Tag: avatarofdumb

Oyakodon Tournament Report

Recently, my living situation has aligned itself in just such a way that I have developed an interest in cooking. I’m coasting along on what money remains until I return to America in a couple months, want to learn Japanese dishes while in the little time I have left, and want to supplement my newfound exercise habits with healthy meals.

I am a dude with a Jewish mom, so I have quite literally never had to fix anything more ambitious than a sandwich or an omelet. Cooking can be daunting at first! Luckily, most Japanese staples are incredibly simple to make, healthy, and cheap. Tonight, I made:

Oyakodon – steamed white rice, topped with chicken, egg and onions served in traditional Japanese dashi broth.

For the unfamiliar, donburi is a dish made from rice, broth or water mixed with soy sauce and rice vinegar, and various toppings. Donburi is as filling as it is delicious, and generally requires less than 30 minutes to prepare.

ROUGH LIST, SERVES 1

1 cup of Japanese white rice

1/2 onion

1.5 tbsp dark (regular) soy sauce

1 tbsp mirin (Japanese rice vinegar)

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp dashi (powdered soup stock made from kelp and skipjack tuna, a fundamental ingredient for Japanese cooking, including miso soup)

~1/4 cup chicken thigh; enough for about 6 bite-sized chunks

1 egg

STRATEGY

RICE: Wash your rice a few times until the water isn’t cloudy, but don’t worry too much, as cloudier rice is just stickier rice.
Combine one and a bit cups of water for each cup of rice you make in a pot.
Cover the pot with a lid, and bring the rice to a boil on high heat.
Then, cook it on low for about 15-20 minutes, until the water is mostly gone.
Remove the pot from the fire, and let it steam with the lid on for another 10-15 minutes.

Or, use a rice cooker. Seriously.

ONION: cut off the narrow ends of the onions. Place it flat on the cutting board, slice it in half, and remove the skin. Wrap one half in aluminum foil and put it back in the fridge, because you are poor. place the other half on its broad, flat side, and cut it widthwise into ~5mm strips.

CHICKEN: remove any bones and skin from your thigh meat, rinse it, and cut it into bite-size portions.

EGG: beat an egg.

BROTH: combine the dashi, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sugar in a pan.
Mix the ingredients, cover the pan, bring the heat to medium, and leave the mixture for a minute or two.

When the broth is hot and uniform, remove the lid and stir in the onion before replacing the lid again.

After another couple minutes, stir in the chicken and put the lid back on.

Wait a couple minutes to turn over the chicken, and when it’s cooked on both sides, stir in the egg; make sure it doesn’t stay together enough to form any large pieces.

Pour the mixture over your bowl of rice. Congratulations! Enjoy your delicious donburi with chopsticks and a spoon.

Without further ado, here is how the tournament went.

Round 1 opponent: WGr Beef Yakisoba

He opens with a pile of steaming broiled noodles topped with rare beef and oblique cut green onions. I lay an egg and pass the turn. He picks up his chopsticks and swings with a slice of beef and a hank of noodles, spraying beef juice over my board for -1/-1. I crack the egg and fetch a chicken equipped with makotobashi. I lay a scoop of white rice and top it with a drizzle of soy and vinegar. He draws 4 noodles in a row and scoops his lunch.

Second game much like the first, except now I’ve found my onions and my onions trample over his onions and take his beef.

1-0

Round 2: BW Futomaki

This is a variant on the popular Japanese deck substituting G avocado for R snapper. Basically he rolls over me as I try to find a protein source and fail.

1-1

Round 3: Texas Toast

I am quite surprised that this is still seeing play. I’m having trouble getting past the cheese and garlic but eventually rice proves a more stable mana base than rye. First game I lose horribly to garlic. Second game I side out onions and chicken and throw in 4x pickled egg and 3x wasabi. Even though he has slathered the red zone with butter and garlic cheese, the wasabi comes down hard and fast, and burns his sinuses right out. Game 3 I go rice, egg, 2x wasabi and he offers the handkerchief.

2-1

Round 4: E. Honda playing 5c Torinabe

This is Swiss final round and I’m tired, thirsty, and have a runny nose. E. Honda entered the tournament with a 2050 rating and 1 point shy of a 3-bye invite to GP Bangkok. He is piloting a new, unscouted version of his trademark midrange toolbox Nabe deck, and is an impeccably technically precise player despite his quirky tournament attire of bath towel and geta. He clomps over to the table, settles his 270 kg frame into the tiny folding chair, and smiles.

Game 1 saw me get a good start with Rice, egg, 2 chickens and a dash of vinegar. He seems to have trouble finding a black mana but manages a turn 3 norimaki and starts laying out some serious fat. I am pinging in the air thinking this will be a long but inevitable game. Then he sacs potato, norimaki, crab, tuna, and mushroom to get Mothra. I try to distract the giant with Wasabi but remember as Honda untaps that moths can’t smell.

Game 2 I side out 4x mirin and side in 4x Kirin.

We are both getting drunk but I am secretly taking pings from my own Wasabi and it keeps me alert enough to outmaneuver Honda, who is by this time sleepy drunk and has to get up to pee. He has taken 3x Kirin to the face and looks like he is about to pass out as the judges watch him lurch for the washroom. After several minutes he returns, red in the face and somewhat more alert. But it has cost him momentum and he fails to deal with 100 stings from wasabi + raw onion.

Game 3 I start out with Kirin. Rough on the stomach this early in the game, I am getting low on life and it seems he has developed a tolerance. I keep at it though, and finally he is so drunk he can’t remember whether he has untapped this turn and forgets a bunch of may effects during his upkeep. I go all-in with a sick chicken and he folds. Literally. His folding chair finally collapses, he goes down, tries to get back up, and is down for the count as the judges wander by to keep him from falling asleep in the aisle.

3-1

I gotta go pee so bad, I miss the final standings but hear later on I was just shy of top 8.

July 6, 2009
AoD’s Kyoto Survival Guide

As someone who has lived in Kyoto for several months now, I thought it might be helpful to write a basic guide for the people who are going to the PT. The guide covers transportation, some basic advice, and recommendations (for food, drinking, recreation, sightseeing), and contains some basic Japanese phrases and words at the end.

GETTING AROUND

To Kyoto from KIX: There is a train station
a couple minutes’ walk from International Arrivals. Take the Haruka
train to Kyoto Station. If you have purchased a JR pass, you can use
it to cover this fare; otherwise it will cost 2980 for a non-reserved
seat. The ride takes about 75 minutes. Trains leave on every half-hour,
with the last one departing at 8:30.

Within Kyoto:

There are several train and subway lines
in Kyoto, as well as a bus system. I’m only going to list the ones that
I think are important,

1) The KEIHAN line goes from Demachiyanagi
station (Imperial Palace, Ginkakuji temple) all the way south to Osaka.
The important stops are Sanjo (shopping, nightlife), Gion-Shijo
(shopping, nightlife, Yasaka shrine, Heian shrine), Kiyomizu-Gojo
(Kiyomizu temple), Fushimi-Inari (Fushimi-Inari Shrine), Tambabashi
(transfer to the Kintetsu line), and Yodoyabashi (a large station
in Osaka, if you plan to go there).

2) The KINTETSU line goes from Kyoto
station down to Nara. The important stops are Kyoto (main transportation
hub, shopping), Takeda (the PT venue, one of my favorite izakayas),
Tambabashi (transfer to the Keihan line), and Yamato-Saidaiji
(terminus in Nara if you plan to go there, Saidaiji temple).

3) The HANKYU KYOTO line goes from the
Shijo/Kawaramachi intersection to Osaka. I don’t use it much, but it
does take you to Umeda (a cool part of Osaka). The important stops are
Kawaramachi (a couple minutes down Shijo street from Keihan Gion-Shijo
station), Karasuma (transfer to the Karasuma Subway line at Karasuma
Shijo station), and Umeda (Osaka: shopping, transfer to other
Osaka train lines).

4) The KARASUMA SUBWAY line goes from
northeast Kyoto to Takeda, the PT venue. The important stops are
Imadegawa (Imperial Palace), Shijo
(transfer to the Hankyu line at Hankyu Karasuma station), Kyoto,
and Takeda.

5) I rarely use the JAPAN RAIL (JR) lines
because the previous ones take me everywhere I usually go, but they’re
important because JR runs the Shinkansen (bullet train), which is the
best way to get to Tokyo, Hiroshima, or any other relatively far destinations
you may visit. JR operates out of Kyoto Station.

6) I don’t have much experience with
the KYOTO CITY BUSES, but there are many routes, and the system covers
most of the important sightseeing, shopping and nightlife sites. The
buses all have their destination and notable stops listed below the
route number at each bus stop, as well as a map showing the routes on
a simple layout of Kyoto’s streets. They’re somewhat slow when compared
to the trains, but cover a wider area. A single ride costs 220, while
a day pass is 500.

Important: if you go out at night,
make sure you don’t miss the last train!
Japanese trains end relatively early, and the last one usually departs
around 12 AM, depending on the station and destination. If you don’t
want to pay for a cab (~1500 – 2000, depending on the trip), head back
towards your train station by 11:45. Leave even earlier if your trip
requires a transfer somewhere.

PROTIPS

Most people in stores and restaurants
speak limited english, so if you find yourself lost or have questions
about a purchase/meal, you should be alright. Generally, the more traditional
or hole-in-the-wall a place looks, the less chance there is of anyone
speaking english.

Police boxes (recognizable from the words
KOBAN and a picture of a policeman riding a horse) are very useful when
you’re lost. Just tell the policeman where you want to go and he’ll
show you on a map.

Most convenience stores have incredibly
clean restrooms, so if you need a bathroom while you’re out, just go
to the nearest 7-11/Lawson/Circle-K/Family Mart.

If you think you’re near the place you
want to go to but can’t find it, just ask any random by saying the name
of the place you want to go. If you’re close to it, they’ll be able
to point you in the right direction, and some people are nice enough
to walk you there.

DOWNTOWN

Virtually all of the following recommendations
for restaurants and bars are in the downtown area of Shijo and Sanjo.
The best way to get there is KEIHAN, using Gion-Shijo
and Sanjo stations.

If your hotel is close to the KARASUMA
SUBWAY line, take the subway to Shijo station and transfer to
the HANKYU KYOTO line. Take Hankyu to Kawaramachi station, and
you’ll be in Shijo.

If your hotel is close to the KINTETSU
line, take the train to Tambabashi and transfer there to KEIHAN,
then take the Keihan train to Gion-Shijo
or Sanjo station.

If your hotel is close to the HANKYU
KYOTO line, just take the train to Kawaramachi station, and you’ll
be in Shijo.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I’m a college student on a budget, so
here are some pretty good places that may not blow your mind but definitely
won’t bust your wallet. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all
that Kyoto has to offer; these are just the places I like and frequently
visit.

FOOD

Kyoto is full of all sorts of restaurants,
but be warned that most "foreign" food is a Japanized version.
Some places specialize in tabehoudai (all you can eat buffet);
if no sign mentions it, don’t be afraid to ask.

Unlike American ones, Japanese convenience
stores are full of surprisingly high-quality food for cheap. Beyond
regular snack foods, you can get fried food, meat buns, sushi, rice
balls, sandwiches, bento (Japanese box-lunches) and even pasta
that the cashier will microwave for you. Convenience stores are all
open 24/7.

Fast food: Many fast food joints in Japan
are open 24/7, and the food is generally much higher-quality than food
of a comparable price in the US. Aside from McDonald’s, Japan has:

Mos
Burger – A tastier and more expensive burger chain than McDonald’s,
but the portions are somewhat small. A set is ~600-800, depending on
the burger.

Sukiya
– Japanese rice bowls, curries, and traditional side dishes in the 300-600
range.

Matsuya
– Like Sukiya, but with more emphasis on the rice bowls and less on
the curry. Rice bowls are from ~350 to 500.

CoCo
Curry – Japanese curry with rice. Wide variety, tasty, runs from ~600-1000.

Shakey’s
Pizza – For those brave enough to try Japanese pizza, Shakey’s is the
place to go. Shakey’s offers "Lunch Viking" and "Dinner
Viking," which is an odd way of saying "all you can eat buffet,"
for stupidly cheap – lunch for ~650, dinner for ~850. In addition to
pizza, you can also get curry rice, pasta and salad. Try the banana
chocolate dessert pizza; it’s actually pretty good. Shakey’s pizza is
on Teramachi, between Shijo and Sanjo streets (for how to get
to Teramachi, look at the SHOPPING section).

Sushi: It’s hard to go wrong with the
sushi here, but unless you get it from a convenience store it will be
relatively expensive (compared to other options). The two sushi places
I usually frequent represent opposite sides of the quality/quantity
argument, and are both on Sanjo street.

Ganko-zushi
– From Keihan Sanjo station, cross the bridge west towards Starbucks,
on the right-hand side of the street. Continue past Starbucks and you’ll
soon be in front of Ganko-zushi, recognizable by its logo of a serious-looking
sushi chef’s head. The food is very good, and the sashimi’s quality
is excellent, but expect to pay a minimum of 2000 yen if you don’t want
to leave hungry. They have an English menu.

Kappa
Sushi – Follow the same directions as Ganko-zushi, but continue along
down Sanjo street until the street ends. As soon as you cross Kawaramachi
street, Kappa sushi will be on the left-hand side, recognizable by its
logo of a cute vaguely-turtleish green cartoon character dressed up
like a sushi chef. Kappa Sushi is a kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt
sushi) establishment. After you’re seated, you can freely grab sushi
as it comes by on small trays. You can also place a special order using
the touch screen at each table, and the food will come on a minature
bullet train. Just remember to press the red button to send the train
back! Most plates have 2 pieces of sushi and cost 105 yen.

Okonomiyaki: Also called "Japanese
pizza," okonomiyaki is a pancake-like batter filled with various
vegetables and meat/seafood and cooked on a hot plate. Okonomiyaki restaurants
may not have a sign in English, but the Japanese looks like this: お好み焼き. You
can’t go wrong with buta (pork) or niku (beef), and for
those who like seafood there’s ika (squid) and ebi (shrimp).

I
forget the name – From Keihan Sanjo station, cross the bridge
west towards Starbucks, on the left-hand side of the street. Continue
until you reach an intersection with a light (Sanjo and Kiyamachi),
and turn left onto Kiyamachi street. Walk down Kiyamachi on the left-hand
side of the street until you see a 7-11. Next to the entrance of the
7-11 there is an elevator, and next to the elevator are a bunch of signs,
including one for okonomiyaki. Go to the floor that sign advertises.
The okonomiyaki will be about 800-1000 on average.

Ramen: Ramen shops are as delicious as
they are ubiquitous. Recognize them by the Japanese ラーメン or らーめん. The basic shoyu ramen (soy-sauce ramen)
will cost between 500-700, and is very filling. Gyoza (chinese
pot-stickers) make a good side dish, and should be between 200-300 for
5 or 6.

DRINKING

Japan is a great place to get drunk.
There are no penalties for public drinking or public drunkenness, so
as long as you aren’t being an obnoxious dickhead you’ll be fine. There
are a couple main types of drinking establishments in Japan:

The izakaya – the Japanese characters
for izakaya literally translate to "eat drink store,"
and that’s what you’ll do. Izakaya are the traditional bars of
Japan, with a food menu full of authentic Japanese fried and grilled
dishes and a hybrid drink selection consisting of sake (rice
wine) and shochu (potato liquor, somewhat similar to vodka) alongside
the usual beer and mixed drinks.

The bar – your usual bar; cocktails and
mixed nuts.

Undoubtedly, the best thing about drinking
in Japan is nomihoudai (all you can drink buffet). Instead of
paying for drinks, you pay a fixed price for 1.5 to 3 hours of as many
drinks as you can have. Some places charge extra to include beer as
part of the buffet. Not all bars offer nomihoudai, so be sure
to ask. Also, beware that some places underhandedly limit the number
of drinks you have, through slow service or watery drinks.

A Bar: One of my favorite bars in Kyoto,
A Bar has reasonably priced Yebisu beers, good food selection, and a
great atmosphere. Instead of the usual setup, there are several smaller
booths with a huge table in the center. Sharpie grafitti left by prior
celebrants covers the walls, and on weekends it’s hard not to make new
friends, whether Japanese or fellow foreigners. A large beer will run
you ~600, and mixed drinks are 500. From Keihan Shijo
station, cross the bridge west toward McDonalds. Make a right onto Kiyamachi
street, and cross over to the left (far) side of the river on Kiyamachi.
Pass club world, and go straight into the alley. Continue straight into
the next alley until you see the sign for A Bar on your left, on the
second floor.

Cafe La Siesta: My other favorite bar
in Kyoto, Cafe La Siesta is a gamer’s paradise. The music is always
8-bit, a Super Street Fighter 2 machine sits next to the bar, and there’s
a giant Game Boy with a TV inside hooked up to a NES with a sizable
collection of the best games. The Thai curry (700) is great, and while
original drinks named 1-Up, Bonus Stage and Continue start at 600, you
can get 1.5 hours of nomihoudai for 2100. The service is usually
fast, the owners are good people, and you can request the drinks strong.
The directions are the same as A Bar, but Cafe La Siesta is on the first
floor instead of the second.

Jidaiya: This izakaya chain is
probably the best drinking deal in town. Located right next to Takeda
station, Jidaiya has great, cheap traditional Japanese bar snacks, but
the real draw is 1.5 hours of nomihoudai for 900 yen. Try the
yakitori (grilled chicken sticks); they’re delicious, and a steal
at only 80 yen a stick. For nomihoudai, you have to reserve in
advance; it fills up quickly on weekends, so the sooner you figure out
how many people and when, the better. Also, they speak very limited
English, so you might want to have a Japanese judge reserve for you.
The number is 075 622 0765. I don’t remember exactly what exit it’s
next to, but if just say "Jidaiya? Izakaya?" to an employee
at Takeda station, they’ll be able to direct you.

Seagulls: While they also offer food,
the main draw for Seagulls is getting as smashed as possible. 3 hours
of nomihoudai costs 2000 (2300 with beer included), but you can
order your drinks strong. Be sure to order a drink whenever you receive
one, as the service can be a bit slow unless you’re insistent about
getting your way. From Keihan Sanjo station, cross the bridge
west towards Lawson. Make a left onto Kiyamachi street, and continue
straight until you see an izakaya called "Watami" on
a corner on the right-hand side of the street. Turn right and walk straight
past the Watami and the bowling alley. Seagulls will be on the right
side of the street on the 3rd floor, across from the Hub.

SHOPPING

Things are more expensive here than in
America, but there are many stores where you can shop duty-free. Otherwise,
check out the outdoor shopping arcades of Teramachi and Shinkyogoku
in Sanjo/Shijo.

Kyoto Station: Kyoto station is a huge
complex of restaurants and stores, with an underground mall. If you
want to buy things duty-free, go to Bic Camera for a giant selection
of electronics.

Teramachi/Shinkyogoku: The shopping arcades
of Teramachi and Shinkyogoku, bordered by Sanjo street at the north
end and Shijo street in the south, offer the best shopping in Kyoto.
Lined with stores, restaurants and even a couple game centers, there’s
little you won’t be able to find. To get to Teramamachi and Shinkyogoku:

From
KEIHAN Sanjo station, cross the bridge west towards Lawson. Continue
going straight along Sanjo street until the street becomes a dead end.
Cross the street, and walk into the covered walkway. The arcades will
trail off to the left; the nearer one is Shinkyogoku, and the further
one is Teramachi.

From
KEIHAN Gion-Shijo station, cross the bridge west towards McDonalds.
Continue straight along Shijo street until you see a sign on your right
for Shinkyogoku; if you go a bit further, you will see a sign on your
right for Teramachi.

From
HANKYU Kawaramachi station: Kawaramachi station has many exits.
Take any of the exits that lets you out on Shijo Street, and from there
walk west down Shijo street until you see the signs for Shinkyogoku
and Teramachi. If you accidentally find yourself exiting into the Takashimaya
department store, you can ask any of the workers to direct you to Shijo
street.

Taniyama Electronics Store: Like Bic
Camera but smaller, Taniyama is a several-story shop where you can buy
electronics, and the entire 5^th floor is duty free. To get
there, follow the same directions as for getting to Teramachi from
Gion-Shijo or Kawaramachi stations, but when you get to the
sign that says “Teramachi,” instead of going into the arcade, go
the opposite direction down the street. Taniyama will be on your right
after a short walk.

RECREATION

Karaoke: Japanese karaoke centers are
multi-storied affairs with private rooms for each party, room service
for food and drinks, and large song selections. If you’ve never tried
it, you really should—anyone who has played Rock Band knows the awesome
fun of singing poorly to your favorite music. Songs you must try: “Welcome
to the Jungle,” “Say It Ain’t So,” and “Snake Eater Song”
from MGS3. They’re virtually everywhere, but if you don’t
see “Karaoke” in English, you can recognize a karaoke center by
the Japanese カラオケ. You pay by the hour, and the cheapest times
are from around 12 PM to around 5 PM.

Game Centers (Arcades): If you have an
absurd craving to get your ass kicked at Street Fighter IV, there are
two good arcades in the Shijo/Sanjo downtown area.

Round
1 is a large complex with ticket games, air hockey and crane games aside
your usual fighters, racers and gun games. From KEIHAN Sanjo
station, cross the bridge west towards Lawson. Continue straight down
Sanjo street until the road ends at Kawaramachi street. Cross to the
dead-end side, and turn left. Walk south down Kawaramachi street towards
Shijo street. After a short walk, Round 1 will be on your right. The
real games are all from the 3^rd floor up. Most games are
100 yen per play, but SFIV gives you two plays.

For
the hardcore, Amusement A-Cho on Teramachi street is a no-nonsense
arcade stacked with almost every major fighter from the last two decades.
The competition is much better than at Round 1, so don’t be surprised
if you lose. A lot. To get there, follow the directions for Teramachi
street from Gion-Shijo station. Enter Teramachi, and after a
short walk you will see a sign for Amusement A-Cho high up on your right.
Go up the escalator, and you’ll be on the gaming floor. Most games
are 50 yen per play.

Clubs: The downtown area has more than
a few clubs, but I’ve only been to a couple of them. Japanese dancing
etiquette is different, as people often dance by themselves, and depending
on the place may not be as receptive to your advances as they would
in America. Be courteous, get drunk and rock out.

Sam & Dave: This gaijin-owned
chain is very popular in Kansai (western Japan), and its Kyoto
location is on Kiyamachi street between Sanjo and Shijo, close
to 7-11 and the okonomiyaki restaurant. Entry for men is 2000 and comes
with 2 drink tickets. The first floor has a pool table, and the second
floor is the main dance area. Sam & Dave is known for its foreigner
population, so you’ll see a lot of other gaijin as well as
questionable Japanese girls looking to hook up with said gaijin.

Club World: The biggest club in Kyoto,
Club World is classier, has better music, and is frequented by fewer
gaijin than Sam & Dave. However, the entry is a hefty 3000 yen,
and only comes with 1 drink ticket. From Gion-Shijo
station, cross the bridge towards the McDonalds. Turn right at the first
intersection (Kiyamachi street), and walk down Kiyamachi on the left-hand
(far) side of the river. You will soon be at Club World.

SIGHTSEEING

While the Pro Tour will take up most
of your time, this may be the only chance you have to come to Japan,
and it’d be a shame not to see one of the many beautiful, easily accessible
cultural spots in Kyoto.

Kinkakuji: Also known as the Temple of
the Golden Pavilion, this gilded Buddhist temple sits atop a placid
pond. It’s a bit out of the way, but well worth it. Admission is ~500.
To get there, take the 101 or 205 bus from Kyoto Station (or
any stop along the way). Alternately, a faster method is to take the
KARASUMA SUBWAY line to Kitaoji station, and take a bus or taxi
from there to Kinkakuji.

Ginkakuji: Although the name literally
translates as “Temple of the Silver Pavilion,” Ginkakuji is actually
a wooden structure. While it’s currently under construction, the real
draw is the traditional walking garden path that winds through the carefully
sculpted grounds. Admission is ~500. To get there, take the 5, 17 or
100 bus from Kyoto Station. If you’re already near a KEIHAN
station, it’s a better idea to take the train to Demachiyanagi
station, and take one of the same buses from there.

Kiyomizu-dera: Sitting on a hill, the
beautiful Kiyomizu temple offers a great view of Kyoto. One of the older
temples in Japan, Kiyomizu-dera is known for its sacred water that is
purported to bring longevity, wisdom, and health. Lesser-known but close
by lies a massive Japanese graveyard with stones dating back to the
mid-1800s. From KEIHAN Kiyomizu-Gojo station, walk west towards
the row of convenience stores. Continue straight along Gojo street until
you come upon a diagonal cross-street and a steep hill straight ahead.
Go up the hill; Kiyomizu-dera is a the top.

Fushimi-Inari Taisha: My favorite place
in Kyoto, Fushimi-Inari shrine offers a pleasant hike and some valuable
silence, both of which are relatively hard to come by in Japan. The
main shrine for the god of fortune, Fushimi-Inari is a hill criss-crossed
with dozens of paths that are lined with 10,000 red gates in total.
Along the hike, you’ll encounter many side paths leading to shrines
of various sizes, and countless statues of foxes in red bibs. The shrines
at the top of the hill are full of friendly cats, and I highly recommend
making the whole circuit. The best time to go is at sundown; hundreds
of lamps illuminate the mountain, and you won’t run into to too many
other people. From KEIHAN Fushimi-Inari station, head across
the train tracks going uphill. Just follow the path straight, and go
in the same direction as the other tourists. Make sure you don’t get
lost on the mountain; the paths can be confusing. Trivia: While hiking
at Fushimi-Inari, the idea of foxes in red bibs flying through gates
inspired Shigeru Miyamoto to create Starfox.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO TRY: BASIC
JAPANESE

Japanese is a fairly difficult language,
and the grammar is very different from that of English. Here’s a basic
pronunciation guide, a list of important questions and phrases, and
a list of words you can substitute into said sentences.

Pronunciation: Japanese pronunciation
is much simpler than you might imagine. There are five vowels: A, I,
U, E, and O.

A is pronounced ah, as in law or saab.

I is pronounced ee, as in feed or knee.

U is pronounced ooh, as in you or do.

E is pronounced ay, as in play or way.

O is pronounced oh, as in low or dough.

All the consonants are similar to those
in English, with the exception of:

“R” sounds like a mix of L and R;
try saying “R” while touching the tip of your tongue to the roof
of your mouth.

“F” sounds like a mix of F and H;
try saying “F” without touching your upper teeth to your lower lip.

Additionally, Japanese uses “Tsu,”
which is pronounced how it is written.

“J” is ALWAYS pronounced like J as
in “jam” or “jump”.

Useful sentence Patterns:

WHERE: _______ wa doko desu ka? (where
is ___?)

HOW MUCH: _______ wa ikura desu ka?
(how much is ___?)

DIRECTIONS: _______ ni dou ikimasu ka?
(how do I get to ___?)

DO YOU HAVE: _______ wa arimasu ka?
(do you have/is there ___?)

WHEN: ______ wa itsu desu ka? (when
is ___?)

Useful phrases:

Konnichiwa. (Hello)

Jaa ne! (Goodbye!)

Arigatou. (Thank you.)

Onegaishimasu. (Please.)

Sumimasen. (Excuse me.)

Gomen nasai. (Sorry.)

Eigo o hanasemasu ka? (Do you speak
English?)

Nihongo o hanasemasen. (I don’t
speak Japanese.)

Useful words:

Places:

Train station: Eki

Toilet: Toire

Convenience Store: Konbini

Bar: Izakaya, Baa

Restaurant: Resutoran

Police Box: Koban

Bakery: Panya

Sushi restaurant: Sushiya

Bookstore: Honya

Arcade: Geemu Senta

Japan: Nihon

Japanese (language): Nihongo

Japanese (person): Nihonjin

Things:

Train: Densha

Taxi: Takushii

Food: Tabemono

Drinks: Nomimono

Alcohol: Sake

Beer: Biiru

Lunch: Hirugohan

Dinner: Bangohan

END

I hope some of this has been useful.
This basic guide is by no means exhaustive, and I can already think
of a few cool things I haven’t even had the time to write yet, but
it should help you get around reasonably well. Good luck in the PT!

P.S.: If I know you from GG or MT and
you’d like my number for emergency contact or general information
purposes, send me a request via GMail at srosenblum.

(Discuss this item in the forum!)

February 23, 2009
Eventide Prerelease Thread

i played two flights today; the main, and a 2hg afterward. it was my first prerelease since ravnica and my first time playing magic offline since gp: sf 2007, so it was good to play real magic again.

INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT: 3-1

my pool was pretty good, though i had to leave a crackleburr in the side without any good r or u to support it ;_; i ended up BW, with a bunch of solid men led by midnight banshee and divinity of pride as well as double desecrator hags for support (yes, i chained them often), some good removal, and an island for biting tether cause fuck yeah biting tether

R1: vs. matt

matt was a nice guy playing a rwg deck, but i'm not sure what his main colors or good cards were. whatever, it's a prerelease.
g1: he played some guys and i played some guys, and then i played a midnight banshee which wrathed his board in two turns and killed him.
g2: he got me pretty low, but i stabilized and then locked his board with midnight banshee and kulrath knight.

1-0

R2: vs. mike

mike was running rw. he was a worse player than matt.
g1: he didn't get lands and i rolled him.
g2: i mulled to 6 on the play, and he whittled my life away as i proceeded to not draw lands for several turns. he pantsed up a full-sized rw hatchling with the rw aura and gained a ton of life, but i was able to keep chumping by rotating my hags. despite the screw, i held out for a while and even stabilized for a bit. i was at 3, though, and he was able to kill my only flier and hit for the last point.
g3: i don't remember much about this game, except that i kicked his ass.

2-0

R3: vs. some guy

some guy was also playing bw. he was not particularly outgoing.
g1: he was a bit land-light early, and had to beseech the queen for a swamp on t4 while i beat his face in. then he proceeded to kill all my guys with his insane amount of removal, until i had a bunch of things that didn't matter and he had swans of bryn argoll ftw.
g2: like g1, but with him ahead the entire time. the cards just weren't in it for me; it's one of those games that comes once in a while where there's really nothing you can do =/

2-1

R4: vs. alex

alex was also playing rw. i don't know why people kept choosing this combination in sealed; it's bad guys + alright removal.
g1: he didn't get lands so i killed him with a t4 divinity of pride.
g2: he mulled on the play; i let him draw the extra card just because there's only so much bad luck a man can watch at a prerelease. he had a regular start and mine was slow, but i got the midnight banshee to stabilize.
g3: i wanted to play again, and offered not to count g1 as a game. he said sure, and i stomped him again.

3-1

6 packs, not awful. i hung around for a bit, then frantically searched for someone to 2hg with. at the last minute, i just asked loudly if anyone needed an extra head. the guy standing right next to me did, as it turned out, and he also went 3-1 in the first flight so i figured he'd be a decent partner.

the pool was solid again. we figured pretty quickly that there was a ton of good G and W, and we ended up with Gr and W. the W deck was some good {bw} hybrid synergy, some good removal, and a light from within that i only drew in the last match. its men were mostly passable, but there was a bit of chaff. the Gr deck had a bit of removal, a bunch of solid men, and a couple bombs in creakwood liege and howl of the night pack.

r1: it's hard enough for me to remember one name, fuck you

one deck was WUR (?!), the other was BG. i couldn't get a creature to stick, but my teammate, jason, played a bunch of guys and i spent most of my time playing the removal. the BG girl came out of the gate fast with a couple {wb} mimics and a lurebound scarecrow set for black, but ember gale wrathed her board i had no idea what the WUR guy's strategy was, and BG was stuck on four lands for the longest time until jason dropped a woodfall primus and stuck her on three. big dudes ftw

1-0
after this game, we switched the decks up a little bit and added U to the W deck for guys who did not suck.

r2: a couple of assholes who should die because they get stupid combos at the worst time

one guy was RG, and the other was BW. we were hitting them pretty well for the first few turns, and had them below 20 with a double-mimic-fueled 12 point turn coming up. then they dropped a soul snuffers with flourishing defenses in play, killed half our dudes and got 9 tokens. then they played a kulrath knight and i shoved a knife in my eye

1-1

r3: some cool dudes who had as much fun not being serious about magic as we did

this match was awesome. one of them was bw, and the other was rw (???). we swung back and forth for awhile, but the board crystallized soon enough as we built up our forces. i went insane with a knacksaw clique that my teammate had kindly pantsed with presence of gond, and i can confidently say that the only thing more satisfying than putting a recumbent bliss on your opponent's best creature is putting your opponent's recumbent bliss on your opponent's best creature. we finally broke the stall by putting a gift of the deity on a green guy and luring all their blockers while a bunch of wolf tokens traipsed in for lethal.

2-1

r4: a couple average guys who made embarrassing play errors

one was mono-w, and the other was GB. they got some early pressure with the 2/2 G guy, but we stabilized in short order and i lived the dream of restless apparition + edge of the divinity + light from within. they got a creakwood liege that let them chump for god knows how long, but i built up a flying force and he howled for a night pack. ember gale on the head that had most of the creatures let us swing for lethal virtually unopposed, and that was game.

3-1

6 packs again; not bad. i guess i'll just use them at a FNM in japan or something.

obligatory +/- section:

+
midnight banshee and kulrath knight, for being best friends
the guys from r3 of 2hg, for joking around the entire time
jason (my teammate), for giving a ride to some guy he'd never met and helping me understand the finer points of leech bonder (it UNTAPS, hurrrrrr)
jason, for knowing when to draw howl of the night pack (always)

–
this prerelease, for taking $50 of my lazily-earned cash
anyone who destroyed me in a ridiculous blowout, for not considering my feelings ;_;
FLOURISHING DEFENSES SOUL SNUFFERS MOTHERFUCKING SHITBITCH ASSCUNT DICKTARD
everyone else, for not posting anything yet

July 14, 2008
AOD Legacy: MODO Sunday

February 20, 2008
Massive Gameplay-Related SSB:Brawl Spoiler

okay, so this game is goddamn awesome. i went to my friend's place last night around 8, and passed around the controllers from then until 3AM when i had to leave because the only other person still up went to bed. it’s a ridiculous amount of fun.

CONTROLS/GAMEPLAY

this game is not melee. everyone is floatier and jumps higher, and the game speed lands somewhere between melee and 64. most kills were vertical or horizontal, and it was uncommon to see someone fall to their death. people generally get to higher %ages, and comboing is harder because attacks have further knockback. characters automatically grab ledges off of jumps and most recovery attacks, so edge-guarding is much harder in brawl than in melee. all the physics exploits from melee are gone, and air dodges don't go in a direction anymore–they follow your current momentum.

CHARACTERS

i used: samus/zero (a ton), luigi, ike, marth, sonic, sheik, fox (a few to several times each), meta-knight, link, pit, pokemon trainer, snake, mario, and rob (once each). i saw every character played throughout the night, with the exception of game & watch, toon link, jigglypuff and wolf because they hadn't been unlocked and peach and zelda because nobody liked them.

samus/zero: zero samus is fucking amazing; great jumps, great aerials, long-range smashes, a useful projectile, a ranged throw that goes fairly fast with minimal lag, and good speed. regular samus is a worthless pile. she's much floatier and slower in the air than in melee, her missiles aren't as good, the charge shot takes longer to charge, her n air and dash attacks aren't as good, and her other issues (slow roll, mediocre vertical recovery) remain intact. i think the screw attack might be better this time around, but does it matter?

B: paralyzer – energy pistol shot that does decent damage and stuns based on charge time, with a maximum charge of a few seconds before it automatically fires. it's about as fast as a boomerang, but the range is somewhat limited.

>B: whip – whips out further than her smash, but with longer lag. i don't know much about attack; i didn't use it much.

vB: backflip – she performs a backflip that arcs in the direction she was facing, with decent vertical and horizontal range. it’s fairly fast, making it a fun combat tactic and a crucial third jump.

^B: whip – whips straight up or to the nearest ledge. decent range, although i haven't used it in combat as much as her better anti-air alternatives. still, it means zero samus has four great jumps, so her recovery is awesome.

final smash: power suit samus – she dons the power suit in a storm of energy, and deals some damage + knockback to anyone close to her. sadly, this final smash is 1) not that powerful, 2) leaves you vulnerable when you first transform into samus, and 3) leaves you as samus, but according to today's smashbros.com update you can lose the armor by mashing up + down taunts repeatedly!

notable A moves: her >/^ smashes are both whip attacks with good range (and knockback in the case of >), and her down smash inflicts a good few seconds of stun. zero’s aerials are all fairly good, and lead to juggling opportunities with her great jumps. i'm not sure what to make of her v air though, as it's one of the kicks (like sheik's and sonic's) that launches downward until it hits a platform, and has some predictability/lag issues.

samus moves:

final smash: zero laser – one of my favorite final smashes, because it's everything a final smash should be: powerful, useful on any stage, skill-rewarding, and escapable. it blows the holy hell out of anyone sorry enough to get hit, and leaves you as zero samus which is great.

luigi: anyone who loved luigi in ssb and hated his movement issues will be pleased to find that luigi kicks ass now. he is not nearly as floaty or slippery as melee, and has the same moveset with a few key upgrades.

>B: green missile – this time, the green missile doesn't require as much charge to hit hard, and when it misfires it doesn't rocket as far off the stage. it has more knockback, and works as a finisher.

^B: jump punch – i've found this easier to sweetspot in brawl, and much more powerful, leading to countless shouts of "SHOOOORYUKEN" last night ^____^. the only problem is that luigi can't grab ledges after using it, so it's a poor recovery move.

final smash: crazy dance – a large circle of inverted colors spreads outward from luigi, and he dances for several seconds to odd music. opponents in the circle fall into a trance and are prime targets for shoryukens. the whole effect lasts around 15 seconds, and after the first 10 or so the circle begins to shrink. you can avoid getting caught in the circle as long as you play intelligently, and it’s possible to escape the trance by wiggling the analog (although i can’t do it reliably).

ike: ike is awesome, but requires timing. most of his moves are much slower than marth's, but they have range and are ungodly powerful. i routinely killed people at 50-70% using his >smash, and when he connects it makes the sound of a gunshot holy fuck

B: eruption – unlike marth's charge B, ike stabs down into the stage to create a fiery explosion. the charge can be held indefinitely (like most charge moves this game, including green missile and shield breaker). the base damage is not much lower than fully charged, but i have yet to master the timing. it can stab through floors, which kicks huge amounts of ass.

>B: quick draw – another charge move. when you release, ike shoots forward and slices whomever was in his way. longer charges go further. like the fox illusion, you are vulnerable after performing this in the air. it’s a great move to balance out ike's slower attacks, as it lets you quickly close the distance on opponents. projectiles stop it.

vB: counter – like marth's, but a bit slower and more powerful.

^B: aether – imagine if final cutter looked awesome. now pretend that it was useful. you now have a rough idea of aether. ike throws his sword up fairly far, which smacks anyone who gets hit by it, and then jumps up to catch it and slash downward a la final cutter. ike doesn't flinch throughout this entire move, which has a large range and does good damage.

final smash: great aether – spectacularly awesome. ike throws up his sword, and jumps after it as it spins in the air. he then proceeds to beat the hell out of anyone caught in the initial throw for several seconds, and brings everyone back down in a huge final strike. i’m not sure if this is an instant kill regardless of percentage, but i never used it without KOing someone.

notable A moves: i didn’t spend much time with his aerials, but his > smash has good range and ridiculous power (if a slow windup), and his jab combo does a huge amount of damage and knockback for a “weak” move.

marth: marth is still one of the better characters, and retains his excellent speed, range, and tipping power from melee. his shield breaker is now a thrust instead of an arc, and can be held indefinitely like most of the other charge moves.

final smash: critical strike – marth flashes forward and scores a critical hit on anyone in his way. fast, but can be anticipated and dodged. i’m fairly sure this is an instant kill

sonic: while I didn’t get that great of a feel for him, i can confidently say that sonic is a good character. he moves and attacks with great speed, has some good aerials, and can even perform some moves after using his ^B.

B: homing attack – sonic charges in spin mode for a bit, then attacks the nearest opponent.

>B/vB: spindash – i didn’t use sonic enough to figure out the different uses for these moves, but in either case sonic charges a spindash and rockets at a fool.

^B: spring – sonic bounces off of a spring. great vertical distance, if a bit lacking horizontally. if used on the ground, other players can also jump on the spring until it disappears.

final smash: OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAAAND – sonic transforms into super sonic, loses all his moves and gains the ability to zoom around and run into people. he flies very fast, so it’s hard to control, but the damage and knockback are excellent and I never saw someone transform into super sonic without getting at least 2 kills. it lasts 15+ seconds, but can be dodged and takes some degree of skill to use effectively.

notable A moves: sonic’s ^ air is very similar to fox’s, and his > air is a horizontal drill kick that has good priority. it’s worth noting that drill/multiple hit moves are almost as good in brawl as they were in 64. like sheik and zero samus, sonic’s v air doesn’t stop until it hits a platform.

sheik: sheik lost some power with the transition from melee to brawl; because of the increased floatiness, it’s harder to combo and juggle with her. sheik’s attacks are essentially unchanged, with the exception of needles (which, unless completely charged, don’t fire unless you press B twice) and v air (which, as mentioned previously, doesn’t stop until it hits a platform, and doesn’t have nearly as much initial lag as it used to).

final smash: light arrow – this move is another of my favorite final smashes. sheik draws back her bow and lets loose a lightning-fast arrow. if it connects, it freezes time and shows the doomed characters for a split second before they rocket off the screen. it’s like the zero laser, but much faster (and harder to dodge), much narrower (and harder to hit with), and kills instantly. shooting someone who just respawned with a light arrow feels really, really good, and leads to excessive profanity.

fox: like sheik, fox is also hurt by brawl’s physics changes. his quick air game has been cut back in terms of power. his moves are essentially unchanged as well, although his side smash looks different.

final smash: landmaster – the landmaster is fucking retarded. fox calls down a gigantic tank and proceeds to ream everyone. while it doesn’t hurt to touch the tank, it only takes a couple blasts to get killed by it, and it’s easy to push people off the edge and shoot them as they try to recover. i’m sure i’d have a better time of dodging it once i gained more experience with the game, but for now landmaster is unstoppable on pretty much any stage smaller than, say, melee corneria. expect to die. a lot.

meta-knight: meta-knight is a bit tricky to use. he’s fairly fast and his attacks are quick, but nobody who used him last night was able to figure out his best finishers. he has excellent horizontal recovery, thanks to a combination of gliding, jumps, and his >B.

B: tornado – meta-knight begins whirling around, and damages everyone he touches. The path of the tornado can be controlled, and it works just as well in midair as it does on the ground (as opposed to the luigi cyclone).

>B: cannon drill – meta-knight launches forward, and damages anyone he touches. useful for recovery and, and a reliable way to close distance and get in some percentage.

vB: teleport – some sort of teleport move. i never used it, but some of my friends did.

^B: glide – to be honest, i have no idea how to use this move effectively. meta-knight launches into the air, loops around a bit and then SDs off the stage. twice. in one match. that i was about to win god dammit.

final smash: dimensional cape – meta-knight throws his cape around an opponent, the screen goes dark, and all opponents are cut with a huge slash that deals big damage and knockback, although it’s not an instant kill. in order to work properly, you have to perform it right next to someone; otherwise, nothing happens.

notable A moves: i only played one match with him, but holding A to unleash a flurry of sword strikes on an enemy is tons of fun. his moves are somewhat hard to hit with in general, because you must be precise with them due to their speed.

link: link was alright. he has good range as always, but his attacks are still somewhat slow and i don’t know if the spin attack is as good as it was in melee. the spin attack can be charged now, and the gale boomerang can suck opponents back towards link.

final smash: triforce slash – another of my favorites. link holds out the back of his fist, and a golden beam of light shoots from the triforce on his gauntlet. if it hits someone, two triforces imprison them as link goes to town with a barrage of slashes before winding up for a few seconds and finishing them off with a huge blow. i think it’s an instant kill, but make sure you’re actually going to connect before you press B, because every time someone whiffs a triforce slash maro considers putting one with nothing in 11th.

pit: pit stands with zero samus and sonic as one of the better newcomers. he has insane vertical and horizontal recovery thanks to his ^B, a good final smash, a reflector, a bevy of useful sword strikes, and one of the best/most goddamn annoying projectiles ever.

B: palutena’s arrow – pit shoots out a very quick arrow. charging increases the distance, and you can change the direction of the arrow by pressing up or down while it’s in motion. pit can also aim straight up with his bow. unlike the boomerang, the arrow’s direction can be changed by degrees, so given enough practice i imagine one can become quite the marksman.

>B: spinning blades – pit charges forward a short distance, spinning his knives. the spin continues for as long as you continue to mash B, and is hard to attack into. additionally, the wind from the spinning blades reflects projectiles. good attack, but i hope to god they’ve changed his battle cry for the american version because it makes me want to shoot someone.

vB: mirror shield – pit holds out a magical shield, which reflects items. it comes out fairly quickly, although i don’t think it can be used as an attack.

^B: wings of palutena – pits wings glow blue, and he flies upward in whatever direction you choose for what seems like forever. no joke, one of my friends accidentally killed himself with this by jumping into a star KO.

final smash: palutena’s army – pit calls on a bunch of small, irritating fairy soldiers, who are like more powerful, homing unown. this final smash gets worse as the stage gets bigger, but it’s always a fairly annoying move and relatively hard to dodge. it can kill at 0%, but you’d have to be really, really bad.

notable A moves: i don’t remember too much about him, but i believe his >smash is like link’s (2 blows you can stagger), and he does well in aerial combat.

pokemon trainer: it’s hard enough to get a sense for one character’s moveset in only one match, let alone three, so all i can give you is what you have probably already figured out: squirtle is fast and weak, ivysaur is mid-range, and charizard is slower and more powerful. however, i can tell you that the final smash is kickass.

final smash: team attack – hydro pump, solar beam and flamethrower. it has a decent width, comes out instantly, and has killed everyone it touched (though i’m not sure if it kills from 0%). it’s super effective!

when you lose all your stock as pokemon trainer, he stays in the background looking worried for his pokemon for the rest of the match.

snake: snake is a hard character to use, and i expect he’ll take a lot of practice to use well, but that the practice will be worth it. his moves are slower and sloppier than you would think, but if you get used to his timing he’s fairly powerful. he can crawl around to avoid most projectiles, and his box taunt damages if the box hits someone as it falls.

B: grenade – snake throws a grenade. after a couple seconds, it explodes. duh.

>B: nikita missile – snake shoots a nikita missile, which can be guided. to stop guiding the missile, l-cancel. the nikita inflicts decent damage and knockback.

vB: claymore – i didn’t use this.

^B: cypher – snake ascends for a few seconds using the remote sentry. snake can still perform some attacks after using the cypher.

final smash: grenade launcher – snake jumps into a helicopter and takes control of a grenade launcher. grenades do ~18 damage, have a lot of knockback, and explode large enough to catch more than one enemy in the blast. this is a very fair smash: powerful, but skill-intensive.

mario: mario, from the one game i played with him, is about the same as he was in melee. the only notable change is that the mario tornado is now v air, and his vB is now FLUDD, which i have no idea how to use well. i never got his final smash off, but you’ve all seen it so i won’t go into great detail.

rob: rob is surprisingly good. it deals acceptable damage, has good jumps, an excellent ^B, a good projectile, and a devastating < air.

B: laser – rob shoots a laser that deals a good amount of damage and goes through players to damage players behind them, like a wave beam. it has a cooldown period, though, and if you try to spam it you will not get very good results.

>B: to be honest, i don’t even remember.

vB: same.

^B: booster – rob uses the jets its his base to boost through the air. you have about 5 seconds of boost, but you can space them apart instead of using it all up at once.

final smash: robot rampage – rob shoots a sort of laser flamethrower from his eyes for the duration of the smash, and his attacks are replaced by a powerful spin move. the smash lasts for about 10-15 seconds.

further observations about characters i didn’t use:

-kirby doesn’t completely suck anymore; same for pikachu
-dedede is very slow, but the waddle-dee army is so cute >:3
-diddy is apparently worthless
-bowser is still awful, even with giga bowser taken into account
-ganondorf’s final smash is great: he transforms into beast ganon from twilight princess and charges off the screen before reappearing in human form. anyone taken down by beast ganon is instantly killed.
-lucario is basically mewtwo two. his A attacks seems to be better, but he’s still very floaty and has a similar ^B/B. hyper beam is ridiculous, though; lucario teleports to the top of the stage and shoots out a huge, powerful beam of energy, which you can slowly guide to the left or right.
-falco is not so good anymore—too floaty, too slow

ITEMS

the guy who owned the wii had already turned off many of the items, so i’ll just talk about the ones i thought were pretty cool.

-smash ball: this was done surprisingly well. the smash ball floats around the stage, and takes a number of hits to break. scrambling to get the smash ball is tense, exciting, and a whole lot of fun; you don’t get it so much as you win it. to use it, just press B. if you haven’t used it and somebody hits you hard enough, it floats free again.

-dragoon: once the first dragoon piece appears, it’s assured that the next two are coming. this creates a new and interesting dynamic, as players go after other players who have the pieces they need. the dragoon itself is fun to use as well; you have a limited amount of time to try and hit an enemy, and you only get one shot. if it hits, it’s an instant kill.

-firework launcher: you can alter the trajectory of your fireworks by tilting the analog, and the fireworks are fairly fast and powerful.

-assist trophy: some of them kind of suck, but andross, little mac, knuckle joe, gray fox, saki amiyama or whatever and the custom robos are all really good.

-beam sword: my favorite beam sword yet. its default length is almost longer than it ever got in melee, and it grows to fairly ridiculous proportions during a smash attack. each character uses the beam sword in a unique manner, which adds another layer of strategy.

i think i am done typing this ridiculous thing, so if you’d like to know about stages or music as well, i’ll answer any questions.

February 9, 2008