2025 HAUL - JANUARY v1.01
It's been a while since I have posted here. Workload has ramped up a lot this month as expected so it can take a while before I can post the latest pickups. The amount of items has toned down compared to previous months, but I want to sort out some more orders for February onwards if I can.
In case you aren't familiar with my haul post write-ups, they're shown in arrival order as it adds more intrigue than just combining them altogether.
#1: Animal Well & Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
#2: Seven Samurai
#3: Bleach Part 3
#4: Koei Tecmo Pickups
#5: Dynasty Warriors: Origins & Tales of Graces f Remastered
#6: Triggerheart Exelica
#7: Lonely Castle in the Mirror
#8: Nikkatsu Roman Porno Japanese films
#9: Assault Suits Valken DECLASSIFIED & Glover
#10: Love Live! Superstar!! Season 2
It's been a while since I have posted here. Workload has ramped up a lot this month as expected so it can take a while before I can post the latest pickups. The amount of items has toned down compared to previous months, but I want to sort out some more orders for February onwards if I can.
In case you aren't familiar with my haul post write-ups, they're shown in arrival order as it adds more intrigue than just combining them altogether.
#1: Animal Well & Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
The first arrival of the month comes from an order that I had with Video Games Plus in early December. I should have known the order would have been held up by the high demand they were experiencing during the holiday season but they did manage to ship it out in the end, just happens to end up in January instead which is fine by me.
Two more Limited Run releases turned up on their site and both were on my radar, though I didn't pre-order them immediately. Animal Well was one of the biggest indie games released last year and I figured opting for the Nintendo Switch version was the way to go for this type of experience. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is my first Star Wars purchase for gaming since LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Xbox 360 via the storefront like 15 years ago or something. This remaster was done by Nightdive and like the others, its style I felt was more suited for the Switch and has solid performance (which I recall had some issues at launch but a patch did fix it).
Two more Limited Run releases turned up on their site and both were on my radar, though I didn't pre-order them immediately. Animal Well was one of the biggest indie games released last year and I figured opting for the Nintendo Switch version was the way to go for this type of experience. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is my first Star Wars purchase for gaming since LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Xbox 360 via the storefront like 15 years ago or something. This remaster was done by Nightdive and like the others, its style I felt was more suited for the Switch and has solid performance (which I recall had some issues at launch but a patch did fix it).
#2: Seven Samurai
Next we have a title that I should have bought the moment it first came out. Seven Samurai (七人の侍) is a classic that everyone knows already and I watched it for the first time on the Akira Kurosawa Samurai Collection release a few years ago. Here it's now presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision HDR. It looks great though I know some prefer the Criterion version.
The limited edition has sold out though stock seems to be re-appearing here and there on Amazon UK so I was able to grab a copy before it was too late. This limited edition includes a rigid box, booklet, poster and art cards. An unboxing is available on my blog.
The limited edition has sold out though stock seems to be re-appearing here and there on Amazon UK so I was able to grab a copy before it was too late. This limited edition includes a rigid box, booklet, poster and art cards. An unboxing is available on my blog.
#3: Bleach Part 3
The Bleach anime continues into the third part covering episodes 56-83. There's still ten more releases to go but at least they're not rigid box collector's editions because that would be ridiculous for shelving space. Judging by the space left, it does look like Part 5 might have something to offer to fill in the gap on the box. Unboxings for Parts 2-3 will be bundled with Parts 4-5 later this year on my blog.
#4: Koei Tecmo Pickups
Every now and then I am often in a random mood for going after a specific title or collection for the shelf and this month just so happens to be Koei Tecmo. Here I picked up three PlayStation 4 games from different locations, all are pre-owned but at a decent deal.
Dead or Alive 6 was the first one to arrive and it's from CeX, because the pricing for this game is surprisingly high everywhere and I could have sworn that it was super cheap at one point. Prior to owning this I did purchase a few season passes (1, 2 & 4) that were 70% off on PlayStation which was part of the reason why I bought this game. I do own Dead or Alive 5 Last Round and I'm aware this instalment is not as good as the latter but may as well grab them whilst I can, considering Koei Tecmo titles do become rarer than others.
Samurai Warriors 4 has been on my list to pickup for a very long time now, and partly was due to the Special Anime bundle version that came with the Legend of the Sanada OVA. Because Funimation included the OVA with their TV series Blu-ray release, I decided I will opt more for the standard edition release instead, as I didn't want to pay £30+ for an OVA and a flimsy box that would stick out on the shelf. This will be my first English copy for the Samurai Warriors franchise as I do own Samurai Warriors 3 Z in Japanese on PlayStation 3.
Then we have Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, which is said to be one of the best musou games ever released from what I have heard. For those not familiar with this IP, Warriors Orochi is a cross-over between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors and with this instalment we also have collaborations with other Koei Tecmo games including Bladestorm, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden as well as a special inclusion from SoulCalibur.
Both Samurai Warriors 4 and Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate were releases early into the PlayStation 4's lifecycle and there are other Koei Tecmo games that I would like to get as well.
Dead or Alive 6 was the first one to arrive and it's from CeX, because the pricing for this game is surprisingly high everywhere and I could have sworn that it was super cheap at one point. Prior to owning this I did purchase a few season passes (1, 2 & 4) that were 70% off on PlayStation which was part of the reason why I bought this game. I do own Dead or Alive 5 Last Round and I'm aware this instalment is not as good as the latter but may as well grab them whilst I can, considering Koei Tecmo titles do become rarer than others.
Samurai Warriors 4 has been on my list to pickup for a very long time now, and partly was due to the Special Anime bundle version that came with the Legend of the Sanada OVA. Because Funimation included the OVA with their TV series Blu-ray release, I decided I will opt more for the standard edition release instead, as I didn't want to pay £30+ for an OVA and a flimsy box that would stick out on the shelf. This will be my first English copy for the Samurai Warriors franchise as I do own Samurai Warriors 3 Z in Japanese on PlayStation 3.
Then we have Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, which is said to be one of the best musou games ever released from what I have heard. For those not familiar with this IP, Warriors Orochi is a cross-over between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors and with this instalment we also have collaborations with other Koei Tecmo games including Bladestorm, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden as well as a special inclusion from SoulCalibur.
Both Samurai Warriors 4 and Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate were releases early into the PlayStation 4's lifecycle and there are other Koei Tecmo games that I would like to get as well.
#5: Dynasty Warriors: Origins & Tales of Graces f Remastered
With the incoming arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2, finally revealed, I want to build up a number of points with The Game Collection because I find their offering to be of value. Which is very fortunate to discover that two titles in particular that were released this month are part of their £10 reward points offering and I ordered them both.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the latest instalment in the long-running musou franchise and has been said to be one of the best in years, which is great to hear. I decided not to go for the demo as I had faith in the IP anyway so I was going to grab this regardless. This does have a PS5 Pro version but I don't care about that.
Then we have a game that I did play the PlayStation 3 version of which I did enjoy, and that's Tales of Graces f Remastered. Originally released on Nintendo Wii in Japan before receiving an expanded version on PlayStation 3, this game being remastered for modern platforms makes perfect sense and I'm glad its not locked behind the previous generations so that newcomers can check this one out.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the latest instalment in the long-running musou franchise and has been said to be one of the best in years, which is great to hear. I decided not to go for the demo as I had faith in the IP anyway so I was going to grab this regardless. This does have a PS5 Pro version but I don't care about that.
Then we have a game that I did play the PlayStation 3 version of which I did enjoy, and that's Tales of Graces f Remastered. Originally released on Nintendo Wii in Japan before receiving an expanded version on PlayStation 3, this game being remastered for modern platforms makes perfect sense and I'm glad its not locked behind the previous generations so that newcomers can check this one out.
#6: Triggerheart Exelica
Back in July distributor Red Art Games announced they have picked up the rights to provide a physical version for the vertically scrolling shoot 'em up game Triggerheart Exelica, and it took a long while to finally get released.
For those not familiar with this game, it was released first on SEGA NAOMI for Japanese arcades before being brought over to the SEGA Dreamcast in 2006. This was the second-to-last game to be released officially for the console (as we did get fanmade games ported to the console years later). Publisher COSMO MACHINA, the folks behind the release for Fantavision 202X, brought the game to the Nintendo Switch. As I pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, it came with a slipcase, poster and a coin.
For those not familiar with this game, it was released first on SEGA NAOMI for Japanese arcades before being brought over to the SEGA Dreamcast in 2006. This was the second-to-last game to be released officially for the console (as we did get fanmade games ported to the console years later). Publisher COSMO MACHINA, the folks behind the release for Fantavision 202X, brought the game to the Nintendo Switch. As I pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, it came with a slipcase, poster and a coin.
#7: Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Another anime film joins the collection and one that actually intrigues me quite a bit. Despite owning a few films from Keiichi Hara (Birthday Wonderland, Miss Hokusai, Summer Days with Coo) I've not had the time to check out any of them just yet and Lonely Castle in the Mirror stands out to me mainly due to its isekai-esque premise. I have no clue if its as good as his earlier titles but it made sense for Anime Limited to pick up the film for their line-up. An unboxing is available on my blog.
#8: Nikkatsu Roman Porno Japanese films
Next we have a very adult set of films in this collection pickup. Half a decade ago, Third Window Films released three Pink Films collections that introduced me to the world of the Pink genre, which is basically adult films but not treated as pornographic. In other words, sex that just so happens to have a plot, like visual novels in a way.
Despite the concept, some of the films in those collections were pretty interesting and I could see why it appealed to a lot of people. So it was a surprise to learn that 88 Films, in their quest to branch out more into Japanese films for their distribution, have decided to introduce a new line-up of films called the Nikkatsu Roman Porno collection, which are films that were released in Japan by Nikkatsu.
I initially passed on this idea but I later discovered that the films being released were better than expected and what they revealed for their next batch caught my interest more. But then I discovered these titles sold out on 88 Films' store and it turned out that 88 didn't know how demanding these films were so when they sold out they repressed them with the limited edition contents in-tact, so I was able to order the first four films in this line-up altogether from their online store. Their store also had a discount available for ordering all four films together so I only paid for 3 releases and got one for free in a sense.
We have Shōgorō Nishimura's 1971 film Apartment Wife: Affair in the Afternoon (団地妻 昼下りの情事), Masanao Sako's 1972 film Sweden Porno: Blonde Animal (スェーデン・ポルノ 金髪アニマル), Noboru Tanaka's 1976 film Watcher in the Attic (江戸川乱歩猟奇館 屋根裏の散歩者), and Tatsumi Kumashiro's 1973 film Woods Are Wet (女地獄 森は濡れた).
Out of these four films, the one that actually interests me the most is Blonde Animal, because it's a film starring western actors but voiced in Japanese and it's such a fascinating concept that I had no idea was a thing in Japan. Sweden Porno is also a sub-series of its own so I am curious to know if 88 Films has any more from this or they will focus on other Nikkatsu films instead.
Similarly to the Japanarchy line-up, these limited edition Blu-ray releases are presented in a Scanavo packaging with a obi-strip to cover the BBFC logos and details like Radiance Films does with theirs. In each release there's also a booklet featuring essays that go in more detail for each film which is cool to have. The covers are not reversible but given how niche these films are I can understand if there's issues with assets in this instance.
Despite the concept, some of the films in those collections were pretty interesting and I could see why it appealed to a lot of people. So it was a surprise to learn that 88 Films, in their quest to branch out more into Japanese films for their distribution, have decided to introduce a new line-up of films called the Nikkatsu Roman Porno collection, which are films that were released in Japan by Nikkatsu.
I initially passed on this idea but I later discovered that the films being released were better than expected and what they revealed for their next batch caught my interest more. But then I discovered these titles sold out on 88 Films' store and it turned out that 88 didn't know how demanding these films were so when they sold out they repressed them with the limited edition contents in-tact, so I was able to order the first four films in this line-up altogether from their online store. Their store also had a discount available for ordering all four films together so I only paid for 3 releases and got one for free in a sense.
We have Shōgorō Nishimura's 1971 film Apartment Wife: Affair in the Afternoon (団地妻 昼下りの情事), Masanao Sako's 1972 film Sweden Porno: Blonde Animal (スェーデン・ポルノ 金髪アニマル), Noboru Tanaka's 1976 film Watcher in the Attic (江戸川乱歩猟奇館 屋根裏の散歩者), and Tatsumi Kumashiro's 1973 film Woods Are Wet (女地獄 森は濡れた).
Out of these four films, the one that actually interests me the most is Blonde Animal, because it's a film starring western actors but voiced in Japanese and it's such a fascinating concept that I had no idea was a thing in Japan. Sweden Porno is also a sub-series of its own so I am curious to know if 88 Films has any more from this or they will focus on other Nikkatsu films instead.
Similarly to the Japanarchy line-up, these limited edition Blu-ray releases are presented in a Scanavo packaging with a obi-strip to cover the BBFC logos and details like Radiance Films does with theirs. In each release there's also a booklet featuring essays that go in more detail for each film which is cool to have. The covers are not reversible but given how niche these films are I can understand if there's issues with assets in this instance.
#9: Assault Suits Valken DECLASSIFIED & Glover
Next we have another batch of releases from Limited Run Games, this time pre-orders from their website. I ordered these two in September and they did indeed arrive within the expected release window.
Assault Suits Valken DECLASSIFIED is an updated re-release by developer M2 based on the 1994 Super Famicom game. Nippon Computer Systems (NCS) were the original developers of this game which was localised in the west as Cybernator by Konami. For this re-release, we have a new English translation and artwork from Satoshi Urushihara (Langrisser, Plastic Little) plus extra goodies for those who love designs and behind-the-scenes work.
Glover is not part of the numbered LRG line-up (so in theory it should be more accessible to pick up), but it's a classic Nintendo 64 platformer that I never had the chance to check out until this port came along. Now despite the game heading to various platforms, I decided that given it originated from Nintendo 64 that it would be a good fit for the Nintendo Switch collection.
Assault Suits Valken DECLASSIFIED is an updated re-release by developer M2 based on the 1994 Super Famicom game. Nippon Computer Systems (NCS) were the original developers of this game which was localised in the west as Cybernator by Konami. For this re-release, we have a new English translation and artwork from Satoshi Urushihara (Langrisser, Plastic Little) plus extra goodies for those who love designs and behind-the-scenes work.
Glover is not part of the numbered LRG line-up (so in theory it should be more accessible to pick up), but it's a classic Nintendo 64 platformer that I never had the chance to check out until this port came along. Now despite the game heading to various platforms, I decided that given it originated from Nintendo 64 that it would be a good fit for the Nintendo Switch collection.
#10: Love Live! Superstar!! Season 2
Love Live! Superstar!! Season 2 makes its home video debut in English through Anime Limited and it's probably the most controversial release in a while. For starters, there is no English dub produced by Crunchyroll as of yet so Anime Limited decided to jump the gun and get it out there, which doesn't help with the fact that the season is still not legally streaming (the first season was accessible on Crunchyroll, while the rest are not).
Then you have a pretty barebones collector's release for the price (which went up due to shipping costs so it's now £40 instead of £36 if you have the membership) and then comes the disc itself which has issues of its own because of Com 'On Screen. I also heard the English translation used for this release is not the same as the Crunchyroll one but I don't have comparisons to check myself. Either way, this is currently the only way to own it outside of the Japanese Blu-ray releases which do have English subtitles but I don't want to commit to spending that much over it.
Basically the long story short of it is if you're doing to jump the gun, more effort needs to be put into the quality of the disc and package. An unboxing is available on my blog.
Then you have a pretty barebones collector's release for the price (which went up due to shipping costs so it's now £40 instead of £36 if you have the membership) and then comes the disc itself which has issues of its own because of Com 'On Screen. I also heard the English translation used for this release is not the same as the Crunchyroll one but I don't have comparisons to check myself. Either way, this is currently the only way to own it outside of the Japanese Blu-ray releases which do have English subtitles but I don't want to commit to spending that much over it.
Basically the long story short of it is if you're doing to jump the gun, more effort needs to be put into the quality of the disc and package. An unboxing is available on my blog.
