dashPunk

It’s that time again! Time for my annual tour of the San Francisco shop windows.
This year we have much more in store for us than empty windows with boring, unemotional, uncreative, nothing. Most of the stores actually seemed to put some thought into it this year.

Top Pick

Anthropologie who used recyclables to create their winter scene.

They created two large animals using plastics that we all either used or thrown away in our daily lives.  I believe these bears are made from the leftovers of plastic bag packs used in stores.

You can also see box straps, soda can holders, and other plastic trash hanging from the ceiling to simulate snow. Great job guys! Not only is your window expressing your interest in the environment, but it’s creative and innovative.

Second Pick

Tiffany’s

After years of same old same old windows at this monster retailer, we finally get something interesting to look at.

These intricate paper works are so different from their previous windows and beautiful to look at. Whether it’s because of cutting costs, going green, or an new visual manager, I applaud this change and hope it continues in the future.

Other Notable Decorations

Barney’s on the left and Nordstrom’s on the right.

Barney’s tree (which was so big, I couldn’t get it in one shot thus the two-shot collage) sits in the lobby of Barneys. It is made of what appears to be cardboard and other toss-ables arranged in a very interesting way. They have some other visual elements on their walls in several different vignettes.

Nordstrom’s windows are rather pretty this year showing a pretty winter scene.

Don’t miss The Sugar Castle displayed in the lobby of St. Francis Hotel on Union Square. They also have an awesome Sci-Fi like tree. You have to see the laser lights on the tree.

Unfortunately, Saks disappointed us again with no drama, music, or imagination that we’ve been used to in the past. I have no idea why they discontinued this special holiday event, but it does a big disservice to the community.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised with the windows this year. Thank you to all the creators and imaginative persons involved. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year. Do you have a store in the San Francisco Bay Area that is dressed to the nines? Contact me and I’d be happy to drop by.

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How can you say no to these faces?

SPCA volunteers Abby, Karson, Julia, and Cameron (not pictured) want you to donate to help animals this holiday season.

Every year, Macy’s San Francisco gives precious retail advertising space to the orphan animals of the SPCA. Not only do they ask passersby to donate for these poor little guys, they can actually adopt a pet right on the spot! Every animal has been medically screened, vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. Each animal will come with a 30-day medical assistance plan at the SF/SPCA infirmary, plus a gift bag filled with samples, treats and valuable certificates from sponsor partners of The SF/SPCA and Macy’s.

The window theme this year goes along with Macy’s “Believe” campaign. With the main window showing our favorite guy in red, the other pet windows show letters from children and pets to Santa. These pictures allow you to see some of the cute pets napping their day away in the cozy surroundings as passersby admire their holiday home. Shoppers in the Bay Area can check out the windows from now until January 3rd, 2010.

At www.sfspca.org, you can watch the animal webcam and donate from your pc.  If monetary support is not your cup of tea, they are also asking for volunteers to assist in the event’s success like the girls above .

Macy’s has been a holiday staple in San Francisco’s season for what seems like forever. The buildings spanning two city blocks on Union Square have long been the hub of December activity. Although the SPCA windows seem to be their main focus, their other displays do not disappoint.

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Calling all goth-loli girls and Alice enthusiasts! Rozen Maiden is going to make you want to buy every single one of these volumes.

A boy named Jun, who has decided to no longer attend school, becomes addicted to mail ordering. He accidentally orders a doll who takes over his life. The doll then involves him in a game with her other doll sisters where the playfulness can lead to injury, missed bedtimes, and death.

In the first volume, the package arrives and the doll, Shinku, awakes. She starts ordering Jun around and commands that he swear to protect her. When he refuses, Shinku sends a butcher knife wielding, foaming-at-the-mouth teddy bear after him. Jun reluctantly agrees to her demands and she brings all of his action figures to life to kill the teddy bear. This opening scene tells you, you aren’t reading any old manga… this one is going to be good!

Just when Jun gets used to having the irritating doll around, others start showing up. Jun’s sister, Nori, is no help as she adores the dolls and makes them all the little sweets and tea they want.

Even though they do tackle deeper issues such as depression and human frailty, there remains an element of little girl silliness to the story line. In volume three, a standoff ensues between the youngest doll and the other dolls. Their threat is cutting her off from the sweets!

“Listen up. We’ve secured the kitchen and fridge. If you ever want sweets again, you will give yourself up!”

This manga is more than a chaotic romp in a doll’s fantasy “Alice” game. It is a comment on teens who sequester themselves away from others in hopes to hide from ridicule from mean classmates. The message in these volumes is that if you go too far, your spirit and all your talents that make you special will be lost. While the authors seem to agree that there are some social situations that make us all want to cower in the attic, they also show us that we can’t let those haters keep our creative spirit down.

For you horror lolita’s, there are several freaky aspects I think you’ll enjoy. The first being Suihuintoh, the spooky doll sister who has black wings and tries to destroy the other dolls by terrorizing them in a mirror world called LaPlace.  In LaPlace resides a freaky rabbit in a tux and top hat. He is what they call the Demon of LaPlace and seems to be there more to confuse them than attack them.

Although Jun thinks the dolls have ruined his life, they really save it by making him face his fears and come out of hibernation. By the end of volume three, the story has changed to a serious nature when Suihuintoh kills one doll and takes a part of Shinku.  Jun risks his life to retrieve the part of Shinku and in the process learns more about his depression.

By the end of volume four, the creator has added another doll for comic relief. She speaks to a kitty cat about how she is going to infiltrate the house and begin killing dolls. It’s a throw back for me to those comics of Snoopy when he pretended to be in combat and snuck through the bushes to the enemy camp.  I think perhaps she was brought in for volume five in which Jun goes into a massive depression and the book is rather dismal if you don’t count the breaks they take to bring in the silly doll on a quest.

Spookiness (and Jun) return in volume six when an new doll is discovered. She has to be the scariest doll yet, wearing all white with a rose and thorny vines growing out of her right eye.

Over all this manga is very entertaining, but perhaps has a more dismal storyline than others I’ve read. The ups and downs in this plot might make you more emotional that you would think. The art is detailed and beautiful. As for extras, there aren’t many.  Volume three has a few interesting collaboration comics with the mangas Zombie Loan and DearS. Volume four contains a cute comic on how the manga is made.

If you’d like to check these manga’s out, they are available at: Amazon.com

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Come with me into a tale about Momo, the girl god of death. She is a shinigami who wears all white and has a demon servant cat named Daniel. Daniel has bat wings and wears a bell on his collar that rings every time they approach one of their unfortunates. There are several mini stories in this book about people who are dying or will die. The subject matter is deep, but handled from a teenage or child point of view which I think is pretty unique. It might even be a good gift for a preteen who has recently experienced the death of a close friend. It may help them deal with the incident. For the horror seekers out there, this doesn’t have much to offer you. The scariest part happens in the last thirty pages of the book, centering around Momo facing off against another shinigami in true grim reaper form.

Ballad of a Shinigami is the first manga turned novel I have ever read. It was an experience I might try again, but not one I would suggest for the everyday novel reader. The stories in the book were meaningful and ended well. The size and weight makes it ideal for carrying with you on a trip or lugging around town as it can easily fit in a pocket. It is rated older teen 16+, though I’m not sure why unless it’s simply the subject of death.

The main problem novel readers will have is that this book reads very choppy. I couldn’t tell if it was because it is translated directly from Japanese or if it is because they tried to stick to the manga style?

An example of this is from page 24.

“She could only stare at it. She could do nothing. She hardly even breathed. She felt pain in her chest. Her heart hurt.”

It’s almost as if they are using one sentence to describe each from of the manga.

Other breaks from the story are passages like,

“…..”
Clank.
Boom.
“……?!”

In a world of other more eloquently crafted novels, I don’t think the general American novel reading public would give this book a chance. However, if you are a manga lover and trying to get into novels, or a manga reader that can overlook the choppiness, you should give it a try.

I was mildly irritated by the cat talking, but at least he kind of had some interesting things to say and I have to admit I laughed at the revelation that he does all the paperwork for Momo. I can just see a little disgruntled kitty typing on the computer and filling out forms. Makes me laugh and then shake my head.

For those of you who like talking animals, here’s another one for your list.

If you’re interested in checking it out get your copy here from Amazon.

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That’s right, the vampires you know and love are now in a non-electronic, easy to carry, can be read in the doctor’s office, hurled at villains, and possibly might save the world… PRINT VERSION!

If you happen to be in Northern California, Emerian’s release party will be held at Bay Books in Concord. Bay Books is one of the last independently owned bookstores with a large stock of new and used books. Come on over on October 30^th to meet Emerian, trick or treat, and get a lot of free goodies including a companion book with artist sketches, floor plans, insider information, and fan works.

If you can’t make it to the signing, support Emerian when you buy Night’s Knights: A Vampire Tale from Amazon here. Let’s show those publishers what vampire enthusiasts REALLY want.

For more information, visit http://www.emzbox.com

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There are so many manga out, you may be asking, “How can I choose the manga that is right for me?”

First you need to know what part of the manga you enjoy most.
Do you love goth-loli art? A good story? Something with horror in it?
It’s rare to find all these things in one manga series. Believe me, I’ve tried!

Some of you may rely on reviews such as this one to lead your way, but for those of you who are trying to create your own manga hunting style, here are some tips.

Know what you like

I look for good art first, story second.

Seems kind of weird for someone to say that about a book, but  unlike fiction books, mangas need to capture your eyes as well as your mind.

Good manga authors are a skilled, rare breed that can somehow create a tale and put it down in art in such a delicate fashion, you hardly realize you are reading what is basically a cartoon.  What good is a tale in a manga book without interesting art? They might as well have written a novel, let the publisher worry about the cover art, and stick to word writin’!

Know what you don’t like

I am emphatically against talking animals in manga. I hate them. Bats and spiders are sometimes ok, but bunnies and doggies and 300-year-old kitties reincarnated from a once great vampire god? Don’t get me started! However, my best friend adores animals talking and absolutely loves the manga (that shall remain nameless) with the vampire kitty. My point?

Know your tastes and just because your best friend urges you to buy her favorite manga because it has vampires in it, don’t automatically assume you will in enjoy it.  There may be a wisecrackin’ bunny hidden in the pages, and we all know what that leads to!

Hone your skills

Here are some tips on how to narrow the competition down.

1. Go to a store with a large manga selection.  This shouldn’t be too hard as it seems manga is the only hot selling item in bookstores these days.
2. Stand back from the manga shelves and scan.  If any cover draws your notice from a few yards back, it’s worth a look.
3. Check out the front cover in full. Are you a chibi lover, or do you enjoy killer cyborgs with little chibi interference? Make sure the cover speaks to your taste. If you see one character you don’t like, put it in the maybe pile. There is a good chance that character is going to be throughout the book and will irritate you every time you turn the page and see them.
4. Once you have narrowed down a few of the great covers, glance over the description on the back. Don’t put too much stock in the description because they don’t usually relate very closely to the tale. I’ve found that often manga covers seem to be written about the whole series and not about the one volume you are purchasing. As long as there are no talking vampire kitties, you are safe to go on.
5. Flip through the book and check out the art. Is the detail inside as good as the cover art? Is it appealing to you? Is the printing bad, or is it crisp and clean? Do you stop every so often to let a “wow” or a “ooooohhhh” slip from your lips? If you realize it’s a steampunk fantasy once you get inside and you don’t like that sort of tale, please don’t buy it just because you like the cover. You will be disappointed.
6. Finally, the tale. Read at least the first four pages to make sure you like the story. Does the character cuss like a twelve-year-old boy trying to show off to his mates? Does the dialog not flow? Is there some sort of back story you just don’t like? Don’t buy it. It will not get better. Unfortunately, in some stores (especially in Japantown) they seal the books. In this case, you either take your chances, or get smart and browse them online first. Sites like Amazon and Toykopop allow you to read the first couple of pages before you buy.

I tell you all these things because, like you, I once was a manga investigator trainee. I still get caught buying a stinker once in awhile. It’s all about:

• Knowing what you want
• Believing in your first instinct and
• Sticking to it, no matter how much the commerce bug has got you itching!

For those of you who still can’t decide, I’ve made a list of my top five series. Check out the reviews, see if you might like them, and then put on your manga p.i. hat and get shopping!

1. God Child by Kaori Yuki
2. The Tarot Café by Sang Sung Park
3. Princess Ai by Courtney Love and DJ Milky
4. Death Note by Tsugumi Oba
5. Millennium Snow by Bisco Hatori

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Night’s Knights Book Release Party

Friday, October 30th
7:00 p.m.
Bay Books Concord

• Dress as your favorite vampire.
• Meet author and hostess of HorrorAddicts.net, Emerian Rich.
• Enjoy vampire-inspired snacks.
• Hear a live reading.
• Trick or Treat.
• Be one of the first 24 people to buy her book and get free dogtags to commemorate the event.
• With your Night’s Knights purchase, receive a free companion booklet with author notes, sketches, and fan works.

http://www.baybooks.us

Bay Books Concord
1669 Willow Pass Road
Concord, CA 94520

(925) 671-2245

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Crescent Moon is a manga began in 2000 with the name, Mikan no Tsuki (An Incomplete Moon).

Plot: A young girl is a good luck charm to all those around her, but she herself is the most unlucky person alive. A group from the lunar race ask for her help to find a power source called Teardrops of the Moon that has been stolen from them. The lunar race representatives are a vampire, a werewolf, a kitsune (fox), and a tengu (heavenly dog). The girl enrages the tengu at every turn and though he hates her, you get the feeling they will fall in love.

Likes:

• Beautiful underwater art.
• Filled with poetry.
• They study a cool book, which shows research pages from an ancient text.

Dislikes:

• The beginning is confusing. The author used a character entrance format that was hard to understand.
• I didn’t know what was going on until half way through the book.
• Sometimes the characters had freaky long limbs that did not have anything to do with the supernatural, it was how they were drawn.

Where to get it: You can buy Crescent Moon Vol. 1 at Amazon.com.

Upcoming: There are 6 volumes in the series, but it did not interest me enough to continue. This was not a bad manga, just not my cup of tea. You can find out all about this manga at the Tokyopop Cresent Moon page.

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Yeah… it’s that good!
Awesome artist Christen Kojnok is behind the sexy new look.
You can find out about her and see her beautiful work at:
http://christenkojnok.com/

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Don’t get too excited. This manga is not filled with cool new athletic-like activities that goths around the country will start signing up for during their next school semester. No, this manga just happens to have one goth-lolita in it that decides to join a soccer team and make all their outfits.

For those of you who are into sports, especially soccer, you will enjoy this book. For the rest of us looking for goth, horror, high school tales, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

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