Top

mangobot

The Original Speed Racer

Welcome to MangoBot, a column about Asian futurism by TokyoMango blogger Lisa Katayama. Way before Speed Racer became fodder for one of the season's most highly anticipated blockbusters, it was a simple 60s-style Japanese cartoon. The original Speed Racer was a TV anime series called Mach GoGoGo, aired on Fuji TV—one of Japan's major television networks—in 1967 and 1968. Like many other sources of entertainment in Japan at the time, Go's determination and the superior technology of Mach 5 were symbolic of the country's rapid post-war recovery and the determination that drove it. While you're waiting to head to your multiplex to watch the Hollywood version tonight, let me take you back in time and show you a glimpse of the original. More »

9:00 AM on Fri May 9 2008
By LISA KATAYAMA
337 views, 14 comments

Latest by themediatrix: I was in love - LOVE! - with Speed when I was 9 and 10 years old. He was so MOD, and so inscrutable! sigh. more »

speed racer review

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

The hype about Speed Racer has been fairly negative, and I can only guess that's because people still have a bad taste in their mouths from The Matrix Revolutions, the most recent film directed by Speed Racer helmers the Wachowskis. In addition, I think there's been a lot of skepticism about whether the director pair could really do a kid-friendly movie after their lesbian noir flick Bound and sexy/fetishy scifi fare like the Matrix trilogy. I was dubious too, but after a few minutes of immersion in the clever, color-drenched world of Speed Racer, I was surprised to find myself becoming a believer. No shock that the visuals were brilliant, but honestly I wasn't expecting . . . fun. (Spoilers ahead, my racers.) More »

6:09 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Annalee Newitz
3,908 views, 40 comments

Latest by jbq: @Annalee Newitz: ... Ninjas and vikings and crazy snake ladies? This must be my new favourite film, and I haven't even seen it yet. more »

master strategists

The Greatest Space Strategists In Military History

Everybody always gives props to space captains: they're the ones sitting in the chair and commanding a spaceship going head-to-head with their bumpy-headed counterpart on the enemy ship. But one starship doesn't always win a space battle. Sometimes it's the general (or the admiral) sitting in an even bigger chair, who figures out where to send all the dozens, or thousands, of starships into battle like chess pieces. They're the tacticians and the master strategists, and we celebrate them below. More »

4:54 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
5,903 views, 74 comments

Latest by Dug: @Angrydad Yea, perhaps we should give real world props to Osama Bin Laden, who destroyed Iraq with 18 dudes and some box-cutters. more »

iron man

Look What's On Tony Stark's Workbench In Iron Man

We already knew Iron Man was full of little "easter eggs" and clues about the future of the Marvel movies. And now it looks as though one more hidden clue has turned up. Just look at this screengrab from the movie's trailer, and then compare it with a picture of the same scene in the final movie, to see what was added. Spoilers ahead. Update: A reader sent us a better quality picture that shows the alleged item. More »

3:00 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
8,493 views, 72 comments

Latest by jbq: I totally see what you guys think is Cap's shield. But I definitely think you're wrong. Maybe wishing a bit hard for it, since it makes absolutely no sense at all. The closest thing would be just a funny tip-of-the-hat more »

rant

Nine Reasons Why I Hate E.T.

With Speed Racer coming out this evening, it's a time to remember cool kid-friendly scifi of the past — like The Incredibles and the Power Puff Girls. But it's also time to excoriate hideous kids' scifi of the past, just to remind ourselves what to avoid when we go looking for flicks to share with our small pals who haven't spent that much time on Earth yet. That's why I want to invite you to my personal E.T. the Extraterrestrial hate-fest. Hated it as a kid, hate it now. But . . . but why? How could I despise something so cute?! I'll give you nine big fat reasons why. More »

1:00 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Annalee Newitz
3,808 views, 89 comments

Latest by radio1: 7) I agree with the CGI remake of ET and replacing guns with walkie talkies...8) I also agree with the knock-off movies...9) I disagree about the ET video game... Blame Atari and their rush to get a video game out more »

ask a biogeek

Where Is My Uterine Replicator (AKA Artificial Womb)?

Reader Karen asks:

One of my favourite sci-fi conceits in the Vorkosigan works of Lois McMaster Bujold is the uterine replicator. Sticking a fetus in a regulated jar until it's come full term and I can get my new baby boy, girl or hermaphrodite without all the vomiting, constant peeing, strenuous pushing, pooping on the operating table, and possible endangerment to life, reproductive organs and blood sugar levels sounds like fucking bliss. When can you get that to me?

Given the risk - and many months of what can charitably be termed "inconvenience" - what are the alternatives to signing up for nine months of incubator duty? Let's find out. More »

9:00 AM on Thu May 8 2008
By Terry Johnson
1,633 views, 32 comments

Latest by Y Duras: @ndgmtlcd: Actually, in the Bujold books, the placenta is included in the uterine replicator. more »

evil humans

Are You Ready To Be An Evil Colonist?

Humans are a plague, shredding across the galaxy and destroying other peace-loving creatures. At least, that seems to be the theme of a number of movies that are coming out in the next few years. I've been wondering what would replace the post-apocalyptic-Earth as the stock plot for "dark" science fiction movies, and the evil-humans-in-space plot seems increasingly likely to rule. Among others, James Cameron's Avatar and the new animated film Terra seem to be exploring this theme, which is a standard plot in written science fiction, but is fairly new to the movies. Click through for details. More »

4:30 PM on Wed May 7 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
3,579 views, 26 comments

Latest by bnpederson: Are the being(s) Humanity is destroying also Human? Yes/No Are the being(s) Humanity is destroying beneficial to Humanity? Yes/No Does destroying said being(s) harm humanity in a direct or indirect manner? Yes/No I figure if the answer is "Yes" to any of these more »

speed racer

What Would Make Speed Racer Better Than The Matrix?

I saw Speed Racer last night, and though I can't tell you much about it yet (full review on Thursday!), I can say this: It might actually be better than director/producer pair the Wachowskis previous effort, The Matrix. I know them's fightin' words, but you gotta trust me on this one. Or, better, take our poll below and see if you can guess what makes Speed Racer better than the flashy trilogy that pitted latex-clad hackers against machines who enslave humans in a VR world so they can use our body heat as energy. Honestly, how could a movie be better than that? Take our poll, and I'll tell you Thursday if you got it right. More »

1:30 PM on Wed May 7 2008
By Annalee Newitz
6,221 views, 73 comments

Latest by beelzebuddha: @MrLister: No, I'm simply going off of how the first Matrix ended. The sequels basically canceled out the original and completely stripped it of its meaning and purpose so that they could tell a story that the W Bros didn't more »

steal this pitch

Where Is The Posthuman Bertie Wooster?

Sometime soon — maybe in our lifetimes — we humans will finally exceed our design limitations. We'll interface with artificial intelligences, extend our lifespans, and gain the ability to modify our bodies far beyond our current understanding of prosthetics. And when that happens, our capacity to make total idiots out of ourselves will be increased a thousand-fold. But sadly, there's never really been a posthuman Bertie Wooster. Here are a few pointers on how to write the transhuman fool's progress. More »

9:00 AM on Wed May 7 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
2,516 views, 44 comments

Latest by napthia9: @Lizfu: Ooh, that's very interesting. Especially since the automatic thing most people think about when they think of "Hired Help Of the Future" is robot companions! Yet the humans currently working as servants or otherwise non-idle semi-aristocrats are hardly mindless more »

mega-sentients

The Largest Mega-Sentients In The Entire Universe

Are you ashamed of your size? You should be! Compared to Ego The Living Planet or Unicron the planet who turns into a giant robot, you're not only puny and tiny, you're kind of dumb as well. If there's one thing that science fiction teaches us, it's that you need a sun-sized brain to think truly cosmic thoughts. (And to eat other planets for lunch, too.) But which life form in scifi is the hugest (and therefore the smartest)? We've got the answer. More »

4:30 PM on Tue May 6 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
4,911 views, 53 comments

Latest by rileyjam514: @Git Em SteveDave: True but I think he was more of a "Q-ish" pest - considering he contacted Picard afterwards on his personal viewscreen. And being Q-ish he wouldn't necessarily count as a mega-sentient. more »

new comics we crave

Summer Movie Madness Hits This Week's Comics

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the comics industry has gone movie mad this week, judging by the books hitting stores tomorrow. Well, more movie mad than usual, perhaps. If it's not Marvel capitalizing on the success of Iron Man with two new Iron Man series and many other books starring the chrome crusader, it's a sequel to one of last year's summer blockbusters, and the long-awaited conclusion to a story by one of Hollywood's one-time top directors. Celluloid craziness and more, under the jump. More »

9:00 AM on Tue May 6 2008
By Graeme McMillan
3,908 views, 6 comments

Latest by JohnnyZito: Maybe now that the action comics annual is dropping someone will be allowed to do something with the kid. more »

doctor who recap

Doctor Who's New Girlfriend GIves Good Phone

Here's the moment where I decided I was actually getting to like brassy comedian Catherine Tate as the new traveling companion for Doctor Who's quirky time-traveler. Yes, she's not nearly as clever as Martha Jones, my number one hero, but that makes her heroics, when they happen, more exciting and suspenseful. I actually felt a bit of tension in this sequence, which almost never happens on the new Who. In general, part two of our Sontaran storyline was just as muddled as part one, but at least it was fun this time around. More »

6:30 AM on Tue May 6 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
3,747 views, 65 comments

Latest by Jim (The Canuck One): @Dunny0: OMG - both Donna and her mother did something heroic with a hammer. Hmmm - I'm trying to relate this to the disappearing bees discussions that happen from time to time. more »

eradicating camp

21 Ways To Eradicate Campiness From Science Fiction

Ever since the first cheesy monster or goofy robot leered out from the cover of a pulpy magazine, science fiction has struggled to shake off a certain tinge of campiness. No matter how hard creators may try to tell cool stories, that slightly ironic silliness is always lurking just outside the frame. And there will always be science fiction which takes those little hints of camp and amplifies them a million-fold. A little campiness may be fun to get stoned and giggle at, but it also stands in the way of telling amazing tales about the impact of technology on humans. Here's a rulebook for rooting out the campiness from science fiction. More »

4:00 PM on Mon May 5 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
15,523 views, 91 comments

Latest by Simon Piper: 13. Punk is campy. Maybe it wasn't in the 1960s, or whenever you guys invented it, but it is now. Sorry. That goes for regular punk (just watch Doomsday) as well as cyberpunk (watch the Matrix sequels) and definitely steampunk. more »

weaponized orgasms

Tremble and Cry Out -- These Orgasm Weapons Are Unstoppable

What is the most devious and unstoppable weapon throughout space and time? No, it's not the Doomsday Device or Death Star — it's a weapon that delivers orgasms. Whether they mind-control you with lust or cripple you with knee-buckling climaxes, the orgasm-inducing weapon of the future will be powerful indeed. We've already told you about scifi aphrodisiacs that come from rays and parasites, and now it's time to count the ways you can weaponize aphrodisiacs and begin the orgasm onslaught. More »

3:05 PM on Mon May 5 2008
By Annalee Newitz
6,322 views, 42 comments

Latest by Sharpless: @jamescole: You know, I'd almost managed to block that out... more »

marvel comics

Who Should Be The Next Marvel Movie Star?

Now that Iron Man is officially the most successful movie with a character called "Tony" in it in the history of cinema or something like that, the movie industry's collective eyes have moved to what's next for Marvel Comics' production house. And not The Incredible Hulk, either - The Hollywood Reporter is already asking what they've got up their sleeves for 2010 and beyond. While rumors are suggesting that Ant-Man, Thor and Avengers are likely candidates for celluloid treatment, we've got five lesser-known candidates that are ready to make the jump to a theater near you. More »

10:20 AM on Mon May 5 2008
By Graeme McMillan
5,076 views, 111 comments

Latest by Crashproof: I'm pretty sure there was once a U.S.1 pinball game, but I can't find it on Google (it's a difficult search term). I didn't know it was a comic... more »

what to watch

Play "Spot The Star Trek Actor" On This Week's Shows

It's when times are lean that you need a really good tracker — someone who can scout through the barren underbrush of the TV schedule and forage for programs worth watching. We're still on a severe diet, thanks to last winter's writers' strike. But there are some worthy programs out there. We have two preview clips from Thursday's all-new Lost episode, plus looks ahead at new episodes of Smallville, Doctor Who, Sarah Jane, Spectacular Spider-Man, Transformers and Ben 10. Plus the Sci Fi Channel finally breaks the cheese-ometer. Listings, with minor spoilers only, below the fold. More »

9:00 AM on Mon May 5 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
3,201 views, 19 comments

Latest by fluxfire: Is Big Bang Theory Science Fiction? Maybe in the same ways the British comedy Spaced was. No it's not technically scifi, but there is a love and appreciation for all things scifi in it. more »

battlestar galactica recap

Hugh Hefner vs. Robert DeNiro on Battlestar Galactica

Hope you enjoyed yet another "everybody is more psycho" episode of Battlestar Galactica on Friday, complete with ten percent more nervous breakdowns and a bit of sartorial madness. "The Road Less Traveled" also brings us the return of a certain creepy Cylon, who makes all the weirdness even weirder. And then there's the ongoing mystery of why everybody is so sweaty on the poop ship Demetrius. Wouldn't it be cheaper to keep them cold in space rather than cranking up the heat? Spoilers ahead. More »

6:30 AM on Mon May 5 2008
By Annalee Newitz
5,492 views, 76 comments

Latest by Paganmoon: Isn't the hybrid in the same type of goo? I'd say it's the hybrid emerging. more »

sidekicks

The Cutest Science Fiction Sidekicks, And Why They Fail

All sidekicks must have certain key lovable qualities, or else they lose that sparkle that makes them so endearing. But sometimes the cute-overload factor goes too far and a gag reflex kicks in, making people want to destroy that character. Compiled after the jump is a list of the most adorable sidekicks in science fiction TV and movies, some good, some too cute for their own good. More »

3:46 PM on Fri May 2 2008
By Meredith Woerner
11,971 views, 59 comments

The Original Speed Racer

Gawker Media Network

SUBSCRIBE TO io9