Our friends in Japan need our prayers

[Astro Forever]

Me too.

I am definitely more worried than I was this weekend at this point.

[Fauna]

I called my (would-be?) host family in Kitahiroshima, and I got an answer, despite embarrassing myself by not knowing certain phrases. On the plus side, nearly everybody on that end of the country seems to be doing all right.

For the moment, however, all progress in clean-up hangs on the prevention of the final power plant's meltdown. In the meantime, find a reliable organization to donate through, and don't make any crude jokes about the event. I shouldn't even have to tell people the latter.

If anybody's thinking of some sort of anime/manga figure, ANN has an Industry "Alive and Well" Check-In with a huge list of companies, actors and artists who are all right. The only celebrity I was worried about who appears on the list is Norio Wakamoto (my favourite vocalists Yasuyuki Okamura and Ichirou Mizuki remain unknown), but maybe you guys'll get more consolation from it.

[Astro Forever]

Oh, I did not know you were even going to live with a family. I'm glad they are fine, I suppose you must already feel some personal connection.

[InsaneAstroBoyLover]

Aww! Yes! Nintendo is ok! But im still very worried about the rest of japan...

[Dr. Jerk]

Akira Himekawa (Astroboy 2003 manga, Zelda manga) and Makoto Tezuka (Tezuka's son) are both alright, despite not being added to the list.

I find that the list on-site isn't updated anymore, you'll have better luck in the list's forum thread.

[Fauna]

Akira Himekawa (Astroboy 2003 manga, Zelda manga) and Makoto Tezuka (Tezuka's son) are both alright, despite not being added to the list.

I find that the list on-site isn't updated anymore, you'll have better luck in the list's forum thread.

I'm in the middle of writing a fan letter through Ichirou Mizuki's fansite address, so hopefully even a spokesperson's feedback can tell me if he's okay. I can't find anything about Yasuyuki Okamura (since he's been fairly sheltered in the year since he got out of jail), and Norio Wakamoto is safely away from Tokyo.


UPDATE: THE REACTOR IS ON FIRE. SEVERE AMOUNTS OF RADIATION HAVE LEFT THE PLANT, WHICH WILL NOT AFFECT NORTH AMERICA BUT WILL STILL BE HAZARDOUS TO THOSE IN TOKYO.

Pray that it doesn't get worse. I don't even care what your religion is, just pray.

[Dr. Jerk]

WHY did I knew this would happen...

Just... WHY was it so predictable... oh god, my worst fear is becoming real.

[Astro Forever]

The Japanese ambassador in Canada happened to be visiting my province today, and our prime minister said we'd help. I'm glad to hear that.

[Alittleacorn]

This is really getting me worried so much, haven't people over there suffered enough? It's not fair!

[jeffbert]

Fairness has nothing to do with it, Donguri-chan. I admit that I am surprised that Japan having major quakes every 100 years or so, and having built things to supposedly withstand such quakes, has had such damage to a nuclear reactor. Especially after WWII, & the fear of anything radioactive that many who lived through it and its aftermath may have had. I imagine they had some protests to their building reactors, and that of all things, those would be built to the highest standards in hopes of alleviating those fears, among other reasons.