With the puro yakyu postseason having been expended in recent years,the 2009 Japan Series will actually begin on Halloween;and yes it's a best-of-seven format...

Nowadays,I just don't have the mind to concentrate on RPG video games even though I've been good at Dragon Quest and have dabbled into earlier Final Fantasy remakes for the portable systems.In fact,a DQ5 remake for the DS may be out stateside...

Happy birthday to Rokurou Naya(who turns 77),Shin Aomori(who turns 68),Michie Tomizawa(who turns 48),Kouichi Toochika(who turns 38),and Mami Kosuge(who turns 37)...

While it's a bold move moving it from an ancient event/meeting hall(likely old enough to predate fire codes requiring sprinklers)to a modern luxury hotel(the Sacramento Radisson),the Sac-Anime organizing committee could do quite a bit better in terms of handling large crowds:Walking less than a mile from light rail to the venue was nothing.Once I got there,I stood in line for at least 45 minutes after the opening and even then,just about every corridor(all hallways plus the vendors room)was always crowded and barely walkable.Just about the only enclosed are that wasn't crowded was the anime viewing room which I entered just in time to catch the first 2 episodes of Saki(no,not that Saki)and I still can't figure out true mah jong.The anime viewing room has primarily depended of fansubs lately though they have screened region 1 DVD's in the past.Anyway,this year's vendor room was a relative rip-off:Aside from prices inflated even in comparison to prior editions,many booths with desirable genuine import items didn't take plastic for one reason or another;and I'm not the one that would risk a foreigh ATM double surcharge just for desperate cash,as it's simpler to make a debit purchase at a larger mainstream retailer and request cash back(only one with walking distance was Costco and I've never had a membership there and currently am unlikely to unless maybe if I live alone).With the limited cash on hand,I still left with some decent goods:a a $13 mini plush Slime(my priciest find),a $2 KO Seiki Beast keychain,and three Mahou Kishi Rayearth sticker sheets at a buck a pop.If that particular booth took plastic,I could have scored a lot more MKR goods.At least the lunch buffet at one of the on-premises eateries was worth it.The parting shot(unless I do return tomorrow,I paid for two-day admission which was just a few dollars more than Saturday-only just in case):While the move to a hotel can't be totally brushed off as a failure,they could use this learning experience to work out the kinks and plan smarter for the next edition in January...

So rushed last night that I put the intended tags on the wrong line(mood)...

Happy 41st bithday to Teruaki Ogawa...

Though not the same culprit,it seems that those Eurozone SS fans have been after that same toy Fairy Carafe that's supposed to be mine,lapi.On a non-anime note,but speaking of eBay,I found(via Buy It Now)a wireless phone replacement battery(made by my phone's manufacturer)in a last-ditch effort to avoid buying a new handset for at least a little while longer...

So far,Dragon Quest IV is unlike any prior DQ game I've played before...

Happy birthday to Tohru Ohira(who turns 79),Sayoko Mishima Junko Asami(who turns 41),and Seika Hosokawa(who turns 29).Speaking of Sayoko Mishima and seiyuu,if the producers of the AMG TV series were smart,they would have brought back Asami-san in that role and have Mamiko Noto(who voiced Sayoko in the TV series)voice Megumi Morisato instead,lapi...

Not only did I win that Saki Hyuuga figurine(a rather close call as other bidders pushed it up to $20);but speaking of Futari wa Purikyua Splash Star and eBay,I also bid on a anime character book(and won uncontested)and bid on another toy Fairy Carafe(the same seller that listed one I lost out on recently has listed a new one).As for the anime,I've finally made it to episode 40.Knowing the speed of the fansub project,by time 24 gets subbed,I'll probably have watched all the raws...

Though they hadn't had any copies of the lastest issues of it in stock since last year,I did manage to find issue 40 of Shuukan Shounen Magazine while at Oto's Video on Thursday.The first story is a new serialization:Junjou Karen na Oretachi da! by Yuriko Nishiyama.Speaking of raw manga,I've decided to get into HunterxHunter(still serialized in the Japanese Weekly Shounen Jump which I have some back isssues from last year of)as I grabbed volume 1(as well as Gakuen Arisu volume 4)at Borders yesterday after work yesterday.While at it,I also managed to grab the barely-released Dragon Quest IV(for the DS)and its strategy guide while at Fry's.For some reason it's become harder for me to get into game that aren't on a handheld...

Happy 32nd birthday to Yui Horie...

Also,Kouji Murofushi could belatedly end up with his second Olympic medal(which would be the 26th Japanese medal of Beijing Games),if doping allegations against the silver and bronze medalists in the hammer throw event are proven true...

Though the link was actually in nakayosi,Akadot Retail has turned out to be a decent source recent back-issue manga phonebooks,including competing semi-monthly Hana to Yume.I recently ordered issues 825 and 826(issued directly before the two issues I acquired on consecutive visits to Oto's)from them,and they already arrived yesterday.Issue 826 debuted the latest work by Fruits Basket creator Natsuki Takaya,and both issues seemed to also have one one-shot a piece...

Well,since no portable Dragon Quest games have come out in years,I now have the PSP version of the original Final Fantasy...

I don't know how their factories held up,but one of Japan's largest confectionary companies is headquartered in the city hit hardest by Niigata prefecture's second deadly quake in less than 3 years...

Since it's almost tomorrow(the 18th),happy 44th birthday to Niina Kumagaya...