Hana Yori Dango -Koi Seyo Otome!- Preorder

In the Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) manga and anime, Tsukushi Makino is an average girl of average means who attends the exclusive Eitoku Academy in Yamanote. Tsukushi is initially unhappy at the school and bristles when faced with the trappings of wealth that the other students flaunt. Things change when Tsukushi gets acquainted with the F4 or "Flower Four" gang which is a quartet of boys from wealthy families who basically run the social calendar of the student body.

In Konami's upcoming NDS game based on the Hana Yori Dango, franchise, players take on the role of a girl who enters Eitoku Academy and follows in Tsukushi's footsteps. She'll be able to befriend characters from the series and perhaps find romance with a member of the F4 crew. There'll be virtual dating, touch-pen hand-holding, mini-games, and the bloom of digital love. Preorders are welcome to ship on July 10, 2008.

Pokemon Fire-Red Gameboy Advance SP - Clearance

Back on March 8, 2004, Nintendo released a pair of Pokemon-themed GBA SP units to celebrate the remakes of the original Pokemon games from back in the day. They were sold exclusively in Pokemon Centers in Japan. For today's sale, NCS puts the Fire Red version on the block which features a stenciled Charizard on the top lid and another stencil beastie on the left corner inside the unit.

Sale Offering: NCS' remaining inventory of Pokemon Fire-Red GBA SP is new and in very good condition. Please note that the boxes may have slight dings or dents from the occasional travails of warehouse storage. Pricing is set at US$179 US$105.90 per unit which includes free shipping by UPS Ground within the U.S. It may seem outré now but we sold a big bunch of these a few years ago at nearly US$200 each. Larger Photos.

Steal Princess - Preorder

When Satan steals a boatload of treasure, someone's gotta steal it right back from the big galoot. Enter Anise, the "Steal Princess" who's brunette, not-really-royal, and light-fingered. Anise has a dominatrix-pirate vibe about her since she wields a whip and wears an eyepatch. Anise travels the land and fights monsters, levels up, and collects new weapons in a bid to rob Satan himself. The game system features weapons that suffer from wear and tear, simple puzzles, and varying levels of terrain which offer attack advantages. Preorders are welcome to ship on July 31.

PS2 Ultimate Hits Reissues - Preorder

«©NCSX» Preorders are welcome for a number of Square Enix and Taito re-releases for the Playstation 2 which all ship on June 26, 2008. Pricing is set at JPY2800 each or US$30.90 from NCS. Please note the games are the same as the original releases and the only meaningful difference is the "Ultimate Hits" or "The Best" sidebar/banner on the cover of the game.
Final Fantasy XII [Ultimate Hits]	Square
Kingdom Hearts II [Ultimate Hits]	Square
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ [Ultimate Hits]	Square
DQ & FF in Itadaki Street Straight Spcl [Ult. Hits]	Square
Taito Memories II Joukan [The Best]	Taito
Taito Memories II Gekan [The Best]	Taito

Evangelion 2007 Rei & Asuka Summer Coldcast - Preorder

NCS is fairly certain that Evangelion will still be around in some form or other in the year 2028. That's right, two decades from now, EVA will still haunt Japan. Gainax knows they have a treasure trove on their hands and they'll remix it, reissue it, retell it, and make sure fans relish each and every iteration of Evangelion that's in the cards.

In the meantime, assorted toy manufacturers continue to license Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley for toy sculptures. The latest one hails from Kurushima which features the girls in colorful Yukatas (summer kimonos). Rei's kimono is accented with blue flowers to match her hair and Ms. Langley's pink obi and red accents sort of match her orange tresses. The figures measure 20cm tall and the production is limited to 1000 sets only.

Preorders are welcome to ship in late August 2008 at JPY29,400 or US$329.90 per set from NCS.

Shakugan no Shana 2nd Trading Figures - Preorder

The second season of Shakugan no Shana bowed in Japan towards to end of 2007 and viewers were treated to more action and intrigue featuring a ginger-maned force of nature known as Shana. She's really a Flame Haze that's been embodied into the frame of a teenager who goes to class, interacts with classmates, and looks very much like an average schoolgirl.

Merchandising for the Shakugan no Shana property hasn't gone overboard yet so Toys Works opens up preorders for a set of trading figures which feature the female cast members of the animated series. The girls measure 13cm or 5.11" each and are molded and sculpted from a single piece of PVC. In addition to the six figures shown in the product photo which are "normal paint," six additional "repaint" figures are also randomly scattered in the factory cases.

Preorders are welcome to ship in late July 2008 at JPY6800 or US$68.90 per factory sealed case of 10 toys. Jan Code: 4543341131386

To Heart 2: Marianne Senpai Sukusui Ver. - Preorder

In the To Heart 2: X-Rated game for the Japanese PC, Marianne isn't a main character but rather a supporting cast member in the Sasara Kusugawa scenario. Marianne is chipper, cheerful, crazy, and helps to hook her girlfriend Sasara up with the protagonist Takaaki Kono. In other words, Marianne's a godsend.

To give Marianne mega props, Japanese manufacturer Griffon has started preorders for a fixed-pose Marianne figure where the pink-haired moppet wears a blue swimsuit. Marianne also dons white stockings and lifts up her left leg like a pink flamingo while her mini-skirt hangs perilously from it. Preorders are welcome to ship in late August 2008 at JPY6500 or US$68.90 from NCS. Jan Code: 4582221151335

General Updates

Final Fantasy Play Arts: Cloud Strife & Hardy Daytona The Japanese version of the Cloud and Daytona Play Arts figure is expected to arrive on Thursday. We'll fill early preorders from the JPN batch but please note that the U.S. version of the toy is expected next week.

Senjou no Valkyria Limited Edition Update II Vendors were noncommittal about the final quantity last night but we think we'll be able to fill everyone's order. However, the shipments may be split up with some arriving this week and the rest next week.