Well...not vintage vinyl, but this seems the best place...it is vintage. I just posted a video on my blog of a Japanese TV program that features the guests using this rare book to make DIY classic kaiju costumes (Kanegon, Kemur, & Pestar) they're pretty hilarious. The book was published in 1968. I imagine that one of you guys might have this book in your collection, I had seen it somewhere before but can't remember where...and I would LOVE to see more of it... Crappy pic swiped from an auction Any more info on the video would be appreciated too from the Japanese speakers here! http://kaijuart.com/
Red- great video; I definitely need to check your blog more often... Just for reference, the title of the book is "Kaiju Ultra Zukan."
Ha thanks akum! Are you sure about the title...I translated the first two Kanji 怪獣 as Kaiju, The middle is a stylized ウルトラ which means Ultra, and the last two kanji: 図鑑 ...picture book. I'm definitely no expert though...could you explain?
It amounts to the same thing; I was just giving the direct reading of the characters if you wanted to search for the title. I think zukan = picture book. I always thought it was "encyclopedia," but it seems like it is closer to "children's encyclopedia." Funny that it is called "Kaiju Ultra Picture Book," and not "Ultra Kaiju Picture Book." I wonder if that means there are more of these for other live action shows... My girlfriend asked me what I was laughing at when I was watching the video. So I showed her the grown men running into an Ultraman building and dressing up like a 'giant cockroach.' Just another day in our house...
Cool...you're right about 'zukan'. I really wish I was better at Kana/Kanji translation! I love the Pestar suit guys with their added sound effects...and the Kemur suit = FAIL!
That would be great Jeff...she would make for a very cute Kanegon! Alex Wald (astromonster) posted this much better pic on my flickr, apparently this was printed in a sonosheet too!
"Zu" has the connotation of diagram or chart, eg. 地図 "chi-zu" - land diagram - or more commonly map. Zu-kan means an illustrated reference book (esp. for children)
Red, that book is a little expensive too, I have been wanting one for a while but just havent had the cash to spend on it.
Ahh thank you very much! I've see them go for $200-300 US! Me too, out of my range for books right now I must say, I do enjoy the vintage books almost as much as vinyl though!
love these old japanese kaiju books . there is a recent re issue of a couple of a couple of books but i think they are patchi ones like these .
