Muppets Marketing Fizzy Drinks

The bird characters in this 1960s spot by Jim Henson for Royal Crown Cola would later become the inspiration for Big Bird on Sesame Street.

Tags: Big Bird, Jim Henson, Sesame Street, The Muppets

Runaway Brain Mickey Mouse

When Mickey Mouse first stepped out he was a little bit cute, but he was also a bit of a devil too — but sadly over the years Disney would transform poor Mickey into saccharine sweetie that we know today. But I have to admit that Disney is now starting to let outside artists have fun with their brand which is a breath of fresh air after years of cute kitsch merchandise:

Mickey Mouse in Runaway Brain W-Size

“Medicom’s Runaway Brain figure has been around for a few years now in two variants which were small toys measuring 15cm or 5.90″in length. The company has announced another variant which doubles the size of the figure to 30cm and quadruples the price. We’re guessing this is one that’s targeted solely at serious collectors.”

Tags: Disney, Mickey Mouse

Lucky Star OVA: Third Trailer

This is the latest trailer for the Lucky Star OVA release — this latest promo stars a live action actor playing the owner of the comic book shop. While wandering around on Friday at the New York Anime Festival I asked the marketing director of Bandai here in the States if they we’re planning on bringing over the OVA and reading in between the lines my sense is that they’re waiting to see how the current box set for the first series does on the market.

To me this sort of represents a major issue that the “Anime Industry” in the US faces — unless you can sell at least 5,000 copies of a DVD it just isn’t worth the effort to even think about a show. And even then it can take well over a year from when a show comes out until it can be packaged for America, and by that time tastes may have already changed. The flip side is also that the Japanese may want a premium for their show, which while it may be a hit in Japan could be a risk for an American distributer. And inside of this gap the niche audience for a show will either “share it” via P2P or a brave few will order a DVD from amazon.jp.

I do see some hope emerging as slowly companies seem to be waking up: At NYAF Funimation was pushing people to watch their channel on YouTube or order their channel on Verizon FIOS. I was also hearing about a Hulu channel for Anime and it even seems that Anime News Network is getting into the act by streaming some show in a “low quality resolution”. But I think the real solution will be for the Japanese companies to cut the middle man out and put their stuff on YouTube, have fans subtitle it at low cost and make their money by having Google sell the advertising. This is just a theory of course but I have noticed that even with this economic meltdown that Google’s stock price has yet to go below $400 a share.

The other nice thing about the Google/YouTube model is that it will allow indie film/video folks to produce a show that can hit a global market: So you might see a flood of new work coming from Bollywood and Hong Kong aimed at a larger audience.

Tags: Anime, Lucky Star

Lucky Star: Jet Stream Attack!

Super Mega Special Mecha Awesome Chocolate-Dipped Shining Flaming Glowing Incredible Serve! Shown above is a clip from the new Lucky Star OVA which was just released in Japan. While on the surface the show is a comedy, what I’ve always admired about the series is that doesn’t mean that the characters are flat like a typical sitcom.

This scene is a good example: There’s a volleyball showdown that makes many references to various pop culture references, but under that there is the touch of getting inside the mind of Tsukasa Hiiragi who is the younger sister of Kagami. After getting knocked down Tsukasa grows up a little bit and dusts herself off to try and beat her older sister — in Hollywood this would be the turning point and the loser would become the winner. However the writers still make her lose, but now she can dream of the future day of not being in her sister’s shadow.

Tags: Anime, Lucky Star

British Animation Website 4mations Activates

Above: The animated film Flighty directed by Leigh Hodgkinson.

I’ve seen a website here or there try to be the “YouTube of Animation” but frankly the efforts always fall short. So I have to admit that I have my doubts about the potential success of new site 4mations which was just launch this week by Channel 4 in England.

While the site features some very good content it’s a mixed bag, and the amount of animation only goes so deep. I also found the interface a bit clunky in terms of ease of use, for example the mechanism to go from one page to the next is hidden at the bottom of each screen. However on the plus side there will be a competition associated with the site so it may encourage some community. And the one thing i did like is that they did include an embed function to allow bloggers like myself to share the animations with others. Although my gut feeling is that I’d rather see organizations like Channel 4 team up with existing sits like YouTube rather than reinventing the wheel.

Found via bigmouthmedia.com.

If Quentin Tarantino Animated Sesame Street

Rrrrrrrr! I just love this vintage 70s animated sequence from Sesame Street, when you combine the super funky music with the groovy automobile theme it looks like something that might inspire a young Quentin Tarantino to grow up and direct Death Proof.

Matsumoto Miniatures

Great news for Leiji Matsumoto fans: Organic will be releasing a set of Galaxy Express 999 and a new set of Space Captain Harlock figurines in November.

The Dark Humor of Don Hertzfeldt

It seems these days that everyone is obsessed with multi-million 3D animated epics, but I think what people forget is that animated cinema is about storytelling — and that it doesn’t require an epic production to touch your heart. To me Don Hertzfeldt serves an inspiration of the DIY work ethic in animation which I’d urge any of you with an interest in the industry to follow. Shown above is his first film Ah, L’Amour which was made in 1995 when he was just 19 year old. Below is his film Rejected which would earn Don Hertzfeldt a nomination for an Academy Award in 2001:

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Voltron Bookends

Ready to form Voltron! Shown above are the Voltron Lion Force Bookends which are currently in pre-production but available for pre-order. This limited edition goodie (only 1000 to be produced for die hard Voltron fanboys) features Voltron on the left and King Zarkon’s Robeast on the left — and my guess is that your manga collection is stuck in the middle of these well beloved 80s Anime warriors.

The Awesome Corpse-Housemaid Returns!

It’s been a while since the last episode of Omakase Maidokuro but I never grow tired of finding a new episode in my iTunes directory. To me the show represents the next phase for anime which will be studios in Japan releasing their work to a worldwide audience simultaneously. It will start small (and the giant film studios aren’t going any where for a long time) but my bet is that the next generation of anime will see YouTube and iTunes in the same way that Viz deals with Cartoon Network today. And as computer help make animation cheaper and worldwide collaboration becomes the norm I think we’ll see a creative revolution that follows and “changes the rules”.

One Piece: 4Kids vs. FUNimation

The above video is from a One Piece fanboy who edited several sword duels from the aired 4Kids version of the show followed by the DVDs issued by FUNimation. I’d have to say that i agree with the editor that the FUNimation version blows the 4Kids version out of the water. Now granted that the business goals of 4Kids is to recreate their success with Pokemon, but I have to say that FUNimation knows how to stay true to the series. It’s also interesting for me to see a movement within fandom urging fellow fanboys to support FUNimation by buying the DVDs instead of downloading. Here’s where you can find the series on Amazon:

One Piece – Season 1, First Voyage (Uncut)

Lucky Star OVA Trailer

The new Lucky Star OVA DVD isn’t due out until September 26th, but we’re slowly starting to see more and more hints of what it will look like. Shown above is a trailer, I love the faux videogame footage — and that doggie character looks too cute!

Ultracute Evangelion Rei Memory Stick

This Evangelion Rei USB Memory Stick is just too cute for words! Buffalo Japan will be doing a limited run of this Anime collectable which will store up to 4 gigs of files and is available at GeekStuff4U.com on pre-order.

Found via akihabaranews.com.

Tags: Anime, Evangelion

Guilty Pleasure: Chi’s Sweet Home

It’s an anime series about a cat. So you’re asking “and what else?” Nope that’s it — it’s about nothing else but seeing the world through the eyes of a little lost kitty! Chi’s Sweet Home (チーズスイートホーム) is based on a manga by Konami Kanata, the episodes are very short and have been airing since March of this year. By the way the word “Chi” in Japanese translates to “pee” which becomes the cat’s nickname after being adopted by family (Chi got her nickname while being housebroken). The series is a must watch if your cat fancying fanboy or fangurl.

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Gatchaman: Teaser Trailer & Remake Rant

I’ll admit it: I’ve always loved Star Blazers over Battle of the Planets. Yes I know full well that Sandy Frank and Co. ruined Gatchaman to make it kid friendly. Well looking at the above clip this trend continues in the 21st Century! Yes I know in an age of Pixar that every damn movie must be a 3D CGI wonder, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up the aesthetics and sense of design that made the original series unique. Just like Speed Racer I’m already getting the bad feeling that film will look more like an over done video game than anime. And of course what makes me very depressed is that the same studio is set to ruin Astro Boy after this…

Found via aceshowbiz.com and blog.landofthegeeks.com.

Animated Salada Tea Adverts

The first commercial in this series isn’t animated (although it is very cute) but the two spots that follow feature classic 50s mod art animation. This style was inspired by UPA cartoons from the early 50s which were very modernist and minimalist (they were a reaction to the stylization of Disney cartoons which were getting very realistic by the late 40s).

Found via Ira Gallen.

Thank You Bill Meléndez

Shown above is an interview with animator José Cuauhtemoc “Bill” Meléndez who just passed away. Most people will remember Meléndez for his work on Peanuts but he was much more than that in terms of animation history: For example he helped animate Gerald McBoing-Boing for UPA in 1951 which made limited TV animation possible. We’ll miss you Bill:

Bill Melendez,”Peanuts” Animator, Dies At 91

“Bill Melendez, the animator who gave life to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other “Peanuts” characters in scores of movies and TV specials, has died. He was 91. Melendez’s nearly seven decades as a professional animator began in 1938 when he was hired by Walt Disney Studios and worked on Mickey Mouse cartoons and classic animated features such as “Pinocchio” and “Fantasia.” He went on to animate TV specials such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and was the voice of Snoopy, who never spoke intelligible words but issued expressive howls, sighs and sobs.”

Below: Now that I look back at it A Charlie Brown Christmas might just be one of the best Christmas movies ever made (or top five at the very least!):

Um Bongo, Um Bongo, They Drink it in the Congo!

The advert above with the catchy jingle is for Um Bongo which is a “tropical fruit juice drink” which became popular in the UK in the early 90s. In addition to wonderfully fluid animation what makes this spot great is the music was produced by Andre Jacquemin who worked with Monty Python back in the day. Sadly I discovered this spot because it seems that this beverage is on the verge of extinction:

The Muppet Show Set for a Remake?

I always preferred the Muppet TV show to any of the movies (the humor works better on the small screen) — but so much of what made that show work was the contemporary humor and the amazing guests. While it still looks this show may or may not happen, but it would be interesting to see how they’d re-invent the show:

Muppet Show to return to TV after 27 years
Kermit the frog and friends could return in the first new Muppet Show TV series for 27 years.

“The Jim Henson-created characters may be on their way back thanks to a new Disney Film. In the movie, written by Forgetting Sarah Marshall star and writer Jason Segel, the Muppets reunite to save their studio with one last variety show. Should the film go well, it opens up the possibility of a television programme, also written by 28-year-old Segel.”

Preview of the Lucky Star OVA

I’m not 100% sure what the cute pup has to to do with Lucky Star, but the above video is a commercial for the Lucky Star OVA which will come out in Japan on September 26th:

Lucky Star OVA’s TV Commercial Streamed

“The official Japanese website of the Lucky Star anime franchise is streaming a television commercial for the Lucky Star OVA, a new adaptation of Kagami Yoshimizu’s four-panel gag manga about four girls’ everyday life. The site posted the designs of the characters Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa, and Nanako in fantasy adventure outfits. It also posted the designs of Konata cosplaying as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya’s Yuki in a witch’s hat and Kagami as the virtual idol Miku Hatsune, as depicted on the anime’s jacket cover. ”

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Tags: Anime, Lucky Star, Miku Hatsune

The Lost Art of Animated Campaign Commercials

Thanks to Metafilter I came across a post on historical campaign videos and I was pretty surprised to find a few that were animated! The trend for animated campaign commercials seemed to die out at the very end of the 50s, but it looks like there was a mini-golden age when a civic minded animator could throw his or her hat into the ring. Shown above is a spot for Ike from 1952, what funny is that the elephant reminds me a great deal of Dr. Seuss who was a life long Democrat. Below is a 1956 spot for Adlai Stevenson which is a bit negative. But you know when a negative campaign ad is a cartoon there’s something a bit more lovable about it:

I found this next spot for Adlai Stevenson (also from 1956) interesting because it seems that Barack Obama wasn’t he first candidate to have a “funny sounding name”:

Death Note vs. Family Guy

I always preferred South Park over Family Guy which feels more like an animated sitcom than an animated show, although adding visual from Death Note does make it much more humorous.

Luck Star vs. Death Note

I just can’t get enough of the second season opening titles of Death Note, it’s one of the best opening titles I’ve seen in a long time! But some people can’t leave good enough alone — and thus i’ve collected a few anime fan videos that are kit bashing Luck Star with Death Note because you can never get enough of a good thing:

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Researchers Regurgitate Disney Insights

Thanks to computer graphics it’s interesting to me that serious researchers are covering ground that traditional animation has been focused on for almost 100 years now. In the above video scientists reach the conclusion that having different body types makes for a more convincing scene — well the truth of the matter is that Disney already used this technique with great success in the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. If you looks at the seven dwarfs you’ll notice that they all have different body types:

Just think about it: Over 70 years ago Disney animators knew how to create a convincing crowd with just seven characters who were all the same height and sex — yet computer scientists are just wrapping their heads around this now…