Kudo-tan Get: Little Busters! Ecstasy Sofmap point poster and telephone card

(tags telephone card, stick poster, figure, Little Busters, Kudo-tan, Miku Hatsune, zettai ryouiki, loli)

Sofmap recently implemented a Pre-Order Ticket award system, where if you pre-order 1 video, game, or hobby (figure, toy model) related item, you get a "Ichi Map" (1 "map") ticket. (新品TVゲーム、PCゲーム、DVDソフト、ホビーの予約購入チケット、「壱マップ」). You can normally redeem them for a discount, but I don't think anybody would be foolish enough to do that. If you have 10 "Ichi Map" tickets, you can redeem it for a exclusive telephone card. Sometimes there's a diamond in the rough. Yes, look what I did here:

Posable Figma Miku Hatsune figure says "Wow!" to the Kudo-tan

Alright, I've never played the gal-ge visual novel game Little Busters! (リテルバスタース！) by VisualArt's / Key, but it sure does have a lot of commercial backing and support. You can't swing a dead neko-mimi in a character goods shop without hitting one of the many games, magazines and figures that pimp this work. Without checking the Wikipedia, I bet you this game will have a mainstream game release, followed by animes, movies, and stuff. I've already seen the hug-pillows and the itashas.

This telephone card is an illustration of Noumi Kudayavka (能美 クドリャフカ). I though she had an affectionate nickname call "Kudo-tan", because it was mentioned at Senaka Ota-Road blog, but I was told I was wrong to use that name. Anyways I like this character and this particular illustration because of the zettai ryouiki, and also the cute hat with the big button. It reminds me of the button on Saga (in the background). Furthermore, I like to collect telephone cards that have "Sofmap" written in them. I don't intend to actually play this game, though.

To tell the truth, I bought the card and an accompanying stick poster (shown above) from Sofmap Saurus 1 Treasure Box floor (委託販売階) for 8000 yen. This is actually a steal, in comparison to buying 10 video games, or dueling with auction snipers (the average open auction is about 10000+ yen right now). So the story on the stick poster was that it was the tokuten for buying 3000 yen worth of goods at Sofmap, probably at the same time this telephone card was released. Both items appear to be already out of stock, and both were only released 3 days ago. Frantic hordes, I think.

The September rush of Miku Hatsune (VOCALOID 初音ミク) figures also cannot be ignored as well. I only lucked out on that figure through a buy-it-now auction. Sweet, because its sold out everywhere. The non-posable but killer Good Smile Company version was released a week ago, and it's probably fetching beaucoup (?) bucks (?). I actually pre-ordered this one, but mine will be coming in the October shipment. Uki uki!

Aki Misato comes to Otaroad Gamers

(tags anime, artist, concert)

Aki Misato (美郷あき) is a recent singer that just celebrated her third "best" album. She usually sings slow and fast ballads and anime theme songs. Broccoli Anibro-Gamers had a couple of Aki Misato events, which was really a "talk, live, and handshake" mini-contest. I got a free ticket for buying her CD. 

Actually I dread these in-store concerts. Not that I don't mind seeing the artist, but that there are those pushy bodyguards that make sure you don't handshake for longer than a second. At least that was my experience back when I saw Halko Momoi. So when the day and time rolled around I was the opposite of excited. I brought the CD, even though there was no expectation of receiving a signature. I also learned that I was in the second group event. The first group got a little something something. Perhaps they got a poster.

The concert was held in the basement of Nanba-Nipponbashi Anibro-Gamers, but rather call it Otaroad Gamers. I didn't expect good acoustics with concrete walls and industrial ceilings but I'm tone-deaf anyway. There were about 50 people, which made it somewhat intimate. Also there was a questionnaire to get some good topics from the crowd, which they collected before the start.

Anyway, so Aki Misato showed up all dolled up. It was actually the first time I've seen her "move". She looks pretty good on the album covers, haha. And in person she was alright, but actually I couldn't see over the first 6 rows, um. The first part was a talk, with a local host personality keeping the conversation going. Aki Misato doesn't have enthralling dialogue, haha. "Osaka is great, even the one way streets." It seems I missed her other live event that weekend, and I don't keep up with her radio show outings. Other people, probably college kids, kept on nodding their acquaintance with her various radio events. She said she went to Brazil for work, but I didn't pickup/understand the details.

She then sang three song from her newest CD, "I lost the place", "Disarm Dreamer", "Here I am". For most of the time she sounded just like her studio voice. Was she lip-syncing? She did crack and off-keyed some notes, though. She didn't move from the center stage so I still couldn't see much of her. The people around me were the typical hesitant types, so they didn't break into dance. At least the guy at the front row broke out at least 8 glow sticks (sailium), one between each finger. That was pretty crazy cool. 

Afterwards, the dreaded hangshake scene. But what's this? No bouncer types? Each person getting about a minute time?!? Nice. I didn't really have anything to say to her, and I didn't really do my homework (memorize the CD). When she took my hand, I thought of two things. One was to wash my hands throughly afterwards and another was that her hands were really soft. I just asked if she spoke English (!) because I read somewhere that she was in New York. But no, she doesn't. No surprise there. Thank you for your songs and keep on singing! A parting handshake later, and I belted myself out of there.

Now that I checked out how paltry her Wikipedia entry is, I feel kinda bad that she's not getting more play time. I hope her company brings her out again to Osaka for a concert. The announced concert for 2008-11 is Tokyo only.

720p Hype: Mirror's Edge

(tags game, Mirror's Edge, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

I learned from the latest Famitsu's ad that Mirror's Edge will be arriving to Japanese shores on 2008-12-11, for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. I know the Xbox 360 version will be good and will be one I want to purchase, but I want to see this on the PlayStation 3 as well.

But, the US will be getting it on 2008-11-11. Ugh I can't wait.

Ah, the official Japanese site has been up for a week already.

And recently there was another Story Trailer video released. Kinda reminds me of the Animatrix. However the news post linked to downloadable high-definition video trailers, including a 1GB biggie that shows a whole lot more in-game footage. I got it from AOL's Big Download page.

I keep on watching and re-watching these trailers. Sweet. Except that I have some nits to pick. The solar panels are not facing the sun. They are angled for good jumping, I suppose. The ladders are unusable for normal people, only suitable for people who take flying leaps... No mirror image of your persona in a window.

I see the pre-ordering across the ocean comes with a designer carrier bag, for a total of USD 140.00. I would go for that. Of course I would use the bag. What is the sense of buying it without using it? What, it has a rendered woman's face on it? :-)

Banner it up! Kumatanchi

(tags game, Dual Screen, Kumatanchi)

  

  

Kawaii overload... Banner it up!

Where's Duke Nukem 3D?

(tags game, Xbox, Xbox Live, FPS, DLC, failure)

I was anticipating at least playing the demo of Duke Nukem 3D for the Xbox Live Arcade. But it's not available from a Japan-based account? Argh? Anyway I don't have this game, but I played it at a friend's house oh so long ago.

Two days ago I tried out (again) Doom for the Xbox Live Arcade (JP version). Um, I have this game on PC somewhere. I swear I even have the GameBoy Advance version too. Come on, not worth the (oh it's on sale?) 400 points.

Dual Wield Dual Screen Duel: Pokemon Pikachu DS and games

(tags hardware, game, Dual Screen, Pikachu, Princess Maker, Ketsui, Chrono Trigger, telephone card, television)

The other reason I was in shop today was to pick a screen protector film for my Pokemon Pikachu DS. Yes I haven't opened it until now and I've really been meaning to do it. The film made by Suncrest and called "magic film", claims to "self-heal any scratches". Sure. I only tried it out because it's about the same price as the other films. Anyway, slap that puppy on. I'm pretty happy with how I positioned the film. Usually I'm pretty sloppy. Unfortunately air bubbles and dust never seem to leave me alone.

So I recommissioned the DS (lite) I have been using, my pink Love and Berry DS, as my permanent One-Seg TV in my rack. I can't keep it on twenty-four seven: there seems to be a hot-spot that whitens the center of the screen after a day or two. Don't worry, it seems to disappear after I power off for a couple of hours.

Anyways, in a couple of days, I will have two DS games in the "training" catagory. (How else do you translate "育成"?). One is Princess Maker 4, of course I cannot pass up the ero-kawaii Naoto Tenhiro telephone cards. The other is the Kumatan-chi (くまたんち). I only liked it for the 2D static graphics, then I saw a gameplay/official trailer video and I was completely (re-) sold. The animation is so fluid and so cute. Plus the telephone cards FTW.

And Japanese shopkeepers never remind you to preorder. That's just too pushy. Instead, they have a wall where you can anonymously gawk and slack. I took a ganderand there was Ketsui DS coming around on 2008-10-23. Shmup action on the DS, bring it! Also Chrono Trigger DS as dated as 2008-11-27. I am not missing this one either, in both senses of the word. (Still need to dig out Chrono Cross, ugh) Neither of them have telephone card type omake, but they come with soundtrack CDs, I think. Perhaps Ketsui has a "superplay" video disc?

Surely now I can restart my Mysterious Dungeon: Shiren The Wanderer stuff again?

Region this: Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict

(tags game, Xbox 1, Unreal Tournament, GTA, Xbox 360)

On a whim I bought Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict. Oh that was last year.

On a whim I bought Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict today at Sofmap for 780 yens. Yes this is my second copy, and no I didn't forget about the first. It's just more convenient to get this one that digging through my cave. (!)

This software was marked as "overseas version" (duh), and I was under the impression that "overseas" Xbox 1 games are not playable on Xbox 360 JP. But I bet with my money and came away a winner. Yes I will accept the update to this game.

I played the single player campaign for about 45 minutes. The controls fit the Xbox 360 perfectly, but aiming is still like painting a Seurat with bricks. I like how the first levels bots sound just like those breathy heavy armor robots from UT2004. Graphics aren't too bad, but the screen is all letter-boxed, which skews the ratios.

Oh, and today I also bought Grand Theft Auto 4 for 4000 yen new. I might as well get this English version while there is still some stock sitting on the shelves and there is a lull in interest.

No longer a game PC: Touhou Chireiden

(tags game, Windows, shmup, Touhou, failure)

So I got my copy of the latest Zun / Shanghai Alice "Touhou" series shmup, 東方地霊殿　～ Subterranean Animism (Touhou Chireiden: Subterranean Animism). A fresh store copy, not a copy from Comic Market 74 a month ago. Install and play. Or try to and fail, because my pad does not work. I try a bunch of stuff, including downloading the latest DirectX, but I finally fix it by making the pad the preferred device "for use with older programs". Oh.

I get my ass handed to me on level 2, normal. No stick control. I'm a gonna turn in.

ipod (non-) lust 2008

(tags hardware, iPod, iTunes)

I am so glad that the iPod product announcements are like clockwork, come every September. I know exactly when my iPod becomes a lemon.

This new round of iPods is not very interesting, but I had a chance to sample them at a store recently. I first thought I would gravitate toward the new "classic" 120GB, but I feel bogged down by the weight. I dig the motion sensor of the slim iPod Nano, and I tried the shake-to-shuffle feature. You can't turn the shuffle off that way, it seems. Plus rotating to Cover Flow and other spirited animations makes me say "Shiny!". I did forget to sample the iPod Touch. I think its the price that puts me off.

Anyway, I'm going to try to go another year without an upgrade. I hope that solid state discs (SSD) tech will reach the size of my library, which is now about 60GB full of mostly 160 kbps MP3s. Anyways, that would make my current iPod 5.5gen almost two years old. AppleCare on it is almost expired. Adding bluetooth makes it somewhat feel new again but battery life is abysmal.

This iPod news has made me re-stitch some cover art for my ripped CDs. I found this great blog for anime related CDs scans. Strictly 600 by 600 pixel samples. I'm going to keep an eye on it.

And iTunes 7.7 is frustrating. I know iTunes 8 is out but the software quality on these Windows releases make me pause. 7.7 seems stop ripping my CDs if I click on the window while it's ripping. WTF, this is totally unlike the previous versions. I want to downgrade, and yes Old Versions of iTunes for Windows will work nicely. Actualy this is the only quibble I have. It's still slow and unresponsive, but my data seems safe and not corrupted (knock on wood).

Borrow books or re-read yer collection: Baxter spree

(tags book, science fiction)

Over the last couple of weeks I've been re-reading some of my science-fiction books that I purchased a long time ago. I read The Light of Other Days by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter, and more Stephen Baxter stuff like The Manifold Series which includes Time, Space and Origin. I am still looking around for my copy of Phase Space. Oh yeah, I also re-read his Timelike Infinity.

I think the whole thing started when I found that haven't read his 2006 book Resplendent, which finished off the Destiny's Children series. I found a copy at my local favorite (only?) import bookstore, Kobe Random Walk.

It was a shock to learn that there were closing down, because the parent company went bankrupt. Even the web page is dead, and I am searching Google's cache for more info without success. The Kobe location is still open, but the end seems near, because the sci-fi section is dwindling.

Just this weekend I finally applied for a library card. I don't expect to use it much, but I heard browsing and scheduling a book retrieval is easy over the Internet. But what exactly am I going to read in Japanese? I want to read some romance novels, actually. Then again, I could read my copy of Across Realtime by Vernor Vinge, again.

I am reminded to read a book read a book read a mother fucking book.

No fancying Phantasy Star Universe

(tags game, Xbox 360, RPG, Phantasy Star)

Phantasy Star Universe for the Xbox 360 is ugly and repetitive and slow. Well I did get it for about 980 yen so maybe that makes up for it. I'm only two hours into it, though. The songs are in English, oh so laughable. About the only thing that makes up for this is the zettai ryouiki, but I'm already grasping straws if it comes to that.

gimme sum'in teh shoot: PDZ and Uncharted

(tags game, Xbox 360, FPS, Perfect Dark Zero, PS3, Uncharted)

I only played the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune demo last weekend at a store's PS3 demo unit. It plays nice. I wanna shoot something.

And at the same shop I finally succumbed to buying Perfect Dark Zero. Only 1500 yens, used of course. I was in the mood for some FPS so that's what I'm playing right now. Hey the graphics look pretty good and the sound effects sound like something from Halo 3. I like the English voice cast, but the lines are pretty sucky. Cover takes too long to get into, though. Who thought of those little delays?

Give me something to buy: Xbox 360 DLC, iD super pack

(tags game, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, DLC, Soul Calibur)

I can't remember the last time Microsoft had a sale on DLC, but here's one lasting till the end of October. It's called Extended Play Download Days, and applies to Beautiful Katamari, Oblivion, Forza Motorsport 2, Lost Odyssey, and Mass Effect. Also Guitar Hero 3, but I mention it seperately because I don't have that game (yet?). There's nothing I really need, but I think I'll go for the Katamari stuff first. (Thanks Kotaku)

Soul Calibur 4 and (Japanese?) schoolgirl costumes. It's not yet done, Bandai-Namco, (hint hint Idolm@ster) but yer getting there.

Also, Steam discounted the "iD Super Pack" showcasing past seminal FPS titles including Quake and Doom. I blogged about this desireable last year, and now at this price I am reconsidering a purchase. At the very least, I recommended this to a friend who just bought a top-end video card.