Kimagure Orange ★ Road

Ayukawa Madoka/Gwendolyn Cooper

2011-11-06T10:32:00.002-06:00

Coincidence? I don't think so.

Sound Color 1 Scans

2011-09-08T11:02:00.005-05:00

Manga Covers 7-9

2011-09-07T09:54:00.003-05:00

Manga Covers 4-6

2011-09-06T22:12:00.003-05:00

Manga Covers 1-3

2011-09-06T15:43:00.005-05:00

Since I am awesome, I am scanning all of the dust jackets and covers of all of the manga volumes. I will eventually scan the hardcover ten volume set as well. It may take me a while. These will eventually become the images used on the manga page of the Orange Road Network.

Remember to click for high resolution (and non-jaggy) versions.

Better Cel Scans

2011-09-06T09:13:00.003-05:00

Just scans of cels I previously posted. Much higher quality and all that.

Three New Posters

2011-09-05T11:19:00.004-05:00

One by Matsumoto Izumi for the Cinema CD radio drama and two by Takada Akemi for Sound Color 1 and the Eternal Collection Sound Color Box.

Japan Times Article "The Best of His Years"

2011-08-28T00:15:00.003-05:00

This is what it's like when worlds collide! This is posted on both of my blogs, Kyoto Maiko and the Kimagure Orange Road Goods Blog.

I was supposed to be included in this article on Matsumoto Izumi and the history of the comic book (and subsequent anime adaption) he created, Kimagure Orange Road. I expected to be identified as the number one KOR fan in the world, and pictures had been taken to display my collection of merchandise. However, the editor of the piece chose to focus on Matsumoto's personal history, and not so much on KOR, and both my contributions and my pictures were cut from the final article (I am mentioned at the end).

So, instead, I am publishing them myself.

EDIT: Due to abuse, I have removed the ability to comment Anonymously. Also, in reference to one of those abusive comments, this picture does not show my complete collection. Not everything would fit.

Happy Tanabata, 2011!

2011-07-06T21:37:00.001-05:00

It's Tanabata again! Today is the day we ask the lovers in the stars to grant our wishes.

Thus I give you Madoka and Kyosuke, Tanabata, 1987, just as I did last year!

Original Shonen Jump Volumes

2011-07-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

These are original Shonen Jump volumes that KOR was printed in. Sometimes, when the cover was KOR, the first few pages would be in color. I have the first volume of Shonen Jump KOR was printed in, plus a couple of others. I only collect KOR covered volumes, even though KOR was in every single one of them.

Cassette Tape no Dengon Poster

2011-07-06T20:05:00.001-05:00

Matsumoto Izumi GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY Teaser

2011-07-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

One of the items that got really beat up by the TSA was my copy of Matsumoto's Graphic Anthology. I don't have a second copy yet, but I know it's going to be one of my first purchases next time I am in Japan. To that end, I'm trying to figure out how to scan it. So far, I'll I've managed to scan is the cover. The book is just slightly bigger than my flatbed scanner, so scanning images may be very difficult because of light diffusion, and I'm not sure I am comfortable actually cutting the book apart...

LD Memory Box Art Book Scans Part 2

2011-07-03T13:17:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are the other half of the LD Memory Box art book scans.

Matsumoto Izumi MANAMI/WAVE STUDIO Fanbooks

2011-07-03T11:17:00.000-05:00

Yeah... Still a lot to go...

2011-07-02T01:15:00.000-05:00

Orange Road Coaster!

2011-06-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

Another oddity. A Kimagure Orange Road drink coaster. It's made of cork, and of course, I have no plan to ever use it. Wouldn't want to ruin it. Be nice to make some new ones though I could use.

LD Memory Box Art Book Scans Part 1

2011-06-15T14:13:00.000-05:00

Scanning Artbooks is a very difficult and slow process, even when working with duplicate artbooks you are less concerned with damaging. There are only 16 high resolution images in the artbook that came with the Japanese Laserdisc Memory Box, and just scanning eight of them required much of the day. I imagine books like Madoka or La Madonna (which I do NOT have duplicates of) will require a lot more time and effort. There are some images shared between all of the artbooks, so that should help. I will not scan the same image twice. I'll just copy images into posts for/folders for the other books when I get there.

In the mean time, please enjoy these images. I actually have 300dpi versions that are much, MUCH higher resolution, but blogspot downsized to 1200 pixels. The actually scans are about 2100 × 3000 or so.

Madoka Stand Up

2011-06-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

This is one of those oddities of KOR merchandising. It's a 10 inch Madoka cardboard stand up. Neat, but essentially useless. I have a couple of other oddities I'll be putting up as well. Little things that I imagine the manufacturers regarded as completely disposable.

AnimEigo DVD Boxed Set Scans

2011-06-14T17:18:00.000-05:00

I'm so nice, I scanned all twelve of the DVD covers for the AnimEigo TV series boxed set. You may leave odes of undying thanks in the comments section.

AnimEigo Laserdisc Boxed Set 2

2011-06-13T23:50:00.000-05:00

Still need to find Boxed Set 1, but for $60? Total steal.

A-Kon Cels Haul

2011-06-13T18:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Madoka!

2011-05-25T08:52:00.000-05:00

May 25 1969 (or 1971). Madoka would be 42 (or 40) today.

KOR Handkerchief

2011-05-21T18:35:00.003-05:00

Handkerchiefs are very prominent in Japan. Many public bathrooms lack hand drying options. No paper towels, and no electric handblowers. This is especially true in stations, where there might not even be toilet paper! For this reason people carry around handkerchiefs for their hands and small packets of tissues to use as toilet paper. Note, this has the Toho sticker, showing it to be a genuine item.

KOR Notebook!

2011-05-21T18:12:00.000-05:00

I , of course, would never scribble anything down in such a notebook (just like I would not use the KOR looseleaf paper), but I like to imagine that students in the 1980s and early 1990s would have used KOR material for schoolwork... and when they needed more, they just went out and bought it! Hard for me to imagine. Maybe it's for the best I can't go back in the time, I would probably freak out to see this stuff designed to be used being used, due to its rarity now, twenty years later.

No, Really, Extra Copies

2011-05-21T17:36:00.001-05:00

In an earlier post, I discussed the need for collectors to have extra copies. One of the main reasons I did so was to impress upon my readers, such as they are, about the pitfalls of life. One of them is that your collection may find itself in danger. You cannot avoid damaging items. It's inevitable. As if the prove my point, when I moved back from Japan, courtesy of the Transportation Safety Administration, a few of my items ended up quite damaged. I contacted TSA and filed a claim, but nothing ever happened. It's just more proof that extra copies are necessary.

If one of your items becomes damaged, it can still be useful. Especially if the second copy or third copy are an improvement. I plan to use the damaged copies to create high resolution copies I ordinarily would never considered doing, in fear of damaging spines, etc. Here are the pictures showing the damaged KOR Memory Box and a second copy I was very lucky to be able to procure:

Personal Fanart...

2011-01-09T22:49:00.000-06:00

CD Video 1 and 2, All Hail Obsolete Formats

2010-12-12T08:41:00.000-06:00

Loose Leaf Paper

2010-11-29T05:43:00.000-06:00

Mars 16 T-Shirts

2010-11-27T20:57:00.000-06:00

Traveled all the way to Mars 16's corporate offices in Tamagawa, Osaka to get these t-shirts. The exchange was made outside the front door of their office building.

Mini Resin Kits

2010-11-22T03:46:00.000-06:00

These are ultra rare KOR mini resin kits. There are four sets, but I was only able to track down sets 3 and 4. Set 3 features Kurumi and Hikaru in school uniforms, while set 4 features Hikaru in casual attire and Manami in school uniform with Jingoro. Despite being official goods, they're pretty rough casts and probably would need to be sanded diligently before painting. Notice the date: 1988.

Singing Heart Squared Continues to Elude Me, But...

2010-11-21T04:27:00.000-06:00

At least I have five out of the seven CDs for it.

Laserdiscs in Progress

2010-07-14T07:31:00.001-05:00

Ano Hi ni Kaeritai Movie Program

2010-07-10T21:38:00.000-05:00

I always love tracking down Not For Sale promotional materials. Items like this program were handed out to those who saw the movie in person in theatres, and therefore has no prescribed monetary value. That means that most copies are just thrown away; for most people who are not fans, they're just ads. And not worth keeping. To come across something like this twenty years later in really good condition is just remarkable. I think I paid about $15 for it or so at Mandarake. Definitely a deal...

Takada Akemi Art Book 2 "Crystella"

2010-07-09T07:18:00.001-05:00

One of the main reasons I started this blog, and decided to work on the Orange Road Network database is because every so often when least expect it, I come across some hidden gem I didn't even know existed. Like this AMAZING art book from 1987, I picked up about three hours ago at a used book store here in Fukuchiyama.

It mostly features her earlier work from 1984, 85, and 86. However...

...there are also these great Orange Road sketches for the at the time not yet produced 1988 anime calander she was working on. I've seen most of the finished products for these illustrations, but this is the first time I've seen the sketches, and I wish I had had this with me when I met Takada-sensei last year. Enjoy! If I can figure out how, I might do a better job of scanning/photographing, but I obviously want to protect the book!

Shin KOR LD Boxed Set

2010-07-08T08:32:00.001-05:00

You need multiple copies, really...

2010-07-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

A true collector will have multiple copies of everything ideally. Now with many items that are quite aged, this is not always possible. In fact, it may well be impossible for very rare or very expensive items. You're damn lucky if you even manage to find one copy of that holy grail item you were looking for... That being said, there is a very good reason for having multiple copies: it's called the Rule of 3.

In this case of collector's items, you should always have three copies:

1. Mint or as mint as possible, given age and source of item. You store this item, and it sees as little of the elements as possible. If you're concerned about maintaining value, this is a big deal. If you're not, it's still good to know you have a an excellent condition item because...

2. Keep a copy of the item to use as it was originally intended. If it's an album LISTEN TO IT, if it's a resin kit, BUILD IT, if it's a book, READ IT. Nothing worse than a collector who is so frightened of damaging an item that they can't enjoy it. That's just silly.

3. For additional backup to 1, or for trade/sale if the trade or price is right. Being part of a fandom, even a rare, niche one (like KOR) means there is bound to be someone else searching for the same stuff you are. You may just be in luck and have the item that that your co-fan is searching for, and he or she might just have an extra copy of something you are looking for. Or even if the person doesn't have anything you want, maybe you can sell it at a profit, and use the proceeds to purchase ANOTHER item you're looking for.

Eventually, as I find KOR deals (and sometimes I do, believe it or not), I will end up with multiple copies of items, maybe even four or five copies. I plan to offer these copies for trade or sale when Orange Road Network finally launches.

Happy Tanabata, Everybody!

2010-07-07T07:13:00.000-05:00

Today is the day we ask the lovers in the stars to grant our wishes. 7/7. Thus I give you Madoka and Kyosuke, Tanabata, 1987.

Why the +[2] matters...

2010-07-07T05:40:00.000-05:00

The first KOR CD I ever got was in 1998 at AnimeFest in Dallas, Texas. That CD was Loving Heart +[2]. Much to my dismay, years later, in about 2004, I made the mistake of leaving it, and a few other of my KOR CDs (including the Shin KOR Image Album which I STILL haven't replaced...) in my car. Of course, someone broke in and took my radio and CDs. A damn shame, really, because they were all anime CDs, and I am sure the person had no idea what the heck they were. It gives me fits when I think about KOR CDs being tossed into the trash, and that's probably exactly what happened when he realised he could not sell them.

Now, I had made MP3s, so I still had the music, but one of the things I loved so much about the CD was its rich blue color and the general quality of the paperstock used. I was, and am of course, a collector. And the loss of the item itself was what hurt more than anything.

There are two main differences between the original discs and the +[2] discs. The first is that they have two extra tracks (plus two, get it?). Those two tracks are karaoke tracks for two of the songs on the disc. This is clearly noted on the back of the cases. Minor differences are the different styled Obis and the nicer paperstock, at least on Loving Heart +[2].

The far more significant difference is the complete redesign of the discs themselves. They just fit better with the style of the series and are honestly pretty. The colors are deep and rich. And that to me is what, as a collector, really drives to me to find the +[2] discs.

Unfortunately, they're quite rare. And I've done well with DiscLegend.com to pick up these two as soon as they showed up. There are also +[2] discs for Sound Colors 1, 2, and 3, Kimagure Orange Station, Cassette Tape no Dengon, Ano Hi ni Kaeritai, and Singing Heart. Unfortunately, I have not even so much as seen pictures of them (unlike the yellow Mogitate Special, which I had tracked down a picture of). So the search continues...

More Madoka Model Kits

2010-07-06T05:25:00.000-05:00

I also picked up these models. The first two are genuine, but I think the third one is a bootleg resin kit. The modeling is subpar and it would take a lot of sanding and grinding to get it to paintable quality.

Eternal Collection Sound Color Box

2010-07-06T04:28:00.000-05:00

When I was in Tokyo of Spring Break, I really hit the motherload at the Mandarake stores. One of my Holy Grails was to find a decently priced copy of the Eternal Collection Sound Color Box. I managed to find one for a mere ¥6000, or roughly $65. Normally on auctions sites, or online Japanese disc sites (like DiscLegend.com) it can go for between $150 and $300. I could never bring myself to purchase one of them from these sites, no matter how rare. Just too much money. So I was pretty happy to find it for considerably less.

Two Shwag Updates

2010-01-12T03:38:00.000-06:00

The first group is actually from before Christmas. I got it right before I left for the US and didn't have time to upload it.

All of this was obtained yesterday in Osaka. I dug through both Mandarake stores, several record stores, and through almost every single shop in Den Den Town:

I really went to Osaka to finally see the new Space Battleship Yamato movie, and it was frakkin awesome!　Screw your moeblob claptrap, I'll take Kodai Miyuki over the girls from K-ON any day:

Merry Christmas: In Dallas also, Hikaru Cel!

2009-12-25T12:33:00.000-06:00

Merry KORistmas everyone.

I'm in Dallas for the holidays, and I am finally able to update this blog with a picture of my HIkaru cel. Since most of my KOR stuff is back in Japan, this will most likely be the last post for a few weeks.

Sound Color 1 LP - LB28-5049

2009-12-20T03:22:00.000-06:00

The Sound Color 1 LP I got from DiscLegend.com:

Santa Came Early This Year!

2009-12-17T04:08:00.000-06:00

This lovely package was delivered to my front door today, thanks to DiscLegend.com! Six KOR related items.

I got the LPs for Sound Color 1, 2, and 3, as well as Singing Heart. I also got the EP for the KOR Pilot and the Actress In Mirror/Dance In The Sweet Memories Single CD I've been hunting for YEARS.

Merry Christmas, indeed.

Shin KOR II phone card

2009-12-16T00:36:00.000-06:00

Another thing I picked up recently was this unused Shin KOR II phone card. It has a value of ¥1500, but if you use it, holes get punched in it, so forget that!

zomg an update

2009-12-14T04:10:00.001-06:00

Okay, guys, sorry I haven't updated, I have been hard at work on ORN (Orange Road Network), and I think I can have it launched in the next few weeks. I'm maybe a third of the way completed. It will then be the most comprehensive Orange Road website on the entire internet. Quite an accomplishment.

I have picked up a few goodies here and there over the last few months, and I will get around to posting them. For now, please enjoy this "Wild" Manami cel I picked up at Mandarake Umeda for just ¥2625 (around $30 or so)! It was an absolute steal!

I have also started actively collecting duplicates with the intent to offer them for sale on ORN. That way perhaps I can more easily spread the KOR love.

Weird Places for KOR II

2009-08-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

O_O!

...Okay, perhaps there IS someone who loves Ayukawa Madoka just a bit more than I do.

I can't draw

2009-08-16T08:35:00.000-05:00

I did this in 2001. I cannot really draw better now.

Well this is neat...

2009-08-15T19:14:00.000-05:00

こくばん.in - 鮎川まどか　きまぐれオレンジロード

Tresure in the Trash

2009-08-15T17:59:00.000-05:00

Madoka is not amused.

The internet is wonderful and awful at the same time. Every few months I spend a day or so just checking out every single google links I can find. Now, if I search long enough, and turn over every digital rock, I find stuff I've been looking for or didn't know I was looking for.

The problem is how much I have to go through in order to find this stuff. Ninety-nine percent of it is old one page shrines, torrent file links, forum posts, and reviews. The internet saves everything. Sometimes this is good, most of the time it is tragic.

The internet badly needs a one-stop-shop for KOR fandom. Is that me? I don't know. I blog merchandise, but am I bad enough dude to save the fandom entirely?

Fanart Part I

2009-08-15T12:57:00.000-05:00

So as I scour the internet, I discover a lot of KOR fanart. A lot of it is unmarked, so I don't know who did it. If you do know, please tell me. Here's some of the best of the best:

Fanart of the twins is rare enough, but this is an amazing picture of Manami:

What I'd really like to see is fanart of minor characters like Akane, Sumire, or Yuki.

KOR Bentos!

2009-08-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

I don't recall exactly where I got these photos, they were in my rather large image collection, but they're a neat idea I might copy for my own lunches to show my students.

Orange Road Cel Collection at OrangeRoad.Org

2009-08-15T10:53:00.000-05:00

I don't actually collect cels, KOR or otherwise. Mostly because they're hideously overpriced, but I do have one. However, OrangeRoad.Org has a rather large collection here: http://orangeroad.org/KOR.html

I will post mine of Hikaru later. It is currently in Texas because I will have to hand carry it back with me to Japan, and I didn't have the space or the time two weeks ago.

How to Tell You (Don't) Have a Bootleg

2009-08-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

First off, it is extremely hard to know if KOR merchandise is bootleg or legitimate, that is one of the reasons the fandom so badly needs a catalogue of available merchandise. Instead, I am going to focus on some general tips for identifying obviously genuine material.

1) If it is from Hong Kong or Taiwan, it needs to be scrutinised further. Is there legit stuff that comes from these places? Yes, but only from private collections. Beware of any seller online that has multiple copies. No one has multiple copies... except for me, and I only have two or three.

2) How old is it? Ask for date confirmation. it is usually stamped or printed on the packaging. Be wary of anything that doesn't have a date attached. if it is copyrighted, it should say so, even if the print is tiny. This is less common on perishable goods like erasers, but still try.

3) If at any time something smells fishy, or like it's too good to be true, it probably is.

4) Look for these labels:

5) Avoid anything by SM (Son may) or EverAnime in terms of CDs. These are Taiwanese bootleggers. Legal within the island, but definitely illegal elsewhere. Here is an example of Loving Heart from SM:

The SM at the top should be the double FF from Futureland posted above. An EverAnime symbol, which is EverAnime on a rainbow-spectral wave, would be in the same position. These are being produced even today and are easy to get via Ebay or some less than reputable online sellers. They are WORTHLESS. I would rather you get the FLACS or MP3s than support the production of bootlegs by paying for them. I'm not advocating piracy, but in the latter case, someone is making a profit, and that's wrong. These CDs are still common enough they can be tracked down for between $15-$30. There is no reason to purchase boots for $12.

Hikaru Model Part 1

2009-08-15T09:10:00.000-05:00

Here is the Hikaru resin kit I picked up at Mandarake Grand Chaos in Osaka.

Blog now moved to www.orange-road.net

2009-08-15T07:38:00.001-05:00

This blog (and the site that will eventually go with it to catalogue KOR goods) can now be reached at http://www.orange-road.net!

Weird Places for KOR

2009-08-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

Every so often, I'll run into photo evidence of KOR showing up in the unlikeliest of places. As I find them, I will post them here as well. Not strictly "goods" but still of interest, I think.

This sign, made up if KOR manga panels, was apparently captured by a Japanese tourist to Thailand in 2005. It was apparently posted in an amusement park called Siam City.

EPs Part I

2009-08-14T03:26:00.000-05:00

There are nine EPs I know about. At least one also has a cassette and a CD version. I have five EPs.

The EP for Natsu no Mirage (夏のミラージュ), the B-Side is Janina.

The EP for Orange Mystery (オレンジ*ミステリー), B-Side Kono Mune ni ONE MORE TIME (この胸に ONE MORE TIME).

Much to my surprise, this EP, and two other EPs came with KOR stickers!

The EP for Kanashii Heart wa Moeteiru (悲しいハートは燃えている), B-Side is Salvia no Hana no Youni (サルビアの花のように).

The EP for Ano Sora wo Takishimete (あの空を抱きしめて), B-side is not KOR related. It is an additional single by KOR's main idol, Kanako Wada (who even makes a cameo in the movie when Kyosuke plays one of her CDs).

The EP for Kagami no naka no Actress (鏡の中のアクットレス) I have already posted, but this is why duplicates should always be purchased when you're not sure exactly what is going to be on the inside when dealing with used goods. Not only was this copy I purchased it at King Kong in better condition overall, but it had stickers!

Cassette Tape no Dengon (カセットテプの伝言) LP - LB28-5072

2009-08-14T01:06:00.000-05:00

Here is the LP version of Cassette Tape no Dengon. It was purchased as King Kong Records in Osaka. It is sorta to the side of and down under Mandarake. You can easily miss it; I hadn't seen it before. It had a lot of neat stuff, even a LaserDisc of the original Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (時をかける少女), which I almost bought.

Remember you can click on the pictures to get larger versions.

One of the reasons I like Japanese albums in general is because the come with these information paper rings on the left side of the album. They can often be used to confirm conjectures I have about what is and is not available. So far, even with all the Japanese sites bookmarked, I have found that no one really has any extensive database of what was produced by any given rights holder. I think this is because there were so many, and so even reading Japanese, it is often difficult for me to be sure what is and is not true about KOR merchandise.

In this case, this tells me that some of the CDs, the cassettes, and the LPs all came out at the same time, which albums have all three, and what their serial numbers are. This can be extremely useful when used in search engines:

Shitajiki (Pencil Boards) Part II

2009-08-13T21:57:00.000-05:00

When I was in Osaka last week, as previously posted, I found quite a bit of stuff at once. To start off with, now that I am back in Japan, I will post the new shitajiki (pencil boards) I got from Mandarake.

Greetings from Typhoon Hit Taiwan

2009-08-06T19:18:00.000-05:00

Well, while my plan to hit the beaches of the northern coasts of Taiwan is not going so well with Typhoon Morakot making landfall tomorrow, I did have an excellent Orange Road shopping experience in Osaka yesterday.

Since I expect Saturday and Sunday to be pretty brutal because of Morakot, I suspect I will be updating this blog with the goods I got at Mandarake and King Kong Records.

Here's the view out my window right now.

And here's all the stuff I got in Osaka yesterday:

Back in Austin

2009-07-29T08:37:00.001-05:00

I'm in Austin this week, and have been pretty busy over the last month, hence no updates. However, with more vacation coming up over the next few weeks, I will try to update further. I will also try to get to Osaka or Tokyo (maybe even Nagoya) to do my inevitable searches of Mandarake.

In the meantime, have this ultra-realistic fanart of Madoka currently the wallpaper on my iPhone.

PURE AWSM

2009-06-30T08:40:00.000-05:00

Pas, over at AnimeMusicVideos.Org did this AMAZING bit of Madoka fanart for me. How awesome is that?

Madoka Model Part Three

2009-06-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

Need to work some more on the right leg and do some touch ups, but it is definitely getting there.

Madoka Model Part Two

2009-05-16T07:55:00.001-05:00

Ran out of Flesh Tone. Will need to pick up more tomorrow, but here's how it's looking:

Madoka Model Part One

2009-05-16T02:42:00.000-05:00

Heading to Joshin (the people who own the Gundam store in Osaka) for some paint, brushes, and the base.

Made in Umeda

2009-05-12T05:47:00.000-05:00

I scored a Madoka resin kit and a Shin KOR poster at the Umeda Mandarake in Osaka last night:

Yesterday's Mission....................GREAT SUCCESS!

2009-05-09T19:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I finally met Akemi Takada, KOR's character designer.

I awoke at 4:45AM, took a shower, got breakfast, got dressed, chatted online for a bit, then made my way to the train station, where I left at 6AM. I made it to Tokyo at 9:45. By 10:05, I had made it to Shibuya and to the Blue Mountain Oval Building, where the Gallery of Fantastic Art is:

When I was finally able to find the way up to GoFa, I discovered, lamely, there was already a line formed... in some very uncomfortable, very hot fire escape like stairwells. Unfortunately, just like in American fandom, I have to say, that it was obvious there were several people who did not shower, and the smell was... less than wonderful. I spent two hours studying Japanese adjective forms before they finally gave us cards with our numbers on them, and we then received our numbered signature tickets (not the same as the above cards) and copies of the La Madonna book:

I took a few minutes to really walk around and study the original KOR paintings and sketches. That was pretty magical, but KOR soon turned to Mami, and I lost interest. This was only just after noon, so I after I got my book and number, I left the building for some fresh air and walked around Shibuya. I eventually made my way to Mandarake in Shibuya. This is a chain of second-hand anime goods stores all over Japan that usually is the best place to go when trying to dig up rare anime/manga/drama stuff. I spent about an hour and a half looking through whatever I could find, but it looked like I was going to come up empty. Thus, I did what I usually do... I went to all of the sales people and told them whatever KOR they could find (outside of the manga, which is common, and I own, and the DVDs, which are new, and I own, and Takada's books, since I own them, AND just got one of them from Takada herself...) I would buy whatever it was, no matter how expensive. This, of course, sent them scrambling. I must have had four or five people diving through their own sections to find my KOR stuff. After another twenty minutes or so, they managed to find one item and only one item (which is on average, one KOR item per trip is the norm, two is a lucky day, more than two is a Godsent miracle). The item in question is a very nice KOR 1990 Calendar, featuring Takada's illustrations:

I ate lunch at Wendy's, which is rare, since Kyoto doesn't have them, and returned at 3PM to find that I would still need to wait for another two hours or so. Give or take half an hour. So I looked around the shops in Aoyama, and hung out in a bookstore. Then I met some fans in the Oval building's lobby who had finished getting their signatures, and found the guy who was the first person to get a ticket... like two weeks ago. So he was number one, while I was number 91. However, a KOR fan only, he was not. He seemed, as most of the people seemed to be, primarily a Creamy Mami fan. I found only one person who espoused a preference for KOR over Takada's other series, Patlabor and Creamy Mami. Fancy Lala was not mentioned once the entire day, which did not occur to me to be weird until I thought about it late last night.

I was sad to discover over the next hour or so, talking to fans as they came down from their experiences, much as Dave Wilson III has said, I was pretty much uninterested in anything they had to say, and they were equally uninterested in what I had to say. Why? I am a KOR fan. Seemed like they were Takada fans. They like Takada, no matter what she does. I like Takada because she's KOR's character designer. I like Mami, Patlabor, and Fancy LaLa, but I am not interested in acquiring her art outside of KOR. No matter how many times I explained this, no matter how many languages I used (okay, so only two), these fans were incapable of understanding how I like Takada because of KOR, they like KOR (if they like it) because of Takada, and these two concepts are completely different. So they kept regaling me with stories of how many times they'd seen her, how much money they'd spent on her art. Now, don't get me wrong, I do not begrudge them their fandom, and I was more than willing to discuss how much I had spent on KOR, but that includes Shin KOR, the Manga, Matsumoto's art.... Plenty of stuff that's NOT Takada. They also seemed incapable of understanding that this was probably a one time thing for me, unless of course, Takada comes out with another KOR volume (like La Madonna, the whole point of the experience). Should she produce Patlabor, Mami, or FancyLaLa books, I will not travel to buy those and get them signed. I am simply uninterested. The response I got to this seemed as if I had told deadheads I would not be traveling to out of town shows. Slightly uncomfortable, I excused myself and headed up just as my number was called in the stairwell.

Meeting Akemi Takada was a nice experience. It wasn't mind-blowing, it wasn't a let down, and I thought the level of overall geekery was kept to a minimum. Just right. I did feel rushed because there were people behind me, and so my ability to speak Japanese kept hitting mental roadblocks (you get nervous when you're rushed, y'know) where I needed help from the (very awesome, wish I had caught her name, she deserves a lot of thanks) international student intern who is a native English speaker, because I just kept forgetting the right words. Takada and I talked a bit about the time I missed her in 2000 at A-Kon, even though I was there, and a bit about that overall exhibition that year. Then, I pulled out what I wanted signed, a senshiki. A senshiki is a really nice piece of square calligraphy paperboard that usually is displayed on walls in frames. Very traditional. I do admit I was hoping for a sketch of Madoka or even better, Kyosuke and Madoka, but really, I just wanted Takada to do whatever she felt like doing. Even simply signing it would have been more than enough. I could practically hear the gasps behind me. Apparently this Was Not Done because of some prior unspoken rule created by japanese groupthink. Takada just wanted to know why I wanted it. Again, having help from the intern (bless her), I explained that I intended to put it up on the wall as part of my collection. If she signed the La Madonna book, I could not very well frame it and stick it on the wall! This led to showing Takada this very blog. She was quite amazed. I did get a picture with her, but I promised her I would not post it on the blog, so all you get is the senshiki itself. For those of you who cannot read Japanese, it says "Callahan, Kevin-san |NEKO| Akemi Takada '09, 5/9":

However, as I was prepared to leave, Takada asked if there was not a book I wanted signed. I did have a book right? Well, yes, I said, I did have the La Madonna book, but I was not planning to open it (actually, I plan to open it only when I can be assured of not disturbing the shrink wrap more than possible. That takes finesse. Not something one does in line on the spot), but that I had planned for such a contingency as multiple autographs and pulled out my Madoka book, her last KOR volume from 2001. So she signed that too, completely to my surprise:

The next half an hour to an hour was spent in the lobby again. As soon as I got down the stairs, I got mobbed. Everyone was taking pictures of the senshiki, and congratulating me on getting something they didn't have, yet being very passive-aggressive (maybe it's true, but even in Japanese, it just reeked of rude jealousy) by suggesting that Takada was temperamental, and I was lucky I had caught her on a day where she was willing to go with it. While I should have felt good about the attention, in truth, that last comment, combined with the fanboy funk, and the loss of personal space, just really upset me, and it took me about twenty or thirty minutes from the time I said I had to leave to the time I actually was able to exit the building.

I learned three things yesterday:

1) Problems I have with anime fandom in the US are the same as the problems I have found in Japan. Con scene included.
2) Con funk is con funk is con funk.
3) KOR fandom is well and truly dead in Japan when only 100 people turn up for a new KOR art book for a signing with the artist, only two of them show a preference for KOR, and only one (the one who is not Japanese) is there for the primary reason of it's the first new KOR book in eight years.

...I felt so very alone, not keen to repeat the experience, and very, very exhausted:

KOR Manga Can Be Read Online in English

2009-05-04T03:08:00.000-05:00

Read the KOR Manga here.

A Winnar Is You... KOR Doujin on Ebay

2009-05-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

I picked up this 1990 KOR doujin for $6 US:

I think that's supposed to be Akane, not Hikaru, but we'll see when it comes in. It should get here shortly, the seller is pretty near me here in Japan.

We still have a long way to go...

2009-05-03T09:26:00.001-05:00

Here's why:

Yeah... I'm going to be taking pictures for a while...

Kimagure Orange Road DJ Session in February??!

2009-05-02T20:15:00.000-05:00

I apparently missed a KOR themed DJ session in Toyohashi in February. At least, that's what I think this poster says:

...?

Someone explain.

Posters!

2009-05-02T19:17:00.001-05:00

Posters were put out for a number of different reasons and by several companies. Companies include VAP, Toho, Peirrot, and GoFA (actually an art Gallery). Reasons included promotional posters for events or video/LD/music releases, exhibitions, etc. Some are just plain collectable posters without any special reason. The pride of my collection is probably either the Akemi Takada 2000 Exhibition poster or the original Ano Hi ni Kaeritai movie poster.

CONFIRMED: Takada to be in Tokyo on May 9th!

2009-05-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

Akemi Takada will be signing autographs on Saturday, May Ninth at GoFA in Tokyo around 3:00 PM.

There are rumours she might even be willing to do sketches. She has at previous exhibitions.

In any case, you can count on me to be there with camera in hand!

DVD Remaster Figurines

2009-05-02T06:18:00.000-05:00

First up, our favorite heroine, Ayukawa Madoka (鮎川まどか):

Next is Hiyama Hikaru (檜山ひかる):

Kasuga Manami (春日まなみ):

Kasuga Kurumi (春日くるみ):

Last, but certainly not least, Jingoro the cat (ジンゴロ):

That's all for the figures that came with the Japanese Region 2 Remasters. We'll get to garage kits, resin kits, etc in later posts.

Akemi Takada Exhibition in Tokyo

2009-05-02T05:53:00.000-05:00

Right now, there is an an exhibition at GoFA in Tokyo for the works of Akemi Takada, including her diverse and prolific works for Kimagure Orange Road because of her newest release La Madonna. I am still working out the Japanese, but I am definitely going if she will be present. I will have her sign my copy of Madoka and purchase a copy of La Madonna at the very least.

Details at: http://www.gofa.co.jp/art/090429_takada/

Vinyl!

2009-05-01T23:16:00.000-05:00

Okay, so at this point I only have two KOR records, one LP and one EP:

Shitajiki (Pencil Boards)

2009-05-01T22:33:00.000-05:00

Based on my research, I have collected most if not all of the pencil boards one can find pictured across the internet, so I think I am almost to a complete set. The following pictures are in pairs, front/back:

Am I missing any?

Welcome to the KOR Goods Blog!

2009-05-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

As I acquire various KOR goods, I will post them here. I will also post what I am looking for. I am in Japan, so if you would like me to see if I can find duplicates for you, or you know where I can find items I am looking for, please leave a comment, and I will be in touch!