Cool Items Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Yoko 1/5 Figure ~ Gurren Lagann *Preorder* I am a fan of Gurren Lagann, the popular anime from Japan about humanity living underground and digging its way up to the point where they've got giant robots throwing galaxies at each other. This incredibly figure, much larger and more detailed than any other made of her, is in stock now!
	S Cawaii Feb 2009 ~ Super Cawaii! Feb 2009 Super Cawaii is the top-selling fashion magazine at J-List, dedicated to celebrating beauty and style, Japan-style. It's an extremely visual magazine, with large pictures of the models as each page covers trends in Tokyo's street fashion world right now. Check out this new issue, or browse our new fashion magazine page.
	Hello Kitty no AIUEO ~ Hiragana Then, a super new way to learn to write hiragana, the most basic Japanese writing system. Because the sheets are cardboard with grooves that show your pen where to write, it's easier to get down than ever. Plus it's kawaii.
	Hello Kitty Chirimen Gamaguchi Coin Purse Then, check out these cool Hello Kitty traditional coin purses, which snap shut to hold your money and other important stuff. Made of chirimen, the fabric many kimonos are made from. The cute Hello Kitty plush ribbon on the outside of the coin purse is to die for!
	Fun Snacks From Japan See some great new snack items from Japan. First, we've gotten a new flavor of Ottoto in, fish-shaped crackers in delicious Yakiniku (Korean BBQ) flavor, followed by Meiji 100% Juice Gummy, and the amazing Meiji Chopan, elegant chocolate boats with chocolate pie in the center.
	HINA-ARARE, Other Traditional Snacks J-List carries fun traditional snacks, too, from Okinawa Kuro Ame to Bontan Ame which comes with a wrapper you can eat, because it's made of rice. Today we're posting Hina-Arare (hee-nah ah-RAH-reh), the traditional rice cracker snack for Girl's Day in March.
	Mini HINA Doll & SAKURA Display Set Hina Matsuri is a special day for girls, and this is the day when families with girl children celebrate by displaying beautiful dolls. Here's a nice miniature Hina doll set representing the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
	Lucky Cat HINA Doll Display ~ Girl's Day Also: this is a great pair of Lucky Cat dolls with beautiful gold backing that can be used to celebrate Girl's Day and bring you good luck at the same time.
	METAL MODE Silver ~ Men's Lunch Box See fresh stock of our a deluxe bento box for men, specially designed for heavier eaters who are still hungry after a normal bento lunch. Comes with a huge main section with separate parts for rice and okazu (that is, whatever you eat with your rice), internal chopsticks, ice packs, and a thermal case for keeping your food hot/cold.
	Hello Kitty Bento Accessories Restocked Then for the many fans of Hello Kitty onigiri and bento products, we've gotten in this cool rice ball shaper, which makes perfectly pressed rice balls for your lunch.
	Sunshine Buddies Hello Kitty version Hidamari no Tami, aka Sunshine Buddies, are the popular line of solar-powered relaxation toys from Tomy, and now they've released a fabulous Hello Kitty toy that never needs batteries, modeled after the classic 1976 original Kitty-chan, back in stock now!
	Hello Kitty KIRA-DECO Long Purse See fresh stock of our awesome Hello Kitty purse that's ready to hold all your money, cards, and other important information and look incredibly stylish while doing it. Part of the "Kira-Deco" series, which comes kira kira (shiny, twinkling) and the English word decoration.
	SAKURA Clear Tea Container Prime Nakamura thinks you don't have enough sakura (cherry blossoms) in your life. Here's a cool all-purpose clear container that's great for keeping your tea in.
	Origami Sheets w/ Case Origami is the art of folding paper into amazing shapes. Here's a set of colorful origami paper that comes with a cute case w/ handle.
	Kanji Practice Flashcards I'm often asked, what's a good way to learn Japanese effectively. While I feel there's no substitute for a good structured course as I had in college, one tool I really like are the kanji and kana flashcards from White Rabbit. Meticulously researched, the cards force you to read everything in hiragana rather than Romanized Japanese, which you'll thank them for later.
	Kutsuwa Study Card w/Check Sheet This is something I personally longed to get while studying Japanese but you couldn't buy them anywhere back in 1987, so we sell them now. They're blank flashcards you can use T. to study anything. Back in stock today.
	Japanese Mini Sign Plate Here's a fun item: little plastic signs featuring Japanese-themed warnings, like onsen (hot springs), no smoking and "Careful, slippery!"
	Wacky Things from Japan J-List loves the Wacky Things from Japan (tm) that we sell, which include the Piko Piko Hammer for hitting people on the head with (as Beat Takeshi does all the time), Let's Make Sushi Eraser With Microwave, fun Japanese ear cleaners, or our Microwave Potato Chip Maker, and more.
	High Grade Traditional Shows for your GETA Life Geta are the famous wooden shoes that Japanese samurai wore in days of old. This is the most awesome deluxe pair of wooden sandals J-list has ever carried, with quality construction that will amaze you. Back in stock today.
	Traditional Sake Cups Sake is more fun when enjoyed with friends, and this is an outstanding set of five cups (not four, because that number means "death" in Japanese) featuring traditional Japanese art and short poems (tanka) about love.
	Restocked Totoro Items Then for Studio Ghibli fans, see fresh stock of the cute wind-up music box you can take with you anywhere, as well as our Totoro Bento spoon/fork/chopstick set, Kiki's Delivery Service playing cards, and more.
	Kiki's Delivery Service, Totoro Blankets Also, see the incredibly soft and rare acrylic blankets for lovers of Jiji the Cat and Totoro. This is the last stock we'll have of these items, which are sure to become heir looms in your family, so check out our stock today.
	Kagami Hiiragi Figure School Uniform *Preorder* Super new figure of Kagami from Lucky Star, the most excellent tsundere character ever (or is she a tsukkomi? I can't keep them apart). Preorder now and we'll send the figure to you next month when she drops.
	Ranka Lee 1/8 Figure Nose Art ver. *Preorder* Then for fans of Macross Frontier, this is a really special figure of Ranka Lee, the cute singer from the series. So pure and sweet, you'd never guess she was quarter Zentraedi. Preorder her now.
	Chizuru Minamoto 1/7 Figure ~ Kanokon *Preorder* Chizuru-chan is a fox -- literally! She's a fox spirit who has taken form apparently for the purpose of trying to get poor Kouta to "climb the stairs of adulthood" with her. This is a hot new offering from Wave featuring the character in her fox form.
	Pixiv Girls Collection Artbook *Preorder* Pixiv is the popular Japanese art sharing website, where people make the most amazing creations from the community. This great artbook will be released soon, and can be preordered now.
	Kira Kira -- Kirara Asuka Then drink in this wonderful new photobook offering, featuring the natural body and grace of this model. Hardcover book, with beautiful glossy pages.
	Dengeki Hime Jan 2009 Dengeki Hime ("Electric Shock Princess") is the only magazine you need if you want to follow the current state of eroge (PC dating-sim games) and anime in Japan. This issue is loaded with information on the hottest titles, from MapleColors 2 to Moonlight Cradle to many more.
	Amazing Products for Grown-Ups See the many amazing toys for men and women to use in interesting ways, together or separately. We've restocked the Tenga Warmer, the amazing device that, er, warms up to make your stress-relief so much more memorable.
	Amazing PC Dating-sim Games J-List stocks all the amazing PC dating-sim games from Japan, offering you the choice between CD-ROM and convenient download for most titles. Note that some of our games are slated to be taken out of print, like Chain, Private Nurse, Sensei 2, Critical Point and Little My Maid, so if you're a collector, be sure and pick these up soon.