Saboten-Con, the upcoming Arizona anime convention, recently held a promo video contest on YouTube. The contestants were ranked based how many views their videos. This tounge-in-cheek short by hbi2k, which uses footage from The Vision of Escaflowne, chalked over 3000 views and won the contest.
A couple of us here at PH are planning on going to Saboten-Con. Anybody else thinking about attending?
Here’s a video of the Funimation Virtual Con Panel (aka FuniCON 1.0), which was held via live streaming video and text chat at 4:00 Central on Thursday. I was in the chat representing Project Haruhi, and Adam actually answered a couple of my questions! He did have some trouble pronouncing Project Haruhi’s name, though (time index 5:19 on the first video). It’s okay, Adam, we forgive you.
He also answered my question about Saboten-Con (6:33), a Phoenix-area convention that myself and a few other PH members will be attending at the end of October. Unfortunately, Funimation won’t have a panel there.
I’m not usually into sports series, but for some reason Shojo Fight has caught my eye. Maybe it’s the character designs… in any case, I’m planning on reading the manga when I get some free time, and I’m also looking forward to the half-hour OVA that’s shipping with the sixth volume on October 23rd. The fact that Production I.G. is involved has me even more intrigued. Anyhoo, here’s the PV.
If you’re a fansubber, please translate this when it comes out!
Danny Choo the dancing stormtrooper was recently spotted at Google Chrome’s one-year birthday bash, posing with the Google Girls and plugging Good Smile’s latest figurines. I guess he figured if he couldn’t join the K-On! band, he’d try for the next best thing… hanging around with 3D girls instead of 2D ones. You’re one lucky stormtrooper, Mr. Choo.
Have you ever heard of the uncanny valley theory? It states the following:
As a robot is made more humanlike in its appearance and motion, the emotional response from a human being to the robot will become increasingly positive and empathic, until a point is reached beyond which the response quickly becomes that of strong repulsion. However, as the appearance and motion continue to become more distinguishable from a human being, the emotional response becomes positive once more and approaches human-to-human empathy levels. —Wikipedia
Basically, the idea is that we tend to find things that too closely resemble humans, but are clearly not, repulsive. So, for example, a stuffed animal or anime moe girl, due to their stylization, would be considered cute and likeable. A zombie or dollfie, however, would not.
A group of Japanese scientists with the YAMAHA corporation recently debuted their HRP-4C Miimu robot, and decided to dress her up like Hatsune Miku and have her ‘dance’. The result, visible in the video below, falls squarely in the lowest part of the uncanny valley.
I recently read on ANN that 7-11 had begun offering Slurpees and other products featuring NHK’s famous mascot, Domo-kun. Like any self-respecting otaku, I knew I had to see this for myself. After a protracted battle against my hikikomori nature, I managed to undertake the quarter-mile trek to my local 7-11 in search of the legendary Domo Slurpee. This is what I found.
(I apologize in advance for the crappiness of these photos. My camera kung-fu is not strong.)
AKB48 appeared at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday, performing a mini-concert among other things. Thus far, these are the best videos I’ve found of the event.
Japanese television is rife with unusual advertisements for a variety of products. Here are some of the stranger ones from recent months.
First up, we have dancing, singing kiwifruits that want you to eat them.
Want to sell ramen? What better way than with sexy naked ladies, tastefully censored by giant ramen cups?
Osaka, which is no stranger to kaiju (giant monster) attacks, has fallen under threat from a new, horrible menace; a unnamed kaiju which takes the form of a rubber duck. This monster was reportedly created by mad scientist artist Florentijn Hofman in France. Although it has been spotted in other cities around the world, this is the first time it has menaced Japan.
More photos of the giant duck can be found below.
In an apparent move to raise the esprit de corps, the Empire has made it mandatory for Stormtroopers to undergo dance therapy. We have already seen Stormtroopers take to the streets of Tokyo and eagerly dance the Carmelldansen, or mime the OP to K-On!, much to the delight of Empire psychiatrists. Ever a Britney Spears fan, this soldier is ready and willing to show off his moves to the pop stars single “Circus”, albeit in the comfort of his own home and not in the way of peak hour traffic.
The Empire commends you, Soldier! You are working hard to make your workplace a more positive environment! This way you will live to lose another battle with the Rebel scum another day!