The Queen's Gate lineup was augmented yesterday with the announcement both on the series' official site as well as online shop listings of the coming release of a Shiranui Mai combat artbook! The buxom heroine of the King of Fighters / Fatal Fury game series will be illustrated by Izumi Mahiru, doujin artist and eroge character designer of titles including Light's R.U.R.U.R. The book will be in the standard Queen's Blade format (64 pages, hardcover, full color) and is scheduled for release on October 31st. Cover image below:
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A trio of Goodsmile-distributed figures from disparate makers were "unsealed" for preorder last night at midnight, and listings have since gone up at several shops around the internet. The first is the long-awaited Fate/stay night Saber from rookie Solid Theater splinter brand Gift. Sculpted with baroque intricacy by Toda Satoshi of Yume no Kagutsuchino Koukoku, the first lot release of the figure also comes with a limited edition exchangeable face part sculpted by Kuramoto Ikuma of Millimeter Modeling. The figure is scheduled for release in December at 1/8 scale (18 cm tall) and 7,800 yen retail. The second newly available figure is this Saber Lion Nendoroid, from the Capcom PSP game Fate/tiger colosseum (sic). The sculpt is from Akemichi, and the figure is scheduled to retail in December at typical Nendoroid spec (10 cm tall, three exchangeable face parts and a variety of foods/weapons to feed the hungry Saber). Retail price is 3,000 yen. Last but not least, preorders are now open for Lilics' / Art Storm's Yamashita Shunya Character Series Vol. 2, Nasuka. She's also scheduled for December release, clocking in at 1/6 scale and 24 cm tall with a sculpt from PVC newcomer (?) Yamazaki Shigeru. Like Kanaru before her the series continues in a decidedly posterior-centric vein, and also like Kanaru she's scheduled to retail at 7,800 yen. Figure images below:
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Ero figure maker Gigapulse updated their official site last night with the news of two new figures (plus variations) currently in production, based on characters from Escu:de's 2006 eroge Figu@Mate. The first is the game's main heroine Endoh Ifrina, who will be coming in five variations of two main sculpts, with release scheduled for December for each. Sculpting duty is from Hormone-Man and the figures are listed as 1/1 scale (consistent with the gimmick of the game's pint-sized heroines), clocking in at around 12 cm tall. Retail price is 4,988 yen for all but the regular version of the second sculpt, which will retail at 3,780 yen. The second character to be portrayed in Giga's Figu@Mate lineup is Kanai Julialous, a 1/7 bust of whom is currently in planning with a sculpt also from Hormone-man. Further details on this release will be made available at the end of August. The currently available photos can be found below:
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Daiki Kougyou updated their official site today with a listing for a new figure of Ikkitousen's Kanu Unchou, based on the cover illustration of the manga's 13th volume. The sculpt is from Hagii Shunji (Studio Saru Bunshitsu), and the figure is scheduled to retail in December at 1/6 scale (28 cm tall) and 16,591 yen. The kit is castoffable, coming with both a removable robe (carried in the hand) and skirt, as well as a replaceable un-bandaged chest part. Preorders were open at Daiki's site but have since been temporarily retracted; international preorder listings are expected to appear shortly. Full gallery below:
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Figure maker Movic presented a preorder listing over the weekend for their latest incarnation of Musubi, heroine of manga and anime Sekirei. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to their first Musubi it took me a bit to determine conclusively that this wasn't a reissue, but it's definitely a new sculpt credited to Saitou Heel. She's scheduled for release in October at 1/7 scale (height unspecified) and 6,300 yen retail, and if precedent holds she's likely to be castoffable. Currently available images below:
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Figure distributor Milestone updated their site yesterday with the first official images online of a Shizukuishi figure from the all-ages public urination (omorashi) fetish manga Iinari! Aibure-shon. Beyond the images details on the figure are scant; we know that what's depicted is a Milestone limited pink edition, and the regular version will have her in her standard dark blue costume. Information such as the maker, sculptor, price, and release date are still unknown, but based on the other Milestone-limited items available it seems likely to be the work of either First Class or Aoshima. The Milestone post indicates that further information will be made available next week, but for now the images are reproduced below:
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Recent Updates Haruhi-chan, Churuya-san anime series announced Daiki Kougyou launches hug pillow line Tech Arts omnibus teaser Volks’ Masou Shizuka, Nanbu Kaguya prototypes unveiled Fullmetal Alchemist second TV anime series announced Tsuruya-san Figma preorder open Minamoto Chizuru oppai mousepad unveiled Alter announces Odin Sphere’s Gwendolyn, Saber reissue Urushihara Satoshi’s “Comiket Girl” preorder open Taki’s Minamoto Chizuru preorder open Kotobukiya’s Shining Wind Ryuuna, other reissues Figure Review: Daiki Kougyou’s Seyada Tara Clayz’s Tama-nee, Sasara preorders open Catching Up: Dakimakura Goodsmile presents Unity Yuuno Editor’s Desk: World of Lifecraft Nothing to see below the fold this time around; I'm still playing catchup, but should be back in the regular pattern of Mainichi updates within the next few days. It's good to be back in action! (no more)
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Moon Phase Diary updates with the news this evening that according to the October '08 issue of Shounen Ace (on sale August 25th), two new short-episode anime series are being produced simultaneously for broadcast on the YouTube Kadokawa Channel: "Suzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuuutsu" (based on the Haruhi spinoff manga by the same name) and "Nyoro~n Churuya-san" (based on the popular doujin 4-panel comic by Eretto). The Moon Phase author speculates that these may be a stopgap measure to placate ravenous hordes of Haruhi fans hungry for solid news of a sequel to the original TV series, but I for one welcome our chibi webcast overlords. I hope they give them voices... We'll keep an eye out for further news on this over the coming weeks. (no more)
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The official site of (heretofore exclusively) figure maker Daiki Kougyou was updated today with a listing for an item that breaks new ground for the company: a Kanu Unchou dakimakura cover from Ikkitousen Great Guardians. The case is scheduled to retail in November at 10,500 yen (case only), is sized 160 x 50 cm and features two original illustrations from animator Miyazawa Tsutomu, printed on suede fabric. According to the listing the case is available exclusively via Daiki's online shop, so international customers may have to use a proxy. Pillow images below:
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The various Tech Arts eroge brands got together yesterday and posted an enormous (4721 x 6057 pixel) teaser image including in-progress content from several of their upcoming games. The image is chaotic and not very easy to parse, but from what can be gleaned it seems that there are at least four new games in development from the various brands: a new Mochizuki Nozomu-designed game from MBS Truth (or possibly an OLE spinoff), a new Gunner-L designed game (side-scrolling shooter included) from an OLE, a new Sano Toshihide-designed game from G.J?, and what appears to be a 3D remake of Ane to Boin from Tech Arts 3D. The teaser image is reproduced below:
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Those following the saga of the Alice Soft x Volks figure collaboration project over the past several months were rewarded late last night with the posting over at GA Graphic of the first official look at the prototype for the fan-selected #1 popular Rance series character, Masou Shizuka. Preorders for the PVC figure are expected to open on Monday, August 25th, exclusive to Volks' online shop and brick and mortar locations, so a proxy buy will be necessary for international fans. Release is scheduled for "this winter", and she retails at 7,140 yen and 1/6 scale (23 cm tall) with a sculpt from Kamio Rintarou (A-Brand). Also new from Volks is word that the amply-chested Nanbu Kaguya, heroine of Mugen no Frontier: Super Robot Wars OG Saga, is to receive the figure treatment. She's also scheduled for a winter release, at 7,875 yen and 1/7 scale (28 cm tall), with a sculpt from Chorosuke (A-Brand). Release is once again exclusive to Volks online and terrestrial shops, with preorders opening on August 25th. This combined with her abundant appearance at Comiket 74 mark a meteoric rise to popularity for a character who hit the market just last May, and we can expect to see more from her in the coming months. Images ganked from GA Graphic below:
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