Too many nendoroids...

Nendoroid Nagato Yuki Disappearance Ver. (PVC Figure) Good Smile Company The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Nendoroid



Another beauty on preorder. Is it really a surprise since I loved Shoshitsu so much?

I didn't get the original Nagato nendoroid though so I don't feel very guilty about this one (this will be my first non-trading Haruhi figure). Besides the obvious wardrobe additions, this version seems to differ from the original Nagato nendoroid by having more hair highlights. I hope someone does a side by side comparison.

Princess Waltz: Now with less DRM!

Princess Waltz package ver. DRM removed

This isn't really news-worthy because it is simply a company doing exactly what they promised too. However that seems to be a rarer and rarer thing nowadays.

When Princess Waltz was released (my review here) both the download and packaged edition came with the Software Defender DRM system. This was JAST USA/Peach Princess/G-Collections first release with this system and a departure from their previous policy of selling physical copies without DRM.

I do not dislike Software Defender. It is extremely invisible and does what it is supposed to. Each code gets 5 installs so I can lend/share a game within reasonable limitations (lending/sharing itself is a interesting moral quandary but that's another post). That being said, I certainly don't care for it and would prefer to not have to deal with it. Many people agree with me so part of JAST's new policy was that a patch would be released for packaged editions after a certain length of time (1-2 years) and that would allow people to remove the DRM. Not perfect as you still have to use your serial code to fetch the drm-free patch but still a reasonable compromise.

The first of these patches came out today (for Princess Waltz) and amid smart phone cases on the deepwater horizon, one company kept their promise to their customers. Quiet, simple, accountability. Today I am happy to be an eroge customer.



So go buy it already

Westboro Baptist Church is coming to Comic-Con

The Westboro Church has some stern words for us comic-loving, costuming, nerds:

Comic Con is an excuse for whores to wear skimpy get-ups (as if they don't already) without censure & for emulating rebels to compare costumes. Yikes. Put away your action figures & get about the business of serving your God. You fail as a human being because you shun your only obligation in this life. - From the Press Release

If these people would spend even some of the energy that they spend on these comic books, reading the Bible, well no high hopes here. They have turned comic book characters into idols, and worship them they do! Isaiah 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: 9 And the ... See Moremean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. It is time to put away the silly vanities and turn to God like you mean it. The destruction of this nation is imminent - so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry. - From the Picket Schedule

Comic-con has finally caught the eye of Fred Phelps and his so called 'church'. I'm only sad that I'll be at a panel so I can't counter protest colorful signs such as "# Thank God For IEDs # God Hates Fags # USA = Fag Nation # Thank God For Dead Soldiers # Thank God For $10.9 Million # God Is America's Terror # Your Pastor Is A Whore # Don't Worship The Dead # America Is Doomed # God Hates America # Fags Doom Nations # God Hates Fag Enablers # Fag Court # Priests Rape Boys # Fag Church # Fag Flag" . No, I'm not making these up check the website. I knew they were nuts but protesting outside a 200,000+ person convention in downtown San Diego? Sounds a bit suicidal too.

Heroman Song Translations

I've been watching Heroman on Crunchyroll and noticed they only have the first ending subtitled so here are translations for the other three. As usual, my Japanese isn't great so read at your own risk. As for the songs themselves, Roulette was definitely the hardest to understand/translate as it is full of the happy nonsense J-Pop is known for and Missing was the easiest (relatively). The video that accompanies "My Hand is for Your Sake" is one of my favorite anime endings, it mainly focuses on Joey and friends spliced into everyday scenes on the US, most likely California. (I believe the first photo is of the I-405N near exit 51) Check it out on Crunchyroll even if you don't care for the show (the ED starts around 22:20 in ep. 13+)

OP 1 : Roulette by Tetsuya

キラキラ回れ! Roulette
Sparkling Spinning Roulette
運命の瞬間を
At the moment of fate
Just now My way 始めようぜ
"Just now" "My way" Let's get started

道に迷った時には
When you lose your way
瞳を閉じて風に聴こう
Close your eyes and listen to the wind
真白な闇の中
inside the pure white darkness

キラキラ回れ! Roulette
Sparkling Spinning Roulette
運命の瞬間を
At the moment of fate
Just now My way 始めようぜ
"Just now" "My way" Lets get started
奇跡を起こせ Roulette
Causing miracles Roulette
泣いてなんかいないで
Don't cry
Why not? Hang on まだ間に合う
"Why not?" "Hang on" We can still make it


全て賭けたら Roulette
Betting it all Roulette
狙い定めて Roulette
Aimed at deciding Roulette
回れ! 回れ! 回れ!
Spin! Spin! Spin!
光集め回れ!
Gather light and spin!

OP 2: Missing by Kylee

一人　来てみた　いつもの公園　
I visited the usual park alone
it's a feeling never felt
"Its a feeling never felt"
子供みたいに　風の音が怖くて
Like a child scared of the wind
帰り道走ったんだ
I ran the path home

窓の外は　広すぎる空　where are you now?
Outside the window the sky stretches out, "Where are you now"
(届いて)
(please reach)
いつか叶う願いなら　ねえ　神様　
When praying, Hey God
今すぐ叶えて　my wish
please grant it soon "my wish"

声が聞きたいよ　miss you　今逢いたいよ
I want to her your voice. "miss you" I want to see you now.
どうしてもう　明日を見てるの?
No matter what, will we see tomorrow?
逃したねって timing 簡単に言わないで
I missed it "timing" Don't say that easily
もう一度だけ
Just once more

大好きなのに it's too late ずっと前から
Even though its loved "It's too late" Much earlier
諦めても　過去に出来ないよ
I gave up but I can't do it in the past.
しょうがないって no way 簡単に決めないで
It can't be helped, "no way" Don't decide that so easily
もう一度だけ 笑って
Just once more, smile again

ED 2: "My Hand is for Your Sake"/"僕の手は君の為に"　by Mass Alert

分かり合いたくて　本音でぶつかってきた
By wanting to understand each other we collided
君の涙も　笑顔もここにある　
Your tears and your smile are both here
どんな苦しみだってもう怖くない　二人ならどこまでも行ける
No matter what pain I'm not scared anymore, if its the two of us we can go anywhere
僕がひとりじゃない事　教えてくれたんだ
You taught me that I am not alone

君に合う為生まれきた　そんな言葉をつぶやいて度
I was born to meet you、When you mutter those words
不安は消えて　強さが心に灯る
My anxiety disappears and strength burns in my heart
ありがとう僕らしかわからない　合図で共に前に進むんだ
We knew nothing but gratitude and move forward with the signal
かけがえのない時に　刻み込め
Engrave that irreplaceable time

この場所から離れられない　同じ鼓動を感じて生きているから
We cannot be separated from this place because we live feeling the same pulse
守り切りたい　重ねてきた約束を
I want to hold on to that repeated promise
ありがとう僕らしかわからない　合図で共に前に進むんだ
We knew nothing but gratitude and move forward with the signal
かけがえのない時に　刻み込む
To engrave that irreplaceable time