First Impressions: Superbeat: Xonic

11 / 10 / 15

First Impressions is a brand new series where I share my preliminary thoughts on any video game, anime, or manga titles I’ve been consuming! When I asked you all what you’d like to see more of on Chic Pixel in my September reader survey, I got a lot of responses interested in reviews and impressions pieces. Since I don’t always finish things fast enough to review them in a timely manner, First Impressions will enable me to share my thoughts with you that much quicker! Most items featured in First Impressions will receive full reviews at a later date. Be sure to leave me a comment to let me know what you think of this new format!

Japan Envy: Pokémikke Okashi no Machi (Candy Town) Series

11 / 9 / 1511 / 9 / 15

Another day, another adorable Pokémon merchandise series I absolutely have to get my hands on! To be fair, it’s actually been a while since I wrote about Pokémon merchandise (but my last post is more than worth checking it if you haven’t already – it’s drop-dead adorable). Rest assured, I wouldn’t break my Pokémerch silence for any less than the best!

And the best it indeed is, as Pokémikke has just announced its third series, titled Okashi no Machi, or Candy Town. The new line of criminally adorable merchandise goes on sale in late November in Japan, and it just may be my favorite Pokémikke series yet! Here’s the full lineup:

Sunday Spotlight: MogKnight Niche Game Streaming

11 / 8 / 15

Hear that sound? That’s the first week of November whooshing on by! It’s already the first Sunday of the month, and boy am I not ready for the holidays. But enough about me! This week I’m excited to spotlight a long-time internet friend of mine who is making a name for himself in video game streaming: MogKnight!

Mog prides himself on niche games, so you’ll see all kinds of craziness on his near-daily streams. And if you aren’t able to tune in to the live playthroughs, there’s always archives and Mog’s YouTube channel, though you won’t have the fun of being involved in the chat! It’s worth pointing out that Mog is extremely friendly to all walks of players and does not engage in racist or sexist trash talk or jokes, so you can rest assured you will feel welcome in the chat room.

If that sounds its up your alley, consider adding MogKnight to your streamer rotation! You can keep your eye on his every move on Twitch, YouTube, and Twitter.

Oyatsu Cha Cha Cha Review

11 / 6 / 154 / 20 / 18

Oyatsu Cha Cha Cha is the latest Japanese snack subscription service on the block, so of course I had to see how they stack up! Offering 15 – 20 snacks each month for $39 including shipping worldwide, they’re one of the more premium boxes available, but if the sample I received is any indication, they’re more than worth the price!

November Community Game-Along: Natsume

11 / 3 / 1511 / 4 / 15

As always, a new month has completely snuck up on me! I was so busy enjoying everyone’s kusoge playthroughs for October that I completely forgot to announce November’s Game-Along theme. Luckily, I think this month will be pretty laid back for us busy folk, because November is all about Natsume games.

Not that “laid back” is a bad thing, but Natsume is by far most famous for Harvest Moon (now published by XSEED as Story of Seasons), and you can’t get much more laid back than that. So grab a Natsume game and start sharing your experiences on social media with #NatsumeMonth! In the interest of making this as accessible as possible, both titles developed and published by Natsume are eligible for this month’s Game-Along. Here are just a few notable items they have in their roster:

Sunday Spotlight: Lychee Parfait

11 / 1 / 15

If you follow my Twitter, you’ll know I’ve spent the past week catching up with Mr. Sushi’s family in Sydney. In between eating and shopping, I’ve been chatting with one of my sister-in-laws and learned that she’s also dived into the world of blogging! Her site, Lychee Parfait, is all about food and travel in Sydney in Japan, and I guarantee her posts will leave you very hungry.

Maneki Neko from Lychee Parfait — Sydney Night Noodle Markets

Lychee Parfait has a lot of write-ups on sights I’ve been to but never posted about myself, such as Kiyomizudera, so if you’ve ever wanted to go to Japan and enjoy Asian cuisine, definitely check it out. Sydney residents may even find a new eatery or two to try out while you’re at it!

How to Make a Japanese iTunes Account to Download Free Apps

10 / 29 / 158 / 14 / 17

The Japanese App Store is a treasure trove of free games you can download and play, even if you don’t know Japanese. Back in 2011, I published a tutorial on how to make a Japanese iTunes account without registering a credit card, and it continues to be one of my most popular posts. Though the process is largely the same, my original post was long overdue for an overhaul, so allow me to present… “How to Make a Japanese iTunes Account to Download Free Apps,” the 2015 edition! Read on and you’ll be downloading all sorts of free Japanese apps in no time!