AX (Suddenly Acquired) Loots

Here comes the loot, everybody knows that here comes the loot! Ok, that doesn't make sense, but anyways after an anime convention, you expect to see the loot post going up :P I kept all the fancy paper bags from J-List and MangaGamer. They're kinda like loot to me XD Honestly I didn't buy too much. I wanted to limit myself because I already spent quite a bit just trying to get to Los Angeles for AX.

So let's get to the loots one by one shall we? I got a lot of small items that may not be too visible in the main picture.

Here are the games I got. Squishy Tank for the DS from the Natsume booth. It looks deceptively simple. You just touch 3 or more blocks that are together and they blow up the squishy tanks. But it gets really hard when the time runs out real fast! BlazBlue is something I've been wanting to try but the price was still too expensive in Canada. So when I saw they were being sold for $20 each at the Aksys booth, I took my chance. I promised Yakuri that I'll give this to her when she gets a PS3, lol. And finally Cat Girl Alliance was something I've been eyeing ever since I heard there's a futanari in it XD The JAST USA panel somewhat convinced me to get it.

The reason why I put "suddenly acquired" in the title of this post is because Yakuri gave me lots of things! Maybe half of the loot here! This was the first one she bought for me on the spot. A nice combination of Macross Frontier and Lucky Star. Konata's too cute!

And this one is also from Yaku-chan! I was ecstatic to see this! I never did get the glass or any Saber Lily related item except for my shirt, so this was awesome! I was worried it might break when I put it in my luggage, but thankfully I had lots of spare thick layers for this one ^_^

If you guessed that this is from Yaku-chan, then you're right! She got this free when she bought Higurashi & Umineko games from MangaGamer and gave it to me because... Well, I guess she's a fujoshi who's into yaoi and not yuri XD

I'm gonna owe Yakuri-chan big time ^^;;; This one is also from her. Probably the biggest thing I had in my luggage. I was carrying this around the time of the L.A. CGM Night and everyone asked what I got and I showed this to them and told them it was a gift. Everyone was amazed! Thank you Yakuri-chaaaan <3

Ok and these ones I got myself, lol. ToraDora Volume 1 premium box was something I was hoping to get at the convention rather than ordering online from NIS America. Good thing they had it all ready for me to pick up. In addition I was able to order ToraDora Volume 2 as well with free shipping to Canada! I was very glad I told them about my situation and wanting the series desperately. The other two is Gundam Unicorn Blu-Ray which is actually for my friend and the Gurren Lagann movie which I got so that perhaps Katsuyuki Konishi might sign it, but I gave up the chance so that someone else who`s dying for his autograph can have it ;)

By buying over $50 at NIS America booth, I was able to get this Laharl Prinny plushie for free! AND since I also pre-ordered volume 2 of ToraDora they let me get more free items, like the Prinny stylus and an artbook.

The aforementioned artbook is on the right. It sorta looks like a spiritual sequel to Rhapsody since it involves puppets... If they release it then I might get it. The Hakone map to the left is a free map that was handed out at the PopJapan Travel booth. I had to get it since it`s Rei :P

Here are the music CDs I got. The top two are from buying the BlazBlue game. The bottom two I got real cheap from MangaGamer booth on the last day. I only wanted the one on the right...

The one on the left is a compilation of games that I saw on Wolfheinrich's site, so I got it anyway since it's 2 for  $20. The one on the right is a ... Hardcore Ryoukujo Remix... Umm... how do I explain? It's something like this...

I had seen it a long time ago on AkibaBlog and my curiosity got the best of me. I didn't think I'd get to own it ^^; So here's my chance. I haven't listened to it yet though...

This figure set was something I scoffed at before I saw Bakemonogatari... Just another Puchi Nendo set, but after seeing the show and seeing some of the Puchi Nendo in action, I want one!! Especially Hitagi! Good thing Yakuri brought me to Anime Jungle's store where I researched that they have it, so they must have it at the convention as well. No tax either! Woot!

Lastly, Yaku-chan also gave me this... No, not the phone silly. I did get a new phone before leaving for L.A. though. Mostly because my old phone has a loose battery, so it shuts off by itself at times. Not a good thing to have when you're meeting a lot of people in a foreign land... Yaku gave me the dangling Rosa Chinensis and Lillian Academy logo from Maria-sama ga Miteru. She sure knows what I like ^^ I don't know if I want to keep them attached to my phone though... I don't want to lose them...

The next few things aren't loots, really, but just the autographed items. I thought I might as well put them together. This is the Macross Vocal collection signed by both Megumi Nakajima and May'n! It's one of my favourite albums and now it's signed! Freaking awesome!

This is the inner panel to the same album. I was hoping that Yoko Kanno would be signing to and I'd get her to sign on this one. It would've been freaking awesome! It never happened though... Maybe if Alto Saotome's voice actor comes, I'll get him to sign this :P

Yah! I also got Yuu Asakawa to sign my Nendoroid Luka box! I asked her if she can say something on the box, so she drew a word bubble saying "thank you" on it ^_^

And this is the last thing I got signed. Mirai Dakimakura signed by Danny. I was going to ask him to sign on the chest area just to prevent me from defiling his daughter XD But he just signed on the corner, heh. Now mind you, I don't see Danny as a celebrity, but as a friend... Who just happened to be popular ^^; I was going to come up to him and bring this dakimakura on me and ask him to "sign my chest!" Alas the opportunity didn't arise, lol.

So unfortunately because of the time constraint and my own stupidity, I didn't get these signed... Yui Horie's line was just too long and not enough time to get her autograph. I would've been able to get MELL's autograph on the last day, especially on my favourite CD single, except that I already packed my stuff in my luggage and not thinking the line would be short enough... I feel real sad not getting my Virgin's High signed T-T

Ok, well I don't want to end it at a sour note, so here are some more loots! These two shirts are actually for my brother and his girlfriend. I wasn't too interested in any of the AX shirt designs, except for the sold out ones. I could've special ordered it, but at $5 shipping... No thanks.

I really am a shirt collector. I have no idea how many J-List shirts I have now... But this one I had to get since it's To Aru Kagaku no Railgun's Misaka Mikoto!!

Here's the back side. Both says "Warning: Electric Shock". Awesome!

So yes, I had a lot of suddenly acquired loots but I spent quite a bit as well, especially getting both ToraDora volumes. It was all worth it though. Now I'm planning to reciprocate Yakuri's generosity :P

Video Games Live 2010 - Vancouver

This is actually my third time attending Video Game Live, but the first time I kept record of it ^^; I seem to forget lots of things if I don't keep track of them, so this is why VGL is now on my blog, especially the song list. That's one benefit of a blog, it keeps your memories for you XD

So the third Video Games Live took place on Thursday before Iron Man started the next day. And I wanted to see Iron Man 2 right away... It's been a very busy week for me ^^;  The venue for VGL seems to change every time they come. Our seats were in the balcony and my brother picked the seats where we would have nobody in front of us. Very cool seats! Except there were a lot of people walking back and forth... Nonetheless it was another great orchestra, even if some of them have been done already.

Oh, I was wearing a shirt with the above picture on that day. I know it's not a video game and all, but it's still a pixelized, 8-bit game sprite-like Nagato Yuki. One person did comment that he liked my shirt. I'm guessing he knows the Haruhi Suzumiya series ^_^ *high five*

 I wasn't planning on taking a lot of pictures because I didn't think it was allowed, but it was actually ok and even take videos too! But I don't have the most steady hands, so without enough lighting everything will turn out blurry in my hands. Thankfully my brother is very good with a camera and has steady hands, so aside from the picture above, everything else was taken by him ^^  Zankyuu aniki!

Before the concert started there was a costume contest. Can you name them all?

From right to left (since that's how the MC did it) is a character I don't know... Army of Two? Midna from Twilight Princess, Pac Man (EDIT: It's actually Clyde, one of the ghosts FROM Pac Man ), EDIT: Little Sister from Bioshock, Shadow Link, Rikku (the first of two), TwinRova (EDIT: Fixed the name, I got mixed up, lol) from Legend of Zelda and White Mage.

Aside from Earthworm Jim, I have no idea who these guys are supposed to be...

From right to left: Mario and Peach, some guy from Left 4 Dead, some Final Fantasy III characters (the MC kinda suck...), and someone from Valkyria Chronicles (dunno the name since I haven't started it yet).

Then there's Zack and Aerith from FFVII, the second Rikku and... not sure who the bloody one is... EDIT: Nurse Kaori from Pure Trance, a manga by Junko Mizuno (great artist, btw). Thanks to Ms. Kaori for the information about yourself and your costume ^^

Winner by a longshot: Earthworm Jim! Very cool costume, but I gotta admit that it's kinda freaky...

So it begins... Many photos here and I may not caption it all ^^;

Video Games Live 2010 Vancouver Play List

1. Introduction & Classic Games
2. Sonic games
3. Shadow of the Colossus
4. Frogger (Contest)
Ralph Baher segment
5. Mass Effect
6. Assassin's Creed 2
7. Final Fantasy on piano by Martin Leung
8. Final Fantasy VIII: Liberi Fatali
9. The Legend of Zelda
Intermission
Reviews on the Run segment
10. Kingdom Hearts
11. Bioshock
12. World of Warcraft
13. Mario Medley on piano by Martin Leung
14. Mario Medley by the orchestra
15. Guitar Hero (Contest)
16. Mega Man
17. Halo
Encore
18. Castlevania
19. Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross
20. Final Fantasy VII: One Winged Angel

The co-collaborators of Video Games Live: Tommy Tallarico and conductor Jack Wall.

Once again, great photographer! You can even tell that Tommy is wearing a Tron t-shirt!

I was very surprised they had a Shadow of the Colossus music segment here. I loved the music to that! I really want to play it again now (especially since I didn't finish it yet ^^:)

This is Ralph Baher, the inventor of Pong and other peripherals. He pretty much started this industry. Supposedly he and Tommy was talking through Skype, but us skeptics assumes this was pre-recorded...

Martin Leung is famous for playing the Mario medley theme blindfolded on YouTube. Now he tours around with Video Games Live. This is his first time performing in Vancouver.

This was taken during Liberi Fatali... No video from FFVIII unfortunately...

I loved the lighting during the Zelda segment. There were yellow triangular lights on the walls ^_^

This is an exclusive to Vancouver shows only! Live Reviews on the Run! In case some of you don't know, Reviews on the Run is a video game review show that airs on G4 TV and some Canadian channels since it's filmed in Vancouver. Tommy and Victor Lucas used to do the show for several years before Tommy started touring with VGL. The last time they were here they were reviewing Orochi Warriors 2. They always seem to berate games whenever they're both in town ^^; Victor has a permanent co-host now though, so this is a special showing.

The game they reviewed was Record of Agarest War... Tommy already groaned at the name. They can be biased towards strategy rpg games unfortunately. But then again I do agree with them that it was much too pricey for a game that's using old technology.

Yes, they showed this picture on the big screen in front of everybody in the audience. I thought this was freaking great XD

The dialogue box isn't that visible from where I was, but the great photographer that is my brother got it on picture. I like what I see, hahaha.

The Kingdom Hearts segment only showed Disney clips and nothing from the game for some reason...

I've stopped playing World of Warcraft for more than a year now, but I get nostalgic and want to play this again after seeing this... But I realize I have no hard disk space anymore and there are just too many expansions to keep up to date.

I wonder if they updated the video since it's got clips from Wrath of the Lich King expansion.

Blizzard sent me 7-day free game time for WoW, but I have no time and no hard disk space ^^;

Martin Leung played quite a bit of piano in the show. These are some of his performances.

This is the Guitar Hero segment. The orchestra, Tommy and the contestant played Van Halen's Jump. Really great sound! The contestant had to score 200,000 points on hard mode... But of course he had to be a show off and said he'll do it in Expert mode. He really di put his money where his mouth is! He got just above 200,000 points before the song ended even with Tommy distracting him.

I giggled when they got to the Air Man part because even though I don't know the meme that well, I know the song quite well now XD

Tommy's steampunk guitar.

They played Halo as the last segment in the first year. I was a little bit disappointed since I don't play Halo and they were catering to the North American market only... But whatever. This was the last thing they played before the encore.

Tommy's Spider-Man guitar.

I was wishing very hard that they would finally have Chrono Trigger in the show. My favourite game of all time because I was choked up listening to this live. My only wish was that they played more from the great music of Chrono Trigger, but they also mixed it with Chrono Cross. But hey I'm not complaining. I had some tears slipping from my eye during this segment. You can really hear me cheer and clap enthusiastically at the end of the video ^^;;;

The always popular One Winged Angel. Really great rendition plus the video clips were showing really cool cosplayers!

So ends another great show. I got my wish and I left the theatre very happy, but of course it was already a tiring week for me, so even if we were on a high, we can't help but be tired... After this concert I immediately finished my Iron Miku project and then sleep so I can wake up early to watch the 10 AM showing of Iron Man 2 ^^;

But hey, I would've posted this too if I had more time yesterday, but a lot of the videos took a long time to upload. I would like to go to VGL again if the chance arise, but in my heart I wished that they add more new things to play for next time, but there's always that Reviews on the Run segment ^^