![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/mail.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nReturning to 3 Chome, we turned up the alley to the Autum Leaf store. I asked the shopkeeper for the Saigado \u201cToshimaku Sodachi no Toshima-san\u201d manga. After searching his store\u2019s inventory via PC, he went upstairs then returned with a new copy of the book. So I purchased the book plus a copy of Oda Non\u2019s \u201cNon Virgin\u201d tankouban that was spotlighted on the store\u2019s shelf. Half a block down the road, we came to the Akiba Cultures Zone building which we\u2019d begun to explore two days before. So we went up to the third floor and finished exploring the Robot Robot store. Scott found a tiny Boba Fett figure. I picked up Kodansha\u2019s \u201cHitagi\u201d mook for 500 yen and the volume 0 DVD of the obscure \u201cOmochi Alien\u201d anime series, complete with a bonus figure, for 500 yen.<\/p>\n
Then we took the elevator up to the fifth floor\u2019s Good Smile & Animate Caf\u00e9 that was hosting a limited time Cowboy Bebop 20th anniversary caf\u00e9. The airy L-shaped caf\u00e9 had wooden tables covered with Cowboy Bebop spaceship themed banners. The walls were adorned with Cowboy Bebop illustrations. The rear of the eating space had large cardboard standees of the characters in their 20th anniversary formal clothing. The menu consisted of foods and drinks inspired by and named after the show. Each of us ordered a “Spike” (a strawberry ginger ale). I also ordered a 1,000 yen plate of spaghetti & meatballs since I hadn’t had breakfast. Our order was brought to us along with three of twelve exclusive laminated cardboard Cowboy Bebop drink coasters. I received a second randomly selected coaster when my plate of spaghetti arrived. The drink was tasty. The spaghetti was rather zesty, but a rather small portion considering its price. As I finished eating, Scott & Justin both ordered a \u201cSpike Spigel,\u201d an \u201cOld Fashioned\u201d whisky cocktail served with a handful of peanuts and a small chocolate in the shape of a pistol. Justin initially considered ordering a \u201cFaye Valentine,\u201d a martini. But the waiter confirmed that the martini was made with gin rather than vodka. Before paying for our meal, I picked up two three-packs of thin vinyl cases for the coasters, and an acrylic Cowboy Bebop caf\u00e9 \u201cFaye\u201d standee. The \u201cSwordfish\u201d tie-tac was sold out. Scott picked up one of the limited framed three-dimensional illustrations of the Bebop crew lounging in its 20th anniversary formal wear.<\/p>\n To finish off the Akiba Cultures Zone building, we browsed the second and first floors. Particularly worth noting, in a first floor display case we noticed a beautiful 5,000 yen matching set of Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori design ball point pens.<\/p>\n Across the street, we entered the Akihabara Mandarake complex and took the elevator up to the eighth floor. Justin inquired about a vintage Robocop Auto 9 airsoft pistol priced at 5,000 yen. Unexpectedly considerately, the Mandarake staff called the airport to inquire about the viability of simply packing the toy gun within checked luggage. Since the response was unfavorable, Justin didn\u2019t buy the replica gun. On the seventh floor Justin found a vintage Marusan vinyl Godzilla figure available for 12,000 yen that especially piqued his interest. I thumbed through the selection of vintage shitajiki and found one Dirty Pair release that I didn\u2019t own. I purchased it at 1,500 yen. We skipped the sixth and fifth floors. The fourth floor is men\u2019s doujinshi. I spent a few minutes in vain searching for the \u201cSaigado\u201d section before I gave up and asked an employee. He directed me to an entirely different bookshelf than the one\u2019s I\u2019d looked at. I pulled three used comics that brought my collection of Saigado doujinshi to up-to-date completion. I then asked the employee to point out the \u201cMental Specialist\u201d section. He did. I looked but didn\u2019t see any of artist Yoshimasa Watanabe\u2019s early Dirty Pair doujinshi that I didn\u2019t already own.<\/p>\n Further up 3 Chome, we found the second Jungle store. [Technically it\u2019s referred to as Jungle store 1, and the Radio Kaikan store is \u201cstore 2\u201d]. Justin opted to initially browse the basement \u201cmonster\u201d floor. He ended up purchasing only a Sonico beverage bottle holder for 540 yen. Digging through the clearance box, I found a copy of Hiroki Yagami\u2019s \u201cG-Taste volume 5\u201d illustration book discounted to an unbelievable 54 yen. At check-out, we were behind a pair of young men studying abroad. The pair proffered their passports and requested sales tax exemption. One of them buying sentai goods requested that the toys be removed from their packaging in order to conserve space in his luggage. The same young man also spent additional time with the cashier staff to get his bill correctly sorted out and his change correct. After Justin cashed out, a Chinese tourist stepped up. He also spent a while ensuring that his purchase was tax-free. So I spent a great deal of time waiting in line for a fifty cent purchase.<\/p>\n After exploring the basement and the above-ground first level of Jungle\u2019s first Akihabara store, we backtracked by a few feet, turned the aisle, and found the entrance to the Monsters Labo specialty store. So Justin & Scott descended and browsed while I shot a brief video commemorating the unusual entrance approach to the store.<\/p>\n Before leaving, Scott pointed out an un-priced Ichiban Kuji Godzilla prize drinking cup in box, After Justin re-introduced himself to the shop-owner he\u2019d first met briefly in 2016, the shop owner insisted that Justin pay only 100 yen for the glass cup. The shop owner then dug out a small pile of kaiju-themed hand towels and a similar stack of Godzilla-themed clear files. A sense of politeness seemingly encouraged Justin & Scott to both purchase a few items from the selected offerings.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n