http://www.animenano.com/ An anime blog aggregator and community. en-us Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Laputa, Kiki's Delivery Service 2009 Schedule Books. Ghibli fans, we've gotten the gorgeous 2009 schedule books in for Castle in the Sky Laputa and Jiji the cat from Kiki's Delivery Service. Featuring art penned by Hayao Miyazaki himself, these books present everything you'll need to keep track of your life all year long, with monthly and weekly calendars, space to take notes, and much more. Gorgeous Ghibli products from Japan! Super Mario Galaxy Compact Soundrop. We love the Soundrop keychain series that plays loud, clear sound effects when you press the button. This is a new series featuring all the best sounds from Super Mario Galaxy. Order now! The Girl who Leapt through Time (Blu-ray Disc). One of the most beautiful anime films in recent years, this is the story of a girl who finds a strange device that lets her jump freely through time. Outstanding story, and it looks gorgeous in Blu-Ray. Fully compatible with U.S. Blu-Ray discs including PS3. DX Phone Braver 7. Wow, this is cool: a police detective that's really a cellular phone, from the popular TV series. It's a phone with many fun electronic features, but it looks best when transformed into robot mode to defend your desk from enemies! Fun accessories, too. Comptiq Aug 2008. New issue of the gorgeous magazine dedicated to beautiful anime girls. Features loads of pictures and information from popular games and anime, like Lucky Star, Fate/stay night, Magical Lyrical Magical Girl Nanoha Strikers, Haruhi Suzumiya and more. Also, free stuff inside -- click to read what. As usual, this issue will sell out quickly since we only have a few in stock, but we have this and many other anime magazines available via monthly subscription service. Cure Aug 2008 vol. 59. Another great issue of the "Japanesque Rock + Visual Styling Magazine" from Japan, Cure, loaded with visual-kei musical culture. This issue is available in limited stock -- of course, regular subscriptions of cool music magazines from Japan are also available. Fuka & Ena Ayase Figure Swimsuit Figures. For Yotsubato fans, we've gotten in the two new figures of Fuka and Ena in swimsuit mode -- awesome. Best of all, the Ena version is, er, "cast off" since you can remove her clothes to expose the swimsuited figure underneath. Ikki Tousen Set FULL SET vol. 1-13. Wow, here's a real treat: all 13 volumes of the amazing Ikki Tousen ~ Dragon Destiny original manga, renowned for its interesting story and characters as well as, ahem, its "fan service." Enjoy the amazing comics without the censorship found in the original U.S. releases. Taiwan Teki Shojo - Taiwan Style Girl ~ E2 Illustrations. Here's a nice item: a gorgeous artbook featuring anime girls drawn by the top artists from Taiwan today, with an amazing mix of styles and character designs. Beautiful glossy artbook. Hello Kitty Sakura Noren -- Black. A noren (NOH-ren) is a Japanese curtain you hang in doorways to add some privacy between rooms, a great idea that helps the Japanese make use of smaller spaces. This is an awesome Hello Kitty noren that we just love! New Japanese Snacks. Our all-new Japanese snacks today include Jagariko potato snacks in seafood flavor, fun Pokemon chocolate snacks that come with limited cards inside, and Chelsea Black Sugar Caramel flavored butterscotch candies. Awesome! DX Chirimen FUROSHIKI. Here are two large and beautiful furoshiki, which is a Japanese cloth intended for wrapping things you're carrying or plan on giving as gifts. You can use it as a unique scarf, too. Manga Bible - How To Draw Manga. Look for fresh stock of the Manga Bible, an interesting series about manga, art and character design. In Japanese, but featuring lots of images and information that would be of use to any budding artist. Nikyoro ~ Green Bean Shaped 2 tier Bento Box. A new variation on the Prime Nakamura niKyoro bento series, which comes from niko niko (smiling) and kyoro kyoro (the sound of eyes looking this way and that). Sanrio CINNAMOROLL Training Chopsticks. If you're learning how to use chopsticks, here are some great "training chopsticks" from Sanrio, featuring easy to grip hooks that make it easier to keep the sticks where you want them. Plus, it's incredibly cute, with Sanrio's famous Cinnomoroll on the ends. Hello Kitty KIRA-DECO Handy Stand Mirror with Rhine Stone. Here are some awesome items for Hello Kitty fans, beautiful "Kira-Deco" (literally meaning "shiny decoration") mirrors in pink and red. Wacky Japanese T-Shirts ("Nice Boat"). The Wacky Japanese T-Shirt of the Month is our popular School Days Nice Boat shirt. When the final episode of the show was replaced with a video of a boat with soothing classical music due to concerns over its violent content, fans declared it to be a "Nice Boat." Tokyo Travel Tips, Kanji Writing Books. See fresh stock of the excellent Tokyo: The Greatest Travel Tips, which gives you fresh and interesting ways to see Asia's most populous city -- it's a bilingual book with both English and Japanese on each page! Also, see our guide book for Writing Japanese with a Ball Point Pen. Dragon Destiny Body Pillows. Our life-size dakimakura have been extremely popular, and we've finally gotten the sold-out Kanu Uncho and Ryomou Shimen hug pillow covers back in stock, a great item for fans of Ikki Tousen / Dragon Destiny. Chichinoe Plus 1/6 Cover Girl Black Hair Figure. Wow, is all I can say to this incredibly sexy cast off figure, which brings the gorgeous 2D Chichinoe girl into three dimensions, In stock today. X-Change Series. J-List is passionate about PC dating-sim games, the "H" games from Japan, and we carry dozens of English-translated titles for fans al over the world. One of my favorite series is the X-Change trilogy, which follows poor Takuya as he get changed from a boy into a girl three separate times. What adventures will Takuya have as a girl? Enjoy a new lower price for the games in this series! Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:06:45 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/09/cool-items-friday-september-5-2008.html Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Rin Tohsaka Figma Action Figure ~ Fate/Stay night. Wow -- this is a fabulous figure you won't want to miss out on. With dozens of possible poses, you can recreate any scene you like from the legendary Fate/stay night anime. In stock now! Studio Ghibli 2009 Schedule Book: Totoro, Cat Bus. We're happy to announce that the gorgeous 2009 schedule books for Totoro fans have come in, and we've got both the Totoro and the Neko Bus (Cat Bus) versions in stock now. Gorgeous printing on each page, with calendar, address book, pages for taking notes, and more. Because it's made by Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki himself okays every product before it's made. Animage July 2008. A new issue of the popular anime magazine, which in fact gave us the word "anime" back in 1978 when it first appeared. Awesome contents in this issue, from Code Geass to Zero no Tsukaima to Ikki Tousen and Gundam 00 and more. Big 30th anniversary issue, with lots of free stuff. SHOXX July 2008 vol. 185. Shoxx is the popular magazine of Japanese "visual-kei" gothic rock, which features many photos of the bands that are popular in Japan right now, including the Gazette, D'espairs Ray, Antique Coffee Shop and more, with a giant poster inside too. Normally available only via our monthly revolving subscription service, we have limited stock of the new issue for you. Hello Kitty KIRA-DECO Aluminum Can Pen Case 3 tiers. In case you haven't had the pleasure of using a really good pencil case from Japan, let me tell you how great they are. This is an all-metal Hello Kitty pen and pencil case with multiple inside tiers so you can organize everything nicely. So cute! Pen'z Gear Spinning Pen. Pen mawashi is the Japanese art of spinning your pen expertly for hours on end. These pens are specially made for spinning, with adjustable weights in the tips that allow you to increase or decrease the weight of the pen. Plus -- get this -- they even write on paper! See several Pen'z Gear products restocked today. Even More 2009 Calendars. We've posted even more awesome 2009 calendars you can preorder, including cute idols like the super-popular Mikie Hara, more beautiful seasonal and traditional photo calendars, traditional and modern art, and anime. Delicious Snacks from Japan. Today's new snack itmes include fun Pokemon assorted candies featuring different flavors and characters for each box. Also, a rare treat, authentic Japanese senbei rice crackers in yummy corn flavor. Meiji Ikayaki "Baked Squid" Gummy - Cola Flavor. Also, one of the more interesting foods eaten here is ikayaki or cooked squid on a stick -- yum! Now you can experience this fun treat, but don't worry, as this squid is made of cola flavored gummy. One-push Easy Soy Sauce Bottle. Here's a cool soy sauce bottle with a pump on top, so you can easily dispense exactly the right amount of shoyu for you Chinese dumplings, or whatever you're eating. Specially Selected Chopsticks Set. You want good quality chopsticks? These are some of the coolest chopsticks I've ever held, each made from a different kind of wood. A great set of five chopsticks, made in Japan. Popular Bento Boxes Restocked. Bento fans, we've restocked the Uneri 2-tier bento box (both colors), one of our most popular ever, which comes with separate compartments for your rice and the rest of your lunch, and chopsticks built right into the unit. Also, the Lacquered Cloth Bento Box that's so colorful and cute. Basic Obento ~ Kihon no Obento. A dynamite book for anyone wanting to make beautiful, delicious and healthy bento lunches for themselves or their loved ones. A great book loaded with recipes and great big pictures. iTunes Japan Music Cards -- Free Single of the Week. Want to sample Japan's indies music scene? It's easy with the iTunes Japan prepaid music cards available from J-List. Click here (iTunes link) to see this week's indie spotlight, featuring the best fresh and new music styles making waves in Japan right now. Red Hello Kitty DX Oil Absorption Paper ~ 50 sheets. Remove unwanted oil from your face with this excellent Hello Kitty abura-tori (oil-removing) paper. Available in cute pink or red. Asa Shigure 1/8 Figure ~ Suffle! Memories *Preorder*. Sometimes I have to stop everything and say "damn!" when I see the incredible quality of what the Japanese figure makers are capable of. This is a great prepainted PVC figure of Asa Shigure (that's pronounced she-goo-REH) from Shuffle! A great preorder figure. Kokoro Figure Dead or Alive X2 Venus on the Beach! *Preorder*. Or check out this gorgeous figure of Koko from Dead or Alice X2. It's "cast off" since you can remove her outer clothing and reveal of gorgeous beach volleyball-ready body underneath. Preorder her now and she'll be all yours come November. Kamikaze Headband -- Kamikaze Hachimaki. Show your determination with this cool Japanese hachimaki headband, which says kamikaze or "divine wind," referring to a typhoon that destroyed the fleet of Kublai Khan as he attempted to invade Japan. Restocked Pens, Erasers & More. School is back in session, and J-List has fun items from Japan for all manner of students. Enjoy restocked Naruto erasers, our Kanji Entry Pen that's given to all elementary school students in Japan, the Pentel Handy Line highlight pen that works like a ball-point pen and needs no cap, and useful Finger Grips for dealing with documents all day. Comic AG Super Manga Anthology vol. 87. Another red-hot issue of Comic AG , the dynamite magazine of manga that throws 80 pages of amazing English-translated manga made from the original artist pages. This issue features great stories, including a special futanari offering. Enjoy! Queen's Gate -- Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury) *Preorder*. A super new addition to the Queen's Gate / Queen's Blade lineup, this is a fully compatible book featuring gorgeous illustrations of Mai Shiranui from Fatal Fury. Gorgeous art and glossy printing make this a book you'll want to pick up for sure. Preorder it now! Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:18:54 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/09/cool-items-wednesday-september-3-2008.html Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Figure Maniacs 2008 vol. 28. I am a big fan of Figure Maniacs, the outstanding perfect-bound magazine that presents all the best anime figures for fans perusal in each issue. This issue features Fate/Stay Night Figma figures, ToHeart2, Ikki Tousen, Magical Girl Lilical Strikers, Haruhi Suzumiya, Miku Hatsune, Eva... I could go on, but you get the picture. Kureha 1/8 Figure by Kotobukiya ~ Shining Wind Shining Wind is the gorgeous anime by Tony Taka, one of the top artists in Japan today, and this is a fascinating figure that we're happy to be carrying. Incredible detail in the face, hair and body! Ponyo Multi Purpose Pouch. A nice all-purpose vinyl zippered pouch for fans of the newest Hayao Miyazaki film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, the story of a cute little fish who wanted to be a human girl. More 2009 Calendars See a host of additional 2009 calendars, from beautiful Four Seasons of Japanese Gardens to the sultry offerings of bikini idol Yoko Kumada and even, ahem, calendars for the college dorm room. Last Factory ~ Japan Deathtopia Series. Another photobook in the popular Deathtopia series, this shows you images of old, run down factories that have falled into disuse. Amazing and somewhat sad images of broken machinery, unused pipes and lonely spaces with no one around. $100 Memo ~ Dollar's Note Parody Memo. You've seen the wacky Japanese 10,000 yen notepads we sell, and now there's a new wacky variation: note paper that looks like $100 bills. Imagine the fun you can have taking notes on these realistic looking sheets. Notes are single sided and clearly state JOKE in several places on the surface. Sonic Diver "Fujin" ~ Sky Girls *Preorder*. The Sky Girls series is a popular anime series featuring remixed World War II mecha piloted by super cute girls, and this is an upcoming figure you can preorder. Made by the character designer of the Mecha Musume line. SAKURA Clear Tight 2 tiers Bento Box 680 ml. A really excellent bento box with sakura petals painted on the top and on the clamp that holds it shut. This is a well engineered 2-tier bento box, so you can put white rice in one section and the rest of your lunch in the other. Red Hello Kitty KIRA-DECO 3 Color Pen & Mechanical Pencil. Here's the only writing instrument you may ever need: a well made Hello Kitty 4-way pen that features three colors of ink (red, blue and black) as well as a fully functional mechanical pencil. Plus, it's cute! Lucky Owl Strap ~ Invitation of LOVE. Another variation on Lucky Cat is Lucky Owl, since the word for owl (fukuro) sounds like the word for happiness (fuku). This is a great ceramic phone strap you can attach to your phone, keys, camera etc. School Lunch -- Individual Box ~ Minna de Itadakimasu! ~ Re-ment Puchi Sample Series. This is too cool for words: miniature replicas of the school lunches Japanese kids have been eating since, well, forever. Curry, spaghetti, bread, rice, it's all here. You even get a school desk and chair to put it on. All of these items are scaled accurately and can be used to supplement dioramas of normal dolls and other figures. Back in stock today. Restocked Traditional Items. Today's restocked traditional products include our cool Handmade Wooden Ninja Sword, our cool Natural Flint Stone Magatama that's been used in Japan for millennia, a phone strap from a Buddhist temple, and cool Japanese hachimaki headbands. Hello Kitty Muffin Mold. For Sanrio fans, one of the coolest items we've ever carried is back in stock: the Hello Kitty Muffin Mold, which lets you make delicious Kitty-shaped muffins of all types. These are back in stock today. Girls Girls Girls! 2 Japan Local Girls -- E2 Illustrations. Positively gorgeous collection of pictures of girls from various regions of Japan, with art contributed by dozens of top-name artists. The section showing beautiful bishoujo girls from Japan's various prefectures is especially cool. Genki Textbooks, Workbooks, Student CDs. We've gotten in a huge restocking of the #1 selling Japanese study aid in J-List's history, used by more students of the language than any other tool. We've restocked both Genki I and II, with the main textbook, student CD and workbooks back in stock today. Japan Related Books Remember that J-List carries hundreds of outstanding books related to Japan, from top authors who really know their stuff. Whether you're looking for deep knowledge of Japan (Samurai Strategies, an overview of the most famous figures in Japanese history, by Boye Lafayette de Mente), wish to explore the language in depth (Womansword, The Complete Japanese Verb Guide) or want to have some fun (Making Out in Japanese), browse our hand-picked selection of the best books now. Limit Gunz 1/6 Figure Mine Yoshizaki Character Series *Preorder*. For fans of prepainted figures, we're posting the gorgeous large 1/6 scale Limit Gunz, created by a design from Mine Yoshizaki, to the site now. Her beautiful body is one giant gun! Restocked Japanese Snacks. Today's restocked snack items include UHA Shuwa Puccho soft candies in Ramune flavor, Fujiya Wa Ka Dango (essentially traditional Japanese sweets made with gummy, pretty awesome), Tyrant Habanero spicy potato snacks, Morinaga Ramune in Blue Hawaii, and Morinaga Salted Caramel. Yum! Dengeki Hime Aug 2008. Absolutely beautiful new issue of Dengeki Hime ("electric shock princess"). See all the hot new ero games from Japan, including Flyable Heart, Little Busters Ecstacy, and many more. Get posters, and amazingly, a free figure too. Shiranai Sekai -- Chise Nakamura. Positively wonderful hardcover glossy photobook filled with lovely shots of Chise (CHI-seh) Nakamura. This is one elegant woman who looks great whatever she's doing. Ryomou Shimei 1/7 Figure China Dress No Underwear ver. ~ Dragon Destiny *Preorder*. Or if you're more into girls with eyepatches, you can go for this lovely new Ryomou figure, with gorgeous styling featuring one of the series' most popular character in a China Dress. Restocked today. PC Dating-Sim of the Month: Heart de Roommate. One of my favorite games is this month's PC Dating-sim Game of the Month. In Heart de Roommate, you play a Japanese youth who is forced to live in the girl's dorm because there's nowhere else for you to live. While you're there you have amazing adventures with the beautiful female characters in the game. This game is unique because it's set up like an entire anime series, with episodes that shift and change depending on what you did in the previous episodes. Nanael 1/8 Cast-Off Figure Excellent Model Core ~ Queens Blade *Preorder*. Here's a really elegant figure. It's Nanael, the gorgeous fighter from Queen's Blade. rendered in all her gorgeous beauty in this cast-off figure for Queen's Blade fans. Preorder it now! Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:03:17 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/09/cool-items-monday-september-1-2008.html Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Megami Magazine Deluxe vol. 11. Megami Magazine is the #1 anime magazine at J-List because each issue is filled with gorgeous original images for you to stare at dreamily or hang on your wall. This is the new Megami Deluxe, which features page upon page of amazing anime girl art (megami does mean "goddess" after all) printed in full pin-up format. It's all here -- Clannad, Lucky Star, Shana, Haruhi, Zero no Taukaima, Mai Hime, ToHeart, and more. Enjoy. Tsukasa Hiiragi Figma Action Figure ~ Lucky Star. She's really cute and she's got a cell phone: it's Tsukasa, the slightly airheaded but 100% kawaii younger sister to Kagami from Lucky Star. Enjoy her many poses in this new Figma release that lets you create anything with the girl. Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service 2009 Calendars. 2009 calendar season continues, and we're posting two awesome upcoming Studio Ghibli calendars. There are two Totoro offerings this year, a cool 3D wall calendar as well as this year's desktop Totoro calendar, and a great Kiki's Delivery Service wall calendar showing Jiji the black cat and his white Persian girlfriend. Calendars can be used to display pictures of loved ones when 2009 is finished, so they're highly recommended. Other 2009 Calendars. We're also posting more of our standard Japanese calendars, from nature calendars showing the four seasons in Japan to the deluxe sushi calendar to one of my favorites, beautiful Japanese rooms. Check out the newly posted items. Saber Figma Action Figure Armor ver. ~ Fate/stay night *Preorder*. Also, dig on this Figma figure of Saber, perhaps coolest single anime action figure we've seen. All those poses! All those ways to hold the sword! I am floored by what the anime toy sculptors are able to create these days. Back in stock today. Optical Egg Mouse -- Pink, Black. Elecom is the #1 computer peripheral maker in Japan, and we love their stylish products. We're posting their new Optical Egg Mouse, an elegant and easy to hold mouse that's oval shaped, today, in pink and black. Fully compatible with Windows and Mac without any additional drivers. Low Rider Magazine Oct 2007. Low Rider Japan is the magazine for people who love to deck their vehicles out, and it's filled with information and pictures of people who really went to work on their vehicles. Entirely produced and printed in Japan. Hello Kitty KIRA-DECO Long Purse with Rhine Stone & pearl Charm. Then, here's an awesome Hello Kitty purse that's ready to hold all your money, cards, and other important information and look incredibly stylish while doing it. High quality item for females who want to have something special with them. New Japanese Snacks. Today's new snack items include wasabi flavored rice crackers that are fun to munch on, delicious Lotte Cubio gummy snacks in "Blood Orange" flavor, and a new variety of Fuusen no Mi ("Fruit of the Bubble") gum in blueberry and yogurt flavor. Restocked Artbooks. J-List carries dozens of the best large-format artbooks, and today we're restocking the gorgeous Gundam, Macross and Eva illustrations of Morishita Naochika, Monster Hunter Illustrations, and more. Puru-Puru Jelly Sticker ~ WA patterns. This is just plain cool. 3D "gel" stickers that you can put on your window, allowing beautiful colored light to come through. Features images of Japan including a pagoda, sakura, Mt. Fuji, and more. Hello Kitty Stainless Steel Thermos 580 ml. Complete your Hello Kitty bento experience with this awesome Sanrio item that will keep your drinks icy cold or hot-hot. Features cup for drinking and a handy strap. Very well made item from Japan. More Great Bento Boxes In Stock. We've restocked our best-selling Lucky Cat Bento Box, which features the famous image of a cat beckoning good luck into your home or business, along with another favorite of mine, the Retro Trading Mark Bento, a 2-tier lunchbox with a cool Showa Period commercial kanji logo on it. TAMAGO-YAKI ~ Japanese Baked Egg Pan. Want to try your hand at making tamago-yaki, the delicious scrambled egg sushi that's popular in Japan and around the world? Well, now you can, with this authentic pan that's made just for that purpose. Japanese Study Books. J-List supports everyone who wants to learn some Japanese, and today we're restocking Catchy Japanese Phrases I & II, which present a "situational" way to learn the language that's something I'd have loved to have back in the day. Also, see fresh stock of the Doraemon bilingual manga series (many volumes). Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan. Interested in living in Japan? Not visiting, living, perhaps permanently? If so, then this bilingual handbook published in English and Japanese can help. Written by influential Arudou Debito, an American who took Japanese citizenship, it answers many questions about how to find work and get a visa, how health insurance works here, and even questions about how to get married or start a business in Japan. Back in stock today after many weeks of being sold out. JINBEI / Relax & Cool Homewear ~ Old Map of EDO Town / Dark Gray. We've restocked our line of jinbei (also written jimbei), summer short kimonos that are great for use as pajamas (as I use them) or for wearing to a summer fireworks festival, including the Old Map of Edo Jinbei. Revoltech No.63 Ricky ~ Dokodemo Issho *Preorder*. Revoltech fans, here's a cool item you can order now: Ricky, from the Dokodemo Issyo (aka "Always With You") pantheon of strange Japanese characters. Since this is a Revoltech line toy it's affordable yet can be arranged in hundreds of poses. Louise 1/8 Figure by Kotobukiya ~ Zero no Tsukaima *Preorder*. Zero no Tsukaima is about a girl in a magical world who is so bad at magic, she accidentally summons a human from Japan to be her familiar (tsukaima). Saito turns out to be quite useful, as he has the ability to use any weapon, including, well, you might be able to guess from the title. Anyway, here's a fab statue of Louise looking great as she casts a spell, which can be "cast off" for even more fun. Comic AG Super Manga Anthology vol. 86. You can't ask for a cooler item then Comic AG, the Super Ero Manga Anthology that gives you 80 pages of excellent content for the low price of $4.99. Issue 86 is up on the site now, and it contains such stories as Big Brother's Circumstances, Riding Together, Forbidden Milked Fruit and more. GUSH Aug 2008. Would you like 500+ pages of amazing yaoi artwork? If so, then check out the new issue of Gush, the magazine of dramatic Boy's Love stories. Since there are dozens of Japan's top artists in this anthology, it's great for finding new artists you like. Restocked Mellona, Alice. Queen's Blade fans, we've restocked two of the coolest figures in the series, Mellona, the eerie girl who fights with gelatinous appendages that also server her as clothing, and Alice, another fantastic detailed fighting girl figure. Restocked DVDs. Finally, see a metric ton of awesome anime cosplay DVDs, exploring your favorite thing for two people to do together mixed with lots of anime costumes. Miku Hatsune, Rosen Maiden, Final Fantasy VII, Ikki Tousen, Gundam, Haruhi Suzumiya -- the list is very long since this offering is 8 hours in length. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:05:43 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/08/cool-items-friday-august-29-2008.html Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. 2009 Japanese Photographic Calendars. Calendar season is here! We've posted the first of the many outstanding Japanese calendar we'll be bringing you this year, including such gorgeous offerings as Six Famous Views of Japan, Four Seasons of Japan, Bonsai, Sushi and much more. Also, beautiful Japanese women in kimonos. Who can say no to that? Dengeki G's Magazine July 2008. Another treat for anime magazine fans, this is the new issue of Dengeki's G's Magazine, dedicated to the gorgeous female characters found in anime and bishoujo games. See artwork and more from D.C.II P.S. (that's Da Capo II Plus Situation in case you didn't know), Little Busters, Shuffle!, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2, Baby Princess, and much more. Also: a free artbook for Type Moon/Fate fans. Wow! Fate.T.Harlaown Figma Action Figure ~ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS. For fans of the extremely awesome Figma toy line, we've gotten in this deluxe figure of Fate. T. Harlaown, also known as Fate Testarossa Harlaown, from the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha anime series. Saber 1/8 Scale Figure Slashing ver. ~ Fate/stay night. One of the coolest Saber figures in recent memory is in stock, the Saber 1/8 Scale Slashing Version, who is in the middle of a massive sword stroke. Beautifully cast, and comes with base making her ready to display. S Cawaii July 2008. J-List also carries dozens of great anime, manga, toy and magazines for men via our "reserve subscription" service. We also have many outstanding fashion magazines from Japan which are fascinating to look through. This is S Cawaii ("Super Cute"), normally only available as a subscription, but we have some individual issues in today. Haruhi Suzumiya Figma Action Figure ver. From Max Factory comes this great Figma figure featuring Haruhi Suzumiya. She can do just about anything thanks to her many points of articulation, and the included stabilization arm lets her assume poses that would be impossible without falling down otherwise. This popular item has been restocked. MAMEGOMA Tight Bento Box. The Mamagoma line of character products featuring San-X's popular cute seal is just great. Here's a new bento box that's extremely well made and will really make your lunch something special. Rilakkuma KINCHAKU Bento Bag. Of if you like Rilakkuma (aka Relax Bear), then we've got a nice drawstring bag for keeping your bento box or similar items in. Great for carrying your lunch with you. Happy Cat, Tanuki Strap. Here are some fun phone straps that you can also put on your keys, camera, Nintendo DS and so on. Features a very happy Lucky Cat along with the traditional Tanuki, the "Raccoon Dog" that brings good luck and is thought to be magical. This is Animation -- Ponyo on the Cliff by Sea. Ponyo on the Cliff by Sea (Japanese title: Gake no Ue no Ponyo, or Ponyo On The Cliff) is the hit new animated film by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, which is on its way to being the most popular film in Japanese history. We've restocked the "This is Animation" book for fans of Studio Ghibli who want to learn more about the film. DX Strong Men's Wooden Chopsticks. Real men don't want to hold wimpy chopsticks in their hand. No, they want thick, weighty chopsticks that reinforce the fact that they are the daikoku-bashira or the "big, black pillar" of the household. These awesome chopsticks from Prime Nakamura are a joy to use, made of real hardwood and lacquered for years of use. Bento, Other Items Restocked. Check out our Ju-Bako (stackable box-style) bento box set which we've restocked for you now, two of our most popular bento offerings ever. Onigiri Makers, Other Bento Accessories. We've restocked our immensely popular Onigiri Shapers, for making rice balls in the shape of hearts, stars and other fun shapes. Also, see our ECO Re-usable Silicon Bento Cups ad Eco-Conscious Chopsticks w/ cast and rest, back on the site. Magatama Beads. J-List carries a large selection of cool magatama amulets and phone straps, made of natural polished stone or even of iron. Very traditional and uniquely Japanese. Ryuna 1/8 Figure by Kotobukiya ~ Shining Wind *Preorder*. A fantastic new figure from Shining Tears X Wind based on a design by Tony Taka, that most talented of artists. It's incredible to me that anime can be so beautiful in two dimensions and then exist in three dimensions as well. Preorder this awesome item now. ANIME PARA PARA MAX US MIX. I just love these Anime Para Para CDs, and own the whole set. Basically, it's the best anime theme songs transformed into incredible "Para Para" Japanese dance tracks, which will render you completely unable to keep from getting up and dancing. They help me when staying up late working on the site. Definitely a "Peter recommends" item. COPIC Ciao! ~ Basic Double Marker Set in 36 Colors. Our customers know that J-List is a great place to get rare and special products from Japan. Today we're posting a brand new Basic Double Marker Set that comes in 36 vibrant colors. Each pen is dual-tipped, letting you write with the fat end or the thin end. Also, see restocked COPIC High-Grade Paper for all your important artistic creations. Karami SE Otome Gumi 2007 - Girl's Team. Fabulous new photomagazine filled with incredibly beautiful Japanese girls. Nice to see a highly tasteful magazine being published like this. Cutie Honey The Live Official Visualbook. Cutie Honey is the awesome creation of Go Nagai about a super sexy defender of justice who transforms and fights evil, usually losing her clothes in the process. Here's the official photobook to the new Live Action Cutey Honey. New Manga Volumes. Got some awesome "H" manga for the site today. First of all, see Hare Hare no Erohon, a collection of Haruhi ero doujinshi collected into a great single volume -- includes stories about Kyonko, the bizarre Internet meme that takes Kyon and turns him into a female character. Then see a stunning work about playing together with no clothes on, by Musashimaru and Wani Comics. Queen's Blade Collection Card Gum. This is amazing: a collection of limited edition original cards from Queen's Blade, including art that has never been seen before by fans. Thrill as you see the Queen's Blade girls in all their glory, doing combat with each other and attacking and taking damage in sexy ways. Buy 20 and we'll send you a box! Unity-Uno 1/8 Cast off Figure by Good Smile Company ~ Yuno Minazuki *Preorder*. Enjoy this great figure of magical girl Minazuki Yuno from the popular eroge Unity Marriage. This figure is great fun because it's "cast off," allowing you to reconfigure her clothes. Casual Romance Club, H-Game of the Month. Remember that J-List carries dozens of great PC dating-sim games that let you experience Japan in a whole new way. This game is Casual Romance Club, a unique game in which you join your school's dating club and go on mock dates with the girls. Since it's the only game released that lets you interact with the girls in (cutely accented) English or the original Japanese, and because it comes with a beautiful art book, it's highly recommended to fans and collectors. We're lowering the price of this very specal game to just $24.95 for a limited time. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:54:20 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/08/cool-items-wednesday-august-27-2008.html A trio of Goodsmile-distributed figures from disparate makers were "unsealed" for preorder last night at midnight, and listings have since gone up at several shops around the internet. The first is the long-awaited Fate/stay night Saber from rookie Solid Theater splinter brand Gift. Sculpted with baroque intricacy by Toda Satoshi of Yume no Kagutsuchino Koukoku, the first lot release of the figure also comes with a limited edition exchangeable face part sculpted by Kuramoto Ikuma of Millimeter Modeling. The figure is scheduled for release in December at 1/8 scale (18 cm tall) and 7,800 yen retail. The second newly available figure is this Saber Lion Nendoroid, from the Capcom PSP game Fate/tiger colosseum (sic). The sculpt is from Akemichi, and the figure is scheduled to retail in December at typical Nendoroid spec (10 cm tall, three exchangeable face parts and a variety of foods/weapons to feed the hungry Saber). Retail price is 3,000 yen. Last but not least, preorders are now open for Lilics' / Art Storm's Yamashita Shunya Character Series Vol. 2, Nasuka. She's also scheduled for December release, clocking in at 1/6 scale and 24 cm tall with a sculpt from PVC newcomer (?) Yamazaki Shigeru. Like Kanaru before her the series continues in a decidedly posterior-centric vein, and also like Kanaru she's scheduled to retail at 7,800 yen. Figure images below: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:08:29 -0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2008/08/26/gifts-saber-saber-lion-nendoroid-shunyas-nasuka-preorders-open/ Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Comptiq July 2008. From Lucky Star to Gurren Lagann to classic games and anime like Fate/stay night, Little Busters and Metal Gear Solid, Comptiq is a wonderful magazine loaded with page after page of cool information and manga for you. 375 pages, and includes free stuff like Lucky Star stickers, great posters and more. Perfect bound, too, so it looks good on a shelf. Mobile Suit Gundam ~ Char's Counter Attack (Blu-ray Disc). The pinnacle of the original Mobile Suit Gundam universe is this film, Char's Counterattack, although you could translate it as Char Strikes Back, due to the similarity of the Japanese title to Star Wars Episode V. You can enjoy the final battle between Amuro and Char in gorgeous Blu-Ray! Ponyo Plush Small Size ~ Ponyo on the Cliff on the Sea. Another cute plush toy from the Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, playing in theaters in Japan right now. This is the cute small plush of Ponyo, the fish who wants to become human more than anything. egg July 2008. Then get ready for another issue of Egg, the wonderful magazine that captures Tokyo street fashion life perfectly, with stylish girls on every page. Hello Kitty Sushi "Yunomi". Then for Sanrio fans, we've gotten in a yunomi (or green tea cup) that's great for enjoying tea while you eat your favorite sushi. It has both the English and Japanese names of sushi on the cup. 80's Hello Kitty Double Marker with Chocolate Scent / Black. Just in time for the Back to School season, enjoy this cool item, an 80's style Hello Kitty marker pen that has two tips, for writing fine or bold letters. Best of all, the ink is scented like chocolate! Ryomou Shimei 1/7 Figure Pearl Black version. There's something about a sexy French maid...with handcuffs, and an eye patch, and long stockings, don't you think? This great 1/7 scale figure of Ryoumou Shimei from Ikki Tousen, aka Dragon Destiny, is back in stock in limited numbers. Animal ONIGIRI Bento Box ~ Bear. We've got a new super cute bento box from Prime Nakamura, which is designed to hold onigiri, those delicious triangle shaped rice balls, inside the "ears" of the bento box, in addition to the lower portion for holding the main part of your lunch. Delicious! Coffee Jelly Mix. One of the most famous desserts in Japan is Coffee Jelly, or coffee flavored gelatin, which is cold and refreshing in the summer. (Remember, American readers, that all the world calls the famous dessert known as Jello by the name "jelly.") Now you can try this famous treat at home thanks to House, which has made delicious powdered coffee jelly for you to try. DX Wooden Classic KEN-DAMA ~ Blue. Kendama (also written Ken-Dama) is an ancient Japanese game in which you must catch a wooden ball with a wooden handle, always a challenge and always fun. Here's a Kendama that's made in Japan. Totoro Craft Card Holder -- Red. A delightful item from Japan, this hand made card holder will let you store any standard cards, including important business cards. Has a handy draw string to keep everything securely closed. Socks Glue "Pita" for Loose Socks. Only the Japanese could have come up with this: socks glue to hold your loose socks up. High school girls love to wear these large baggy socks similar to leg warmers, called "loose socks." But they're so massive, they often fall down, but if you use this handy water-based glue to glue the socks to your legs, you'll be fine. We also have the socks in stock. Lacquered Cloth Based Bento Set ~ 2 tiers Bento Box & Chopsticks Set. Restocked bento boxes include the Lacquered Cloth Bento Box, with a beautiful floral pattern, along with more cute niKyoro series bento boxes, Black Bean and Red Bean, and bento accessories like onigiri and boiled egg molds. JINBEI / Relax & Cool Homewear ~ Old Map of EDO Town / Dark Gray. Look for fresh stock of our awesome jinbei (also written jimbei), summer short kimono that is suitable for wearing as pajamas, or put them on and head out to your favorite summer festival. This is the LL size jinbei featuring an old map of Tokyo (Edo) printed on it. Kanji Dictionary for Nintendo DS. Put your Nintendo DS to use learning Japanese with this excellent Kanji DS Dictionary that lets you look up words just by writing them with the stylus. I was really impressed how well this work -- you can enter kanji with the stylus, which helps reinforce proper stroke order learning! -- and recommend it highly. Hello Kitty Chirimen SAKURA Tote Bag. See fresh stock of our popular Hello Kitty plush bag that's large enough to be a main take-anywhere bag for most women. It's made of chirimen, the fabric kimonos are made from, and it's fabulous. Four colors are back in stock: pink, red/black, blue sakura and pink sakura. Hello Kitty Muffin Mold. For Sanrio fans, one of the coolest items we've ever carried is back in stock: the Hello Kitty Muffin Mold, which lets you make delicious Kitty-shaped muffins of all types. Nanako 1/5 Figure Neko-Mimi School Swimsuits ver. ~ Toheart2 AnotherDays *Preorder*. Ahem, they sure know how to make these figures better and better every year, don't they? This is the super-cute Nanako, a gigantic 1/5 scale figure of the school swimsuit-wearing cat girl from ToHeart. It's both kawaii and slightly ecchi at the same time. FX Neo ~ Japanese Hard Minty Eyedrops We've also restocked one of our most popular items, FX Neo, the "hard minty" eye drops that will wake you up with minty freshness! This has been restocked. Panda "Sex Style" Sake Bottle & Two Cups. You probably know about our wacky coffee cups, ash trays and other items that demonstrate the traditional 48 positions known in Japan. See fresh stock of one of the coolest items ever, the Sex Style Sake Bottle and Cup Set! Lightning Warrior Raidy. Remember that the fantastic 3D "ero" RPG Lightning Warrior Raidy is in stock and shipping now. Available for purchase either as a shrink-wrapped CD-ROM version or a convenient Internet Download Edition! Best of all, this ground-breaking game is available for the very affordable price of $24.95. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:07:08 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/08/cool-items-monday-august-18-2008.html This new 1/7 scale figure of “Rider” from Fate/Stay Night series, will be available this coming October 2008 by ebCraft for 8,800 Yen retail price. Hobby Search is taking reservations for her as of today. Another lovely figure sculpt by Cerberus Project. This figure was also shown during Wonder Festival 2008 Summer. Is it just me [...] Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:36:58 -0000 http://wcloudxkumo.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/ebcrafts-rider-reservation-starts/ Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Mikuru Asahina ~ Nendoroid-Series 16. For fans of the popular Nendoroid series and the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, enjoy this great new release featuring Mikuru, which is capable of many poses and expressions. So kawaii! Japanese T-Shirt - "Soy Sauce is the Japanese Soul." Our newest wacky kanji T-shirt is a tribute to that most Japanese of flavorings, soy sauce, used more in Japanese kitchens than even salt. The shirt reads Shoyu (soy sauce) wa Japanese Soul. Ibuki 1/8 Scale Figure Excellent Model CAPCOMANIAX ~ Street Fighter. Here's a really cool prepainted figure of Ibuki, the gorgeous character from the Capcomaniax toy line from Megahouse based on Ibuki from Street Fighter III. Fabulous detailing, just look at that hair! Now in stock and ready for you to buy. Rainbow Mika 1/8 Scale Figure Excellent Model CAPCOMANIAX ~ Street Fighter. Also, enjoy this fabulous figure of Rainbow Mika, aka R. Mika, also from the Street Fighter multiverse. Incredibly cute detailing throughout, including her sexy "T-back" (thong). Several sold as a preorder so we've only got three left -- don't delay picking up yours. Shana 1/6 Figure Noir Waitress ver. ~ Shana II. Shakugan no Shana, or Shana of the Blazing Eyes, is a hit anime show by the character designer of Haruhi Suzumiya, which is a big part of its popularity. Just look at how cute Shana is! This figure is highly recommended since it's so detailed, and also because of its large 1/6 scale size. Now in stock. Moon and Earth ~ Earth Rising (Blu-ray Disc). When Japan sent their probe Kaguya (named after the character Kaguya-hime from the famous Japanese fairy tale of a girl who comes out of a bamboo shoot who turns out to be the princess of the moon, which was the basis for E.T.) and sent back its HD images of the moon, I said to myself how excellent it would be to have a Blu-Ray version of this video. Well, NHK must have heard me because here it is. Fully compatible with North American and Japanese Blu-Ray machines, including Playstation 3. Full 1080p! JINBEI / Relax & Cool Homewear ~ Old Map of EDO Town / Dark Gray. About the coolest thing you can see on J-List today are the jinbei (also written jimbei), summer short kimonos you can wear either to your favorite festival (or anime convention), or sleep in as really excellent pajamas. We've gotten some great items in stock, including LL sizes for our larger customers. Hello Kitty Chrimen Kinchaku Pouch. I love the feel of chirimen, or kimono fabric, especially when it's got Hello Kitty on it. These are kinchaku draw-string bags that go well either with a kimono or yukata or with your normal everyday lifestyle. Keep all your stuff inside. English Walking Guide to Old Edo-Historical Sights in Modern Tokyo. If you want to have an experience like no other in old Edo (the old name of Tokyo), we recommend this book, which helps you walk all around the sprawling city and read about historical things that happened in each corner, from famous events of the Edo Period to famous battles of the Meiji Restoration. Lotte Toppo -- Praline. Long-time customers of J-List know that our extensive selection of chocolate products, like Pocky or Kit Kat, are discontinued during the summer to keep them from becoming so much Meltykiss. But Lotte Toppo is sold all year long because of the way it's made, a baked pretzel with chocolate goodness on the inside. Enjoy the newest limited flavor, Praline, an amazing taste from Japan! Lunch-de-DON Bowl (DONBURI) Type Bento Box. In Japanese, a donburi is just a big bowl for rice, and there are many delicious foods you can eat, like Oyako-don, literally "parent-and-child rice bowl" consisting of chicken, scrambled eggs and rice. This is an innovative bento box that lets you enjoy authentic donburi dishes on the go: just put rice in the lower compartment, your main dish in the second sealed compartment, and sauce and other foods in the additional sections. Nintendo Doubutsu-no-mori Bento Set ~ Box & Chopsticks & Lunch Bag Also, see fresh stock of the bento box and "trio set" (spoon, fork and chopsticks) from Nintendo's Doubutsu no Mori (aka Animal Crossing) series, one of our most popular bento items. The Ghost in the Shell -- Bilingual comic. One of our most popular bilingual books, featuring a much better translation than the one that was released in the U.S., along with all pages in the book, including the few that were cut/altered. Enjoy fresh stock of this great treasure! Wacky & Traditional Items. Finally, see a bunch of fun restocked items, including the Cinnamoroll 3D Boiled Egg Shaper, our stylish KASURI x WAGARA Mini Tote Bags made of kimono material, our Jitte & Katana Set that can be used for battling small sized ninjas, and more. Fraulein Revoltech No.010 Yoko ~ Gurren Lagann. Wow, the newest Fraulein series from Revoltech is going to be one of their best: Yoko from Gurren Lagann, that sexy and interesting girl with the really big, er, guns. Because this is a Revoltech toy there are about a bazillion ways to pose her, making this one of the most highly recommended products to come along in a while. Signam 1/7 Figure by Alter Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS *Preorder*. This is a really nice new figure of Signam from the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series, rendered in large 1/7 scale in perfect detail. You can preorder this now for when it ships in December. Restocked Japanese Pens, Erasers. Back-in-stock stationery items include the KAREN Green Stylish Jewel Pen for women and the ENERGEL 0.5 mm Liquid Ink Ball Pen for smooth writing anywhere. Also see Finger Grips for handling documents and a favorite item of mine, the Electric Banana Eraser, because the world needs more fruit-shaped vibrating electric erasers in it. Dengeki Hime July 2008. Dengeki Hime ("Electric Shock Princess") is a great book that documents the very best the eroge world has to offer you, with page after page of gorgeous art and more. Free posters in every issue, as well. Princess Waltz Visual Fanbook. Remember that Princess Waltz is coming from Peach Princess, a great epic anime/card battle game with a fabulous story that can be compared to Fate/stay night in its scope. The game is being worked on now, but in the meantime, enjoy fresh stock of the official artbook. (We also have the cat off figures in stock too.) Ringo Noyamano Figure Kamen ver. ~ Air Gear. Awesome new "ero" figure from excellent manga artist OH! Great, and one of the most incredible ero/cast off figures ever released. Get her while she's still in stock! Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:55:16 -0000 http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/08/cool-items-wednesday-august-6-2008.html Few would deny an original work by Type Moon’s top illustrator 武内崇 / Takashi Takeuchi, of Fate/stay night and Tsukihime fame, to be one capable of commanding a high price, and worth it, but a recent auction in which a single page from a sketchbook, featuring but one rather rough pencil illustration, certainly turned heads [...] Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:28:54 -0000 http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2008/08/06/type-moon-rough-sketch-fetches-4500/