Toomanywires

I've been frequenting Akihabara since 2005.  Too long, and it's gotten to the point where I've become an intolerable hang. Come to Akiba with me, and you'll quickly tire of me pointing at souvenir shops or chain cafes and explaining how they used to be game stores, full of delights. It's a constant trip down memory lane. Pointing and mumbling - remembering something. Something better. See that store full of loli-perv crap over there? They used to have stacks of Saturn games for ¥10 each. And loli-perv crap, obviously. That shithole over there once sold wigs and Mega Drive games. And the second floor hobby-store across the road was once my favourite game shop. A huge floor space, packed to the rafters with titles from every gen, and inexpensive to boot.   That laptop-recycle store by the station? That spot was occasionally manned by a benevolent spirit who dispensed dead-stock Game Gear Games. I wipe away a tear and resume frowning at a ¥1700 copy of Final Fantasy VI...

I am here and I am blogging! Sorry for the four-month absence. Here's a week of new posts to make up for it. I like to write about games from a personal perspective. I want to share how they intersect with my life.  There are only so many reviews or straight-forward informative posts that I can write before I just lose interest. Why would anyone want to read my thoughts about a game, unless I can add a unique perspective or angle? I won’t just write about Kirby, I’ll write about using Kirby to bribe my daughter . I’m not content blogging about the demise of Saturn Junk - I have to tell you about how it’s led to a new found appreciation of Rick James .  I’m guessing you approve, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. As always, thanks for reading. Today, I’m just going to share a memory, albeit one about games, that doesn’t really go anywhere. An afternoon that I was reminded of yesterday. It’s a Friday in 2009 and I’m working in Jimbocho, Tokyo. This was towards the end of my first s...

I am here and I am blogging! Sorry for the four-month absence. Here's a week of new posts to make up for it. One day last week, I ventured into Akihabara. Brave of me, considering it was smack bang in the middle of Golden Week, a string of public holidays here in Japan. Akiba was heaving, even with international tourists still locked out of the country, but I was dead set on having a rummage. A rummage for games. I visited the usual haunts: Trader under the tracks, Trader not under the tracks; Beep, Surugaya, Hard Off, the seedier Surugaya near the station, and that booth that's often shuttered where the owner mills around and I can't tell if he wants to be my friend or expel me from the country. I also stopped by the renowned tourist trap, Super Potato. SP is known for its high-prices, but if you know what you're looking for you can occasionally find a bargain. Not this day, though. Not at all. One Junk item in particular caught my eye - a rare piece of hardware marked...

It was the last stop of the day. The Suragaya nearest the JR Station, the one tucked away down a side-alley. I wasn't holding out much hope for bargains, as it's usually over priced. Well-stocked, so worth a perusing, but you're unlikely to get your wallet out. It had already been a very fruitful trip to Akihabara, Tokyo's electric town and home to all things video games, anime and anything remotely nerdy. It was a last-minute decision to visit two Sundays ago. Back when I was working in Tokyo, I'd stop by Akiba almost weekly, but the pandemic put an end to that. However, with the situation more under control, I'm starting to venture out a bit more now and I feel much better for it. And nothing lifts the spirits quite like a trip to Akiba. As proof, here's a video of me struggling to contain my excitement.  Shopping on Mercari or Yahoo Auctions is fun, but it's not the same. You can find some unexpected bargains in your local Hard Off, but it's one s...

A text conversation between my wife and I: Me: “Is it ok if I quickly stop by Akiba on my way home? I won’t be late.” Wife: “OK.” Hmm, that’s a very short yet very loaded yes. Yes it’s ok, though I’d prefer it if you came straight home after work. Now I’m feeling guilty, but I really want to go to Akiba. Time for some reassurance. Me: “I won’t stay long. Be back by 7pm at the latest (kissing smiley face).” Now I’ve shot myself in the foot. There’s no way I can visit all the shops I’d like and be back home by 7pm. I’m still feeling guilty, though. Me: “Do you want me to pick up anything?” Wife: “No I’m ok.” Well that’s a fucking relief, as I’m already pushed for time. That gives me a little under an hour to do the main stops. Let’s do this. Me: “Love you xxx.” Wife: “Get donuts.” I visit Akihabara, Tokyo’s home of all things video games (and electronics and anime), once or twice a month. I don’t have the free time that I used to, so my visits involve rushing ar...

Akihabara is a small area in Tokyo , Japan , renowned for its electronic stores. It’s equally as famous for being the centre of Otaku culture, and the home of countless manga stores, maid cafes, and of course video game shops. I spent four of the last five years living in Tokyo , and for the majority of that time I resided within walking distance of Akihabara. I wiled away many an evening in its stores, restaurants and izakayas, coming to know the backstreets like the back of my hand. Akiba kick-started my retro video game collection, provided the opportunity to buy reasonably affordable US games and played host to countless nights-out of varying debauchery, where I'd eat and drink far too much before murdering some classics at karaoke. Alongside Taketomi Jima in Okinawa, Akiba ranks as my favourite place in Japan . Despite being far from picturesque and offering little else that you couldn’t find elsewhere in Tokyo, I always enjoyed my time there and felt very much at home...