（ソウル・ガールと南部女）
*Nanbu happens to be the eastern half of Aomori Prefecture where Eri is from. “Nanbu Beauty” is, eh, a popular sake brand there. :-)
And…if someone could share the URL of Eri’s introductory pic with her back story (she was depicted in her naval uniform), that would be great ~~
2023-09-21 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View PostI wonder if there would be a good fantasy (i.e. sword and sorcery type stuff) novel or manga that is worth reading. I have tried quite a few manga in this genre, but usually, after the protagonist gets hit by a truck and reincarnated in a fantastic alternate world, the first few episodes are fairly engaging but then the plot becomes dull and cliché. Typically it will eventually come down to doing errands for someone or being dragged into power struggle between some noble warring people...
2023-09-20 13:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
I know this a bit weird, but be noted Saki and Tomo are actually speaking in Japanese. (as in 2nd pic) XD
2023-09-19 12:59:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Starring Saki and Marine Buddy Octy:-)
2023-09-18 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Went to see the latest installment of City Hunter on its premier day. While it’s hard to believe it’s been decades since the end of the TV series run, it was good to know that the original voice actors and actresses were still hanging, with ever better motions and sound and with some delightful Easter Eggs for those that know the ‘80s.
(Disclaimer: I did not watch the original TV series live. :-))
2023-09-16 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
(I thought there was someone you wanted me to meet~~~~!!) Glubglub
(Yes, that’s Octy, my friend!!)
（紹介したい人がいるっていうから～～～‼）
（うん、友達のオクヒロよ‼）
2023-09-15 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
(Cont’d) I thought it might be a disservice to Oyoshi not to post the pic of "her" castle, so here it is :-) (Gujo-Hachiman Castle)
(Photos by Aster)
2023-09-14 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
(Cont’d) the custom of offering human sacrifices for successful civil works ventures was not too uncommon back in the days, but Oyoshi is a bit unique that she currently has her own X (Twitter) account and has people selling merch under her name. The promoters have even tried to make her an official mascot of the modern City of Gujo-Hachiman, but the city turned that down, which has made Oyoshi a well recognized but still an unofficial symbol girl. I initially thought the reason for the rej...
2023-09-12 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Occasionally, castles in Japan come with their origin stories that involve beautiful maidens getting sacrificed as part of laying their groundwork. This sounds a bit gruesome, but anyway Oyoshi (circa 16th century) from Gujo-Hachiman, Gifu Prefecture is such an example. The versions vary, but one story goes that a warlord sent out his men to hunt a beautiful girl that would be fitting for his new castle - and while all the village girls were all fleeing for their lives, Oyoshi (of course, the...
2023-09-10 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Back at Chihaya’s Tokyo home, anxiety grows….
2023-09-07 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Looking through an observation port at a diving pool at Tokyu Vacations Hotel on Miyako Island. While something like this is often associated in our minds with bikini-clad submerged babes smiling and happily waving their hands, a more practical use is for beginners' scuba diving classes. (Unless Saver chooses to draws characters for us, like he did for the diving boat banner at the top...)
2023-09-06 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Tiki: “Lord Jane, I Tiki of Atoll will accept your challenge to a Duel of Fathoms. I choose morrow afternoon and call for three witnesses.”
Jane: “Are you sure? There won’t be any turning back…”
Tiki: “You can ask yourself the same, Jane of Atoll.”
2023-09-05 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
It looks like someone made a short clip out of our old comic Mikumari and did some analysis. The channel is very young so hopefully there will be more contents coming our way! :-)
2023-09-04 13:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Jane: “Maybe Lord Tiki is just fearful of the Fathoms? Since when have the Seats of the Generals had a place for cowards, I ask?”
Tiki: “…I take no more disgrace to my name, Lord Jane.”
What would Tiki do?
2023-09-03 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Tesla's "Cybertrucks" are rolling out later this year and I must say they quite a debatable design, i.e. it's all made of straight edges like the designer had both his hands tied to bricks when he did his work. And well, despite its efforts to look as futuristic as possible, the Cybertruck is eerily reminiscent of '80s and '90s when straight-edge cars were a trend - and even Ferraris looked remarkably cheap back then. Does this just mean that auto styles are cyclical?
Either way, ...
2023-09-02 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Tiki: “What you mean, Lord Jane?”
Jane: “I mean, I challenge you to a Duel of Fathoms. Whoever survives, will be the sole General.”
Tiki: “No…you know the Princess has a strict ban on Duels of Fathoms. And Atoll has two Generals, not one.”
Jane: “Ha.”
2023-09-01 13:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post
It sounds like Fyre Festival 2 is in the works with the mastermind Billy McFarland - subsequent to the epic 2017 event where the paying participants got way more than the money's worth, munching on cheese slice sandwiches and spending quality time inside disaster shelter tents erected in parking lots. Sources say the pre-tickets for Fyre 2 have gone out very quickly, even before McFarland got around to announcing the event timing and location. Most likely, another tropical island once owned b...
2023-08-31 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Jene: "Seriously, it's time to decide which of us two Generals are better suited to serve the Princess. Agree, Lord Tiki?"
Tiki: "...."
2023-08-30 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Attention: light spoiler alert.
As with any harlem fantasy manga, the protagonist is a male character who is a teenager like the three shrine maiden girls, and conveniently free from parental supervision and living by himself. And he happens to be the reincarnated Dragon Lord who gets to pick one of the maidens as his mate (very cliché).
Nevertheless, the story doesn't necessarily fall flat because there is a gradual characters development, where the girls take turns in hitting h...
2023-08-29 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Actually this is where this pic from some time ago fits within the story - but notice the changes? :-)
2023-08-28 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
I recently learned through SNS that if you google "Florida Man" along with your date of birth you get a whole array of bizarre and dishonorable acts that were performed by a man/woman on that particular day in the great state of Florida. Here are a few examples for my own birthday (Oct. 22), just from the year 2019:
- An extremely intoxicated man rode his bike on a high school campus, meandered into a classroom and then took a seat at an open desk, resulting in his arrest
- ...
2023-08-27 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
“…Not much for a catch of the day, Princess.”
2023-08-26 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Here is a pic of Katsuren Castle on Okinawa main island, once the home of a major chieftain of the late Ryukyu kingdoms. One unique feature about castles in Okinawa is that defense is not necessarily its main objective (which I'm sure would sound very odd). Besides being a political and military center, a castle is also a common ground where people gather and sing, dance, and pray, wishing well for themselves and their families as well as their rulers and priestesses. A castle's main quarters...
2023-08-25 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
A comic series from some time ago, presumably set in Miyako Island (that island name is never mentioned, but background scenery is fairly revealing). It features three beautiful native shrine maidens, the main heroine Shizuku (pictured center) being the sea shrine maiden. I initially thought the story to be too outlandish, but after some further research about islands of Miyako I am beginning to see some authenticity.
And for those who are curious, there is a fair amount of freediving a...
2023-08-23 13:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post
