Last Haul of the Year 2007

Transformers

Japan Lawson store exclusive Transformers Movie DVD 2 disc set with a movie-colour-accurate movie Blackout figure, and 2 loose pieces of battle damaged movie Bumblebee from the Evolution of a Hero boxset. One piece goes to my nephew.

Below is the haul I got for shaun.

Click on the picture to see why part of the picture is blacked out. The left is the latest Hottoys Modern Firearms Collection III PMC Selection.

Music Recommendation - 苏打绿

I saw a few shots of this Taiwan band on TV and finally did a search for their songs on the net, and these are 2 nice songs which I dug up.

Music Video
无与伦比的美丽


小情歌


Lyrics
苏打绿 - 无与伦比的美丽
天上风筝在天上飞
地上人儿在地上追
你若担心你不能飞
你有我的蝴蝶
天上风筝在天上飞
地上人儿在地上追
我若担心我不能飞
我有你的草原
你形容我是这个世界上
无与伦比的美丽
我知道你才是这世界上
无与伦比的美丽
天上风筝在天上飞
地上人儿在地上追
你若担心你不能飞
你有我的蝴蝶
你形容我是这个世界上
无与伦比的美丽
我知道你才是这世界上
无与伦比的美丽
你知道当你需要个夏天
我会拼了命努力
我知道你会做我的掩护
当我是个逃兵
你形容我是这个世界上
无与伦比的美丽
我知道你才是这世界上
无与伦比的美丽
天上风筝在天上飞
地上人儿在地上追
你若担心你不能飞
你有我的蝴蝶
我若担心我不能飞
我有你的草原

小情歌
词曲：吴青峰
演唱：苏打绿
苏打绿-小情歌

这是一首简单的小情歌
唱着人们心肠的曲折
我想我很快乐
当有你的温热
脚边的空气转了
苏打绿-小情歌
这是一首简单的小情歌
唱着我们心头的白鸽
我想我很适合
当一个歌颂者
青春在风中飘着
你知道就算大雨让这座城市颠倒
我会给你怀抱
受不了看见你背影来到
写下我度秒如年难捱的离骚
就算整个世界被寂寞绑票
我也不会奔跑
逃不了最后谁也都苍老
写下我时间和琴声交错的城堡
苏打绿-小情歌
这是一首简单的小情歌
唱着我们心头的白鸽
我想我很适合
当一个歌颂者
青春在风中飘着
你知道就算大雨让这座城市颠倒
我会给你怀抱
受不了看见你背影来到
写下我度秒如年难捱的离骚
就算整个世界被寂寞绑票
我也不会奔跑
逃不了最后谁也都苍老
写下我时间和琴声交错的城堡
你知道就算大雨让这座城市颠倒
我会给你怀抱
受不了看见你背影来到
写下我度秒如年难捱的离骚
就算整个世界被寂寞绑票
我也不会奔跑
最后谁也都苍老
写下我时间和琴声交错的城堡

Music Recommendation - 青花瓷- 周杰倫

Just saw this song on TV, from his latest album 我很忙. It is very much similar (song and music video) to his previous song 髮如雪. Enjoy.

Music Video


Lyrics
周杰伦-青花瓷
作词：方文山
作曲：周杰伦
编曲：钟兴民

素胚勾勒出青花
笔锋浓转淡
瓶身描绘的牡丹
一如你初妆
冉冉檀香透过窗
心事我了然
宣纸上走笔至此搁一半
釉色渲染仕女图
韵味被私藏
而你嫣然的一笑
如含苞待放
你的美一缕飘散
去到我去不了的地方
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
炊烟袅袅升起　
隔江千万里
在瓶底书汉隶仿
前朝的飘逸
就当我为遇见你伏笔
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
月色被打捞起　
晕开了结局
如传世的青花瓷
自顾自美丽　
你眼带笑意
专辑:我很忙
周杰伦-青花瓷
色白花青的锦鲤
跃然于碗底
临摹宋体落款时
却惦记着你
你隐藏在窑烧里
千年的秘密
极细腻犹如绣花针落地
帘外芭蕉惹骤雨
门环惹铜绿
而我路过那江南
小镇惹了你
在泼墨山水画里
妳从墨色深处被隐去
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
炊烟袅袅升起　
隔江千万里
在瓶底书汉隶仿
前朝的飘逸
就当我为遇见你伏笔
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
月色被打捞起　
晕开了结局
如传世的青花瓷
自顾自美丽　
你眼带笑意
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
炊烟袅袅升起　
隔江千万里
在瓶底书汉隶仿
前朝的飘逸
就当我为遇见你伏笔
天青色等烟雨　
而我在等你　
月色被打捞起　
晕开了结局
如传世的青花瓷
自顾自美丽　
你眼带笑意

Haul of the Weeks

Here's some stuff that I have accumulated over the past few weeks.

Transformers

Transformers Movie Bumblebee Evolution of Hero 2pack. The only difference between this set and the rest is the "battle damaged" paint or effect. Thanks to shaun for helping me secure a set.

Revoltech


Danboard from Yotsuba manga, and Hyper Hobby mailaway exclusive Black Shin Getter from TFH.

Busou Shinki

Konami's Busou Shinki MMS series 7 from Ng Collection.

Miscellaneous



Marvel Legends built-a-figure black Apocalypse from TFH.
Konami's Sentai series Ryukendo R-A03 from John Little.
Saturday Toys wardrobe series 02, 05, 06, 07 and 08 from TFH.

Comics and Magazines


Spectrum:The Best of Contemporary Art #14
darkSector zero (Bill Sienkiewicz art)
Zombies vs Robot vs Amazon #1 (Ashley Wood art)
International Artist #58
The others are a Malaysian published Chinese comic which had some interesting artwork, and the last one is a birhtday present for my colleague's son.

Comics from G&B, the rest from Popular Bookshop.

Music Recommendation - Kimi Monogatari by Little by Little

Full promotional video of Kimi Monogatari by Little by Little.

This is the 3rd ending theme for Naruto Shippuuden.

Comic Covers for March 2008

Once again, my cover picks for the month of March 2008.

Marvel Comics

• Iron Man #27 by Gerald Parel
  
• New Avengers #39 by David Mack

DC

• DC Special: Raven #1 by Damion Scott.
  I think this would look better in black and white.
  
• Batman #675 by Tony Daniel.
  Angry as usual, but I think he has too many teeth for a human.
  
• Detective Comics #842 by Dustin Nguyen.
  The snow background and building is done pretty well, though I think the Batman's cowl should have a bit more snow.
  
• Action Comics #863 by Gary Frank.
  Superman and Legion of Super Heroes. Looks like Christopher Reeves ?
  
• Birds Of Prey #116 by Stephane Roux.
  I like this cover because to me, it has 3 different drawing styles for each of the characters depicted. Stephane Roux is a french artist.
  
• Trails of Shazam #12 by Mauro Cascioli.
  
• Wonder Woman #18 by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson.
  
• Northlanders #4 by Davide Gianfelice.
  

DVD - Transformers Movie

Thanks to William for giving a heads up, managed to get a cheap official version of the 2 disc Transformers movie DVD.

Didn't get the R1 or R3 versions because the extra stuff were not up to expectations, and the rest were merely gimmicks (transforming case, metal case, free toys, etc). Hopefully they will do a better edition sometime down the road. But I will be getting the Japanese Lawson store exclusive set that has a movie acurrate Blackout.

The more I watch the show, the more lame I find it to be, especially the story, plot and dialog between the humans, the human characters, though the CG Transformers and action scenes are still great eye candy. Somehow it seems too cheesy, comical and the story and characters just does not make much sense.

Hopefully the sequel will be more edgy and more time devoted to the Transformers.

Music Recommendation - Anata ga Koko ni Iru Riyuu

This is the fifth ending theme for the anime D.Gray Man, sung by the delightful Rie Fu.

Here's the anime ending theme version.


And the full PV.

Background Tests

Just too cheap to buy some decent backing boards as backdrop for taking photographs of my hauls, I restorted to DIY using boxes of some Gundam model kits that came free with Dengeki magazines. I took all three and converted one to a Base, and the other two as sides. Here are some test shots. Will make another post of the DIY backdrop.


Transformers Cybertron HotShot test subject.


Transformers Cybertron HotShot in vehicle mode with a good ole Charlie Brown head knocker.


Good ole Charlie Brown.

Haul of the Day - 01 Dec 2007

Star Wars 30th Anniversary figures
Wave 6: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
30-42: McQuarrie Signature Series: Concept Snowtrooper

Wave 7.5: RETURN OF THE JEDI (Repaint wave)
30-51: R2-B1 (Naboo Astromech Droid)

Haul of the Week

Another tough week on the wallet.


Some miscellaneous stuff I got from the Sunday flea market. Mainly swords and weapon series from Japanese companies, and chain base 002 from Kotobukiya. This will determine if I will order chain base 004, 005 and 006.


Legendary Comic Book Heroes series 1 and 2 (including the variants), with the 2-packs as well. Series 2 is still in the shop as I was not able to carry all of them back. These figures are cheaper, compared to their previous Marvel Legends series.
Talking about Marvel Legends, just got word about a certain BAF that will be available cheap soon !


These 12" figures arrived this week. Medicom's Rider One from The Next movie. This is similar to the Rider One from The First movie, but with darker colours and battle damaged helmet.
And got myself 2 Barrack Sergeant's 1/6 Bravo Body for future kitbashes. These feature seem to have greater articulation than the BBI G3.5 and Hottoys bodies.


Kaiyodo Revoltech #38 VF-1A Hikaru. Did not get #39 Gaiking Open Face as it was just a repaint (a resculpt on the chest face) of the earlier Gaiking release (eh, though #038 is also sort of a repaint of the previous VF releases).


And of course, how can a haul go without any Transformers.


While on the way home, grabbed the latest issue of Home & Decor.

Bleach Styling Trading Figure

Picked up this trading box figure from Bleach anime a few weeks ago because of the Ririn figure. I think I have the Kon figure somewhere. Will post pictures if I can find where I stashed it. These are not blind boxes, and the figure inside is shown on the box.
The figure that Ririn came with a Shinigami called Tōshirō Hitsugaya, captain of Soul Society's 10th Divsion.

Box



Contents

Comes with standard clear base, stands to hold the figures, and paperslip of the figure.

Out of Package

Strike a pose.

Music Recommendation - Kekkaishi OP and ED

Caught this new series over the local cable (CH56). An interesting and funny anime, which consistent animation. The opening and closing themes usually show clips from the current and next episodes respectively. The opening theme has a nice rock feel to it, while the first closing theme has a very nice sentimental feel (maybe it's the guitar). I also like the way the episode ending blends/fades with the first ending theme.

Sumimura Yoshimori, a 14-year-old junior high school boy, is a descendant of Kekkaishi, or an exterminator of monsters He is vying for the heir to the family with Yumikura Tokine. Tokine is older than him, and she is his childhood friend as well as his rival Kekkaishi. To save people from the crises, and to make himself stronger, Yoshimori fights against monsters tonight, too.

Opening theme MV - "Sha la la -Ayakashi NIGHT" by Saeka Uura


Ending theme #1 - "Akai Ito" by Koshi Inaba (eps 1-15,38)

Coming soon

Watch this space for more information.

Music Recommendation - "Brightdown" by Nami Tamaki

Was watching this anime D.Gray Man on the local free-to-air channel, and found the opening theme 2 to be a catchy song. The anime is not something to my liking, but still watchable.

Allen Walker is a young Exorcist who has a cursed eye that can see the suffering of the Akumas created by The Millenium Earl. He travels to England to the Headquarters of the Exorcists where his Master has sent him to meet with the other Exorcists. The battle with the Millenium Earl and the Noah Family vs. the Exorcists intensifies when some of the best Exorcists begin to get killed by hoards of Akuma. Japan takes center stage in this end of 19th Century plot in order to not let the entire human race be turned into Akumas and the Exorcists have the power of "Innocence" that was given to them by God on their side.

TV series opening


Music Video

Music Recommendation - 张震岳

I like 张震岳's music, not all, but some. His style to me is in its simplicity, clean and alternate feel, especially his ballards. Here are 2 recommendations that I have recently heard.

思念是一种病 sees some collaboration with Singapore's Tanya Chua, who appears briefly near the end of the video.


就让这首歌 sees a surprise (at least to me) collaboration. Besides teaming up his good friend MC Hotdog, he has Taiwan's TV Host 侯佩岑 belting out a few lines. Surprising because in another collaboration 我爱台妹 with MC Hotdog, the lyrics does not speak good about her.


Anyway, enjoy.

Video - Naruto Shippuuden New Opening/Closing Themes

The Gaara story is coming to a close in the next episode (32), and we are treated to what is coming in the next story arc, involving old familiar faces like Kabuto, Orochimaru, Sasuke and a host of new characters, in the new opening theme Distance by Long Shot Party.


There is also a new closing theme by little by little called Kimi monogatari, "Your Story".


Great animation and music as usual.

Haul of the Day - 26 Aug 2007

This is what I picked up from the TFH 1/6th event. Comes with a pair of dirty socks as well.



Sideshow 1/6th Princess Leia as Boushh from TFH.


Hottoys Modern Firearms Collection series II M4A1 R.I.S w/ M203 from Action City.


shaun is quite an amazing digger. If you need to find a needle in a haystack, he is da man. The above were what he had dug out from the Star Wars shelves at Seiyu. There were also Marine Troopers, but those are quite abundant everywhere.


Art Asylum Marvel Minimates AVENGERS Wonder Man and She-Hulk 2-pack from G&B Comics.


Bandai Jyuuken Sentai Gekiranger GekiBat candy toy from Comics Connection.


Bandai Machine Robo Mugenbine candy toys numbers 6-10 from Comics Connection. This is a re-release of the previous 2 sets, with different colours, and different combination using figures mixed between the previous 2 sets.