Kaiju Korner: More Osaka photo blogging...

Some more photos from Osaka, including pics of a couple of upcoming show exclusives!

But first, lunch...Found this really nice sandwich shop near Shocker and asked them to make me a veggie sandwich. Man it was good! Eggplant, tomatoes, melted cheese, etc panini...Fabulous! (Guess where I'm having lunch today??? ;-)

Some shots from Shinsaibashi:

Another Don Quixote!!! (Didn't go in this time.) Check out the ferris wheel!

They love their octopus in Osaka!

OK, I know what you're thinking! Well, I'm a bit older and wiser now. Plus I saw this beast the last time I was here. Really tough one, so I let it be...

Crane machines are another of my weaknesses. Usually I can figure them out and score, but not with this one. Know how some machines have really weak pincers, so you're NEVER going to score? Well, this one was so limp not even Mecha Viagra could sort it out. Anyway, 500 yen later I walked away defeated...

First time I've ever seen live fish offered as a prize in one of these crane machines. A bit cruel, if you ask me.

These card games have become popular. You insert a card with your monsters loaded on it and battle the machine! (A certain vinyl junkie I know picked up a couple of these at the Ultraman exhibit. ;-)

Myth: Fruit costs a bazillion dollars in Japan. Not quite, but it is very expensive. This Mega Watermelon was 5800 yen. Mind you, it weighed like 12 KG...

480 yen for a handful of grapes. Ouch!

Nice shelf at Psychedelia.

One cool cat!

I thought this vintage dude looked funny.

Cool gear at a Namba shop.

Astro Zombies!

Inside the shop.

All suited up and ready to battle kaijin! Imagine this guy on his way to work...

"Honey, can you hand me my meat cleaver? No, not that one. You know, the one I like with the spikes on the end and the Hello Kitty hand strap..."

This figure (a Charactics and Rumble Monsters collab) will be an exclusive at next month's show in Kobe.

Interesting point - Takahashi-san (owner of Charactics) paints all his figures himself. All those minis, tank figures, Hedorahs...it's all painted by him. Awesome.

Mecha Godzilla squadron preparing to be boxed up and shipped out!