I, Robot

Sorry for the slow updates as of late. The team at JHYPE had been in great demand outside the internet world for a change (i.e. working hard to pay off our christmas indulgences). We will eventually return to normality with more wacky and wonderful Japan.

To make up for it, may I present you the wonderful robots at last year’s IREX (International Robot EXhibition) at Tokyo Big Sight. Here are a few photos from the event. Enjoy!

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CHANEL Samurai Armour

In a salute to luxury brand Chanel, artist Tetsuya Noguchi has created some concept samurai armour suits designed to appeal to the fashion-conscious warrior. Made from resin, cashew lacquer, cloth and glass, the exquisitely crafted protective suits sport the iconic double-C logo, allowing the wearer to flaunt his superior social status while crushing the enemy on the battlefield.

More pictures of the luxe armour after the jump.

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Natsuko “Gal” Sone

Gyaruru - Natsuko Sone (centre)

You may be wondering why a group of nubile young Japanese Pop (J-Pop) stars make it to Jhype. Rest assured Jhype is still the place to be for all things worth hyping about from Japan. To be specific, we are only interested in one person in the group, Natsuko “Gal” Sone, or better known as Gal Sone.

Sone is known  for her bleached chestnut hair, high-pitched staccato voice, thick makeup and girlie fashion, which make her a thoroughly trendy Tokyo “gal.” So what makes her “Jhype” special you may ask?

Let’s see, the fact that she can eat 6KG (no typo, it’s kilograms) OF CURRY SOBA IN 23 MINUTES. Or eat 10 plates of bacon and cheese pasta, 10 plates of gyoza (a staggering amount of 50 dumplings) and 10 plates 0f sushi (a mind blowing 100 pieces of sushi) against a group of 11 (ELEVEN!) people. More after the jump.

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Cleaning The Floor With Mop Cat

Somebody’s finally discovered a practical use for lazy cats. The video after the jump absolutely made my day. Japan, you have done it again.

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House H by Sou Fujimoto

House H is the latest project by Sou Fujimoto Architects in Tokyo. The house is an “experiment to find a balance between volumes, spaces and light”.

The non-designer crowd usually cringe at fancy designer phrases like this, but I have to say that Sou’s House H is pretty spot-on with that phrase.

There’re a lot of stairs in this house too, and where are the bedrooms?

More pictures after the jump.

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Casio EXILIM EX-G1: As Close To Gundam As You’ll Get

If ever you need proof of Japan’s pervasive mecha culture, you only need to look at the latest EXILIM  EX-G1 from Casio. The styling is almost derived from the latest Gundam or Evangelion anime.

The EXILIM  EX-G1 is Casio’s first foray into shock-resistant, waterproof, freezeproof, and dustproof digital cameras.

The EX-G1 claims to be the world’s slimmest shock-resistant camera, too, offering an interesting combination of rugged design with sleek lines to satisfy the taste of any intermediate camera lover – mecha fan or not. More info and pics after the jump.

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Japan Self-Defense Force Sunglasses: Yes, They’re Official

Let’s cut to the chase: these are Japan Self-Defense Force Sunglasses (or JSDF for short – we ♥ acronyms here in JHYPE) and, apparently, they’re officially endorsed by Japan’s armed forces.

Each lens boasts the ability to withstand an impact from an object up to 6.55mm (0.3in) traveling at 171km/h (or 106mph). Of course, those specs probably won’t mean much against a 9mm bullet speeding toward your eye at over 1,000 miles per hour, but that’s more of a concern for the JSDF than it is for us regular folks.

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The Golf Bra, by Triumph

Hole in one?

Golf, in Japan, is almost as important as its national sport (and pastime), Baseball. It’s especially popular among Japanese men in their mid 30s and 40s. Lately, though, golf is fast gaining popularity with the younger market.

This is evident from my last trip to Tokyo, where I spotted a sports clothing and apparel department store dedicated to golf, and golf alone, in the trendy area of Shinjuku.

Now in order to help the Japanese women find a new golfing mate, Triumph decided to offer to the ladies a new and “unique” bra that doubles as a golf-putting mat in order to combine pleasure and … pleasure. More bizzare pics and a video after the jump.

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Plastic Moon House by Norisada Maeda Atelier

Japan may be known for the wacky and wonderful, but it’s also known as one of the most stylish and cutting edge places on planet Earth. Take this Plastic Moon House for example.

Built in Tokyo, Japanese architects Norisada Maeda Atelier designed this house that includes a dental practice and swimming pool.

As you’d expect (err), the swimming pool is stylishly integrated on the top floor above the dental practice area on the ground floor.

Plenty of pictures after the jump.

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Japanese Mini Erasers – “We Rub Japan”

“Collectible Erasers” sounds like an oxymoron to most people outside Japan, but in the Land of The Rising Sun (or Rising Fun in this case) these are hot collectibles for those who are in and out of school. They are literally too cool for school.

Take a look at the above dimsum set for example. The fine detailing extends to individual grains of fried rice and four sets of chopsticks!

The sushi, snack food and cake erasers have to be seen to be believed. They look so good you’ll be tempted to take a bite, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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