Advanced Vocabulary

Science class packets come with all the appropriate paraphenalia and two flashcards.

But sometimes I must question the vocabulary words chosen for six year old EFL students.

 

Possibly not a good place for lunch....

Thank you, Busan. Now there is only one way I can respond.

Yes, it's accurate sizing.

I think this is a Japanese brand. Either way, the English is hilarious.

Kyoto Tour - Manga Museum

Go to Kyoto and not see the Manga Museum?! NEVER!

This was a lot of fun. It shed a single crystal tear of regret for the fantasttic library I could not read and strutted off to explore the museum.

They had an enormous collection of bound graphic novels and the upper walls were shelved with issues of manga magazines from all sorts of decades.

You are encouraged to take titles off the shelf and read them as you please. The collection is impressively extensive.

The manga are seperated by Shojo, Shonen, Seinen and International. They are arranged by author.
On the ground floor, they keep a collection of foreign language manga. (Which is where I enscounced myself for a while with some Osama Tezuka.) The floors above are for strictly japanese language. (Engrish aside)

There are signs and guides in several languages to help understand the displays. It's interesting to see the fashions in manga change throughout the decades.

They break down, production, technique, character goods and (most importantly) where the money goes!
In short, the more you sell, the more money reaches the artist/writer after the publishers/editors/magazine etc have siphoned off their share.

I rather enjoyed the handy-dandy guide to target audiences above. It was interesting to see exactly who certain series are written for. (And yes, there are magazines for people over the age of 25.)


I wasn't actually meant to take pictures (Oops!) but in fairness they really should have posted clearly visible signs.

There are also casts from the hands of visiting manga-ka, a gallery of maiko illustrations and various other things.

Here, have some images of the illustrious Lord Canti

And Some Gurren Lagann.

Can't forget Diebuster now can we?



In all seriousness, they were showing a Gainax film special there but seeing as I have no real japanese I couldn't go see it. Hence the specific statues shown here. (Not that epic is ever a bad thing.)

I do think they need to expand their shop but that is a thought for another day. I did get a few pieces of Studio Ghibli but most of that was gifts.

Japan loves the Colonel, I think.

Apparantly KFC is the thing for a Japanese christmas party. It's very popular over here. They love the Colonel.............apparantly.  =_=

Yes, that is two swords in his sash. I think he's dressed like a Shinsengumi...why though.

It never ends...

 

It appears constantly. What on earth is a 'Ginie'?

 

 

Konglish/Engrish - Equal Hilarity

I have made no secret of my endless hysterical laughter amusement stemming from random and inappropriate Konglish/Engrish. (Not that I am in any way denying it can/will go the opposite direction.)

Korea seems to be above the humble refill pad only writing on fanciful notebooks with 'meaningful' quotes on the cover.

I discovered  this gem in Gangnam. (Yes, that Gangnam)

 

 

Such a dramatic epic deserves nothing less than our personal attentions. >:3



Tea, Lies and Konglish

 

Out and about in Insa-dong I saw a signpost for a tea museum. :D

 

I quickly dashed off to investigate and found....................

 

 

 

 .............an overpriced cafe with a display of various (READ: eight)  built into the wall.

Pouting was epic but I did enjoy the hilarity of signs such as this.

Ouch. So close and yet.....