Japano-files
Gashapon Sucks!!
Sucks yens, that is.
It’s been a few days since I went to Tokyo for a very short business trip (I’m already back!), and the very first thing my officemates and I did after checking in our hotel: Find a place with lotsa gashapons, because I’ll totally FAIL AT LIFE if I never get to buy even one of ‘em throughout my stay here. I wasn’t sure if we’ll have time to go out and buy stuff on the weekdays after work so we made the most out of our free time. Luckily enough, there was a Yodobashi near our place, which had zomg soo many gashapons! It’s the most gashapons I’ve seen in all my life, though I know very well that other Yodobashi stores has TONS MORE, like the one in Akihabara which I failed to visit because of lack of time (caused by my ’sleeping beauty’ blues), something I’m both regretful and thankful for.
Given the once-in-a-blue moon “opportunity” for me to let lose my gashapon obsession, I think it’s but obvious what happened next. Gashapon splurging, full throttle!!! Think Nogizaka Haruka, with less moe and rabu rabu factor. It was not until I spent a few thousand yens that I realized how much I’ve been spending orz. I was sane enough to avoid spending 400 yen on the Marimite gashapon, though insane enough to spend a total of 4000 yen on gashapon stuff alone. I’m gonna give the other ones as prezzies for other people, and I was happy with how the whole experience turned out to be, so no regrets!
I did get the whole Triangle in Macross Frontier, after all 
Boy did my eyes gleam at the sight of that gashapon machine. The first one I got was a VF-25S, followed by another VF-25S, the ‘gun metallic’ version, then after that came my lucky streak — Sheryl, Altohime, and finally… Ranka! I’m supposed to be giving some of these as omiyage, but I feel like being selfish and want to keep the threesome all to myself TT__TT
Anyways, moving on to the next gashapon… Shugo Chara chara-nari mini figurine! *__* Too bad it was already running out of stock by the time I found it, I only got Ikuto and Tadase (in chara-nari forms), drats! I’m definitely collecting ALL of them Shugo Chara-nari capsule toys, and I might have to resort to the less exciting but hassle-free and wiser way… by ordering the toys online, which gives me the assurance that I will really get what I want >_>;
I was also pleasantly surprised to see Moyashimon goodies, grabbed two big microbe cellstraps, and would’ve gotten more if it was cheaper. It’s 300 yen, most gashapon toys are 200, pretty reasonable price given its size.
I accidentally got a Lucky Star gashapon toy because of some booboo though, cost me 300 yen. I got a Tsukasa in miko outfit lol. I was supposed to be getting the Kapibara-tan (capybara) toy underneath it, and happened to insert the coin in the wrong machine 
I’ve been moe over Kapibara toys ever since I saw its toys in Fukuoka last 2007.
Out of sheer randomness, I grabbed one cellstrap of this “12 Nin no Yasashii Koroshiya” game (whose office Engrish title goes “Twelve Tender Killers in a Mixed-up World” — made me chuckle lol), just because it had gorgeous guys with You Higuri’s gorgeous artwork. I got one DMC cellstrap too, despite how I still don’t have the right to say “GO TO DMC!!!” at the moment. And, I also got two School Rumble toys, despite not being a big fan of the manga/anime (I only caught a glimpse of the first few episodes).
That’s one major splurging problem I have, you see. I don’t have to be a major fan of a series to want to buy their stuff. Oftentimes I rely on some sort of ‘I’ll be a fan of this series sooner or later’ premonition, and buy stuff in advance. When I went to Fukuoka last 2007 I grabbed Aria and Nodame Cantabile gashapon stuff, despite having watched only the first series of the former (and sleeping on it a few times too), and despite not having watched the latter. I got 2 maa-kun, 2 himeya and 1 Aria-shachou cellstrap back then (all for the sake of getting Aria-shachou), but only kept Aria-shachou with me. When I finally get to rewatch the series I’d probably regret giving the other shachous to my officemates, who don’t even know who they are and what value they have in the first place! So yeah, I think I’m really going to refrain from giving random gashapons to people who don’t know who the heck the characters are, not without a “watch the anime where this came from” pimping, at least 
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I know thats what I would spend my money on.
Those Shugo Chara ones look cuuuuuuute…
Finally, another blogger has the guts to stick a 1024px-wide image in the middle of a post
@Baka-Raptor: gahh, booboo!! Resized it now >.<
I remember trying my luck on the same machine 3 times back when I was in Japan 2 years ago, and I got 3 of the same things >_> That’s precisely why I buy the complete sets instead, since my luck sucks.
But really, Gashapon can be quite the addictive thing.
Trade your Tsukasa for my Kagami
I think we have the same DMC strap! And lucky you with the Macross one, I had a poor friend who was aiming for Sheryl/Alto/Ranka the 400yen ones but got whatshisname-Ranka’s brother? – twice -_-”
I prefer my figures big and posable, gashapon just seems too teeny-weeny for me, I’d lose them easily.
Is that Oryzae? So adorable!
I remember spending much for the Hayate no Gotoku gashapon when I saw some here (I got two duplicates). By the time I went back to try and complete the set, it was already gone. T_T
Still contemplating buying the shugo chara gashapon keychains online.
@double: totally addictive, you would’ve spent quite some moolah and you won’t even realize it! It’s like gambling, in a way… you wouldn’t wanna stop till you get what you want.
@issa-sa: oh, I only got the 200 yen Macross ones, because 400 yen is so pricey!! And yeah, figured there was too much of a risk, as exemplified by your friend =/
@Jacob: I like them chibi-sized! good for people with lack of space lol.
@hazy: if you have a friend you can ship the gashapon stuff to, I’d say goo! Just… wait a little while for the exchange rate to become better? Or hm, if I decide to buy the whole Shugo Chara set, I’ll have a double of Ikuto and Tadase, hmmm… I’m still contemplating too.
While collecting gashapons can be rather fun, I hate the gambling aspect of it when it comes to trying for that one favorite design(?), and would much rather purchase them in a set, even if I have to pay a premium.
Ah, how I’d love to try to get gashapon with my own two hands someday. But that someday won’t be too soon.
Actually getting what you want must be great. Especially somehow managing to get Alto, Sheryl, and Ranka. I’m not sure how you managed that.
I feel so jealous. Except I can console myself by looking at my set of Shugo Chara gashapon I got for Christmas. Even if it means you end up with doubles, you should order the set online because the girls are so worth it (I think Rima looks especially cute chibi-sized
).
Addictive indeed, I guess once you get hooked its hard to stop till you get what you want !
@Shin and blauereiter: yeah, that’s why gashapons are best if you can be happy with much about anything you get. Otherwise, better order the set.
@FuyuMaiden: I got surprisingly lucky! and yay Shugo Chara gashapons!
Man, I really have to order the chara-nari set online, have to find user-friendly officemates! 
Gashapon are super-addictive — during my semester in Japan, I went crazy just about every time I saw a machine and usually had to buy something from it (I don’t even want to think about how much I spent, but it was totally worth it
)
Here’s a story for you. An anime nut takes a leisurely stroll through an SM mall when he spots a machine dispensing extortionately overpriced Suzumiya Haruhi gashapon in Toy Kingdom. He tries to ignore it for a while, then spots another machine with the same capsules in a nearby branch of Comic Alley. Thinking that it’s a sign of some kind, he tries his luck on both machines – burning through a fair bit of cash in the process – and walks away with one of Nagato, one of Mikuru, and two of SOS Danchou.
Moral of the story: there’s a sucker born every minute.
we have all your macross figurines (including the alternates)! i don’t have the mecha though. we also have that particular tsukasa (you may have noticed the time you were here). gashapon is a horrible addiction.
I remember eyeing to get something out of the Ookiku Furikabutte machine. I turned the knob and heard the gashapon leisurely rolling then coming to a stop. I reached out, ready to go on fangirl mode.
It took a few seconds to register…
OMGWTFBBQ?! I totally knocked up the wrong machine and unwittingly got a Steamboy figure instead.
“Akihabara which I failed to visit”
–awww… no trip to Akiba?
oh yeah, no Sakuras? oh yeah, its Winter when you went there. This spring is the Sakura bloom season. ehehe.
where do you buy your gashapon online? i can neverfindanything from shugo chara outside of the full set!
@mali: hm, I usually check out Japanese online shops for that… but they’re not gaijin-friendly sites >.<