Evangelion Angel Headwear

Over the past decade or so, the regularity of Evangelion merchandise was something that we took for granted. Every month or so, toys, towels, bedsheets, matryoshka dolls, and other miscellany would reach the market and fans would eat it all up. A new Evangelion movie is scheduled to bow this summer in Japan and it's only fitting that another flood of merchandise reach market henceforth. Japanese manufacturer Plex starts things off with officially licensed hats that are based on three Angels from the Evangelion mythos.

The Third Angel named Sachiel faced off against Shinji but eventually self-destructed. The Sachiel hat (left) features the doleful image of the Angel dead-center and two appendages on the side that look like Sachiel's shoulders. The fabric that drops from the sides is meant to represent its droopy arms.

On the upper right, we have the Zeruel Hat which is based on the Fourteenth Angel. The skull face is there along with its beam-weapon port which packs a wallop.

Looking towards the lower right, the orange-colored Sahaquiel hat represents the Tenth Angel. Although Sahaquiel has three eyes in the animation series, we only spy one of them...

Preorders for the EVA Angel Hats are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007 at US$19 per hat.

Relakkuma Mat

Relakkuma has one of those faces where you take one glance and say to yourself, "I know him. I know this %$&#$ animal from somewhere." We're guessing it's the ears but the soulful and expressive eyes may also be the cue to rouse feelings of familiarity.
To ensure that Relakkuma is always on your mind, System Service has started preorders for a mat which measures 60 x 44cm in area which converts to 23.62 x 17.32" imperial. The mat is made of a cushiony material which may be perfect for the bedroom, the game room, or perhaps even the bathroom. Whatever room you choose, you'll soon be able to step on Relakkuma's face with a combat boot or a waffle slipper. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late September 2007 at US$19.00/mat.

Tsugi No Hi Kerori Pillow

For a long time, Hello Kitty was Sanrio's bread and butter. The little kitty spawned a global phenomenon that continues to this day. However, variety is the spice of life and new characters were needed in order for Sanrio to grow and maintain the empire. Beasts such as Tarepada and Relakkuma have grown to become recognizable franchises. Add one more creature to the pile - Tsugi no Hi Kerori which translates to "Kerori (Frog) of Tomorrow."

Since the goal of creating a character is profits - that's right, profits, Kerori is yoked and forced to appear on all manner of products. For today's example, Kerori appears atop a pillow. Rest your head in the center when you sleep and rest assured that Kerori watches over you like a Guardian of the Night. Or something like that. Preorders ship in mid-late Sept 2007.

Japanese Import Outlook

PSP Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition leads preorders for the week followed by Wii Bokujou Monogatari Yasuragi no Ki. PSP Audition Portable is another music rhythm game from a Korean publisher.
NDS	Kabu Trader Shun	Capcom
	Ontama Onpu Shima Hen	NFactory
PS2	Magician's Academy	Enterbrain
PSP	Audition Portable	T3 Ent
	Chu~Kana Janshi Tenno Painyon Remix	Jaleco
	Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2	Banpresto
	Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition	SquarEnix
X360	Xbox 360 Hard Drive - 120 GB	Microsoft
Wii	Bokujou Monogatari Yasuragi no Ki	Marvelous

USA Release Outlook

NDS	Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu	Atari
	Nintendo DS Browser	Nintendo
	Planet Puzzle League	Nintendo
PS2	Tomb Raider: Anniversary	Eidos
X360	Call of Juarez	Ubisoft

Famitsu Wave DVD July 2007

The July 2007 issue of Famitsu Wave DVD features video and magazine footage of the following entertainment software and events:

» NDS Kabu Trader Shun
» NDS Rockman ZX Advent
» PSP Final Fantasy Tactics Shishi Sensou
» PS2 Baroque
» PS2 Growlanser VI: Precarious World
» PS2 Minna no Golf 4
» PS3 Professional Baseball Spirits 4
» Wii Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting
» X360 Saints Row
» X360 Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume
» Square Enix Party 2007 Report
» Hyper Game Music Event 2007
» Hopper's Vol. 2: Snake vs Zombie Game Developers Event

Shining Wind Music Collection

Kiriya and Seena appear on the cover of the Shining Wind Music Collection which is transplanted artwork from the PS2 game cover. Nana Mizuki's "Heart-shaped chant" is the first song in the Shining Wind Music Collection which spans a total of 33 tracks of melodious tunes. The music hails from the battle sequences in the game, event scenes, and dramatic moments in the storyline where milestones are metered.

Release Date in Japan: May 31, 2007
Manufacturer Product Code: WM-0567
Jan Code: 4571164-38935-6
Price: JPY2,500

General Updates

Next Week's Preview There isn't much expected next week on the import front but PSP Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition leads preorders followed by Wii Bokujou Monogatari Yasuragi no Ki. Microsoft will also release the Japanese version of the 120GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 next week. The 120GB HDD is currently available in North America.

Odin Sphere USA Another batch of Odin Sphere is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday of next week and all remaining backorders will ship upon delivery. We also expect restock of the Japanese version of Odin Sphere on Thursday of next week to fill any backorders on file.