Gamertell

Born as the entrepreneurial venture of Jusaburo Shimizu in 1947, Kotobukiya’s began as a single toy store for dolls. Now, Kotobukiya has developed itself to be one of the heavy-hitters when it comes to popular anime/video game/movie figures, busts, statues and model kits that include some big name licenses (Star Wars, Halo, Final Fantasy, Hulk, Dead or Alive and Indiana Jones to name just the tip of the iceberg). Always thriving for quality without exception, Kotobukiya is sharing the love with its English-speaking market by creating a website interface that is easier to navigate and feels very similar to…

MORE »

Start saving up your Christmas cash, because Square Enix is expecting orders in the beginning of January. Square Enix has just announced that three new Final Fantasy VII Play Arts figures will be available in their online store on January 3, 2008. Cloud, Tifa and Aerith are appearing in their FFVII attire, and like most of the other Play Arts figures, they will cost $24.99. Quite convenient, considering a purchase from their store has to be over $23.00 before they’ll consider looking at it and sending it to you.

Now remember to keep in mind that FFVII Play Arts Cloud is not to be confused with FFVII: Advent Children Play Arts Cloud. See, FFVII: AC Cloud has slightly different hair, a tarp over one arm and a marginally cooler sword. He also costs $5 less. Both feature the same apathetic look though, so it evens out a bit. And you can’t go confusing either of those Cloud figures with FFVII: AC Play Arts Cloud and Fenrir, which comes with a motorcycle. Okay, I guess if you remove the motorcycle he’s just plain old FFVII: AC Cloud again.

Read [VGBlogger.com] Also Read [Advent Children.net] Site [Square Enix Store]

• Amazon offers RPG bargain buys in honor of Cyber Monday 2008
• Last Remnant gets first downloadable content
• Square-Enix swears Final Fantasy XIII multi-platform release not a betrayal

I called it.

Weta will, indeed be making high-end Halo 3 collectibles. The announcement that Weta Limited acquired the Halo 3 license was was made at this year’s Comic Con.

As of yet, specifics have not yet been announced though, if the short film is an indication, you can expect to see life-size helmets, weapons and similar scaled-down replicas, er, collectibles. The only information was the announcement and the image to the right ...

MORE »

This is not as much a figure of a character as a glorious, physical recreation of a videogame attack. As weird as it sounds, many of the uber powerful Final Fantasy attacks summon creatures from other realms, resulting in glorious, colorful and often weird visuals.

Part of the Master Creatures 2 collection by Kotobukiya, the Knights of the Round figure is the big daddy attack in Final Fantasy VII (released in 1997 for the PlayStation). From the site:

“Knights of the Round is the “ultimate summon” in Final Fantasy VIII, whereby you get to do some excessive damage with the help of 13 Knights who trounce your opponent with a cuisinart of weapon attacks while you munch on some popcorn. This Knights of the Round figure ... captures that glorious moment of summoning when said Knights have just arrived to do the deed. Youch! Be careful not to ‘zoom in’ too closely with this one as it’s got lots of pointy bits. A wonderfully detailed and fantastic clump of knights swirling out from the ethereal cloak, measuring 7.5 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall.“

Similar to most of the figures in this series, there are only a couple available and they cost $38 each.

Although they keep calling these “figures,“ I really consider them statues since they are more to be displayed than played. Can you imagine one of these fighting a Luke Skywalker action figure?

Product Page [Knights of The Round Figure] Site [Kotobukiya]

EDITOR’S NOTE: J-List feature items not suitable for gamers under the age of 18. As such, we provide links to J-Box, which is suitable for gamers of all ages.

• Gadgetell Roundup:  Top 5 overlooked Black Friday gadgets
• Square-Enix swears Final Fantasy XIII multi-platform release not a betrayal
• Apple App Store gaming update for the week of November 17-23,  2008

From our favorite Japanese import site, J-List/J-Box, comes a figure based on the Fantasy VIII PVC Playstation game. It’s part of the Masters Creatures 2 collection featuring 6 in. tall sculptures which will also include Odin, and Mateus the Corrupt. These aren’t scheduled to be available in the US until September 2007, so you’ll get a jump on all your figure collecting buddies. There are only two in stock, available for $35 each.

MORE »

From our favorite Japanese import site, J-List/J-Box, comes a PVC figure based on the Shining Tears PS2 bishojo RPG. This 1/8 scale figure (as if she was a real person) of sex kitten and ass-kickin’ ninja, Mao (meow!) “Beast Quarter,“ is 8.5 in. tall and priced at $65.

The Mao figure is produced by Eye Scream, which specializes in high-quality collectible figures, usually of anime ladies who tend to wear outfits that show more panty than a Victoria’s Secret catalog.

For those who have not tried a bishojo (aka bishoujo) game…

MORE »

Here’s another PC gaming item from Peter Payne’s site that specializes in all thing Japanese, J-List (and J-Box for the under-18 crowd).

The black 14 Degrees Mouse Pad by Elecom costs only $14 and offers a better angle than the standard wristpad/mousepad combo. The ergonomic wizards in Japan somehow decided that 14 degrees is the optimum angle for positing ...

MORE »

Here’s another gaming item from J-List, Peter Payne’s site that specializes in all thing Japanese (aka J-Box for those under 18).

Think of the Variable 3-button 2.4 GHz Wireless Optical Mouse as the second stage in Transformers taking over computers.

At $85, this mouse by Elecom is not just a novelty purchase but a luxury item that bends to your will and to better fit your hand. It rotates into two positions, flat and angled, making for a

MORE »

J-List (and J-Box for gamers 18 and under), Peter Payne’s site that specializes in all thing Japanese, has posted a few new videogame related items.

For today’s installment, a pair of cute, cuddly and huggable Mario Bros. characters: Donkey Kong Plush Doll and Yoshi Plush Doll.

For $26, you can have your own 9 in. Donkey Kong plush doll to love, hold and toss at the TV when you crash in Mario Kart. Or, for a few bucks less ($15), maybe you’d prefer a 6.5 in. Yoshi…

MORE »

Peter Payne’s site specializing in all thing Japanese, J-List (and J-Box for the under-18 crowd) has another groovy videogame related items.

For today’s installment, a PC USB retro style controller by Elecom called the Red Retro USB Game Pad (JC-U2208TRD ).

Selling on the site for $18, this PC game controller has 8 buttons and is modeled after the Nintendo Famicom (aka. the original, Japanese version of the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES)...

MORE »