Hikari Friday (On a Saturday, Oops!): Spidey 2 The Rescue!

Posted on November 8, 2014 by geelw

Okay, my email inbox was SO packed this week that I’d not even seen the note from Funko about this week’s Hikari Friday giveaway. OOPS. That said, this week’s potential freebie is a HUGE one you’ll always see if it lands on your doorstep. Say hello to the…

New Dimension Spider-Man Hikari Premium Sofubi Figure:

You KNOW how to get a chance to win this one, right? Yup, boogie on over to one of Funko’s social media channels, enter and start making room on a shelf or in a cabinet somewhere.

http://www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
http://www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

If you don’t win, you can buy one of these limited to 1500 pieces collectibles this month at a Funko retailer near you.

Hikari Friday: Funko Wants You To Win A Movie Mutant!

Posted on October 31, 2014 by geelw

I’d bet a bunch of you are either too young to remember This Island Earth or only know it from the humor hack job done on it in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie. Anyway, this week’s Hikari Friday giveaway is none other than the sole monster from that 1955 classic, but presented here as Metaluna Mutant Hikari Figure! He’s not cute, but he’s #1 of only 1500 made and yes, he sure is colorful:

Anyway, before you run out to snag and snack on too much Halloween candy, make sure to enter for your chance to WIN over at one of Funko’s social sites:

http://www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
http://www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

If you don’t win and still want one of these stalking your shelves, set your time machine for January and pop on in to your favorite Funko retailer, wallet in hand.

Random Film of the Week(end): Adrenaline Drive

Posted on October 25, 2014 by geelw

Shinobu Yaguchi’s films always make me smile because they’re consistently fun to watch even if they don’t achieve everything they need to over the course of their running times. 1999’s romantic (and slightly black) comedy Adrenaline Drive does make the most of its hilarious plot and energetic cast although it takes a slight misstep later on with a very short burst of violence some viewers may find slightly sours the experience. On the other hand, given the character in question dishing out that brief bit of ouch time, it’s a sort of cathartic moment for him after all he’s been through… Continue reading →

Hikari Friday Giveaway: Funko’s Got Two Stay Pufts Who’d Like to Stay Put In Your Collection!

Posted on October 24, 2014 by geelw

It’s that time of the week again and as Halloween is rolling up like a spooky candy-filled fog next Friday, Funko is giving two of you out there a chance to win.

This time out it’s a double dose of the not so friendly Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in two different paint schemes. Get lucky here and you’ll soon be a winner of either this cool Stay Puft Premium Hikari Sofubi Figure (#1 of 1500):

Or this Entertainment Earth exclusive Pink Glitter Stay-Puft Figure(#1 of 1000):

Of course, you need to do a little digital legwork and pop over to one of Funko’s social media channels:

http://www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
http://www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

If you’re NOT a winner, the first figure is available in December and the other can be pre-ordered at Entertainment Earth using that link above. As always, Good Luck!

Why Don’t You Play in Hell? Well, THAT’S the Question of the Day, Isn’t It?

Posted on October 23, 2014 by geelw

(Thanks, Film Festivals & Indie Films!)

Well, for one, it’s HOT as you know what down there. Second, why bother when I can play in the hell that’s already up here. I choose not to because I like to sleep well at night. Wait, only The Bad Sleep Well… hmmmm. Anyway, this wild Japanese flick from director Sion Sono manages to reference Tarantino’s referencing of Asian cinema while also nodding and winking at assorted violent films from Man Bites Dog and even the wacky horror film Hausu. In other words, it’s a must see if you’re into this sort of thing.

(Thanks, TIFF!)

I happen to really like crazy films such as this, so I’ll have to take this one for a spin. Of course, for something SO outrageous, I’ll hold out for the Blu-Ray/DVD version just because I despise rowdy film crowds these days because they make every film an audience participation event even if it doesn’t need to be one. Blech. Anyway, I’m betting a dollar that U.S. distributor Drafthouse Films has a winner with this one. Hell, it has nowhere to go but UP at this point, given that catchy title it’s got…

Hikari Friday Time! Skeletor and Astro Boy Looking for Good Homes!

Posted on October 10, 2014 by geelw

It’s finally Friday and you know what what means, right? Yep, the Funko freebie parade continues! This week’s giveaway consists of two more limited edition Hikari Sofubi figures you KNOW you want to try to win. And if you don’t win them, guess what? You can still buy them at one of two locations. Yeah, usually, it’s one location (your favorite Funko emporium, usually a decent comic shop or some other retailer who has a Funko section), but one of these is another Entertainment Earth exclusive that can only be obtained via pre-order or hoping it’s still in stock when it drops into that online shop for sale.

Anyway, behold the Metallic Skeletor Hikari Sofubi Figure!

Isn’t he cute? Well, actually… he’s kind of cranky because metallic fur shorts kind of chafe him (ouch!). But he’s SKELETOR, dangit! He can handle a bit of chafing! Lucky winner gets #1 of 2000! Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is Metallic Mix Astro Boy Hikari Sofubi Figure (smile, kid – you’re up!):

As noted above, he’s an Entertainment Earth exclusive limited to 1000 pieces. Well, 999 pieces because Funko is giving someone the first one off the line! Okay, you know the drill by now, right? Go to one of Funko’s social spots:

http://www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
http://www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

Follow the rules and you’re all set to (possibly) be one of two lucky winners! Now that’s you’re thrilled to death, go enter NOW and keep those fingers crossed. If you lose out this week, you can buy Skeletor this month at wherever you buy your other Funko stuff and Astro Boy is available to pre-order now at Entertainment Earth for its November release. As always, if you enter this giveaway, good luck!

Coming Up for Air in Time for Some Vib-Ribbon News…

Posted on October 7, 2014 by geelw

Actually, I heard about this yesterday, but it was after a long day of poring over email and plotting out today’s Alien Isolation run, I was too tired and amused to post anything. Anyway, today on PSN, Sony is finally releasing the original PlayStation game Vib-Ribbon in North America, but not for that old console. This port is headed to the PS3 and Vita, with a future trip to the PS4 in the cards. I’ll let you boogie on over to the PlayStation Blog to read up on this wonderfully cool little game, which retains its ability to use music CD’s to generate random levels on the PS3. It seems that the Vita version loses this feature (unless it can work with MP3 files), but even without it, the game is still quite whimsical and still a ton of fun to play.

I still have my Japanese copy of the game and a PS1, but I’ll most likely grab this for my Vita because it’s one of those quirky little charmers that’s an excellent traveling companion. Okay, back to being scared half (plus) to death…

Hikari Friday: Funko Frees Funky Frankensteins For Fortunate Few!

Posted on October 3, 2014 by geelw

Oh, these two Funko Hikari giveaways this week are pretty cool-looking takes on the Universal version of Frankenstein’s Monster. First up, that Glitter Shock Frankenstein Hikari Sofubi Figure (#1 0f 1200) looks as if he fell out of a passing UFo and landed on is flat head, doesn’t he? Those eerie black eyes, that almost glowing green complexion… yeah, he’s Space Frankenstein’s Monster for sure:

Meanwhile, poor Premium Distressed Frankenstein Hikari Sofubi Figure (#1 of 600 and an Entertainment Earth EXCLUSIVE, by the way) looks pretty pissed off because he’s just woken up and there’s not a cup of coffee or Egg McMutton to be found anywhere and everyone knows you HAVE to feed the monster or else he gets cranky. Either that, or he’s already had breakfast and is all ready to head out and play. Um, I’d get any little flower-picking girls away from any bodies of water, folks.

As usual, you know the drill – hit up one of Funko’s social network spots:

http://www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
http://www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

Enter and get to the crossing of fingers and wearing of assorted good luck charms in order to bring some lucky luck your merry way. If you lose this time out (again?), you can always hit up your favorite Funko retailer for Glitter Shock Frankie in November and Entertainment Earth in December for that Premium Distressed Frankie. Good luck otherwise!

The Tale of The Princcess Kaguya: Studio Ghibli’s Back With Some Classic Beauty…

Posted on October 1, 2014 by geelw

Currently, this one’s only part of a children’s film festival here in NYC, but I’m hoping it at least gets a limited release in regular theaters after that’s all said and done, as it’s quite lovely and yes, it’s Studio Ghibli doing some amazing animation work as usual. Check out the trailer below for some lovely visuals:

(Thanks, Movieclips Trailers!)

This is one of those films that NEEDS to be seen even if you know the classic story by heart. Let’s hope this gets more notice and that wider theatrical release before it pops up on Blu-Ray/DVD and people somehow forget it exists because it’s not being promoted outside of a niche audience. Oh, wait. OOPS. It IS getting a US release on October 17, so I guess I can see this after all and not have to deal with squealing kids, shushing parents and overpriced tickets. No wait, the tickets will still be overpriced, but one out of three is just fine by me…

Double Earth Defense Forces News: EDF 2 Coming to Vita ! EDF 4.1 Coming to PS4! (In Japan at Least)

Posted on September 27, 2014 by geelw

Okay, I had a weird tickle in the back of my head today and as I had my Vita with me, I fired up Earth Defense Forces 3 Portable (EDF 2017) just to see if there were any recent updates and when I clicked on D3Publisher’s Japanese game page for the EDF series and looked in the news section, my head spun around like Linda Blair’s in the Exorcist before I let out a little squeal of delight. Woo and hoo – the best EDF game is finally getting the portable remake it deserves AND that “new” EDF game for the PS4 is packing EDF 4 and some excellent new content onto next-gen hardware.

Earth Defense Forces Portable 2 V2 packs in the full PS2 game on the Vita, but it’s NOT a straight up port at all by developer and series creator Sandlot. A new 4-player mode, the Air Diver class from EDF 4 and some nice visual tweaks that don’t spoil the intentionally “retro” look of that PS2 classic are making me want to grab this one as soon as it’s available in Japan (or from Play-Asia where I’ll most likely get this from). Go ogle the two LOVELY screenshot galleries over at Gematsu (thanks, Gematsu!) while I compose myself for a minute… Continue reading →