Keroro Gunsou Japanese Regional "Landmark" Charms

Lately I've been spending my evenings planning for our upcoming Japan trip. When we went 4 years ago I had pretty much zero planning input since I didn't know what to expect, and was rather preoccupied with wedding prep.  But this time (to Sak's exasperation) I have a "must-experience" list a mile long.  I'd like to do a breakdown later of the plan, but so far it's pretty good split between otaku things and historical things.

Part of the planning included dragging out all the pamphlets, maps and other things from four years ago to see what was still useful.  I also found all the Keroro charms I had collected while there! Still unopened in their cute packaging. Hrm.  Any good ideas on a nice way to display charms/netsuke?

These are from Tokyo - Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, and maid-Kero from Akiba!

Takoyaki and whale shark Kero from Osaka, Momotaro-kero from Okayama

The cool thing about these strap charms is that each one represents a different city/region that we visited. (Except for Okinawa. I have no idea where that one came from since we didn't go to Okinawa..)

Dim Sum Kero from Yokohama, and Kyushu and Okinawa Keros

Actually, Kyushu Kero is pretty random looking >.>"

Being that I can't really remember buying each of these - what sort of shops they were in, what other options there were, what we were doing that day - makes me kinda sad that I didn't blog our trip more in-depth. My goal is to really write it up this time around.  I'd say that it'll be boring for you and a good memory-log for me, but really - is anything in Japan boring? Pfft.

Himeji Kero, Miyajima Kero, and Hakone Kero

Unfortunately, these were 2009/2010 series charms, so I doubt I'll be able to add to the same collection when we go back.  Maybe they are still making 2014 Keroro things?  If so, that'd be awesome, but I'd be equally happy collecting regional Attack on Titan charms, huhuhu.

Even found a clear file that shows all the different keros per region! 

Here's the general area we'll be visiting this time.

I really like that pretty much every city in Japan has a "regional specialty".  It may be super touristy to have to slurp up green tea soba in Kyoto, or to have to buy Tokyo bananas when in the big city - but it's fun!  I guess the equivalent would be that you'd have to share a sourdough clam chowder bowl in SF or something.  I tried to think of more examples but it's a lot less clear for US cities I think. Like, what is the "regional food" of LA?  Even clam chowder isn't really an SF only thing, it's a big "tourist" food for pretty much any West Coast town.

Levi Attack on Titan Tights

Living up to her title of the best cousin that ever was, Cousin T sent the MOST AWESOME tights in the mail. Levi from AOT! ::eyes roll back as I dissolve in happy fan-girl squeals and bouncy tap dancing::

Printed tattoo tights just might be the greatest trend ever.

Comes in Eren as well, but we all know Levi takes the cake :)

The big question is whether these awesome stockings would fit on my non-petite-asian-legs. My measurements were just on the upper limit listed on the package, huhu. No thigh gap here, just some thunder thighs. :P

Luckily I could squeeze in without them feeling like they'd break.

They are so cool! They look like I printed onto my leg, lol.

Levi did get a bit stretched out though.

Tights are so delicate though.  I don't think I've ever worn a pair a whole day without getting a run/snag or two.  So I'll have to be very careful with these and where I wear them.  I think they'd go great with a casual survey corp outfit - maybe if I just trade out my poofy skirt for a brown mini skirt?

Kinda looks like they are white tights, but no - that's just my pasty skin. @_@

 Big thanks to Cousin T - she always has the coolest finds! I forgot that we were supposed to try and make our own custom tattoo tights - maybe we should renew that effort!

Anniversary #4 Level Up!

Well, I'm already a day late, but that's because I was busy sitting on the couch playing Lego Harry Potter with Sak the past few nights.  Spending time together is more important than a timely blog post, I'd like to think.  But before you think that it was a romantic lovey-dovey time spent together - no. Sak and I play horrible co-op.

"OMG go over there! Over there! Now jump up. Jump UP. UP. What is WRONG WITH YOU."

"Really? Shark Krum? You're going to play as Shark Krum?" *eyeroll*

"If you AK* me one more time I'm not going to play with you anymore."

*avada kedavra

Impatient outbursts aside, I've loved these past four years of married time spent together.  I'd say this year has probably been a little more difficult for Sak, since I've been coming home late nearly every night due to my expanded responsibilities at the office.  Things we used to do together - shopping, cooking (aka take-out) - he now does on his own, which is something I simultaneously appreciate and feel slightly bad about. To think - I used to make him lunches when we first started working. Pfft. How was that even possible? I can't even tell what I want to eat for dinner an hour beforehand on most days.  Luckily he has a nice cafeteria that serves eggs bennie on Fridays so I don't feel the least bit guilty about not making lunch, haha.

For this anniversary, Sak gifted me a videogame (Lego Indy, since verbally abusive co-op is apparently our thing) , and I gifted him some fancy dark choco and wine.  So we are either some sort of reverse stereotype, or we just really bought things for ourselves. @_@  In any case, I think it's good because they are things we can both share!

How Sak puts up with my constant scheming, projects and half-baked plans (and the whining and begging for help that usually comes with them) I'll never know.  But I'm glad he does, because I couldn't think of a better otaku to have had married.

Shark Krum. (source)