Finally. After months of waiting, months of torment, it's FINALLY over. SHE. IS. HERE. Brace yourselves, everyone, because it's finally time for my Sailor Pluto S.H. Figuarts review. (Oh yeah, welcome to the Hobby Haven!)
A little backstory for this...or more like, a little saga. Back in the summer of 2014, Bandai Tamashii Nations announced they would be starting production on the Outer Senshi's S.H. Figuarts action figures. Pre-orders were opened up in the U.S. for Uranus and Neptune, who were going to be web exclusives on the Japanese Bandai Tamashii e-store. Pluto, most of us figured, couldn't be too far behind. So we waited. And waited. Then Uranus was released but no news. Then Neptune was released but no news. Then we finally got confirmation that she was coming! But no release window or anything. Then they released a whole bunch of other stuff (two more versions of Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibi-Moon), but still no Pluto news. Then we finally get a release window for Japan! And we get pre-orders opened up for NA! And then Bluefin (the NA distributor for Bandai) and Amazon have a falling-out and Amazon cancels all pre-orders and essentially refuses to carry anything new from Bluefin for months. There is much weeping and gnashing of teeth as everyone who had ordered from Amazon floods every other retailer that will import her. Pre-order slots sell out in hours, and still more people can't even place an order. Yours truly gets lucky during a random check of Big Bad Toy Store and successfully places a pre-order; the window closes shortly after and all the pre-order slots sell out. And Scarlett can finally breathe, knowing order has been restored to the universe. (The epilogue: BBTS eventually restocked and is now selling more Pluto figures, and Amazon and Bluefin kissed and made up and now the former is selling Pluto figurines for $15 less than what Scarlett paid for it. The moral of the story: life isn't fair, especially for a figure collector.)
So without further ado, let's get to that review, which is waiting after the jump.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
E3
Hello, everyone! How has your week been? Welcome to the Hobby Haven!
Well, it's E3 week, so video game news abounds everywhere! The big buzz this year is focusing on Microsoft's new "Project Scorpio," a new console which isn't *quite* part of a next console generation, but will be like an upgrade of their current XBox One. It isn't coming out until late next year, but they're apparently making announcements now to give developers some time to make games for it. Sony is doing something similar with their "Playstation 4 Neo" which is like a PS4.5. They're holding off on discussing it until next year, but the big deal with that is that it will be optimized for 4K TVs and such. (Microsoft is also making an XBox One slim version, and are offering drastic discounts on their "original" XBox One consoles, so there's that going on, too.)
Quite a bit of new games announced: Tekken 7, a new Forza, a new God of War, Resident Evil 7, so on and so forth. Nothing new announced that personally interests me, although one of my friends will be getting RE7; I might end up watching her play through that.
Atlus did show some more gameplay footage of Persona 5, so I am really excited for that! They showed off more activities that you can do (going to an old-fashioned bathhouse, eating out at restaurants, working at part-time jobs, etc.), some of the things you can do in school (questions during class, walking around and visiting different classrooms and areas; you can even buy lunch which might give you a temporary stat boost or heal HP?), plus some of the vendors that you will be visiting. There was a fair chunk devoted to showing off combat, which had me very excited. It looks like a version of the classic Megami Tensei "negotiation" mechanic will come back, where you can get enemies with low HP to give you money/items, or become your Persona. The "One More" mechanic of Persona 3 and 4, where you get extra turns in combat when you exploit an enemy's weakness, also makes a comeback. There's also confirmation that the Social Links mechanic will return, albeit in a retooled format called "Cooperation." No info on what the changes will be. Finally, Atlus confirmed what I had already assumed: the game will be English-voiced only. All of the past Megami Tensei games released in NA have not featured dual-audio, and I didn't expect them to buck the trend here. (From what I understand, getting the voice actors' agencies to agree to license out worldwide distribution rights is incredibly difficult and expensive.) The PR manager for Atlus USA said they'll look into doing a JP language track as DLC, but I doubt it will happen.
Whew...that's a lot! Miss Scarlett, signing out!
Well, it's E3 week, so video game news abounds everywhere! The big buzz this year is focusing on Microsoft's new "Project Scorpio," a new console which isn't *quite* part of a next console generation, but will be like an upgrade of their current XBox One. It isn't coming out until late next year, but they're apparently making announcements now to give developers some time to make games for it. Sony is doing something similar with their "Playstation 4 Neo" which is like a PS4.5. They're holding off on discussing it until next year, but the big deal with that is that it will be optimized for 4K TVs and such. (Microsoft is also making an XBox One slim version, and are offering drastic discounts on their "original" XBox One consoles, so there's that going on, too.)
Quite a bit of new games announced: Tekken 7, a new Forza, a new God of War, Resident Evil 7, so on and so forth. Nothing new announced that personally interests me, although one of my friends will be getting RE7; I might end up watching her play through that.
Atlus did show some more gameplay footage of Persona 5, so I am really excited for that! They showed off more activities that you can do (going to an old-fashioned bathhouse, eating out at restaurants, working at part-time jobs, etc.), some of the things you can do in school (questions during class, walking around and visiting different classrooms and areas; you can even buy lunch which might give you a temporary stat boost or heal HP?), plus some of the vendors that you will be visiting. There was a fair chunk devoted to showing off combat, which had me very excited. It looks like a version of the classic Megami Tensei "negotiation" mechanic will come back, where you can get enemies with low HP to give you money/items, or become your Persona. The "One More" mechanic of Persona 3 and 4, where you get extra turns in combat when you exploit an enemy's weakness, also makes a comeback. There's also confirmation that the Social Links mechanic will return, albeit in a retooled format called "Cooperation." No info on what the changes will be. Finally, Atlus confirmed what I had already assumed: the game will be English-voiced only. All of the past Megami Tensei games released in NA have not featured dual-audio, and I didn't expect them to buck the trend here. (From what I understand, getting the voice actors' agencies to agree to license out worldwide distribution rights is incredibly difficult and expensive.) The PR manager for Atlus USA said they'll look into doing a JP language track as DLC, but I doubt it will happen.
Whew...that's a lot! Miss Scarlett, signing out!
Friday, June 10, 2016
Sailor Moon Collectibles Roundup: Irwin Deluxe Adventure Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter Dolls
Hello there, everyone! Hope your summer has been fabulous so far! It's time for your favorite post and mine, the Sailor Moon Collectibles Roundup! Today's entry is a retro blast from the past, so sit back and enjoy! (There's a lot of nattering ahead, so all of it is after the jump.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING
So, approximately one week BEFORE E3, the kind, beautiful, generous folks at Atlus have let the Persona 5 bomb drop.
Good news: We have a Persona 5 release date!
Bad news: It isn't releasing until Valentine's Day, 2017.
Good news: There is a Premium Edition!
Bad news: It is PS4 exclusive.
I woke up, checked my email as usual, and found an email from the Atlus Faithful Newsletter letting me know that...Persona 5 is ready to order???? And no, it wasn't a hoax.
Persona 5 will be releasing for both PS4 AND PS3, albeit with some differences. The PS3 version will be a barebones release in a regular PS3 box, $49.99. The PS4 version will have a variety of options. Pre-orders and limited amounts of day-one purchases will come in a Steelbook case. That's the "barebones" version, and will cost $59.99. The PS4 is also getting a premium limited "Take Your Heart" edition that costs $89.99, but is stuffed with goodies. It comes with: a soundtrack CD, a hardcover art book, Steelbook game case, a plushie of the game's mascot Morgana, a life-size replica of the school bag the characters use (!), and a collectible box to keep them all in. That's...a pretty substantial amount of goodies for the price tag. Pre-orders are live at Amazon!
So...uh...I...pre-ordered the limited edition. And now I need to buy a PS4. But that's okay! I have 8 months to do it, and Black Friday sales usually have it for $300.
....don't plan on hearing from me that week in February, guys. Or maybe the rest of February.
Good news: We have a Persona 5 release date!
Bad news: It isn't releasing until Valentine's Day, 2017.
Good news: There is a Premium Edition!
Bad news: It is PS4 exclusive.
I woke up, checked my email as usual, and found an email from the Atlus Faithful Newsletter letting me know that...Persona 5 is ready to order???? And no, it wasn't a hoax.
Persona 5 will be releasing for both PS4 AND PS3, albeit with some differences. The PS3 version will be a barebones release in a regular PS3 box, $49.99. The PS4 version will have a variety of options. Pre-orders and limited amounts of day-one purchases will come in a Steelbook case. That's the "barebones" version, and will cost $59.99. The PS4 is also getting a premium limited "Take Your Heart" edition that costs $89.99, but is stuffed with goodies. It comes with: a soundtrack CD, a hardcover art book, Steelbook game case, a plushie of the game's mascot Morgana, a life-size replica of the school bag the characters use (!), and a collectible box to keep them all in. That's...a pretty substantial amount of goodies for the price tag. Pre-orders are live at Amazon!
So...uh...I...pre-ordered the limited edition. And now I need to buy a PS4. But that's okay! I have 8 months to do it, and Black Friday sales usually have it for $300.
....don't plan on hearing from me that week in February, guys. Or maybe the rest of February.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Odds and sods
It's Monday; another work week has begun. But your chipper blogger like no other is here with bits of news to brighten your week! Welcome to the Hobby Haven. :)
We're starting to get info on the San Diego Comic Con exclusive toys! Ever After High's exclusive is a really out-there version of our dear Cedar Wood. Remember the scene in Pinocchio where our intrepid hero ends up with donkey ears? It's something like that. Cedar looks more like a puppet than ever here, and is tied via strings to a golden control bar. Her skin has much more noticeable "wood grain" texture, and her mouth looks just like a puppet's. It's actually kind of freaky, LOL. But her dress is insanely detailed, with shows that have cuckoo clocks built into the heels! There are pictures up on the Ever After High Dolls fan page on Facebook, so check them out!
And there are TWO Monster High exclusives, and they look AMAZING! First is a two-pack with your favorite robot and mine, Robecca Steam, together with her inventor father/creator, Hexicah Steam. Robecca is shiny, shiny bronze, and has super blue hair and a top hat. She looks amazing. And even better is the second exclusive: Ghostbusters Frankie Stein. I am serious. Frankie's got the suit, the proton pack, and a mini Slimer. I don't like her face, which uses the newer mold, but since I'll never be able to get these (no way to go to SDCC, and the dolls always seem to end up on eBay for $200), it doesn't really matter.
DC Super Hero Girls has an exclusive, but not enough info has been released yet. Stay tuned!
Can't quite remember if I mentioned this earlier or not, but the first set of Sailor Moon Crystal is now available for pre-order at Right Stuf! The Limited Edition contains the first season of Crystal on DVD and BD, and comes with some very nice goodies: a chipboard box, a mini art book, and art cards. If you also order the LE from Right Stuf, you can get a retailer-exclusive suncatcher (while supplies last, as always). The product art for everything in this set is lovely; very ornate and lush and beautiful, and I urge you to at least check out some pictures if you're interested in Sailor Moon. (I think Viz got enough feedback from fans that they have started making the packaging nicer. I mean, it IS a limited edition.) The LE is available for $63, and the "regular edition" retails for $55. (So it's not that much of a price jump.) Viz is apparently focusing on getting Crystal out this year, and is going to release Sailor Moon S after that. According to their twitter account, they're looking at the feedback from the first two seasons' home video release. So this could mean anything! Hopefully better video quality. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, though. (And honestly, this gives me a bit of time to buy other stuff that I'm missing first!)
Well, that's all for now. Miss Scarlett, signing out!
We're starting to get info on the San Diego Comic Con exclusive toys! Ever After High's exclusive is a really out-there version of our dear Cedar Wood. Remember the scene in Pinocchio where our intrepid hero ends up with donkey ears? It's something like that. Cedar looks more like a puppet than ever here, and is tied via strings to a golden control bar. Her skin has much more noticeable "wood grain" texture, and her mouth looks just like a puppet's. It's actually kind of freaky, LOL. But her dress is insanely detailed, with shows that have cuckoo clocks built into the heels! There are pictures up on the Ever After High Dolls fan page on Facebook, so check them out!
And there are TWO Monster High exclusives, and they look AMAZING! First is a two-pack with your favorite robot and mine, Robecca Steam, together with her inventor father/creator, Hexicah Steam. Robecca is shiny, shiny bronze, and has super blue hair and a top hat. She looks amazing. And even better is the second exclusive: Ghostbusters Frankie Stein. I am serious. Frankie's got the suit, the proton pack, and a mini Slimer. I don't like her face, which uses the newer mold, but since I'll never be able to get these (no way to go to SDCC, and the dolls always seem to end up on eBay for $200), it doesn't really matter.
DC Super Hero Girls has an exclusive, but not enough info has been released yet. Stay tuned!
Can't quite remember if I mentioned this earlier or not, but the first set of Sailor Moon Crystal is now available for pre-order at Right Stuf! The Limited Edition contains the first season of Crystal on DVD and BD, and comes with some very nice goodies: a chipboard box, a mini art book, and art cards. If you also order the LE from Right Stuf, you can get a retailer-exclusive suncatcher (while supplies last, as always). The product art for everything in this set is lovely; very ornate and lush and beautiful, and I urge you to at least check out some pictures if you're interested in Sailor Moon. (I think Viz got enough feedback from fans that they have started making the packaging nicer. I mean, it IS a limited edition.) The LE is available for $63, and the "regular edition" retails for $55. (So it's not that much of a price jump.) Viz is apparently focusing on getting Crystal out this year, and is going to release Sailor Moon S after that. According to their twitter account, they're looking at the feedback from the first two seasons' home video release. So this could mean anything! Hopefully better video quality. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, though. (And honestly, this gives me a bit of time to buy other stuff that I'm missing first!)
Well, that's all for now. Miss Scarlett, signing out!
Friday, June 3, 2016
Miss Scarlett Cooks! Fruit Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing
Hello, everyone! Summer is here and I've brought you a super easy and refreshing recipe to keep you cool. I'll admit that this is one of the shortest recipes I'll ever give you, but work with me here. This is great for potlucks, picnics, outdoor suppers, you name it! The recipe is waiting for you after the jump.
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