GUNDAM CAFE IN AKIHABARA: BANDAI ROBOT THEME RESTAURANT TOKYO. ANIME MANGA JAPANESE TOYS.
“Gundam, ikimasu!” La Carmina and friends visit the new Gundam theme restaurant in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan. Everything here has a mecha (giant robot) theme — even the delicious Gun-Pla-Yaki (Gundam plastic taiyaki) we’re about to devour.
Akihabara is the hangout of otaku (who love anime, manga and character models) — so it’s no surprise that there was a two hour wait outside the new Gundam theme restaurant. However, since we were here on “official business” — making a video for your amusement — we were able to bypass the line…
Wouldn’t you like a personal tour inside Gundam’s lair, with me and Count de Sang? Just click to watch our new video above and here.
The sleek, futuristic white lines remind me of a Gundam’s mobile suit.
Diners can watch Bandai anime on the big screens.
On the wall: an autograph by Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the series.
Rare figures in glass cases. Gundams make up about 90% of the character plastic model business in Japan.
Aww, the lattes are decorated to look like Gundam’s Lacus pet companion, Haro! The food is topped with carrots cut in the shape of the famous insignia.
“In the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam metaverse, Jaburo is the headquarters of the Earth Federal Forces during the One Year War and the years after.” Hence the name of the coffee.
If you’re a Gundam fan and don’t mind queuing, you should visit Tokyo’s hottest new theme cafe. It’s located near the Electric Town exit of Akihabara station; full info on the website.
What do you think of our Gundam Cafe tour video? Want more photos and stories from Japan’s weirdest maid cafes and eateries? Please take a look at my Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants book.
Japanese Word of the Day: Kichijitsu = Lucky day
Song of the Day: Zeta Gundam theme song
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TOKYO HALLOWEEN 2010: NORWAY TV HOSTING JOB IN JAPAN! TAKASHI MIIKE’S 13 ASSASSINS & THE INVENTION OF DR NAKAMATS FILMS.
Dead men tell no tales… but Naomi and I can finally tell you about our latest pirate mission. A day after we unveiled our La Carmina & The Pirates coolhunting and TV fixing business, we received an email from NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation). The deal’s now complete: meaning we’ll be flown to Tokyo at the end of October to host and arrange a show for Norway TV. Yes, we’ll be celebrating the most important holiday of the year — Halloween — in spooky Japan!
One of the best aspects of TV hosting / Cool Japan consulting is meeting and working with film crews from all over the world. So far: American, Japanese, French, Australian, Dutch, Norwegian. I’ll have behind-the-scenes photos and video clips for you, so get ready for those… as well as Tokyo Halloween 2010 coverage.
The Vancouver International Film Festival is currently taking place, and I received passes for Takashi Miike’s new film, 13 Assassins. An old-time samurai recruits a team to kill a flaky, blood-loving lord. The “basket-head” soldiers hugely outnumber the assassins, but with strategy and the help of a monkey-like bandit, the samurai put on a fight worthy of Kurosawa. But this remains a Miike film, and he splatters his signatures — creepy girls, missing limbs, torrents of blood — all over the frames. Fans of 1960s samurai movies, you won’t be disappointed by 13 Assassins. (Also check out Miike’s Ichi the Killer and Audition.)
Today, I had passes for The Invention of Dr. Nakamats, a highly amusing Danish documentary about the oddball “world’s greatest living inventor.” I’ve been intrigued by Nakamatsu ever since we appeared in the same episode of Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods (my clip is here). The mad scientist refers to himself in the third person, sleeps four hours a night, and eats “the 32 best foods” to prolong his life. His 3000+ patents include the floppy disk, fuel-cell-powered karaoke, Love Jet spray, a life-extending tea, boingy shoes…
Is Dr. Nakamats a world-changing genius, or a loony creator of chindogu (infomercial-like “useless” inventions)? Only in Japan can a scientist be revered (Nakamats won the Nobel Prize for Nutrition, and his technologies are used by NASA) — and also appear regularly on wacky game shows. Win win.
This year’s Vancouver International Film Festival has an impressive lineup of indie films, especially in the Asia New Wave genre. It runs until October 15th, so there’s time to get tickets.
† I’m very happy with my latest CNNGo article about Tokyo cooking school lessons and reflections on shufu (housewife) expectations in Japan. Please take a moment to read it. You can see more photos from the Japanese home cooking classes here.
† Tokyo friends: the Synthesizer Festa is happening this weekend in Shinjuku. Sebastian writes: “All the major synthesizer companies are doing demos of the gear, and there will be a few concerts plus a flea market!”
† He also recommends the Tokyo Vegefest, October 16-17th in Yoyogi Park. “Two days of Vegan Delights! Getting bigger every year. Don’t forget to bring your plates and cutlery.” (Remember our coverage of the Tokyo Earth Day and Vegetarian Festival?)
† Saturday, October 23: both Midnight Mess and Tokyo Decadance are hosting blockbuster Halloween parties. Shinjuku Club Marz and Christon Cafe are near each other, so you can attend both. For directions, info, maps and more, please pass along my Japan Goth Cyber Nightlife Guide.
The fates are smiling upon our pirate ship… so excited for Halloween in Tokyo! Do you have plans for celebrating this year? What are your costume ideas?
Japanese Word of the Day: Chindogu = Useless inventions
Song of the Day: rice – Rain
LA CARMINA
