KORG DS-10 Synthesizer Plus - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» The original KORG DS-10 Synthesizer software was released on July 24, 2008 and it found an eager global audience despite being relegated for sale solely on Amazon Japan. NCS sold a few hundred copies over the course of multiple shipments from Amazon.

The producer of KORG DS-10 (Nobuyoshi Sano) gave a stark and hokey visual presentation last week which gave viewers a peek at the next installment of their synthesizer software wunderkind. He's no Steve Jobs or George Bush but he gets the point across and enjoys some enthusiastic canned claps. The applause interrupts periodically throughout the keynote and even sounds off before he finishes some of his sentences. That's special. New features in KORG DS-10 are as follows:

» Dual Mode - Analog Synthesizers (from 2 to 4), Drum Machines (4 to 8), and Tracks (6 to 12). Note this is a Nintendo DSi exclusive feature.
» Expanded Song Mode
» Programmable Track Mute
» Realtime Edit in Song Mode

The new version of KORG DS-10 isn't an Amazon exclusive and will be available to normal Japanese distribution. Preorders are welcome today for a regular edition (JPY3990) and a limited edition (JPY5980) which includes demo tracks and a bonus booklet courtesy of Japanese science magazine/mook Otona no Kagaku which is published by Gakken. Both versions are scheduled to ship on September 17, 2009.

Makai Senki Disgaea 3: Nendoroid Raspberyl - Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» A lad named Mao serves as the protagonist in Disgaea 3 but it's Beryl whom we remember. Raspberyl is a friend of Mao who walks to a different beat in the Netherworld. Unlike her demonic contemporaries, Beryl is a good girl who helps those in need and isn't underhanded in any way. In that respect, she's a special little imp who rightfully gets her likeness immortalized in Good Smile Company's Nendoroid series.
In her Nendoroid turn, Raspberyl is dressed in her regulation outfit with purple batwings protruding from her back. Three faces are included with the toy - "Smiling Beryl," "Demon Beryl," and one that we're going to describe as "Admonishing Beryl." Furthermore, three bonus accessories are also included: a demonic tome that's nearly half her height, a pair of shades, and a meat chop. Just to let us know that Beryl's hungry, a bite may be seen taken out of the chop. Preorders ship in mid-late Sept 2009.

Tears to Tiara: Nendoroid Arawn - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» A millennium has passed since a white-haired demon named Arawn was imprisoned inside a tomb. On the day of his awakening, a maiden named Riannon is all set to be sacrificed as an offering when she's saved by her brother Arthur. After a conspiracy of events, Arawn befriends the siblings and gathers together a party of adventurers to go on a world spanning adventure.

Arawn looks more like a girly-man than a mighty demon and his Nendoroid incarnation does nothing to refute that image. Frail, feminine, and slight of figure, Arawn bolsters his appearance by wielding a sword that he calls "Edram" which features a crimson-edged blade. Arawn's Nendoroid includes three faces - stoic, fearful, and mischievour along with the sword Edram, a black scabbard, and an apple that's been bitten. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late October 2009.

Mari Makinami Illustrious Plug Suit Figure - Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» A new character in an animated serial has to be relatively ingrained into the mind space of target audiences before a toy manufacturer sculpts him/her into a PVC figure. That's what we've observed over the years but it's not a hard rule that's followed by every company. Maybe Mari's special since she's a new character in the legendary Evangelion franchise but we would have preferred a little time and leeway before she made it to the toy market. The first figure featuring Mari comes courtesy of Wave but we're a little leery of how well she'll do in a fickle and soft market. She looks good enough overall with clean lines and colors but her face looks a little "off" which we attribute to her Mona Lisa-esque smile. Mari measures 16.50cm or 6.49" tall which is 1/10 scale.

Preorders for the Mari Makinami Illustrious figure are welcome to ship in late November 2009 at JPY4400 or US$46.90 from NCS.

Terminator Salvation T-600 Skin Damage Ver. - Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Hot Toys has started preorders for a Terminator Salvation T-600 sculpture which stars a rag-covered robot that's definitely seen better days. The figure is from Hot Toys' Movie Masterpiece series which is the crème de la crème of mass produced movie toys. According to the promotional material that's been released thus far, the T-600 features 25 points of articulation which allow it to be posed in various postures and action stances. The T-600 is sculpted to 1/6 scale and measures 35cm or 13.77" tall with a firearm tethered to its right arm. The robot's outer clothing is in tatters which makes for a convincing battle-damaged look. In the Terminator Salvation movie, the T-600 is an infantry unit which can be covered by rubbery skin. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late November 2009 at JPY20,953 or US$259.90 from NCS.

General Updates

PSP Project Diva tomorrow An early partial shipment of PSP Project Diva is expected tomorrow. We'll begin processing and shipping preorders on Wednesday. The remainder of this week's shipments are scheduled to arrive on Thursday.

X360 Hori Real Arcade Twinstick update Reservations for the Xbox 360 Hori Twinstick EX have been stronger than expected and we're fairly certain that Hori will proceed with the production this November. Hori is closing preorders on July 2, 2009 in Japan so if you're interested in purchasing one, please submit your reservation before Friday (July 3, 2009) in order to add your name to the hat. NCS will not be stocking any surplus units of the Twin Stick for our general inventory.

PS3 BlazBlue First Print Limited Edition incoming The North American version of BlazBlue is expected to arrive later today but if there are any truck delays, they'll arrive tomorrow. We'd prefer that they arrive today however since tomorrow will be very busy.

NEWS Independence Day holiday This coming Saturday is the Independence Day holiday in the USA. Even though the holiday falls on the weekend this year, the US Postal Service is only working a half-day on Friday (July 3). UPS and Fedex will be working a normal schedule this week.

SupaRobo Gakuen - Import Preorder

«©NCSX» Reading, writing, and 'rithmetic are requisite subjects of study in most schools except for one special institution of higher learning. Students who attend SupaRobo School (Gakuen) learn about mech handling, tactical battling, and military operations. Bandai's upcoming SupaRobo Gakuen features characters and mechs from 33 animation series including:

» Full Metal Panic
» Galaxy Cyclone Braiger
» Gundam W Endless Waltz
» Kanzen Shouri Daiteioh
» Mazinger Z
» Shin Getter Robo
» Zeoraima Project Hades
» Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh

Players take on the role of a new transfer student to SupaRobo Gakuen. The game features randomly generated maps where contingents of robots battle it out in turn-based tactical sequences. Action Points govern the actions that a team of mechs can perform during each round of battle. Preorders are welcome to ship on August 27, 2009 at JPY6279 (US$63.90).

Love Plus - Import Preorder

«©NCSX» Konami got involved with the love interaction genrw 15 years ago with Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You and went on to create sequels, side stories, and animated serials based on the Tokimeki brand. There's obviously a demand for love games and Konami capitalizes on the theme once again with Love Plus. Players take on the role of a high school transfer student who finds love with one of three classmates at his new school. The game starts off after the pair have made a love confession already and the couple are in the process of dating, enjoying each other's company, and communicating. With the NDS in hand, players may meet his "girlfriend" at school or send messages by email. The time in the game world moves regardless of whether you're playing or not where day turns to night and the seasons change based on the date. Preorders are welcome to ship on September 3, 2009 at JPY5524 or US$60.90 from NCS.

Ys Seven - Import Preorder [Update]

«©NCSX» Adol Christian and his faithful friend Dogi are back in a brand new action-adventure that's a PSP exclusive. For now, at least. The game features a 3D world where Adol and company travel, explore, and battle enemy forces. Depending on the type of enemy, players can switch between active party members to combat foes in real-time. Special EX skills may be acquired to enhance the heroes' battlefield efficiency.

NCS opened up preorders for the Japanese PSP Ys 7 Limited Edition (JPY7600) a few weeks ago but Falcom has now also opened up preorders for a Regular Edition which is priced at JPY5800. The Regular Edition includes a bonus Soundtrack CD and an illustrations booklet. The Limited Edition includes a bonus Drama CD which features a voice acted episode that transitions the storyline from Ys 6 to Ys 7 along with the Soundtrack CD + booklet.

Japanese Import Outlook - Arrivals on Thursday

The first printing of PSP Hatsune Miku: Project Diva is bundled with an exclusive Nendoroid Puchi Hatsune Miku toy in 1:1 ratio.
NDS	Hakoniwa Seikatsu: Hitsuji Mura DS - Good Price	Success
	Shuwa no Mori	Starfish
PS3	Shin Sangoku Musou 5 - Platinum Collection	Koei
PSP	Boku no Natsuyasumi 4	SCEI
	Hatsune Miku: Project Diva	Sega
	Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Accessory Set	Hori
	Narisokonai Eiyuutan	Irem
360	Infinite Undiscovery - The Best	Square
	Shin Sangoku Musou 5 - Platinum Collection	Koei
7/2	Tokyo Friend Pack II Ketteiban	Spike

USA Release Outlook - Arrivals on Mon-Wed

NDS	Mega Man Star Force 3 Black Ace	Capcom
	Mega Man Star Force 3 Red Joker	Capcom
	Roogoo Attack	Southpk
	Treasure World	Aspyr
PS3	BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger + Bonuses	Arc Sys
PSP	Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament	Atlus
360	BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger + Bonuses	Arc Sys
	Infernal: Hell's Vengeance	Playlogic
Wii	Roogoo Twisted Towers	Southpk

General Updates

PS3 BlazBlue First Print Limited Edition incoming The North American version of BlazBlue is on schedule to arrive tomorrow and all reservations will be dispatched on Tuesday.

TOYS Boba Fett Kubrick released Medicom released the new Boba Fett Kubricks to Japanese distribution last night and NCS expects our shipments to arrive on Wed-Thursday.

PS3 Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 All remaining preorders and new orders for the HRAP3 will ship this week.

Super Gameboy Commander for Super Famicom - Sale

NCS Sale of the Week Offering: June 29, 2009
Original Release in Japan: June 04, 1994
«©NCSX» New and factory box Super Gameboy Commander for the Japanese Super Famicom (16-bit) which was designed for use with the Super Gameboy peripheral. The likeness of the controller to the original Gameboy handheld is intentional. The "A" and "B" buttons are located on the lower-right corner of the pad but four additional buttons for exclusive use with the SGB are also included as follows:

MUTE-L - Silence the beeps and boops of the Gameboy game in play
SPEED-Y - Toggle between two gradations of the slow-motion feature
COLOR-X - Swap the 4-color palette of the Gameboy game
WINDOW-R - Change the color of the border around the screen

The SG Commander may also be used as a Super Famicom pad by pushing the SGB-SFC switch located left of center on the controller.

Product Condition
NCS' remaining inventory is brand new and factory boxed in the original cardboard box. The condition of the packaging varies from very good to excellent with a few signs of weathering or denting.

Sale Offering
Pricing per Super Gameboy Commander is set at US$19.90 each. If you reside in the USA, NCS recommends USPS Priority Mail shipping for the most economical domestic service. International customers are encouraged to select USPS First Class Airmail at a cost of approximately US$11.

Product SKU: HSD-07
JAN Code: 4961818861350
Japanese Product Name: SGBコマンダー
Manufacturer: Hori
Compatibility: Nintendo Super Famicom (Japanese) and Super NES (USA)

Gyakuten Kenji Teacup e-Capcom - New Import, Sold Out

«©NCSX» When it's time for Afternoon tea at NCS (4:00PM on the dot, in case you're wondering), we have savories, scones, and shortbread laid out in a small unobtrusive spread. Occasionally, there'll be petit fours and sorbet served but we've never had beer and chips at low tea. Maybe we'll try that one of these days and completely taint the tradition.

Afternoon tea requires teacups made of china. The type with gilded rims and frou-frou accents. A saucer is also mandatory since sipping tea is so strenuous that you're bound to spill some. NCS is always on the lookout for new teacups so we were delighted when e-Capcom announced the Gyakuten Kenji Teacup. Repeat: Delighted. The Kenji teacup features a fluted design that's understated, elegant, and attractive. A small imprint of Kenji may be found on the bottom of the cup which isn't elegant but he'll be covered most of the time by tea anyway. Preorders have shipped to customers as of yesterday but the cups are currently all sold. GONE.

Really? Really! DS - New Import, In Stock

«©NCSX» The worlds of Really? Really! are inhabited by gods, humans, and devils who enjoy a peaceful coexistence. One such human is an orange-haired girl named Kaede Fuyou who has a tragic past. Kaede originally appeared in the Shuffle! game from publisher Navel and her story continues in Really? Really! where her past is explored along with her complicated relationship with a boy named Rin Tsuchimi.

The promotional material for the NDS conversion of Really? Really! mentions that the game spans two gigs with backup ram of 512K. Much of the memory is taken up by the full voice acting featured in the interactive adventure. Really was originally released on the PC as an adult visual novel with depictions of copulation but the NDS rendition removes all of the adult content so that the adventure may be played by everyone.

Really? Really! DS Deluxe Box - New Import, In Stock

«©NCSX» The Deluxe Box edition of Really? Really! includes the following Kaede Fuyou related bonus items:

» A pillow cover which features Kaede and a devil-girl named Nerine
» An eyeshade to wear to sleep which is decorated with Kaede's eyes
» An audio CD which features sounds of Kaede sleeping
» T-shirt transfer imprint which features Nerine

The worlds of Really? Really! are inhabited by gods, humans, and devils who enjoy a peaceful coexistence. One such human is an orange-haired girl named Kaede Fuyou who has a tragic past. Kaede originally appeared in the Shuffle! game from publisher Navel and her story continues in Really?

Wild Wet West Vol 1 DOA - New Import, Restock Soon

From the Distributor
World famous comics artist Shirow Masamune, the genius behind works such as Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell, presents a new vision as he explores the iconography of the Wild West. The seduction of the gun and the allure of the beauties of the Texas frontier are combined in this single piece that comes from Shirow Masamune's serialized story, Gun & Action, from Young Magazine Uppers #8. It displays the contrast between the soft suppleness of skin and the harsh metal of the gun barrel.

Sculpted by the Cerberus Project, Wild Wet West/Dead or Alive stands approximately 9" tall and brings the feeling of how wild is it to be alive to any collection. Window box packaging. Imported from Japan. Scheduled to ship in April 2009 from Art Storm. Japanese product name: ジュリアナ トランス.

NCS Note: The name of the character featured in the Wild Wet West Vol. 1 toy is Juliona Trans who sits atop a sack of money that's imprinted with the dollar sign and "Texas Bank." A trading card is also included.

Weekly Famitsu Vol. 1073 - Annual Subscriptions Only

©NCSX» The latest issue of Famitsu features coverage on the following games and events in the Japanese marketplace:

» Peep at pages 22-23 and witness a new game featuring the jovial jester known as Tingle. Apparently, he finds love. With a woman.
» Famitsu reviews PSP Project Diva (8/8/7/8) and PS3 My Summer Vacation 4 (8/8/8/7) which are both shipping next week.
» Continuing coverage on NDS Dragon Quest IX which includes a retrospective on past Dragon Quest games.
» A month-by-month recap of important events that have occurred this year (January to June) as we reach the halfway point of 2009.
» A special insert included between pages 142-143 checks out the top ranked games of 2009 thus far for all major platforms.
» Wii Sports Resort guide which shows how to move the Wii Remote and swing it in assorted ways to play the various games.
» More preview material for End of Eternity which is headed for PS3/X360.
» Two-page preview for X360 Magna Carta II.

Tears to Tiara: Nendoroid Riannon Action Figure - Preorder

From the Distributor
The Demon King's loving wife.
From the popular game which recently made its way into a anime, Tears to Tiara, comes a Nendoroid of the kind-hearted missionary, Riannon. With parts that allow poses ranging from her cute lady-like smile to a fantastic battle scene of her casting a spell - various scenes from the show can be recreated in Nendoroid form!

Her large hat connects using a magnet, so the shape of her head was not altered by the shape of the hat. An expression with spinning eyes that was not seen in the original show is also included, allowing for some extra fun. How you choose to display her is up to your imagination! Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late Sept 2009 at JPY3333 or US$38.90 from NCS.

Fate Unlimited Codes: Nendoroid Saber Lily - Preorder

©NCSX» Fate Unlimited Codes Portable was released for the Playstation Portable last week and Saber Lily is one of the playable characters in the game. In Fate U/C, Saber swings an air-sword and roughhouses competently with the best fighters so she's a formidable sword handler who holds her own. Saber Lily has been a popular subject for toy sculptors lately and Good Smile Company gives Saber the Nendoroid treatment to give fans some more of a good thing.

Nendoroid Saber Lily measures 10cm or 3.93" tall and is accompanied by her sword Excalibur, an ornate scabbard, and a nifty suit of armor. Three variant faces are included which may be swapped in and out of Saber's head to convey different emotions. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late October 2009 at JPY3333 or US$38.90 from NCS.

General Updates

PS3 BlazBlue First Print Limited Edition next week The North American version of BlazBlue is expected early next week and all preorders are scheduled to ship on Tuesday.

TOYS Boba Fett Kubrick soon Based on vendor proforma invoices, the Boba Fett Kubricks are expected to arrive on Thursday of next week. We'll re-confirm once they're shipped.

TOYS Michael Jackson Cosbaby http://www.shopncsx.com/michaeljacksoncosbabytoys.aspx

Agarest Senki Zero + Bonus Fan - New Import, In Stock

«©NCSX» The first Agarest Senki game sold reasonably well in Japan and apparently did well enough to engender a prequel which ships this week in Japan. Agarest Senki is a mix of interactive sequences between cast members and tactical turn-based battles where the protagonist and party face off against enemy forces and creatures. Similar to the first Agarest game, players start off with one hero but by way of the "Soul Breeding" system and hookups with an chosen heroine, further generations may be spawned to continue the bloodline. Interactive sequences are played to improve the connection with a heroine and when it's time for "breeding," the attributes of a girl and the hero himself are passed on to the offspring.

Special events during the course of the game are also triggered from time to time to move the hero's relationships along and strengthen the feelings between a couple as governed by the "Feeling Tension System." In essence then, the hero finds love on the home front but out in the world at large, there's a war to be fought which provides a substantial counterweight for the protagonist to endeavor through.

Agarest Senki Zero Limited Ed. - New Import, Sold Out

«©NCSX» The first Agarest Senki game sold reasonably well in Japan and apparently did well enough to engender a prequel which ships this summer. Agarest Senki is a mix of interactive sequences between cast members and turn-based tactical battles where the protagonist and party face off against enemy forces and creatures. Similar to the first Agarest game, players start off with one hero but by way of the "Soul Breeding" system and hookups with an chosen heroine, further generations may be spawned to continue the bloodline. Interactive sequences are played to improve the connection with a heroine and when "breeding," the attributes of a girl and the hero himself are passed on to the offspring. That's how it is in real life, y'know with genetics and all... Special events during the course of the game are also triggered from time to time to move the hero's relationships along and strengthen the feelings between a couple as governed by the "Feeling Tension System."

The limited edition of Agarest Senki Zero includes a Original Game Soundtrack CD which contains voice actor and actress interviews and a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle which features artwork of the cast of characters.