neko-san meets world

I was supposed to be in Japan last February, but then the pandemic came and poof! No more Japan for me for now. So to pass this unfortunate thing going on and to somehow kill the boredom, I checked out some doramas that are available at Netflix. And seriously, lots of them are underrated and are deserving to be watched. Here are a few doramas I definitely recommend to everyone in no particular order: Legal V Ex-Lawyer Shoko Takanashi Rigaru V: Gen Bengoshi: Takanashi Shoko (2018) TV Asahi Starring Ryoko Yonekura (Doctor X) now plays the titular character Shoko Takanashi, a former lawyer who was disbarred due to an incident with a case assigned to her in her previous firm. This was the first legal drama I've ever watched and it got me hooked! Doctor X - Surgeon Michiko Daimon Seasons 1 - 6 plus 1 Special (2012 - 2019) TV Asahi I'm not really fan of medical dramas (hate seeing lots of blood) but Doctor X is an exception. In this drama, Ryoko Yonekura plays Michiko Daimon, a tough...

Hello everyone. Two weeks has already past since the enhanced community quarantine started. I've been working from home for the past few days, except last Monday, as I have to report for work as part of the skeletal force. From Tuesday to Friday, I work from home using the laptop provided by the office so everyday seems the same except that I'm at home and I can't go outside after. At night, I usually spend hours watching YouTube videos or binge-watching Netflix series. And during this hard times, nothing's more perfect than watching this cool Italian grandma cook meals from the Great Depression in the US. Watching Clara cook simple yet delicious and nutritious meals, from Poorman's Feast to Egg Drop Soup, and tell stories about her childhood during the Depression is so inspiring. Here are some of her recipes on YouTube:  Unfortunately, she's not with us anymore but her legacy will always be there to stay. A big thanks to her grandson Ch...

Oh Nokia . The nostalgia. I won't say that it has been a long time since I held one, as I am still using old Nokia phones for reading ebooks and some casual music and photography. But this is the first time that I'm going to review a phone from their Android lineup. I got the Nokia C1  at a discounted price in their official Shopee site and received it after two working days. You can check out their official Shopee page  here . Announced last December 11, 2019, the Nokia C1 , which runs on Android 9 Pie (Go Edition), is one of the latest budget Android phones by Nokia licensee HMD , aimed for users who are stepping up from feature phones to their first smartphones.  Specifications 5.4" FWVGA+IPS screen, toughened glass 1.3 GHz quadcore processor 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory (microSD support up to 64GB) 5MP rear camera with flash, 5MP front camera also w/ flash GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 WDCMA: 1, 2, 5, 8 3G Network Speed, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n B...

Good news Studio Ghibli fans out there! Streaming giant Netflix will be releasing 21 Studio Ghibli films starting February 1st on its platform.  For those who are not familiar with Studio Ghibli, they are behind famous animated films such as My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away , Grave of the Fireflies (not included though due to licensing issues), and Howl's Moving Castle . But I tell you there's more to watch other than this films. Can't wait to binge-watch are you? Neko-san feels you, meow. In the meantime, see the schedule of release below: SOURCE

So Neko-san got hungry again after a long and tiring commute to the office, and as a follow-up to his previous post about the Fuwa Fuwa Custard Bun , decided to try the newest Fuwa Fuwa bread variants: the Fuwa Fuwa Cheese Mayo Bread and the Bacon & Cheese Bread , which finally became available at the 7-Eleven store nearby for PHP42.00 each. Fuwa Fuwa Bacon and Cheese Bread Every Fuwa Fuwa bread has a Fuwa-chan story in its packaging. So meow tried the Fuwa Fuwa Bacon & Cheese Bread first, and was nonetheless impressed with the soft and fluffy bread. The bacon and cheese toppings goes well with the bread and the taste definitely does not disappoint. Yumm! Neko-san's rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Fuwa Fuwa Cheese Mayo Bread! Next is the Fuwa Fuwa Cheese Mayo Bread ! Neko-san's praise for the consistent softness and fluffyness of the bread, living up to its name! (Fuwa Fuwa means "fluffy" in Japanese!). But what makes it standout is that ...

Neko-san usually eats breakfast at home before going to work, but the long travel time usually makes him feel hungry. :( (Hello fellow commuters!) Good thing there's a konbini a few blocks away from the office! So yeah Neko-san's been wanting to try the Fuwa Fuwa bread for some time now (he's attracted to everything Japanese! :) ) in the nearby 7-Eleven and finally he was able to buy one along with my usual Mochaccino City Blends coffee for some dose of caffeine. Meow! The packaging is so attractive! At first glance, it looks like a regular bun. But meow tell you, the bread is so soft and moist! And the custard filling is so delicious! Kinda taste like the bavarian cream filling in donuts. And it goes well with coffee! We shall try the choco-filled variant next time! And apparently, upon checking on their Facebook page, they will be releasing other variants as well. (cheese and ham? yum!) meow rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a follow-up to my previous post ' Jumpstart Your Japanese with these Windows Phone Apps ,' here are more apps to aid in your journey to learn Nihongo: 1. Human Japanese (PHP447.00) Publisher: Brak Software Size: 31MB Also on Android This app may cost you some bucks but it's definitely worth it. Human Japanese is quite a famous app on Google Play Store (a high rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars) with lots of people recommending it for those who want to learn Nihongo on their own pace. Unfortunately, it's not that known on Windows Phone Store (no rating) probably because it is a paid app and that also probably explains why HJ Intermediate is not yet available. But of course you can still try this app for a few days before buying it. 

So last week I was browsing for free games for PC on Wikipedia and found a few interesting titles. One that caught my attention was a visual novel game called ' Katawa Shoujo ' (as it is a Japanese title!). For sometime I've been looking to experience playing one so I downloaded it right away. (The installer is less than 500MB). I just installed it today and my first impression is that this game looks good! Nice graphics and audio! Hopefully the story is good too! The developers really did well and thankfully its free!

The anime D.N. Angel was released way back 2003 though I wasn't aware of it until it was aired on QTV 11 ( now GMA News Network ) 10 years ago. As a teenager that time, I was very much interested in magic and angels and anime (of course) and that's probably why I was very hooked with this series. For a little background, it's about a typical teenage boy named Daisuke Niwa , whose life has changed on his fourteenth birthday. I won't tell spoilers but I highly suggest you go watch it online or buy a DVD and I'll guarantee that you'll love this anime. You can also read the manga by Yukiru Sugisaki ( Candidate for Goddess ) though I haven't read this but I plan to. 

Flying to the land of the rising sun may be a bit expensive but thankfully, GetGo in partnership with Fujifilm Philippines , is giving away not one but three for FREE ! All you need to do is to join ' I Am A Juanderer Photo Challenge ' by signing up, then upload a photo of your travel with the caption: 'I travel because...' and that's it! If your photo is chosen, you'll not only fly to Tokyo but you'll also win a Fujifilm camera plus your photo will be featured in GetGo cards for 2016 ! Three winners will be chosen so good luck in choosing your best travel photo. Contest is until December 4 (Friday) so you'll still have a week to prepare. Click this link for more info and mechanics:   https://www.facebook.com/GetGoPH/app/791268710957002/ I am a Juanderer Photo Challenge Source: GetGoPH FB

Anyone here who loves orchestra music? Maybe a few but no matter, why not try listening to this cool Japanese high school band at least. Actually, I just accidentally watch their video after searching for a real orchestra performing ' Unter Dem Doppeladler/Under the Double Eagle ', a march by Austrian composer Josef Wagner. (I found this march awesome after hearing it in a La Corda d'Oro CD album).  So without further ado, presenting the Shijonawate Gakuen High School Brass Band performing ' Under the Double Eagle '!! ' Under the Double Eagle ' performed by Shijonawate Gakuen High School Brass Band Video courtesy of  +kamino50  

So you want to learn Nihongo? Fortunately there are apps on Windows Phone that can teach you the basics, even advanced, of Japanese. And what's good is that almost all of them are free. Let's get started! (Note: Clicking on the name of the app will bring you to Windows Phone Store) 

I have mentioned in my previous post that I really enjoyed watching ' Ergo Proxy ' (a good anime if you like cyberpunk post apocalyptic-themed anime) and part of it is because everytime I start watching a new episode, I'll see and hear that awesome opening theme. One of the best I have ever seen! Sugoi! Perfect opening sequence (awesome visuals paired with a good song) that really fits the anime and oooohhh, that voice! Turbulence Studio Album by Monoral

After that weeklong watching of ' Ergo Proxy ' which I really enjoyed, I started to look for similar anime shows. I googled Ergo Proxy and at the right corner below the description showed a list of what people also search: Texhnolyze, Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Paranoia Agent , and lastly Vandread . Some of these titles are very familiar to me though (as I have already watched Cowboy Bebop and Vandread). Meanwhile I have seen Paranoia Agent appear in the top anime list of some otakus and that somehow took my interest, so I decided I'll try this.  Paranoia Agent promotional logo Source: Wikipedia