Since I’m sure it’s still Christmas somewhere, here I am half-arsing a post whilst on the train to, err, Numazu…
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No doubt somewhat slightly to the surprise of all those folks who’ve been questioning why I’ve not actually been to Japan yet (particularly given how much money I throw at going to US cons every year), I’m in Japan at the moment (although I’m sure folks will be disappointed in my tourist-ass schedule as opposed to eventing). The above were actually spotted at the Inari Shrine, the first touristy place I stopped, and also setting up false expectations immediately by the only actual Mikan Boxes I’ve seen over here thus far.

Anyway, I’ve ran out of Mikan Box posts I prepared before heading over here. Whoops. Still, whilst over here, I’ve managed (thus far) to catch screenings of Fragtime (mostly known at this point for the studio having suddenly filed for bankrupcy post-release, and having may-or-may-not paid some of the involved animators in the process), and the new, all-CG Lupin III movie Lupin III The First. I should probably try and summon at least a few words about those once I get a momemnt or two. So probably when I’m back home in a couple of weeks.

From the old Akitaro Daichi OAV Makasete Iruka, a title which translates to something like “Leave it to Dolphin!”, but was released in English under the rather more excruciating title of “Grrl Power!” (before it was released in Japan, even).
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From the manga version of Yozakura Quartet. I can’t remember the specific volume, but it’s from during the fight against Zakuro if you are familiar with the series. It’s the chapters which were adapted into those particularly spectacular Hoshi no Umi OAVs before Ryo-Timo went back and also made a good version of the opening chapters of the manga.

This didn’t make the anime version, coincidentally, but given the quality of those OAVs, I’ll give them a pass on it.

The manga version of Yozakura is in wrap-up mode at the moment, coincidentally. Might have actually wrapped up in Japan already, honestly – I think the English prints of the manga are only a volume or two off the ending, anyway. As a comic, it’s trashy as heck, but it’s trash I enjoy, so whatever.

From the old Makoto Shinkai movie The Place Promised in Our Early Days, a somewhat more dour and humourless Shinkai movie than his current fair like Your Name and Weathering with You. Also one of the few pre-Your Name Shinkai works that I actually like. Kind of hard to actually spot in this screenshot thanks to the lighting, but it is there, I assure you!

Think I spotted this one during… I think it was an Scotland Loves Anime screening a while back, but was too lazy to pull the DVDs out to take a screengrab of it until now.