Japan 2016

I’m finally back from Japan after a two week trip. I’ve also been sick beyond belief upon returning, so unfortunately I haven’t been able to write about it much until now.

Having been to most of the usual places, this trip was more about shopping and visiting lesser known places. I finally managed to see Mount Fuji from a nearby onsen, finally made it to Miyajima, visited the Ramen Museum in Yokohama, and by chance, happened to be in Okayama for the Saidaiji Eyo “Naked Man” Festival.

One thing I’ve found interesting to see evolve over time is the Japan’s attitudes on smoking. Smoking, at least in most public places, is almost completely gone. You get the occasional food place that allows smoking, but other than that, it’s good to see that Japan has finally caught up on whole public smoking ban thing. Even back when I came in 2013, it was still allowed in arcades, but thankfully even today you can breathe easy while you play sit down and play. This is a far cry from my first trip in 2007 where arcades (and some restaurants) were not a very nice place to be.

Speaking of arcades, they don’t feel quite as energy-packed and full of games as they did during the days of Street Fighter 4. The main hardcore game that people are playing is still EXVS, and it’s still overwhelmingly popular enough to keep the brick and mortar arcade alive. Most other games were either music/rhythm or UFO Catcher games, I didn’t see anymore of those crazy pod-setup Gundam games.

And now we come to the most important part of the trip…

The Haul

This was my first time to Japan during a time whilst I’ve been actively building Gunpla. Since my last trip in 2013, my horizons had expanded considerably; HGs, RGs and Kotobukiya kits, all things that I would’ve never thought about buying before were suddenly now open season. I did had somewhat of a list in mind when I landed, but somehow I had assumed that ‘rare’ items would be easier to find in Japan. I quickly found out that I was wrong, and was I also surprised to discover that things like HG Super Fumina / Frame Arms Girls were nowhere to be found in the Kansai/Kanto areas.

Anyway, the breakdown:

Games

• Super Robot Wars MX
• Super Robot Wars Alpha 2
• Super Robot Wars Impact
• Super Robot Wars Z Jigoku Hen
• Super Robot Wars Z Tengoku Hen
• Capcom vs SNK2

Gunpla

• MG Unicorn OVA
• MG V2 Gundam
• MG 00 Raiser
• HG Kshatriya
• HG Full Armour Gundam Thunderbolt
• HG Reborns
• HG Cherudim
• HG Graze
• HG McGillis’ Graze
• HG Ez8

Star Wars

• Millennium Falcon
• Resistance X-Wing

Frame Arms/Kotobukiya Other

• Frame Arms Baselard
• Frame Arms Rapier
• Frame Arms Rapier Zephyr
• Various Kotobukiya MSG
• Frame Arms Girl Materia x2
• KOSMOS version.1
• Frame Arrms Girls Weapon Set 02

Super Robot Wars

• Galilnagant
• R2 Powererd
• Alteisen Reise
• Fairlion Type S

Figures

• 1/6 Saber
• Bishoujou She-Hulk

Tools/Others

• Kotobukiya x Godhand nippers x2
• Mineshima nippers
• Various Gundam Markers
• Various Tamiya Masking tape
• Lots of decals

Welp, I guess that’s enough to keep me busy for a while!