The Creator of the Famous 'Konami Code' Has Died

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Kazuhisa Hashimoto, creator of the famous ‘Konami Code,’ has died
Up. Up. Down. Down. Left. Right. Left. Right. B. A. Start. It’s the most famous sequence of button pushes in video game history, and its creator, Kazuhisa Hashimoto, has died. He was reportedly 61.

* * *


Elderly Man Robbed Of Recycling In SF's Bayview-Hunters Point Identified
Police in San Francisco announced that investigators have identified the man who was threatened and attacked over the weekend as he was robbed of recycling he had collected in Bayview-Hunters Point.

* * *


Bellevue College apologizes after administrator alters mural depicting Japanese American internment
Bellevue College has apologized after one of its vice presidents altered a mural of two Japanese American children in a World War II incarceration camp by whiting out a reference to anti-Japanese agitation by local businessmen in the accompanying artist description. Created by Seattle artist Erin Shigaki, the art installation "Never Again Is Now" includes an 11-foot-tall mural of two children photographed at a California incarceration camp. Last week, professors were notified that someone had removed one sentence in a paragraph about Japanese immigrants and their connection to Bellevue.

* * *


Olivia Liang Cast as Lead of CW's 'Kung Fu' Reboot
Olivia Liang will star as the lead in the pilot of CW's reimagining of the 1970s TV show Kung Fu. In the new series, written by Christina M. Kim, a quarter-life crisis causes a young Chinese-American woman, Nicky Chen, to drop out of college and go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice -- all while searching for the assassin who killed her Shaolin mentor and is now targeting her.

* * *

I Will Make You Mine
Ahead of its world premiere next month at SXSW, here is the trailer for I Will Make You Mine, the directorial debut from our friend Lynn Chen. The film follows three characters: Rachel (Chen), who lives in luxury with her cheating husband; Professor Erika (Ayako Fujitani), who is trying her best to juggle her career and raising her daughter Sachiko (Ayami Riley Tomine); and struggling musician Yea-Ming Chen (who plays a version of herself). They all may have different lives, but they share one common bond: a flawed romantic history with singer-songwriter Goh Nakamura(who also plays a version of himself). As seen in the trailer above, when Goh comes back into their lives, the past comes back and makes things a tad bit complicated. The film will be released on May 26 from Gravitas Ventures.

Fund This: 'I Will Make You Mine'

Lynn Chen makes her directorial debut with the sequel to 'Surrogate Valentine' and 'Daylight Savings.'



Here's a film project that could use your crowdfunded generosity.

I was pretty excited to hear about I Will Make You Mine. Not only is it the final installment of a trilogy -- the sequel to the fan favorite indie features Surrogate Valentine and Daylight Savings -- it marks the directorial debut of my good friend Lynn Chen, who also wrote, produces and stars in the film.

2011's Surrogate Valentine and 2012's Daylight Savings, written and directed by Dave Boyle, followed the life, love and friendships of indie musician Goh Nakamura, who played a version of himself. Six years later, I Will Make You Mine shares the perspective of three women who are romantically linked to Goh, as they maneuver in to their 40s and face major life changes.

"I never set out to become a writer, director, or producer," Lynn says. "But somehow this film, about growing older and re-examining our past relationships, called out to me. And I could not have told this particular story at any other time in my life."

Lynn Chen to direct 'I Will Make You Mine'

'Saving Face' star to write, direct, produce and star in final installment of 'Surrogate Valentine' trilogy.



It's like catching up with an old friend. Fans of the 2011 indie movie favorite Surrogate Valentine and its 2012 sequel Daylight Savings will be pleased to learn that a long-awaited third installment is in the works.

Lynn Chen to Direct Indie 'I Will Make You Mine'

Surrogate Valentine and Daylight Savings, written and directed by Dave Boyle followed the life, love and friendships of indie musician Goh Nakamura, who played a version of himself. I Will Make You Mine, the final installment in the trilogy, shares the perspective of three women, who are romantically linked to Nakamura, as they maneuver in to their 40s and face major life changes.

Greg Pak's 'Kingsway West' comic book has a soundtrack

Listen to Goh Nakamura's "Sonia," inspired by Greg Pak's tale of a Chinese gunslinger in the Old West.



Kingsway West, writer Greg Pak's upcoming Dark Horse comic book series with artist Mirko Colak, is about a Chinese gunslinger searching for his wife in an Old West overrun by magic.

As part of the book's launch, Greg has enlisted the help of a few of my favorite Asian American musicians, Goh Nakamura, Jane Lui and Adam Warrock, to create songs based on the characters and story. Greg, who says he always has an imaginary soundtrack running through his head as he writes comics, thought Kingsway West would lend itself particularly well to the soundtrack treatment.

"Music is almost completely emotional, and Westerns tend to be stories with big emotions," says Greg. "So there are grand traditions of soaring anthems, heroic themes, and deeply romantic ballads associated with movie Westerns. I love the way Goh, Adam, and Jane have tapped into those traditions but totally made them their own."

We're pleased to present the debut of "Sonia" by our old pal award-winning singer/songwriter Goh Nakamura. The song is inspired our hero, Kingsway Law, and the epic search across the west for his lost love Sonia.

Take a listen:

Goh Nakamura sings you 'Songs to Make Out To'

Singer/songwriter's new cover album is like "the musical equivalent of a warm hug."



If you're looking for some new-old music to make out to, look no further singer/songwriter Goh Nakamura's latest release Songs to Make Out To, a really cool collection of covers. It's Goh's unique take on songs like "This Will Be Our Year," "Wonderwall," "Someone to Watch Over Me," and one of my favorites, "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure. Goh likens the 10-track album to "the musical equivalent of a warm hug." As I listen to it while looking out the window on this rare rainy California day, it's pretty damn perfect.

Here's Goh's take on "How Deep Is Your Love":

Watch Jane Lui's Crazy Fun Cover of TLC's "Waterfalls"

Featuring Tamlyn Tomita, Lynn Chen and a band of merry misfit music makers



So this awesome thing totally happened... In this super-fun video, singer/songwriter Jane Lui is joined by friends Tamlyn Tomita and Lynn Chen, and leads a band of merry misfit music makers in an ultra-homemade one-take cover of TLC's "Waterfalls," complete with typewriters, a toy piano, a water jugand cardboard cutouts. (Yes, I make an appearance somewhere in there too.) Take a look:

Not a bad day to re-visit Goh Nakamura's "Surrogate Valentine"

Oh, heck. Why not? Today also seem like a good day to revisit "Surrogate Valentine," one of my favorite songs by our good friend Goh Nakamura. Great song. Goh also stars in an indie film of the same name, but here's the low-key acoustic bedroom version he uploaded to YouTube five years ago:

win tickets to daylight savings in seattle and portland

This is for you movie lovers in the areas of Portland and Seattle. The indie film Daylight Savings, directed by Dave Boyle and starring Goh Nakamura, is playing in your town this week. It's a great little quirky road comedy with a lot of charm. Want to win a pair of free tickets? Read on. But first, here's the trailer:

Sound and Fury Podcast Episode 3: Goh Nakamura

Greetings, angry listeners. A big thank you to everyone who checked out episodes 001 and 002 of Sound and Fury: The Angry Asian Podcast. And much gratitude for all the great feedback. Be sure to subscribe if you haven't already.

We took a little break after hustling hard to release those first two episodes so close together, back-to-back. Still getting used to format. But Sound and Fury is back and ready to go with another episode.

So, without further ado, check out my conversation with Goh Nakamura...

Accents, Act-Sense

Guest Post by Goh Nakamura



Aloha! I'm on vacation, taking a much-needed break from blogging for a bit. But it's all good, because I've enlisted the help of some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's San Francisco musician Goh Nakamura on auditions and accents.I was hanging out by the JANM about a month ago and was approached/suckered into "auditioning" for a Vonage commercial by a lady with a clipboard. She said there could be some money involved. I had just come from a bar after a few beers and figured "why not?"