Archive for: September, 2010

When traveling to Tokyo, I have a few key destinations I never miss. It’s bordering on routine, but with so much activity, so many brightly colored things to buy, blazing neon lights and millions of people crammed into the streets, it never fails to feel fresh. If you’re going to Tokyo (and you’re reading the Meat Bun blog), your first destination should always be Akihabara, Tokyo’s electric town and a mecca for all things geek.

Manga, toys, hobbyist goods, anime, and, of course, video games will surround you, assaulting your wallet. Your first stop for all things old should be Super Potato.

Grab an old Famicom, some lovingly cared for carts, one or two video game art books, then marvel at the 98,000 yen copy of Mortal Kombat Trilogy for the PlayStation or the even more expensive Japanese release of Maximum Carnage for the Sega Genesis, which is outrageously priced at nearly one thousand U.S. dollars. They also have Super Mario World golf shoes, a retro arcade on the third floor and, well, just about anything else you’re looking for. After Super Potato, I like to hit Liberty 7 for old capsule toys, Sofmap for something new and cheap, then GoGo Curry or Mister Donut for a massive calorie injection.

Remember, never go into the basement of an Akihabara manga store. That’s where the repulsive porn is kept.

Maybe you’ll want to go to the Gundam Cafe? I don’t know. The lines were crazy long on the weekend.

I prefer to eat my meals at the Kebab Box in Harajuku before heading to Beams T, Graniph, Kiddie Land and the approximately one thousand other shops in the Laforet Building. The Kebab Box serves one thing and is quite proud of the fact that Britney Spears has eaten it.

Foreigners may also like to hit up the crepe stands, popular with weeabos and approved by young Japanese idols, apparently.

For a less well-worn destination, make sure to head to the massive Mandarake in Nakano.

More lovingly preserved robots, manga (helpfully catalogued in English!), disgusting hentai, video games, action figures, vinyl toys and even more nerd stock than your bank account could ever handle. Nakano is also a prime destination for getting lost and getting drunk, with dozens of little watering holes tucked away a few blocks from the train station.

But go to the Nakano Mandarake, which is spread across multiple floors at the far end of the Nakano Broadway mall. Get lucky, get a one-eyed lucky cat!

Thor the Warrior is conspicuously missing in action, Thyra the Valkyrie says she has a headache, and Questor the Elf will have to sit his pansy-ass down. Tonight it’s all about Merlin.

The “Wizards ‘n’ Warriors” collection gets an extra life with the Wizard from the co-op classic Gauntlet, presented in both cosmic black and sky blue. Day or night, Meat Bun has got you covered!

Who knew a Texas Instruments TMS5220C speech chip would produce some of gaming’s most memorable quotes — ever. We always thought the ominous announcer from Gauntlet and the voices from 720 and Paperboy sounded strangely familiar.

A sublime cosmic convergence took place on October 3, 1963 — it was the day Tommy Wiseau was born. An equally spectacular event occurred June 27, 2003 — Tommy Wiseau released his critically acclaimed movie masterpiece, The Room. September 3, 2010 will now join these glorious dates, and go down in history as the day The Room: The Game first graced the Internet.

If you find yourself confused by any of the above proclamations, fret not — Meat Bun is here to help! First, we’ll need to get you up to speed. To do that, let’s enjoy a sampling of Tommy Wiseau in action.

You may need to watch the above clip a dozen or so times to begin to absorb it’s artistry. Don’t worry about the context or plot. There is none. Focus more on the character Johnny’s unique enunciation and delivery. And you may ask yourself, why has everything been over-dubbed?! While we ponder that question, bask in the surreal glow of a San Fransisco skyline only achieved through gratuitous use of completely unnecessary green-screening.

Now that you are a fan, you will want to attend a screening for yourself. Luckily, The Room will be showing (in perpetuity) at a theater near you. If not, move. The last time we went we were joined by the adoring cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and we shit you not, Tommy Wiseau himself! Arrive early and buy your tickets in advance — all five midnight screenings sold out when we attended. The only mandatory item to bring to the theater are as many plastic spoons as you can physically stuff in to your pockets. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

The Room: The Game will allow you to keep your The Room: The Movie after-glow going strong. In the game you can guide protagonist/hero, Johnny, around lush 16-bit environments and fully explore his world. You will throw a football in a tux, make sweet love to Lisa, even find out what really happened to Peter (who inexplicably disappears about half way through the film).

If you are in the Los Angeles area, join us on September 25th as we make another pilgrimage to the Laemmle Sunset 5. We hope to see you there! SPOON!

Last night’s opening reception of the 3G Show — fine art inspired by Ghostbusters, Gremlins and The Goonies — was packed with lowbrow art lovers. Great pieces from German Orozco, Drake Brodahl, Craig Parrillo and Jude Buffum were the main draw, but the sidewalk outside Gallery 1988 was overflowing thanks to the DeLorean time machine parked outside right behind this thing.

Yes, the Ecto-1 showed up and in perfect working order. Seats for four Ghostbusters, working sirens, room for proton packs in the back and a copy of Tobin’s Spirit Guide on the dashboard. Awesome.

Also, this guy showed up.

Winston!!

If you’re going to PAX Prime this weekend in lovely Seattle, Washington, after you’ve gotten your share of blowjobs in Duke Nukem Forever, make sure to cruise by the 2 Player Productions booth. Our friends at Attract Mode have been gracious enough to haul a bunch of fresh Meat Bun stuff up to the show and will be holding down the booth all weekend.

Stop by, say “Hi!” to Adam and Matt, grab one of Cory Lewis‘ limited edition prints and score some Meat Bun gear!

Not going to PAX? If you’re in LA, don’t miss The 3G Show, opening tonight at Gallery 1988. The show will feature artwork from Autumn Society artists based on the three big Gs — Ghostbusters, Gremlins and The Goonies. That includes one of three brilliant, video game-inspired pieces by Jude Buffum, like this stellar 8-bit Gremlins scene from Dorry’s Tavern.

The 3G Show’s opening reception starts Friday, September 3rd 2010 at 7 pm at Gallery 1988. See you there!