Tell me more! ~>

(Gallery isn't working right with my hueg pictures, so I'd recommend opening them in a separate tab/window.)
I'm not sure I actually went to it. Hence the question mark. Moar research will be required.

I set out today to the Moe Moe Center. www.moe2.com.tw I had assumed it was kind of like a large convention center with lots of stores inside. Well, after I got lost for 20 minutes, I finally found it — the 2nd floor of a girl's clothing store. They weren't open yet. (Sigh) I walked around until 30 minutes after their opening time, and… they weren't open yet. Screw this. I went to Taipei City Mall, since there's a lot of anime goods shops there.

Taipei City Mall is underground, and it's in conjunction with two of the subway stations. Pretty convenient, and I get to avoid inhaling cancer. Browsed around until lunchtime. I came across a MEIDU CAFE.

No, I didn't go in. Too conscious about what people who I've never met and will probably never see again will think of me.

Anyway, I sat down at another restaurant for lunch around 1pm.

That's 1/4th eaten, I forgot to take a pic first since I was pretty hungry. How much do you think it cost me?
…100NT, which is approximately 3USD. Looks like at least a 5USD meal, doesn't it? Gotta love Taiwan.

After I ate, I went and started my buying spree. Taipei City Mall isn't what I'd really consider an 'otaku district', it's just an underground mall that has a small section of stores with anime goods. I didn't try taking pictures in the stores because you know how butthurt they get in Asian countries.

I finished at around 3pm, and headed back over to see if Moe Moe Center was open. It was, finally.

This is one of the only pics you'll see of Moe Moe Center. They were pretty butthurt about pictures too, despite advertising themselves as an attraction. (You take photos at attractions, OKAY?) Anyway, it turns out it was just a single store featuring a lot of manga and doujinshi.
Now that I think of it, probably the only way you would get odd stares in a store like that would be if you were a guy who bought a yaoi doujin. At least I hope so.
Moe Moe Center was seriously lacking on /figs/, model kits, and posters/wall scrolls. (Go figure, the main things I was looking for were /figs/ and posters/wall scrolls.)

Yeah, screw the butthurt staff guy. I took these on the steps to the 2nd level of Moe Moe Center. (3rd story of the building.) It's another MEIDU CAFE. Also on level 2 was a minor collection of cosplay outfits.

I got home at 5pm, 1500NT poorer and with really sore feet.

The fruits of my labor. Yes, I'm gay for Code Geass. Actually, just for Lulu. I don't have nearly enough Tsukihime stuff, and obligatory Lucky Shit better be Kagami. Snoopy, Disgaea, and vending machine balls are for family/friends. (No /figs/, I know. None of the ones I really wanted were cheaper than online.)

Annnnd that's it. Seeing as how I never really found an 'otaku district' per-say, I'll be trying my luck again in about a week. (Yay for family road trip, not.) Moe Moe Center was pretty disappointing, but I'll probably be heading back there to pick up Graphics Ashford. The poster in that one is a lot better than the one in Code Geass Complete. Well, it'll have to depend on whether or not I find this rumored 'otaku district'.

Also, I've run out of entries since I forgot to bring Chocotto Sister to Taiwan. There's also the impending road trip. I'll try to blog as much as I can on an older anime I have with me during that time, but until that's over expect a lul in updates from me. Until next time. 

Ayakashi is the latest series from Tokyo Kids (Toward The Terra, Gallery Fake, Magikano).  It is adapted from the 2005 visual novel of the same name.  "Ayakashi" is a parasite life force that gives superpowers to its host, taking in return the host's entire life force. Kusaka Yuu is a student that lost his will to live after the death of a dear childhood friend, until the day a mysterious girl, named Yoake Eimu, appears. From that moment on, his life would never be the same again. Hunted by Ayakashi and their hosts, the power within Yuu awakens and a never ending battle begins.

The episode starts off in a flashback to the main protagnost, Kusaka Yuu's past, where he's with his 2 childhood friends as they watch a comet pass through the sky.

12 years later…

The scene shifts to the present where a man is walking and we see a mysterious girl following him.  Soon after, a building explodes.  A man lies dead nearby as another is engaged in battle with the mysterious girl.  He begs for his life and the girl turns around and starts to walk away when suddenly the man jumps into the air and tries to ambush her with a projectile.  The girl's "Ayakashi" is activated and easily defends her from the attack.  She then proceeds to kill the man in one swift move.  Blood splatters everywhere and we transition to another scene.

Yuu and Hime are now all grown up and attending high school.  A male student pulls Yuu aside and asks him to do something for him.  Presumably Yuu gets paid doing these "jobs" for people.  As Yuu was leaving school he sees 3 bullies beating up another student.  One of those bullies is named Sanada, who is called the king of the school by the other 2 bullies.  He sees Yuu and invites him to join in the fun, but Yuu refuses.  Sanada seems to know about Yuu's "part-time job" and provokes him.  He takes out a box cutter and challenges Yuu.  However, they're interrupted immediately by Kajiwara, Yuu's senpai who seems to have a crush on Hime.

Yuu then proceeds to a classroom where his friend who earlier asks him for the favor is there with 3 other students.  Apparently Yuu was asked to demonstrate some of his "powers".  Yuu uses his powers to bent some spoons without touching them.  The 3 students are obviously amazed.  Yuu's friend then asks him to use his fortune telling ability, which Yuu claims as fake, because he wants to impress one of the female students there.  Before they could go any further, the door suddenly oppens and Hime is there to put everything to a stop.

As Yuu and Hime are leaving school, they are confronted by the bullies minus Sanada.  They tell Yuu that Sanada wants to see him.  Yuu initially agrees, but then runs away with Hime.  On their way home, Hime scolds Yuu about using his powers for show.  Yuu jokes that he can use his powers to kill as well, which angers Hime and causes her to cry.  He apologizes to her but Hime insists that he apologize to Izumi as well, their other childhood friend who is implied to have died some time ago.  At that moment Sanada appears and demands to see some "magic tricks" from Yuu.  Sanada tells him that he is interested in his powers and can teach him many things…

Just then, a man in black suit arrives and challenges Sanada to a duel. The man pulls out a knife while Sanada pulls out his box cutter.  Before the man could do anything, Sanada shoots out some type of invisible projectile and cuts the man's knife in half.  He then proceeds to cut the man's nose off and later his eye in somewhat gruesome fashion.  After that he threatens Yuu to use his power or have his nose cut off.  Yuu appears to be scared and doesn't know what to do.  Sanada launches an attack at him but the attack was deflected by somebody.  The mysterious girl from the beginning of the ep appears and we shift to another scene…

The final scene of the ep introdues 2 more new characters, a woman named Akino and a man whose name was not revealed. The conversation is rather vague and ambiguous, but basically Akino warns the man about challenging the 5 users while the man talks about not having seen them in 2 years.  The episode ends here….

Impressions: 

The first ep reminded me a lot of Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpuchou, from the aritistic style to the plot premise to the violence.  I found it to be a fairly interesting beginning.  I tend to like series where you get bits and pieces of the story at the start and you have to put them together as the story progresses to figure out what's going on.  Clearly there are still a lot of details that haven't been revealed about the characters and story yet.  All we know thus far is that Yuu has some type of power, but he's not the only one.  Then there are also the mystery girl and the 2 characters in the final scene who most likely will play major roles in the story as well.  Anyway, this was a good start and it should be interesting to see how the story develops from here.

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and going to have a nice New Years.

I've uploaded the Moyashimon OP and ED to the Media section, currently uploading the Under Chocotto Sister Files (go me and my combined 40-50 KB/s upload ~_~), so check back in a few hours for the links once they're up. 

1:33 PM, all done, enjoy the music, I'll be back with some more later probably :P

The episode starts off with Haruma prepping for his date with Ayano-san. Choco also gets ready, but Haruma says he cannot bring her. As Haruma steps out the door, he sees Makoto dashing off yelling, 'I'm late, I'm late!'

Late for what?
Meanwhile, Choco is feeling considerably down, since Haruma did not take her along.

Lover  S ~
Switch scenes back to Makoto, who's in a taxi that's stuck in traffic. She's apparently going to be very 'late for work'. (Oh, I see. Haruma's date and her 'being late for work' seems just a bit too coincidental.)
At the preview, the announcer asks top model Arisa Otokami-san to present the movie staff with bouquets. (Arisa, Ashirai…) Well, as Arisa catches a glimpse of Haruma, she winks in his direction.

Obvious plot development is obvious.
Meanwhile, Choco is sitting along at the park when Kakeru-kun comes along. He asks what's wrong, and she tells her. As he explains to her that it's normal and Haruma is just on a date, she begins to cry. Kakeru-kun becomes nervous and calls Haruma an 'awful big brother', but Choco snaps at him to never talk about Haruma that way. (Sorry Kakeru! You can't win on this one.)
At the supermarket, Chitose exhibits her consumerism.
After the movie, Haruma asks Ayano-san if she'd like to go eat. She agrees, to his delight. Chitose catches a glimpse of them as they pass her, and she is crestfallen to find Haruma with a woman. She tails them, spying on them from a restaurant across the street.
It's a small world after all. In the booth next to Chitose's, Ayano-san's ex-fiancee is talking to his former employer. He needs to leave the city to take care of a countryside inn, since his father passed away. The employer tries to (unsuccessfully) convince him to keep the job.
On coincidence, Haruma, Ayano-san, her ex-fiancee, and Chitose all leave their respective places at the same time. As such, they all end up face-to-face with each other.

Forecast calls for impending SHITSTORM
Upon seeing her ex-fiancee, Ayano-san grabs onto Haruma's arm and leads him away. After a pause, ex-fiancee and employer walk away, leaving Chitose dumbstruck. At that moment, Makoto shows up; her usual bright, cheery, and freeloader self. Chitose grabs Makoto and begins to cry.
The next morning, Haruma gets a sub-par breakfast from Choco, since she's still angry with him. Next few scenes show 3 different girls - Choco, Ayano, and Chitose - being moody.
At school, Tamami-senpai shows up. As we've learned thus far, Tamami-senpai = job offer, so I don't think I need to explain. Since Haruma's date with Ayano drained his coffers, he reluctantly accepts. Haruma calls home to let Choco know he'll return late.
Choco goes to the park to sulk, where Chitose finds her. They both decide to go eat at Chitose's place. (It seems like Choco finds Chitose to be a very motherly figure, so I'm thinking Haruma will probably end up hooking up with her.) Anyway, Choco and Chitose have a good time, eating and watching TV. It doesn't last, though, since Choco begins feeling down again. She wonders if Haruma's stopped caring about her. (Reasons cited are not taking her out as much and promising to give her a present but forgetting.)
Choco is leaving when Haruma returns.

He gives her a present to make up for the one he forgot about. (Good ol' Haruma) Chitose also gets one too, since she's always watching out for Choco. Welllllll everyone's happy again. All's well that ends well, right?

The episode opens to Tamami begging Haruma to take an emergency job position. After much nagging, he reluctantly agrees. As a good brother would, he calls Choco and tells her he'll be home late. Choco seems sad, but decides to go shopping.
On the way, she meets the two boys she played badminton with in episode 2. Apparently they're playing badminton again - and managed to get the shuttlecock stuck in a tree. Choco gets it down for them, and they leave without making sure she gets down safely. On the way down one of the branches breaks, and Choco is left hanging by one arm. Just as she is about to lose her grip, however, Sandbag comes along.

Actually, he's Kakeru-kun. Let's call him Sandbag for now.
As thanks for being her sandbag, Choco buys Sandbag an ice cream cone. Sandbag's obviously attracted to Choco, but he's a MAN so he's gotta act stand-offish. Anyway, he ends up sharing the cone with Choco…

INDIRECTU KISSU~
As Haruma walks home, he reminisces about the day's activities. Instead of being paid money, Tamami-senpai pays him in t-shirts and some movie premiere tickets. Haruma vows to never take a job from Tamami again. (Sure, okay.)
When he reaches their apartment, Choco greets him fresh from the shower.

The next day, Haruma visits a bar which he apparently vists often. It's directly across from Ayano-san's flower shop. After serving Haruma a drink, the bartender plays some really lame card trick, which results in Ayano-san entering the bar shortly after. Conversing with the bartender, Ayano mentions how she wishes she could go to the movie premiere.

Yes, that movie premiere - the one Haruma has tickets to. Haruma hastily invites her to go.
Later that day, Haruma and Choco go to the public bath because there's a hot water outage. At the bath, Choco sees Sandb- I mean, Kakeru-kun. Apparently he lives there. Choco begins changing within plain sight of Kakeru-kun, causing him a lot of mental anguish.
As Choco is about to cannonball into the bath, she's stopped by a woman already there. The woman teaches Choco all about public bathing, including the famous 'washing each other's backs' ritual. Later, she reveals her name as Midori.

On the way home, Choco says that the public bath was fun and she wants to take a bath together with Haruma. Haruma stutteringly refuses.

Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi

Tell me more! ~>