Lesson to Legendary Pictures: "HE HAS TO BE A GUY IN A SUIT!"

Chicago cartoonist turned Brooklynite Art Babe Jessica Abel's latest post is a look back to the dimly remembered '90s. Read and learn.

TOY KARMA 4 Rotofugi Gallery, Chicago — October 5-27, 2013

Kuzutetsu Hakai Daikaijyu Garakutagigas, photograph by tatsrus 

Emi Ito, RIP

Ito Emi, one of the twin sisters known as The Peanuts (ザ・ピーナッツ), has passed away. She was 71 years old. The Peanuts debuted in 1959 with “Cute Flower” (Kawaii Hana), launching a string of pop hits built on the sisters’ vocal harmonies that carried them through their retirement in 1975. Many of their songs contain an international flavor, such as “Coffee Rhumba” (1962), their cover version of “Moliendo Café.”

The Peanuts were also an omnipresent on Japanese television in the 1960s. They made numerous appearance in the U.S. and Europe, as well. Readers might recall their rather odd recurring role as miniature fairies in the Mothra monster movies.

The Peanuts’ music holds up remarkably well today: terrific harmonies, attractive arrangements, and excellent choice of material. I thought about including a chapter on them in my book, Sayonara Amerika, Sayonara Nippon: A Geopolitical Prehistory of J-Pop, but in the end ran out of time. Maybe someday I’ll get around to writing about them: they are essential figures in the history of Japanese popular music.

RIP, Ito Emi.

http://bourdaghs.com/blog/2012/06/27/rip-ito-emi/

Ray Bradbury 1920-2012

Original 1951 illustration by James R. Bingham for Ray Bradbury’s short story, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. The story was the basis for the 1953 film with special effects by Bradbury’s friend Ray Harryhausen. After its initial publication in The Saturday Evening Post in 1951, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was renamed The Fog Horn for subsequent anthologization in Bradbury’s The Golden Apples of the Sun.

More Goji Guignol

Veteran Godzilla suit-actor Haruo Nakajima poses with a Mosugoji Guignol during shooting of Godzilla vs The Thing (1964).

Shodai Gojira Guignol!

Yamada Masami Blog has an amazing set of photos of the 1954 Shodai Gojira Guignol (essentially "puppet" in the sense of a marionette). Certainly this must be a recreation rather than a perfectly surviving prop from 58 years ago! Go to the link for more amazing detailed photos.

A Rake's Progress

Running late but running to the finish. More photos soon.

Garakutagigas Update

Thanks to Kirkland at Toybot Studios for the review found here.