Sander, Web dude, Justin Fisher, and miss star actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt gathered with us press peeps to discuss the cool new stuff to expect from The Ghost Whisperer at the Comic Con this year.

People, people! It's not just a tv show anymore. You too can take part in the haunting storyline with Melinda. Fans have a chance to dig deeper into the story. We are encourage to head online and experience the journey inside the underworld and see for ourselves what goes on at The Other Side. The Other Side is a spin-off of The Ghost Whisperer and is an all new Web-based series that shows you the world through the eyes of ghosts. There are webisodes that only viewers can see online! And who knows, your favorite webisode character might be seen on The Ghost Whisperer.

More ghost whisperer to come. promise. =)

Neighborhood.jp Opening

The newly updated NEIGHBORHOOD (NBHD) website will be opening at the strike of midnight on August 17th. The site currently displays a countdown clock to the site's opening. A preview of the page seems to include a web store. I suggest getting a hold of your regular Japanese purchase proxy dude guy man chick to jump on whatever products they might release online before they're gone. In the mean time, check the trailer:



I'm actually still on their site as I type this. Not looking at the clock, but listening to the rad music and eating a sandwich. I feel fat.

Are you Stacked?

You gotta be! It's summertime and since the new school year is approaching, get rid of your old books. Well, sell them so you can buy new books so you can buy new digs for school. See, it's a win-win for everyone!

The Paul Frank Stores nationwide are launching their first annual book drive between August 13 and 31.

Head over to your local Paul Frank Store and bring in a new book for children aged 3 to 6 years old and receive 20% off your purchase.

The Paul Frank Stores will be donating to First Book, a nonprofit organization that provides children in low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.


sorry, but discount excludes: bikes, sale items, limited edition pieces and stools

See us?

We STILL have tons of Comic Con coverage to tell ya about!

Sorry for the delay, but really, we have tons of good stuff...we promise its worth the wait...

So, Didya see us at the Freebee Table?

If so, Take a pic of you and our lil postcard flyer and we'll use your pic for a comic con collage we're making =)


[photo taken by MURSE1 © All rights reserved.]

we LOVE to tease you

We're telling you,

...stay tuned...as we said, we still have tons of Comic Con news we haven't gotten to yet.

Here's a teaser for you...

...MISS LOVE...

Exclusive news from her will be revealed this week!!!

For now,

Vote for Miss Jennifer Love Hewitt for Best Actress for this year's Teen Choice Awards.

[photo taken by MURSE1 © All rights reserved.]

Name That Band!

I came across this in a bulletin on myspace. Virgin Digital had a contest to name as many bands hidden within the following picture. The contest is long since over but that doesn't mean it's lost its fun!

There were supposedly 75 bands hidden here. C'mon peeps... wow us with your musical smarts. How many can you name? I'll even start it off with Radiohead (dude in the middle w/the boombox.)

Let's see how many we can get. Tell us your finds in the Comments section!

[click on the pic for a larger view]

Pink Droid With A Heart of Gold

Remember back in my Hasbro post I said there would be more info on the R2-KT figure that I bought? I know its been awhile, but I finally did it! The figure was a limited edition run available only at the Con and on the Hasbro and Star Wars online websites. All proceeds from the sales of the R2-KT figure went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

[courtesy of Hasbro]

R2-KT was originally made for a little girl named Katie Johnson who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Albin Johnson, her father and founder of the 501st Legion, thought of the idea of creating an R2 unit to watch over Katie much like R2-D2 watched over Padme in Episode II. Katie's sister pitched in the idea to make Katie's R2 unit pink and to name it R2-KT (like R2-Katie.) You can read more about how the Johnson's idea came to fruition on the R2-KT Home Page and more about Katie on her home page.

[Courtesy of R2-KT Home Page]

Though Katie's battle with cancer ended in August of 2005, R2-KT's mission is "to entertain children, raise awareness of pediatric cancer, and raise money for such charities as Make-A-Wish and Children's Cancer Fund" (from R2-KT Home Page.) Though Hasbro's stock of R2-KT figures sold out at the Con and their online website shortly thereafter, I recently checked their webpage to find that they did get a few more in stock. At only $9.99 a pop, its not a bad way of giving to a good cause.


until next time...

Spice Up Your Life

I've been hankering for some good Indian food for quite some time now so I was super excited that my aunts wanted to take me out for dinner at Khana Peena when I visited them this past Monday. Khana Peena is this great restaurant that serves Northern Indian cuisine in three East Bay locations: Solano Ave and Oxfort St (both in Berkeley) and on Rockridge in Oakland. If you're in the area, I highly recommend it. We happened to go to the Solano Ave location.

This was my second time around at Khana Peena and it was just as delicious as the first time I went last year. We started off with vegetable samosas and papadum (a kind of thin lentil wafer/chip). Food is served family style and we had about 6 different main dishes to choose from. The Tandoori Mint Chicken was surprisingly yummy even though it was a bright shade of St. Patrick's Day green. I also enjoyed the Aloo Gobi which was a potato and cauliflower concoction and my favorite from the first time was the Lamb Vindaloo.
Of course, everything should be eaten with their most delicious Naan (Indian style bread... kinda tortilla like). They offer their Naan in a myriad of flavors, but I find the plain Naan to be exceptionally awesome for dipping into the sauces of the various dishes. My favorite sauce was probably the one that went with this vegetable dumpling dish. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the dish itself, but believe me... it was scrumptious. The Chicken Korma was probably my second favorite dish of the night. BTW - their Cold Chai is yumm-o! Man, this post is making me hungry!

[not the food we had, but still looks pretty delicious]

Khana Peena may be a bit pricey for my college student budget, but they do have an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for around $9 so I may have to come back again for that. The service there was excellent and feel free to ask your server for recommendations if you're having trouble narrowing down your options. So if you're in the neighborhood and craving something spicy and full of flavor, Khana Peena is the place to go! Just check out their site for the full menu!


But you don't have to take my word for it!
;)


...Didn't have my camera on me so these pictures are all taken from Khana Peena's webpage

RETSIRHC's CON 2007

After a few days of resting and trying to get back to reality, I finally have a chance to post my recap on this year's Con 2007.

On the 27th, I had to take a midterm before I floored the pedal from Pomona back down to San Diego. Such bad timing. It was hard to keep focused cause I was so anxious to get to the comic mecca. Don't worry, though... I aced the test.

I hit downtown a little before 4pm and did my usual routine of parking at Horton Plaza and walking the 3 or so blocks to the convention center. I heard the crowd was massive earlier during the day, but it didn't seem so bad when I got there.

After picking up badges, I headed into the exhibit hall. It seemed like I was just there a day ago. The hall seemed the same as it was a year earlier. Not to mention the occasional smell of cumin in the air.

Never mind. That smell was body odor. Not mine, though. I shower everyday. Sometimes twice.

There were a few artists that I wanted to do sketches and get stuff signed from, but I didn't exactly have "stuff" with me. Next year, hopefully. Also, there were some panels that I wanted to hit up, but didn't wake up early enough to attend. I really need to adjust my sleeping pattern before fall quarter starts...

Enough jibba jabba. You want pictures, I know.

Another year, another Comic-Con...



I think the first booth I checked out was the super-deformed miniature sized version of Issac's art studio. A.K.A the Heroes booth. This camera guy from NBC wanted to get some interviews from some fans about their favorite character and episode of the show. This guy's favorite character? Horned Rimmed Glasses (but he said it all cool as "H-R-G"). His favorite episode? Company Man. How I remember this? I don't know.



I didn't wanna get on camera, so the homies Adrian and Liz did it instead.



Adrian looking dumbfounded when he mentioned that his favorite episode was from season 2. GOOD JOB, BUDDY! (He meant second part of season 1. Please, he's embarrassed enough already.)



Bounty Hunter "Skull kun".



These power rangers are a bunch of bloodz... Yeah, just like that. With a "z" at the end.



Mach 5. Pretty cool, but not enough leg room for me and Trixie.



HookUps still live and kickin'...



Some all-star vinyls from the Upper Deck booth...

Tom Brady



LeBron James



Kobe



LaDainian Tomlinson. A must cop.



Some eastside SD cats... bears... whatever, that wanted to be on the blog. Here you go.



Some of this year's pickups...

A Pushead tee from Super7.



A Linda Tran. Just kidding. Don't let her pretty face and curvaceous body fool you. She's a hustler forreal. She even some how managed to sneak her card into my press badge. What in the world?!



The San Diego Race Queen Rei Ayanami Con 2007 exclusive as reported by JanuS SainT. Still in the box.



I also picked up one of those all white Chukanucka's from Ugly Doll for my niece, but I didn't get a chance to get a picture of it. For some reason all the Ugly Dolls at their booth were all white.

Throughout the 4 days, I was on the search for Yamato's Max Jenius VF-1A. I wasn't able to find one where the price was right. Or maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. I blame Linda for distracting me. Next year I'll find it and it will be mine. Murse1 needs to post up the stealth VF-1J he picked up for a steal. That thing is dope.



Like I said, another year, another Comic-Con. I'll come better prepared next year and hopefully no midterms fall around July 24, 2007. Anyway... that's it. Time to hit the books again. Yeah, right. I'm gonna watch the eastcoast feed of Saved by the Bell. LATERS DUDES!

World Wide Enemy

["Delivery" - DEMAE]

Japanese- now Seattle based- artist Yumiko Kayukawa will be showcasing her latest work in "World Wide Enemy" at the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco. The opening reception is this Saturday, August 11, from 7:oo - 10:oo pm.

"World Wide Enemy" will be on display until September 8.

Yumiko Kayukawa is by far one of my all-time favorite artists! I first saw an ad with her painting "Surf" in an issue of Juxtapose a few years back and was instantly hooked. Her work is somewhere between tradtional Japanese and pop art. I wish she'd sell affordable prints or posters of her art because her stuff is freakishly pricey :P

Check out her past work on her website and/or add her as your friend on MySpace. I did!

["World Wide Enemy"- WAARDO WAIDO ENEMII]

Shoot 'Em Up advance movie review

After ComicCon on Thursday night July 26, hundreds of fans and I caught a special advance screening of the upcoming action film Shoot 'Em Up. Michael Davis and Clive Owen were on hand to answer questions and give some insight about the film just before the showing.

Action fans will definitely eat up the kinetic film with a constant stream of frenzied shoot-outs with a unique plot going above the synopsis of average action flicks: Clive Owen (star of Sin City and BMW Films: The Hire) stars as a carrot-wielding loner known only as Mr. Smith who gets caught protecting a newborn baby from a cynical hit man Mr. Hertz (the always great Paul Giamatti of Sideways). To take care of the baby, Mr. Smith enlists the help of DQ (the Matrix Reloaded's Monica Bellucci) a prostitute catering to a lactating fetish. The newly-formed, unlikely family must find out why the baby is being chased while constantly running from Mr. Hertz and his endless supply of gunmen.

Beneath the surface is a convoluted and unique story with engaging characters and witty dialog, yet it definitely takes backseat due to the high quality of the action. In fact, writer and director Michael Davis presented the concept to studios and faced constant rejection because of the seemingly shallow plot's face value. But it wasn't until he put together a 17 minute animated reel of key action scenes that the movie was green lit.


Predictability has been the bane of most films of the genre in recent years, but because of the immense creativity of the action scenes, Shoot 'Em Up delivers what most gun-crazy action movie fans have been craving for. In the tradition of the all out gun play of classic John Woo films like Hard Boiled and following in the adrenaline stylized footsteps of films such as Crank and Smokin' Aces, Shoot 'Em Up also adds some of the most unexpected shoot-outs with a consistent flow of fast-paced editing throughout.

The violence, sex, and humor all take extra steps, or rather, GIANT LEAPS to levels that you probably wouldn't expect. Some moments often taken too far to the point of ridiculousness but they're done so extremely well that all disregards of realism are forgiven and appreciated for providing satisfying entertainment value.


*SLIGHT SPOILERS* Without giving too much away but there seems to always be some off-kilter quirk to every situation in the movie. For example the gun fights have some sort of gimmick to add to the fun: a shoot-out during a baby delivery, a shoot-out during a car chase, a sniper shoot-out in a playground, a shoot-out during sex, a shoot-out while skydiving, and a Home Alone-inspired booby trap-filled shoot-out in a gun factory.. just to name A FEW. *SPOILERS END HERE* To top it off the plentiful shoot-outs all end with climactic sight gags sure make its target audience satisfied with a laugh or awe of the absurdity. Each time, I had to pick up my jaw from the bottom of my seat as I contemplated how much each the scene ROCKED.

For the most part the stellar cast is top notch in this type of film. Clive Owen is perfectly cast as the typical suave bad ass and unlikely hero. As Mr. Smith, Owen comes off as a natural whether it comes to spitting one-liners while unfazed at the face of adversary, snapping witty remarks throughout, or shooting, flipping, and sliding acrobatically during the action scenes. If it will teach a lesson to those that need lessons taught, this character will draw every line to accomplish it. You'll love Mr. Smith if you hate to see drivers that don't signal or parents that beat their kids in public. He reacts to things in ways everyone has wanted to but had the sense to not do them!

Monica Bellucci's portrayal of DQ is excellent in bringing warmth to the character. Peppered by her exotic Italian looks and accent, the chemistry between her and the British accented Owen is exciting and convincing. With DQ you genuinely care about what happens to the character because of the humanity she shows trying to take care of the newborn Oliver and trying to care for the even Mr. Smith herself.

With such strong protagonists you would need an conversely evil adversary and thats where Paul Giamatti steals the show. His character, Mr. Hertz, provides most of the dark humor and is such an evil bastard you'll actually grow to love him due to Giamatti's excellent portrayal. As he matches wits with Mr. Smith, Mr. Hertz in turn matches gun prowess whether he wields a sniper rifle or his signature Desert Eagle with a custom fingerprint identifier, all while being annoyed constantly from the cell phone calls of his wife. The cynical yet humanized villain is immensely fun to watch much in the vein of great cinematic bad guys like Gary Oldman's portrayal of the crazed cop Stansfeld in Leon: The Professional.

Strange to say but the real star of the movie is the vision-enhancing orange vegetable, the carrot! Never in a film have carrots been so important, so hilarious, or so awesome! When Mr. Smith takes bites off of a carrot in a calm after the storm the stock of adrenaline that viewers have gained will inspire them to stock up on carotene. In fact, after the premiere the audience was treated to fresh carrots! Lets just say after this movie you'll never guess how bad ass eating carrots can be.

Along with the plentiful homages to Hong Kong cinema greats like John Woo and spaghetti westerns, there are many allusions to Clive Owen's trademark of driving Beemers in films, such as his stints in BMW Films as well as a hitman in Bourne Identity. There even is a nod to Owen's potential as a previous successor to Pierce Brosnan's James Bond that fans will definitely eat up as this film comes as perfect example of what he would've been like as the next Bond.

After watching this movie with fellow action aficionados it was unanimous that our socks had been knocked off. Also worth mentioning was the very vocal and energetic Comic Con audience laughing, cheering, and giving ovation to every awesome scene (and were scenes of awesomeness plentiful!).


As far as for who the film is for, just watch the trailer. Its definitely a movie that gives so much fan service to action film fans that anyone out of that circle can instantly dismiss the film as typical action fare or even as a 'bad movie'. Not so when you put into account how clever and how deep both action, style, and plot go with Shoot 'Em Up. However its very rare that a film had the whole audience's blood pumping NONSTOP throughout. Not to say that the film is perfect, but as an action film you'll definitely come out satisfied. Even during the pauses, the direction, art direction, and cinematography is so sharp and stylized that it keeps the intrigue going. Each metal and electronica song in the soundtrack paint and frame the action perfectly. I don't think I've seen better use of Motorhead's Ace of Spades or Motley Crue's Kickstart My Heart in a film. Some films "cut to the chase" but the whole entire film is THE chase.


Movies are supposed to entertain and Shoot 'Em Up goes above and beyond to meet that expectation. I applaud Michael Davis in both having the immense passion for his story and the efforts he put into directing such a sharp, exciting movie. Each and every scene will had me sitting in my chair in disbelief wondering why the heck I haven't been this much entertained. I can't say I've had this much DAMN FUN watching a movie in a long time! As I told my friend that I was going to post a review here, he told me I should write this article as a one word review: AWESOME. There's no better way to put it!

So stock up on your carrots and mark your calendars on September 7th!

Teenyboppers Prepare Yourselves

Remember the days when boy bands ruled the world? I know they sure ruled mine back in high school... And I have to admit that I still find my inner teenybopper coming out when I hear an *NSYNC song or when one of the members is on TV for whatever reason [exception being JT since he's always in the limelight anyway]. So I was super excited when Joey Fatone was a contestant on Dancing With The Stars and you bet your @$$ I maxed out all my votes (multiple phones & online) when he was battling Apolo Anton Ohno for that top spot... I was crushed when he lost =(

But what does this have to do with anything now? Dancing With The Stars has been over for ages! Well, get your inner teenybopper ready because this Monday, VH1 is bringing together 4 former boy band popstars together to see if they can make little girls scream like banshees once again. Mission: Man Band is VH1s newest addition to their Celebreality and stars Chris Kirkpatrick (*NSYNC), Jeff Timmons (98 Degrees), Rich Cronin (LFO), and Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) who will be living together for a month to create new music and perform as their own new pop group. How crazy cool is that?! It'll be interesting to see how much they've changed since the 90s boy band phenomenon disappeared. I'm personally looking foward to seeing Chris & Jeff =) Yay!



Series premieres this Monday, August 6th at 10pm. Check out the series' main page on VH1. You can even catch a sneak premiere... I can't wait!


Until next time...

bye bye bye!

Heroes: Origins and World Tour

Heroes fans, rejoice! We have something else to look forward to when our favorite show returns on September 24. NBC has ordered more episodes of the show for season 2 and will debut Heroes: Origins which is somewhat of a spin-off of the show.

Origins will be a six-part series which will introduce a brand new character and their back story in each episode. The characters will be set in the Heroes universe, but none of their storylines will go into Heroes' main story arc. However, some regulars might pop up.

To add more to the excitement (yes, MORE!), when the six episodes are over, fans will get to vote which character will get to move onto the next season of Heroes -- or should I say make "the list"?

At Comic Con, it was announced that Kevin Smith will write and direct the first episode of Origins. But there isn't any word on when they will be debuting the quasi spin-off. I'm hoping it's when they take their little mini-break during mid season so we're not left in a complete and utter dryspell like last time, don'tcha think?

And later this summer, Heroes will be conquering the world thanks to Nissan ["Nissan Versa!" haha, get it? No? Watch the show then!] In anticipation of the DVD coming out August 28 and the season premiere, the cast and creators of Heroes will be traveling the globe to promote the show.

The schedule is as follows:

- Monday, August 27: Munich and Tokyo
- Tuesday, August 28: Paris, Tokyo, and New York City
- Wednesday, August 29: Paris and Hong Kong

- Thursday, August 30: London

- Friday, August 31: London, Singapore, and Toronto

- Saturday, Sept. 1: London, Singapore, and Toronto

What? No Los Angeles or San Francisco?!?! Urgh!!! Oh well. It'd be during school anyway.

If you need to catch up or simply need to get a Heroes fix, check out their official spot on NBC's website to read the digital graphic novel, see interviews, buy Heroes swag (like the 2008 calendar), watch episodes from season 1 and more.

So Close... Yet So Far

Since the special series premiere at Comic Con 2006, Heroes has skyrocketed in popularity... as if it wasn't already getting enough buzz last year! Back then, they had an exclusive release comic book along with the special 73min series premiere. I missed out on all the Heroes goodness last time because it all happened the one day that I didn't go to the Con. Oh well...

This year, NBC did not disappoint their Heroes following, offering more exclusives and a panel with the entire cast! Unfortunately, I missed that panel too... I failed to hear that people could stay in the ballroom where the panel was being held all morning leading up until the Heroes one. Which means that people who were there for the very first panel of the morning could stay in the room as long as they wanted. So we waited in line for 2hrs in vain because they could only let in as many people as there were people leaving... which was practically none. Boo... wish I had gotten that memo!

I did, however, come across one of the Comic Con Exclusives the Heroes booth was passing out at random. Believe it or not, it was leaning against the wall next to a trash can in one of the hallways! There was another exclusive being handed out at the booths - another comic book - but I didn't even know about that until the Con was over. As I mentioned, these were handed out at random - you just had to be lucky enough to be at their booth when they were being passed out... or come across it chillin' somewhere on the floor. Us unlucky ones will have to shell out some money on eBay now... blah!

[picture taken by carmeL]

And if you were in the same boat as me and couldn't get into the panel (or weren't able to go to the Con) you can find clips from the panel online at the NBC/Heroes page. But don't forget to check back here for more updates on Heroes exclusives from the Con!


Until next time...

Hot Plate! Hot Plate!

Poketo, makers of fantastically awesome wallets, bags, and t-shirts, has added something new to their arsenal: homeware! I saw these plates over at the Poketo booth during Comic Con and thought they were too cute to use, but Angie (co-owner of Poketo) said they eat on them all the time! They're dishwasher (but not microwave) safe and super light-weight.

The artwork on the plates are courtesy of Tokyo-based artists PCP and Ogi. Poketo always collaborates with various artists for their products which I totally love about the company :) These plates are $32 for a set of two and come in a screen-printed box.

This Ogi set is my favorite. Look at the monster dudes!
Angie also said they were thinking of expanding the homeware line by adding cups.

Something else thats new on the Poketo site is stationary. Journals, pens, a photo album, planner, envelopes . . . so many new things!

Sketchbook planner $14

Don't forget to check out their brand new wallets and t-shirts, too! They feature the work of international artists from Barcelona, London, and elsewhere. Here's the ones I like:

Top to bottom: Alex Noriega, Peskimo. Each $20.

[All photos courtesy of Poketo]

Watch out Kob...

If you were the lucky few that picked up Kobe at Comic Con, have no fret.
Your Kobe has a playmate! or I suppose an arch enemy.

Upperdeck's All Star Vinyl series is releasing the LeBron action figure on August 7th at 9:23am pst (is the time symbolic of something? :23=Lebron's number?) They are to release four versions of LeBron - A Red Road uniform, a White Home uniform, a Black uniform, and a retro uniform.

[away vs home]

Each variant will of course be limited...the most being the Red one, which will have 1500 produced, while the Black one being the most limited at only 250 figures.

[retro vs black]

Just like Kobe, the Retro Lebron is actually an event exclusive for attendees of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Ohio.

Lebron is not new to the vinyl game.

Upper Deck has already launched The LeBrons, which were based on the popular Nike Ads.

Tony and Cal's Sweet Spot

Will you be one of the lucky few to get the two newly inducted Hall of Famers Tony and Cal's signed sweet spot?

Yes, the card is embedded with the "sweet spot" of a baseball. and its an actual game used ball. SAH-WEET!

Find these and other super duper cool collector cards inside of the upcoming releases of 2007 UpperDeck Ultimate Collection and series packs: MLB Sweet Spot Classic, MLBGoudey, SP Legendary Cuts, MLBMLB Masterpiece.

[exclusive photo provided by upperdeck]

KAMI-ROBO INVADES SAN DIEGO

I'm sure many of you, like myself have had times when you were younger thought that playing by yourself was a lot more fun than playing with others. I know I did... sometimes at least. There were times when I would spend hours playing with my G.I Joes, Ronin Warriors, or some newly built expensive Gundam model that I didn't want to play with, but wanted to anyway cause it looked soooo cool (until the leg snaps off.) Sitting in my room, I would create stories and plots in my mind, choose the heroes and villains, and decided who won, lost, and who got to see life in my next play time session.

At the age of 10, Tomohiro Yasui of Kyoto, Japan was doing the exact same thing - creating a fictional world within his head amongst his toys. Over 20 years, Yasui has created 200+ of these kami-robo fighters ("kami" - paper.) It all began when Yasui grew tired of his Gundams, Macross valkyries, and other robot toys breaking when played with. Initially, Yasui made figures that resembled his favorite animated robots out of wire and moved on to create his own using those paper-thin pieces of cardboard you find in between your newly bought dress shirt.

Unlike model toys, kami-robo are more flexible and allow Yasui to maneuver them into various wrestling moves. Also, since they are made of paper they can be easily repaired if they so happen to fall apart.

Each one of Yasui's creations has their own name and personality. They even fall under different wrestling teams as they do in real professional wrestling.

When I first saw this video run at the Kami-Robo booth at Comic-Con, I just thought it was some guy playing with toys. However, as I kept watching, it reminded me of when I was a kid and did the same. This kind of nostalgia of playing with my toys and making them wrestle quickly made me a new fan. I mean, if you saw a robot pull off a hurracanrana, wouldn't you?!


The wrestling matches last for approximately 15 minutes and come complete with a made wrestling ring, a bell to start and end a match, and even an announcer who calls the moves play-by-play... just like the real thing. The lives of the kami-robo are just like those of real professional wrestlers which may be a reason why some people are fans. Yasui turned a childhood past time and brought it to a whole new level of entertainment.

[image from butterfly-stroke]

Speaking with Enna of MYSWEETLORD Entertainment, the group who presented Kami-Robo at Comic-Con, gave me the low down of this new cult phenomenon.

Apparently, Kami-Robo has only a small following in Japan. Not too many people know of it and are left wondering what it is. With showcases in Japan, London, and most recently at the San Diego Comic-Con, Kami-Robo has created a humble group of fans (including myself) and that's how they want to keep it to prevent any bastardization of Kami-Robo. Why ruin a good thing, right?

Kami-Robo figures will hopefully be sold at very select shops in the U.S starting around next year and the price will range between $8-9. A very nice price I must say. Also in the works are streaming matches on the Kami-Robo website live from Japan. If you're as interested in this as I am, you best be on the look out for it.

Anyway, a post is useless without pictures. Here we go...

The wrestling ring at the Kami-Robo booth. This area kept people wondering... until 3'oclock came by.


The ring INSIDE the ring where Yasui-san worked his magic.


I REALLY wanna see this one in the ring. Maybe see it bite some heads off or something. THAT would be rad.


Yasui-san getting in his element before a match.


Action-shots of one of the 3pm matches. Notice how one of the kami-robo goes no-holds-barred and uses a chain.

>

A kami-robo reigning in glory after another victory.



The Kami-Robo crew.


Yasui-san, Enna, and ? (SO SORRY! I didn't catch a name. Help?)


Enna was so sweet that she hooked up some friends and I with an exclusive Thunder Tiger figure and some tees. THANKS ENNA! YOU'RE AWESOME! After a match, I was lucky enough to get Yasui to sign my figure. ヤスイさん、ありがとうございます!!






YA-SU-I.



This was by far the most interesting booth throughout my years at Comic-Con. I really hope these folks come back again next year as they were all really cool peeps and the whole idea of this really intrigues me.

I have more Comic-Con 2007 pics and reviews coming so keep your mouse on that reload button!

Midnight Magic

As promised, here's a little something from the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sorry for the delay, but that Comic Con sure did take a whole lot out of me... and I just downloaded the software to upload my pix to my computer =)

Being the dork that I am, I decided that I had to go to the Harry Potter midnight book release because it was the last book of the series. If I didn't go this time, there wouldn't be a next time and I didn't want to have any regrets. So I dragged rye-uhn-air-ick [it was reserved under his name] and we went to the Borders Grand Hallows Ball.
Let me back track a bit for some of you. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Borders had a Harry Potter party on the eve of July 20th that started from 9:00pm and went until midnight. Get into character and enter their costume contest. State your opinion in the Great Snape Debate or show off those Ravenclaw smarts in the Potter Spelling Bee. Unfortunately, we missed all the fun and games because we were coming back from out-of-town. However, we made it just in time to not win anything in the raffle...
The Borders I went to had all the festivities inside the mall and it was really odd seeing so many people there after business hours. We were given wristbands that were color-coded to indicate which group of people could line up first to get their books come midnight. I was in the second grouping but didn't get home until after 2:00am! Can't say I regret any of it though... just wish I was able to take better pictures. The lighting in the mall wasn't really that great.
And just 'cause, here's an exclusive Harry Potter tote bag the folks at Scholastic were giving away at the Con in San Diego. It's made of some sort of synthetic material and has the cover image from the recently released book printed on both sides (Harry on one, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on the other.) People had to get to their booth early to get ahold of one of these babies! Luckily, I got one on the last day they were giving them out.

Until next time...


[all photos courtesy of carmeL]