The idea is to use her as a next gen mannequin. Geminoid-F is capable of basic emotions and behaviors that it uses to create expressions and actions based on it’s environment. You can expect her to smile, nod and move about a bit in her chair, probably fooling some passers-by into thinking she’s a real woman.

She might even yawn as you pass by. One thing she won’t do (or so I hope) is break the glass with her fist and pick you up by the neck, while signaling other android mannequins that it is time for the invasion. That would be bad.

[via Diginfo]

This special vending machine uses drips of coffee poured carefully through milk to form a face on the top of your hot beverage. In this particular case, it makes the face of a woman, floating in your foamy cuppa cappu. Apparently, that’s a pattern that Yojiya Cafe teaches its human baristas to make too. Here’s a video clip of the machine working it’s magic. Trust me when I say that since it does all of its tricks behind closed doors, it’s not very thrilling though.

Heck, there could be a little tiny barista in there doing that for all I know. From what I can tell, the face is the only pattern this machine makes, but it would be cool if you could pick from others. I’m sure they’ll eventually figure that out if they haven’t already.

This particular machine is located at the Yojiya Cafe in Haneda Airport if you happen to be in Tokyo and want to check it out for yourself.

[via YouTube]

The rails were made-over with simple wraparound decals, but they look amazingly accurate, as if the poles had really been replaced by lightsabers. Great job of marketing the new Blu-ray release. Now please, no more changes. I just want to watch the original un-retouched versions.

[Japan Trends and Flickr via NewLaunches via OhGizmo!]

This robot was developed by Yasunori Yamada from the University of Tokyo, and the quadruped robot can jump, walk, and gallop (sort of). Yamada-san is studying for his Master’s, and I have to say that his PIGORASS robot is pretty impressive. The ‘bot has got a simulated neural system, which means that you don’t have to program every eventuality into it. The artificial pneumatic muscles do the job.

I just wonder when I’ll have a fully functioning robot dog that can go walkies on its own.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Plastic Pals]

Apparently, this robot is life-sized, meaning that it’s quite huge. You can take your photo right next to it. This makes me want to hop on a plane and head to Japan right now.

The movie was released in 1986 and is the first movie that Studio Ghibli released. I’ve been a fan for years. My favorite Ghibli feature by Miyazaki is Spirited Away. If you haven’t seen it, add it to your Netflix queue now.

[via Le Blog De Bango (FR)]

Personally, I hate the “Special” versions of Episodes 4, 5, and 6. I’ve seen them a few times when they came out, and before you ask, yes, I’ve seen all of the Star Wars movies quite a few times, but like many fans, I find that George Lucas messed up something great when he released these versions.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

But I digress – back to Japanese dancing stormtroopers. It’s pretty funny, and worth a gander. I wonder if it’s in THX.

[Danny Choo via Gadgets In]

It’s called the Anipov LED system and it’s made by Japan’s Suns & Moon Laboratory. The system can access bitmap files as well as other image formats. Then, it displays them on a set of rapidly spinning LED-covered spokes. For now, this kind of system isn’t waterproof and relies solely on batteries. However, it won’t take long until someone hacks it to work off a dynamo of some kind.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The Anipov LED system costs about 15,000 yen ($165 USD) and was shown off last weekend at the Tokyo Make Meeting. Anipov kit parts can be ordered here, but you’ll have to understand Japanese to figure out what you need to do in order to get this going on your bike.

[via Gizmag]

Darth is part of an interactive campaign that allows you to go to a special website. You enter your name in a text box and then you’ll see a video of Darth Vader stalking the streets of Tokyo in order to find you. He stops in the middle of the famous Shibuya crossing, and looks up at your own name displayed on the area’s gigantic video screen. There’s a close-up of Vader, who responds in Japanese that you are not his boss! I couldn’t exactly figure out how to make it work, but maybe you guys can.

I don’t think that Vader ever spoke Japanese, or used the word “boss,” but what do I know? Personally, I think Vader should have said one of his more well known-responses, like: “Luke, I am your father. Search your feelings, you know it to be true!”

[via Shibuya246 via DVice]

It turns out that despite the dismantling of the Giant Gundam his head still lives on. It’s sort of like that movie They Saved Hitler’s Brain, where they kept the evil Furor’s head alive in a jar. Or was that a Futurama episode I’m thinking of? Now I can’t remember. Either way, it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that the big Gundam head has been decapitated from its body and surfaced as booth dressing for Bandai Namco’s booth at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show.

Please to enjoy some video footage of the head…

I hope the next stop on the giant head’s world tour is my front lawn. Yeah, my neighbors would appreciate that, I’m sure.

[via Destructoid, photo via Flickr]

The statue is a life-size model of the RX-78-2 Gundam that appeared in the very first Gundam series, a model from which most successive Gundam designs get their iconic samurai-style appearance.

The Gundam statue is made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic over a steel frame. It will be 59 feet tall and weigh 35 tons when finished, and will “emit light or mist from 50 points of its body.”

The statue will also be able to move its head, so that it can shake it in disbelief at the undoubtedly millions of otakus, fans, and devotees that will come bearing offerings, hugging it and crying at its feet, some claiming to be its long-lost children.

I hope to be one of those drooling man-children. I absolutely really truly must go and see this Gundam. Really.

The statue will be displayed in public from July 11 to August 31, free of charge. Mark your calendars, fellow mecha freaks.

[via robots dreams and anime news network]

Square Enix site members are invited to apply for a chance to check out Blood of Bahamut in mid-May at the Square Enix headquarters in Tokyo, which means there will be loads of impressions available on the Internet the day after.

If you’re concerned about Square Enix doing something new, take heart; it’s not that different. This game will be full of espers you know (and maybe love). This is just taking some of the familiar imagery in a new collection. As for newness… well, considering Square Enix’s last new project was the fantastic The World Ends With You–also a DS title–frankly, I wish they’d stick to new projects for a while!

[Square Enix member site via Siliconera]

The Kisai Denshoku watch is crafted from aluminum and stainless steel, and tells time using a unique set of stacked orange LED bars.

A press of the rectangular display button starts an animated sequence that shows the time in three steps. First stage shows the hours, then the second displays ten minute intervals, followed by a third pass that displays the single minutes. Confused? Maybe this simple Flash animation will help illustrate how the Denshoku works:

There’s also an animation mode that lets turns on a lighting sequence once every minute for 12 minutes after checking the time. Why? Dunno. But it sure does look purty. You can even adjust the brightness of the LEDs to conserve battery life.

The Denshoku is available in either black or bright silver brushed metal finishes, and can be found over at TokyoFlash for appx. $236 (USD), including worldwide shipping.

Oh, that’s where I put my mushrooms – I’ve been looking for them all day. Maybe the cops were coming and they had to hide ‘em?

Shadowadrik snapped this great photo at the Akiba, Tokyo video game shop Potato King (I assume that he meant Super Potato).

The bright green laser tree was on display from December 18 to 22 between the towers of the Yurakucho Marion building in the Tokyo’s fashionable Ginza district.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I still think nothing’s quite as good as Madrid’s Pac-Man Christmas tree, but this one is still cooler than your average evergreen.

In order to keep you on schedule, Yumekobo’s Yamanote Alarm Clock gives you a visual indication of the train schedule on its clock face. In order to maintain accuracy, the clock is automatically updated via a radio time signal.

From what I can tell, the way it works is that all of the train stations on Tokyo’s well traveled Yamanote train line are listed around the perimeter of the dial. When the train is estimated to be arriving a station, the hands correspond to the correct location of the train. To get an idea of how the clock works, somebody has made a web-based version of the clock here.

In keeping with the train theme, the alarm sounds are from recorded from the actual station melodies that play along the line.