Bandai Visual USA are so expensive...

...compared to other US releases. I mean, they're about the same price as Japanese R2 anime DVDs, I suppose. Perhaps a little less. But that's still more than even the overpriced UK recommended retail price per volume and way way more than the average US DVD release.

They've just licensed two popular shows: Shigofumi and True Tears.

(two shows I don't actually know anything about, hehe. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention)

The word on pricing is:

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Note that both 13 episode series are being done on 7 discs but Shigofumi will have two episodes on all discs except number seven which will have one while True Tears will be the reverse with one episode on the first volume and two on the subsequent six volumes. Single episode volumes are being done at $29.99 while two episode volumes are at $39.99.

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An authentic Japanese style DVD release... requires lots of shelf space, and lots and lots and lots of money. $_$ I don't think many people in the US will be prepared to spend as much money on anime DVDs as people in Japan. Americans are used to far cheaper DVDs.

Independant Games Festival 2008

Just a short post; the Independant Games Festival 2008 is happening next month, which isn't important. Far more important is the list of finalists, including downloadable games. There's bound to be some great innovative stuff in there!

(unfortunately, the Winterbottom game isn't available from its website... it sounds interesting...)

Ultraman slippers!

I got Ultraman slippers for Christmas! Take a look!



I think they're supposed to be Ultra Seven? I thought they would be a design on a pair of slippers, but no, they're like soft toys attached to a pair of slippers! Very silly! I like them lots! ^_^

Nico Nico Douga medley - traditional Japanese style

The Nico Nico Douga 2007 medley (the Kumikyoku) was a little dance medley of anime / game themes, and was kinda cute but wasn't anything you'd want to withstand more than once.

Someone's made a hugely superior cover version as an instrumental using traditional Japanese instruments. I love it; I've been listening to it all day yesterday. It's great. Go listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqpmUkFn91M

The medley includes a load of stuff - Idolm@ster, GONG (SRW alpha 3), Haruhi, Madlax, Digimon, Busou Renkin, Air, Okusenman (Rockman 2 Wily Stage 1 theme), Lucky Star, Super Mario World, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy epilogue etc. It's cool. ^_^