Today's the second day here, and I decided to travel 2.5 hours to Tokyo.
Yeah, weird, I know. Thing is that, I needed to review something for work, for a deal that is due on next Tuesday and the documents came through the email last night. So, rather than spend 2.5 hours in the hotel reviewing and giving feedback on them, I decided that I shall review them on the train, where I'm productively going to Tokyo and productively reviewing the documents! Two birds with one stone, 2.5 hours very well spent.
My train ticket
The only issue was actually emailing out my hand written comments. I've drafted the email on my blackberry and it's all ready to go, but the BB's camera is so SHIT, the words I've written are hardly visible or legible. I needed to use my iPhone to take photos, which are way sharper and try to find a wifi spot to email the file from the iPhone to the BB, then attach it to my draft email and sent it out. Sounds easy? NO. I spent 2 hours after getting off the train looking for a wifi spot in Tokyo. Yeah, un-be-Li-va-ble. There are no wifi places even if I wanted to pay for them. Seriously frustrating. Long story short, I found a wifi spot and got the thing done 3 hours after I planned to.
Why did I need wifi for the iPhone? Bloody roaming does not work in Japan, at all. Technology and me does not agree.
Ok, so the first stop was Shibuya Mandarake. Really not much here. It was pathetic actually. But from past experience, Shibuya is usually the worst stocked for TFs compared with the other Mandarakes.
Photos of Mandarake Shibuya:
Some MOTU stuff
This Evangelion shoe is interesting
Moved on to Nakano quickly. This was better, as expected, it is the best stocked. Quite impressive that they had a 21-Reflector MIB for sale. Box condition not good enough for me and it's missing paperworks, so I passed. Also had a VSX set, unused except that the flap was badly mangled, again, pass. Oh, they had a lucky draw Green Unicron and God Primus too. Like I said, the stock here is impressive.
Photos of Mandarake Nakano:
Oh, look, 21- Reflector MIB. I can feel fanboys screaming. No, I didn't buy. Not nice enough.
King Poseidon giftset, bah
Ooooh, lucky draw green Unicron....!
3 of the 4 dino-cassettes, for 42,000 yen each. No thanks. I got my dinos already.
Very expensive carded 1989 USA Pretenders
Yuck, G2.
I actually bought 3 MIB pieces here, so it's the most fruitful thus far. Also bought original Bleach art that they used for the anime, how cool huh. Got a piece of Ichimaru Gin and another piece of Kuchiki Byakuya. Am a happy bunny.
Running short of time and so headed straight off to Akihabara. It was annoyingly raining for most part of the day and Akihabara was no different.
Liberty Store #7 at Akihabara has one G1 Transformer, one.
Then, went to This place actually had a lot of TFs, but then was quite lean in terms of G1 TFs. I checked out an Overdrive in Jap mail away box, but it was missing stuff and had heavy chrome wear, so pass again.
Photos of Mandarake Akihabara - the most pathetic thus far.
By then it was about 7-ish. So went for a quick dinner and took the 8.30pm train back to Osaka.
Man, it's been a tiring day. Tomorrow, I will take it easy and if does not rain, I will visit Osaka Castle.
~ HD
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Sorry, I meant "VSZ", not "VSX" above. Typo.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna say! Sorry to hear you aren't having much luck.
DeleteThinking back to two of my three trips to Akihabara, I sometimes wonder if I would have been happy buying the MOSC Henkei! C-05 Hot Rodimus for the price they had it listed. However, I had three reasons not to at the time:
ReplyDelete1) Even though it was MOSC, there was some QC issues with the paint job and my quoted "perfectionist" side was not too happy with that.
2) Even though I have the 2011 reissue and wanted to add the original to the mix, the way I was spending had me pass on it.
3) Even though it was on my wish list, trying to obtain a MISB Henkei! C-06 Skyfire (as I have Dark Skyfire) was higher on my priority list.
However, HD... The funny thing is that every time I looked at it (and even look at the photo I had taken), I cannot help but wonder why I picture you singing a parody version of the Little Mermaid's "Kiss The Girl." But instead singing "Buy the Rodimus" as it may be. ;)