Shokotan Debuts US Web Series

Yay for cross-cultural collaborative kookiness catalyzed by online media. Two years ago, Japanese blog queen Shoko Nakagawa created the oddball character Sukashi Kashipanman, a parody of costumed Japanese superheroes. After flourishing as a small anime/manga/game franchise in Japan, Shokotan’s creation crosses the Pacific as an American live-action Web series, Go Sukashi! Picture a wannabe Power Ranger on crack.

The series is produced by American artist Doug TenNapel, famous for creating the kooky video game character Earthworm Jim. His creative participation no doubt compounds the insanity.

(Via Anime News Network.)

Otacool International Launch

Marketing guru Seth Godin hails otaku as the most desirable audience in today’s word-of-mouth-driven marketplace. If you walk into a hardcore otaku’s room, you would easily see why.

Otacool: Worldwide Otaku Rooms is a new book featuring the well-stocked, well-decorated rooms of enthusiastic otaku. Two of the otaku feaured in the book, top otaku blogger Danny Choo and renowned cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao, will be signing autographs for the book’s international launch. Fittingly enough, Danny learned of Alodia through Internet-powered international otaku word-of-mouth last year.

If you want to meet two of the most passionate otaku on the planet, go to Anime Festival Asia at Suntec Singapore on November 22 at 3:30-4:00pm GMT+8. Look for exhibition halls 403-404, booth D01. In the meantime, check out Alodia’s photos in Otacool.