Continuing our tour of Marui Young Shinjuku, we ride the escalator up to the sixth floor, and Kera Shop Arena spreads out before our eyes. The best (and most appropriate word) to describe the store is ANARCHY; all the Goth/Punk rock brands are crammed together in a bright, metal-studded, plaid and leopard print mosh pit.

Even the most jaded punk would have difficulty telling the brands apart. Hellcatpunks and Sex Pot Revenge are best at ripped, zipped, and patched t-shirts. Hypercore produces casual jackets and somewhat sporty punk tees. Deorart and No Future carry cheaper casual lines, but the former leaned to Goth while the latter went Punk. Toxic Star is similar but with brighter colors. Qutie Fresh can be described as cyber-dragon; there are very few who can pull of this futuristic kimono look. At the checkout counter, there was a display case of Wild Strawberry silver jewelry, such as a $1000 bracelet that resembled a piece of spine.

Yellow and pink against black dominated the Super Lovers rack; I think this brand could be quite popular in the West. Not sure about the Hello Kitty + Balzac t-shirt collaboration…

Postcards and knickknacks filled up every possible space. Blablahospital’s latest nurse caps and optic medic crosses stood out, and since they’re handmade, each design is an original.

A tall store clerk with purple spiked hair and facial piercings showed me to the dressing room and instructed me to remove my shoes. Some of you asked me about Hiderock, so I tried on one of their dresses (left). I fell in love with Blablahospital’s bandage-like layers; I hope to visit Akari soon in London’s Camden Market.

I saw skull prints and striped cardigans at Sexy Dynamite London, but no half-swastikas (I guess they weren’t popular). I considered buying a $40 leather belt strung with giant silver hoops.

OzzcCroce’s trailing, Asian-flavored designs weren’t to my liking. Artherapie’s leather bags and wallets were well-constructed and unusually subdued – your mom could carry one, and nobody would guess that a girl with a septum ring sold it to her. I liked the studded skull-shaped purses (far right) and the wallets with staring eyes.

Up next: we take the stairway to shoe heaven!