Fontastic!

Neojaponisme is running a series of 'visual excerpts' from an old out-of-print font book that has been used by many Japanese businesses over the years. This reminded me about Maniackers Design Fonts which are brand new Japanese and Roman letter fonts that can be downloaded for free. The designs are pretty splendid.

Molest your very own miniture maid

Ever dreamed of owning your very own miniature maid and subjecting her to some heavy sexual harassment, without any pesky police officers hammering down your door? Well it's your lucky day, AR figures brings you a 2 inch-high submissive anime character whom you can undress while she squeals helplessly. If you don't understand Japanese, here's a short translation of what she's saying "(Cute noises). Nice to meet you master. I am Alice your cyber figure. Wow is this master's room? Wha, What the f***. What are you doing all of a sudden. Yah, that's not right. Yaaaaaaa. (crying) You are so mean. Is this a present? Wow, it's soooo cute."
Ah, if only real women's affections were so easily bought. The technology works by aiming a webcam at the cube so the character appears on your computer screen. The lolly stick is for undressing and caressing her. In semi virtual reality. Ewww.

Framboise fags

These raspberry menthol cigarettes have just been launched, with huge a advertising campaign, in Japan. Obviously aimed at the female market 'Fram' is meant to be short for 'Framboise': the French word for raspberry. Oh la la, the sophistication!

Retro matchbox covers

Check out this sexy-looking Japanese matchbox. I found it on Pink Tentacle who has compiled a set of 1920s and 1940s matchboxes from online museum Match World.

Dancing doodad

Check out this cute little yellow doll that dances in time to the beat.

Before bikinis

There's a lovely album posted on Flicker right now of Geishas posing in Meiji and Taisho-era swimming cosies. Check it out. They are so much cuter than the ubiquitous bikinis that are seen everywhere on the beaches of modern Japan. BTW just got back from Izu where we ate lobster like this fried in tempura. Yum!

Hally

Seen at Shibuya Seco lounge 28 August
Going to a Hally gig is like spending time in the bedroom of a nerdy kid at school. He gets out his synthesiser and you are given a terrifying look into the heart of his twisted obsession. Looking puny yet majestic in a tight red shiny jacket and sunglasses: Hally throws samples of 80s tracks like 'Tainted Love' into what sounds like an industrial cement mixer. Notes that doodle all over the place like the line in an etch-a-sketch picture and dirty computer game bleeps lend a jumbled Weird Science genius to this 8-bit audio assault.