(l-to-r) Spectreman – finger puppet (no maker mark), Ninja Arashi pendant mini (bootleg), Iron King pendant mini (Takutoku), Zabat – pendant mini (Takutoku), Moonlight Mask (anime ver.) – pendant mini (Popy), Kamen Rider V3 – mini (Popy), Ninja Arashi – mini (Popy), Mazalord (from Akumaizer3) – 4 part mini (Takutoku), Poly Kamen Rider (bootleg), BattleHawk (Yonezawa?) – 4 part middle, Casshern – mini (bootleg), Rainbow man – middle (Lotte)
Author Archives: datadub
Faux Metal Puppets
New release of the Finger Five debuts at Design Festa
Fig-lab Finger Five!
Coming Very Soon to a Hand Near YOU!!!
GO! FIGURE! Presentation is now on-line

GO! FIGURE!, originally uploaded by datadub.
My Pecha Kucha presentation from last week where I outline (in very broad and stuttering strokes) some of highlights of the last five years of Fig-lab.Please check it out at the Pecha Kucha site.
After you watch the Go!Figure! presentation, you should check out some of the other amazing PechaKucha presentations that are online.Some faves from last week include Kenichi Asano, showing his awesome Sumo automatons; Takashi Tsunoda (aka Twelvetone) who makes amazing Figures our of paper tubes; and this particulary charming one entitled A Modernist in Kawaiiville by Craig Yamashita.
Fig-lab Finger Five are born!!!
Welcome into the world (Mom is doing fine)
Fighter X!!!ファイターX !!!
A grubby little sketch of Fighter X – one of the mascot characters for the FIG-X.JP website..
GO! FIGURE!
Giving a presentation on the first five years of Fig-lab at Pecha Kucha tonight!
5 things to do in Shibamata (with PaulKaiju)
Going to Shibamata is like boarding a time machine and going back 40 years into the Japan of the Showa era. This past Monday, I took the trip back in time with my friend Paul Kaiju and Mori of RealxHead.
Here is my list of 5 must do things in Shibamata.
[1] Visit Taishakuten temple and see the woodcarvings.

[2] Try your luck at the shooting range at the Dagashiya
At the entrance of the shopping street leading to the temple there is Dagashiya – an old style candy & toy store. Its hard to miss the Coke machine that has been transformed into a robot by the entrance. They have an incredible selection of Japanese candies, knick-knacks and even old pinball and video game machines that you can play. They also have a cork gun shooting range. Upstairs is a toy museum that is only open on weekends
[3] Eat tempura

[4] Stop by Altr. Tokyo and pick up an eel cat finger puppet.

[5] Take your picture with Tora-san.
Shibamata’s was set as the hometown of Tora-san, the traveling salesman – a long running Japanese movie series. There is a gleaming statue of the Tora-san just outside the station. You will first see him on your arrival to Shiba Mata, but you should wait till you are about to leave to stop and take your picture with him. That way you share and feel the Showa Power.
Google map with coordinates
View Shibamata in a larger map
Design Festa 34 on SOFUBI-MICHI TV
SOFUBI-MICHI captured the glory of our Design Festa table. For Refreshment, Rampage and myself it was cozy quarters but good fun was had by all. Catch more of the show over at the SOFUBI-MICHI TV channel on U-stream.