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Weird Stuff I Saw In Japan While Attending TGS: The Blog

by Matt Helgeson on Oct 01, 2009 at 07:20 AM

Got back from Tokyo on Monday. It was my first time in the city, and my first time attending TGS. Frankly, the Tokyo Game Show was a bit of a disappointment. I had built up a lot of expectations about it from hearing stories from coworkers over the years, so I was anticipating an insane spectacle on the level of E3. What I got was a convention center filled with a few big booths, but a lot of small time companies and empty space. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot good games there. Capcom in particular had some great titles, and getting to play Splinter Cell: Conviction for the first time was as awesome as I had hoped.

One thing that didn't disappoint was Tokyo. It's really an amazing city. There are strange and wonderful things lurking around every corner, and the people there are some of the nicest in the world.

It's also the best shopping city in the universe for a dork like me. Weird t-shirts, strange and sometimes vaguely offensive toys -- Tokyo has it all. While I was there, I tried to capture some of the weird stuff I saw. In this blog, I thought I share it with you.

 

Tommy Lee Jones runs this country.

 

Jeff spent like $700 at this place.

 

Football at 25 stories above sea level.

 

They might have to change this game's name if it comes to America.

 

With a menu like this, you know you're in for some serious ramen.

 

This is my own personal philosophy.

 

Grateful Dead Forever? Sure...but still puzzled over the use of the Disney font.

 

Cool shirt, but Satanic Emperor Vol. 2 is SO much better.

 

When Detroit Rock City just won't cut it...

Donnie Darko, meet Lane Bryant.

 

This t-shirt brings up a lot of good points.

 

Everybody's got their own oppidan.

The world's first grunge boy band!

Lil' Jon's favorite candy

Makes you think....

Where everybody knows your name, and hat size.

Last night, a cheap purse saved my life

A shirt for sexxxy coyotes.

Imagine if we could combine the powers of the Colonel and Ronald McDonald? It would be a power much greater than you could possibly imagine...

The Garden of Eden, 8-bit style

A fine sentiment....

The Good Witch of Sale Prices!

 

Crap Your Hands, Say Yeah

I really hope this isn't a t-shirt for some sort of cat pornography.

Lego Che

The Passion of the Ultramen

Even the Holgas are cute here

 

Seriously, it's like they're not even playing fair with nerds in this country.

In a small but significant way this was the thing that most surprised me in Japan.

Daniel Johnston, Elvis, Kurdt, reunited.

Nominations for a new Mt. Rushmore?

This picture says a lot about Japan.

Sadly, we never found it...I'd like to imagine the ghost of Luther Vandross was there in spirit.

This poodle knows what's up.

A five story arcade...the mothership...

At the 8-Bit Cafe, a retro video game bar. See the two sugar capsules in the test tube? That's why this drink is called the "Dr. Mario."

And what better way to end than Jeff Goldblum, the greatest actor of our times, in action figure form? Comes complete with 3.5 inch floppy disc.