Japan Envy: Schick x Evangelion

I know Japan is famous for their superbly weird merchandise, but I never thought the day would come when I’d be writing about an anime/razor crossover… Yup, you read that right. The razor company Schick has teamed up with hit sci-fi anime Evangelion in preparation for the upcoming remake film Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo (which isn’t coming out until fall, funnily enough), and will be releasing all manner of crazy tie-in razors.

If you ever wanted your razor stand to feature one of the absurdly popular female leads from the anime, now’s your chance, I suppose. More interesting than the stand, in my opinion, are the cell phone keychains they’ll be giving away with purchases:

Why does Eva 01 need a razor? The world will never know…

Finally, this promotional illustration does a brilliant job of summing up just how weird this campaign is:

Who knew Gendo found shaving so delightful? 
I’m not sure if someone in Schick went off the deep end or had a stroke of genius… I’m actually leaning towards the latter, ’cause I’m seriously starting to think I wouldn’t mind one of those keychains! If you’re finding yourself oddly intrigued by the campaign, you can view the official website here. Of course, as always, this is a Japan-only promotion. 

Vintage Finds: Talking Pikachu and… Rilakkuma?

I haven’t done a “Vintage Finds” post in quite a while, but that isn’t due to lack of awesome finds. In fact, I just scored a 50 cent grater the other day, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite kitchen utensils (freshly grated cheese! shredded vegetables!). But really, does anyone care? I figure this blog would be a lot more interesting to read if I had, at the very least, a hint of an overarching theme (it’s Japan-related stuff if you’re wondering). So no posts about cheese graters! But I did find some things yesterday that fit my self-imposed theme perfectly, so today marks the long-awaited return of the “Vintage Finds” series!

Let me tell you, there’s nothing better than walking 5 minutes down the street from your house to the local vintage shop to see what treasures it holds. I generally stop by once a week to see what new items they have, and every once in a while, I find something that I just have to have. Yesterday, Shaun and I ran into not one, but two items hailing from the land of the rising sun! 
You always have to wonder how a random Japanese toy such as a talking plastic Pikachu (above) makes its way to a moderately-sized suburb in Australia. And in such good condition! Interestingly, though it has a speaker on its back and a place to insert a battery, it doesn’t have any buttons or anything to indicate exactly how it works. I’m going to get a replacement battery soon so I can try it out and see if it actually works. But I wouldn’t be fussed if it was broken. That little pink poffin he’s holding is too cute! 
The next item we spotted (actually, though Shaun was with me, I’ll take all the credit for finding these treasures) was this handsome Rilakkuma doll. If you’re a frequenter of this blog, then you already know how much I adore Rilakkama (and if you don’t, now you do!). Funnily enough, it’s still got the tag, which indicates that the strap was manufactured in Japan in 2004. The previous owner took the liberty to blot out the suggested retail price, but I’m sure the $5 we paid for it is probably just as much, if not more, than what it cost originally. Honestly, though, it looks brand new! 
For now, these two fellows will join my other assorted treasures, but Shaun’s determined to put the Rilakkuma keychain on one of his bags, which I will begrudgingly allow when the time comes. Seriously, though, I kid. It’s nice to keep things looking pristine, but it’s also nice to use them as they were intended. 
Can you name all of the characters on my shelf? (two are duplicates, and the white rabbits and red thing between Pikachu and Rilakkuma don’t count) Hint: all are video game characters. First person to get them right gets a random sticker from my collection (hey, I’ve got some good ones!). 
Update: Ok, it’s come to my attention more than once that I’m losing serious Japanophile cred for not having any totoros in the above picture. But when did I ever say that was my whole collection? My totoros (oh yes, I have more than one) have a shelf of their own:

Guess who’s churning out some amazing Journey fanart?

Now, you may not have heard (because I somehow completely neglected to blog about it), but I completely and utterly loved Journey. In fact, it’s the first game I’ve given a 5 out of 5 score over at VGW!

One thing I’ve found really intriguing about Journey is how positively it’s been received in Japan. A quick search for Kaze no Tabibito (the game’s Japanese title, literally “People of the Wind,” often shortened to Kazebito) on Google brings all sorts of discussion and fanart for the download-only title. I’m not aware how popular thatgamecompany’s previous games were in the land of the rising sun, but download-only titles generally never really gain a very high following due to the fact that Japan just hasn’t jumped on the online gaming bandwagon in the same way the rest of the world has.  

Journey, however, appears (at least from a fan standpoint) to be changing that. There’s been a huge surge of fanworks for Journey from Japan in the recent weeks. Isn’t that fabulous? Now prepare to feast your eyes on some of the raddest Journey fanart around:

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The above artist does the funniest illustrations! These selections are actually from a long strip of various images, and I highly recommend taking a look at the rest of them. You also need to take a look at the artist’s awesome Journey-themed Twitter page, even if you can’t understand Japanese. Too cute!

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People who have played the game are probably wondering who on earth that bigger wanderer with the black robes is. Unless I’m missing something huge, he does not appear in the game anywhere, and is a product of fan imagination. What’s interesting about him is how popular he’s become, with various artists all over the internet depicting him as a sort of fatherly figure for the two, smaller wanderers. I don’t know about you, but I get a huge kick out of the above picture.

Update: Apparently the black and red wanderer is actually based on the game’s initial art from a series of prototypes released early on in the game’s development. The more you know!

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I love how creative the fans are being with making new designs or imagining new scenarios for the wanderers. Did you see the Christmas-themed wanderer at the top left of the above image? Adorable!

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Of course, I’m not discounting the amazing Journey fanart out there by artists who do not hail from Japan. I woudn’t have enough space to post all of the great work I’ve seen, even if I wanted to! But I think it’s worth highlighting how this title has really taken off in Japan. I hope we see much more love for download-only games in the future. But before I end this post, here’s one of my favorite pieces by a western artist (just so you all don’t think I’m playing favorite too much):

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Have any Journey fanart you’d like to share? Feel free to do so in the comments!

The Secret Art of Otome Games

Before Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom was released in English this past Valentine’s Day, otome games remained largely off the radar of the vast majority of western gamers. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, Hakuoki hasn’t caused a huge surge of interest in otome games. Still, it’s been nice to see some people who wouldn’t normally pick up an otome game review Hakuoki or purchase it on a whim.

But reading about my friends’ and others’ first steps into the world of female-oriented visual novels and dating sims has reminded me how difficult the world of otome games can be for newcomers. I don’t by any means claim to be an authority, but there is one very important piece of advice that most fans of the genre often neglect to mention to inexperienced players that I’d like to make very clear:

In order to get a “good” end in an otome game, one must always select options with the character who’s ending they wish to obtain in mind. 

This may seem so obvious that it’s not even necessary to state, but I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t realize that was how I needed to play when I picked up my very first otome game. Ah, Christopher of Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 2nd Season, we just weren’t meant to be…

My first failed prospect

When presented with a game like a visual novel that allows one to choose from multiple options in order to advance the story through various “paths,” you’d first think to choose answers would be based on what you would do in real life, no? Or, at the very least, a player might fashion a new persona for the sake of playing the game and choose options based on what kind of character they were role-playing as.

How would this strategy fit into an otome game, then? Under normal logic you would think that based on the various options you choose, a male prospect would be selected by the game for you. Otome games, however, are not so advanced, and in an effort to create some kind of difficulty, have a very strict, structured way that they must be played in order to obtain the best endings.

Otome games are based around the idea that the player is going into the experience with a favorite character already in mind, first and foremost. Whether visual novel-style or featuring more sim-based elements, otome games leave little to no room for changing one’s mind, meaning that from the second the “start” button is pressed, all energy must be focused on obtaining one, and only one, “datable” character. This is because set parameters must be met and/or extremely specific options selected in order to advance to the “right”path. Make one wrong decision and it’s a “normal” end, or worse, game over.

It’s going to take a lot of trial and error to see scenes like these

With so many paths and endings to obtain and sometimes seemingly arbitrary decisions that must be made in order to reach them, many players of otome games read walkthroughs before or during play. Though this may seem like it takes all the fun out of getting the right ending through trial and error, saving and reloading a game file every time you make a bad decision (and you often won’t know what was a bad decision until the end of the game) can get extremely frustrating. No one plays otome games for the difficulty, anyway, so the easiest and fastest way to see the whole story unfold is often the most preferable. Luckily, many titles such as Hakuoki offer visual cues to indicate when correct answers have been chosen, and relationship meters that can be viewed at any time to see how well you’re doing with the game’s various characters.

So, next time you want to jump in to Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom or other such otome game, take a moment to consider which male prospect you would like to pursue before loading up the game. Character-specific endings are always so much more fulfilling than the generic ones, and you may even find yourself drawn to a character you wouldn’t have found appealing otherwise!

But, I’ve gotta admit: it’s a little depressing when you first realize what your mother always told you about just being yourself won’t get you any guys. Hah!

Manga Recommendatons: Wandering Son volumes 1 and 2

I absolutely love libraries. Sometimes they’ll randomly get the most exciting things! I’ve been following the manga/anime series Wandering Son (Japanese title Hourou Musuko) for many months now, but I never expected my local library here in Brisbane, Australia to order not one, but multiple copies of the first two volumes! As such, I was finally able to sink my teeth into this series, which has been hailed in Japan and abroad as being a heartfelt and honest coming-of-age story that tackles issues surrounding gender identity.

What with all the gender bending and boys’ love manga coming out of Japan, you may be thinking that the Japanese simply refuse to tackle gender issues in a realistic, meaningful way. And perhaps you would be right… Though representations of gender in Japanese media are much more fluid than those found in the west, they’re still largely limited to a few, narrow stereotypes. This is why Wandering Son is so important. 
The story follows the everyday lives classmates Shuichi Nitori and Yoshino Takatsuki, two transgendered youths on the threshold of adolescence. Drawn in a minimalist style, the series tackles the various issues and questions raised associated with coming to terms with one’s gender identity in a subtle yet meaningful way. For much of the first volume, Shuichi’s biggest hurtle is whether or not he can summon up the courage to try on female clothes, and the unknowingly hurtful things his friends and family say or do while they remain in the dark regarding Shuichi’s discomfort towards living his life as a boy. 
On the flip side, Yoshino is a forward young girl who is widely accepted for her tomboyish appearance and even receives some advances from fellow women when crossdressing as a man. Shuichi’s friendship with Yoshino eventually gives him the push he needs to start experimenting with a female identity, and it is his small steps towards becoming happy with himself that stuck with me long after I’d put down the second volume. 

I highly recommend anyone who has an interest in LGBT issues to pick up Wandering Son, regardless of whether or not you read a lot of manga. It is, in many ways, distinctly Japanese, but its straightforward and honest deception of gender issues is rare in any medium, and it shines equally as a coming-of-age tale, especially for anyone who’s ever felt they never quite fit in. 
It’s also worth noting that the hardcover editions of these two volumes are gorgeous – the oversized format, color pages, and essay by translator Matt Thorn in volume 2 all highlight what a masterpiece this series is. I’m eagerly awaiting volume three, and I can’t wait to pick up my own copies to add to my bookshelf.

Pokémon Battle Royale art show

I don’t think I’ve ever wished I lived in Minneapolis, but there’s a first time for everything, right? Well, after seeing a sample of the amazing pieces to be included in the Pokémon Battle Royale show at the Light Grey Art Lab, I sure wish I did.
151 artists contributing to catalogue all original 151 pokémon? Anyone want to fly me to Minneapolis for opening night? They’re going to be serving Pokémon-themed drinks!
If any of you do live in the area, I highly suggest making your way to the Light Grey Art Lab to view these gorgeous pieces of art in person. And if you’re interested in attending the opening on April 20th, by all means do so, and blog about it so the rest of us can live through you! More information on the show is available on the gallery’s website.
But luckily many of the pieces have already starting circulating around the web, so if you’re like me and have absolutely no hope of making it to Minneapolis, you’ll likely be able to find many, if not all, of the art online at some point. Here’s a roundup of my personal favorites!
Venusaur by Mare Odomo
Dragonite by Chie Y. Boyd
Gloom by Julianna Brion
Clefable by Katie Turner
Honestly, I don’t think there’s one I don’t like! You should definitely take a few minutes to see these, and if you have some more time on your hands, head over here to see the full list of what artist contributed which pokémon. Many have links to their personal portfolios, and if you do some digging you’ll most likely be able to find their entry to the show. There are some big names in there, so it’s definitely worth checking out!
If you do, head back here and tell me which was your favorite!

Japan Envy: Japanese Club Nintendo strikes again

To be honest, I haven’t been a member of Club Nintendo all that long. I believe I first joined in 2010, when I realized I actually bought enough games that came with point cards to actually get some free stuff. And what fun I’ve had! So far, I’ve snagged the 2012 calendar for being a gold member in 2011, the psychedelic 1-up tote bag, the limited batch of 3 Kid Icarus Uprising AR cards, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask for the Wii Virtual Console (hey, I’ve never played it!). I’m still holding out for my holy grail of Nintendo Club rewards: the elusive 800 coin Mario hanafuda cards. Someday! 
All in all, I’d say it’s a rather good haul, considering it’s all perks for buying games I would’ve purchased regardless of coins (or stars, if you live in AU –– and yes, I have a Nintendo Club AU account, as well). Nevertheless, I’ve been green with envy at the amazing Club Nintendo items Japan gets on more than one occasion in the short amount of time I’ve actually been tuned into the various things each region gets. This time, though, takes the cake: Japanese Club Nintendo members have the opportunity to score Nintendo-themed polo shirts. Not only that, but they’re completely customizable! 

For a mere 550 points (funny how every region uses a different “currency”), one of these babies could be yours. Well, if you live in Japan and haven’t spent your hard-earned coins on one of the many other awesome rewards that’s come out in the past few months.

What I find most exciting about this is the fact that you can completely customize what decal you want, the shirt color, and even the size. Don’t like the color combinations above? No problem, just head over to the Club Nintendo site and play around with the colors and images until you find something that you like. Just don’t blame me if, in doing so, you get really depressed about the fact that we’ll probably never see these outside of Japan.

It’s pretty obvious what I’d pick, but if you’re curious, I’d definitely have to go for the purple Animal Crossing cat. It’d look best on a pink or light blue tee, don’t you think? My runner up would have to be the heart capsules, but the Game & Watch one is pretty cute, too…

Man, I don’t even like polos!