J's Chimes: Cleaning Clearing Models....

It's the time of year once again and had decided to do a major spring cleaning of my cabinets that houses my scale models and figures. It is wise to check your models and clean them occasionally because it might be stained or dirtied after exposing to the environment, which is especially so in Singapore because of its wet and humid weather.


I just had to take out and clean every single one of the models, figures and Gashapons that I had. Just as mentioned before about how PVCs may melt overtime, it is wise to clean it so that further damage would not occur to your hard earned models... This is especially so to gashapons as they are made of poor quality plastic materials that may melt overtime when exposed to the environment...


After which, I would rearrange the placement of the Gashapons at the bottom of the display cabinet. I absolutely adore the Mecha Musume series which look similar to Sky Girls or the anime Strike Witches. However, the materials melt and thus would have to do a really thorough cleaning to wipe off the stickiness of the melted plastic that covers the figure.


The second level displays my classic anime figures that I collect from years ago till now. The arrangement is kinda bad though because of the mixture of small to medium sized figures... Well, due to space constraints it is inevitable to place it properly though...


The 3rd level contains mostly the BOME series from Kaiyodo and some miscellaneous models from Evangelion to The Revoltech figure boxes behind... I love BOME series models because its rather detail and nice. However, it seems that the series had stopped somehow...


My favorite models are placed on the 4th level within eye level. Scale models include Pixie Hoyori, Nagato, Mina, etc. My figmas are also placed behind in boxes... One of the problems with figma figures is that I just do not know where to find a place to store their additional parts. And I just couldn't make a wonderful pose for the figures to display, and thus they stay in the box for safe keeping... Occasionally took them out to play for a bit...


The 5th level also displays some of the few models that I loved too. Also making way for this shelf space for the newer models am getting next year... Yup... Some of my scale models are still inside the box. Sometimes I just couldn't bare to expose them into the environment. And the box looks so cool too that its unbearable to throw them away...


The highest level sits a couple of models which also may be retired soon enough as newer models are being bought next year. Behind sits 2 figures of Mikuru which is wrapped in plastic. The top of the cabinet is considered as the blind spot of my collections as you'd rarely paid attention to it because its so darn high... Ya can't put Gashapons there and would seem to be the most neglected corner of all...

J's Chimes: STGCC Photographs

And so the Singapore Toys, Games and Comics Convention had come to a close yesterday. Finally here are the photographs that I've taken in the convention and they can be viewed by clicking on the links given below... Or you can also simply find the link located on the right taskbar labeled photographs and video clips.

Photograph links:
General Event
Cosplays

Unfortunately the End Of Year Cosplay Event 2010 clashes with the STGCC. Hopefully some passionate photographers will be able to post for us some photos online so that we could take a little peak at what's going on there...

J's Chimes: Best Little Things In AFA...

Sometimes, even the most minute thing in the event catches your attention. Especially when you began to reminisce about it when you scroll through your photos taken at AFA. There are a couple of them and some of it would probably be the amazing figurines that had bought during this convention. Nonetheless, Black Rocker Shooter catches my eye and went about buying even the figma on the second day of the event as it looks pretty cool in the display cabinet...


The other would probably be the Nendoroid for Balck Rock Shooter as it looks so really cute... Not to mention her poker face attachment which is interchangeable for her serious look. Both Black Rock Shooter Models are highly rank in the top 10 bestsellers when it was up on sale.


This T-Shirt which was hanging at the edge of the COSPA booth caught my attention becuase of its attention seeking designs of Ikaros from the anime Sora No Otoshimono. Because of her amazing blossom and chain tied on her neck, it seems pretty erotic in some sense or another. Which makes me wonder who would be brave enough to wear this outside without having weird stares on your T-Shirt. For better or worse, nobody would know...


Black Cat was actually an Amercian-based comic book character but it was later drawn into anime due to the influence of the Japanese culture and artwork. But somehow or rather I'd prefer the Japan version due to the fact that it looks much more beautiful compared to American art because they tend to draw girls as some other style in which my eyes couldn't very much accept... (Perhaps due to too much Japanese animes instead of American Animations)


Cosplayers are pretty up-to-date too and already you could even see people cosplaying as Panty and Stocking in the AFA Convention. Perhaps one of the most eye-catching characters around this season due to the fact that the art style animation, the comedic and explicit random ecchi-ness. Not to mention using undergarments as weapons of purification... The weapons catches my attention as it lights up and somehow or rather looks nice and heavenly...


I was actually taking the photograph of this booth instead but to my surprise, the cosplayers manning this booth began posing when they saw me holding up my camera... I was dumbfounded but then I thought to myself, ok so she wants a photograph so I decided to take lots and lots so that I wouldn't disappoint them as they are quite eager to... All is well because I got to have a couple more moe sailor uniform girls in my photo collection.


Perhaps one of the most long awaited figma models of all time, the Danny Choo Mascot Mirai Figma. Heard that it is up for pre-order very soon and would probably be ordering mine asap when it's up. Looks really nice...


Last but not least, it's got to be Danny Choo. It's a surprise to see him back in Singapore for this AFA event. Amazingly, I got a photo with him once again but it was more of a coincidence because we suddenly saw him just beside us when we were taking photographs of this Itasha. He's indeed a very friendly person and charismatic and bows politely to me when I shook his hand after taking a photo with him... really cool.

J's Chimes: Danny Choo At AFA & CGM

Yesterday was a CGM hosted by DannyChoo at Lau Pa Sat in Singapore at 5pm. Due to certain circumstances, am unable to go and am pretty disappointed about it... There should probably be a few hundred comrades gathering there and would probably overtake the entire food center for this occasion. Hopefully I could get the updates on this asap online about the event though...


But in any case, am still happy due to the fact that I've manage to take a photo with Danny Choo once again in the AFA convention. (You can see my previous photos with him by clicking here)


It was really a big coincidence that I met him at the right place at the right time... Yup, and I mean at the right place where a copy of his Itasha is featured at AFA using another car for its designs...


Danny Choo also had his stage appearance in AFA to give us a little presentation on Japan Culture. It is rather educational and informative with the screening of his television programme known as the Danny Choo Network - Culture Japan.


One of the memorable moments of his presentation screenings. If maid cafes are like that in Singapore, perhaps people will start visiting one soon. In any case, his programme will soon be aired on Animax this December so if you do own Starhub or Mio TV, you might want to subscribe it asap so as not to miss an episode of it.

J's Chimes: AFA Event News & Photographs

This is it! The moment you have been waiting for. Photographs for the entire Anime Festival Asia Event. The photographs are split into 3 sections mainly the General Event, Cosplays and the Performances. You can view it by searching the link on the right side menus or simply click on the links here given below.

The Anime Festival Asia X Photographs:
General Event
Cosplays
Performances & Competition


The event was also reported in yesterday's Straits Times newspaper under the home section. However due to some reason or another, it was not aired in the News on TV. The event is finally over... However, we will be updating more news about AFA X for this entire week to commemorate those days of fun and excitement so please stay tuned...

J's Chimes: AFA Goodies And Stuff

Bought a lot of stuffs in the Anime Festival Asia X yesterday. Feared that I may even overspent more this year than the last... But all is well with the loot that I've harvested in this event. Ah, the joy of getting these is just so great but then again I didn't really have the time to appreciate it much because am so really tired after a whole day of 'shopping' and taking photographs...


The very first stuff that I grabbed was the copy of a picture book for the past AFA 2009. Really needed something like this to remember by... sort of like a souvenir for the Anime Festival Asia. Immediately make a dash towards GoodSmile to check out what they sell in their booth. Bought a couple of K-On! keychains before heading to the COSPA booth.


First priority in COSPA? Grab the Misaka Mikoto T-shirt straight from the shelf and began queuing... No questions asked. In fact, this was sold out early that afternoon. However the straps doesn't looked really appealing so had forfeit that to get something else instead...


Well in any Anime Festivals so as to say, it has got to be the scale models and figurines... Bought the Black Shooter Nendoroid because it's just simply irresistible. Not to mention Mio with her lovely guitar... (Together with 2 keychains bought from GoodSmile)


Saw someone holding a Miku fan and decided to grab one too... Kinda cute and makes you smile... Was then in the stage area watching the performances and the Gundam movie before deciding to buy something else... And thus saw this dakimakura from Code Geass which caught my attention and decided to buy it regardless... (Though I do not really have a good impression on Odex, this little thingy brought my attention to purchase the dakimaura too...)


Yup... This 3D poster of Nuranihyon No Mago is just so nice that had decided to purchase it. It would cost lesser to purchase it with the dakimakura so had decided to go with the flow~


And what's the first things first when you got home? Unwrapped your toys!! Love this Nendoroid a lot... Just gotta touch it... They are just so cute not too...


Finally, Black Rock Shooter comes alive and leap out of the box... Gives a glaring stare and then back into the box she goes... Too tired to display her as of now as am so groggy after a long day of 'shopping'.


The Nendoroid comes with a free Black Rock Shooter DVD too. Wow! Hopefully I have the time to watch and know what this anime is really about... This is perhaps probably the very first Nendoroid with a DVD as a free gift...


Mio is the next out of her confined box. Posed it a little and give her some fresh air before going back to her default display casing... Perhaps I should put her on my computer desk? Let's just leave it to after the AFA convention...


Day 2 of AFA X will commence once again this morning at 9am and will be there once more for some major phototaking and video recording of this festival. The AFA photos will be out from Monday onwards so do stay tune for a whole week of AFA updates...

J's Chimes: Arm Guard Completed...

Yup... Had finally completed my arm guard but still thinking whether or not to wear it to AFA X as it may hinder my photography... In any case, this took me about a week or so just to complete... Here's a little sketch of the sections of it...


Had to literally drew the parts out on paper for a trial first before proceeding to using the foam sheets and the Synthetic leather for the armor... Quite the tedius work there as have to manually drew and measure by hand...


The foam sheets are later cut and glued together. Once the shapes are out, the synthetic PVC leather is then glued onto it. This makes it elastic and flexible. Adhesives were used as its stronger.


Ran out of black foam sheets and replaced it with another color instead. This is a photo of the shoulder armor in its preparatory stages... Seriously I didn't even think that it might turn out so well though...


The armor for the wrist, elbow and till the shoulder. didn't make the armor for my fingers as I would not be able to hold my camera if I did... (And that would be disastrous as I would definitely be taking photos of the convention...)


the Armor for the shoulder and misc. Still pondering whether to wear it to AFA X or not... In any case, it is quite an amazing feat to be able to create it from scratch... Didn't expect it to turn out well despite man setbacks. But now comes the most challenging part... Should I wear to Suntec City? (Doubt would have the time to put it on when queuing up for the opening...

J's Chimes: Duo Screen

My family bought a new LED tv only to notice that the antenna wasn't working in their room. Thus it was transferred to my room instead. The result? I connect it up using a HDMI cable to my computer too and now the LED tv is also capable of using it as a monitor too... I could use it as a duplicate screen just as seen above or as a continuous screen whereby you could actually see icons flying from one screen to another...


Yup... could even connect the laptop to it too... My desk is seriously getting heavier with a lot more electronics now... Well at least I could watch tv programmes in my room now...