Picture stolen from Hobby Blog (possible stolen from elsewhere)

I can see the appeal of covering your real car with decals of your favourite anime goddess, and I can see the appeal of building plastic models. But good things aren’t always better when mixed together, like ice-cream and curry. Also, that thing is covered with way too many decals. I think just having one decal on the front hood would’ve been in better taste. More pictures here.

[ Source: Hobby Blog via Kotaku ]

It seems that some business executives are trying too hard to bring in otaku money. Just two days ago, reports surfaced that there’s a (unconfirmed) plan to start off this year’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen with an akiba-kei performance by AKB48, Shouko Nakagawa (famous girl gamer cum cosplay idol often seen promoting new games) and Leah Dizon.

I’m still trying to figure out why Leah Dizon is in there. For Haruhi’s sake, NHK! At least find some decent singers if you’re aiming for the otaku-friendly image. Like KOTOKO or Yui Horie. Jeez.

Wait, what?

So here’s the story. Last Sunday, I was in the Orchard area playing my part for the community at large by volunteering as the official photographer for some charity street busking project—we have a lot of these. After seven gruelling hours spent repeatedly depressing the shutter button, I was ready to move on to the next stage of my spiritual evolution, i.e. death. Then, as I was close to drawing my final breath, I noticed a familiar face…in 2D. There was a Chevrolet car show going on at Civics Square (aka the empty area outside Ngee Ann City which, up to that point in time, was completely outside my sphere of awareness. (I’m not a car person, okay?) The only thing I know about Chevrolet is that Bumblebee is one. Good old Bumblebee.

I am digressing, as usual. The point is that I saw the car pictured above on display. Apparently it won the “Best Dress up Car Contest”. Oh wow. I took a few shots. Some guy walked passed with his girlfriend and, after the initial momentary look of shock was replaced by one of recognition and child-like joy, took out his phone to take a few pictures too. Meanwhile, the announcer kept harping on Chevrolet’s (paid) appearance in Transformers.

Times like these bring tears to my eyes. The owner of this car has achieved one of my goals in life, except that I hate Shana and the line art trace he used for the decal is pretty fugly. Oh well, you can’t have everything in life. At least now I know who to look for when if I get my own car one day.

P.S. Don’t know what “itasha” means? Read this. It’s a (relatively) common phenomenon in Japan, but this is the first one I’ve seen in Singapore.