\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Mysterious spring","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:35:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:35:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206255","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206183,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-04-23 14:56:37","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-23 13:56:37","post_content":"

Hello everyone! Hope you are all keeping well, I have a massive haul to talk about today as last week I received 9 months worth of my Nihon Box subscriptions all of a sudden on my doorstep!<\/span><\/p>\n

As you guys are aware, I normally review the SoKawaii box each month. However that isn\u2019t the only subscription service I\u2019m with. Back in March 2020 I did a review of my very first Nihon Box, sadly when the pandemic started my boxes were stuck in their warehouse in Japan due to limited postal options. Almost a year has passed since my last box, when all of a sudden I came home one day to find two big FedEx boxes in my sitting room. The lovely people over at Nihon Box must have decided to rebox everyone's orders that they had been waiting on for so long and send them first class! So that way their warehouse would be empty of all back orders from 2020. To make it even more amazing, they had replaced any out of date food items with replacement ones. Such attention to detail and top class warehouse operatives too, as everything was packed with care. Not a single item was damaged, and there were a number of breakable items inside! I have to say, that team deserves more than just a round of applause!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D\u2019Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/u><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_7\"<\/p>\n

This image is just a collection of a number of the traditional Japanese items that are included amongst every Nihon Box. From what I would deem as soba cups or green tea cups, which most often are not made with any handles. A Daruma, which I have just painted in the right eye of. I advise reading up on the history of this item as its actually quite sweet and interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have items which you would more than likely see at summer festivals in Japan, from a kitsune mask to a small paper balloon in the shape of a fish known as a Kingyo Kamif\u00fasen. There is also a traditional wind chime included, in the shape of a fish. Which would be lovely to have in front of a door or window when the summer breeze comes through. There is also a small cat figurine, known as a Maneki Neko Mokiji, decorated in maple leaves to celebrate the Autumn season. And a Washi Ningy\u00f3, which is a cute little figurine doll that was handmade from Japanese washi and kimono fabric. This beautiful little figure comes in her own display case and is just so precious to look upon. Alongside the two Ukiyo-e Sakura postcards, that are just another item that best represent the old Japanese historic art style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_8\"<\/p>\n

These next few items include a decorative plate and insulated lunch bag from The Promised Neverland. A show that has been well represented this year in Nihon Box, as we also received a plushie of Emma. We also have a decorative Spirited Away hand fan known as a Uchiwa, which will come in very handy during the hot weather. Another authentic Made in Japan item is this Usagi tray, which can be used to hold your meal or sweets. Much like you were being served in authentic Japanese restaurant or ryokan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\"<\/p>\n

Oooh now we are on to the high quality stuff here! Time for the figures, the best selling point about this service for me. Now not every month had a figure included, as they were sometimes switched out for a large plush - such as Ryuk in October and Rimuru in August. The rest of the months you are almost guaranteed a figure no matter what! So my new pride and joy on my shelf is the Asuka Langley figure from Evangelion from last July's box. That month gave you the chance of getting one of the four figures available in the Evangelion Shin Gekijouban figure range that was being released to mark what was the upcoming release of the fourth and final film - Rebuild of Evangelion. You could have gotten either Asuka, Rei, Kaworu or Evangelion Unit 13!<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the Terrarium Volume 4 series, which had 6 to collect including Gengar, Totodile, Moltres, Slowpoke, Umbreon, as well as Pikachu sleeping on a Mareep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last April's box included the 2020 Sakura Miku figure, which was brand new at the time. We also received a Kirby figure from the Solar Swing Collection, which was also featured in a SoKawaii box last year. Thankfully I received the other version that was available in this box, so my collection is now complete. Very cute item to have, which swings side to side when sunlight hits the small solar panel on the front of the figure base.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\" \"nihonboxapril2020_10\"<\/p>\n

We are finally onto our last three items! December\u2019s box included the Yami Yugi figurine from the Noodle Stopper collection. Although they are small scale statues, their poses allow them to sit freely on shelf corners - or indeed on the lid of your cup ramen as intended. For the size of the figure itself, its actually really well detailed and I adore it! From the same Noodle Stopper collection, comes the InuYasha figure from September's box. This was done for promotion of the latest InuYasha anime that was released last year - Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, we have the Cardcaptor Sakura: Special Rocket Beat Figure! Which was only recently released at the time this box was filled, so I am super lucky that this figure was included in the box at all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Cardcaptor Sakura, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer. They not only source out some decent quality figures, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan - from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. For me, they are just a step above the likes of SoKawaii box just for their variety in products and value for money in the items you receive. Although SoKawaii are currently more reliable when it comes to shipping, it\u2019s simply only the side effects of the pandemic that has put them both on an even playing field. End of the day, I highly enjoy both of these subscriptions and don't see myself cancelling either of them anything soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box April to December 2020 Review Part 2","post_excerpt":"I have a massive haul to talk","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-april-to-december-2020-review-part-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:50:32","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:50:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206183","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":204740,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content":"Even amidst the dark reality we are all living in, you can always find several rays of hope and sunshine around every corner. So here I am today to deliver some much needed distraction. As I mentioned before in one of my previous SoKawaii box reviews, I would also be reviewing another Japanese monthly subscription service. Nihon Box is just that! I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D'Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/a>)<\/span>\r\n\r\nMuch like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch1\"\r\n\r\nThe first item we have is a Pikachu silicone cup lid. This item is quite handy for those of you that tend to forget about their cup of tea for too long and tend to heat it up in the microwave. It will also act as a lid, which should help to keep your tea hot for longer. Also quite handy to have if you wish to have your drink outside in the garden, without having to worry about any flies dropping into it for a sip. This is also an officially licensed Pok\u00e9mon product as well. It is safe to use in a microwave, but make sure it is washed by hand as it\u2019s not dishwasher proof.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch2\"\r\n\r\nNext up is our snack item, with this month being two individually wrapped Dorayaki. A traditional Japanese pastry that you can find across bakeries and convenience stores in Japan. This snack consists of two small pancakes, much like the American ones. They are sandwiched together with a sweet red bean paste called Anko as the filling. The pancakes mask most of the taste of the Anko, but ultimately it\u2019s a very pleasant snack that is more on the sweet side.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur authentic Japanese tableware item this month is a Rice Bowl. Decorated with Sakura petals all around, this bowl is soundly made and should survive being washed in a dishwasher, but I would handwash it just to be on the safe side. It has no production markings and I am not entirely sure what it is made of, but according to the leaflet this bowl was Made in Japan. I\u2019m interested to see what item will be included in next month\u2019s box, to see if there will ever be a single dinner set created after a certain amount of boxes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch3\"\r\n\r\nNext up we have another \u201cMade in Japan\u201d item, with a My Neighbour Totoro Mechanical Pencil from Zebra. Now I have seen this brand numerous times in both Tesco and Dealz (Poundland in England), and they are really smooth pens to write with. So I assume the refills will be more readily available to buy for when this pencils\u2019 led eventually runs out. Now Japan has become rather renowned for their stationary when it comes to quality and this pen is no exception to that fact, as this design is made especially to prevent the led tip from breaking whilst writing. From the little time I have used this pen, it appears to be telling the truth as not once did the led break whilst I was putting excess force on the pen whilst writing. It is definitely a very useful product to have on you at all times when out and about, or even whilst at work or school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch4\"\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch5\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps one of the most renowned anime films to have come from the 1980\u2019s has to be Akira. Known worldwide as perhaps one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, it has a strong following even today. Nihon Box included this miniature Volume 1 series Akira figurine, to help celebrate the up-coming Remastered BluRay release of the film in Japan at the beginning of April. It is very rare to find any Akira merch, I have only seen a handful of items over the years. So this figure is a special piece to have in my collection, and stands as a reminder that I haven\u2019t sat down to watch the film in several years now.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch6\"\r\n\r\nLastly we have the main reason I wanted to try out Nihon Box, as every month you are guaranteed a figure. This month they included the heroine Nadeshiko from the anime Yuru Camp (also known as Laid-Back Camp). The anime, which you can watch now over on Crunchyroll through the link here (<\/span>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ubq25os<\/a>) is all about a high school outdoor activity club that enjoys camping. I have only watched the first episode so far and it seems like an enjoyable show, one that will be easy to watch. So why not check it out and get to know more about our new girl Nadeshiko. Bytheway this figure is very well made, sturdy and all you have to do is push her feet onto the base - done! Such great detail and colouring went into this figure, all I want to do is High Five her every time I go into the room!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch7\"\r\n\r\nAnd there we have it, my first Nihon Box review. Really positive start on this subscription, I don\u2019t see myself wanting to give up anytime soon. I will also still be getting the SoKawaii one so don\u2019t you worry. For the price of one box alone, I would have been happy with just a figure as they can be pretty pricey to buy over here at conventions and comic stores. I was also delighted to get the chance to get my own Akira merch and try Dorayaki for the first time before I go over to Japan later this year.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNext month\u2019s box is going to be completely Sakura themed, to tie in with the Cherry Blossom season currently happening over in Japan. They have already announced that they will be including items from One Piece, Hatsune Miku, Fairy Tail and of course, Cardcaptor Sakura, but which one will be the figure?<\/span>\r\n\r\nUntil next time, take care of yourself x<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2020 Review","post_excerpt":"Spring break","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2020-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=204740","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203896,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_date_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content":"

SoKawaii \u2018Spring Fantasy\u2019 May Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nFirst off, SoKawaii<\/em> is a monthly subscription service that is based in Japan, that offers fans of cute Japanese characters, such as Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> & Sanrio<\/em>, the chance to have some of the most unique and exclusive items sent straight to their door. All of which comes housed in a cute cardboard box, with the items inside packed away safely under some craft paper.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNow this is my first time subscribing to SoKawaii<\/em>, but have been a fan for the last couple of months since I started subscribing to their social media profiles. Their Instagram is my personal favourite - https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nSo I picked the May crate, with the theme Spring Fantasy!<\/em> For the sole reason that I adore Cardcaptor Sakura<\/em> and jumped for my bank card straight away when I heard they had a CCS Tea Cup guaranteed in every box. Now when I think of Japan and Springtime, Cherry Blossoms do \u2018spring\u2019 to mind. Now that theme carries on with the <\/span>tea cup and Hello Kitty<\/em> zipper bags, an unusual item to see included in the box, but is quite useful.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPok\u00e9mon<\/em> has been mainstream once again since the release of Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/em>, to the recent release of the live action video game adaption of Detective Pikachu<\/em>. So a Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> Gachapon was a welcome inclusion in this box. I was lucky enough to get an Eevee, which when you open up your box it looks just like a head with no ears, as the rest of the body parts are hid inside. The overall figure is beyond adorable. Now the next item is a Silicone Cup Cover, which looks like it was bought from Daiso<\/em>. Japan\u2019s version of Dealz<\/em> and Poundland<\/em>, but with more character goods. Now tea is a big thing in Asia, just like in Ireland, so although it is slightly unusual to see this item in the box, it is quite practical.<\/span>\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s unusual or not, but we got two Sanrio<\/em> character goods in this months box. Following the Hello Kitty<\/em> ziplock bags, I also got a Cinnamoroll<\/em> mechanical pencil. An adorable piece of stationary that I look forward to using. And lastly we have the very plush Luminary Tears Unil Pochette Bag. It is incredibly soft & eye catching, and you can carry it around on a detachable gold chain. Now although it is a visual dream, you can\u2019t really fit anything in it. Perhaps a small coin purse at best, as I can\u2019t even fit my phone in it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"sokawaiimay2\"\r\n\r\nFor me this was certainly a worthwhile box, especially for the price. I just did the 1 month continuous subscription and only set out just to get this box. Unfortunately for my purse, June\u2019s box has also caught my eye. Which I will make sure to do a review of when it gets here next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nSo here is the price break down and the savings you can get.<\/span>\r\n\r\n1 MONTH - $35.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 MONTHS - $33.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 MONTHS - $32.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n12 MONTHS - $31.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\nEach box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through the SoKawaii social media as the weeks go by. June\u2019s theme is Adorable Friends, and includes Sanrio,<\/em> Sailor Moon<\/em> & Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> goods.<\/span><\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nClick on the link below to subscribe today. And the best thing yet - Free Shipping Worldwide!<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.sokawaiibox.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"SoKawaii May Box Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_modified_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=203896","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":184102,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_content":"Pop Culture Pulpit was on hiatus. It wasn\u2019t planned or intentional. I just lost my way for a bit. I had my regular job, I accepted the role as editor for Comicbuzz and I started coming to terms with my own dreams and ambitions (more on that later). Writing just wasn\u2019t something I made time for - then I stopped editing. Then I stopped with Comicbuzz. I\u2019m fortunate though, since for whatever reason the good folks here at Comicbuzz reached out to me. I\u2019m no longer editing, but rather I\u2019ve committed to two articles a month that are large enough to be serialized, something I prefer to be doing and to which I am likely better-suited. There\u2019s a lot to cover after all this time, so let\u2019s get into it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Old\r\nAs mentioned above, I\u2019ve come to terms now and accepted that comics and I are meant to be. Not just the comic books themselves, but the entirety of the culture itself. Both the retail and creative sides, the commercially-known and the independents \u2013 everything appeals to me and I appreciate it all. I respect and appreciate the past while having some concerns for the future. My point being, these aren\u2019t just 22 pages of cartoons to me. When my favorite LCS (Local Comic Shop) closed, I had already become close friends with the manager. That friendship became a partnership when his personal collection of comics came to my home and an arrangement was struck wherein I would organize and sell the collection while we\u2019d split the proceeds. Such was the success that soon we were doing small comic shows at a local arena. A month ago, I realized that those moments were when I was happiest. Sorting, pricing, engaging with like-minded people. Hunting for collections to buy (doing so is very much like picking strawberries. Some go into the bucket, some are for me) has proven to be a nerve-wracking pleasure. Embracing the idea that this is what makes me happy, I decided it was time to commit to it: commit to comics. A company name was created, a Facebook page made, business cards printed and a vision of a bricks and mortar was formed with timelines in place. So I\u2019m pleased to announce that with fellow Comicbuzz writer Kin Jee, \u201chttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JeeRizComics\/<\/a><\/span>\u201d was birthed (please check us out on Facebook and \u201clike\u201d us). We\u2019d like to have a store open for November of 2018 and will continue to grow our business at local comic shows. I have no idea what the future will hold, but that\u2019s fine since there are no certainties. I will say this: I\u2019m scared. It\u2019s a risk, a gamble. What if I fail? What if my passion becoming my business turns my feelings towards this love into something cynical and jaded? But. BUT. What if I don\u2019t try? What if I don\u2019t try and Ia spend the rest of my time wondering and regretting? I wouldn\u2019t be able to go backwards to make the adjustment, but I can plan as well as I can and move forward slowly, giving myself the best possible odds of success that I can. If I fail, then let it be because of circumstances beyond my comprehension. Forgive the clich\u00e9, but in this, it really is better to have tried and failed, rather than pissing and moaning about what could have been. That\u2019s the bit about me. Which I can only imagine might make for boring reading for the rest of you but I think it allows those who\u2019ve continued reading to get a better sense of who I am and what I\u2019m \u201cabout\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Subscriptions:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo you have a subscription at your LCS? Most serious collectors do. A sub makes sure you get your desired books each week, has them ready for pick up and typically will warrant a discount of some sort. But a sub can be tricky, for both the retailer AND consumer. From a retailer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019re ordering books months in advance based on nothing more than an email from a customer (some stores will require a deposit from clients or worse, have them pay entirely up front) who\u2019s expressed a desire to have said books. As these are typically serious collectors I\u2019d venture we\u2019re talking about no less than half a dozen books a week; extrapolate this over dozens of customers. We\u2019re now talking about hundreds of books a week, all paid for in advance by the retailer. With the certainty that our books have been pulled for us, customers no longer feel pressure or obligation to get to the store weekly (I tend to go once a month now \u2013 but geography and public transit play a role in that). This impacts retailers in multiple ways. First, as mentioned, the retailer is already out of pocket for the product \u2013 uncertain when they may see a return on their investment. Secondly, and perhaps as important but rarely considered, is that retailers must store all this product for an uncertain period. These stores are often less than a 1000 square feet so space is at a premium (not to mention stores pay per square foot so space used to store product is costing money \u2013 these books are now double dipping into the retailer\u2019s bottom line).<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Thanos\r\n\r\nAs a consumer, having a sub can be wonderful. The work is done for you, you save a couple dollars and you never miss a book. It can quickly get out of hand though if left unchecked. When I first got a sub, I had to compile a list of every book I read each month. This is a FASCINATING exercise if you\u2019ve never done it \u2013 you\u2019d be surprised how many total books there are and how the books are separated by publisher (I read more Image than any other publisher, I genuinely hadn\u2019t known that). Once the retailer has your list, he orders the books and the client just goes in and picks up the books. That sounds simple, but once you eliminate the process of going to the shelves, touching each item as you select it, you lose the checks and balance aspect of buying. The retailer has ordered books for you and paid for them. You are obligated to purchase them. There is no changing of mind and putting a book back on the shelf (SOME retailers may begrudgingly allow this, but remember the part where they\u2019ve already paid for it?). It\u2019s not unusual for there to be some sticker shock, especially if you aren\u2019t picking up weekly. The books add up quickly and at three to five dollars a piece the end cost can be hundreds. The second aspect for a consumer to consider is, do I really need all these books? Because once you\u2019ve realized that you\u2019re committed to hundreds of dollars and dozens of books a month, you\u2019d better be sure you want to read everything you\u2019re committing to. In my case, I realized books kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the \u201cTo Read\u201d pile, even after another month had gone by. I clearly was not overly interested in reading this book, so why was I committing to it? I quickly streamlined my sub \u2013 which was a win for both the retailer and for myself as we both spend less money while also storing less. Most retailers will work with you. Just be honest and respect the commitment you\u2019ve made. I\u2019m always adjusting my sub\u2026 I\u2019ll try books and decide they just aren\u2019t worth my time or money so I cancel it, buy the few remaining books that have been ordered on my behalf, and then move on. <\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Warlordsofappalachia\r\n\r\nA couple final points:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n-Be careful when using your sub to collect characters, especially with the Big Two. There is less creativity with DC and Marvel now than at any time that I can think of. The publishers tend to saturate the market with whatever characters are popular, so if you tell your LCS you love Deadpool, be careful because you may end up with Avengers books that Deadpool is suddenly a part of. That may not be an issue for you, but it\u2019s important to at least be aware this sort of situation may occur.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-When you have a sub, you\u2019re often pre-ordering out of Previews months in advance. Something may have a fantastic synopsis, but once it\u2019s in your hands you realize it was drawn by a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, it was ordered for you and you\u2019re on the hook for the book. Take the time to find a preview of the book online if it you aren\u2019t part of a system that lets you return books (to the rack) that you don\u2019t want.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-Finally, always review your stack. Retailers get to know their regulars; it\u2019s a part of the joy of this industry \u2013 that genuine bonds can be established between consumer and retailer. That can be double-edged however. Knowing what you like means a retailer may slip a book or two into your stack, assuming you\u2019d want or enjoy it. He\u2019s not doing this solely out of the goodness of his heart. He\u2019s adding on to the sale, more-so than just adding on bags and boards. So, before you pay, review. Make sure you\u2019re buying what you wanted.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Books:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOn the topic of monthly pull lists, what AM I reading and why? I\u2019m not going to get into long validating reviews, just some bullet point thoughts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n-I\u2019m often caught off guard by how few Marvel titles I read. Old Man Logan, Thanos, Moon Knight (all three written by Jeff Lemire \u2013 who as of this writing just \u201cquit\u201d Marvel) and now I\u2019ve added Jessica Jones<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Batman\r\n\r\n-I read almost a dozen New 52 titles but Rebirth has not been a hit for me the way its predecessor was (there\u2019s more on that later). I\u2019m down now to Trinity, Detective Comics (the surprise hit for me), and Batman. The new Batwoman title seems encouraging.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Joyride\r\n\r\n-I said in this column over a year ago, people should keep an eye on BOOM! Nothing has changed my mind, if anything I\u2019m more convinced they are the number four publisher. \u201cJoyride\u201d, \u201cSkyborne\u201d and \u201cWarlords of Appalachia\u201d are among my first reads when they come out. I think this company is still just defining itself and may rival Image as a home for creator-owned content.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n-I\u2019ve already stated I feel Black Mask is more hype than substance, but credit where credit is due. \u201c4 Kids Walk Into a Bank\u201d is a genuine pleasure to read. Very well-scripted with excellent dialogue. Unfortunately, the title has suffered due to delays and that can be the kiss of death for indie books.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJoin us for part 2, next week!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>","post_title":"Pop Culture Pulpit May - Part 1","post_excerpt":"Yet Another Introduction","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pop-culture-pulpit-may-part-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_modified_gmt":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=184102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii May 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Spring time","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:37:58","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:37:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206451","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206431,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-17 16:52:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-17 15:52:56","post_content":"

\u201cDark Birthday\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHello everyone, look what just turned up on my doorstep!<\/span>\n

My missing Nihon Box from February finally arrived, just days after my January box decided to make an appearance. Looks like I\u2019m finally caught up now on all my MIA boxes, so reviews should be in perfect order from now on. Anyway, Februarys\u2019 box was a pretty important one as it was celebrating Nihon Boxes 6th anniversary! And what a milestone it is, as they have not only survived a fairly niche market but also a worldwide pandemic! Super proud of them and it makes it even more special being a customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s get onto the usual tidbits about this service. Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country:<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_1\"<\/p>\n

Onto our first item this month, we have a very pretty looking origami set from the Studio Ghibli movie \u2018Spirited Away\u2019. This product is not only made in Japan, but the art of paper folding just screams Japanese culture. The first recorded mention of the artform comes from a reference to a paper model in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680. This particular set includes traditional origami paper and sets where you can construct various characters from the movie. Great for display purposes and even comes so well packaged, that it would also make a lovely gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Our second item is for all you snack lovers, as February's box included a rather large bag of Fugashi. The packaging for this one reminds me of a cow-print, so its rather confusing in its advertising. It\u2019s actually a rather old snack that dates back about 150 years. It\u2019s a wheat flour based bar that is just covered in brown sugar. Just plain and simple really, there seems to be a number of Japanese snacks like this. Either Way, seeing as the shipping took so long, this item was about a month out of date by the time I got it. So perhaps it will be included again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Our third item is one I don\u2019t really don\u2019t know what to do with yet. As it\u2019s this beautiful blue sakura patterned plate. Its quite unique, as I don\u2019t know if you can really tell from the picture, but it has an almost water droplet effect on the plate. As though the raindrops had frozen in the moment, to create this unique texture and pattern on the surface. It\u2019s one I never plan on using, as it has to be for decorative purposes in my eyes. This item is also made in Japan, and includes a signature on the back of the plate, so you know it was handcrafted. I just wished the pamphlet included some information on who created this piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to the anime merch, as we have a familiar bull dog clip plush and a figure. The plush clip is from the latest fan favorite show from Shonen Jump - Jujutsu Kaisen. We have gotten similar bull clips in the past from both SoKawaii and Nihon Box, when they included the Demon Slayer range. These are strong clips, unique in that its also a miniature plush but is also kind of awkward when you try to figure out how best to either use it or display the item. This particular one was available in six designs, of which I seem to have pulled the main character Yuji Itadori. On the right is our largest item in the box, and that is a Noodle Stopper figure of Hiei from Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho. Now these figures are usually in more relaxed poses, mostly with characters sitting down as they are created in such a way that they balance on top of your \u2018pot noodle\u2019 or \u2018cup ramen\u2019 as its \u2018cooking\u2019 away. Its a fairly well detailed figure, unfortunately I don\u2019t really know much about the show other than it came out in the early 90\u2019s and is almost as old as myself. Always nice getting figures in a box, although this one might be a bit too niche going by how old the show is.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our final item of the month, which brings us back to a far more recent anime hit - Demon Slayer. This time we got a decorative lamp that had several characters labeled around the side, including Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke. With the off\/on switch positioned underneath the lamp, you will also need 3 AA batteries to power it. It gives off a fairly decent amount of light, and also projects the Kimetsu no Yaiba logo from the top onto your ceiling. The bulb also changes color slightly from time to time, so its still a rather decent lamp. More for display purposes than practicality though I say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_6\"<\/p>\n

There was one last piece in this box, and it was a special note from the folks over at Nihon Box. A lovely printed, decorative card with some touching words on how they have survived this long to make it to their sixth year in business. It\u2019s really worth reading, so please take a moment to. They have also mentioned that they have several surprises coming out this year, and most certainly one of those is their new venture - Yatta Japan (<\/span>https:\/\/www.yattajapan.com\/en<\/a>) Where you can buy many of the items that were included in previous boxes, as well as new figures, snacks, manga and more. All on the one website. Worth checking out, as they also have their own rewards scheme for every time you buy from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

So there we have it folks, that was another Nihon Box - although it was fairly late in arriving. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as Spirited Away and Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho, to the newer franchises including Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box\u2019s theme was \u201cDark Birthday\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about Setsubun - the demon hunting day and why it is celebrated in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>","post_title":"Nihon Box February 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Dark birthday","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-february-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:40:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:40:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206431","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206255,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-05-19 14:34:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-19 13:34:39","post_content":"

\u201cMysterious Spring\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, hope you\u2019re all doing good!<\/span><\/p>\n

With international shipping methods beginning to return to normal, postal restrictions have started to be lifted. So instead of waiting another year to receive a bunch of backdated subscription boxes - I have instead received this years\u2019 March box from Nihon Box! Even though I am still waiting on January and February boxes to arrive, let\u2019s just get this review started!<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be. https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country: <\/span>https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with our first item - which is a \u2018Beastars\u2019 shoulder bag. From the hit Netflix series that got everyone discussing \u2018furries\u2019 all over again, it was adapted from a manga series of the same name and animated by CG studio Orange. With a second season not far off in the horizon, now is the perfect time to start wearing this bag around the town as Netflix continues their advertising campaign for the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

This cross shoulder bag isn\u2019t massive by any means, but is perfect for those that only plan on carrying just their phone and wallet as they travel about. It\u2019s handsfree, strong built and I say it would hold up rather well in the rain with its hard plastic coating that covers the design on the front of the bag. Although the picture is a tad unusual, it will make complete sense to fans of the show. For others that are unaware of its existence - it may need a slight explanation. As it features our lead wolf - Legoshi clutching our white rabbit Haru. It\u2019s a useful product, but the design may just be hitting a specific fanbase for this one. Kind of wish they were able to acquire a different image for the print.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our Japanese snack - which this month is a Sakura flavored Dorayaki. Now this product was absolutely delicious and did not last very long in my home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or in this case, Sakura flavored filling. Each of these treats came individually wrapped, so they remained super fresh. Perfect to have with a cup of Green Tea or as a small reward to yourself to help you keep motivated throughout the day. The flavor wasn\u2019t overpowering in the slightest, it was very pleasant and had a sweet taste to it. Well worth checking out this line of Japanese confectionery if you ever get the chance. The sakura filling also symbolized the start of the very short lived Sakura\/Cherry Blossom season in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up we have two more anime related merch, beginning with a retractable keychain from Detective Conan. This rather large rubber keychain has a clip at the top so you can attach it to your bag or pants loop, whilst the bottom has a ring hoop for your keys. This clever and stylish looking item was available in four characters including Conan Edogawa, Sh\u00faichi Akai, Tooru Amuro and Kait\u00f3 kid which is pictured above.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second item in this picture is of the recently released Evangelion Coo\u2019nuts, which have become very popular amongst convenience stores in Japan. These small little objects always have perfect balance and will not fall down when you push them. They are a quirky little toy that always seems to be coming out with new anime collaborations, with Evangelion becoming the latest. This series features 16 characters from EVA, of which I got Asuka Langley!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our next item this month is *another* set of chopsticks - which isn\u2019t too bad when you see that it is in fact a Sakura designed chopstick and spoon set. Which is a lovely addition to the cutlery drawer when you discover that these were in fact made in Japan - and not China for once! Would love to see some bowls or plates with similar styles being included in future boxes. Perhaps one day it may add up to a set!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_5\"<\/p>\n

Next up is this rather adorable Rem plush from Re: Zero. I have yet to get into this franchise, but it must be a very popular one as there is new merch constantly being released every month! This character plush is quite large and very well detailed, it definitely has that cute \u2018moe\u2019 factor about her. For me the eyes on it are very striking and have such a cute plush on the cheeks. I\u2019m very particular about plushies and figures, but this one here is exactly what I would be looking for in merch. It has a perfect resemblance to the anime character. This is the ideal companion for any Re: Zero fan I believe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_6\"<\/p>\n

And finally we are down to our last item, which is this Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the new Stained Glass Collection. These sets are always a joy to get and I can never fault the ReMent brand. The designs have always been so creative and flawless, with a story to tell and picture perfect scenes. This collection had 6 designs, including Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mew, Gardevoir, Umbreon and the above Pikachu.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Detective Conan, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland, Demon Slayer and Re: Zero. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box's theme was \u201cMysterious Spring\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month's topic was about Sakura and why it is the symbol of Spring in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Mysterious spring","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:35:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:35:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206255","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206183,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-04-23 14:56:37","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-23 13:56:37","post_content":"

Hello everyone! Hope you are all keeping well, I have a massive haul to talk about today as last week I received 9 months worth of my Nihon Box subscriptions all of a sudden on my doorstep!<\/span><\/p>\n

As you guys are aware, I normally review the SoKawaii box each month. However that isn\u2019t the only subscription service I\u2019m with. Back in March 2020 I did a review of my very first Nihon Box, sadly when the pandemic started my boxes were stuck in their warehouse in Japan due to limited postal options. Almost a year has passed since my last box, when all of a sudden I came home one day to find two big FedEx boxes in my sitting room. The lovely people over at Nihon Box must have decided to rebox everyone's orders that they had been waiting on for so long and send them first class! So that way their warehouse would be empty of all back orders from 2020. To make it even more amazing, they had replaced any out of date food items with replacement ones. Such attention to detail and top class warehouse operatives too, as everything was packed with care. Not a single item was damaged, and there were a number of breakable items inside! I have to say, that team deserves more than just a round of applause!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D\u2019Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/u><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_7\"<\/p>\n

This image is just a collection of a number of the traditional Japanese items that are included amongst every Nihon Box. From what I would deem as soba cups or green tea cups, which most often are not made with any handles. A Daruma, which I have just painted in the right eye of. I advise reading up on the history of this item as its actually quite sweet and interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have items which you would more than likely see at summer festivals in Japan, from a kitsune mask to a small paper balloon in the shape of a fish known as a Kingyo Kamif\u00fasen. There is also a traditional wind chime included, in the shape of a fish. Which would be lovely to have in front of a door or window when the summer breeze comes through. There is also a small cat figurine, known as a Maneki Neko Mokiji, decorated in maple leaves to celebrate the Autumn season. And a Washi Ningy\u00f3, which is a cute little figurine doll that was handmade from Japanese washi and kimono fabric. This beautiful little figure comes in her own display case and is just so precious to look upon. Alongside the two Ukiyo-e Sakura postcards, that are just another item that best represent the old Japanese historic art style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_8\"<\/p>\n

These next few items include a decorative plate and insulated lunch bag from The Promised Neverland. A show that has been well represented this year in Nihon Box, as we also received a plushie of Emma. We also have a decorative Spirited Away hand fan known as a Uchiwa, which will come in very handy during the hot weather. Another authentic Made in Japan item is this Usagi tray, which can be used to hold your meal or sweets. Much like you were being served in authentic Japanese restaurant or ryokan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\"<\/p>\n

Oooh now we are on to the high quality stuff here! Time for the figures, the best selling point about this service for me. Now not every month had a figure included, as they were sometimes switched out for a large plush - such as Ryuk in October and Rimuru in August. The rest of the months you are almost guaranteed a figure no matter what! So my new pride and joy on my shelf is the Asuka Langley figure from Evangelion from last July's box. That month gave you the chance of getting one of the four figures available in the Evangelion Shin Gekijouban figure range that was being released to mark what was the upcoming release of the fourth and final film - Rebuild of Evangelion. You could have gotten either Asuka, Rei, Kaworu or Evangelion Unit 13!<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the Terrarium Volume 4 series, which had 6 to collect including Gengar, Totodile, Moltres, Slowpoke, Umbreon, as well as Pikachu sleeping on a Mareep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last April's box included the 2020 Sakura Miku figure, which was brand new at the time. We also received a Kirby figure from the Solar Swing Collection, which was also featured in a SoKawaii box last year. Thankfully I received the other version that was available in this box, so my collection is now complete. Very cute item to have, which swings side to side when sunlight hits the small solar panel on the front of the figure base.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\" \"nihonboxapril2020_10\"<\/p>\n

We are finally onto our last three items! December\u2019s box included the Yami Yugi figurine from the Noodle Stopper collection. Although they are small scale statues, their poses allow them to sit freely on shelf corners - or indeed on the lid of your cup ramen as intended. For the size of the figure itself, its actually really well detailed and I adore it! From the same Noodle Stopper collection, comes the InuYasha figure from September's box. This was done for promotion of the latest InuYasha anime that was released last year - Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, we have the Cardcaptor Sakura: Special Rocket Beat Figure! Which was only recently released at the time this box was filled, so I am super lucky that this figure was included in the box at all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Cardcaptor Sakura, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer. They not only source out some decent quality figures, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan - from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. For me, they are just a step above the likes of SoKawaii box just for their variety in products and value for money in the items you receive. Although SoKawaii are currently more reliable when it comes to shipping, it\u2019s simply only the side effects of the pandemic that has put them both on an even playing field. End of the day, I highly enjoy both of these subscriptions and don't see myself cancelling either of them anything soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box April to December 2020 Review Part 2","post_excerpt":"I have a massive haul to talk","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-april-to-december-2020-review-part-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:50:32","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:50:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206183","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":204740,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content":"Even amidst the dark reality we are all living in, you can always find several rays of hope and sunshine around every corner. So here I am today to deliver some much needed distraction. As I mentioned before in one of my previous SoKawaii box reviews, I would also be reviewing another Japanese monthly subscription service. Nihon Box is just that! I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D'Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/a>)<\/span>\r\n\r\nMuch like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch1\"\r\n\r\nThe first item we have is a Pikachu silicone cup lid. This item is quite handy for those of you that tend to forget about their cup of tea for too long and tend to heat it up in the microwave. It will also act as a lid, which should help to keep your tea hot for longer. Also quite handy to have if you wish to have your drink outside in the garden, without having to worry about any flies dropping into it for a sip. This is also an officially licensed Pok\u00e9mon product as well. It is safe to use in a microwave, but make sure it is washed by hand as it\u2019s not dishwasher proof.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch2\"\r\n\r\nNext up is our snack item, with this month being two individually wrapped Dorayaki. A traditional Japanese pastry that you can find across bakeries and convenience stores in Japan. This snack consists of two small pancakes, much like the American ones. They are sandwiched together with a sweet red bean paste called Anko as the filling. The pancakes mask most of the taste of the Anko, but ultimately it\u2019s a very pleasant snack that is more on the sweet side.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur authentic Japanese tableware item this month is a Rice Bowl. Decorated with Sakura petals all around, this bowl is soundly made and should survive being washed in a dishwasher, but I would handwash it just to be on the safe side. It has no production markings and I am not entirely sure what it is made of, but according to the leaflet this bowl was Made in Japan. I\u2019m interested to see what item will be included in next month\u2019s box, to see if there will ever be a single dinner set created after a certain amount of boxes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch3\"\r\n\r\nNext up we have another \u201cMade in Japan\u201d item, with a My Neighbour Totoro Mechanical Pencil from Zebra. Now I have seen this brand numerous times in both Tesco and Dealz (Poundland in England), and they are really smooth pens to write with. So I assume the refills will be more readily available to buy for when this pencils\u2019 led eventually runs out. Now Japan has become rather renowned for their stationary when it comes to quality and this pen is no exception to that fact, as this design is made especially to prevent the led tip from breaking whilst writing. From the little time I have used this pen, it appears to be telling the truth as not once did the led break whilst I was putting excess force on the pen whilst writing. It is definitely a very useful product to have on you at all times when out and about, or even whilst at work or school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch4\"\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch5\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps one of the most renowned anime films to have come from the 1980\u2019s has to be Akira. Known worldwide as perhaps one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, it has a strong following even today. Nihon Box included this miniature Volume 1 series Akira figurine, to help celebrate the up-coming Remastered BluRay release of the film in Japan at the beginning of April. It is very rare to find any Akira merch, I have only seen a handful of items over the years. So this figure is a special piece to have in my collection, and stands as a reminder that I haven\u2019t sat down to watch the film in several years now.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch6\"\r\n\r\nLastly we have the main reason I wanted to try out Nihon Box, as every month you are guaranteed a figure. This month they included the heroine Nadeshiko from the anime Yuru Camp (also known as Laid-Back Camp). The anime, which you can watch now over on Crunchyroll through the link here (<\/span>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ubq25os<\/a>) is all about a high school outdoor activity club that enjoys camping. I have only watched the first episode so far and it seems like an enjoyable show, one that will be easy to watch. So why not check it out and get to know more about our new girl Nadeshiko. Bytheway this figure is very well made, sturdy and all you have to do is push her feet onto the base - done! Such great detail and colouring went into this figure, all I want to do is High Five her every time I go into the room!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch7\"\r\n\r\nAnd there we have it, my first Nihon Box review. Really positive start on this subscription, I don\u2019t see myself wanting to give up anytime soon. I will also still be getting the SoKawaii one so don\u2019t you worry. For the price of one box alone, I would have been happy with just a figure as they can be pretty pricey to buy over here at conventions and comic stores. I was also delighted to get the chance to get my own Akira merch and try Dorayaki for the first time before I go over to Japan later this year.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNext month\u2019s box is going to be completely Sakura themed, to tie in with the Cherry Blossom season currently happening over in Japan. They have already announced that they will be including items from One Piece, Hatsune Miku, Fairy Tail and of course, Cardcaptor Sakura, but which one will be the figure?<\/span>\r\n\r\nUntil next time, take care of yourself x<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2020 Review","post_excerpt":"Spring break","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2020-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=204740","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203896,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_date_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content":"

SoKawaii \u2018Spring Fantasy\u2019 May Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nFirst off, SoKawaii<\/em> is a monthly subscription service that is based in Japan, that offers fans of cute Japanese characters, such as Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> & Sanrio<\/em>, the chance to have some of the most unique and exclusive items sent straight to their door. All of which comes housed in a cute cardboard box, with the items inside packed away safely under some craft paper.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNow this is my first time subscribing to SoKawaii<\/em>, but have been a fan for the last couple of months since I started subscribing to their social media profiles. Their Instagram is my personal favourite - https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nSo I picked the May crate, with the theme Spring Fantasy!<\/em> For the sole reason that I adore Cardcaptor Sakura<\/em> and jumped for my bank card straight away when I heard they had a CCS Tea Cup guaranteed in every box. Now when I think of Japan and Springtime, Cherry Blossoms do \u2018spring\u2019 to mind. Now that theme carries on with the <\/span>tea cup and Hello Kitty<\/em> zipper bags, an unusual item to see included in the box, but is quite useful.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPok\u00e9mon<\/em> has been mainstream once again since the release of Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/em>, to the recent release of the live action video game adaption of Detective Pikachu<\/em>. So a Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> Gachapon was a welcome inclusion in this box. I was lucky enough to get an Eevee, which when you open up your box it looks just like a head with no ears, as the rest of the body parts are hid inside. The overall figure is beyond adorable. Now the next item is a Silicone Cup Cover, which looks like it was bought from Daiso<\/em>. Japan\u2019s version of Dealz<\/em> and Poundland<\/em>, but with more character goods. Now tea is a big thing in Asia, just like in Ireland, so although it is slightly unusual to see this item in the box, it is quite practical.<\/span>\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s unusual or not, but we got two Sanrio<\/em> character goods in this months box. Following the Hello Kitty<\/em> ziplock bags, I also got a Cinnamoroll<\/em> mechanical pencil. An adorable piece of stationary that I look forward to using. And lastly we have the very plush Luminary Tears Unil Pochette Bag. It is incredibly soft & eye catching, and you can carry it around on a detachable gold chain. Now although it is a visual dream, you can\u2019t really fit anything in it. Perhaps a small coin purse at best, as I can\u2019t even fit my phone in it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"sokawaiimay2\"\r\n\r\nFor me this was certainly a worthwhile box, especially for the price. I just did the 1 month continuous subscription and only set out just to get this box. Unfortunately for my purse, June\u2019s box has also caught my eye. Which I will make sure to do a review of when it gets here next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nSo here is the price break down and the savings you can get.<\/span>\r\n\r\n1 MONTH - $35.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 MONTHS - $33.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 MONTHS - $32.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n12 MONTHS - $31.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\nEach box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through the SoKawaii social media as the weeks go by. June\u2019s theme is Adorable Friends, and includes Sanrio,<\/em> Sailor Moon<\/em> & Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> goods.<\/span><\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nClick on the link below to subscribe today. And the best thing yet - Free Shipping Worldwide!<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.sokawaiibox.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"SoKawaii May Box Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_modified_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=203896","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":184102,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_content":"Pop Culture Pulpit was on hiatus. It wasn\u2019t planned or intentional. I just lost my way for a bit. I had my regular job, I accepted the role as editor for Comicbuzz and I started coming to terms with my own dreams and ambitions (more on that later). Writing just wasn\u2019t something I made time for - then I stopped editing. Then I stopped with Comicbuzz. I\u2019m fortunate though, since for whatever reason the good folks here at Comicbuzz reached out to me. I\u2019m no longer editing, but rather I\u2019ve committed to two articles a month that are large enough to be serialized, something I prefer to be doing and to which I am likely better-suited. There\u2019s a lot to cover after all this time, so let\u2019s get into it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Old\r\nAs mentioned above, I\u2019ve come to terms now and accepted that comics and I are meant to be. Not just the comic books themselves, but the entirety of the culture itself. Both the retail and creative sides, the commercially-known and the independents \u2013 everything appeals to me and I appreciate it all. I respect and appreciate the past while having some concerns for the future. My point being, these aren\u2019t just 22 pages of cartoons to me. When my favorite LCS (Local Comic Shop) closed, I had already become close friends with the manager. That friendship became a partnership when his personal collection of comics came to my home and an arrangement was struck wherein I would organize and sell the collection while we\u2019d split the proceeds. Such was the success that soon we were doing small comic shows at a local arena. A month ago, I realized that those moments were when I was happiest. Sorting, pricing, engaging with like-minded people. Hunting for collections to buy (doing so is very much like picking strawberries. Some go into the bucket, some are for me) has proven to be a nerve-wracking pleasure. Embracing the idea that this is what makes me happy, I decided it was time to commit to it: commit to comics. A company name was created, a Facebook page made, business cards printed and a vision of a bricks and mortar was formed with timelines in place. So I\u2019m pleased to announce that with fellow Comicbuzz writer Kin Jee, \u201chttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JeeRizComics\/<\/a><\/span>\u201d was birthed (please check us out on Facebook and \u201clike\u201d us). We\u2019d like to have a store open for November of 2018 and will continue to grow our business at local comic shows. I have no idea what the future will hold, but that\u2019s fine since there are no certainties. I will say this: I\u2019m scared. It\u2019s a risk, a gamble. What if I fail? What if my passion becoming my business turns my feelings towards this love into something cynical and jaded? But. BUT. What if I don\u2019t try? What if I don\u2019t try and Ia spend the rest of my time wondering and regretting? I wouldn\u2019t be able to go backwards to make the adjustment, but I can plan as well as I can and move forward slowly, giving myself the best possible odds of success that I can. If I fail, then let it be because of circumstances beyond my comprehension. Forgive the clich\u00e9, but in this, it really is better to have tried and failed, rather than pissing and moaning about what could have been. That\u2019s the bit about me. Which I can only imagine might make for boring reading for the rest of you but I think it allows those who\u2019ve continued reading to get a better sense of who I am and what I\u2019m \u201cabout\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Subscriptions:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo you have a subscription at your LCS? Most serious collectors do. A sub makes sure you get your desired books each week, has them ready for pick up and typically will warrant a discount of some sort. But a sub can be tricky, for both the retailer AND consumer. From a retailer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019re ordering books months in advance based on nothing more than an email from a customer (some stores will require a deposit from clients or worse, have them pay entirely up front) who\u2019s expressed a desire to have said books. As these are typically serious collectors I\u2019d venture we\u2019re talking about no less than half a dozen books a week; extrapolate this over dozens of customers. We\u2019re now talking about hundreds of books a week, all paid for in advance by the retailer. With the certainty that our books have been pulled for us, customers no longer feel pressure or obligation to get to the store weekly (I tend to go once a month now \u2013 but geography and public transit play a role in that). This impacts retailers in multiple ways. First, as mentioned, the retailer is already out of pocket for the product \u2013 uncertain when they may see a return on their investment. Secondly, and perhaps as important but rarely considered, is that retailers must store all this product for an uncertain period. These stores are often less than a 1000 square feet so space is at a premium (not to mention stores pay per square foot so space used to store product is costing money \u2013 these books are now double dipping into the retailer\u2019s bottom line).<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Thanos\r\n\r\nAs a consumer, having a sub can be wonderful. The work is done for you, you save a couple dollars and you never miss a book. It can quickly get out of hand though if left unchecked. When I first got a sub, I had to compile a list of every book I read each month. This is a FASCINATING exercise if you\u2019ve never done it \u2013 you\u2019d be surprised how many total books there are and how the books are separated by publisher (I read more Image than any other publisher, I genuinely hadn\u2019t known that). Once the retailer has your list, he orders the books and the client just goes in and picks up the books. That sounds simple, but once you eliminate the process of going to the shelves, touching each item as you select it, you lose the checks and balance aspect of buying. The retailer has ordered books for you and paid for them. You are obligated to purchase them. There is no changing of mind and putting a book back on the shelf (SOME retailers may begrudgingly allow this, but remember the part where they\u2019ve already paid for it?). It\u2019s not unusual for there to be some sticker shock, especially if you aren\u2019t picking up weekly. The books add up quickly and at three to five dollars a piece the end cost can be hundreds. The second aspect for a consumer to consider is, do I really need all these books? Because once you\u2019ve realized that you\u2019re committed to hundreds of dollars and dozens of books a month, you\u2019d better be sure you want to read everything you\u2019re committing to. In my case, I realized books kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the \u201cTo Read\u201d pile, even after another month had gone by. I clearly was not overly interested in reading this book, so why was I committing to it? I quickly streamlined my sub \u2013 which was a win for both the retailer and for myself as we both spend less money while also storing less. Most retailers will work with you. Just be honest and respect the commitment you\u2019ve made. I\u2019m always adjusting my sub\u2026 I\u2019ll try books and decide they just aren\u2019t worth my time or money so I cancel it, buy the few remaining books that have been ordered on my behalf, and then move on. <\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Warlordsofappalachia\r\n\r\nA couple final points:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n-Be careful when using your sub to collect characters, especially with the Big Two. There is less creativity with DC and Marvel now than at any time that I can think of. The publishers tend to saturate the market with whatever characters are popular, so if you tell your LCS you love Deadpool, be careful because you may end up with Avengers books that Deadpool is suddenly a part of. That may not be an issue for you, but it\u2019s important to at least be aware this sort of situation may occur.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-When you have a sub, you\u2019re often pre-ordering out of Previews months in advance. Something may have a fantastic synopsis, but once it\u2019s in your hands you realize it was drawn by a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, it was ordered for you and you\u2019re on the hook for the book. Take the time to find a preview of the book online if it you aren\u2019t part of a system that lets you return books (to the rack) that you don\u2019t want.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-Finally, always review your stack. Retailers get to know their regulars; it\u2019s a part of the joy of this industry \u2013 that genuine bonds can be established between consumer and retailer. That can be double-edged however. Knowing what you like means a retailer may slip a book or two into your stack, assuming you\u2019d want or enjoy it. He\u2019s not doing this solely out of the goodness of his heart. He\u2019s adding on to the sale, more-so than just adding on bags and boards. So, before you pay, review. Make sure you\u2019re buying what you wanted.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Books:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOn the topic of monthly pull lists, what AM I reading and why? I\u2019m not going to get into long validating reviews, just some bullet point thoughts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n-I\u2019m often caught off guard by how few Marvel titles I read. Old Man Logan, Thanos, Moon Knight (all three written by Jeff Lemire \u2013 who as of this writing just \u201cquit\u201d Marvel) and now I\u2019ve added Jessica Jones<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Batman\r\n\r\n-I read almost a dozen New 52 titles but Rebirth has not been a hit for me the way its predecessor was (there\u2019s more on that later). I\u2019m down now to Trinity, Detective Comics (the surprise hit for me), and Batman. The new Batwoman title seems encouraging.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Joyride\r\n\r\n-I said in this column over a year ago, people should keep an eye on BOOM! Nothing has changed my mind, if anything I\u2019m more convinced they are the number four publisher. \u201cJoyride\u201d, \u201cSkyborne\u201d and \u201cWarlords of Appalachia\u201d are among my first reads when they come out. I think this company is still just defining itself and may rival Image as a home for creator-owned content.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n-I\u2019ve already stated I feel Black Mask is more hype than substance, but credit where credit is due. \u201c4 Kids Walk Into a Bank\u201d is a genuine pleasure to read. Very well-scripted with excellent dialogue. Unfortunately, the title has suffered due to delays and that can be the kiss of death for indie books.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJoin us for part 2, next week!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>","post_title":"Pop Culture Pulpit May - Part 1","post_excerpt":"Yet Another Introduction","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pop-culture-pulpit-may-part-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_modified_gmt":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=184102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii June 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Dreamy creatures","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-june-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:38:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:38:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206549","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206451,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-21 19:15:19","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-21 18:15:19","post_content":"

\u201cSpring Time, Happy Time!\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, I am back once again with another SoKawaii box to review. This time I have May\u2019s box, which focuses on Spring Time. With a number of items dedicated to making your homelife that bit more kawaii, with merch from Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and San-X. So let\u2019s get started with information on who SoKawaii is!<\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you that don\u2019t know \u2013 SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pok\u00e9mon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 5 to 7 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep each month. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month\u2019s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media accounts. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts, particularly their Instagram one \u2013<\/span> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So our first item this month is one I have longed to own - a Kuromi plush! This adorable plush mascot comes in her very own maid outfit, all set for the big Spring Clean. With an outfit that would fit right in with any maid caf\u00e9 in Japan, Kuromi has a matching headband and bows as well. This officially licensed mascot comes straight from Sanrio, however she won\u2019t be in every May box as there is also a My Melody version that could also be included. This was obviously the best item from the box this month for me!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Moving on to our second Sanrio item, which is a magnetic hook featuring a number of Sanrio\u2019s most iconic characters. There were two designs available for this product, as it is unusual to find a magnetic hook as it leaves very few places to actually use it. Mine ended up being attached to the side of my cooker, so I can hang up my oven glove. It really makes you think, how many places have you in your home that you can actually attach a magne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our kitchenware items for this month, which include a bowl and chopsticks. The bowl is actually made from bamboo fiber, which makes it more eco friendly than plastic and is also food safe. It even includes a fun looking Sumikkogurashi design on the inside, which will make a lovely little surprise for when you are done eating your food. Now I wouldn\u2019t suggest putting this in a dishwasher, as it could either ruin the design or it mightn\u2019t be suitable for high temperatures. Best keep with the old fashion way and wash it by hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accompanying this bowl is two sets of chopsticks, featuring everyone's favourite My Neighbor Totoro from Studio Ghibli. These 21cm chopsticks (which I don\u2019t really know they came in different sizes), are decorated at the top by the lovable character. Perfect for sharing a meal, or having as a back up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our final item this month comes once again from San-X with this super soft Rilakkuma pillow. This pillow is in fact more of a cushion, going by the size and shape. It\u2019s quite soft, but not very \u2018plump\u2019 as though it could have done with some more stuffing for a more firm cushion. However if it was, it may not have fitted inside the box! This cushion of course has two \u2018faces\u2019 to it, with Rilakkumas\u2019 face taking up the entirety of one side with flowers printed on the corners. The opposite side is more sparse, with a beautiful background filled with sakura petals and flowers. With Rilakkuma enjoying a Dango and Korilakkuma sitting beside him in the corner. We also have the little chick Kiiroitori sitting on top of a flower in the top corner. It really does make for a lovely throw pillow, but practicality not so much as there are so many warnings on the label that this cushion can never be machine washed. So once again, make sure and wash this one by hand if you need to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_5\"<\/p>\n

There we have it folks, that was Mays\u2019 SoKawaii box. Very Sanrio and San-X heavy in the merch, with a good mix of items. Now let\u2019s get on to the all important information, for how YOU can begin your own subscription, as well as a special discount code just for you guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. SoKawaii are back to shipping their boxes via Japan Post, so delivery may take a number of weeks. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options \u2013 there are savings to be had.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Month \u2013 $35.00 (\u20ac29.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months \u2013 $33.50 (\u20ac28.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months \u2013 $32.00 (\u20ac26.50mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Months \u2013 $31.50 (\u20ac26.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

Better yet, here is a $3 discount code that you can use on your first box by clicking this link!<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/sokawaii.refr.cc\/maryhealy<\/a><\/p>\n

Now if you enjoyed May\u2019s box, then just wait for June\u2019s! It\u2019s theme is \u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d, which will feature a number of items from Sanrio, Kirby, My Neighbour Totoro and Pok\u00e9mon. That box is already sold out and on the way to me, and will include my very own Totoro plush! Stay tuned to SoKawaiis\u2019 social media, as they announced their themes, sneak peaks and opinion polls on what fans want to see next in their boxes. They are very active on their Instagram and really listen to what their customers are looking for \u2013 so go have your say now! Also make sure and use that special discount code I left you all above!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sokawaii.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii May 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Spring time","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:37:58","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:37:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206451","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206431,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-17 16:52:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-17 15:52:56","post_content":"

\u201cDark Birthday\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHello everyone, look what just turned up on my doorstep!<\/span>\n

My missing Nihon Box from February finally arrived, just days after my January box decided to make an appearance. Looks like I\u2019m finally caught up now on all my MIA boxes, so reviews should be in perfect order from now on. Anyway, Februarys\u2019 box was a pretty important one as it was celebrating Nihon Boxes 6th anniversary! And what a milestone it is, as they have not only survived a fairly niche market but also a worldwide pandemic! Super proud of them and it makes it even more special being a customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s get onto the usual tidbits about this service. Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country:<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_1\"<\/p>\n

Onto our first item this month, we have a very pretty looking origami set from the Studio Ghibli movie \u2018Spirited Away\u2019. This product is not only made in Japan, but the art of paper folding just screams Japanese culture. The first recorded mention of the artform comes from a reference to a paper model in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680. This particular set includes traditional origami paper and sets where you can construct various characters from the movie. Great for display purposes and even comes so well packaged, that it would also make a lovely gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Our second item is for all you snack lovers, as February's box included a rather large bag of Fugashi. The packaging for this one reminds me of a cow-print, so its rather confusing in its advertising. It\u2019s actually a rather old snack that dates back about 150 years. It\u2019s a wheat flour based bar that is just covered in brown sugar. Just plain and simple really, there seems to be a number of Japanese snacks like this. Either Way, seeing as the shipping took so long, this item was about a month out of date by the time I got it. So perhaps it will be included again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Our third item is one I don\u2019t really don\u2019t know what to do with yet. As it\u2019s this beautiful blue sakura patterned plate. Its quite unique, as I don\u2019t know if you can really tell from the picture, but it has an almost water droplet effect on the plate. As though the raindrops had frozen in the moment, to create this unique texture and pattern on the surface. It\u2019s one I never plan on using, as it has to be for decorative purposes in my eyes. This item is also made in Japan, and includes a signature on the back of the plate, so you know it was handcrafted. I just wished the pamphlet included some information on who created this piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to the anime merch, as we have a familiar bull dog clip plush and a figure. The plush clip is from the latest fan favorite show from Shonen Jump - Jujutsu Kaisen. We have gotten similar bull clips in the past from both SoKawaii and Nihon Box, when they included the Demon Slayer range. These are strong clips, unique in that its also a miniature plush but is also kind of awkward when you try to figure out how best to either use it or display the item. This particular one was available in six designs, of which I seem to have pulled the main character Yuji Itadori. On the right is our largest item in the box, and that is a Noodle Stopper figure of Hiei from Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho. Now these figures are usually in more relaxed poses, mostly with characters sitting down as they are created in such a way that they balance on top of your \u2018pot noodle\u2019 or \u2018cup ramen\u2019 as its \u2018cooking\u2019 away. Its a fairly well detailed figure, unfortunately I don\u2019t really know much about the show other than it came out in the early 90\u2019s and is almost as old as myself. Always nice getting figures in a box, although this one might be a bit too niche going by how old the show is.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our final item of the month, which brings us back to a far more recent anime hit - Demon Slayer. This time we got a decorative lamp that had several characters labeled around the side, including Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke. With the off\/on switch positioned underneath the lamp, you will also need 3 AA batteries to power it. It gives off a fairly decent amount of light, and also projects the Kimetsu no Yaiba logo from the top onto your ceiling. The bulb also changes color slightly from time to time, so its still a rather decent lamp. More for display purposes than practicality though I say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_6\"<\/p>\n

There was one last piece in this box, and it was a special note from the folks over at Nihon Box. A lovely printed, decorative card with some touching words on how they have survived this long to make it to their sixth year in business. It\u2019s really worth reading, so please take a moment to. They have also mentioned that they have several surprises coming out this year, and most certainly one of those is their new venture - Yatta Japan (<\/span>https:\/\/www.yattajapan.com\/en<\/a>) Where you can buy many of the items that were included in previous boxes, as well as new figures, snacks, manga and more. All on the one website. Worth checking out, as they also have their own rewards scheme for every time you buy from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

So there we have it folks, that was another Nihon Box - although it was fairly late in arriving. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as Spirited Away and Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho, to the newer franchises including Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box\u2019s theme was \u201cDark Birthday\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about Setsubun - the demon hunting day and why it is celebrated in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>","post_title":"Nihon Box February 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Dark birthday","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-february-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:40:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:40:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206431","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206255,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-05-19 14:34:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-19 13:34:39","post_content":"

\u201cMysterious Spring\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, hope you\u2019re all doing good!<\/span><\/p>\n

With international shipping methods beginning to return to normal, postal restrictions have started to be lifted. So instead of waiting another year to receive a bunch of backdated subscription boxes - I have instead received this years\u2019 March box from Nihon Box! Even though I am still waiting on January and February boxes to arrive, let\u2019s just get this review started!<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be. https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country: <\/span>https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with our first item - which is a \u2018Beastars\u2019 shoulder bag. From the hit Netflix series that got everyone discussing \u2018furries\u2019 all over again, it was adapted from a manga series of the same name and animated by CG studio Orange. With a second season not far off in the horizon, now is the perfect time to start wearing this bag around the town as Netflix continues their advertising campaign for the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

This cross shoulder bag isn\u2019t massive by any means, but is perfect for those that only plan on carrying just their phone and wallet as they travel about. It\u2019s handsfree, strong built and I say it would hold up rather well in the rain with its hard plastic coating that covers the design on the front of the bag. Although the picture is a tad unusual, it will make complete sense to fans of the show. For others that are unaware of its existence - it may need a slight explanation. As it features our lead wolf - Legoshi clutching our white rabbit Haru. It\u2019s a useful product, but the design may just be hitting a specific fanbase for this one. Kind of wish they were able to acquire a different image for the print.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our Japanese snack - which this month is a Sakura flavored Dorayaki. Now this product was absolutely delicious and did not last very long in my home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or in this case, Sakura flavored filling. Each of these treats came individually wrapped, so they remained super fresh. Perfect to have with a cup of Green Tea or as a small reward to yourself to help you keep motivated throughout the day. The flavor wasn\u2019t overpowering in the slightest, it was very pleasant and had a sweet taste to it. Well worth checking out this line of Japanese confectionery if you ever get the chance. The sakura filling also symbolized the start of the very short lived Sakura\/Cherry Blossom season in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up we have two more anime related merch, beginning with a retractable keychain from Detective Conan. This rather large rubber keychain has a clip at the top so you can attach it to your bag or pants loop, whilst the bottom has a ring hoop for your keys. This clever and stylish looking item was available in four characters including Conan Edogawa, Sh\u00faichi Akai, Tooru Amuro and Kait\u00f3 kid which is pictured above.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second item in this picture is of the recently released Evangelion Coo\u2019nuts, which have become very popular amongst convenience stores in Japan. These small little objects always have perfect balance and will not fall down when you push them. They are a quirky little toy that always seems to be coming out with new anime collaborations, with Evangelion becoming the latest. This series features 16 characters from EVA, of which I got Asuka Langley!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our next item this month is *another* set of chopsticks - which isn\u2019t too bad when you see that it is in fact a Sakura designed chopstick and spoon set. Which is a lovely addition to the cutlery drawer when you discover that these were in fact made in Japan - and not China for once! Would love to see some bowls or plates with similar styles being included in future boxes. Perhaps one day it may add up to a set!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_5\"<\/p>\n

Next up is this rather adorable Rem plush from Re: Zero. I have yet to get into this franchise, but it must be a very popular one as there is new merch constantly being released every month! This character plush is quite large and very well detailed, it definitely has that cute \u2018moe\u2019 factor about her. For me the eyes on it are very striking and have such a cute plush on the cheeks. I\u2019m very particular about plushies and figures, but this one here is exactly what I would be looking for in merch. It has a perfect resemblance to the anime character. This is the ideal companion for any Re: Zero fan I believe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_6\"<\/p>\n

And finally we are down to our last item, which is this Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the new Stained Glass Collection. These sets are always a joy to get and I can never fault the ReMent brand. The designs have always been so creative and flawless, with a story to tell and picture perfect scenes. This collection had 6 designs, including Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mew, Gardevoir, Umbreon and the above Pikachu.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Detective Conan, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland, Demon Slayer and Re: Zero. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box's theme was \u201cMysterious Spring\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month's topic was about Sakura and why it is the symbol of Spring in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Mysterious spring","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:35:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:35:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206255","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206183,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-04-23 14:56:37","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-23 13:56:37","post_content":"

Hello everyone! Hope you are all keeping well, I have a massive haul to talk about today as last week I received 9 months worth of my Nihon Box subscriptions all of a sudden on my doorstep!<\/span><\/p>\n

As you guys are aware, I normally review the SoKawaii box each month. However that isn\u2019t the only subscription service I\u2019m with. Back in March 2020 I did a review of my very first Nihon Box, sadly when the pandemic started my boxes were stuck in their warehouse in Japan due to limited postal options. Almost a year has passed since my last box, when all of a sudden I came home one day to find two big FedEx boxes in my sitting room. The lovely people over at Nihon Box must have decided to rebox everyone's orders that they had been waiting on for so long and send them first class! So that way their warehouse would be empty of all back orders from 2020. To make it even more amazing, they had replaced any out of date food items with replacement ones. Such attention to detail and top class warehouse operatives too, as everything was packed with care. Not a single item was damaged, and there were a number of breakable items inside! I have to say, that team deserves more than just a round of applause!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D\u2019Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/u><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_7\"<\/p>\n

This image is just a collection of a number of the traditional Japanese items that are included amongst every Nihon Box. From what I would deem as soba cups or green tea cups, which most often are not made with any handles. A Daruma, which I have just painted in the right eye of. I advise reading up on the history of this item as its actually quite sweet and interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have items which you would more than likely see at summer festivals in Japan, from a kitsune mask to a small paper balloon in the shape of a fish known as a Kingyo Kamif\u00fasen. There is also a traditional wind chime included, in the shape of a fish. Which would be lovely to have in front of a door or window when the summer breeze comes through. There is also a small cat figurine, known as a Maneki Neko Mokiji, decorated in maple leaves to celebrate the Autumn season. And a Washi Ningy\u00f3, which is a cute little figurine doll that was handmade from Japanese washi and kimono fabric. This beautiful little figure comes in her own display case and is just so precious to look upon. Alongside the two Ukiyo-e Sakura postcards, that are just another item that best represent the old Japanese historic art style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_8\"<\/p>\n

These next few items include a decorative plate and insulated lunch bag from The Promised Neverland. A show that has been well represented this year in Nihon Box, as we also received a plushie of Emma. We also have a decorative Spirited Away hand fan known as a Uchiwa, which will come in very handy during the hot weather. Another authentic Made in Japan item is this Usagi tray, which can be used to hold your meal or sweets. Much like you were being served in authentic Japanese restaurant or ryokan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\"<\/p>\n

Oooh now we are on to the high quality stuff here! Time for the figures, the best selling point about this service for me. Now not every month had a figure included, as they were sometimes switched out for a large plush - such as Ryuk in October and Rimuru in August. The rest of the months you are almost guaranteed a figure no matter what! So my new pride and joy on my shelf is the Asuka Langley figure from Evangelion from last July's box. That month gave you the chance of getting one of the four figures available in the Evangelion Shin Gekijouban figure range that was being released to mark what was the upcoming release of the fourth and final film - Rebuild of Evangelion. You could have gotten either Asuka, Rei, Kaworu or Evangelion Unit 13!<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the Terrarium Volume 4 series, which had 6 to collect including Gengar, Totodile, Moltres, Slowpoke, Umbreon, as well as Pikachu sleeping on a Mareep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last April's box included the 2020 Sakura Miku figure, which was brand new at the time. We also received a Kirby figure from the Solar Swing Collection, which was also featured in a SoKawaii box last year. Thankfully I received the other version that was available in this box, so my collection is now complete. Very cute item to have, which swings side to side when sunlight hits the small solar panel on the front of the figure base.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\" \"nihonboxapril2020_10\"<\/p>\n

We are finally onto our last three items! December\u2019s box included the Yami Yugi figurine from the Noodle Stopper collection. Although they are small scale statues, their poses allow them to sit freely on shelf corners - or indeed on the lid of your cup ramen as intended. For the size of the figure itself, its actually really well detailed and I adore it! From the same Noodle Stopper collection, comes the InuYasha figure from September's box. This was done for promotion of the latest InuYasha anime that was released last year - Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, we have the Cardcaptor Sakura: Special Rocket Beat Figure! Which was only recently released at the time this box was filled, so I am super lucky that this figure was included in the box at all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Cardcaptor Sakura, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer. They not only source out some decent quality figures, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan - from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. For me, they are just a step above the likes of SoKawaii box just for their variety in products and value for money in the items you receive. Although SoKawaii are currently more reliable when it comes to shipping, it\u2019s simply only the side effects of the pandemic that has put them both on an even playing field. End of the day, I highly enjoy both of these subscriptions and don't see myself cancelling either of them anything soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box April to December 2020 Review Part 2","post_excerpt":"I have a massive haul to talk","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-april-to-december-2020-review-part-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:50:32","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:50:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206183","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":204740,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content":"Even amidst the dark reality we are all living in, you can always find several rays of hope and sunshine around every corner. So here I am today to deliver some much needed distraction. As I mentioned before in one of my previous SoKawaii box reviews, I would also be reviewing another Japanese monthly subscription service. Nihon Box is just that! I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D'Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/a>)<\/span>\r\n\r\nMuch like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch1\"\r\n\r\nThe first item we have is a Pikachu silicone cup lid. This item is quite handy for those of you that tend to forget about their cup of tea for too long and tend to heat it up in the microwave. It will also act as a lid, which should help to keep your tea hot for longer. Also quite handy to have if you wish to have your drink outside in the garden, without having to worry about any flies dropping into it for a sip. This is also an officially licensed Pok\u00e9mon product as well. It is safe to use in a microwave, but make sure it is washed by hand as it\u2019s not dishwasher proof.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch2\"\r\n\r\nNext up is our snack item, with this month being two individually wrapped Dorayaki. A traditional Japanese pastry that you can find across bakeries and convenience stores in Japan. This snack consists of two small pancakes, much like the American ones. They are sandwiched together with a sweet red bean paste called Anko as the filling. The pancakes mask most of the taste of the Anko, but ultimately it\u2019s a very pleasant snack that is more on the sweet side.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur authentic Japanese tableware item this month is a Rice Bowl. Decorated with Sakura petals all around, this bowl is soundly made and should survive being washed in a dishwasher, but I would handwash it just to be on the safe side. It has no production markings and I am not entirely sure what it is made of, but according to the leaflet this bowl was Made in Japan. I\u2019m interested to see what item will be included in next month\u2019s box, to see if there will ever be a single dinner set created after a certain amount of boxes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch3\"\r\n\r\nNext up we have another \u201cMade in Japan\u201d item, with a My Neighbour Totoro Mechanical Pencil from Zebra. Now I have seen this brand numerous times in both Tesco and Dealz (Poundland in England), and they are really smooth pens to write with. So I assume the refills will be more readily available to buy for when this pencils\u2019 led eventually runs out. Now Japan has become rather renowned for their stationary when it comes to quality and this pen is no exception to that fact, as this design is made especially to prevent the led tip from breaking whilst writing. From the little time I have used this pen, it appears to be telling the truth as not once did the led break whilst I was putting excess force on the pen whilst writing. It is definitely a very useful product to have on you at all times when out and about, or even whilst at work or school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch4\"\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch5\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps one of the most renowned anime films to have come from the 1980\u2019s has to be Akira. Known worldwide as perhaps one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, it has a strong following even today. Nihon Box included this miniature Volume 1 series Akira figurine, to help celebrate the up-coming Remastered BluRay release of the film in Japan at the beginning of April. It is very rare to find any Akira merch, I have only seen a handful of items over the years. So this figure is a special piece to have in my collection, and stands as a reminder that I haven\u2019t sat down to watch the film in several years now.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch6\"\r\n\r\nLastly we have the main reason I wanted to try out Nihon Box, as every month you are guaranteed a figure. This month they included the heroine Nadeshiko from the anime Yuru Camp (also known as Laid-Back Camp). The anime, which you can watch now over on Crunchyroll through the link here (<\/span>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ubq25os<\/a>) is all about a high school outdoor activity club that enjoys camping. I have only watched the first episode so far and it seems like an enjoyable show, one that will be easy to watch. So why not check it out and get to know more about our new girl Nadeshiko. Bytheway this figure is very well made, sturdy and all you have to do is push her feet onto the base - done! Such great detail and colouring went into this figure, all I want to do is High Five her every time I go into the room!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch7\"\r\n\r\nAnd there we have it, my first Nihon Box review. Really positive start on this subscription, I don\u2019t see myself wanting to give up anytime soon. I will also still be getting the SoKawaii one so don\u2019t you worry. For the price of one box alone, I would have been happy with just a figure as they can be pretty pricey to buy over here at conventions and comic stores. I was also delighted to get the chance to get my own Akira merch and try Dorayaki for the first time before I go over to Japan later this year.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNext month\u2019s box is going to be completely Sakura themed, to tie in with the Cherry Blossom season currently happening over in Japan. They have already announced that they will be including items from One Piece, Hatsune Miku, Fairy Tail and of course, Cardcaptor Sakura, but which one will be the figure?<\/span>\r\n\r\nUntil next time, take care of yourself x<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2020 Review","post_excerpt":"Spring break","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2020-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=204740","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203896,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_date_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content":"

SoKawaii \u2018Spring Fantasy\u2019 May Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nFirst off, SoKawaii<\/em> is a monthly subscription service that is based in Japan, that offers fans of cute Japanese characters, such as Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> & Sanrio<\/em>, the chance to have some of the most unique and exclusive items sent straight to their door. All of which comes housed in a cute cardboard box, with the items inside packed away safely under some craft paper.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNow this is my first time subscribing to SoKawaii<\/em>, but have been a fan for the last couple of months since I started subscribing to their social media profiles. Their Instagram is my personal favourite - https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nSo I picked the May crate, with the theme Spring Fantasy!<\/em> For the sole reason that I adore Cardcaptor Sakura<\/em> and jumped for my bank card straight away when I heard they had a CCS Tea Cup guaranteed in every box. Now when I think of Japan and Springtime, Cherry Blossoms do \u2018spring\u2019 to mind. Now that theme carries on with the <\/span>tea cup and Hello Kitty<\/em> zipper bags, an unusual item to see included in the box, but is quite useful.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPok\u00e9mon<\/em> has been mainstream once again since the release of Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/em>, to the recent release of the live action video game adaption of Detective Pikachu<\/em>. So a Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> Gachapon was a welcome inclusion in this box. I was lucky enough to get an Eevee, which when you open up your box it looks just like a head with no ears, as the rest of the body parts are hid inside. The overall figure is beyond adorable. Now the next item is a Silicone Cup Cover, which looks like it was bought from Daiso<\/em>. Japan\u2019s version of Dealz<\/em> and Poundland<\/em>, but with more character goods. Now tea is a big thing in Asia, just like in Ireland, so although it is slightly unusual to see this item in the box, it is quite practical.<\/span>\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s unusual or not, but we got two Sanrio<\/em> character goods in this months box. Following the Hello Kitty<\/em> ziplock bags, I also got a Cinnamoroll<\/em> mechanical pencil. An adorable piece of stationary that I look forward to using. And lastly we have the very plush Luminary Tears Unil Pochette Bag. It is incredibly soft & eye catching, and you can carry it around on a detachable gold chain. Now although it is a visual dream, you can\u2019t really fit anything in it. Perhaps a small coin purse at best, as I can\u2019t even fit my phone in it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"sokawaiimay2\"\r\n\r\nFor me this was certainly a worthwhile box, especially for the price. I just did the 1 month continuous subscription and only set out just to get this box. Unfortunately for my purse, June\u2019s box has also caught my eye. Which I will make sure to do a review of when it gets here next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nSo here is the price break down and the savings you can get.<\/span>\r\n\r\n1 MONTH - $35.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 MONTHS - $33.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 MONTHS - $32.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n12 MONTHS - $31.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\nEach box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through the SoKawaii social media as the weeks go by. June\u2019s theme is Adorable Friends, and includes Sanrio,<\/em> Sailor Moon<\/em> & Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> goods.<\/span><\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nClick on the link below to subscribe today. And the best thing yet - Free Shipping Worldwide!<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.sokawaiibox.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"SoKawaii May Box Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_modified_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=203896","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":184102,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_content":"Pop Culture Pulpit was on hiatus. It wasn\u2019t planned or intentional. I just lost my way for a bit. I had my regular job, I accepted the role as editor for Comicbuzz and I started coming to terms with my own dreams and ambitions (more on that later). Writing just wasn\u2019t something I made time for - then I stopped editing. Then I stopped with Comicbuzz. I\u2019m fortunate though, since for whatever reason the good folks here at Comicbuzz reached out to me. I\u2019m no longer editing, but rather I\u2019ve committed to two articles a month that are large enough to be serialized, something I prefer to be doing and to which I am likely better-suited. There\u2019s a lot to cover after all this time, so let\u2019s get into it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Old\r\nAs mentioned above, I\u2019ve come to terms now and accepted that comics and I are meant to be. Not just the comic books themselves, but the entirety of the culture itself. Both the retail and creative sides, the commercially-known and the independents \u2013 everything appeals to me and I appreciate it all. I respect and appreciate the past while having some concerns for the future. My point being, these aren\u2019t just 22 pages of cartoons to me. When my favorite LCS (Local Comic Shop) closed, I had already become close friends with the manager. That friendship became a partnership when his personal collection of comics came to my home and an arrangement was struck wherein I would organize and sell the collection while we\u2019d split the proceeds. Such was the success that soon we were doing small comic shows at a local arena. A month ago, I realized that those moments were when I was happiest. Sorting, pricing, engaging with like-minded people. Hunting for collections to buy (doing so is very much like picking strawberries. Some go into the bucket, some are for me) has proven to be a nerve-wracking pleasure. Embracing the idea that this is what makes me happy, I decided it was time to commit to it: commit to comics. A company name was created, a Facebook page made, business cards printed and a vision of a bricks and mortar was formed with timelines in place. So I\u2019m pleased to announce that with fellow Comicbuzz writer Kin Jee, \u201chttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JeeRizComics\/<\/a><\/span>\u201d was birthed (please check us out on Facebook and \u201clike\u201d us). We\u2019d like to have a store open for November of 2018 and will continue to grow our business at local comic shows. I have no idea what the future will hold, but that\u2019s fine since there are no certainties. I will say this: I\u2019m scared. It\u2019s a risk, a gamble. What if I fail? What if my passion becoming my business turns my feelings towards this love into something cynical and jaded? But. BUT. What if I don\u2019t try? What if I don\u2019t try and Ia spend the rest of my time wondering and regretting? I wouldn\u2019t be able to go backwards to make the adjustment, but I can plan as well as I can and move forward slowly, giving myself the best possible odds of success that I can. If I fail, then let it be because of circumstances beyond my comprehension. Forgive the clich\u00e9, but in this, it really is better to have tried and failed, rather than pissing and moaning about what could have been. That\u2019s the bit about me. Which I can only imagine might make for boring reading for the rest of you but I think it allows those who\u2019ve continued reading to get a better sense of who I am and what I\u2019m \u201cabout\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Subscriptions:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo you have a subscription at your LCS? Most serious collectors do. A sub makes sure you get your desired books each week, has them ready for pick up and typically will warrant a discount of some sort. But a sub can be tricky, for both the retailer AND consumer. From a retailer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019re ordering books months in advance based on nothing more than an email from a customer (some stores will require a deposit from clients or worse, have them pay entirely up front) who\u2019s expressed a desire to have said books. As these are typically serious collectors I\u2019d venture we\u2019re talking about no less than half a dozen books a week; extrapolate this over dozens of customers. We\u2019re now talking about hundreds of books a week, all paid for in advance by the retailer. With the certainty that our books have been pulled for us, customers no longer feel pressure or obligation to get to the store weekly (I tend to go once a month now \u2013 but geography and public transit play a role in that). This impacts retailers in multiple ways. First, as mentioned, the retailer is already out of pocket for the product \u2013 uncertain when they may see a return on their investment. Secondly, and perhaps as important but rarely considered, is that retailers must store all this product for an uncertain period. These stores are often less than a 1000 square feet so space is at a premium (not to mention stores pay per square foot so space used to store product is costing money \u2013 these books are now double dipping into the retailer\u2019s bottom line).<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Thanos\r\n\r\nAs a consumer, having a sub can be wonderful. The work is done for you, you save a couple dollars and you never miss a book. It can quickly get out of hand though if left unchecked. When I first got a sub, I had to compile a list of every book I read each month. This is a FASCINATING exercise if you\u2019ve never done it \u2013 you\u2019d be surprised how many total books there are and how the books are separated by publisher (I read more Image than any other publisher, I genuinely hadn\u2019t known that). Once the retailer has your list, he orders the books and the client just goes in and picks up the books. That sounds simple, but once you eliminate the process of going to the shelves, touching each item as you select it, you lose the checks and balance aspect of buying. The retailer has ordered books for you and paid for them. You are obligated to purchase them. There is no changing of mind and putting a book back on the shelf (SOME retailers may begrudgingly allow this, but remember the part where they\u2019ve already paid for it?). It\u2019s not unusual for there to be some sticker shock, especially if you aren\u2019t picking up weekly. The books add up quickly and at three to five dollars a piece the end cost can be hundreds. The second aspect for a consumer to consider is, do I really need all these books? Because once you\u2019ve realized that you\u2019re committed to hundreds of dollars and dozens of books a month, you\u2019d better be sure you want to read everything you\u2019re committing to. In my case, I realized books kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the \u201cTo Read\u201d pile, even after another month had gone by. I clearly was not overly interested in reading this book, so why was I committing to it? I quickly streamlined my sub \u2013 which was a win for both the retailer and for myself as we both spend less money while also storing less. Most retailers will work with you. Just be honest and respect the commitment you\u2019ve made. I\u2019m always adjusting my sub\u2026 I\u2019ll try books and decide they just aren\u2019t worth my time or money so I cancel it, buy the few remaining books that have been ordered on my behalf, and then move on. <\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Warlordsofappalachia\r\n\r\nA couple final points:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n-Be careful when using your sub to collect characters, especially with the Big Two. There is less creativity with DC and Marvel now than at any time that I can think of. The publishers tend to saturate the market with whatever characters are popular, so if you tell your LCS you love Deadpool, be careful because you may end up with Avengers books that Deadpool is suddenly a part of. That may not be an issue for you, but it\u2019s important to at least be aware this sort of situation may occur.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-When you have a sub, you\u2019re often pre-ordering out of Previews months in advance. Something may have a fantastic synopsis, but once it\u2019s in your hands you realize it was drawn by a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, it was ordered for you and you\u2019re on the hook for the book. Take the time to find a preview of the book online if it you aren\u2019t part of a system that lets you return books (to the rack) that you don\u2019t want.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-Finally, always review your stack. Retailers get to know their regulars; it\u2019s a part of the joy of this industry \u2013 that genuine bonds can be established between consumer and retailer. That can be double-edged however. Knowing what you like means a retailer may slip a book or two into your stack, assuming you\u2019d want or enjoy it. He\u2019s not doing this solely out of the goodness of his heart. He\u2019s adding on to the sale, more-so than just adding on bags and boards. So, before you pay, review. Make sure you\u2019re buying what you wanted.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Books:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOn the topic of monthly pull lists, what AM I reading and why? I\u2019m not going to get into long validating reviews, just some bullet point thoughts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n-I\u2019m often caught off guard by how few Marvel titles I read. Old Man Logan, Thanos, Moon Knight (all three written by Jeff Lemire \u2013 who as of this writing just \u201cquit\u201d Marvel) and now I\u2019ve added Jessica Jones<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Batman\r\n\r\n-I read almost a dozen New 52 titles but Rebirth has not been a hit for me the way its predecessor was (there\u2019s more on that later). I\u2019m down now to Trinity, Detective Comics (the surprise hit for me), and Batman. The new Batwoman title seems encouraging.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Joyride\r\n\r\n-I said in this column over a year ago, people should keep an eye on BOOM! Nothing has changed my mind, if anything I\u2019m more convinced they are the number four publisher. \u201cJoyride\u201d, \u201cSkyborne\u201d and \u201cWarlords of Appalachia\u201d are among my first reads when they come out. I think this company is still just defining itself and may rival Image as a home for creator-owned content.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n-I\u2019ve already stated I feel Black Mask is more hype than substance, but credit where credit is due. \u201c4 Kids Walk Into a Bank\u201d is a genuine pleasure to read. Very well-scripted with excellent dialogue. Unfortunately, the title has suffered due to delays and that can be the kiss of death for indie books.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJoin us for part 2, next week!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>","post_title":"Pop Culture Pulpit May - Part 1","post_excerpt":"Yet Another Introduction","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pop-culture-pulpit-may-part-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_modified_gmt":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=184102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box May 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-may-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:10:44","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:10:44","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206775","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206549,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-07-09 17:23:21","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-09 16:23:21","post_content":"

\u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another ComicBuzz review! In todays\u2019 post I took a look into what was included in SoKawaii\u2019s June Box. The theme they ran with this time is \u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d, which features six products from a number of licenses. Including Studio Ghibli, Sanrio, Pok\u00e9mon and Kirby. So let\u2019s get started on our usual description of what SoKawaii is and what they have to offer you!<\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you that don\u2019t know \u2013 SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pok\u00e9mon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 5 to 7 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep each month. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month\u2019s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media accounts. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts, particularly their Instagram one \u2013<\/span> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So our first item this month is surely worth the price of the box alone, and that is the official Totoro plush from My Neighbour Totoro. Studio Ghibli merch is not cheap folks, especially on this side of the World. I have seen this exact plush go for \u00a345 in HMV - and it\u2019s not a massive plush by any regards! So for me, everything else in this box I may have just gotten for free cause this plush was definitely the cream of the crop. It\u2019s super fluffy, plump, stands freely on its own and is an official merch. Although it doesn\u2019t have its toothy, almost creepy looking grin - it is still adorable as heck and perfect to be put on display alongside your Studio Ghibli film collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_2\"<\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Moving on we head on over to the world of Pok\u00e9mon, with this highly adorable Pikachu masking tape. This item was available in four designs, all from the Pokemon Sepia Graffiti collection. Looking into it now, this is a fairly old release, as it first came out back in 2016. However the designs are still just as adorable all the same, I wouldn\u2019t say no to another item from this collection being added again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our second Pok\u00e9mon item, with this very large Face Towel. With two designs available at random in every box, one of which will feature both Pikachu and Eevee enjoying a relaxing nap. This super soft towel is quite large and is more of a hand towel in my eyes, than a face towel. It looks like 8 times the size of a face cloth and the picture I took of it above is with the towel folded over 3 times!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to stationary with this next item, featuring Kirby. June\u2019s box saw everyone getting a set of two limited edition KIrby clear file folders, which were available in four regional designs. Including Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and Fujisan, with Kirby posing at each location. Now this is another older collection, as this was originally released last April. However it is quite adorable, but what does everyone do with their clear files? Do you display them, and if so how? Reach out to us on either Twitter or Facebook and tag us in your posts, to show us your clear file display ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_6\"<\/p>\n

Our final two items are both from Sanrio, the largest of which is the My Melody circular floor mat in the picture above. Which is just one of three designs that was available at random in every box, the other two included Cinnamoroll and Hello Kitty. This mat is 50x50cm, probably amongst the smallest you can find and would be perfect to have at your computer desk. Better yet it has numerous anti slip bumps underneath, so it shouldn't go sliding about the place when you walk on it. The upside has a printed design of one of the three characters included, with the name in pastel print and a quote about the character underneath. This item was released in 2020, going by the trademark on the mat. It\u2019s nice and soft, but I could easily see this getting stained very quickly and I\u2019m unsure how machine washable it is. So best be careful with this one.<\/span><\/p>\n

And our final item is a small Hello Kitty storage box. This clip-closed box would easily work as a small lunch box, for storing your washi\/masking tape, for hair ties or even your medication as long as you don\u2019t have small kids in the house that will be quickly drawn to such a cute box as this one. It also looks like a classic vintage Hello Kitty design, one that is sure to last the ages.<\/span><\/p>\n

There we have it folks, that was Junes\u2019 SoKawaii box. This month had a good mix of items, from decorative, storage, household and stationary from some iconic franchises. Now let\u2019s get on to the all important information, for how YOU can begin your own subscription, as well as a special discount code just for you guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. SoKawaii are back to shipping their boxes via Japan Post, so delivery may take a number of weeks. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options \u2013 there are savings to be had.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Month \u2013 $35.00 (\u20ac29.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months \u2013 $33.50 (\u20ac28.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months \u2013 $32.00 (\u20ac26.50mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Months \u2013 $31.50 (\u20ac26.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

Better yet, here is a $3 discount code that you can use on your first box by clicking this link!<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/sokawaii.refr.cc\/maryhealy<\/a><\/p>\n

Now if you enjoyed June\u2019s box, then just wait for July\u2019s! It\u2019s theme is \u201cEnchanting Matsuri\u201d, which will feature a number of items from Sumikko Gurashi, Sanrio and Rilakkuma. That box is already sold out and on the way to me and will include a Sumikko Gurashi electric hand fan! Shame the Irish heatwave has already been and gone! Stay tuned to SoKawaiis\u2019 social media, as they announced their themes, sneak peaks and opinion polls on what fans want to see next in their boxes. They are very active on their Instagram and really listen to what their customers are looking for \u2013 so go have your say now! Also make sure and use that special discount code I left you all above!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sokawaii.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii June 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Dreamy creatures","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-june-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:38:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:38:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206549","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206451,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-21 19:15:19","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-21 18:15:19","post_content":"

\u201cSpring Time, Happy Time!\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, I am back once again with another SoKawaii box to review. This time I have May\u2019s box, which focuses on Spring Time. With a number of items dedicated to making your homelife that bit more kawaii, with merch from Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and San-X. So let\u2019s get started with information on who SoKawaii is!<\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you that don\u2019t know \u2013 SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pok\u00e9mon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 5 to 7 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep each month. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month\u2019s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media accounts. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts, particularly their Instagram one \u2013<\/span> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So our first item this month is one I have longed to own - a Kuromi plush! This adorable plush mascot comes in her very own maid outfit, all set for the big Spring Clean. With an outfit that would fit right in with any maid caf\u00e9 in Japan, Kuromi has a matching headband and bows as well. This officially licensed mascot comes straight from Sanrio, however she won\u2019t be in every May box as there is also a My Melody version that could also be included. This was obviously the best item from the box this month for me!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Moving on to our second Sanrio item, which is a magnetic hook featuring a number of Sanrio\u2019s most iconic characters. There were two designs available for this product, as it is unusual to find a magnetic hook as it leaves very few places to actually use it. Mine ended up being attached to the side of my cooker, so I can hang up my oven glove. It really makes you think, how many places have you in your home that you can actually attach a magne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our kitchenware items for this month, which include a bowl and chopsticks. The bowl is actually made from bamboo fiber, which makes it more eco friendly than plastic and is also food safe. It even includes a fun looking Sumikkogurashi design on the inside, which will make a lovely little surprise for when you are done eating your food. Now I wouldn\u2019t suggest putting this in a dishwasher, as it could either ruin the design or it mightn\u2019t be suitable for high temperatures. Best keep with the old fashion way and wash it by hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accompanying this bowl is two sets of chopsticks, featuring everyone's favourite My Neighbor Totoro from Studio Ghibli. These 21cm chopsticks (which I don\u2019t really know they came in different sizes), are decorated at the top by the lovable character. Perfect for sharing a meal, or having as a back up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our final item this month comes once again from San-X with this super soft Rilakkuma pillow. This pillow is in fact more of a cushion, going by the size and shape. It\u2019s quite soft, but not very \u2018plump\u2019 as though it could have done with some more stuffing for a more firm cushion. However if it was, it may not have fitted inside the box! This cushion of course has two \u2018faces\u2019 to it, with Rilakkumas\u2019 face taking up the entirety of one side with flowers printed on the corners. The opposite side is more sparse, with a beautiful background filled with sakura petals and flowers. With Rilakkuma enjoying a Dango and Korilakkuma sitting beside him in the corner. We also have the little chick Kiiroitori sitting on top of a flower in the top corner. It really does make for a lovely throw pillow, but practicality not so much as there are so many warnings on the label that this cushion can never be machine washed. So once again, make sure and wash this one by hand if you need to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_5\"<\/p>\n

There we have it folks, that was Mays\u2019 SoKawaii box. Very Sanrio and San-X heavy in the merch, with a good mix of items. Now let\u2019s get on to the all important information, for how YOU can begin your own subscription, as well as a special discount code just for you guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. SoKawaii are back to shipping their boxes via Japan Post, so delivery may take a number of weeks. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options \u2013 there are savings to be had.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Month \u2013 $35.00 (\u20ac29.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months \u2013 $33.50 (\u20ac28.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months \u2013 $32.00 (\u20ac26.50mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Months \u2013 $31.50 (\u20ac26.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

Better yet, here is a $3 discount code that you can use on your first box by clicking this link!<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/sokawaii.refr.cc\/maryhealy<\/a><\/p>\n

Now if you enjoyed May\u2019s box, then just wait for June\u2019s! It\u2019s theme is \u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d, which will feature a number of items from Sanrio, Kirby, My Neighbour Totoro and Pok\u00e9mon. That box is already sold out and on the way to me, and will include my very own Totoro plush! Stay tuned to SoKawaiis\u2019 social media, as they announced their themes, sneak peaks and opinion polls on what fans want to see next in their boxes. They are very active on their Instagram and really listen to what their customers are looking for \u2013 so go have your say now! Also make sure and use that special discount code I left you all above!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sokawaii.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii May 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Spring time","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:37:58","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:37:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206451","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206431,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-17 16:52:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-17 15:52:56","post_content":"

\u201cDark Birthday\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHello everyone, look what just turned up on my doorstep!<\/span>\n

My missing Nihon Box from February finally arrived, just days after my January box decided to make an appearance. Looks like I\u2019m finally caught up now on all my MIA boxes, so reviews should be in perfect order from now on. Anyway, Februarys\u2019 box was a pretty important one as it was celebrating Nihon Boxes 6th anniversary! And what a milestone it is, as they have not only survived a fairly niche market but also a worldwide pandemic! Super proud of them and it makes it even more special being a customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s get onto the usual tidbits about this service. Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country:<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_1\"<\/p>\n

Onto our first item this month, we have a very pretty looking origami set from the Studio Ghibli movie \u2018Spirited Away\u2019. This product is not only made in Japan, but the art of paper folding just screams Japanese culture. The first recorded mention of the artform comes from a reference to a paper model in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680. This particular set includes traditional origami paper and sets where you can construct various characters from the movie. Great for display purposes and even comes so well packaged, that it would also make a lovely gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Our second item is for all you snack lovers, as February's box included a rather large bag of Fugashi. The packaging for this one reminds me of a cow-print, so its rather confusing in its advertising. It\u2019s actually a rather old snack that dates back about 150 years. It\u2019s a wheat flour based bar that is just covered in brown sugar. Just plain and simple really, there seems to be a number of Japanese snacks like this. Either Way, seeing as the shipping took so long, this item was about a month out of date by the time I got it. So perhaps it will be included again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Our third item is one I don\u2019t really don\u2019t know what to do with yet. As it\u2019s this beautiful blue sakura patterned plate. Its quite unique, as I don\u2019t know if you can really tell from the picture, but it has an almost water droplet effect on the plate. As though the raindrops had frozen in the moment, to create this unique texture and pattern on the surface. It\u2019s one I never plan on using, as it has to be for decorative purposes in my eyes. This item is also made in Japan, and includes a signature on the back of the plate, so you know it was handcrafted. I just wished the pamphlet included some information on who created this piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to the anime merch, as we have a familiar bull dog clip plush and a figure. The plush clip is from the latest fan favorite show from Shonen Jump - Jujutsu Kaisen. We have gotten similar bull clips in the past from both SoKawaii and Nihon Box, when they included the Demon Slayer range. These are strong clips, unique in that its also a miniature plush but is also kind of awkward when you try to figure out how best to either use it or display the item. This particular one was available in six designs, of which I seem to have pulled the main character Yuji Itadori. On the right is our largest item in the box, and that is a Noodle Stopper figure of Hiei from Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho. Now these figures are usually in more relaxed poses, mostly with characters sitting down as they are created in such a way that they balance on top of your \u2018pot noodle\u2019 or \u2018cup ramen\u2019 as its \u2018cooking\u2019 away. Its a fairly well detailed figure, unfortunately I don\u2019t really know much about the show other than it came out in the early 90\u2019s and is almost as old as myself. Always nice getting figures in a box, although this one might be a bit too niche going by how old the show is.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our final item of the month, which brings us back to a far more recent anime hit - Demon Slayer. This time we got a decorative lamp that had several characters labeled around the side, including Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke. With the off\/on switch positioned underneath the lamp, you will also need 3 AA batteries to power it. It gives off a fairly decent amount of light, and also projects the Kimetsu no Yaiba logo from the top onto your ceiling. The bulb also changes color slightly from time to time, so its still a rather decent lamp. More for display purposes than practicality though I say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_6\"<\/p>\n

There was one last piece in this box, and it was a special note from the folks over at Nihon Box. A lovely printed, decorative card with some touching words on how they have survived this long to make it to their sixth year in business. It\u2019s really worth reading, so please take a moment to. They have also mentioned that they have several surprises coming out this year, and most certainly one of those is their new venture - Yatta Japan (<\/span>https:\/\/www.yattajapan.com\/en<\/a>) Where you can buy many of the items that were included in previous boxes, as well as new figures, snacks, manga and more. All on the one website. Worth checking out, as they also have their own rewards scheme for every time you buy from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

So there we have it folks, that was another Nihon Box - although it was fairly late in arriving. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as Spirited Away and Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho, to the newer franchises including Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box\u2019s theme was \u201cDark Birthday\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about Setsubun - the demon hunting day and why it is celebrated in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>","post_title":"Nihon Box February 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Dark birthday","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-february-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:40:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:40:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206431","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206255,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-05-19 14:34:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-19 13:34:39","post_content":"

\u201cMysterious Spring\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, hope you\u2019re all doing good!<\/span><\/p>\n

With international shipping methods beginning to return to normal, postal restrictions have started to be lifted. So instead of waiting another year to receive a bunch of backdated subscription boxes - I have instead received this years\u2019 March box from Nihon Box! Even though I am still waiting on January and February boxes to arrive, let\u2019s just get this review started!<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be. https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country: <\/span>https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with our first item - which is a \u2018Beastars\u2019 shoulder bag. From the hit Netflix series that got everyone discussing \u2018furries\u2019 all over again, it was adapted from a manga series of the same name and animated by CG studio Orange. With a second season not far off in the horizon, now is the perfect time to start wearing this bag around the town as Netflix continues their advertising campaign for the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

This cross shoulder bag isn\u2019t massive by any means, but is perfect for those that only plan on carrying just their phone and wallet as they travel about. It\u2019s handsfree, strong built and I say it would hold up rather well in the rain with its hard plastic coating that covers the design on the front of the bag. Although the picture is a tad unusual, it will make complete sense to fans of the show. For others that are unaware of its existence - it may need a slight explanation. As it features our lead wolf - Legoshi clutching our white rabbit Haru. It\u2019s a useful product, but the design may just be hitting a specific fanbase for this one. Kind of wish they were able to acquire a different image for the print.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our Japanese snack - which this month is a Sakura flavored Dorayaki. Now this product was absolutely delicious and did not last very long in my home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or in this case, Sakura flavored filling. Each of these treats came individually wrapped, so they remained super fresh. Perfect to have with a cup of Green Tea or as a small reward to yourself to help you keep motivated throughout the day. The flavor wasn\u2019t overpowering in the slightest, it was very pleasant and had a sweet taste to it. Well worth checking out this line of Japanese confectionery if you ever get the chance. The sakura filling also symbolized the start of the very short lived Sakura\/Cherry Blossom season in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up we have two more anime related merch, beginning with a retractable keychain from Detective Conan. This rather large rubber keychain has a clip at the top so you can attach it to your bag or pants loop, whilst the bottom has a ring hoop for your keys. This clever and stylish looking item was available in four characters including Conan Edogawa, Sh\u00faichi Akai, Tooru Amuro and Kait\u00f3 kid which is pictured above.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second item in this picture is of the recently released Evangelion Coo\u2019nuts, which have become very popular amongst convenience stores in Japan. These small little objects always have perfect balance and will not fall down when you push them. They are a quirky little toy that always seems to be coming out with new anime collaborations, with Evangelion becoming the latest. This series features 16 characters from EVA, of which I got Asuka Langley!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our next item this month is *another* set of chopsticks - which isn\u2019t too bad when you see that it is in fact a Sakura designed chopstick and spoon set. Which is a lovely addition to the cutlery drawer when you discover that these were in fact made in Japan - and not China for once! Would love to see some bowls or plates with similar styles being included in future boxes. Perhaps one day it may add up to a set!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_5\"<\/p>\n

Next up is this rather adorable Rem plush from Re: Zero. I have yet to get into this franchise, but it must be a very popular one as there is new merch constantly being released every month! This character plush is quite large and very well detailed, it definitely has that cute \u2018moe\u2019 factor about her. For me the eyes on it are very striking and have such a cute plush on the cheeks. I\u2019m very particular about plushies and figures, but this one here is exactly what I would be looking for in merch. It has a perfect resemblance to the anime character. This is the ideal companion for any Re: Zero fan I believe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_6\"<\/p>\n

And finally we are down to our last item, which is this Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the new Stained Glass Collection. These sets are always a joy to get and I can never fault the ReMent brand. The designs have always been so creative and flawless, with a story to tell and picture perfect scenes. This collection had 6 designs, including Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mew, Gardevoir, Umbreon and the above Pikachu.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Detective Conan, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland, Demon Slayer and Re: Zero. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box's theme was \u201cMysterious Spring\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month's topic was about Sakura and why it is the symbol of Spring in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Mysterious spring","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:35:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:35:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206255","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206183,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-04-23 14:56:37","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-23 13:56:37","post_content":"

Hello everyone! Hope you are all keeping well, I have a massive haul to talk about today as last week I received 9 months worth of my Nihon Box subscriptions all of a sudden on my doorstep!<\/span><\/p>\n

As you guys are aware, I normally review the SoKawaii box each month. However that isn\u2019t the only subscription service I\u2019m with. Back in March 2020 I did a review of my very first Nihon Box, sadly when the pandemic started my boxes were stuck in their warehouse in Japan due to limited postal options. Almost a year has passed since my last box, when all of a sudden I came home one day to find two big FedEx boxes in my sitting room. The lovely people over at Nihon Box must have decided to rebox everyone's orders that they had been waiting on for so long and send them first class! So that way their warehouse would be empty of all back orders from 2020. To make it even more amazing, they had replaced any out of date food items with replacement ones. Such attention to detail and top class warehouse operatives too, as everything was packed with care. Not a single item was damaged, and there were a number of breakable items inside! I have to say, that team deserves more than just a round of applause!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D\u2019Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/u><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_7\"<\/p>\n

This image is just a collection of a number of the traditional Japanese items that are included amongst every Nihon Box. From what I would deem as soba cups or green tea cups, which most often are not made with any handles. A Daruma, which I have just painted in the right eye of. I advise reading up on the history of this item as its actually quite sweet and interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have items which you would more than likely see at summer festivals in Japan, from a kitsune mask to a small paper balloon in the shape of a fish known as a Kingyo Kamif\u00fasen. There is also a traditional wind chime included, in the shape of a fish. Which would be lovely to have in front of a door or window when the summer breeze comes through. There is also a small cat figurine, known as a Maneki Neko Mokiji, decorated in maple leaves to celebrate the Autumn season. And a Washi Ningy\u00f3, which is a cute little figurine doll that was handmade from Japanese washi and kimono fabric. This beautiful little figure comes in her own display case and is just so precious to look upon. Alongside the two Ukiyo-e Sakura postcards, that are just another item that best represent the old Japanese historic art style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_8\"<\/p>\n

These next few items include a decorative plate and insulated lunch bag from The Promised Neverland. A show that has been well represented this year in Nihon Box, as we also received a plushie of Emma. We also have a decorative Spirited Away hand fan known as a Uchiwa, which will come in very handy during the hot weather. Another authentic Made in Japan item is this Usagi tray, which can be used to hold your meal or sweets. Much like you were being served in authentic Japanese restaurant or ryokan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\"<\/p>\n

Oooh now we are on to the high quality stuff here! Time for the figures, the best selling point about this service for me. Now not every month had a figure included, as they were sometimes switched out for a large plush - such as Ryuk in October and Rimuru in August. The rest of the months you are almost guaranteed a figure no matter what! So my new pride and joy on my shelf is the Asuka Langley figure from Evangelion from last July's box. That month gave you the chance of getting one of the four figures available in the Evangelion Shin Gekijouban figure range that was being released to mark what was the upcoming release of the fourth and final film - Rebuild of Evangelion. You could have gotten either Asuka, Rei, Kaworu or Evangelion Unit 13!<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the Terrarium Volume 4 series, which had 6 to collect including Gengar, Totodile, Moltres, Slowpoke, Umbreon, as well as Pikachu sleeping on a Mareep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last April's box included the 2020 Sakura Miku figure, which was brand new at the time. We also received a Kirby figure from the Solar Swing Collection, which was also featured in a SoKawaii box last year. Thankfully I received the other version that was available in this box, so my collection is now complete. Very cute item to have, which swings side to side when sunlight hits the small solar panel on the front of the figure base.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\" \"nihonboxapril2020_10\"<\/p>\n

We are finally onto our last three items! December\u2019s box included the Yami Yugi figurine from the Noodle Stopper collection. Although they are small scale statues, their poses allow them to sit freely on shelf corners - or indeed on the lid of your cup ramen as intended. For the size of the figure itself, its actually really well detailed and I adore it! From the same Noodle Stopper collection, comes the InuYasha figure from September's box. This was done for promotion of the latest InuYasha anime that was released last year - Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, we have the Cardcaptor Sakura: Special Rocket Beat Figure! Which was only recently released at the time this box was filled, so I am super lucky that this figure was included in the box at all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Cardcaptor Sakura, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer. They not only source out some decent quality figures, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan - from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. For me, they are just a step above the likes of SoKawaii box just for their variety in products and value for money in the items you receive. Although SoKawaii are currently more reliable when it comes to shipping, it\u2019s simply only the side effects of the pandemic that has put them both on an even playing field. End of the day, I highly enjoy both of these subscriptions and don't see myself cancelling either of them anything soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box April to December 2020 Review Part 2","post_excerpt":"I have a massive haul to talk","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-april-to-december-2020-review-part-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:50:32","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:50:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206183","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":204740,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content":"Even amidst the dark reality we are all living in, you can always find several rays of hope and sunshine around every corner. So here I am today to deliver some much needed distraction. As I mentioned before in one of my previous SoKawaii box reviews, I would also be reviewing another Japanese monthly subscription service. Nihon Box is just that! I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D'Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/a>)<\/span>\r\n\r\nMuch like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch1\"\r\n\r\nThe first item we have is a Pikachu silicone cup lid. This item is quite handy for those of you that tend to forget about their cup of tea for too long and tend to heat it up in the microwave. It will also act as a lid, which should help to keep your tea hot for longer. Also quite handy to have if you wish to have your drink outside in the garden, without having to worry about any flies dropping into it for a sip. This is also an officially licensed Pok\u00e9mon product as well. It is safe to use in a microwave, but make sure it is washed by hand as it\u2019s not dishwasher proof.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch2\"\r\n\r\nNext up is our snack item, with this month being two individually wrapped Dorayaki. A traditional Japanese pastry that you can find across bakeries and convenience stores in Japan. This snack consists of two small pancakes, much like the American ones. They are sandwiched together with a sweet red bean paste called Anko as the filling. The pancakes mask most of the taste of the Anko, but ultimately it\u2019s a very pleasant snack that is more on the sweet side.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur authentic Japanese tableware item this month is a Rice Bowl. Decorated with Sakura petals all around, this bowl is soundly made and should survive being washed in a dishwasher, but I would handwash it just to be on the safe side. It has no production markings and I am not entirely sure what it is made of, but according to the leaflet this bowl was Made in Japan. I\u2019m interested to see what item will be included in next month\u2019s box, to see if there will ever be a single dinner set created after a certain amount of boxes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch3\"\r\n\r\nNext up we have another \u201cMade in Japan\u201d item, with a My Neighbour Totoro Mechanical Pencil from Zebra. Now I have seen this brand numerous times in both Tesco and Dealz (Poundland in England), and they are really smooth pens to write with. So I assume the refills will be more readily available to buy for when this pencils\u2019 led eventually runs out. Now Japan has become rather renowned for their stationary when it comes to quality and this pen is no exception to that fact, as this design is made especially to prevent the led tip from breaking whilst writing. From the little time I have used this pen, it appears to be telling the truth as not once did the led break whilst I was putting excess force on the pen whilst writing. It is definitely a very useful product to have on you at all times when out and about, or even whilst at work or school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch4\"\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch5\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps one of the most renowned anime films to have come from the 1980\u2019s has to be Akira. Known worldwide as perhaps one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, it has a strong following even today. Nihon Box included this miniature Volume 1 series Akira figurine, to help celebrate the up-coming Remastered BluRay release of the film in Japan at the beginning of April. It is very rare to find any Akira merch, I have only seen a handful of items over the years. So this figure is a special piece to have in my collection, and stands as a reminder that I haven\u2019t sat down to watch the film in several years now.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch6\"\r\n\r\nLastly we have the main reason I wanted to try out Nihon Box, as every month you are guaranteed a figure. This month they included the heroine Nadeshiko from the anime Yuru Camp (also known as Laid-Back Camp). The anime, which you can watch now over on Crunchyroll through the link here (<\/span>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ubq25os<\/a>) is all about a high school outdoor activity club that enjoys camping. I have only watched the first episode so far and it seems like an enjoyable show, one that will be easy to watch. So why not check it out and get to know more about our new girl Nadeshiko. Bytheway this figure is very well made, sturdy and all you have to do is push her feet onto the base - done! Such great detail and colouring went into this figure, all I want to do is High Five her every time I go into the room!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch7\"\r\n\r\nAnd there we have it, my first Nihon Box review. Really positive start on this subscription, I don\u2019t see myself wanting to give up anytime soon. I will also still be getting the SoKawaii one so don\u2019t you worry. For the price of one box alone, I would have been happy with just a figure as they can be pretty pricey to buy over here at conventions and comic stores. I was also delighted to get the chance to get my own Akira merch and try Dorayaki for the first time before I go over to Japan later this year.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNext month\u2019s box is going to be completely Sakura themed, to tie in with the Cherry Blossom season currently happening over in Japan. They have already announced that they will be including items from One Piece, Hatsune Miku, Fairy Tail and of course, Cardcaptor Sakura, but which one will be the figure?<\/span>\r\n\r\nUntil next time, take care of yourself x<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2020 Review","post_excerpt":"Spring break","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2020-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=204740","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203896,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_date_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content":"

SoKawaii \u2018Spring Fantasy\u2019 May Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nFirst off, SoKawaii<\/em> is a monthly subscription service that is based in Japan, that offers fans of cute Japanese characters, such as Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> & Sanrio<\/em>, the chance to have some of the most unique and exclusive items sent straight to their door. All of which comes housed in a cute cardboard box, with the items inside packed away safely under some craft paper.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNow this is my first time subscribing to SoKawaii<\/em>, but have been a fan for the last couple of months since I started subscribing to their social media profiles. Their Instagram is my personal favourite - https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nSo I picked the May crate, with the theme Spring Fantasy!<\/em> For the sole reason that I adore Cardcaptor Sakura<\/em> and jumped for my bank card straight away when I heard they had a CCS Tea Cup guaranteed in every box. Now when I think of Japan and Springtime, Cherry Blossoms do \u2018spring\u2019 to mind. Now that theme carries on with the <\/span>tea cup and Hello Kitty<\/em> zipper bags, an unusual item to see included in the box, but is quite useful.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPok\u00e9mon<\/em> has been mainstream once again since the release of Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/em>, to the recent release of the live action video game adaption of Detective Pikachu<\/em>. So a Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> Gachapon was a welcome inclusion in this box. I was lucky enough to get an Eevee, which when you open up your box it looks just like a head with no ears, as the rest of the body parts are hid inside. The overall figure is beyond adorable. Now the next item is a Silicone Cup Cover, which looks like it was bought from Daiso<\/em>. Japan\u2019s version of Dealz<\/em> and Poundland<\/em>, but with more character goods. Now tea is a big thing in Asia, just like in Ireland, so although it is slightly unusual to see this item in the box, it is quite practical.<\/span>\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s unusual or not, but we got two Sanrio<\/em> character goods in this months box. Following the Hello Kitty<\/em> ziplock bags, I also got a Cinnamoroll<\/em> mechanical pencil. An adorable piece of stationary that I look forward to using. And lastly we have the very plush Luminary Tears Unil Pochette Bag. It is incredibly soft & eye catching, and you can carry it around on a detachable gold chain. Now although it is a visual dream, you can\u2019t really fit anything in it. Perhaps a small coin purse at best, as I can\u2019t even fit my phone in it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"sokawaiimay2\"\r\n\r\nFor me this was certainly a worthwhile box, especially for the price. I just did the 1 month continuous subscription and only set out just to get this box. Unfortunately for my purse, June\u2019s box has also caught my eye. Which I will make sure to do a review of when it gets here next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nSo here is the price break down and the savings you can get.<\/span>\r\n\r\n1 MONTH - $35.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 MONTHS - $33.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 MONTHS - $32.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n12 MONTHS - $31.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\nEach box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through the SoKawaii social media as the weeks go by. June\u2019s theme is Adorable Friends, and includes Sanrio,<\/em> Sailor Moon<\/em> & Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> goods.<\/span><\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nClick on the link below to subscribe today. And the best thing yet - Free Shipping Worldwide!<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.sokawaiibox.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"SoKawaii May Box Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_modified_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=203896","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":184102,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_content":"Pop Culture Pulpit was on hiatus. It wasn\u2019t planned or intentional. I just lost my way for a bit. I had my regular job, I accepted the role as editor for Comicbuzz and I started coming to terms with my own dreams and ambitions (more on that later). Writing just wasn\u2019t something I made time for - then I stopped editing. Then I stopped with Comicbuzz. I\u2019m fortunate though, since for whatever reason the good folks here at Comicbuzz reached out to me. I\u2019m no longer editing, but rather I\u2019ve committed to two articles a month that are large enough to be serialized, something I prefer to be doing and to which I am likely better-suited. There\u2019s a lot to cover after all this time, so let\u2019s get into it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Old\r\nAs mentioned above, I\u2019ve come to terms now and accepted that comics and I are meant to be. Not just the comic books themselves, but the entirety of the culture itself. Both the retail and creative sides, the commercially-known and the independents \u2013 everything appeals to me and I appreciate it all. I respect and appreciate the past while having some concerns for the future. My point being, these aren\u2019t just 22 pages of cartoons to me. When my favorite LCS (Local Comic Shop) closed, I had already become close friends with the manager. That friendship became a partnership when his personal collection of comics came to my home and an arrangement was struck wherein I would organize and sell the collection while we\u2019d split the proceeds. Such was the success that soon we were doing small comic shows at a local arena. A month ago, I realized that those moments were when I was happiest. Sorting, pricing, engaging with like-minded people. Hunting for collections to buy (doing so is very much like picking strawberries. Some go into the bucket, some are for me) has proven to be a nerve-wracking pleasure. Embracing the idea that this is what makes me happy, I decided it was time to commit to it: commit to comics. A company name was created, a Facebook page made, business cards printed and a vision of a bricks and mortar was formed with timelines in place. So I\u2019m pleased to announce that with fellow Comicbuzz writer Kin Jee, \u201chttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JeeRizComics\/<\/a><\/span>\u201d was birthed (please check us out on Facebook and \u201clike\u201d us). We\u2019d like to have a store open for November of 2018 and will continue to grow our business at local comic shows. I have no idea what the future will hold, but that\u2019s fine since there are no certainties. I will say this: I\u2019m scared. It\u2019s a risk, a gamble. What if I fail? What if my passion becoming my business turns my feelings towards this love into something cynical and jaded? But. BUT. What if I don\u2019t try? What if I don\u2019t try and Ia spend the rest of my time wondering and regretting? I wouldn\u2019t be able to go backwards to make the adjustment, but I can plan as well as I can and move forward slowly, giving myself the best possible odds of success that I can. If I fail, then let it be because of circumstances beyond my comprehension. Forgive the clich\u00e9, but in this, it really is better to have tried and failed, rather than pissing and moaning about what could have been. That\u2019s the bit about me. Which I can only imagine might make for boring reading for the rest of you but I think it allows those who\u2019ve continued reading to get a better sense of who I am and what I\u2019m \u201cabout\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Subscriptions:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo you have a subscription at your LCS? Most serious collectors do. A sub makes sure you get your desired books each week, has them ready for pick up and typically will warrant a discount of some sort. But a sub can be tricky, for both the retailer AND consumer. From a retailer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019re ordering books months in advance based on nothing more than an email from a customer (some stores will require a deposit from clients or worse, have them pay entirely up front) who\u2019s expressed a desire to have said books. As these are typically serious collectors I\u2019d venture we\u2019re talking about no less than half a dozen books a week; extrapolate this over dozens of customers. We\u2019re now talking about hundreds of books a week, all paid for in advance by the retailer. With the certainty that our books have been pulled for us, customers no longer feel pressure or obligation to get to the store weekly (I tend to go once a month now \u2013 but geography and public transit play a role in that). This impacts retailers in multiple ways. First, as mentioned, the retailer is already out of pocket for the product \u2013 uncertain when they may see a return on their investment. Secondly, and perhaps as important but rarely considered, is that retailers must store all this product for an uncertain period. These stores are often less than a 1000 square feet so space is at a premium (not to mention stores pay per square foot so space used to store product is costing money \u2013 these books are now double dipping into the retailer\u2019s bottom line).<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Thanos\r\n\r\nAs a consumer, having a sub can be wonderful. The work is done for you, you save a couple dollars and you never miss a book. It can quickly get out of hand though if left unchecked. When I first got a sub, I had to compile a list of every book I read each month. This is a FASCINATING exercise if you\u2019ve never done it \u2013 you\u2019d be surprised how many total books there are and how the books are separated by publisher (I read more Image than any other publisher, I genuinely hadn\u2019t known that). Once the retailer has your list, he orders the books and the client just goes in and picks up the books. That sounds simple, but once you eliminate the process of going to the shelves, touching each item as you select it, you lose the checks and balance aspect of buying. The retailer has ordered books for you and paid for them. You are obligated to purchase them. There is no changing of mind and putting a book back on the shelf (SOME retailers may begrudgingly allow this, but remember the part where they\u2019ve already paid for it?). It\u2019s not unusual for there to be some sticker shock, especially if you aren\u2019t picking up weekly. The books add up quickly and at three to five dollars a piece the end cost can be hundreds. The second aspect for a consumer to consider is, do I really need all these books? Because once you\u2019ve realized that you\u2019re committed to hundreds of dollars and dozens of books a month, you\u2019d better be sure you want to read everything you\u2019re committing to. In my case, I realized books kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the \u201cTo Read\u201d pile, even after another month had gone by. I clearly was not overly interested in reading this book, so why was I committing to it? I quickly streamlined my sub \u2013 which was a win for both the retailer and for myself as we both spend less money while also storing less. Most retailers will work with you. Just be honest and respect the commitment you\u2019ve made. I\u2019m always adjusting my sub\u2026 I\u2019ll try books and decide they just aren\u2019t worth my time or money so I cancel it, buy the few remaining books that have been ordered on my behalf, and then move on. <\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Warlordsofappalachia\r\n\r\nA couple final points:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n-Be careful when using your sub to collect characters, especially with the Big Two. There is less creativity with DC and Marvel now than at any time that I can think of. The publishers tend to saturate the market with whatever characters are popular, so if you tell your LCS you love Deadpool, be careful because you may end up with Avengers books that Deadpool is suddenly a part of. That may not be an issue for you, but it\u2019s important to at least be aware this sort of situation may occur.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-When you have a sub, you\u2019re often pre-ordering out of Previews months in advance. Something may have a fantastic synopsis, but once it\u2019s in your hands you realize it was drawn by a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, it was ordered for you and you\u2019re on the hook for the book. Take the time to find a preview of the book online if it you aren\u2019t part of a system that lets you return books (to the rack) that you don\u2019t want.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-Finally, always review your stack. Retailers get to know their regulars; it\u2019s a part of the joy of this industry \u2013 that genuine bonds can be established between consumer and retailer. That can be double-edged however. Knowing what you like means a retailer may slip a book or two into your stack, assuming you\u2019d want or enjoy it. He\u2019s not doing this solely out of the goodness of his heart. He\u2019s adding on to the sale, more-so than just adding on bags and boards. So, before you pay, review. Make sure you\u2019re buying what you wanted.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Books:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOn the topic of monthly pull lists, what AM I reading and why? I\u2019m not going to get into long validating reviews, just some bullet point thoughts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n-I\u2019m often caught off guard by how few Marvel titles I read. Old Man Logan, Thanos, Moon Knight (all three written by Jeff Lemire \u2013 who as of this writing just \u201cquit\u201d Marvel) and now I\u2019ve added Jessica Jones<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Batman\r\n\r\n-I read almost a dozen New 52 titles but Rebirth has not been a hit for me the way its predecessor was (there\u2019s more on that later). I\u2019m down now to Trinity, Detective Comics (the surprise hit for me), and Batman. The new Batwoman title seems encouraging.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Joyride\r\n\r\n-I said in this column over a year ago, people should keep an eye on BOOM! Nothing has changed my mind, if anything I\u2019m more convinced they are the number four publisher. \u201cJoyride\u201d, \u201cSkyborne\u201d and \u201cWarlords of Appalachia\u201d are among my first reads when they come out. I think this company is still just defining itself and may rival Image as a home for creator-owned content.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n-I\u2019ve already stated I feel Black Mask is more hype than substance, but credit where credit is due. \u201c4 Kids Walk Into a Bank\u201d is a genuine pleasure to read. Very well-scripted with excellent dialogue. Unfortunately, the title has suffered due to delays and that can be the kiss of death for indie books.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJoin us for part 2, next week!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>","post_title":"Pop Culture Pulpit May - Part 1","post_excerpt":"Yet Another Introduction","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pop-culture-pulpit-may-part-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_modified_gmt":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=184102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box July 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Night matsuri","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-july-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 01:55:09","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 00:55:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206847","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206808,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-08-24 20:26:12","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-24 19:26:12","post_content":"Hello once again and welcome back to another Nihon Box review!<\/span>\n\nThis time I am taking an in depth look into what was included in Junes\u2019 Nihon Box. Which ran with the theme - Natsukashi Vol 2. Which translated into English means Nostalgia Vol 2, as items included in this box takes us back to anime that came out in the 1980s. So let\u2019s get started with the usual and all important info - how you can order your own Nihon Box subscription!<\/span>\n\nNihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\n\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be. https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/span>\n\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\n\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\n\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\n\nDue to the latest European VAT legislation, the overall cost after shipping has increased slightly. The folks behind Nihon Box have done all they can to make this transition as simple as possible, so they have taken the necessary steps & changes in order to include the VAT directly in the subscription's price. This change will normally be effective starting from the next renewal of your subscription, with the addition of the VAT in the final price (19% for Germany). And from August, as a small gift of appreciation to their overseas customers they will be including a 1000yen gift card to their YattaJapan.com store. As an idea of how much the charge has gone up, prior to August I was paying \u20ac32.89 a month. The new price I pay now is \u20ac40.45 a month, which is a nice increase but I believe the value is still there within the box.<\/span>\n\nHere is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country:<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_1\"\n\nAlthough our first item this month doesn\u2019t originate from the 80\u2019s, it is definitely a trip from the past as Shaman King is making a big return! If you haven\u2019t heard already, the anime is getting a revival and is already being aired in Japan. With it hitting the rest of the World on Netflix in the coming weeks if not, this very second as you are reading this! Just to remind people of that fact, Nihon Box has included a packet of \u2018Onsen Maju Shaman King Chocolates\u2019. Now I have had this brand of chocolate before, and they are so good! These ones are having a collaboration with Shaman King at the moment, to promote the new anime. Each chocolate is individually wrapped with a character from the show. A good snack to munch on as we all binge watch the new anime when it drops on Netflix.<\/span>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_2\"\n\nNow we travel back to the 80\u2019s with a My Neighbour Totoro tumbler. Now I got this exact same item back in So Kawaiis October box last year, so I have since re-gifted this to a very happy little girl I know. This hard plastic tumbler comes in a forest green color, with characters and designs from the famous film printed around the entire cup. It can hold 500ml, has a screw on lid and a straw making it ideal to enjoy outside and not have to worry about any summer bugs getting in for a swim. I wouldn\u2019t be putting this in a dishwasher however, as you don\u2019t know if these things are heat treated. So in order to prevent any mishaps, I would suggest just strictly washing this by hand.<\/span>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_3\"\n\nCarrying on with the 80\u2019s nostalgia trip, we received a rather large figure from Dragon Quest. The franchise is having another revival as a new anime - Dragon Quest: The Adventures of Dai hit screens just last year and is still currently airing. This has led to a new wave of new merch and figures being released, including this highly detailed figure of our main man Dai. In such a battle-ready pose, sword out and in the midst of a fight. All that's missing is a slain dragon or just a shonen worthy backdrop (something with a volcano exploiting seems appropriate). This figure deserves to be displayed and is sure to take up a nice section of your collection.<\/span>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_4\"\n\nNow I may not recognise this show, but I\u2019m sure at least one of you will. Cat\u2019s Eye follows the story of three sisters who have become formidable art thieves, as they try to \u2018collect\u2019 all the works belonging to their missing father. This shows\u2019 artwork may seem familiar to some of you, as Cat\u2019s Eye is another manga creation from Tsukasa Hojo. The same manga artist behind City Hunter and Angel Heart. This canvas bag really does show off his art style, with the three Kisugi sisters taking centre stage. The bag has drawstrings on either side and can be worn as a backpack, but it also has a handle on the top if you just wish to carry it about. However the drawstrings have nowhere to be tidied away if you wish to do this. This bag could very well be seen as more as a collectors item or art piece, instead of being used as a gym bag.<\/span>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_5\"\n\nThis next item is very unique, as its made of a material that I think could be unique to Japan. When I mention the word Tatami, do you imagine the traditional tea rooms and Geisha in Japan? Cause that is exactly what I envisage. Tatami was most commonly used as traditional flooring in Japanese homes, hence why you never wear your shoes inside the home and must wear either your socks or house slippers. In recent times, tatami rooms and flooring have become more uncommon and are rarely featured now in modern house designs. As such the tradition is slowly dying and craftsmen have turned their time into making smaller items out of tatami. Such as the above Tatami pouch, which is from the igusa (common rush) plant, which is used in the making of traditional tatami flooring. This is a truly unique item, something I have actually never seen or even heard of before. As I just believed that tatami was just flooring. I never realised they could also be made into other items.<\/span>\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_6\"\n\n\"nihonboxjune2021_7\"\n\nWe are now onto our final item and of course it is from a very popular series that I assure you all know - Dragon Ball! The infamous Shonen Jump title from Akira Toriyama, first debuted back as a manga in 1984, with the anime first hitting screens just two years later. The show has grown from strength to strength, making it an incredible and ever growing franchise. Having built up an audience over the decades, constantly gathering new viewers. So our final item for June\u2019s box is a mystery box from the Dragon Ball Adverge collection. A series of minifigures, featuring seven of the most iconic characters from the shows Namek Saga. Including not only Goku, Gohan, Piccolo and Vegeta, but also Frieza and two of his henchmen Dodoria and Zarbon. Pretty happy to say I got Freiza, who looks completely badass in his floating chair. Now these figures are very mini, they each come with a tiny dragon ball, which has no stand so it will get lost very quickly. So just be very aware of that, in case a little one or pet decides to pick it up. The details on the figures however are very good, as you can see from above.<\/span>\n\nSo there we have it everyone, that was June\u2019s Nihon Box. Did you like it? If so, comment down below or tag us on our social media to let us know what was your favourite item and if you have gotten your own subscription. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from fan favorite Shonen Jump shows such as Dragon Ball and Shaman King, to classics such as Cat's Eye, My Neighbour Totoro and Dragon Quest. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime and cultural fans. This month's theme was \u201cNatsukashi Vol 2 \u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about \u2018Tatami with Japanese people\u2019, a traditional flooring method that has since begun a rapid decline in popularity due to its high cost and a change in house designs. However craftsmen have since turned with the times and have begun making smaller objects such as the pouch included in this month's box. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span>\n\nFor more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span>\n\nhttps:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a>","post_title":"Nihon Box June 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Natsukashi Vol 2","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-june-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:05:48","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:05:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206808","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206775,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-08-19 15:04:55","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-19 14:04:55","post_content":"

Hello everyone and welcome back to another Nihon Box review!<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article I take an indepth look at what was included in May\u2019s subscription box. A tad late I know, but it appears the global c****a virus pandemic is still impacting the postal service. As there are few international flights available, leading to a lengthy delay on packages reaching their final destination. Either way, let\u2019s get on with it. May\u2019s box ran with an interesting theme, which was \u2018Humanity\u2019. It contained merchandise from no less than four anime franchises, as well as a traditional ornament and a tasty \u2018wagashi\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to the latest European VAT legislation, the overall cost after shipping has increased slightly. The folks behind Nihon Box have done all they can to make this transition as simple as possible, so they have taken the necessary steps & changes in order to include the VAT directly in the subscription's price. This change will normally be effective starting from the next renewal of your subscription, with the addition of the VAT in the final price (19% for Germany). And from August, as a small gift of appreciation to their overseas customers they will be including a 1000yen gift card to their YattaJapan.com store. As an idea of how much the charge has gone up, prior to August I was paying \u20ac32.89 a month. The new price I pay now is \u20ac40.45 a month, which is a nice increase but I believe the value is still there within the box.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country<\/span>: https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_1\"<\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_2\"<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with our first item this month! Straight to the kettle we go with this Dr. Stone mug, the ideal size for a quick cuppa tea in the mornings. Dr. Stone first hit screens back in 2019 with the first season of its anime, season two finished airing in March of this year so people are still pretty hyped for this show. The plot follows a high school student named Senku, wise beyond his years, has a can-do attitude and is fascinated with science. Something that will certainly stand to him and the remaining survivors of mankind, when a sudden and mysterious event takes place that petrifies all of humankind into stone for thousands of years. It\u2019s down to Senku and a number of other teenagers who broke free, to set about fast-tracking their way back to 21st century society. It\u2019s a show well worth checking out, as its available to stream now over on Funimation and Crunchyroll. Physical release is handled by Manga Entertainment UK.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Our second item is one I am very excited about, as we get a porcelain mini samurai helmet. You can\u2019t get more Japanese, than a Samurai ornament! This small display item is usually used as a decoration item during Kodomo no hi<\/em>, a traditional holiday that celebrates children which takes place on the 5th of May. Japan is steeped in tradition as you well know, and there is a lot of history involving samurai. I would advise looking it up in your own time if you are interested. This item however is perfect as a holiday souvenir or gift. How would you display this Samurai mini helmet in your home?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We return once again to another anime related item, with this mini Cells At Work plush. Now I haven\u2019t seen this anime, so I have no idea as to what it is actually about. From the look of it though, I would guess that the plot is fairly similar to the 2001 film - Osmosis Jones. Where cells in the body are sentient and with \u2018lives\u2019 of their own, fight against any foreign viruses or illnesses that enter the body they live in. The inner workings of the human body I guess, how very relatable to the World these past 18months. The plush is of one of the main characters - White Cell. This miniature plush will have no trouble finding a space to live within your plushie collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_5\"<\/p>\n

Now for a short snack break, as I sit back and inhale these two delicious Dekopon Monaka. These pastries are known as wagashi treats in Japan, which are small savoury treats that are usually paired well with green tea. The flavor was quite nice, as it had a rather generous dekopon filling. With a very homemade jam-like texture, dekopon are a citrus fruit that are quite similar to an orange. Sandwiching this filling together, are two small waffles. Very similar in taste and texture to a pair of ice cream wafers. An interesting treat, pleasant taste but not too sure about the waffles. They were a bit too crumbly and messy to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_6\"<\/p>\n

Back now to another anime item, this time from the show Black Clover. This anime has been doing very well for itself since its debut back in 2017. With a total of 170 episodes in all and an anime film currently in the works, it has gathered quite a following of fans. With new merch continuously being released, it stands as another Shonen Jump long standing franchise. The item we received was a medium sized zip pouch featuring all of the members of the Black Bull Squad, including the shows main man Asta. A fairly roomy pouch inside, plenty of space for all those coins you will need for the arcades. Can also work as a make up punch, pencil case, purse, whatever you can cram inside really. Its a nice design on the front, with a strong zip but due to the way the pouch was made the image can be a little lackluster and almost looks like it was bought straight from ebay. That\u2019s my own opinion however, others might find more value in this than me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_7\"<\/p>\n

,The final item in May's box that everyone received, is this figure from \u2018Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun\u2019. Now this is another anime that I am fairly unfamiliar with, but going by the plot over on its Wikipedia page - it seems like a rather fun show. With Season One of the anime first debuted back in 2019, Season Two is currently airing as we speak. The plot follows a human teenage boy named Iruma Suzuki, who is sold by his parents to a demon. How he finds himself in the demon world, adopted by the same demon he was sold to and is now enrolled in the demon school his new \u2018demon grandfather\u2019 runs. Only trouble is, he can never reveal that he\u2019s human - as he will be quickly devoured by all his classmates. So the figure we all received in this box was of the lead character Iruma and his friend Mofuego - who I can\u2019t seem to find any information on online. Its a rather large figure of Iruma, well made, sturdy and definitely well painted. Can see no faults with it at all, definitely added to the overall value of the box. The figure could be hitting a niche portion of anime fans, as I believe that this anime hasn\u2019t gotten much advertising to western audiences yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmay2021_8\"<\/p>\n

Now if you are a regular subscriber to Nihon Box, you are well aware of the added bonus item you receive for free every three months. May must have been my month, as I received a mystery bonus item from Square Enix (pictured above). Its a rather cute acrylic character set, the problem is I have no idea what this is from. If anyone knows, feel free to reach out to us on our social media by tagging @ComicBuzz in your responses.<\/span><\/p>\n

So there we have it everyone, that was May\u2019s Nihon Box. Did you like it? If so, comment down below or tag us on our social media to let us know what was your favourite item and if you have gotten your own subscription. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from fan favorite Shonen Jump shows such as Dr. Stone and Black Clover, to the newer franchises including Cells at Work and Welcome to Demon School. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime and cultural fans. This box\u2019s theme was \u201cHumanity\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about Kodomo no hi, a traditional holiday that celebrates and prays for the growth and happiness of little boys. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box May 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-may-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:10:44","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:10:44","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206775","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206549,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-07-09 17:23:21","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-09 16:23:21","post_content":"

\u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another ComicBuzz review! In todays\u2019 post I took a look into what was included in SoKawaii\u2019s June Box. The theme they ran with this time is \u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d, which features six products from a number of licenses. Including Studio Ghibli, Sanrio, Pok\u00e9mon and Kirby. So let\u2019s get started on our usual description of what SoKawaii is and what they have to offer you!<\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you that don\u2019t know \u2013 SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pok\u00e9mon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 5 to 7 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep each month. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month\u2019s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media accounts. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts, particularly their Instagram one \u2013<\/span> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So our first item this month is surely worth the price of the box alone, and that is the official Totoro plush from My Neighbour Totoro. Studio Ghibli merch is not cheap folks, especially on this side of the World. I have seen this exact plush go for \u00a345 in HMV - and it\u2019s not a massive plush by any regards! So for me, everything else in this box I may have just gotten for free cause this plush was definitely the cream of the crop. It\u2019s super fluffy, plump, stands freely on its own and is an official merch. Although it doesn\u2019t have its toothy, almost creepy looking grin - it is still adorable as heck and perfect to be put on display alongside your Studio Ghibli film collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_2\"<\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Moving on we head on over to the world of Pok\u00e9mon, with this highly adorable Pikachu masking tape. This item was available in four designs, all from the Pokemon Sepia Graffiti collection. Looking into it now, this is a fairly old release, as it first came out back in 2016. However the designs are still just as adorable all the same, I wouldn\u2019t say no to another item from this collection being added again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our second Pok\u00e9mon item, with this very large Face Towel. With two designs available at random in every box, one of which will feature both Pikachu and Eevee enjoying a relaxing nap. This super soft towel is quite large and is more of a hand towel in my eyes, than a face towel. It looks like 8 times the size of a face cloth and the picture I took of it above is with the towel folded over 3 times!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to stationary with this next item, featuring Kirby. June\u2019s box saw everyone getting a set of two limited edition KIrby clear file folders, which were available in four regional designs. Including Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and Fujisan, with Kirby posing at each location. Now this is another older collection, as this was originally released last April. However it is quite adorable, but what does everyone do with their clear files? Do you display them, and if so how? Reach out to us on either Twitter or Facebook and tag us in your posts, to show us your clear file display ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiijune2021_6\"<\/p>\n

Our final two items are both from Sanrio, the largest of which is the My Melody circular floor mat in the picture above. Which is just one of three designs that was available at random in every box, the other two included Cinnamoroll and Hello Kitty. This mat is 50x50cm, probably amongst the smallest you can find and would be perfect to have at your computer desk. Better yet it has numerous anti slip bumps underneath, so it shouldn't go sliding about the place when you walk on it. The upside has a printed design of one of the three characters included, with the name in pastel print and a quote about the character underneath. This item was released in 2020, going by the trademark on the mat. It\u2019s nice and soft, but I could easily see this getting stained very quickly and I\u2019m unsure how machine washable it is. So best be careful with this one.<\/span><\/p>\n

And our final item is a small Hello Kitty storage box. This clip-closed box would easily work as a small lunch box, for storing your washi\/masking tape, for hair ties or even your medication as long as you don\u2019t have small kids in the house that will be quickly drawn to such a cute box as this one. It also looks like a classic vintage Hello Kitty design, one that is sure to last the ages.<\/span><\/p>\n

There we have it folks, that was Junes\u2019 SoKawaii box. This month had a good mix of items, from decorative, storage, household and stationary from some iconic franchises. Now let\u2019s get on to the all important information, for how YOU can begin your own subscription, as well as a special discount code just for you guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. SoKawaii are back to shipping their boxes via Japan Post, so delivery may take a number of weeks. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options \u2013 there are savings to be had.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Month \u2013 $35.00 (\u20ac29.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months \u2013 $33.50 (\u20ac28.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months \u2013 $32.00 (\u20ac26.50mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Months \u2013 $31.50 (\u20ac26.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

Better yet, here is a $3 discount code that you can use on your first box by clicking this link!<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/sokawaii.refr.cc\/maryhealy<\/a><\/p>\n

Now if you enjoyed June\u2019s box, then just wait for July\u2019s! It\u2019s theme is \u201cEnchanting Matsuri\u201d, which will feature a number of items from Sumikko Gurashi, Sanrio and Rilakkuma. That box is already sold out and on the way to me and will include a Sumikko Gurashi electric hand fan! Shame the Irish heatwave has already been and gone! Stay tuned to SoKawaiis\u2019 social media, as they announced their themes, sneak peaks and opinion polls on what fans want to see next in their boxes. They are very active on their Instagram and really listen to what their customers are looking for \u2013 so go have your say now! Also make sure and use that special discount code I left you all above!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sokawaii.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii June 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Dreamy creatures","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-june-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:38:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:38:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206549","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206451,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-21 19:15:19","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-21 18:15:19","post_content":"

\u201cSpring Time, Happy Time!\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, I am back once again with another SoKawaii box to review. This time I have May\u2019s box, which focuses on Spring Time. With a number of items dedicated to making your homelife that bit more kawaii, with merch from Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and San-X. So let\u2019s get started with information on who SoKawaii is!<\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you that don\u2019t know \u2013 SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pok\u00e9mon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 5 to 7 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep each month. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month\u2019s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media accounts. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts, particularly their Instagram one \u2013<\/span> https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So our first item this month is one I have longed to own - a Kuromi plush! This adorable plush mascot comes in her very own maid outfit, all set for the big Spring Clean. With an outfit that would fit right in with any maid caf\u00e9 in Japan, Kuromi has a matching headband and bows as well. This officially licensed mascot comes straight from Sanrio, however she won\u2019t be in every May box as there is also a My Melody version that could also be included. This was obviously the best item from the box this month for me!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Moving on to our second Sanrio item, which is a magnetic hook featuring a number of Sanrio\u2019s most iconic characters. There were two designs available for this product, as it is unusual to find a magnetic hook as it leaves very few places to actually use it. Mine ended up being attached to the side of my cooker, so I can hang up my oven glove. It really makes you think, how many places have you in your home that you can actually attach a magne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our kitchenware items for this month, which include a bowl and chopsticks. The bowl is actually made from bamboo fiber, which makes it more eco friendly than plastic and is also food safe. It even includes a fun looking Sumikkogurashi design on the inside, which will make a lovely little surprise for when you are done eating your food. Now I wouldn\u2019t suggest putting this in a dishwasher, as it could either ruin the design or it mightn\u2019t be suitable for high temperatures. Best keep with the old fashion way and wash it by hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accompanying this bowl is two sets of chopsticks, featuring everyone's favourite My Neighbor Totoro from Studio Ghibli. These 21cm chopsticks (which I don\u2019t really know they came in different sizes), are decorated at the top by the lovable character. Perfect for sharing a meal, or having as a back up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our final item this month comes once again from San-X with this super soft Rilakkuma pillow. This pillow is in fact more of a cushion, going by the size and shape. It\u2019s quite soft, but not very \u2018plump\u2019 as though it could have done with some more stuffing for a more firm cushion. However if it was, it may not have fitted inside the box! This cushion of course has two \u2018faces\u2019 to it, with Rilakkumas\u2019 face taking up the entirety of one side with flowers printed on the corners. The opposite side is more sparse, with a beautiful background filled with sakura petals and flowers. With Rilakkuma enjoying a Dango and Korilakkuma sitting beside him in the corner. We also have the little chick Kiiroitori sitting on top of a flower in the top corner. It really does make for a lovely throw pillow, but practicality not so much as there are so many warnings on the label that this cushion can never be machine washed. So once again, make sure and wash this one by hand if you need to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sokawaiimay2021_5\"<\/p>\n

There we have it folks, that was Mays\u2019 SoKawaii box. Very Sanrio and San-X heavy in the merch, with a good mix of items. Now let\u2019s get on to the all important information, for how YOU can begin your own subscription, as well as a special discount code just for you guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. SoKawaii are back to shipping their boxes via Japan Post, so delivery may take a number of weeks. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options \u2013 there are savings to be had.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Month \u2013 $35.00 (\u20ac29.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months \u2013 $33.50 (\u20ac28.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months \u2013 $32.00 (\u20ac26.50mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Months \u2013 $31.50 (\u20ac26.00mo roughly)<\/span><\/p>\n

Better yet, here is a $3 discount code that you can use on your first box by clicking this link!<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/sokawaii.refr.cc\/maryhealy<\/a><\/p>\n

Now if you enjoyed May\u2019s box, then just wait for June\u2019s! It\u2019s theme is \u201cDreamy Creatures\u201d, which will feature a number of items from Sanrio, Kirby, My Neighbour Totoro and Pok\u00e9mon. That box is already sold out and on the way to me, and will include my very own Totoro plush! Stay tuned to SoKawaiis\u2019 social media, as they announced their themes, sneak peaks and opinion polls on what fans want to see next in their boxes. They are very active on their Instagram and really listen to what their customers are looking for \u2013 so go have your say now! Also make sure and use that special discount code I left you all above!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sokawaii.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"SoKawaii May 2021 Box Review","post_excerpt":"Spring time","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-2021-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:37:58","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:37:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206451","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206431,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-06-17 16:52:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-17 15:52:56","post_content":"

\u201cDark Birthday\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHello everyone, look what just turned up on my doorstep!<\/span>\n

My missing Nihon Box from February finally arrived, just days after my January box decided to make an appearance. Looks like I\u2019m finally caught up now on all my MIA boxes, so reviews should be in perfect order from now on. Anyway, Februarys\u2019 box was a pretty important one as it was celebrating Nihon Boxes 6th anniversary! And what a milestone it is, as they have not only survived a fairly niche market but also a worldwide pandemic! Super proud of them and it makes it even more special being a customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s get onto the usual tidbits about this service. Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country:<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_1\"<\/p>\n

Onto our first item this month, we have a very pretty looking origami set from the Studio Ghibli movie \u2018Spirited Away\u2019. This product is not only made in Japan, but the art of paper folding just screams Japanese culture. The first recorded mention of the artform comes from a reference to a paper model in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680. This particular set includes traditional origami paper and sets where you can construct various characters from the movie. Great for display purposes and even comes so well packaged, that it would also make a lovely gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Our second item is for all you snack lovers, as February's box included a rather large bag of Fugashi. The packaging for this one reminds me of a cow-print, so its rather confusing in its advertising. It\u2019s actually a rather old snack that dates back about 150 years. It\u2019s a wheat flour based bar that is just covered in brown sugar. Just plain and simple really, there seems to be a number of Japanese snacks like this. Either Way, seeing as the shipping took so long, this item was about a month out of date by the time I got it. So perhaps it will be included again in a future box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Our third item is one I don\u2019t really don\u2019t know what to do with yet. As it\u2019s this beautiful blue sakura patterned plate. Its quite unique, as I don\u2019t know if you can really tell from the picture, but it has an almost water droplet effect on the plate. As though the raindrops had frozen in the moment, to create this unique texture and pattern on the surface. It\u2019s one I never plan on using, as it has to be for decorative purposes in my eyes. This item is also made in Japan, and includes a signature on the back of the plate, so you know it was handcrafted. I just wished the pamphlet included some information on who created this piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_4\"<\/p>\n

We are now back to the anime merch, as we have a familiar bull dog clip plush and a figure. The plush clip is from the latest fan favorite show from Shonen Jump - Jujutsu Kaisen. We have gotten similar bull clips in the past from both SoKawaii and Nihon Box, when they included the Demon Slayer range. These are strong clips, unique in that its also a miniature plush but is also kind of awkward when you try to figure out how best to either use it or display the item. This particular one was available in six designs, of which I seem to have pulled the main character Yuji Itadori. On the right is our largest item in the box, and that is a Noodle Stopper figure of Hiei from Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho. Now these figures are usually in more relaxed poses, mostly with characters sitting down as they are created in such a way that they balance on top of your \u2018pot noodle\u2019 or \u2018cup ramen\u2019 as its \u2018cooking\u2019 away. Its a fairly well detailed figure, unfortunately I don\u2019t really know much about the show other than it came out in the early 90\u2019s and is almost as old as myself. Always nice getting figures in a box, although this one might be a bit too niche going by how old the show is.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_5\"<\/p>\n

We are now onto our final item of the month, which brings us back to a far more recent anime hit - Demon Slayer. This time we got a decorative lamp that had several characters labeled around the side, including Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke. With the off\/on switch positioned underneath the lamp, you will also need 3 AA batteries to power it. It gives off a fairly decent amount of light, and also projects the Kimetsu no Yaiba logo from the top onto your ceiling. The bulb also changes color slightly from time to time, so its still a rather decent lamp. More for display purposes than practicality though I say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxfebruary2021_6\"<\/p>\n

There was one last piece in this box, and it was a special note from the folks over at Nihon Box. A lovely printed, decorative card with some touching words on how they have survived this long to make it to their sixth year in business. It\u2019s really worth reading, so please take a moment to. They have also mentioned that they have several surprises coming out this year, and most certainly one of those is their new venture - Yatta Japan (<\/span>https:\/\/www.yattajapan.com\/en<\/a>) Where you can buy many of the items that were included in previous boxes, as well as new figures, snacks, manga and more. All on the one website. Worth checking out, as they also have their own rewards scheme for every time you buy from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

So there we have it folks, that was another Nihon Box - although it was fairly late in arriving. Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as Spirited Away and Y\u00fa Y\u00fa Hakusho, to the newer franchises including Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box\u2019s theme was \u201cDark Birthday\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month\u2019s topic was about Setsubun - the demon hunting day and why it is celebrated in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/p>","post_title":"Nihon Box February 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Dark birthday","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-february-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 14:40:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 13:40:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206431","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206255,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-05-19 14:34:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-19 13:34:39","post_content":"

\u201cMysterious Spring\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello everyone, hope you\u2019re all doing good!<\/span><\/p>\n

With international shipping methods beginning to return to normal, postal restrictions have started to be lifted. So instead of waiting another year to receive a bunch of backdated subscription boxes - I have instead received this years\u2019 March box from Nihon Box! Even though I am still waiting on January and February boxes to arrive, let\u2019s just get this review started!<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be. https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link to their FAQ page, just in case you\u2019re wondering if they ship to your country: <\/span>https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en\/nihonbox\/faq<\/a><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_1\"<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with our first item - which is a \u2018Beastars\u2019 shoulder bag. From the hit Netflix series that got everyone discussing \u2018furries\u2019 all over again, it was adapted from a manga series of the same name and animated by CG studio Orange. With a second season not far off in the horizon, now is the perfect time to start wearing this bag around the town as Netflix continues their advertising campaign for the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

This cross shoulder bag isn\u2019t massive by any means, but is perfect for those that only plan on carrying just their phone and wallet as they travel about. It\u2019s handsfree, strong built and I say it would hold up rather well in the rain with its hard plastic coating that covers the design on the front of the bag. Although the picture is a tad unusual, it will make complete sense to fans of the show. For others that are unaware of its existence - it may need a slight explanation. As it features our lead wolf - Legoshi clutching our white rabbit Haru. It\u2019s a useful product, but the design may just be hitting a specific fanbase for this one. Kind of wish they were able to acquire a different image for the print.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_2\"<\/p>\n

Next up is our Japanese snack - which this month is a Sakura flavored Dorayaki. Now this product was absolutely delicious and did not last very long in my home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or in this case, Sakura flavored filling. Each of these treats came individually wrapped, so they remained super fresh. Perfect to have with a cup of Green Tea or as a small reward to yourself to help you keep motivated throughout the day. The flavor wasn\u2019t overpowering in the slightest, it was very pleasant and had a sweet taste to it. Well worth checking out this line of Japanese confectionery if you ever get the chance. The sakura filling also symbolized the start of the very short lived Sakura\/Cherry Blossom season in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_3\"<\/p>\n

Next up we have two more anime related merch, beginning with a retractable keychain from Detective Conan. This rather large rubber keychain has a clip at the top so you can attach it to your bag or pants loop, whilst the bottom has a ring hoop for your keys. This clever and stylish looking item was available in four characters including Conan Edogawa, Sh\u00faichi Akai, Tooru Amuro and Kait\u00f3 kid which is pictured above.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second item in this picture is of the recently released Evangelion Coo\u2019nuts, which have become very popular amongst convenience stores in Japan. These small little objects always have perfect balance and will not fall down when you push them. They are a quirky little toy that always seems to be coming out with new anime collaborations, with Evangelion becoming the latest. This series features 16 characters from EVA, of which I got Asuka Langley!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_4\"<\/p>\n

Our next item this month is *another* set of chopsticks - which isn\u2019t too bad when you see that it is in fact a Sakura designed chopstick and spoon set. Which is a lovely addition to the cutlery drawer when you discover that these were in fact made in Japan - and not China for once! Would love to see some bowls or plates with similar styles being included in future boxes. Perhaps one day it may add up to a set!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_5\"<\/p>\n

Next up is this rather adorable Rem plush from Re: Zero. I have yet to get into this franchise, but it must be a very popular one as there is new merch constantly being released every month! This character plush is quite large and very well detailed, it definitely has that cute \u2018moe\u2019 factor about her. For me the eyes on it are very striking and have such a cute plush on the cheeks. I\u2019m very particular about plushies and figures, but this one here is exactly what I would be looking for in merch. It has a perfect resemblance to the anime character. This is the ideal companion for any Re: Zero fan I believe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxmarch2021_6\"<\/p>\n

And finally we are down to our last item, which is this Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the new Stained Glass Collection. These sets are always a joy to get and I can never fault the ReMent brand. The designs have always been so creative and flawless, with a story to tell and picture perfect scenes. This collection had 6 designs, including Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mew, Gardevoir, Umbreon and the above Pikachu.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Detective Conan, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland, Demon Slayer and Re: Zero. They not only source out some decent quality figures and plushies, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan \u2013 from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. This box's theme was \u201cMysterious Spring\u201d, and each pamphlet in every box also includes a detailed section called \u201cDiscover Japan\u201d. This month's topic was about Sakura and why it is the symbol of Spring in Japan. It\u2019s details such as these that make this subscription box so unique and talked about.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2021 Review","post_excerpt":"Mysterious spring","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2021-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:35:57","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:35:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206255","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206183,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-04-23 14:56:37","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-23 13:56:37","post_content":"

Hello everyone! Hope you are all keeping well, I have a massive haul to talk about today as last week I received 9 months worth of my Nihon Box subscriptions all of a sudden on my doorstep!<\/span><\/p>\n

As you guys are aware, I normally review the SoKawaii box each month. However that isn\u2019t the only subscription service I\u2019m with. Back in March 2020 I did a review of my very first Nihon Box, sadly when the pandemic started my boxes were stuck in their warehouse in Japan due to limited postal options. Almost a year has passed since my last box, when all of a sudden I came home one day to find two big FedEx boxes in my sitting room. The lovely people over at Nihon Box must have decided to rebox everyone's orders that they had been waiting on for so long and send them first class! So that way their warehouse would be empty of all back orders from 2020. To make it even more amazing, they had replaced any out of date food items with replacement ones. Such attention to detail and top class warehouse operatives too, as everything was packed with care. Not a single item was damaged, and there were a number of breakable items inside! I have to say, that team deserves more than just a round of applause!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D\u2019Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/u><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span> https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Monthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_7\"<\/p>\n

This image is just a collection of a number of the traditional Japanese items that are included amongst every Nihon Box. From what I would deem as soba cups or green tea cups, which most often are not made with any handles. A Daruma, which I have just painted in the right eye of. I advise reading up on the history of this item as its actually quite sweet and interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have items which you would more than likely see at summer festivals in Japan, from a kitsune mask to a small paper balloon in the shape of a fish known as a Kingyo Kamif\u00fasen. There is also a traditional wind chime included, in the shape of a fish. Which would be lovely to have in front of a door or window when the summer breeze comes through. There is also a small cat figurine, known as a Maneki Neko Mokiji, decorated in maple leaves to celebrate the Autumn season. And a Washi Ningy\u00f3, which is a cute little figurine doll that was handmade from Japanese washi and kimono fabric. This beautiful little figure comes in her own display case and is just so precious to look upon. Alongside the two Ukiyo-e Sakura postcards, that are just another item that best represent the old Japanese historic art style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_8\"<\/p>\n

These next few items include a decorative plate and insulated lunch bag from The Promised Neverland. A show that has been well represented this year in Nihon Box, as we also received a plushie of Emma. We also have a decorative Spirited Away hand fan known as a Uchiwa, which will come in very handy during the hot weather. Another authentic Made in Japan item is this Usagi tray, which can be used to hold your meal or sweets. Much like you were being served in authentic Japanese restaurant or ryokan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\"<\/p>\n

Oooh now we are on to the high quality stuff here! Time for the figures, the best selling point about this service for me. Now not every month had a figure included, as they were sometimes switched out for a large plush - such as Ryuk in October and Rimuru in August. The rest of the months you are almost guaranteed a figure no matter what! So my new pride and joy on my shelf is the Asuka Langley figure from Evangelion from last July's box. That month gave you the chance of getting one of the four figures available in the Evangelion Shin Gekijouban figure range that was being released to mark what was the upcoming release of the fourth and final film - Rebuild of Evangelion. You could have gotten either Asuka, Rei, Kaworu or Evangelion Unit 13!<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a Pok\u00e9mon ReMent figure from the Terrarium Volume 4 series, which had 6 to collect including Gengar, Totodile, Moltres, Slowpoke, Umbreon, as well as Pikachu sleeping on a Mareep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last April's box included the 2020 Sakura Miku figure, which was brand new at the time. We also received a Kirby figure from the Solar Swing Collection, which was also featured in a SoKawaii box last year. Thankfully I received the other version that was available in this box, so my collection is now complete. Very cute item to have, which swings side to side when sunlight hits the small solar panel on the front of the figure base.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nihonboxapril2020_9\" \"nihonboxapril2020_10\"<\/p>\n

We are finally onto our last three items! December\u2019s box included the Yami Yugi figurine from the Noodle Stopper collection. Although they are small scale statues, their poses allow them to sit freely on shelf corners - or indeed on the lid of your cup ramen as intended. For the size of the figure itself, its actually really well detailed and I adore it! From the same Noodle Stopper collection, comes the InuYasha figure from September's box. This was done for promotion of the latest InuYasha anime that was released last year - Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, we have the Cardcaptor Sakura: Special Rocket Beat Figure! Which was only recently released at the time this box was filled, so I am super lucky that this figure was included in the box at all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nihon Box always does their best to follow the latest anime trends as well as finding items from fan favorite shows in order to always appeal to their customer base. With items from classic shows such as InuYasha, GTO and Cardcaptor Sakura, to the newer franchises including The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer. They not only source out some decent quality figures, but also to make sure that each month their box represents another unique aspect of Japan - from its food, to its culture, art, history and beliefs. It\u2019s a well rounded box, for both anime fans and cultural fans. For me, they are just a step above the likes of SoKawaii box just for their variety in products and value for money in the items you receive. Although SoKawaii are currently more reliable when it comes to shipping, it\u2019s simply only the side effects of the pandemic that has put them both on an even playing field. End of the day, I highly enjoy both of these subscriptions and don't see myself cancelling either of them anything soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on how you can order your own box, look to the top of this review and head over to the link below so you can sign up today!<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nihonbox.com\/en<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Nihon Box April to December 2020 Review Part 2","post_excerpt":"I have a massive haul to talk","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-april-to-december-2020-review-part-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:50:32","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:50:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206183","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":204740,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content":"Even amidst the dark reality we are all living in, you can always find several rays of hope and sunshine around every corner. So here I am today to deliver some much needed distraction. As I mentioned before in one of my previous SoKawaii box reviews, I would also be reviewing another Japanese monthly subscription service. Nihon Box is just that! I\u2019ve known about this service for quite some time now, as I\u2019ve seen several unboxing videos from Doug D'Marco on YouTube. Check out his channel if you can, he reviews several different subscription boxes and gives good, honest reviews. (<\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Angelraider78<\/a>)<\/span>\r\n\r\nMuch like SoKawaii, Nihon Box is a Japanese monthly subscription service that handpicks at least 6 items each month that are almost exclusive to Japan and ships them straight to your door. Their items are a mixture of Otaku Anime related merchandise and figures, as well as traditional Japanese items, from sweets to tableware. All of this is available to subscribe to for what I find a very affordable price each month.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike SoKawaii, the more months you pay upfront the cheaper the price for individual boxes will be.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonthly is \u20ac29.99 plus shipping costs<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 Months is a single payment of \u20ac86.97, making each box \u20ac28.99, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 Months is a single payment of \u20ac170.94, making each box \u20ac28.49, plus shipping costs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch1\"\r\n\r\nThe first item we have is a Pikachu silicone cup lid. This item is quite handy for those of you that tend to forget about their cup of tea for too long and tend to heat it up in the microwave. It will also act as a lid, which should help to keep your tea hot for longer. Also quite handy to have if you wish to have your drink outside in the garden, without having to worry about any flies dropping into it for a sip. This is also an officially licensed Pok\u00e9mon product as well. It is safe to use in a microwave, but make sure it is washed by hand as it\u2019s not dishwasher proof.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch2\"\r\n\r\nNext up is our snack item, with this month being two individually wrapped Dorayaki. A traditional Japanese pastry that you can find across bakeries and convenience stores in Japan. This snack consists of two small pancakes, much like the American ones. They are sandwiched together with a sweet red bean paste called Anko as the filling. The pancakes mask most of the taste of the Anko, but ultimately it\u2019s a very pleasant snack that is more on the sweet side.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOur authentic Japanese tableware item this month is a Rice Bowl. Decorated with Sakura petals all around, this bowl is soundly made and should survive being washed in a dishwasher, but I would handwash it just to be on the safe side. It has no production markings and I am not entirely sure what it is made of, but according to the leaflet this bowl was Made in Japan. I\u2019m interested to see what item will be included in next month\u2019s box, to see if there will ever be a single dinner set created after a certain amount of boxes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch3\"\r\n\r\nNext up we have another \u201cMade in Japan\u201d item, with a My Neighbour Totoro Mechanical Pencil from Zebra. Now I have seen this brand numerous times in both Tesco and Dealz (Poundland in England), and they are really smooth pens to write with. So I assume the refills will be more readily available to buy for when this pencils\u2019 led eventually runs out. Now Japan has become rather renowned for their stationary when it comes to quality and this pen is no exception to that fact, as this design is made especially to prevent the led tip from breaking whilst writing. From the little time I have used this pen, it appears to be telling the truth as not once did the led break whilst I was putting excess force on the pen whilst writing. It is definitely a very useful product to have on you at all times when out and about, or even whilst at work or school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch4\"\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch5\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps one of the most renowned anime films to have come from the 1980\u2019s has to be Akira. Known worldwide as perhaps one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, it has a strong following even today. Nihon Box included this miniature Volume 1 series Akira figurine, to help celebrate the up-coming Remastered BluRay release of the film in Japan at the beginning of April. It is very rare to find any Akira merch, I have only seen a handful of items over the years. So this figure is a special piece to have in my collection, and stands as a reminder that I haven\u2019t sat down to watch the film in several years now.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch6\"\r\n\r\nLastly we have the main reason I wanted to try out Nihon Box, as every month you are guaranteed a figure. This month they included the heroine Nadeshiko from the anime Yuru Camp (also known as Laid-Back Camp). The anime, which you can watch now over on Crunchyroll through the link here (<\/span>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ubq25os<\/a>) is all about a high school outdoor activity club that enjoys camping. I have only watched the first episode so far and it seems like an enjoyable show, one that will be easy to watch. So why not check it out and get to know more about our new girl Nadeshiko. Bytheway this figure is very well made, sturdy and all you have to do is push her feet onto the base - done! Such great detail and colouring went into this figure, all I want to do is High Five her every time I go into the room!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"nihonboxmarch7\"\r\n\r\nAnd there we have it, my first Nihon Box review. Really positive start on this subscription, I don\u2019t see myself wanting to give up anytime soon. I will also still be getting the SoKawaii one so don\u2019t you worry. For the price of one box alone, I would have been happy with just a figure as they can be pretty pricey to buy over here at conventions and comic stores. I was also delighted to get the chance to get my own Akira merch and try Dorayaki for the first time before I go over to Japan later this year.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNext month\u2019s box is going to be completely Sakura themed, to tie in with the Cherry Blossom season currently happening over in Japan. They have already announced that they will be including items from One Piece, Hatsune Miku, Fairy Tail and of course, Cardcaptor Sakura, but which one will be the figure?<\/span>\r\n\r\nUntil next time, take care of yourself x<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Nihon Box March 2020 Review","post_excerpt":"Spring break","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"nihon-box-march-2020-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-01 13:34:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=204740","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203896,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_date_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content":"

SoKawaii \u2018Spring Fantasy\u2019 May Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nFirst off, SoKawaii<\/em> is a monthly subscription service that is based in Japan, that offers fans of cute Japanese characters, such as Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> & Sanrio<\/em>, the chance to have some of the most unique and exclusive items sent straight to their door. All of which comes housed in a cute cardboard box, with the items inside packed away safely under some craft paper.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNow this is my first time subscribing to SoKawaii<\/em>, but have been a fan for the last couple of months since I started subscribing to their social media profiles. Their Instagram is my personal favourite - https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sokawaii\/<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nSo I picked the May crate, with the theme Spring Fantasy!<\/em> For the sole reason that I adore Cardcaptor Sakura<\/em> and jumped for my bank card straight away when I heard they had a CCS Tea Cup guaranteed in every box. Now when I think of Japan and Springtime, Cherry Blossoms do \u2018spring\u2019 to mind. Now that theme carries on with the <\/span>tea cup and Hello Kitty<\/em> zipper bags, an unusual item to see included in the box, but is quite useful.<\/span>\r\n\r\nPok\u00e9mon<\/em> has been mainstream once again since the release of Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/em>, to the recent release of the live action video game adaption of Detective Pikachu<\/em>. So a Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> Gachapon was a welcome inclusion in this box. I was lucky enough to get an Eevee, which when you open up your box it looks just like a head with no ears, as the rest of the body parts are hid inside. The overall figure is beyond adorable. Now the next item is a Silicone Cup Cover, which looks like it was bought from Daiso<\/em>. Japan\u2019s version of Dealz<\/em> and Poundland<\/em>, but with more character goods. Now tea is a big thing in Asia, just like in Ireland, so although it is slightly unusual to see this item in the box, it is quite practical.<\/span>\r\n\r\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s unusual or not, but we got two Sanrio<\/em> character goods in this months box. Following the Hello Kitty<\/em> ziplock bags, I also got a Cinnamoroll<\/em> mechanical pencil. An adorable piece of stationary that I look forward to using. And lastly we have the very plush Luminary Tears Unil Pochette Bag. It is incredibly soft & eye catching, and you can carry it around on a detachable gold chain. Now although it is a visual dream, you can\u2019t really fit anything in it. Perhaps a small coin purse at best, as I can\u2019t even fit my phone in it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\"sokawaiimay2\"\r\n\r\nFor me this was certainly a worthwhile box, especially for the price. I just did the 1 month continuous subscription and only set out just to get this box. Unfortunately for my purse, June\u2019s box has also caught my eye. Which I will make sure to do a review of when it gets here next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nSo here is the price break down and the savings you can get.<\/span>\r\n\r\n1 MONTH - $35.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n3 MONTHS - $33.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n6 MONTHS - $32.00\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\n12 MONTHS - $31.50\/mo<\/span>\r\n\r\nEach box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through the SoKawaii social media as the weeks go by. June\u2019s theme is Adorable Friends, and includes Sanrio,<\/em> Sailor Moon<\/em> & Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> goods.<\/span><\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nClick on the link below to subscribe today. And the best thing yet - Free Shipping Worldwide!<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.sokawaiibox.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"SoKawaii May Box Review","post_excerpt":"Monthly subscription service","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sokawaii-may-box-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_modified_gmt":"2019-05-31 16:29:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=203896","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":184102,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:03:20","post_content":"Pop Culture Pulpit was on hiatus. It wasn\u2019t planned or intentional. I just lost my way for a bit. I had my regular job, I accepted the role as editor for Comicbuzz and I started coming to terms with my own dreams and ambitions (more on that later). Writing just wasn\u2019t something I made time for - then I stopped editing. Then I stopped with Comicbuzz. I\u2019m fortunate though, since for whatever reason the good folks here at Comicbuzz reached out to me. I\u2019m no longer editing, but rather I\u2019ve committed to two articles a month that are large enough to be serialized, something I prefer to be doing and to which I am likely better-suited. There\u2019s a lot to cover after all this time, so let\u2019s get into it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Old\r\nAs mentioned above, I\u2019ve come to terms now and accepted that comics and I are meant to be. Not just the comic books themselves, but the entirety of the culture itself. Both the retail and creative sides, the commercially-known and the independents \u2013 everything appeals to me and I appreciate it all. I respect and appreciate the past while having some concerns for the future. My point being, these aren\u2019t just 22 pages of cartoons to me. When my favorite LCS (Local Comic Shop) closed, I had already become close friends with the manager. That friendship became a partnership when his personal collection of comics came to my home and an arrangement was struck wherein I would organize and sell the collection while we\u2019d split the proceeds. Such was the success that soon we were doing small comic shows at a local arena. A month ago, I realized that those moments were when I was happiest. Sorting, pricing, engaging with like-minded people. Hunting for collections to buy (doing so is very much like picking strawberries. Some go into the bucket, some are for me) has proven to be a nerve-wracking pleasure. Embracing the idea that this is what makes me happy, I decided it was time to commit to it: commit to comics. A company name was created, a Facebook page made, business cards printed and a vision of a bricks and mortar was formed with timelines in place. So I\u2019m pleased to announce that with fellow Comicbuzz writer Kin Jee, \u201chttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JeeRizComics\/<\/a><\/span>\u201d was birthed (please check us out on Facebook and \u201clike\u201d us). We\u2019d like to have a store open for November of 2018 and will continue to grow our business at local comic shows. I have no idea what the future will hold, but that\u2019s fine since there are no certainties. I will say this: I\u2019m scared. It\u2019s a risk, a gamble. What if I fail? What if my passion becoming my business turns my feelings towards this love into something cynical and jaded? But. BUT. What if I don\u2019t try? What if I don\u2019t try and Ia spend the rest of my time wondering and regretting? I wouldn\u2019t be able to go backwards to make the adjustment, but I can plan as well as I can and move forward slowly, giving myself the best possible odds of success that I can. If I fail, then let it be because of circumstances beyond my comprehension. Forgive the clich\u00e9, but in this, it really is better to have tried and failed, rather than pissing and moaning about what could have been. That\u2019s the bit about me. Which I can only imagine might make for boring reading for the rest of you but I think it allows those who\u2019ve continued reading to get a better sense of who I am and what I\u2019m \u201cabout\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Subscriptions:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo you have a subscription at your LCS? Most serious collectors do. A sub makes sure you get your desired books each week, has them ready for pick up and typically will warrant a discount of some sort. But a sub can be tricky, for both the retailer AND consumer. From a retailer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019re ordering books months in advance based on nothing more than an email from a customer (some stores will require a deposit from clients or worse, have them pay entirely up front) who\u2019s expressed a desire to have said books. As these are typically serious collectors I\u2019d venture we\u2019re talking about no less than half a dozen books a week; extrapolate this over dozens of customers. We\u2019re now talking about hundreds of books a week, all paid for in advance by the retailer. With the certainty that our books have been pulled for us, customers no longer feel pressure or obligation to get to the store weekly (I tend to go once a month now \u2013 but geography and public transit play a role in that). This impacts retailers in multiple ways. First, as mentioned, the retailer is already out of pocket for the product \u2013 uncertain when they may see a return on their investment. Secondly, and perhaps as important but rarely considered, is that retailers must store all this product for an uncertain period. These stores are often less than a 1000 square feet so space is at a premium (not to mention stores pay per square foot so space used to store product is costing money \u2013 these books are now double dipping into the retailer\u2019s bottom line).<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Thanos\r\n\r\nAs a consumer, having a sub can be wonderful. The work is done for you, you save a couple dollars and you never miss a book. It can quickly get out of hand though if left unchecked. When I first got a sub, I had to compile a list of every book I read each month. This is a FASCINATING exercise if you\u2019ve never done it \u2013 you\u2019d be surprised how many total books there are and how the books are separated by publisher (I read more Image than any other publisher, I genuinely hadn\u2019t known that). Once the retailer has your list, he orders the books and the client just goes in and picks up the books. That sounds simple, but once you eliminate the process of going to the shelves, touching each item as you select it, you lose the checks and balance aspect of buying. The retailer has ordered books for you and paid for them. You are obligated to purchase them. There is no changing of mind and putting a book back on the shelf (SOME retailers may begrudgingly allow this, but remember the part where they\u2019ve already paid for it?). It\u2019s not unusual for there to be some sticker shock, especially if you aren\u2019t picking up weekly. The books add up quickly and at three to five dollars a piece the end cost can be hundreds. The second aspect for a consumer to consider is, do I really need all these books? Because once you\u2019ve realized that you\u2019re committed to hundreds of dollars and dozens of books a month, you\u2019d better be sure you want to read everything you\u2019re committing to. In my case, I realized books kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the \u201cTo Read\u201d pile, even after another month had gone by. I clearly was not overly interested in reading this book, so why was I committing to it? I quickly streamlined my sub \u2013 which was a win for both the retailer and for myself as we both spend less money while also storing less. Most retailers will work with you. Just be honest and respect the commitment you\u2019ve made. I\u2019m always adjusting my sub\u2026 I\u2019ll try books and decide they just aren\u2019t worth my time or money so I cancel it, buy the few remaining books that have been ordered on my behalf, and then move on. <\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Warlordsofappalachia\r\n\r\nA couple final points:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n-Be careful when using your sub to collect characters, especially with the Big Two. There is less creativity with DC and Marvel now than at any time that I can think of. The publishers tend to saturate the market with whatever characters are popular, so if you tell your LCS you love Deadpool, be careful because you may end up with Avengers books that Deadpool is suddenly a part of. That may not be an issue for you, but it\u2019s important to at least be aware this sort of situation may occur.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-When you have a sub, you\u2019re often pre-ordering out of Previews months in advance. Something may have a fantastic synopsis, but once it\u2019s in your hands you realize it was drawn by a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, it was ordered for you and you\u2019re on the hook for the book. Take the time to find a preview of the book online if it you aren\u2019t part of a system that lets you return books (to the rack) that you don\u2019t want.<\/span>\r\n\r\n-Finally, always review your stack. Retailers get to know their regulars; it\u2019s a part of the joy of this industry \u2013 that genuine bonds can be established between consumer and retailer. That can be double-edged however. Knowing what you like means a retailer may slip a book or two into your stack, assuming you\u2019d want or enjoy it. He\u2019s not doing this solely out of the goodness of his heart. He\u2019s adding on to the sale, more-so than just adding on bags and boards. So, before you pay, review. Make sure you\u2019re buying what you wanted.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2018Buzzin \u2018Bout Books:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nOn the topic of monthly pull lists, what AM I reading and why? I\u2019m not going to get into long validating reviews, just some bullet point thoughts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n-I\u2019m often caught off guard by how few Marvel titles I read. Old Man Logan, Thanos, Moon Knight (all three written by Jeff Lemire \u2013 who as of this writing just \u201cquit\u201d Marvel) and now I\u2019ve added Jessica Jones<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Batman\r\n\r\n-I read almost a dozen New 52 titles but Rebirth has not been a hit for me the way its predecessor was (there\u2019s more on that later). I\u2019m down now to Trinity, Detective Comics (the surprise hit for me), and Batman. The new Batwoman title seems encouraging.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"Joyride\r\n\r\n-I said in this column over a year ago, people should keep an eye on BOOM! Nothing has changed my mind, if anything I\u2019m more convinced they are the number four publisher. \u201cJoyride\u201d, \u201cSkyborne\u201d and \u201cWarlords of Appalachia\u201d are among my first reads when they come out. I think this company is still just defining itself and may rival Image as a home for creator-owned content.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n-I\u2019ve already stated I feel Black Mask is more hype than substance, but credit where credit is due. \u201c4 Kids Walk Into a Bank\u201d is a genuine pleasure to read. Very well-scripted with excellent dialogue. Unfortunately, the title has suffered due to delays and that can be the kiss of death for indie books.<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJoin us for part 2, next week!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>\r\n\r\nSave<\/span>","post_title":"Pop Culture Pulpit May - Part 1","post_excerpt":"Yet Another Introduction","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pop-culture-pulpit-may-part-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_modified_gmt":"2018-09-21 15:57:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=184102","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":2},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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