Otakus & Geeks: Walking Around Otakon 2015
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Justin and Ashley walk around Otakon 2015. They visit the dealer's room, artist alley and play Arcana Heart in the gaming room.
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Bryce Papenbrook Panel (Otakon 2015)
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I attended Bryce Papenbrook Panel at Otakon 2015 and had a blast. The power up contest was the highlight of the panel. You can see that he looks at me after the power up section. Rule one of powering up don't pass out. Check out the full panel below. Anime Rules!!!
Read MoreJ-Pop Summit & Japan Film Fest of S.F. Announce Guest of Honor
/2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF), the first and only fully-dedicated Japanese film celebration for the S.F. Bay Area together with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT proudly present actor Tadanobu Asano, anime director Koji Morimoto and techno DJ Legend Ken Ishii as official Guests of Honor for San Francisco’s annual Japanese pop culture festival. Tadanobu Asano will attend the opening night event at The Castro Theatre to receive Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award.
Tadanobu Asano is widely known for starring roles in movies such as Ichi the Killer,Zatoichi, Thor, 46 Ronin, and Battleship. Koji Morimoto is renowned as one of Japan’s top anime directors and is also a founder of acclaimed Studio 4℃ and known for works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. Ken Ishii is a legendary techno DJ and producer who has performed live internationally and enjoys a worldwide fan base in the electronic music scene.
An Opening Night Event on Friday August 7th at The Castro Theatre kicks off the Japan Film Festival of S.F. with a special 35mm presentation of director Sogo Ishii’s Electric Dragon 80000V, a rollicking comic-book style action film that stars top Japanese actorTadanobu Asano, who will be on hand to personally introduce the film and participate in an audience Q&A immediately following the screening. Throughout the weekend, the Japan Film Festival of S.F. will present additional films also starring Asano, includingMy Man and Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi.
The Opening Night Event will culminate with a live DJ set collaboration betweenJapan’s legendary techno DJ and producer, Ken Ishii, and director Koji Morimoto. Advance tickets to the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT/JFFSF Opening Night Event at the Castro Theatre are available now for $25.00 each from http://jpop2015.brownpapertickets.com.
Tadanobu Asano also is set to appear at the SF premiere screening of My Man on Saturday, August 8th 6:00PM. Asano will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A at NEW PEOPLE Cinema.
Koji Morimoto is set to appear at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT at Fort Mason Main Stage on Saturday, August 8th, 12:00 PM ahead of the screening event, The World of Koji Morimoto, a collection of 3 illustrious animated short films by Koji Morimoto set to screen on Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. Morimoto will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A.
Koji Morimoto will additionally appear for an autograph session at on Saturday, August 8th 1:30 PM in bookseller Kinokuniya’s booth at Fort Mason. Additional details to be announced shortly at J-POP.com.
Ken Ishii is set to headline a second evening concert performance of J-POP LIVE NIGHT on Sunday, August 9th at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT Fort Mason.
“It is a great pleasure to present Tadanobu Asano with the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award,” says Manami Iiboshi, Executive Director of Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. “As one of the most inspiring and outstanding figures leading the Japanese film industry, and as an internationally acclaimed actor who actively works on projects beyond boundaries, he is extremely deserving of this Award. We are also thrilled to have director Koji Morimoto and DJ Ken Ishii performing together at our opening night event at the Castro. It is probably the first time since their legendary collaboration on “EXTRA” in the 1990’s.”
Opening in conjunction with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT on Saturday, August 8th and running thruSunday, August 16th, the 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco will take place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the NEW PEOPLE entertainment complex in Japantown at 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115 (www.newpeoplecinema.com). Tickets to individual screenings are $13.00 each, unless otherwise noted. Film summaries, trailers, screening times and advance tickets are available at: www.JFFSF.org.
JFFSF Opening Night at Castro Theatre
ELECTRIC DRAGON 80000V
Friday, August 7th, 8:00pm
Dragon Eye Morrison (played by Tadanobu Asano) is a reptile investigator who suffers from anintermittent explosive disorder caused by brain damage he sustained in a childhood accident. He manages to find a way to survive and control his urges to destroy with his love of reptiles and an electric guitar. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt Buddha (played by Masatoshi Nagase), an electric repairman turned vigilante who has acquired powerful electro-conductive powers after sustaining a childhood accident, goes after crime bosses and gangsters that take advantage of electric signals. Holding an obsessive hatred towards Morrison, Thunderbolt Buddha challenges him to a final showdown on the rooftops of Tokyo.
Tadanobu Asano & Koji Morimoto Films to Screen at the 2015 JFFSF:
MY MAN
Saturday, August 8th, 6:00pm – Special Guest Appearance by Tadanobu Asano
When loneliness leads to forbidden love, how far will you go? After losing everything in a tsunami disaster, 10-year-old Hana is taken in by a young distant relative Jungo. The pair begins living together as family while sharing the profound sense of loss. Amidst the deep snows of Hokkaido, both desire to fill their empty, love-starved hearts and they set foot into a forbidden world. When an elder benefactor in their small town Mr. Oshio learns of Jungo and Hana's illicit relationship, tragedy begins to take over. Don't miss the special personal appearance by actor Tadanobu Asano who will introduce this film!
THE WORLD OF KOJI MORIMOTO
Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm – Special Guest appearance by Director Koji Morimoto
A collection of three short films by one of Japan’s top anime director Koji Morimoto,widely known as a founder of Studio 4℃ and his works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. The famed director will appear in person to introduce the films as well as participate in an audience Q&A.
Magnetic Rose (45min): Magnetic Rose is the first of three episodes of MEMORIES, based on the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo (the creator of Akira). The film follows the members of the deep space salvage vessel Corona. While performing a salvage mission, the crew encounters an odd distress signal emanating from the Sargasso region, ominously nicknamed “The graveyard of space.” Soundtrack composed by Yoko Kanno.
Noiseman Sound Insect (15min): In the space of music, people used to live in the music fruit in the trees. One day, Dr. Frankein secretly succeeds in creating the creature 'Noiseman' by feeding the music fruit as fuel. Since then, the space was dominated by noise, not music. When a pair of kids Tobio and Reina find out this secret, they challenge Noiseman to bring the music back home again. The film’s soundtrack was written by Japanese composer, arranger, and musician Yoko Kanno.
Genius Party Beyond: Dimension Bomb (20min): Dimension Bomb is one of the five short animated omnibus "Genius Party Beyond," produced by Studio 4℃, which director Koji Morimoto founded in 1986. One day, a boy named Shin who wears a pupa-like mask encounters a girl named Koo. The days spent with Koo, who is a free spirit unlike any other, start to fill up his life with cherished and unforgettable moments. Noted musical composer and arranger, Yoko Kanno, provides the voiceover of Koo.
BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI
Sunday, August 9th, 4:00pm
Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is a 2003 samurai action film, directed by and starring actor Takeshi Kitano ("Beat" Takeshi) as Zatoichi. It also co-stars Tadanobu Asano, who plays Ronin Hattori, Zatoichi's rival. The film is a revival of the classic Zatoichi series of film and television series. It won the prestigious Silver Lion for Best Director award at Venice Film Festival and went on to win numerous other awards internationally.
NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events.www.newpeoplecinema.com
Dave Chappelle and Ava DuVernay Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation
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20th Anniversary of Russell Simmons’ RUSH Philanthropic Art Foundation Celebration at the 16th Annual ART FOR LIFE gala hosted by Russell and Danny Simmons and presented by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Gin, which took place on (7/18) at Fairview Farms in Watermill, NY.
Read MoreIt's Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong Review
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An attraction forms when a Chinese American girl visiting Hong Kong for the first time meets an American expat who shows her the way, but timing may not quite be on their side. A walk and talk romance set in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, the film asks the question - what happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?
Read MoreCE Week: Cracked screen blues. Flygrip saves you the grief - and hand cramps
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Cracked screens, the number one accident plaguing cellphone owners has the people of Flygrip addressing the issue with their "Gravity" accessory. Multi-functional and well thought out, this upgraded design effectively "sticks" your phone to your hand while offering you enough flexibility to reach the farthest corner of the screen without too much effort. In addition, the same attachment functions as a kickstand...
Read MoreCE week: Ionic tech in toothbrush repels plaque, keeps teeth whiter
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Toothbrushes. The one thing we desperately depend on to keep our pearly whites, well... pearly and white. Other than attempting to bleach them or heading to the dentist's office in a last ditch effort before heading to Comic Con (as a vampire with fake - but very white - vampy teeth), there's no way to remove plaque on your own. Don't fear though, Global Ionics has heard the call with a new tool to avoid the situation in the first place - the Ionic ProClean toothbrush.
Read MoreCE week: Fizzics transforms the taste of ordinary beer with 4 AA batteries!
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It's not exactly lead to gold, but the clever alchemists at Fizzics are turning ordinary canned beer into a delicious draft. All you have to do is provide the beer, four AA batteries and pull the handle front and back.
Read MoreCE week: Polaroid instant print makes comeback. Plus, tiny cube cam
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Just when you thought instant polaroids were dead, the company surprises us with a modern take on an old idea. Called Instant Zip, it'll print any smartphone photo without needing any ink or a printer head.
Read MoreCE week: GoTech fixes tangled earbud problem. Plus, smallest selfie stick?
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GoTech is attempting to make your earbud tangled life a little less messy with a set of high quality retractable ones built right into the phone case. Called Cell Budz, it also features a built in mic for you chatty folks and a kickstand for watching video so it can balance itself on a table (if it could've balanced my budget, I'd have been sold).
Read MoreCE week: With Petzi you can play fetch, throw your dog a bone -from work!
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A company in Silicon Valley has come up with a novel way for you to keep an eye on your pet and give treats for sitting down when you tell him to - while you're away from home!
Read MoreEscape Entertainment Will Test The Mind Of New York City
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New York City has many attractions but not many will test your mind. Escape Entertainment is a brand new attraction in New York City in Herald Square. What is Escape Entertainment? Listen to our interview with Brad Albright as he explains how Escape Entertainment got started and what you can expect.
Read MoreCE week: OOMI helps non-techies by simplifying Smart Home gear. 3 easy steps
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OOMI. The Smart Home start-up that's betting their system's ease of use will allow your parents to stop calling you for tech support.
Read MoreCE Week: Latte art printer - is that Elvis in your coffee?
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Make your morning a happy one with a custom print on your latte or cappuccino foam. The Ripple Maker uses coffee extract for a delicious, yummy looking print
Read MoreCE Week: Fugoo The Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
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At CE Week we had the chance to stop by Fugoo: The Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers. We had a quick chat with Gary Elasser CEO of Fugoo. He showed us the amazing features of the Fugoo speakers.
Read MoreCE Week: Westinghouse 4K Television Sets
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At CE Week we stopped by Westinghouse to check out some of the amazing 4K television sets on display. Check out how detail Netflix and Call of Duty looks like on these amazing television sets.
Read MoreCE Week: STM Bags
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At CE Week we dropped by the STM booth to see the rechargeable backpack and other accessories. The backpack is a great on the go option that many children and adults love. Rather than just be a source of carrying goods STM bags has created a charging tech backpack, that not only chargers tech but protects it.
Read MoreIMAGE EXPO Signing & Panel Schedule Announced
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Image Comics is pleased to reveal the schedule of events for Image Expo. Attendees will enjoy a day of panels, signings, and the opportunity to learn more of what’s to come from Image on Thursday, July 2 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
Read MorePreview CE week with Young and Justin
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CE week is happening and I talk with Justin Williams of Otakus and Geeks about the latest tech he's looking forward to reviewing.
Read MoreNickelodeon At San Diego Comic Con 2015
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Nickelodeon heads to Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015 to showcase its rich content through an innovative booth design, fan activations, talent-driven panels and more.
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