Pierre, I'm sorry to hear about your Grandfather. My
condolences to you and your family. 

------
------

Me
>>1. Getting my ass kicked by all the senior black
>>belts in Japan, it seemed like. And, after the
>>aforementioned head busting, the Japanese started
>>talking, laughing, and looking in my direction.

El Hentai-
>That OUGHTA hurt >_<

Yeah, the beatings were merciless. And, I was worried
for a minute when we started practicing with metal
swords(Dulled Edges). But I lived.  

I was awed by the Japanese Shihan's body movement and
control. These guys were moving so fast, that I would
throw a punch, then I would be staring up at the
ceiling! The thing about it was, a lot of cats here in
the States will move quickly, but only to hide flaws
in their technique, balance, etc... but The Shihan
moved with such fluidity and grace, with perfect form
and, and... ya know.   

On the other hand, it was kinda funny to watch my
master get tossed around like a rag doll, instead of
him handing out the beatdowns. 

Mondo Gravy Baby!! 

------
------

Me-
>>and she took me to a Okonomiyaki-ya in
>>Yokohama. And let me testify, it was DEEElish!!

El Hentai-
>You fortunate human! ^_^

Don't hate the player, hate the game!! (^_^)
Seriously, I kept buggin' her about the Okono thingie
so long that I thought she would eventually
bitch-smack me and dump my lifeless body over Yokohama
Bay bridge! 

Sampling the sacred food of Ukyo-Sama was the number
one item on my To-Do list! The place where I went it
was a cook-it-yourself type deal, and I did scorch it
a lil bit, but it was still the Bomb-Diggy. 

**
Indeed, when I imbibed the aroma of the Okonomiyaki,
It did emulate the very essence of the Necter and
Ambrosia of the gods... 

Whereas, my limbs were invigorated with strenth and
healing, and my mind was made whole, also the fell
terrors I had suffered melted away into oblivion. 
**
   
-------
-------
(In relation to the state of Ranma being dead in
Nihon)

El Hentai-
>Well, yes. After all, in a notoriously fickle market,
>5 years is a LOT of time... why shouldn't it be? 

Mr Spillman-
>However, while there will be hardcore otaku for any
>popular series, there has to be something other than
>non-stop action to get regular readers/viewers to
keep
>coming for a series long after it has ended it's run.
>UY had it; Maison Ikkoku had it; Evangelion shows
>signs of having it (ask me again in 5 years if 
>this holds true);
>Unfortunately, even tho' we, as fans of the series
>can find it, most others can not. 
 
These are good points... I do find that when I show
Ranma to people, they either become Ranma-addicts, or
they simply don't understand it at all. And, I did
notice that Japanese tend to be here today, gone
tommorrow consumers in some areas. However, while I
was there I also visited some real hole-in-the-wall
record stores, looking for some Vinyl records(For DJ
purposes), and they had songs that would be extremely
difficult to find in the States today. That gives me a
glimmer of hope. So, I would think somewhere out
there, there is a store that carries Ranma
merchandise.

** Grim voice of Determination **

Now I make my most solemn vow.. Shinobu will search
harder!!!

(However, when he goes searching, he'll be a smart boy
and buy several maps of the Tokyo area, and buy a
compass. Ancient Edo, present day Tokyo, was built by
the Shogunate to confound it's enemies... and young
American tourists.) 

BTW, I don't blame Ryoga for having his "Terrible
Sense of Direction." 

I have a keen sense of my surroundings... but there, I
couldn't find ANYTHING!! (^_^) I would Yin when I
should have Yanged, and I would wind up in a totally
different city!! People would draw maps for me, and I
would still get lost. It was embarassing! 

-----
-----

Brad-Sempai-
Shinobu:(welcome back) 

Good to be back sir! 

>Well, since I doubt everyone on the list thinks you
>can go a day without a "wazzup, gravy?", it's umm...
>'all good'.

My Slanguage is as normal to me as breathing,but last
time I wrote, I was completely out of it. I was
feeling a lil' subdued. I blame jet lag.   

Don't worry, I'm feeling MUCH better now!! (^_^) 


>What is a Pocari?  And how do you get them to sweat? 
>And who in their right mind would drink sweat of any
>kind?

As far as I know, it's a sports drink that tastes like
watered down Gatoraide. And, while in Japan, I found
that things went along smoother if I didn't question
what the hell I was eating!!  

>Host:  "Now, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I spend a
>lot of time in topless bars, and was wondering if..."

>Bradster, with shoes and coat already on: "I've got
>about $1000 U.S. with some cute kogal's name on it. 
>Let's roll." 

LOL!!! 

I feel you, but I wasn't about to take my broke-ass to
one of those places. There's a bar in Kashiwa that
costs 7,000 yen (About $67.00) just to get in!! 
Ai-YAHH!!! 


(Continuing with the subject of outrageous prices in
Japan.)

Me-
>>There's no worse feeling than drinking with friends 
>>in a bar in Shibuya, Tokyo, and getting the bill.

Pierre-
>^_~ try swiss cheese fondue. At 90$ the cheese (and
>that's for 1 Kg) you won't feel too bad giving out
>500Y for anything strong... 

Egads! 
$90 Muthaf$%kin' dollars?! That cheese better endow me
with superpowers or somethin' for that much!!   

-----
-----
Pierre-
>Happy to learn that your trip to Japan wasn't a
>disaster...

Yes sir, it was a disorienting, but I didn't have any
major problems. I have a few people I used to practice
Budo with that now live in Japan, native Japanese
speakers, and I also did a lil research before I went.
So, I was already hooked up with information, like
where to stay, what to bring, etc...

There was only one negative thing, and I would give
this as an example.

If I were a big game hunter on Safari, hunting the
most elusive of prey, the human female, then I would
say that I came home empty handed. The Prey was too
cunning, and sometimes, I didn't know who was being
stalked, the hunter or the hunted. 

Koi wa fukuzatsu desu. (Love is complicated)
  
----
----
   
Okay guys, See ya. 
Shinobu aka Shin-Deezy. 
Sauce, EoE, OCS 
Gentleman of Leisure, GSFLGL. 

The Following is based on a true story:
** A friend calls at 12 midnight, asking if Shinobu
wants to go to a DJ battle. Shin-Dogg, consumed by
Jet-Lag, is dead asleep. **

Friend: You wanna roll out tonight?? 

Shin: I can't. The last train out of Kashiwa leaves at
12:57, and then I can't get another one home untill
5:00AM!! 

"What man?? Where is 'Kashiwa'??" 

Shinobu, realizing that he's no longer in Japan: 
My fault! Yeah, come on over. I forgot what country I
was in. We're there Dude!