Here we go again.
Wow… it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve written anything.
Honestly, I think I hit a bit of burnout. Life got stressful, a lot was going on, and I just didn’t have the energy to sit down and write. But it wasn’t for nothing — I’ve officially finished the whole process of moving to Japan.
And yeah… I’m here now.
I’ve been trying to get out and explore when I can. I’ll probably do an apartment tour or a little local area review at some point. I’m really excited to be here — maybe a little too excited, considering I’ve already burned through more money than I should enjoying the sights and doing a bit of partying.
Now I’m trying to slow down, settle in, and find some good places to relax… and hopefully meet some people along the way.
Card Shops, Packs, and Pure Vibes
One thing I’ve noticed right away is just how many card games are around here.
Lorcana, MTG, Shadowverse, Pokémon, One Piece… it’s kind of everywhere.
Naturally, I’ve been gravitating toward Shadowverse. I’ve been picking up Japanese packs — especially the new set that dropped on the 27th — and just opening them for fun. No idea if anything I pulled is actually good, but the art alone makes it worth it.
I might just be collecting at this point… but honestly, I’m not even mad about it.
Starting My Grand Archive Journey (Sort Of)
Right before leaving the States, I dipped my toes into Grand Archive.
Still very much a beginner — like, I barely know how to play yet — but I’ve been slowly learning. I found out my Merlin Re:Collection and Diana Moonpiercer starter deck are still playable, which is a huge relief.
From what I understand so far, the game feels a lot more hero-focused. You can pick a character you like and actually build around them depending on your playstyle.
Like with Diana, I think I can shift from water into a more aggressive fire setup, which sounds really cool if I’m understanding it right.
That kind of flexibility is something I really like. It feels more personal, like you’re shaping your own deck instead of constantly abandoning it.
Also… I really want to play Armes. He looks sick.
But the playstyle doesn’t match me at all, so I’ve been holding back for now.
Learning, Slowly (and Maybe Socially)
Grand Archive also has that sandbox beta going on, so I’m thinking about jumping in with some people from Discord and actually trying to learn properly.
Part of me wishes it had a full digital client like Shadowverse — I genuinely think it would blow up if it did. The art, the systems, the feel… it’s all there.
But at the same time, maybe it being more manual is better. Forces me to actually learn the game instead of autopiloting.
Still… I can’t help but think it’d be insanely popular with a proper online version.
What’s Next
Right now, I’m just trying to settle in.
Find some good spots.
Find some people.
Maybe find a local scene I can slowly become part of.
And in the meantime… I’ll keep opening packs and admiring cards I probably don’t deserve.