Blogger Style Throwdown — Japanese Swordsman under 3000L (vs. Lawless McBride)

August 7th, 2008 at 02:00pm Express Zenovka

gah.. sorry for the wait… technical difficulties held this one up

A long time ago, when I was just a newbie, I would wander the grid, holding my forward arrow down and steering whenever I needed to. Needless to say, I had no life. Actually, now that think of it, I still don’t. But that’s a conversation for another time. On one of these nights of wandering, I ran into this man. He was slightly taller than me, very good looking, and dressed impeccably. I wasn’t quite sure what to say to him, so I said “hi.” He ignored me. I felt very newbish and sad. That man’s name was Lawless McBride. So now, one year later, I found him again and told him: “You may have snubbed me a year ago but I was weak and inexperienced… now I’m ready to face you again. I challenge you to a style throwdown!”

Okay, so I lied. I first met Law a few months ago when I was dressed like a chimp and he was dressed like a woman. Dressed like Achariya at least. So when I came up with my awesome idea I sent him an IM and begged him to do this first one with me. Cuz hey, if anyone knows how to be an epic swordsman (a.k.a bedroom samurai in pink) — its Lawless.

Express Zenovka — Lone Fox and Red Panda

So what am I wearing? I started with the biggest part, the kimono. After wandering through many a Japanese sims I finally found a kimono I liked that was subtly decorated — not too bright and flashy but not too dull and boring. This was the Stimulation Kimono 07, from Sweetaholic Skin & Shapes. The set is pretty full, coming with a two layered top and skirt, along with prim obi and zouri (sandals). In addition, when I think of a badass swordman.. he has to be wandering one. And a wandering swordman always needs a hat. After running into Lawless at the Hanzo Blade Armory, I decided against the metallic hats there for the more rustic Sugegasa hat, also from Sweetaholic. Unfortunately, the hat didn’t quite match tones with the zouri in the kimono set (which are made of a darker wood) so I opted for setta from Lucky Card, which have awesome permissions (copy/mod) and have a color-change script for the tie. I decided to save a bit on the socks going with a pair in the free daily socks set from Arai.

Next up was my choice of weaponry. I wanted daishou and I wanted the weapons to be usable in rp combat sims so they wouldn’t just be decoration. After searching a bit, I found that most daishou sets were extremely expensive, esp because most sword sets weren’t daishou. Having next to no experience with any fighting systems at the time, I couldn’t understand why some sets were more than my entire budget! But, after scouring SLX, I found this Wild Spirit set by LL Action Designs for only 1200L. There are three different sets available but I opted for the Wild Spirit one — intended for post apocalyptic nekos — since it seemed like the best one for a quirky wandering samurai. After actually testing the set on DCS2 server last weekend, I found that this set doesn’t seem to have an enhanced damage for DCS. However, it was great to cut my teeth on as I was introduced to the art of melee fighting by some of the grid’s best DCS fighters.

And of course, what wanderer doesn’t travel with a lil bit of liquor and a travelling companion? Normally hidden away behind the swords is a bottle of sake from Jugoya. Available in three color schemes, this typing animation bottle is good for a lot of fun. I think we might all agree with the read me notecard: “the more you drink, the more you can communicate with your friends!” There’s a cheaper set of all 3 bottles without scripting, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to drink on the job. My companion is on my shoulder, a Red Panda from Yak & Yeti. This lil guy is isn’t scripted or anything but he’s pretty cute. I’d have liked a giant panda too but those require too much food to travel with.

To round the look out, I went with the stubbled version of the tan Under the Gun skin. The excellent, low cost skins are nice and beat up — both scarred and sunburned. Both seem par for course for a wandering samurai. I paired those with the deep chocolate eyes from Yip’s little store — 10L gems that are just worlds better than the standard newbie_template Linden eyes. I’m also wearing my own standard earrings, a dollarbie at free*style. On top of my head is the Liam hair style, by Wicked Loudon. Wicked is still on the teen grid but his friend Asuka Martin took the style with her when she transferred to the main grid and she sells it for him at Dernier Cri. The long wispy hair partially obscures my face — it make me mysterious or something that :p

Now, the part that I’ve avoided since my first pic and possibly my favorite part of this entire ensemble — the kitsune mask from Akibe. Wandering so much and so mysterious, this samurai just might be a wandering nine-tailed spirit in human form. I just love the detail on this mask and just how well done this sculptie is. If I could figure out a way to fit em all in, I’d have tried to wear all of the Akibe masks in one outfit! Even cooler, if these ever get upgraded the new version will be sent to you just my re-rezzing the masks. The store is also a site to see, a lovely, vibrant Inari shrine.

There really isn’t much more to say.. Lawless is angry old man who kicks puppies and tortures kittens. Do you really want him to win? Just skip his half and click that vote button for me like you know you want to.

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*Sweetaholic Skins&Shapes Kimonos* – [ST]SUGEGASA (180 lindens)
-Dernier Cri- – Liam (95 lindens)
YIPs little store – deep chocolate eyes (10 lindens)
AKIBE – KITSUNE mask – white (333 lindens)
-SCAR–TISSUE- – ring lobe piercings (1 linden)
Yak & Yeti – * Himalayan Panda * Shoulder Pet * (0 linden)
(Stella di Rossia) – Under The Gun (MALE) Tanned (stubble, sunburn, scars) (500 lindens)
*Sweetaholic Skins&Shapes Kimonos* – [ST]KIMONO 07 (450 lindens)
JUGOYA – anime hyotan dark (150 lindens)
LL Action Designs – Wild Spirit Set (1000 lindens inworld)
*ARAI* – Socks04 (0 linden)
[ LUCKY CARD ] – LC-I 002 SETTA (80 lindens)
Total: 2799L

Lawless McBride — Samurai Smackdown

Nope, it’s not the WWE’s latest pay-per-view extravaganza, it’s the hottest off the press Express Zenovka’s blogging brain child – two bloggers, one cup…erm, no, that’s not right, one cage, two bloggers enter, only one blogger emerges…hmmm, not quite right either…I think I’ll let him do the splaining. Basically the gist of the matter is I had to build an anime samurai warrior on a *gulp*…limited budget!!…and yes, it was as painful as it sounds. I mean, to get me all excited about shopping for samurai coolness and then limit me to 3,000 linden is both cruel and unusual punishment…it’s the kind of depraved idea that could only be born in a mind as dark, perverse, and discombobulated as Mr. Express Zenovka – but being the good sport that I am, I bravely pressed on, lindens in hand.

I was going to just mimic the samurai outfit that I blogged a few months back cus it was cheap as borsht but Dove said I wasn’t allowed to jump on the bed anymore during my photo shoots. Bloodied but unbeaten, I decided to keep Aoharu’s Samurai hair and start anew. As much as I like the hair, when I saw this Samurai hat at Hanzo Blades Armory, I knew it was a winner…bad arse and lending a definite air of mystery to my future warrior, it was my first purchase…coincidentally, we ran into Express there as well…stalk much buddy??

The bulk of my outfit is sort of a mix and match, but I’d venture to say that you could buy either Discord’s Kou-Ga outfit or Traum’s Cyberpunk Ninja outfit as stand alones and you’d be pleased as punch. The color scripted boots are from the Kou-Ga set, with a heap of different color options and some great detailing, in my never humble opinion. Realizing that all future samurais know how to rawk cyber wings, the Cyberpunk outfit had just the right set to help me release my inner ronin. Now, while it is true that a samurai could kill you with just a fierce sneer and a rose petal, they also realize that chicks dig guys with skills and swordplay is way up high on the list…which leads us to my Devil Crow Swords from Discord. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a Devil Crow, but holy hell, if they look anything like these swords, I don’t want them picking around in my garbage bags at the curb anytime soon…and just incase I don’t want to get blood on my samurai threads, my Shuriken belt is chock full of throwing star and knife goodness!!

So yeah, that was my Samurai 3,000 linden adventure in a nutshell. I even listed the prices to prove I didn’t cheat. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to go back to some of those stores and break the damned bank…and while I’m doing that, you should break your damned finger voting for me in this contest…and not because Express doesn’t wash his hands after he pees or because he has a hairy arse, not even because my outfit looked better than his, no, mostly I want you to vote for me because every vote for me is a vote for Free Tibet!!….unless you’re happy with the situation there, in that case a vote for me will be a vote for things to remain unchanged….oh, that and the fact that every vote for Express = a dead kitten somewhere in the world…do you really want that on your conscience? Help me, help you!!….Lawless.

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Dragon Claw Clan – Hoe Shuriken Belt (380 linden)
2C Eyes – Spotted8 Super Real Red Eyes (93 linden)
Discord – SCC Devil Crow Sword (70 linden)
Hanzo Blades Armory – Death and Life Samurai Hat (150 linden)
Traum – Cyberpunk Ninja Outfit (500 linden)
Moonlight Sindrome – Syounen Outfit (Jacket) (80 linden)
Discord – Kou-Ga Outfit (Boots) (300 linden)
Aoharu – Japanese Samurai Hair (150 linden)
FORM – Skin Pale Hair No Facial Eyeliner 1 (750 linden)
Total: 2473L

Voting Time

The Throwdown series is partially sponsored by Hathor Models. Men’s Second Style greatly appreciates their support!

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Some | Friends List: No

Entry Filed under: Accessories,Costumes,Fantasy,Hair,Hats,Outfits,Robes,Shoes,Skins,Socks,Style Throwdown