Merepeoples - "Sherman"

One of the hottest Japanese alternative rock bands going now, here is the Merepeoples and their newly released "Sherman" video:




Merpeoples bewitch; The Party's . . . party



Sex and magic served up by two new Japanese girl bands

By SIMON BARTZ

Friday, Feb. 26, 2010

Via Japan Times

Four cute young women clad in ghostly white robes prance around in a forest holding twigs: No, it's not an outtake from the classic 1973 pagan spookfest "The Wicker Man." Yes, it is the excellent video for the Merpeoples' spankingly sublime song "Sherman."

Singer/guitarist Charlotte and drummer Rico must be the star pupils in their art-school class, as Merpeoples — completed by keyboardist Sayaka and bassist Ikuko — made the video themselves.

"Sherman," boasting a hypnotic but spiky guitar lick, is the catchiest song you'll hear this year and deserves to be a staple hit on all indie dancefloors. Like most of Merpeoples' eponymous debut album — released Feb. 17 — "Sherman" is dreamy pop melded to post-punk guitar riffage, but the band aren't afraid to experiment, and on the track "Midara na Story" ("Dirty Story") Sayaka's ivory-tinkling conjures up an exotic buzz — like the music from a James Bond scene in a souk.

Shame they spelled "Sherman" wrong.

"You mean it's S-H-A-M-A-N?" asks Charlotte.

I'm afraid so. Sherman is an old U.S. tank. I didn't see a tank in the video.
"Thanks, but on the CD it's in katakana, so it's OK," Charlotte says (she got her nickname 'cos a friend said that in profile she looks like Charlotte Gainsbourg).

Continued...

Japan CNN TV Tsunami Warning

Here is the current Japan CNN TV Tsunami Warning:



NHK TV in Japan is now in multilingual emergency broadcast mode repeating updated information and warnings for everyone to evacuate the coastlines.

Japan sees first tsunami waves from Chile quake

February 28, 2010

Via CNN

(CNN) -- Tsunamis from the deadly 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile rippled across the Japanese coast Sunday, appearing to get taller with every wave.

The first one, a 4-inch wave, hit Minami Torishima, according to the Japanese meteorological agency. Minami Torishima is a small island in the Pacific Ocean.

A few more waves later, the tallest one yet at about 4 feet hit the Kuji Port in Hokkaido, the meteorological agency said.

Tens of thousands of residents evacuated Sunday morning from coastal Japan in anticipation of a possible tsunami after the earthquake. Authorities urged evacuees to stay away because a second and third round of waves could gain strength.

The northern part of the main island could be hit by a tsunami at least 9 feet high, according to the meteorological agency.

Sunday's alert was Japan's first major tsunami warning in more than 15 years, the agency reported. In 1960, a tsunami spawned by Chile's 1960 earthquake killed 140 people in Japan.

Continued...

Tiger Escapes Tokyo Ueno Zoo!

Here is a recent Japanese TV news clip of a tiger that escaped the Tokyo Ueno Zoo:

Tokyo Rave Video on NME Awards 2010

My Tokyo Rave Video is now playing on Shockwave's NME Awards 2010:

Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe - Tokyo 1987

Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe perform (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding live in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1987:

David Bowie Reflects on Comeback

Below is the Google translation of a recent entertainment news article published in the De Standaard Online daily newspaper in Belgium:





Via Bowienet

New Japanese Office - Toilet Paper Recycler

Via DigInfo News

January 29, 2010

"At Eco-Products 2009, Oriental Co., Ltd. exhibited a revolutionary recycling machine called White Goat, which makes toilet paper from shredded paper."

"White Goat won a top prize at the Monozukuri Nippon awards. It has patents pending, and Oriental is getting ready to release it in summer 2010."

Japanese TV 'Glee' With Akebono

Via New York Magazine and Youtube

1/20/10

By Adam K. Raymond

"Glee is about to make its debut in Japan and just like Americans, the Japanese make promos in anticipation of such events. But Americans don't make promos like this. Featuring two adorably fat sumo wrestling tweens, retired sumo great Akebono and a cast of fly girls, this promo should result in Super Bowl level ratings. As Akebono would say, "So fun, so Fox!"

Here are two trailers for the upcoming Japanese TV version of this show:

Tokyo Night Sky Drive Video

By cat2525jp



See more at enjoy driving

Tokyo Auto Salon 2010 New Models

Yesterday the Tokyo Auto Salon was held in Makuhari Messe, Chiba. In case you missed it, here are a few clips of some of the featured new car models via Youtube:







Also don't miss the Japanese Models @ Tokyo Auto Salon 2009

Chinese Police Cancel Mr. Gay China Pageant

Here's yet another incident showing the lack of human rights in China:

Gay pageant 'cancelled by police' in China



Via BBC News and Youtube
15 January 2010

"A Chinese gay pageant, said to be the first held in the country, was ordered by police to close an hour before opening, organisers say.

The Mr Gay China event was thought to mark a new openness toward the gay community in China.

Organisers said police informed them it could not go ahead because they had not applied "according to the procedures".

Homosexuality was illegal in China until 1997, and officials described it as a mental illness until 2001.

The event's organiser, Ben Zhang, said he had been hoping the event would mark another step towards greater awareness of gay people in China."

Continued...

Google Helps Haiti - Tracking Form

Google Crisis Response

Google Helps Haiti - Tracking Form

New Cup Noodle Japanese TV Commercial

Two space aliens shooting cheese and a beautiful foreigner screaming and speaking Japanese! WTF! Here is a very funny TV CM for the all new Cup Noodle double cheese curry:

China's Glamor Bar Foreign Girls Video

By Jerry Leo

Via Vimeo

"From a few years ago, the Glamor bar began to recruit foreign young girls from Africa and Eastern European. Have these foreign girls to be proud of this bar, and they become their business signs. Many of the local guests came to the Glamor bar just for "looking for different beauty"

Glamor in China from Jerry Leo on Vimeo.

Chinese Convict 'Leaving Fear Behind' Tibetan Producer

Via Boing Boing and Blip.tv

January 6, 2010

"Reports are circulating today that Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Chinese government for having produced "Leaving Fear Behind" a film about the plight of Tibetan refugees."

Below is a part of the film:

Evil Pongi is such a TWIT(ter)

Oh No! The world wide web just got a little more evil with yet another re-emergence of Hollywood's #1 Celebrity Cult Leader:



Not recommended for young children and/or the faint of heart, but one can follow 'Mr. Entertainment' on Twitter.

Official Movie Trailer: Final Fantasy XIII

Just released on January 1, 2010 via Youtube, here is the official eye-popping movie trailer:







This Japanese movie (with English subtitles) is now exclusively available at Final Fantasy XIII Utima

Chinese 'Kung Fu Fighting' Bicyle Video

Via Liveleak:

December 26, 2009

"Two thieves on a motor-scooter flew by and snatched a womans purse on a street in Wenzhou, China. Surveillance video shows a man riding a bicycle. As he was passing by the front of a hotel near where the thievery happened, he stopped, calmly got off his bicycle, picked it up, and then threw it at the thieves. The bicycle hit them, they lost control, and crashed to the ground.":