Tag Archives: Japan

Pacific Rim’s Jaegers Reflect a Departure from Hollywood Norms

In addition to the question of whether it’s possible to create mecha robots, my Slate piece addresses a cultural “could this happen?” question–namely, could we accept robots as companions rather than competitors?

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Here to Serve

The Star Wars cantina scene demonstrates how awesome it would be to sidle up to a bar (preferably on some kind of bounty hunting mission) and order a drink from aliens. Attack of the Clones features a robot waitress, which … Continue reading

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Mind the Gap

Futurama’s Tube Transport system, available in every city except Los Angeles, uses electromagnets and air pressure to propel passengers to their destinations. The Jetsons had a similar transportation system, as do worlds in sci-fi written by Robert Heinlein, Arthur Clarke, … Continue reading

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Anime Killed the Hollywood Star

Jumpstarted by Milli Vanilla’s Grammy-sized betrayal and carried on by scads of “artists” since, voice alteration and reproduction, be it lip-synching or Auto tune, has become a mainstay of the entertainment industry. If you’re one of those people who think … Continue reading

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