NCSX Import Video Games & Toys

General Updates

2009-11-27T11:58:00.000-05:00

New Import Arrivals
«©NCSX» The rest of this week's new Japanese releases have arrived today including PSP Spectral Souls Legacy and PSP Higurashi Daybreak Portable Mega Edition. Three Professor Layton DSi accessories have also arrived and are shipping out today. We're short-staffed today so we'll post full product summaries and images for today's new arrivals on Monday of next week.

Mushihimesama Futari v1.5 Limited Edition Update
«©NCSX» The remaining shipments of Mushihimesama Futari LE have arrived and we'll be able to process and fill pretty much everyone's order at the original price of US$109.90. We were short-shipped 8 copies of the game so we probably won't be able to fill 8 relatively recent orders.
We've contacted vendors in Japan for potential LE restock but prices for the game have been hiked in the aftermarket. Some retail shops are quoting prices of ~JPY16,100 (US$185.34) but one seller on Amazon.jp wants JPY19,780 (US$228.07) + JPY440 shipping for his inventory. On the wholesale side of things, prices have increased to approximately JPY15,000 (US$172.68) from two vendors in our Japanese distribution network but everyone else is completely sold out. NCS does not plan on purchasing any additional copies at what we consider to be unreasonable prices.

UPS Holiday Schedule
«©NCSX» Please note that UPS is not picking up or delivering UPS Ground packages today because they're on a (Thanksgiving) holiday schedule. Normal Ground delivery and pickups will resume on Monday of next week.

X360 Mushihime-sama Futari v1.5 - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:49:00.002-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Pilot Princess Reko atop her beetle Kiniro or take control of a lad named Palm who rides a beetle known as Hirow and shoot at waves upon waves of insect attackers. The Xbox 360 conversion of Mushihimesama Futari is based on the Arcade 1.50 version of the game but orders shipping today will include a bonus DLC card which unlocks the v1.01 revision of Futari which features different bullet patterns.

Mushihimesama Futari has the distinction of being the most difficult shooter in existence but it's mainly because the bullets from bosses rain down in sheets. Repeat: sheets. Literally, bullets upon bullets. Gamers can look forward to nonstop streaming shots, mesmerizing spiraling shots, and thick waves of rapid shots that afford 1cm of leeway. Even elite players who regularly conquer shmups of all stripes on one measly credit are confounded by Futari. We're of the opinion that Cave and arcade operators conspired to make sure that Futari cannot be completed on 1 credit. Top players will need at least 5-25 credits depending on individual skill level and hitbox alertness.

Please note that we cannot accept any changes to preorders as of today. We have a large volume of orders to process and we want to make sure everyone's order is shipped out this afternoon before the holiday.

X360 Mushihime-sama Futari v1.5 LE - New Import, SOLD OUT

2009-11-25T11:46:00.002-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Pilot Princess Reko atop her beetle Kiniro or take control of a lad named Palm who rides a beetle known as Hirow and shoot at waves upon waves of insect attackers. The limited edition of Mushihime-sama Futari v1.5 includes a 2-CD Mushihimesama Futari Arrange Soundtrack which is bundled with the game in a special slipcase. Each CD contains 12 tracks with arrangements from various contributors.
Mushihimesama Futari has the distinction of being the most difficult shooter in existence but it's mainly because the bullets from bosses rain down in sheets. Repeat: sheets. Literally, bullets upon bullets. Gamers can look forward to nonstop streaming shots, mesmerizing spiraling shots, and thick waves of rapid shots that afford 1cm of leeway. Even elite players who regularly conquer shmups of all stripes on one measly credit are confounded by Futari. We're of the opinion that Cave and arcade operators conspired to make sure that Futari cannot be completed on 1 credit. Top players will need at least 5-25 credits depending on individual skill level and hitbox alertness.

As mentioned yesterday, NCS is able to process and ship 5/8 or 62.5% of our preorders for the Mushihimesama Futari Limited Edition today. Please note that we cannot accept any changes to preorders as of today. We have a large volume of orders to process and we want to make sure everyone's order is shipped out this afternoon before the holiday.

X360 Mushihime-sama Futari Joystick - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:44:00.002-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Hori releases a specially branded Mushihimesama Futari Ver. 1.5 Real Arcade Pro EX Joystick which is based on the default Hori Real Arcade Pro SE EX but the case is colored green and the top of the stick features an image of Princess Reko and Palm against a leafy-green nature backdrop. The joystick and buttons are from Seimetsu which is a manufacturer of arcade parts and devices. Thanks to the heavy bulk of the joystick, it's stable and sturdy even when players are wagging the stick and slapping the buttons with wild abandon.
Please note the joystick does not support Dual Shock vibration and connects to the Xbox 360 by cable/cord. All preorders are shipping today.

Wii Naruto Shippuden: Ryujinki - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:42:00.001-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Tomy celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Naruto franchise with a new Wii 3D action-adventure game that stars an older, lankier, and somewhat wiser Naruto. Sakura and Kakashi are in tow along with an assortment of friendlies as well as dragon enemies that can only be slain with Dragon Blades.
Sakura and Kakashi are in tow along with an assortment of friendlies as well as dragon enemies that can only be slain with Dragon Blades. Naruto and Sakura have new spiffy costumes they can wear along with nifty accessories. Characters from Sasuke's earlier upstart group Team Hebi (Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu) also join the cast of characters.

The first production of Naruto will ship with a bonus messenger bag that's being given away by Tomy in 50% ratio.

NDS Layton Kyouju to Majin no Fue - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:40:00.001-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Three years before the events in Professor Layton and the Curious Village, the good professor and his young disciple Luke find themselves in another curious village with a strange legend. As the story goes, whenever the mysterious "Devil's Flute" is played, its haunting melody causes a giant to go berserk and subsequently "go to town" on the village. The new game also chronicles how Luke came to become Layton's little apprentice.

Similar to previous chapters in the Layton series, diabolical puzzles and thought-inducing scenarios prod gamers into using their brains to solve problems and help Layton, Luke, and a new character named Remi Altava proceed to new puzzles. After players complete the main game, a mini-game titled "Layton's London Life" is unlocked which tasks gamers with the duty of fulfilling special requests from the citizens who look to Layton for aid.

NDS Strike Witches: Aoi no Dengekisen RE - New, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:38:00.001-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» In an alternate reality, the Earth has been ravaged by the effects of an armed force known as the Neuroi. To counter their assaults, humanity has developed the "Striker Unit" which is an all-in-one device which grants wearers the power of flight, defensive measures, and enhances one's propensity for magic. In the world of Strike Witches, cat-eared girls serve as the warriors who don the Striker Units and thrust through the heavens to battle the insidious Neuroi.

The Nintendo DS game features the cast from the animated serial in an S-RPG which also includes a bevy of interactive sequences that help move the story along. A new character-protagonist named Atsushi Takei joins the cast of the NDS game. Early preorders will ship with a bonus NDS storage pouch designed to look like a girl's bloomers.

NDS Strike Witches: Aoi no Dengekisen LE - New, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:37:00.002-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» In an alternate reality, the Earth has been ravaged by the effects of an armed force known as the Neuroi. To counter their assaults, humanity has developed the "Striker Unit" which is an all-in-one device which grants wearers the power of flight, defensive measures, and enhances one's propensity for magic. In the world of Strike Witches, cat-eared girls serve as the warriors who don the Striker Units and thrust through the heavens to battle the insidious Neuroi.

The Nintendo DS game features the cast from the animated serial in an S-RPG which also includes a bevy of interactive sequences that help move the story along. A new character-protagonist named Atsushi Takei joins the cast of the NDS game. The limited edition of Strike Witches includes a bonus Drama CD which spans 40-minutes of listening time. Early preorders will ship with a bonus NDS storage pouch designed to look like a girl's bloomers.

PSP La Pucelle: Ragnarok - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:34:00.001-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Sweet, sassy, and louder than thou, Priere has just graduated from demon hunting / exorcism school. Armed with a big ego and some skills, Priere is confident in her ability to tackle her chosen job with precocious efficacy. Staking out in the world to make a name for herself and a band of demon hunters called La Pucelle, Priere hopes to play a part in quelling an outburst of demons that have invaded the world. Joining Priere in the adventure is her younger brother Culotte who's mature beyond his years. The other members of La Pucelle include Alouette who's the siblings' teacher and a demon hunter named Croix.

The game gets things started slowly with a few training missions where bats attack but they're fairly easy to dispatch. As the party levels up in skills and abilities, the missions gradually increase in complexity and difficulty. Guide the La Pucelle crew through a total of 12 chapters where the tactical, grid-based battles gradually become more involved. Monsters may also be recruited and trained to battle on the party's behalf. In order to keep the monster in the party, its level of happiness and contentment must be sustained or it'll vamoose and go back to its usual wild monster habits.

The PSP upgrade of La Pucelle includes a new scenario which features Demon-Priere and characters from Disgaea including Etna, Flonne, and Laharl. Players can also utilize new spells, skill sets, rotate maps, listen to full voice acting, and skip battle animations to speed up the pace of play.

PSP La Pucelle: Ragnarok Limited Ed - New Import, In Stock

2009-11-25T11:32:00.004-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Sweet, sassy, and louder than thou, Priere has just graduated from demon hunting / exorcism school. Armed with a big ego and some skills, Priere is confident in her ability to tackle her chosen job with precocious efficacy. Staking out in the world to make a name for herself and a band of demon hunters called La Pucelle, Priere hopes to play a part in quelling an outburst of demons that have invaded the world. Joining Priere in the adventure is her younger brother Culotte who's mature beyond his years. The other members of La Pucelle include Alouette who's the siblings' teacher and a demon hunter named Croix.

The PSP upgrade of La Pucelle includes a new scenario which features Demon-Priere and characters from Disgaea including Etna, Flonne, and Laharl. Players can also utilize new spells, skill sets, rotate maps, listen to full voice acting, and skip battle animations to speed up the pace of play. The limited edition of La Pucelle Ragnarok includes an illustrations booklet and an Original Soundtrack CD which are the same as the bonuses included in the original PS2 La Pucelle Limited Edition.

NEWS General Updates

2009-11-25T11:32:00.001-05:00

NDS Roller Angels Pasha to Daisakusen - Delayed Again
Star*Fish was supposed to ship Roller Angels for the NDS this week but they've postponed it once again to the Spring of 2010. We're thinking the game's going to get canceled outright when Spring 2010 rolls around.

Thanksgiving Reminder Redux
Since we have a number of international customers who don't celebrate Thanksgiving, we're posting another reminder that tomorrow is a national holiday in the States and NCS will be on hiatus. Normal operations will resume on Friday. Even though Friday is not a holiday, UPS and Fedex will be on a holiday schedule which means that Ground packages will not be picked up or delivered.

TOYS Domokun Aki Mascot Strap Series 2 - Import Preorder

2009-11-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» When Domokun started out his little cottage- industry-career, he was beloved by many stateside fans even though he only appeared on Japanese television. You can thank the magic of the internet and streaming video for his early fame. Back then, Domokun products were gobbled up by ~~crazed~~ passionate buyers who all wanted a little piece of the lovable brown monster. Sorta reminds us of the power of Sackboy. As the years passed and Domokun grew older, NCS noticed that consumer apathy had crept in as the volumes of Domokun products increased.

Domokun's brand had been diluted. Brown got watered down.

Eikoh's been one perpetrator of Domo's brand dilution and they perpetrate some more with a new collection of Domokun Straps. On the upper left portion of the top photo, Domokun portrays an afro-wearing maracas shaker but he changes to what we can only describe as a Buster on the upper-right corner of the photo. The other personas are a hand-fan-wielder and a sword-handler who appears droopy-eyed and unsteady. Preorders for the set of four Domokun Mascot Straps are welcome to ship in March 2010.

PSP 11 Eyes Crossover - Import Preorder

2009-11-24T11:58:00.001-05:00

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Japanese developer Lass originally released 11eyes CrossOver for the Xbox 360 in March 2009 and they're porting the game over to the Playstation Portable early next year. The hero in the game is a lad named Kakeru Satsuki who was orphaned at a young age along with his sister. However, while at the orphanage, Kakeru's sister committed suicide which left him desolate and lost. Despite the tragedy that befell him, Kakeru nevertheless soldiered onwards with help from his friend Yuka Minase and new friends in high school. Kakeru has been living a relatively normal life until his world goes awry (quite literally) when he discovers an alternate reality. The kind of reality where monsters hunt unsuspecting innocents. Kakeru and Yuna call the strange reality "Red Night" and eventually team up with four other heroes who are also privy to the new reality. The narrative of the adventure comes from the perspective of multiple characters.

The PSP conversion of the game features a new event scene designed exclusively for the PSP, a new opening cinema, and extra wallpaper to use in the XMB menu. In addition to the regular edition of the game, preorders are welcome for a limited edition which includes a USB memory card. Preorders are welcome to ship on January 28, 2010.

NEWS General Updates

2009-11-24T11:57:00.000-05:00

Mushihimesama Futari v1.5
All preorders for the regular edition of X360 Mushihimesama Futari and roughly 5/8 of our preorders for the limited edition should ship out to customers tomorrow. The game was dispatched from Japanese distributors last night but one supplier whom we preordered the limited edition from did not receive their Futari LE allocation yet. They'll receive the game tonight.
We're targeting Friday for the arrival of the remainder but please note that there may be shortages of the limited edition from the upcoming Friday batch. We'll update accordingly once we receive the shipment proforma. If Cave actually fills our entire original order, we'll be very surprised.

Real Arcade Pro Twinsticks
The long wait for Hori's special production of the Xbox 360 Twinsticks should be over by next week. NCS will contact customers once we receive confirmation of the shipment from Japan.

Thanksgiving Reminder
Thursday is a national holiday in the States and NCS will be on hiatus.

PS3 End of Eternity - Import Preorder

2009-11-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Sega and Tri-Ace team up to create an RPG where the populace of the planet resides inside a massive tower named Basel (not Babel) that was built ages ago. Inside the tower, a lad named Zephyr and his friend Vashyron work for a security firm which keeps the peace. When a problem inside the tower causes the purification system to go wonky, the social situation inside Basel begins to get uncomfortable.
Early preorders for EoE will ship with a bonus End of Eternity Soundtrack titled "Resonance of Sounds" which is being given away by Sega in 50% ratio.

PSP Valkyria Chronicles 2 - Import Preorder

2009-11-23T12:14:00.004-05:00

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Three years after the events of the original Valkyria Chronicles, a new contingent of recruits continue the war in a sequel which features 30 chara-classmates who engage in over 200 missions. Familiar faces such as Alicia Melchiott and Welkin Gunther also return for another round of tactical action.
Early preorders will ship with a bonus Document of Gallia 1936 booklet that's given in 50% ratio.

NDS Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi - Import Preorder

2009-11-23T12:12:00.001-05:00

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» The sixth Dragon Quest begins in quaint and relatively quiet fashion. A campfire flickers within a forest clearing which keeps the blue-haired Hero and his friend Muriel warm. The sound of insects that sing only at night permeate the air. A third soon joins the two - a somewhat brusque adventurer named Hassan - and the trio all ramble towards a castle...

Dragon Quest VI was originally released for the Super Famicom in 1995 and NCS recalls the average selling price at that time was roughly $130. For one game. We've been told that it was worth every penny however from diehard game fans who also didn't flinch when Bayonetta rang in at US$80. Square Enix has been slowly remaking it's way through the Dragon Quest series and volume VI concludes the successful remake run on the Nintendo DS. Preorders are welcome to ship on January 28, 2010 at JPY5800 or US$60.90 from NCS.

X360 End of Eternity - Import Preorder

2009-11-23T12:11:00.002-05:00

NEWS General Updates

2009-11-23T12:10:00.001-05:00

Japanese Holiday
Monday was Kinrō Kansha no Hi in Japan which celebrates the working men and women of the country. The national holiday is analogous to Labor Day in the United States and in most countries around the world. Human capital is the foundation of all nations and one of our mentors likened it to a highly valuable and specialized commodity. Unlike crude or coffee however, there's no futures market for labor although there are indirect ways to trade the condition of labor within a nation.

Thanksgiving Holiday
Thursday is a national holiday in the United States where citizens consume turkey and UPS shipments won't be delivered. Please note that Friday may turn out to be an impromptu "holiday" for UPS but we'll hope for the best since we'd like to receive Mushihime-sama Futari this week.

Best Seller
The best selling game over the weekend was the USA version of Karaoke Revolution American Idol Encore 2 for the Wii.

NEWS Japanese Import Outlook - Arrivals on Friday

2009-11-23T12:08:00.001-05:00

NDS	Cooking Mama 3	Taito
	Layton Kyouju to Majin no Fue	Level 5
	Roller Angels: Pasha to Daisakusen	Starfish
PSP	La Pucelle: Ragnarok	NipIchi
	La Pucelle: Ragnarok First Print Limited Edition	NipIchi
	Puyo Puyo 7	Sega
Wii	Karaoke Joysound Wii DX	Hudson
	Naruto Shippuden: Ryujinki	Takara
360	Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 Arcade Stick	Hori
	Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 Regular Edition	Cave
	Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 Limited Edition	Cave

NEWS USA Release Outlook - Arrivals on Monday-Wednesday

2009-11-23T12:07:00.001-05:00

NDS	Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mt	Aspyr
	Hello Kitty Party	Majesco
	Hands on Tangrams	Storm
PS3	Karaoke Revolution	Konami
PSP	Tekken 6	Namco
Wii	Karaoke Revolution	Konami
	Rec Room Games	Destineer
	Your Shape featuring Jenny McCarthy	Ubisoft
360	Karaoke Revolution	Konami
	Scene It?: Twilight	Konami

PSP Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep PSP Bundle - Preorder

2009-11-20T12:24:00.002-05:00

NCS Game Synopsis
«©NCSX» One of the most desired special-design handhelds in recent memory was the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Nintendo DSi which was a black DSi decorated with a repeating pattern of hearts, crosses, crowns, and mouse ears. A new special Kingdom Hearts-themed handheld was announced recently and one of our Japanese vendors opened up preorders last night... and closed them about 30 minutes later. We were able to submit our preorder request within that 30-minute window and preorders are welcome today.

Please note the Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Birth By Sleep bundle is a limited distribution product that is being priced at a healthy premium above the retail price by our distributor. Due to the inflation, NCS is pricing the Birth by Sleep bundle at US$389.90 and preorders are welcome to ship on January 9, 2010. NCS can guarantee all preorders for this item.

TEE Monster Hunter: I Love Meat Chop T-Shirt - New, In Stock

2009-11-20T12:21:00.002-05:00

NCS Game Synopsis
«©NCSX» Instead of wearing an "I Love New York" or an "I'm With Stupid" t-shirt which are corny and offensive (in that order), wrap yourself in a lovely "I Love Chop" tee which gets to the meat of the matter. By putting the shirt on, wearers are making a statement to the world that greasy hunks of steak, brisket, lamb, and even pork chops are the preferred vehicle of sustenance. Two sizes are currently available from NCS as follows:

» Medium (Length from collar to hem: 165~175cm, Bust: 88~96cm)
» Large (Length from collar to hem: 175~178cm, Bust: 96~104cm)

The shirts are woven from 100% cotton and are available in either white or black. All preorders have shipped as of yesterday and new orders are welcome to ship today. Please note that we are currently sold out of the X-Small, Small, and X-Large sizes but we expect restock within the next 4-7 days. The shirts will ship flat in a cardboard container.

OST Hikari no Senshi 4 Original Soundtrack - New, In Stock

2009-11-20T12:17:00.003-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» There's one word that isn't used much in the entirety of New York City and that word is "delighted." It's a perfectly good word but "delighted" just isn't in the daily lexicon of the Big Apple. Can you imagine a street food vendor saying, "I'm delighted to serve you a falafel from the confines of my humble food cart?" We can't. Earlier this morning, the word "delighted" was conjured upon hearing the second track titled "Horn, the Home of the Wind" on Square's Hikari no Senshi 4 Original Soundtrack. The first track "Four Warriors of Light" didn't elicit much of a response since it's the same old staid Final Fantasy theme that we've heard throughout the years. Track 33 "Crisis by a Hair" made us feel as if Armageddon was nigh.

The soundtrack contains a total of 41 tracks; although not all of the tracks are delightful, the OST provides an enjoyable Final Fantasy aural experience.

MAG Weekly Famitsu Magazine Vol 1094 - Subscriptions

2009-11-20T12:15:00.001-05:00

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The December 3, 2009 issue of Weekly Famitsu includes coverage of the following games and events in the Japanese marketplace:

» Preview for SSM Multi-Raid 2 which checks out a few characters and includes an interview with Kenichi Ogasawara and Noriaki Toshikawa who are producing the game for Koei.
» Famitsu's reviewers rank X360 Mushihimesama Futari v1.5 (8/7/7/7), Wii Naruto Shippuden: Ryujinki (7/6/5/5), NDS Cooking Mama 3 (7/8/8/7), and NDS Layton Kyouju to Majin no Fue (8/9/9/8).
» The centerfold of the magazine contains a pullout 62-page Bayonetta Hi-Complete Bible which maps out the entire game and offers hints, maps, and general information for each chapter and the epilogue.
» This week's Digital Entertainment Front article takes a look at Inglourious Basterds which contains a short interview with Quentin Tarantino.
» Odd pizzas from fast-food restaurants such as Pizza-La, Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Chicago Pizza appear in PICK UP FOOD.