WARNING: A pic or two could be considered NSFW.
Day 6: Shinjuku & Harajuku
I decided to leave the major shopping centers and instead concentrate on the electronic district nearby, since there was? you got it, video games!
I totally love how the colors came out in those last too shots. Anyway, got to play quite a few things that afternoon I had been long curious about, including Trigger Heart Exelica, which I actually liked quite a bit (I agree with Dave who believes that the game?s negative reputation is unfounded, by those who just can?t handle the rather unique play-mechanic)…
Also gave Karous, the other last shmup ever, for reals, that came out for the Dreamcast (along with Trigger Heart Exelica). I absolutely adored the look; very stylish black & white cel-shading. But I couldn?t figure out what the hell to do and was ultimately super bored.
Anyway, here?s the poster to that Cave shump, starring girls who turned into pigs from eating too much? flying pigs… flying pigs that shoot. Anyway, it was loads of fun, and maybe the one game I played the most during my trip?
Here?s Afterburner Climax, which was a total blast. The graphics were eye-popping, the sounding booming, and if you didn?t have your seat belt on, the moving cab would have definitely thrown you across the room!
Yet another shmup, this one called Pink Sweets, in which you play as one of three or four girls all dressed in pink. Who also fly and shoot at stuff.
And finally got a chance to play Virtual On Force!
… Unfortunately, the thing about Virtual On is, if you haven?t played it in a while, then you?ll probably be REALLY bad at it. Or maybe that was just me.
I swear, I could have watched the Virtua Fighter 5 players I came across in Japan all friggin day.
Once I got bored of video games (which never lasted long), I wandered about the tight alleyways of the district a bit. At one point, I stumbled across this sex shop. There was plenty of hentai to be found, in either DVD or print form, (I?m not posting these up-front since they?re pretty NSFW and to lessen the load of this entry) as well as assorted sexual devices. I guess this is supposed to be either stuck in a girl?s ass or simply made to feel like one?
? Yeah, didn?t embed that particular pic, since it?s not too dirty, me thinks, plus it?s so awesome/bizarre that whole world needs to see it! Anyway, you also had bars…
And used game stores…
Eventually found myself back in the center of the action. These here?s a close look at the Shinjuku bus station, which diehard Sega fans might already know, or even recognize, is from Jet Set Radio…
A smoking area in the street (the funny thing is how smoking isn?t really allowed outdoors, on the streets, and most of it takes place indoors, the reversal of here in America).
And of course, you still need the cute!
Another top down shot from high atop another shopping center…
At a Tower Records (yes, they still exist, at least in Japan) was this display for this all girl Japanese band (obviously)…
American Splendor… in Japanese!
Really wish I got these as well (was going to, but just plain forgot)…
On the while back to the hotel, spotted this…
? Can you believe its selling Cup O Noodle?! I believe its by Otomo (you know, the guy who did Akira?).
Back at the hotel, I watched some kid?s programming while having dinner and resting my feet. This one is tricky to explain; it?s some high concept game show with two groups of kids facing off via physical challenges and Q&A portions. The thing is, wrapping around it is action adventure. I guess the storyline/backstory to all the kids facing off against each other? Imagine if Double Dare had a plot! Anyway, this one dude from on kid?s team is suppose to fight a girl from the other team (they?re not really part of each team, just representing them).
I guess one team is maybe ?evil? since bad looking dudes were rooting the girl on…
Who wouldn?t fight but instead started to cry, because she was in love with her opponent and didn?t want to harm him…
Much to the chagrin of her boss…
These two require no real explanation…
If I ever do decide to live in Japan (which after my trip, I am sorely tempted to), I figure I could make a living as a television personality, since they hire any American simply because they can speak Engligh, regardless of any actual talent. Here?s a show starring three goof balls that point out animals, and the token white dude that says their names in English is, well… see for yourself:
And this sassy chick would eat stuff, say what I assume are insulting things, and just bat her eyes and look all-innocent.
That night I decided to head on over to Harajuku, which was where Joe and June spent much of their day. Unfortunately, most of it was closed down by the time I got there, primarily all the clothing shops. More to than video games, the one thing I really wanted to pick up while in Japan were designer threads. At least there were still lots to look at…
? Though that last store was 24 hours. It?s the UNIQLO that dispenses all its shirts via vending machines so there?s zero salespeople om-hand.
Oh, some more of those yummy cr?pes!
Anyway, I took the train back to Shinjuku, stopping off at the Koreatown district, primarily to investigate all those arcades I had only popped my head in the night before…
… Not pictured is the trannie that was sitting right next to this, play slots, and smoking cigarets. Sorry, but I didn’t want to get beat-up… fucker was HUGE!
See the little TV in the room, to the left? It was hooked up to some random game, elsewhere in the arcade. So I guess if you?re bored of the game you?re playing and looking at, you could always check out what else is going on. Talk about multitasking!
One place had both Super Mario Brothers 1…
And Radiant Silvergun! WTF!!!
A look at the previously mentioned risqu? capsule toys…
As well as some games along the same vein…
Some more, classic game posters…
Around this time, near midnight, I got a phone call…
