February is a big month for US-Japan cross pollination. The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. is putting on a rather massive festival entitled JAPAN! culture + hyperculture, running from February 5-17. The amount of quality programming at this event is staggering, and makes us wish we could just up and move to D.C. for a couple weeks. Everything from traditional Japanese theater to cutting edge animation and robotics are being showcased at the Kennedy Center. Read on for more info and a breakdown of what’s happening.

Photos courtesy of The Kennedy Center

Paprika: DVD Review
Available through Sony Pictures

I’ve heard people say that master animation director Satoshi Kon’s latest film Paprika borders on nonsensical with a nigh-indecipherable plot. At its heart though, the premise is fairly simple. A machine is developed that can tap into people’s dreams, and not surprisingly the device is used on different subjects for whom mileage varies and dream-related hijinks ensue. As such, the film is littered with scenes where the lines between dream worlds and the real world are blurred, and the non-sequitur disjointedness of dreams jarringly interrupt any attempted forays into linear storytelling. The result is a film that is so ingeniously open-ended in its presentation that it can make as much or as little sense as the viewer is inspired to contribute.

The game that launched a thousand ecstasy fueled nights, that was the butt of a thousand dirty jokes, is being released in HD glory for the Xbox 360’s Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Rez, originally released for Sega’s Dreamcast, also found its home on the Playstation 2 in 2002, and has since become a notoriously hard to find cult classic. If you’ve played Rez in the past then you’re already frothing at the mouth, and you’ve already entered this contest. For the rest of you, the makers of the game have a little contest to drum up some hype and get you excited for the game.

Here’s the word direct from Q Entertainment:
“To celebrate the launch of Rez HD, Q Entertainment will be giving away 50 prepaid codes! To enter, you must visit the Rez HD website and submit your information through the Register page between now and Sunday, January 27, 2008. Winners will be notified by email within 72 hours and be able to enter the provided code to download a free copy of Rez HD on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity!”

Maybe if we’re lucky, Microsoft will release a wireless Trance Vibrator to…um…enhance the experience.

By Jesse Mann

So, the J.J. Abrams-produced Cloverfield, the “Real World” of monster movies, was a record-breaking success this past opening weekend. It also managed to turn film marketing into a fully interactive experience, deepening the enjoyment for many who obsessed over it since the enigmatic teaser was released last year. Just take a look at any number of planted Myspace pages to get an idea.

Tatebanko, a three-dimensional paper art form popular from the Edo Period until the early 20th century, is being revived by the artisans behind tatebanko.com. 3-D reconstructions of two notable Japanese works of art, Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” and Hiroshige’s “Evening Snow.” Hokusai himself is said to have been a fan of tatebanko, creating original works in the style.  These “remixes” of famed works include modernized “secret” pieces that can be added in for a bit of originality.

January 26th, 2008
7 pm
Webster Hall

Tickets: TicketMaster

The last time Cornelius graced The States with his presence early in 2007, his Sensuous album had just been released. The accompanying “Sensuous Synchronized Show,” bringing together his avant-pop-rock-electronic sound with complementary visuals and lights in unison, brought a uniquely Japanese attention to detail and quirkiness to a few lucky major cities.