Sunday, January 28, 2007

Pachinko Mini's

Pachinko is a typically Japanese game. ( I know, I said non-Japanese post next time didn't I? Oops) It's a lot like a slot machine I'm told. Only instead of winning coins you win these little metal balls that are cashed in for prizes. Now, what is to stop you from bringing in your own pachinko balls and handing those in I'm not sure, but the one's I'm about to show you probably have no street value. The lovely folks over at Strapya.com have handed us another jewel. A miniature-ized version of the pachinko tub for you to carry around on you celly. As you can see, the slightly golden ball is the actual pachinko ball size and the rest are miniatures. If you want to play pachinko for real though, you'll have to head to a pachinko parlor in Japan. For some reason, they just haven't caught on here. . .

(A real Pachinko tub)

Thursday, January 25, 2007

GachaPON!

Hee hee hee. Ok, so I suppose I'll have to pose something NON-Japanese after this one, but for now another toy from Japan. This mini gachapon ((Named for the small coin machines otaku and small children collect things from based on the noises it makes. GACHA is the noise of turning the coin and PON is the plopping of the capsule to the bottom of the machine)) machine hands out candy instead of toys, but it makes sense - who wants a toy that disributes more TOYS?? Available now at Strapya.com PON!

MoooOOOOm, Mogumo ate my SD card...


I couldn't resist sharing this little guy with (readers?) well - here he is anyway. Japanese folks must carry SD cards around a lot more than us since they make cell phone straps like this little guy. Made of some sort of silicone rubber he gobbles up your SD card to protect your information and keep it safe from keys/dogs/monkeys.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Vending Machine

If you know anything about Japan, you know that they have some of the strangest vending machines. The most infamous one's being of the used panty variety. (Yuck. . . ) But this one has it's own unique appeal to it. I'd buy a Sprite from it even if I already had a drink in my hand.
Forget about automation, just stick a person in there and have them hand out drinks all day long. Don't forget to smile!



(Also - if you're wondering like I did about "Sprite on Fire" it's an Asian remix of Sprite with spicy ginger flavoring added into it. Supposed to wake your taste buds up I suppose. Wonder how that tastes?

((As a reader pointed out - yes the bottle to the right is Chinese, Sprite on Fire is served in both countries.))

Monday, January 15, 2007

Japanese Movie Review: Lovely Complex


Teppei Koike: Atsushi Ohtani
Ema Fujisawa:
Risa Koizumi
Nami Tamaki: Nobuko Ishihara

Risa Kudou: Chiharu Tanaka


KAWAAIIIIIIII!!!!!!!! ::SQWEEEEE:: Ok. I've regained my composure. Let me lay down the story background for you. A tall girl gets crushed in love by her short crush. Short boy gets equal treatment from a taller girl. Said boy and girl meet, get along, but refuse to see each other as a possibility because of their height. Get it? Got it? Sugoi. Now, if you are at all familiar with Japanese pop culture you know who Teppei Koike and Nami Tamaki are. Nami Tamaki is a solo artist, and Teppei Koike is 1/2 of the pop duo WaT. Besides being short and little, he sure has a lot of character for a little guy. The charisma between him and Ema Fujisawa is notable and believable. The movie itself is based on a Japanese manga, so keep in mind that they keep a lot of the same gags and jokes from the original. Lots of bright colors, pop music, and a little bit of over-acting. But, if you are out for a good time and a good laugh, check out this new movie from Japan.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Hong Kong Movie Review: Kung Fu Mahjong

Yuen Wah: Chi Mo-Sai
Yuen Qiu: Auntie Fei
Roger Kwok: Wong

I watched this movie tonight after letting it sit on my shelf for a month and a half. (Thanks for no late fees Netflix) I was unsure about it and less enthusiastic about it than most of the other Chinese movies I have watched. So there it sat, next to Elizabethtown and Rumble in the Bronx waiting for me to be bored enough to watch it. And I should have watched it earlier! I thought that despite a clear focus at times this movie had what a lot of movie-goers enjoy: laughter, drama, action and a hint of romance. There was a surprisingly dark part of the movie in the middle. Usually something this light-hearted doesn't get that heavy into things, but nevertheless I found this to be an enjoyable movie. The pair Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu are together again after Kung-Fu Hustle and their charisma is just as strong. Roger Kwok does a solid job as quiet Wong even during his "retarded" moments. (Watch the movie and you'll know what I mean.) So in all I'd give this movie a 3 and 1/2 star rating. :)

BBK AM99

It may seem like the name of a new and ill-named MP3 player, however the title of this article is that of a piece of DIFFERENT electronic-ware. My mind is boggled by something, and it's not relationships for once. No, for once the techno-girl is stumped. How does an electronic dictionary, readily available to anyone in China cost them a mere $20.00 (apx. US value) and it cost anywhere from $100-$400 to purchase here in the United States? This little gem:
Retails for $99.00 here. Ridiculous. I just want an easy way to communicate with Yixuan. Is that so much to ask? She has her own dictionary that she survives on and I thought I'd reciprocate that by purchasing my own. I knew Japanese ones were crazily expensive, but not the Chinese ones. How does our country stand on its' own two feet if it can't learn to provide easy communication between countries and cultures? I don't understand our country sometimes.

Monday, January 8, 2007

It finally happened!


Well, we all knew it would happen sooner or later - apparently sooner. Luck has come my way in a new friend. My friends who are still in college have acquired a new roommate, and she's from China. How exciting is that? Yixuan is amazing - she speaks really good english. We do have to explain a lot of the slang stuff. Try explaining "anal" to her... Turns out that isn't explained correctly in her Chinese to English dictionary. I'm glad that she will be here for a year, I think it will be a really exciting and educational year. Here's to Yixuan Xing and her polite ways. :)

Monday, January 1, 2007

Nausicaa Lives!



Ok, not really. However, some crazy and inventive people over in Japan have worked hard to realize the dream of making a working version of her Mehve (glider.) If I could I would go for a ride. The Japanese tend to create things that they love in animation and make them available in real life. Just like the actual working version of Akiras' bike. Check out the news that the hard-working guys over at Akihabara News gave us about it too.