First off, this is a Tofugu contest blog entry! Normally I wouldn’t think to do something like this, but it’s interesting! (Note: I’m posting this now, but I may add images in later. No time right now!)

See, I have appreciation for both the impractical and the practical, so long as things are unique and really do what they’re supposed to — whether it’s to look good or function in some way. For example, Nintendo systems host gaming franchises that have held up over the course of 25 years, but the systems themselves are also pretty physically resilient. My DS should have broken a couple of times.

Figurines and similar toys have absolutely no uses other than looking pretty and taking up space (having been a Beanie Baby collector in my childhood, I can attest to something like this), but some are so awesome that they compel you to buy. The expense is justified in how awesome you feel while looking at them. If you live with other people who appreciate them, the awesomeness doubles!

So, I am an appreciator of Good Things and Cool Things. I don’t buy things unless they are either Good or Cool. If I think I’ll be tired of something in a year, or 5 years, or ever, I probably won’t invest in it — after all, all those little plastic things will be around basically forever, so if you’re going to buy into them, they might as well bring you a lifetime’s worth of entertainment! When I adopted this mindset, I became much less entranced/overwhelmed by stores like Spencer’s Gifts and anime con dealer rooms (respectively). I also felt much less compelled to buy random crap on a whim.

ANYWAY, Flutterscape is a website where people take pictures of cool Japanese stuff, and you can get that stuff if you’re not in Japan. Here is some stuff I want!

Ukiyo-e Stamps: $18.98 ($2.03 shipping)

I love Ukiyo-e. I also kind-of collect stamps. They’re a few steps down from my eventual goal of obtaining an original print — one of my graphic design teachers had one and showed the class, and it was so fragile I kind of freaked out inside — but it’s still pretty neat!

Edible Sakura: $15.93 ($3.16 shipping)

I tried to eat flowers when I was little (dandelions, in fact). They looked so good. They tasted so horrible. But these look so delicious, and pink, and I can’t resist the urge to try them…

JSG Reversible Parka w/Ears: $66.21 ($12.20 shipping)

I love small, non-bulky jackets with a bit of “pop”. I looked for a good one last winter that was small but still very warm (to compensate for my smallness and inability to carry heat in cold) and never found one suitable enough. For the record, I’d never wear that with its pink side out (ears are enough of a “different” feature), but I love clothing with wild patterns on the interior.

Koopa – Loud Music Nintendo CD: $34.31 ($2.03 shipping)

I never knew this existed! There are at least two more just like this, a Luigi “B-Side” music CD, and a Peach “Healing” music CD, from the exclusive Japanese Club Nintendo. I want this one because it has some of the most interesting tracks, and some (or all?) of them might be remixed. Awesome. I love video game music.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 OST: $46.32 ($5.52 shipping)

Did I mention I love video game music? It’s no secret that Mario Galaxy 2 is my favorite modern Mario game so far, and this Japan-exclusive soundtrack is something I simply must have. So I requested it!

Grand Total: $206.69

That’s a little over $200. As another option, and especially if that doesn’t fly, I’m kind of dodging between that JSG jacket OR this other thing I requested:

Chi’s Sweet Home Volumes 1-7: $47.86 ($12.42 Shipping)

I can more or less read kana, so using this series of manga would be a cute way for me to try to up my kana recognition and reading speed in a practical way…by reading comics. Besides, it’s adorable.

If I took that jacket out and replaced it with this, the grand total would be $188.56, leaving about $11 to be spent. I’d totally be okay with that though. I can’t think of anything else low-priced to eat that up, anyway!

Big Success!

As it turns out, Flutterscape is actually a little hard to navigate, and a lot of stuff is also miscategorized, but it’s like a golden opportunity to score some really neat Japanese stuff. People are happy to fulfill your requests! It’s quite good.

As for why I deserve any of this, apart from my general appreciation of Good Things (as well as Good Acts, like simply giving me $200 worth of stuff in return for a blog post :D), well… I’ll put them to good use. I use stuff, enjoy stuff. And I take to heart the thoughtfulness put into a good product (especially music, more recently). I’ll even encourage people I don’t even know to invest in the kinds of stuff I like. It’s awesome.

Besides that, I’ve really wanted Chi’s Sweet Home for some time now, and I’m kicking up my Japanese studying again. I like to try new things lately, and reading an all-Japanese comic for kids is definitely new. Just like edible sakura!