I stopped by Barnes & Noble to pick up a PSL, the latest issue of Otaku USA, and to check out their blind box/collectible section. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they now carry anime figurines! There were two displays, showing off Bandai products. There were Sailor Moon and DBZ Figuarts, as well as some Gundam kits. It appears that not every Barnes and Noble will carry these, so you'll have to check with your local store to see if they are carrying them in stock. Price seems on par with what you'll get elsewhere, and saves you money on shipping!
The next review will be of my S.H. Figuarts Sailor Saturn figure; it's being released next Tuesday, so hopefully Amazon will get her to my house by Thursday or Friday morning.
ETA: Since this *is* the "Hobby Haven," and since one of my hobbies is anime, I figured I'd toss in some upcoming news for home video releases. I do "news roundups" for my friends periodically for certain releases, so why not put them here?
Sailor Moon: Viz Media has achieved the impossible and licensed Sailor Moon for a home video release, bringing it back to America retailers after more than a 10-year absence. (You may or may not remember me gushing about this earlier.) They will be releasing it by season, in half-sets. (For example, season one of Sailor Moon is 46 episodes long, and will be released in two 23-episode sets.) Season One, Part One will be released 11/11/14, and is available for pre-order at several online retailers. I would particularly recommend ordering from The Right Stuf or Robert's Anime Corner Store. They have it available for MUCH cheaper than Amazon, surprisingly enough. (Right now, Amazon lists the basic DVD set at $40. TRS and RACS offer it for about $30. Why shop elsewhere?) There are two versions available. The first is a DVD-only set, and is pretty barebones. You get episodes 1-23, and a few trailers, and that's it. But for $30, which is a terrific price. The second option is a limited collector's edition which is a DVD/BD combo pack. You get episodes 1-23, a slew of extras (mostly featurettes about the new English dub), as well as an art booklet and a chipboard box which will house both sets of Season One. This will set you back about $55. For comparison, most anime retailers who are NOT Aniplex of America sell BDs with about 12-13 episodes on them for $40-50. This is a really good deal. Note that these prices may or may not be special pre-order discounts; I cannot guarantee if they will go up or not once the product is released. So pre-order 'em while you can!
Cowboy Bebop: Hooooo boy. Funimation has license rescued CB and is giving us a plethora of options to pick from. They are offering two standard editions and two collector's "premium" editions. We'll start with the former. They are offering a standard DVD edition and a standard BD edition, both of which can be ordered from lots of retailers (again, links for TRS and RACS). The DVD version is retailing for about $30, and the BD for about $35. You get all 26 episodes of Cowboy Bebop, plus some extras. These are mostly episode commentaries, some interviews, and a featurette on the making of the English dub. The BD edition will have an additional featurette reuniting the English cast to do a script reading. Sound awesome? Want more? Then why not consider the premium editions? There are two different premium editions to choose from. The first is exclusive to Amazon. You get all the episodes and bonus features mentioned on both BD and DVD (combo pack). It comes in a special "clamshell style" art box, and with two art books, one in black and white and the other in color. They feature concept art and designs. It is currently available for $89.98. The second premium edition is exclusive to Funimation (you can buy directly from their website). Like the Amazon edition, you get all the episodes on BD and DVD. The packaging, however, is a "tri-fold" design "in the style of a vintage record cover." It comes with a display easel and five displayable art cards, one of which has the series' director's autograph foil-stamped onto it. You can pre-order it for $64.98 on their website.
I thought is was very interesting how they offered two versions. Funimation stated "We know some Premium Edition buyers primarily want pack-in content and items, and some prioritize having a display piece for their shelves. While both of our Cowboy Bebop Premium Editions feature display-worthy packaging and bonus items, their differences are intended to reflect these different priorities." Funimation, I guess you know what you're doing, but wow, that price disparity between the sets...I ended up ordering the Funimation exclusive version, both to save a little money, and because I was intrigued by the record cover design. One of the strongest elements about CB is its music, and I thought that this would be a great tie-in. These all street on 12/16/14, by the way, so Merry Christmas to us!
That's all that I've got (for now), so I'll see you later, space cowboys!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Friday, September 19, 2014
Sailor Moon Roundup
Hey, everyone! Welcome to the Hobby Haven! I am your hostess, Miss Scarlett, and I am pleased to introduce this week's (on-time!) review of a few odds and ends of Sailor Moon merchandise!
The first darling little item we have is another Gashapon collectible! This is from a series of Gashapon offering collectible versions of the compact brooch that Sailor Moon uses to transform. She goes through a rotating arsenal of them through the series, so there are quite a few to pick from. One of my coworkers went to an anime convention this summer and picked this up for me in the Dealer's Hall, where vendors offer various types of anime merchandise. She was able to pick this up for $15, which is about on mark; I normally see these going for anywhere from $12-$20 on eBay.
Gashapon, if you recall, are sold in vending machines (and are normally more expensive than vending machine toys we're used to), hence the little plastic capsule. I removed the little plastic bag that the compact came in, but I saved the capsule to show y'all.
It should come with a paper from Bandai absolutely plastered in corporate logos with pictures of the Sailor Moon characters, plus images of the various compacts that you can get.
This is the one that I got. If I recall correctly, this is the compact from the second season. It's called the "Crystal Star," and is the first powered-up version of Sailor Moon's compact. The metallic colors are very bright, almost gaudy. If I might nitpick a moment, Sailor Moon's compact was much bigger in the anime (it fit in the palm of her hand), and the colors were pastel and matte. But the compact otherwise is very faithful to the original design.
And it really does function like a compact! It opens up to reveal a mirror and a replica of the base where the Silver Crystal (aka the ginzuishou) is.
And the bottom flips up to reveal a secret compartment! Perfect for storing....er...secrets! This is a cute little trinket, but it's a bit disappointing that it isn't very functional or closer to the original design. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have it, but I'm not going to seek out the others. I wish this would have been more functional--either a clip on the back to actually wear it as a brooch, or maybe *something* in the bottom? Or just a slightly better-looking version of the bottom. Even just stickers or something instead of molded plastic.
The second item I have is a mini figurine that is simply too cute for words.
This darling Sailor Pluto figure is from the Petit Chara collectible trading figurine series. They're blind boxes, as well. The "Petit" is no exaggeration; these things are tiiiiiny. The figurine, when standing on the base, is just about two inches high. We're talking super tiny here. But it's surprisingly well-crafted and detailed. I bought Pluto here from a friend; she bought a bunch of the boxed figures at a specialty store, and ended up with this as a duplicate. I bought her, sans box, for $7, which is a little cheaper than if I bought her on eBay. The figures retail separately in Japan for approximately 500 yen apiece, which translates to about what I paid for it in dollars. If you find one of these babies on eBay, expect to pay upwards of $10 apiece, more if it's one of the rarer variants.
The paint job on Pluto is lovely, and the colors are true to her anime design; her long hair is a dark green that has an almost ombre effect in the back, and her eyes are a lovely magenta. The paint is metallic where it needs to be, and is pearly on her gloves.
The figure is connected to the stand through a simple clamp that you can pop in and out of the figure and stand as you need to. the socket to pop it into is in the back of the head.
It's hard to see, but the top of the base has a ribbon design plus a bow with her planetary symbol. The base color is a smoky quartz that isn't quite brown or quite gray.
She's not very movable; more for display only. The base clamp aside, there aren't any removable parts. A younger fan, say 8 or so, should be able to safely play with these if necessary, but I feel this is more for display only. Not bad for the price.
(My writing style hasn't seemed as fluid as normal lately. Maybe I'm in a writing slump? Pardon the boring prose as I try to flex my writing muscles.)
Miss Scarlett suggests: Despite their limited functionality, these gashapon and trading figures are cute, fun, and a cheap way to have some Sailor Moon fun.
The first darling little item we have is another Gashapon collectible! This is from a series of Gashapon offering collectible versions of the compact brooch that Sailor Moon uses to transform. She goes through a rotating arsenal of them through the series, so there are quite a few to pick from. One of my coworkers went to an anime convention this summer and picked this up for me in the Dealer's Hall, where vendors offer various types of anime merchandise. She was able to pick this up for $15, which is about on mark; I normally see these going for anywhere from $12-$20 on eBay.
Gashapon, if you recall, are sold in vending machines (and are normally more expensive than vending machine toys we're used to), hence the little plastic capsule. I removed the little plastic bag that the compact came in, but I saved the capsule to show y'all.
It should come with a paper from Bandai absolutely plastered in corporate logos with pictures of the Sailor Moon characters, plus images of the various compacts that you can get.
This is the one that I got. If I recall correctly, this is the compact from the second season. It's called the "Crystal Star," and is the first powered-up version of Sailor Moon's compact. The metallic colors are very bright, almost gaudy. If I might nitpick a moment, Sailor Moon's compact was much bigger in the anime (it fit in the palm of her hand), and the colors were pastel and matte. But the compact otherwise is very faithful to the original design.
And it really does function like a compact! It opens up to reveal a mirror and a replica of the base where the Silver Crystal (aka the ginzuishou) is.
And the bottom flips up to reveal a secret compartment! Perfect for storing....er...secrets! This is a cute little trinket, but it's a bit disappointing that it isn't very functional or closer to the original design. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have it, but I'm not going to seek out the others. I wish this would have been more functional--either a clip on the back to actually wear it as a brooch, or maybe *something* in the bottom? Or just a slightly better-looking version of the bottom. Even just stickers or something instead of molded plastic.
The second item I have is a mini figurine that is simply too cute for words.
This darling Sailor Pluto figure is from the Petit Chara collectible trading figurine series. They're blind boxes, as well. The "Petit" is no exaggeration; these things are tiiiiiny. The figurine, when standing on the base, is just about two inches high. We're talking super tiny here. But it's surprisingly well-crafted and detailed. I bought Pluto here from a friend; she bought a bunch of the boxed figures at a specialty store, and ended up with this as a duplicate. I bought her, sans box, for $7, which is a little cheaper than if I bought her on eBay. The figures retail separately in Japan for approximately 500 yen apiece, which translates to about what I paid for it in dollars. If you find one of these babies on eBay, expect to pay upwards of $10 apiece, more if it's one of the rarer variants.
The paint job on Pluto is lovely, and the colors are true to her anime design; her long hair is a dark green that has an almost ombre effect in the back, and her eyes are a lovely magenta. The paint is metallic where it needs to be, and is pearly on her gloves.
The figure is connected to the stand through a simple clamp that you can pop in and out of the figure and stand as you need to. the socket to pop it into is in the back of the head.
It's hard to see, but the top of the base has a ribbon design plus a bow with her planetary symbol. The base color is a smoky quartz that isn't quite brown or quite gray.
She's not very movable; more for display only. The base clamp aside, there aren't any removable parts. A younger fan, say 8 or so, should be able to safely play with these if necessary, but I feel this is more for display only. Not bad for the price.
(My writing style hasn't seemed as fluid as normal lately. Maybe I'm in a writing slump? Pardon the boring prose as I try to flex my writing muscles.)
Miss Scarlett suggests: Despite their limited functionality, these gashapon and trading figures are cute, fun, and a cheap way to have some Sailor Moon fun.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Miss Scarlett's plans for her Shocktoberfest movie marathon.
As you might remember from my previous post on the subject, I'm gearing up for an October-long "Shocktoberfest" movie marathon, inspired by the likes of the marathons and showings I watched on the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and ABC Family as a kid. Granted, some of the movies I watch now aren't exactly G or PG-rated, but I'd hazard that it's still generally family-friendly. Since I'm fairly squeamish, I don't go for the ultra-violent and gory horror movies that seem to be common movie fare today, like the Saw movies. ::shudder:: So no Friday the 13th or Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street here.
But that doesn't mean there's nothing for me to watch! On the contrary, there are lots of great older movies that perfectly fit my taste to watch. I feel like I should quickly point out that in years prior to this, I had attempted to assign a "theme" to each week. I won't be doing that this year; I'll be working off a list where I assign at least one movie, TV show, or special to each day. And the list, with the exception of Halloween itself, isn't hard-and-fast, either. If I turn out to be working a longer night shift on a day that I have a full-length movie scheduled, I might switch it with another day where I only have, say, an episode or two of a TV show scheduled. I find it makes things easier this way.
So without further ado, the general watching list for Shocktoberfest, under the jump:
But that doesn't mean there's nothing for me to watch! On the contrary, there are lots of great older movies that perfectly fit my taste to watch. I feel like I should quickly point out that in years prior to this, I had attempted to assign a "theme" to each week. I won't be doing that this year; I'll be working off a list where I assign at least one movie, TV show, or special to each day. And the list, with the exception of Halloween itself, isn't hard-and-fast, either. If I turn out to be working a longer night shift on a day that I have a full-length movie scheduled, I might switch it with another day where I only have, say, an episode or two of a TV show scheduled. I find it makes things easier this way.
So without further ado, the general watching list for Shocktoberfest, under the jump:
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection review
Hurray! My monster movie boxset has arrived! I'm so happy and relieved to finally own this, especially The Invisible Man and The Creature From the Black Lagoon, my top two favorite monster movies. (They used to be available for streaming, and then Netflix made them disc-only. It was so annoying have to constantly request and wait for the disc when I was in the mood to watch them!) I figured I'd do a quick review on this.
To start off, this is a 2012 release that was offered on both DVD and Blu-ray. I chose the latter, since I was given a Blu-ray player last year, and have been eager to start building up a Blu-ray collection. (It may sound corny, but one of the things I like about Blu-rays is how durable they are. DVDs in our household always seem to end up getting scratched no matter what we do, but I've been assured that the Blu-rays will be much more scratch-resistant.) Now, you can find this in a few places online--I was able to find it in stock on Amazon and WalMart's websites among others--but the price offered varies greatly. MSRP is about $149.95, and the average price it sells for is about $90-odd dollars. I lucked out and found a like-new copy on eBay for $65 with free shipping. I want to offer a word of caution to everyone: be cautious when buying anything media-related on eBay. Always check the item description carefully, and look at the seller's feedback! You don't want to get stuck with some crappy bootleg set. Ask the seller for pictures and further information if you're suspicious. The longer you've been around on eBay, the better you get and figuring out if things are legit or not, but reminding people never hurts.
The set itself is simply beautiful, and looks like a collector's edition. It comes in a sturdy chipboard box, which is black and printed with the images of the classic Universal Monsters in metallic silver. It is simple and very tasteful. There are two different images, one on each side. (I forgot to take a picture of it, though.) Inside this artbox is a 48-page book and the Blu-ray discs in a very interesting holder.
It's shaped like a book, with a hard cover. The cardboard sleeves holding the Blu-rays are the "pages." They display the original movie posters and list all of the bonus features located on each disc. The set is advertised as having over 12 hours of bonus features, and looking at the lists, I can believe it. There are commentaries, interviews, trailers, mini-documentaries, and even two bonus films; the 1931 Spanish-language version of Dracula and the 3D version of The Creature From the Black Lagoon. (Obviously, you will need a 3D-capable Blu-ray player and TV to take advantage of it.)
The collectible book provides biographies of the actors and principal staff from the movies, as well as brief descriptions of the filming process. There are tons of scans of the various movie posters, and a timeline of the movies' releases.
I will confess that while I enjoy watching movies, I'm no cinephile. I've read the reviews for this box set on Amazon and other movie forums, and confess that I don't understand half the terms bandied about. All I can tell you is from my viewpoint as a regular ol' Jane on the street, so take it for what you will. So then: picture and sound quality. I own Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man as DVD copies (they came included with my copy of Van Helsing--yes, I love cheesy movies!), and I immediately set out to compare them. The picture quality of the Blu-ray set is very good. Everything is clear and sharp. The sound quality is very good, as well. No hissing or crackling here!
This also might sound weird, but I love the menus. They are clear and easy to navigate, but are also attractive and well-done, with clips from the movies smoothly integrated. There was a lot of effort putting into making this an attractive set, and it shows. Given that you get eight movies--technically 10 if we're counting Creature in 3D and Spanish Dracula--as well as all the special features and the booklet, you really get your money's worth. (Especially if you can find it for a little cheaper than $90!)
Now, I do want to point something out: as I might have mentioned earlier, Universal is putting out a Universal Monsters DVD set this year that contains 30--yes, count 'em, 30--of the Universal Monsters movies. It's comparable to their earlier Legacy sets, which were DVD sets that contained the core classic movies and their sequels and spinoffs. This new 30-film collection beats the Legacy sets, though, in that it not only contains all of those films in one slim package, but also includes some other related films, such as the Abbot and Costello parody films. Fans who do not care for Blu-ray and who would like to have the sequels and spinoff movies would be best served looking this up instead of the Blu-ray set, in my opinion. It is a comparable price point but contains far more content.
I am fairly confident that Universal will, at some point in the near future, release their 30-film collection on Blu-ray as well. Perhaps not for a few years, though, in order to keep the costs down to a reasonable amount. But for now, I feel that this "Classic Monsters" Blu-ray collection is a great addition to my beginning Blu-ray library.
Miss Scarlett suggests: Blu-ray collectors who enjoy classic monster films may want to check this out, keeping in mind the possibility of a future re-release with more content.
To start off, this is a 2012 release that was offered on both DVD and Blu-ray. I chose the latter, since I was given a Blu-ray player last year, and have been eager to start building up a Blu-ray collection. (It may sound corny, but one of the things I like about Blu-rays is how durable they are. DVDs in our household always seem to end up getting scratched no matter what we do, but I've been assured that the Blu-rays will be much more scratch-resistant.) Now, you can find this in a few places online--I was able to find it in stock on Amazon and WalMart's websites among others--but the price offered varies greatly. MSRP is about $149.95, and the average price it sells for is about $90-odd dollars. I lucked out and found a like-new copy on eBay for $65 with free shipping. I want to offer a word of caution to everyone: be cautious when buying anything media-related on eBay. Always check the item description carefully, and look at the seller's feedback! You don't want to get stuck with some crappy bootleg set. Ask the seller for pictures and further information if you're suspicious. The longer you've been around on eBay, the better you get and figuring out if things are legit or not, but reminding people never hurts.
The set itself is simply beautiful, and looks like a collector's edition. It comes in a sturdy chipboard box, which is black and printed with the images of the classic Universal Monsters in metallic silver. It is simple and very tasteful. There are two different images, one on each side. (I forgot to take a picture of it, though.) Inside this artbox is a 48-page book and the Blu-ray discs in a very interesting holder.
It's shaped like a book, with a hard cover. The cardboard sleeves holding the Blu-rays are the "pages." They display the original movie posters and list all of the bonus features located on each disc. The set is advertised as having over 12 hours of bonus features, and looking at the lists, I can believe it. There are commentaries, interviews, trailers, mini-documentaries, and even two bonus films; the 1931 Spanish-language version of Dracula and the 3D version of The Creature From the Black Lagoon. (Obviously, you will need a 3D-capable Blu-ray player and TV to take advantage of it.)
The collectible book provides biographies of the actors and principal staff from the movies, as well as brief descriptions of the filming process. There are tons of scans of the various movie posters, and a timeline of the movies' releases.
I will confess that while I enjoy watching movies, I'm no cinephile. I've read the reviews for this box set on Amazon and other movie forums, and confess that I don't understand half the terms bandied about. All I can tell you is from my viewpoint as a regular ol' Jane on the street, so take it for what you will. So then: picture and sound quality. I own Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man as DVD copies (they came included with my copy of Van Helsing--yes, I love cheesy movies!), and I immediately set out to compare them. The picture quality of the Blu-ray set is very good. Everything is clear and sharp. The sound quality is very good, as well. No hissing or crackling here!
This also might sound weird, but I love the menus. They are clear and easy to navigate, but are also attractive and well-done, with clips from the movies smoothly integrated. There was a lot of effort putting into making this an attractive set, and it shows. Given that you get eight movies--technically 10 if we're counting Creature in 3D and Spanish Dracula--as well as all the special features and the booklet, you really get your money's worth. (Especially if you can find it for a little cheaper than $90!)
Now, I do want to point something out: as I might have mentioned earlier, Universal is putting out a Universal Monsters DVD set this year that contains 30--yes, count 'em, 30--of the Universal Monsters movies. It's comparable to their earlier Legacy sets, which were DVD sets that contained the core classic movies and their sequels and spinoffs. This new 30-film collection beats the Legacy sets, though, in that it not only contains all of those films in one slim package, but also includes some other related films, such as the Abbot and Costello parody films. Fans who do not care for Blu-ray and who would like to have the sequels and spinoff movies would be best served looking this up instead of the Blu-ray set, in my opinion. It is a comparable price point but contains far more content.
I am fairly confident that Universal will, at some point in the near future, release their 30-film collection on Blu-ray as well. Perhaps not for a few years, though, in order to keep the costs down to a reasonable amount. But for now, I feel that this "Classic Monsters" Blu-ray collection is a great addition to my beginning Blu-ray library.
Miss Scarlett suggests: Blu-ray collectors who enjoy classic monster films may want to check this out, keeping in mind the possibility of a future re-release with more content.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Miss Scarlett is all for fall.
With the return of pumpkin-flavored coffee to the market (Starbucks' PSL! Dunkin's Pumpkin mocha!) and the very beginning of leaf death (at least where I live), Miss Scarlett's mind has begun to turn to fall. It's my very favorite season, and not just because that when my birthday is! Falling leaves, trees and bushes ablaze in reds, oranges, and golds, ripe apples, pumpkins, and root veggies, and the return of cool/less humid weather.... Yes, please!
My favorite month has to be October. I love spooky stuff (but not the truly horrific or gory), and Halloween is my favorite holiday; I love any excuse to dress up and eat sweets! Over the last few years, I've conceived the idea of having a month-long "spooky" movie and TV marathon to celebrate. Lots of Halloween-themed events these days have branded themselves "Shocktober," which I think is a great portmanteau and therefore have unofficially adopted as the name of my marathon. I had semi-successful practice runs last year and the year before, thanks to greater control over household food shopping and the rise in viewable content on Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu. I compiled a queue of material to watch, stockpiled snacks, and had a grand old time..excepting a few days where I skipped it because I simply had no time.
Well, I'll be doing the same thing this year. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I greatly look forward to fall, and October specifically, all year. But I will be cutting down on the amount of snacks--or at least, watch some movies while on the treadmill!
(Jump break for excessive nattering. This whole post is justified for publishing on the blog since movie/TV-watching counts as a hobby, yes?)
My favorite month has to be October. I love spooky stuff (but not the truly horrific or gory), and Halloween is my favorite holiday; I love any excuse to dress up and eat sweets! Over the last few years, I've conceived the idea of having a month-long "spooky" movie and TV marathon to celebrate. Lots of Halloween-themed events these days have branded themselves "Shocktober," which I think is a great portmanteau and therefore have unofficially adopted as the name of my marathon. I had semi-successful practice runs last year and the year before, thanks to greater control over household food shopping and the rise in viewable content on Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu. I compiled a queue of material to watch, stockpiled snacks, and had a grand old time..excepting a few days where I skipped it because I simply had no time.
Well, I'll be doing the same thing this year. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I greatly look forward to fall, and October specifically, all year. But I will be cutting down on the amount of snacks--or at least, watch some movies while on the treadmill!
(Jump break for excessive nattering. This whole post is justified for publishing on the blog since movie/TV-watching counts as a hobby, yes?)
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Miss Scarlett crafts!
This week's regular review is postponed for right now, due to an unfortunate breakage. Grrr. I'll have it up as soon as I can. In the meanwhile, remember this?
Ta-da! A Sailor Moon Figuarts stand!
Not 100% perfect, and I definitely would like to upgrade to a bigger turntable when possible. But it's a cool way to display my Figuarts together! I was inspired by an electric turntable I saw on eBay that somebody had put together. It had an electric motor, so it turned on its own, and was outer space themed, specifically for Sailor Moon. I don't have the cash to buy that, nor do I have the skills to build an electric display...but I can make a DIY version that fits the bill just fine.
Keep a weather eye out for the postponed review, I'll have it up as soon as I can. Miss Scarlett, signing out!
Well, here's what I did with it:
I got some photo paper and printed out some designs. That large center picture is actually part of the cover of the latest Sailor Moon soundtrack CD. I found a scan, cropped out what I didn't need, an enlarged the center image. The background are just generic photos of space. All I had to do was cut the pictures out and tape them to the surface of the turntable. That way, I can do THIS:
Not 100% perfect, and I definitely would like to upgrade to a bigger turntable when possible. But it's a cool way to display my Figuarts together! I was inspired by an electric turntable I saw on eBay that somebody had put together. It had an electric motor, so it turned on its own, and was outer space themed, specifically for Sailor Moon. I don't have the cash to buy that, nor do I have the skills to build an electric display...but I can make a DIY version that fits the bill just fine.
Keep a weather eye out for the postponed review, I'll have it up as soon as I can. Miss Scarlett, signing out!
Friday, September 5, 2014
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon S.H. Figuarts "Sailor Jupiter" Review
Welcome to the Hobby Haven, everyone! This is hopefully the last of the horribly delayed posts. Read through the review and you'll see why...
I don't have anything witty to say, so let's just jump into the review! This time, we're taking a look at the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon "Sailor Jupiter" S.H. Figuarts. This figure was released at the end of August--the 27th or 28th, I believe. I had it pre-ordered from Amazon.com for $40.99, and selected the free shipping option. I received it on the 29th, and was really impressed with how quickly it arrived.
I noticed a few things about the box right off the bat. First of all, the box is much slimmer than the boxes for Moon or Venus, width-wise. It appears that Bandai cut down on the excess material of the usual clamshell case. I don't really mind, since the bigger case had a lot of wasted space. Maybe this smaller packaging will save some costs in the long run? Second, I finally took a really good look at the Bluefin Distribution sticker located on the bottom of the box. There are two points there--and they could have been there before, but I don't remember seeing them--that I feel are worth pointing out. The first is that Bandai themselves recommend the figure for ages 15 and up, which pretty much dovetails with what I thought earlier. The second is a really important note which I'll quote here verbatim: "Do not place this product on top of plastic furniture, sofa, sheet, tile or anything made of resin. It may cause color migration." Yuck! I keep mine either in the packaging, or clipped to their stands. But be careful with these Figuarts, guys. Nobody wants random color transferring.
Let's take a more in-depth look at her!
I don't have anything witty to say, so let's just jump into the review! This time, we're taking a look at the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon "Sailor Jupiter" S.H. Figuarts. This figure was released at the end of August--the 27th or 28th, I believe. I had it pre-ordered from Amazon.com for $40.99, and selected the free shipping option. I received it on the 29th, and was really impressed with how quickly it arrived.
I noticed a few things about the box right off the bat. First of all, the box is much slimmer than the boxes for Moon or Venus, width-wise. It appears that Bandai cut down on the excess material of the usual clamshell case. I don't really mind, since the bigger case had a lot of wasted space. Maybe this smaller packaging will save some costs in the long run? Second, I finally took a really good look at the Bluefin Distribution sticker located on the bottom of the box. There are two points there--and they could have been there before, but I don't remember seeing them--that I feel are worth pointing out. The first is that Bandai themselves recommend the figure for ages 15 and up, which pretty much dovetails with what I thought earlier. The second is a really important note which I'll quote here verbatim: "Do not place this product on top of plastic furniture, sofa, sheet, tile or anything made of resin. It may cause color migration." Yuck! I keep mine either in the packaging, or clipped to their stands. But be careful with these Figuarts, guys. Nobody wants random color transferring.
Let's take a more in-depth look at her!
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