Animal Crossing Pouches

Japanese manufacturer Sol International makes use of their Animal Crossing license by announcing two types of pouches which ship in November. First up, face pouches where the lovable mugs of an AC character serve as barely functional carrying bags. Since each face pouch measures a mere 10cm in diameter, we're guessing Sol wanted potential customers to store coins and candy since that's all that'll fit. Next up, Nintendo DS carrying pouches decorated with the images of various AC figures. Throw an NDS or NDS Lite unit in the case and lug it around in sweet Animal Crossing style.

Nyanyan Cellphone Cleaner

After gobbling a greasy pork sandwich, your mitts might find themselves dredged in oil and saliva. If the supplier of the sandwich was particularly generous with the mustard, the yellow condiment might also be slathered on your fingers. The cell phone rings. Absent-minded and delirious from the meal, you greedily grab the phone and smear the unholy mess all over it. A lesser mortal would grab a Kleenex and do a quick wipe. But you're no lesser mortal. You are a Nyanyan paw carrying international player who slides the paw from your pocket and waxes the phone in even strokes until it's like new again. Five styles are on offer and preorders ship in Nov.

Animal Crossing Card Case

Yujin has started preorders for Nintendo DS game card carriers which feature peachy Animal Crossing themes. Six styles are on offer and each case opens up like a book and holds three NDS games in transparent sleeves. Since the card cases are so petite, gamers may store their monthly rotation of NDS cards (figure about 12 games spread across four carriers) in the little leaflets and throw the lot of them in a gym bag, a satchel, or a man-purse. The red one with polka dots. Pricing is set at US$19 per set of six and preorders are scheduled to ship in mid-late November 2006.

Marvel Superheroes Cushion

If you've ever dreamt of sitting on Wolverine, Spiderman, or Captain America and potentially suffocating them with your girth, paradise is nigh. Come December 2006, Japanese manufacturer System Service fulfills the dreams of Marvel Superheroes sitters everywhere with large 32cm (12.59") cushions which feature the recognizable faces of marquee Marvel action heroes. Wolverine is chubbier than we expected and Spiderman looks like a dinner plate but we'll take them. Preorders are welcome today.

Animal Crossing Hand Puppets

Puppeteers and street theater performers may rejoice when Sol International ships their line-up of Animal Crossing Hand Puppets in November 2006. Crafted from a mixture of pliable plush material and cloth, the hand puppets are designed to twitch to the movement and rhythm of one's fingers. Pop two Animal Crossing puppets on both hands and spout some rubbish impromptu dialogue for your own private pleasure.

For truly ambitious puppeteers, NCS recommends that you learn a little ventriloquism and practice your ability to make squeaky animal voices. Once your Animal Crossing act is honed like a fine-tuned instrument, open up a show and charge admission. We're so there if you're performing in New York City and comp us. Preorders are scheduled to ship in mid-late November 2006 at Y750 or US$9 per hand puppet from NCS.

Funchi

Unchi is the Japanese word for "dung" and NCS has chronicled recent unchi toys here and there. Since unchi is so boring and just sort of sits there, Japanese manufacturer Epoch has elected to spice things up. Enter Funchi. That's right, FUNchi with the emphasis on the FUN. Loaded with a spring underneath, NCS imagines Japanese children pushing down on Funchi and releasing so that it springs up like the dickens. Push down three in a row and watch them fly up like an unchi gang. Fun just doesn't get much better than that. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late Dec 2006.

Oanechan Bara Gashapon

The dueling sisters of the PS2 Oanechan games will soon be slashing it up on the new generation proving grounds of the Xbox 360. To coincide with that momentous occasion, Yujin has started preorders for a set of Oanchan Bara gashapon where the heroines of the blood-soaked gaming series are crafted in PVC representations of their bad-ass selves. Joining Aya and Saki in the set are Riho Futaba, Makato Futaba, Reiko, and others for a total of 8 toy figures.

Preorders for complete sets of eight figures are welcome today to ship in mid-late December 2006.

Pokemon Pokeball Plush

A hundred years ago or thereabouts, NCS stocked four mighty morphing Pokemon plushes that magically transformed from Pokeball to Pokemon. Check them out here, courtesy of the NCS archives. To update the Pokeball-to-Pokemon plushes with new blood, Yujin has started preorders for five new types which ship in November 2006. Each Pokeball measures 60mm or 2.36" in diameter and opens and closes by way of zipper technology. Preorders for complete sets of six plushes are welcome today to ship in November.

Street Fighter Sound Drop

Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and the rest of the original Street Fighter gang return this December thanks to the efforts of Bandai. The brawlers aren't being featured in a new game but in a collection of eight toys. Although the Sound Drops look like mere teardrop-shaped pieces of plastic, they contain the voices of legendary fighters. For example, press on the Ryu Sound Drop and the man bellows out, "Shoryuken" as if he was right there in the room and rarin' to go. Preorders are scheduled to ship in mid-late December 2006 and NCS plans on supplying the various drops in a complete set of eight.

Tachikoma Trading Figure

Despite being high-tech machinery with onboard armaments, the spidery Tachikoma of Ghost in the Shell are child-like mecha with curious munchkin voices. Therein lies the duality of the machines and the contrast of character. Japanese manufacturer Movic skews towards the munchkin factor with a collection of squat Tachikomas colored in
six standard colors and two secret colors that are randomly packaged in blind boxes. Each Tachikoma measures 7cm tall and roughly 6cm in diameter. Preorders are welcome today to ship in Oct. 2006.