Monday, September 18, 2006

Asuka Langley 1/5.50 Scale Cold Cast Statue

The original story of Evangelion was told over a decade ago but toy manufacturers continue to churn out merchandise based on the EVA handlers named Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley. The other women of the series such as Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi occasionally make an appearance in toy form but generally as part of a set which also feature Asuka and Rei.

To refresh the anatomy of Asuka in the minds of the fan base, Newline starts preorders for a 1/5.50 scale figure which measures 20cm or 7.87" tall from Ms Langley's splayed feet to the top of her shabby locks. Asuka sits on a chair but doesn't relax her arms on its arms and elects to rest them along her thighs. In addition to big Asuka, a little moppet Asuka model is also included in the cold cast package which looks somewhat raggedy. Preorders are welcome today to ship in mid-late January 2007.

Dots Collection: Nintendo Version

The full-size Dots toys have featured Nintendo characters such as Mario and Zelda already but Tomy rehashes the classic figures in their miniature line-up of Dots kits. Measuring 5cm instead of the 9cm of standard kits, the mini-dots also include roughly 100 pegs to create classic figures.

Six styles are shown on the preorder placard but those are the color versions. The product solicitation also mentions that six "clear" versions of each kit are also randomly packaged in each factory sealed case. NCS is unsure of how the clear versions will look but we'll throw up photos once the Nintendo dots are in stock. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late November 2006. To order a full factory case of the Dots toys, please enter a quantity of "12" in your shopping cart.

Monsieur Bome Vol. 18

Mech handlers in big-robot-animation-series' generally fit into 2 basic molds. The first mold is that of an ace pilot with innate skills who takes to maneuvering a robot like a duck takes to water. The second mold follows a more humble path where the hero has potential but must work hard to get to the lofty levels of the aforementioned prodigies.

In the Gun Buster animation, Noriko Takaya fits squarely in the second mold. Unsure of herself at the outset of the animation, Noriko eventually grits her teeth, finds her impressive abilities within and pushes them forward to help the cause. To celebrate all that is Noriko, Kaiyodo has marked the eighteenth Monsieur Bome for the Gun Buster pilot. The figure measures 23cm or 9.05" tall and preorders ship in mid-late December at JPY4500 or US$49 from NCS.

Capcom Girls Statue 3: Cammy

Perky. That's the first word that comes to mind after casually glancing at a photo of Ensky's Capcom Girl Statue version of Cammy. After taking in the images for a few more seconds, another word that comes to mind is "sassy."

The third Capcom Girls Statue from Ensky depicts the popular fighting heroine as a rigid yet curvy figure who rests her left gauntlet on her backside while her right hand appears glued to her right thigh. Two sprigs of her blonde locks sprout outwards from the top of her head while her blue uniform appears to have been spray-painted on. The Ensky Cammy figure measures 19cm or 7.48" tall and is fully assembled and painted for immediate display upon delivery. Preorders ship in mid-late January 2007 at JPY4800 or US$49 from NCS.

Super Mario Bros Mats

Banpresto hasn't officially gone into the home furnishings market yet but the company occasionally produces accoutrements for the home based on popular and recognizable gaming totems. NCS has stocked Nintendo Clocks, Famicom cushions, and other plushy products in the past but Banpresto pushes into a new direction with their latest offering. Mats.

Just mats that are plopped onto the floor and just sort of lie there. At first glance, they look like placemats but they're much bigger than that - 40cm x 40cm (15.74 x 15.74") to be exact and plushy. Five styles are on offer which are perfect for the game room. Preorders ship in mid-late January 2007.

Mario Mouse v2.0

When the first dot design Mario Mouse shipped in late 2005, NCS knew that consumers wouldn't purchase it for the ergonomics or ease of use but for the novelty. Sales were good and most suppliers in Japan have already sold out of them. BPS tests the market again with another pair of mice which include the same Mario design from Set v1.0 and a Star mouse with pointy design. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late Jan. 2007.