Extras - Day 2

Extras for Day 2
(Again, click on thumbnails for larger view.)

Ueno (in front of station at day.)

Ueno Park Natural Museum of Science (these turned out so badly because of the lighting!)

Ueno at Night

Sketches

Learning About Animation in Tokyo, Losing Scavenger Hunts, and Samurai Again

Next day started with knots in our stomachs. Jason, the animation professor, was taking an unusually long time to get downstairs (we met every morning in front of the hotel), and Dove and Goto gathered us all up in a huddle in the middle of the street as small cars honked their way past us. Ray Goto informed up that he ‘made Jason angry last night’ which we didn’t really react to. “He punched me,” he said in order to instigate a response. To which we all fell back a bit and inspected his face for any evidence. His explanation is that he and Mark Shultz, while we were at the zoo went to meet Geoff Darrow.

This was interrupted by some gasps, mostly from the sequential group, and everyone else (myself included) who paused and pretended to look informed.

The professors insisted that we “know about this stuff we just don’t put his name to it”. Turns out he’s the artist behind things like Hardboiled and the Sentinels from the Matrix.

Anyway, he goes on to tell us about Darrow’s invitation to his ‘office’ which turns out to be Madhouse Studio (Movies such as Paprika). There was a slight uproar but Dove (who before had been as disappointed in them as we were) quieted us down, assuring us we got the better end of the deal. Apparently the studio was actually quite depressing. Cubicles were only big enough to hold a light table and half a person. If someone wasn’t drawing in their cubicle, they were sleeping on the floor of it! The legs in sleeping bags sticking out of the doorframes. Apparently animators, though admired and skilled, are paidd less than American’s minimum wage, and the average animator is working 16 hour days on two scenes. “They’re fanboys,” Ray said appropriately. “They’re guys that just love it so much, they don’t care how much they’re being paid for it, even if it kills them. Which it is!”

But it came later. First we were off to the scavenger hunt, which despite being somewhat excited for, turned out to be a disaster. We were doing pretty well until we got lost in… some station or other. It may have been the Omote-Sando, but I feel like that’s on the other side of the map!

So my group took an absurd amount of time looking for the Kusunagi Masashige statue- the one which we wouldn’t have known what on earth it was if it weren’t for the fact Charles and I had stuck around after the Imperial Palace to draw it. (That samurai equestrian statue!)

Whilst sketching a gesture of it again, we noticed there was a group of what we assumed to be Chinese businessmen. Two of them came up to me and started asking me questions in Chinese. They seemed disappointed when I informed them “Er, English.”

Another spot that took us a while to find was Zojo-ji Temple (I think that’s how it’s spelled) to fine some Jizo statues. It was really pretty, and I took some time to take photos since we’d clearly lost.

The meeting point was the Ueno National Museum, and it turned out all he groups failed to meet on time except one.

The National Museum had too much cool stuff to talk about at once. In the end, all that I actually paid attention to was the samurai armor hiding in the back. Probably took about 75-100 refs per armor.

And of course after this was listening to Geoff Darrow. I’m tired and can’t type much more (so I’ll go over it later) but I’ll say one of my favorite parts of the night, on the subject of when he was working with Hannah Barbara- “You have a plane. People on the plane, everyone’s tired, not too funny. Now, you put a bear on that plane… that’s funny.”

Samurai, Dinosaurs, Sushi, and Old Friends.

The 47 Ronin Gravesite was really cool, especially after hearing the story. It’s too long and confusing to talk about so go Wiki it some time or something.

I put incense on all the graves. It was pretty cool. Got some good panoramas.

It didn’t take too long, so it was then off to the free day.

My original plans were to finish up these blog entries after the gravesite and then head to the hotel lobby to see Ayumi and her parents… but I really had to draw dinosaurs again. Mark Shultz was going, and he was coming back right when they were to meet me- I pumped my fist in victory. I really did. At breakfast in public. Because really, who ever said, “You can’t always get what you want.” I got everything I wanted that day. First samurai, then dinosaurs. Really, could my free day get any better? (Oh, it does.)

And I got to see a part of the museum I hadn’t seen the last time! I didn’t know it was there- mainly on natural history of Japan. I though the wax Neanderthals were scary, they had a whole line of wax figures of the evolution of Japanese people that could have been breathing for all I knew how real they looked. The figures even had hair on their arms.

How they keep the dirt and dust off everything in that museum is beyond me.

Actually, now that I think of it, it’s the same for everything else in Japan. I’m going to feel so grimy back in the U.S.

Also, I got the see the plesiosaurus, which seemed to be the pride of the museum.

Also, it was pretty interesting to hear “Wow cool!” in perfect English with an Italian accent behind me as I was drawing a Protoceratops skull. A son and his father, from Italy but having lived in Japan for about 7 years?! It was an unexpected experience to hear Italian, English and Japanese from the same people. The kid wanted one of my drawings, but I’m selfish I suppose. He pulled out an Ueno Zoo sketchbook that he pulled out with his own sketches, so I pulled another drawing of the Protoceratops for him.

I was late to see the Sasaki family, which was entirely my fault and I felt horrible for it,(especially when it was simply on my whim to draw dinosaurs) but we were all too excited to see each other I think every irritant was thrown out the window.

I was really kind of shocked when Ayumi’s mother rushed up to hug me with a cry. I was really touched and overjoyed by it. I’d never really seen her react so emotionally to anything before. I can’t explain how happy I was to see them, or how amazing it was to be greeted like that again.
Allright, ao we have samurai, dinosaurs, old friends, and now we add sushi to the mix. They took me to a sushi restaurant?! Authentic, practically swimmingly-fresh raw sushi, and it was so-o cool!

I was also glad to impress them with my bravery, as compared to when I last ate at their house so many years ago and picked at every little thing when it came to food. I’m still pretty picky but this was authentic sushi!

Then we went over to Shibuya again, where Ayumi took me to a place called ‘Loft’ which I had mistaken for the clothing store on my previous excursion there. She defined it as a stationary store, but really it was, like Tokyo Hands, an everything store.

And I finally found more ink brush pens- which I must say are now the reason for my existence when it comes to drawing now. The Sasaki’s bought them for me, I was so touched, and the gave me a New Years stamp with a little Totoro sitting on a traditional Zodiac ox/cow.

But really we just spent forever laughing at the oddities and niceties, and it felt like home again. But for everyone speaking Japanese.

I think my favorite parts were when we would play with something, and Ayumi would read aloud the instructions to whatever it was and say we weren’t allowed to touch it. Of course she’d be the first one to play around with it, and I’m the one who can’t read kanji.

It ended too soon. I managed to look pathetic enough that we went out for coffee before saying goodbyes. I just wanted it to go on longer and forever. It’s really decided now. I have to come back. For all of it. The Sasakis, the sushi, the dinosaurs, and the samurai.

A Semi-Literate Walk through the Edo Period and Expensive Pokemon

Edo Museum day. Another museum that would have been informative if I could actually read. They did have a little more English than the Natural Museum, (which was none at all, over there) but I found myself drifting off anyway, as everything I found myself deeply interested had no subtitle, and the things I was only somewhat into had a paragraph or two.

They had a lot of scale dioramas of Tokyo in different time periods. They were absolutely great for reference on my Animation in Tokyo project. I’m hoping to involve ravens, and the main problem with all the reference I’ve been taking is it’s from human eye level. Finally, I could get reference pictures from a birds eye view.

There were also a lot of scrolls and original woodblock prints that we weren’t allowed to take photos of, though I adored them. I wanted a book of their selection but couldn’t find much in the gift shop.

Another important thing to mention is at the beginning of the day, we were told to have one good drawing by the end of our time there to turn in to the visiting artists. Three students would be picked (one sequential and one animation) to have a goodbye dinner with them. I won’t lie, I got anxious about it. It ruined any groove I had to draw that day, but I talked to a friend and kind of get myself set straight. In the end I got a really good drawing out of it after relaxing. For now, here’s only a photo of the boat I drew. I loved this thing.

Ah, and in the end, said friend got to go to the dinner, and I got to go shopping instead, so it all worked out for the better eh?

And shopping to where? But the Pokemon Center of course!

Alas, it was actually very disappointing. I’m one of those oldbies that only likes the first 151, and most of what they sold was Diamond and Pearl characters. What a letdown.

But they had these awesome shirts I wanted more than anything, but were ridiculously expensive. They were all designer-like- where you had to double take to see it was a Pokemon shirt at all. Example being a coat of arms with the animals holding the shield being a pair of Mewtwo. But, only at the Pokemon Center would you have to buy a shirt for $45. Maybe they’re just converting prices from the game, where prices are so inflated that a bike costs 1,000,000 poke-dollars.

I’m a geek. We’ve come to terms with this.

After this, we went to Shibuya, so I got to see a little more of that- a different part than Ayumi had shown me. We went to one of the many Mandarake’s, a manga/book/geekery-paraphernalia kind of store, which I thoroughly enjoyed despite not spending too much there. Then later went to “Tokyo Hands” which seems to be an everything store. And everything as in more variety than Wal-Mart. I walked in thinking it was a Japanese version of Micheals, or JoAnn Fabrics… then went upstairs to find everything else from jewelry to furniture to art supplies to camping equipment. Downstairs even had a woodshop not unlike Home Depot.

It was really confusing. Didn’t help that not only did it have about 8 floors, but each floor had an a, b, and c, floor.

Everything’s built up, rather than out here, but that just felt like walking through an Escher drawing.

Of the Ghibli Museum and Frames for Sale

Shorter one.

Because.

I’m speechless. Pictures weren’t allowed inside, (only outside, with the Laputa robot) and there’s no way to describe the actual experience. I doubt pictures would have done well anyway. I cried for probably the first half hour, it was that amazing. But man, I hate being emotional. I was shaky at first, and when I saw the 3D zoetrope of the Totoro scene, that’s where I lost it.

The short film I got to see was pretty much a sequel to My Neightbor Totoro, regarding the cat busses. I don’t know what was better, getting to see a film that would never be published and sold, or that fact my ticket is three frames of authentic filmstrip from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Spent about $100 on books and two kodama. (Layouts of general Ghibli films [probably all the SCAD students bought one] and the entirety of the storyboards for Totoro and Mononoke.) I realize now I should have bought an animation book for my mentor back at ACCAD, and I’m plotting on how to get back to Nakano Broadway to find another one.

Nakano Broadway is where we went afterwards. I was far too tired to enjoy it completely, not to mention I was probably carrying 50 pounds worth of Miyazaki merchandise. Went to conveyer belt sushi. Wanted the squid but decided against it since I was still queasy from the sheer joy of being at Ghibli.

Later I followed Jason up to I think the third floor of the mall- action figures, animation frames, and cels. SO shocked. Animation is so popular and prolific here that malls will sell frames for as little as 500 yen to adoring fans. I found quite a few animes I recognized. Cels from Tenchi Muyo and Cowboy Bebop were my favored jewels of the day (not to mention the Ghibli ones scattered around in prize cabinets). The latter were far too expensive (price goes up with popularity) but I’m interested in a layout frame of Wasshu from Tenchi that I might snatch if I come back. Also found a stack of the character designs for DNAngel, but I like the comic better so I managed to pry myself away.

Ah, a note regarding Xuco and Andy. Yes, I found Knights of the Zodiac cels and frames. They were like 60,000 yen. Actually everything I’ve found from that series is mint condition collectors quality stuff that I can’t possibly afford. I wanted to get something for them, but they’d have to split the action figures.

I missed out on the bookstore that everyone got such amazing stuff. I have to come back!

Despite the missed opportunities, coming back to Ginza (where the hotel is) was a wash of relief. Had a snack at McDonalds for the first time here, and wow. Different. Of course it was expected. Main observations about it were that while McDonalds in the US has a ‘poster child’ staff member, with immaculate uniform and always smiling, it’s really never seen. Japanese McDonalds gives you that dream world only found in the ads. Clean restaurant, perfectly uniformed, and broadly smiling people. It was a little unnerving, actually. I felt like I was in some color version of Pleasantville in an oriental setting.

Wasn’t all perfect though, as I noticed they were poking fun at myself and the guy I was with when we turned to leave. I’m not insulted at all, really. Being an American here… it’s just asking for it. I’d like to laugh along if I knew what faults they were pointing out. I’d like to see what the Japanese find funny about me. I’d probably find it amusing too.

Fungus, Dinosaurs, Mark Shultz, and Tentacles

This far too much of a fun day, I drove myself crazy with how much time I wasted taking pictures rather than having fun drawing. It was the

ANyway, Tokyo National Museum of Natural History. The traveling exhibit was about mushrooms and fungus, which was actually pretty cool, but in retrospect, I was bitter with how much time I wasted in there. At least I got some good reference pictures. I’m set for life if I ever need to refs for fungus. I'm not going to post any of it here now. Not worth wasting my time.

Also, a note on mascots. Everything has a mascot here. Absolutely everything. So even the fungus did. Actaully the fungus had multiple mascots. They're kinda cute, but I'm kinda seeing them everywhere. Even in vending machines on the street as cell phone keychains. It seems random cutesy things become very popular for no particular reason (other than cuteness, I suppose). I also heard that although Ponyo on a Cliff was pretty succesful, some of the hype was dulled due to the fact the theme song was made so popular.

Digression.

Something to be noted in retrospect- not being able to read anything actually helps a lot ot get through the museum with out wasting any time. I was really interested in everything but all I could read was the Latin describing scientific names. The history of man exhibit looked painfully informative, but I couldn’t catch a word. All I could see was that the wax Neanderthals were creepily lifelike, to the point I kept looking over my shoulder to see if its eyes were following me.

The event of the day is drawing dinos with Mark Shultz. I didn’t know his work too well before the trip. I knew a little because of Sara’s love of his work (I’m still trying to muster up the courage to ask for an autograph for her), but there’s little that can prepare you for drawing with an receiving tips from someone so mightily talented. He helped me flesh out the stegosaurus skeleton as I looked over his shoulder at his own example. (I'll show drawings later, when i'm home with a scanner.)

Something must also be said about his lack of ego. I’ve never met such an amazingly nice and inspirational person.

On that note, we got on the topic of dinosaur artists, and I mentioned my favorite, James Gurney. To which he replied “Oh yeah, he invited me over to lunch not too long ago.” (or something along the lines.) Yeah. Wow.

Anyway, before this, I spent waaay too much time photographing the taxidermy animals, which were incredible, and for once didn’t creep me out (except the birds. Taxidermy birds just don’t work due to the lack of preening). I keep kicking myself about not taking more time drawing. I only got a few lame sketches.

Akihabara was pretty interesting, I didn’t really get to experience it this night, but later really got into it and it’s officially my favorite part of urban Tokyo. (More on it later, obviously.)

First off, the stores close early, at around 7 or 8, which is odd since it’s the ‘electrical district’. I personally see it as the anime/giant robot/Gundam district, but the amount of lights make electric appropriate as well.

Tagged along with one of the professors, three of the artists and some other kids into a restaurant since we were falling over starving. What drew us in was the chef, placed at the window making some food on kebabs, which in the restaurant (alongside the extra ‘Engrish’ menu) were simply called ‘sticks’.

Mysteriously, before ordering we were given earthenware mugs filled halfway with...something, and in the center of it was a tentacle.
I was the first one to realize it was a tentacle, as it was raw, and otherwise looked like grey jelly. Mine had the ‘advantage’ of having a suction cup sticking out the side.

It took come bravery, but I had it, and it wasn’t too bad. There was some spice in it that distracted from the ‘wet’ texture. It took a lot of chewing.

The rest of the food took way too long to come, I think because we were obnoxious stupid Americans, but that’s not to say we were treated rudely. Rudeness is a rarity here. I kind of wish Americans could follow suit. It’s going to be hard coming back home.

Anyway the food took so long that by the time we got out, there was only half an hour to enjoy Akihabara, which was no time at all, really. I saw some tempting Ghibli stuff in one place, and messed with those keychain vending machines for myself and Christmas presents.