Rakuen

One day an old couple's house is burned down and the father confesses to the police that 16 years ago, he killed his teenage daughter and buried her under the floor. The statute of limitations on the murder had expired but why tell the police?

At the same time, Nakama Yukie who is a journalist is visited by a mother who claims that her son can into other people's minds and had drawn about the house that was burnt down. Of course the two incidents somehow have a link and we follow Nakama Yukie as she tries to piece the clues together.

I 'm surprised I had not written something about Rakuen earlier. Its my other show that I was excited for besides Quartet. How good the show is rests on how good the final reveal is and I liked it and it brought everything full circle. I was actually very worried that the story would go for an elaborate twist from the left field but its good the reveal is the one that makes the most sense and it wonderfully answered my nagging concern about a certain character throughout the series.

I really liked Kobayashi Kaoru as the father and Kaho as the daughter. If I have a complaint about Rakuen, its that Nakama Yukie is in it too much. Well done WOWOW. You really know how to make good thrillers. Very watchable and thanks to natka for subbing this show!

Honjitsu wa, Ohigara mo Yoku Eps 3+4

What a disappointment. After an interesting two episodes the show goes completely dumbed down. It become a stupid black and white political show where no policies are discussed, stupid slogans are thrown left and right and nothing exciting happened.

The opposing speech writer was shocked his candidate was making deals with companies? Oh, the shock and horror. (sarcasm) Not to mention the speech writer wanting to 'fight fair'. What sort of idealistic Japan is this show set in? Isn't politics about backstabbing, backroom deals and smear campaigns?

I thought this show was about speech writing? How about dumbass politician gets himself into trouble but does a great speech that nullifies the problem or even turns the tables? Show me the power of speech instead of giving me speeches that make me roll my eyes.

I guess the casting was a sign that this aint your typical thinking person's WOWOW show. Its more like your mainstream braindead jdorama with WOWOW production values. Avoid. What a disappointment.

Rest of Japan 2017 pictures

With Remu-tan in Akihabara.

Taking note of the days when Butayarou in Nakano are closed. Eating places usually close one day a week, which you can easily look up on tabelog but if they are doing more days it will be plastered on the shop and its important to take note.

The Switch looks a lot smaller than I expected. Its only slightly bigger than the Vita. I love my Vita. If only there were a market for a Vita 2. I want Nintendo to succeed because otherwise the future is pay to win games but their lack of information and actual meaningful 3rd party games means I'll wait for the New Switch XL.

The saddest thing about this Japan trip besides being unwell for most of it is that I don't get that many 3DS street passes anymore. Japan is truly knee deep into mobile phone gaming now. :(

New Sega arcade right next to King Kong/Millenium Tower in Kabukicho/Kamurocho.

I bought the Kiryu and Majima shirts.

The Sega arcade from outside.

Queueing outside Narikura in Takadanobaba for the best tonkatsu in Japan 20 minutes before doors opened at 11am. I think this is my second or third time at Narikura.

I went for the special 250g kuro buta (plack pig) roast set at 3900 yen.

One and a half hours later, the food finally arrived.

I was actually talking about Narikua with Yukimi over yakinuku. She called it the white meat place and said while it was delicious, the average 2 hour waiting time definitely contributes to its taste which is true. 

I finally made the pilgrimage to this famous retro game centre Mikado in Takadanobaba which was surprisingly easy to find. This place is legendary and you can find plenty of info on it online.

This is the famous Games Maya store in Kasai. Its famous because its a very beautiful shop run by an old lady who writes this Games Maya blog that I have been reading for the past year. Over the counter, she's got pictures of her with many famous game people including Kojima Hideo. If you are a gamer its a nice shop to visit although there's nothing much in Kasai. I recommend reading the blog for Japanese studies.

Ryu ga Gotoku souvenir at Onomichi station.

Watching this show about the writer of the legendary jdorama series Kita no Kuni Kara and him doing this play about a marathon race.

All you can eat karaage (fried chicken) for 999 yen.

I may be a hardcore Yakuza fan but I'm giving this figma a miss because Kiryu doesn't look like Kiryu.

Running around Ikebukuro looking for Yamazaki or Hakushu 12 and found plenty of Kurayoshi in stock which I never heard of. Asked my yakiniku/whisky expert Megumi who promptly told me that its crap.

Sakuraba Nanami poster that says 'We will not forgive terrorism'. I don't know who its suppose to scare off or make feel safe but I wouldn't mind this hanging in my room.

Hanging out with these two brothers at Hotaru until close on Friday.

Last night in Hotaru with Yuni-chan and the guy who's always playing idoru smartphone games. Finally got my voice back at full strength on the last day.

From top row going left to right:

1) Guild 01 - Less than 200 yen and its a collection of 4 eshop games and I wanted to the D&D like game called Crimson Shroud.

2) Codename Steam - Valkyria Chronicles with retro comic feel featuring American icons. Made for the US market but sadly didn't sell well but its more Valkyria Chronicles than Valkyria Azure Revolution.

3) Project X Zone 2 - I haven't even touched the first game gut this has got Kiryu, Majima and Segata Sanshiro and its the original game sound edition so its got all the original music.

4) Red Ash - I think its by Mistwalker, maker of Lost Odyssey.

5) Sonic Lost World - Just got the Wii U version when it went on sale in the shop and I quite like it. I like the 3D effects.

6) Sonic Generations - Slim Sonic and Fat Sonic team up.


7) Monster Hunter Stories - I quick like it. Its got a story and its a turn based game.

8) Yoshi's Wolly World - Only game I regret buying. Graphically I prefer the 20 year old Snes game and the 3D sucks.

9) Sega 3D Archives Final Stage - I got most the games I want digitally but I got this cause Thunder Force 3 is cartridge only. Sega does a really awesome job with the 3D for these games. If only they Thunder Force 4 cause its twice as beautiful as TF3 and parallax scrolling would make the 3D incredible.

10) Berserk guide book!!!!!!!!!

11) Feel free to laugh at me. At least I got it 2nd hand so Furyu does not get my money. I just wanted a brain dead Love Plus.

Thanks to Hotaru's mama for procuring for me two bottles of Yamazaki 12.

If I keep it for another 6 years the Yamazaki would increase in price by more than 5 times!

Wagakki band at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (Updated)

If you've never heard of Wagakki band you need to watch this.

I started listening to them a year ago and now their songs are some of my favourite to karaoke.

Someone was passing this out to people lining up for goods. It says during the encore, please sing akatsuki no ito.

Lining up for goods two hours before doors open.

Its been a while since I've been to a big arena and I completely forgot my rule of arrive 4 hours before doors open. Unfortunately the hoodie and the one nice shirt were sold out. you never have to worry about things being sold out with smaller bands. Very pissed off with myself.

Waiting for doors to open at 6pm.

Nearly there.

View from my arena seat. Wagakki band iare very good with their shownmanship. As they were taping for WOWOW, they went all out with taiko drums and students from a sword school.

The best part was still everyone singing Akatsuki no Ito during the encore and then the band coming back up and singing the song. It was like a religious experience. I am sad to say the dragon never appeared although I am sure it was hovering somewhere outside.

The only shirt I could get and it's only L size.

Awesome pen light.

Towel that's a bit too small.

Wagyu yakiniku Nunogami in Osaka

Went out with Yukimi and Megumi on Monday. Megumi's quit Hakushe but Yuka-chan from the good old days of gift has taken over over so its all good. Gyu tan with wasabi on top. Yum.

Nunogami won this tabelog award in 2014 and both Yukimi and Megumi say its the best yakiniku place in Osaka so I went in with super high expectations. Plus you can't get a seat without booking and Yukimi tried booking this place when during my previous trip but couldn't.

Nunogami gets top marks for presentation. As for taste, it didn't really blow my tastesbuds away. It was good but not memorable. Both Yukimi and Megumi were saying that the taste was a bit off.

I've had yakiniku sushi before but this is the first time I've had it with raw meat. Tasted but the cooked one I always have in Saitama is always better. While the food did not live up to high expectations, the company was great. I think I should have ditched Kumamoto for more Osaka.

Onomichi, Hiroshima

I am in Onomichi Hiroshima for one reason and that is because Onomichi appeared in Yakuza 6.

This is the first time I'm not meeting up with bframe in Japan. :(

I didn't see this in Yakuza 6.

 OK, this is starting to look very familiar.

I so wanted to kick the kids out of the way jump on the snow and make a snow fairy.

The Ultraman outside this toy shop looks like its from 1975.

Went to this shop for Onomichi ramen.

Meh. Had to put lots of white pepper to eat it. Should have checked tabelog for the best rated one at least.

This reminds me of this sub mission in Yakuza 6 where some guy is stuck in the roof.

This looks very, very familiar.

Senkouji temple! I definitely know this place!

View from Senkouji.

Obsevatory at the top of the hill.

Picture of the poems which Kiryu had to solve to get to the Onomichi mystery.

People waiting for the ropeway.

In Yakuza 6 you can walk around Onomichi and Kabukicho collecting cats and I was surprised to see there're really a lot of cats in Onomichi.

Comepletely forgot to bring cat food with me.

OMG this is the spot that Kiryu goes shark hunting from and they've even got the vending machines!

I found the snack district West of Onomichi train station.

I really wanted to hit a snack in Onomochi but my throat problem is far from being healed.

Nice sunset view from hotel.

Watching this show called Kunoichi 2017.

For some reason I can't stop watching.

She's the wrestler who was in Yakuza 6! Lol, talk about coming full circle today.