A treasure trove of modeling stuff found at Sanyodo Bookstore

In Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture there is a bookstore called Sanyodo with a fantastic modeling section. There I spotted Aoshima’s new Back to the Future Delorean from the 2nd movie! The first Delorean was released earlier this year. This is the first time seeing this second kit at a store.

I went there to pick up the latest Modelgraphix magazine (featuring Votoms dioramas) and OH BOY they now have a HUGE plamo section! Tons of neat supplies and everything too. Not just Gundams, but plenty of Macross, Votoms, Crusher Joe, shmups game ships, cars, planes… wow. Several years ago I picked up the Bandai mini Millennium Falcon there, but at that time the model section was pretty limited to just some Gundams. So, I was very impressed to see that their modest modeling section has been expanded to a few aisles even.

And check this out. They even stock Vallejo acrylic paints there. You don’t normally see these paints at regular hobby stores in Japan.

So yeah, plenty of great modeling supplies to be found there. I’m very impressed.

I picked up a Bandai “30 Minutes Sisters” kit. Girl #3 named Luluce. She has such a pretty, dark skin complexion and a cute ponytail. She is the one I was interested in getting, but never got around to buying before she disappeared. Maybe these kits were repopped because that model store had tons of them in stock.

A wild Delorean appears!

My Serbian friend Aleksandar took these pictures in Novi Sad, near his college. It had just rained.

Incidentally, I had found a Delorean in the wild once, at a shopping center in Scottsdale, AZ in 2009. This was when we still lived in America. The man was kind to let me take a picture, so he posed with his car.

But wait… there’s more! In my first year living in Japan, in 2012 Christopher Lloyd visited a movie theater in Shizuoka City for autographs. I had him sign my Back to the Future DVD. In front of the theater, a Delorean time machine replica was parked. The interior is replicated, but the exterior is a normal Delorean and it doesn’t have the big vents in the back.Here are the pics.

Complete with time circuits!

A Flux Capacitor!

There was even a Mattel Hover board.

This was inside where Mr. Lloyd was autographing.

Here he is signing my DVD box set. One of my treasures!