
Konami seems to be busy – now they bring Shakugan no Shana to us in figumated form, due for release on the 21st, and available in just about every variety of Shana, as well as side characters (below).
How will this fair against the upcoming nendoroid Shana? At a mere ¥500 each, it may not be a fair comparison, although the finish seems nice enough (actually it seems rather good). Bandage Shana is rare – thank goodness…
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Something of an intriguing premise underlies this latest manga adaptation: まりあ†ほりっく / Mariaholic, by lady mangaka 遠藤海成 / Endou Minari, centres around the oppression of a cross-dressing boy attempting to duplicitously fit himself into life in a convent school by disguising himself as a pupil, whilst surrounded by young ladies of the sort of tastes typical in exclusively female Catholic schools. Also, it has sadistic maids, and probably nuns.
If you’re not familiar with the work, a chapter is reproduced below.
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As part of an initiative to reinvigorate the local economy, the Hokkaido government is set to establish special areas where cannabis can be grown freely, so as to put fallow fields to work and reduce the need to import.
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Some rather impressive art from China, employing an interesting choice of medium: the humble watermelon, carved and decorated into a variety of artful representations, all eminently edible of course.
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This digest of tentacle anime came up, and it is amusing enough to share. Quite a comprehensive selection, both of anime and girls, and of styles of tentacle. I see some of the more unusual starfish headed types, as well as the more usual plain shokushu. There is plenty of non-ero-anime featured, but rather a lot of mainstream anime also features – 3×3 Eyes I knew about, but Nanoha had those kind of scenes?
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The colossal and highly successful グイン・サーガ / Guin Saga series of fantasy novels, by 栗本薫 / Kaoru Kurimoto, now standing at over 120 volumes, will be adapted into an anime airing in the spring of 2009. The announcement was made on the cover (obi) of the just released 122nd volume, though that there was activity in adapting it to anime has been discussed for a few years (three years ago, in fact).
This is sure to be an interesting project, and possibly the start of a major mixed media franchise, although as yet further details are lacking. Via Moonphase.

I am a devoted fan of this illustration, so seeing the latest figure compelled me to post. No wonder Type Moon’s illustrations are so sought after. Also some more puchi nendoroid type images are provided…
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A pair of rather exceptional Idol Master MADs are presented here, one is just released, and the other one I hoarded for some time. Both are excellent.
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Few would deny an original work by Type Moon’s top illustrator 武内崇 / Takashi Takeuchi, of Fate/stay night and Tsukihime fame, to be one capable of commanding a high price, and worth it, but a recent auction in which a single page from a sketchbook, featuring but one rather rough pencil illustration, certainly turned heads when the auction concluded at an impressive ¥456,000.
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A teacher (31) who beat a 9 year-old girl after she left some curry uneaten, and then continued screaming at the girl for an hour and a half, has been subjected to a three month disciplinary suspension, we hear. The girl was so traumatised by the ordeal that she was no longer able to attend the school, and had to transfer.
The reason he gave for his harsh chastisement of the little girl was conservation of water.
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There’s plenty of coverage of Wonder Festival, and a fairly full digest is already published, but not too many sites actually bothered to prepare a delicious cake figure gallery… except one notable site, of course. Also plenty of /d/ type figures. Intrigued?
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