MIKUCOLOR: Kei’s Hatsune Miku Illustration Works Review

I may be new to the world of Hatsune Miku art books, but Udon Entertainment certainly isn’t. In fact, MIKUCOLOR: Kei’s Hatsune Miku Illustration Works is the fifth release in the company’s Hatsune Miku art book series! What sets it apart from previews volumes, however, is the fact that MIKUCOLOR is exclusively dedicated to the works of official Vocaloid artist Kei, covering his illustration work for DVD jackets to magazine covers. It’s a great opportunity to see so much of Kei’s work all in one place, especially considering how difficult it is to source many of the products his work appears on outside of Japan!

When Marnie Was There Review

8 / 12 / 144 / 20 / 18

When I realized I would be in Japan while the latest Studio Ghibli film, When Marnie Was There (Omoide no Maanii), was in theaters, I was thrilled. The last time I saw a Ghibli film in Japan was Ponyo, which was gorgeously animated but ultimately a little disappointing for me, so I wanted to see if Ghibli could outdo some of their more recent mediocre affairs. While When Marnie Was There‘s premise of a young sick girl who goes out to the country and becomes friends with another, rather mysterious, girl didn’t seem all that enticing from a plot synopsis point of view, I went in hopeful that I would be getting another dose of Ghibli’s magic on the big screen, well before the film aired in the rest of the world.

Insert Coin Clothing Review

7 / 10 / 144 / 23 / 18

I don’t always wear gaming-themed clothing, but when I do, I like to do it in style! I kid, but when it comes to gaming threads, there’s a fine line between “wink nod” game references on trendy clothing and obnoxiously obvious tees that proclaim your love for all things nerdy for the world to see.

Apricotsushi Reviews: The Man of Tango

6 / 12 / 144 / 18 / 15

When I first saw the cover of Man of Tango, I was sure it had to be bara, or gei comi, a genre of manga distinct from boys’ love (hereafter BL) due to it usually targeting a gay male audience rather than women. The author, Tetuzoh Okadaya, however, is most definitely a woman, and more importantly, she was explicitly approached by an editor to write a BL story, which resulted in The Man of Tango. I’m always excited to see BL that shakes up the genre (that’s what I’m writing my thesis on, after all!), so her unique style combined with her comments about being inspired by bara visionary Gengoroh Tagame had me very excited to see what The Man of Tango had to offer.

The Man of Tango is a one-shot manga about the life of tango aficionado Angie, a man that despite his deep passion for dance has never been able to awaken his true spirit, nor find a life partner. But since this is BL, all that changes when he meets Hiro, a nondescript half-Latin, half-Japanese businessman who soon finds himself drawn in by Angie’s charms. Angie reminds Hiro of his home and youth, but not all of his memories are positive. Hiro soon finds himself opening up to Angie in more ways than one, simultaneously being drawn into the mystical world of tango and gay romance.

First, I have to point out that The Man of Tango does a lot of great things that you don’t see in BL very often. Aside from the love-it-or-hate-it art style, it’s one of the few BL stories I’ve read that prominently features a female character who isn’t being used as a catalyst for disaster between the male couple (usually in the form of a third love interest, jealous ex, etc.). Instead, Angie’s tango partner and roommate Bene is a warm, appealing female supporting character, which is most welcome as a breath of fresh air in the otherwise male-dominated BL genre.

Of course, the other major draw of The Man of Tango is in the subject matter. It’s clear that Tetuzoh Okadaya appreciates the art of tango, and I felt like even I learned something about the art, or at least had a greater appreciation for it, by the end of the story. I also loved the fact that both of the male protagonists are older, with Angie being in his late thirties and even sporting some facial hair (though I suppose you could say that’s a Latin stereotype). The story is also appropriately mature, though it borders on dark, especially when delving into Hiro’s childhood, so those looking for a happy-go-lucky romance may find it too heavy. Personally, however, I really enjoyed the more mature themes.

It’s the fact that The Man of Tango does so much well that makes the areas where it stumbles all the more frustrating. I am never a fan of the “but I’m not gay!” line appearing in BL, but The Man of Tango takes it to an extreme by also having Angie take advantage of Hiro when he is drunk (see above image), making Hiro’s subsequent revelation that he has feelings for Angie and has already engaged in X-rated activities with him not romantic in the least. Not only did Angie’s sexual advances on Hiro when he is inebriated make me dislike him, but Hiro’s constant “I’m not gay, but I like you!” admissions felt especially juvenile when compared to the other issues the story tackles, which made me dislike him, too. So, in the end, while I enjoyed a number of the overarching themes of the story, both male protagonists were obnoxious and the story did not convey the feeling of a great, timeless romance by having a relationship building out of a non-consentual first sexual encounter. I’m not saying that non-consentual sex has no place in a mature storyline, but in this case, it just wasn’t handled in a satisfactory manner (in fact, it wasn’t even regarded as non-consentual by any of the characters).

The Man of Tango may not be for everyone, but I still think it does a lot of interesting things and I hope to see more from Tetuzoh Okadaya in the future. Most importantly, let’s see more older protagonists, mature themes, female side-characters, and interesting art in BL! I just hope we can move past non-consentual sex and “only gay for you” shenanigans sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer: A copy of the manga was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review

Apricotsushi Reviews: Little Witch Academia Blu-ray

5 / 21 / 144 / 18 / 15

Way back in August of last year, I wrote about an anime short called Little Witch Academia and how it brought back memories of some of my favorite magical girl series from my youth. With its gorgeous animation, great cast of female characters, and charming story, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to see more of. I highly suggest reading the above article for more of my impressions of the episode, as today I’m not going to focus on the merits of Little Witch Academia itself (suffice it to say, I think it’s wonderful!), but rather the lovely Blu-ray release now available from Studio Trigger’s online store.

When my copy of the Blu-ray arrived courtesy of acttil, I was immediately impressed by the quality of the packaging. Not only does it come with the main event, the 26 minute episode of Little Witch Academia itself, but it also includes a documentary, soundtrack CD, and a separate book full of illustrations, storyboards, interviews, and more!

Back cover of the book

The official booklet’s cover has the title embossed in gold text, which is a lovely touch. Though it’s a paperback, the detail put into the cover on its own reveals that it is by no means a cheap extra. In fact, the book itself is 112 pages long! Let’s take a look inside:

Two pages from the “story & commentary” section

Approximately one third of the book is in full color, which includes the gorgeous two-page spread shown above, illustrations of the main characters, an “image board” that consists of some backgrounds and environmental items, an overview of the story with commentary, and a color storyboard. The full color pages look great, but I wish there were a few more of them. Luckily, the rest of the book is still chock-full of amazing sketches and information.

There are a number of color glossy pages dedicated to specific animators, but since the images are all sketches, it seems like a waste to put them on the “nicer” paper at the beginning when there are full color stills that do not get the benefit of similar nice paper later on in the book (see images below). This is a very nitpicky critique, though, as the animator-specific sections and associated interviews provide a lot of interesting insight and it’s nice that Studio Trigger decided to highlight them by putting them towards the front of the book.

The rest of the book is printed on slightly lower quality paper using a limited color palette (lots of purple, pink, and blue). It’s difficult to think of a western equivalent, but it reminds me a lot of the monthly manga “phone books,” except on slightly thicker paper. The character sheets and background sections are definitely my favorite, as they get much deeper into all of the designs used in the episode than the color section does at the beginning. The full script is also included, along with samples from the storyboard, and there are more interviews to close out the book. As I mentioned earlier, the interviews in this section include images that have been reduced to a limited color palette, which is an interesting design choice but a bit of a shame for those who might prefer the original, full color versions.

Before I move on to the Blu-ray and soundtrack, I wanted to mention that though I did not receive one, all orders of the Blu-ray set from Studio Trigger’s online store will include an extra “special booklet” that consists of English translations for all of the Japanese text, such as interviews, in the official booklet.

Next up is the “book” that houses the Blu-ray and soundtrack CD. I am honestly really impressed by the packaging on both this and the booklet! The Blu-ray case has a hard cover, but unlike normal Blu-ray cases it’s a heavy cardboard-like material, so be careful not to spill water on it! When you open it up, there’s a rather shocking color choice:

It’s so pink! I love how psychedelic it is. The Blu-ray itself is self-explanatory, but the bonus production documentary “How the Magic was Created” is definitely worth mentioning. It includes English subtitles and clocks in at a whopping 66 minutes, and is an eye-opening glimpse at what work in a Japanese animation studio is like.

The soundtrack CD consists of 13 songs, making it 18 minutes of full orchestral music. It’s not often that I even notice the music in an anime, so the fact that I listen to this soundtrack when I’m not watching Little Witch Academia is pretty high praise. One of my favorite tracks is Shiny Chariot’s Theme – it has a great sense of grandeur and wonder that I feel encompasses my feelings for the show as a whole.

Honestly, I can’t believe this Little Witch Academia Blu-ray set is only ¥6,171 (approx. $60)! It’s an amazing package and it really does the episode justice. While the Kickstarter for Little Witch Academia episode two has already been funded, I’d definitely recommend supporting the series by purchasing the episode one Blu-ray. You won’t regret it!

Plush Felyne Slipper Review

1 / 9 / 144 / 18 / 15

Today I’m going to try something a little different… A slipper review! But these aren’t just any slippers, of course, as they feature the very adorable kitty mascot of the Monster Hunter series, Felyne!

I guarantee by the end of this post those soulless eyes will start freaking
you out (if they don’t already)

I received these as a Christmas present from my mom, and I have to say, even though it’s the middle of the summer here in Australia, I can’t help but want to wear them around the apartment. They’re just so cute!

But cuteness if only half of a premium slipper package. And, in the case of character merchandise like this, there’s always the possibility of bootleg items. Let’s take a closer look:

First, can I say that the little tail on the back is the most adorable detail? Anyway, the label looks legit, even though it’s sewn on rather crookedly.

The tag, however, makes it clear that this is definitely official Capcom merchandise with that fancy gold Capcom seal. You know you’ve got something special when you can’t even throw the tag away! That, or you’re me.

Aside from being made from a very soft, fluffy fabric, the slippers come with an anti-slip bottom. My house is fully carpeted so I don’t really have to worry about this, but it’s nice to have if you live in a place with lots of wood floors or other slippery surfaces!

Here’s what they look like on. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop looking at my feet! The felyne heads are extremely well sewn, and it really feels like I’m stomping around on a pair of plush toys with how cushy they are. Of course, they are built with Japanese feet in mind, so if you have larger feet they unfortunately probably won’t fit. I generally run about a size 8 (25 centimeters), and my heel is just at the very back of the slipper.

One last thing: check out how big the front of these are! They’re not called plush slippers for nothing. Using the universal measurement of the PSP case, they are a little more than half a PSP case tall.

The only aspect I wasn’t able to “test” was their durability – I haven’t worn them all that much, so I can’t speak to how well they hold up over time. But they’ll only set you back $10 at Jlist.com, and for that price, they’re definitely a steal for Monster Hunter fans! They even have Felyne’s black kitty buddy, Melynx, for those who prefer the pink x black color scheme.

How can you say no to that face

Finally, for those of you who are bummed that you won’t be able to fit into these tiny Japanese slippers, they also have Felyne and Melynx earmuffs! If it actually got cold enough where I live to necessitate owning earmuffs, I would’ve definitely picked up a pair by now.

Hopefully my Felnye slippers will keep me happy and my feet warm for years to come!

Wonderful World of Whipple: Crème Filled Creations Kit Review

10 / 14 / 134 / 18 / 15

Japan loves food. Not only does Japan love food, but it also has an unparalleled love for fake food, be it squishy keychains that look like loaves of bread or immaculately-designed plastic sushi featured in restaurant windows to entice in hungry passers-by. There’s something that’s always fascinated me by Japan’s obsession with creating so many different representations of food, but I’ve always been especially fond of the cute fake sweets often used in deco crafts.

Short for “decoration,” deco often refers to “decoden,” an over-the-top cute way of decorating cell phones and other electronics (usually portable game consoles), but from my understanding (which could very well be wrong), deco can really be used to described any sort of cute creation that is used to “decorate,” whether it be a person (i.e nail art) or a piece of electronic equipment, bag, etc.

Anyway, enough musing on terminology! The moral of the story is, I’ve been enamored by cute fake foods for quite some time, and have always wanted to try a deco craft kit and make some myself. Imagine my surprise when I was casually browsing in a toy store and found a Japanese deco craft kit being marketed at young girls!

Whipple is the Japanese brand of silicone craft cream used in many deco creations, so I was beyond thrilled to see it actually being sold in Australia (well, that’s not entirely true… more on that later). It looks just like whipped cream, but beware, it’s not edible! Be sure to swing by the Japanese Whipple site and check out their commercial and catalog if you want to be bombarded by cute.

Apparently Whipple has been selling a number of different deco kits internationally for a while now, but I haven’t ever been tuned into the deco “scene” as it were, so that news completely passed me by. After giving the kit go, I honestly have to say that I don’t think a 10-year-old me would have been able to manage it (25-year-old me barely did!).

While there were a number of kits available, I ultimately went with the Crème Filled Creations pack as it had the most variety in terms of sweets, and I liked the look of the macarons especially.

Here’s what the kit itself looks like – the box was rather large for the amount of things packed in! There are instructions for how to apply the cream in different patterns, as well as a practice sheet, which was great for a beginner like myself. In the future, though, I might buy a second bag of the cream, as the bag supplied with the kit is actually quite small. The instructions warn you to only do a couple rounds on the practice sheet so as not to run out, but even after doing only one practice round I found myself wishing I had a little extra cream at the end. Those who are worried that they might not get the hang of the technique right away would definitely want that extra leeway, plus the cream can come out a little runny at first, meaning you may waste some before you can get started (I just used the runny cream for my practice sheet; the consistency was fine by the time I got to application).

At first, the instructions are a little overwhelming, but I was grateful to have them. The cream itself comes in this cute little bag that must be warmed up by lightly squeezing before use. Then, you use a ruler to push the cream down towards the tip of the bag for smooth application.

Here goes nothing! Forgive the poor photo but it was surprisingly difficult to get shots in action. I have a newfound respect for craft bloggers! You can see my gooey practice sheet in the background. The kit recommended having a toothpick on hand, so I grabbed the closest thing available (a skewer). I used it a couple times to help position gems on the cream.

I’d definitely recommend having a couple damp paper towels readily available in case you mess up! Since Whipple is water soluble, it comes off relatively easily if you make a mistake and want to reapply. Oh, and it’s also essentially oderless, which is great if you live in a small apartment like me!

To tell the truth, I didn’t actually know Whipple was a Japanese brand until I saw Japanese writing on the bag itself! Like I said, I’m not very familiar with deco crafts.

After waiting a solid 48 hours for the cream to dry, my creations were finally ready for use! I was a little lazy and mostly got my application inspiration from the front of the box, but all in all I’m very happy with how they turned out. All of the sweets come with eye-pins pre-inserted so they can be used as keychains, which is quite handy but may turn off those who would rather not use them that way. The kit also comes with three ball link chains, leaving you to come up with alternative means to attach the leftover sweets.

While I can’t compare the quality of the actual donut and macron pieces to other plastic pre-made deco parts, I was very satisfied with the overall kit. The parts it includes may not be top-of-the line, but for the price (will vary depending on where you live but generally around $20) I’d definitely recommend a Whipple kit to anyone interested in getting into deco crafts.

If you think you’d like to give Whipple a go, check out Amazon for the full range of Whipple kits. I must say, I’m a little worried that I’m on the brink of a new obsession…