Pocket Monsters and pocket money may sound similar, but make no mistake: in 2021, they’re polar opposites.
Especially when it comes to the Pokémon TCG (Trading Card Game).
The recent surge in the price of Pokémon cards has ignited a frenzy of interest from collectors and casual fans alike in recent years. Rare cards in amazing condition are being sold for hundreds of thousands of US dollars; it’s like each transaction is doing its best to outdo the last!
Do you find it hard to believe that a trading card can be worth anything more than a couple of rounds…
Nobody does collaborations like Sanrio.
With Hello Kitty and a seemingly endless legion of other iconic mascots waiting in the wings, it’s little wonder that they’re able to churn out fresh, exciting, and most of all kawaii collabs with tons of brands all year, every year.
If you’re struggling to keep track of all the mashup mayhem, never fear! We’ve compiled this list of the most epic Sanrio character collabs from 2020–2021 to get you up to speed.
Read on to find out the who, what, when, where, and why of all the latest collaborations that Hello Kitty and the…
Kawaii (the Japanese word for “cute”) rears its adorable head just about everywhere in Japan — and not just in popular culture or down at the mall, where you’d most expect it to be. You’ll find it in schools, on public transport, at banks, and even on Buddhist temple grounds.
But we’re only human, and variety is the spice of life…
What if you’ve had enough cuteness for one day?
“If music be the food of love, play on.”
So begins William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, and it couldn’t be more true!
Whether it be Valentine’s Day, a birthday, Christmas, or an anniversary, nothing complements a message of love better than some romantic lyrics.
But lovers beware!
By falling back on tried and true English love songs, you run the risk of dedicating your partner a track they’ve heard a hundred times before — which could make your message less special. (Especially if it’s a song you yourself have already shared with them in the past.)
How can you avoid…
Love is eternal. Music is universal.
Style and fashion are…celestial?
Okay, that last one may not have the same familiar (or poetic) ring to it, but the underlying message is the same:
Some things in life are too powerful to deny.
After all, certain elements of style and fashion (in terms of form and function, especially) can just as easily be applied to fictional anime and game characters as they can to you and me.
Concepts that transcend humanity and even reality itself — if that’s not celestial, we don’t know what is!
I believe you deserve more.
When you go online and you browse through countless options to fulfill your craving for Japanese goodies, don’t you wish there was a fast and simple way to order from Japan?
Without any waiting, complicated service fee schemes, miscommunication with sellers, or issues?
Put “affordable” and “reliable” on top of that, and suddenly it feels like too much to ask.
Your one-stop shop for all things Japanese. Editor of “Japan Plus You” — exploring anime, games, fashion, food, language, kawaii culture, and more.