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Elvinos2003 · 09-29-2021, 04:39 PM,

COMMENT

Name: - Sinon Yuki
Location: - New Tokyo
Reaction: - Curious

Konnichiwa!
I am Sinon Yuki. I just watched one of your old program that was mentioning shrines and temples. I did not know until now there was an active noble clan! Is there a way to contact them?
I wonder if they are like I imagined when I was born.

以上

[TBH] - Join today!

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Shimamori · 09-30-2021, 04:33 AM,

REPLY

Name: AHN Moderator Ozawa Yukio

(09-29-2021, 04:39 PM)Sinon Yuki Wrote: Konnichiwa!
I am Sinon Yuki. I just watched one of your old program that was mentioning shrines and temples. I did not know until now there was an active noble clan! Is there a way to contact them?
I wonder if they are like I imagined when I was born.

Sinon-san,
Clan Shimamori of Nakashibetsu can be contacted via public reception office or directly by addressing Marquess Shimamori himself. There is also a public reception in Nakashibetsu, the island of Haneda, planet Honshu, if you prefer offline inquiry with the Clan's office. We hope this information will be of use to you, Sinon-san.

Arigatou gozaimasu for the interest in our report! We are happy to attract more attention to our humble planet! We are looking forward to providing more quality content for you.

以上

Shimamori · (This post was last modified: 03-12-2022, 06:22 AM by Shimamori.)

All Honshu Network:
News and Entertainment from the Eastern Jewel of Kusari

Photo Contest "Beautiful Kusari"

Konnichiwa! This is Ishikawa Ayumi and you are watching "Ikiru michi" (//Way of life) on All Honshu Network. We are offering news on the latest developments in Kusari and beyond. Today we are offering our viewers to participate in a contest organised by the AHN and to win wonderful prizes!

Kusari is a beautiful House. From the megalopolises of New Tokyo to the pristine nature of Tomioka, anyone can find a spot to their liking. Truly, however, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so we are offering our viewers to share their favourite spots in Kusari. Perhaps, it is a less known temple somewhere in inaka (//countryside) of Kyushu? Or maybe it is a unique whirlpool on Shikoku? Or is it a breathtaking view of the sun disc through the atmosphere of a gas giant observed from afar? Let us know! Share the pictures of your favourite spots in Kusari and win the prizes provided by the AHN and our today's sponsors Orbital Spa & Cruise!

To participate in the contest, please share the picture of your favourite spot in Kusari in this channel using the following template:

Submission template

The rules of the contest are simple:

Each participant can submit only one picture and only once
The place on the picture has to be within the recognised borders of the Reformed Empire of Kusari and not from the restricted zones as per the laws of Kusari (//Shikoku, New Tokyo, Kyushu, Hokkaido, Tottori, Honshu)
//picture must be within the rules of the forum (preferably not to exceed height or width of 700 px)

The winners will be decided either by the popular vote or in case of the lack of popular vote, by the juries from the AHN and OS&C, our generous sponsors. The three best contestants will receive prizes!

will receive 100 million SC and a two-week all-included trip provided by our generous OS&C sponsor to any of their luxurious resorts in Sirius!
will receive 50 million SC and a one-week standard trip to Honshu, Liner Hawaii (Sigma-19), or Liner Maldives (Tottori) generously provided by our OS&C sponsors!
will receive 25 million SC and a one-week standard trip to Honshu, Liner Hawaii (Sigma-19), or Liner Maldives (Tottori) generously provided by our OS&C sponsors!

Do not miss this opportunity to share your favourite spot in Kusari with the rest of Kusari and other parts of Sirius and win wonderful prizes! The contest will be held for one month starting from today and until the 28th of November, 828 A.S. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our sponsors from OS&C for the financial support of this event. In case you are interested in their services not mentioned in this programme, please feel free to visit their neural network site for additional information

This concludes today's programme. Do you have any thoughts or comments on our content or do you want to vote for one of the contestants? Feel free to use the regular comment template below, indicating who is your favourite! This was Ishikawa Ayumi for AHN. Thank you for watching and sayonara! This programme was brought you by

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Shimamori · 12-13-2021, 02:02 PM,

All Honshu Network:
News and Entertainment from the Eastern Jewel of Kusari

Konnichiwa! Ishikawa Ayumi desu. You are watching "Ikiru michi" (//"Way of life") on All Honshu Network. Today in our programme, we explore a place where the soul of Kusari is forged from fire and honed to perfection. Join us in a journey to Bunkamura, home to the fabled Honshu swordsmiths of Daikouatsu school.

Founding of Yamanaka-to-be-Bunkamura

Streets of Bunkamura

Five minutes away by a maglev train from Minamimito, Haneda island, lies an inconspicuous town of Bunkamura. Nestled between two hills with lush forests so typical for this latitude, the town is difficult to spot from the air. Home to over 20,000 people, the town can hardly be called bustling with life outside the only maglev station. But it was not always like this. During the initial exploration of the Haneda island approximately 300 years ago, the place where Bunkamura is now situated was designated an area of strategic interest due to the rich deposits of Titanium and Chromium. The local colonial authorities established a mining outpost Yamanaka with a processing plant to supply the growing needs of the colony with durable metals. At its peak, the settlement harboured over 60,000 people engaged in overseeing the machinery extracting and refining natural resources and the service industry catering for the workers and their families. But as the colonies on Honshu became more and more interconnected and less reliant on particular ore deposits. The settlement kept losing its prominence with the arrival of large shipping of rare metals mined in space from newly discovered vast asteroid fields in the Taus. By 500, the population of Yamanaka had decreased to 5.000 people, and all talks about its expansion into a proper town were set aside. It was not until 537 when the town appeared again in the news.

Matamura Shota and the Spread of Fame

One of the local miners picked up a new hobby - bladesmithing. The skill of forging a blade was passed on from generation to generation in the family of Matamura as a token of respect to their peculiar ancestral tradition rather than a practical profession. Matamura Shota, at that time, was just an ordinary miner overseeing the extraction of titan dust from raw ore. Because of slow business, Matamura used his company's smelters to refine some ingots for personal use. Doing this at work sometimes, Matamura combined modern technology of producing high-quality tempered metal with ancient techniques of attributing the blade with intricate ornaments and tempered lines. Surprisingly, on showing the blades to the co-workers and supervisors, he got praised for his craftsmanship and was not reprimanded for using working time for his hobbies. For the shown support, Matamura gifted his swords to his boss and friends and continued producing bladed weapons with even greater enthusiasm.

In a short trip that would later decide the fate of Bunkamura, Shirokami Aoki, one of Matamura's friends, went off on a journey to Minamimito carrying one of the swords crafted by Matamura. The police stopped Shirokami to inquire regarding permission to carry a cold weapon around. It happened that one of the police officers examining the sword was a keen fan of kendo martial training and an expert on traditional Kusari bladed weapons. Officer Ueki was impressed with the craftsmanship and asked Shirokami to test the blade against the bamboo mats. Shirokani troubled that he had neither required documents to carry even a sheathed katana around nor knowledge about a law requiring such a permit, offered the katana as a gift to officer Ueki in hopes such a move would spare him legal issues. Shirokami did get fined, although only for possessing an unlicensed cold weapon and not for an attempted bribe of a Kusari State Police officer, and officer Ueki got the first katana by Matamura in his extensive collection to come in the future.

Hot Springs in Old Mine

Ueki loved to display his collection to his sparring mates and members of his police precinct. Matamura's blade quickly caught the eye of the appreciators of bladed weapons and avid katana collectors. The blade's design was not as exquisite compared to the renowned masters of Kyushu and New Tokyo and resembled more minimalist mass-issued blades for the army. Still, it was the blade properties that attracted so much attention. The blade was carefully crafted, with all the details distinctly indicating the manual work of a master. Yet, the alloys the blade was made of, and the number of foldings clearly implied the use of sophisticated machinery. The use of industrial robots for producing katanas was not new: after all, the mass-produced katanas are traditionally in the employ of the imperial army. The combination of a bladesmith's work with industrial-grade processing of the blade was relatively new. Most of the other bladesmiths preferred to complete the blade only by hand, whether on their own or together with their apprentices from the start to the end. Matamura's blades combined the metal purity, durability, and sharpness provided by hundreds of thousands of foldings impossible for a human to make without heavy machinery and aesthetical style and craftsman's touch of a true bladesmith. This led to the creation of the school of Daikouatsu - "School of Great Pressure". Aside from numerous foldings, the school's peculiar features included high pressure of forging using heavy machinery, exotic durable metals such as Titanium, Chromium, and Vanadium in blades, and extreme tempering temperatures.

Soon, the news of a unique new bladesmith travelled all across Honshu, and more people started rushing to Yamanaka to get a blade of their own. Sudden fame and profits allowed Matamura to capitalise on them and found his own bladesmithing school. The success of Matamura prompted other inhabitants of Yamanaka to use their expertise in working with metals and for traditional arts: pottery, masonry, blacksmithing, carpentry, etc. In mere ten years, the town fully re-oriented to craftsmanship and traditional arts, becoming a popular tourism spot for the city dwellers of Minamimito. As the incomes of Yamanaka town grew, more people of other professions poured in, opening a small kabuki theatre, re-building a few districts in traditional styles, and opening onsen - hot springs spa - in old defunct mines. Re-imagination of an old mining town of Yamanaka into a small cultural centre resulted in an eventual change of the name and status of the settlement from Yamanaka outpost to the town of Bunkamura ("Culture Village" - Kus.).

Bunkamura Today

Daikouatsu Modern Vibrosword

Over the years, however, the "hype" over the town dwindled, and it became a quiet yet notable tourist destination for people who appreciate traditional Kusari culture or seeking to buy a good blade. Sporadically, one can notice apprentices coming from all over Kusari and beyond to learn the ways of Daikouatsu bladesmithing, but those are usually few and far between. The majority of tourists visiting the town are, same as centuries ago, seekers of a true Kusari sword. Bunkamura's blades are famous both among the sophisticated collectors and common folk, especially Naval Officers. Because of the use of machinery in their creation process, the blades are cheaper than most master-crafted blades of other schools. Yet, the touch of Daikouatsu bladesmiths elevate them above the industrially-made swords used for the army or sold in typical souvenir shops in spaceports and on Roppongi. No less important for the customers is that Daikouatsu smiths do not shun working on fancy modern vibroblades, blades with plasma cutters, electric blades, and other technological innovations that are often seen contradictory to traditional Kusari bladesmithing. If anyone wants a vibrosword crafted by a master - perhaps, Bunkamura would be the most famous of but a few spots in Kusari where such weapons are made. Affordability of the blades is bliss for the small town which has built an entire entertainment industry around selling swords. For a modest fee, you can have a traditional blade testing ceremony at the local ryokan ("traditional hotel" - Kus.), hone your fencing skills with a newly purchased sword or naginata at one of the local martial arts schools, enjoy one of the many performances at the local kabuki to understand the place of the sword in the culture of Kusari, or even buy a kimono befitting a samurai at the many boutiques dotting the slopes of the mountains of Bunkamura. Regardless of what you are coming for to Bunkamura, the local atmosphere infused with centuries-old traditions will share with you the secrets of the Soul of Kusari - the Way of the Sword.

This concludes our programme for today. We sincerely hope that this feature was of interest to both our viewers in Kusari and beyond and that more people will come to visit Bunkamura. Whether you want to buy a sword or relax in an exotic hot spring in a defunct mine - you will always be welcome! Do you have trouble finding the way? Do not hesitate to contact Minamimito Tourist Information centre for guidance. We wish you great and eventful travels throughout Kusari and abroad, and that good fortune always accompanies you. This was Ishikawa Ayumi for AHN.

This programme was sponsored by the Haneda Department of Tourism of Honshu and Clan Shimamori. Brought you by

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Lord Helmchen · 12-13-2021, 08:32 PM,

COMMENT

Name: - Caitlyn Cross
Location: - Samson Resort, Planet Curacao, System Cortez
Reaction: - Inspiring!

As always an Interesting program that Brings us at OS&C many new Ideas and Destinations for our Guests in Kusari. And not just our Guests, I plan a Round Tripp at Honshu to Visit all the Beautifull Spots you have shown us in your Programme with my Wife.

以上

Orbital Spa and Cruise

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Emperor Tekagi · 12-15-2021, 02:09 PM,

COMMENT

Name: - Sanae Miyasu
Location: - Kōkyo, Imperial district, Planet New Tokyo
Reaction: - Good to know!

Bunkamura. I haven't been there since over a decade.
I'm still in possession of a very beautiful vanadium blade, featuring extensive decorations.
If I remember my grandfathers story correctly, it dates back to Matamura Shota's first son, around 600 AS. and is supposedly one of his first works.
Maybe I will find the time to bring the blade to Bunkamura myself, I am quite sure they would love to inspect it!

Arigatou gozaimasu, AHN and Ishikawa-san for this beautiful report. I had almost forgotten about the blade and its story!

以上

Shimamori · 03-12-2022, 06:33 AM,

All Honshu Network:
News and Entertainment from the Eastern Jewel of Kusari

Konnichiwa! Ishikawa Ayumi desu. You are watching "Ikiru michi" (//"Way of life") on All Honshu Network. Today we offer you to embark on a journey to a remote quiet shrine that has a special place in the hearts of the people of Kusari, Ushinawareta Tamarashii Shrine.

For the most time of Kusari's history peace reigned in our space. But like in any society there have been sad pages of warfare and strife. At the time of conflict, the people of Kusari longed for peace and prayed for it to return to all of our systems. Many shrines across our beautiful House have been erected to reflect this longing for eternal peace. The most famous, arguably, is the Eien Heiwa Jinja (//shrine of Eternal Peace) on the planet New Tokyo. Today we would like to draw your attention to a less prominent Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja (//shrine of the lost souls) on Honshu.

History of Ushinawareta Tamarashii Shrine

Temple in the middle of the Shrine

Ushinawareta Tamarashii Shrine is located on a small island of Heiwajima (//the island of peace) in the southern hemisphere of Honshu. Its location makes it a difficult to visit spot: there are no nearby settlements and from the city of Minamimito where our HQ is located it would take approximately two and a half hours of flight to get there. The shrine is one of the oldest in Kusari and traces its roots to the fall of the Hideyoshi Shogunate and the people who lost their lives during the first major strife in Kusari. It was created in 322, a year after the fall of the Shogunate. The guards of the Hideyoshi and he himself are enshrined and revered as the first martyrs of Kusari at Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja. At that time there still were a lot of people who saw the actions of the Samura-led operation as illegitimate and unnecessary and saw paying tribute to the Shogun who honourably preferred death to disgrace as a right thing to do. With the growing frequency of clashes between the forces of the new Empire and the Shogunate (who would, later on, become the Blood Dragons) more and more people were enshrined as victims of human imperfection and resulting lust for power. With time the perception of the Dragons and their methods changed but the tradition to revere the first martyrs remained. The shrine was of little significance for the imperial authorities to interfere.

As Kusari kept exploring adjacent space and with the rise of the GMG following the Honshu ecological crisis of 250es the Shrine assumed an additional role. A lot of people from Honshu embarking on a quest of exploration either as a part of the imperial explorers, GMG surveyors, or independent adventurers never returned home, losing their lives to the hazards of space. The courage and duty to the society of such lost souls were recognised by the people and the names of the brave Kusarian explorers were added to the list of kami revered at the shrine. It was exactly at that time, in 391 A.S., when the Shrine got its current name - the Shrine of the Lost Souls. This renaming was welcomed by the authorities who felt uneasy because of the previous name, the Shrine of the Martyrs, which commemorated Hideyoshi and his followers and the righteous victims to unneeded strife. The new name served the state discourse of the time - to serve fervently to the Emperor even in the face of death and the risk of getting lost in space.

Most of the people commemorated at the Shrine were from Honshu and so it was only logical that gradually the Shrine got associated with the planet and its populace. Although this unspoken rule is never mentioned in any clerical document since around the middle of the 5th century A.S. only those of Honshu origin could be added to the list of kami. Later on, the rule extended to those whose last destination or departure point was the planet of Honshu. This symbolism made the Shrine especially dear to the citizens of Honshu and made it a prominent pilgrimage site among the locals, although rumours say the original intent behind such a limitation was to reduce the number of pleas to enshrine relatives at Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja.

The second life of the Shrine began in 589 with the start of the Eighty Years War. With many GMG pilots and volunteers coming from Honshu, those who lost their lives to Rheinland's offensive were accepted as the righteous martyrs and celebrated at Ushinawareta Tamarashii. After the war finished in 668 with the defeat of Rheinland, the pilots who perished during the conflict were praised as a sacrifice to the sovereignty and pride of the people of Kusari although the House never officially participated in the war. The war stories of the GMG pilots visiting Honshu and the surge of patriotism made Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja the most recognisable shrines at that time. Many state officials and the GMG top managers visited the shrine at the time whether to sincerely celebrate the heroes or to improve their popular image.

The recent resurgence of the Shrine's popularity befalls on the recent conflicts: the Rheinland incursions in 800-801 and 825, the war against Bretonia of 813-17, the civil war of 823-25, and the two wars against Gallia in 817 and 828 A.S. The wars of aggression against the Kingdom of Bretonia and the Gallic Confederacy were considered as unjust by some circles and the aggressors could not be commemorated at the shrine. Their opponents recalled the roots of the shrine and that even those who died deposing the Hideyoshi Shogunate were commemorated and it would be hypocritical to reject the right of the fallen soldiers of Kusari who bled for the Empire to be commemorated. Regardless of the views, many sons and daughters of Honshu who died in all of these conflicts were added to the list of kami worshipped at Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja.

Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja Today

Torii of the Shrine

The shrine itself is located on an unremarkable island that hosts only the priests taking care of the shrine and but a few pilgrims paying their respect to the spirits. Do not let this description fool you, however. The shrine is huge. Over the centuries it has accumulated so many names to be commemorated that the very stone pillars with the names of the people enshrined became a tourist spot of itself. According to official records, 83,744 souls were enshrined at Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja as of today. Every name is carved on stone tables placed concentrically around the founding stone where Shogun Hideyoshi and his sworn guard are commemorated. In the centre of the shrine, there is also a three-floored building that serves as a temple for the ceremonies and where the few priests live.

Like in any other shinto shrine, at the entrance to Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja there is torii - the traditional gates, marking the gateway from the mundane to the sacred. Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja' torii is not particularly famous or unique but is quite picturesque, located at the harbour of the island effectively making the whole island a sacred space. On the opposite side of the island, a monument to the lost souls is located. It is a large stone statue depicting a spaceship lifting up to the sky, its frontal part chipped with a chisel to look as if it was fading away. The statue is meant to show that any lift-off can result in being lost in space. Quite often such a message is misunderstood by foreigners as pessimistic yet it is traditional to Kusari culture and shows acceptance of the natural order of things and inevitability of fate. It compels us to enjoy our every day as if it was our last for we are not in control of the greater cosmic order of things and cannot know what awaits us tomorrow. It is our duty, however, to make the most out of the time we have.

Because of the recent wars that the Empire has found itself in, the shrine has drawn more attention from the pilgrims and travellers. However, they are still not as many as the visitors of the famous Eien Heiwa Jinja of New Tokyo which is located much closer to the busy districts of New Tokyo and conveys a more optimistic message of eternal peace. Nevertheless, those who appreciate the traditional culture and philosophy of Kusari say that at least a single visit to Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja is a must. The shrine is also popular among the traditionalists or those who look sympathetically at the Blood Dragons' cause. It is unlikely that any visitor will openly admit supporting the Dragons and surely not everyone visiting the shrine belongs to the sympathisers of the latter yet you can often hear people romanticising about Kusari's Shogunate past and praising the spirit of Hideyoshi. Do not worry if you agree with these sentiments - the authorities do not interfere with the shrine, and some people even say the local authorities are the supporters of the Blood Dragons themselves. Rumours be rumours, but as long as you do not incite violence or call upon toppling down the existing government of Kusari you can enjoy the freedom of speech and appreciation of all Kusari historical figures regardless of their affiliation.

A few notable names

Stones with the names of the lost

Nevertheless, the Shrine's primary purpose is not to glorify the fallen but to remember the sacrifice of those who did not return at all and got lost somewhere in the dark void of space. Among the people commemorated at the shrine such lost souls are the majority. Some of those are common workers of companies or wanderlust travellers who never found their way back home, the others were famous explorers of Kusari and are known to most kids from history textbooks. Here are a few notable examples.

Onaga Tadao, an explorer from Honshu who ventured into deep Sigmas in 401 A.S. and was never seen again. He was responsible for finding many gas clouds in the Crow Nebula. His last voyage happened soon after his 38th birthday and was supposed to be just a routine flight to mark new gas clouds. He was last seen leaving Sigma 13 system deeper into the Crow Nebula towards unexplored Sigma systems. Presumably, his ship could not withstand the volatile gases. It was never found.

Seta Kimi, a pathfinder from Honshu and one of the first Kusari pilots to visit the Omicron Gamma system. She was renowned as a fearless woman who preferred space to family and defied many social norms and expectations in doing so. Nevertheless, she earned public respect by succeeding to get to deep Omicrons alone while an organised by Samura expedition of multiple ships could not. Her last voyage was supposed to venture even further into the unknown parts of the Omicrons. In 588 A.S. she departed from Honshu in the direction of the Sigmas and was never seen again. Rumours are she actually managed to get to planet Crete and followed the steps of the famous freelancer Jim Brown. It is unknown, however, whether the Corsairs were responsible for her disappearance. The Hogosha who are known to visit Crete say that there are no records of a Kusarian woman killed or captured at that time but there are records of a Kusari freelancer asking about deeper Omicrons around 589 A.S. Presumably, Seta managed to safely get to Crete and change food for information. Despite the warning from the locals, she departed into the upper quadrants of the Omicron Gamma system not to be seen again. Her ship "Sakura" was never found.

Samura Akihiko, a duke of Kyushu, and Nagasawa Satoru, lord-governor of Kyushu. It is, arguably, the most famous case of disappearance in the history of Kusari. On the 16th of April, 588 A.S., Duke Akihiko of Kyushu together with the planetary governor Nagasawa Satoru departed from Kyushu to Honshu to visit Duchess Misako of Honshu. They travelled aboard "Hirane", a magnificent imperial yacht designed for transporting VIPs and imperial family members and was armed to the teeth no worse than the best imperial destroyers. They were accompanied by two gunboats, "Tsuchi" and "Sora" and veteran crew. The ships could easily withstand a sudden raid of the Blood Dragons. Additionally, the logs of tradelanes they travelled through did not indicate any attempt to attack. On the 2nd of May, 588 the ship after technical maintenance departed from Shinagawa station in New Tokyo in the direction of Chiba cloud because of the desire of the Duke to observe the jumphole leading to Honshu that had been previously discovered by the researchers. Despite the pleas of the researchers aboard, the Duke decided to travel through the jumphole to show his fearlessness to the Emperor. At that time, the jumphole was considered stable and researchers had already undertaken multiple voyages through it without any complications. "Tsuchi" went first and appeared on the other side. Then went "Hirane" with "Sora" closing the formation. To everyone's surprise, on the other side of the jumphole only "Tsuchi" and "Sora" came out. The attempts to locate possibly displaced "Hirane" did not yield any results. A subsequent thorough investigation of what might have happened to "Hirane" suggested that a sudden fluctuation in the space-time continuum could have led "Hirane" to a different point in space or even time. Nevertheless, this hypothesis did not explain why "Sora" and "Tsuchi" that came in the jumphole at around the same time did not disappear. The vanishing of two political figures of such importance caused a crisis on Kyushu and the 2nd of May is now celebrated as "Oto-oto no hi" - the Day of younger brother on which older brothers take care of their younger siblings and treat them with sweets to commemorate the disappearance of the Emperor's younger brother Duke Akihiko. The captain of "Sora" committed seppuku to remedy his shame of "having survived after the Duke" while the captain of "Tsuchi" disappeared under suspicious circumstances, likely killed by the ultra-right patriots blaming the death of the Duke on a Blood Dragons' scheme. Up to this day the mystery of "Hirane's" disappearance remains unsolved and is often appearing both on serious scientific works on jumpholes, and on the pages of yellow press blaming the event on the Dragons, aliens, ghosts, and the like. Ageira has been using the case of Duke Akihiko and Lord Nagasawa to discourage its clients from using jumpholes and sticking to the tested jumpgate technology.

We hope that today's programme was of interest to you and has motivated our viewers to learn more about the history of Kusari. Nowadays, many people visit Ushinawareta Tamarashii no Jinja in an attempt to find their ancestors and pay hefty sums of money to genealogists to establish a relation with the people enshrined at the shrine. Who knows, maybe some of your ancestors are enshrined here too? Come and check it out for yourself!

This programme was sponsored by the Haneda Department of Tourism of Honshu and Clan Shimamori. Brought you by

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Shimamori · 07-16-2022, 07:34 AM,

All Honshu Network:
News and Entertainment from the Eastern Jewel of Kusari

Matsuhari Messe: the Celebration of Kusari Animation

Konnichiwa! This is Ishikawa Ayumi and you are watching "Ikiru michi" (//"Way of life") on All Honshu Network. Stay with us today to learn more about the fascinating world of traditional Kusari animation, comics, and how one inconspicuous shopping mall on Honshu for a day turns into a tourist mecca for people from all Kusari.

"Adores" Shopping Mall

In the sprawling city of Shin-Akita, on the island of Noboritojima in the northern hemisphere of Honshu there is an ordinary shopping mall called "Adores". Visiting it feels like visiting any other shopping mall in Kusari (and beyond): old ladies with their pets slowly pacing in search of discounted goods, moms looking for plush toys or any item that would stop their adorable babies cry, and students either looking for a part-time job or enjoying their time off. During the weekends one can expect more families and sararyman desperate to succumb to consumerism in a desperate attempt to justify their long working ours with alleged capacity to "buy" happiness. One can see geeks, too, on one of the top floors where they temporary dwell at the local manga store making the maximum of the time they can spend reading the new releases without paying for them. This all changes on the 17th of August when each year the largest and oldest anime and manga Comicon is held on the five top floors of the shopping mall that are normally reserved for business expos, corporate meetings, and even a private spaceport.

On that day venerable for many otakus from all around Kusari and beyond, the shopping mall turns into a kingdom of cosplay, roleplay, heated discussions on what anime has a better plot and which mangaka is better at drawing, card games, board games, video games, virtual & augmented reality attractions, and of course the infamous "red zone" where the connoisseurs of adult manga and anime can enjoy their private discussions (and what ensues them). The halls get filled with a wide palette of colours from green and blue-dyed hair to match the popular anime heroes to dull grey and black representing edgy antiheroes with mysterious traumatic pasts. The outfit styles vary as much: from imitation of full ironclad plate armours of the past to provocative mini-skirts to innocuous maid costumes. Whatever related to manga and anime you are looking for - you will find it here.

Dancing Arcades of Makuhari

This event is called "Makuhari Messe" after the Makuhari Expo Hall located on the top floors. The history behind the event is not that convoluted. About three centuries ago a group of local enthusiasts whose names are lost to history decided to hold a small cosplay event at the local manga store. "Adores" was just another newly built shopping mall desperately looking for attention in an attempt to sway potential customers and win bread from the local competitors, and thus gladly gave permission to the event and even upgraded the venue to a large corporate hall still rarely used at that time. It took over a decade for an obscure meeting of the local geeks to become a known event in the city, about 30 years to become well known around the island, 80 years to become a famous anime event around all of Honshu, and, eventually, after more than a century the words "Makuhari Messe" invoke awe and make the knees of otaku tremble all around Kusari (and beyond soon thereafter). The businesses quickly made note of the growing event and provided more and more sponsorship to the organisers and the participants to boost the recognisability of their brands or to sell merchandise if the companies were part of the entertainment industry. At a certain point, even Kishiro jumped the wagon and created a fund for young talented mangaka to kick-start their creations. Nowadays "Makuhari Messe" is not only a feast of cosplay but also of advertisement, PR, and headhunting and can be compared to the big business expos taking place at the same hall because anime and manga are also big business.

However, do not let the advertisement and consumerism shun you away from this celebration of life. If you ever wanted to exchange your boring working suit for the colourful garb of some catgirl from a parallel universe - this is the place where nobody would judge. On the contrary - you are quite likely to receive a few compliments and, perhaps, find a few like-minded enthusiasts and potential friends. If you are not into anime and manga - no worries. There are a lot of people attending the event to enjoy various activities and games, observe both superb and motley costumes, eat exotic food, and laugh at the awkward situations that inevitably occur every time. Among the other amusements, one can visit a large swimming pool and aquapark on the top floor from which the skyline of Shin-Akita can be observed. Just beware: the place is popular to show bodybuilding and bikini-style cosplay and not everything can be child-friendly, or fidelity-friendly. For parents, we would suggest an arcade hall two floors down where a lot of kids' anime-themed attractions can be found.

If you are into adult-only themes, then the right wing of the hall on the fourth floor is your choice. Be it the new edition of "Tentacle girls from the deep Omicrons" or the uncensored version of "A Golden Chrysanthemum took my virginity" - you can find it all there. Naturally, the entrance is controlled and you cannot get in without an ID. Be ready also to leave all your photo- and video-shooting devices at the entrance to respect visitors' privacy. For people who were blessed with finding a couple in such a peculiar place or especially strong libido, there is a private onsen (//hot springs) a few floors down or an anime-themed love hotel across the street. Just remember to always put your health first and take the necessary precautions.

A frame from "A Golden Chrysanthemum took my virginity"

"Makuhari Messe" is a truly wonderful event that is attended by over 1 million visitors each year in a span of mere five days. While it has an ambiguous reputation in some circles, do not let the rumours stop you from visiting this Comicon and forming your own opinion. Perhaps, you will love it and join the celebration of the shared hobby, or perhaps you will cringe at the look of it and decide to look for fun elsewhere. "Makuhari Messe" rarely leaves people indifferent. If you came from afar and found the event not to your liking - do not be discouraged: the local Tourism Department will assist you for free in finding a different destination on Honshu and offer a discount on transportation.

Come visit "Makuhari Messe" and tell us your own story! This concludes today's programme. We wish you a good day and hope that your visit to Honshu will be unforgettable. Ishikawa Ayumi for

.

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Emperor Tekagi · 07-16-2022, 01:24 PM,

COMMENT

Name: Shiro-EmiVA☑️
Location: Shin-Akita, Honshu
Reaction: Heartwarming!

Heya! Shiiiroma-o-Emi here! I am the Voice Actress for your beloved protagonist, Saki-chan of the "A Golden Chrysanthemum took my virginity" series! I am super hyped that AHN reported on the debut of our uncensored cut at the Matsuhari Messe! Don't be shy, visit us! Oh and.. I am at the Matsuhari Messe for fan meetings too!
Oh and before I forget, your news reporter, is she looking for a side job? She could make for a great VA!

Love
~Shiro-Emi!

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Lord Helmchen · 07-16-2022, 03:32 PM,

COMMENT

Name: - Caitlyn Cross
Location: - Liner Red~Velvet~Club, Orbit of Honshu, Systemn Honshu
Reaction: - Inspiring and Harmony!

I was Realy Lucky this year as one of our Honshu Cruises brought me there just a day before the "Matsuhari Messe" took Place. I was Suprised and Delighted to go to such a Convention. I even Bought a Marika's Pirate Outfit from my Favorite Classic Anime "Moretsu Pirates" to Wear during the Convention. And my wife bought a Costume from the Anime "Chi to ai" (Blood and Love), she just loves the story of a Kusarian Girl and a Rheinlander who fall in Love during the Sigma War. It is a Great Convention and I will definitely return next year and have lots of fun there again when I go Home with my Bags Filled with Manga and Anime.

以上

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