Chic Pixel

Hello lovelies! It's Saturday here in Australia, and I've just gotten back from seeing the new Hollywood reboot of Godzilla. Believe it or not, I've never actually seen a Godzilla movie (shock! horror!), but I am definitely familiar with the Godzilla mythos/legacy, and I must say I was really impressed with the film. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly suggest anyone with even a passing Godzilla fancy to check it out! I'm also excited to hear that the director has confirmed he's working on two follow-up movies, which will hopefully explore new directions/monsters.

via @Richmond_Lee

More importantly, I've been introduced to what may be the best kaiju on the planet: Negora! As far as I can tell, Negora is a kitty Godzilla spoof that has its own toy line. I may not really understand it, but I can definitely see the appeal. The creator, Konatsu, has her own Negora blog, which I highly recommend checking out if you find the above image at all intriguing. Negora is so popular that it even has its own set of LINE stamps in Japan! I have a feeling I'm going to have to seek out some Negora figures when I'm in Tokyo...

If you're at a loss of things to do this weekend, why not check out the latest episode of Apricotsushi Samples? It's all about Pokémon food! I try Pokémon curry, a Pokémon chocolate wafer, and "evolving" Pokémon gummies. All can be purchased through my affiliates, Oyatsu Café and Jlist, so if any of those sound like something you might want to try, please do consider supporting Chic Pixel by buying them there! Of course, you may want to wait and see what I actually think of the snacks before purchasing them for yourself...

Also, if you're a Pokémon fan, be sure to watch this episode of Apricotsushi Samples to the end for details on my latest giveaway! It's super easy to enter, and open worldwide. You only have until May 31st to enter, though, so don't put it off!

Finally, I'm always thinking of ways to improve Chic Pixel, and am considering doing a little "miscellaneous" post every Saturday where I talk about a couple things that might not be big enough to merit their own post. But what shall I name this wee new column? I'll have to pin that down before next weekend...

Since I'm creeping closer and closer to my July trip to Tokyo, I figured I wouldn't be doing many Japan Envy posts, considering I'll likely be able to experience many of the things I generally write about in this column when I'm there. Fortunately for you and unfortunately for me, however, one of the café collaborations I'm currently pining over is scheduled to finish on July 7th (five days before I arrive!), which means we can sigh at the loveliness we'll never get to experience together!

the GUEST cafe Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars display

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The adorable duo Kiki and Lala of Little Twin Stars were never really on my radar as a Hello Kitty-loving adolescent, but now that I'm older and really into pastels for some inexplicable reason, I think it's safe to say that the Little Twin Stars are my favorite Sanrio characters. Thus, when I saw that The GUEST café & diner in Tokyo would be doing a Little Twin Stars collaboration, I was utterly thrilled! While I've always been a huge fan of café collaborations, I think The GUEST takes the idea to the next level with its attention to detail and presentation!

the GUEST cafe Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars statue

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There is even a statue of Kiki and Lala to take photos with upon entering the café, and apparently the staff are happy to take your photo for you if you ask. Since I'll never get to experience this lovely café, I'm very thankful for the numerous posts filled with awesome photos from people who have gone themselves!

Little Twin Stars limited edition coasters in five designs

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At your table, you'll be treated to a Kiki and Lala placemat that you can take home after you're finished your meal. If you get it dirty, you can just ask for a replacement and they're happy to provide one. In addition to the placemat, you can score one of five original coasters (pictured above) with any drink order. I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to use them!

Little Twin Stars fruit crepes with special mug

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But really, we're all here for the food, right? And it certainly doesn't disappoint! This fruit crepe looks both cute and extremely delicious.

Little Twin Stars mini pink and blue burgers

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I also love the look of this mini burger set. I wonder what a pink star bun tastes like?

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And of course there are themed lattes! Not only are designs on the drink adorable, but check out the phrase on the mug: "All you need is love & coffee"! Sounds about right to me!

Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars nail art on cafe manager

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The manager even has Little Twin Stars-themed nails! Honestly, everything about the presentation of this café is irresistible. There's lots more to see that I haven't included, so definitely go check out Matcha and Tokyo Otaku Mode for more images and details about the café! Of course they're also selling numerous exclusive Little Twin Stars merchandise that I'm sure I'd have to buy all of if I were actually able to attend this collaboration event. Even though they won't be having this event while I'm in Tokyo, I think I'll still stop by The GUEST café & diner to see how it stacks up!

I don't always cover news news here at Chic Pixel, but this announcement is one that really caught my eye: XSEED Games has acquired the rights to the latest Harvest Moon title and will be releasing it under the title of... Story of Seasons? From what I understand, Harvest Moon is Natsume's bread and butter, so this was quite the surprise announcement indeed!

This may be sad news for Natsume and fans of the "Harvest Moon" name, but when you factor in the fact that XSEED Games is a subsidiary of Story of Seasons developer Marvelous AQL, it all begins to make sense. What I'm wondering is, will Story of Seasons act as series' new title going forward? According to XSEED's official announcement, Story of Seasons is described as a "new IP," so I guess the answer to that question would be yes. It will be interesting to see how the brand develops, but given XSEED's history of providing high-quality localizations for various Rune Factory titles, I'm sure they will do a superb job with Story of Seasons.

As for the game itself, I must admit that I'm sorely out of the loop when it comes to Story of Seasons (Japanese name Bokujo Monogatari: Tsunagaru Shintenchi). I still have a copy of Harvest Moon: A New Beginning that I've barely touched, though I always thoroughly enjoy the Harvest Moon games. A whole slew of new animals will be in the game, as well as wildlife safari, and you can keep dogs, cats, and horses as pets. Plus, there is a whole new range of suitors for your male or female avatar to woo and eventually wed, though unfortunately there is still no same-sex marriage option. Since XSEED was able to convince developer of Akiba's Trip to add a male fanservice option to their game, perhaps same-sex marriage in future Story of Seasons titles isn't completely out of the question?

My castle indeed!

Other new features include some beefed up StreetPass and online connectivity options – you can now visit your friend's farms and trade items and receive player data via StreetPass. Nintendo even put their own special touch on the game, with decorative items such as the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Super Star appearing in the series for the first time.

While I have to admit that this announcement makes me a little uneasy for Natsume considering Harvest Moon was probably their best-known franchise, I'm happy to hear that the series is in XSEED's capable hands. It may be difficult, however, to promote the game to less internet-savvy potential customers who might grab a game with the name "Harvest Moon" on it on the shelf but aren't aware that Story of Seasons is the same series. In fact, XSEED only used the Japanese title, Bokujo Monogatari, in their initial announcement, and I'm just not sure how many people outside diehard fans will connect the dots!

I'm sure XSEED Games will have their work cut out for them promoting the game at E3, as they have confirmed Story of Seasons will be at their booth. If someone in attendance wanted to pick up some swag for me, I sure wouldn't complain...!

I have many eccentric hobbies, but I don't think I've ever quite let on about just how obsessed with stationery I am. My theory is that for someone who likes cute things from Japan, stationery is one of the cheapest and most easily accessible ways to get your kawaii fix. Whether you're into character good such as Sanrio or a popular anime series, there's no end to the notebooks, stickers, and other paper-based goods available!

It's no secret that I've been a little bit obsessed with Hatsune Miku/Vocaliods recently, so when I saw the above stationery series, I knew I needed one of everything. The Kira Miku Lesson series marries Miku and her Vocaloid pals with a lovely pastel palette, rabbits and bears, and a variety of musical instruments. All of my favorite things!

First up is this adorable Hatsune Miku clear folder. I don't even want to get into how many of these folders I have, and the sad fact is that I barely ever use them. But you can't deny how cute this one is! Sometimes I just display them on my wall when I don't know what else to do with them.

Kira Miku Lesson clear file folder back detail

The back is plain aside from this fun little electric guitar. I love all the little details like the bow on its handle!

One can never have too many notebooks though, right? As you can see, this has the same central Miku design as the folder above, but for some reason I had to have it. It's a bit of a shame that aside from the cardboard design attached to the band that goes around the notebook, it's actually pretty plain.

Kira Miku Lesson Hatsune Miku notebook inside page design 1

Kira Miku Lesson Hatsune Miku notebook inside page design 2

But wait, the pages inside have two different Vocaloid designs on them! That totally redeems this notebook in my eyes. There's nothing I hate more than a notebook with a cute design on the outside that just has plain pages on the inside. Of course, though, that makes me not want to write in it for fear of "ruining" it...

Kira Miku Lesson Miku and Luka sticky notes with fish

Now, sticky notes aren't nearly as common as notebooks and folders, so this was a really fun addition to my Miku stationery shopping spree. I'll tell you right now, out of all the available sticky note designs, I chose this one solely because of the fish. I'm not sure why they stuck the smaller sticky notes to the larger ones, as if/when I want to actually use them, I'll ruin the first pink sheet featuring Miku and Luka when I go to remove the fish ones. A small caveat, but it's still a shame!

Kira Miku Lesson Vocaloid friends squishy stickers

Finally, who doesn't love a good sticker? These stickers are especially fun they're "squishy," which basically means I have absolutely no idea what to put them on.

Kira Miku Lesson Vocaloid friends squishy sticker closeup

If you're anything like the crafter Frainyxo, though, you might use these stickers to create resin charms! I hate the idea of "wasting" cute stickers like these, so when I saw she made an adorable heart-shaped charm featuring the dancing Miku at the top left of the sticker sheet, I knew I had to have it. Now I can stick these stickers on various things to my heart's content and sleep soundly knowing I'll have at least one of them for the long-term.

Next up are these utterly amazing food animal stickers I got in Japan last June but never got around to writing about! And you can bet your betting object of choice that, nearly a year later, not a single sticker is out of place. It's sad, really, the life of a collector...

Japanese animal food McDog stickers hamburger dog

The great thing about having a scanner in this modern age, though, is being able to scan in things like stickers and save them forever. Am I starting to sound creepy yet? Seriously, for unique things like these, I can't bring myself to actually use them until I've "catalogued" them in some way. The idea of sticking one on something and "ruining" it forever is too much to bear!

More importantly, though, how awesome are these stickers?!

Japanese animal food Bird 32 ice cream parakeet stickers

Bird ice cream! I love how each series is a spoof on different famous fast food chains. Can you guess them all?

Japanese animal food MOF burger cat hamburger stickers

Japanese animal food bunny donut stickers

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the Bird 32 Ice Cream, but the bunny donuts are also great! Who am I kidding, they're all adorable. And would you believe each sheet was only $1? Talk about a steal!

I'm curious, do you like seeing pictures of my stationery? I certainly have a ton of it, so if that's something people would like to see more of, I can certainly oblige! It would definitely be the motivation I need to scan in more of my collection...

Here it is, the first weekend of my new "bits and bobs" series, Catch-up Corner! Since I often find there are a lot of things I want to talk about but don't have enough to say to quite fill up a regular post, these weekly posts will be a place for me to touch on some little tidbits I've found interesting or keep you updated with what I'm up to. I hope you enjoy it!

The biggest news of my week has got to be the announcement that Max Factory will be re-releasing their scaled figure of Aoba Seragaki from the BL visual novel DRAMAtical Murder! They've been teasing this one for a long time, and since he was released before I got into figure collecting and is currently fetching prices of $300+, there was simply no way I would have been able to purchase him before. Granted, even his first release retailed at ¥14,095 (about $140), so the likelihood that I will break down and buy the re-release is probably nearly as low, but I like to dream that I might be able to get my hands on him someday. Maybe I should set my sights on something a little more affordable, like the Free! or Uta no Prince-sama boys...

Next, an embarrassing admission: it's already June 1st here in Australia and I haven't done an official announcement for June's Community Game-Along theme! For those of you who like to get started right away, here it is: puzzles! Be sure #PuzzleMonth to share your experiences and chat with other participants on your favorite social medial of choice. If you're at a loss to what game you should play, a post will be going up tomorrow with a handful of suggestions along with the usual Game-Along guidelines. And if you want to plan even further ahead, mark your calendar for #JRPGJuly!

I'd also like to let everyone know that Chic Pixel is going through a little bit of a move at the moment, and as a result there may be some hiccups over the next week. If you find any broken links, have troubles with the podcast, or have any other issues you notice, please let me know by leaving a comment here or messaging me on Twitter! If all goes well, you shouldn't even notice anything. Fingers crossed!

I can't believe it's already June – not only does that mean we're halfway through 2014, but it also means we've successfully held a whopping five Community Game-Alongs, and we're still going strong! But June is generally a busy month due to E3 excitement, schools finishing up for the year, and the usual new game releases, so I was a little stumped for a theme that would allow folks to pick up and play for short bursts when they have time during the month.

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But who doesn't love a good puzzle game? While you could argue puzzle games aren't at all niche – in fact, one of the most-played games of all time is undoubtedly Tetris, there are still so many puzzle games out there that haven't had their chance in the spotlight. As such, in the "pick up and play" spirit of June, I would like to dedicate the month to all manner of puzzle games, from Professor Layton to Puyo Puyo!

To participate in June's Community Game-Along, all you need to do is play a game that fits the theme and talk about your experiences using #PuzzleMonth on your favorite social media application of choice. I especially love to see blog posts, podcasts, or other types of long-form discussion, but recent months have seen a bit of a lull in participation outside of short-form social media venues... So get writing and send me your contributions so we can get the word out about Puzzle Month! You could talk about your favorite puzzle game, an under-appreciated gem, or even record yourself playing your pick for the month – there are tons of possibilities!

I know how hard it can be to make a decision when faced with so much choice, so here are a few puzzle games you may want to check out:

subaku (iOS) – So, you're one of those people who thinks they've played everything, eh? Well, let me tell you, I can almost guarantee you've overlooked this little iOS gem. In this number matching game, you tap a number to decrease it by one, which causes the value of the adjacent numbers to increase by one. The goal is to match three in a row to clear the board in as few moves as possible. Created by Eric Koizol, it's the perfect puzzle game in that it's easy to learn but always keeps you on your toes, and there's even a free trial version in the app store for you to try before you buy. Or, if you'd like to score yourself a copy, simply comment on this post with your favorite puzzle game to win a code! I'll give them away to the first five people to comment, so be quick!

Pushmo series (3DS, Wii U) – I love scheduling a monthly Game-Along theme that coincides with a new release, but in the case of the upcoming Pushmo World, it was completely on accident! Pushmo and its sequel Crashmo were previously only available on the Nintendo 3DS, but the brand-new Pushmo World will be making its way to the Wii U on June 19th. In anticipation of its release, both Pushmo and Crashmo will be on sale in the eShop for a short period, so now's a great time to pick up one or both if you haven't had a chance to play them!

Mr. Driller series (various) – I'll readily admit that I'm just including Mr. Driller on this list because I love the series and want to see more people play it! The art is adorable, gameplay addictive, and music amazingly catchy. It's such a shame that we haven't seen a good new Mr. Driller game in quite some time. If you're looking to play it, it's available for almost every system, but many would recommend the Dreamcast or PSone versions as the pinnacle of the series. You could always try the iOS version for $1.29, but, uh, don't say I didn't warn you if it isn't any good. Just play Mr. Driller!

Touch Detective series (DS, 3DS, Android/iOS) – There are two reasons I wanted to highlight the Touch Detective series this month: 1. The 3rd entry was just released for the 3DS in Japan, and we still don't have a localization announcement (c'mon E3!) and 2. The series is a great example of games with puzzle elements that might be closer to traditional adventure/point and click games, which are also fair game this month. Since Atlus was responsible for bringing over the past two games in the series, we need to make some noise and let them know that we'd like to see the third in English, as well! While the puzzles themselves may not be the real highlight of these games depending on who you ask, they're certainly worth checking out if you want a quirky new experience.

Honorable import mentions: Guru Logi Champ, Airou de Puzzle, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed)... The options are limitless! I really encourage you to pick up some Japanese puzzle games you might not have tried otherwise, as they're one of the few types of import titles that don't really require any knowledge of the language to play.

While I could go back and pick up my copy of Picross DS or finally sit down and play some of the Professor Layton games I've never touched, I'm going to try something totally off the hook this month – Tetris with CardCaptor Sakura: Eternal Heart! That's right, Tetris mixed with CardCaptor Sakura... What could be better? I can't wait to try it out and share my experiences with everyone!

Hatsune Miku and her Vocaloid friends are relatively unknown outside of their homeland of Japan, but have a steadily growing western fanbase that even counts Lady Gaga in their ranks. For those who aren't familiar, Vocaloids are a series of Japanese voice banks created from actual singers that can be used to create completely original music and vocals from scratch. Each Vocaloid voice bank is represented by a unique character, with Hatsune Miku undoubtedly being the most famous due to her iconic turquoise twin tails and vibrant, youthful voice.

The communal aspect of Vocaloids is one of the reasons why they're so interesting – what songs become hits are entirely up to the fans, and even what Hastune Miku wears in her music videos is conceived by fans. So, while the Vocaloid rhythm game series Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA is ultimately developed and published by Sega, the songs included are all created and popularized by the fans themselves!

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f for the Vita and its companion, Project DIVA F for the PS3 are the first entries in the series to see an English release. Eager to support the localization, I picked up Project DVIA F when it first came out, but found it difficult to get into on the PS3. I love rhythm games, but ultimately find them much more satisfying on handhelds, which is why I was thrilled when Sega announced that they would be bringing over the Vita version a few months later.

Project Diva f on the Vita is everything I love about rhythm games and more. Though I can understand the idea of listening to music sung by a computer program might be off-putting at first for some, I personally found the vast majority of songs toe-tappingly fun, and I highly suggest checking out a few of YouTube to get a taste of the range of musical styles represented by Vocaloid songs.

Of course, catchy songs are only half of what it takes to make a good rhythm game. Luckily, Sega has married a quality Vocaloid song library with precise mechanics and just the right difficulty curve to keep me wanting to reply songs to achieve higher scores and perfect tougher difficulties. The easiest mode has players tapping only the O button in time with on-screen prompts, but more buttons are used with each difficulty increase until all face buttons need to be utilized at break-neck speed in order to pass a song. The harder difficulties definitely aren't for the faint of heart, and the colorful, frantic music videos that play for each song make it easy to get distracted and miss a beat, but even the most rhtyhm-inept players should be able to enjoy the easiest difficulty.

In addition to the face button prompts and special colored arrows that indicate to the player to press both the directional button face button of the corresponding color simultaneously, there are also star notes that require players to quickly swipe the front or back touch screen with a finger. While this may sound easy in theory, the Project DIVA series is known for its dynamic positioning of button prompts that dance across the screen as the song plays, meaning concentration is extremely vital to following the note trajectory.

While the core of Project DIVA f is undoubtedly the rhythm gameplay, there is a huge amount of peripheral content in the form of customizable outfits and rooms, a song editor, and AR photo booth that will appeal to Vocaloid fans as well as those who enjoy customizing their game experiences. I never spent much time interacting with the five Vocaloids in their Diva Rooms, which acts as a mini simulation game that requires you to give your Vocaloids presents and "pet" them Nintendogs-style to increase their affection for you, but it's a nice touch that can act as a nice break from the rhythm game aspect of Project DIVA f for those that want it.

Despite the lavish praise, I do have a few niggling annoyances with the game. The loading screens are too long and annoyingly frequent, and it always feels like it takes a few clicks too many to get to the selection I want in the menus. Since the PS3 version came out first with more songs, it's a shame that the whole track list isn't included in the initial price of the Vita version, but since the game only sets you back $30 and the DLC costs $10, it still ends up being $10 less than the retail price of the PS3 version (though, keep in mind, the Vita version is PSN-only). Finally, I couldn't help but notice that the game isn't running on the Vita's native resolution, at least in the menus, as the character models look undoubtedly fuzzy when compared with the PS3 version. Thankfully, however, this isn't noticeable during actual gameplay.

At least there are a ton of adorable loading screens – and you can use them as
wallpapers!

In all honesty, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f is one of my favorite Vita games to date. It's not without some imperfections, but it looks and plays wonderfully on the handheld, and is a must-have for any Vita-owning rhythm game fan. I'm thrilled that the PS3 version did well enough for Sega to bring over its handheld counterpart, as it really is where this series thrives. Even better is the fact that they've already announced localizations of the PS3 and Vita versions of Project DIVA f 2nd for later this year, making the mid-year slump a great time to dive into the series in preparation for the sequel. I guarantee that if you give it a try, you'll get at least one of the songs stuck in your head for days!

Disclaimer: A code of Project Diva f was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Ah, there's nothing quite like a long weekend after a endlessly stressful week! This Monday is the Queen's Birthday public holiday here in Queensland (though apparently her actual birthday isn't in June at all), and while I don't feel any particular fondness for the monarchy even though I live in a Commonwealth nation now, I tip my proverbial hat at Her Majesty for the day off.

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There are two other things you could say I have quite the fondness for, however: Japanese collaboration campaigns and regional merchandise. That makes this new Blendy stick x Hello Kitty series is a real double whammy for me. Not only is the Blendy stick instant coffee/tea brand teaming up with Hello Kitty, but their new series of drinks are regional flavors only available in certain areas! Isn't the packaging fabulous?

Unfortunately from the looks of the official shop listing, these may be rather hard to find depending on where in Japan you visit. There's only one shop in Tokyo that carries any of these, and it's the bottom middle Tochiotome Strawberry Café au Lait! The Tochiotome strawberry is a specialty of Tochigi prefecture, where the Tochiotome Blendy sticks will be primarily sold. The other flavors will be featured in other popular Japanese tourist destinations – check out the company's website for the complete list.

via @acosmos

I don't always talk about what anime I'm currently watching, but I'm going to try to remedy that! Hopefully this new weekend column will be the perfect opportunity to write a paragraph or two about whatever's currently caught my fancy.

This week, I started Yowamushi Pedal, a shōnen bicycle anime currently at episode 34 of a 38-episode season. From what I understand, it's pretty popular in Japan, and has already been renewed for a second season. Like many male sports anime, it also happens to have a large female fanbase, many of whom like to pair up the male characters with one another in fan-written dōjinshi... I must admit, that aspect of the series is one of the reasons why I was initially drawn to it, as I'm always looking for new things that I can relate to my thesis (not that I'm running out of stuff to cover...).

The first two episodes hooked me right away, I really like the relatively slow build the series takes to get the main character interested in the sport we all know he ultimately becomes obsessed with. The main character, Onoda, is also an otaku, and unlike the vast majority of media that depicts male otaku as moe-obsessed creeps, he is an extremely loveable protagonist who comes across as a very genuine shy teenager that I personally relate to pretty strongly. For me to relate to a character in a series that's 90% about boys and sports is a pretty amazing feat! That said, I was a little disappointed to see the show fall into fairly stereotypical plot and character tropes as it developed. Since I'm only on episode 7, I hope it surprises me again sooner rather than later! I know quite a people who think pretty highly of it, so I'm willing to stick with it a while longer.

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If you're reading this, you already know that Chic Pixel is back to residing at chicpixel.blogspot.com temporarily, but I just wanted to give another update on the situation: since chic-pixel.com is down, the podcast feed is no longer working, either. It looks like everything will likely be offline until the 12th as the domain is being transfered to a new host (long story). Disqus is also broken, which means all previous comments aren't showing up right now, but I think once I start up the redirect again I should be able to fix it so they all reappear. Fingers crossed that my Google ranking and whatnot won't be totally ruined by the time the site is back. Thanks for sticking with me through the move!

Every once in a while, I write about the occasional mobile game. The time I actually spend playing games on my iPhone or Android tablet, however, is actually even less. The main reason for this is that I have a wealth of quality titles for my dedicated handheld gaming devices, and I hardly ever find a game worthy enough of putting similar hours into on a mobile device.

While I tend toward playing otome games on mobile devices since that's where they seem to be most easily available these days, I've never really felt that they fit the hardware. I find the kinds of experiences that excel best on mobile devices are bite-sized yet polished titles that can be picked up while waiting for a friend at the bus stop or microwaving your lunch and be put away after a couple of minutes just as easily. Eric Koziol, developer of subaku and the upcoming rainblocks, really gets this, and that's why his games remain some of my favorites to play on my phone.

rainblocks is a cute little sliding puzzle game that takes place on a three-by-three grid filled with eight colored tiles. Essentially, all you need to do is match the two tiles corresponding with whichever one is currently shown at the top of the screen by tapping tiles one at a time to slide them around the board. There's a timer constantly ticking down, and it's your goal to get as high a score as possible before it runs out, with various helpful and detrimental icons appearing on the board as you play.

Admittedly, rainblocks takes a little getting used to. After cruising through the tutorial and learning about the weather-inspired status effects, mud and ice, that make it more difficult to move tiles on the board and the handy rainbow icon that will completely clear the board of pesky intrusions, I jumped straight into my first game. My immediate intuition was to match tiles willy nilly (which doesn't do anything), and swipe the blocks instead of tapping them, which, while slightly more satisfying from a hands-on perspective, was actually slowing me down. After a few rounds, I finally began to find my rhythm, and soon I was even thinking ahead to making combos, as the game cycles through the ROY G BIV rainbow color spectrum for tile matchups, making it possible to plan ahead and rack up points by clearing multiple colors in one go.

For me, the games I choose to play in my free time are nearly as much about appealing aesthetics as they are compelling gameplay, which is another reason why I'm so smitten on rainblocks. I just love the simple, yet colorful pixelated art style, and the music, composed by Manami Matsumae of Mega Man fame is both catchy and soothing at the same time. As the timer runs out, the sun slowly sets in the background landscape, which is another great touch that really sums up the quaint, straightforward nature of this puzzle game.

rainblocks is equal parts solid gameplay and quirky, loveable aesthetics, and is a great way to brighten your day on your iOS device of choice. It can be a relaxing or hectic experience depending on how serious you get about topping the leaderboards, and it's the perfect style of game to pick up and fiddle with for a few minutes before returning your phone to your pocket/bag (though you may need to make ample use of the pause button in that scenario). Even better is the fact that the game will be available to try for free when it launches on June 12th, with a single in-app purchase of $0.99 offering the option to remove ads and change the difficulty level for those that want it. If you need a new game to play for June's puzzle-themed Community Game-Along, perhaps you should give it a shot!

An advance code for rainblocks was provided by the developer for the purpose of this review

Time and time again, Japan proves that they know how to market products to an extremely wide range of consumers. Call me gullible, but I am almost always on board with whatever weird collaborative campaign or new marketing tactic Japanese companies come up with (yes, even Mister Donut x MOS Burger). Today in "awesome things you'll only find in Japan," drug store chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi has teamed up with voice actor Tomokazu Sugita to offer... an otome drama web series?

In Ikemen Beauty Salon, every single guy (pictured above) is voiced by none other than Tomokazu Sugita, who you may know as "that guy in every anime and otome game ever." But these aren't just any guys – they're "cleansing sommelier" specialists, and their number one job is to help you with your daily cleansing routine!* While at first glance, Ikemen Beauty Salon appears to be a otome drama CD series, it's actually a web-based audio experience that can only be listened to if you buy the product that corresponds to your Sugita guy of choice.

For example, Nao Yoshino here recommends this Mandom Bifesta cleansing lotion. In order to listen to Nao's lotion-applying tips, you need to go to a Matsumoto Kiyoshi store and pick up the product. When you purchase one or more of the designated products, you'll be granted with a QR code and special passcode to input on the site on your receipt. I can't imagine any of the character scenarios are that long, but it certainly seems like a fun way to get otome fans to try out some of these beauty products! I know I'm definitely going to pick up at least one of them so I can see what kind of audio I'll be treated to when I'm in Japan.

What do you think? Have I completely lost it, or is this a neat idea?

*"Cleansing sommelier" is the exact phrase used on the Ikemen Beauty Salon website, but a little research tells me "sommelier" generally refers to a waiter who is an expert on wine? Though apparently in Japan it's common to use "sommelier" to refer to an expert of a variety of things. There are even vegetable sommeliers! The more you know.

When I first saw the cover of Man of Tango, I was sure it had to be bara, or gei comi, a genre of manga distinct from boys' love (hereafter BL) due to it usually targeting a gay male audience rather than women. The author, Tetuzoh Okadaya, however, is most definitely a woman, and more importantly, she was explicitly approached by an editor to write a BL story, which resulted in The Man of Tango. I'm always excited to see BL that shakes up the genre (that's what I'm writing my thesis on, after all!), so her unique style combined with her comments about being inspired by bara visionary Gengoroh Tagame had me very excited to see what The Man of Tango had to offer.

The Man of Tango is a one-shot manga about the life of tango aficionado Angie, a man that despite his deep passion for dance has never been able to awaken his true spirit, nor find a life partner. But since this is BL, all that changes when he meets Hiro, a nondescript half-Latin, half-Japanese businessman who soon finds himself drawn in by Angie's charms. Angie reminds Hiro of his home and youth, but not all of his memories are positive. Hiro soon finds himself opening up to Angie in more ways than one, simultaneously being drawn into the mystical world of tango and gay romance.

First, I have to point out that The Man of Tango does a lot of great things that you don't see in BL very often. Aside from the love-it-or-hate-it art style, it's one of the few BL stories I've read that prominently features a female character who isn't being used as a catalyst for disaster between the male couple (usually in the form of a third love interest, jealous ex, etc.). Instead, Angie's tango partner and roommate Bene is a warm, appealing female supporting character, which is most welcome as a breath of fresh air in the otherwise male-dominated BL genre.

Of course, the other major draw of The Man of Tango is in the subject matter. It's clear that Tetuzoh Okadaya appreciates the art of tango, and I felt like even I learned something about the art, or at least had a greater appreciation for it, by the end of the story. I also loved the fact that both of the male protagonists are older, with Angie being in his late thirties and even sporting some facial hair (though I suppose you could say that's a Latin stereotype). The story is also appropriately mature, though it borders on dark, especially when delving into Hiro's childhood, so those looking for a happy-go-lucky romance may find it too heavy. Personally, however, I really enjoyed the more mature themes.

It's the fact that The Man of Tango does so much well that makes the areas where it stumbles all the more frustrating. I am never a fan of the "but I'm not gay!" line appearing in BL, but The Man of Tango takes it to an extreme by also having Angie take advantage of Hiro when he is drunk (see above image), making Hiro's subsequent revelation that he has feelings for Angie and has already engaged in X-rated activities with him not romantic in the least. Not only did Angie's sexual advances on Hiro when he is inebriated make me dislike him, but Hiro's constant "I'm not gay, but I like you!" admissions felt especially juvenile when compared to the other issues the story tackles, which made me dislike him, too. So, in the end, while I enjoyed a number of the overarching themes of the story, both male protagonists were obnoxious and the story did not convey the feeling of a great, timeless romance by having a relationship building out of a non-consentual first sexual encounter. I'm not saying that non-consentual sex has no place in a mature storyline, but in this case, it just wasn't handled in a satisfactory manner (in fact, it wasn't even regarded as non-consentual by any of the characters).

The Man of Tango may not be for everyone, but I still think it does a lot of interesting things and I hope to see more from Tetuzoh Okadaya in the future. Most importantly, let's see more older protagonists, mature themes, female side-characters, and interesting art in BL! I just hope we can move past non-consentual sex and "only gay for you" shenanigans sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer: A copy of the manga was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review

I'm always excited to find a new artist or crafter, so I was thrilled to learn about Maggie Tsou and her adorable brand BeagleCakes!

What I love about Maggie's style is it's unique while at the same time having a definite kawaii Japanese-inspired aesthetic. She specializes in illustration, but her Etsy shop stocks everything from super cute stickers to miniature acrylic sweets accessories.

Maggie was kind enough to send me a sample selection of some of her hand-cut stickers, which you can see above. All of them are really adorable, but I especially like the band-aid, chubby brown cat, and ghost cat on the right! I can't wait to stick them all over my stuff.

The stickers arrived surprisingly quickly – though I was given an estimate of 3 weeks for them to arrive, they came within a week and a half! Maggie was really pleasant to communicate with, which is always a bonus when shopping at a small business, in my opinion. Her prices are very reasonable, too, with a stack of 12-15 stickers of various designs running only a few dollars. Needless to say, I highly recommend her Etsy store! Here are a few of my favorite items:

Puppy and bunny cupcake stickers!

Alpaca stickers!

Painted wooden kitty keychain!

She has many more items available, such as sketch and illustration commissions, tons of adorable stickers (including Sailor Moon ones!), and lots more. Be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr to stay updated on her new products! She has stores on both Etsy and Storenvy.

Phew! It's already the start of a new week here in Australia, but I'm going to squeeze a Catch-Up Corner in before the clock strikes twelve in the last area of the world where it's still Sunday.

Since this past week was all about the big E3 conference in the gaming world, I couldn't help but tune in to some of the news and streams. For the most part, E3 doesn't really feel like an event that caters to someone like me, but I was really impressed at how Nintendo came out guns blazing to announce a bunch of interesting titles and produce the most fun "conference" of the big three. I'm sure everyone has had their fill of E3 news and recaps (I know I have), so here's a few quick favorites of mine from the show:

Splatoon (Wii U) – First of all, what a charming idea! Splatoon is a third-person "shooter" that pits cute little squid children against each other in paint splattering fights, and I couldn't be more charmed by a game. I just love the premise of hurling paint to "claim" territory, and the fact that the characters can transform into actual squids to quickly traverse the area is such a neat mechanic. I wouldn't go so far as to say this would sell me on a Wii U, but I'd definitely pick it up if I had one.

Fantasy Life (3DS) – Long have I awaited the day that Level 5 would announce a localization of Fantasy Life, their Animal Crossing-esque life sim/RPG for the 3DS. I could very well have purchased the Japanese version, but it's always great to see interesting titles like this get an English release. The game will be out on October 24th, and I definitely plan on grabbing a copy.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (PS4 & Xbox One) – I have rather mixed feelings about this news, but that doesn't mean it wasn't one of the more exciting announcements to come out of E3. Fans have been clamoring for an English version of Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) for ages, but I had pretty much given up hope and even have a copy of the Japanese version sitting on my shelf from my last trip to Japan. An HD release sounds like the perfect way to bring it to an English-speaking audience while still keeping the game on relevant platforms, but I just don't understand why there isn't a Vita version like Square Enix did for Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD! I'm most definitely not buying a PS4 or Xbox One anytime soon, so I think I'll just have to stick with the Japanese PSP version. It's great news for those with the hardware, though!

On the video front, I've posted an unboxing of a new Japanese snack subscription service, aptly named Japanese Treats! This is their first month, and I have to say, I'm really impressed with the initial selection of goodies. Please do check out the unboxing video to see what I got, and you can expect a full review of their service this week!

... And now I enter crunch time, as I've got a seminar to do on Friday! After that it will be relatively smooth sailing until I head to Japan on July 12th!

For Chic Pixel Plus's extra special 20th episode, I'm joined by not one, but four guests: the amazingly awesome Allison Rapp (@mnemosynekurai), Amanada Cosmos (@acosmos), and Arden (@sproutella)!

Before getting into the topic of the day, Arden and Amanda give us the lowdown on the Toronto Comics Art Festival and we gush over the superstars at the event, reminisce on Gackt, and somehow share how we each were first introduced to the world of erotic comics. Then we discuss upcoming anime we're looking forward to, as well as series that explore themes related to gender and sexuality or stand out for their treatment of related issues. We try not to touch on obvious choices, so hopefully you'll get a few new anime suggestions in the process! Series mentioned include Magic Knight Rayearth, xxxHolic, Samurai Flamenco, Rinne no Lagrange, Gatchaman Crowds, Ouran High School Host Club, and Jellyfish Princess. Finally, we wrap up with our most-anticipated summer anime.

If you'd like to skip straight to the anime talk, it starts around the 40 minute mark, but you'll miss out on a lot of the other fun topics!

Opening ♫ - Koko dake no hanashi – Chatmonchy
Closing ♫ - Sakura Kiss – Chieko Kawabe

[DOWNLOAD] [ITUNES] [RSS]

I don't think I need to reiterate my love for weird Japanese collaboration campaigns, but in case you're new around here: I love Japanese collaboration campaigns! Even if it's a collaboration featuring two products/franchises I'm not really interested in, a limited-time promotional campaign always catches my interest. Luckily for me, however, this new crazy Japanese campaign features Attack on Titan, an anime that, while it had its issues, I quite enjoyed when it aired!

I can't say I'm as big a fan of shaving hygiene, but this Schick x Attack on Titan campaign is amazing. They even have a series of three promotional videos on their website with dorky redubbed anime footage with tons of funny voiceovers! The real purpose of the campaign, of course, is to get people to buy Schick razors, so they're offering six little Attack on Titan figures which will be packaged in different razor products:

I'll admit, I wouldn't be adverse to owning a little Levi holding shaving razors instead of his usual weaponry! Schick is even offering razor stands with more realistically-proportioned Mikasa and Levi figures. Poor protagonist Eren has been kicked out of the limelight, I guess!

I still have time to decide if I'm going to seek out one of the cute mini figures or not.... But even if you can't get your hands on them, I highly recommend poking around the official website for this collaboration if you're looking for a laugh!

Pretty pleased with that score. #PuzzleMonth pic.twitter.com/8m5G4UsXLv
— Adam Lee (@Shiroth) June 2, 2014

Since June's Community Game-Along theme is everything puzzle-related, I've been trying to get in a few puzzle games whenever I have a few free minutes. As always, it's great to see everyone joining in the fun! So far, I've played a little of Tetris with Card Captor Sakura: Eternal Heart (it's just like the title says, Card Captor Sakura Tetris!) and some of the new PS Vita rhythm puzzle game developed by Arc System Works, Magical Beat. I also reviewed the iOS puzzle game rainblocks, which is free to play and both looks and sounds great. I highly suggest checking it out if you have an iOS device and would like to try something for #PuzzleMonth!

Finally, I still have one code left for subaku for iOS to give away! Head over the the June Game-Along information post to see how you can claim it!

Are you sick of Japanese snack subscription services yet? I know I'm not! It's really exciting to see so many different subscription services pop up that are all about providing Japanese candies and snacks to people around the world. If Japanese treats are your game, you'll be spoiled for choice: there's OyatsuBox, Candy Japan, and now the aptly-named rookie Japanese Treats is joining the ranks!

If you'd like to see me ooh and aah over everything in their very first subscription box, check out my unboxing video above. Japanese Treats is $22/month, and since that price includes shipping anywhere in the world, it's very competitive (Candy Japan and OyatsuBox are both $25/month). All up, this month there were 11 different items, which I think is very generous!

Like OyatsuBox, Japanese Treats provides a sheet which each order that says the name and a short description of each item. These "cheat sheets" are very helpful for those who can't read Japanese and aren't familiar with the different snacks, so I'm really glad they include them!

Now let's take a closer look at each of the different items included in the box!

I just love character goods (if you haven't noticed by now), so I was especially excited to see these Disney Pakuncho chocolate cookies. Not only is the box covered in Mickies (and a lone Donald!), but the cookies themselves have Disney characters printed on them!

These character rock-paper-scissor cutouts on the back of the box are super cute, too. As for the cookies themselves, I don't expect them to taste much different from Koala's March or Hello Panda, but I'm fine with that.

Now, I'm familiar with the delicious chocolate-covered biscuits shaped like bamboo shoots known as Take no Ko no Sato, but I've never seen them in this kind of packaging before! I love the design, and I know they taste good, too! One thing to note is that the sheet Japanese Treats provided calls them Kino no Ko no Yama, as it's possible to either get these or the same type of cookie in a mushroom shape, which are called Kino no Ko no Yama.

I can tell these Japanese snack subscription providers really want to please the folks who are into the internet-famous Japanese candy kits, so it didn't come as much of a surprise to see this Nigi Nigi Osushiya-san sushi gummy kit in my box. The peach and lemon-flavored gummies are meant to look like pieces of fish, and you combine them with the banana-flavored "rice" gummies to make little sushi! I actually bought myself one of these already, so I think I'll include this one in an upcoming giveaway.

These may look like regular plain animal crackers, but I just love the package! Honestly, if the people behind these services just picked snacks with fun packages, I'd probably be happy regardless of what was inside! Maybe I should start a subscription service like that...

I just love a good pun, don't you? Well, these calcium-fortified grape-flavored candies are called Ju-C! Hah! As you can see from the package, Ju-C has been around since 1955. They don't show up very well in the photo, but I like the little animals circling the left end of the container. I can't wait to try them!

Kyabetsu (cabbage) Taro here are flavored corn puffs covered in nori, which, funnily enough, do not actually have anything to do with cabbage. The frog mascot Taro looks pretty sharp in his policeman outfit, don't you think? I'm told these are quite popular in Japan, but I've never actually noticed them!

I think this has to be the highlight of the box for me! At first I thought these were just soda-flavored hard candies, which is nothing particularly new or exciting, but they're actually candies that you mix with water to make soda! As you can see from the package, there are five different flavors, and it encourages you to mix them to come up with even more. I think these are going to be a lot of fun to try, so I'll definitely be doing an Apricotsushi Samples video for them!

These Chocobi chocolate puffs are actually Crayon Shin-chan themed, so that actually makes two character goods in this month's box! They also come with one of 20 different stickers, which is always fun. I must admit I see these quite often locally and I'm not a massive Crayon Shin-chan fan, but I'm still intrigued to see how they taste.

Finally, we have Dondon Yaki, which I received in a previous OyatsuBox (they're really good!), some pudding-flavored bakeable Kit Kats, and ramune fortune telling candies. The fortune candies actually look a lot like pills, but each one is labeled with something different ("sports,""love" etc.). When you pop them out it tells you a your fortune. Japanese Treats has a blog post with translations of all the different possibilities so you can see how you fare!

I'm sure a lot of people would be really excited to receive the bakeable pudding Kit Kats, and believe me, I was too! My enthusiasm was only slightly dampened by the fact that 1. I bought 2 large bags a couple of weeks ago from Jlist and 2. my oven is currently not working. I like that they give you two so you can try baking one and have the other fresh if you desire. I'm so bummed that my oven is broken... I really want to try them!

There you have it! I'm really impressed with Japanese Treats, as they are not only very reasonably priced, but they ship their boxes quickly and offer a great selection. If they continue to offer 10 or more items for $22/month, this may make them the best deal out of all the Japanese snack subscriptions I've reviewed so far. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they develop over the next few months!

Phew, filming and editing videos is hard work! It's nothing like writing, which lets me take time to collect my thoughts, put them down on virtual paper, and come back later to edit as necessary. It isn't even comparable to podcasting – though I can do little to edit the way I've said something if it comes out sounding dumb, at least in podcast form I can be sitting in my pjs sipping a hot cup of coffee as I record, for all you listeners know!

Video, on the other hand, is brutal. I'm conscious of how I both look and sound, and even after I've recorded everything to my satisfaction, the editing process takes twice as long as it does for a podcast. Basically, this is a long-winded explanation for why I'm so late in uploading a new episode of Apricotsushi Samples! Hopefully with each video I'll get slightly better at the whole process to the point where I don't feel so preemptively exhausted every time I think about doing a video.

On this week's episode, I finally get around to trying the Kracie Popin Cookin' Kuru Kuru Takoyaki kit! I was very apprehensive about this one (is it actually supposed to emulate real takoyaki?), but since I got it in a shipment from Candy Japan, I had to give it a shot. Give the video a watch to see how I fared...

The video clocks in at nearly 10 minutes, so I'd really like some feedback on it, if you get through the whole thing! Is 10 minutes too long for a candy kit like this? Should I cut out some of the steps in the making process? These are all questions I ask myself in editing, as I tend to think that 10 minutes may be a little too long to sit and watch a YouTube video, but if you prefer the level of detail I'm providing for the whole kit process, please let me know.

Finally, stay tuned for my 100 subscriber giveaway! I'll be announcing it in an upcoming video, and it'll be chock full of fun Japanese snacks, so you won't want to miss it!

I've been pretty heavily saturated in Monster Hunter-related things lately, so instead of the regular Catch-Up Corner mishmash, I've decided to keep this one Monster Hunter-themed! First, to finish up my week, I spent the majority of the weekend working on my very own Felyne hat:

I have to say, I'm surprisingly proud of how it turned out! I got a sudden bolt of inspiration while I was out grocery shopping on Saturday, and proceeded to pick up the required felt materials from my local Daiso so that I could draft up the pattern and get it sewn over the weekend. Since I don't have a sewing machine, it was all completely sewn by hand, which meant it took pretty much the whole weekend to finish. For the curious, all of the face details are glued on with fabric glue, but the ears, hat seam, and hemming is all sewn.

I originally got this idea because I wanted to make some kind of prize for the Monster Hunter event I'm holding this Sunday (stop by if you happen to live in Brisbane!). Since this first one turned out so well, I think I should be able to finish a second one by then!

Monster Hunter Compilation "Re:" Mix Chiptune album cover

Next up is a really cool event that is scheduled for while I am in Japan! Capcom is releasing a Monster Hunter chiptune remix album titled Monster Hunter Compilation "Re:" Mix Chiptune and will be hosting a launch party on July 20th at 2.5D in Shibuya! (very close to where I'm staying) While I was originally very keen to go, they will be streaming the whole thing live on the night and tickets cost $20 to attend, so I just tune in from the comfort of my dorm... I'm also embarrassed to say that don't really recognize any of the Monster Hunter music in the song clips provided on the site! Even so, it still seems like it could be a cool event, and those of you who don't live in Japan should mark your calendar so you can watch the livestream (starting 6:30 am on the 20th, Eastern time).

Monster Hunter Frontier G receptionist Nendoroid

Finally, there was one last announcement this past week that combines my love of Monster Hunter and Nendoroids: a limited edition Nendoroid will be released with the premium edition of Monster Hunter Frontier G! I know next to nothing about Frontier G, but it's basically a Monster Hunter MMO and has never been released in English. The Nendoroid is modelled after the G-class quest receptionist, and though she certainly has a unique design, I don't actually find it all that appealing... I guess I should consider myself lucky, as I wouldn't want to import a premium-priced copy of Frontier G, anyway!

Ah, the summer lull... Last year the summer season proved to be just as busy a time for game releases as the rest of the year, but this July has shaped up to be a relatively empty month release-wise. Of course, that means more time for this month's Community Game-Along!

source

In order to fill up all those summer (or winter, if you live in the Southern hemisphere like me) hours, July's theme is going to be JRPGs! I've gotten a lot of requests for this one, so I hope we get a lot of contributions and keep #JRPGJuly busy all month long.

When I initially set out to do monthly game-alongs, I wanted to use the event to shine the spotlight on some lesser-known or under-appreciated developers and genres. I know many would argue that JRPGs is a massive category that doesn't really fit that description, but I hope we can use this month to challenge the generally-accepted misconception that JRPGs are on their way out or are somehow worse now than they were 10 years ago. So, while I don't like to put restrictions on what games you should play, I highly encourage you to seek out some lesser-known titles or recent releases that maybe didn't get a lot of attention in the West!

Since "JRPG" is such a broad theme and I'm sure all of you can think of some great titles to play without my help, I'm not going to give any examples of games that fit the theme this month. I will, however, point out that SRPGs, ARPGs, and MMOs are also included (provided they are heavily influenced by JRPGs or made by a Japanese developer), as are western-developed RPGs that have a significant JRPG "feel" to them (I'm no expert on Western RPGs, so I'll leave it up to you to decide if a certain title fits or not).

As always, the only "rules" of the Community Game-Along are that you pick a game that fits the theme, preferably one you haven't played before, and write about it using #JRPGJuly on your favorite social media platform of choice. I also highly encourage long-form articles and other forms of media – anything where you talk about your experiences counts, and I look forward to all kinds of submissions!

There's already a surprising amount of chatter in the hashtag on Twitter thanks a big shoutout from the RPG Site (thanks!), so let's make this one of the best Game-Alongs yet! If you happen to be on NeoGAF, be sure to hit up the official JRPGJuly thread, too.

There is an amazing abundance of shops online that sell Japanese merchandise, and they're a great option for those of us who don't live in Japan but are desperate to get our hands on the latest cute Rilakkuma goods or weird Japanese candy. Unfortunately, there are so many that it's often difficult to decide where to spend one's hard-earned cash, and there's always the question of whether the site in question is reputable or charges outrages prices for shipping, which are often sprung on shoppers after they've been lured in by seemingly cheap prices.

Recently, I stumbled upon the self-proclaimed "Japan & Kawaii Shop"Blippo, and they were kind enough to offer me a few products from their shop to review. They have a great selection of Japanese items from character goods such as Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma to Japanese snacks and candy, as well as stationery and all kinds of smartphone straps and accessories, so they really have the potential to be a one-stop shop for all your Japanese merchandise needs!

Blippo doodled a little giraffe on my box!

The other major draw of Blippo is the offer free worldwide shipping, so you won't be hit with a massive shipping fee when checking out! This means that everything will take about 1-3 weeks to arrive according to their site, but they shipped my package from their base in Hong Kong to my home in Australia surprisingly fast, and it arrive in almost exactly two weeks. You can also spend a few extra bucks on shipping upgrades, but I was very happy with how fast mine arrived.

Here's a quick overview of what I received! I picked out all of the items myself, but the order came with the free plastic Blippo keychain in the middle. I don't think I'd put it on anything, but it's cute that they included it, none the less.

Is this not the cutest packaging? I'll readily admit that the adorable little ghost wearing a witch's hat is the whole reason why I opted for this Moko Awa DIY shake drink. I haven't tried it yet, as I think it will make for a great Apricotsushi Samples video, but I can't wait to give this foaming grape drink a go. Apparently all you need to do is mix the powder with water and stir!

I don't even care if the shake doesn't taste good, I'm happy to just be in the presence of these little ghost illustrations. For only about $3 AUD (with free shipping), it's a steal!

Next are these great Rilakkuma honey stickers, which I had to get since I absolutely love anything Rilakkuma-themed! I really like the honey/bee/pancake motif, though I think I'd much prefer maple syrup to honey on my pancakes...

The stickers are raised hard plastic, which gives them a bit of a 3D effect, and some also feature little jewel embellishments. I'm pretty happy with them, but unfortunately some of them have minor discolorations/color smearing, which is particularly noticeable in the stickers with text and the ones with gold stripes in the bottom row of the above photo. I'm not sure if this is due to the type of sticker or heat exposure, but considering the usually high standard of Japanese merchandise, it's a shame they weren't all perfect.

Finally, I picked out these rad little donut earrings, because I'm really into miniature food these days and I love the idea of tasty little (fake) donuts hanging from my ears. They're nothing super fancy, but they're sturdy and look just as cute in person as they do on the website.

It's not a particularly nice photo, but here's what the look like on! They're not so large that they draw attention from my beautiful face (ha), but they're really fun and I can smile to myself knowing I'm wearing donuts on my ears, even if no one else notices.

For a package of three unique items from Japan that totals under $10 including shipping, I'm really happy with it. A lot of the products on Blippo are competitively priced, even factoring the free shipping, and as long as you don't mind waiting a little longer for your purchase to get to you, most of their products are a great deal. I can definitely see myself buying from Blippo in the future and definitely recommend them to anyone looking for some cute Japanese goods or snacks!

Kitty Godzilla, Apricotsushi Samples: Pokésnacks, and a Giveaway!

Japan Envy: The GUEST x Little Twin Stars Café Collaboration

XSEED to publish latest Harvest Moon as Story of Seasons

Swooning Over Kira Miku Lesson and Animal Food Stationery

Catch-up Corner: Aoba Seragaki figure re-release, #PuzzleMonth, and some site maintenance

Introducing the Puzzle Game Community Game-Along (with Giveaway!)

Apricotsushi Reviews: Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f

Catch-Up Corner: Regional Hello Kitty Blendy Stick Flavors, Yowamushi Pedal, and Website Woes

Apricotsushi Reviews: rainblocks

Japan Envy: Ikemen Beauty Salon

Apricotsushi Reviews: The Man of Tango

Shop Spotlight: BeagleCakes Art & Illustration

Catch-Up Corner: E3 Announcements and Japanese Treats Subscription Service

Chic Pixel Plus Episode 20 – The A Team Talks Anime

Catch-Up Corner: Schick x Attack on Titan, #PuzzleMonth Update

Apricotsushi Reviews: Japanese Treats

Making the Kracie Popin Cookin' Kuru Kuru Takoyaki Kit

Catch-Up Corner: Monster Hunter Madness!

Announcing the JRPG Community Game-Along!

Apricotsushi Reviews: Blippo