A demo is now available for Patapon, a game that may just be one of the most unique offerings the PSP (or almost any platform for that matter) will likely see this year. Unsurprising, really, since it’s from the makers of LocoRoco. I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I’m a complete sucker for games with a quirky art style (courtesy of Rolito) and original gameplay to match. Patapon seems to fit that bill to a “T” with what looks to be a combination of elements from rhythm games, action games and the customization options of an RPG. The full version hits about a week from now at the ultra-bargain price of $19.99, so hop to it!

Patapon Demo (via Playstation Blog)

By Stewart Smith

The New York International Children’s Film Festival has been bringing sophisticated family fare to some of NYC’s better screens for more than a decade now. Those lineups have included a number of Japanese animated films in the past, from Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Steamboy, and most recently Nobuhiko Ōbayashi’s The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Once again, anime makes a big contribution to the festival this year, which runs from February 29 to March 16th. Two major films from Japan, and one from Korea that nods heavily to the aforementioned Miyazaki, have been selected for this year’s fest. Makoto Shinkai’s 5 Centimeters Per Second is one of the lucky films, pictured above. Hit the jump for more pictures and info.

The music industry is struggling with change more than ever these days, As MP3s, blogs, and P2P sharing change the way we consume music. The bigwigs are still stubborn, and young upstarts are figuring out new ways to make it all work every day. The 2008 Digital Music Forum is happening on both the East and West coasts, to bring all the different parties together for one huge pow-wow. The East Coast event takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 26-27.

Digital Music Forum East Website

By NYT

Shoppers in SoHo usually aren’t looking for unbranded, simple products, but at MUJI, that’s exactly what they’ll find. But as anyone who has set foot in their new retail location knows, MUJI is anything but boring. Throwing out everything but the essentials, MUJI takes minimalism and efficiency seriously. What you get: well-designed products for your everyday life. What you don’t: pretty much everything else. There are no logos, no hype, and little packaging. For those suffering from brand allergies as severe as the protagonist in William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition, MUJI is your antihistamine pill.

MUJI’s attitude towards the unnecessary has not gone unnoticed. They’ve been a hit with consumers across the globe, and sharp-eyed fans can often spot a MUJI product from across a room. The antithesis to just about everything SoHo stands for has become one of its hottest commodities. New York-Tokyo interviews Hiroyoshi Azami, President of MUJI U.S.A to find out more (after the jump.)

PingMag recently interviewed Robotics pioneer Takayuki Furuta on its MAKE blog.

Furuta already had my admiration and respect upon hearing his ambitions for using robotics to help remove physical barriers for people who are limited in what they can do. But then he had to go and warm my nerd heart by saying he wanted to make the technology user-friendly and interactive like KITT from “Knight Rider.”

What really makes him stand out, though, is his perspective on society’s acceptance of groundbreaking technology and making sure it has a practical, approachable use. He isn’t just concerned with enhancing people’s lives through robotics, he wants to make sure they’re comfortable with applying that technology in the first place. The man understands that improving someone’s life goes well beyond just physically empowering them. Good luck Furuta-san.

Making the Future with Robotics (via PingMag)

By Stewart Smith

The Kennedy Center’s JAPAN! culture + hyperculture event is nearing its completion, and we’ve got some more lovely images from the many exhibits on hand. With creators from fields including architecture, fashion, abstract art, and many many more participating, these past two weeks have been a true feast for the senses. See Yayoi Kusama’s dots above,  and more images after the jump.