hello, it's pachi ★

i discovered two shows this month: great pretender and restaurant to another world !

★ great pretender

this anime is about a young man who regards himself as the best con-man in japan-- only to be conned himself! the series follows his [unlikely] con adventures along with like-minded people.

the visuals in this show is fantastic. the colors are vibrant and they’re totally my jam. case in point:

once i start a case, i tend to binge it until the end haha. it’s very intriguing to know how it would end, because there are always wild cards around. although sometimes, just don’t think [logically] too much and just enjoy how the con unfolds~ xD

★ restaurant to another world

this anime is exactly what the title is-- a restaurant to another world. every saturday, the door to western cuisine nekoya (that’s what the restaurant is called) opens to a different world much different from planet earth. in that world, elves, dwarves, magicians/sages, humans, and half-humans exist, who would enter nekoya to dine. it’s pretty much just that; so yes, it’s a slice of life reverse isekai with lots of good food! aka a relaxing show uwu

i initially discovered the original light novel of the series (the anime is an adaptation of it) through the seven seas monthly licensing survey and decided to try it out. i like it so much that i’m on a quest to find physical copies of the light novels! it seems like volume 1 is out of print everywhere, so i decided to get the ebook instead. if i have extra funds by the end of the month, i might go ahead and import volume 2 *w*

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of the games i’ve been playing in february, my favorite is ni no kuni: wrath of the white witch ~☆

ni no kuni has got to be the most gorgeous game, in terms of visual and music, that i’ve encountered. ever. the animated cutscenes were done by studio ghibli themselves, and the in-game visuals are on par, if i may compare. i swear, this game has the prettiest overworld i’ve ever seen. AND to top that off, the music is performed by the tokyo philharmonic orchestra??? can you believe eye-

tldr; ni no kuni: wrath of the white witch is like watching a play.. but in game form, so you’re also kind of experiencing it at the same time xD i won’t discuss the battle system because tbh it frustrates me lol. as for the story, it is very very wholesome ♡

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this month, i indulged myself with a bokuto glass mug by print tales!

print tales has the cutest designs for functional merch (a 10/10 combo for me) !! when i saw this design, i just had to get one xD

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i’ll apologize ahead and mention that the post is not about a game per se, but the main character instead: yuri lowell from tales of vesperia.

yuri has climbed his way as one of my favorite game protagonists (alongside ammy from okami). he is so interesting and so unlike any other rpg protagonists i’ve encountered. he’s sarcastic and not 100% goody goody-- which is refereshing, ironically. despite that (or maybe because of that..?), he still becomes a sort of anchor to the other characters, who are also undergoing their own growth processes.

protagonists are usually characters who are still growing and learning about the world, themselves, and their values and principles, which tend to be on the idealistic side. yuri is somehow like that, albeit older, as he seems sheltered growing up in the lower quarter, except he already knows his principles off the bat-- he just doesnt know how to put them into action yet (and he eventually does, throughout the game). but, he is also realistic. he knows he cant please everyone, and doesnt give a damn on unimportant things-- which i think how we should also think irl: dont sweat over the small stuff and prioritize those which you value; quality over quantity.

tldr; yuri lowell is awesome uwu

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for part 2 we have: youn stay and jujutsu kaisen!

★ youn stay

ah yet another relaxing show by na pd uwu i heard this was supposed to be the third season of youn’s kitchen but due to covid restrictions, they made it a “homestay” instead. the season 2 cast makes a comeback (youn yuh jung, lee seojin, jung yumi, park seojoon) with a new member/intern-- choi wooshik-- to run a hanok-style inn for foreigners who got locked down in south korea due to the pandemic (and therefore haven’t had the chance to tour the country). this is wooshik’s first time working with yyj and lsj, but he fits in so well xD the show never fails to comfort me.

★ jujutsu kaisen

the second part of season 1 finally aired in january and yuuji’s officially back!! i’m so hyped for the exchange event battles with kyoto branch. mappa is doing so well with the animation♡♡ it’s rare for shounen shows to grab my attention in its first few episodes but i got hooked on jjk at episode 1 xD

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i tend to watch weekly shows more instead of bingeing and here are two of my fave winter 2021 anime that i keep track: yuru camp season 2 and horimiya !

★ yuru camp season 2

the show is basically high school girls camping! i watch the show every friday and it’s the perfect show to end a busy work week = w = i discovered this series through a book club; yes, i read the manga in japanese haha. i found the manga to be sooo cozy and comforting (especially in the middle of the pandemic), and decided to try the anime out. NO. REGRETS. the colors and ost made it even better!!! actually, the ost is my most played album according to my spotify wrapped xD yuru camp has become one of my comfort shows and i even bought a camping/outside chair and spent more time lounging outside lmao. i’ve also been cooking meals featured in the series (hello 温玉揚げ/ontamaage and curry rice) and i almost never cook lmao;;;

i recently discovered the soundtrack album for the 2nd season is currently in pre-order phase, and the limited edition will have 4 wooden coasters included !! grabby hands ((i think i’m going to get them;;;))

★ horimiya

this one is about hori and miyamura-- classmates who have seemingly different personalities in and out of school and befriend each other. i used to read the manga monthly back in ~2012 but fell off because life;;; (i need to get back to it;;;) anyway, i am so glad horimiya finally got an anime adaptation! it took too long haha. i won’t say much to avoid spoilers, but this one is one of the unique shoujo series around!

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as the first month of the year comes to an end, it’s time list down songs i discovered and loved: lost in paradise by ali (aka jujutsu kaisen ed 1), softly spoken by phum viphurit, and sunset chaser by ragamuffs ♡

★ lost in paradise by ali (jujutsu kaisen ed 1)

it’s very jazzy and the animation complements the song very well!! i love how it captures the modernity of the show <3 (one of the reasons i like jjk a lot is because it’s a shounen set in the modern world, so it’s not uncommon/au-ish to see the characters dressed up fashionably, using technology, vibing, etc)

★ softly spoken by phum viphurit and sunset chaser by ragamuffs

simply put -- both songs are vibes. nothing much to explain here, i’ll let the music do the talking!

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here is the second part of my favorite december purchases: london mini!

★ london mini

i have been looking for a multi-way bag ever since i watched ssoybean’s “what’s in my daily bag” vlog -- i envied her bag a lot! lolol so i was really happy i stumbled upon alt manila, a local ph shop that sells bags which can be worn multiple ways. i decided to get the london mini, and it exceeded my expectations!

first, the bag was shipped immediately upon placing my order and i received it in under five (5) days, which is a feat because packages usually arrive in my area around a week or so during pandemic. second, the storage space is no joke -- it can fit all of my things: planner, nintendo switch, folding umbrella, makeup kit, and various essential pouches. all that while still being lightweight and classy! finally, i just love all its other features -- waterproof and anti-theft lock. it can be worn in three (3) ways: shoulder bag, backpack, and dsfds. i wear it as a backpack.

i’ve been using it as my everyday office bag, and i’ve decorated it with enamel pins i previously bought: haikyuu team chant by sumafo, rose pins by plupip, and songs by kim junmyeon by itstillmagic. it seems too decked out, but i can’t bring myself to remove any of them yet lolol

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i got a lot of neat gifts this holiday season but most favorite one is this relief and repair lotion from skin can tell!

my coworker gifted me this really neat lotion. it’s like those menthol ointments (tigerbalm, omega pain killer, etc) but in lotion form and smells good!! it’s perfect for post-workout showers TT u TT

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favorite music for december are: while living life by oohyo, one day by spyair, and the bravely default christmas collection!

★ while living life by oohyo (hospital playlist ost)

this song is part of the hospital playlist ost (it’s a super good k-drama too, it’s an ultimate favorite of mine, i 100% recommend!!!), but i only rediscovered it recently when i was bingeing the ost while working. idk how i ever slept on it back when i first started listening to the ost in april/may! this arrangement/version is really good!! i love the added beats; i think it gives off chill/lofi vibes <3

★ one day by spyair (haikyuu s4 2nd cour ending song)

DOKOMADE DATTE

IKERU BOKURA WA ONE DAY

YUME MO KANAU SA

KOKOMADE YATTEKITA NO WA GUUZEN NANKA JANAKUTE-

... ok i will stop there LMAO this song just gives me sooo much feels!!! i love haikyuu so much and whenever this song plays randomly on my spotify playlist, i can’t help but be reminded of how our volleyball boys grew up so well TT U TT

★ bravely default christmas collection

i didn’t even know this was a thing until someone on discord posted the album! i was floored lmao. bravely default has one of the most amazing osts (thank u revo; i’m looking forward to bd2!!!) and a christmas version was just so perfect for december. i listened to this a lot while working heh. my favorite track is  horizon of light and shadow~eternity's moment, which iirc is the overworld theme.

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first up are my favorite purchases from december 2020 (part 1): haikyuu phone cases and a cactus plush pillow!

★ Haikyuu phone cases

the designs by print tales are so cute!!! and the quality is really good; the print looks like it will last a long time. i was really happy they’re able to make cases for my phone unit because it’s so hard to find cases for it. i got the fly high/karasuno tpu case and owl/fukurodani shockproof case. right now i’m using the latter c:

★ cactus plush pillow

i was christmas shopping for my office kris kringle when i saw this plush sold at mumuso and i knew i just had to buy it, because it reminds me so much of exo’s doh kyungsoo / D.O., who is my ultimate bias ever >u< he’s coming out of the military soon, i’m so excited for him to dominate the world!!

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i’m starting this blog to record the things that make me happy each month -- may it be music, games, shows, or purchases!

i hope you’ll look forward to my posts as much as i look forward to writing and posting them c: