Miss/Won't Miss #1

Things I'll Miss About Japan #1: Nostalgia in all the most random places

Some of the old cartoon franchises I grew up with are still alive and kicking in Japan. I've posted other random Dragonball goods, but this was a cool find.

I wanted to show my boyfriend the super lame drink vending machine that had all these weird sodas that I'd never heard of, and he was like WHOA DRAGONBALL SODA.

I thought they'd all be Goku, but then I GOT A SUPER SAYAN ONE AND WAS LIKE MAYBE I WON MONEY??? Nah, there's 9 cans in all. I also acquired the Trunks can later on.

Things I Won't Miss About Japan #1: The devastating lack of Sailor Moon anything/Pure Cure? EVERYWHERE

Given Sailor Moon's big revival in the states, I thought for sure I'd see some awesome Sailor Moon stuff in Japan. To date, I have seen NOTHING outside of collector's shops and used toy stores. No candy, soda, cell phone charms, trinkets, advertisements -- absolutely nothing.

Some of my older kids know who Sailor Moon is and sort of chuckle when I draw my really bad version of her on their homework. Girls my age all grew up watching it and even the guys know the theme songs. WHY CAN'T I GIVE MY MONEY TO NAOKO TAKEUCHI THE WAY I GIVE IT TO JOHNNY'S ENTERTAINMENT???

Of course, you know what I do see a lot of? THIS STUPID SAILOR MOON RIP OFF THAT I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT.

Pure Cure? Pretty Cure? IDK! It's not Sailor Moon and there is no handsome Tuxedo Mask-type manly man, either. FAIL.

The Money I'd Have Wasted Had I Grown Up in Japan...

For the past few days, awesome and un-useless things with cartoon characters on them have been forcing me to spend money. If you wouldn't think twice about buying at least one of these items for nostalgic value, you should find other blogs to read.

First up, Super Mario Galaxy 2 Card Gum pack!

A whole 63yen per pack at the supermarket. I threw out the square bathroom-tile-looking gum, but I'm definitely keeping the Obake Mario and Hachi-Mario (hachi in this case is short for hachimitsu, or honey). I don't think I'll be buying enough of these to put together the big photo on the back but it was a satisfying impulse purchase.

Next, Dragon Ball stamps!

IT'S NOT OVER 9000 YEN!

In America, we put important people on stamps. In Japan, we use Dragon Ball. IF THERE IS A SAILOR MOON SET ALSDKJF;LSAKMD ;LSJDF I WILL DIE OR BUY THEM ALL. Set of ten 80yen stamps cost 800yen, SO AWESOME.

Third, super cute Hello Kitty fortune-teller daruma cell phone strap!

The only bad thing about this 200yen ball of unnecessary cute is that I can't read the kanji on the fortunes coming out of the back. I'm used to the variations of  吉, not entire phrases.

And finally, His + Hers Valentine's Day Pikachu merchandise!

The cell phone straps are kind of a given, I think they were 1200yen for the set. They made a girl Pikachu with a heart-shaped tail for this line of merchandise, and if you notice the half-heart for the girl even has a little pink diamond. KAWAIIIIIIII OMG.

However, it was the matching TAILS that... just... gaaaaaaaaaaah.

The back of the package

I died. Then I gave the Pokemon center 1500yen of my own money for a set. Then I died again. Of cute. And before you all die of cute, please note that for whatever reason my camera didn't get the colors as well as it should have. The tails look really washed out but they are much more vibrant in person.

And here's an unrelated parfait!