In today’s update: Kyoto Animation creates terrible anigifs of their favorite Haruhi scenes as volume 1 of the novel sells out (!) in Akiba, new horror anime Kikoushi Enma is announced, Flag gets a site makeover and a trailer, Coyote Ragtime Show gets a loli, School Rumble gets a web radio, REC gets a box set, Kogado gets a figure / game / USB flash memory drive, Akiba Blog gets a roundup, Milky gets a summer eroanime lineup (featuring Ringetsu and Jokei Kazoku ~Inbou~), a bunch of new figure news gets scooped, etc. etc. The biggest update around here in awhile.

SOS団

• According to Akiba Blog, the first volume of the Haruhi novel is selling out in stores throughout the district. Glad I picked mine up early (not that there’s any sellout danger here in the sticks)… it seems the cult of Haruhiism is both a national and international phenomenon. Thanks to rabidkimba for the heads up on the Akiba Blog post~
• The first two hundred people who buy the new Haruhi novel (the 8th, entitled Suzumiya Haruhi no Fungai [The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi] {nesting brackets}) from Gamers (in Akihabara) when it goes on sale on April 29th will recieve tickets to a book signing to take place on May 4th, featuring Itou Noiji and Tanigawa Ryuu. [source]
• Ever wonder what the Kyoto Animation staff consider to be their favorite moments of the Haruhi episodes they craft? We get a glimpse into their warped minds on the Kyoani Haruhi page here (episode 1) and here (episode 2) and here (episode 3) with further updates to come, presumably. For being professional animators the sure do suck at the giffage…

Media Side

• Kikoushi Enma is a new horror OVA, its first volume slated to come out on August 25th. Possibly the worst release date of the year, coming as it does on the heels of Comiket, Chara Hobby, Wonder Festival, and the summer holidays in general… The splash image does look promising, though, and interested parties can listen to episode 0 of the net radio to help decide whether to start pinching those pennies.
• Fans of gritty military / political drama and cameraman anime with more realism than Speed Grapher, take note: the official site for netcast series Flag has been updated, now boasting a highly satisfying 210-second trailer in an array of attractive resolutions. Be ready to sell a little piece of your DRMed soul to Bill Gates before watching.
• Animation studio ufotable introduces a new cast member of Coyote Ragtime Show, Franca (aka the token [or not so token] loli).
• The second season of School Rumble will come complete with a web radio program, slated to begin on April 28th. I’m glad to see they’ve finally ditched the terrestrial broadcast and entered the 21st century of glorious international on-demand distribution.
• The REC TV anime DVD box set will be out on June 30th, retailing at 15,750 yen and including a pair of books and a bunch of extra video material. I don’t know if this can hide the fact that they’re trying to sell the original 90 minute show for one hundred and thirty United States dollars, but for Aka-chan, men have gone mad… [source]
• Dengeki corner: Daioh went on sale a few days ago, and their list of March tankoubon releases is online as well. Includes volume 1 of Strawberry Panic, volume 2 of Speed Grapher, volume 3 of Dokuro-chan, and volume only of Futakoi Alternative.
• Is it a figure? A game? Nay, it is both! Kogado presents the latest gimmick to hit the analog / digital divide, Dear Pianissimo. It’s a “short novel + music action game” stored on a USB flash drive that is built into this figure, a girl who is also a character in the game. The mind reels… if you don’t like the game you can use her as an external drive, or portable USB flash memory. I’ll be keeping tabs on this for the kitsch value, if nothing else. [additional info and photos]
• A Touhou compilation doujin is coming out from Toranoana on May 21st, notable for the zany menagerie of characters depicted in the cover illustration.
• Akiba Blog Roundup
  • When breasts come to Akiba…
  • Stalking Akiba’s serial flirters (look for the red Laughing Men)
  • Buy your glasses from a maid
  • Weekly [ERO] doujin ranking (from Toranoana and Messe Sanoh)

Ero Side

• Eroanime news hot off the Milky Press:
  • April 25th: Seikoujo 1, Bible Black Only 2
  • May 25th: Gibo no Toiki 1, Cambrian 2
  • June 25th: Futari no Aniyome 1, Akibakei Kanojo 3
  • July 25th: Ringetsu 1
  • August 25th: Ringetsu 2, Jokei Kazoku ~Inbou~ 1
  • September 25th: Ringetsu 3

  Ringetsu and Jokei Kazoku are the big news here, though I’m personally anticipating the latter – it could be awesome if they invest enough in the production (see here for why).

• I was evading snake-men in my bunker when Ano Machi no Koi no Shi came out, but there’s still a chance to pick up plenty of related loot, it seems. That pillowcase is tempting…
• Lilith’s Dorei na Kanojo gets a demo movie today (scroll down), along with a bunch of new sample CG courtesy of Game Style.
• Parthenon’s Temptation 1 & 2 go back to back in this pillowcase release from Toranoana. And woah – blink and you miss this stuff, I swear – Parthenon’s latest release, Sister Tyrant, is apparently now on sale as well. I see G-kilobyte designs, I purchase – god damn reflex actions.
• Site Launches / Release Announcements
  • Heat Soft’s Dain ~Kutsujoku no Coming Out~
  • Runrun Soft’s Virgin Snow 2

Hobby Side

• Hobby Channel has a long-overdue report online from the Azone booth at Wonder Festival Winter 2006. I’m not much of a doll fan, but Azone’s products have been catching my eye lately as something I’d possibly consider investing in…
• Am I the only one who thinks the Rumble Roses designs are, on sum, hideously ugly? Konami presses ahead with their PVC line regardless of my personal wishes (for more Mechamusume instead). [Anastasia, Aigul]
• The Chara Hobby convention has updated their website, bringing it into the realm of comprehensibility and sweet sweet Yoshizaki Mine mascot character design. Other sites would do well to follow suit. *ahem*WHF*ahem*
• Trading Torsos! Hip Parade! … someone who understands this, please explain…
• Volume 24 of Replicant magazine is on sale today – a great alternative to the money and time needed to actually paint the damn things yourself.
• Coming from Musashiya at WHF Kanda and Ariake next week is this pair of resin kits, one of some Da Capo character, the other of Suigintou.
• Coming in August: Chara-Ani’s Yurika (bikini ver.) PVC from Nadesico, Yuuyu’s Troubled Windows XP-tan PVC, and Ice Cream’s [ERO] Miharu PVC from Girls Bravo.
• On the edge of ero, in July: Yamato’s Sayaka Yumi (repaint ver.) PVC from Mazinger Z.
• Now On Sale
  • Konami’s Evangeline A.K. Macdowell PVC from Negima
  • Konami’s Sasaki Masae PVC from Negima
  • Toranoana’s Habanero-tan seed-growing kit
• I picked up the June edition of Hobby Japan yesterday, which has some additional figure scoopage for the coming months – will try to scan in a timely manner. Browsing the recently released Dengeki Hobby as well there was one item there that HJ didn’t have, which was a gorgeous (and rather ero) new Volks X-brand resin kit of Shiiko from Ikinari Happy Bell, slated for a June release – I’ll try to scrounge a picture up along with the HJ material.

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here…