Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko Episode 8

What a funny and touching episode. Especially watching Eiji and Kuwano from the first season until now. Every week, I look forward to this series and looks like we are getting close to the end. The first half felt like a retreat of the first season but the second half feels more different. Blitzfansub has subbed until episode 3 so be sure to watch!

I am starting to feel sad because I want to spend more time with these characters and there does not seem to be much time left. Must watch.

Japan 2019 trip Day 9: Aomori

Ox Tongue onigiri at a konbini.

On arriving at Aomori station, you are greeted by mini size floats for the famous Nebuta Matsuri.

View outside station. Aomori is a sleepy town like Fukushima but it has more things going for it.

First stop is the Nebuta Warasse, a museum full of floats dedicated to the Nebuta Matsuri.

Its also a short hop from Aomori station which is great.

Went to this store nearby that sold anything and everything related to apples. Aomori is famous for its apples in case you didn't know.

Aomori shiyakusho aka city council.

Next stop was the Aomori Gyosai centre aka fish market.

There are many fish stalls here and you purchase tickets which allow you to exchange for fish or eggs etc which they put into your bowl. Basically its a make your own bowl market and it was good for the price.

Aomori visitor's centre which we circled back to.

Walking along the pier.

Some autumn colours.

Went back to the visitor's centre for a shamisen performance.

Eating shumai on the shinkansen back to Sendai.

I did not know there was a new Legend of Galactic Heroes manga. (Its to the right of Golden Kamui.

Back to Sendai for our last night there.

Of course we had to have gyutan for our farewell to Sendai dinner. Apologies for the not so exciting post. If I learned anything from this, its that there's no point going to Fukushima or Aomori for a day trip. You need to stay at those places a few days and go to sight seeing places from there because they take time to get to. I would definitely go to Sendai again because there's plenty to explore and its got a lot of modern things I want and beautiful nature without the annoying tourists.

Jmovie review: My Dad is a Heel Wrestler / Papa wa Warumono Champion

Been waiting for My Dad is a Heel Wrestler for a long time because I like wrestling and I only follow NJPW.

My Dad is a Heel Wrestler is a kid's movie about a kid who finds out his dad wrestles as a heel (bad guy) and cannot accept that fact and is ashamed of it.

Anyone who knows wrestling knows that kids are smartened up from day one but My Dad is a Heel Wrestler plays like its real to the kids with a bit of wink wink to the adult audience.

This movie is basically this annoying kid going woe is me when any kid with a brain would put 2+2 together and realise how awesome to have a heel dad.

My criticism of My Dad is a Heel Wrestler is that there is not enough stuff for the adults and wrestling fans.

I liked the underdog story of the former star who had to wrestle heel because of injuries trying to turn face for one more chance at glory but the kid got in the way too much for me.

Also, they really did not let the wrestlers do any acting which was sad because the kid and Naka Riisa did all the heavy lifting.

Decent kids movie but adults and wrestling fans will not be satisfied. Meh. My Dad is a Heel Wrestler is available from AvistaZ with English subs.

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Japan 2019 trip Day 8: Fukushima

Fukushima has been on my go to list since the big earthquake in 2011.

I remember watching videos about Fukushima and thinking I should go visit.

And now that I've been there, I've learnt that there is nothing to see in Fukushima.

The tourist spots are kind of far away from Fukushima so if you did a day trip to Fukushima you need to go early and can only go to one spot.

We actually bought bus tickets to go some cliffs with buddhist statues or something but in the end decided not to go because it would have taken too long and we would have returned to Sendai very late at night.

The one thing that save or Fukushima trip was this shop called Sekiya.

This shop has some very old and rare figures.

My partner managed to get some rare still in box figures for herself.

I could have bought quite a few things but didn't.

I've got too many figures and not enough room.

I wish they were for sale though.

Oh well, should have done more research about Fukushima before going but Japan is a country where often than not, you can find interesting things unexpectedly.

Like running into this handicraft fair back in Sendai.

So random but so lucky.

Unfortunately we did not have enough time to really look at all the stalls because it was close to closing time. I think it was around 7 or 8.

I think we made the right decision in not getting on that bus in Fukushima and heading back to Sendai.

Saw this sign for Sendai aoba gyoza and thought we needed to try because you can't eat gyutan everynight.

I really liked Irohayokocho, plenty of small shops in narrow lanes.

Great place for bar hopping.

Shiyakusho Episodes 1~3

The title of dorama 死役所 Shiyakusho is a play on the word 市役所 shiyakusho which means the local city council where people go to get their residence card or register . They've replaced the kanji for city with the kanji for death because this show is about the council that sorts people people out after they die.

Matsuoka Masahiro aka the Tokio guy who was in Manhattan Love Story works in the office, is ever polite with a creepy smile and his trademark line is all customers are buddha.

The three stories so far have been ok. All the action is set in the office with some flashbacks. I find the premise interesting not just because its unusual but also because it limits the type of stories that can be told because it is all set in an office.

The revelation at the end of episode 1 also sets up the main mysteries of the show about who the employees at the shiyakusho are and I want to see what happens in the end. Intriguing and watchable.