I seek the geek.

I've been meaning to get to a section of Tokyo known for being geek mecca for sometime. I've always considered myself to be part geek due to my unabashed fondness for Nintendo, Tolkien and consumer electronics, but I was straight out of my league in the famous Akihabara. I was on a mission to find some Christmas gifts for a teenage friend of the family back in the states who is into Japan's biggest export, Anime. I had a list of characters that she liked and thought it would be easy to wander into Anime central and pick up some goodies without too much confusion.

Akihabara in the rain

Two of my most patient and easily entertained friends, Glen and Steff, agreed to meet me there, as they were on a hunt for some high end speakers. They tried to convince me the speakers were to compliment the 60" Plasma they have been eyeing, but the truth is they are aiming to throw some wicked Kareoke parties in 2009. I have the pictures to prove it. Anyway we made a day (and night) of it, looking for some allusive Japanese cartoon characters in a sea of animated madness. I met them at Akihabara station and on our way to a Singaporian feast, we had some fun with oversized advertising. For the record, yes I am wearing boots, a coat, a scarf and shorts. It's a Tokyo thing.

This one had something to do with racing, but beyond that, I just don't know.

Steff and I show them how it's done.

Then Glen and I set out with with great determination to explore the depths of the geek kingdom. We were a little alarmed to encounter eight story department stores selling nothing but action figures and still nothing that matched the names on our list. I hadn't bothered to do any research before beginning the expedition and we found that we were helplessly lost, armed only with a list that read: Naruto, Fruits Basket, Daisuke, and D N Angel. Floor by floor and beer by beer we traveresed the mayhem and witnessed some of the more disturbing things I have seen in 29 and 11/12ths years. Each floor was crazier than the last, some were cute, some were scary, some were naked. In the end, our mission was a success after some embarrassing exchanges in broken Japanese with the sales clerks. I'd like to show you the loot, but sorry Ashley, you'll have to be surprised when Fed-ex arrives sometime before Christmas.

The stores in Akihabara are in stark contrast to the rest of mild-mannered Japan. There are flashing lights, 9 story escalators, people in french maid costumes handing out packets of tissues, men with bull horns, and people dressed up as their favorite characters from comics, games and movies.
In one department store we found both a $60,000 TV (worth every penny) and some floor models of Japan's newest and most embarrasingly suggestive workout machine. I don't know what it's called, but it has stirrups and it needed to be filmed. If I ever run for congress, this will be the video that the Republicans dig up. I post it here in good faith.

Sorry Mom.