News & Events
Oct13
Studio Ghibli artist Michiyo Yasuda passes away
2016 at 04:27 pm by admin | Comments Off
After decades of working on Studio Ghibli’s many films, the unfortunate news has come to light that prolific Ghibli artist Michiyo Yasuda has passed away earlier this month. Yasuda, who was 77 when she passed on October 5th, originally worked at Toei Doga in 1958, and became one of Studio Ghibli’s most influential color artists from the studio’s inception. Her work includes iconic Ghibli films like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo, and most recently The Wind Rises, along with other animated pieces like the Hols: Prince of the Sun and the Future Boy Conan series.
In total, Yasuda’s career at Ghibli spans 40 years and many films, and she as surely left her mark on Ghibi and the animated medium as a whole with her gorgeous color design and artwork. As Yasuda herself said in a 2009 interview, “Color has a meaning, and it makes the film more easily understood. Colors and pictures can enhance what the situation is on screen.” Her passing will be dearly missed by fans from all over the world, and her integral role in making Ghibli films what they are will not soon be forgotten.
Oct11
KAWS' "Clean Slate" statue arrives in Dallas
2016 at 07:39 pm by admin | Comments Off
Visitors to the NorthPark Center in Dallas, Texas will now be greeted with a piece of KAWS artwork! KAWS’ “Clean Slate” statue, which was originally displayed at exhibits in Harbour City, Hong Kong and LA NAVE in Ibiza, will remain as a permanent display in the NorthPark Center. The giant statue of KAWS’ iconic Companion character is the newest addition to the NorthPark’s collection of art, featuring works from Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Joel Shapiro, Jim Dine, Jonathan Borofsky, James Rosenquist, Antony Gormley, Barry Flanagan and Beverly Pepper. “Clean Slate” was officially unveiled on October 10th, and will be followed by a new KAWS exhibit titled “Where the End Starts”, which will be displayed at the Modern Art Museum of Fort worth nearby! All of these new and upcoming KAWS pieces make Dallas the place to be for fans of KAWS and of pop art in general!
Oct06
Sanrio's Pompompurin set to decorate McDonald's food
2016 at 06:25 pm by admin | Comments Off
After winning this year’s Sanrio Character Ranking, adorable dog character Pompompurin is now set to appear on an undisclosed McDonald’s menu item this October! This fun activity comes as a collaboration between McDonald’s and Sanrio, and a teaser site is currently letting fans guess as to which of the 5 potential Pompompurin-themed items will appear on the menu on October 14th. The choices range from sensible to outlandish, and include items like a standard McDonald’s hamburger with Pompompurin’s visage emblazoned upon the bun and a custard McFlurry, to wacky items like crème caramel-flavored chicken nuggets and even a specialty burger featuring a caramel flan patty inside! Which item will make it to Japanese McDonalds later this month? You can check the official website, seen here, to see and vote on your choices, with the results being published on October 7th!
Oct05
Stay at a Mario-themed room in Portugal
2016 at 04:24 pm by admin | Comments Off
Tourists in Lisbon, Portugal are now being offered the chance to stay at a fanciful Mario-themed hotel room, thanks to the efforts of one dedicated fan! The room was put together by programmer and homeowner André Farinha, who wanted to share his love for Nintendo and its classic icon with tourists and locals alike. The room is decked to the brim with a variety of Nintendo merchandise and memorabilia, including built-in gaming stations for Nintendo’s 3DS and WiiU consoles! Also included in the room are a variety of the collectible Amiibo mini-figures, murals, posters, wallpapers, and even a decorated bathroom! Though the room cost Farinha over $11,000 to furnish and customize, this fun getaway can be rented on Airbnb for the low cost of just under $40 a night!
Sep29
Sanrio supports 2016 earthquake victims
2016 at 05:13 pm by admin | Comments Off
In the wake of the ongoing relief efforts of the April 2016 earthquakes that hit the Kumamoto and Oita prefectures in Japan, Sanrio has uploaded a video in support of those suffering from the lingering effects of the natural disaster. Titled “One Action for One Love”, the video is part of an effort to spread awareness as well as to help in relief; Sanrio themselves have pledged to donate one yen for every view the video has to helping out victims! On top of that, Sanrio’s website for One Action for One Love is also offering other ways for visitors to help out, ranging from taking donations and letting repeat customers use their Sanrio Friendship Club points to donate to the effort. Spread the word about this new initiative, and help out by watching the video below!
Sep28
NFL's "Color Rush" art campaign returns to NYC
2016 at 05:09 pm by admin | Comments Off
Originally starting in 2015 as a celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the world’s first color-screen broadcast of an NFL game, the NFL’s “Color Rush” art campaign has returned in 2016, thanks to a collaboration alongside renowned artists and NIKE! While last year’s Color Rush event designed unique outfits for 8 NFL teams, this year’s event will feature designed art for all 32 teams in the NFL league! On top of these bright new uniforms, the NFL commissioned 11 artists with designing a unique exhibit to celebrate the event as well as the history of the NFL. This art show, which is exhibit at the NIKE+ studio in Manhattan, New York, features work from artists like Faust, Christophe Roberts, Naturel, Meguru Yamaguchi, and more! Check out some of the awesome work below, and make sure to check out the exhibit for yourself if you’re in the area!
Sep27
Full Fashion Panic at Mechademia 2016
2016 at 07:24 pm by admin | Comments Off
The Minneapolis College of Art and Design, or MCAD for short, just tied up its annual Mechademia conference this past weekend, running from September 23rd to September 25th at the MCAD campus grounds. Since its inception in 2001, the annual Mecahdemia event features talks, workshops, and invites artists and guests from across the world to talk to young artists and show off some of their work.
At this event, students and visitors could take part in the 13th annual Full Fashion Panic runway fashion show put on by MCAD at Mechademia. A staple at the yearly Mechademia event, Full Fashion Panic offers the chance to see up-and-comping fashion from designers from all over the nation. This year’s show, which was organized by SGMS/Mechamedia and produced by Samantha Rei, featured five different designers: Lucie Biros, Maria Dang, Kathleen Moua, Salem’s Scissors, and Apatico. Through the different lines, the designers were able to take the viewer to many distinct places. These very talented designers were able to create five distinctly unique collections that capture this year’s theme of “World-Building”. All of the designer’s hard work and thoughtfulness to the theme was made apparent throughout the show. The show was full of gorgeous colors, various textures, and many beautifully handmade headpieces and accessories.
After the runway show viewers were able to interact with the designers and host Samantha Rei with a question-and-answer session. Here, viewers were able to hear more about what inspired the different collections from the designers themselves, along with learning what upcoming and future projects the designers will be working on. The show was a fantastic way to view and support new and upcoming talent in Minnesota’s blossoming fashion scene!
Article written by Niki Tombaga
Sep22
"The Red Turtle" to hit theaters in the US
2016 at 04:50 pm by admin | Comments Off
“The Red Turtle”, an animated film directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit and co-produced by Studio Ghibli, will be coming to the United States! The announcement comes off the heels of the film’s official Japanese release on September 17th, as well as the film’s original debut at the 2016 69th annual Cannes Film Festival in France this past May. The film, which has received praise from viewers and critics alike from all over the world, follows the story of a marooned sailor and his day-to-day struggle to survive on a deserted island, as well as the mystery of a red sea turtle he encounters on one of his escape attempts. It was announced that “The Red Turtle” will be released at select theaters nationwide starting on January 20th, 2017. Mark your calendars to go see this awesome movie, and check out the release trailer below!
Sep21
Self-lacing Nike shoes release this holiday
2016 at 05:25 pm by admin | Comments Off
Nike has just announced that its newest line of shoes, the self-lacing HyperAdapt series of footwear, will go on sale this holiday season, on November 28th! The shoes have been in the works for years, with the original prototypes dating back to 2011, and are finally ready to hit retail. The HyperAdapts, which will have to be charged like other electronic devices, will have internal cables and pressure sensors built into the shoe itself, sensing when the shoe is placed on a foot. The shoe will then self-tighten its laces, which can be adjusted using buttons on the shoe for a comfortable fit. The HyperAdapt shoes will be able to function for two weeks on a single charge, and will also feature built-in LED lights that will let users know when the shoe is tightening or when it is low on batteries. While there is no official price tag for these shoes yet, the HyperAdapts will surely be a popular collector’s item this holiday season. In the meantime, check out how the shoes work in the video below!
Sep20
Pokémon receives new "Generations" online series
2016 at 07:21 pm by admin | Comments Off
The Pokémon franchise is gearing up for the release of the newest games, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, by releasing a weekly series of animated shorts based on the many iterations of the popular video game! The series, titled “Pokémon Generations”, will consist of 5-minute shorts following influential characters and side-stories never before seen in any of the games, making them a must-see for any diehard Pokémon fan, young and old! The series released its first two episodes this past Friday, with more episodes planned for release every Friday through December 23rd, 2016. Check out the first two episodes on the Pokémon YouTube channel below, and get ready for the release of Pokémon Sun and Moon on November 18th!
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