In today’s update: A new manga from the creators of He is My Master, Aria web radio launches, confirmation of the FMA premium OVA disc, an anime definition of Akibakei, the usual ero news, and previews of Kotobukiya’s Lucy Maria Misora PVC from To Heart 2.

Media Side

• From the author and illustrator team behind He is My Master comes a new manga entitled Maid wo Nerae!, the first installation of which will be serialized in the January 30th edition of Dragon Age Pure. If it isn’t broken why bother to fix it, right?
• A demo movie is online for Idea Factory’s PS2 ADV Yamiyoru ni Sasayaku, set for a February 9th release. I mention it mostly because of the maid with a gun, which along with the frilly hat and the apron is seeming more and more of a standard option these days.
• The first episode of Aria web radio is online today, along with the 14th of radio To Heart 2.
• This has been scooped earlier elsewhere, but the official site makes it …official: a Fullmetal Alchemist PREMIUM EDITION disc will be released on March 29th, containing the items mentioned in the ANN article. Unlike the upcoming Marimite fan discs it seems this one might actually be worth flogging the wallet for.
• Sister Princess Re Pure is currently being released on UMD. …I hear crickets.
• Halko’s not dead! Animate TV scoops her 2005 Wonder Momoi tour with NBK’s Manzo. Wish I knew what she’d be up to in ’06, though.
• The second floor of Yamagiwa Soft in Akihabara is currently sporting a display entitled “if you’ve only seen Densha Otoko, you’re still a newbie! Your guide to Akibakei, anime version”. Citing as examples of “Akibakei” anime it includes Genshiken, Air, and Tsukihime, which I suppose are as good a representation as you can get in a spread of three relatively recent titles. What three anime would you include in the definition of Akibakei (or your otaku synonym of choice)? Think I’ll start a thread in the forums…

Ero Side

• Lilith’s C69 goods set is now available via mail order at Toranoana, and as of today Taimanin Asagi Gaiden should be available for online purchase as well.
• For the darkly gothic digitalized game book fans, Toranoana / Fox Publishing is releasing a fan book for Lost Script’s Sabae no Oh on Feburary 24th.
• Orbit has a report of its Comiket 69 activities online, complete with pictures of some rather questionably-gendered cosplayers.
• Panda House announces that its planned February release of Shintaisou A is being pushed back to the indefinite “spring quarter”.
• New Site Launches / Release Announcements
  • Lilith’s Yami Miko
• We’ve Got Movie Sign!!
  • Cattleya’s Okami Misao
• Demo Downloads
  • Black Cyc’s Gore Screaming Show (voiced version)
• Sample CG
  • Black Cyc’s Gore Screaming Show [official site]
  • Bloom Handle’s Nami no Ma ni Ma ni [official site]
  • Patisserie’s Miko x Mono [official site]
• Wallpapers
  • Kadokawa’s Fragments Blue

Hobby Side

• Konami has opened an official Rumble Roses Toy & Hobby Portal Site, including the March 3rd release of a set of Rumble Roses Figure Mate trading figures and the March 16th release of a slightly less deformed version. In other Konami news, the lineup for Negima Figure Mate vol. 4 is now online, along with a release date of March 30th.
• Kotobukiya’s Lucy Maria Misora PVC figure from To Heart 2 was on display in Akihabara yesterday. In the battle of the blogs Akibajin comes out on top of this scoop, I have to say. Also on display from Kotobukiya is their upcoming Nanoha Franca PVC from Aoi Umi no Tristia.
• Is it just me, or are these Angel XX Eva figures not that interesting? [official site]

The weekend is coming up, and with it the opportunity to catch up on some non-news updates and jump start the very lonely 2ddb. I doubt I’ll ever complain of an excess of free time again…