Danny Choo

Danny Choo (simplified Chinese: 周国栋; traditional Chinese: 周國棟; pinyin: Zhōu Guódòng; Jyutping: Zau1 Gwok3 Dung3; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Kok-tòng; born 1 November 1972) is a British blogger and TV personality based in Japan. He is the owner of Mirai Inc. and is best known for his virtual mascot, Mirai Suenaga. He runs a blog in which he posts content about his life, focusing on his company and his experiences in Japan. He released his own line of fashion dolls in 2014.[1] Danny is the son of fashion designer Jimmy Choo.

Danny Choo
Choo at the 2012 New York Comic Con
Born (1972-11-01) 1 November 1972
London, England
Occupation(s)Blogger and entrepreneur
Years active2004–present
Parent

Culture Japan
Danny Choo in a PC game shop in Akihabara in 1995
Danny Choo with his Dollfie Dream Yuki Morikawa as Mirai Suenaga in 2012[2]

Danny Choo is the director, producer, and the host of a Japanese TV show called Culture Japan. The show consists of Choo personally exploring several aspects of Japanese popular culture. Segments are usually hosted by Choo interviewing a member of a specific culture that the episode is exploring. Other segments are long videos that are narrated by Mirai Suenaga (voiced by UTACO), Culture Japan's virtual mascot. The second season featured a new animated opening, Sukirai, composed by vividblaze and sung by UTACO.[3] The video itself was animated by JC Staff.[4] In Japan, the show is broadcast on Tokyo MX TV.

Choo has stated that the main purpose of the show is to distribute knowledge of Japanese culture to the rest of the world, although it has received some attention in Japan.[5]

Smart Doll

Danny Choo started selling his own fashion doll known as Smart Doll. Smart Doll is a range of 1/3 scale, vinyl fashion dolls. The dolls are approximately 60 cm in height. The current design line-up consists of all his mascot characters; doll parts and accessories are also available.[6] His dolls feature a unique assembly where the parting line is under the bust, unlike the mid-waist parting line of traditional doll design; this gives his dolls a more human-like appearance. His first doll, Mirai Suenaga, became the mascot for Japanese Tourism in 2014.[7]

Smart Doll is available in four skin types: Cocoa, Tan, Cinnamon, and Milk, and feature interchangeable busts, hands, feet for flat-soled and high-heeled shoes, eyes, and wigs of various colors and lengths, all of which are manufactured exclusively in Japan. Smart Doll also has two dolls with port-wine stain facial birthmarks and one doll with Vitiligo. Smart Doll’s design and business philosophy centers around wabi-sabi, a set of Japanese design principles that celebrate imperfection and asymmetry. Their intricately designed and weathered clothing showcase this design characteristic.

In 2019, Smart Doll released an additional body type made of a harder substance called Cortex,[8] which is sturdier, resists staining from dark-colored apparel and is less-expensive than vinyl. Cortex body was discontinued shortly after production, due to imperfections.

While the original Smart Doll’s faces are created in the Japanese Anime/Manga aesthetic, the company is in the process of releasing additional dolls referred to as “Semi-Real” which resemble more lifelike characters from video and computer games. Additionally, Smart Doll has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products[9] to create a line of DC Comics heroes and heroines which will also be created in the Japanese Anime/Manga aesthetic.

In 2015 Choo brought the dolls to Anime Expo.[10] In 2016 Choo's Smart Dolls were showcased in Penang Fashion Week.[11] Choo has even begun to develop 120 cm robotic dolls.[12]

See also

References
  1. "What is Smart Doll ?".
  2. "Yuki Morikawa Dollfie". Danny Choo Archives. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. Anime News Network
  4. Mirai Suenaga Animated
  5. About Culture Japan
  6. "Mirai Store Tokyo".
  7. "| TokyoTreat: Japanese Candy & Snacks Subscription Box". TokyoTreat. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  8. "Cortex or Vinyl?". Smart Doll. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  9. "WarnerBros.com | Consumer Products | Company". www.warnerbros.com. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  10. "Danny Choo returns to Anime Expo 2015~!". Anime Expo. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  11. admin777 (14 April 2016). "Penang Fashion Week 2016". Penang Career Assistance and Talent Centre. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  12. "Danny Choo unveils the next gen of 3D printed robotic dolls » 3dpbm". 3D Printing Media Network - The Pulse of the AM Industry. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
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