Kyoto-Nagoya Station: Trains and Manga

When the train stations look like airports and the subway looks like a high class shopping mall, you realize that your standards for infrastructure and innovation will never be the same again. Muji and UNIQLO were definite culprits for the havoc I wreaked on my savings account. But in truth, my greatest weakness was the drugstore.

It was not easy navigating shelves of hopelessly foreign  beauty products. My desperation was just that great. Japanese skincare is a dream. Shiseido cleansers foam up like nobody’s business- its like putting clouds on your face. That is really what you will look like in the bathroom mirror. Hada Labo lotions are so gentle that I’m not worried that they’re going to break me out. At the same time, I can attest to the hydration and brightening properties. I even picked up this wack horse oil cream from Loshi because it’s a supposed cult favorite. (I ended up giving it away, however, so I don’t know whether it was a worthy buy.) And don’t even get me started on those wonky eye drops that are supposed to compensate for lack of sleep. That drug needs to be experienced to be believed. It’s crazy.

Don’t mind me- just prancing around with these delicious white chocolate-filled matcha cookies and truckload of skin care products.

My travel essentials: wide-brimmed hat, silk scarf, camera, spare SD card, power bank, sunblock, shades, concealer, and bottled water.

I love, love, love, this scarf. It adds a whole new element to an otherwise plain outfit since it can be worn and styled in so many different ways.

At some point, I ended up striking out on my own in the streets of Nagoya in an attempt to track down AKB48’s latest single release that my college blockmate asked me to collect for her. While I’d already been the go-to translator for my family throughout the whole trip, it was a whole new ball game to go it on my own; without a cellphone to reassure me of some connection to the life I had previously known. All I had with me was a walkie-talkie (which was not working). I was so sure I’d end up in some kind of security office, advertised as a lost child at the age of 18. Thankfully, after a good deal of searching (and generous conversations via hand gestures), I was able to locate Tower Records and purchase the elusive ‘Tsubasa wa Iranai’.

Of course, on my way out of that mall, I couldn’t help but notice the glowing floor filled to the brim with anime and manga. For some context, the first anime I ever watched was D. Gray-man. It’s a dark, action adventure series that will always hold a special place in my heart. In fact, the 2nd season I thought would never come just finished airing recently. Much to my despair for although it was amazing, D. Gray-man Hallow’s measly 13-episode run left me craving more.

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu definitely gives off the vibe of being a comedic fantasy adventure-style anime with harem overtones, but that is so far from the truth. The story and characters are very intense, with each episode leaving you with more questions than answers. At the end of the season, you still won’t have any idea what in the hell is going on. But therein lies the beauty of it. You will hate the main character: Subaru, with a fiery passion (as I do). You will question why a wonderful girl like Rem loves overmuch and is always overlooked. You will complain about how much of a Mary Sue Emilia is. Surely there must be more to her than this. And you will wonder why the scenes become more and more shocking as character development reveals the most unexpected depravities. And yet, you will keep watching. If Groundhog Day had an anime baby with a penchant for fantastical beasts, beautiful girls, and psycho demons, it would be Re:Zero. This is not an anime for the faint-hearted. So watch it.

From Trendsetter’s Bazaar hat | Hermes scarf | COPPER top | Zara trousers | From Spain shoulder bag | Samsonite trolley | Stradivarius heels