Epically Epic: Kita Shinsuke

I've made no secret of my unabashed love for anime, and a while ago, I decided to treat myself to some custom perfumes based off some of my favorite characters from Haikyuu. During this time, I had a fun experience of really being able to create, although there was an interesting difference between the types of scents I envisoned for each character, in comparison to the types of scents I'd actually want to create and wear. I ended up choosing the characters which actually resonated the most with the type of scents I wanted to create for them, but also between the foodie option and the more true to life option, I definitely went for the foodie one. After all, Epically Epic makes some really lovely gourmands, so I was pretty happy to leave it to the maker's hands. 

Some background information: 

Epically Epic does offer custom perfume, although the process is relatively simple and hands off compared to some other brands. They offer a range of notes you can pick from, and you can pick from any of the scents with an unlimited combination. These come in a 7ml glass rollerball, and you can also customize the labels with pictures of your choice. During the process, I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted and picked all the notes out, with little notes stating what sort of result I wanted/what note I wanted as a main feature, with some questions about whether or not specific notes were possible. The owner was super responsive with my questions, and said that it was best to send through a list of notes, thoughts and perhaps pictures to give her the best idea for what kind of blend I wanted. Since I wasn't expecting a super extensive consultation or breakdown of all the different options/possibilities, I tried to prepare everything as concisely as possible to try to convey what I wanted for my blends through a list of notes and some photos, and that was it. 

I think interestingly enough as I was picking out things to include in my scents, I was definitely aware of the idea that adding different elements into scents might not necessarily mean that they were taking away from the main scent profile, but could add to it in a non obtrusive way, or perhaps they might add a layer of complexity and nuance or depth to the scent that I'd never thought of. It really gave me a little insight into the sheer amount of creative thought and effort made by the creators to emulate or channel specific scents, and I definitely came away with a greater appreciation for the art of perfumery. For me, I think I'll just stick to my brainstorming and leave the actual making to someone who's a little more qualified. However, I also did enjoy the writing of the actual notes, and how I could feed that into the scent description as well. I loved adding little flourishes and touches, while also trying to link the description and the notes to the character. 

So rambling aside, let's introduce the first one! 

Kita Shinsuke: steamed rice, rice fields, basmati rice, straw, fresh snow, morning air, a toasted savory note. 

When I brainstormed this, I wanted this scent to be predominantly be a rice note - I love the rice note in Madar/Soft (Poesie), but I wanted this scent to be a little more than just basmati rice. Kita, captain of Inarizaki, post time skip, is a rice farmer, but also has a rather traditional Shinto, ritualistic habit of being 'proper'. So, I wanted to channel the more traditional elements of his character, with steamed rice, onigiri and wheat fields, but also the freedom of being closer to nature, something clean or refreshing, paired with an atmospheric element. I wanted it to be the feeling of sitting in a traditional Japanese house, with tatami mats and wooden interiors, while still being a rice scent, the feeling of savoring freshly made rice while giving thanks to the kami. I also asked for a 'tofu' note or a creamy soy aspect, since Kita's favorite food is tofu hamburgers. 

I think out of the line up, this was definitely one of the most experimental scents of the group, and it definitely shows. Epically Epic's rice notes are a little more almond adjacent - much like Sixteen92's rice note which is a little sharper and nutty than it is a soft, musky Poesie/NCD hyperrealistic rice note. More of a cinnamon/almond rice pudding vibe. However, I do kind of have a soft spot for the slight savory saltiness that just clings on a little bit to this scent. For me, I don't quite get any strong atmospheric elements, and the rice isn't quite my faovirte accord from the house, I like what I wanted to do here, so I use it as a base for layering. I layer this with Poesie's Soft and Fantome's Tatami to add an extra incense/earthy tatami atmospheric vibe, paired with the richer, nutty rice note, and it definitely feels like a soft, comforting scent. I think this scent just didn't quite capture the sort of, easy, cozy softness I wanted from a rice scent, I want to love it, but every time it just falls a little short.