  GJ CLUB - Episode 8 - Sisters Attack! Feb 27th 2013, 19:00 
In the beginnig of summer, Kyoya's sister Kasumi comes to hang out in the club room. Mao convinces Kasumi she is younger than her and calls herself "Ma-chan." Meanwhile, the members of the GJ Club decide to go to the pool to escape the persistent heat... with Kasumi and her friends. The names of Kasumi's friends sound awfully familiar...
 | | Top 10 Greatest Cosplayers in the World Feb 27th 2013, 18:04 
Constantine is a writer and cosplayer based in Los Angeles, CA. A graduate of Boston University and former participant in the JET Program. In just a few short months she has garnered thousands of Facebook fans, online recognition and started a World War II poster series. With over 10 years of cosplay experience it is freaky to know she is just now only scratching the surface of her potential. In addition, she run her own Con Coverage and is involved with her own Cosplay website Takopop! http://www.constantineintokyo.com/ 
The trick to great cosplay is to have great shoots and if anyone knows about creating a good photoshoot, it’s Meagan. Now Meagan resides in Silicon Valley just south of San Francisco, where she is the acting Community & Communication Manager for Crystal Dynamics and is working on the next Tomb Raider installment. When she isn't at the office chances are you'll find Meagan playing games, reading comics, or working feverishly on new costume for an upcoming convention. She has been killing the scene for some time now and her love of cosplay shines through over the past half decade. http://www.meagan-marie.com/ 
Tachibana is one of my favorite cosplayers for the sole reason is fame is never a goal. After sitting down and chatting I learned ‘And if you don't have the physical attributes for it, then it's probably going to be much harder to make yourself resemble the character, even if you've got the costume and wig down. But that said, it all boils down to perspective. When it comes to cosplay everything is subjective; people will either agree or disagree with your methods and reasoning, and that's fine. There's no right way, and we should all just accept that people do things differently.’ Gorgeous costuming on display, putting Tachibana on the list is a no brainer. 
"How can I be a famous cosplayer?" and I just shake my head and sigh. I often say, "This is a hobby. I just do it for fun! We should all love each other and not try to monetize it.” Even through the talent and humbleness, Ana Aesthetic has somehow broke the mold and crossed to the otherside of being prolific. She is heavily involved in helping others by documenting con visits, nutrition, make-up, tutorials and more. Known as "Ana Aesthetic" among the convention crowd, she is a recognized voice in the community – known as much for her costumes as she is for her articles and interviews on cosplay. http://anaaesthetic.com/ 
With over 15 years of experience, Giorgia is a famous Italian Cosplayer, eurobeat singer and model (duh! How gorgeous is she?)! She lives in Italy near Verona (the city of Romeo and Juliet), but, thanks to cosplay, she travels very often around the world as a guest in many conventions. She often gets called to introduce Cosplay events and Music contests…after all…this is her life! http://www.giorgiacosplay.com/ 
Riddle has been costuming for over a decade, has organized cosplay charities, won awards, done it all, etc. She is the very definition of prolific and always produces excellent results. This list wouldn’t be complete without her. http://riddlesmessywardrobe.com/ 
Crystal Graziano is a cosplayer from South California and started cosplaying in 2005 at the San Diego Comic Con. She creates the costumes by herself and puts a lot energy and time into them. She and her cosplays gained interest during the years, she was mentioned multiple times on blog like Kotaku and her pictures became quite popular. http://www.crystalcosfx.com/ 
After securing a spot as the zombie annihilating “Juliet Starling” in “Lollipop Chainsaw”, Cosplayer and gamer Jessica Nigri has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces in gaming and in cosplay. GAOW! http://www.jessicanigriofficial.com/ 
Linda Le (Vampy Bit Me) is the most amazing cosplay model in this universe (and in alternate universes as well). She lives, breathes, and eats art, love, metal, cosplay and worships donuts. I really don't know how she keeps her figure but I do know that she can rock the X-Men's Psylocke look, vampire hunter, and any anime and comic book characters you can think of. http://www.vampbeauty.com/gallery_flip.htm 
Yaya is an international costume designer/cosplayer with 13 years experience, artistic model and widely recognized ambassador for Cosplay. Yaya is one of only few cosplayers in the world to build a business in this hobby-ist community, but even after a decade of success, she strives to stay true to what got her into this field originally – fun and creativity. To this day, Yaya has made a myriad of costumes in the genres of anime/manga, video games, sci-fi and of course from her own original designs. She is the Queen of cosplay. |  Magi - Episode 20 - The Two Princes Feb 27th 2013, 18:00 
Hakuryu confesses the real reason why he came to Sindria to Sinbad, and asks for his assistance. Sinbad suggests that Hakuryu work with Alibaba so that he can learn about the outside world. Meanwhile, the wound Alibaba sustained in Balbadd begins to ache.
 |  Fighting For Nippon - Anime News - Madoka Circulates all over Steve Jobs Feb 27th 2013, 03:00 
Anime News, where it's 40% laughing and 60% news*. *This percentage may be incorrect, and dirty. TOPICS: Manga and Magazine Sales, Madoka is here ... then not, Mangaka dun goofed, and a Steve Jobs manga LINKS: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2013/02/24/japanese-shonen-mangaanime-magazine-circulation-date-october-december-2012 http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2013/02/25/manga-author-tweets-anime-request-gets-tweet-from-light-novel-author http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-02-23/3rd-madoka-magica-film-slated-for-summer http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-02-25/magazine/3rd-madoka-magica-film-summer-listing-was-in-error http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/news/2013-02-26/thermae-romae-yamazaki-to-draw-manga-of-apple-steve-jobs ______________________________________________ 'Like' FightingforNippon on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FightingForNippon You can follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DoctorDazza Website: www.fightingfornippon.com NicoNico: http://www.nicovideo.jp/user/15043420 Live stream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/fightingfornippon Subscribe to FightingforNippon: http://bit.ly/djQ72J ____________________________________________ Royalty Music by http://audiomicro.com/royalty-free-music Sound Effects by http://audiomicro.com/sound-effects
 | | The Grandmaster – Review Feb 27th 2013, 00:04 
Set in 1940s Fushan, Canton province, the martial arts community, lead by Gong Yutian from the north, is retiring and holds a challenge to select an heir to bring southern martial arts to the north. The southern community elects Ip Man, the shining newcomer, up for the challenge. Ip Man develops a friendship with Gong’s daughter, Gong Er. The story crosses two decades as Ip Man and Gong Er stand the tests of life. The Japanese Army invasion of Fushan forces Ip Man into poverty and he resettles in Hong Kong. A mutiny within the Gong family sets Gong Er on a quest for revenge. In a time where age-old tradition is being replaced with modernity, how much can one uphold their principles? The plural in the title tells it all. It’s the story of GONG Er (ZHANG Ziyi) that provides all the drama and melodrama. I confess that I do not know if she is real-life but even she is, there is far more scope for artistic creativity in designing the character than Grandmaster Ip, for obvious reasons. In the movie, she is the only martial artist who is Ip’s equal (even with a hint of being a tad better). Her drama comes with a treacherous student who murders her father. While both Leung and Zhang have experience in action movies, they are not Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh. Still, we have good action sequences thanks to first class choreographed and editing. We witness the years that chronicle their transformation. This journey ends with the passing of Gong Er and eventually, Mr Yip in 1972. 
Taking a step back, I suspect that the producers and director seemed to want to break away from the proved formula of story-telling about Ip Man and Wing Chun, and took risk in the script and even cinematography. However, I see traces of Zhang Yimou in the technique, which I neither am opposed to nor strongly encouraged. However, I think the director OVERDID on the special and visual effects, because, in my opinion, he may have wanted every scene and frame to be visually stunning. While there are many scenes (including the special effects) that are indeed very captivating – e.g. those at the train station involving the duel of Gong Er and San – these effects quickly became a major muddling distraction for me, to an extent that I felt like the film has overrun in length in its appeal to audience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ngxn9NzLzs More French than many of the french movies I have watched, yet Oriental to its core. To put it that way, I failed to see the big picture like the old Master in the movie did. But philosophy aside, it is story telling and imagery in a whole different level. Wong’s Grandmaster wins in spirit, in style more than in physique and awards. With long research and a semi-documentary style film-making, Wong has made a film about kung fu in its naked self, i.e. in blood, in sweats and in tears (hard work, stamina, suffering, sacrifice and national / world heritage). I prefer the title “Grandmasters” instead of “Grandmaster” as the film is more about an age represented by many martial artists and styles in kung fu depicted and above all in Ip Man. The historical and political context could have been interesting but was sidelined. All in all, and very sad to report, I walked away underwhelmed.
 | | Sansho the Bailiff – Review Feb 27th 2013, 00:02 
I’m so moved. This is not only one of the greatest film of Mizoguchi but also tell us a very important precept which is almost forgotten. Kenji Mizoguchi made an epic film from what was (apparently) a centuries-old Japanese morality tale. We watch a well-to-do family slowly disintegrate – not from events they cause, but those out of their control. How they each react, how they deal with the passing years and events, and how they find solutions (if any) are powerful, emotional, lessons in life. Can a half-century old Japanese film be useful to a contemporary American audience? Of course it can. And thanks to Criterion, you can now own this classic on blu-ray high def transfer. The mother is shipped to an island community to serve as a prostitute while the children, remaining on the mainland, are sold as slaves to the evil Sansho the Bailiff. The title is misleading as this is essentially the children’s story. Growing up in captivity the youth temporarily loses his sense of morality when he realizes that he can exist more comfortably as his master’s henchman. The rest of the film deals with his redemption, the consequence of which is to make the world just a slightly better place. Although the morality of the story is stated in the most simple of terms, the film wields considerable power. Like Kurosawa, Mizoguchi is an outstanding director of action sequences, so that the waylaying of the family and the attempted escapes from Sansho’s compound have a real sense of immediacy – he is a master orchestrator of the tracking shot. 
It captured the silver lion at Venice in 1954, along with Seven Samurai. This film is a masterpiece, and Mizoguchi is one of the greatest directors of all time. His films portray the dramatic “story” perfectly. A Mizoguchi film lets you not simply watch a narrative, but feel it and experience it as well, more so than in most other movies you’ll probably watch. His most moving moments, including the ending in Sansho, as well as Ugetsu, produce moments of genuine pathos in the viewer: their is no hint of over-dramatization or sentimentality. Simply stunning. The movie is one of those great visual poems of grief and hope. The story is told in a hundred shades of gray, both emotionally and in the exquisitely presented black-and-white photography. The simplicity of the story and the beauty of the images almost make the story seem a misty dream, except the mist is largely made of tears. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=076MrMynyak Watching Sansho the Bailiff is an emotional, gut-wrenching experience, yet worth every second (and then some) of your involvement. As many others have commented here over the years, this film is a masterpiece. In short: Alongside Ozu’s and Kurosawa’s masterpieces Mizoguchi’s “Sansho the Bailiff” is one of the classic Japanese films one definitely should check out. The story is rudimentary, not very complicated, and the movie is in black and white with subtitles. But this is a tragedy of the sort that is universal in its appeal. Well worth catching, as long as you have some patience during the establishing scenes.
 | | Creative Spotlight: Episode #204 – Bruce Yan Feb 26th 2013, 00:04 
It may only be a few weeks into 2013 but Bruce Yan has already had a busy year! Participating in Gizmos and Gadgets Art Show at the Bottleneck Art Gallery, and the Get a Room Gallery Show, his movie fan art is a force to be reckoned with. In addition, he is an art director who is capable of designing logos, motion graphics, sneakers and is able to design for responsive websites, mobile and interactive. Read below for the full Q&A… You must be a big fan of films as you’ve recreated quite a few. If you had to attempt 3 Asian film poster recreations, which would you choose? Bruce: Yes, I love films. I even try to get out to the Sundance Film Festival to check out the indy flicks. There’s so many good films it’s hard to pick three, especially classic ones! So I guess I’ll cheat and pick 3 modern films: Old Boy, Ip Man, and The Raid. As an art director myself I know how hard it can be to manage projects. How do you approach a project for fortune 100 companies versus your own independent work? Bruce: I think it’s important when working on a project for fortune 100 company to find a way to collaborate. When the client is part of the process it’s easier for them to help fight for your ideas and push things through all the political bs. When working on my own independent projects the hardest part is picking something to work on. I usually have a billion ideas and it’s not always easy to prioritize. 
Mobile App Design is a strong niche in and of itself. What processes of thought do you get into to create mobile designs that differ from normal visual design? Bruce: When working on mobile design I focus a lot of energy on concepting and user interaction. It’s important to unify the entire experience from how it looks to how it’s used. It’s all about creating a branded experience and not just making something look good. Many people view visual design & communications portfolios as the strong body of their work with less of an emphasis on education. Was it always a clear choice to persue a bachelors degree in Fine Art instead of just stopping at your A.A. and entering the workforce early to build a stronger portfolio faster? What is your take on this? Bruce: Honestly, I had no clue what I wanted to do after getting my A.A. I didn’t even have a single piece of work to put in a portfolio and I had zero understanding of what visual communication was. It wasn’t until I went to the University of Washington that I was introduced to design by a friend. I think getting my BFA was a step I needed to take, because it gave me the foundation I needed to become a good designer. The design program I was in was very competitive, so I had to develop a very good work ethic to keep a competitive edge. It also taught me how important it was to have a strong concept before starting design. Visual design is only as important as the idea it supports. I also noticed you used tools such as a wood burning pen to make custom shoes. How cool is that? Could you tell us how that project came about? Bruce: I’m a huge sneakerhead and customizing sneakers was becoming a nice expressive art form in the scene. At the time all the customizers were using acrylic paint, but I wanted to try something different. I took inspiration from Nike’s innovation with laser engraving patterns and designs onto shoes, but since I didn’t own a laser engraver I had to improvise. I customized sneakers using a wood burning pen and sandpaper to create my designs, textures and patterns. Unlike paint, every mistake is permanent so I really had to plan out each design very carefully. Overall I was really pleased with the final product and it was fun to work on something outside of the digital realm. 
Many designers struggle with typography and logotypes. You seem to be very well versed in that aspect as well! Any tips for any designers on how they can improve in that area? Bruce: I’d say get familiar with typography and letterforms. It’s important to understand how typefaces are designed and created. Always think in positive and negative space, if the logo doesn’t work in black and white then it’s probably not a good logo. Study some of the greats like Paul Rand. Tell us a bit about your piece at the Gizmos and Gadgets show. How often do you participate in exhibitions? Bruce: When it comes to exhibitions I always create art that I would hang on my walls. I decided to go with an Astro Boy print because it’s something I grew up watching and I thought it would be an awesome subject for this theme. It wouldn’t be a gizmo or a gadget if you couldn’t see the guts that made it work, so my concept for this print was to create a layer showing Astro Boy’s anatomy. His anatomy is revealed through a glow in the dark ink layer. It was a really fun show to participate in and I’m looking forward to have people see the screen print in person. The art show gallery scene is quite new to me, but it’s a very exciting new territory to explore. This year I’m probably participating in at least 1-2 shows each month. What are your favorite Anime films or series? Bruce: Akira, Astro Boy, Star Blazers, Robotech, Dragonball Z, and everything Ghibli Studios. There’s just too many to list. It is cool you’re affiliated with Frog and AIGA. For people that don’t know agency work is a lot different than corporate work. Do you gravitate more towards work that you can be apart of the whole conceptualization process of a project? Bruce: Yeah definitely. Being part of the project at its inception is the best part. For me coming up with the idea is just as fun as designing it, if not more so. There’s nothing more fulfilling than being part of something from concept to launch. I like being involved at all levels. Lastly, what’s ahead for you in 2013? Any special plans you could tell us about? Bruce: This year I’ll be participating in many gallery exhibitions for Bottleneck Gallery, Gallery 1988, Hero Complex Gallery and Ltd Art Gallery to name a few. I’m hoping to continue to try new things and experiment with different ways of being creative. 
Want to stay up to date on all of Bruce’s various projects? Follow his cookie crumb trail below: 7two.com
twitter.com/bruceyan
instagram.com/mrbruceyan | | 21 and Over – Review Feb 26th 2013, 00:02 
"Straight-A college student Jeff Chang has always done what he was supposed to do. But when his two best friends take him out for his 21st birthday on the night before an important medical school interview, Jeff Chang snaps and decides to do everything he wants to do. Jeff Chang, which is said more than a few times and admittingly does roll of the tongue nicely, has a big medical school interview in the morning that his stern father is keen to have him do well at. What first time director Nima Nourizadeh and scribes Matt Drake and Michael Bacall would like Project X to be is a perfect combination of a John Hughes "crazy day in troubled high school life" mixed with Todd Phillips Hangover antics. Does it succeed? Well, not really. Yes, I prefer American Reunion. But thats just me, and it’s probably 75% due to nostalgia. I also prefer Ted, and The Hangover, as well as 21 Jump Street. I know that sounds bad, but I always like older movies better and that is JUST me. 21 and Over is a good movie in it’s own way, and I really liked the fact that it shows a little racial diversity and went with an Asian lead. The humour in this film is hit and miss. Some jokes you will laugh hard at, and others you will awkwardly wait to see if anyone else in the theatre laughs at before you follow along. I particularly enjoyed this movie because there was some serious moments which I thought brought a sense of balance, but of course there was a happy ending. “21 and Over” sort of has the same qualities as “The Hangover”, but differs in age and plot. Also, like “The Hangover”, the cast was primarily Caucasian which to me seems unrealistic, but it’s just a movie at the end of the day. 
21 And Over is a film that follows the current trend of having its best moments spoiled by the trailer. It is absolutely as predictable as it looks and complications, like the friends discovering Jeff is carrying a gun on his night out with them, are resolved in utterly simplistic ways. The threats of Dr. Chang carry weight with Miller and Casey, but are harder to take serious for the audience, which makes most of 21 And Over utterly unnecessary. Instead, 21 And Over is presented as a thinly-veiled excuse for nudity, fat jokes, and vomit gags that are not over-the-top enough. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc9vHeGNTY0 Anything that can go wrong does, and its a joy to see how everyone reacts to it. What really stands out in this movie though, is that it digs a little deeper into each character. It shows itself as generic comedy and then shows you that its much more. Quite the opposite of most movies that come out. I caught a special screening of this. If you liked The Hangover, you should like this, if you would like to see a younger version of it. The film is funny, and that’s what it’s meant to be. It’s not trying to be a deep thinking movie, it wants you to sit back and enjoy the ride. The jokes though are juvenile and there is no high brow art to be found. So…buyer beware. Still an enjoyable time.
 | | Neon Alley Expands to Xbox 360 For Linear Anime Channel Feb 25th 2013, 15:16 
For the past week I have been engaged in a new premium service on my XBOX360. Don’t fret, Neon Alley has brought anime to the PS3 as well. What is Neon Alley, you ask? Well, thanks to the folks at Viz Media, they offer 24-hour programming for anime fans directly through their Sony or Microsoft home consoles. After watching a variety of anime, everything from Naruto Shippuden episodes to the new Berserk Golden Arc 1 film, it was clear that Viz was providing content from its own library, as well as anime from outside distributors including Aniplex, FUNimation, NTV, Taiseng, and Anime News Network. It was especially terrific to find that all shows were uncut and uncensored, and Viz even incorporated HD programming. If you're like me, though, it probably won't bother you too much that English dubs are available. Neon Alley offers monthly subscriptions for $6.99, though you can sign up for a free one-week trial at the link below: http://neonalley.com/ 
Programming:
Neon Alley’s schedule includes a diverse mix of action, adventure, sci-fi, supernatural, fantasy, and horror anime. Neon Alley carries weekly exclusive episodes of BLUE EXORCIST, INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT, LAGRANGE: THE FLOWER OF RIN-NE, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, and TIGER & BUNNY. Fans can catch their favorite blockbuster anime from the beginning, including DEATH NOTE, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, ONE PIECE, VAMPIRE KNIGHT and more. Future premieres include ACCEL WORLD and ZETMAN. Viewers can easily find out what’s showing on Neon Alley with an electronic program guide showing the schedule for the week ahead. Please visit the PDF schedule below to get a full overview: http://updates.neonalley.com/neonalley_schedule.pdf | | Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II – Review Feb 25th 2013, 00:02 
The 40th anniversary of the Godzilla franchise brings us the twentieth film in the series. Hang in there folks the end is near. If you had started to wonder "does the world really need 20 Godzilla movies?" or "does this site really need 20 Godzilla reviews?" then let Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla 2 answer with a resounding YES! This I think this could be considered the biggest real monster bash of the Heisei series and it feels like one of the classics. You have your Godzilla, Mecha-Godzilla, Rodan and baby Godzilla. This movie follows the G-force just like the other movies in this series. Isn't that nice? I really like that the whole Heisei series follows the same core group of people it ties them all together in an enjoyable way. I must say though the title is a little misleading this movie is neither a remake of Godzilla 14 nor a sequel to it but the title makes it seem so. The film opens with the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah being salvaged by G-force and used to create two anti-Godzilla machines. The first is a flying gunship called Garuda. The second and more powerful machine, modeled after Godzilla himself, is called Mechagodzilla. Rodan is discovered and so is the baby Godzilla. Don't worry the baby looks stupid but nowhere near as stupid as the old one form the original series. When a Baby Godzilla hatches from the egg, the research team concludes that the egg was left in the pteranodon nest with Rodan. Godzilla appears in Japan, once again responding to the creature’s psychic call. The rest of the films are what? You guessed it battles between Godzilla, mecha Godzilla, the flying gunship Garuda, and Rodan. It's a real monster bash very reminiscent of the classics. They also focus on the Gforce building MG and studying the baby Godzilla who grows attached to all the people working there, including miki saegusa (Megumi Odaka) you stay away from my love! Megumi Odaka is really the highlight of this film she excellently handles her character's dilemma of Godzilla's right to live, and it is her excellent acting that helps to create a shift in the audience's view of the monster. 
It's interesting in the original Mecha Godzilla flick Godzilla was the good guy and Mechagodzilla the bad guy, but this film completely reverses the roles with MG working to prevent further destruction from Godzilla (keep in mind Godzilla was the "bad guy" or at least ambiguous in all Heisei films). I also have to say the redesign of Mecha Godzilla is a little underwhelming, I prefer the old look but he does have a huge array of weapon and even beats Godzilla in their first fight. Rodan on the other hand is awesome. I can't wait to finish reviewing the Godzilla series so I can dig into other Kaiju movies and Rodan is one of the very best and he looks even better here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hni7Lfz70Ak There is a lot of moving parts to this movie and I think there is a lot of good balance between the monster mash and the characters surrounding the action. I think this movie truly understands that even though yes these giant monsters are characters we identify with and enjoy seeing it's the human charters story that is compelling. I mean you can only see Godzilla and others destroy the city so many times but this movie manages to balance all its moving parts and you never feel overwhelmed with the action but rather you fear for those involved. Koichi Kawakita handled special effects and I have to say he does a marvelous job. The miniatures the explosions the cities being completely wiped out all look fantastic with only a few notable flaws. The musical score is fantastic, every piece is beautiful. Especially the one playing while Rodan dies I nearly cried! Overall this is a very fun movie with a lot of entertainment value but also it holds its own in emotional content. The special effects, story and acting are all superb this one needs to be in your collection. Best Moment of Destruction: MechaGodzilla nearly kills Godzilla, early in the film, by skewering him, causing copious amounts of blood to spill, all the while showering him in electric missiles.
 | | Creative Spotlight: Episode #203 – Shen Wei Feb 22nd 2013, 00:04 
Born and raised in Shanghai, Shen Wei is a fine art photographer currently based in New York City. His work have been exhibited nationally and internationally, with venues including the Museum of the City of New York, Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall, the Harn Museum of Art, Southeast Museum of Photography and the CAFA Art Museum in Beijing. His photographs have been featured in publications such as The New Yorker, Aperture, ARTnews, PDN, American Photo, and Chinese Photography. Shen Wei holds an MFA in photography, video, and related media from the School of Visual Arts, New York; a BFA in photography from Minneapolis College of Art and Design; and an AA in decorative arts from Shanghai Light Industry College. I sit down with Shen Wei and discuss a variety of topics. Read below for the full Q&A… Last year you participated in events in New York and Shanghai. Have you observed significant differences in how the audiences of these two countries view and react to your work? Shen: Certainly the audiences of New York and Shanghai responded to my work differently, especially for my Chinese Sentiment series. Chinese audiences are looking at images of subjects they are rather familiar with, so it is much easier for them to relate to the work, rediscover what I had rediscovered and to go beyond. For the New York audiences, it might be a new experience to seeing China from a more personal and intimate perspective. 
When the time came for you to graduate from Minneapolis College of Art and Design, what brought upon the decision to further your education even more? Shen: My exposure to western art started only when I first moved to the US in 2000. I have never had any experience in photography before that. So three years in MCAD was not only an introduction to photography, but also an eye-opening experience of art study and appreciation. For a late starter, I felt like I have a lot to catch up with. And it was my dream to go to a graduate school in New York City. A lot of your photography includes very risky themes and the narrative isn’t always straight-forward. As a photographer do you have to be confident and comfortable with your own sexuality in order to capture someone elses? Shen: The goal of my work is always to tell stories that are subtle, evocative, and imaginative. I like a story with an open ending. Sexuality is very complicated and everyone presents it differently. Making a portrait of someone is a task which depend on the chemistry between people, and that chemistry sometimes can be a mystery, with or without the influence of sexuality. 
So if each piece of work differs based on the people involved, how do you invoke an instinctual emotional response to the portrait? Shen: One of the most beautiful moments of portrait-making is when the sitter and the photographer are exploring each other. The emotional responses always come out naturally during that exploration. In your professional opinion, what is lacking in today's contemporary photographic portraitures? Shen: Viscerality. Do you have any favorite Asian films? Shen: I love Zhang Yimou's early films, such as Raising the Red Lantern, To Live, and Ju Dou. How has China as a country, and the cultures tied to it directly influenced or impacted your work as a creative? Shen: China and Chinese culture are important parts of my art, my life and my character. I was born and raised in China. For the first 22 years of my life, China is the only place in the world that I know well. It is really hard not to be influenced and impacted strongly by the land and the culture I grew up in, especially when they are highly colorful and fascinating. Having been a major player in Green Cart which did a lot of good for a lot of people, what other charitable work would you like to contribute too? Do you feel as an artist you have an obligation to use your art for the purpose of goodness? Shen: I absolutely agree that art should be created for the purpose of goodness, and I think most of art does in its different aspects. I personally would love to stay involving in working with non-profit organizations if there is any suitable opportunity. 
What exhibition plans do you have for 2013-2014? Shen: Chinese Sentiment will be exhibited in Germany and China later this year. I Miss You Already is scheduled to be exhibited in Bangkok in early 2014. There are also a few group exhibitions in discussion for 2013-2014. Lately, I also started to work on some videos, performance art and drawings. So I am certain exhibitions will happen gradually throughout the year. Lastly, any advice to any struggling photographer? Shen: Be patient. 
Want to stay up to date on Shen’s photography? Visit the official site below: http://www.shenphoto.com/ | | Adam and Dog – Review Feb 22nd 2013, 00:02 
Adam and Dog is an animated short film nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 85 th Academy Awards. Written, produced and directed by Korean born, Los Angeles based animator Minkyu Lee, this nomination is his first. The film is an absolute gorgeous animated film with beautiful painted backgrounds and wonderful sound effects that put you in this world for a span of 15 minutes. At 15 minutes, this film is better than most movies that last for 2 hours. Sometimes a simple story can be more complex than you would think. The film is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve through the eyes of a small dog. The dog discovers a companion, a man (Adam) who is the only human being around. They become good friends and share bonding moments as they play fetch and discover new things. Then, Adam meets Eve, a woman, and Adam goes off with Eve leaving the dog to fend for himself. The film is an absolute delight to watch purely for the amazing animation by Minkyu Lee and his team of animators. The thing that works though is the pure subtlety of everything surrounding them. The dangers that lurk are predators and nature itself is a major character. You can interpret this film however you want but how I see it, it's just a man and a woman who find a pal in this dog and it's something that ANYONE can relate to. Anyone can relate to someone longing to be with somebody else and not feeling alone. This film conveys that message perfectly. Also, regardless of any religious aspects, that shouldn't sway you from watching this film. 
There isn't a lot of music in this film but the music adds to the already beautiful palette on display here by Lee. Joey Newman's score breathes through happiness to a life that seems lonely and out of touch. There is no voice acting here, just silence going through the mouths of these characters (except the dog barking and the man mimicking the dog). It would have been interesting if there was voice acting but I think the film being non verbal helps out the story. From the opening shot of the dog waking up to begin the new day to the ending shot of the dog finally having the companions the dog had been in desire of, Adam and Dog deserves the nomination, if not the award itself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq0-i8GQbgw It won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject at the 39 th Annie Awards. Go check it out for yourself. I know I wouldn't have heard of this film if it wasn't for it being nominated (just being honest) but I'm glad I realize my mistake. It's got some tough competition in its respective category but if it won, I wouldn't be surprised. It's worth every 15 minutes of your time.
 | | The Tale of the Floating World – Review Feb 21st 2013, 00:04 
This is an excellent short-film directed by Alain Escalle, based on his experience with the Japanese world and culture. It is animated, but in a spectacular way, it has a strong visual impact on the viewer due to scenes full of powerful colors such as red and green alternating with black and white scenes. There are many symbols present, both of war, famine, disaster and fragility of humankind, love, peace, universal symbols, but also Japanese symbols ( e.g. the dragon). The great soundtrack featuring a Japanese song adds sensibility to the whole view and makes the images even stronger. There is an attention for the details specific to the Asian culture, every element in every scene has its significance and it is carefully picked up and put it there. This film is intended as a manifest against the horrors of the war in general, by presenting the tragedy of Hiroshima. In the same time, there is a journey through Japan history. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oyylAxxg0g Now what happens when an artist forgets that and takes these Japanese target stories as if they were real, and mines them as if they directly mattered? What if the artist is non-Japanese and so automatically outside but has no sense of that fact? What if that artist is tuned to a subconscious guilt associated with otherness. If that otherness is the to some repellent notion of whaling, you get “Drawing Restraint.” If those notions are associated with immoral war, then the topic is Hiroshima, and you’ll get this. But in this case, matters get thoroughly confused, because what we see is the destruction of a culture, creating images that no longer live. And yet it is conveyed through those very same images as if they do live. The idea of this, and the ideas of how we might watch it, are more engaging than the thing itself. Japan is a collection of notions about what it was, perhaps more-so than any other culture with visibility. Both Japanese and the west look on that collection of cultural relics, sometimes to mine for expressive power.
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