First off, Happy Halloween! This is one of my favorite holidays of the year, and tonight I'm celebrating with a big bowl of kettle corn, some treat-size candy bars, and a classic monster movie marathon. Frankie and Elissabat will be in attendance, of course, and they've extended the invitation to my latest addition to the collection: Halloween Barbie 2014. Given that it's kind of weird to refer to her by that, I'll name her "Hallie."
I came late to this party. I stopped actively collecting fashion dolls in my mid-teens, and by that point, I was collecting special edition type dolls. I simply never heard of Halloween Barbie, which is a shame. About 6 or 7 months ago, I discovered that not only do they exist, but Target offers an exclusive Halloween Barbie every year. I debated for a while over whether or not to get the general HB that Mattel offers, or the Target-exclusive ones. I ended up settling on the Target dolls for the time being. There's always time in the future to pick up the others if I change my mind.
I also have some more blind bags! These are Hello Kitty ones, Halloween themed! Hello Kitty is dressed up as various monsters, and looking as adorable as ever. Two of my favorites in one, I couldn't pass them up. They're made by Funko, who create all kinds of pop culture-themed toys. These are from their Mystery Minis line, which are blind bags...or more specifically, boxes.
I was keeping an eye out for Halloween merchandise as I did my shopping over the past month, I figured it would be a good idea to do the reviews for these together, given the subject matter. Let's open them up and take a look at them!
Friday, October 31, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
A few odds and ends
Just a little bit of news here:
There are new Tsum Tsums at the Disney Store! There is a Toy Story mini set, a Christmas Mickey and friends mini set, a Phineas and Ferb Perry mini, and some new medium size plushes: Marie, Stitch, and Winnie the Pooh. I am personally not crazy about the additions, although I am sure that some people will be over the moon for them! Here is the Japanese Disney Store's website with their collection of Tsum Tsums. I am personally hoping that we eventually get Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Huey, Dewie, and Louie.
If you want to see promo pictures of upcoming Ever After High merchandise, this is a French website that has tons of them, and is a great resource. The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page also made some announcements regarding the webisodes. We will officially see a bunch of new characters in the upcoming third season. Three of them are confirmed Rebels: Ginger Breadhouse (daughter of the Candy Witch), Rosabella Beauty (daughter of Beauty and the Beast), and Darling Charming (daughter of King Charming). This will add a very interesting dynamic, since Rosabella is Briar Beauty's cousin, and Darling is Daring and Dexter's sister. Rebel relatives of Royals...hmm. I'm especially excited for Darling, since she is described as a princess who wants to be a knight in shining armor who saves people. She even wears armor, which I think is amazingly cool. Gus Crumb (son of Gretel) and Helga Crumb (daughter of Hansel) are also announced, although we have no word on what their affiliation is. I'm personally thinking Royals? Either way, the EAHD page leaked screenshots of Helga, Gus, Ginger, and the unnamed snow princess I gushed about earlier. She's still adorable, but her outfit is blech. Ginger, the Crumb cousins, and Darling and Rosabella will more than likely have dolls released next year. No news about the snow princess yet.
I'll probably be posting a "holiday toy hunting guide" or some approximation thereof in the somewhat near future. Oh, and I will also be doing an unboxing of the two limited edition boxsets (Sailor Moon and Cowboy Bebop) that I ordered. The Sailor Moon one will probably be sometime next week, but I'm not sure when.
Also in ultra-breaking news: spice cake with cream cheese frosting is delicious. I'll probably make some pumpkin cake or brownies for Halloween. Yum!
There are new Tsum Tsums at the Disney Store! There is a Toy Story mini set, a Christmas Mickey and friends mini set, a Phineas and Ferb Perry mini, and some new medium size plushes: Marie, Stitch, and Winnie the Pooh. I am personally not crazy about the additions, although I am sure that some people will be over the moon for them! Here is the Japanese Disney Store's website with their collection of Tsum Tsums. I am personally hoping that we eventually get Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Huey, Dewie, and Louie.
If you want to see promo pictures of upcoming Ever After High merchandise, this is a French website that has tons of them, and is a great resource. The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page also made some announcements regarding the webisodes. We will officially see a bunch of new characters in the upcoming third season. Three of them are confirmed Rebels: Ginger Breadhouse (daughter of the Candy Witch), Rosabella Beauty (daughter of Beauty and the Beast), and Darling Charming (daughter of King Charming). This will add a very interesting dynamic, since Rosabella is Briar Beauty's cousin, and Darling is Daring and Dexter's sister. Rebel relatives of Royals...hmm. I'm especially excited for Darling, since she is described as a princess who wants to be a knight in shining armor who saves people. She even wears armor, which I think is amazingly cool. Gus Crumb (son of Gretel) and Helga Crumb (daughter of Hansel) are also announced, although we have no word on what their affiliation is. I'm personally thinking Royals? Either way, the EAHD page leaked screenshots of Helga, Gus, Ginger, and the unnamed snow princess I gushed about earlier. She's still adorable, but her outfit is blech. Ginger, the Crumb cousins, and Darling and Rosabella will more than likely have dolls released next year. No news about the snow princess yet.
I'll probably be posting a "holiday toy hunting guide" or some approximation thereof in the somewhat near future. Oh, and I will also be doing an unboxing of the two limited edition boxsets (Sailor Moon and Cowboy Bebop) that I ordered. The Sailor Moon one will probably be sometime next week, but I'm not sure when.
Also in ultra-breaking news: spice cake with cream cheese frosting is delicious. I'll probably make some pumpkin cake or brownies for Halloween. Yum!
Monday, October 27, 2014
The holiday season is fast at hand!
That right, dear readers! We are only a few short weeks away from that most magical time of the year, Thankshopping Day. Er, I mean Black Friday. In my defense, retailers keep pushing the Christmas season backwards and forwards and outward, and some day it will consume not only Hannukah and Kwanzaa, but Thanksgiving, New Year's, and Halloween in one long orgy of consumerism.
Welcome to the Hobby Haven!
I have cut most of this post because it's long.
Welcome to the Hobby Haven!
I have cut most of this post because it's long.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Disney Tsum Tsum Chip and Dale Review
Welcome to the Hobby Haven! Usually, I do full reviews every other Friday, but given how many technical problems I've been having over the past few months, I figured there was no harm in putting up some extra reviews.
If you're interested in Disney products, you may have seen these before, but if not, here is the latest craze! These are little stuffed toys called "Tsum Tsum" (pronounced "soom soom," the "t" is silent) that were originally sold at the Disney Stores in Japan. I actually remember going onto the Japanese Disney Store website to look longingly at the cool stuff they got and lamenting that we couldn't get them. But they're here! "Tsum Tsum,' by the way, translates as "stack stack," which I'll explain after the jump.
If you're interested in Disney products, you may have seen these before, but if not, here is the latest craze! These are little stuffed toys called "Tsum Tsum" (pronounced "soom soom," the "t" is silent) that were originally sold at the Disney Stores in Japan. I actually remember going onto the Japanese Disney Store website to look longingly at the cool stuff they got and lamenting that we couldn't get them. But they're here! "Tsum Tsum,' by the way, translates as "stack stack," which I'll explain after the jump.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Ever After High News
Just a few pieces of info, no big news.
The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page shared some photos of the upcoming Glass Lake (so confused, last I heard it was called Mirror Beach? And before that Looking Glass Lake?) line. It consists of Apple, Ashlynn, and Maddie in very simple attire: swimsuits with skirt cover-ups, sunglasses, and very inappropriate shoes. The admin has pointed out in a prior post that none of the accessories are new, simply recolored versions of accessories used from different characters in earlier lines. I am thinking that these might be budget dolls, released without stands. I personally don't find them very appealing, but it might be an easy way to get some new fans into the franchise, especially if the price point is low enough.
I also wanted to mention the Thronecoming special; it will be a half-hour special airing on November 2nd on Nickelodeon at 3 PM EST. No word on whether or not it will be streamed online, so you might want to set your DVR just in case. Beginning October 22nd, you can go onto the official website to vote for your choice of Thronecoming Queen. Voting closes on November 20th. The winners will be announced in a special webisode aired on November 25th. That webisode will mark the end of season 2, and then we won't have anything new until next year when season 3 will start. No word on when season 3 will start.
Some new trademarks announced, as well. One them seems to be a new character: Farrah Goodfairy. I guess we'll see if she is a doll or not next year.
You may all be interested to know that Disney is filming what appears to be an EAH-style movie. The film, entitled Descendants (could be a working title for now) is one of their Disney Channel Original Movies and is slated to air in February. I might check it out, if only because I have fond memories of watching Disney Channel's movies when I was a kid...and because Kristen Chenowith is playing Maleficent!
Still no word on when the Kitty Cheshire, Duchess Swan, and Ginger Breadhouse dolls will be released. It could be as soon as a few weeks! (I realize that I'm harping on this a bit, but we haven't had new characters released since July! It's exciting!) We only know that they are being released for "Holiday season 2014," which makes me think that they'll be ready at the very latest by Black Friday.
I'm hoping that 2015 brings us some more dolls released in the Legacy Day or Thronecoming lines. There are so many beautiful designs for both that would make wonderful dolls, and it would be a shame not to capitalize on it. I'm also hoping for some fashion packs, like Monster High has. (And maybe, if I'm lucky, a very good holiday sale on some of the older basic dolls?)
The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page shared some photos of the upcoming Glass Lake (so confused, last I heard it was called Mirror Beach? And before that Looking Glass Lake?) line. It consists of Apple, Ashlynn, and Maddie in very simple attire: swimsuits with skirt cover-ups, sunglasses, and very inappropriate shoes. The admin has pointed out in a prior post that none of the accessories are new, simply recolored versions of accessories used from different characters in earlier lines. I am thinking that these might be budget dolls, released without stands. I personally don't find them very appealing, but it might be an easy way to get some new fans into the franchise, especially if the price point is low enough.
I also wanted to mention the Thronecoming special; it will be a half-hour special airing on November 2nd on Nickelodeon at 3 PM EST. No word on whether or not it will be streamed online, so you might want to set your DVR just in case. Beginning October 22nd, you can go onto the official website to vote for your choice of Thronecoming Queen. Voting closes on November 20th. The winners will be announced in a special webisode aired on November 25th. That webisode will mark the end of season 2, and then we won't have anything new until next year when season 3 will start. No word on when season 3 will start.
Some new trademarks announced, as well. One them seems to be a new character: Farrah Goodfairy. I guess we'll see if she is a doll or not next year.
You may all be interested to know that Disney is filming what appears to be an EAH-style movie. The film, entitled Descendants (could be a working title for now) is one of their Disney Channel Original Movies and is slated to air in February. I might check it out, if only because I have fond memories of watching Disney Channel's movies when I was a kid...and because Kristen Chenowith is playing Maleficent!
Still no word on when the Kitty Cheshire, Duchess Swan, and Ginger Breadhouse dolls will be released. It could be as soon as a few weeks! (I realize that I'm harping on this a bit, but we haven't had new characters released since July! It's exciting!) We only know that they are being released for "Holiday season 2014," which makes me think that they'll be ready at the very latest by Black Friday.
I'm hoping that 2015 brings us some more dolls released in the Legacy Day or Thronecoming lines. There are so many beautiful designs for both that would make wonderful dolls, and it would be a shame not to capitalize on it. I'm also hoping for some fashion packs, like Monster High has. (And maybe, if I'm lucky, a very good holiday sale on some of the older basic dolls?)
Friday, October 17, 2014
Persona 4 the Animation "Yukiko Amagi" Nendoroid Review
Ahhhh, what a lovely autumn day. It puts me in the mood for drinking some hot cider, taking a walk under the falling leaves, and reviewing a figurine. Welcome to the Hobby Haven.
I might not have mentioned this earlier, but I am a lady of various hobbies and tastes. Well, I say "mentioned," but if you've been following along, you can see some of my various hobbies for yourself. But I don't think I've touched on my love of video games yet. Perhaps one of my favorite series of all time is the "Megami Tensei" series of Japanese role-playing games. They're not as well-known as, say, The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy, but they've slowly been growing in popularity over the last couple of years. (If you're interested, take a gander at Hardcore Gaming 101's very informative page exploring the entire series.) The franchise is composed of multiple different series. The one series that I'll be talking about in particular is the Persona series. They're turn-based RPGs that focus on psychological elements and character growth and relationships.
Arguably the most popular of these is Persona 4, which debuted in Japan back in 2008, and has enjoyed phenomenal success, including a remake, several spinoff sequels, and two animated adaptations. This is important, because the figure I'm reviewing today has a weird technicality, which I'll explain in a sec.
This figure is a Nendoroid, which is a brand of small articulated plastic figurines made by the Good Smile Company. They have a sort of super-deformed "chibi" look to make them appear cute. And it works, they are precious. They're articulated like the Figuarts, but they are entirely removable (I'll show you after the jump). This particular figure is of the character Yukiko Amagi, who is one of the playable characters in Persona 4. However, the figure is specifically marketed as being from the first anime version of the game, Persona 4 The Animation. So Yukiko is from the game, but the box is not advertising that. My guess is that Atlus (the game company that makes the Persona games) only decided to get aboard the Nendoroid train in an effort to promote the anime adaptation. ::shrugs::
Whatever, though. Less time on semantics, more time on reviews!
I might not have mentioned this earlier, but I am a lady of various hobbies and tastes. Well, I say "mentioned," but if you've been following along, you can see some of my various hobbies for yourself. But I don't think I've touched on my love of video games yet. Perhaps one of my favorite series of all time is the "Megami Tensei" series of Japanese role-playing games. They're not as well-known as, say, The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy, but they've slowly been growing in popularity over the last couple of years. (If you're interested, take a gander at Hardcore Gaming 101's very informative page exploring the entire series.) The franchise is composed of multiple different series. The one series that I'll be talking about in particular is the Persona series. They're turn-based RPGs that focus on psychological elements and character growth and relationships.
Arguably the most popular of these is Persona 4, which debuted in Japan back in 2008, and has enjoyed phenomenal success, including a remake, several spinoff sequels, and two animated adaptations. This is important, because the figure I'm reviewing today has a weird technicality, which I'll explain in a sec.
This figure is a Nendoroid, which is a brand of small articulated plastic figurines made by the Good Smile Company. They have a sort of super-deformed "chibi" look to make them appear cute. And it works, they are precious. They're articulated like the Figuarts, but they are entirely removable (I'll show you after the jump). This particular figure is of the character Yukiko Amagi, who is one of the playable characters in Persona 4. However, the figure is specifically marketed as being from the first anime version of the game, Persona 4 The Animation. So Yukiko is from the game, but the box is not advertising that. My guess is that Atlus (the game company that makes the Persona games) only decided to get aboard the Nendoroid train in an effort to promote the anime adaptation. ::shrugs::
Whatever, though. Less time on semantics, more time on reviews!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Odds and ends
Hey, folks! There WILL be a review posted tomorrow--one of the toys I already own, so no waiting on Amazon--so there will in fact be something to read.
My best friend and I went shopping today, and I picked up some cute toys from the Disney store. I'm going to make a post on them for next week to make up for the lack of content from the past month. I also picked up a volume of manga while we were out. I'd like to make a plug for it; the series is called Yotsuba&!, and is written and drawn by Kiyohiko Azuma and published by Yen Press. It's an adorable "slice of life" style story about a little girl named Yotsuba, whose mission is simply to enjoy everything. Her innocence and unique outlook make everyday situations into sheer comedy. Pick one up today!
Anyway, still no news about Saturn. I basically just have to wait until they either contact me that it's back in stock, or wait until they send me an email on 11/9 canceling my order because they still have no stock. With any luck, they'll give me back my $20 gift card and I can put it toward one of the other Figuarts that I have ordered.
More Ever After High trademarks and such...there are several new lines coming out in 2015, including "Into the Woods," (some sort of outdoorsy theme), "Mirror Beach," (beach theme, natch), and "Spring Unsprung." That's also the title of the upcoming Ever After High movie, so my guess is that this line will be taken from the movie itself. Either new characters or existing characters in new outfits. We'll also get some playsets: The Glass Slipper (Ashlynn's shoe shop) and a restaurant-type set. maybe Maddie's tea shop or Ginger's bakery? Some photos were briefly posted of Mirror Beach and Into the Woods, and they look rather bland. Not holding out much hope for those. I'm definitely getting Duchess Swan when she comes out, and I am seriously considering picking up Ginger Breadhouse. I don't know why, but she looks interesting. And I love that she has glasses!
I'm also struggling with myself over picking up C.A. Cupid's Thronecoming doll. Duchess and Sparrow are my favorites out of the EAH characters, and I like--but am not crazy about--the rest. I don't have any particular love for Cupid, but her Thronecoming doll looks neat. And I'd like to have a "fancy" EAH doll; the Legacy Day outfits are just unappealing to me, so this would be next best. Don't...know...argh! I'm also torn over whether or not to get that Sweet Screams Frankie Stein doll I saw at Target. Urgh.
What can I say, collecting can be a struggle. You only have so much space, and so much money. Deciding what you want to do with those is hard.
My best friend and I went shopping today, and I picked up some cute toys from the Disney store. I'm going to make a post on them for next week to make up for the lack of content from the past month. I also picked up a volume of manga while we were out. I'd like to make a plug for it; the series is called Yotsuba&!, and is written and drawn by Kiyohiko Azuma and published by Yen Press. It's an adorable "slice of life" style story about a little girl named Yotsuba, whose mission is simply to enjoy everything. Her innocence and unique outlook make everyday situations into sheer comedy. Pick one up today!
Anyway, still no news about Saturn. I basically just have to wait until they either contact me that it's back in stock, or wait until they send me an email on 11/9 canceling my order because they still have no stock. With any luck, they'll give me back my $20 gift card and I can put it toward one of the other Figuarts that I have ordered.
More Ever After High trademarks and such...there are several new lines coming out in 2015, including "Into the Woods," (some sort of outdoorsy theme), "Mirror Beach," (beach theme, natch), and "Spring Unsprung." That's also the title of the upcoming Ever After High movie, so my guess is that this line will be taken from the movie itself. Either new characters or existing characters in new outfits. We'll also get some playsets: The Glass Slipper (Ashlynn's shoe shop) and a restaurant-type set. maybe Maddie's tea shop or Ginger's bakery? Some photos were briefly posted of Mirror Beach and Into the Woods, and they look rather bland. Not holding out much hope for those. I'm definitely getting Duchess Swan when she comes out, and I am seriously considering picking up Ginger Breadhouse. I don't know why, but she looks interesting. And I love that she has glasses!
I'm also struggling with myself over picking up C.A. Cupid's Thronecoming doll. Duchess and Sparrow are my favorites out of the EAH characters, and I like--but am not crazy about--the rest. I don't have any particular love for Cupid, but her Thronecoming doll looks neat. And I'd like to have a "fancy" EAH doll; the Legacy Day outfits are just unappealing to me, so this would be next best. Don't...know...argh! I'm also torn over whether or not to get that Sweet Screams Frankie Stein doll I saw at Target. Urgh.
What can I say, collecting can be a struggle. You only have so much space, and so much money. Deciding what you want to do with those is hard.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Where are you, Saturn?
An update for anybody currently interested in ordering the Sailor Saturn Figuarts: I have an update with news from Amazon. Not good news, though.
One of the members in the Amazon forums posted some news she got from customer representatives that she spoke with earlier today. It seems that the original vendor that was supplying Amazon with the Saturn figures is fully out of stock. I am not sure if this vendor is Bluefin Distribution, or another vendor that bought figures wholesale from Bluefin. This vendor does not know when they will have more in stock, so there is no specific restock date. This is corroborated by several posts in the MyFigureCollection.net forums.
If you look at the Amazon listing, figures are being offered by a third party company approved by Amazon. So if you want the figure, and can only get it through Amazon, you have some options there. If you don't particularly care about ordering Saturn through Amazon, you can get her from these retailers, which have her listed as being in stock:
Now, as for what I'm doing...well, I'm being a bit of tool and am not canceling my Amazon pre-order. I used over $20 in gift card funds on her, so if I ordered her from another site, I'd be paying full price for the figure, and be paying for shipping, too. Remember, I'm cheap. I seek out discounts wherever I can.
I am a little conflicted about this. I find it completely mind-boggling that somehow, AMAZON, the biggest online retailer of all, can't even obtain figures to fill pre-orders that have been standing since day one. I mean, it's somehow sold out before anyone can get it? How does that even work? I know that Saturn is popular, but yeesh.
Amazon sent me an e-mail earlier stating that they will continue trying to fill my order until 11/09/14, after which date they will cancel my order if they cannot fill it. I was given the option of canceling the order before then. I wonder how many people took them up on it. I am hoping, at the very least, that they will give us free two-day shipping once they do fill the orders. I am optimistic that they will be able to find enough product to fill the orders. Well, I'll keep you guys posted on how Amazon resolves the situation. It will be interesting, to say the least.
One of the members in the Amazon forums posted some news she got from customer representatives that she spoke with earlier today. It seems that the original vendor that was supplying Amazon with the Saturn figures is fully out of stock. I am not sure if this vendor is Bluefin Distribution, or another vendor that bought figures wholesale from Bluefin. This vendor does not know when they will have more in stock, so there is no specific restock date. This is corroborated by several posts in the MyFigureCollection.net forums.
If you look at the Amazon listing, figures are being offered by a third party company approved by Amazon. So if you want the figure, and can only get it through Amazon, you have some options there. If you don't particularly care about ordering Saturn through Amazon, you can get her from these retailers, which have her listed as being in stock:
- Big Bad Toy Store
- CDJapan
- I believe that HobbyLink Japan has them, but their site seems to be currently down at the moment.
Now, as for what I'm doing...well, I'm being a bit of tool and am not canceling my Amazon pre-order. I used over $20 in gift card funds on her, so if I ordered her from another site, I'd be paying full price for the figure, and be paying for shipping, too. Remember, I'm cheap. I seek out discounts wherever I can.
I am a little conflicted about this. I find it completely mind-boggling that somehow, AMAZON, the biggest online retailer of all, can't even obtain figures to fill pre-orders that have been standing since day one. I mean, it's somehow sold out before anyone can get it? How does that even work? I know that Saturn is popular, but yeesh.
Amazon sent me an e-mail earlier stating that they will continue trying to fill my order until 11/09/14, after which date they will cancel my order if they cannot fill it. I was given the option of canceling the order before then. I wonder how many people took them up on it. I am hoping, at the very least, that they will give us free two-day shipping once they do fill the orders. I am optimistic that they will be able to find enough product to fill the orders. Well, I'll keep you guys posted on how Amazon resolves the situation. It will be interesting, to say the least.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Two blog posts in one day?
A few bits and pieces of news for you folks!
First, the second Sailor Moon box set has just been announced for pre-order. It is Season One, Part two, and contains episodes 24-46, which is the rest of the episodes from Season One. It is available for pre-order at The Right Stuf and at Robert's Anime Corner Store. The prices are pretty much comparable with the first box set. In this case, the prices are slightly less, since you don't get an art book with the limited edition set. They will be released in mid-February, and the brand manager at Viz has confirmed that we can expect a consistent release schedule from here on out: a new box set every 3 months. We'll get sets 2-5 through 2015 (February, May, August, and November), 6-9 through 2016, and set 10 in early 2017. There's no news so far on when the movies and TV specials will be released, but it will probably towards the end of the box set releases; I have a feeling they want to focus on those first.
Second, Funimation has revealed the cover art for the Cowboy Bebop standard editions, but is going to reveal what the premium editions look like much later. I'll post pictures when they finally get shared.
Third, Mattel's been making a ton of Ever After High and Monster High trademarks over the past few months, and we're finally getting some pictures and suchlike. The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page has confirmed that Duchess Swan and Kitty Cheshire basic dolls will be the next released, and that one of the book-only characters, Ginger Breadhouse, will also be released. The admin has stated that we'll see some releases in time for Christmas, possibly as early as the beginning of November. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am only a month away from snagging my long-desired Duchess doll. Also holding out hope for a Legacy Day Duchess doll, and maybe some more information about that snow-princess-type character that had webisode stills leaked. Also, we're getting a lot of specials coming up--the Thronecoming special episode is not too far away, and we're getting a full-length movie (and perhaps a more full-length series?) next year.
Fourth, the limited edition cookie dough Oreos taste like coffee flavor. This is not bad per se, just unexpected.
Fifth, I am going to be so broke when 2015 rolls around. We've got the rest of the Sailor Moon Figuarts being released, the next 4 Sailor Moon box sets, and the New 3DS. Also, the Monster Exchange Draculaura and Lagoona dolls, and potentially some new Ever After High dolls that could be interesting.
And oh lordy, the holiday sales are coming upon us. I'll be plunking down cash I don't have on a game system, plus some of the amazing discounts from the Right Stuf Black Friday and Christmas sales. Oh, and the Steam and Good Old Game sales. I don't need to eat or put gas in my car, right? More money for anime and games?
First, the second Sailor Moon box set has just been announced for pre-order. It is Season One, Part two, and contains episodes 24-46, which is the rest of the episodes from Season One. It is available for pre-order at The Right Stuf and at Robert's Anime Corner Store. The prices are pretty much comparable with the first box set. In this case, the prices are slightly less, since you don't get an art book with the limited edition set. They will be released in mid-February, and the brand manager at Viz has confirmed that we can expect a consistent release schedule from here on out: a new box set every 3 months. We'll get sets 2-5 through 2015 (February, May, August, and November), 6-9 through 2016, and set 10 in early 2017. There's no news so far on when the movies and TV specials will be released, but it will probably towards the end of the box set releases; I have a feeling they want to focus on those first.
Second, Funimation has revealed the cover art for the Cowboy Bebop standard editions, but is going to reveal what the premium editions look like much later. I'll post pictures when they finally get shared.
Third, Mattel's been making a ton of Ever After High and Monster High trademarks over the past few months, and we're finally getting some pictures and suchlike. The Ever After High Dolls Facebook page has confirmed that Duchess Swan and Kitty Cheshire basic dolls will be the next released, and that one of the book-only characters, Ginger Breadhouse, will also be released. The admin has stated that we'll see some releases in time for Christmas, possibly as early as the beginning of November. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am only a month away from snagging my long-desired Duchess doll. Also holding out hope for a Legacy Day Duchess doll, and maybe some more information about that snow-princess-type character that had webisode stills leaked. Also, we're getting a lot of specials coming up--the Thronecoming special episode is not too far away, and we're getting a full-length movie (and perhaps a more full-length series?) next year.
Fourth, the limited edition cookie dough Oreos taste like coffee flavor. This is not bad per se, just unexpected.
Fifth, I am going to be so broke when 2015 rolls around. We've got the rest of the Sailor Moon Figuarts being released, the next 4 Sailor Moon box sets, and the New 3DS. Also, the Monster Exchange Draculaura and Lagoona dolls, and potentially some new Ever After High dolls that could be interesting.
And oh lordy, the holiday sales are coming upon us. I'll be plunking down cash I don't have on a game system, plus some of the amazing discounts from the Right Stuf Black Friday and Christmas sales. Oh, and the Steam and Good Old Game sales. I don't need to eat or put gas in my car, right? More money for anime and games?
Some Halloween purchases.
'Bout a week and a half, and still no Saturn. Lame. Very lame. Not cool, Amazon. I'm shopping around with other online figure retailers to get an idea of pricing, etc. I do like using Amazon, since I get vouchers from a couponing site, but I can always save those to use on other orders. I very well might be ordering the remaining three Outer Senshi from other sites.
Anyway, I did some shopping to put me in more of a fall mood. Here are the fruits of my labor:
Yes, that's a fair amount of Halloween Hello Kitty merch. Mints in a tin, coloring book, and some stickers. Plus some cool skeleton party supplies, a fun card, and some sugar skull-patterned cloth. Not sure if I want to make a tablecloth or headbands or something out of it yet. The Barbie...well, you'll see her in a few weeks. ;)
I grabbed some fall-themed cookie cutters at Michael's. I think I'll do some baking tomorrow, maybe some brownies?
I also picked up a blind box to give to my mother. Maybe I'll swipe it from her temporarily and do a quick review? I feel guilty for having such a long time period between reviews.
That's about it, really. I'm working my way through the Shocktober movie list--relatives came to visit last week, so I had to postpone some movie-watching. Plus, one of DVDs no longer plays 100% through, so...sigh.
Anyway, I did some shopping to put me in more of a fall mood. Here are the fruits of my labor:
Yes, that's a fair amount of Halloween Hello Kitty merch. Mints in a tin, coloring book, and some stickers. Plus some cool skeleton party supplies, a fun card, and some sugar skull-patterned cloth. Not sure if I want to make a tablecloth or headbands or something out of it yet. The Barbie...well, you'll see her in a few weeks. ;)
I grabbed some fall-themed cookie cutters at Michael's. I think I'll do some baking tomorrow, maybe some brownies?
I also picked up a blind box to give to my mother. Maybe I'll swipe it from her temporarily and do a quick review? I feel guilty for having such a long time period between reviews.
That's about it, really. I'm working my way through the Shocktober movie list--relatives came to visit last week, so I had to postpone some movie-watching. Plus, one of DVDs no longer plays 100% through, so...sigh.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Where Miss Scarlett's a little grouchy.
Grrr, everyone. Grrr. I'm not in a good mood right now (lots of drama with my insurance company, spent a lot of time with them on the phone this morning, and the issue still isn't resolved. grrrrrr), and the news I've gotten isn't making me any happier.
I pre-ordered my Sailor Saturn Figuarts from Amazon on day one, as soon as the link for pre-ordering went live. Back in May, actually. I trusted Amazon because I've gotten very good service from them, very consistent. In 8 years of being a customer there and ordering at least monthly, I can count all the flub-ups on one hand. So of course I went ahead and ordered Saturn from them; the shipping was free, and given that their distribution center is nearby, I receive my items very quickly (even without Prime!).
September 30th, the release date, rolls around, and I get excited. I got Jupiter and Venus VERY shortly after the release date, so I had every expectation of having in my hands by the 3rd, when the review was supposed to go live.
And nothing happened.
It's been one week since the release date, and absolutely no update from Amazon on when it will ship, or if they even have it. I've checked out the Amazon message boards, and it's the same for everyone else. Amazon says they don't have it in stock, don't know when they'll have it in stock, and consequently don't know when I'll get mine.
I want to clarify that I don't mind waiting--as long as I have an estimated shipping date! But there is no information from Amazon whatsoever. I can only guess that since Saturn is a popular character, there there must be a run on the figures, and Amazon is trying to get enough to fill the demand? Don't know.
It's been a crappy day so far, and I was hoping to get lots of things done, but it just seems that it's not happening. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. (Also, Universal is trying to reboot the Universal Monsters franchise? The Mummy (with Brendan Frasier) is apparently being considered the first in this "reboot," with Dracula Untold being the next. Not sure how I feel about this; why does EVERYTHING need to be rebooted? Oh, right, because Hollywood has no new ideas anymore. Sigh.)
So....yeah. The Saturn Figuarts review is postponed until it actually arrives, guys. Miss Scarlett, signing out, to go do some laundry and hopefully be productive before I go to work tonight. Sigh.
I pre-ordered my Sailor Saturn Figuarts from Amazon on day one, as soon as the link for pre-ordering went live. Back in May, actually. I trusted Amazon because I've gotten very good service from them, very consistent. In 8 years of being a customer there and ordering at least monthly, I can count all the flub-ups on one hand. So of course I went ahead and ordered Saturn from them; the shipping was free, and given that their distribution center is nearby, I receive my items very quickly (even without Prime!).
September 30th, the release date, rolls around, and I get excited. I got Jupiter and Venus VERY shortly after the release date, so I had every expectation of having in my hands by the 3rd, when the review was supposed to go live.
And nothing happened.
It's been one week since the release date, and absolutely no update from Amazon on when it will ship, or if they even have it. I've checked out the Amazon message boards, and it's the same for everyone else. Amazon says they don't have it in stock, don't know when they'll have it in stock, and consequently don't know when I'll get mine.
I want to clarify that I don't mind waiting--as long as I have an estimated shipping date! But there is no information from Amazon whatsoever. I can only guess that since Saturn is a popular character, there there must be a run on the figures, and Amazon is trying to get enough to fill the demand? Don't know.
It's been a crappy day so far, and I was hoping to get lots of things done, but it just seems that it's not happening. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. (Also, Universal is trying to reboot the Universal Monsters franchise? The Mummy (with Brendan Frasier) is apparently being considered the first in this "reboot," with Dracula Untold being the next. Not sure how I feel about this; why does EVERYTHING need to be rebooted? Oh, right, because Hollywood has no new ideas anymore. Sigh.)
So....yeah. The Saturn Figuarts review is postponed until it actually arrives, guys. Miss Scarlett, signing out, to go do some laundry and hopefully be productive before I go to work tonight. Sigh.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Not this week's review!
You might be thinking, "Where's this week's review?" Unfortunately, I have nothing to post because it hasn't arrived yet! The Sailor Saturn Figuarts released in North America on Sept. 30th, this Tuesday. Usually, Amazon sends me my Figuarts about a day or two after the release date--not because I have Prime, but because there is a distribution center very close to my house--but this didn't happen this week! For whatever reason, I don't know why, the Figuarts is getting sent next week. I will have the review up as soon as it arrives, so keep an eye out.
In other news, Ever After High is getting closer to putting out Duchess and Kitty dolls! Some box art--the character portraits that you see on the side of the box--have been released. I have heard a rumor that we'll be getting Duchess sometime in the spring, but I'm not sure it has been substantiated. It sounds about right, though; I doubt we'll be getting another doll in time for Christmas. I would love to be proven wrong, though.
I will also have some comics to review in November, but I'll talk more about that later, I don't have the time.
Hope everyone is enjoying this lovely fall weather! Miss Scarlett, signing out!
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