Last Saturday, I went to attend JUMP Festa at Chiba. Since 2 weeks ago I already marked my calendar. haha... This was a Great EVENT for Hungry Manga-Anime-Games FANs!! hahaa...
I'm one of them... I'm glad I'm here in Tokyo... muahahaha....
Ok lar.. less talking... lets enjoy some nice pictures.... =D
Note: Some of the photos are taken with my colleague's digicam. My digicam halfway battery flat. So thanks to her that she could lend me her camera for my picture-taking pleasure. hahaa...
Destination is at the Yellow labeled station on the map.
The big hall is upfront. Can see? =P
Most of the big event in Tokyo is so "direction-friendly". They scare people can't find the location of the JUMP event, they actually have few people standing with holding a signboard , shouting out the "For those visitors who going to JUMP festa, please follow this way", all the way from nearby train station up to the entrance of the convention/conference hall. I like the japanese system. Very good! hahaha...
Man! It's really huge place lor...
I can't resist to take picture of this cute little boy while he's posing as Naruto. haha... Look at his hat! hahaa.
Entrance of the convention hall. But it's still not the entrance of the JUMP festa. You'll see... =P
Rest spot at the entrance.
U won't believe it, u still have to make a big U-turn from the main entrance of the convention hall, in order to enter the festa. Anyway, we just follow.
Nice Billboards.
Now, we made a U-turn, we reached outdoor.
Have you ever wondered what those pixelated boxes meant for? I saw it everywhere here everyday, even on the package of a normal bread in convenient store. I asked my friend, she told me that it's actually an "encrypted" code is hidden inside which carries URL data. hahaaa.. interesting huh... and how u figure out the URL website from the pixelated box? You can use mobile phone (japan only) to capture the picture and the phone will scan it at the same time, and it will able to show the data on your mobile screen. hahahaa... Interesting!!! So super hi-tech! hahaa..
We made a big U-turn, then we still have to walk all the way back outdoor to make the long queue. It's very organised to do such thing, i respect them, but it also irritated me. In order to enter the "real final" entrance, we took about 15 minutes eventhough we reached the conference hall.
Finally, we reached the entrance after a while.
Death Note character!
Some trailers shown on the screen and also some short anime will shown during certain time.
People are queueing up to play card games.
People are queueing up for game demo from Konami.
Bleach soundtrack!! Wanted to buy, but I already have MP3, no point! haha...
Bleach artwork area. Very cool. They don't allow to take picture at this area, so i only able to catch one. hahaha...
Dunno what people queueing there for. Seeing the weird guy up there performing.
Nintendo babe is kinda disappoiting. hahaa...
Hot cowgirl. But not pretty. hahaa... =P
I wish i could join the queue to try out the Bleach on Wii. I saw people playing so interesting.
Cosplay area. So many weirdos. But interesting! I like. hahaa... although not much cute babe. kakakaa.... I think all pretty girls like to stay home, dun like to come out social like this. hahaha..
Gaara & Me & Sasuke
She's cool!
This is the best cosplay of all that day. haha.. Orochimaru !!!
Illusionary Pipe thingy.
Kyubi from Naruto. It's actually a big strong balloon thingy that u can bang on its head and it will bounce you back. hahaa..
Somekind of Naruto puzzzle solving game with visitors. I wanted to take part, but no time. =(
Some kind of kids' game show.
There you are! SquareEnix! The biggest attraction to me! hahaha... THey are here to promote their up coming new games in different kind of platforms.
They have a small theatre for visitors to watch their upcoming new titles trailers or short films.
Cute eh! Feel like bringing it home..hahaa
This so-called limited edition of Sora (Final Form) is sold 3,800 yen (over SGD50). I regret that I didn't buy. I was actually hesitating if i should have. But on 2nd thought I should have, coz it's consider cheap, and you can find that price back in Singapore, not to mention M'sia.
Limited edition figurines. But not for sale. So sad.
If they sell this sets of FF3 figurines, I sure will buy lor!!!! I want the collection!! Well, I can anytime go SquareEnix shop in Shinjuku to find out!!! hahahaa!
The weapons n bikes look amazingly cool. Painting are very detailed!
These 2 are not those you saw in the shop, coz these are a bit bigger than the usual ones sold in the market! These are nicer.. haha
Big FF13 character wallpaper! Wish i could bring home! But I ended up bought 2 big posters FFXIII & FF Vs XIII with just 1000 yen. Somemore it's original version from SquareEnix. Not those you found from Chinatown or re-printed from Sg or M'sia. hahaha.. =P
This a a big comic-reading corner for kids. Very well organised!
After the JUMP festa event, we were so hungry. We went for late lunch in a Soba restaurant.
I dont' usually take picture of myself, but my colleague secretly took for me.
In the evening, we browsed in the city area at Akihabara (a big famous place of electronics, games, comics and stuff). And we passed by another game arcade, so I couldn't help myself, I played a Jet plane game.
Nite time we dine at the "Pig-branded" noodle house. hahaha... Check out the next picture. There's a pig drawn on the board. =D
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Photo Session - JUMP Festa in Chiba （千葉）
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Photo Session - Deeper Exploration in Ikebukuro with A New Friend
For the past few weeks, I've been sharing a lot of places and information about Ikebukuro. And why haven't I finished talking about it? Coz this place alone is one whole super big place which need long time to explore. So many things you can experience in just one area here in Tokyo. But don't worry, my next stop would be Shinjuku and Akihabara during Christmas holidays. Did I tell you guys that I have 10 days of holiday starting from 25th Dec till 4th Jan? hahaa... It's our company long holiday plan. Great isn't it? Well, hopefully that I can finish my work before christmas and enjoy fully for the full week of holidays. haha.. =D
As for now, lets enjoy some photos of my last Saturday adventure with my new colleague (while I was still carrying the pain..haha).
Movie cinema. Those posters are not digitally printed. They are hand-painted! It's been a long time since the last time I saw hand-painted movie posters.... haha.. respect those talents!
One ticket for an adult is 1800 yen. Expensive to watch movie here.
It's saturday around 3pm. It's almost dark. And there's a lot of people in the city. It's like another Orchard here, except that this place is 20% more crowded.
People Mountain People Sea. haha...
I took this picture specially for a friend of mine -- Danny! hahaa... sorry, picture no good coz of my shaky hand. =P
Yummy Papa Crepe on the street. With a sexy lady waiting for her queue. hahaa....
My new colleague, Jiun Yiing. She's a Malaysian too. She's a Rigger. She just came to Polygon Pictures last week.
After we tour around the city, we stopped by a coffee shop and had some rest, mainly because of my pain. haha... So , we ordered hot red tea and some pancakes.
Yummz...
Don't be mistaken ok.. this is not really sushi...hahaa... it's actually (as u can see) thumbdrives/flashdrives. haha.. We met another new friend and stopped by a computer shop and saw this on the shelves. Most of these sushis are 512MB only. hahaha.. they are costly too due to the fact that they are "sushi" quality of flashdrives. hahaha... XD
Sushi and Tempura flashdrives! Anyone wanna eat? hahaha... Imagine the prawn tempura stuck on ur PC USB port. muahaha.. funny sia!
On the street, some kind of poetry sitting there to serve to write some complicated japanese poem for customers based on their names or other stuff.
Don't look quite interesting, but may be it will be cool if you understand what it says.
Artistic it is. May be I should also set up a spot on the city floor to sell my "artisitic" hand writings... muahaha...
Cheerzzz..............
Photo Session - Final Fantasy III OST
I bought this online 2 weeks ago. Initially I started to look for it in various game shops and CD shops, but none of them acquire this. So I went online and got this. It's 2000 yen. (Including OST CD and CG animation DVD). Really worth the money. 2000 yen is about 20 over dollars in SGD.
I don't think I can get such price for such product back in Singapore. hahaa....
Side track a bit, original PS2 games here also are mostly cheaper than in Singapore. Except for those famous games, they may be around the same price compared to Sg.
FFIII soundtrack is really nice. I love it! Can't wait to play FFIII on my DS soon... still waiting for a friend to send me that.. hahaa... *hint hint*... kekeke... XD
Why do I ask my friend to send me? Coz I want English version. I can easily get Jap version here, but i don't want to waste most of my time to check dictionary while playing.... that will be a turn-off for longer term..haha.... =P
Here are the photos of FFIII OST.
My Mobile Phone
For those interested to know..hahaha.... =D
+81 090-9826-7291
I just got my mobile last week. My ex-colleague (Dennis) from Genki who happened to work temporarily in Tokyo sold it to me with cheap price. It's a prepaid phone. Got to renew the credits every 2 months. Credits can be bought in most convenient stores, and they cost 3000 yen or 5000 yen each prepaid card.
Below is the phone. It's a very simple phone that doesn't have camera, games, or video recorder. But it has all the basic requirements that a phone supposed to have. Well, as long as it works as a phone, I dun mind it doens't have much extra functions. The more functions u want in a phone here, the more expensive it will be. I think i'm content to have such simple phone. haha.... except that this phone is very complicated and not very user-friendly... hahaha...
Oh btw, they don't allow phone talking on train. So each phone in Japan usually have one extra function called "Manner Mode", where it turns off the sound and remain vibration mode. Though it's the same as what we usually call "Silent Mode". hahaha...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Photo Session - Ikebukuro & Oyama
Hey friends, thanks for the concerns for the past one week. I still can't spread good news now since my sickness is still "with" me. haha.. But thank God that it didn't affect my daily life and work severely though it pains on and off. I will be seeing a new doctor soon if it's not improving. Thanks to my brother that sending me some health supplement trying to help too. I feel grateful to have such friends and family to concern about me. Thanks! =)
Well, life still goes on ya. Be happy and dont' worry! And lets enjoy some pictures now! =D
Below are some of the pictures compiled from week3-week4.
This place is at Ikebukuro. The name looks nice and it has my name on it - "Yan". So I thought it's interesting to take picture of. haha...Anyway, I wish to go in and try the seafood, but I can't afford. haha..
Some kind of funny looking advertisement board outside the Ikebukuro station.
This is called Pachinko Slot. Something like those Slot Machine that you usually see in casino. But they are not the same exactly. Instead of pulling the lever or push the button to find out ur luck by matching the lines on the screen, this Pachinko is a slot machine that requires you to slot in metal-like mini balls into the machine and you control those balls by tuning certain controller on the side of the machine. Well, it's hard to explain here, somemore my english so bad.hahaa.. I think I will sneak in next time and take a picture of what really a Pachinko slot is. hahaa... u wait ok..haha.. =D
Muji in Ikebukuro. Reminds me of our M'sian famous singers.
From here onwards, it's all in a place named Oyama, which located one stop away from my neighourhood. This is place is worth shop around and strolling. This picture is the Oyama train station entrance.
This whole colorful street is one portion of the Oyama busy streets which sell lots of delicious food, lots of appliances, junk, okashi, games, software, etc etc.
This is another side of Oyama where the whole long street is enclosed. Very nicely maintained and cozy feeling. Got banks, got bicycles parking, got restaurants, got buying-selling shops, saloon, etc etc.
This is a bicycle parking lot. Highly enhanced with digital safety lock and coin slot.
Same street with more decorations for coming Christmas. Nice ya!
The brand looks like Yoshinoya. May be it's Yoshinoya's brother. hahaa...
This kind of place is quite common around lots of small neighbourhood. It's a Bento house where you pick you own favourite dishes and pay on the counter. It's just for Take-Away, no dine-in. It's like Economic Rice in M'sia and Singapore, except that it's not quite economic, yet it's "economically" expensive. hahaa.. They charge your picked dishes by Gram. For example, 100 gram of certain dish is 150 yen. The more you pick the more you pay. They very precise one. hahaa.. super hi-tech. The first time i went in there, I didn't notice much, so I picked my "usual" size portion of my dishes, and I ended up paying 1000 yen per meal (without rice somemore)..hahaha... after that experience, I now pick dishes and weigh right away on the spot. Coz they have several cute little weigh machines on near the dishes for customer to weigh before paying. hahaa... cool huh... =D
Same place as above.
MOS burger in Tokyo is so different from what I've seen in Singapore and M'sia.
Their menu is 80% above different from what we usually see. In Sg and M'sia, they emphasize on Rice Burger. Yet, this place emphasize the opposite.
This is one of the Console Games buying-selling shop I found in Oyama. Some 2nd hand is cheap, some are not. Depends on the popularity of the games.
Well, last but not least. This plastic bag has nothing special to share. But just that I took this picture to remind me that some of the shopping places don't provide plastic bags by default. Like this one, I pay 10 yen for it after scratching my head on the other side of the check-out counter, wondering why she never give me plastic bags, "how am i going to take home?"... hahaha... until i went to ask for it... then only i know. I think it's good also lar.. environment-friendly. hahahaa... =D
Ok people, that's all for today. Please drop by again. I will soon upload some videos around this weekend. Stay tuned ya! =D
CHeerz............. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz..
Thursday, December 07, 2006
4th Week in Tokyo - Got Sick
As some of you already known that I've been suffering from some kind of stomach pain lately, I've just got to see a specialist yesterday. The doctor said it's an infection inside the area where the navel resided. And he told me it may or may not be serious. He gave me 7 days of antibiotics. Hoping to recover within a week. In any case that it won't recover, he said I might need to go to bigger hospital for surgery or something. When I heard that line, I was like ... "Harh?!! That serious meh?!!" ... SIgh.. sians.... Not even a month in Japan, and I already got sick like this. The doctor even said that my current condition is quite rare. He even went in his special room to look for a "Doctor Dictionary/Encyclopedia" to find me the name of the disease.
He pointed the line where it says "Umbilical Cyst". Of cors, all that while we had communication problem.. coz the doctor only know little bit of English, while I only master the kindergarten standard of Japanese. We were so busy doing "translation" until I forgot to ask him about what the cause for the infection is. Sigh.... My mind was a bit blank that time, may be I was too worried that I might end up paying tonnes of money for surgery that time. haha...somemore now I haven't got my insurance yet... sigh... sianz... never expected this thing would happen in the beginning of my "adventure" in Tokyo. I really hope I will get well soon. Pray for me ya. =)
Today I MC. Wanted to rest at home. Just sent out an email to my supervisor.
I think I need to go back to lay down. Too much computer may be the cause of the stress too.
And stress might be the cause of any type of diseases.... so everyone, all my friends, please take care of yourself too. =)
Saturday, December 02, 2006
3rd Week in Tokyo - Skype Phone-Calling
Guess what! I just bought some credits (Euro 10) from skype website online.
For those who dunno what Skype is, it's actually a chatting software which also enables you to call through a phone or mobile all over the world, with not much hassle. Cheaper and also clear voice.
Initially I wanted to test out by calling my mum. But it was 12 midnite, so no one picked up the phone and I guess she's sleeping. *Duh!! =P
Then, I tested out to call up a good friend of mine in Malaysia.
It really worked! We chatted like 10 minutes plus and only 0.30 Euro is deducted from my account credit. It's equivalent to RM1.40 . Isn't that cheap?! I call from Japan leh !!! hahaha... so much cheaper than using public phone card, which I've been using all these while calling my mum in M'sia. So far called her 2 times, from 3500 yen to 400 yen now. And each time ddidn't even more than 15 minutes lor. So this time, I can talk more using Skype and have no worries.. muahahaha... But of cors, calling mobile phones are more expensive, but still much cheaper than normal rate lor! haha...
Skype rulez!!! XD
But I will still get my new mobile soon. Coz for internal call in japan. Nowadays, without mobile really inconvenient. Especially emergency. Not those SOS one lar.. emergency as in calling ur boss coz u gonna be late, calling ur friend to come out for YumCha... hahahaa....
Speaking of YumCha, i really miss it ! Very very much!!! All my YumCha buddies are in M'sia and Singapore.... sigh... Ok lar.. this topic is about Skype Phone, I will talk more about Yum Cha in the next section....when i have time..hahaa.. tomolo is Saturday, I still have to go back to work. I willingly one, coz I know I still have a lot to work. Deadline is close... I must make it!!! Yesh!!!! hahaa...
Cheerz!!!
3rd Week in Tokyo - Stressless Moment In Pantry
Today less stress. Yet, I felt glad to know few more colleagues and this time is not just "Know Know" that's all. We actually sat down had lunch & dinner and chat together in the pantry.
Thanks to my friend Boon Yik who introduced me his team members. (Why his team members are so young n fun, while my team members are so senior and serious? haha... but still ok lar, as long they are quite friendly, except that American guy in my team is so serious and don't like to smile. I greet with him is like greeting with the air... hahaa... =P)
Well, come back to my pantry story. I joined them for lunch and slowly got to chat with them. This time has less barrier due to the fact that they all know reasonable amount of english. One of them is Australian (if not mistaken). His name is Matt. The other 3 more japanese colleagues are Onaka san, Yoshi san, and another one I just knew him during the dinner time at pantry who by the way I forgot to ask his name.....hahaa...
They are fun talking with. They all are animators too. But the whole time in the pantry, we never mentioned anything about work, but just plainly talk about japanese language. Most of the time Boon Yik and I just asked them questions about japanese and learn new words from them. haha...
Later on, an Arabian colleague named Bader(animator as well), came in and joined the fun conversation. He well-versed in English and knows a bit of japanese too. He's kinda funny guy too. We really had a great session together with all the Q&A and jokes. Good thing is that all of them at least know English, therefore I can easily learn from them without much barrier. =D
Not long after Bader came in, the President of Polygon Pictures (Youza or something, i forgot his name..haha) came in to the pantry. We all started conversing and self intro. I saw him from the CG Overdrive in Singapore last July. He looked serious on his face when I saw him back in Singapore. But surprisingly, he sounds more friendly that I thought. And he is nice chatting with too, although we didn't actually chat a lot, but he did ask me where i last worked and where i from bla bla bla.... Probably becoz he's US educated also... he speaks well in English. Intially I tried to converse simply japanese with him, but ended up we talked in English. hahaa...
I think it's more comfortable for both of us. hahaha....
After that , he left. And we carried on our chat session.
We should have this type of conversation gathering once in a while, to keep the bonding among us. Hopefully. =)
Well, apart from the stressless day I had, my abdomen pain is still ON. Sigh.... Pray for me...
Cheerz
Friday, December 01, 2006
My Home Address
===========================
〒173-0021
東京都板橋区
弥生町
49番13号ムーアビルB-3
===========================
English Version
===========================
Room B-3, 49-13 Moore Building,
Yayoi-cho, Itabashi-ku,
Tokyo 173-0021
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