These dancing Aliens from Toy Story 3 are going to be released in Japan in July for 5000 Yen (ca $50).  Me want!!

“Politics of Popular Culture” at Temple University will focus on developments in videogames, digital media and youth subcultures and explore how these are being employed for political means and driving social trends in Japanese popular culture.

This two-part conference, hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University’s Japan Campus, will be held on June 5 and June 26, and will include a diverse array of academic panels comprised of leading scholars of Japanese popular culture.

The opening session on June 5 will examine how popular culture is informing emerging alternative cultures and practices, and shaping notions of Japanese national identity and foreign policy, as the “soft power” appeal of the popular becomes politicized. The keynote speaker will be Frederik Schodt, author of “Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics,” and “Dreamland Japan: Writing on Modern Manga.”

I will definitely follow the "Gaming Reality: The Politics of Digital Appropriation" panel with John G. Russell, Peter Mantello and Rebecca Suter and "Politicalizing Otaku" panel with my favourite Otaku writer  Patrick Galbraith!!

More info: www.tuj.ac.jp/events

Digital Satin Productions (NDS Uncensored) released a port of the classic PC eroge Fatal Relations (produced by Himeya Soft in 1994 and translated in english by C's ware).

File size: 54.1MB

Click here to download the game for your DS (over 18 registration without email confirm needed).

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