Not quite. But an annual event in Toyama Prefecture may have fooled some into thinking so...
Every year parents and children from the local Kanoya Kindergarten and Elementary School plant rice in a local paddy field in the month of May. What might look more like extra-terrestrial vandalism is actually a creative project to create a parental and community bond. One way or another, the field ends up getting painted with the likeness of a famous anime character before its harvested in early October. Last year, the well-known time traveling feline known as Doraemon took center stage but the alien Sergent from the 58th planet of the Gamma Storm Cloud System invaded Toyama for 2008. Earlier this month on October 3rd, Keroro was unfortunately harvested by the parents and children by which he was sown. Though his no doubt egocentric attitude mourns the harvest, the citizens of Toyama Prefecture continue to impress with their agricultural anime artistry. And hopefully will for years to come.
Source:[Yahoo.jp Blog]
29 October, 2008
26 October, 2008
More than six years after its final air date, Onegai Teacher, and its superbly 萌え Mizuho Kazami, continues to grasp firmly onto the hearts of many fans. Two new Mizuho figures from AlphaMax and Kotobukiya look to strengthen this bond and loosen your wallet at the same time...
The first from AlphaMax, is a very impressive 1/6 scale rendering of Mizuho dressed, or rather partially dressed, for summer while playfully fondling a water hose. Very reminiscent of sculptor Keiko's Summertime 2 resin kit and cold cast of the same name featuring the blond foreigner Holiday. And that's not all the two have in common. AlphaMax's Mizuho is also constructed of cold cast resin, a high quality polymer material not treated with heat when the mold is being cured. You'll pay for that quality too. "Summer Time" Mizuho is set at 15,540円 (around $166 with the current exchange rates). Sculpted by EGG and due out sometime in January, she's certainly one to look out for.
Not to be outdone, Kotobukiya is offering a more realistically proportioned 1/7 scale Mizuho PVC strutted with her small eye glasses and almost trademark plaid green bikini, also seen here in GoodSmile's classic Mizuho PVC. Koto's Swimsuit Mizuho is expected to be released in February of next year at a more affordable price of around 7,140円 and is sculpted by HIDE.
24 October, 2008
As we approach the end of 2008, a plethora of dakimakura are being released to accommodate the average otaku in the cold and lonely winter ahead. In this post, we'll take a look at what's being offered...
(Estimated Times of Arrival are taken from AmiAmi and may not accurately reflect the release date of each cover at separate retailers)
Anime
Some sites such as HLJ and CDjapan are already taking pre-orders for a select few of these upcoming dakimakura. If you don't see one of interest on your favorite site, don't hesitate to ask if they can get it in. Chances are they can and will gladly stock items that potential customers are looking for.
Aside from R2 sites, check with US-based hotspots such as ToysLogic.com and KidNemo for delayed but up-to-date imports.
22 October, 2008
The figure community is abuzz with the recent announcement of the PVC version of Nitro+'s and Tsuji Sanda's Soniko Valentine figure...
--First seen at Wonder Festival 2008 Summer as an unpainted conceptual cast, not too much was known about the sugary hadaka apron version of Nitro+'s popular Super Sonic event mascot. Another SoniKo figure that was actually for sale at the event (seen here from e2046.com) may have taken away some of the spotlight but news of Orchid Seed's January release of the sultry Valentine Version (sculpted by JYOJY) thrust it back into recognition earlier today.
--Reservations have already opened on a few R1-friendly sites, with all allocations still available (but probably not for long). They include:
Expect preorders arriving on sites like Play-Asia, YesAsia, J-list etc. in the near future.
21 October, 2008
Yesterday marked the advent of ErogeShop, the new ero branch of dojinsoft/game purveyor Himeya Shop...
ErogeShop.com will function primarily as the adult product center for its former self, Himeya Shop. In going with the celebration of its grand opening, ErogeShop is offering limited time discount campaigns:
Opening Campaign Information
* From Opening To Oct 23rd, 2008 0:00am (PST):
Shipping Free (EMS Shipping Only)
* From Oct 23rd, 2008 0:00am (PST) To Oct 31st, 2008 0:00am (PST):
3% Discount Coupon (Coupon Code: erogeshop)
There are 2 more days to act for free EMS shipping (no small discount, EMS is basically a second mortgage)but the 3% discount will apply until Halloween.
Besides offering up-to-date eroge releases straight from Akiba, ErogeShop will provide ero anime DVDs, DVD/TV eroge, ero manga periodicals and monthlies, and standalone doujinshi like the recent Nanako-san Teki na Nichijou RE seen below, all directly from otaku-mecca.
Source:[AkibaBlog]
14 October, 2008
Getting your electric buzz on with the virtual idol never felt so... three-dimensional.
Figure Title: Character Vocal Series 01 Hatsune Miku 1/8 scale PVC
Character Name: Miku Hatsune (初音ミク)
Original Character Designer: KEI
Sculptor: YOSHI (とれぱんぐ), assisted by Nendoron
Source Material: Vocaloid
Scale: 1/8 (180mm)
Base:
Color: Transient Black
Shape: Hexagonal
Features: Official Vocaloid Logo
Necessary Removable Parts: None
Removable Parts/Accessories: None
Castoffability: Miku's Skirt
Materials: PVC, ABS
Packaging: Windowed Box, 2 Plastic Interlocking Molds
Extras/Pack-ins: Delicious Chrome Mirror backdrop
Release Date: Late September, 2008
Manufacturing/Production: Good Smile Company
Distribution:Good Smile Company
Approximate Retail Price:≈5,500円
Current Availability: Discontinued at major retailers. Scheduled October Re-release.
Related PVCs: GSC's Nendoroid Miku, Volk's Miku
Foreword:
No mascot character has enjoyed quite the same backing that Miku Hatsune has from the otaku community. The face (and more appropriately voice) of Yamaha and Crypton Future Media's Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series, Miku has been the heart throb of Akiba-elite and casual Nico Nico Douga users alike since her hypnotic presence hit the streets in August of last year. Since then, Miku has absorbed herself into mass media as the common man(iac)'s virtual idol, breaking out of her internet meme shell and into the limelight. And, as with any idol, the slew of merchandise is never far behind. T-shirts, food stuffs, whatever tickles the consumer's fancy; there's a Miku version of it. The bishoujo figure microcosm is no exception. Good Smile Company and their Max Factory arm have had a domineering presence over Miku's transition into tangibility, with Nendoroid and Figma versions already produced, distributed, and ferociously consumed. Though there have been numerous garage kits and resin models produced by fans and circles, a scale PVC figure from a major vendor hadn't manifested itself until GoodSmile's 1/8 scale Miku Hatsune PVC. Being the first in hopefully a long line of mainstream Vocaloid PVCs, GSC's Miku has much to live up to.
Sculpt:
The well-established YOSHI is primarily responsible for bringing Ms. Hatsune to life. YOSHI's more prevalent design traits are exhibited throughout the sculpt combining with GSC's spot-on production to deliver, at base level, a well rounded piece. Facial features are kept smooth and simplistic, reminiscent of and concordant with YOSHI's style. Actually, 'smooth' is a good word not only to describe the sculpt as a whole (ignoring wrinkles in her blouse and pleated skirt of course) but a very outstanding feature: Miku's lucsious and iconic twin-tails.
They're spread so far apart from her center that you might not notice their distant embrace at first but once you do, you'll be quite surprised at their flowing curves and immense scale. Wider than Miku is tall, in fact. Not to say her tsunami-esque hair size is to fault though: far from it. It's a feature that adds some unique flair in a dynamic way. However, if shelf space is at a minimum (as I know it is for some collectors, myself included), you might have to find some additional space to accommodate Miku's twin-tails.
While the hair is extraordinarily dynamic, Miku's pose might leave something to be desired for some. With a coquettishly cocked hip, contorted frame, and flared arm, the pose is wholly reminiscent of the sharp and expressive movements of idols on stage. Covering her left ear with her other hand alludes to the musical and lyrical aspects of Miku's character, a nice touch. Aside from these features, which admittedly aren't apparent at face value, the pose is delightfully typical.
But to the most important factor: Yes, panties are visible. They're of the high school girl variety: white with silver lining/trim and have an aqua-blue bow. Besides panchira, fans of zettai ryouiki, twin-tails, pettanko, and armpits will find something to like even if they aren't part of the Vocaloid loyal.
Production:
Not too much to elaborate on here. Good Smile has patted out their production enough to the point where each figure is extremely safe from any kind of error, almost TOO safe. The
lack of any deviation from the GSC norm might put off some but anyone looking for relatively high quality production value, though of a greatly formulistic variety, won't be disappointed.
At a Glance:
☹ Simplistic execution on all accounts, nothing too distinct
Sculpt: 2.0/5
Production: 2.5/5
Final: 4.5/5
11 October, 2008
Yesterday, the official site of the Wonder Festival figure, model, and hobby event posted news that the upcoming 2009 Winter congregation will be canceled...
WonFes 09 Winter was scheduled for February 15 at Odaiba's Tokyo Big Sight, the same venue at which the event is held biannually every year, until next. The unfortunate news comes as a result of the "escalator incident" at WonFes 2009 Winter seen below. Ten people were injured and the cause of the accident itself still under investigation, reason due in part as to why 2009 Winter is, for the foreseeable future, postponed.
In my opinion, this is less of a safety issue than it is a legal stalemate in responsibility. Limiting the number of people on escalators at a given time to avoid surpassing the carrying capacity is but one of many alternatives available without the cancellation of the event. Regardless of blame and finger pointing, if we don't have a WonFes come February, it'll be a very sad time in the garage kit/hobby community.
Sources:[ANN]
05 October, 2008
Rumors gave way to fan bliss today as a second season of Spice and Wolf was green-lit for production...
The announcement didn't come without some strange, if not drastic, tweaks to staff. Kazuya Kuroda, the well-known animation director and character designer for such anime as Madhouse's Kaibutsu Oujo, Gonzo's Vandread, and the fan favorite ero anime Sora no Iro Mizu no Iro, will be replaced by the slightly more experienced but obscure Toshimitsu Kobayashi, known for his designs and animation direction in the classic Demon Lord Dante and El Hazard TV series. Perhaps the biggest change is the move from animation studio IMAGIN to Brain's Base studio. Through all this, Takeo Takahashi maintains his role as director for the Spice and Wolf series. Time will tell whether or not these alterations will have any drastic effect on the series itself. Any air date is TBA along with secondary information such as channels and time slots.
Sources:[MoonPhase][ANN]
03 October, 2008
ToysWorks previewed conceptual casts of their new Solid Works Collection DX series at Asobit City...
This time around the female cast of Unisonshift Blossom's mahou shoujo eroge Nanatsuiro★Drops will be released as a set of 5 non-scale PVC trading figures. The line-up includes Akihime Sumomo, Yuuki Nona, Yaeno Nadeshiko, Koiwai Flora, and Satsuki Yurishia (supposedly a new character from the Pure!! PS2 port). All are 110mm (a little more than 4 inches) in height and will retail for 7,350円 in a 10-piece box or 735円 individually. Expect to see pre-orders around the middle of next month.
Some might be interested to note the source material for these sculpts is an original illustration (seen below) by the famous Noizo Ito, character designer for the Nanatsuiro Drops light novel and eroge. The sea-side illustration was also the focus for Bandai's Figure Meister Prism Collection released earlier this year. 
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