Thursday, October 07, 2010

PS3 Gekijouban Macross F: Itsuwarino Utahime Hybrid Pack

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The inception of the Macross franchise took place approximately 30 years ago when the adventures of Hikaru, Misa, Minmay, and Roy captivated viewers on both sides of the Pacific. In the years since the conclusion of the original series, Macross has gone on to spawn animated sequels, serial adjuncts, and a whole lot of merchandising.

On November 21, 2009, Japanese cinema-goers got to watch a Macross movie titled Gekijō-ban Macross Frontier ~Itsuwari no Utahime~ which translates into Macross Frontier the Movie: The False Songstress. The movie was a retread of the events in the Macross F television series compacted down into 119 minutes of drama, espionage, a false songstress, and Valkyries. Lots of Valkyries. False Songstress pulled in a little under $5 million at the box office which was a disappointment. For comparative reference, the One Piece Strong World movie pulled in $48 million and the Yattaman animated film earned $40 million. Cameron's Avatar trounced every other movie in Japan last year with a cumulative take of $163 million.

Gekijouban Macross F: Itsuwarino Utahime Hybrid Pack ships this week in Japan and the home release of the movie and game will probably earn more than $5 million. The hybrid Blu-Ray disc contains the False Songstress movie and a Playstation 3 game titled Macross Trial Frontier which is a remake of the PSP Macross Ultimate Frontier game. The series featured in the game include SDF Macross: Do You Remember Love?, SDF Macross Plus, SDF Macross 7, SDF Macross Zero and SDF Macross Frontier.

In addition to the game and movie, over 50 minutes of bonus footage is included on the hybrid disc including commercials and an episode of the PSN "Toro Station" daily news show which features an interview with Macross creator Shoji Kawamori. A 48-page booklet which contains illustrations and archival material from the film is packed as a bonus with the hybrid disc. Lastly, the first printing of the Hybrid Pack includes a bonus collectible card which is signed by Kawamori on one side while five actual film frames from the movie are pasted on the opposing side.

PSP Boku wa Koukuu Kanseikan: Airport Hero Haneda - New

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» In the 1999 movie, Pushing Tin, Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack played dueling air traffic controllers. Cusack's Nick Falzone fueled conflict against Thornton's half-Choctaw character Russell Bell. Despite their battles and bouts of inner turmoil, both had the ability to visualize 3D airspace and guide streams of planes to and fro without having them crash into each other.

Publisher Sonic Powered's Airport Hero Haneda is sort of like Pushing Tin except the scope of your responsibilities go far beyond what the two movie cowboys had control over. In addition to keeping a watchful eye on all of the air traffic around Haneda Airport in Tokyo, players also direct planes to start their descent, prepare to land, taxi to a runway, depart, and maintain speed/altitude. Due to the critical decisions that are heaped upon the player's shoulders, one must keep track of all the planes and spatial dimensions around the airport to avoid any dangerous situations that might lead to disastrous consequences. As planes approach and depart from the airport, one has to issue timely commands through a simple menu system to ensure smooth and safe traffic patterns.

Publisher Sonic Powered has been keeping tabs on the construction at Haneda Airport and the game features the third terminal for international traffic and D-Runway which expands the airport's capacity by 40%.

PSP Kana: Imouto - New Import, In Stock

From the Publisher
   Kana. Your younger sister, stricken with a life-threatening disease. You have always looked out for her, protected her, helped her. The bond between you is unbreakable. She is so fragile, and so loving. Always smiling for you, even through her pain.

   But there is confusion. As she wastes away before your eyes, what are your true feelings for your younger sister? Do you want to protect her and guide her? Is she your best friend and confidante? Or.... could it be something deeper and truer than the mere relationship of brother and sister bonded by tragic circumstance? Follow this emotional story, this heartfelt story of the truest meaning of love, Kana's story...and your story. One of the most critically received bishoujo games in Japan, Kana - Little Sister will make you question the very nature of love as you explore this rich game.

   Kana was originally released on the PC in 1999 for the Japanese market and a USA translation was released in 2002. Cyberfront ports the game over to the PSP with a family friendly conversion which would probably be rated PG-13 if it was a movie. The PSP version of Kana Little Sister includes a new scenario, 20 new events, and an updated audio track. In addition to the regular edition, Cyber releases a limited edition which includes a Kana Soundtrack CD and an illustrations book.

PSP Kana: Imouto Limited Edition - New Import, In Stock

From the Publisher
   Kana. Your younger sister, stricken with a life-threatening disease. You have always looked out for her, protected her, helped her. The bond between you is unbreakable. She is so fragile, and so loving. Always smiling for you, even through her pain.
   But there is confusion. As she wastes away before your eyes, what are your true feelings for your younger sister? Do you want to protect her and guide her? Is she your best friend and confidante? Or.... could it be something deeper and truer than the mere relationship of brother and sister bonded by tragic circumstance? Follow this emotional story, this heartfelt story of the truest meaning of love, Kana's story...and your story. One of the most critically received bishoujo games in Japan, Kana - Little Sister will make you question the very nature of love as you explore this rich game.
   Kana was originally released on the PC in 1999 for the Japanese market and a USA translation was released in 2002. Cyberfront ports the game over to the PSP with a family friendly conversion which would probably be rated PG-13 if it was a movie. The PSP version of Kana Little Sister includes a new scenario, 20 new events, and an updated audio track. In addition to the regular edition, Cyber releases a limited edition which includes a Kana Soundtrack CD and an illustrations book.

PSP Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono. 3 - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Magic school is in session once again and this time around, students have a choice between three institutions of eldritch education. Choose one of the three and your protagonist is outfitted in the uniform and colors of your newly appointed institution of higher learning. Upon starting the game, players are introduced to the school by welcoming NPCs who give a short tour before proceeding into the character customization menu which allows players to build and outfit a male or female hero.

  
Characters may be custom-created by choosing race, sex, hairstyle, pigmentation, and voice. Once the character has been finalized, attribute levels for strength, wisdom, faith, etc may be apportioned from a reserve of available points. From there, players build a party of adventurers who venture into dank digital dungeons, battle monsters, and gain boatloads of experience as well as loot. When exploring the world, the environment is viewed from a first-person perspective and the stutter-step movement is evocative of old school RPGs like Wizardry and Bard's Tale. The publisher Acquire also touts 40 personable NPCs who appear in the game to provide dramatic foil and interaction.

   All reservations will include a bonus Drama CD which features the voice actors from the game in an original story and a bonus "Startup Guide" which is being given away by the publisher in 1:1 ratio. Based on the description of the bonuses in the preorder solicitation, the CD will likely be inserted into a plastic flap located on the last page of the Startup Guide. 

PS3 Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono. 3 - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Magic school is in session once again and this time around, students have a choice between two institutions of eldritch education. Choose one of the two and your protagonist is outfitted in the uniform and colors of your newly appointed school. Characters may be custom-created by choosing race, sex, hairstyle, pigmentation, and voice. From there, players build a party of adventurers who venture into dank digital dungeons, battle monsters, and gain boatloads of experience as well as loot. The publisher Acquire also touts 40 personable NPCs who appear in the game to provide dramatic foil and interaction.
   Preorders for the PSP import Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono. 3 are welcome to ship on October 7, 2010 at JPY4980 or US$55.90. All reservations will include a bonus Drama CD which features the voice actors from the game in an original story and a bonus "Startup Guide" which is being given away by the publisher in 1:1 ratio. Based on the description of the bonuses in the preorder solicitation, the CD will likely be inserted into a plastic flap located on the last page of the Startup Guide. 

TOYS Kingdom Hearts II Formation Arts - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Square Enix has started preorders for a set of Kingdom Hearts II Formation Arts toys which feature five characters as follows:

» Sora - Spiky-haired Keyblade-wielder in forward motion
» Roxas - A member of Organization XIII who enjoys a blue popsicle
» Mickey - The King of Disney Castle puts the smackdown on an enemy
» Riku - Silver-haired friend of Sora who's straddling a vehicle
» Naminé - Blonde Nobody reads and sits amidst a spiral stairway

  
The Formation Arts toys measure between 12.00 to 13.70cm (4.72 to 5.39") tall and each character is part of a miniature diorama scene as described above. Dioramas are superior to plain figures because dioramas tell a little story and are generally more interesting to gawk at. Preorders are welcome to ship in late September 2010 at JPY6000 or US$69.90 per factory sealed box of six toys. Every factory box will include the full set of 5 character-dioramas and 1 duplicate toy.