Cool topic. First, does the "Dark Side" refer to specifically JDM gear? Or is it just higher-than-really-necessary priced enthusiast gear? I don't think I have any actual JDM gear, but plenty of what I think of as enthusiast gear.
I started building my own rods when I was 13 or 14 years old. I remember in the late 80s when Fuji came out with their original "Concept" guide series. Double-foot, smaller SIC rings in thinner, higher frames was the schtick. They were crazy expensive (at the time) but SO cool. This might have been my first experience with what I consider enthusiast tackle. I still have and use a rod that I built with those guides. Re-wrapped factory Shimano UL. I'd be first in line if Fuji ever re-released those guides. Maybe in titanium/Torzite? Sign me up!
Then came the Newelled-out Penns. Plain old Jigmasters were no longer good enough. They had to have Newell kits or you just sucked. Then Tiburon and Accurate 1 piece frames. Still have all this stuff too.
An argument could be made that anyone who was alive and active when Shimano graced the world with the original Calcutta had their journey started right there. The reel that changed the world. Then it was upstaged by the Daiwa Millionaire CV-Zs (the "Superior Calcutta"), then the Calcutta TE-GTs (the first of the uber-priced reels, IIRC, the predecessor to the Conquests). That's where I stopped. Sort of. Recently I replaced my original Calcutta 400 with a 400B and my 20 year old CV-Zs are still the better feeling reels. Haven't had the finances to delve into the Ryogas and Conquests yet. The TE-200GT is the most expensive baitcasting reel I have.
So no JDM here (yet
![big grin :big grin:](./images/smilies/ym1.jpg)
), but I still have some (to me) impressive stuff that has spoiled me against anything normal. I'm quite happy with my tackle regardless.
Top of my fantasy list at this point? Accurates, Ryoga Shrapnel and 1016, Conquest 50, OLD Conquest 300/400 (with the real clickers), an old CV-Z 103 to match the ones I have, an old Sustain 4000FB, also to match the ones I already have, Vanford 500, a proper set of Fuji TLCSG guides (stupidly discontinued), and as always...
Fantasy #1...
A SHIMANO STELLA 500!