Got this beautiful piece of concept art from danbooru. First saw it on aurabolt‘s banner.

While the game story purist in me was somewhat disappointed in the anime adaptation of Fate/Stay Night, the yuri fanboy in me was in COMPLETE AND UTTER DESPAIR after the anime neutered the famous Rin x Saber HCG scene. щ(ﾟДﾟщ)

I’ve always liked the Rin x Saber coupling and, as you might imagine, the yuri goggles came on full power when I saw the above art work. Can’t help but really like how Rin looks at Saber and what seems to be Saber’s response. The former’s half-raised arms and spring in her step is energetic and playful, the tilt of her head focuses her gaze on Saber, those eyes and that smile just seem to speak of tenderness and affection, a great deal of it, for the person they are shining towards. And the latter, looking slightly reserved with her arms tucked behind her back and chin just slightly down. But she’s confidently strolling forward and looks very comfy in her warm blue scarf. Again, it’s the eyes and smile again. She knows she’s being looked at, feels just a little bitty bit shy (oh so cute!) but is, nonetheless, quietly happy about it. ~~♥

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Within two hours, I was literally left with just enough coins to get a train to the nearest Citibank ATM. orz

TBC [Edit: Updated at last!]

Arrived at the Big Sight Yurikamome station around 1145 hrs and there was this snaking queue from the Big Sight that wound back through the station and towards the Rinkai station before turning back into the main approach to the convention centre.

Despite the huge numbers, the queue moved continuously at a steady pace and I entered the building itself within 15 minutes.

The tunnel connector between the main entrance and the East halls had a low ceiling and plenty of glass. With the blazing summer sun and masses of bodies, it was abominably hot and humid but after another 10 minutes of so, I reached my main objective of East 4-6 halls to search combing through the MariMite doujins. My basic methodology excluded ‘For adult only’ doujins as a negative criteria and preference given to circle stalls that were fronted entirely by women (assumption was that they were the artists/circle members). I also looked for non-lolified art though chibi was ok.

Konata and co’s resting area in the ComiKet episode!

Heading towards the West halls, I saw the moving queue up to the open air cosplay area.

The moving line (two by two) into the West hall (especially the commercial booths). Simply amazing how this was just moving and moving and moving. It felt like people were being disgorged like water from a waterfall over the edge of the escalators. In West 4 hall with the commercial booths, there were hordes of people queuing for new TYPE-MOON games and other merchandise, such as the Saber plushie for the Fate/Tiger Colosseum game at the CAPCOM stall.

Because there wasn’t enough space for all the people queuing, the staff had arranged holding areas outside. Each 2×2 queue formation had a leader board stating clearly (in Japanese and often with illustrations provided by the booth) what they were queuing for and a ‘This is the end of the queue’ sign at the end which would be held by attendees who would then pass the baton to others who joined the queue. Like airport controllers, staff would coordinate with each other to move these 2×2 blocs of people through the crowd as soon as space became available inside (with a sign saying: This is NOT the end of the queue at the booth. The queue is outside. Or the like.) – you’d see a procession lead by staff shouting ‘Let’s! Let’s! Let’s!’ (telling the queuers to follow and for the rest of the crowd to make way). I was simply in awe at how they managed such large numbers of people with so smoothly.

Fleeing from the Big Sight after my first day. Was completely broke. Had no money even to buy drinks from the vending machines – thankfully, I could refill my used bottle from water coolers or even the very clean station toilet taps!

This is a sign for the Metro but this situation actually happened quite a lot at ComiKet – guys will normally have big backpacks and/or huge hand-carries. Girls will have luggage trolley types. Lots of collisions all over the place but everyone just takes it with the territory.

Tried to see some work by Makoto Aida at the Mizuma Gallery at Naka-Meguro before the place closed but was sorely disappointed that I couldn’t enter the rooms on the 2F and 5F – both were locked and no response to knocking. It didn’t help that the building had a rather run-down and even sleazy feel to it. Quite a contrast to the Tolman Collection!

What a day! Phew! Shirt and towel were completely soaked through. Follow-up post on figurine purchases that evening at Akiba and a rundown on figurine shops in the Radio City building.

Slice of life:

Kobeya breakfast again. Fish (mackerel?) croquette and coffee-milk this time.

Ten-don from the eponymous chain, out from the JR Akiba Electric City exit, past the curry place on your left and the seven flours of cosplay on your right, turn left and it’s the first food shop under the rail bridge. Basic ten-don (JPY 500) with a prawn, squid, fish, long beans, pumpkin on rice. Jyo-ten-don (JPY 580) comes with two prawns, half a long eggplant, pumpkin and something else… Free flow of cold barley tea to quench a thirsty throat on a hot day.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

…was what I would have liked to say about yesterday’s expedition to the Holy Land. Instead it was more appropriate to describe it as Akiba raids Zaku wallet. I would orz but I also saw this marvellous sign in a basement shop with a big red circle around and line across OTL – orz is forbidden! Photography was also forbidden in most places; I had to sneak most of my shots from just outside the shops or in the corridors and stairways.

The first stop was to the Grand Shrine of Gamers. I came via the Metro rather than the JR station and there’s been so much redevelopment since my last visit (two and a half years ago) that I nearly got lost. But if in doubt, follow the otaku: Young, male, casual dress, very large backpack, usually in groups of three or four discussing some anime or goods issue. Gamers is, of course, on the right once from the JR station’s Akibahara Electric Town exit. [This is a very useful map.]

The store clerk on the ground floor was actually rather scary. In very polite Japanese delivered with a very loud voice and slightly irritated air, he constantly sherperded his customers with entreates of: “Please line up!” “Please keep to the side!” “Please make way for your fellow customers!” When I asked for the ComiKet 72 catalogue (JPY 2,285), he snapped: “Is Disc Only ok!?” They were out of Megami 88 too, but still used the poster of the cover to lure in customers like meself. But I managed to pick up the Nanoha A’s (JPY 524) and StrikerS (JPY 552) manga. For some reason, I haven’t seen any Nora comics at Kinokuniya at Taka or Liang Court – it wasn’t even on the release schedule on the noticeboards.

Managed to find the hard copy of the ComiKet 72 catalogue (JPY 2,400) at Messesanoo doujin shop (TEL 03-3255-4038). Exit Gamers, turn right, cross the road under the rail bridge, between the electronics shop and Club SEGA, about halfway down the road, it’s a walkup on the right.

Mindful of moyism’s warning about breaking the bank, I resisted the temptation to just grab everything in sight. Not buying pr0n stuff did cut down the range of potential purchases considerably though I enjoyed browsing the covers and the one page of sample art provided on the back of the (sealed) display copies.

Other natural limiters included the capacity of my bag, the capacity of my back and legs to carry it and, lastly, having enough cash to take the train back. It’s probably a good thing that quite a lot of the smaller shops don’t take credit cards because seeing and counting one’s diminishing monetary ammo is a good reality check to change the dynamic from having both the Nagato and Churuya doujin to deciding between a Nagato or Churuya doujin. Another important limiter for me is that if I haven’t watched a series, I won’t buy the related goods. Despite being an anime blogger, I don’t actually watch much stuff.

Actually that wasn’t much help (that inclination didn’t apply to Gurren Lagaan’s Yoko because most of her doujins were H anyway) because there was a huge range of goods for Lucky Star and StrikerS. And, of course, Haruhi. Strangely I didn’t see any Claymore doujins or goods though. But Lucky Star is really really popular. At one Aso Bit City store, they were cycling through those scenes when Kagami, Tsukasa and Miyuki go to visit Konata at her cosplay cafe. I think one of the reasons why L*S is so popular is that KyoAni seems to be positively enjoying its production and that the audience can feel the love and reciprocate. This is rather different from Hideaki Anno’s tortured relationship with the fanbase. Speaking of which, there was also a lot of Evangelion stuff, particularly in the arcades.

Of course I also visited Tora no Ana and Animate – turn right from Gamers exit, stay on the same side of the street and just head down the next block (one traffic crossing). I found it quite interesting how the two rivals actually have quite different emphasis. For example, Tora no Ana has two whole floors dedicated to ‘Comics for women’ i.e. yaoi. And those floors were FULL of ladies as the male otaku scamper past as quickly as if Yutaka-chan herself had walked up, innocent sparkles and all, to ask them: ‘What is yaoi?’ (Thanks, moyism, for the raw! )

Being such a huge market for anime goods, one would expect its dynamics to display characteristics of perfect competition. But there can be wide price discrepancies. For example, I saw my favourite Lunamaria figurine at Tora no Ana retailing at JPY 3,591. Later I saw the very same figurine retailing for JPY 1,974 just a few doors down from the Club SEGA and JPY 1,980 at Aso Bit City. I suppose the general rule is to grab good limited edition stuff NOW and, if you can wait, to wait for hysteria to subside before diving into the bargain bins. Have to hand it to TnA’s little tag (complete with Lucky Star style Luna) which said: ‘It’s ok that Kira is the main character. But I’m still a heroine! I’m still a heroine!’ T_T

Speaking of figurine stocks, there was plenty of stock for the KONAMI Haruhi figurines which I saw and criticized in my Comp H Vol.5 post. The photographs are indeed a good likeness to the figurine now that I’ve seen the actual thing. Pity the figurines aren’t a good likeness for the character. Right now, Max Factory Yuki can’t be bought in Akiba for love or money. And if I paraded around with her in the open, I’d be fearing for my life. No dark alley muggings here, you’ll probably be torn to pieces in broad daylight by hordes of rabid Yuki fans.

Animate, on the other hand, has got some awesome displays. Even though I’m still waiting for Gurren Lagaan to finish before marathoning it, I have to say Yoko has great character design (except she’s 14 X_X). Memories of being Charlie Company MG gunner. Augh. How I wish we could have one of those things without needing to carry around the wretched base plate.

Animate’s display for Motekke! Sailor Fuku was quite OTT. It dominated the whole entrance and were blasting the tracks. It looks like there’s going to be PS (?) game as well. Will be interesting to see who voices Kanata (Konata’s mom) and what her personality is like.

Would have loved it even more if it were Konata’s non-existent chest that Kagamin was pressing her cheek into. (*´Д`)ﾊｧﾊｧ

In contrast to TnA’s Two Floors of Yaoi, Animate had a Stripey floor in the basement. That is, the Bishoujo Floor. My good bro would so break his bank there where I saw bishoujo visual fanbooks and goods like big towels that sell out almost instantly back home.

I don’t recall this Aso Bit City branch from my previous visit. It certainly feels new and fresh. It’s organized a bit differently. Escalators going up and lift to go down to exit, instead of the other way round for most other places.

Of course, one good way to get bargains in Akiba is to get second hand goods, especially DVDs and music. The Ishimaru empire has expanded to set up one store just to cater to this (and where some MariMite Season 3 OVA DVDs in their big long boxes retail at JPY 4,900). But my favourite is still the Furuhon Ichiba at Akiba Place, down the road from Club SEGA. I got Every Little Thing’s Crispy Park album for JPY 1,344 (RRP JPY 3,059) and which is retailing for SGD 70 at HMV Heeren!

Discovered at Melon Books (TEL 03-5295-7060) that it might not be necessary to go to ComiKet on Sunday to get the latest StrikerS Nano! doujin. I couldn’t read the adverts probably but it implies that the doujin will go on sale in Melon Books Akiba on the same day. Do correct me if I’m mistaken. Also picked up a Rein-chan doujin for JPY 578.

Buying back anime DVDs and doujin softs? The secondary market seems to have expanded a bit since last time.

Total haul for the day. Megami 88 from Ishimaru at JPY 780. The blue package is Stripey’s Mystery Package. Freebies included a paper shopping bag, a pen, two posters, lots of bookmarks. A meido cafe and Club SEGA had an interesting tie up where one meido was giving out both their flyers at the same time. That’s synergy for you!

Slices of life:

You know it’s summer because of the racket from the cicadas. / Yet to visit a meido cafe yet. Quite honestly though they seem so friendly, I haven’t seen a meido I think is really pretty or a meido fuku that isn’t too shimmery (too much polyester).

A ramen place to feed hungry shoppers right across from this cute little house of ero which is literally crammed to the rafters with the H stuff. Basic bowl for JPY 650, pay first at a vending machine for a ticket. Asked how I wanted my ramen but I had no idea what ‘kata’ meant so I asked for ‘ordinary’ (futsu). The ramen place sits 12, six on either side of the bar. And it was only when I was leaving that I noticed that kitchen door was flanked by many Evangelion figurines. Rei on the left wing and Asuka on the right. Needless to say, I had instinctly sat myself down on the left.

Had planned to go for lunch at this tempura place towards the end of Akiba (quite a bit after Animate) but it was under renovation. Luckily I had a hearty breakfast of meat croquette sandwich (JPY 370) and milk (JPY 110) from the exquisite Kobeya bakery in the morning.

While I dislike tabacco, smokers have got it really tough – even smoking while walking is forbidden!

An internet joke becomes Citibank advertisement. Dog x cat – even more wrong than blood-related siscon!? And someone’s obviously disgruntled with the All Female trains, enough to tear out the (English language) timings from the poster.

Well, that’s a wrap for Day One!

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.