Score!
Here’s my most bestest souvenir from the trip:
Yes, that’s a leek in the upper left corner.
Don’t ask me “why?” because I won’t be able to answer. Please don’t ask me “how much?” because I don’t want to answer and am trying to forget. Let it suffice to say that my understanding is that these became collector’s items as soon as they went on sale.
(Actually it’s not a leek. One of the silly details of the leekspin legend is that it’s an onion of some sort, not a leek. They’re quite easy to find in grocery stores here:
If you still have no idea what I’m talking about, see this, this, and/or this.)
Posted: April 14th, 2009 under Japan 2009.
Comments
Comment from Adrian A
Time April 14, 2009 at 7:57 am
Whoops. I really ought to read to the end of the post 
You already posted the original video. My bad.
Comment from Jessica Mann
Time April 16, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Heh. The really…amusing? sad? I’ll stick with amusing – thing about that final link is that I watch Bleach, so am actually familiar with the character. Yes, I am that big a geek.
Comment from adam
Time April 17, 2009 at 11:23 am
Actually I didn’t mean “why a leek?” as such; I meant, “why would a 40-something American male pay at least 2x the original price for a plastic figure of a fictitious Japanese girl holding a leek?” I’m glad to see that at least one reader of this blog understands.
Comment from adam
Time April 17, 2009 at 11:23 am
I saw most of one episode of Bleach (I think) last year while in Japan. Of course it wasn’t subtitled so I didn’t understand any of it. Nice artwork, though.
Comment from adam
Time April 17, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Adrian: thanks a bunch for the second link in your comment. I hadn’t seen that; that person has excellent leek skills.
Comment from Adrian A
Time April 14, 2009 at 7:56 am
Why a leek you ask?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbbA9BhCTko
That’s why my friend. You lucky bastard!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvdy3JSPzIA
I wish the English Vocaloid was half as cool as the Japanese.