Character Vocal Series 01: Hatsune Mike - Preorder

Vocaloid (Vocal + Android) is a Japanese song simulator from Yamaha and Crypton Future Media where users type in lyrics and the software engine sings out the words in rapid fire staccato. Voice actress Fujita Saki provides the voice for Miku Hatsune in the software and she sounds like a mix between a munchkin and a generalized cartoon character. Vocaloid 2 has enjoyed strong sales since its release last year and Miku has been making the rounds on the merchandising circuit.

Good Smile Company's upcoming Miku figure features the tall and lanky version of the songstress as opposed to the squat super-deformed Nendroid toy which was released recently in Japan. Normal-size Miku is sculpted to 1/8 scale and measures 18cm or 7.08" in height. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late September 2008. Jan Code: 4582191965062

Piyo-chan Mezamashi Tokei - Preorder

In Japanese pop culture, animals are invariably round and devoid of jagged edges. The eyes must also be beady and appendages are nearly non-existent. The Piyo-chan duckling character from Sanrio fits the animal template guideline perfectly. Piyo-chan is basically a golden-colored puff with a beak.

For fans of Piyo-chan, Eikoh presents an alarm clock in two styles which features an old-school bell mechanism on top. Say you set the alarm to ring at 6:30AM because... those donuts aren't going to make themselves. When the clock strikes 6:30AM, a little metal hammer on top will strike both bells for a piercing wake-up experience. Preorders are welcome to ship in late September 2008 at US$15.90 each.

USA Release Outlook - Arrivals on Tues-Thurs

Grand Theft Auto 4 leads preorders for the week and will be shipping out tomorrow.
NDS	Brain Voyage	Eidos
	Iron Man	Sega
	Let's Pilates	Konami
	Let's Yoga	Konami
	Speed Racer: The Video Game	WB Games
	Toy Shop	Majesco
PS2	Iron Man	Sega
	SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1	SNK
PS3	Iron Man	Sega
PSP	Iron Man	Sega
PSP	SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1	SNK
PS3	Grand Theft Auto IV	Rockstar
Wii	Speed Racer: The Video Game	WB Games
X360	Grand Theft Auto IV	Rockstar

Japanese Import Outlook - Arrivals on Wed-Thurs

NDS	Emblem of Gundam	Bandai
	Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn! Fate of Heat	Takara
	Keikishi Gunzou Presents: Monoshiri Bakumatsu-Ou	Global A
PSP	Nippon no Asoko de	Sony
Wii	Link's Crossbow Training + Wii Zapper	Nintendo
	Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium	Namco

Nintendo Famicom Towel - Clearance

When stepping out of a steaming shower, bath, or pool, one needs a thick, thirsty towel to mop up the rivulets of water running down one's back. Since bathing and showering are daily rituals (we would hope), why not enjoy the experience with a bright, colorful Family Computer towel which reflects age-old gaming sensibilities? Banpresto once again pimps out retro Nintendo themes but this time, they're expertly woven into cotton towels which measure 120 x 60cm or 47 x 23.62" in size.

Sale Offering: NCS' remaining inventory of Famicom Towels is new, factory sealed, and in mint condition. Pricing is set at US$13.90 per towel which includes free shipping by USPS Media Mail within the U.S. Photos.

Final Fantasy Trading Arts Mini Vol. 2 - New, In Stock

Squall Leonhart of Final Fantasy VIII fame leads another quintet of toy figures based on Square's fabled Final Fantasy franchise. The other heroes featured in the Trading Arts Mini Vol. 2 set are:

» Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca - A princess turned freedom fighter
» Auron - The bruiser wearing shades and a red/black ensemble
» Basch fon Ronsenburg - Dalmascan knight with medieval mullet
» Tifa Lockhart - Athletic gal-pal of Cloud Strife in Final Fantasy VII

Each figure measures approximately 5cm or 1.96" in height and is fixed posed. Similar to other Trading Arts figures from Square, the figures are fully assembled, painted, and ready for display. Please note that Square Enix packages the toys nine per box and NCS is only supplying this item by the box. This means you'll receive the five standard figures as listed above and four random duplicates.

All preorders have shipped as of yesterday afternoon and new orders are welcome to ship today at $40.90 per factory box of 9 figures. Photos

H2O Plus: Footprints in the Sand - New Import, In Stock

Takuma Hirose has been dealt some lousy cards in his young life. His mother has died an untimely death and he's lost his sight due to a medical condition. Takuma's uncle decides that it's time for a change of pace and takes his young nephew to live in the country. Once settled, Takuma enrolls into a local junior high school where he meets three classmates (Hayami Kohinata, Hinata Kagura, and Otoha ) who help him heal in more ways than one. H2O was originally released as an adult visual novel for the Japanese PC in 2006. Two years later, Kadokawa Shoten strips the mature content from the game and releases H2O on the Playstation 2. New and/or updated features in the PS2 conversion include:

» The storylines of Yui Tabata and Hamaji Yakumo have been expanded and made into new scenarios for Takuma to explore.
» New CG events which were developed exclusively for the PS2 game.
» Additional dialogue snippets have been added.

The game is played in three distinct time frames which look at Takuma's high school days, a reunion, and finally his life with his chosen girl.

H2O Plus DX Pack - New Import, In Stock

The deluxe pack edition of H2O Plus includes the following items in addition to the game DVD:

» Original Series Drama CD titled "Eichisurio"
» H2O Plus Visual Book
» Anime DVD which contains an episode of H2O Plus.
» Five mini posters featuring the main characters in the game.