Dead or Alive X2 Venus on the Beach Hitomi - In Stock

In the DOAX2 game, the girls of the famous fighting series play volleyball but also engage in racing, butt bouncing battles, and the ever lovin' tug-of-war where brawn wins over beauty each and every time.

Kotobukiya took notice of the fetching participants of DOAX2 and went on to create the Venus on the Beach series of figures which have featured Ayane, Lei-Fang, and Tina in assorted poses and situations on the beach and in the surf. Just as the summer of 2008 rolls around, Kotobukiya releases Venus on the Beach: Hitomi which features the fraulein fatale atop a miniature inflatable orca. Hitomi may be garbed in a black bikini or a blue top which are interchangeable. The display stand atop which Hitomi is positioned allows for some slight rotational movement of the figure. Pricing is set at JPY9240 for the Japanese version of the figure but it'll probably be localized for the North American market at a more reasonable price.

Evangelion EX Daibouken Figure: Dark Brigade - In Stock

If Asuka Langley and Rei Ayanami were placed in a heroic quest situation somewhere in medieval Europe, this is how they would pan out:

» Asuka Langley - a ginger-maned warrior who slays foes with sword, spear, and axe. Stout of heart and fearless against the hordes opposing her, Asuka is nevertheless a lady.

» Rei Ayanami - Girls with blue hair aren't common around these parts but Rei's unique. Serving as a cleric with the ability to heal wounds and perhaps even raise the dead, Ms Ayanami is regarded as a saint of sorts.

Each figure measures 19cm or 7.48" tall and all orders will ship today at US$18.90 per figure. View a larger photo.

Ikkitousen 1/7 Scale Kanu Unchou Resin Kit - In Stock

The Japanese toy market goes into stretches where a certain character is sculpted to death until sales level off. We've seen it happen with Koyori (aka Bosoms), Mai Shiranui, Iroha, Nakoruru, and others. The Evangelion girls are a toy special situation because they've infiltrated Japanese culture and they'll never die. For the past few months, Kanu Unchou of Ikkitousen fame has been getting a lot of attention.
Manufacturer Amie-Grand throws their hat into the ring with a new 1/7 scale PVC figure which features a tanned Kanu in a simple stand-up pose.

The figure measures 23cm or 9.05" tall and comes disassembled in the factory container. Assembly is simple however where interlocking joints are snapped together to form the full figured Kanu. All preorders and new orders will ship today at JPY13,800 or US$135.90 from NCS.

Excellent Model Mild CB-1 (1) Monkey D. Luffy - In Stock

Megahouse releases a variant of their One Piece Portrait of Pirates series with the Excellent Model Mild toys which takes the characters of One Piece back about a decade to when they were younger, smaller, and still carried around baby fat. Three characters are featured in the first of what will probably be four series' worth of toy releases. Each figure measures approximately 6" tall and is packaged with an extra head to change his or her mood.

We figure Luffy's about 10 years old in his Excellent Model turn where he raises both arms in a victorious pose. He holds a knife in his right hand and the fork in his left hand is attached to a chop. Generally, we'd advise Luffy not to play with his food but maybe he's full and is just roaring at the cook (Sanji) for dessert. Or... he's complaining that the meat is too rare.

Excellent Model Mild CB-1 (2) Nico Robin - In Stock

Megahouse releases a variant of their One Piece Portrait of Pirates series with the Excellent Model Mild toys which takes the characters of One Piece back about a decade to when they were younger, smaller, and still carried around baby fat. Each figure measures approximately 6" tall and is packaged with an extra head to change his or her mood.

When Nico was just a little girl on Ohara Island, she had an intense passion for archaeology. With diligence and studious ambition, Nico became a bona-fide archaeologist. However, harsh events conspired to bring Nico to the Straw Hat Pirates where she joined up with Luffy's merry crew. In the upcoming EMM figure, Nico carries a big book which she hefts with both hands. The book is most definitely about archaeology.

General Updates

Pikmin Plushes Sanei has announced another production of the highly desired Pikmin Plushes which are scheduled to ship in September. We figure that's just about the right time to prepare for the holiday crush. A total of 15 different Pikmin plushes will be re-released and we'll throw up a proper preorder offer in a couple of days.

Japanese Playstation Network Cards The Playstation Network (Japan) JPY3000 and JPY5000 tickets are in stock. For Playstation gamers looking for some olden PS1 enjoyment, Square Enix released the following games today on the Japanese PS Network for JPY600 each: Astronoka, Einhander, Fighters Impact, Rakugaki Showtime, Raystorm, and Xenogears. We're going for Einhander, Rakugaki Showtime, and Raystorm even though we have all of the original PS1 releases on CD. Somewhere.

Import Game Delays The oft-delayed NDS Yajuu Keiji: Tokyo Douji Tahatsu Tero o Chinatsu Seyo has been pushed once again to September 18, 2008. The distributor has canceled all preorders at this time but we'll re-submit our reservations in a couple of weeks. The NDS Dokapon Journey and Wii Dokapon Kingdom games have also been delayed to July 31.

Japanese Xbox Live Points Cards NCS expects to restock 1400P and 3500P Japanese Xbox Live Points cards in a few days. We'll contact customers who've inquired about the cards and new orders are welcome.

Maid Cafe Article in the New York Times If anyone needs maid outfits, NCS has got them by the boatload.

Excellent Model Mild CB-1 (3) Sanji - In Stock

Megahouse releases a variant of their One Piece Portrait of Pirates series with the Excellent Model Mild toys which takes the characters of One Piece back about a decade to when they were younger, smaller, and still carried around baby fat. Three characters are featured in the first of what will probably be four series' worth of toy releases. Each figure measures approximately 6" tall and is packaged with an extra head to change his or her mood.

Mini Sanji looks like Dennis the Menace with his golden blonde hair and diminutive stature. He looks askance at something or someone and if you read our description for Excellent Model Mild Luffy, he's probably peeved at Luffy for his "arms-outward" protestation. Since Sanji loves to cook, he's in chef duds and holds a blade in his right hand.

Devil May Cry Marionette Figures - Clearance

Back in May of 2003, Yamato released a collection of Devil May Cry 3 figures which featured Dante, Trish, and four Marionette figures. The Dante and Trish toys sold out a few years ago but we still have a bunch of Marionette figures in either a purple or green costume. Each figure measures approximately 8" tall and is packaged with extra arms bearing daggers and an extra replacement head. Larger Photos.

Sale Offering - NCS' remaining inventory of Devil May Cry Marionette Figures is new, factory sealed, and in excellent condition. Pricing is set at US$16.90 per pair which includes USPS Media Mail shipping within the U.S.