Japan: a Dogapult Trip Part 4: Akihabara by Night!

"Dogapult" (dogapult) 09/07/2016 at 18:30 • Filed to: Dogapult Trip

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Day 3 and 4 (August 10th and 11th) Akihabara by Night!

Akihabara at night is what a lot of people think of when they think “Toyko at night” The flashing lights, the signs, the late-open arcades and shops.

But first, I finally had the chance to visit a spot I hadn’t been before on previous Japan trips. The insanity of Shibuya Square.

The sheer number of people, the diagonal crosswalk. What a crazy place.


Anyways, back at The Hall of Justice Akihabara,
Some very cool sheetmetal was hitting the streets.

It’s not just cheap cars that get the anime character “itasha” treatment. This F430 Scuderia decked out for Fate Grand Order was running around, closely followed by

This nice, white R33 GT-R. (and me, trying to take a nice picture with my iPhone)

A pair decently modified FD RX-7s

and a little Idolm@ster Smart! Interestingly, this is probably an imported one, as it’s registered as a standard <2000cc passenger car, rather than as a kei car.

This Lotus was making some absolutely fantastic noises.

Hard to tell, but on the side of this car, it says:
“I fight to protect GO, for...
to protect GO’s wonderful people!
Please risk your life with pride of my SON person!”
I have absolutely no idea what that’s about.

Driving a Defender 110 or larger in Japan just seems like a huge pain in the butt.

Then again, so would a Trailblazer.

Gotta have guts to be rocking a Malaysian-built Proton...

Or relying on an Alfa Spider for transportation.

This guy’s kei van had front bits from a favorite modification company of mine, Dream Factory Blow! It’s supposed to look like an old American van in front.

American cars are just cool to have over there.

This Suzuki Swift was kind of cute...

but the back was a bit much.

On the way back to the hotel, we spotted this different C7 parked for the night.

To sum this up, very cool cars, very cool place!

Stay Tuned for Part 5: Cars and Cosplay and Comiket!

(for the whole trip, see !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Dogapult 09/07/2016 at 18:53

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I used to work near Shibuya for a little while, I took the den en toshi line there every day. It’s not so crazy once you get used to it. I think Shinjuku is worse because it’s a confusing layout and they keep working on it so you have to deal with construction panels and halls they put up. The censorship is why Hayao Miyazaki hates anime now, he calls them all perverts.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Dogapult 09/07/2016 at 18:55

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That Ferrari has a Fuyuki decal to look like Pirelli, nice.

Dogapult > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/07/2016 at 18:57

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I don’t mind fanservice in anime, to be honest. If it’s overdone, of course, it’s overdone, but I censored it for the sake of the Oppo crowd, who can then choose to click it, or not.

I called it crazy because after all the places I’d been, that was the most people I’d ever seen at one crosswalk.

Dogapult > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/07/2016 at 18:58

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I had once seen a car with a “shopping list” set of decals down the side of the doors like you usually see, but every decal was a different anime production company. Production I.G, Studio Gonzo, MADHOUSE, etc.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Dogapult 09/07/2016 at 21:51

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Yeah it can be busy, I think a million people go through Hachiko a day. I like various anime but I’m picky. I think Cowboy Beebop and Last Exile are my favs, outside of Ghibli films.

Dogapult > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/07/2016 at 22:05

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I was honestly never a big fan of Ghibli. I’d say other than classics like Bebop or oddballs like Blue Submarine Number 6, my favorite modern anime has been Madoka Magica.

Seat Safety Switch > Dogapult 10/25/2016 at 19:08

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I saw that Trailblazer parked near a bank in Akihabara the last time I visited around this time last year.

I assume it’s the same one because how many people are going to street-park a Chevrolet Trailblazer in Akihabara?