+ Video

The Fiat Cinque Tank, a dream bulldozer custom-built by ironsmith Kogoro Kurata, consists of an old Fiat 500 body mounted on the caterpillar tracks of a cheap secondhand tractor. The farm machine can only reach a speed of 3 kilometers per hour, turning a trip to the nearest convenience store into a 2-hour adventure, according to Kurata. But the classic look of the cabin no doubt impresses the neighbors, and the working power shovel comes in handy when obstacles block the way.

See Kurata’s site for photos documenting the construction process: 1, 2, 3, 4.

[Link: Monkey Farm]

Ballpoint pen artist Shohei Otomo mashes up old and new in bold illustrations spiked with heavy doses of manga-style gore and perversion.

Sunglassed Geisha

Boss Batter

Onsen Ping Pong Geisha

Gurgling Heart

Extermination of Giant Carp

Portrait of a Far East Hoodlum - #1

Okiku Doll

SM Geisha

See Shohei Otomo’s website for much more. (Many images NSFW.)

[Via: Bouncing Red Ball]

Just in time for the 30th anniversary festivities comes this girlie Gundam, a jewel-encrusted RX-78-2 (apparently created by a Taiwanese fan) looking pretty in pink and lace.

[Via Gigazine]

Tokyo-based photographer Samuel Cockedey presents more miraculous views of the Shinjuku cityscape in his latest stop-motion video (featuring minimal beats by Kusanagi).

[Links: YouTube, Vimeo]

In the mid-1840s, ukiyo-e master Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) created a number of woodblock prints showing legendary tanuki (raccoon dogs) using their humorously large scrota in creative ways.

River fishing

Shelter from evening showers

Rokurokubi (long-necked monster) disguise

Net fishing

Making dashi (soup stock)

Weightlifting

Catfish mallet

Coming and going

Making mochi

Visiting Konpira, the guardian deity of seafaring

Boy’s festival

Cause of chronic abdominal pain

Shichifukujin (the Seven Lucky Gods) disguise

Fortune-telling tent

Shop signs

River crossing

Towboat

Seine fishing

See more of Kuniyoshi’s tanuki images at Kuniyoshi Project (1, 2).

Here are a couple of fun station IDs for Space Shower TV, Japan’s largest cable/satellite music channel.

+ We love music, we love peace: Epic food label battle in the kitchen. Directed by Kōki Tange (Yellow Brain).

+ Guitar: Snapshot of family time in a curious household. Directed by Koichiro Tsujikawa.

After sunset, Tokyo Gundam comes to life.

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+ Unko-san #1

“Unko-san,” a new anime series about a brown turd-shaped fairy with lots of luck, is fast becoming the rage among high school girls in western Japan. Short episodes of the anime are now showing in the Osaka area on Kansai TV’s “Otoemon” music program. The stories revolve around Unko-san — whose name is a play on the Japanese words for “luck” (un) and “crap” (unko) — and his quest for happiness on Lucky Island, which is populated by a host of other poo fairies.

[Link: Unko-san]

Casual clothing brand Uniqlo has created the most captivating web calendar ever, featuring a random assortment of stop-motion tilt-shift imagery from locations across Japan and charming background music by Fantastic Plastic Machine. Highly addictive.

[Link: Uniqlo Calendar]

The Chiba Lotte Marines might suck, but their game posters rule. Sighted at JR Kaihin-Makuhari station, these retro movie-style posters depict the home team heroes defending the city from attack by villainous monster opponents.

Marines vs. Giants

Marines vs. Swallows

Marines vs. Bay Stars

Marines vs. Dragons

Marines vs. Carp

Marines vs. Tigers

[Link]