To celebrate Giant Robot’s 30th anniversary, UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities present “A Film Series for You: Celebrating Giant Robot’s 30th Anniversary” from Nov. 1 to 17 at the Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles (located inside the Hammer Museum).
This deep into the post-print era it may be hard for some to understand how something as ephemeral as a magazine could change the world. That may be especially true when the magazine hasn’t been in print for over a decade. But from its first issue as a Xeroxed zine in 1994 to its final run as a full-page glossy in 2011, Giant Robot did just that.
Founded by UCLA alumni Eric Nakamura, Giant Robot began, simply enough, as a vehicle for Nakamura and co-editor Martin Wong to write about the stuff they liked — whether other people liked it or not. Its first three issues featured articles on sumo wrestling, underground filmmaker Jon Moritsugu, Hello Kitty, Hong Kong movie soundtracks, Pizzicato Five and the delights of Southern California’s Cambodian-run donut shops. Mixed in with the reviews and profiles were personal essays about being Asian American in a wider culture that didn’t know or care about any of those things.
Steeped in Nakamura’s DIY, punk rock ethic, Giant Robot quickly attracted a like-minded readership. Its eclectic focus on alternative Asian and Asian American culture was so fresh and so unique that many of the artists, filmmakers, musicians and writers that it profiled, such as Daniel Wu and Ayako Fujitani, asked to become contributors themselves. Maggie Cheung, Jenny Shimizu, Jet Li and Margaret Cho graced its cover as well as work by visual artists such as Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami.
Before its run was over, what Giant Robot thought was cool when no else did — ramen, Jackie Chan, Japanese candy — was suddenly everywhere. The magazine’s work and spirit lives on at the Giant Robot retail store on Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles and the GR2 art gallery across the street.
The Archive is thrilled to celebrate Giant Robot’s history and legacy with this special film series co-curated with Nakamura.
Special thanks to community partners: Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Japanese American National Museum, Japan Foundation Los Angeles, Sawtelle Japantown Association, UCLA Alumni Association, UCLA College Division of Humanities, West Los Angeles Sawtelle Neighborhood Council.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, Nov. 1, at 7:30 p.m. — Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond / “Chungking Express” (1994), directed by Wong Kar-wai
Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. — “Terminal USA” (1994), directed by Jon Moritusugu, and “Mysterious Skin” (2004), directed by Gregg Araki
Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. — “All About Lily Chou-Chou” (2001), directed by Shunji Iwai
Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. — “Tekkonkinkreet” (2006), directed by Michael Arias and Hiroaki Ando
Sunday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. — Giant Robots! Johnny Sokko, Voyage Into Space and Gigantor
Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. — “Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe” (1995), directed by Shusuke Kaneko
Sunday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. — “One Nite in Mongkok” (2004), directed by Derek Yee
For more information: https://cinema.ucla.edu/events/2024/celebrating-giant-robot