To offset the rather bizarre volume we last looked at for this column I thought Kishizuka Kenji’s 2003 classic Katekyo would be a good follow up in this, our third helping of Eromanga Toshokan. The title story of a socially awkward tutor and the student in love with her is easily one of my favorites in the genre, not to mention containing the only Fight Club reference I’ve ever seen in manga and a pair of hilarious omake pages (translated especially for this post!) that really get at the subtleties of Japan’s take on America. 18+ ONLY, NWS.

For the second installation of our eromanga review series we bring you a book released in May of this year from rookie mangaka Drill Jiru. As his handle (“drill juice”) and the book’s title (“juice max”) imply this is a very messy offering, and one not for those made queasy by the sight of some maniac ero; for those into that sort of thing or interested in the craft of manga in general this is a deep offering from a talented artist at the beginning of what will hopefully be a long and fruitful career. 18+ ONLY, NWS.

Since the arrest (and subsequent fining and release) of a doujin artist in August the amateur creators’ community in Japan has been tightening regulation of doujin content. A recent example of the self-censorship occurring as a result of the crackdown can be found in the newest [ERO] Umemaro 3D work set to go on sale later this month, a demo of which was made available a few days ago on his site; the mosaic censorship in the demo is considerably more pronounced than that found in his previous works. He justifies this on his BBS as an action taken in direct response to the doujin arrest. This seems to be a typical response among artists, and we’ll be watching closely in the coming months for any further change both in the degree of censorship and any qualitative change in doujin content. (no more)

GA Graphic is reporting that Bandai / Namco’s Banpresto corner has a 1/1 scale Suzumiya Haruhi model on display at this weekend’s Tokyo Game Show, there to advertise the upcoming PS2 game Suzumiya Haruhi no Tomadoi (also coming from Banpresto). The game is set for release on January 31st of next year, and comes with a limited edition Figma Haruhi “hero version” action figure produced by Max Factory; no word on the fate of the 1/1 scale kit present at the event today, but presumably it’s a one-shot deal for promotional purposes only. (no more)

This is one of those kits that became an instant legend of the Wonder Festival circuit, such that when you went around to the Millimeter Modeling table at the event all you’d see would be a kit sample and a few tumbleweeds rolling over the “sold out” card placed in front of it. While Ataraxia’s maid Saber is hardly a new theme for PVC, when this was announced from Alter it was one of those “oh hell yes” moments that resulted in an immediate preorder; thankfully faith in both the brand and the original sculpt were well placed. Check it out!

Liar Soft is a maker known for pushing the artistic and thematic boundaries of the visual novel medium, and its 21st release is on track to expand the minds of gamers even further: Sekien no Inganock‘s official site is now online, and it’s looking and sounding amazing. Three sample BGM tracks are available for download beneath the navigation bar on the main page, and they’re nigh cinematic – not to mention the stunning stylized visuals from Ooishi Ryuuko (homepage). Sakurai Hikari is on scenario work, and while I haven’t played any of her other games they seem highly regarded. The game is scheduled for release on November 22, and is one we’ll be investigating closely in the coming months. (no more)

Hobby Stock posted a listing today for Daiki Kougyou‘s Kenshi-san (fencer) PVC figure, an item that has popped up at various events over the past few months but that we haven’t bothered to cover due to the general blandness of the sculpt. She’s a Yamada Yoshinari original kit (photo here), and is being produced in a limited run of 3,000 units for release in January of next year. She clocks in at 1/6 scale (26 cm tall), 7,850 yen retail, and is castoffable both above and below; a good kit for someone looking to make an ero-ero Tifa mod, perhaps? (no more)

It’s time for our monthly reckoning of eroge currently in the works! This month’s issue focuses on the darker side of things (with a couple of exceptions) so those not interested in the more depraved side of erogaming need not inquire within. For those with a taste for the decidedly suspicious, irrashai! Grab a seat and a pair of reading glasses, there’s a lot coming up this fall to look forward to. 18+ ONLY, NWS.

Moon Phase Diary reports and Broccoli’s official Digi Charat site confirms that auditions are planned to find new seiyuu talent to voice the now-venerable Dejiko and friends in a new upcoming Digi Charat anime series. Audition and series details are still pending, but it’s a good bet the project is being planned to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the original show, and of Dejiko’s entry as the iconic poster girl of the Broccoli Gamers retail franchise. Here’s hoping this will mark a return to the smug, selfish and bizarre world of the megalomaniac aspiring idol we met in the first series. (no more)

Amiami updated their product page yesterday for the Orchid Seed produced, Mogudan designed [ERO] Comic Unreal cover girl Feane PVC figure scheduled for release this December. The updated provides several new sample images of the kit, revealing an alternate painting scheme for the chest part; according to the updated product description the kit will come with a “suke-suke” (transparent, show-through) part that can be exchanged with the default red suit. This still seems to be a resin sample so I doubt it’s what the finished product will look like, but we’ll keep an eye out for further news. Pictures below:

official site

First unveiled at Wonder Festival this summer, Max Factory’s Tsuruya-san PVC figure from Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu has finally arrived! According to Goodsmile’s page she’s set for a January ’08 release, at 5,800 yen retail and 1/8 scale (20 cm tall), with a sculpt from Max veteran Chieri. Now that she’s up at Goodsmile preorders should start appearing any time now… (no more)

It’s a scoop! Veteran sculptor Nakayama Eiji of sculpting circle Tekkoryuu (whose Iroha will be released from Goodsmile shortly) will be unleashing his godly La Pucelle: Tactics Prier garage kit upon the PVC world under the auspices of Wafuudou Ganguten, according to this [ERO] Galge.com news entry. This legendary figure was nigh impossible to obtain in garage kit form, so it’s great news for fans of the pleasantly plump sculpt… she’s 1/6 scale (25 cm tall), and will retail in December at 8,980 yen (ouch). Pictures below:

Moon Phase Diary today compiled a list of the unfortunate happenings that have plagued broadcast anime in 2007, from the resignation of a Gainax producer following some misplaced Mixi comments to the recently cancelled final episode of School Days. The full list (09/21 update) is below:

Canned Dogs reports, and follows up. Japan has a history of delaying or canceling anime broadcasts due to sensitive political events; the most notable I can think of off hand being the roadshow delay of the Cowboy Bebop movie and the delay of the broadcast of the original Full Metal Panic TV series (by a whole season) due to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. While one might not think that the isolated case of a psychopathic girl murdering her father with an axe quite rises to the level of an international terrorist conspiracy, this is Japan, where all news is local and tabloid sensationalism is the journalistic norm. We’ll be lucky if Higurashi and School Days’ broadcast schedules are the only two casualties of this blossoming 2D culture witch hunt. (no more)

Reports are starting to roll in from this weekend’s Tokyo Game Show (alas, HD will not be in attendance). First up is news from GA Graphic that Max Factory, via Bandai/Namco’s Banpresto corner, was showing off a colored version of their Luca (Ruka) PVC figure from Ar Tonelico 2 (first scooped uncolored at Wonder Festival)! The sculpt is from Max’s Kuroda Masanori, and she’s scheduled to go on sale in February ’08 at 1/8 scale and an as-yet undisclosed price. We’ll be keeping close tabs on this figure along with all the other Ar Tonelico fans out there. (no more)

First announced at Wonder Festival Summer 2007, today’s noon Amiami update brought the listing of Megahouse‘s Excellent Model CORE Queen’s Blade Airi and Nix PVC figures up for preorder. Both are set to retail in December at 5,250 yen and (presumably) the same 1/8 scale and extreme castoffability as their predecessors. We’ll keep you updated as more comes to light on this pair, they’re looking really nice… :3 Update: Preorders have closed at Amiami for both Nix and Airi. According to hobby shop Digitamin’s store blog the two are being produced in relatively small lots compared to other recent Megahouse QB figures, so preorders are advised ASAP for those looking to pick them up. (no more)

Loosely based on the 1984 Namco arcade classic The Tower of Druaga, The Druaga Project is a multimedia project launched today by Bandai / Namco that consists of a TV anime (The Aegis of Uruk) slated to air in the spring of 2008, and an online game (The Recovery of Babylim) with service scheduled to begin in January. The one piece of design art currently up at the anime page caught my attention, and a look at the staff credits revealed that character designs are being handled by none other than Ugetsu Hakua of Bakuretsu Tenshi fame. Anime direction is from Chigira Kouichi with a script from Gatou Shouji (!!). Production is from Gonzo, but given this talent lineup it seems the cards are stacked for this to be one of their good shows. We’ll be keeping our eyes on the project as further information comes to light. (no more)

Alter updated their official page today with entries for their Wanfesu–announced El Cazador Nadie PVC figure and Idolmaster Trading Figure Collection Part 2. They’re both due out in January of ’08, with Nadie sculpted by Takahashi Tsuyoshi, 1/8 scale (21 cm tall), and 6,615 yen retail; the Idolmaster set consists of six figures plus one secret and two color variations, and retails at 650 yen per unit (6,500 yen for a box of ten). Both items have gone up for preorder at Moe Soul (Happinet) twice today and subsequently been taken down; regardless the cat is definitely out of the bag here so those looking to preorder should see entries up elsewhere soon. (no more)

The astoundingly drop-dead gorgeous Cobra-Kai sculpted ero ero bondage-themed 1/5 scale Kanu Unchou that we’ve been tracking for months is finally up for preorder! Amazon has first dibs this time around, though with their posting it’s guaranteed that other shops will follow very shortly. She’s finally got a retail price announced at 13,440 yen, and a tentative release date of December 26th… I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching my nearest online retailer like a hawk until she appears. Update: Moeyo! Akibajin Blog has a sample review of her online today, and she’s looking fantastic. More enticement for those still on the preorder fence… (no more)

The game that defined the tsundere archetype returns! Officially on sale tomorrow, Core Books brings us a cover image (via Moon Phase) of the November ’07 edition of PUSH magazine, emblazoned prominently upon which is the production announcement of the “SECOND COMING” of Tsuyokiss: Tsuyokiss Ni-gakki (Tsuyokiss Second Term). The original CandySoft release of Tsuyokiss in 2005 was a pivotal moment in the definition of what has since become an iconic character archetype (though it wasn’t invented by the game); what the sequel will do for the tsundere persona is sure to be a topic of interest for moe aesthetes around the world. We’ll keep tabs on this as production moves forward. (no more)

The official Kaibutsu Oujo anime page updated its goods page yesterday with the news that a PVC figure of the game’s heroine Hime is in the works, to be accompanied by a Petit Nendoroid Flandre. She’s scheduled to be 1/7 scale, priced between 5,500 and 5,800 yen and go on sale in the spring of 2008; no pictures of a prototype are yet available but we’ll be on the lookout for them. (no more)

In a late afternoon announcement today Amiami posted a preorder listing for an ero-ero Rio (Rio Calendar 2007 ver.) PVC figure from Super Black Jack (a game commonly found at pachinko parlors). In a departure from previous Super Black Jack figures her top appears to be completely castoffable, sure to make this a high-demand item; sculpting duty is from Ranmaru (also responsible for the recently HD reviewed Shingyouji Mao), with production by Orchid Seed. She’s scheduled for release in November at 1/7 scale (19 cm tall) and 6,825 yen retail; as the name suggests she’s based off the cover illustration of the official Rio 2007 Calendar. Update: high resolution pictures below:

A preorder listing is now online at Mangaoh for the much anticipated Gally (Alita) action figure that we’ve been tracking for the past few months. The figure is a limited edition extra to be included with a volume of Battle Angel Alita side story manga dubbed “Gunnm Gaiden”, and according to Mangaoh’s listing it’s set for a December 19th release at a slightly pricey 4,980 yen. I think many will agree that money is no object in this case… Mangaoh accepts international orders, which will be open until October 22nd. (no more)

We all knew it was coming: the splatter-fest to end all splatter-fests, the scene that defines the meaning of yandere. The girl whose mind snaps like a twig under the weight of jealousy, driven mad by a man’s indecisiveness and easy capitulation to the advances of others. This is an episode that redefines the meaning of Japanese animation, and beats Eva, Elfen Leid, Now and Then Here and There, Narutaru, and Ail Maniax in terms of sheer awesome horror. This, my friends, is School Days episode 12.

official site

Mentioned yesterday in the context of a new Queen’s Blade manga, word is in from Moon Phase that an official site is now open for the new MediaWorks quarterly serial magazine Dengeki Black Maoh, the first issue of which also goes on sale today. It’s being billed as “a bit adult, a bit ecchi comic magazine”, and the first issue features the launch of a new HoiHoi-san manga, in addition to a Shakugan no Shana spinoff manga called Shakugan no Shana Eternal Song, a Moetan manga, and the aforementioned Queen’s Blade Struggle. The next issue will be released in December, and is promised to contain further visual novel-based content; it’s unclear at this point where MediaWorks sees this magazine in relation to the other offerings currently in its lineup, but we’ll be keeping an eye on it as a possible contender with periodic releases such as Young Animal Island. (no more)

Boy Meets Girl is an unremarkable eroge released by Front Wing in early 2006, and Shingyouji Mao is one of its equally unremarkable heroines. We may never know what possessed Sofmap to front the production of this blatantly cheesecake figure version of her, but in an eternal pursuit of scantily clad PVC we have them to thank for providing an item that if not a monumental landmark is certainly a speed bump on the road to ero-ero figure perfection.

Goodsmile updated their site today with an official page for the Nendoroid Petit Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu #1 trading figure set, and Hobby Stock responded almost immediately with a preorder listing. Haruhi, Mikuru, Yuki, Tsuruya-san, and Kyon are represented, each in two pose variations for a total of ten figures in the set plus one secret; the figures are 6.5 cm tall and will retail in November at 500 yen each (or 6,000 yen for a box of 12). Those in search of Haruhi Nendoroid goodness on a budget should be happy with this news, provided they don’t vanish as fast as some of Goodsmile’s other recent offerings… In other Goodsmile news, word is in today that their Melissa Serafi PVC from Waga Mama Cappricio, originally released last August, will be reissued! Those who missed this most flamboyant of castoffs will have a second chance to procure her in December. (no more)

Kimikiss fans take note! In anticipation of the upcoming October airing of Kimikiss Pure Rouge as well as celebration of the simultaneous 09/28 release of Shinonome Taro-penned Kimikiss – various heroines – vol. 2, volume 6 of the very occasionally released (twice yearly?) Young Animal Island manga compilation is scheduled to feature an alternate cover for various heroines 2, a double-sided Pure Rouge poster, a new installment of various heroines as well as one-shot stories from a host of famous ecchi seinen manga artists (what’s Hiroyuki doing there? I can’t wait to find out). Looks to be a volume for the collectors indeed. :3 (no more)