Ever thought about running a toy business of your own?  Does that ever come to anyone’s mind that this is a business that they could do, even though it may sound uncommon to you?

No matter what your varied opinions are on how this type of business could (or should) work, there’s one person who demonstrated her major love affair in this tin-toy business.  And it’s an Australian Chinese celebrity, Claudia Chan Shaw, who’s definitely loving her robot toys like none other you can imagine!  All of her toys ranging all the way to the 50s classic like characters from Lost in Space.  And she also takes a great fancy with Japanese toys too, including Astro Boy!^^

Image sourced from Sydney Morning Herald

I was left amazed of how this OZ celebrity could run a toy collectable business in this  industry, when the fact is that her actual profession is working in the fashion industry, making boutique knitwear for women!  And she’s also running a toy business that any guy (like myself^^) would love to spend their entire life working on?

For there’s a lot of money to be made in this industry.  Crazy lots.

It’s time for me to building my collection so one day I’ll end up having a closet as big as hers!

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

At least that’s what I thought after I finished reading this tweet post by one of prominent American “celebrity”, Tony Dyson (the man who invented R2D2).

Robots are showing off their best dance groves they’ve ever done in front of the live audience!! Apparently, it’s part of Sony’s showcase to inform the public how incredibly “talented” robots can be if you train them to dance just like back-up Britney dancers would do. ^^

Have a look!

Source: TonyDyson.com, Youtube.com

Saw this ANN.com post some months ago. And I thought I love to share this piece with everyone.

Japan’s latest wacky robot invention that not only can speak and move recently, but can also – I couldn’t believe it when I first saw this – cosplay and sing as well!!

The new HRP-4C robot model was dressed up as this anime character, known as Miku Hatsune, whose apparently a very popular anime character that seems to be taken a widespread appeal among the Japanese media enthusiasts and raise the industry watchdogs for quite some time.

Never heard much about her.  However, according to Wikipedia, she’s a ‘product’ made by music instrument company, Yamaha, that produces synthetic music and singing of various popular songs by actually matching the pitch and vocal range of the actual singers when she  started to open her mouth to sing.  Really impressed.

Check out some of 80’s popular songs sang by her.

Miku Hatsune singing “Heaven is a place on earth” by Belinda Carlise in 1987

Here’s the original version…..

Miku Hatsune singing “Hard to say sorry” by Chicago

And the original video….

^^

Source: ANN.com, Youtube.com, Wikipedia.org

Astro Boy: All whiz but no bang?

Been reading a few reviews on Astro Boy online. They sure don’t sound very optimistic as it oughta be. I really hope it would deliver well and make great impact on the audiences, both young, old and the fans of the 50 year Japanese iconic anime series.

Some say it’s a complete waste of movie goers’ time and that USD 10 bucks is better spent on other films that are more tangible to watch. Even B-rated films believed to be comparatively than this as sources say. Some rated it’s barely watchable, especiallly for family and kids.

And some argue it’s actually good to watch as it delivers strong messages on family bond and unity that many common families do not normally see, especially in the areas where son misses fatherly-love connection where he’s denied from receiving full expression of love and care that any parent would give to a child. Something like that.

Whatever the views are, I’d still be keen to give this a go when it comes out here in NZ. Are you still keen to watch despite the mixed rave of reviews?

Source: SiouxCityJournal, NorthernStar, The Jamestown Sun,

Astro Boy

It sure has been pretty busy week for me. Not much posting going on as I recently got a new job last week since my last job at my last company was made redundant some weeks ago. So plenty of time has been put focus in getting used to my new work environment, learning to get to know your new work colleagues, getting used to having a public transport to get to work (takes about 90 minutes by car, that doesn’t even include the time to find a car park!!!)

Which now brings me back to my attention on what’s been going in the anime world since my absence.

Yes! As you probably know by now, Astro Boy has finally made into the cinemas worldwide just almost three days ago. And in the USA, it sure did get a positive reception after reading this page from SkyNews.

I just read its movie review, done by an American writer, who’s clearly a movie-junkie if you traceback his review source, and (SPOILERS ALERT) I find his final conclusion on Astro Boy being less disingenuous than its orginal TV series run seemed a little harsh to deserve such a low grade. Though I yet to see the film to find his comments are fair justifiable, I would think the movie have a different emphasis on the importance of family bonds and how this film challenges that due to Dr Tenma, father of Astro Boy, rejecting him as his son despite his compassionate efforts in reviving his dead son he used to dearly love(which gives the reason for Astro Boy’s existence in the first place!). At least, that’s what Nicolas Cage mentioned in his comments from this LA Times’ post.

So there are different intangible things people look for when watching this 50-year iconic character on the silverscreens. Whether it’s fun for kids or getting to know the character in depth, I’m sure for all the while, it’s definitely entertaining to watch.

Guess, I have to wait till early January (New Zealand’s release date is 21st Jan) next year to write up my take on this.

Source: SkyNews, SeattlePi, LA Times

I was supposed to blog post this yesterday. However, had experienced major problems with my internet broadband due to an major outage around my neighbourhood, so had to leave it till now.

After reading off this Danny Choo’s newsfeed, it worries me for a long while now that Japan’s having one of the lowest birthrates in the world means they’re going to be ‘wiped’ off from this side of the planet, if the government doesn’t do something about it, at this level of urgency. And one of their proposed solution was to manufacture more robots.

Is this right? Is this way forward for Japan’s future of saving its dying population?

Here’s the Youtube documentary video link below to give you a better idea what’s being said…

Source: DannyChoo.com

Just wanna add further on with this.

After watching the game show video footage, I must say they really know how to throw all the big ‘fireworks’ of all the best games many Japanese video game vendors made ie Square Enix, Koei, Capcom etc, etc. And it’s got a really nice music that blends well with the compilation of the video.

Very nice.

And, towards the last 10 seconds of that video, you will see some giant tank-like robots that come out, pulling out all all the relentless attacks on the enemy battalion, and lots of missiles being launched to target enemy aircrafts. The game is called Front Mission Evolved. It’s said it’s also a RPG-type game that robots can level up, just like your other ordinary Final Fantasy game series. Looks very solid.

To find out more, go to this web link, Frontmissionevolved.com

Before wrapping things up on this post, I’m going to have to distract you for the moment before you’re done with this…

I just took a glimpse at one of the related Japan’s convention centre video footage, and this one takes us to a special event (held in last August) which showcased robot scientists and engineers made dancing robots getting their grooves on!

Dancing robots!!! Wow! Have a look and be amazed by their ‘acrobatic’ dance moves!

NB: I know it’s gonna a long seven minute wait before you’ll see the ‘goods’. So hope you do have a decent internet broadband at home. Otherwise, it’s just worth the wait to see several hilarious dance moves by these cute mechs! ;)

Source: Youtube.com, Networkworld.com

Whilst the movie is currently under way, with only 22 days to go, I found a little sneak peak preview of all of Astro Boy’s villains in the movie. They are done with impressive state-of-the-art 3D CGI animation which gives the villains the life of the evil character they’re playing, including some of the enemy robots Astro Boy will be facing.

Here’s the link to Astro Boy’s enemies gallery.

Source: IGN.com

After receiving Bandai’s Twitter updates last night, Bandai just released a new poll on what items do the online people normally get from the Bandai website.  Looking at the vote results of 504 people voted so far, they show

• 54.1% voted for  Imported Japanese Bandai toys
• 31.2% voted for Previous Bandai toys not available in stores
• 9.7% voted for Exclusive and collectible Bandai toys
• 5.0% voted for North American Bandai toys

It’s not difficult to see why Japanese Bandai toys are the obvious favourites as compared to the Northern American counterparts.  Japanese reserved more exclusive rights of their product range to their own local consumers more and they get more  special requirements than the USA citizens do!  Not to mention some of the really unusual toys that only Japanese consumers are better off catered with it like ettchi dolls and classic robot anime figurines etc etc.

For more info about the poll, check out at the Bandai Website.

Source: Bandai.com

Just as things are going to heat up as the world premiere approaches in 7 days time, I might as well present yyou the scoop on Astro Boy’s Hollywood celebrities interviews, starring Kristen Bell and Freddie Alfred Highmore.

Here’s the video clip captured at this year’s Comic Con, held in San Diego.

But WAIT A SEC…. can you recognise those two here? When have we seen them before? And how?

It took me a few eye blinks to readjust my eyeballs position and have a good look at Kristen Bell, and reached conclusion that Kristen Bell played the character heroine in Veronica Mars.

Goodness! It’s been a long while since we had that show running in New Zealand. I thought the series has ended, hasn’t it? At least, that’s what appeared to be for us down-under.

And then we have Freddie Highmore, who used a number of child acting roles, not many of us were fully aware of. According to his filmography, he’s done Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Golden Compass and his latest work The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Here’s some of his brief movie clips trailers.

Freddie Highmore in Finding Neverland, 2002

Freddie Highmore in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005

Freddie Highmore in The Spiderwick Chronicles, 2007

It couldn’t believe it’s been that many years passed since Freddie Highmore played a number of child acting roles. And well!  He’s all grown up! And now playing one of the coolest anime characters of all time!

Are you a big fan of Kristen Bell and/or Freddie Highmore?

Source: YouTube.com