Kenny
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sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Kenny
@sakokuotaku.bsky.social
260 followers 1.5K following 320 posts
He/Him. Occasionally the worse half of anibrospodcast.com, annually a decent anime-themed game show host. 3D modeling, printing, and over engineering. Actual hobby is Magic: the Gathering, but admitting this would require too much introspections. 日本語🆗
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sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Zul Ashur, who helms my current favorite EDH deck
Image of standard printing of the Magic card, “Zul Ashur, Lich Lord” Zul Ashur, Lich Lord {1}{B} Legendary Creature — Zombie Warlock Ward—Pay 2 life. (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays 2 life.) {T}: You may cast target Zombie creature card from your graveyard this turn. 2/2 Illustrated by Raluca Marinescu A thin woman marches triumphantly to stage right. She is glad in bone armor and carries a bone scepter. Glowing purple hands extend up from graves as she passes.
September 19, 2025 at 11:07 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I picked a bad time to super charge my brain with caffeine. Time to crank up the hyperbolic time chamber in Focus Friend to max.
A screenshot from Focus Friend, a focus assistance app. Of importance to the post is that the timer is set to the maximum focus time of 120 minutes, and the toggle for Deep Focus is on. The virtual brown bean looks blissfully unaware of the state of American life.
September 10, 2025 at 8:09 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I welcome other contenders, but I really think Portland is the best city to be an anime fan. A big piece of that is thanks to the amazing curation work done by the Mecha Panic and Animayhem series at the @hollywoodtheatre.org.
A photograph of the Hollywood Theatre’s marquee in Portland, OR. An ornate cascade towers into the gray, cloudy sky. A vertical neon sign twinkles “Hollywood”. The marquee features more neon repeating the name “Hollywood”. In white letters, “Mecha Panic - Gunbuster” is spelled out under it.
July 21, 2025 at 2:02 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Kojima fans have a hard enough time beating the allegations without him doing this to us. (Also: Took me most of my first interaction with The Data Scientist before I realized she speaks in Japanese)
A screenshot from Death Stranding 2. The main character Sam is in the foreground. A white man with medium length brown hair. His equipment largely obscures him. Sam is talking to a 2D hologram of a Bunny Girl. An anime style Vtuber with white-blue hair and white bunny ears. Her costume and pony tails are stuffed with big orange carrots.
July 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Occasionally I would use this less ominous reference made in one of the Gundam Build Fighter anime.
A screenshot from a Gundam Build Fighters anime series. Against a gray, metal cockpit wall hovers a green hologram panel that reads: “Direct Message, Sound Only”. A waveform is visible under this representing the sound of the speaker’s voice.
January 31, 2025 at 8:25 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Char’s Counterattack on the big screen like Tomino intended.

I sometimes ask myself, “do I like anime or do I just like UC Gundam so much the rest of the medium is caught in its gravity?” It is certainly the anchor.

Vibrant and extra _extra_ on a big screen.
A photograph of the neon marque of Portland, Oregon’s Hollywood Theatre at night. Beneath a ribbon of blue and red neon ribbons, a yellow HOLLYWOOD crowns the classic black and white film title marque. Of importance to the post is a bold, all caps “Char’s Counterattack”.
January 6, 2025 at 6:15 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I was going to initially remark that I think I know the recipe you use but wow is that very different from my go-to. The sweet potatoes are an interesting addition — I’ll have to try that next year.

(These are russets, onion, flour, and eggs)
A photograph of a plate layered high with golden brown latkes — potato pancakes. They rest on paper towels.
January 2, 2025 at 1:41 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
😮‍💨

What did past me do
A photograph of a stack of Magic: the Gathering cards. On top of a pile of sleeved cards is an empty magenta card sleeve. To the right of the pile is the deck’s Commander, “Zimon and Dina”
December 7, 2024 at 10:15 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
‘DANDADAN’ is so good. Watching Science Saru shine in the adaptation and approaching current with Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga is a real treat.

Possible #spoiler for manga around chapter 130
A screenshot of a two page spread from Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga series DAN DA DAN. Black and white manga illustration. Three people are performing in top of a traditional Japanese shrine float used in street festivals. A school girl is leaning forward and bellowing into a microphone. She is flanked by two hair metal guitarists. The force of their music expression is causing an uplift in shock waves and debris.
December 2, 2024 at 4:15 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Explaining to my followers why my posts aren’t that good.
A screenshot from the anime series, “Serial Experiments Lain”. In a virtual reality game, the titular character Lain stands facing away from the audience. She is wearing a long sweater. In the distance a pixelated friend is facing her, in a yellow hoodie with a massive sword across his back. He is glowing with light from a circle under him. The subtitle reads, “Nobody knows what’s fun and why.”
December 1, 2024 at 2:52 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
There’s a lot of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ in Evangelion. This is the first time I have noticed this echo.
A screenshot from the film “2001: a space odyssey” showing the main character seated at a table inside a space ship. He is eating futuristic food — an assortment of drab colored pastes in flat rectangular dishes.
November 28, 2024 at 3:13 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Ugh, bass^

It was so cool to get to see my cousin perform w/ a band he really enjoys playing in, at such a unique show.

It was sold out but I got in as band staff, manning the merch table between acts.

Bar served a special dish of chicken chili, pulled pork, and Hoppin’ John. It was phenomenal.
A photograph of the music venue El Puente in Yokohama, Japan. Tan walls are covered in artist and band signatures. A crowd of people stand before a three person band, HEBI KATANA. The bassist is visible through a part in the audience. He has long curly hair and is playing a yellow bass. The drummer and lead guitar are partially visible through the crowd. A photograph of the poster. He is wearing a black and gold shirt for the band Rank and Vile, and standing in front of a table covered in merchandise for the band HEBI KATANA. Vinyl albums and T-shirts are clearly visible. A photograph of a small dish of food. The brown clay dish holds Hoppin’ John, a southern staple of white rice and black eyed peas; chicken chili; and pulled pork.
November 27, 2024 at 4:54 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
@lavenvoth.bsky.social plays base in the band HEBIKATANA, and they played a show at El Puente in Yokohama as part of the openers for the Brant Bjork Trio — the current band for an important artist in the stoner/psychedelic rock scene.

One of the most unique experiences I had on this trip.
A photograph of a chalkboard sign outside of a music venue. The sign has a drawing of a red van with a gray bearded figuring leaning out its window giving the peace sign. The sign is brightly decorated with bold colors. It reads: 2024.10.27 (Sun) Brant Bjork Trio - Japan Tour 2024 With Raising Ravens (AUS) Floaters HEBI KATANA On a Cloud Inside Chamber Yokujitsu Open 14:30 Start 15:00 Sold Out A photograph of the music venue El Puente. The tan walls are covered in signatures and dates. Psychedelic art hangs on the walls, and some of the walls are painted directly with eye motifs. The photo centers on an empty setup for a rock band. Drums, amps, and lights. A close up photograph of an event poster hanging on the wall inside the music venue. The poster shows a stylized, fleshless face with one eye. Its teeth are bared but the expression is flat. The chin has a marijuana leaf. The face is painted in reds and pinks, with blue around the forehead. One eye is locking out of overlapping lids. The sign reads: Remember 3.11.2011 Bar El Puente A photograph of the musician Brant Bjork signing inside the music venue El Puente. He is a tall man with long curl hair, head down by a green bandana. His medium length beard is white. He is wearing an olive shirt similar to a military fatigue. He is performing in front of a crowd.
November 27, 2024 at 4:42 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
By very lucky coincidence, a special Sumo exhibition was held in Okayama in October. We were able to get affordable seats and watch a string of fun matches (with low stakes, for sure). The current Yokozuna, Terunofuji, made an appearance as well.
A photograph of a wooden sign board displaying the “Banzuke”, a special handwritten display showing the pairings for the Sumo tournament. It is written in vertical Japanese writing, bold at the top and getting smaller as the lower ranks are recorded near the bottom. A photograph of a temporary sumo ring made from an outer boundary of firm foam edges and an interior of compacted dirt. An audience of people seated on the ground, on cushions, surround the four sides of the ring. In the middle, an imposing figure is surrounded by five sumo wrestlers. The Yokozuna, Terunofuji, is being tied into the symbol of his rank — a large white ornate rope.
November 27, 2024 at 4:28 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I hope other cities have places like the Hollywood Theatre and program runners like the cool folks behind Mechapanic (and its progenitor, AniMayhem).

Catching ‘Escaflowne: The Movie’ in the main theater
A photograph of the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR. It is night and the neon of the marque is fully illuminated. Below the glowing yellow “Hollywood” is the movie marquee that reads (in part), “Mechapanic - Escaflowne”.
November 25, 2024 at 5:12 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Four drop Friday? OK — one of my favorites.
An image of the following Magic card: Slippery Bogbonder 3 generic mana and 1 green mana Creature — Human Druid Flash Hexproof When Slippery Bogbonder enters, put a hexproof counter on target creature. Then move any number of counters from among creatures you control onto that creature. 3/3 Illustrated by Mila Pesic Pesic’s artwork shows a young person on one knee looking off to the right in a rain forest or bogland. Over their left shoulder hovers the spherically inclined Slippery Boggart — a blueish green head with much smaller limbs. They both grip a spear.
November 22, 2024 at 11:51 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I haven’t reached our time in Shodoshima as I slowly post photos — it was great! I come from a very rainy part of the US, the Pacific Northwest, so the rain and fog didn’t detract from its beauty.
A photograph from the top of a mountain showing a lush landscape covered in trees that are just starting to turn fall colors. The horizon is obscured by gray clouds, and there are wisps of fog rolling over the mountains.
November 22, 2024 at 12:03 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Last night #DanDaDan punched me in the gut. Yukinobu Tatsu has a talent for using the turn of a page to strike unexpectedly at the reader. By Chapter 117 we’re accustom to that being a trick to reveal the monster — but damn, when humanity is the monster.

What a page.

(Minor #Spoiler potential)
A page from Chapter 117 of the Japanese manga “Dan Da Dan”. It depicts the fire bombing of a Japanese city, likely Tokyo, during WWII. In the lower third of the page, a figure is collapsed and kneeling. They are looming away from the reader and staring at a raging fire that is consuming buildings and people in front of them. As the image draws the reader up, the smoldering shells of buildings appear as if torn like paper with fuzzy edges as ash lifts into the sky. The ash mixes with the black dots of incendiary bombs being dropped from the telltale silhouette of American bomber planes.
November 21, 2024 at 5:37 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I learned to play Magic while studying abroad in Japan in 2010. I brought 1 deck with me on this trip, ‘Intet, the Dreamer’, a recreation of my first EDH deck. It is an important deck to me and I wanted to complete its restoration by making sure it saw battle in Japan again.
A photograph of two people sitting on either side of a coffee table. On the left, the poster is sitting on a couch and studying the table. On the right, the other person is reading cards in his hand. On the table is a scene in the middle of a Magic game of Commander. Cards are visible in various states of being vertical or horizontal.
November 21, 2024 at 3:18 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Okayama is next door to Osaka, so I got to spend time with @woddish.bsky.social and @jentranslations.bsky.social. The former guided me around Den Den Town, where we focused on card shops. Did almost buy Jenn a set of her fav anime.

Played MTG at Big Magic once in college — glad it’s still there.
A photograph of the Duel Masters card, “Black Lotus” with a price tag of 680 yen. The card art is the famous painting of Magic: the Gathering’s iconic Black Lotus by Chris Rahn. The card resembles a Magic card in style but has all the tell tale layout pieces of a Duel Masters’ card. This is a special promo card made to celebrate Magic’s 25th anniversary. A photograph of DVDs for the anime series “dot Hack Sign.” Each DVD is in its own clear case on a shelf. A photograph of a three story black building in Osaka, Japan. Central to the photo is a large square billboard that reads in part, “Big Magic” with a mascot anime girl dressed in a dark blue uniform standing in front of a yellow curve. Promotional posters are arranged under the billboard and a vending machine for drinks flanks the actual shop door on the left of the photo.
November 21, 2024 at 3:11 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
We went to famed “art island” Naoshima. Which I learned was just 1 of many art-oriented islands in the Setouchi inland sea.

Went to the Chichu Art Museum (no photos inside). Saw some art.

Ended visit at the public bath, 直島銭湯 I Love 湯, a cool Thai-themed bath complete w/ realistic elephant statue.
A photograph of “Red Pumpkin” by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. An art installation near the port on Naoshima. In a concrete area, a smooth giant red with black polka dots pumpkin stands about twice the height of a person. It is sunk into the ground about 1/6th of its height. The sky in the background is overcast. A photograph of the exterior of Naoshima Sento, “I love Yu”. A large neon sign of the Japanese character Yu hovers above the silhouette of a woman that resembles a giant cookie cutter. A photograph showing a wave barrier dividing the concrete foreground from the ocean beyond. The photo is on a slant. In the top half, the sun is beginning to set over the ocean. A small island is visible in the far distance, and an outcropping of the island is more prominent closer to shore. The sky is overcast but clouds are thinning. In the bottom half of the photo, land is visible showing a smooth concrete barrier that is waist high. Driftwood spells out Naoshima. Standing before the N is one individual showing a piece sign in a black shirt. After the N is a second person in a blue shirt.
November 21, 2024 at 3:00 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
My dad hosted his own Oktoberfest this year but I was in Japan. @lavenvoth.bsky.social loves to cook so we opted to join in remotely by making spätzle and schnitzel. Beer was Kirin, if I remember correctly. Couldn’t find a German beer in time.
A photograph of two individuals cooking in a modern kitchen. In the background, a person is turned away from the camera working over a stove. In the foreground, the poster is visible stirring a bowl of egg pasta — the German variety known as spätzle. The poster is wearing a denim kitchen apron and holding a red pot lid in his left hand. A photograph of two dinner plates and two beers. On the white dinner plates are fried pork cutlets, the German dish Schnitzel, topped with a brown pork and mushroom gravy. Also on the plates are equal portions of free form egg noodles known as spätzle. The beer is poured into beer glasses and has a health foam head.
November 21, 2024 at 2:22 AM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
I love the Fish tokens! I don’t even have a deck that uses them yet, but I had to add a set into my token binder for the art alone. Fantastic work.
A photograph of two “Fish” tokens for the trading card game, Magic: the Gathering. Artwork by Rhonda Libbey. The token is a 3 inch by 2 inch card, depicting a silver fish (a small trout) leaping out of the water. It is jumping from deep blue water, with green lily pads and pink flowers in the background.
November 20, 2024 at 7:15 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
Who was my first anime crush?

Pretty sure I saw Sailor Moon before I saw Bubblegum Crisis (2040), so Makoto Kino would have been before Priss.
A cropped screenshot from the anime Sailor Moon, showing the character of Makoto Kino or Sailor Jupiter. The female character is dressed in a Japanese school uniform, with a light brown collar and pleated skirt. She has her arms crossed, and a stern expression on her face. Her brown hair is done up in one long ponytail.
November 20, 2024 at 6:13 PM
sakokuotaku.bsky.social
The museum hosts an annual competition for bladesmithing, polishing, & the furniture of a sword. They had great displays with de facto artist statements — which were all translated. One fact I learned from a docent/guide was that modern smiths will recreate historic blades to relearn technique.
A photograph of a short Japanese sword (a tanto). On a clear plastic stand, a 21.9 centimeter blade is displayed. The blade is wider than an average tanto. Along the back spine of the blade are two deep grooves for strength. A photograph of a small sign in a clear stand resting on a tatami mat. The sign lists the makers and details. This sign is written in Japanese. Note: If anyone would like to have the Japanese added at ALT to this post, please let me know and I will take that step. In the center of the sign is a photograph of the bladesmith, Kato Masaya. They are working an active forge, which is bellowing fire. A photograph of a sign in a clear holder on a tatami mat. The sign reads: Number 24, Entrant Kato Masaya (Tochigi Prefecture) Bladesmithing category, accepted for exhibition. Type: Tanto, Edge Length: 21.9 centimeters, Curve: 0.3 centimeters. Signature: Made by Shinpei Polisher: Oshida Yukihiro Habaki (Blade Guard) maker: Mishima Mikinori Craftman’s Comment: This blade is based on the ‘Hocho Masamune’ (a famous kitchen knife-shaped dagger by Japan’s most famous swordsmith, Masamune).
November 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM