After all this pandemic and other crazy madness going on in this world, it is about time to forget the bad and focus on the essentials! The time is right to jump on the plane and do what I can do best, visit old and track down new retro game stores all over Japan. I can already hear my buddy Scorpion screaming at me from that small island nation - "Get over here!"
This was maybe my craziest idea to go to Japan at the turn of the year. I never did it before, knowing the overcrowded public trains and places will be reality. But at the same time I always try to find out, what is the best season for vg hunting(?). Hyped by many (Hard Off) youtube videos and tracking down all thouse locations, I was ready for another adventure! Here comes a review to (V)ideo (G)ame hunting 19/20. A journey to the east, featuring Surugayas and Potato
In february I went to Japan with three other dudes, who into retro video games like me. We visited lot of places and also stopped at stores like Hobby-Hard Offs and Surugaya across the country. February is not the busiest season in Japan and also the month with less tourist. Let's get straight in to it, check the wishlist and see what this hunting season brought to u
Came back from Japan last weekend, got rid of jet lag and managed somehow to write a small review regarding VG shopping in 2018! Let see how many checkboxes I'd checked this time
Autumn 2008 was best opportunity so far for shopping in Japan. Japanese Yen was really weak and Euro very strong. Also in 2008 Tokyo Game Show was moved (the one and only time) from the second half of September to the 9-12th of Octobe
Came back from Japan almost two weeks ago, finaly having some time to show of my booty from this year trip to Japan. Tracking down in Tokyo: akihabara beep, Surugaya Game Museum, Retro Game Camp, Mandarake, M-Galaxy, Potato, Game Friends. In Nagoya (Osu): K-House, Meikoya, Super Potato, Mandarake. (click on image above to see mor
Just got back from Tokyo and here are some of my goodies I could get on my last trip in Akihabara and Nakano Broadway. Also some Korean Music CD and LP from Shin-okubo Station (Korean Town). Videogames are all used but in excellent condition. The main milestone of this goodies, is a SHARP Twin Famicom that i will modify for my purpose
recall memories - AKIHABARA 2008 posted by Kaneda – on Wed. 03.October 2018
Autumn 2008 was best opportunity for me so far for shopping in Japan. Japanese Yen was really weak and Euro very strong. Also in 2008 Tokyo Game Show was moved (the one and only time) from the second half of September to the 9-12th of October. Going for the second time to Japan, I did some preparation in advance, as I already did in 2006. This time I even made a wish list for the things I defenetely had try to get. My highest priority was finally to get a PS3, because just a weeks before I went to Japan, Metal Gear Solid 4 was released and as a die hard fan I had to play it!! I still did not had a HDTV yet but I would not care to play this game on my old CRT. There was also another big reason why I had to get a PS3 now. If you check the currency exchange rate for the YEN to EUR in October 2008, you will understand ;) In the end I paid a little bit more then a half I would spend for it in Europe. My disadvantage was, that I only would have a warranty in Japan. I had to send it back to SCE Japan in case of faulty and that would not be worth it. But this does not bother me at all. The only thing I was thinking about at that time was ... in black, gray or white? :)
My Akiba wish list 2008 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#PS3 ☑ PlayStation3 console (white edition) 40GB NEW
☑ DualShock 3 (white) NEW
☑ Soul Calibur 4 NEW
#N64 ☑ Nintendo 64 console (earlier model for RGB modification)
☐ Sin&Punishment
☐ Mario 64
☐ Pilot Wings 64
☐ Mario Kart 64
☐ Star Fox 64
☐ Wave Race 64 (rumble pak edition)
☐ Smash Bros.
☐ Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
☐ Red and Black (Perfect Dark)
☑ Nintendo 64 Controller
#SNES ☐ Seiken Densetsu 3
☐ Dragon Quest (IV, V, VI)
☐ Final Fantasy (IV, V, VI)
#SEGA MD/CD ☐ MEGA CD1 console (OVP)
☐ MEGA DRIVE console (OVP)
☑ MCD LUNAR the silver star
☐ MCD LUNAR eternal blue
☑ Everything about LUNAR (OST, books, etc.)
☐ MD Bare Knuckle 1,2,3
☑ MCD Bari Arm
☐ MCD Shining Force CD
☐ MD Shining Force 2
☐ MCD Soul Face
☐ Popful Mail
☐ Illusion City
☑ MCD Denim Aleste
#Nintendo DS ☑ NDS (in Pink for a friend ;))
☐ Contra 4 (for me)
Also this time I had even more luck. TGS 2008 was suddenly shifted back from end of september to beginning of october and that totaly matched with our stay in Japan! I was going to Japan not alone, same as in 2006 I went with a group of German exchange students. We had a fix schedule for our program, but we also had some free days. One of my friends, me and two other japanese university students joined us on that not so sunny afternoon. I took lot of photos at the show, so if you want, you can check them here -> http://anikaneda.com/photo/index.php?/category/32/start-1342
A nice anecdote as a sidestory: When I asked japanese students to join me to go to Tokyo Game Show, they looked disturbed to me and asked why I want to go to Tokyo jail?? In fact they missanderstood and thought I was saying Tokyo Keimusho. Keimusho means jail in Japanese...... I swear, I will never do something prohibited again ;)
On the very next morning ...
... arriving at Akihabara
Because of TGS there were so many people in Akihabara and I realized, that it might be not the best time right now to go for retro games. Gaijins everywere like grasshoppers, buying everything. Also the prices were slightly higher then normal. My main objective was to find a white PS3. But it would be a problem carry it around the rest of the day with me. I decided to focus first on "priority one" items I had to get. First N64 console, controller and at least one or two games for it. Also I promised to get an pink Nintendo DS for my friend. I found a loose N64 with a controller in really good shape at Super Potato. Unfortunelly there were no games in good Shape for it there. As far as I remember I found a Nintendo DS in random store at Chou-Dori.
It's already started getting close to evening and I was worried about my primary objective. After leaving two shops without any luck, my friend suggested me to go to Sofmap. We went there and they had some in stock! I also got second DualShock3 controller (First PS3 consoles came only with 6 axis controller without rumble) and Soul Calibur IV.
After leaving Sofmap we desided to get some rest. We went to Yoshinoya and after having dinner together we were sitting outside jocking arround, drinking softdrinks from vending mashines and just enjoying evening abiente of Akihabara.
I was really happy that my friend joined me at that day in Akihabara. We already went there together in 2006, but the autumn in 2008 became even more memorable for me. I don't know why, it just so many things happended to me back then. I had really hard times during my university and this trip to Japan felt as a hope in all this madness and unfairness of my daylife. Thank you Taku! That was a really wonderfull time!
ありがとう Takuaki!
ARRIVED @ HOME
Arrived home with a loose PS3 in my luggage, because I decided to send the box via post. It was to large to take it by airplane and I was afraid to damage it. The box and some other items, arrived safely about 2 month later. By this time I already finished MGS4 on my old CRT TV :)
UPDATE 2019.03.09
In february of 2019 I went to Japan and met my friend in Akihabara. We took a photo at the same place Kanda Fureai Bridge towards Chou-Dori. Reunion after more then 10 years! We also went to izakaya to celebrate this wonderful evening!
Ja Ja! Das gibt nostalgische Gefühle vom feinsten. 2008 und nun kurz vor 2019! Da wird einem erst mal klar wie viel Zeit verging/vergeht😥😥
Kaneda ~ on: 16.10.2018 at 21:08
Ja und leider erreiche ich meinen Kollegen in Japan nicht mehr unter seiner alten Email Adresse 😥. Muss jetzt schauen wie ich wieder Kontakt zu ihm über andrere Japaner herstellen kann. 2019 wird es ganz sicher ein Wiedertreffen geben!
Frogger ~ on: 19.10.2018 at 22:06
Oh je! Die Situation kenn ich nur zu gut.bei mir ist der Kontakt total abgebrochen! Allerdings stelle ich mir das Unterfangen recht schwer vor, vor allem im ausland! Viel Glück beim wiederfinden und beim wiedertreffen👍😊
Kaneda ~ on: 22.10.2018 at 09:15
Du wirst es mir nicht glauben! Er hat jetzt geantwortet, nachdem ihn ein anderer Japaner drauf aufmerksam gemacht hat (er soll doch bitte seine Emails checken). Wir treffen uns nächsten Februar! Da bin ich mit 3 weiteren Kollegen in Japan. Ich poste nachher hier ein Wiedersehen Foto!
Frogger ~ on: 24.10.2018 at 20:13
Na sieh einer an! Wenn man schon davon spricht😁 spitze👍
Frogger ~ on: 25.10.2018 at 19:11
Gerade mystical ninja auf der alten Kiste gespielt! Gott, das waren noch zeiten😊
Kaneda ~ on: 26.10.2018 at 09:03
Mit "alte Kiste" meinst du SNES oder N64?
Frogger ~ on: 26.10.2018 at 16:06
Jep das Snes war gemeint! Wobei ich den Titel auch schon auf dem n64 gespielt hatte, bei mir aber nicht so gut rüber kam! Der Snes Titel bleibt bis heute ungeschlagen. Ich meine mal mitbekommen zu haben das es einen 2.Teil gegeben haben soll,der nur in Japan veröffentlicht wurde😞
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