Category Archives: Apricotsushi Samples

Happiness Tastes Like Butter Chips

Happiness is a bag of chips, right? Well, apparently Calbee thinks so… Butter potato chips, to be precise. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an Apricotsushi Samples, but here’s one I filmed back when my hair was nearly at my shoulders and it was cold enough to wear scarves!

I was quite surprised at how sweet these were! There wasn’t really any of the saltiness I expected, but that’s because I was silly and didn’t read that one of the ingredients was honey before chowing down. (Fun fact: I record the audio for the package close up portion in post production, so I clearly didn’t read what was on the bag until much after the fact this time…)

Are butter-flavored potato chips something you’d like to try? How about… mandarin? I’m always looking for weird new food products to try, so if you find anything, send them my way!

 

Catch-Up Corner: Tokyo Coverage 2014

I’ve been really, really bad about updating the site while I’ve been on my trip, and I feel horrible about it! I had all these grand plans to be covering things as I experienced them, but unfortunately I’ve been so busy that I’ve only had the energy to do quick Twitter and Instagram updates as I go along, for the most part. But to keep you all from thinking the site is dead, here’s a very overdue Catch-Up Corner to get you up to speed with some of the things I’ve been doing!

Me with this awesome Free! mural in Akihabara!

First of all, if you’re still not following me on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and want to keep to date with everything I’m experiencing in Japan as it happens, please consider doing so! While I’ll do more long-form coverage of some of the more standout things I’ve done over the course of the past couple of weeks once I get home in a few days, there will still be some photos/information on my social media that you probably won’t see here on the main site.

While I was initially considering doing some out-and-about video coverage, I’ve found that I’m just too shy to film most things… Luckily, I’ve been able to take a few short videos, and have posted a couple of things I filmed from my University of Tokyo dorm. The video above is an unboxing of a Gatchaman Crowds rubber strap blind box. I was so excited to find some Gatchaman Crowds merchandise!

If you only have the time/tolerance to watch one video of me today, though, make it this one – it’s an Apricotsushi Samples straight from Japan! Better yet, it’s of some random “hangover remedy” drink I was handed in the streets of Tokyo, so you’ll get to hear me talk about that whole experience, too.

Finally, I did a very short impromptu Apricotsushi Samples video of me trying lemon ginger foat ice cream on my Instagram, since it was too hot to carry it home to film properly. The video is available in two separate parts, so be sure to watch both! I suppose you also get to experience some of the summer Tokyo atmosphere – namely, cicadas and my sweaty face.

Well, there’s a whole slew of video content that will hopefully keep you busy for a little while, if you haven’t seen them already! I’ve got many more Apricotsushi Samples on the way, including posts about my various experiences, such as the Square Enix and Rilakkuma cafés. Sorry for the wait, but I hope you’ll look forward to them!

Making the Kracie Popin Cookin’ Kuru Kuru Takoyaki Kit

Phew, filming and editing videos is hard work! It’s nothing like writing, which lets me take time to collect my thoughts, put them down on virtual paper, and come back later to edit as necessary. It isn’t even comparable to podcasting – though I can do little to edit the way I’ve said something if it comes out sounding dumb, at least in podcast form I can be sitting in my pjs sipping a hot cup of coffee as I record, for all you listeners know!

Video, on the other hand, is brutal. I’m conscious of how I both look and sound, and even after I’ve recorded everything to my satisfaction, the editing process takes twice as long as it does for a podcast. Basically, this is a long-winded explanation for why I’m so late in uploading a new episode of Apricotsushi Samples! Hopefully with each video I’ll get slightly better at the whole process to the point where I don’t feel so preemptively exhausted every time I think about doing a video.

On this week’s episode, I finally get around to trying the Kracie Popin Cookin’ Kuru Kuru Takoyaki kit! I was very apprehensive about this one (is it actually supposed to emulate real takoyaki?), but since I got it in a shipment from Candy Japan, I had to give it a shot. Give the video a watch to see how I fared…

The video clocks in at nearly 10 minutes, so I’d really like some feedback on it, if you get through the whole thing! Is 10 minutes too long for a candy kit like this? Should I cut out some of the steps in the making process? These are all questions I ask myself in editing, as I tend to think that 10 minutes may be a little too long to sit and watch a YouTube video, but if you prefer the level of detail I’m providing for the whole kit process, please let me know.

Finally, stay tuned for my 100 subscriber giveaway! I’ll be announcing it in an upcoming video, and it’ll be chock full of fun Japanese snacks, so you won’t want to miss it!

Kitty Godzilla, Apricotsushi Samples: Pokésnacks, and a Giveaway!

Hello lovelies! It’s Saturday here in Australia, and I’ve just gotten back from seeing the new Hollywood reboot of Godzilla. Believe it or not, I’ve never actually seen a Godzilla movie (shock! horror!), but I am definitely familiar with the Godzilla mythos/legacy, and I must say I was really impressed with the film. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly suggest anyone with even a passing Godzilla fancy to check it out! I’m also excited to hear that the director has confirmed he’s working on two follow-up movies, which will hopefully explore new directions/monsters.

via @Richmond_Lee

More importantly, I’ve been introduced to what may be the best kaiju on the planet: Negora! As far as I can tell, Negora is a kitty Godzilla spoof that has its own toy line. I may not really understand it, but I can definitely see the appeal. The creator, Konatsu, has her own Negora blog, which I highly recommend checking out if you find the above image at all intriguing. Negora is so popular that it even has its own set of LINE stamps in Japan! I have a feeling I’m going to have to seek out some Negora figures when I’m in Tokyo…

If you’re at a loss of things to do this weekend, why not check out the latest episode of Apricotsushi Samples? It’s all about Pokémon food! I try Pokémon curry, a Pokémon chocolate wafer, and “evolving” Pokémon gummies. All can be purchased through my affiliates, Oyatsu Café and Jlist, so if any of those sound like something you might want to try, please do consider supporting Chic Pixel by buying them there! Of course, you may want to wait and see what I actually think of the snacks before purchasing them for yourself…

Also, if you’re a Pokémon fan, be sure to watch this episode of Apricotsushi Samples to the end for details on my latest giveaway! It’s super easy to enter, and open worldwide. You only have until May 31st to enter, though, so don’t put it off!

Finally, I’m always thinking of ways to improve Chic Pixel, and am considering doing a little “miscellaneous” post every Saturday where I talk about a couple things that might not be big enough to merit their own post. But what shall I name this wee new column? I’ll have to pin that down before next weekend…

Chic Pixel YouTube Channel Update

Most of you are probably aware by now, but in case you’re not… I have a YouTube channel! I’ve always found it much easier to express myself in text versus standing up in front of people or, in this case, on camera, making starting a YouTube channel perhaps the scariest online endeavor I’ve undertaken yet. But as they say, practice makes perfect, the show must go on, and video is a whole new world just waiting to be explored!

This is the face of someone who loves what she does

In the future, I’d like to do a post here every time I upload a new YouTube video, but I’ve been rather slack about it lately, so I thought now would be a good opportunity to remind everyone that I’d like to think of the channel as an extension of the Chic Pixel site, but by no means a replacement. If you like the kind of things I post here, I’m sure you’d enjoy the videos I have to offer! But if video isn’t your thing, don’t worry, I’ll still be writing regularly, and the vast majority of my content will continue to be written. I’m not going to beat around the bush, though – the views on my videos are painfully low at the moment, so do please consider checking them out!

The main series I’m focusing on at the moment is “Apricotsushi Samples,” where I try all manner of exotic Japanese treats and film my (sometimes) hilarious reactions on camera. And since I love Japanese packaging, you can be sure there are lots of gratuitous “packshots,” too! My latest episode is a weird one indeed:

I just love that someone thought to themselves one day, “You know what would be cool? A toy toilet bowl that kids can drink out of!” I actually still have my pink toilet sitting on my shelf, currently occupied by a little plastic Sylveon. I might actually do what the package suggests and plant something in it at some point!

Now, back in March I received an OyatsuBox Japanese snack subscription which was packed full of Japanese snacks and candy. After reviewing it, I did what any sane person would do – sample every single thing in the box! If you’re curious to see what was good and not so good, this episode of Apricotsushi Samples is for you:

Finally, you may remember how I was swooning over the Japan-only Hatsune Miku lottery that Family Mart did during the month of March. My host mother was kind enough to enter the lottery a few times for me, and I recently received the fruits of her labor. If you’re curious to see what the Hatsune Miku lottery items look like up close or what a typical package from my host mom looks like, it’s all here:

With that, I think we’re just about up to date! My goal is to get into a regular routine where I upload a new episode of Apricotsushi Samples a week, and any other videos as the opportunities arise. I’m having a lot of fun filming and editing them, but it’s a lot of work I’m not accustomed to, so if you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

Finally, there’s the little issue of nomenclature. I can’t decide if I should brand the channel with the Chic Pixel name, or use some variation of “apricotsushi” (the user name I go by on social media) in the title. What do you think? Do you have any fun channel name ideas I might have overlooked? Let me know!

A closer look at the Pokémon Center Pikachu Face Cookies

Those of you who are already following my YouTube channel (thanks!) probably know already, but for those who don’t – a new episode of Apricotsushi Samples is up! This week, I try out some adorable Pikachu cookies I purchased at the Pokémon Center in Osaka last June. If you’re interested, do give it a watch:

Since my YouTube video endeavors are still rather young, I thought it’d help get the word out by posting about them here… But I also don’t want to keep repeating the same things, just in different outlets, so I really want to be able to include some special extras for those of you who actually go to the effort to read these posts! Luckily, in this case, I have just the thing:

In the video, I mention that each of the cookies has a distinct face (except for the one duplicate, which I gladly ate), but I didn’t get a chance to show them. So, here’s a photo! I absolutely adore how Japanese companies put little flourishes on their products like this. The Pikachu in the top middle looks so sad, though! 

And here’s a closeup of the cookies and individual wrapper designs. I suppose I should go ahead and eat the rest of them, but it’s really hard to bring myself to eat something so cute!

Well, I hope you’re enjoying Apricotsushi Samples so far! I’m having a lot of fun filming them, and if all goes well I’d like to slowly expand the video content on my channel. Fans of the written word have no need to fear, though, as this site will always come first! That said, I’d love some input on future episodes of Apricotsushi Samples. This week I’ll definitely be doing the Mountain Dew Cheetos I received in the mail yesterday, but future weeks are still up in the air. Would you like to see different Kit Kat flavors? Savory snacks? Sweet candies? I’ve got quite the backlog of Japanese treats to choose from!

Watch me eat sakura matcha Kit Kats in my new video series

It’s not a secret that I love Japanese candy. In fact, I’ve written some strangely in-depth posts about interesting Japanese candy a few times in the past, but unfortunately I’ve noticed that they tend to not get nearly as much traction as my other, non-food posts.

Of course, the most obvious reason for this would be that no one is nearly as interested in Japanese candy as I am. If that’s the case, consider me thoroughly shocked and I will cease all candy-related endeavors at once. But instead of jumping to that conclusion, I’ve considered that perhaps reading about someone eating candy isn’t nearly as amusing as actually watching said person eating candy… Bet you can’t guess where I’m going with this!

That’s right, I’ve decided to jump into the scary world of Youtube videos! I’m calling the series Apricotsushi Samples and will be posting a new episode every Sunday. In my very first attempt, I take a bite out of the sakura matcha (cherry blossom green tea) Kit Kat pictured above. It’ll only take five minutes of your time, so if you’re at all interested, please give it a watch!

I’m sure it will become immediately apparent that I was extremely nervous to film this video. My fear of talking in front of people and the anxiety associated with that is something I’m always trying to work on, and while podcasting certainly helps, I imagine posting these videos will be a big step in overcoming that to some degree. Fingers crossed!

Of course, any and all comments are more than welcome! I’d definitely like to hear what people like/dislike about the video and what you would like to see more of in the future. And if you need to cleanse your palette after my video (pun intended; I’m so sorry), I highly suggest checking out Emmymade in Japan – her food videos are super, and she does a lot of fun Japanese candies, as well.