I’m convinced that the Nakano Broadway, the indoor mall that plays host to Mandarake Galaxy (which may well be the best retro gaming shop in Tokyo), exists outside of normal time and space. Every time I stop there, the place has grown, appending new wings and opening new shops. Except these additions don’t make any sense, spatially. The floor map depicts it as a long, narrow rectangle, but that can’t be right; the latest additions seem to branch off at 90-degree angles, twisting in on themselves and somehow eventually leading back to your starting point, no matter which direction you go. It’s geometrically impossible, honestly!
But I think I’ve found the answer in the new public art that has appeared — or should I say manifested? — in an out-of-the-way corner near one of the latest expansions:
Neat, right? Public graffiti-style artwork, detailed and colorful. Totally charming. Or is it? Look again, closely….
Yep. This must be the weak point in reality where the Old Ones will reappear. I’ve gotta say, though, even with their freakish triple eyes, the eaters of worlds are a lot cuter than I expected. I guess they take on the form of what mortals believe in. And what people believe in here is… moé.
When your soul is devoured gorily by a chirpy, eldritch schoolgirl, your last thought will be, “Dammit, Japan.”
Man, that’s the only thing I ever think about Japan.
I finally made it to Japan last month and Nakano Broadway was probably my favorite place of all. As my brother and I finished up our shopping and exploration, we took the stairs up from the basement/grocery level and were greeted by a man beckoning his naked-from-the-waist-down toddler down the stairs, little kid peen flapping in the breeze.
Best memory of Japan?
Sorry that last comment was me, I forgot to put in my name.
And it didn’t post anyway, typical. Yeah for all that I love about Japan, they’ve certainly proved that they can also produce some horrific stuff, stay classy Japan. ;)
So it’s House of Leaves meets Demon’s Souls… but cute.
I’m more freaked out by the O___O that makes the entire wall a giant face.
Oh, hey, a Love Plus reference. Here’s some nightmare fuel for you http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/09/01/atami-welcomes-virtual-girls-real-boys/
Thanks for that! It’s not like I was having trouble sleeping already or anything.
Ah, Mandarake. I have fond memories of the store in Fukuoka. It had that department store kinna layout to it, games on the lower floors, cosplay and doujinshi on the higher floors. I figured, given the difficulty in plowing through the several Gigas within the city in a mad rush, I’d have had more trouble finding a super famicom (much less a decent chunk of games for it)…it was definitely a major bright spot before what would turn into a godawful year.
I’m not sure if Tenjin seems a lot saner by comparison to the area around Nakano Broadway by dint of removal from the heart of the country or if I’m just suppressing the irritatingly catchy, soul-devouring musical theme of the Best Denki department store which was also located there (albeit some shot aways from Mandarake).