Tag: Japan

Ecto-Containing Laser Video

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At the very end of January, Paul R. from Spook Central shared a Ghostbusters video in part as ghosthead Lanny White had asked him for it. Prior, I had a lesser quality copy which I had kinda forgotten about.

SFX Museum Vol. 1 is part of a feature that’s on the Japanese Laserdisc version of Ghostbusters. I don’t personally know if was featured on any North American Ghostbusters Laserdiscs.

The SFX feature is in English with Japanese subtitles. The four interviews in the feature talk about Ghostbusters special effects with Ivan Reitman, Michael C. Gross, Richard Edlund, and John Bruno.

With permission I’ve uploaded SFX Museum Vol. 1 to Ecto-Containment’s YouTube channel. It’s also under the newly created Lasers page.

Sources:

Ghostbusters Daruma Club Stay Puft Figure

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When there’s something immediately happening in Japan with Ghostbusters, all I need to do is see a tweet/or re-tweet from Ghostbusters Japan. (Twitter) This is where I recently learned a new Ghostbusters collectible is coming out and it seems so Japanese. I say that with the highest of compliments.

As on-line software translation isn’t perfect I didn’t quite get the idea of these Daruma toys. I chalked it up as another type of vinyl figure without knowing anything about Daruma.

If like me you’re not very familiar with Daruma, let’s consult Google.

The Daruma doll (達磨 daruma ?), also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism.

When I originally saw not only a Mr. Stay-Puft Daruma doll I didn’t think of that. Considering my western up bringing and Christian faith it makes sense Buddhism didn’t occur to me. However sumo wrestling did. Something else I don’t really understand, also respect.Read More »

Japanese Ghostbusters 2016 Theatrical Collectibles

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Sony Pictures Entertainment premiered Ghostbusters (2016) trailer, (GBI Blog Post, March 3, 2016) followed by the first official international trailer. (GBI Blog Post, March 10, 2016) Since then additional international trailers have been released. I’ve been adding them to GBI’s blog post about them. Including the much shorter Japanese trailer.

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Japanese Magazine Quanto Issue 269

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Last month Matthew Jordan from Ghostbusters Wiki shared scans he had from a Japanese hobby/toy magazine (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, December 12, 2015) called Quanto.

At the time all we had were photos of scans which weren’t all full pages. Ghosthead and member of NYC Ghostbusters Christopher Beaumont added a cover image from an eBay auction. If that was it, I’d still be happy I found out about Quanto and see what and how they advertised Ghostbusters.

Fortunately for ghostheads copies were available to purchase. Christopher Beaumont was able to get Issue 269 from April 2011. This past week Christopher uploaded his scans to the NYC Ghostbusters Facebook page.Read More »

Rakuten Japan Ghostbusters Merchandise

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On Christmas I wrote a lengthy blog post about Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise found on Amazon Japan. I’m going to write a lengthier blog post about Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise listed on Rakuten. (Global) Clear the rest of your day. And tomorrow.

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Amazon Japan Ghostbusters Merchandise

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After writing about more current Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise (Ecto-Containment Blog Post. December 12, 2015) memoriesofoldboy and I had an 8 comment conversation about Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise.

As you may have read I didn’t originally think to check Amazon Japan for Ghostbusters merchandise. I also would do the same with Rakuten. The idea was to look at Ghostbusters merchandise that I’m pretty sure isn’t or never was available in either the US or Canada. Most likely Mexico as well. That could be a different conversation entirely.

I found 8 categories (its possible an item either has a different style or design) on Amazon Japan and another ten on Rakuten. We’ll explore Rakuten’s selection in a separate blog post.

Before we continue the Japanese Ghostbusters items on Amazon Japan may not be available to buy any longer. Links provided are in Japanese. Browsers such as Google’s Chrome will translate to your preferred language.Read More »

More Current Japanese Ghostbusters Merchandise

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Months ago I came across a couple of auctions on a popular auction site for  more current Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise. Since I don’t know when these were made and sold (perhaps they still are) and they’re newer then the Japanese Ghostbusters merchandise I’ve written about (GB Inc. Blog Post, January 15, 2015) and found them interesting I thought I’d share them.Read More »

Japanese Magazine Quanto Ghostbusters Advertising

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A Japanese toy and hobby magazine called Quanto, (no exact English translation that I’m aware of, if it isn’t Spanish) had a 2011 issue where they had photos of Ghostbusters merchandise from Diamond Select Toys, Factory Entertainment, Hot Wheels, Matty Collector, Rubies, and whomever has a license for Ghostbusters t-shirts in Japan.

Matthew Jordan who oversees Ghostbusters Wiki shared the scans he had. It’s possible I had seen the scans before this week as I had a slight dejá vu feeling about it. With my interests in Japanese culture and international Ghostbusters merchandise I wanted to know more.

Ghosthead and member of NYC Ghostbusters Christopher Beaumont added a cover image from an eBay auction and provided additional information.

In the meantime Matthew shared an article with two videos about the photo shoot for this issue of Quanto.
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My Ghostbusters Japanese Merchandise

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japangbposter

Note: Originally appeared at my personal site, iRich

If you’re a ghosthead and read the comments in my blog post about Universal considering bringing back (GBI) the Ghostbusters Spooktacular this year you would have learned for the first time about my fascination with Japan.

If you’re Japanese or from Japan I mean no disrespect. Yeah, I’m an American. I grew up in a suburb of a small New Jersey city, (compared to nearby cities, such as New York City) which has its own rich history. Something maybe I’ll talk about eventually. Nothing like a country or city on another continent.

I learned a lot in school about US and world history, their never could be enough time to study more of a countries history and culture. Its something I really couldn’t appreciate until after graduating.

This is where no disrespect is intended from an American with Italian, Irish, German, and maybe French (still haven’t proven it) heritage. From a kid who grew up in Jersey, the distance to Japan to how their culture seems to me without really understanding it, Japan may as well be an alien world.

The internet (then later documentary shows) has allowed me to read and view about countries and cultures in a way I couldn’t have growing up. Unfortunately I’ve never visited any country besides America. I still have plenty of states I still could visit.

Their’s two things (more then that, perhaps some other time) where I’d fit in quite well with Japanese people. Our shared interests in GHOSTBUSTERS and Back To The Future.

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Ghostbusters Japanese Movie Program Merchandise

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Yesterday I wrote about and shared our Ghostbusters Japanese Movie Program. If you were wondering I don’t have a Ghostbusters II Japanese program to archive and share. Today I wanted to discuss (well talk about) that internationally Ghostbusters merchandise and collecting was ahead of its time (or got the ball rolling…wait, was their a Ghostbusters ball?) compared to GHOSTBUSTERS™ merchandise in the North American markets.

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With GHOSTBUSTERS™ rushed production schedule and narrow minded executive thinking, movie suits couldn’t see much of a market for Ghostbusters. Thankfully (though not for our wallets) that would change in the next three decades.

The best we had early on was the official fan club, (GBI) followed by cereal. Of course their was the usual merchandise. i.e.: t-shirts, vinyl records and tapes, and your new dinnerware. (GBI)

North American ghostheads couldn’t have imagined they would have wanted nor possibly needed more functional Ghostbusters merchandise.

Beyond the soundtrack and Ray Parker Jr. were an assortment of logo t-shirts, a sweatshirt, and two choices of baseball caps/hats. Sweet, wait their’s more!

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