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Swooning Over Puchi Chara! Sailor Moon Figures

February 8, 2014, 4:55 am
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Combine my recent discovery of the wonderful world of figures with the resurgence of Sailor Moon merchandise to coincide with the upcoming anime and you've got a deadly combination. While I've been pretty good about not giving into temptation so far, my mom inadvertently added fuel to my addiction when she preordered a set of six Puchi Chara! Sailor Moon figures for me over the holidays. 


Jlist has finally started sending out those preorders, and I was beyond thrilled to receive mine in the mail on Friday. Since I never buy this sort of thing, I had no idea what to expect... Sets come with six random figures, and the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Max have two different designs each, making for a possibility of 12 different figures to get. According to the box, some lucky people even get Luna and Artemis figures! But what would be in store for me?


Really, they're all adorable, so I wasn't really worried about getting one over the other, but I have to say Tuxedo Mask without his mask is pretty high on my "want" list.


I suppose it goes without saying to expect lots of gratuitous photos in this post...


It also goes without saying that I made sure to keep the box in pristine condition! It's too cute to just throw away. 


Here you can see the six individual boxes the set comes with. You can generally buy singles of these kind of random boxed toys in shops in Japan, but (crazy) fans like me will preorder a whole set in order to try and collect them all. 


More adorable packaging... Note the 20th anniversary Sailor Moon logo at the bottom left of the box. There's also a little note saying that the figures themselves are each 60 mm tall. 


I was pretty surprised to find out that the figures have a couple of joints in them, allowing for some minor pose changes. You can alter the angle of the head and twist the legs around a bit. Oh, and these toys are for children ages 15 and up, so it looks like I'm safe. 

But what about the figures themselves? Opening each box is a real treat since you have no idea what's going to be inside. I won't hold you all in suspense any longer – I actually got one of each of the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask, which means I have a complete set. No doubles! Plus, my Sailor Moon came with Luna and Sailor Venus came with Artemis. I don't know if that means that I'm super lucky or that each box of six is guaranteed to come with one of each of the characters, but since I was prepared to get at least one double, I was definitely impressed. I'd love to know what others got, though! 

Sailor Moon type A with Luna
The figures themselves are very nice quality – they have a good weight to them and the sculpts look really great considering how small they are. Each character came in at least three parts: head, torso, and legs, which needed to be assembled after opening. While I didn't expect this, it gives an added flexibility to how they're displayed, allowing for some minor changes in the angle of the head, etc. 


What I don't like about the Puchi Chara! Sailor Moon series, however, is the pegs that connect the figures to their stands. They're made out of extremely cheap, flimsy plastic, and I actually managed to break two of them while trying to set them all up (technically, I broke one and my father-in-law broke another, but that's a long and boring story). If you look closely at the picture above, you should be able to see a crack near where the peg connects to the bottom of Venus's base. I was able to glue it and bring it back to a functional state, but I don't think it's unfair of me to say that I was really disappointed in the quality of the stands compared to the quality of the figures. 

Now that I've learned from my mistakes, though, I do have a suggestion to anyone who has bought or is planning on buying the Puchi Chara! figurine series: be sure to assemble the figure and connect it to the peg before attaching the peg to the stand. Then, after the peg has been secured in the stand, adjust the position of the figure on the stand by moving the figure around, not the peg itself. When I broke the peg, it was because I tried to adjust the angle of the peg from where it attached to the stand. Don't make the same mistake! Let me tell you, it's no fun at all to break a toy you've literally just opened. 

Sailor Jupiter type A
Aside from the peg issue, I'm really happy with these figures. I'm even happier now that I've got them all assembled and looking great. Sailor Jupiter here is the other figure whose peg got broken, but you really can't tell, right? Right?!

Sailor Venus type B with Artemis
Sailor Venus could maybe use a little adjusting, but I wanted to make sure the glue on her peg had completely dried before fiddling around with her positioning. Still, I'm happy that you can't see that something was broken from the front. 

Sailor Mars type A
If you look really closely, you can see each character has their symbol etched into their base. It's a really neat touch! 

Sailor Mercury type B
Sailor Mercury is probably my favorite of the inner scouts, and I'm really happy I got her B version! She looks super adorable in that pose with both her eyes closed. 

Tuxedo Mask type A
Tuxedo Mask is actually the figure with the most detail in the collection. Both his cloak and his hat are removable, and he even gets a rose to hold (though it's not removable). 

Tuxedo sans hat
I have to say, I wasn't sure how much I'd like little figure like these, but the whole experience of opening the boxes and not knowing what I was going to get combined with the great quality of the figures themselves overall has me totally in love with this set. So in love, in fact, that I've... gone and preordered the Outer Senshi set! 

I must not be the only one in love with the Puchi Chara! Sailor Moon series, as they're already reissuing them. Preorders are open now, with a scheduled release sometime in June. If you're interested in purchasing the Puchi Chara! Sailor Moon six piece set for yourself, you can do so at Jlist, Play-Asia, or Ami Ami! I can personally vouch for each of them, but if you order form Jlist or Play-Asia, I'll get a small commission which all goes toward supporting content on this site.


Finally, I hope you liked this "Swooning Over" post – I've been trying to find a way to showcase a few odds and ends I've picked up in recent months without "reviewing" them per say, and I think this will be a good fit. There should be more in the near future, but in the meantime please do let me know what you think! 
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Chic Pixel's Best of Wonder Festival 2014: Good Smile Company

February 14, 2014, 5:14 am
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Forgive the double figure-related posts, but if you haven't noticed already, I may be a little obsessed! And you know what's the worst event for a new figure fan? Wonder Festival. Wonder Festival, or WonFes for short, is a bi-annual event for Japanese figure companies to show off their latest sculpts and announce exciting new additions to their catalogue. It's a great chance to see what everyone is working on, but it's not so great for your wallet!

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm not particularly interested in non-posable figures, so for the purposes of this post, I'm going to focus on newly-announced and upcoming posable figures from the company I'm most interested in as a new fan, Good Smile Company.



Of course, the figure I'm most excited for right now is the 2014 Snow Miku Nendoroid! The more I see of her, the more I can't wait to get my hands on one! As you can see in the first image, she comes with her own storage book that also doubles as a display stand. Her bunny familiar, magical wand, and witch's cap are all so adorable! I also love that she comes with a mini stack of books. Note the details in the second picture, such as the snowflakes in her pupils and the quaint design on her dress! Amazing.


Perhaps the most exciting announcement of the day was Sakura Kinomoto (Card Captor Sakura) Nendoroid! Apparently this figure has been in the works for a while, but this is our first time seeing it, and I have to say I can't wait to see her other facial expressions and additional parts. It's a little unfortunate that she appears to be holding that Clow Card with her middle finger, though!


Next up is Aoba Seragaki and his AllMate (familiar), Ren, of the boys' love game DRAMAtical Murder. To my knowledge, this is the first character from a BL to get a Nendoroid, so needless to say I'm extremely excited. I think his colorful character design will translate really well to Nendoroid form, and I can't wait to see the painted sculpt! I hope he sells well enough to encourage more male Nendoroids, perhaps even other DRAMAtical Murder characters.


Other exciting Nendoroid announcements include some more game-related figures: Solid Snake (Snaaake!!), Wind Waker Link, and Rina Ozawa (Touch Detective), who comes with her own Funghi! While they all look like they're going to be pretty awesome, I don't think I'll end up getting any of them unless GSC comes out with some really stellar accessories. I imagine Snake, in particular, though, would be a lot of fun to pose!


While Nendoroids are easy for me to swoon over, I'm not as quick to jump on the more "realistic" figmas. The above Snow Miku, however, is too cute to resist. I love the gradient on her hair, and the adorable snowman statue (he's even holding a microphone!). Other Miku-related figures that caught my eye include this year's racing Miku design and this adorable schoolgirl Miku figma (the same design is also getting a Nendoroid).

One thing's for sure: after seeing Good Smile Company's offerings at the first Wonder Festival of the year, I know I'm going to need to hold on tight to my wallet if I want it to make it through 2014 in one piece! What about you? Have any of these figures caught your fancy, or do you think I'm completely nuts?

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Dating Sim Community Game-Along Roundup #1

February 18, 2014, 4:59 am
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When I decided February's Community Game-Along should be all about romance and dating sims, I had absolutely no idea whether it would be as big a hit as January's Falcom theme. Imagine my surprise when it quickly turned out to be vastly more popular than its predecessor! The combination of some friends in high places helping me get the word out more and what I assume to be the gaming community's skeptical fascination with dating sims in general has really helped lots of folks jump into the genre over the past couple weeks. And honestly, that's all I ever wanted to achieve with these Community Game-Alongs, so I'm really glad to see people enjoying them!
First of all, I need to give a massive shout out to my buddy Elliot Gay, who was kind enough to start a Dating Sim Month thread on NeoGAF! Since I'm still only a junior member (what can I say, I never post!), I'm not able to make threads of my own, so I would've never been able to have one without his help! It's a great place to interact with other participants if you prefer doing so in a forum setting. While folks seemed really excited to join in when it was first announced, things have slowed down significantly in the past week or so, so I hope that doesn't mean interest is waning...

The Dating Sim Community Game-Along was also picked up by Chic Pixel friend and prolific writer Pete Davison. He's been dedicating his weekly JPGamer column over at USGamer.net to dating sims, which has done wonders for getting the word out about some niche titles available in English, as well as this event in general! His first installment focuses on Aselia: The Eternal and comes with a great introduction to the term "dating sim" and all the nuances that surround it. Aselia: The Eternal is unique in that it combines RPG battles and traditional romance visual novel gameplay, making it a more interactive experience than many other dating sims currently available in English. The second game he covers, Magical Diary, however, is an otome game by a western developer, which is something we haven't seen many participants tackle so far.
"Magical Diary really highlights one of the best things about dating sims and relationship-centric visual novels: the fact that the relative lack of other 'gameplay,' for want of a better term, allows developers and writers to focus on exploring characters in an extremely in-depth manner, both as individuals and as parts of a relationship."– Pete Davison, JPGamer: Dating Sim Month: Magical Diary 
I believe this is the first time we've had video submissions, as well – Tobiichi Karlsson has done a series of Let's Play videos of the Japanese PSone game Magical Date! She chronicles the entire playthough in four videos, which are definitely worth a watch just to see all the weird mini-games.
But that's not the end of the dating sim video content – Pete dives head on into the Love Plus fan translation, and put his adventures up on YouTube for all to see.

Marcus over at Pixel Pacas also did a news piece about this little shindig. Thanks, Marcus!

Falcom Month contributor Davzz returns with a very interesting niche pick, Mujintō Monogatari R for the Sega Saturn! This bishojō game finds the male player character stranded on a tropical island with, you guessed it, a bunch of cute high school girls. The game is unique in that it actually has you managing your party members and scraping to survive by scrounging for food and attempting to be rescued while at the same time trying to woo the ladies. What is even more interesting, as Davzz notes, is that the game actually had male romance routes in the original PC version, but they were removed for the Saturn port. It's very rare to find a bishojō game with male suitors!

Kamion over at Gaoism decided to join in the fun, and her first game for the month is an odd little otome title called Otometeki Koi Kakumei★Love Revo!. The whacky and rather offensive game's premise revolves around, if you can believe it, losing weight to get the guy of your dreams. I actually have a copy of this on the PS2, and am considering popping it in for this month's festivities... if I can stomach it!
While I had a rather bad track record during Falcom Month (just organizing is a lot of work, you know!), I've already made my first submission to Dating Sim Month in the form of a podcast with the lovely Amanda Cosmos! Be sure to give it a listen if you are at all interested in dating sims aimed at a female audience. In a related piece, Amanda gives a great introduction to otome games, starting with the origins of the genre, on her own blog. It's definitely worth checking out if you're new to the genre!

Finally, Kerry Brunskill, aka Kimimi, wrote a very interesting piece for Push Square regarding her feelings playing Mōjūtsukai to Ōjisama and how nice it felt to be catered towards as a female gamer for once. I definitely would like to see more posts like this that explore how playing dating sims (and romance sims, visual novels, etc. etc.) make people feel!
"As someone’s who’s trained herself to sharp-elbow her way into a hobby that can be unwelcoming and in some cases downright threatening to anyone that’s not part of the perceived ‘norm’, it’s a strangely novel feeling to come across a series that’s actively pursuing me as a consumer."– Kerry Brunskill, Soapbox: How a Niche PS Vita Exclusive Made Me Feel Wanted
As always, I'm sorry I can't include every tweet or forum post! If I've missed your article, though, please let me know and I'll be sure to include it in the next one. For future Community Game-Alongs, I may stick to a bi-monthly roundup schedule, as keeping to weekly roundups proved a little too tall of an order for me. But if you have a preference, please let me know so I can consider it for next month! Also, it may seem early, but I'm already starting to think about next month's theme, so feel free to shoot me any theme ideas. But I'm getting ahead of myself – let's be sure to end Dating Sim Month with a bang!
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Introducing the Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Community Game-Along!

February 26, 2014, 1:16 am
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As another month comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about next month's Community Game-Along! March is a bit of a toughie, considering some big releases are coming such as Dark Souls II, Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD, and Deception IV: Blood Ties (okay, that last one's for me). As such, it was rather difficult to come up with a good theme that people could participate in while still having time to play all the exciting new releases.


After much deliberation and considering your suggestions, I've decided to dub March... MonMonth! As you've probably already guessed from the title, March will be dedicated to all things Monster Hunter and its clones. Let's face it, Monster Hunter has proved to be so popular, particularly in Japan, that it has pretty much become its own genre of games. Rather than limit the month to specifically Monster Hunter games, especially considering how notoriously difficult the series is for newcomers, I've decided the best way to celebrate would be with any Monster Hunter-like titles. And did you know March 11th also happens to be the 10th anniversary of the original Monster Hunter for the PlayStation 2? Good timing, eh? (I swear it was all according to plan)

If you're scratching your head for ideas of what to play, here are a few places to get started:

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate(3DS, Wii U) – The most obvious pick, Monster Hunter 3U is the latest Monster Hunter game to come out in English, and the Wii U version even supports online play for hunting with friends all over the world. Whether you're new to the series or looking to raise your hunter rank a few levels, this is a great place to start. Those who speak Japanese and/or want to be on the cutting edge should definitely check out Monster Hunter 4, as it's the first portable Monster Hunter game to have solid online connectivity. If you've always wanted to try a Monster Hunter game but have always been too intimidated to dive in, I highly suggest picking up Culty's Monster Hunter Beginner's Guide!
Don't forget to check out MyFairHunter.com for some great gameplay videos and tips!
(source)
Toukiden: The Age of Demons (PS Vita) – If you want to be on the cutting edge of the English release side of the gaming spectrum, look no further than Toukiden. This feudal Japanese monster hunting game only just came out on February 11th and has been met with a very positive reception so far. If Monster Hunter is too intimidating, this would be a great place to start, especially considering the online multiplayer should still be bustling throughout March. It's also worth noting that the game has a robust demo available, and save data transfers over to the full version, so it's a great way to check the game out before committing to a purchase.


Soul Sacrifice (PS Vita) – Soul Sacrifice is Keiji Inafune's attempt to get a piece of the Monster Hunter pie, but it manages to set itself apart in a number of ways. The game's aesthetic is much darker than its hunting brethren, and it has both a unique magic system and a save vs. sacrifice mechanic that effects your character's growth as well as appearance. Like Toukiden, Soul Sacrifice has a free demo available that provides a good 5+ hours of gameplay, and save data is compatible with the full version of the game. If you're lucky and have a PS+ account, you may even already have a copy of this one! In addition, the game's sequel, Soul Sacrifice Delta, will be launching in Japan during MonMonth, making a it a timely release to pick up if you want the latest and greatest.

Ragnarok Odyssey(PS Vita) – Without a doubt, Ragnarok Odyssey is the anime-ified cousin of the Monster Hunter series. While Toukiden is steeped in Japanese lore and Soul Sacrifice goes for a dark, almost gruesome look, Ragnarok Odyssey is all about bright, colorful, fantasy anime worlds. It also happens to be on sale on the North American PSN store until Monday, March 3rd, so for $20 or less you too could jump in on the MonMonth festivities. The only thing to keep in mind with this one is that an updated version, Ragnarok Odyssey ACE, will be coming out on April 1st, but luckily save data from Ragnarok Odyssey does transfer over to ACE. Fans of colorful games and juggling enemies may want to check this one out.


The great thing about Monster Hunter games and their brethren is that you really don't have to "complete" them to get the full experience, which is why I think they'll be great for such a busy gaming month. This will also be the first month where participants can actually play the Game-Along titles with one another, which should make it even more fun than previous Community Game-Alongs!

As always, the aim of the Game-Along is to play games within the theme and talk/write about them, so be sure to utilize #MonMonth on whatever social media (Twitter, Instagram) you like to use! We'll also be using #MonMonth to organize multiplayer gaming sessions, and I hope to see a lot of folks trying out some games for the first time and writing about their experiences! If anyone is interested in helping me with a NeoGAF thread for the month, please get in touch with me in the comments.

So what are you waiting for? Pick out a title or two and get ready – the hunt commences March 1st!
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Japan Envy: Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Goods

March 3, 2014, 4:57 am
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Considering Monster Hunter is one of the biggest game franchises in Japan, it should come as no surprise that Capcom would want to celebrate the series'10th anniversary this month with some special collaborations! It just so happens that I also picked the month of March to do a Monster Hunter Community Game-Along, so what better time to drool over some exclusive Japan-only Monster Hunter goodies? 

 

Of course, the biggest 10th anniversary event is, without a doubt, the Monster Hunter the REAL installation at Universal Studios Japan, which features "life"-size versions of the iconic monsters from the series. If you're lucky enough to be in Osaka from February 1st to May 11th, then you may privy to some of these cool/adorable sights: 

A dapper, life-size Felyne! 
Such a detailed costume! 
Tigrex covered in snow! 
Of course, they've also got a tasty-looking Felyne treat: 

Felyne nikuman (steamed meat bun)!
There will also be a variety of limited edition goods that only those who attend the event at USJ will be able to purchase, such as a backpack designed to look like Monster Hunter 4's new insect rod, Felyne chocolates, and an adorable Felyne statue. You can view all the items in the collection at the official website! 

Perhaps even more interesting than the limited Universal Studios Japan items, though, are the Monster Hunter-themed food products that will be gracing the shelves of regular convenience stores. Check these out: 



First are these Monster Hunter-themed Bikkuriman Chocolates! Not only do the packages have a great design, but they come with one of 24 different Monster Hunter stickers for devout fans to collect. The chocolates go on sale on March 25th, and I know I'd love to get my hands on a couple!



Next are a whole slew of special Dodekamin Great energy drinks! The contents aren't any different than usual, but there are certainly tons of designs to collect! I'm definitely partial to the Felyne designs, of which they are four – one side features a cartoon-y illustration, while the other a more "realistic" Felyne. The 10 game designs below, however, feature a different monster to celebrate each different game released over the series' 10 year history! Pretty cool, but that's a lot of Dodekamin Great to drink if you want to collect one of each design! These drinks will be debuting on March 18th. 


There are many more collaborative items I haven't even begun to cover, like these Monster Hunter gummies, so if you like to torture yourself by looking at things that will never be available outside of Japan like me, head on over to the official Monster Hunter 10th anniversary website! 

I should probably start planning my trips to Japan around these sorts of events... 
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Japan Envy: 2014 Spring Good Smile Kuji Merchandise

March 5, 2014, 11:34 pm
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I don't know about you, but my jealousy towards Japan comes in waves. During certain months it seems as though there's practically nothing swoon-worthy in the way of limited or exclusive merchandise that makes me curse the day I chose to move to Australia over Japan, while other seasons make it impossible to ignore all of the awesome-looking collaborations and campaigns. This is probably related more to how often I seek out such things than the actual frequency of which they occur, but this year there seems to be something special about spring...

Now that I've finally had my "Miku fan" switch turned on, I have the potential to be exposed to approximately 150% more adorable campaigns and tie-in merchandise than ever before, which, as you can probably imagine, is great for me, but horrible for my wallet. Today I'd like to talk about one such recurring event that I only became aware of recently: the Good Smile Kuji. 


You may recall that Good Smile Company does a lot of figures and are well-known for their Nendoroid and figma lines. In addition, they make countless character goods, and twice a year they hold a "kuji," or lottery, for Vocaloid fans to try their hand at winning a number of adorable items, including some exclusive figures. This spring's lottery starts on Saturday, March 8th at 6 pm at Family Mart and Tsutaya stores around Japan, and is chock full with awesome looking prizes: 

Graphic ABS figures – 6 designs
Vinyl bag and charm set – 4 types 
Rice bowl set – 4 types 
The first and greatest thing about the Good Smile Kuji that you need to know is that you'll win a prize for every ticket you buy. For a mere 762 yen plus tax (approximately $8), participants are guaranteed one of these items! Purchasing a ticket gives you the chance to stick your hand in a box and pull out a slip of paper that will have the a letter from A to H written on it. These letters correspond with which prize you'll get! For letters like the ones pictured above, you'll only be able to choose one design out of all of the available options per ticket. 

Design tote bags – 2 types
Family Mart designs pictures on left, Tsutaya on right
Tulip piggy bank – Rin-chan version and Ren-kun version
(2 types)
Nap set (neck pillow and eye mask)
Here are the next three prizes, thus concluding the "less exciting" tier of items. I would say "less rare" because I assume they will be much more common than the limited edition figures coming up, but I have absolutely no idea what the win ratio for any of these might be. I'm going to assume the graphic ABS figures (H) will be the most common since there are so many of them – that way people will at least be able to pick different designs when they get duplicates. 



It's interesting to note that the design tote bags (E) are the only ones that will be different depending on whether you go to Family Mart (a convenience store) or Tsutaya (a film/music/game rental store). Based on the designs shown, which store would you head to? 

Hatsune Miku school uniform version figma
Hatsune Miku school uniform version Nendoroid

Now for the big ticket items! (I'm not going to apologize for that expertly-played pun) Considering the A prize is the Nendoroid and not the figma, I'm going to guess that that's the rarest item. They're both pretty adorable, don't you think? Though Hatsune Miku has been made into numerous figmas and Nendoroids, the various details such as her glasses and headphones make these two pretty unique. But that's not all... 

Hatsune Miku school uniform special color version Nendoroid

One lucky person at each store will win this alternate Hatsune Miku school uniform version Nendoroid! To get your hands on one, you have to be the very last person to purchase a lottery ticket at a participating Family Marts or Tsutaya. Which do you prefer, this or the regular color? 


Finally, those who purchase 5 tickets will be entered into what I suppose is considered the real "lottery." The prize is a special tapestry illustrated by KEI, which will be given to only 390 people in the whole country. I suppose it's safe to guess that it will feature school uniform Miku in some form, too? The below image by KEI is the inspiration behind the school uniform Miku line and is also being used to promote the kuji event as well as the Miku Loves Family Mart 3rd Campaign: Fun Spring Music Festival (wow that's a mouthful), so I bet we'll be seeing a variation of the same illustration on the tapestry, too.  


I have to say, if I were to enter this lottery, I'd actually be pretty happy with any of the items! My least favorites are the graphic ABS figure and the nap set, but they're not exactly bad, and I'd be pretty stoked to win any of the other prizes. If I had to pick a "must-have," it would definitely be the rice bowls, tote bags, and, of course, the Nendoroid. She even comes with a little piano! 

Sadly, the likelihood that I'll ever get my hands on most of these items is probably pretty slim. Luckily for folks like me, though, many resellers will be pawning off the Good Smile Kuji merchandise in the upcoming weeks, months, and even years! But be careful – the figures, in particular, will go for insane prices at first, but they should settle down to something more reasonable in the upcoming months. I wonder if I'll still be pining away over the school uniform Miku by then! 


Bonus: It's only vaguely related, but this illustration and logo for the Family Mart x Hatsune Miku Menu Development Project kills me: 

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Dating Sim Community Game-Along Roundup #2

March 11, 2014, 4:40 am
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We're well into the Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Community Game-Along, but there's still some content from last month's dating sim event to catch up on! Interest did seem to drop off towards the second half of the month, both in the NeoGAF thread and content produced, but there are still plenty of articles worth sharing. I contributed a dating sim-themed podcast featuring Amanda Cosmos earlier in the month, so be sure to give that a listen if you haven't already!


First, Pete Davison continued his dating sim game picks for his weekly column JPgamer at USGamer with Kira Kiraand Go! Go! Nippon. Kira Kira is a character-driven visual novel that Pete describes as a "good, accessible example of how games like this can tackle some significant narrative challenges and tell a compelling, convincing and believable story about some very normal characters" that also happens to have some romance themes. Go! Go! Nippon, on the other hand, is both a dating sim and an interactive guide to Japan, and even offers text in both English in Japanese for language learners. The game was recently made available on Steam, making it one of the more accessible titles covered for Dating Sim Month, and sounds like a great choice for a heterosexual otaku (or, at least, someone who doesn't mind playing a game clearly aimed at the heterosexual otaku demographic) looking to brush up on their knowledge of Japan.


Meanwhile, Bryan over at The Gay Gamer has been chronicling his journey through Sweet Fuse: At Your Side, culminating with his Great Gaymation review of the 2013 PSP otome game. Sweet Fuse is usually the first otome game I recommend to folks interested in trying out the genre, so I was very interested to hear how it stacked up for him. Overall, his impressions are very positive, but he does lament that the romance visual novel staple of choosing the correct options in order to get the romance desired is more obtuse than it should be. If you're at all interested in giving the game a try, his review is definitely worth checking out!


Patrick over at Nintendo Everything wrote a brilliant, insightful piece about LovePlus, that notorious "hella heteronormative 'girlfriend simulator'" for the Nintendo DS (note to self: make opportunities to use the phrase "hella heteronormative" more often). Not only does he describe the game's systems in great depth, but he talks at length at exactly how the game goes about creating an interactive romance simulation, concluding, "if the game has the potential to make players approach actual relationships with more care and respect, I think that’s a really positive thing." Even if you're not interested in playing LovePlus, Patrick's article is a must read, as it touches on themes that are applicable to all games in the genre.

Finally, Brian Clark tries his hand at his very first dating sim: Sakura Taisen! While the first few chapters dragged on for him, he claims that the game's overall polished presentation and combination of simulation and SRPG elements were what managed to hook him in the end. Unfortunately the game is only available in Japanese, but Brian's article does a great job of providing a nice overview of the game for those who want to know more but aren't planning on springing for a copy.


I'd like to give a huge thanks to everyone who participated in the Dating Sim Community Game-Along during the month of February! The month may be over, but that doesn't mean you should stop seeking out and playing these awesome dating sims! Hopefully this and the first roundup post will provide some good suggestions for future games to add to your library. And if you're looking to continue with the Game-Along fun, be sure to join in on this month's Monster Hunter Game-Along!
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Chic Pixel Plus Episode 16 – Three Denpa Men and One Bad Segueway Away

March 13, 2014, 5:35 pm
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Chic Pixel Plus is back after a month absence with everyone's favorite man in Japan, Elliot Gay! We've been keeping ourselves busy, so there's plenty to talk about. Two and a half hours of things to talk about, in fact!


Elliot lives to tell the tale of his encounter with the 5 meter Attack on Titan burger, watches the Persona 3 movie, and plays Puyo Puyo Tetris and Toushin Toshi. I slowly turn into Hatsune Miku, play Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 and Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, and watch The Wind Rises. We also talk about a whole slew of interesting news including our favorite announcements from Bit Summit, have a weird tangent on meat and potatoes, and answer a bunch of listener questions!

Note: Once again, I got the episode number wrong during recording! This is definitely episode 16, not 17. Sorry about that!

Elliot's Persona 3 movie article: http://www.japanator.com/impressions-persona-3-the-movie-1-spring-of-birth-31587.phtml
Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Community Game-Along info: http://www.chic-pixel.com/2014/02/introducing-monster-hunter-10th.html

Opening ♫ - Monokuma-Sensei's Lesson – Masafumi Takada
Closing ♫ - Burn My Dread -Spring of Birth ver.- – Shōji Meguro



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Japan Envy: Avalanche of Pokémon Battle Trozei Merchandise

March 16, 2014, 9:11 pm
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Whether you call it Pokémon Battle Trozei or Pokémon Link: Battle!, there's no denying that the eShop-exclusive match three game's announcement back in February came as a bit of a surprise. The game's sudden announcement and its subsequent release in all territories just a month later left this Pokémon-obsessed gal assuming that Pokémon Battle Trozei would be left to die much like poor Pokémon Rumble U. But low and behold, the Japanese release of the game has brought an onslaught of exclusive merchandise, including not one, but two 3DS XLs!


The first item revealed was this lovely white limited edition 3DS XL. It won't be available at retail, though - it's a prize for a contest only available to memebers of the Pokémon Daisuki club. If you happen to be a member, you need to watch three videos between March 28th and April 18th and send in your guess of how many different Pokémon icons appear at the end of the videos to be entered in the drawing. There will only be two winners, but 30 runners up will get a cute set of two sticker sheets, which will also be going on sale at the end of April.


A second Pokémon Battle Trozei 3DS XL was revealed in the Japanese children's magazine Coro Coro, but this one will also be extremely limited - only five readers who send in entries will be selected to win the lottery. In the bottom right corner of the above image it says there are only 5 of these 3DS's in the world, so it's probably safe to say we won't be seeing them elsewhere.

In slightly more accessible Pokémon Battle Trozei merchandise news, Pokémon Centers across Japan are holding a lottery for a slew of adorable limited edition merchandise until April 6th. Anyone who has a copy of the game downloaded on their 3DS will automatically get one prize, and after that subsequent entries cost 3,000 yen, or $30. Just like the Hatsune Miku lottery event I covered a few days ago, everyone is guaranteed a prize with every entry. Let's take a look at what's available to win:


The "lowest" tier of items are Pokémon Battle Trozei postcards, of which there are five designs. Those who draw number 4 will be able to pick one of the five. 


The number 3 prize consists of three different sticker sheets, of which the winner can choose one.


The number 2 prize will win participants one of three different pencil cases. I wouldn't be able to decide between the first two!


The number 4 prize is this adorable mug - winners can choose either the white or the yellow design. I don't normally like yellow very much, but I think I prefer that one, personally.


Finally, the "special" prize, which I'm assuming is the most rare, is this very cool 65 cm by 45 cm pillow.

Unlike the Hatsune Miku lottery, the price of entry to this lottery is pretty high, but it's great that they give people who download the game a free go. While once probably isn't enough to win the pillow or mug, I wouldn't mind a free postcard or sticker sheet, personally!

Unfortunately, the chances of any of us outside of Japan getting our hands on any Pokémon Battle Trozei merchandise is quite slim. Here's hoping Nintendo decides to do at least a little something for the North American release on the 20th!
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Apricotsushi Reviews: OyatsuBox

March 24, 2014, 4:52 am
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I'm a huge fan of Japanese snacks, but the sad fact is that it's extremely difficult to find anything outside of the occasional box of Pocky here in Australia. Luckily, the internet has made it easier than ever to get my hands on all of my favorite Japanese treats, and a number of subscription services have even sprung up for Japanese snack enthusiasts around the globe. OyatsuBox is the first of such that I've tried, and I have to say, I might be hooked!


The folks at Oyatsu Cafe, a great website that sells all sorts of Japanese food, recently launched the OyatsuBox service, sends out a package of random Japanese snacks to subscribers on the first of every month. They were kind enough to send me March's box, which arrived on March 14th, exactly 2 weeks after it was shipped. I decided to use this opportunity to film my first unboxing video – give it a watch to see my first impressions as I open the box!


A subscription costs $25 a month, which includes shipping anywhere in the world, and their official site guarantees 7 to 15 different snacks each month. If March's box is any indication, they provide quite a varied and interesting selection. Though the shipping may be a little on the slow side, by not using the fastest option around they are able to pack even more snacks into the box while keeping it affordable, so I'm definitely not complaining!


The information sheet included with each box is also a very nice touch so that you know exactly what you're getting, even if you don't speak Japanese. It also includes transcriptions of each snack's name so you can search for them on Oyatsu Cafe's website if you find yourself craving more! 

I won't be discussing the actual taste of the individual snacks in this review, but look forward to an upcoming episode of Apricotsushi Samples where I try everything in the March OyatsuBox! For now, let's take a closer look at all the goodies in this month's box:


Now this container isn't shy about advertising what flavor snack it contains: it says "kimchi" in huge red letters right on the front! If you're not familiar, kimchi is spicy pickled cabbage originating in Korea, but it is also very popular in Japan. It has even made its way into Japanese ramen – hence these kimchi ramen bits, which are meant to be eaten raw. I've recently become quite a fan of kimchi, so I'm very excited to try these!


Next up are two different types of ramune (Japanese soda)-flavored candies. On the left are Coris whistle candies, which are a very classic Japanese candy that I've had the pleasure of trying before when I was in Japan. If you put your lips around the outside of the Lifesaver-shaped candy and blow through the hole, they whistle! The little box contains a random toy, too.

On the right are Morinaga pineapple ramune candies. I love how the package is shaped like a traditional ramune bottle! I don't think I've ever had pineapple ramune before, so I'm very interested to see what these taste like.


Now this interesting, tongue-like snack had me a little perplexed at first until I realized it was meant to look like grilled eel! According to the OyatsuBox pamphlet, it's made out of dried code and and has a grilled eel flavor. It's also a common snack found all over Japan, so I'm rather surprised I've never tried it! I'm not a huge grilled eel fan, so that might be why...


This candy, on the other hand, is one I immediately wanted to try! I'm a huge mochi (sweet rice cake) fan, so it's been really tough keeping myself from eating this Yaokin chocolate-covered mochi pie all up before filming the Apricotsushi Samples video! I just love the cute illustration of a pink rabbit pounding mochi on the wrapper. The rabbit pounding mochi is an iconic symbol in Japan (and Korea, I've recently learned), as instead of seeing a man in the moon like us westerners, the Japanese see a rabbit pounding mochi!


These Umaibo snacks are a colorful, iconic Japanese treat that I'm embarassed to say I've never tried, so I'm definitely happy to finally have to chance! OyatsuBox introduced subscribers to Umaibo last month, and is including two new flavors this month – tonkatsu (blue) and takoyaki (red). I love how they keep track of what they've sent and send thoughtful "follow-ups" in subsequent months.


Next is another item I was excited to try from the moment I saw it. For those of you familiar with the fruit, it's clear from the packaging that this candy is lychee flavored, but more specifically, it's salted lychee-flavored gum! How intriguing! I imagine the idea of pairing salt and fruit might scare away some, but I'm already a fan of salted watermelon, so I'm definitely excited at the prospect of salted lychee. Unfortunately I don't really eat a lot of gum, but I'm still interested to try this one out.


Here's another popular Japanese candy – the good old Crunky bar. It's basically just a chocolate bar with malt crunch bits inside, much like a Crunch bar. In this case, however, this Crunky bar is matcha, or green tea, flavored, which should make it a refreshing treat!


Now this traditional snack is called Dondon-yaki, named after the regional cuisine that is popular in the Tohoku region. Regular dondon-yaki is okonomiyaki that is wrapped around a stick, and this snack supposedly replicates the experience. I believe the images on the package are referencing the New Year's fire festival of a similar sounding-name to the snack, Dondo Yaki, but if anyone else has a better idea, please let me know! It could very well just be a generic festival scene since dondon-yaki is a popular festival food, but I like the fact that it may be a play on the festival's name, as well. I've never had real dondon-yaki, so I won't be able to speak to how authentic this snack is, but I'll give it a shot none the less.


Here's yet another snack based on a traditional Japanese food! This one's called Guruguru Monja, which is a snack version of monja-yaki, or simply monja. Monja is another food I've not had the pleasure to try, but Google tells me it is very similar to okonomiyaki, but with a runnier batter and finer-chopped ingredients. This snack appears to be instant monja, as you add water much like you would to instant ramen noodles. I love the little kid on the package!


This Wata Pachi melon soda candy had the craziest packaging out of the whole bunch, so I just had to save it for last! I just love the crazy frog thing and all the little guys running around on the package. For those familiar with Pop Rocks, this Wata Pachi is very similar, except it mixes the popping rock candy with cotton candy for what I can only imagine is a very interesting combination.


I just couldn't resist the opportunity to add a close-up of the funny characters on the package. Are they supposed to be anthropomorphic glasses of melon soda? Whatever they are, they're adorable!


If this isn't an impressive array of snacks and candy, I don't know what is! The OyatsuBox subscription service is a great deal for so many goodies at only $25, and they even offer the ability to cancel your subscription at any time. I had a peek at Yummy Unchi's review of February's OyatsuBox, and I do have to note that it's a shame they didn't include any character snacks or "limited edition" goodies like they did last month. I know Family Mart is currently doing a Hatsune Miku campaign that includes some specially-packaged items such as Look chocolate, so it would be nice to see them include at least one item like that every month. This is a small quibble, however, as overall I am absolutely thrilled with the selection of snacks I received! If you're a Japanese snack fan, I definitely suggest giving OyatsuBox a try!


Note: OyatsuBox sent me a sample box for the purpose of this review. I am also an Oyatsu Cafe affiliate, but that did not influence my impression of their service or this review in any way. If you'd like to support more articles like this on Chic Pixel, please consider purchasing your Japanese snacks using my affiliate links! 
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Chic Pixel Plus Episode 17 – The Vocaloidisode

March 27, 2014, 9:48 pm
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In honour of Hatsune Miku Project Diva f 2nd coming out in English later this year, my Nichiest Podcast Ever co-host, prolific games writer, and pro podcaster shidoshi joins me to discuss all things Vocaloid! Okay, we recorded this episode way before Sega dropped the Project Diva f 2nd bombshell this week, but it's perfect timing, wouldn't you say?

First, however, we have to go over some news, and we manage to delve into a rather lengthy discussion of otome games because it wouldn't be an episode of Chic Pixel Plus without at least a little otoge talk! But if you've always wanted to know what the big deal is about Vocaloids, you've come to the right place! We cover everything from their origins to live concerts in LA, so be sure to stick around after the news if you want to learn more about the Vocaloid phenomenon.

shidoshi's best of Megurine Luka playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-6MIC0cgNRztTwBAY9KV6Nu6Lu-mM-dV
my favorite Vocaloid songs playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuUfAMsT1dl3bCjd26WCWDHV5bJcO2Y_A

Opening ♫ - levan Polkka Hatsune Miku cover ver. – Otomania
Closing ♫ - ???



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Announcing the Atlus Community Game-Along

March 30, 2014, 4:37 pm
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I'm having so much fun with MonMonth that I almost don't want to announce the next Community Game-Along, but the show must go on! For April, I've decided to go back to a game developer/publisher, and this time we'll be focusing on Atlus! Atlus has a huge backlog of quality games, including some of the most well-regarded JRPG series around, so there should be plenty of great games to choose from! April is a particularly great time to celebrate Atlus as the company's 28th anniversary is on the 7th, and they will be releasing Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars in English on April 15th!


As always, all you need to do to participate in the month's Community Game-Along is play a game that fits the theme and talk about your experiences using #AtlusApril! Blog posts, podcasts, or anything else where there is discussion of the theme is welcome, and I will round up all of the content created in at least one post for others to check out by the end of the month (if we're lucky and get a lot of participants, I'll do more than one). In the case of Atlus April, I think it would be most interesting to play games developed by Atlus themselves, but if you find that too limiting, there's nothing wrong with choosing a game published by Atlus, as well.

While most of the games that fit this month's theme will inevitably be RPGs, here are a few suggestions of titles to check out:

The Persona series– The Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series is without a doubt Atlus' biggest franchise to date, with the third and forth games spawning both game spinoffs and animated adaptations in Japan. If you're looking to jump in to Persona for the first time, Persona 4 Golden for the PS Vita is a great place to start, as it is considered the most polished game in the series. Other options include Persona 3 Portable (PSP), Persona 3: FES (PS2, PSN), or the fighting game Persona 4 Arena (PS3, Xbox 360). If you want to go back to the very beginning, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is available on PSN, as well.


The Shin Megami Tensei series– Shin Megami Tensei is a little more confusing, as technically nearly all of Atlus' RPGs fall under the Shin Megami Tensei umbrella. Even Persona! But SMT fans are finally able to experience the one that started it all officially in English on iOS, so that's a great place to start if you really want the retro Atlus experience. While not a "mainline"Shin Megami Tensei game, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army is coming to PSN next week, just in time for Atlus month! The game features real-time battles, so if you're looking for something different than your standard RPG, that may be an interesting option.

Perhaps the best mainline SMT game suggestion would be the last year's Shin Megami Tensei IV for the Nintendo 3DS. Since none of the games are directly connected to one another, you'll be fine picking up this entry even with no prior experience with the series. Don't forget, there are also the Devil Survivor titles, too! (Nintendo DS and 3DS)



The Battle B-Daman series –  I don't profess to assume that this would be on anyone's "best of Atlus" list, but for those of you who think you've played everything, here's a goofy little series you may have missed. Both of the Battle B-Daman spinning top battle games (think Yu-Gi-Oh or Beyblade but with magical tops) are available brand new on Amazon for less than $10 each, which is quite the feat considering that they're Game Boy Advance games, so if you're looking for something quirky and cheap to pick up for Atlus April, these might be your games!

The Trauma Center series– For those that don't want to play a massive, 100 hour RPG, Trauma Center may be more your speed this April. The notoriously difficult surgeon simulation games will still give you a run for your money, but at least you won't be looking at countless menus and stats. You can get versions of the games for both the Nintendo DS and Wii, but the most recent entry in the series is Trauma Team for the Wii. When are we going to get a new instalment for the 3DS or Wii U, Atlus?!

Catherine (PS3, Xbox 360) – Catherine is an extremely unique game that combines Q*bert-style puzzle games with a surprisingly mature story about a man who finds himself torn between two women and is quickly loosing his grip on reality. This game received great critical acclaim when it came out in 2011, and would be a great pick for Atlus April if you've never had the chance to play it!

Honourable mentions: The Etrian Odyssey series (DS and 3DS), Radiant Historia (DS), Princess Crown (Sega Saturn and PSP, Japanese only).

If you have an questions/suggestions about the Community Game-Along, be sure to leave them in this post! I think I'm finally going to buckle down and start Persona 4 Golden...
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Swooning Over the Monster Hunter 4 Bible and Lagombi Hunter Nendoroid

April 3, 2014, 2:20 am
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Anyone who's following me on Twitter is probably well aware that I've gotten in a little, how should I put it, deep into Monster Hunter over the past couple of weeks (I blame MonMonth!). Just how deep, exactly? Well, I ordered this: 


While there are countless in-depth Wikis and guides to Monster Hunter 4 online, I couldn't help but want a physical book that I could refer to for weapon upgrades, monster battling strategies, and, of course, sweet screenshots of all the armour and gear in the game. I was very impressed by the Animal Crossing: New Leaf guide I was gifted a while back, so I figured why not spring for another awesome, comprehensive Japanese game guide?


The full title, by the way, is the Monster Hunter 4 Official Guide Book by Famitsu. I'm told it's the most comprehensive guide available, and it was just released in January of this year. The back cover is simple, yet they manage to pack in quite a bit of info on the obi (extra flap of paper that folds around the bottom)!


The book also comes with these two quick guides for "easy" reference when out in the field, I guess. I've already used the map with gathering point locations a couple of times. Inside the front jacket is a list of key quests, as well. Handy!


And when you take off the slip jacket... an adorable Felyne illustration is revealed! All of the outfits they're wearing are armour sets you can get for your Felyne companions in the game.


The book itself is actually a whopping 1,380 pages, which makes it more than twice as big as my Animal Crossing: New Leaf book! The pages are much thinner, though, so size-wise it's not significantly bigger.


If you buy this book looking for lots of pretty pictures, you're probably going to be sorely disappointed. There are literally pages and pages of stats like the one above! This just shows some weapon upgrade trees and their stats, along with the items required to craft them. Page numbers are provided so it's not hard at all to flip through and find where the items can be obtained.


The chapters, luckily, are broken up with some nice images such as the one above. It's just too bad there aren't more than them! Oh well, I shouldn't have expected an art book.


Ok, I'm going to complain a little bit more (don't worry, I really do love the book!): I wish they had better pictures of the monsters, too! But once again, I can tell they're trying to fit as much information as they possibly can into the book. I love how they detail all of the monster's different attack patterns and how you should fight them. Perfect for the diagram lovers out there!


Now this is a little more exciting for those who don't just want to look at numbers and kanji: armor sets! I always have to check to see how a set looks here before I craft it, because who wants to go into battle donning an ugly set of armour?


And finally, my favourite section – the Felyne armour! I just love checking out all the different outfits! One of my Felyne sidekicks is wearing the Yian Kut-Ku fursuit on the top left corner of the right page. Cute!

I can tell I'm going to be using this book for quite a long time, especially since I've already clocked more than 70 hours into Monster Hunter 4! If you'd like to get your hands on one, they can be ordered for only $23 at CD Japan and other online retailers.


Another Monster Hunter-related item I received just the other day is something I preordered way back last year... the Female Hunter: Lagombi Edition! The Lagombi armour set is undoubtedly my favourite set so far, so as soon as she was announced I scrambled to place a preorder.


I forgot she actually comes with two weapons – a gunlance and a hammer! Since my main weapon is a hammer, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by this revelation. She looks so much like my own character in the game!


Before I get to the real good stuff, I just wanted to note that I think it's a very nice touch that Good Smile Company added a winter mountain scene for the background. It's separate from the box, so you could potentially use it as a backdrop yourself.


Here's what she looks like just out of the box. I absolutely love that they included a Felyne companion along with the two different weapons. I'm not as happy about her facial expressions... It would have been nice if she got one more, or at least something different from her blank main expression and her tearful freaked out face.

The red things are called "action parts" and are supposed to help you simulate battle scenes. I assume one is supposed to be used with the hammer and the other with the gunlance, but I can't help but think they're extremely similar and I could've probably done with just one. Oh well!


And here she is all set up on my shelf with her Felyne companion! I still think her outfit is the best thing about her, but it's a cute Nendoroid all in all. I'll be posting a video review shortly, so be sure to check that out when it goes up on my YouTube channel if you'd like to see more!

You can order the Lagombi Hunter Nendoroid at Jlist, CD Japan, and Ami Ami.
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Apricotsushi Reviews: Candy Japan

April 7, 2014, 11:05 pm
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I've always been a little wary of subscription services due to the cost and lack of control over the items one receives, but reviewing my first Japanese snack subscription service, OyatsuBox, a couple of weeks ago has completely changed my mind. As it turns out, it's pretty hard to go wrong with Japanese snacks if you're as big a fan of them as I am! 

Mister Donut now has cronuts! Why are Japanese sweets always so amazing?
After realizing how great a Japanese snack subscription service could be, I really wanted to see how others stacked up. Luckily, the lovely folks at Candy Japan were kind enough to send me a review packet of one of their candy shipments for March. Candy Japan is the same price as OyatsuBox, with a monthly rate of $25 that includes shipping anywhere in the world, but they differ in that they offer not one, but two shipments of candy per month! 

Unfortunately, I was not able to take a picture of the envelope that the items came in due to it getting ruined in a storm (which was totally not Candy Japan's fault, I have a bad mailbox and it just happened to get rained on), but after seeing the items I received, it should be clear that the envelopes aren't all that small! Candy Japan's website specifies that recipients should expect 2-6 candies per month between the two envelopes. They also send a newsletter out a few days after the shipment has been mailed to give some background information on the items. I love how helpful and detailed it is, but if you like the surprise of opening a box and not knowing what's inside, you'll have to be careful not to open the email until after you've received your candy!  


The first item in their 2nd March shipment was an Anpanman chocolate lollipop. It's too adorable! So adorable, in fact, that we need to see it from another angle...


The flavor of the chocolate wasn't anything special, but it was still a tasty and cute treat! I could have sworn I tasted a hint of strawberry in the pink chocolate, but I couldn't see any mention of strawberry in the packaging, so I may have been imagining things... 

I was slightly disappointed that the March OyatsuBox shipment didn't have any "character" snacks, so it was great to see Anpanman candy come from Candy Japan! 


Now this Kracie Popin' Cookin' Kuru kuru takoyaki kit was quite the pleasant surprise! I know these kits are really popular and hard to find overseas, so it was really great to see it included. 


Ok, the back of the packet isn't all that interesting, but it does provide instructions on how to make this takoyaki candy snack. I can't wait to try it out! I'll be filming an Apricotsushi Samples video for this one, so keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, you can watch Candy Japan's how-to video if you're curious to see what it looks like. I think it's great that they included a video in their newsletter showing how to make this kit for those who can't read the instructions.


The last item in the envelope was this bag of sakura mochi Chiroru (aka Tirol) chocolates! The last time I had Chiroru chocolates I was kind of so-so on them, but I am 100% on board anything with mochi in it! I'm not the biggest fan of sakura-flavored things, but if it's mild, it can be very nice. 


But I have to say, I just love these little chocolates! When you bite into them, they have a small amount of mochi in the center. Yum! The sakura flavor was definitely there, making them really unique, but it wasn't strong enough to turn me off. I even had my husband try one, and he gives them a thumbs up, too!

I really enjoyed how fun and varied the items in this Candy Japan shipment were. I suppose if you're not a huge chocolate fan, you might not be as happy with two out of three candies being chocolate-based, but I'm sure Candy Japan has put that into consideration and will follow up with more non-chocolate items in a future envelope.

via Candy Japan

Before I close out this review, I wanted to mention that I found this great 2013 Year in Review post on Candy Japan's website when I was poking around for some information on the company. It's an interesting read for anyone who wants to know more about the inner workings of any kind of subscription service, and I love how transparent the founder Bemmu is with his progress and thought processes. This coupled with his newsletters help give the feeling of a friend sending you some cool Japanese snacks, rather than an impersonal company, which I really appreciate.

If you like the idea of getting two small packages instead of one large one to space out the fun throughout the month, Candy Japan is the perfect Japanese candy subscription service. Their selection of items seems to be really top-notch, though they may be choosing quality over quantity, as some other comparable services may yield a few more candies each month for the same price. They also seem to focus more on candy rather than savory snacks, so if you don't want only sweet items, I might suggest OyatsuBox instead. While you can't go wrong with either service, Candy Japan stands out for their really unique selection of candies and friendly, personalized interactions.
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Have your cake, and men too, in Tokimeki Restaurant

April 10, 2014, 5:41 am
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While there's been a constant stream of otome games, both free and paid, coming out on smartphones in recent years, I've never been drawn to very many of them. My iPhone 4's small screen does not lend itself well to long stints of reading, and one of my favorite aspects of otome games, the voice acting, is often completely absent in smartphone games. But now one game has finally caught my attention... over a year after I originally downloaded it onto my phone!


Tokimeki Restaurant certainly comes from a good pedigree, as it falls into the famous Tokimeki Memorial dating sim series by Konami, specifically the Girls' Side line that is, as the name suggests, aimed at a female audience. But what makes Tokimeki Restaurant different from the official Girls' Side titles that came before it is that it forgoes traditional romance simulation gameplay in favor of restaurant management to get the guy (or, in this case, guys).


The basic premise of Tokimeki Restaurant is that you've landed a job at a cafe that just happens to near a famous talent agency. As such, all the gorgeous idols from the talent agency, specifically the members of two idol groups, stop by the cafe from time to time. Since you act as all but the official owner of said cafe, you can purchase new decor, change the layout, and, of course, decide what food to serve.

Welcome to my little establishment, the busy bee cafe! 
Since Tokimeki Restaurant is a free game with in-app purchases, a familiar stamina gauge rears it ugly head to keep those of us who don't want to pay from playing constantly. All food costs stamina to prepare, with the more labor-intensive dishes requiring a bigger chunk of stamina. You'll need to prepare each dish a certain number of times to level it up, which will often unlock new recipes to try.

I feel a little like the witch in Hansel and Gretel...
Of course, all of this is done to lure in unsuspecting men for you to engage with. It's a strange concept – Tokimeki Restaurant isn't quite a Dinner Dash clone, nor is it a traditional otome game since you're never going down any single character "path" unless you deliberately choose to play that way (and even then, it's very difficult to only romance one guy at a time). Rather, you're simply trying to make your restaurant the best it can be and checking out as many hot guys as frequently as you can in the process!


Because of this, there really isn't much romance per say, and in its absence are quaint little scenes with one or more of the characters that unlock after certain requirements are fulfilled. For example, right now I'm trying to raise my restaurant's proficiency in meat dishes because my one true love Kento has a real "steak tooth," as it were. After five scenes with a character have been unlocked, there will be the opportunity for a thoroughly embarrassing "skinship" scene, which is basically a minigame where you can poke and prod the men to elicit a range of amusing responses. This harkens back to the original Tokimeki Memorial Girls' Side games, but it's really the only thing in the game that is reminiscent of the original series.

Needless to say, I've found myself completely enamoured with this game, but I think it's more for the food than the men! Everything is strangely cute and appetizing at the same time, and since it is free, it's a great guilty pleasure for those few spare moments when I'm caught with nothing else to do (or, more frequently, when I'm multitasking). As it turns out, there were even a couple of pages on the game in the latest issue of B's Log – a clear indication that even over a year later, the game still has many, many fans. The constant new events and merchandise can't hurt, either...





As you can see, there are all sorts of different events, which usually are accomplished by cooking x amount of a certain food. Since I'm all about the deliciously-rendered food items, here are a couple close-ups:

Hina matsuri (girl's day) treats! 

Special sweets for that special someone
I'm not sure how long I'll actually stay with Tokimeki Restaurant due to its highly repetitive nature, but it certainly is adorable and could easily be something I pick up on occasion just to see what new events are going on. Though the game is only available in Japanese, it's easy to make a Japanese iTunes account or download the APK to play the game on Android devices, so don't let that stop you!

If you do intend to check the game out but aren't confident in your Japanese, I highly recommend using these two guides over at NattoPudding!
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Interview: HamletMachine on the Starfighter Visual Novel Kickstarter

April 14, 2014, 4:58 am
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Time and time again it's been said that women are not a viable market for comic books or video games. Of course, both you and I know that's simply not true, dear reader, but if you're at all like me, you still like to celebrate the times that statement is refuted. And, while the Starfighter: Eclipse Kickstarter isn't explicitly aimed at a female audience, I'm going count it raising over $110,000 at the time of this post (with 11 days left to go!) as one big win for the ladies. 


The Starfighter: Eclipse Kickstarter is helmed by none other than HamletMachine, creator of the original gay erotic sci-fi webcomic Starfighter. If you're not familiar with it, I highly suggest checking it out, but be warned, it's most definitely of the over-18 variety. The comic began in 2008 and has gained a devoted following due to its wonderful fusion of sci-fi drama, sexual tension, and of course, beautiful art. 

As a long-time fan of the series, the announcement of a Starfighter Kickstarter had me at the letter "s," but the niche video game fan in me rejoiced to hear that it would be a visual novel, to boot! While details are being purposefully kept vague, it's clear that Starfighter: Eclipse will be a separate story from the comic, featuring new characters while maintaining the series' original cast. There will alsobe romanceable characters and the same steamy action the comic is known for, making this perhaps the closest to a boys' love visual novel we've ever seen officially in English. But enough about what I have to say on the subject – HamletMachine was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the project, so let's hear what she has to say! 


First, congratulations on the successful funding of the Starfighter: Eclipse Kickstarter! What made you decide to turn your popular webcomic into a visual novel?

Thank you! I think Starfighter's set-up really compliments the visual novel format as far as the comic's focus on character interaction.. it's something I had been thinking on for some time now as I have been making the comic.

You've recently announced that chapter 4 is the last chapter of Starfighter. Do you view the game as a way for fans to get to stay in that world a little longer?

Oh yes, this is a whole game full of new Starfighter content, so hopefully this will be a nice big EU fanfic for everyone to enjoy.

Why did you choose to create Starfighter: Eclipse using Date Nighto's VNengine instead of a more traditional visual novel software such as Ren'Py?

It was really important to me that the game be easily accessible to players and Date Nighto's htmlVN was the perfect solution to deployment details we were considering when we were conceiving our vision for the game!

(there's a great article on Date Nighto and the Starfighter Kickstarter over at Polygon if you're interested in learning more!)


It's clear from your webcomic that homosexual romance is a big theme. Are you inspired by yaoi/BL? Is there a reason you chose not to call Starfighter: Eclipse a "yaoi" VN?

Yes, I am very influenced by these genres; I love the combination of drama, emotional focus, and sexual content. While the Starfighter comic is in many ways a nod to these genres, I hope it's also a bit of a personal departure from it as well. Starfighter: Eclipse isn't directly referred to as yaoi for a few reasons, but also to avoid confusion – "yaoi" is still very much a niche term and not everyone knows what it means, saying something like, "male romance" is more clear about what the game is about!

While you mention in the Kickstarter description that there will be an emphasis on character interaction, there isn't any indication of how many characters will be "pursuable." Are you envisioning multiple endings and romantic possibilities, or is there a specific story you would like to tell?

Oh yes, there is a specific story to tell in Eclipse! I am envisioning multiple endings for different characters but I'm afraid I don't want to spoil too much of the story! You can expect to interact with some of the familiar faces of the Starfighter comic plus some new ones.

Thanks again to HamletMachine for taking the time to chat with me, and a huge congratulations to all involved in the Kickstarter project! I am absolutely thrilled that a project like this is seeing such overwhelming success, and hopefully as a result we'll continue to see more varied game (and comic) endeavours with female interests in mind popping up in Kickstarter or elsewhere. 

But you certainly don't have to be a lady to enjoy Starfighter: Eclipse! If the project sounds up your alley, be sure to read the comic and back the Kickstarter before it closes on the 25th! 
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Chic Pixel Plus Episode 18 – Mentally Stable Game Localization

April 17, 2014, 7:05 am
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Have you ever wondered, "How can I be as kawaii as Ben Bateman?" Well, today's your lucky day, as the man himself (@benspants) agreed to join me on this little podcast shindig to answer that very question! We even talk about game localization and what it means to be a localization editor, along with Ben's experiences working at Aksys Games, too. In addition to revealing his origins in film (gasp!), Ben agrees to go under the magnifying glass for an onslaught of Twitter questions. If you've ever wanted to know what it's like being in the game localization business, you don't want to miss this one!


After a podcast-length discussion on all things Ben, we then turn to what anime we've been watching (it's a 2.5 hour recording, folks!). Shows discussed include Hunter x Hunter, Chihayafuru, Kill La Kill, and Space Dandy, and Ben also weighs in on Miyazaki's The Wind Rises for good measure.

Note: My audio goes a bit weird around the 50 min mark. Luckily, I was able to fix it, so if it really bothers you just skip a couple of minutes ahead! Sorry about that!

Opening ♫ - Sōkyū no Hikari – Faylan
Closing ♫ - Karuta reading



[DOWNLOAD] [ITUNES] [RSS]
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Swooning Over Video Game Nendoroids

April 21, 2014, 11:08 pm
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Good Smile Company sure knows how to hook me. Since I've sworn not to buy figures for series I'm not a fan of, they just went ahead and announced a bunch of figures for series I'm really into! Not just any series, too – GSC is bringing out a surprising number of video game-related Nendoroids over the next few months, and I'm going to have to be extra careful with my wallet if I want to make it past August with any change left over...


If the general internet's reaction is anything to go by, Nendoroid Link: Wind Waker version is probably the most wanted of all the recent announcements. I'm going to break a few hearts by admitting that though he's adorable, I probably won't be purchasing him since I'm not a huge Zelda fan, and none of his posing options really grab me (let's face it, I'm just making excuses for the sake of my wallet). I love the heart piece accessory, though!


Link's currently available to preorder on Good Smile Company's website, Play Asia, Jlist, and Ami Ami and will be releasing this August. Nintendo fans might also want to check out the Luigi Nendoroid coming out in June, too!


Unfortunately, Rin Ozawa Nendoroid is going to be a little harder to resist! The Touch Detective star comes with her very own Funghi companion, of course, and her design translates really well into Nendoroid form! She looks like she came straight out of the game! Just look at all these posing options:


Rin will be getting an official preview on the Good Smile Company blog on April 30th, where we'll hopefully be seeing more accessories aside from the Funghi. Preorders for the Nendoroid open on May 1st, coinciding with the release of Touch Detective 3 for the 3DS! In the meantime, there are many more photos of Rin, along with a fun promotional video, over at the official Japanese Funghi site.


Now here's the figure that really has me swooning – Aoba from the 18+ BL visual novel Dramatical Murder! His sculpt was first shown at Wonder Festival earlier this year, but they've finally unveiled the color version, and I have to say, he looks amazing! Between him and Gilgamesh, it's really great to see more varied male Nendoroids.


Is it hot in here or is it just me? I can't believe they included a shirtless torso part! If you compare the two photos, you can see that he also has the option to have his headphones on his head or around his neck. What a nice touch! I love the blushing face, too – it'll make him really fun to pose with other Dramatical Murder Nendoroids, if Good Smile Company ever does more. With an anime adaptation coming soon, it's a distinct possibility that they will!


By the way, today is also Aoba's birthday! What better way to celebrate than by preordering the Nendoroid from Ami Ami or Good Smile Company's store? Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until August/September for him to come out, though. I think the fact that most stores don't require payment until the items are in stock is a cruel ploy to get us all to spend more money than we should be on adorable figures!
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Announcing the Metroidvania Community Game-Along

April 29, 2014, 5:56 am
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April is finally coming to a close, signalling the end of the Atlus Community Game-Along. It was a tough month - participation saw a bit of a lull, perhaps due to the extremely long nature of Atlus games, or maybe Atlus not being as appealing a theme as I anticipated. But no matter! The monthly Community Game-Alongs appear to still be a hit, so onward and upward, I say!

When choosing a theme, I always try to gravitate toward more under-appreciated games and genres. Classic adventure games like Metroid and Castlevania are by no means niche, but the two series are closely connected, and have subsequently spawned a subgenre of non-linear 2D action-adventure games often referred to as "Metroidvania." Since there are quite a lot of games in this subgenre that haven't received a lot of publicity, I thought now would be as good a time as any to check them out! 


Metroidvania is actually a subset of games that I'm not very familiar with. The most I've ever played of anything that could really be called "Metroidvania" is a couple hours of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow! As such, I've consulted a few very good websites for information on what constitutes a Metroidvania game, and what games fall under that umbrella. If you're similarly not sure where to start, I highly suggest checking out VG Museum's Metroidvania List. USGamer also has a great article on their top 10 Metroidvania games. While I'm sure we could sit and ponder what constitutes a Metroidvania game and what doesn't all day, just as in months past, I'm going to leave it up to you to make the final call as to whether x game counts for this month's game-along. The most important part is to have fun, after all! But if you're really stumped as to what to play, here are a few suggestions: 


Tomba! (PSN) – Tomba! is rather notorious among collectors due to the original western PSone release having a very hefty price tag (think $100+ for a complete copy), which would normally mean there would be no way I'd recommend anyone try picking it up. The folks at MonkeyPaw Games, however, have brought over both the first game and its sequel to PSN, allowing anyone with a PSP, PS3, or Vita to pick up the games for less than $10 a pop. The only catch is that the second one is only available in the original Japanese, but many would argue it's worth it!


Muramasa Rebirth (Vita) – Muramasa Rebirth is the recent Vita update of the Wii Vanillaware title, which of course is still a valid option for this month's game-along, but the Vita version is universally considered to be the superior of the two. Those who like feudal Japanese settings and folklore would do well to check this one out, as it features Vanillaware's trademark aesthetic polish and pizzaz. The game is still getting (paid) DLC updates with new content, and it also happens to be going on sale on North American PSN this week, as well!


Aliens: Infestation (Nintendo DS) – I hesitate to highlight a game that isn't on "current" consoles, but since the 3DS is backwards compatible and this game can still be found relativelycheaply, I'm going to go ahead and include it. For those lamenting the lack of good Aliens games, look no further than this hidden gem from WayForward that manages to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the original films through its Metroidvania-style gameplay and use of permadeath. It may be worth a look for those who still feel burned after Aliens: Colonel Marines and need something Aliens-related before Alien: Isolation comes out later this year.


La-Mulana (Wiiware, PC) – First, stew on the game's official genre for a moment: "Archaeological Ruin Exploration Action Game." Doesn't that sound exciting? Now, if you consider yourself the hardest of the hardcore, La-Mulana should be at the top of your list. The game looks and sounds like a MSX game and stays true to its retro roots by being both nail-bitingly difficult and featuring some extremely convoluted puzzles. I'd go so far as to say this is considered one of the most shining examples of a Metroidvania game in recent years!

Honorable mentions: The low-hanging fruit that is any Metroid or Castlevania game pick, Shadow Complex (Xbox 360), the Shantae series, Wonder Boy in Monster World (WiiWare, PSN), and Aquaria (PC/Mac). As always, there are many more possibilities than the ones I've listed here!


To participate in the Metroidvania Community Game-Along, simply play a game that falls within the theme of the month and share your experiences on your favorite social platform using #MetroidvaniaMay. There's also a NeoGAF thread to chat with other participants in, if that's your thing. I highly encourage long form writing on blogs and websites, or even YouTube videos or podcasts on the subject! Anything is game! If you'd like to submit something for me to include in my roundup post (which will definitely come, I've been slack getting up past months' posts, but they're on their way), be sure to comment here with a link to your creation or use the hashtag so I can find it.

As for me, I'm in a pickle. I have a surprising number of games that fall into the Metroidvania genre, but I've never quite been able to get into them for some reason. My backlog consists of La-Mulana, Wonder Boy in Monster World, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Alice in Wonderland (DS 2010, and yes, apparently that counts). I'm also very interested in picking up Muramasa Rebirth while it's on sale on PSN, and I've never actually managed to finish Tomba!. What do you think I should start with? Argue your case in the comments!

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Cardcaptor Sakura is Back with Anime Collection and Nendoroid Releases

May 1, 2014, 2:24 am
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2014 is turning out to be an amazing year for fans of 90's magical girl anime! While the new Sailor Moon anime debuting worldwide July 5th is already more than we asked for, NIS America had a surprise announcement that they will be releasing none other than a complete collection of the Cardcaptor Sakura anime on August 5th. The anime has been out of print in North America since 2006, making it especially great news for fans who haven't been able to get hold of the DVDs.

The collection will be available in three 4-disc DVD sets priced at $59.99 each, but the real highlight is the Premium Edition Blu-ray set pictured above. The set not only comes with the complete 70 episode anime, but a 76-page full color artbook, as well. The set will be available at most retailers, with the cheapest preorder option right now being Right Stuf at $178.99. NIS America is also offering the set on their online store for $199.99 and the standard bundle for $133.97. Both include this exclusive tear-resistant poster:

Both versions of the anime will also include Japanese and English audio, which is always good for those who like to have the option. I don't buy much anime these days, but I'm a little surprised that the Blu-ray set isn't available without the artbook, as $200+ is rather steep, even for hardcore fans. I also hate to admit it, but I'm really not a fan of the box art on this set – I much prefer the design on the Madman release here in Australia:



And yes, this means that Cardcaptor Sakura is already readily available on DVD here in Australia! The series was broken into two sets and released in 2012, but unfortunately there's no sign of us getting the Blu-rays anytime soon. But though I definitely have an appreciation for Cardcaptor Sakura, I didn't watch it religiously as a child like I did Sailor Moon, so I'm not chafing at the bit to own the complete series, especially not at $200. Rather, I look upon it fondly as yet another amazing magical girl series.

In related Cardcaptor Sakura anime news, Discotek Media will be re-releasing the first anime film on September 30th, followed by a Blu-ray release later in the year.


Of course, this wouldn't be a topical Chic Pixel post without a reference to a figure of some kind, right? (It's a coincidence, I swear!) While not quite as recent news, the Sakura Nendoroid was finally fully revealed a few days ago, and you bet I registered my preorder as soon as they were available! While I may not be a hardcore Cardcaptor Sakura fan, there's no way I'd pass up something this adorable.


All of a sudden, 2014 is just a big a year for Cardcaptor Sakura as it is for Sailor Moon! I'm not complaining, but it's very surprising to see the resurgence of my childhood shojo anime icons. I hope this means that the Sailor Moon anime and films see a Blu-ray release sometime in the near future, as well!
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