Anime initiation

 

Pictures taken at the Anime Festival Asia held in Singapore in early Nov 2013. This marks my Anime initiation into a world of sailor moon cutsie girls as well as characters with perfectly proportioned bodies and legs. Innocence and sexuality flaunted with the same breath.

Reika - Cosplay queen from Japan

Cosplay is a whole culture that amazes me. There is actually a wider range than the lacy, cutsie getups that I had seen. The Anime Festival Asia actually opened my eyes to a amazing colourful world which cosplayers are extremely passionate about, from the fine details of their costumes which most have single handedly constructed down to their make-up and props.

Apparently there is this anime that is a huge hit in Japan called Attack of Titan and it features a whole group of Titan fighters in the most cool looking outfits complete with swords and gadgets. Swords seem to be the favoured weapons of choice in the cosplay world. I suppose it does look make cosplayers more dashing and cool with an Asian mystique, differentiating them from the Western comic world. Reika, one of the top cosplayers in Japan is famous for doing quite a mean job of posing as suave and handsome characters. She has the most fabulous picture perfect poses which cameras love and she was down at AFA for fan meets, cosplaying the dashing heroic fighters from Attack of Titan. With her high boots, her leather contraptions and gadgets, she is one cool dude ! No wonder she has swarms of female fans and admirers !

Cuties at the Anime Festival Asia 2013

Japanese anime figurines at AFA (Anime Festival Asia)

Aren't these Japanese anime figurines beautiful ? I was so mesmerised by how every little detail is captured, from the flow of their hair to their graceful movements. This is my first time at an Anime Festival and I loved every moment of it. 

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Hokkaido Autumn Fest at Takashimaya Singapore

Hokkaido is one of the places on my bucket list and it is famous for its fresh produce, crabs, fresh milk and dairy products. Till I can make it there for a holiday... but for now, I can just sample its food from the Hokkaido food fairs organised locally to promote the island. Chanced upon one at Takashimaya over the weekend and I had a fabulous time just checking out the products. Think I might go delirious if I were to go to Hokkaido. 

Paddington bear

A little 50 cents "trashure" I picked up from a charity flea market this morning. Almost didn't see him amongst the other stuff. It's the cutest, miniature version of Paddington Bear in a small paper bag with a tag that says "Please look after this Bear. Thank you." That's how his story began years ago in a children's book - a bear from Peru who was found in Paddington station in London and later adopted by the Brown family.  He came with nice little red plastic Wellies too and I gave him my miniature suitcase that used to store chocolates. I grew up with his stories and I will look after this little bear.

Vintage picture of Chong Pang village

I came across a lovely picture on a Facebook page called Nostalgic Singapore. 

Paul Hockey is a regular contributor of old pictures on that page and with his 

kind permission, I am able to use this picture for my blog. It was taken by Paul 's

father back in the 60s in Singapore as part of a series of slides. Quality wise,

it is amazing. Like it was just taken yesterday. Most households at that time 
certainly had something the street vendor was selling such as the ubiquitous
hibiscus range of porcelain ware. The A brand of plastic ware from Hong Kong
as advertised on the van was just as popular. They had a wide range of crystal like plastics made into water jugs, butter dishes and a collector's favourite - the Chinese New Year tray. Every Chinese household back then seemed to have one. It 's nice to look back at
the old pictures of Singapore. 

Singapore's Chong Pang village in the 60s
(Picture from Paul Hockey's collection as featured in Nostalgic Singapore)