Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
I’ve been a huge fan of the magazine since I picked up the June 2006 issue, but I have to wonder if the choice to open up storefronts as an extension of the GR brand was a wise move, since those were/are resources that could have been put to better use towards the magazine itself and seriously ramping up your web presence to attract more readers outside of Asian culture enthusiasts. -Yes, the storefronts kept the print going. It was definitely the right thing to do. If there were Oscars for publishers who’ve done more than just print a mag, I deserve a few gold mofos sitting on my mantle. And look at what it’s done for popular culture and boutique culture around the world. ” I don’t normally go for this kind of thing. I feel like if you can’t run your business with an actual business model, I shouldn’t be responsible for propping you up…but in this case, it’s actually a really cool magazine and I’d like to support it. “ -Thanks but you’re not responsible for it. We are. Thanks for the support. I don’t mean to brag about our growth, but honestly shouldn’t a business move to a model that works? -And tell me, what business model works today? Oh the internet? Any magazine that uses Impact as a title face needs more help than just cash. -We’ve had Impact as the title font before it came with Apple computers. Seriously. Yikes this sucks! I wonder if the Hyphen crew ever worked with them. Wonder why these two magazines didn’t merge as one. Seems like same style and audience. I’m not sure if I’ve been to the SF store but I’ve been to the LA one and it’s super neat. Would hate to see it go out of business. -The stores are one thing, the mag is another. How do we merge with another magazine? And no, our audiences are different! You are a company and magazine that I hope to one day aspire to and this announcement broke my heart. I will only donate my two cents. The quality of your work and the image of your company was not reflected in your video. Boo! In this economy and in a country that felt cheated by a bank bailout, I think companies asking for handouts is really anti-America. You are in the creativity industry. The best you could do was sit in chairs and demand money? That was your best pitch? If you fail, you fail because you weren’t trying hard enough, not because you didn’t receive enough HELP. That’s capitalism. If the entire print industry is failing, then do SOMETHING DIFFERENT. You do have a loyal fan base so dare to be creative. -I’ve replied to this one in the comments from the donation post. I suppose we could have been more creative and stood up and forced you to send us money as an even better pitch. USA USA!
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Epic tonkatsu at a spot called Tonki near Meguro station. You walk in and the space is decorated with raw wood everywhere. There’s a wide open kitchen where you see about 6 people working on service, cooking, cutting, and it’s amazing. The katsu is cooked per order so once you sit, you’ll be waiting, but the wait is worth it. It’s perfect all around. You put just a tiny bit of sauce at a time instead of just pouring it all over. I guess it’s no secret, I’m in Tokyo at the moment. It looks like this and below is how the outside looks. It’s amazing.
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Some of you astute followers of Giant Robot may have seen this already. What is it and why is it important? Imagine, the same problems that are affecting so many magazines are now affecting us. We held out for the longest time, but we are in a situation that’s making print publishing incredibly difficult. If you see the video I cut up, it’ll tell the story in under three minutes. The difference between us and some of the other magazines? We’re working hard and trying to find new advertisers, even if it’s friends, family friends, or old acquaintances – we can do this. We have our core of loyal advertisers, great readers, and a bunch of fine shops who sell us, but we’re still coming up short. We’re not asking for help to make just one issue, we’re actually asking for a whole year and then some. Your help goes a long way. Our printer has stepped up to offer us some help for the next year, and we’ve been able to reach out for support from a few new advertisers. But for the balance, we will need your help. Take a look, tell us what you think, or help us out. Here’s the link to http://www.giantrobot.com/donate
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It’s a small secret that I’m working on a secret project. It’s a car! A few months ago, I was asked to design a car for Toyota Scion. I’m glad to do this project amidst the bad news of the venerable car company major recall which is throwing the car world into a whirlpool. That’s a seat design pictured above. I won’t tell you much about the car just yet, but the design is coming around. That’s Len, a dude who can pimp your ride. There’s a view of the shop. I visited them on Friday in Orange County. The car is still two months off, and not anywhere near what it’ll end up looking like just yet. It’s neat that an idea from a napkin can actually turn into a serious automobile. That’s Len near his tool area and explaining something with his hands. That’s a 1961 Honda. It’s not stock at all. See the gas tank and the seat? It’s all custom by Len. He can do cycles too. I don’t ride, but if I did, I’d want one of these.
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That’s Souther sitting in the cubby hole next to his pieces. While it’s slightly sad that the show is over, and it’s on to the next, it’s also great to see people stop in to take down their work, or in Souther’s situation, to photograph it all. It’s sort of like the party that wanted to keep on going. We need to figure out how to get that done for next time. It’s amazing what you can do with scraps of wood, Sculpey, and nails. Souther Salazar Interview Perhaps the most gracious person in the show was Albert Reyes. He took down his work in a matter of minutes and off he went into the smog. He’s holding up Winona Rider. She’s quite great in my opinion. But what is the Matt Furie text in the background mean?
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