Akihabara Visit

The only bargains I ever saw in Akihabara are for bishoujou games, infact Akihabara in becoming more and more occupied by the bishoujou. There is a good book called Otaku-space-persona-city on the subject, worth a read.

The point of akihabara for games is not to get them cheaply, but to have a vast selection. BTW brand new ps2 games are cheaper in akihabara than anywhere else. But I only use akihabara to get things you cannot anywhere else (and the cheap bishy games).

 

Sofmap*, Sakura-ya, Bic Camera, and other big chains outside of Akihabara usually have better deals on brand new games on release day, offering 10% to 15% off retail. Yamagiwa, Messe Sanno, and other Akiba-based new-games shops sell games for full retail, but offer very cool bonuses with the games. Sometimes just a poster, other times telephone cards. Messe Sanno is generally the best for free stuff. Sega Direct is also good, sometimes combining the bonus and discount, but they only sell select games.

*Sofmap has shops outside of Akihabara, and a pretty big net-shop. Not sure of their policy exactly, as I rarely shopped there.

 

Sofmap is actually not bad - cos they don't know their stuff. I got giga wing one and two and rainbow cotton, twinkle star srites for around 2500 yen each. Absolute bargain. That was a sofmap in hiroshima though.

I like them and when I pre-order games I would often used sofmap, especially for the best telephone cards. They also do huge dicount tables on brand new stuff that I always like. Just damn that theme song that plays 24 seven!

 

I found SoftMap to have some nice prices too. Over all though I'd say Traider 2 is the best place for rare stuff but they can be a little expensive at times.

Yakumo

 

Hey again!

You guys were right. I did not see any X68000 or Marty goodies in Akihabara. I visited plenty of stores. Here is some info on some of them:

1. MediaLand (2nd floor) - "Akihabara mainstreet"
03-3251-7004
http://www.m-land.co.jp/

Very nice staff. Got a couple of PSP Ceramic White PSP-1000 KCW for just over 22000 yen each. The staff let me start the PSPs to check for dead pixels. Nice.


2. Trader - "Akihabara mainstreet"
03-3255-3493
http://www.e-trader.jp/

Got a used (looked new) PSX DESR-10 Dualshock controller for 2940 yen. Neo-Geo AES games. Even US imports, but why would I buy that in Akihabara...


3. "CD DVD GAME" Shinjuku Store
03-5269-9252

Picked up the N64 I RGB modded (pictures in my collection thread) for 1680 yen. This store had a MSX...


4. Wakamatsu - "Akihabara mainstreet"
03-3257-0601
http://www.wakamatsu.ne.jp/

Got a couple of 2GB Memory Stick Duo Pro for 19800 yen each.


5. Sofmap (Shinjuku)
03-3346-9651
http://tenpo.sofmap.com/tenpo/shop/shinjyuku_2.htm

I have always wanted a black Dreamcast in my living room. Got a used boxed R7 for 7000 yen, and a used boxed Dreamcast Karaoke system for 480 yen.


6. Sofmap - "Akihabara mainstreet"
03-3253-3030
http://tenpo.sofmap.com/tenpo/shop/tokyo_0.htm

A new Rez Trance Vibrator for 480 yen. Not bad.


7. Messe Sanno - "Akihabara mainstreet"
03-3266-3431
http://www.messe.gr.jp/chaos/chaosindex.htm

Maybe not the best use of money in Tokyo, put I got a XRGB2 Plus for 22000 yen.


8. Trader (Shinjuku)
03-5321-6330
http://www.e-trader.jp/

Paid 4480 yen for a used Famicom Disk System and 1460 yen for SMB 2 (disk).


9. Trader 2 (Akihabara)
03-3255-0777
http://www.e-trader.jp/

Got a used boxed Famicom here (again, mod pictures are in my collection thread) for 5980 yen. A used multitap for Sega Mega Drive was 500 yen.

I liked Akihabara a lot, and picked up loads of stuff, these are just some examples. I had to go to "Tokyu Hands" in Shibuya and get an extra bag. When it came to food, I really liked the Shabu-shabu places and the "drink as much as you like for 1 hour" concept at the Izakayas.

Cheers!

CF

 

Does this area ever change? The last time I was there was in 1995, and most of it still looks very familiar. I definately remember LAOX and Traders looks very familiar.


I walked into a smaller version of the arcade shop in Osaka, but it was Neo Geo back then..

 

You're about 10-12 years late, from the sounds of it. The Marty was everywhere, and used X68000 games were very easy to find.

I almost bought a X68000 game by mistake back then. I thought it was Japanese Amiga software. The store employee warned me not to buy it. It would definately be cool to have now, especially since I now know what a X68000 is and will have one in my hands shortly.


The Marty is worth tracking down.

 

Basketball court is gone -- big ass building there now I believe. And that's Setup if I'm not mistaken.

 

Indeed, when I was there I spent quite a while looking for this 'basketball court' in vain :lol:

 

yep you're right. I used to enjoy hanging out at that cort as well The big ass building is one of those ultra modern efforts but I never bothered to go in. There used to be a T-Zone around there as well under the train track.

Yakumo

 

I have a doubt with that genre: I know bishoujou is with schools kids and stuff, but does always has to have nudity? or can it be bishoujou without any tits popping out of the sailor uniforms?