While we’ve covered several of Goodsmile’s Nendoroid figures here over the past year or so, this is among the few that struck me as so incredibly, mind-bogglingly cute that I had no choice but to pick it up. It seems I was not alone in this sentiment, as following her street date last week she was barely on the shelves in Akihabara long enough for the blogs to photograph her before she disappeared, gone from the racks of both brick and mortar and online shops with nary a trace. A look at what all the excitement was about lies below:

The summer issue of everyone’s proto-magazine for bishoujo posters & related news, this issue of Megami boasts 220 pages, massive poster selection, Moetan feature & free pencil board. Also, a side word on Gamers bundling with the Comiket 72 CD Catalogue.

I went down to Akihabara over the weekend for the first time in almost three months. The purpose: to obtain a catalog for Comiket 72, to hang out with a couple of doujin pals, and to meet up with EvoSpace of Beast’s Lair and Akiba Channel. Despite the sweltering heat all three objectives met with success. Trip report follows, along with some belated notes on AX and some not so belated ones on Satsuriku no Jango:

When this kit first came up for preorder I wasn’t intending to pick it up. Really. Cold casts are expensive, and the paint job often doesn’t measure up to PVCs, and I’m not a huge fan of Shiranui Mai as a character… but the desire to support sculptor Shiragami Takayuki and see his other works mass produced in the future changed my mind. I’m still not convinced it was worth the price, but along with some glaring flaws this kit has strong points that make it worth a closer look.

Goodsmile has just uploaded pages for a November release Iori Minase figure from Idol Master Xenoglossia, along with the earlier scooped Max Factory ero-ero Onegai Onsen trading figures from Onegai Teacher / Twins due out in December. Movic also updated earlier this morning with preorder pages for their Sekirei Tsukiumi (October release) and Matsu (November release) PVC figures. Time to man the preorder lookout posts… Edit: Movic’s listings mention that this second round of Sekirei figures will include a new version of Musubi as well, rounding out the trio. Tanoshimi da wa~ (no more)

Volume five of Comp H’s magazine is
on sale today! Though not yet listed on the on Comptiq’s official site, we’re here with the scoop on what looks to be another clear win for the Lucky Star fans. See inside for Shiraishi Minoru gosurori cosplay, a Konata mask, an Akira cell phone strap, a loooooong park bench, and more posters than can be counted on the figures of two regularly endowed human hands. Edit: Updated with shots of the Lucky Star Nico Douga parody and the AX Haruhi concert report!

When this figure was first announced I wasn’t sure I would pick it up. It’s not Ohno, after all, and I felt that betrayal to my one and only love would be sacrilegious; however the needs of a Genshiken completionist ultimately rose to the fore, and I’m glad they did. Read on for a look at a very nice figure indeed!

In which we take a look at several dozen of the major and minor games packing Japan’s eroge release lineup in the second half of 2007, from the behemoths lurking just around the corner to those recently announced on the horizon. Warning: the [ERO] is strong with this one… Entries are organized by release date | maker name | game title | genre, with notes following.

GA Graphic represents today with the news that a 1/8 scale Jigoku Shoujo Enma Ai PVC figure will be coming in December from Happinet / Kotobukiya collaboration unit Chrono Gate. The sculpt is from Kotobukiya’s Makio Munetoshi (Amiami search), and while the price has not yet been set she’s scheduled to go up for preorder in early August. (no more)

We reported on the initial Cobalt scoop of Marimite’s 4th season last week, and yesterday the show’s official site was updated with a new top image reflecting the news. Still no word as to what format the season will take (TV anime or OVA) or when it will air, but the new omega-tsundere Touko is worth the price of admission. :3 (no more)

Cobra Kai Shiranui Mai coming in PVC from Daiki Kougyou, Sekirei Tsukiumi and Matsu figures coming from Movic, Orchid Seed‘s Wonder Festival lineup includes a resin kit based on a Mogudan-illustrated [ERO] Comic Unreal cover, [ERO] Onegai Onsen (Onegai Teacher / Twins) trading figure set from Max Factory, [ERO] Cobra Kai Kanu Unchou PVC from Yamato, Kyon’s sister 1/4 scale PVC from Freeing, Ignis the Black via mailorder from Hobby Japan, next Megahouse Queen’s Blade figures to be Nix and Airi, Shining Wind Xecty, To Heart 2 Another Days Chie, Pani Poni Dash trading figures coming from Kotobukiya, Queen’s Blade book series sequel Queen’s Gate launching this fall with Nitro+ and Moetan characters, Code Geass breast mousepads coming from Bandai, Shirley and Suzaku independent resin kits featured. Pictures below:

She’s up at both Amazon and Amiami this evening, so it’s official: look for she of the quad green pigtails available for preorder at a figure purveyor near you! She’ll hit the street September 27th, the same day as the next volume of Azuma Kiyohiko’s wonderful manga. Picture below:

Goodsmile has put up entries today for a pair of new Nendoroid figures, Charinko (bicycle) Rider from Fate / hollow ataraxia and Primula, an extra included with the upcoming Primula no Chicchana Daibouken PC CD-ROM game. This game is based on the desktop accessory extras included with the Shuffle! region 2 anime DVDs, and is scheduled for an October release at 7,980 yen; the Rider is a regular Nendoroid (priced at 3,500 yen) and will go on sale in November. In other news, Kaiyodo’s Revoltech Express blog is reporting that the earlier announced Yotsuba Revoltech figure will be going up for preorder any day now in anticipation of her September 27th release. Tanoshimi~ (no more)

A survey of some of the random items up for grabs at August’s upcoming Comic Market 72, including a fleet of hug pillows, a brace of doujin figures, a pair of plushes, a sausage, and a folding fan. Mero~n!

This just in from Yamashita Shunya’s official blog: Rickenbacker and Girl, an illustration of his that has seen copious adoration in the form of several resin incarnations in the past few years, is now coming to life in mass-market PVC from maker Yamato. The Cerberus Project (Sunny Day on main sculpt, N.S. Gun on the bass guitar) version was chosen to receive the honor, and I couldn’t be happier – it’s the best out there, in my opinion, and one I’ve been coveting since it made its Wonder Festival debut back in the winter of ’06. The kit is scheduled to retail in November at 24 cm tall and 7,140 yen; more details on preorder listings as they emerge. Pictures below:

Shipon returns today with episode four of HDTV, for a look at just what happens in Akihabara on a fine Sunday morning in spring after the streets are blocked off and throngs of shoppers are allowed to freely mingle with maids, policemen, salesclerks, street musicians, panhandlers, and cosplayers of every description.

We initially reported on the Wonder Festival offerings from Goodsmile a few days ago, and this evening their special event page was fleshed out with more pictures, details on item availability, and the identity of the item formerly listed as secret (WE CALLED IT!!). Already having the Shiranui Mai on preorder I have to admit the thing that has my attention the most right now is the plush Saber… she’s just too. Damn. CUTE. ;_; The majority of the items on display here will subsequently be available via the Goodsmile online shop; whether other shops will also be supported is unknown, but we’ll be keeping an eye on this. (no more)

I’ve been trying to wait for substantial chunks of Wonder Festival news to appear before grouping them together into a post, but this one is so phenomenal it deserves immediate scoopage: Orchid Seed has just unveiled the limited edition of their Ignis the White PVC figure set for sale at the event, and boy is it a jaw-dropper. The phrase “alternate color version” doesn’t do this justice… if anything I’m even more tempted by this blood-red and black incarnation than by the original. There will be 200 units available at the event, but even at the rather steep price of 11,700 yen I’m expecting they’ll be gone within the first half-hour… ;_; Orchid’s gallery is reproduced below:

Hatsumi of sculpting circle 83℃ posted on his blog a few weeks ago to the effect that his C.C. resin kit had been given the OK for sale at Wonder Festival 2007 Summer. This is significant not only because it’s looking like a really nice kit, but also because it indicates a shift in Bandai policy toward figures based on its intellectual property. More below:

The paper version of the Comic Market 72 catalog went on sale yesterday, and Zepy over at Canned Dogs relays the scoop from its innards: Comiket 73 will run from December 29th through the 31st, 2007. This is the second consecutive three-day winter Comiket, and the second with the third day on New Year’s Eve day. In Japanese culture this is roughly the equivalent of Christmas Eve day in the United States, creating the awkward situation of having to figure out where you’re going to stash your [ERO] day-three loot before going home for the holidays… For those such as myself who lend no particular significance to the Japanese new year this is splendid news, as it seems this will finally be the first Comiket I manage to apply to as a circle, and having the third day increases the chances of the lottery coming up favorably. :3 Going to be at fuyukomi this year? Drop us a line! (no more)

When we first reported on this figure back in May I was excited by the prospect of getting my hands on a figure hitherto very hard to acquire. What would otherwise have lived on merely as a Replicant cover girl has been given renewed life in a version we all can enjoy, but how does Organic handle the resculpting required, as well as the large-scale reproduction of the paint job that made the original so distinctive? That’s what we’re here to find out…

Wonder Festival 2007 Summer updates today from Wafuudou Ganguten (Iris alternate color versions), Nitro+ (Joy Max hand puppet, Al Ajif and Konoe figures), Volks (gargantuan Uesugi Kenshin, Rozen Maiden, Rei and Asuka), Takara / Tomy (Soreyuke Josei Jiekan limited editions), and Azon (epilogue ver. Haruhi doll).

The September issue of Tech Gian (out yesterday) contains information on the winter 2007 release from Toy’sworks of a scantily-clad Shana “himitsu ver.” PVC figure from Shakugan no Shana. She’s set to retail at 5,800 yen, though details such as size and sculptor are still pending. Picture below:

The preorder of this kit was a no-brainer back when it was announced in April, for reasons that were revealed a few weeks ago at AX. It was tough for me to talk about this Iris when she was announced without mentioning that Peach Princess had acquired the rights to produce an English version of Princess Waltz, the game from which she hails; needless to say a lot more will be known about her in the future, but for now we can examine at least the superficial aspects of this kit in an attempt to determine why you should buy the game when it comes out what makes Iris so damn awesome.

Some news from the Wonder Festival industry scene gathered over the past few days, including updates from Orchid Seed, Griffon, Wave, Daiki Kougyou, and Kaiyodo’s Revoltech division. Also: speculation as to the nature of Goodsmile’s SECRET ITEM.

Toysworks announced their new lineup on their official site a few days ago, and this evening Amiami has the lot up for preorder. There’s a pair of bloomer-clad Manabians in both red and blue varieties, two flavors of Shana (wedding dress and a rereleased ceremony), and a Shihou Matsuri from Sola complete with tomato juice. They’re all set for October release and should be available for preorder elsewhere soon. (no more)

After missing all three release waves of Max Factory’s incredibly popular Haruhi figure I wasn’t planning to pick her up, but when I came upon her by chance yesterday at a decent price I couldn’t resist the temptation. What follows is a cursory review of a figure roughly five months old; not much to see here, but humor a fellow, eh?

Getchu.com put a page up last night for a Signum PVC figure from one of the many Nanoha iterations. There’s no sculptor information listed, but Getchu is reporting that she’ll go on sale in late September at 8,190 yen retail; rather pricey for a 21-cm figure, though she is partially articulated for some posing ability. CMs doesn’t have a great track record, so I’d be a bit leery of this one… (no more)

Akiba Blog presents an update today on the story of Toranoana’s quest to produce the world’s first hug pillow with naughty bits attached. Based on designs of the illustrious Sano Toshihide from G.J?’s upcoming Anata no Shiranai Kangofu eroge, this revolution in otaku paraphernalia will likely not be televised but is still scheduled to go on sale “this summer” at an undisclosed price.

In other amply bosomed pillow news, word is in today from Codepink that all preorders of their upcoming Sweet Home eroge recived before September 30th will come with a 60 x 40 cm “kyonyuu pillowcase“. While rather more two dimensional than Tora’s offering, this is quite a nice incentive to pick up what’s already promising to be another quality title from the maker of Sexfriend and Maid in Heaven SuperS. Viva la revolution! (no more)

Liu Meifeng, the second installment in Goodsmile / Red Entertainment‘s Shuraki series of media mix figures, will be made available for preorder starting at 00:00 on July 20th (Tokyo standard time) according to the series’ official site. Meifeng was designed by Kiba Satoshi, sculpted by Kawara Takayuki (Amiami search) and is voiced by Iizuka Mayumi on the accompanying drama CD; while the hype for her release hasn’t reached the fever pitch that accompanied Mishiro Akatsuki‘s preorder blitz a month ago, odds are good that Meifeng will sell out in preorder relatively quickly so those interested should be on their toes. A list of participating vendors can be found here, including HLJ and Hobby Search. (no more)