Giant Robot (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Giant Robot is a bi-monthly magazine of Asian
and Asian American
popular culture founded in 1994. It was initially created as a small, punk
-minded magazine that featured Asian pop culture and Asian American alternative culture, including such varied subject matter as history, art, music, film, books, toys, technology, food and skateboarding
. The publication grew from its original format—a small, photocopied zine
, folded and stapled by hand—to its current full-color
format. Giant Robot was one of the earliest American publications to feature prominent Asian film stars such as Chow Yun-fat
and Jet Li
, as well as Asian musicians from indie
and punk rock
bands. Today, the coverage has expanded into art, design, Asian American issues, travel, and much more.
In the late 1990s, Giant Robot expanded their endeavor to an online retail store selling artist goods, designer vinyl dolls, mini-figures, plush dolls, stationeries, art, t-shirts, and many creative goods. The success of the commercial website enabled the establishment of a brick-and-mortar retail store in 2001; first in Los Angeles
and later in San Francisco. A third store, called GR2, was opened in Los Angeles, and features work by young contemporary artists. Giant Robot further expanded to a fourth store in New York City, and a fifth in Silverlake
, as well as a restaurant called gr/eats, also in Los Angeles. The GR2, San Francisco, and New York locations feature monthly art exhibitions from up and coming and established artists.
In 2007, Giant Robot published its 50th issue and celebrated with an art exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum
titled, "Giant Robot Biennale: 50 Issues." A follow-up exhibition entitled "Giant Robot Biennale 2: 15 Years" was held at the museum in 2009.
Nakamura and Wong are featured on the DVD
release of the collection of animated short films The Animatrix
, discussing anime
in the Making of the Animatrix documentary.
As of 2009, the Silverlake store has closed. The New York store closed in 2010 and the San Francisco store closed in 2011. Currently, Giant Robot has an association with Lost Weekend Video in the Mission District of San Francisco where they opened a pop-up shop.
In 2010, Giant Robot presented Zen Garage at the Japanese American National Museum
featuring the Scion xb Famicom Car designed by Eric Nakamura, and will also present Giant Robot Biennale 3 in 2012.
In 2011, Giant Robot launched their new website and updates content including articles, video, and products daily.
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
and Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
popular culture founded in 1994. It was initially created as a small, punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
-minded magazine that featured Asian pop culture and Asian American alternative culture, including such varied subject matter as history, art, music, film, books, toys, technology, food and skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
. The publication grew from its original format—a small, photocopied zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
, folded and stapled by hand—to its current full-color
CMYK color model
The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key...
format. Giant Robot was one of the earliest American publications to feature prominent Asian film stars such as Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
and Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
, as well as Asian musicians from indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands. Today, the coverage has expanded into art, design, Asian American issues, travel, and much more.
In the late 1990s, Giant Robot expanded their endeavor to an online retail store selling artist goods, designer vinyl dolls, mini-figures, plush dolls, stationeries, art, t-shirts, and many creative goods. The success of the commercial website enabled the establishment of a brick-and-mortar retail store in 2001; first in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and later in San Francisco. A third store, called GR2, was opened in Los Angeles, and features work by young contemporary artists. Giant Robot further expanded to a fourth store in New York City, and a fifth in Silverlake
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake is a hilly neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters and the creative class.The...
, as well as a restaurant called gr/eats, also in Los Angeles. The GR2, San Francisco, and New York locations feature monthly art exhibitions from up and coming and established artists.
In 2007, Giant Robot published its 50th issue and celebrated with an art exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum
Japanese American National Museum
The opened its doors in 1992. The idea for the museum was originally thought up by Bruce Kaji with help from other notable Japanese American people at the time. The museum is located in the Little Tokyo an area near downtown Los Angeles, California. It is devoted to preserving the history and...
titled, "Giant Robot Biennale: 50 Issues." A follow-up exhibition entitled "Giant Robot Biennale 2: 15 Years" was held at the museum in 2009.
Nakamura and Wong are featured on the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of the collection of animated short films The Animatrix
The Animatrix
is a 2003 direct-to-video anthology film based on The Matrix trilogy. The film is a compilation of nine animated short films.-Production:Development of the Animatrix project began when the film series' writers and directors, the Wachowski brothers, were in Japan promoting the first Matrix film...
, discussing anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
in the Making of the Animatrix documentary.
As of 2009, the Silverlake store has closed. The New York store closed in 2010 and the San Francisco store closed in 2011. Currently, Giant Robot has an association with Lost Weekend Video in the Mission District of San Francisco where they opened a pop-up shop.
In 2010, Giant Robot presented Zen Garage at the Japanese American National Museum
Japanese American National Museum
The opened its doors in 1992. The idea for the museum was originally thought up by Bruce Kaji with help from other notable Japanese American people at the time. The museum is located in the Little Tokyo an area near downtown Los Angeles, California. It is devoted to preserving the history and...
featuring the Scion xb Famicom Car designed by Eric Nakamura, and will also present Giant Robot Biennale 3 in 2012.
In 2011, Giant Robot launched their new website and updates content including articles, video, and products daily.
Interviews
- Youtube video Vans interviews Eric Nakamura
- Youtube video The Hundreds interviews Eric Nakamura
- Youtube video Ken Tanaka interviews Eric Nakamura
- TCI Podcast review of Giant Robot
- Interview of Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong Walker museum Walker.org]
- Interview of Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong UCLA International Institute
- Eric Nakamura interview Nylon magazine
- Eric Nakamura interview G4TV.com
- Eric Nakamura interview Rafu Shimpo
- Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong interview NPR
- Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong interview OC Register
- Eric Nakamura interview Palisadian-Post