While I was aware that there were plans for Good Smile Cafe to expand overseas and open elsewhere in Asia including Taiwan, I did not expect to be able to visit the place during my recent trip back. Upon reading online announcements for a new cafe, I immediately assumed the store would be located in Ximending (西門町), which has been dubbed the Shibuya or Harajuku of Taipei. Therefore, I was surprised to find the ‘Good Smile x Karaoke no Tetsujin Cafe’ logo displayed beside the elevator in a rather small mall (K-mall) which is not usually populated by Otakus. The cafe was still being set up when I first found the place but I soon spotted the familiar faces of Madoka, Sayaka and Mami-senpai outside with an official opening date. Luckily, the mall is located only a few hundred meters from my house so I was determined beat the crowds on opening day and be one of the first ones in!
Good Smile Cafe Taipei
Hetalia Rubber Strap Collection 2 & 3
After many months of waiting, the second and third sets of Hetalia rubber straps finally arrived in my hands in early August. These are my first purchases through AmiAmi and I’m happy to say that they most certainly won’t be the last. I ordered a couple of boxes with the intention to keep some of the characters for myself while the rest were distributed between friends and members of a LiveJournal community as part of a group order. Since I rarely indulge in merchandises, I thought I would take the opportunity to do a mini review of these rubber strap collection sets. Prepare to be awed by my senseless commentary and fail photography, made possible with my 2 MP digital camera! It’s clear that I’ve immersed myself in too much Tenipuri (Prince of Tennis) lately.
Overload 2011 recount & sale
I thought I would be able to relax after sitting my one and only exam this year, but boy was I wrong! In addition to preparing for Overload 2011, I had to work my way through a lovely pile of illustration work which accumulated itself during my study break. Thanks to various distractions and my oh-so-skillful procrastination, I only managed to churn out a couple of chibi pictures. I pretty much did everything in a last minute fashion this year. Heck, I even arrived at the venue with only five minutes to put my stall together! Luckily, I didn’t suffer any printer trouble on the night before the event and I’d definitely like to thank my mum who helped me with lamination. I’m glad I got through the day successfully, albeit the lack of sleep.
