TOYPUNKS VOL.2 PHOTO SESSIONS: BXH, INDIANS AND TUXEDOS!

We have so many random, killer images from our last trip to Japan that it would be waste not to share more of them on the blog. Going forward, we'll be dropping photo posts in between regular updates on the progress and interviews for Toypunks Vol. 2.

All images by Toypunks'  Chris Nelson.

Check 'em, from top down: Bounty Hunter's Venom Scum-kun (Keep that dream, BXH heads!) with a Mekaru-kun on the right.

Second,  look at this ill Indian  with the 7Stars Design sticker on the frame. Nice.

Next up: This was a daytime look for these dudes. Pretty rad.

Fourth down: From S.F. to Japan, Thrasher 'til death!

Finally, Japan Unity.

MIKE GIANT IN TOYPUNKS VOL. 2!

Last month, the Toypunks crew hit San Francisco to film for Volume 2. On our first day, we caught up with legendary artist Mike Giant. With a career that spans graffiti, skateboard graphics, tattoo, fashion and fine art, Mike is an inspiration--openminded, outsider, disciplined and spiritual.

We met up with him at the warehouse where he and his business partner, Joshy D, run fashion label Rebel8. The interview was pretty rad, as Giant shared his perspectives on art, music, punk rock, the environment, skateboarding, Buddhism and childhood toys.

Mike drew the Toypunks mascot character for us in 2007 and hand-drew our logo, so we were stoked to interview him for the second film.

Then, two days later, we got to interview Joshy of Rebel8 at Mike's house, which we'll be posting about soon. Look out for it.

HIROAKI SHITANO OF WHIZ LTD IN TOYPUNKS VOL. 2!

Last time the Toypunks crew was in Japan, we chatted with Hiroaki Shitano of Whiz Ltd fashion brand, thanks to our good friend Hiddy Kinoshita of Secret Base toys. Whiz is one of the premier fashion labels among 20 to 30 somethings in Japan, and it's easy to see why. Strictly a fashion house, they've collaborated in recent past with Secret Base toys on the release of 1/1 Skull and dropped Be@rbricks with Medicom. Sick. In volume 2, we chat with Shitano and Hiddy about their collaborative process. Look out for it in Toypunks Vol 2. Check it! www.whiz.jp

SECRET BASE SHOW IN TAIWAN!

Hiddy Kinoshita, our good friend and owner of Secret Base toys in Tokyo, dropped us a line this morning letting us know about his upcoming exhibition in Taiwan, from April 24 through May 3. Held at shop Paradise and titled "House of Secret," the show will feature every single Secret Base figure that has ever been produced! Exclusive figures also will be for sale. Hit this up if you're in Taiwan! This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see the totality of dope vinyl that Secret Base has dropped over the years.

Toypunks Vol. 2: Meet Master Painter, Hiroshi Goto!

Of the myriad amazing people we've met while making Toypunks, none have inspired as much awe as Hiroshi Goto, a.k.a. Goto-san. A master artist who's been painting Japanese toys for over 60 years, Goto-san is a largely unsung, behind-the-scenes progenitor of the vinyl toy world. He began painting toys at age 6, the skill and family business passed down from his mother and father during postwar Japan. At that time, certain aspects of toy production were farmed out from the factories to families living in nearby neighborhoods. Working in the same small space out of his family home all of these years, he's meticulously painted millions of Japanese toys, from classic vintage companies such as Bullmark to mass market fare such as San Rio, all the way up through modern street pieces, such as Real Head. In Toypunks Vol 2, Goto-san will share his story while painting in front of the camera. A special thanks go to Yo Miyamoto, Mark Nagata and Yajima-san of Dream Rockets (who will also appear in Vol. 2!) for arranging this special shoot. 

Official Toypunks Vol. 1 Screening in Montreal!

On Friday the 13th,  a special screening of Toypunks Vol. 1  will take place in Montreal, hosted by Les Enfants Terribles and Montrealvinyl.com. Special thanks go out to Johnny Kim of Montreal shop, Off the Hook, for setting this event up. Over a year since Toypunks Vol. 1 first dropped, this is our first official Canadian screening. We're stoked to be sharing our work with new heads in Montreal and to continue promoting the true roots of the independent and designer toy scene! If you're in the area, come out and kick back! Johnny in particular has been super nice and cool to work with: please check out Off the Hook at http://www.offthehook.ca!

Toypunks Mascot Print: Illustrated by Mike Giant

We recently made this print of our mascot character, the Toypunk. In 2007, Mike Giant illustrated the character based on our concept. 

The talented Alex "Big Al" Dondero (pictured here at Shop Gentei in Baltimore, Md.) handled screen printing, mixing up a dope gold ink to create a vintage effect on off-white paper. 

Al, by the way, is one of the best dudes out there. He does work for us, Shop Gentei, the Death Set, his own band Smarts and a slew of other people that you should (or probably do) know about. His work is superslick.

This version of the print was created for Toypunks friends and family. If you got one or have one on the way, you rule in our eyes. 

Toypunks T-Shirts Officially Sold Out!

Thanks to everyone who picked up a Toypunks shirt over the past few months. We're officially sold out at Toypunks.com, with new designs and colorways to drop late-spring to early summer. If you're looking for one of the designs, Black Cross in Hong Kong may still have a few in stock. Meanwhile, check this photo of our good friend Chika, shop manager at Secret Base, rocking the black, friends-only Toypunks Flag shirt at SB headquarters. SB rules!

London Nite with Hikaru Iwanaga of Bounty Hunter!

During nonstop shooting and interviewing in Tokyo for Toypunks Vol. 2  this fall, we had the distinct honor of  visiting the legendary Hikaru Iwanaga, creator of Bounty Hunter brand (and star of Toypunks Vol. 1), at the influential punk party, London Nite, which has taken place at Tokyo's Club Wire for the past two decades. Hikaru was the DJ for the evening and played a killer set as we filmed, photographed and cut loose from a breakneck pace. It was awesome to see Hikaru again, and we thank him for his time and graciousness, as well as Club Wire for the opportunity to film. Hiddy Kinoshita of Secret Base was our guide to the club, just as he was for many of our shoots during this trip. The night was mad fun! We hope that you enjoy the pics and video stills. Expect more radness in Vol. 2!

Toypunks Vol. 2: Takeshi "Take-shit" Sakamoto

One of the most unsung creators to have influenced the Japanese toy and street scene is Take-shit Sakamoto. While die-hard toy heads may recognize Take-shit's contributions to both the late '90s street toy explosion in Japan as well as vintage kaiju toy collecting, his affect on the toy and street fashion world at large is both subtle and vastly more profound than he is given credit for. In our interview for Toypunks Vol. 2, we discuss his role as a musician in the band Cocobat, his life as a gifted amateur shoot-fighter and his lifelong love of toys--both as creator and collector. As many reading this post may know, Take-shit's marriage of two of his passions--Big Daddy Roth's Rat Fink and Japanese soft vinyl toys--led to his unwitting creation of a new toy subgenre: the Fight Figure. Many boutique companies have followed in Take-shit's footsteps, creating hundreds of toys in the likeness of the Fink-shit, his first original figure. We discuss this with him in our interview, among many other topics ranging from his favorite American characters to what collecting truly means to him. Please look forward to this interview in Toypunks Vol. 2! Thank you very much, Takeshi!

Toypunks Vol. 2: Endo Noriaki of Devilock!

On our recent Tokyo trip to film Toypunks Vol. 2, we were stoked to interview Endo Noriaki, producer of Devilock clothing. Not only has Devilock been creating finely crafted men's fashion since 1996, they were there for the birth of the street toy scene and, well before that, Endo was in the hardcore punk band, GMF. We talk roots, inspiration and what Devilock has planned for the future in this interview. Endo is a supercool, laid-back guy with a fascinating perspective. Please look forward to hearing about his and Devilock's history in Vol. 2. Thank you so much, Endo!

Usugrow's Salvation Ink: Updated!

At a cafe in Tokyo with the Secret Base crew, company owner Hiddy Kinoshita brought out this early wax sculpture and proto sketches of Japanese artist Usugrow's upcoming toy, Salvation Ink. While there were still adjustments to be made to the final sculpture before it would be cast in vinyl, the piece looks phenomenal. Later that week we'd interview Usugrow (pictured) in a park in his hometown, as he shared his inspiration for the Salvation Ink and talked about his roots in underground art, hardcore punk and metal. Thank you Usugrow and Hiddy!

UPDATE:
Usugrow's Salvation Ink released on Christmas Eve at the Secret Base shop in Tokyo. The toy is available in both black and white colorways. The last two photos in this post show the finished product--pulled directly from Hiddy's blog. The piece looks amazing. Check it out at www.secret-b.com!

TOYPUNKS VOL 2: OBITSU FACTORY AND THE VINYL PROCESS

On our recent filming trip to Tokyo, we were fortunate to visit Obitsu, a famous Japanese factory that specializes in vinyl toys. Obitsu is world-renowned for its unmatched production quality. President and owner of the company, Saburou Obitsu, graciously spoke with the Toypunks crew in an unprecedented, revealing interview about the history of his company and the process of making soft vinyl toys, or sofubi. Obitsu-san's factory is one of the largest and most prestigious in Japan, having crafted countless toys for both mainstream and, in very recent years, boutique vinyl companies such as Toygraph, Secret Base and many more.

Since the first Ultra Q and Godzilla toys were made decades ago, the vinyl production process has not changed, allowing Obitsu to refine production techniques to the highest levels. Among collectors of the genre, Japanese vinyl is considered the best in the world.

After our interview, we were invited to film the sofubi process. Obitsu's longtime factory worker, Shizuo Matsui, showed us how to mix and pour vinyl, which was truly stunning, providing tremendously fascinating filmic moments.

The Toypunks crew and our good friend and translator, Yo Miyamoto, also had the opportunity to pull vinyl toys from the mold, which, not coincidentally, were Space Troopers by Toygraph. Shuuji Kajimoto, owner and creator of Toygraph, was on hand that day for an interview and was integral to our Obitsu visit. Later that day we'd speak extensively with Mr. Kajimoto on film, which we'll be blogging about very soon.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Obitsu, Kajimoto-san and everyone at Obitsu factory for their kindness. We hope that you enjoy these photos (in no particular order) from our amazing day.

TOYPUNKS IN TOKYO: SECRET BASE X CHRIS TREVINO X THREE TIDES TATTOO!!!

Upon our arrival in Japan to film for Toypunks Vol. 2, we had a great meeting with Hiddy Kinoshita, owner and creator of Secret Base toy company. Hiddy starred in Toypunks Vol. 1 and has become a good friend over time. As new vinyl companies come and go in an ever-mercurial market, Secret Base remains one of the top toy makers in Tokyo.

After exchanging gifts and catching up (Thank you so much, Hiddy!), Hiddy showed us this new original sculpt by American tattoo artist Chris Trevino.
Trevino is a gifted tattooist and painter who, among myriad accomplishments, studied under Japanese tattoo master Horiyoshi III. In the tradition of Horiyoshi's lineage, Trevino was given the Japanese name Horimana.

The Trevino, or Horimana, toy will be released by Secret Base and Osaka's Three Tides Tattoo, where Trevino has served as guest artist. As many will recall, Three Tides was featured in Toypunks Vol. 1 and is one of the most respected tattoo shops in the world. Three Tides will release toys by other renowned artist in the future, all of which will be produced by Secret Base.

The original concept art for Trevino's toy is amazing!

After Hiddy shows us this toy and another stunning piece that we won't reveal here until December, we discuss Toypunks' filming schedule for the week. Chika, Secret Base's manager who's become one of our favorite people on the planet, kept us all in line!

With our next meetings confirmed -- we'll see Hiddy and the Secret Base crew many more times throughout the trip -- it's back to the hotel to rest for our first full day of filming!

TOKYO SESSIONS: TOYPUNKS VOLUME 2, PLUS: NEW TOYPUNKS.COM COMING SOON!

We've returned and settled from our recent trip to Toyko, where we filmed extensively for Toypunks Volume 2. A massive thanks to Hiddy Kinoshita and the entire Secret Base crew; we could not have done it without you!

Also, Yo Miyamoto deserves our deepest thanks and respect. You will be hearing more about Yo from us in the future.

Next step: stateside filming begins!
Please check back here for updates on the film and for the announcement of the brand-new Toypunks.com, set to relaunch in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!!

TOYPUNKS IN WIRED MAGAZINE!

In the October issue of Wired, Toypunks Volume 1 finds its way to the No. 1 spot on the magazine's "Playlist." Each month in this section, Wired recommends 10 must-check-out items--from gadgets to games and DVDs. The Toypunks crew is deeply honored to be acknowledged by this world-class publication!

TOYPUNKS TO PLAY ROME, ITALY

On September 25, Toypunks Vol. 1 will screen as part of the No Budget! Suburbia film festival in Rome, Italy. Special thanks to Mauro Diciocia for selecting us for this event that showcases independent creators. With its usual English and Japanese dialog, Toypunks will feature Italian subtitles for the screening. For more information, such as location and time, please visit http://www.suburbiafestival.com/.

TOYPUNKS VS. THE AURORA PICTURE SHOW!

Join us on August 16 and 17 for two special screenings of Toypunks Vol. 1 at our favorite microcinema, the Aurora Picture Show, in Houston, Texas. Director Chris Nelson will also present a video salon about his experience documenting and processing Japanese popular culture on the 17th at 1 p.m. Drop by and say hello.

We're excited and honored to be screening the film at Aurora; a huge thank-you goes out to Delicia Harvey and the microcinema staff for organizing the event.

The Vader Project in Japan: Secret Base

Here's a good look at Secret Base's custom helmet for The Vader Project art show scheduled to take place this weekend in Japan. SB's owner and star of Toypunks Vol. 1, Hiddy Kinoshita, sent the pic along this morning. The Vader Project is the brainchild of DKE Toys, who distributes the Toypunks film and is the raddest distro in the designer toy game. For more info on the show, hit http://thevaderproject.com/

TOYPUNKS IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL!

Toypunks Vol. 1 will screen on Sunday, July 13, at the District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW Washington D.C. 20009. Starting at 5:30 PM, the film will play as part of the closing reception for DCAC's Kid Mutiny show. Thanks to curator Ellen Tani, participating artist Brandon Hill and Benn Ray of Atomic Books for hooking up this event. Here's a link to the Washington Post's write-up of the show: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070303510.html?nav=hcmodule

East Coast Style!

Following some time last month spent in Texas with director/partner Chris Nelson and translator Carl Wormley, Toypunks' Justin Kovalsky has recently moved to his hometown of Batimore, Maryland, for keeps.

With this Texas stint and the move, work on Toypunks: Volume 2 is officially under way! We've some killer surprises in store for everyone.

Meanwhile, here's a shot of a gorgeous old church just down the street from our new east coast headquarters. The architecture is stunning in this neighborhood.

Already, some visitors have passed through our new spot. One of our oldest friends Scott Dunmyer and lady Amy Hall slid in from S.F. last weekend. We promptly hooked them up with some Toypunks gear and got this shot of Scott rocking a fresh tee designed by the truly amazing Caleb Kozlowski! Later that night, we got together with more friends to play music and wild out ...


This deck designed by Hori of Seven Stars Japan hangs in the new Toypunks space. Among a host of of insane accomplishments, Seven Stars designed Bounty Hunter's iconic logo. Seven Stars rules.






Julie G finds her timing, then rips the kit!

TOYPUNKS SUMMER T-SHIRT LINE AVAILABLE NOW @ TOYPUNKS.COM!

TOYPUNKS FEATURED IN CLUTTER MAGAZINE

Issue 12 of UK-based Clutter magazine features a full-page story on the Toypunks DVD series. Support this long-running designer toy publication and pick up a copy at your favorite newsstand. A special shout goes out to Neil O'Rourke, who penned the feature. Thank you, Neil!

TOYPUNKS FEATURED IN MILK MAGAZINE

Toypunks Volume 1 is featured in the current issue of Hong Kong's Milk Magazine.

Thanks to the staff at Milk and our friend Hasheeme at Kix-Files.com who helped hook this coverage up. Support Toypunks by picking up the DVD at the Kix Files webstore now!
http://www.kix-files.com/shop/toypunks-dvd/

SECRET BASE MINI INTERVIEW! NEW SHOP TO OPEN IN HARAJUKU.

It's no secret that Secret Base is one of our favorite underground toy companies featured in the Toypunks Volume 1 DVD. Company owner, Hiddy Kinsohita, is a cool dude and we got some updates from him today about his new shop that will open soon in Harajuku. We thought we'd share that with everyone, though Hiddy's publically keeping the space a bit of a mystery. Still, we've a feeling the new store is going to blow minds. Here's Hiddy:

Toypunks: When will the new SB shop open?

Hiddy: I want the opening date to be a surprise, so it will happen without notice.

Where will it be located? I'm keeping this quiet as well. However, toy fans will be so happy with the new location. I also think tourists from abroad will be thrilled! The next spot will become a new tourist attraction for the toy world in Harajuku.

How will the new shop be different than your old locations? The image of my last store was more like a live rock club. The new store will be closer in atmosphere to a bar. I think it will not look like any toy shop you have seen before.

Will the products that you create have a different feeling than before? Yes, the new products we create will be very different than before. I have actually become weary of people who make similar toys to my own. It makes me feel a little ashamed as a Japanese. I want to progress my toys to the next level. I am sure that you will like what we are working on.

Will the Secret Base website be changing as well? No, I won't change the site because I think it's cool the way that it is.

Can you please share some of your plans for 2008 with us? I think we will release the jumbo Skull Bee at the end of March. I am also progressing on some projects with foreign artists. So please look forward to that, too!

*Lead photo from the collection of Carl Kent Smith*

KIX FILES OFFICIAL TOYPUNKS DEALER IN HK!

The Toypunks DVD is now available through kix-files.com! Kix Files is an authorized dealer of Toypunks in Hong Kong, and you can look forward to some really cool things from this established sneaker and fashion site this year. They're a rad group of people and we're stoked that they are one of our stockists!

TOYPUNKS TO SHOW @ NOISE POP MUSIC AND FILM FESTIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO!

Toypunks has recently been accepted to the Noise Pop Music and Film Festival, an annual event that spans six days and multiple venues in San Francisco. The film will play on March 2nd at ATA, a fun venue supporting independent works and located in the Mission neighborhood. If you're in SF come kick back and enjoy the show. More details are here: http://www.noisepop.com/

TOYPUNKS RELEASE PARTY @ DOMY BOOKS!

On February 8th, we'll be celebrating the release of Toypunks on DVD with our great friends at Domy Books in Houston, Texas! A custom video projection piece featuring live mixing, a project photo installation, some killer Japanese toys, libations and surprises await attendees! Punk rock DJs will play the event and keep it hopping. Domy is a rad store and we're excited to be collaborating with them. Check back for more on this party and some exiciting Toypunks announcements soon! For now, check the evite http://www.domystore.com/invites/toypunks.html

TOYPUNKS PHILLY STYLE: DEC 14th @ WTHN!

On December 14th, Toypunks screened in Philadelphia at Mason Warner's shop, WTHN. The turnout was solid, the people were rad, and Mason and crew showed us a great time, Philly style.

We started out in Baltimore, having just come off of a screening there on the 7th. On the drive North, toypunks Chris Nelson snapped a shot of this fresh billboard off of rt 83 in Charm City--Baltimore mascot culture! Of course, we stopped by Shop Gentei while in B-more. This shop is always beautiful and stocks a ton of killer brands.

Following a short drive, we arrive at WTHN! The store is rad and features a nicely curated selection of sneakers, streetwear and some choice soft vinyl. Early in the night, shop owner and host Mason and Kovalsky catch up. Check out the fresh WTHN logo mural behind Mason.





The store begins to fill. Packed with old friends, toy heads, new friends, and a few music people, the vibe was fun and relaxed. We heard Chuck Treece was there early in the night, but had to bounce for a show in Jersey. Mr. Treece's legendary skaterock band, McRad, is featured on the Toypunks soundtrack.

The lights dim, and toypunks Chris announces the film...
And it plays! Mason set up some lawn chairs in the front row for the best seats in the house.

After WTHN, there was a wild afterparty at Skinners, a bar located just a couple of blocks away.

Isaac Ramos, Kerri Koch, Kyle and Will brought the holiday cheer in these new RFSO Christmas shirts.

Mason, Issac and our new pal Jon spun vinyl and the dancefloor got a little crazy. The movie played in the background. It was cool to cut loose with everyone.





Kerri Koch, Julie "The Kid" Gardner and Missy Mazaferro broke it down at the table amidst the madness.
toypunks musical collaborators, TS, drove in from NY!
!
toypunks family style! Andy Gardner, Chris and Justin get some holiday hang time in after the event. Thanks a lot to Mason at WTHN and Skinners for the hospitality and great times.

(Thanks to Missy Mazaferro, and Kovalsky's brother-inlaw and sister, Andy and Julia Gardner, for the awesome event picks! Missy also has a ton of great shots from the event and some hysterical captions up on her flickr account.

TOYPUNKS WORLD PREMIERE RECAP: 12/7/07 BALTIMORE + HAMBURG!

On December 7th, designer vinyl shop, Atomic Pop, in Baltimore, MD, hosted one of the premiere screenings of Toypunks Volume 1 and the turnout was awesome. The film also premiered in Hamburg Germany on the same day. Benn and Rachel, Atomic Pop's owners, also run the venerable Atomic Books in Baltimore. They were great hosts. It was awesome for us to hang out for the night, watch the film, and to catch up with old friends. Early copies of the DVD were for sale as well as these wild vinyl prints that Atomic Pop had created. A massive shout out goes to everyone who attended and said hello! Also, thanks very much to talented Baltimore-based writer Raven Baker and the Baltimore City Paper for running this story the week of the event. http://citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=14936

The opening moments of toypunks projected on the far wall.....

With a full bar located in Atomic's spacious back room, the afterparty went down in the store. It was a blast.

Below, toypunks' Kovalsky catches up with Emily Devan who recently penned a great interview with Osaka- based punk band, Balzac, for Purple Sky magazine. Balzac is featured in toypunks and we're big supporters of the band's work in music, fashion and toys. It's cool to see them getting more English-language coverage.

Here's a shot of two super solid amigos and toypunks contributors: Will Sulima (additional photography) and David Manganaro (promotional art). Dave keeps the look sincere while Wild Willy brings the mischief!

And here are a few rad toys that we put on display that night. A special thanks goes to Isaac Ramos, a star of the toypunks film and a great friend who was in attendance that evening. Isaac loaned his Kid Hunter vinyl (far left) for the display. Created by Bounty Hunter brand, who's a major focus of toypunks Volume 1, the Kid Hunter is considered the world's first designer vinyl toy.

Attendees look over the display of Japanese vinyl toys and original art created for toypunks by Mike Giant and Dave Manganaro. Also in this shot you'll see Oliver of Shop Gentei in the blue cap. It was good to see Oliver and the Gentei crew. Shop Gentei is hands down one of the most well-curated streetwear shops in the US. If you're ever in the Baltimore or Washington DC area, hit this spot!

Here's a look at the original toypunks mascot drawing that was on display in Baltimore. This was hand-drawn by Mike Giant, who we were blessed to hire as illustrator for our logo and character mascot. Mike is one of the best line artists on Earth. Until you flip this piece over to see the marker bleed, it is impossible to tell it was drawn with a sharpie by human hands. Unreal!


Tony Pence of Celebrated Summer kept the fun going by playing some choice cuts. Celebrated Summer is a fresh record store and Tony is a good dude. Tony's band, Deep Sleep, contributed a song to the toypunks soundtrack. They rock. Also pictured here is Chris, an avid Balzac collector and massive Go Nagai enthusiast. Awesome.
Meanwhile, in Hamburg, Germany, toypunks Volume 1 gets its European debut. Armin Stroemmer of Shocker Europe hosted this event at the 3001 theater. While we would have loved to attend that night but could not, Armin says that it was a tremendous success and that everyone had a great time.


This is the poster created for the event which was hung around the city. Looking good.

The theater before the show......

Toypunks takes the big screen. Kozik in Deutchland! So rad.

TOYPUNKS VOL. 1 IS SHIPPING NOW!

We've been mad busy packing pre-orders and shipping from Toypunks HQ! As of today, all individual domestic and international orders have shipped. Wholesale international orders are on the way this weekend. The response so far has been staggering and inspiring!

We're still accepting pre-orders via paypal at sales@toypunks.com The rate is 17.99 plus 4.00 domestic shipping per DVD. International shipping rates are 10.00 per DVD. Please inquire for wholesale and multiple DVD shipping prices at justin@toypunks.com Thanks again to everyone for the support. You know who you are. You rule.

Then, if you're in Hamburg, Germany, this weekend don't miss Shocker Europe's (http://www.shocker-europe.com/) screening of Toypunks Volume 1 on Friday, December 7th at 3001 Theater! Stateside East Coasters can check some early screenings in Baltimore at Atomic Pop on Dec. 7th (http://atomicpop.blogspot.com/), and a screening + afterparty at Within Luxury on Dec 14th at 8pm. (http://www.withinluxury.com/) These will all be a blast. Please come out and support these killer local shops!

TOYPUNKS VOLUME 1 ON SALE NOW!

After one wild ride, the Toypunks Vol 1 DVD is now available for pre-order! 17.99 plus 4.00 domestic shipping. The DVD will ship DECEMBER 1st!

Toypunks Volume 1 is an odyssey into the world of Japanese toys, fashion and punk rock. Exploring the birth of the designer vinyl explosion from its roots in character culture and punk music, Toypunks Volume 1 takes you in-depth with Japanese fashion icon, Hikaru Iwanaga, creator of the world's first designer toy. Hiddy Kinoshita of Secret Base, Frank Kozik, Balzac, Three Tides Tattoo and more are interviewed highlighting profound cross-cultural connections between today's top creative talents in toys and fashion.

Extras include:

-Uncut Bounty Hunter Interview Excerpts!

-Hiddy Kinoshita on Sneaker Collecting!

-Frank Kozik on the Death of the Undergound!

-Live Sculpting Session with Kiyoka Ikeda of Gargamel!

-And more!

Toypunks on DVD: Retail 17.99

Shipping: 4.00

Please send payment and shipping information via paypal to sales@toypunks.com

Advance press copies are AVAILABLE NOW. Please request at justin@toypunks.com

TOYPUNKS IN HAMBURG: SHOCKER EUROPE HOSTS KILLER EVENT!

Shocker Europe's Armin Strommer is hosting this showing of Toypunks at 3001 theater in Hamburg, Germany on December 7, 2007. It will be one of the first public viewings of toypunks: Volume 1 and it promises to be an aweseome event! In addtion to the film, there will be a micro-exhibition of Japanese vinyl toys, great music, beer and cool people celebrating their love of toys, punk, fashion and Japan. Additional live-footage of ripping Japanese band Balzac may be shown as time will allow, and of course, Balzac is also featured in the toypunks film. Complete radness. Shocker EU made this cool promotional poster for the event. Thanks, Armin! For additional information please check out http://www.shocker-europe.com/ and www.balzac308.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=16

TEXAS IS THE REASON: PT 1

We've been rocking the edit of Toypunks volume 1 down in Houston TX pretty hard. The film is looking killer and we can't wait to share it with everyone. Meanwhile, here are a few shots from inside the toypunks edit suite where we've been toiling away. First up: a close up of our view from the window of the control room. We made these Mike Giant Logo stickers for promotion this past summer... Pretty beautiful.














Here's another placed on toypunks' Chris Nelson's Fender Jag baritone. We're fairly certain this is the same model that Ian McKaye plays with the Evens, whose recordings have been providing fuel during the edit. Either way, Chris rules this damn thing. In addition to making the film, we've been cutting the soundtrack in a makeshift music studio located at HQ. It's been a blast.















With 30 hours of footage from five cities, and interviews in two languages, it doesn't take long for the edit room to turn to chaos!

And here's a picture of some stunning artwork that East Coast-based artist and awesome friend, David Manganaro, drew for us earlier in the year. Dave has done some excellent work for punk and hardcore bands and he's one of the best dudes out there. (He also drew up Mark Nagata's logo for Maxtoy Co.) Thanks a million, Dave.

TOYPUNKS VOLUME 1 TEASER ON YOUTUBE

After filming and traveling since March and interviewing a killer cast of toy makers, fashion designers and artists, we've posted the trailer for the first toypunks DVD on Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSgs-5bXCMg

Toypunks Volume 1 will take you in-depth with Hikaru Iwanaga of Bounty Hunter, who mixed punk and toys over a decade ago to create the top fashion and toy brand in Japan. In turn, he unwittingly gave birth to the designer vinyl movement. Frank Kozik, Hiddy Kinoshita of Secret Base, Balzac, Isaac Ramos of RFSO, Carl Kent-Smith and many more make guest appearances while offering insight on the culture.

Toypunks Volume 1 goes on sale on November 15th 2007 at toypunks.com and select retailers worldwide. Each subsequent volume of toypunks will focus on a different creator while exploring the cultural connections between toys, punk and street fashion on a global scale. Expect loads of extra features, interviews and outtakes on each release. Please contact justin@toypunks.com for ordering information and inquiries.

Finally, a shout out! Last week we premiered the toypunks trailer at Isaac Ramos' party during San Diego Comic Con and it was a blast. Isaac knows how to throw a party! Thanks to Carl Kent Smith, Chris Kohler, Paul Kaiju, Pete, Mike Le Merde, Jeremy of Mutant Massacre, Glenn and Lisa Pogue, Gargamel (skate to live), Paul, Skylar, Missy and the whole RFSO crew for being cool and to Isaac for being the glue! Check out Isaac's new site at http://www.realfanshitonly.com/.

USUGROW X SECRET BASE: FIRST LOOK!!! TOY SCOOP!!!

While editing toypunks footage early this morning, we received an email from our friend Hiddy of Secret Base Toys containing this stunning pic of an upcoming release. Designed by Usugrow, the Japanese artist who's garnering international accolades for his meticulous skull-and-letter laden work, this toy represents the freshest take on the genre since Pushead's Skullpirate. In the SB tradition, prototype figures are released first in all black vinyl. Check Secret Base's site for details and updates. This piece looks amazing and we are officially clamoring!

ISAAC RAMOS: REAL FAN SHIT ONLY!!!

Before any US companies or designer vinyl collectors preached the merits of new Japanese vinyl, Isaac Ramos was on it. A crazy collector (toys + music) and co-owner of Dog and Pony Record company, Ramos first began a fan site to help educate people about the first wave of Japanese designer vinyl and its modern offshoots. Kids and old school collectors alike got full-blown addicted to Japanese vinyl thanks in large part to his infectious enthusiasm for this under appreciated scene in the US. Recently, he's been dropping rad toys and fashion items made in extremely limited runs that boast his mantra, "Real Fan Shit Only". When toypunks sat down with Isaac for an interview in San Francisco, he dropped the knowledge like only he can while proving his penchant for comedy. After toiling for various companies over the past few years in the skateboarding, music, design and toy industries (most recently for S7), Isaac just announced his new solo toy site www.realfanshitonly.com which is currently being crafted. Expect it to rule!

BXH X THREE TIDES TATTOO X MIKE GIANT!

Though our blog is set up to chronicle and tease the upcoming toypunks film, we have to shout out this slick shirt made by a gang of our favorite creators, all of whom have played some part in the toypunks' world. This shirt is a collaborative effort between Bounty Hunter, Three Tides Tatttoo, and amazing cross-disciplinary artist, Mike Giant, who fully killed it for us on the toypunks logo. Featuring Giant's bold b&w illustration with a BXH logo on the front and an intense cholo logo treatment on the flipside, this shirt rules. On June 23rd, it will be available online at www.threetidestattoo.com. Masa and Ussun from Three Tides mentioned that they're taking paypal for their online sales. The shirt will also be available at Bounty Hunter stores in Japan.

TOY'S RUIN?! WEST COAST STYLE WITH FRANK KOZIK!

When we sat down with Frank Kozik for an interview a few weeks ago, we knew we were in for some serious stories from the veteran artist. Most popular in the toy world for his Smoking Rabbit character, Kozik turns out more toys than any other designer in the business, so it's no surprise that vinyl fans with down-from-day-one attitude get a bit frazzled over his release style. However, for Kozik it's an old story; he's no stranger to creating for subcultures. Before vinyl hit, he ran the independent record label, Man's Ruin, and he was a successful poster artist who cut his teeth in Austin's punk scene in the early '80s. In our interview, he explains how he's created for and sold to the underground for over 25 years and that, though the players and products have changed, the same dynamics exist in the toy, music and art worlds. It was a compelling interview that really shows the cultural connections between underground toys, art and punk from someone who's been hugely successful in all three worlds.

Perched high in the studio, Kozik's Mao Tse Tung with Mickey ears (aka The Bird is the Word) sits next to Bounty Hunter's life-size Skull Kun. Kozik's first figure release, the initial Smoking Rabbit, was produced by Bounty Hunter in the late '90s. Kozik cites Bounty Hunter's Kid Hunter as an early inspiration on his vinyl career!

Next, we're taken through the creative process on camera.














From pencils and graph paper, all the way to computer turnarounds and package design, it's equal parts art and science.














Lifestyle! These fiberglass smoking rabbit chairs are rad.



Whether designing his own toys or hand painting recolors for Japanese micro-brands, Kozik keeps rolling. Here, an army of Real Head figures designed by Mori await the finishing paints.
Near the far wall of his studio, Kozik goes big on canvas! Belzor is the sickness.














Finally, check this small sampling of the man's massive toy collection. Whether you're an artist working in the industry or you're new to vinyl, it's about creativity and excitement for these cool objects!

KHAKI DESIGN WORKS: COSMIC CHANCE!!!

The best surprise and one of the most fascinating interviews of our Japan journey came in the form of our visit with Khaki, owner and designer of +8 Paris Rock. We didn't know Khaki before this trip. We met by chance when he began a casual conversation with toypunks' Chris and Carl outside an antique shop in Meguro-ku. Before Khaki knew anything about the toypunks project he told us he was a fashion designer whose philosophy is inspired by Lou Reed circa '77. An old soul and a gracious guy, Khaki invited the toypunks crew to dinner and to his design studio in Nakameguro. Nakameguro is purportedly becoming one of the cool neighborhoods in Tokyo; "Harajuku is not nearly as interesting these days", he says.
At Khaki's studio we're blown away by his hand-crafted jewelry items that reveal layers of intricacy. Khaki's work is elegant, thoughtful and tough.


A recent Vans collaboration--classic style! Khaki tells us that he never uses computers to design, only raw materials, pencil and paper. Check out these distressed-and-dirtied Vans and Converse collabs. Pretty fresh.

Of course, after hanging out with Khaki and friends for a few beers and home style food at a local restaurant, an interview was a must! toypunks' Chris Nelson sets up the shot inside the studio.
During our chat, we learn that Khaki is a serious collector. A David Cronenberg fan, Khaki first shows us his Medicom typewriter beetle from Naked Lunch. His friend, Oka Narue of Medicom Toy, gave it to him as a gift and only a few of them exist. Toy heads will know Oka's name for a lot of reasons, though he's best known for creating the Kubrick. It's a small world for people who make rad things.



The root of it all! Khaki also collects records. He has roughly 5,000 of them, "all rock" he says. His other collections include teak skateboards from the '70s and pre-NES hand-held games called Gamewatch.

Ultimately, Khaki tells us that he's intentionally kept his brand small so that he can control quality and make whatever he wants. He doesn't care about trends at all and philosophy of design is most important to him. Khaki is the real deal. Here he is with his partner who makes women's items and jewelry. Anthony Keidis is in the middle. Khaki makes clothes for Anthony's band.

GARGAMEL: VINYL ALCHEMY PT 2

Kiyoka progresses nicely on the Hedoran vinyl. Every one of these toys gets hand-painted by the Gargamel staff.

We get a lot of insight into the toy production process at Gargamel. Pictured here are some sculpts in progress, plus a finished sculpt for the mini Smogun figure. As you can see, from clay sculpture to the final toy, shrinkage happens. Kiyoka has to consider this when adding the fine details. A versatile master sculptor, Kiyoka acutally cut his teeth sculpting silver jewelry.

The gang at Gargamel. After the shoot, the fellas brought out some Japanese cakes. We ate and chatted while listening to death metal. Good times and a tremendous bunch of people!

GARGAMEL: VINYL ALCHEMY! PT1

So far we'd hung out with some amazing toy and fashion designers, but it wasn't until we hit up the Gargamel boutique and behind-the-scenes workshop that we got a taste of what it means to hand craft a Japanese vinyl toy!
Insanely talented sculptor and equally nice guy Kiyoka Ikeda sculpted and painted in front of the camera. Our whole crew just sort of stared in awe during the process.
Here's Kiyoka smiling and laughing as he paints the recently sold out run of camo Hedorans.

TRIPLE THREAT: THREE TIDES TATTOO!

Balzac's Hirosuke and Akio, and toypunks' Justin Kovalsky arrive at Three Tides Tattoo where the good times continue...


But first, we spot this amazing Three Tides sign made byTokyo-based sign painter, Nuts. Nuts has mastered the craft of traditional American sign painting and pushed it to the level of fine art.


Inside, we talk with Masa, owner of Three Tides and a genuinely cool guy. The shop is meticulous and overflowing with quality work. It becomes clear in moments that Masa is the soul of the operation. In addition to Three Tides, he also owns Trigger, an upcoming Osaka brand that's putting out sick art decks and clothing from the likes of Mike Giant and Usugrow. Keep your eyes out for a shirt collaboration that Masa has coming with BXH in the near future, too!
















On the first floor, there's a spacious gallery housing dope paintings.
Back upstairs, Three Tides tattooer Mutsuo shows us his own sleeve. Mutsuo is super talented; he's also Akio from Balzac's artist of choice.

Vinyl inspiration! Bounty Hunter toys line the shelves in Mutsuo's work area.





Meanwhile, we talk more with Akio (below) about his history with tattoos and his own clothing sublabel through Balzac called Culture...











Here's a quick video still of Masa's right hand man, Ussun, as he shows off some wild Microman work. Ussun is also good friend of Secret Base's Hiddy and he's got the passion for toys and comedy to prove it!







All in all, Osaka was an eye-opening experience. The city felt a bit more gritty than Tokyo and it boasts a wellspring of killer creativity. Due to a tight filming schedule, we had only a day to spare for Japan's second largest city. We realize that we barely scratched the surface, so next time we're building in more time! Most of all, it was fascinating to uncover the deep connections and distinct differences between the Osaka and Tokyo creators we'd interviewed so far. Osaka is aces. Thanks a lot to everyone from Shocker, Balzac and Three Tides Tattoo!



Masa also hooked up some fresh shop t-shirts illustrated by Chris Garver. Before Miami Ink-ed stardom, Garver spent six months working at Three Tides with Masa and crew.

OSAKA SHOCK: BALZAC!!!

One of the highlights of our Japan journey was a day trip to Osaka from Tokyo. To get the shoot rolling, we took an early bullet train to meet ill punk band Balzac at their boutique, Shocker, located in the heart of Osaka. Balzac is amazing because they're not only wildly prolific musically, they create a host of extraordinary fashion items and toys tied to their evolved horror film-meets-punk aesthetic. Here's a video still from our interview. From left to right, meet the band: Atsushi Nakagawa (guitar), Akio Imai (bass), Hirosuke Nishiyama(vocals) and Takayuki Manabe (drums). Balzac is radness personified and if you have the chance to see them live, don't waste the opportunity! They have a couple of solid releases available from Misfits records in the US, too.










Inside a lit glass case at Shocker, Balzac houses items that are inspirational to them. A sketch for a painting by master artist Suehiro Maruo sits next to a bass guitar given to Balzac by the Misfits.



From clothing to records and a plethora of insane vinyl toys, Balzac has been dropping the fresh goods since 1992 when the band began. Balzac's members all contribute design and product ideas. In the year 2000, Shocker opened its doors catering to fans of the group's music and punk fashion.

The Skullman toys in the picture below are ultra rare and absolutely stunning--from the well-defined sculpt to the pristinely clear Japanese vinyl. Balzac's Skullman mascot was designed by Hirosuke.

These posters were all over Tokyo record stores promoting Balzac's new CD box set...

After the interview, we begin the stroll to Three Tides Tattoo which is only several blocks from Shocker. On the way, toypunks' Carl and Hirosuke talk about music and art in Osaka.
Balzac bassist Akio's super sick sleeves are pictured here--one side in neutral blacks and grays, and the other in full color. Akio gets most of his work done by an Osaka-based artist named Mutsuo who tattoos at Three Tides. Next stop: THREE TIDES TATTOO!

SECRET BASE OFFICE STYLE!

And now for a trio of teaser stills from the interview at Hiddy's office.
Here's the entryway to the headquarters!
We snagged this shot of the shelf above the desk area while setting up. We also listened to the Clash as Hiddy cracked jokes. For real, this man's got skills as a comic. Somebody needs to put out a Hiddy stand-up record. (Ramos, where you at?!)
Hiddy lays it down in interview. We talk about his collecting style, musical taste, design inspiration and his hometown of Osaka. It was a great discussion that reveals much about Hiddy's personality and, in turn, the amazing items that SB puts out. Thank you, Hiddy. As we translate this interview and all of the others, we'll be dropping video snippets on the site.

SECRET BASE IS GONNA FIGHT: PT2!

So sick! A sketch of Marvel's Venom by Usugrow for Secret Base!

Hiddy holds court at the shop before we hit the road for the interview. It's just a short walk to Hiddy's office...

SECRET BASE IS GONNA FIGHT: PT 1!

On our second day of shooting we hung out with Hiddy, a master of comedy and toys, and the proprietor of Secret Base in Harajuku. Here's a still shot directly from our interview at Hiddy's office. For those who aren't familiar with Secret Base's vast catalog of work, the company has been going strong for five years, creating hundreds of the freshest underground vinyl toys in Japan. Known largely for dope designs and made-in-Japan quality, most of Hiddy's line is based on his close friend Takeshi Sakamoto's Fink-Shit "fight figure" that was released independently in 1997. Several fight figure micro-brands have emerged in SB's wake, but SB is the undeniable original. SB rules.

Before we journeyed to Hiddy's office, however, we dropped by the SB boutique, which is quite literally underground. This is a pic of the entrance sign tucked in a back alley of Harajuku. Take the stairs down to the point of no return! Once you're hooked on the Base, there's no going back.

On the right at the bottom of the steps, an amazing archive of Secret Base figures greets you. Awww yeah.
Secret Base items are made in Japan using production methods that have been refined by Japanese toy makers for the past half century.
SB's shop manager, Chika, share's a little about the day-to-day at the boutique and the brand's most popular toys.

Cut! Take five.

After the BXH interview, Chris and Hikaru have a smoke.

BOUNTY HUNTER'S GOT THAT P.M.A.

Toypunks officially began filming in Japan on March 2nd! To kick things off, here's a video still from our interview with one of the original kings of toys and punk style, Hikaru Iwanaga. Hikaru and his partner Taka are the gentlemen behind the perennial Bounty Hunter toy and fashion brand which began nearly ten years ago. We filmed at the original Bounty Hunter shop in Harajuku, met Taka and their crew, and toypunks own Chris Nelson gave Hikaru his Bad Brains shirt from the '89 Quickness tour as a token of thanks. It was sugoi, which we learned in Japanese means pretty fucking awesome. Hikaru and Taka are both as cool as it gets and Hikaru gave an intense interview. He talked heavily about his youth in punk and toys, the unrelentless spirit of BXH, and the past, present, and future of the brand that started it all. Thank you Hikaru and Taka.

Here's a video still of the life-size Skull-kun toy that adorns the Bounty Hunter Harajuku Shop. Creator of the Skull-kun, Hikaru, says that the figure is cast "in the image of Frankenberry combined with the Misfits." This is one of the raddest and most historically relevant designs to emerge from the toy underground.