Gacha Gacha at Mitsukoshi!

Last November 8, 2023, Mitsukoshi Mall, a japanese theme mall had it's new attraction to their avid customers.  

Grand opening signage

The Gachapon Bandai Official Shop has hundreds of Gachapon items from Pokemon to Gundam. Gachapon items costs 2 golden coins up to 15 golden coins for premium items. One golden coin costs 65.00PhP, however, if you buy 30 coins will give you a free tote bag.

Aside from cash, the Gachapon Bandai Official Shop accepts digital payments and credit cards. I do hope the Gacha Gacha will have the same items as were in Japan.

Golden coins

Gachapon machines

  

My Experience from a Pinoy Proxy in Japan

Last June 2020, I ordered Gunpla kit for my birthday through a Filipino proxy in Japan. I ordered a pair of Gundam Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics kit. The Filipino proxy sells it for 1,300PhP per kit (2,600PhP total). After I placed my order and paid half of the items, he confidently affirm that the arrival of the kits will be on the second week of July. As the month of June ends, he informs me that the arrival of the kits will be moved to End of July. But after days of follow up, it was moved again to August, and moved again to September. According to the proxy, the boxes was apprehended by the Japanese Customs because of vast number of toys inside the box and they have to pay penalties, otherwise, those boxes will be confiscated.  It finally arrived in our office this October after 4 months of waiting. 

The GunPla kits I ordered through a Pinoy Proxy

Filipino residents in Japan are considering it as a sideline on top their work and I believe it does earn a lot, as they convert 1 yen as 1 peso. Meaning a 1,300JPY Gunpla kit is 1,300PhP! A 100 percent profit! By the way, they don't limit in selling toys and collectibles, they also sell branded goods and beauty products as well. These Filipino proxies are using the Balikbayan boxes in sending the items to the Philippines. As every OFW knows that they can squeeze items inside the box regardless of size and weight, as long as the goods can fit inside with a fixed shipping fee. I think there are some Pinoy proxy is having a hard time in filling up the boxes, deferring deliveries as supposed to be.

My advice to collectors in the Philippines is to check the reviews of the proxy. Some of them might be a bogus proxy and putting up bogus social media page. Check the prices online such as Yodobashi and BicCamera. Some proxy may overprice the items by more than 100 percent, Google is your friend! And a lot of patience in waiting as there might be logistic difficulties during transit, especially at this time of pandemic. This will be my first and last transaction with a Pinoy proxy, I would rather buy thru Mandarake's online shop or Buyee, as they are more faster than Pinoy proxy.

Megasize Gundam in All Nippon Airways color

In my post six years ago (July 2013), I made a blog regarding to the High Grade (HG) Gundam RX-78-2 in All Nippon Airways (ANA) color. This time I bought a Megasize (1/48 scale) version of the same Gundam that I got online. The Megasize is the biggest scale of all Gunpla kits created by Bandai. I hope that ANA and Bandai would collaborate for another Gunpla.

Manual from kit

Without decals

Applied decals and topcoating

Shield with ANA decal

The unified Game Center cards in Japan

During my stay in Japan earlier this March, after taking my first bowl of Ramen, I went to a nearby Game Center in Akihabara, Taito Station. When I was looking for my e-amusement card, I just remembered that KONAMI released a new itineration of their e-amusement card. So I looked for the kiosk that dispensed e-amusement cards.

The new e-amusement card design

The new KONAMI e-amusement card is now a unified with other gaming companies such as SEGA's AIME Card, BANDAI NAMCO's BANAPASSPORT and Taito's NESiCA LIVE. Which means you can use one card to other games such as MaiMai or Taiko Tatsujin, etc. Game Cards sold by three gaming companies will have an AMUSEMENT IC logo within. KONAMI released a press release to the new implementation. Bought the e-amusement card for only 300 JPY (400 JPY as of Dec 2019).

e-amusement card dispenser and the PASELI loading kiosk in Taito Station Akihabara

The old Game Cards issued by each companies is still usable though but they can't be crossover. I haven't tried to use the Amusement IC cards in Banapassport enabled games such as Maximum Tune (Old cabinet might be using the old RF readers).

UPDATE: 11 January 2020

As of January 2020, SEGA's maimai DX will be officially connected to SEGA's ALL.NET network in the Philippines, and equipped with Amusement IC readers. It means that e-AMUSEMENT, BANAPASSPORT, and ALL.NET are available in PH!

maimai DX arcade machine at Q Power Station in Makati

What I bought in Japan 2019

Last March 2 to 8, 2019, I went to Tokyo, Japan for a week long vacation. During my stay I have visited and revisited places in Tokyo. Of course, it will be not be complete if I didn't buy BEMANI merchs.

It seems figures are the biggest number that I bought. I never thought I would be able to get the 1/8 scale figures and the DAC (Desktop Arcade Cabinet) of jubeat copious. There is also a DrumMania V6 DAC for sale but more expensive than jubeat.

Next are the BEMANI Artist albums and the Game Softs. I was lucky that I able to get hold of TËЯRA's first album, RЁVOLUTIФN and BeForU's 2nd album. The reason I bought Game Soft is to replace my scratched copies due to my PlayStation 2 slim makes circular scratches on the discs which makes unreadable in the future (I dumped my annoying PS2 Slim for 700Php to an online buyer).  

I also bought Gunpla kits such as the Expansion set for my v Gundam Ver. Ka and the limited edition 7-11 HG RX 78-2 Gundam kit. Buying Gunpla is not in the to-buy list though.

The interesting item I bought is an unopened Google Home mini speaker for only 1,950 JPY in their BookOff Shinjuku branch. I was reluctant to buy one because it might not be compatible with Apple products (Apple fan? LOL) but it works! Bic Camera in Shinjuku sells it for 3,000 JPY. They slashed 50% from the 6,000 JPY retail price.

Philippines' first GUNPLA EXPO!

A Gundam RX-78-2 pose

Today I went to SM Mall of Asia to see the very first GUNPLA EXPO in the Philippines. The Expo runs from February 25 to March 5, 2017. Due to hectic schedule from work, got the glimpse of the Expo on its last run.

The Expo consist of Gunpla's that are available in the Philippine market. They also sell limited edition, but all limited edition Gunpla's were sold out. Though empty-handed, I enjoyed the event taking photos of the Gunpla's on display.

Gunpla fans will be delighted if there will be another GUNPLA EXPO for 2018

These are the photos;

GUNPLA EXPO Main entrance

On Display: Gundam Build Fighters Try

On Display: Perfect Grade (PG) Gunplas

Ver. Ka: Nu Gundam and Hi-Nu Gundam

Pinoy Gunpla creations on display

Gunplas for sale

Gunplas on sale

Mega size (1/48) Gunplas