there was some other dude there with glasses that said he has been there for 10 years. Eric? Adam? nice enough guy. knew a lot of stuff. spent most of the time pontificating with Dean over Godzilla this and Ultraman that.

Dennis, I miss Howling Bull...

Fucking Howling Bull. I'd heard all about it, then my first trip to SF it's not open. Then a month after, they shut down. Fucking Howling Bull.

KMH has been an incredible place to live near for the last 8 years. I've scored some real treasures there and am partly responsible for the de-population of the vinyl racks and vintage cases.

I can't believe they are going to close.



Regarding Howling Bull---when I visited SF for the first time in '00, I was swayed to move here by my then GF (now wife), because we found a nice place 3 blocks from Howling Bull.

I really miss that place.

You must have come in when Ken or I wasnt working.

went by KMH today and picked up the huge Garada K7..Yuki hooked it up with a pretty good discount..really gonna miss that place

Hubby and I stopped by today too. We liked the roof top--looks like nice place for a BBQ. There were a lot of toys stuffed into the shelves, and we both wondered what the shop would look like after a mild earthquake . Core4pro, were you the tall guy with glasses that was making a purchase at around 4pm? Anyway, I saw Yuki--very quiet guy! There was another guy there, very nice and he really kept us entertained with his toy lore. Very excitable too! So I DID find Metron there! I got the 1983 and 1994 version, because I couldn't make up my mind which one I liked better

Stop 2 was Super 7. I love the shop, but everytime I go there, I always seem to be in the middle of a really bad flu. I was half dead, but I really wanted to see the toys . Walked away with a lime green and yellow Kemur riding on a metal tricycle (made by M1)--what really sold me was the *ding* *ding* *ding* sound the bell on the tricycle made, when you wheeled the toy around--really charming! And 1/2 off! Then a metallic green and brown Bemlar (too cute to pass up), and the Shampoo blue/red metallic Kanegon (by US Toys)! Then dinner at Mifune (sushi, tempura, Udon) and finally I got a book on JP toys at Kinokuniya, "So Crazy Japanese Toys" by Jimbo Matison (1/2 off!). It was an expensive day, but so much fun !

ok... going to pass out next to my kitee, covered with all of my new toys! sigh...

That's a lot o' smileys.

naw..I was the short asian guy with glasses I left just before 4pm

With that kind of day, I'd be smiley too.

S7, KMH, Kinokuniya, Japantown food...that pretty much sounds like a perfect day!

I love living in SF!

I am a big fan of the M1 Trikes too! Booska is my fave! Congrats on some great scores!

Thanks! ...and sorry for all of the smilies, it was a pretty exciting day. Living in the Bay Area is paradise!

Super 7 still had 2 more tricycle figures going for 50% off! Ultraman and another figure. I forgot to mention that I found a pink Tokyo Tower in the trike box
The JP toy book is hazardous! I think I want a Belzor next, are these hard to find?

Sort of. There's a couple of eye color variants, some harder to find than others. It shows up on auctions from time to time- about $60 to 80 these days for the white-eye version. I think the yellow/red eye version may go for more.

Thanks for the info and price range Akum6n. I'll start the hunt, and also post in the WANT section.

Sounded like you had a great day.
I can't complain myself.
Got some great deals at S7 today.
The weather in the city was beautiful, a bit hot.
Got treated to meat and rice for lunch at a new place I've never been in J-Town.

Which place?

Osakaya.