Month: July 2017

‘Attack on Titan’ Artistry Sends Shivers Down My Spine

Attack on TitanBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Being a fan of cosplay (although not a cosplayer myself), I’m an admirer of the process of costume creation. It’s the endless hours of sowing together, sometimes with nothing more than simple needle and thread, pieces of cloth that will take gradual shape before a finished outfit is worn for all to see at a an event. To me this is the side of fandom I show neither the talent nor the want to become a part of. Watching from the sidelines is my equivalency of having cake and eating it too. But among the cosplay it is, at times, easy for me to overlook the make-up. The artistry that completes the persona one will present does not always get the attention it so richly deserves.

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[Editorial] Sounding off on the Nerdy Convention Scene in Victoria, BC

Attack on TitanBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

I have attended many pop culture style conventions in the past 25 or so years. Some took place in my home town of Victoria, British Columbia but more off island. I am sad not many local shows have a footprint of lasting more than five years. Attempts have been made to centralize all aspects of geekdom, but to pull it off needs a proper committee of dedicated folks. I’m aware most of the businesses along Nerd Row (on Johnson Street and Broad) are in communication with one another, but this community was not in place till the early part of this century.

In terms of history, a major comic book type event (which was a one-off) took place at the Empress Hotel in the late 80’s which had a who’s who of talent (from New York even), which Big Brothers and Big Sisters organized — my introduction to the scene — but since then, everything else which followed never compared. Van Isle Con is a step in the right direction, and although a short commute is required to get there, I’m wondering what’s next? Are there individuals willing to make something happen within the capital city?

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All Good Things Does Not Come as Clones in Despicable Me 3’s Latest

In a movie wanting to behave like Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, the lack of extra depth made Despicable Me 3 feel hardly filling.

Despicable Me 3 Movie PosterThe heart of the Despicable Me franchise lies in how to tame the ruthless heart of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell). He’s an eccentric misanthrope who learns the value of community. The first film sees him take advantage of others to further his own gains (until the children he adopts win his heart), and the second movie sees him trying to settle into a parental role. In Despicable Me 3, he’s a family man now and the struggles is more with him accepting who he is now.

The children Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Grier) and Agnes (Nev Scharrel) do not play an important role in this outing. They are merely there to remind audiences that Gru is a family man. He’s happily married to Lucy (Kristen Wiig), but after losing their job at the Anti-Villain League (AVL) after a botched attempt to prevent Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) from stealing a huge diamond, just what’s next requires him to evaluate what can he do next? This turn of events has Mel (the leader of the Minions) unhappy and Dru (Gru’s long-lost twin brother) trying to convince him to return to a life of crime.

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Tees Please: Paul Reubens and Astro Boy

Attack on TitanBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

This is a new segment on Otaku no Culture, one where we explore the t-shirt, that talkative piece of clothing that has (through the decades) bared powerful political statements, expressed the wearer’s feelings, and has caused fits of laughter or bouts of disgust. I’ll be posting photos sourced from different media and in those posts I will try to give proper credit not only of the photographer but of the manufacturer of that certain tee.

There are times it won’t be possible and we will be asking you, the public, to help us fill in the missing information. In my travels I will also be asking people permission to snap photos of cool tees that I spot in the street. So if I come up to you to ask for a photo, please don’t be shy and know that I won’t be asking to take a snap of your face, just the shirt you’re wearing.

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