CARD CAPTOR SAKURA CCS Anime Official Memorial Art Book US $24.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:31:11 PDT

Love Benevolence Rabbit Keychain Toy Keyring Set 10pc US $6.83 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:32:23 PDT

SAIYUKI YAOI Doujinshi Process of my LOVE 2 US $49.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:32:52 PDT

Hello Kitty Children / Kids 6 Pcs Stationery Set #Red US $11.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:33:17 PDT

100% Rare! Pink Cute Hello Kitty Phone Charm Bag Dangle US $0.85 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:33:19 PDT

Pokemon Pikachu 12" Plush Toy Stuffed Figure Doll XY19 US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:33:56 PDT

100% Rare! Cute Hello Kitty Phone Charm/ Bag Dangle US $0.85 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:34:23 PDT

16" Rare Gray Hayao Miyazaki Totoro Figure Plush Chibi US $8.45 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:36:00 PDT

Japan Hot Anime Death Note (7pcs) Figure #332 US $0.85 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:36:16 PDT

XMAS Gift 2 Cute Met Life Kitty Figure White Watch #738 US $6.83 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:36:18 PDT

HELLO KITTY Candy Ponytail holder / hair band #PK B US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:36:25 PDT

XENOSAGA EP 3 KOS-MOS Gashapon SHION Swimsuit Normal US $2.95 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:36:42 PDT

Naruto Animation Movie Sticker COOL Party Favor-BL037 US $1.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:38:44 PDT

Rare Vintage Sanrio JP Multi Character Sticker Sheet! US $12.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:38:57 PDT

Sanrio JP Hello Kitty Snow Angel Collectors Plate!! US $19.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:38:58 PDT

Sanrio Hello Kitty Kimono Picture Frame!!!! SO CUTE! US $12.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:39:00 PDT

Sanrio JP Winged Fairy Hello Kitty & Unicorn Plush Set US $49.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:39:01 PDT

Bandai Naruto Gashapon figure ultimate 3 Part 7 of 6 US $9.38 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:39:12 PDT

GUNDAM MS REAL TYPE GUNDAM & MS-06J ZAKU US $10.49 (2 Bids) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:39:19 PDT

WINX CLUB 3D Child WristWatch Strap Watch FREE SHIPPING US $2.56 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:13 PDT

HELLO KITTY Leo Green Pencil 14cm Plush FREE SHIPPING US $4.27 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:15 PDT

High Quality Metal Doraemon Keychain Keyring Set Gift US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:22 PDT

Naruto Animation Movie Sticker COOL Party Favor-BL159 US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:22 PDT

Bastard Novel & Ecchi Pin-up #1 Kazushi Hagiwara OOP US $11.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:30 PDT

New Final Fantasy X Blue Stone Necklace Pendant Cosplay US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:33 PDT

MANGA Apocalypse Devilman Strange Days (Go Nagai) OOP US $9.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:34 PDT

MANGA Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Watanagashi-hen #1 NEW US $9.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:35 PDT

YAOI DOUJINSHI Naruto Shinobi #2 OOP RARE BOOK US $14.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:36 PDT

MANGA Dareside of Devilman Amon 1~6 Complete Set OOP (3 US $49.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:40:38 PDT

Manga Naruto Blue Metal Stationery Pencil Case Box/Tin US $3.33 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:42:04 PDT

Chi's Sweet Home Mousepad Mouse Pad Mat US $5.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:42:47 PDT

XENOSAGA EP 3 KOS-MOS Gashapon M.O.M.O. Figure Special US $2.95 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:44:06 PDT

ASTRO BOY ASTROBOY Uran 11cm Coin Money Bank Figure US $0.85 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:44:15 PDT

NARUTO Leaf Village Symbol Deluxe Leather WristWatch W3 US $4.27 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:44:21 PDT

Set of 5 Japan NARUTO Anime Action Figures Figurine HOT US $4.88 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:45:05 PDT

Naruto Ninja Haruno Sakura Costume / Anime Cosplay / XL US $38.80 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:47:05 PDT

CARD CAPTOR SAKURA CCS Animated MOVIE Complete Art Book US $24.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:47:37 PDT

HELLO KITTY CHOPSTICKS WITH CASE FOR BENTO/LUNCH BOX #D US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:48:05 PDT

PUCCA 3D Kid's WristWatch Strap Watch FREE SHIPPING US $2.56 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:13 PDT

Cute! SANRIO HELLO KITTY 15cm Soft Plush Doll Toy Pink US $0.85 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:13 PDT

Sanrio Hello Kitty 22cm Money Piggy Bank Gold FREE S&H US $12.82 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:13 PDT

Chinese PUCCA leather Belt Wrist Watch Kids Gift 207 US $0.85 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:15 PDT

Hello Kitty White Flower 30cm Soft Plush Toy Free S&H US $6.83 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:31 PDT

HELLO KITTY Candy Ponytail holder / hair band #or B US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:50:56 PDT

Neon Genesis Evangelion EVA 01 Gashapon Figure x8 US $24.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:51:56 PDT

MonokuRo Boo Black White Pig Mini Scissors w/Ball Chain US $5.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:53:33 PDT

San-X MonokuRo Boo Black and White Pig Scissors US $2.99 End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:53:39 PDT

NEW Detective Conan Anime Shinichi Kudou WristWatch W31 US $5.12 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:54:15 PDT

BLEACH New Toshiro Hitsugaya Wall Scroll US $16.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:55:51 PDT

CP-012 Brand New Rare"Sanrio"Hello Kitty Drink Bottle US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Aug-28-2008 3:56:23 PDT

Buddhism isn’t just about meditation and denying self-gratification to attain a higher state of being. When I was bute a chylde, I visited a Buddhist Hell Theme Park in Thailand. Fun for the whole family: sculptures depicting tongues being torn out, lots of spikes and bodies on said spikes, and certainly heaping amounts of simulated fire and brimstone that would make other religions’ demons feel inadequate.

With great joy, my wife and I visited Higashiosaka (click to teleport), the first Buddhist Hell Theme Park in Second Life — the first I’ve ever seen, and likely the first there ever will be. Filled to the prim (pun intended) with scampering souls, corpse-crushing demons, and good ol’ Saṃghāta, that mountain that keeps squashing the sinners.

If it isn’t obvious, we had a rollicking, remarkable time. The quality of the build is superb, surrounded by metropolitan buildings out of a Godzilla movie (several demons stood watch), and centered by a pointy temple protruding out of the earth. Around the temple, sculpted little people with crudely-drawn faces and pubic hair ran around in circles, flailing, feeling ever-so-hopeless. And surprisingly animated. See Ravenelle’s video for an in-motion adventure:

While you can’t hear it in the vid, a pleasant and/or bone-chilling soundtrack of guttural screams surrounded the whole work, while skeletal hands out of an Iron Maiden album cover intermingled with firetongues. Those who aren’t so rapt on their history will also draw comparisons to certain World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings creatures. Goes to show how creative human imaginations have always been!

There was so much to see and do here, and I really appreciate extra attention to detail like the flaming rocks coming down from the sky, the birds circling the temple’s top, the lightning bolts which (among other things) were reminiscent of the Peacock King trailer I saw the other day (wifey and I have been watching various Wuxia films), etc. They all add up for a cohesive, powerful place well-worth visiting. All in all, terribly rich, and enhanced by custom environment settings.

And now when my not-yet-Resi friends ask, “What can I see in Second Life?” I can point them here, which might be kinda edgy for the Showcase but worth the visit all the same, and it’s especially meaningful if your cultural background is attuned to the relevance of… BUDDHIST HELL! MUHAHAHA.

The only downside? Not knowing who to thank for this experience epic, and why they made it. I didn’t see any advertising, and the main builder’s profile was empty… empty! Seems like they’re of Japanese origin, tho. I’m curious, so if you know, fill me in.

Wikipedia has more info on Naraka and hells in Buddhism, and you can’t go wrong with Flickr pictures either (WARNING: NOT FOR SQUEAMISH).

Cute short from Japanese TV that puts the Japanese girl Becky in a cabin to live with two baby red pandas. Red pandas are extremely endangered creatures with only around 2,500 mature individuals and the purpose of this show ‘Tensai! Shimura Dobutsuen’ is to bring awareness to the plight of these animals.

1 videoclip of the cute Japanese girl and the baby red pandas after the jump.

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