My God. The cuteness, it's killing me. Sega, for their UFO catchers, decided to put these cute little Kimi Ni Todoke bag straps as one of the prizes, ensuring that whoever takes a look at your bag will suffer an instant overload of cute in their bloodstream, sending them to the hospital.

Sure, these may just be the low-end prize for the UFOs, but who cares? You can have a little Sawako head, or even Pedro Martinez-chan on the end of your bag! This is another thing I'll surely be keeping my eye while at the summer con circuit, because I wouldn't be surprised if our friends at J-List or any other importer have these. And I'm sure they'll sell quick.

2 comments

Welcome to the latest edition of Rock the Charts, where we detail which figures are setting the Japanese hearts ablaze. This week, it seems that Strike Witches has paired up with K-ON! to dominate the charts. I guess it must be a lull in the Nanoha season right now.

The charts are filled with a number of new figures, many of which should grab your attention. Some of my particular favorites are Alter's Strike Witches figures (I don't care much for Kotobukiya's) and the Legacy Pest X-San from HoiHoi-san, which is just too cute.

1. K-ON!'s Kotobuki Nendoroid Tsumugi by Goodmsile Company. July '10 release. 3,333 yen.
2. Strike Witches' Sanya V. Litvyak June '10 release. 7,800 yen.
3. K-ON!'s Azunyan by Alter. June '10 release. 6,800 yen.
4. Hyakka Ryouran's Senhime by Alter. June '10 release. 7,800 yen.
5. Strike Witches' Yoshika Miyafuji by Alter. July '10 release. 7,800 yen.
6. K-ON!'s Nendoroid Azunyan by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 3,333 yen.
7. HoiHoi-san's Legacy Pest X-San by Kotobukiya. June '10 release. 3,000 yen.
8. Strike Witches' Erika Hartmann by Kotobukiya. May '10 release. 6,800 yen.
9. Da Capo II's Nemu Asakura by Circus. May '10 release. 8,800 yen.
10. TayuTama's Ameri Kawai by Orchid Seed. May '10 release. 6,476 yen.

My personal favorite this week is Senhime from Hyakka Ryouran (#4) because I love how the outfit is a sleek mix of traditional and modern, all the while pulling off a very vibrant color profile between the oranges and purples. Plus, those stockings? HHHNNNGGG.

What's on your radar this week, Tomopoppers?

1 comments

Sweet mumbly jumbly! We have three separate versions of K-ON!'s Azusa Nakano, more affectionately known as Azunyan, rocking this week's charts. It's a regular moe-fest down here at the Tomopop ranch, and I guess that means it's high time to brand one for yourself and take 'er home.

Besides that, we've got a couple of artbooks invading our territory, which is an interesting change of pace from the typical body pillow invaders. Take a look at the list:

1. K-ON!'s Azunyan by Alter. June '10 release. 6,800 yen.
2. K-ON!'s Nendoroid Azunyan by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 3,333 yen.
3. Yosuga no Sora's Visual Fanbook by sphere. Feb '10 release. 3,990 yen.
4. Natsu no Ame's Visual Fanbook by Cube. Feb '10 release. 3,150 yen.
5. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie's Fate Testarossa 1st Version by Max Factory. February '10 release. 2,800 yen.
6. Yosuga no Sora's Kasugano Sora by Kotobukiya. May '10 release. 7,140 yen.
7. TayuTama's Ameri Kawai by Orchid Seed. May '10 release. 6,476 yen.
8. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Fate Testarossa uniform version by Max Factory. March '10 release. 2,380 yen.
9. Fate/Stay Night Nendoroid puchi by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 5,712 yen.
10. K-ON!'s Azunyan Beach Queen version by Wave. May '10 release. 3,800 yen.

This week, instead of picking Azunyan for my header, I went with Ameri Kawai (#7) because the girl looks absolutely cute (she's from an ero-ge, of course) and because of this sentence: "Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity is a Japanese visual novel developed by Lump of Sugar." It just brings me so much joy, you have no idea.

So, what are your biggest "do want" items this week, Tomopoppers?

0 comments

Really, no job can be as awesome as working at Native. Not only do they make some of the most unique and memorable figures of the erotic varieties, but they go ahead and give out one of the most awesome flyers at this year's WonFes. Attached to each flyer was a little package that said "For adults only." Inside?

Why, nothing other than a little toy dildo, to go as an accessory for any of your figures.

A.

Toy.

Dildo.

Native, I'm truly in awe. So here's my application: I'll do any sort of bitchwork that you need done around the office. I can come up with ideas for figures. I can pass out flyers at booths. I'll do deliveries. Just let me be a part of your team and have the most perverted job in the world. Please.

[Hat tip to Part Time Otaku]

10 comments

Welcome back to Rock the Charts, where we detail which figures are the most popular pre-orders all across Japan! This week, it looks like the girls from Nanoha aren't going to give any ground when it comes to holding the number of slot of figures. Well, as to be expected, considering Japan.

1. Fate/Stay Night's Nendoroid Puchi collection by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 6,000 yen.
2. Yosuga no Sora's Kasugano Sora by Kotobukiya. May '10 release. 7,140 yen.
3. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 1st's Nanoha Takamachi Stand By Ready by Alter. February '10 release. 9,800 yen.
4. To Heart 2's HMX-17a Ilfa by Alter. June '10 release. 7,140 yen.
5. Fate/Stay Night's Saber Excalibur version by Goodsmile Company. July '10 release. 9,800 yen.
6. Busou Shinki's Altolene by Konami. May '10 release. 6,825 yen.
7. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Hayate Yagami by Wave. June '10 release. 3,990 yen.
8. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Teana Lanster by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 9,800 yen.
9. Strike Witches' Yoshika Miyafugi by Aoshima. March '10 release. 3,150 yen.
10. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie's Fate Testarossa 1st Version by Max Factory. February '10 release. 2,800 yen.

This week, I just had to pick the robot maid Ilfa, since it's a To Heart 2 character that isn't Tamaki. It's a miracle. So, while we're here, what are some of the hot items that you've got your eyes set on Tomopoppers? For me, now that my Taiga figure has come in, I can't think of any other figure in the world. Sorry, Kagami!

1 comments

[As posted on Japanator]

Over at Japanator, we're big fans of Katawa Shoujo, the dating sim from the folks at Four Leaf Studios, and are eagerly anticipating a full release of the game. It was my first adventure into the world of dating sims, and I really want to give it a shot once again in the near future.

Colette, knowing of all the strange things I love, sent me a link to these cute little custom figures of the girls from Katawa Shoujo. Made out of resin clay, the artist Ryu-yo went ahead and tackled all of the girls from the game. Sadly, they're not going up for sale or anything like that anytime soon, but maybe in the future, said ryu.

Now, if only the game took off in Japan, and they started making professional figures...oh how I would buy them up! Of course, it'd be just as hard to explain why I own figures of crippled girls as some of the other figures that'd be in my collection.

Still, great job Ryu-yo! Keep up the great work!

3 comments

Nothing, really. Maybe the Lance of Logenus, for good measure. Over on the figure site FG (login required), a user named Pantheon2 put together an amazing Vispo Rei Ayanami kit.

Rei is ready for some fun in the sun, as she comes in both the tanning bikini and a more modest swimwear outfit to take with her as she speeds along the highway in her painfully decal'd bike. Still, despite the garishness of the figure, Rei is looking pretty awesome here.

What grabs me most about Pantheon's job here are the strong and deep colors he used on the figure really gives it a polished look. I'd love to see this thing in person. Alas, I'll have to stick with just checking out the shots of the figure that we've got waiting for you down after the jump.

10 comments

Welcome, faithful readers, to Tomopop's one and only top figures column, letting you know what's hot in Japan this very minute. I bet your blood is boiling with excitement to see what's on the list, aren't you? What new and amazing figures are people buying in Japan that we might be missing out on?

Well, it's pretty much all Fate/Stay Night and Nanoha figures. Not that you should be surprised or anything like that, this being Japan and all.

1. Fate/Stay Night's Nendoroid Puchi collection by Goodsmile Company. June '10 release. 6,000 yen.
2. Fate/Stay Night's Saber Excalibur version by Goodsmile Company. July '10 release. 9,800 yen.
3. Yosuga no Sora's Kasugano Sora by Kotobukiya. May '10 release. 7,140 yen.
4. Ga-Rei Zero's Yomi Isayama figma by Max Factory. May '10 release. 2,800 yen.
5. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Hayate Yagami by Wave. June '10 release. 3,990 yen.
6. Black Rock Shooter Black Blade version by Goodsmile Company. April '10 release. 6,800 yen.
7. Ga-rei Zero's Kagura Tsuchimiya figma by Max Factory. April '10 release. 2,800 yen.
8. Baka to Test's Mizuki Himeji by Wave. June '10 release. 3,990 yen.
9. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 1st's Nanoha Takamachi Stand By Ready by Alter. February '10 release. 9,800 yen.
10. Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Subaru Nakajima by Wave. July '10 release. 3,990 yen.

In an effort to pick something new and different, I went with Mizuki from Baka to Test, one of this season's new anime series that has the staff over at Japanator really digging it. I haven't taken the plunge myself, but that's the next show I plan to tackle. What's on your figure list this week, Tomopoppers?

1 comments

Welcome, readers, to the most frequent top ten list here on Tomopop: Rock the Charts! This week, we've got a... lot more Nanoha on the list. Several figures are coming up on their releases real soon, and so people are in a mad dash to secure their orders from them. Hopefully once this is all over, we'll see them drop off for good!

I can't wait to see more of the K-ON! figures hitting the charts. I need more moe with girls that have at least hit puberty.

#1: Black Rock Shooter Black Blade version by Goodsmile Company. 6,800 yen. April '10 release.

#2: Bakemonogatari Puchi Nendoroid Set by Goodsmile Company. 2,100 yen. April '10 release.

#3: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Subaru Nakajima Barrier Jacket version by Goodsmile Company. 2,800 yen. March '10 release. 

#4: Ga-Rei Zero's Kagura Tsuchimiya figma by Max Factory. 2,800 yen. April '10 release.

#5: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie's Nanoha Takamachi -STAND BY READY- by Alter. 10,290 yen. January '10 release. 

#6: K-ON!'s Akiyama Mio by Alter. 7,140 yen. January '10 release.

#7: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie's Nanoha Takamachi 1st Version by Max Factory. 2,800 yen. January '10 release.

#8: Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku VN02 by Max Factory. 12,800 yen. June '10 release.

#9: Shining Wind's Forest Goddess Elwyn by Kotobukiya. 9,240 yen. April '10 release.

#10: To Aru Majutsu no Index's Misako Mikoto body pillow by Taki Corporation. 9,975 yen. February '10 release.

Any time Black Rock Shooter makes it onto the charts, you know it's going to be our selection. Now that it's out of the way, what's on your chart this week, Tomopoppers?

1 comments

Welcome once again, dear readers, to the greatest show on earth: the Japanese figure charts. This week, we've got a wide array of figures for you all to enjoy, from K-ON! to Urusei Yatsura and even some HoiHoi-san! What's nice, too, is that there's only a single Nanoha figure on the charts. I guess the year is starting off right, now isn't it?

#1: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS' Subaru Nakajima Barrier Jacket version by Goodsmile Company. 2,800 yen. March '10 release.

#2: Bakemonogatari Puchi Nendoroid Set by Goodsmile Company. 2,100 yen. April '10 release.

#3: Urusei Yatsura's Lum by Max Factory. 2,500 yen. March '10 release.

#4: K-ON!'s Tsumugi Beach Queen by Wave. 3,990 yen. April '10 release.

#5: Ichigeki Sacchu HoiHoi-san's Combat-san by Kotobukiya. 3,150 yen. April '10 release.

#6: Macross Frontier's Ranka Lee Superdimensional Cinderella version by AlphaOmega. 7,140 yen. May '10 release.

#7: K-ON!'s Akiyama Mio by Alter. 7,140 yen. December '09 release.

#8: Ichigeki Sacchu HoiHoi-san's HoiHoi-san battle version by Kotobukiya. 3,990 yen. March '10 release.

#9: Shining Wind's Forest Goddess Elwyn by Kotobukiya. 9,240 yen. April '10 release.

#10: Shin Koi-hime Musou's Soso by Penguin Parade. 8,190 yen. May '10 release.

This week I went with Penguin Parade's Soso figure (#10) because it just looks so jaw-droppingly beautiful. What excites me about the figure so much is her color palette -- it's a vibrant collection of light and dark, and that sort of high contrast just makes me happy.

So, what's rocking your charts this week, Tomopoppers?

2 comments