New from Shinto Gangu (4.23.2011)

Been too long since I've reported on the happenings at Shinto Gangu! I actually stopped by the store a few days ago but it was closed. Lesson learned - check the RxH home page before heading over. :p

Today was a good day to visit the Gangu. I snapped some shots of recent releases and snapped up a few gorgeous toys.

Recent releases:

 More after the jump:

Taipei Toy shops 2011 Revisit

A while ago, I wrote a post about some of the best toy shops in Taipei. The post has tons of store details, directions, etc. Click here to check it out.

Recently, I had a chance to revisit most of those shops and shoot some pics, with a focus on their Japanese toy offerings. Here ya go:

Paradise

 More after the jump:

Toy Tokyo: Store Visit

Toy Tokyo is one of the most stocked indy/designer toy stores on the East Coast. It has a bit of everything, from blind box figures to larger designer toys to Nintendo properties, plus a whole lot more. The location is also good, on 2nd ave in the East Village, not far from one of my favorite streets: St Mark's Place, where you can feast for a few dollars at Mamoun's Falafel, check out St Mark's Comics, and on and on.
 
I was at the shop to check out the Japanese toys, especially the sofubi. There's plenty of that, from many of our favorite companies. Without further blah blah, here's my photo shoot:

More after the jump:

What haunts the Ghost Cave...

There's a darkness in New York - a peeling, tattooed underbelly that juts out like your fat uncle's gut after his fourth Thanksgiving helping. It's not a siren song or a pusher's come on, but a grimy outstretched hand that knows your hunger and has the vinyl to feed it...if you're willing to ink up and pay the price.

This is the world I was shown yesterday. I first heard about the Ghost Cave at the Toy Tokyo Benefit for Japan (speaking of which - bid high and bid often!!) So yeah, there I was at this feel good event thinking these Mishka guys were onto some next level shit that would ratchet up the game and lessez les bons temps roulez! Yeah, well, that's what I thought until I got obscure directions and an invite to visit the Ghost Cave.

So I went out there the next day in the middle of who the hell knows where. I was led into a back room where some seriously freaky shit was going down. They were mumbling about plans to release insane vinyl exclusives on an invite only basis, and to get through the door you have to let them tattoo you! I left thinking WTF? with little more than this video:



So we'll see what happens. Your guess is as good as mine! Just watch your pants...

toy tokyo japan benefit show

Toy Tokyo benefit art show/auction for Japan disaster relief

 

Tonight was the opening reception for an art show benefiting disaster relief efforts in Japan. The show is being hosted at the Toy Tokyo Underground Gallery, which is right next door to Toy Tokyo in New York. The pieces on display will be auctioned on Ebay (auction details below) on Monday, with 100% of proceeds going towards 3/11 earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

The venue, located on 91 2nd Ave. in Manhattan.

Plenty of folks were there at 7:00 PM waiting for the doors to open.

Donations, which got you a raffle ticket, were taken at the door. 100% of proceeds will go to the Japan Red Cross.

 More after the jump.

My Plastic Heart: Store visit

My Plastic Heart is a cool little toy store in Manhattan. They manage to pack quite a lot into the space, with a row of shelves and cabinets on the left side which are chock full of vinyl for sale, and shelving on the right side that often features pieces from the latest custom or art show.

The friendly staff are ready and willing to chat about toys and answer any questions. The shop primarily sells "Western vinyl," including blind box figures and other designer toys, but there's also some nice sofubi in tham thar cases, and that's what I wanted to shoot and share.

Here are some shots of the kaiju and other sofubi for sale at the shop:

 More after the jump:

Upcoming Max Toy 5th Anniversary Show exclusive toys!

Unfortunately, Kaiju Korner will not be there to cover the event (which opens in just a couple of days!), but everyone in the area should definitely check it out.

Here is some box art and exclusive toys which will be featured at the event:

 More after the jump:

Visit to Mutant Vinyl Hardcore (LASH) Studio

The other day, I had the pleasure of training up to New Haven and spending a day with Rich (aka LASH), the tour de creative force behind Mutant Vinyl Hardcore. Rich has been a top notch customizer for years, but over the last year he has exploded on the scene with a growing line of original vinyl characters.

Here's my photolog of the trip.

The MTA runs a great service between Grand Central and New Haven. And only 14 bucks!

We started with lunch at the legendary Pepe's pizza. We didn't have to wait, but those who do are surely never disappointed by the food. Try the margarita and live!

After lunch we headed to Rich's new studio, a kind of artist's loft space with plenty of room for jazzercizing and toyer...um...cizing. Yeah....

 More after the jump:

Upcoming from US Toys!

Really nice mini, coming soon from US Toys..

Price is 2100 yen.
Size: 85 mm.
Release date: March 30

New Orleans

I had a chance to spend a few days in New Orleans. Admittedly, I didn't know much about the Big Easy, other than Mardi Gras and of course the string of disasters starting with Katrina. But I'm glad I was able to get to know the city a bit more, since it has a lot to offer. Here's my pictorial.

Partying

St Patrick's Day, when the clothes, drinks, and (later on) gutters ran green!

Of course, New Orleans has been known as a party town for a long time. A lot of the partying is in the French Quarter, in the streets around Bourbon Street, where college kids juggle Hurricanes and Hand Grenades as they struggle to stay upright.

I was in the city during a couple of celebrations: St Patrick's Day and St Joseph's Day.

More after the jump:

Max Toy 5th Anniversary Show Preview

This just in - the show poster and a slew of preview images for the artwork set to be shown at the upcoming Max Toy 5th anniversary show in Tokyo.

I'm hoping to be there but am not sure yet if I'll make it. But I'm glad to at least have a chance to post some of the fantastic artwork that will be on display on April 2-3 at the Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku:

 More after the jump:

The day after the Japan quake: Getting out of Japan

By coincidence, I was scheduled to fly out of Japan for a trip to the States on March 12. Initially, in the aftermath of the big quake, though it was huge, I think many of us felt things would soon return to normal. Plus, at that time, there wasn't serious concern over the nuclear power plants.

I called my airline (AA) the morning of my flight and discovered it had been canceled. I was able to reroute and reschedule for another flight that same evening. It was either that or cancel the trip, since the other flights out were full for several days going forward.

So I got everything together and headed to the train station. At the time (we were less than 24 hours from the time of the quake), there was scant information from the various train lines that serve Narita airport. That, and the airport's website is not the most robust. So, I decided to take a bus, even though my flight was listed as "Indefinite."

Here's a stroke of luck: On the way to the station, I ran into my neighbor, who suggested I ask the station attendants if the express train might be running. I did that, and I was told that though the Narita Express line was down, the local trains were running. It would involve 3 trains and, in normal conditions, take around 90-120 minutes. Well, things didn't turn out quite that way, but I eventually did make it to the airport, four hours later. Here are some pics from the trip:

 

The first train I took wasn't too crowded, but the next one (and most after that) were overwhelming.

It was a good thing I decided on the trains. The roads were solidly jammed as, as far as I know, many elevated highways were closed for inspection.

One of the many stations I stopped at. It was soon evident that one couldn't go by timetables and expected final destinations

So basically the growing crowd just got off whenever an announcement was made that the train would go no further.

It was a tough ride, but most people were calm and kind to one another.

Time stopped at this station.

There were many people going to the airport, but through it all, most kept in good spirits and maintained a sense of comradery.

The airport was less crowded than I expected.

Some of the supplies brought out for stranded passengers.

Not sure how long these people were there, but it looks like a long time, as they created a little island of suitcases which they sat around.

You can see here the blankets and other supplies handed out.

A sense of how many flights were either canceled or in "Indefinite" limbo.

The plane I went out on. The flight took off about 2.5 hours behind schedule. All in all not bad at all, but it was at the airport that news started coming in about the nuclear situation.

But before the plane took off, there was an incident at the gate as a passenger, who was traveling with his wife and child, was screaming at not having a seat.

The gate was full of people either scheduled or hoping to get on the flight.

And this was looping on one of the monitors.....????

Touchdown at Dallas Fort Worth.

Huge earthquake in Japan. One view from Tokyo.

This is the largest earthquake I've experienced in more than 20 years. Fortunately, Tokyo seems to have emerged in good shape, but the news from the North is tragic. Here are some shots I took in Tokyo a couple of hours after the big quake.

All JR train stations were closed after the quake.

As people waited for the JR station to reopen  (which didn't happen today), they watched the news as details of the disaster unfolded.

 

At another station entrance.

It was soon evident that this was an extraordinary event.

 More after the jump: