TOYPUNKS VOL.2 UPDATE: PLUS, INTRODUCING RECKLESS TOYS

Editing on Toypunks Vol. 2 continues and the footage is looking amazing. This volume is focused largely on the process of creating vinyl toys -- from illustration to sculpt, iron molds to mixing the liquid soft vinyl, to pouring, pulling and handpainting the toys. From old Japanese masters to American punk and street icons, the artists that participate in the modern Japanese street toy scene are either legendary or worthy of being deemed so, and we're proud to be documenting them -- many of them for the first time ever by a U.S. film crew.

Also, you may have noticed a lull in updates here on the Toypunks blog and at toypunks.com: Well, there's big news in our world. In addition to toiling away on the edit of Vol. 2, we have launched a toy company. www.recklesstoys.com. Already -- with three announced vinyl figures in production by Mike Sutfin, Lamour Supreme, and Mike Giant -- Reckless is our way to give life to toys by artists whom we deeply respect and are covering via our documentary work. Reckless is the 3D equivalent of our video work. For collectors, by collectors who are passionately documenting the scene. Check it. www.recklesstoys.com

PUSHEAD PAINTS IN TOYPUNKS VOLUME 2!

In addition to visiting Obitsu factory and original Marusan painter Goto-san, the Toypunks crew was fortunate to film with legendary punk artist Pushead as he hand-painted an array of his own original toys as well as a handful of figures by Rumble Monsters. In this unprecedented footage, Pushead shares some (but certainly not all) of his process with the camera, offering compelling insight into the nature of creating vinyl toys in both the Japanese and
modern underground tradition. Please look forward to it in Toypunks Vol 2, coming in winter 2009!

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: Take-shit!

One of the most unsung creators to have influenced the Japanese toy and street scene is Take-shit. 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!