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| Thursday, March 4 2004 | ||||
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Japan is a very odd place. It's full of Japanese for starters. Arguably the most polite nation on earth, behind the scenes it's a very different - often dodgy - story, as the wibbly-wobbly world of Manga comics illustrates. |
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| Talking of the country of the rising sun, Japanese Story - starring a killer Toni Collette - opens the 11-day festival of flicks from Down Under at Barbican. 7:30pm. Silk St, EC2. £7-11. 0845 120 7529. | ||||
| And talking of animation, the cartoon-like pieces by Julian Opie are on private view at Lisson tonight. 6-8pm. 52-54 Bell Street, NW1. Free. | ||||
| Join the launch party tonight for DKMi PR at Roofgardens. 8:30pm-late. 99 Kensington High Street, W8. Free guest list until 10:30pm, £10 after. | ||||
Comics are a huge phenomena in Japan, even though their graphically violent content is a far cry from The Dandy. Sure Manga has inspired international box office hits like the Matrix and gets a fair nod from Tarantino's Kill Bills, but straight Manga flicks have had - up to now - limited appeal. This could all change, however, with Appleseed, a new manga movie which gets its world premiere at the ICA tonight. Appleseed, which is based on a cult Japanese manga comic, claims to be the world's first 3D computer generated full-length feature film. With a soundtrack by such electronic luminaries as Basement Jaxx, Carl Craig and Paul Oakenfold, it looks like manga is finally becoming cool. The story of Appleseed runs "female soldier is taken to an experimental sphere, Olympus where humans co-exist with man-made bioroids in a Utopian existence...". Or something. Like I said, the Japanese: odd, but very, very interesting. |
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Super young but take notice of The Holiday Plan who play at Underworld tonight. 7pm. 174 Camden High St, NW1. £6. 08700 600 100 or online. |
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Take advantage of Thursday Late Night at NPG and check out Cecil Beaton's Portraits. Until 9pm. St Martin's Place, WC2. £7. 0870 060 1738. |
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Get yourself some photo art, books or postcards at really serious discounts at Proud Central's clearance sale until Sunday. 10p+. 10am-7pm. 5 Buckingham St, WC2. |
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| Appleseed - world premiere
tonight at ICA SOC |
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ENO stages the first part The Rhinegold of Wagner's epic opera tetralogy Ring of the Nibelung. 7:30pm. Coliseum St Martin's Lane, WC2. £45-59. 020 7632 8300 or online. | ||
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Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. |
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