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toco toco
Season 1 • Episode 22 • Miku Sawai, singer-songwriter
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toco toco Season 1, Episode 22: Miku Sawai, singer-songwriter
In today’s episode, singer-songwriter Miku Sawai will guide us in Shimo-kitazawa and introduce us to vintage clothes shop HAIGHT&ASHBURY. Shimo-kitazawa is a popular aera among young people with many music venue, theaters, record shops, cafes and vintage shops. When she came to the capital to embrace a musical career, Miku Sawai was taking vocal training here, that’s why this aera is full of memories for her. Miku Sawai became singer-songwriter and she sings and compose music for many popular anime series like « Kill La Kill », « Akame ga Kill », « Kimi to boku » or « Saenai kanojo no sodatekata » for example. We’ll visit the vintage clothes shop HAIGHT&ASHBURY. which exist for a very long time in Shimokitazawa and is often featured in fashion magazines. Fashion for the Seventies is trendy during summer 2015, especially wide pants and rock t-shirts that Japanese girls like to wear casually everyday. HAIGHT&ASHBURY has a wide selection of vintage clothes for men and women, even wedding dresses and accessories. Watch toco toco Season 1, Episode 22 Miku Sawai, singer-songwriter in HD free online. Enjoy high-quality streaming of toco toco Season 1, Episode 22 and share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Miku Sawai, singer-songwriter
In today’s episode, singer-songwriter Miku Sawai will guide us in Shimo-kitazawa and introduce us to vintage clothes shop HAIGHT&ASHBURY. Shimo-kitazawa is a popular aera among young people with many music venue, theaters, record shops, cafes and vintage shops. When she came to the capital to embrace a musical career, Miku Sawai was taking vocal training here, that’s why this aera is full of memories for her. Miku Sawai became singer-songwriter and she sings and compose music for many popular anime series like « Kill La Kill », « Akame ga Kill », « Kimi to boku » or « Saenai kanojo no sodatekata » for example. We’ll visit the vintage clothes shop HAIGHT&ASHBURY. which exist for a very long time in Shimokitazawa and is often featured in fashion magazines. Fashion for the Seventies is trendy during summer 2015, especially wide pants and rock t-shirts that Japanese girls like to wear casually everyday. HAIGHT&ASHBURY has a wide selection of vintage clothes for men and women, even wedding dresses and accessories.
Manabu Ōhashi, Animator and Character-designer
In today’s episode, one of Japanese animation’s living legends, Manabu Ōhashi, will take us to Asagaya visit the Laputa Cinema located in Asagaya, a unique cinema showing old Japanese film where he goes often. Laputa, with its unique building design and hidden entrance, is a perfect spot to discover traditional Japanese cinema, or just to relax around a cup of coffee. In the second part of the episode, Manabu Ōhashi takes us to the Laputa Art Animation School, where he is lecturing every week. This school offers a unique curriculum, which as opposed to normal animation schools, is not aimed for students pursuing a career in animation but enrolls students who never did any animation work before. These students get the opportunity to liberate their creativity by overseeing a project from scratch throughout the year. Manabu Ōhashi, who worked on iconic projects such as Ashita no Joe 2, Cobra or Robot Carnival, will then introduce his work as an animator in addition to his vision of the work style in Japanese animation. Lastly, he will introduce " Chibi neko no Tom no daibōken ", an old project directed by Ryōtarō Nakamura, that was brought back to life through crowdfunding.
Swery65, Video game creator
In today’s episode, we are visiting Osaka with Swery65, creator of the world renowned games Deadly Premonition and D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die, who will take us to some of his favorites places, some of which had a large influence on his games. First we will visit the KO-HATSU Arcade, a game center specialized in versus fighting games, that also showcases some of Swery’s first games of his career. After that, we will take a break in Ogimachi park, one of Osaka’s few green spots, before heading to Owl’s Nest, a Canadian bar where Swery has been a regular for more than 10 years. This stop will lead us to the second part of the episode, a drinking session in Swery’s go-to bars, the first of which is the bar Nemuri, held by a former college classmate of his, serving some of Osaka’s finest whiskies and scotches. Lastly, our last stop will be at the bar Cactus, the go-to place for tequila in Osaka, where the night continues…
Masaki Maenosono, Vocalist and Drummer
In today’s episode, Masaki Maenosono, lead vocal and drummer in the Japanese rock band 8otto, is taking us for a visit Sakai, his home town where we will go and have some delicious local delicacies. While introducing us to his career in music and the thrill of stage performances, we will first visit Kanbukuro, a store located near Terajicho Station that is specialized in Kurumi-mochi, a truly Japanese dish made with round rice cakes and a sweet walnut sauce. Kanbukuro is very famous among the locals and has been open for many generations, making the Kurumi-mochi a popular souvenir and dessert shared with friends and family. We will then remain in the Sakai area and head towards Fukasezushi, another old and traditional store that is specialized in Anago-zushi, an exquisite preparation made with boiled eel. Enjoy this traditional gourmet tour, with a few hints of rock!
Naoko Shinpo, Accessory Designer
In today’s episode, Naoko Shinpo, accessory designer and founder of the Ni-Sankaku brand, is taking us to the Yutori-chan bar, located in the Misono Building, home to many mysterious bars. She will introduce us to her work and creations, specialized in cat and animal ears and other headwear, in addition to a "bakeneko", that makes an appearance as a special guest. In the second part of the episode, we will be heading to Rock Star, a Reptile Café located in the Namba area, where customers can freely pet their favorite reptiles, among other animals such as owls, hedgehogs and various insects.
Chuya Koyama, Mangaka
In today’s episode, Chuya Koyama, creator of the worldwide hit manga "Space Brothers", that has been adapted in a feature film and an anime, is taking us to the FabCafe, a café and a digital creative space located in Shibuya. The FabCafe is a global network with locations in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and France; the Tokyo venue is located in Shibuya and holds an open event space for digital creation, with 3D Printers and Laser Printers anyone can use to give life to their digital creations, or engrave their laptops or smartphones. The FabCafe hosted a Space Brothers themed event last year, where fans could buy limited edition goods and attend a panel talk with specialists in spatial exploration. We will then proceed to have an exclusive visit at Chuya Koyama's atelier, where he creates a bi-weekly new chapter of Space Brothers with his five assistants. Chuya Koyama goes back on "Space Brothers"' origins, while giving an explanation of the production process of the manga.
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Hikaru Cho is a young artist and designer, which is famous for her ultra realistic body painting work, creating surprising trompe-l'oeil and optical illusions. In today’s episode, she will be taking us to the Cinema Two, located in Tachikawa. Unlike city theaters, this suburb location offers the perfect amount of space and commodity to fully relax and enjoy a film. Hikaru Cho is especially fan of a screen that uses "explosive" sound technology (with speakers originally used for concerts.) Hikaru Cho will then be taking us to her home, which is also her atelier and the place she uses to get inspiration and gather her ideas. We got the chance to take a glimpse at her work with her past achievements, which include collaborations with fashion brands, NGOs or musicians, and a live demo of her truly impressive body painting skills. Take a moment to relax and discover those soothing places, and do not forget to check out the last word!
DE DE MOUSE, Electronic Musician
DE DE MOUSE is an electronic musician based in Tokyo, famous for his psychedelic music universe and dynamic live performances. In today’s episode, DE DE MOUSE will take us to Tama New Town, a recent city that grew from ground up after the activation of an urbanism project in the seventies. Its kitsch style of architecture and urban design made it popular in the eighties, however it suffered a drop in population in the nineties onwards, especially from younger demographics. DE DE MOUSE will then take us to the Tsurumaki-Higashi Park, a very important location to him, where he comes to relax and admire the view over Tama New Town from the top of a lonely hill. He used the city as a location for one of his music videos, composed of more than 100,000 photos. Our last stop will be the Tsurumaki-Daini Park, another elevated location with a view over the city favored by the artist, where DE DE MOUSE will tell us more about his music style and his bond with the town, truly defining his style.
Hiroto Ikeuchi, Artist and Modeler
Hiroto Ikeuchi is a Tokyo-based artist, specialized in the creation of dioramas using parts from plastic models. Recently, he also started to create accessories such as earphones or headphones using the same concept. During this episode, Ikeuchi will take us to Tama Art University, one of Japan's most prestigious art universities and his alma mater. We followed him to the university's most recent faculty, the Art Science department, introduced by one of his former professors. In the second part of the episode, we will head towards Asagaya to visit Ikeuchi's atelier, which he also uses to showcase his creations. Ikeuchi will explain his work and most recent collaborations to lay more light on his universe, constantly expanding one diorama at a time.
DJ Mayumi, DJ
DJ Mayumi is a Japanese female DJ who is also mixing CD compilations, and track maker specialized in hip hop, R&B, reggae and EDM. She released ten CD at Universal Music Japan and one original album. DJ Mayumi loves to walk and drive in the Minatomirai area in Yokohama. This area is famous for its Ferris wheel and the Landmark Tower, as well as its many malls and attractions. The scenery and sky line are beautiful especially at night, it is perfect spot for a date or hanging out with friends. In the second part, DJ Mayumi takes us to Wang’s Dining, her friend’s bar. Located in Motomachi, Wang’s Dining is a « at-home feeling » bar where you can drink, eat, play darts, party or mix at the DJ booth. DJ Mayumi is a long time friend with Wang, the owner and they like to drink together. She recalls how she started to be interested in DJing after seeing a DJ in a bar for the first time.
Kenji Kawai, Composer
Kenji Kawai is a world-renowned music composer who made dozens of soundtrack for movies, anime, TV series or games such as Ghost in the Shell, Avalon, Patlabor, The Ring, Ranma 1/2, and many more. He will introduce us to the Kita-Shinagawa area, where he was born and raised and where he is still living today. First we will visit the Shinagawa Shrine, where he used to play as a child. During the shrine's festival in June, the « mikoshi » (portable shrine) is guided by the sound of a Japanese drum and a flute. It’s quite unusual compared to other festivals in Japan. Kenji Kawai liked the sound of this drums to the point it was his inspiration for the soundtrack of « Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence ». Then, Kenji Kawai takes us to Kita-Shinagawa shopping street. During the Edo period, this street was a part of the Tokaido road, Japan’s most famous central road which was running from Tokyo to Kyoto. This portion was called Shinagawajuku, and it was the first stop for travelers leaving from Tokyo. Kenji Kawai used to walk this street every day to go to school. In the last part, Kenji Kawai take us to his music studio where he spends most of his time composing, recording and mixing music. He’ll tell us about the surprising way he became a composer, his influences, thoughts about composing music. Then, he’ll explain how the famous « Ghost in the Shell » soundtrack which mix drums and Japanese traditional song was born.
Gajumaru, Comedy duo
Gajumaru is a duo of comedians and "butt-artists" based in Tokyo, part of the prestigious Office Kitano agency. In this episode, they will introduce Shimokitazawa, an area various subcultures cross paths and where aspiring artists come to perform and attempt to achieve their dreams of fame. First, Gajumaru will take us to Pearl Lady, a shop specialized in crepes and bubble tea, to taste their tapioca-flavored delicacies, before heading to the Makino fabric shop, home of hundreds of different fabric designs for all amateurs of cloth-crafting. This is where the two comedians buy the fabric that makes their red fundoshi, the attire in which they perform. In the last part, we will head over to the Shimokita Studio Thrash, a small theater and playhouse where Gajumaru performs for free on Fridays and during the weekends. There, Gajumaru will tell us more about their activities as "butt-artists". Thrash's stage welcomes various artists, where they get the occasion to perform and refine their art, to some day catch their big break into the industry.
Yuka Fukuma, Tokiwa-so Project Manager
Yuka Fukuma works for the Tokiwa-so project, who supports young mangaka aspiring to become professionals. Named after the famous Tokiwa-so house that hosted Tezuka Osamu, among other worldwide famous mangaka, Tokiwa-so counts 27 residences in the Kanto and Kyoto region that host young mangaka from all over Japan and overseas as well. Residents get to exchange and discuss about their work together, in addition to Tokiwa-so staff regularly visiting to give advice on their work. We will meet with two residents of the Shibamata House, Mr. Kita and Mr. Mikami, who will tell us about their experience living in a Tokiwa-so residence and how it motivates them in their work. In the second part of the episode, we will go to the Edogawa river banks, close by the residence, to take a deep breath out of the city noise and enjoy the river's soothing breeze. The two mangaka often go there to clear their heads and think of new ideas, and to observe scenes they could include in their work.
KYOTARO, Drawing Artist
KYOTARO is an artist based in Tokyo who works in various fields, such as illustration or fashion, and also did collaborations with world-renowned artists such Katsuya Terada. Today she will introduce us to her work by visiting two of her exhibitions that are held in the city. Our first stop will be the mograg gallery, that specializes in "Japanese lowbrow" art and often showcases new artists. KYOTARO's exhibition gathers more than 170 pieces of her work, mostly centered on pencil drawing, made during the past 15 years. After discovering a few landmarks in Ginza, we will head towards the Morioka Book Store to discover KYOTARO's second exhibition, showcasing her manga work. The Morioka Book Store is unique as it only sells one book at a time, in addition to goods related to the book in order to recreate its universe. This is where we will discover MWUAI, an original story drawn fully by pencil showcase a white bear as its main character...
Roa, Rock Band
Roa is a rock band founded in 2014 currently based in Tokyo. The band was formed by 6 members, one of them playing the shamisen (Japanese traditional string instrument), adding a Japanese touch to their Western rock influence. Today, we will meet with two members of the band in Sangubashi to visit a ramen restaurant, where the drummer of the band works. After an introduction of the Japanese noodle dish Tsukemen, we will head towards Shibuya to follow the band through the preparation of its first solo concert, that was held at the Shibuya O-crest venue. We will discover the band's members, style and influences, before diving in a concert that will remain in each member's memory. Additionally, the band will be performing its first live overseas in France this July.