Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 22 - 退院日

Ah* It's the day of discharge! Just had a normal breakfast, and will have lunch here later, but after that, it will be back to daily life already. I miss the place already! Hey, how many places can u name where you had a life-changing experience (or "heart-changing," in my case), and enjoyed d ordeal? It has been scary, it has been painful, it has been boring, it has been fun. (^-^) I'm really, really happy and thankful to God for making it go so smoothly; to mom for being here for me and taking care of me; to Hannah for her telepresence and remote-love; to all my family and friends who prayed for me; to the doctors and really nice nurses who did a wonderful job; and to no one in particular for the lack of hair and make-up. d(^-^) A truly heartfelt Thank You! ＼(^O^)人(^O^)／ Lets drink and celebrate! Whoops, gotta watch the intake! (｀o'ヾ

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 21 - Update 2

Surgeon just came by. He gave the thumbs up for discharge! Going home tomorrow afternoon! ~ヽ('ー`)ノ~ Will be taking the 7 tablets of warfarin for now, plus Viaspirin, another med i've been taking ever since the surgery. Both will be permanent. The heartrate med will continue until further notice. Just have to come back 2 weeks later for another blood test.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 21

It would seem i will need to stay here for a few more days due to my high warfarin requirement. (・ω・;) Doctor said that around 4 tablets is d norm. I still took 7 tablets last night. Oh well, will just wait and see. On a positive note, my weight has stabilized at 63.2-63.7 kg. I never thought its possible to get nearly the same value day after day after day! Amazing. Controlling salt intake really does work. Yesterday, they tested my leg strength among other things. It would seem i need more leg exercises. My legs are 50% weaker than the average in my age group! Well, no surprise there. (｀o'ヾ Been getting a lot of reminders and cautions from d nurses in prep for my discharge. I'm getting scared of the outside world because of those. Sounds like daily life is a dangerous and scary place. Hahaha. Ha. (¬_¬)ぁゃιぃ Will need to buy blood pressure and heart rate measurement device and a weighing scale when i get out, so that i can properly keep records. I just wish they invented some portable device to measure the salt content of food. That would be cool! As it is, i only have a jap food guide. 1 bowl of ramen already exceeds my daily salt limit by 25%. And a Tenya Tendon tempura bowl is only a bit below my limit. And that's jap food! Eating Filipino dishes would be... catastrophic. (´〜`) Its definitely d start of a healthier, albeit controlled, lifestyle.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 20

I think i had too much sleep. Head feels a bit heavy and im a little dizzy. Talked with doctor about d fast heartbeat right now. Will have to schedule follow-up consultations initially once a month. He doesn't think it is a permanent condition. Yokatta... (^-^)v Although im still a little worried about it. Warfarin dosage increased again yesterday from 6 to 7 tablets. It worries me that due only to natural variations, my dosage needs to be increased twice in 2 weeks. Especially since blood testing after i'm discharged is only once a month (compared to d current near-daily blood sucking routine). Supposed to have final checkup today but no scheduled examinations yet. Hm.. Could they have forgotten?

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 19

Hm.. Didn't know what happened to the old guy. They had him CT scanned, and transferred around lunch. Another old man took his place. As for me, they doubled my dosage of d heartrate lowering med in hopes of further decrease. The change is only a little so far. I think my sleeping heartrate is now 70-80 bpm. Active heartrate still around 80-100 bpm. Been walking 800 meters, and d 5 flights. Nurse gave me a more comprehensive warfarin listing. More common food needs to be limited, including carrots, asparagus, and garlic. Generally, normal small amounts is ok, just not as main diet. There are some super-high Vit.K foods that i don't know yet. Will need to translate more food names later. Still don't know if i can take my usual Enervon tablets.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 18

Some of my chest pain seems to have started to disappear. I can already lift my body up using my elbows while lying flat, albeit very slowly. I needed to roll sideways and use d bed post in the past days. Yeah, getting in and out of bed had involved a tiring and painful dance. Last night, i also succeeded in lifting my head up from my pillow for a short while. My rhinitist seems to be making an unwelcome come back. Good thing sneezing no longer involves a sledgehammer... just a regular workshop hammer. (´〜`) Woke up today to the old guy in front of me crying out that he feels a lot of pain in his abdomen! They haven't figured out what's wrong yet. It's been more than an hour since! (=_=)

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 17

Heartrate still around 80-110 bpm. Looks like that will continue indefinitely for now... A complication of d surgery. Doctor said will discuss possible follow-ups on monday. Surgeon said i can be discharged on tuesday depending on d results of d last checkups on monday. Yesterday, I started going up and down 5 flights of stairs in addition to d 400 meters. Stairs are barely doable. Out of breath immediately. Cycling at 25 watts for 30 mins only. Rehabilitation guy said it will take probably a couple of months to get back to normal. Also met with dietician today. 6g of salt per day only, and restrictions on leafy vegetables due to the warfirin. ┐('〜`；)┌ Mom started cooking and bringing some tasty food since yesterday. o(^o^)o D hospital food had been quite unpredictable - sometimes delicious, sometimes unforgettably forgettable.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 16

Started meds for palpitation last night. This morning, my heartrate has decreased from an average of 110 bpm to around 90 bpm. I definitely feel less fatigued now, although I can still feel my heart thumping whenever i lie down or lean on a chair. Didn't get much sleep last night. Told the nurse it wasn't d new noisy snoring neighbor, or the periodic beeping of d equipment of the one that just finished surgery, but i'm not so sure. (^ヘ^)v Still can't get into a good sleeping posture, actually. Still have to lie down face up. Chest wound doesn't hurt much anymore, but the peripheral muscles still hurt a great deal when stress is applied. Sneezing is d worst - feels like a sledgehammer to my chest muscles. Last of d stitches (i hope) should be removed today.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 14

Odd dream last night about spirits, energy transfer (to me?!), and waking nightmare again. (=_=) Interestingly, it was also part anime - with a white-haired van transforming into a white-haired female "master spirit"; and little devils holding a stick with a keyword and a small hole at the end meant to lure unsuspecting visitors - Hell's version of google search and spyware sites. (¬_¬)ぁゃιぃ Today, i started walking 400 meters. Also started going to d rehabilitation area in d 1st floor for cycling. Just 15 watts for 20 mins today. Heart rate all throughout was a steady but high 125-130 BPM. （｀ε´）ぶー Had fish with pizza topping for dinner! (o^-')b

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 13

Heart rate still averaging around 100 bpm. Doctor said some electro cardiac pathway may have been affected or damaged. A few more days of observation is needed. Will need to take medicine if the condition persists. D other person in my room will be having surgery tomorrow. I thought i will be left alone in d room, but they wheeled somebody in from another room. Beans and veggies in tomato sauce for breakfast.. m(_ _)m Still at 200 meters with rest.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 12 - Post-Ope Day 5

Nurse said i can get a shower today! d(^O^)b First shower since ope! Just have to watch the chest wound properly, in case the hot water makes it bleed due to thermal expansion. Started walking 200 meters today as part of rehabilitation. Also discovered there are still some wires in my chest that can be connected to an external pacemaker in case of emergency. They plan to remove them in the next couple of days. {{{{(+＿+)}}}}

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11 - Update 3

Had you ever experienced a nightmare while awake? Like getting a sensation that everything feels big and immense, or every movement feels being sped up, although all other senses tell you everything's normal. I remember having such experiences as a child. According to my mom, it usually happens to me when i have a fever and had just woken up. Id b crying or scared of something. Well, i know how frightening it can be. Lately, ive been getting them again while in d hospital. Its really, really disturbing. Id have to stand up, walk around, and try to "wake" myself up from it. Today, i experienced it while watching the Christmas Concert. The notes seem to have triggered something in my head. I had to excuse myself even though i was in the front-most row (dizzy, i told them). They wheeled me up to my room immediately. Im sure it has some physiological cause. For sure, my sleep pattern is out of whack right now.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11 - Update 2

Everyone's leaving! Graham left this morning, and its going to be pretty quiet and uneventful without him around. We conversed only a few times, and didnt really talk most of d day, but hearing english once in a while was reassuring. Here's wishing him a full recovery from his stroke and heart operation! I wonder if he'll really write about he's experience as a gaijin having a stroke and triple bypass in japan. D other japanese guy who came in a couple of days before had also left. Which leaves only 2 in d room. Its going to get pretty lonely here. Cant wait to get home soon.
Also realized i've been uploading too much data, and im suddenly *really* concerned now of my phone bill! Will limit to text uploads from now on.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11

Chest wound still mildly painful. At least i can move around more. Still short on breath. I can walk until d drink station already, with some rest. Its around 10 meters away. Lifting paperback still tires me though. So i read only a little last night before sleeping. Hospital will be holding a Christmas Concert today. They set up a large flat screen for those here in d 4th floor. (^-^)

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10 - Update 3

Upper wound.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10 - Update 2

THEY TOOK OUT MY FLUID LINES JUST NOW!! $#!\(%@& IT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10

Recuperating. Surgery went perfectly. A lot of painful stuff as expected, but hospital service is excellent. Best in the world. Feels like a hotel if not for my medical treatment and surgery.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 7

Today's the big day! (-"-;) Opted for mech valve and a lifetime of warfirin. Hope i made the right decision.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 6

Its d day before ope. Im nervous and worried as expected. I keep worrying about my wake-up-runny-nose (rhinitis?) and whether it will be a problem when i wake up in d ICU. The doctor said not to worry since he hasnt seen anyone with rhinitist encounter any problem. Said that worst case, they can administer an anti-allergy drug. I hope it'll really be ok. yesterday, the project leader, sawada-san came by to visit. Brought some nice gifts too - a 3D puzzle and a 3x3x1 rubiks square (since not a cube). I completed the puzzle last night! (*'-^)-☆ D structure and pieces were left-right symmetric, so twas easy after building 1 side. Friend of my mom came over yesterday too. He's from Taiwan who is teaching chinese language in a university in nearby Takao. Had chicken patty/cake/block as part of dinner last night. They also included clam chowder in today's breakfast. >a, Will have CT Scan again later. They need more detail so will inject contrast agent again. At least no longer v
ia catheter. (-"-;) Nurse just came over and explained pre-op stuff, including d need to shave some parts ive never shaved before. ('0')/ハイ!

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 5

If yesterday afternoon is any indication, it's going to be an unproductive and boring day. Discovered how useful my phone-TV is during such times. Got to watch Kamen Rider W during breakfast today. (*^_^*) They already gave me some materials to read in preparation for the ope. Have to practice deep breathing and how to get out of bed at least once an hour. Had udon for lunch yesterday. Project leader dropping-by today. My mom will be coming to keep me company, since she rested yesterday given nothing much was expected to happen. Got tired of d slow pace reading Ga-rei manga, so i just did a speed-read. (^-^)v Started reading "Proust and the Squid", a book about d science of reading.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 4

Last of physical examinations today. Nothing to do until d ope on tuesday except to talk to surgeon. First breakfast here. Finished Timescape today - a wonderful nebula award winner by Gregory Benford. The book does science and the scientific commumity a great service even today, almost 30 years since its first publication. Also reading ga-rei #10 with phone dictionary and memo-ing the terms and kanji. Doctors recommending valve repair instead of replacement - it would seem mech valve is also expected to degrade in 15-20 years. Will discuss more with surgeon Takanashi-sensei, on monday. He's flying bk from germany tomorrow. Apparently, he's well-known here according to graham. Also had a conversation with an english-speaking japanese man from Ginma(?) prefecture. He also has a bicuspid valve (small 3rd leaf). Got a brief jap lesson on "ga" in d process. :P errata for previous post: anesthesia is "masui" 「麻酔」, not "musui". ∵・∴・★

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 3 - Esophagial Echo

Just finishd with esophgeal echo. Having something pulled in and out of your throat feels weird - especially the last looong hard pull. I kept on choking. They also had me keep this lubricant thing down my throat, and made me bite on a plastic thing with a hole to keep my mouth open. This is probably how a deep throat feels like, except it goes down to d level of your heart (NOT that i plan to do it, im not gay). They also sprayed something down my throat, im guessing its musui, anesthesia. They also injected me with more musui. D trick seems to be to just keep breathing through your nose and ignore everything else. D moment you breath thru d mouth, you choke and cough. It helps that the attending nurses were nice.. in both sense of the word. I cant imagine going thru that with an all-guy staff. Hahaha. Now, with everything wearing off, my throat just feels really sore. I can start drinjing only from 1130, and eat from 1300. (ΘoΘ;) Good news is they said i can drink
1 can of coffee. ＼(^O^)人(^O^)／ Will also have shower at 1530.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 3

Its almost 4am. Woke up in d middle of the night again. Using left hand to type. Im jst too conscious of my IV drip arm. At least the incision part is now less painful. They binded it yesterday with a bind that used pressurised air. They let out air every few hours to loosen it. Now its jst bandage. Saw d cut when they took off d bind. Lookd away immediately. (=_=) Talked with Graham, d guy from england across me. He also had heart surgery. Wounds were scary. Now dreading d esophageal echo thats due in a few hours. No breakfast for the 2nd time.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 2

Late post. Was supposd to send this during d morning. Today's my second day here at Sakakibara. Woke up in the middle of the night from 3-430pm. Early lights out (9pm), and early wake up call (6am). I was looking forward to breakfast when I remembered that no breakfast for me. My next meal will be lunch, after the catheter thing. |||(-_-；)||||||

Haruhi Morning

The day is sunny now that Typhoon Melor is out of Tokyo. Oh, wait... We did have a sunny day even while Melor was around. It would seem the typhoon decided not to give Tokyo some soaking. She did cause some disruption though - there was wanton destruction of beloved hairdos and, *gasp* a lot of people late for work due to ruined train schedules (Oh! The deadlines! The deadlinds!). She didn't even provide people a reason for needing to go home before work has been compensated in the form of more OTs. Oh well. I did wake up to the news that there will be a Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya movie next year, so sunny days may be ahead... then again, they may vanish. Pun intended. (^-^)v

Melor Morning

The morning started with continuous downpour, but not exceedingly heavy. Then, some time 8am, the sun started to peek through the clouds from time to time. Although the winds remained strong. The streets are littered with leaves and branches as expected. I haven't checked the news. I wonder whether Tokyo is now in the eye of Melor, or the typhoon had passed during the night.

Orange Flower

Saw this interesting hanging flower on my way to work today. It's growing in a yard of a corner house near my dorm. Twas interesting and eye-catching coz of its corner placement and its colorful contrast to the pale hues of a cloudy day. (^-^)

Bonboya-zyu Mug

It would seem I forgot to mention the mug in the loot of my previous post. So its getting a special post. :P
It's actually a Bonboya-zyu mug, featuring some peeking monkeys. I got it from Daily Yamazaki, a conbini near our office. Last week, they were offering it for free if you buy a box of Meiji Choco Almond and a big pack of Choco pie. Pricey for a total of 500+ yen (conbini price, of course). Well, I like the cute characters so I guess it was worth it. I didn't buy on the first day, so I missed the mug design I liked. But this is still Ok, since the monkeys have some special meaning for me. ;P

The text on the mug says:

Saru mitemasuyo. Gambatteru anata no koto chanto mitemasuyo.

The monkeys are watching. Properly watching you, who is giving your best.

Break from Work

It's Monday, but I'm glad to be getting some rest today instead of being at work. Will be in vacation mode until Wednesday since it's officially the Silver Week holidays (a name I think they only recently came up with to match the other week long holiday here in Japan, Golden Week).

It's been a hectic two weeks of debugging with late nights. As such, I've been indulging myself with some stress buying over the past two weekends. I did however limit myself to low cost purchases.  ^_^ So budget is still intact... more or less.

Total damage of recent loots pictured above is just a bit over 4000yen. These include:

• Revoltech Frauline Rin Tousaka,
• Revoltech Frauline Nagato Yuki (to match my Frauline Haruhi),
  
• A basic di:stage set (which I am now using with Haruhi, since I broke her stand)
• Books 5 to 8 plus a Special of Ga-Rei manga (been waiting for this to turn-up in Book-Off, so I'm glad they finally did. Although I still don't have book 9)
• Book 2 of The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi... although I don't have book 1. Lol!

Other than that, I've also been posting figurine pictures over at Figure.fm, a site for figurine lovers and collectors. It's a popular community for posting high resolution figurine pictures. ^^

Feel free to visit my recent posts and comment on them:

• Fairy of the Galaxy, Sheryl Nome
  
• More Sheryl Nome Weekend
• Futami Mami Pics
• Weekend Pics: Natsuki Kuga

The first two posts are actually similar to the pics here in my blog. Although you might be interested to view them in higher resolution. v(^^

Ah, times like these, I wish I could buy a professional camera. I just use my 3-year old Canon IXY to snap those pics. It takes quite some time to get a decent shot.

In any case, I will most probably be posting all my figurine pics over at that site from now on. Will just place links here to them. Enjoy! :)

「銀河の妖精」シェリル・ノーム

Unpacked my Sheryl Nome figure yesterday, and was she worth it! The figure is simply lovely..! The sculptor and painters over at MegaHouse did a magnificent work with her face and hair. I really love the hair; and the resemblance to the anime is perfect. :)

For those who don't know, the Fairy of the Galaxy ("Ginga no Yousei"), Sheryl Nome, is one of the lead songstress from the Macross Frontier anime. The figure shows her wearing the costume from her first performance in one of the habitable island ships of the Macross Frontier fleet. You can find a video of her performance here.

Unfortunately, our current level of technology cannot yet duplicate the holographic costume changer she used in the anime. Instead, the figure comes with a variety of manually-interchangeable accessories that will allow us to appreciate her in her various outfits (or at least in two of them). As you can see, the blue costume can be removed, revealing the skimpy black under suit that she also wore in the same performance. And she has the mic, the whip, and a blue cap that matches her blue attire.

The pictures were taken over the span of an entire afternoon, so the sunlight is not consistent across the pictures. Nonetheless, I hope you'll enjoy them. Me, I have the Sheryl Nome figure, in all her 3D glory. (^^,

Sheryl, with her leggings removed.
Her top uniform is actually composed of 3 pieces: the lower half (with the tail at the back) that splits into two halves, and an upper half (with the collar) that you can remove only by detaching her head. Her "sleeves" are actually part of her arm, and are simply replaced as a whole.

She's already wearing her black suit underneath (No, you cannot remove the black suit). However, the red garters need to be attached separately once you remove her blue outfit. You can see that the right garter slips between her fingers, creating the effect of her pulling at it.





 

Sheryl Nome, showing off her curves.

 



She's got a gorgeous back, don't you agree?

 Like in the anime, she sparkles in the limelight.

And my favorite picture - Sheryl Nome, her flowing hair glowing fiery- bright under the light of sun.

Ambulance at Church

Just finishd Mass. Somebody fell or fainted during the giving of the host. Dnt know how if the person was injured since it happened on the other aisle. They did call an ambulance, as can be seen in the pic. Given that the ambulance isn't rushing to the hospital, i'm assuming it's not serious. Hopefully.

A Better Picture

I felt the 1st picture didnt do justice to her, so i took another pic using my phone, this time bathing her in wonderfully bright sunlight. d(^-^)

Testing Mobile Blog

First test blng using mobile phone. (^-^)v A pic of my Futami Mami Frauline figure on top of my theqmal pot.

Anime Favorites and Evangelion

Decided to put my list of favorite animes on the side bar. (^^,

I don't know why I didn't think of doing it in the first place though. Just thought of it when a friend asked me where he can find my top anime recommendations. After searching the web for online list web tools, I finally just decided to keep things simple and use Blogger's link list gadget*.

The list is arranged with my most favorite at the top. This is not to say those at the bottom are not favorites though! I love them all. The order mostly reflects the impact the anime had on me, and how relevant & memorable they were when I watched them. As an additional guide, the list reflects my answer to the question "If you were to watch only n number of animes in your life, which one(s) would it be?"

So, yes, if I could only watch 1 anime series in my entire life, it would be Evangelion - a mind-boggling series filled with symbolisms, reflecting on issues and questions on what it means to be human, I think it is simply the greatest and most relevant anime to date. Neon Genesis Evangelion lives up to its title and delivers exactly that message to people of all ages (but especially to those growing up): the good news of a new beginning.


* "Link List" was really a confusing name for me who is used to thinking of "Linked-list" as something else. :p I kept thinking "So what's the difference between a list gadget and a link list gadget?"

Odaiba 1:1 Scale Gundam!

It's been 2 months since I last blogged! I've been busy with a lot of things. But I got to go take a much-valued and wonderful two-week vacation with my loved ones. :)

Today, I went to see the 1:1 scale Gundam in Odaiba. I wasn't really planning to go, but a friend of mine insisted that I get him the limited-edition 1/144 HG Gundam RX-78-2 Gunpla that's on sale only there (and he asked for two of them!). So I went... and got tired in a fun way. :D

The Gundam was impressive, to say the least. Well-crafted and quite detailed. However, I didn't get to see its full range of movements. I only saw its head move and some smoke... but from afar, since they only make it move from time-to-time, and I didn't wait for very long.

So what was tiring about it? The lines/queues! There were so many people up and about as it is the summer break holidays here in Japan (yes, including us salarymen). ;)

Starting from the Yurikamome train station (the driverless train connecting Odaiba to the mainland) all the way to the Gundam park and back, one would have to line-up, line-up and line-up. But I have to admit I'm impressed at the respect and discipline Japanese people have at lining-up and being orderly & organized... unlike where I came from. :P

My longest wait there was the queue to enter the on-site official shop to purchase the Gundam stuff. Took me more than an hour waiting under a hot summer sun just to get in. And guess what, for the limited edition Gunpla, each person is allowed to purchase only one! So I got one for my friend who was probably sitting comfortably in his office chair at that time, while I was sweating in the sun - but now that I think about it, I guess I'm still better off than he is... Hahaha. :D (Jokingly, I just sent him an IM message telling him I'll definitely charge him 10x the cost of the Gunpla.) I got myself a host of other stuff, like the RX-78-2 Ecopla (which, I think, is made off recycled materials?), the official 30th anniversary book, a couple of cool G30th metallic stickers, and a plain Gundam fan. :)

On the other hand, the longest line was the queue to enter the Yurikamome train station on my way home. It was probably a kilometer long! In any case, the wait didn't take as long the official shop queue since trains arrive more or less periodically.

All in all, it was a fun but tiring day. I don't especially go on trips these days, so these rare occasions to stretch and get tired from something different other than carrying heavy grocery bags are welcome. :D

Featured above and below are some pics I took of the Gundam (click to enlarge). I tried to take pics where one can appreciate the actual size fo the statue. Hope you enjoy them! :)








A close-up of one of the decals.








A view from down under. This is actually the final leg of the viewing ("last touch"). :p








A closer look at the booster pack.

Evangelion 2.0 Madness

Holy. S**t. Just finished watching Evangelion: 2.0 You can(not) advance. No mincing of words; no spoilers. Man, was it great! This is probably the best remake, hell, the most awesome anime and movie I've ever watched. And to think Evangelion is already one of the most popular anime series ever. Reviews are probably flooding the net right now, and I don't know what they are saying, but for me the movie was Just. Damn. Beautiful. I totally loved it. And the ending... holy s**t (with a silly smile on my face)... still can't get over it.

The ticket was a gift for me from my officemates! Thank you oh so very much! ^.^

It was my first time to watch in the Warner MyCal theater in Shin-Yurigaoka. Shown above is the movie pamphlet I bought from the theater shop.

The 1,500Yen Evangelion popcorn combo set that came with an Asuka figurine:














A closer look at the figurine. The face admittedly needs a major rework, but I don't care, I still love the movie! ^.^














My ticket and a part of the popcorn tray/box:

Frauline and Figma Figurines

I recently purchased my first Frauline Revoltech figurine - Suzumiya Haruhi (Bunny ver.) from Amazon.jp. I saw it was being sold at less than half the price when I made a differnent unrelated purchase, so I included it in my cart.

As far as anime poseable figurines go, this would be my 4th. I bought my first one, a Revoltech Saber, in the Philippines, followed by a Kamen Rider Kabuto, and then a Figma Suzumiya Haruhi, and now, this one. Since I have a Haruhi from both Figma and Frauline, I finally have a chance to compare the 2 popular toy lines. I didn't buy the toys just so that I could compare them, mind you. I did buy them simply because they were attractive. :)

First off is Frauline, which is a subset of the Revoltech series of toys from Kaiyodo. My first encounter with Frauline toys was back in the Philippines. At that time, only Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley, and Tousaka Rin were available. The Rei Ayanami figurine wow'ed me since the first time I saw her - the design and craftmanship of the joints looked nice, did not seem bulky or awkward, and highlighted the natural feminine curves of the figurine. At that time, the Frauline toys were for me the pinnacle of anime figurines. Unfortunately, I never bought any Frauline back then due to the price tag, and also because I was watching Fate/Stay Night at the time, and was eyeing to have Saber instead.

I think i first encountered Figma toys here in Japan. Figma is a toy line from Good Smile Company. Like Frauline, Figma figures are praised for their poseability, unobtrusive joints, replaceable face and hands (to suit your posing needs), and most important of all, good sculpting (i.e. the figurine looks true to the anime character). Truthfully, it's not easy to tell the difference in quality between the two toy lines just by comparing boxed figurines. What eventually prompted me to buy the Figma Suzumiya Haruhi instead of a Frauline figurine is my experience with the Revoltech series - mainly, with my Revoltech Saber. I never did mention it, but Saber looks good... but was hard to pose. The Revoltech joint system "snaps to grid" - which is good but annoying at times when you need to fine-tune a pose. And then there are the non-revoltech joints that are often loose, so it can't maintain certain poses. That said, I opted to try out Figma.

Now, Figma did not disappoint. The joints are stiff, and do not have discrete movements, so fine-tuning is easy. Moreover, Figma figurines (or at least, the Haruhi figurine) came with a transparent stand and adjustable arm to hold your figurine in place. All in all, Figma figurines are top notch toys.

Now, with my recent Frauline purchase, I noticed that the joints do not (no longer?) snap-to-grid, although some revolving parts are sadly still quite loose. Also, the stand/grip it came with wasn't adjustable - in fact, the pole that holds the grip is too tall, so I decided to cut half-an-inch off, only to discover that the top was actually a tailored socket -- so off it went to the garbage bin.

Anyway, on the plus side, I did notice that the parts are easier to swap around as compared with Figma's. But more importantly, the Frauline figurine is more elegant - that is, the build is more full-bodied and feminine. Aside from the sculpting, I think this is also due to the unique design of the shoulder and stomach/lower-back joints that allow for more realistic contours and shapes when they are moved. And despite all its flaws, this last bit of good design actually makes me love the Frauline series.

Of Plants, Zombies, and Games

It's been a long time since I tried to finish a video game. The recent explosion of 3D games didn't quite appeal to me - not that the gameplay of the games were bad, but the thought of shelling-out cash for both the game and the required hardware simply sounds appalling. Besides, I'm already too tired from overtime to even bother with a game that requires too many hours and too much concentration in one sitting.

Two weeks ago, the website of Popular Science featured an article on some simple but great games that are not mainstream - ones people [regretably] miss. Plants vs. Zombies caught my attention with its intruiging choice of personalities. I've read that zombies are the modern vampires, so no surprise they are the villians again... but against plants? And cute ones at that?! I couldn't resist. I went over to their website that day and downloaded the trial version (60 mins of cumulative gameplay). Sure enough, it was fun and amusing - but most important of all, it had just the right difficulty to entertain me, and provide me with some instant gratification before I go to sleep after a day's tiring work. It's a really cute strategy game with surprisingly lots of variety to keep one playing even after completing the 50 stages. What's more, it's really, really cheap! So now, its installed in both Belldandy and Haruhi-chan (the purchase allows you to install it 5 times via online registration) and it now takes up a chunk of my idle time. :D

Now, if only the Zen Garden mode came with an online social network capability (like PlayFish's Pet Society) to allow people to share their plants... that would make it quite... perfect.

As a side note, I was really surprised to find out it came from the same company that created the game that kept my mom and brothers glued to their laptop even to this day. :D

Aside from video games, I've been playing [again] with the usual UFO catcher. :) Last week, I lost 2,000yen without getting anything! This week, I got even, and was lucky enough to get a Yoko (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann) bed sheet for only 500yen (3 tries)! I haven't taken any pictures of it yet, but Sega Prize (the company that makes it) has a pic up on their site. I actually got Yoko on the 2nd try, and was hoping to get the Nia bedsheet with my remaining try, but alas, fate decreed Yoko should be more than enough for me. :P

Today, I caught myself a cute (albeit a little pinkish) C.C. nendoroid figure from Banpresto! I've been wanting to get a C.C. for the longest time! Hm... with a really-green hair like the figure's, you'd wonder whether she played a role in Plants vs. Zombies... as a celery perhaps?