EAT One Piece Jolly Roger Fork & Spoon Set - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Cospa has announced a One Piece Jolly Roger Fork and Spoon Set which appears to be targeted at consumers who have love for the One Piece animated serial and are hell-bent on supping with pirate-themed utensils. The spoon looks to be wide enough to ladle up cereal, soup, and other watery foodstuffs while the fork's four tines should be sharp enough to spear peppers and sausage, omelets, and maybe even flapjacks if you fold them like a "C" or perhaps a "Z" on your plate.

Cospa doesn't specify what the utensils are made of but we're assuming stainless steel which won't react with acidic tomato sauce or the vinaigrette in a zesty salad. Each utensil measures 17 cm or 6.69" in length and is topped by a toothy Jolly Roger wearing a hat. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late January 2010 at JPY1200 or US$18.90 from NCS.

DRINK Luffy Pirates Stainless Steel Mug - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» The leader of the Straw Hat Pirates is a likable fellow named Luffy who gobbled the Gomi no Mi Devil's Fruit which transformed his body into a highly elastic bundle of pliable flesh. Cospa pays homage to Luffy with a stainless steel mug which bears an image of the Jolly Roger on the front while the names of Luffy and his crew are categorized on the back. Sanji is listed as "Chef" while Nico Robin is branded an "Archaelogist." The skeletal seaman named Brook enjoys the title of "Musician." We would've positioned him under the banner of "Undead-esque."
The mug measures 7cm in height and 7cm in diameter which makes it squat like a mug's supposed to be. Preorders are welcome to ship in January 2010 at JPY1000 or US$16.90 from NCS.

TOYS Transformers Disney Label Mickey Mouse - Restocked

«©NCSX» When one conjures up images of Transformers from the depths of one's memory, visions of Megatron or Bumblebee might waver in the mind's eye. No one really expects Mickey Mouse to appear but there he is. A jovial rodent in the cab of Convoy as if he belonged there. To add insult to injury, the Cybertron logo on the trailer has been replaced by a Mickey Mecha logo with saucer-like ears.

The Transformers Mickey figure measures 4" tall and roughly 3" in width. By tucking, shifting, and swiveling parts, the robot may be transformed into a truck with trailer. NCS sold out of this particular toy a few months ago but we've restock a new batch today and new orders are welcome to ship this afternoon.

TOYS Transformers MP-08 Grimlock - Japan Import, Restocked

«©NCSX» If the Transformers echelon were positioned in terms of power ranking, Optimus would be in the prime spot followed by Megatron. Third place would probably be given to Grimlock - a mighty Dinobot who transforms from bulky robot to mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex. In robot mode, Grimlock carries an Energon sword to mete out the destruction but in Rex mode, his bite does all the damage. Takara finally gives Grimlock his due respect in the eighth Transformers Masterpiece toy which was released in Japan last week and finally arrived yesterday.

Masterpiece Grimlock is made of a combination of PVC and die-cast metal with numerous points of articulation. A gimmicky LED in its right fist illuminates the included Energon sword while Grim's eyes may change color to red or blue in either robot or dinosaur mode. Accessories that are bundled inside the package include a little helmet which may be placed on top of the Rex's head, a blaster rifle, and more. Grimlock looks good in Rex mode but his arms are too scrawny and don't really match his imposing bulk.

NCS originally imported MP-08 Grimlock in March of this year but a new production was released at the end of last month and the shipment arrived today. All preorders are shipping this afternoon; new orders are welcome.

X360 Real Arcade Pro Twinstick EX - Expected Tomorrow

«©NCSX» Hori released the X360 Real Arcade Twinsticks yesterday and our Japanese suppliers shipped them last night but they didn't consult us on the shipping charges before sending them out. We were estimating each Twinstick to weigh roughly 10-15 lbs but according to the UPS Worldwide Express waybill from last night, each stick weighs a little over 27lbs. Ouch.

Hori didn't provide weight details back in July when preorders opened up and NCS didn't expect them to be that heavy when pricing out the sticks a few months ago. Our import shipping costs have nearly doubled due to the heavier weight. Since there's no other way to say it, we're just going to blurt it out: We'll have to charge everyone an extra $28.63 to cover half of those additional shipping costs and the UPS fuel surcharge. We'll cover the other half of the charge. Sorry about that. We'll send out emails today to request acknowledgement and affirmation of the additional charge but we'll begin preparing orders today for quick and efficient shipping tomorrow.

PSP Puyo Puyo 7 - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» A new girl named Andou Ringo joins Amitie, Arle, and the rest of the gang in Puyo Puyo color-matching puzzle antics. She's a ginger with a cheerful demeanor, waif-like frame, and her character meshes well with the previous Puyo heroines mentioned above. The action in Puyo7 hews true to the previous volumes but with "Fever"-like puzzle matching interludes.

In the Story Mode of the game, the first puzzle battle is against a trio of Skeletons (Skeleton-T) but their skills are rudimentary and they don't pose much of a challenge. We knocked them out with a 5-string combo that ended with a double-color-match that made the skeletons scream in a somewhat comical manner. The next challenge is against the boy with the blue hair named Sig (Shigo) and he's got some skills but they weren't enough to match our quick color-combo-creation tactics. The Skeletons return in the third round and it's a race to see who can create the most matches. Raffine steps in for the fourth round with her billowing pink hair and baby blue eyes.

It took longer than usual but we beat Raffine too. The fifth challenge brings in Feli who's normally sweet but she shows her dark side in the interaction sequence with Ringo. After beating Feli, Ringo will appear somewhat smug as she tosses an apple on one hand. A decidedly different looking Amitie is the sixth competitor and she wears a different type of hat. The challenge gets a little tougher with Amitie on the other side of the screen but after two tries, we knocked her out too.

PSP Spectral Force Legacy - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Return to the world of Neverland and relive the original Spectral Force tactical adventure game which was first released on the Playstation in 1997. For the 2009 remake, Idea Factory updates the visuals and revamps the strategy and battle sequences with the Generation of Chaos game engine which allows players to fortify their castles and borders as well as mobilize armies against neighboring territories. When a conflict erupts, contingents of regimented soldiers face off against similarly arranged contingents on battlefields of varying terrain. Similar to the rules of engagement found in the Famicom Wars games, larger forces generally decimate smaller ones except tactical formations may also be used to gain an advantage against an army that's sizable.

In addition to the battles between states, players will also manage trade, diplomacy, and personal relationships to ensure a strong and functional country that can operate without hindrances. Neverland is split into 40 warring states led by different rulers but the main cast of characters in the game are as follows:

» Hiro - Redheaded progeny of Overlord Janus; half demon, half human.
» Orochimaru - Lord of Muromachi and a consummate warrior-general
» Chiffon - Used the demon-slaying sword Tenmaken to defeat Janus
» Little Snow - Winsome and willowy Queen who enjoys Jadou's company
» Jadou - Estranged brother of Hiro who isn't fond of humans

BOOK Street Fighter Artworks - Sorta New, In Stock

NCS Preorder Synopsis
Update: November 30, 2009
«©NCSX» Capcom celebrated two decades of Street Fighter earlier this year with a thick and heavy art book which rehashed a lot of great artwork from Street Fighter's esteemed history. The spectacular group shot from Hyper Street Fighter II is in there along with dramatic character portraits and assorted scenes from artists such as Shoei, Udon, Nishimura, Falcoon, and Shinkirou. To attract fans who may already own earlier Street Fighter art books which share a good portion of the same illustrations, Capcom also includes artwork from Street Fighter IV and new heretofore unpublished pieces from the various games. The book contains 320 pages and is printed on glossy and heavy paper stock.

From the Distributor
Kick start your Street Fighter 20th Anniversary celebration with the most complete collection of official Street Fighter artwork ever! Gathering over 1,500 illustrations created by Capcom's top artists over the past 20 years, this massive tome includes character designs, concept art, sketches, and promo artwork, plus many never-before-published pieces from both Street Fighter's past and from the all-new Street Fighter IV. Japanese text.