Japan trip 2009: The otaku experience August 9, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Anime, Film, Friends, Gunpla, Japan, Personal, Travel.Tags: Anime, Books, figures, games, Gundam, Gunpla, Gurren Lagann, Honey and Clover, Japan, Jpop, K-ON, Manga, Music, otaku, plamo, shopping
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Gundam and I, Odaiba, July 2009
So, I’ve written all about my Japan trip. But given the nature of this blog, it’s the geeky things you want to hear about right? ^^
Otaku highlights include the 1/1 scale Gundam in Odaiba, seeing Evangelion 2.0 in a Shibuya cinema (review to come in a later post) and discovering the ‘Akihabara of Osaka’ Den Den Town. (more…)
Japan! July 6, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Japan, Travel.Tags: Akihabara, Anime, evangelion, Gundam, Gunpla, Hanabi, Japan, Kyoto, matsuri, Matsuyama, Osaka, Shikoku, Tokyo, Travel
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Kyoto Gion Matsuri
I’ve fallen rather behind on my posts the last few weeks (got a stack of Japanese films I’ve seen to write about, not to mention the end of the Spring anime season, several volumes of manga and a few new albums and singles CDs). This is largely because of — what else — real life getting in the way, particularly conferences and events for work. However, I’ve also been planning and preparing for my upcoming trip to the mother country. That’s right, ayasawada’s going to Japan 三回！ (more…)
1/144 HG Strike Noir Gundam June 14, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Gunpla.Tags: Gundam, Gunpla, model, plamo, Stargazer, Strike Noir
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Some kits sit around for ages before you actually get around to making them. I got this one about three years ago, when my sister went on a trip to Japan. I’d actually wanted it mainly for the free promo DVD that came bundled with it. She came back with a heavily discounted box — marked down because it was sans DVD. Let this be a lesson kids, be honest why you want something when you ask people to buy things for you.
Thankfully I like the Gundam itself too — who wouldn’t love a black version of Strike Gundam with added weaponry? The Strike Noir is the main mecha from the Gundam SEED: Stargazer OVA anime, a spin-off of Gundam SEED Destiny with little to do with the main show. That actually worked in its favour given the stinking pile of crap Destiny turned out to be. For a three episode series lasting a grand total of 45 minutes, it was pretty good and I loved the ‘upgrades’ of the original SEED Gundams.
This is the first 1/144 kit I’ve made in a while, and probably the last I’ll do, since I’ve vowed to invest only in the better quality MG and PG kits. To be fair, Bandai’s gotten pretty good with it’s HG 1/144 line these days. With HG, a 1/144 scale figure no longer looks as cheap and nasty as the no-grade versions. While a splash of painting helps, there is nowhere near as much as used to be required and a quick and dirty job using just the stickers would yield a decent looking model.
1/60 PG Strike Gundam April 18, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Anime, Gunpla.Tags: Gundam, Gunpla, model, plamo
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Finished up my 1/60 PG Strike model kit this weekend. It’s the first gunpla kit I’ve done in over a year. I struggled to find time last year due to moving, work, real life etc. Somehow it always seemed like there was something else I should be doing with my time instead. As such, all my leftover kits (and the MG Infinite Justice I got for Xmas) were left back at my parents place. But I try and do a bit every time I go back home to visit the folks. As such, this one — already a huge undertaking — took longer than if I’d spent every weekend on it.
The whole thing took me about four months and reminded me how much I love gunpla ^^. The construction process I find very therapeutic (I’m a cleaning freak, so the clipping and washing of parts is a nice methodical task for me) and it’s nice to do something that doesn’t involve staring at a screen for a change :p
Gundam 00 second season Ep 1-25 (complete) April 5, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Anime.Tags: Anime, Gundam, Gundam 00
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Another year, another Gundam series finishes its run. Gundam 00 finally ended with the end of its second season last week.I do like the split season idea. Kind of keeps things from getting boring over a 50 episode arc and raises anticipation. This worked well with Code Geass and Gundam 00, so am hoping they do something similar for the new Full Metal Alchemist and whatever new show follows.
So Gundam 00. For me, it was a bit of a mixed bag. Overall, I liked it, but was rather disappointed. It was fun without being very profound, considering it has the usual epic Gundam themes of war, peace and human evolution. It certainly got me more pointlessly excited than any other Gundam series I remember, even if every time it ultimately climaxed in ridiculousness :p Yes, I know it’s one big toy advert and most Gundam series inevitably end with a big confusing fight, but good Gundam, with a proper, engaging story arc and characters (like the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta, or even SEED) can be so great I can’t help but feel disappointed.
SPOILER WARNING
Gundam 00 music March 15, 2009
Posted by ayasawada in Anime, Music.Tags: Anime, Gundam, Gundam 00, Jpop, Music
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Gundam 00 has been exciting, if a little disappointing with its constant deux ex machina plot twists. What I’ve really enjoyed though is the music accompanying it. The OP and ED themes have been outstanding, so I thought I’d write a little to showcase another successful Gundam/JPop collaboration. Videos after the jump. (more…)
1/100 MG Strike Freedom Gundam December 29, 2007
Posted by ayasawada in Anime, Gunpla.Tags: Gundam, Gunpla, master grade, MG, plamo, Strike Freedom
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