Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Calendars 2007

It's that time of year again when Japanese publishers start preorders for next year's crop of calendars. Roughly 100 styles are on offer in today's initial salvo and miniature snapshots of each calendar may be viewed here. NCS expects another 300 calendars to be posted up for preorder before November.

To place a reservation, please email NCS with the "CL-###" designation of the calendar you're interested in. Pricing per calendar is set at US$19 which includes shipping within the United States.
If you reside outside of the USA, pricing is set at US$26.70 per calendar which includes international airmail shipping.

Dekirukana Hats Redesigned by Devilrobots

Before Domokun was even a twinkle in its creator's eye, there was a monster named Gonta-kun. Appearing in the Japanese children's television show "Dekirukana," Gonta was colored brown, had beady eyes, and a big frame... just like you know who. The big galoot's partner in crime was Noppo who was played by the legendary Ei Takami. The players in Dekirukana wore funky hats and soon, anyone can be like Gonta or Noppo. Banpresto has started preorders for Dekirukana hats as designed by Devilrobots, an edgy Japanese design house based in Tokyo. The hats measure 32cm tall and the Gonta hat consists of an entire Gonta head with yellow cap. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late January 2007 at US$29 per hat.

Doraemon 12 Stars Plush

The irascible yet lovable hellion known as Doraemon is depicted as all 12 signs of the zodiac in Sega's "Doraemon 12 Stars" plush collection. We're partial to the Leo version of Ding-Dong (The Chinese interpretation of the Doraemon name) but Cancer and Pisces are also endearing. For his Aquarius turn, Doraemon creeps out of a water jug.
The plushes measure 12cm or 4.72" tall and pricing is set at US$8.50 each. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late January 2007.

He is my Master Maid's Uniform

In the anime, "He is my Master," two runaway sisters named Mitsumi and Izumi became maids for an adolescent pervert with a hefty inheritance. To cater to master Yoshitaka's whims, the two girls were required to wear sexy maid's outfits which provided gratuitous views. To give cosplayers replicas of the maid's uniforms from the anime, Sega has started preorders for an outfit which measures 60cm from the bottom hem to the top of the bustier. To complete the ensemble, a maid's tiara and necktie are included. Preorders ship in mid-late January 2007 at US$35.

Kinnikuman Mask

A few months ago, the Kinnikuman muscle suits gave fans a way to pump themselves up with an impressive looking "body replacement" without crunches, push-ups, or sit-ups. In other words, a sixpack and pecs without the sweat. Sales have been healthy which has prompted Banpresto to announce an invaluable accessory to the Kinnikuman Muscle Suit - the Kinnikuman Mask. Each cloth mask measures 35cm or tall and features a flexible porthole through which your head enters. Once donned, two eyeholes and a thick-lipped mouth hole allow the wearer to see and speak. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late January 2007 at US$25.

Nyoro-Nyoro Figure

Hailing from the Moomins books by Tove Jannson, the ivory-colored Hattifatteners are a group of worm-like creatures that travel en masse towards the horizon. The Moomins originally made their appearance in Europe in the 1950s but as the 90s rolled around, Japan caught the fever and a television series and a feature length movie were produced. In Japan, the Hattifatteners became the Nyoro-Nyoro which translates to "Slither-Slither." The Nyoro² slither again in January 2007 with a toy figure which features fins and measures 15cm tall. The photo of the hand about to grasp Nyoro-Nyoro in a kung-fu grip may give the wrong impression but NCS' advice is to get your minds out of the gutter.

SD Gundam Board Game

SD Gundam interaction is generally relegated to the video gaming realm where a Playstation console or portable provides the power and operating environment. All that changes next year when Banpresto releases the SD Gundam board game. Instead of thrilling animation sequences when robots erupt onto the battlefield and fire rattling rounds of artillery, the board game features... your imagination to conjure up images of attacks when two tribes go to war. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late January 2007 at US$19 per board game set.