As expected, the pre-Easter release week has been one of the biggest in this year so far. More than 50 new titles were published, including a large variety of highlights. The biggest movers were already mentioned in depth during shipping updates posted throughout the last couple of days but as usually are summarized again below.

Starting with PlayStation2™, major highlights include ESP's bloody action adventure Azumi (based on the Japanese movie release starring idol Aya Ueto), Konami's music DJ game beatmania IIDX 9th Style, Taito's classical shooting port Giga Wing Generations, the Sega AGES 2500 Series Vol. 17 Phantasy Star: Generation 2 remake, Shining Force NEO, Sony's action RPG Wild Arms: The 4th Detonator (Japanese and Asian version), Taito's RPG Y's III Wanderers from Ys (regular and Limited Edition) and as secret tip Expotato's Korean Come on Baby (offering similar gameplay compared to Konami's Bishi Bashi series).

While Xbox™ owners may consider taking a look at Sega's beat'em up Spikeout Battle Street (regular and Segadirect Edition including soundtrack CD) as well as SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters 2002), Bandai has released another anime based fighting game on Gamecube™ - Gold Gashbell: Yuujou Tag Battle 2.

Apart from the home console releases, lots of interesting stuff has been published on and around Sony™ and Nintendo™'s portable gaming systems. 3 Japanese (+1 European) Nintendo DS™ games have arrived in this week (incl. Touch! Kirby's Magical Paintbrush, Hanjuku Eiyuu DS: Egg Monster Heroes and Space Invaders DS) along with 2 new Japanese DS color models (Graphite Black and Pure White).

With official street release of Sony's PSP™ in the USA, lots of US version PSP™ titles have been stocked up (with the futuristic techno racer Wipeout Pure leading the sales charts), next to the Japanese anime based Bleach: Heat the Soul release.

Further featured in this weekly import update are lots of anime and video game related soundtracks. With demand increasing in our music related products, we will start featuring selected items during our weekly release update. Due to the flood of Japanese releases per week, we will begin with those that are judged as interesting by us.

A summary of all new releases from this week is listed below.

PlayStation2™:

Azumi	JPN		US$ 64.90
beatmania IIDX 9th Style	JPN		US$ 64.90
beatmania IIDX 9th Style Konamistyle Limited Edition	JPN		US$ 179.90
Bokura No Kazoku	JPN		US$ 59.90
Come on Baby	KOR		US$ 42.90
Duel Masters	JPN		US$ 64.90
EVE Burst Error Plus (GameBridge the Best)	JPN		US$ 34.90
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone	JPN		US$ 64.90
Gakkou o Tsukurou: Happy Days!!	JPN		US$ 64.90
Get Ride AMDriver: Rivalry of the Truth	JPN		US$ 59.90
Giga Wing Generations	JPN		US$ 59.90
Gold Gashbell: Yuujou Tag Battle 2	JPN		US$ 64.90
Sega AGES 2500 Series Vol. 17 Phantasy Star: Generation 2	JPN		US$ 28.90
Shining Force NEO	JPN		US$ 64.90
Shinseiki Genso: Spectral Souls (IF Collection)	JPN		US$ 34.90
SuperLite 2000: Memories Off Mix	JPN		US$ 25.90
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe	JPN		US$ 39.90
Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams	KOR		US$ 48.90
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (UbiSoft Best)	JPN		US$ 34.90
Transformers Tataki (The Best Takara)	JPN		US$ 34.90
Tsuki no Hikari: Shizumeru Kane no Satsujin (Super Best Collection)	JPN		US$ 22.90
Wild Arms: The 4th Detonator	JPN		US$ 64.90
Wild Arms: The 4th Detonator	ASIA		US$ 54.90
Winning Eleven 8 Liveware Evolution	JPN		US$ 64.90
Ys III Wanderers from Ys	JPN		US$ 59.90
Ys III Wanderers from Ys [Limited Edition]	JPN		US$ 89.90
Sega Saturn Control Pad (black)			US$ 32.90
Shining Force NEO Memory Card 8MB			US$ 36.90
Virtua Stick			US$ 79.90

Xbox™:

Crimson Sea (Xbox Platinum Collection)	JPN		US$ 34.90
Spikeout Battle Street	JPN		US$ 64.90
Spikeout Battle Street [Segadirect Limited Edition]	JPN		US$ 109.00
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe	JPN		US$ 39.90
The King of Fighters 2002	JPN		US$ 48.90
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Platinum Hits)	ASIA		US$ 24.90
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder (Platinum Hits)	ASIA		US$ 24.90
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (Platinum Hits)	ASIA		US$ 24.90

Gamecube™:

Gold Gashbell: Yuujou Tag Battle 2

JPN

US$ 64.90

Gameboy Advance™:

Konchuu Monster Battle Master	JPN		US$ 48.90
Konchuu Monster Stadium	JPN		US$ 48.90
Nyon Nyon Nyon Kononyon Collection	JPN		US$ 44.90
Shin Sangoku Musou Advance	JPN		US$ 48.90

Nintendo DS™:

Hanjuku Eiyuu DS: Egg Monster Heroes	JPN		US$ 48.90
Rayman DS	EUR		US$ 39.90
Space Invaders DS	JPN		US$ 39.90
Tantei Kibukawa Ryosuke Jiken Dan: The Masquerade Lullaby	JPN		US$ 48.90
Touch! Kirby's Magical Paintbrush	JPN		US$ 48.90
Nintendo DS (Graphite Black)	JPN		US$ 189.00
Nintendo DS (Pure White)	JPN		US$ 189.00

Sony PSP™:

Bleach: Heat the Soul	JPN		US$ 59.90
Ape Escape: On the Loose	US		US$ 49.90
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower	US		US$ 49.90
Dynasty Warriors	US		US$ 59.90
Gretzky NHL	US		US$ 49.90
Need For Speed Underground Rivals	US		US$ 59.90
Spider-Man 2	US		US$ 59.90
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix	US		US$ 59.90
Twisted Metal: Head On	US		US$ 59.90
Wipeout Pure	US		US$ 49.90
World Tour Soccer	US		US$ 49.90
Neckstrap Headphone Portable			US$ 15.90
Portable Pouch (hot red)			US$ 15.90
Portable Pouch (lime green)			US$ 15.90
Slide Case Portable			US$ 5.99

Windows™ PC:

Tokimeki Factory Vol.1: Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side	JPN		US$ 52.90
Tokimeki Factory Vol.2: Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side	JPN		US$ 52.90
Tokimeki Factory Girl's Side Collector's Box	JPN		US$ 104.90

Toys:

Mario Party Plush Doll: Mario (large)			US$ 29.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion The End of Evangelion Figure: Rei Ayanami			US$ 15.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion The End of Evangelion Figure: Asuka Langley			US$ 15.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion The End of Evangelion Figure: Shinji Ikari			US$ 15.90

Video game related soundtracks:

Duel Masters Original Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 31.90
Final Exam Kujira Original Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 28.90
Game Sound Legend Series: Game Legend of Game Music Premium Box [Limited Editon]	JPN		US$ 147.90
Gran Turismo 4 Original Soundtrack - Classic Collection	JPN		US$ 19.90
GUITARFREAKS & drummania Instrumental Collection 2	JPN		US$ 27.90
Homemaid Original Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 27.90
Legend of Heroes Gagharv Trilogy: White Witch Theme Song	JPN		US$ 11.90
Memories Off Collectors Box [Limited Edition]	JPN		US$ 127.90
Music from and Inspired by Gran Turismo 4	JPN		US$ 24.90
Natsuiro: Hoshikuzu no Memory - Original Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 29.90
Radiata Stories Arrange Album	JPN		US$ 27.90
Sega Saturn History Vocal Collection	JPN		US$ 27.90
Tendo Dokuta Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 23.90
W: Wish - Miracle Vocal Best	JPN		US$ 29.90

Selected anime & video game related DVD releases:

Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex Ep. 1-13 [4-DVD Set] [dts]	HK		US$ 48.90
Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex Ep. 14-26 [4-DVD Set] [dts]	HK		US$ 48.90
Sega Saturn Visual Collection Vol.1	JPN		US$ 45.90
Viewtiful Joe Vol.3	JPN		US$ 57.90

Selected anime related soundtrack releases:

Anime 60's	JPN		US$ 19.90
Dream Believer / Little Sky (The Prince of Tennis Opening Theme)	JPN		US$ 11.90
Forever Blue / Himawari (Irya no Sora, UFO no Natsu Themes)	JPN		US$ 11.90
Full Metal Archemist Song File - Alphonse Elric	JPN		US$ 10.90
Get Ride! AM Driver Best Album Heroic Sensation	JPN		US$ 26.90
Ghibli The Classics	JPN		US$ 28.90
Girls Bravo Second Season Image Vocal Album Go! Go! Girls!	JPN		US$ 28.90
Keroro Song, Zenbuiri de Arimasu!	JPN		US$ 23.90
Keroro Song, Zenbuiri de Arimasu! [Limited Edition]	JPN		US$ 33.90
Ketteiban 2005 Ultraman Series Theme & Shudaika Shu	JPN		US$ 18.90
Lime-iro Ryukitan X - Koi, Oshietekudasai - Original Soundtrack	JPN		US$ 28.90
Lupin the Third Theme	JPN		US$ 15.90
Macross Song Selection	JPN		US$ 19.90
My-HiME Original Soundtrack Vol.2	JPN		US$ 28.90
Natsukashi Anime Song Selection	JPN		US$ 19.90
Radio DJ CD Oh! Naruto Nippon Vol.8	JPN		US$ 24.90
Shining Days (My HiME Theme) [CD+DVD]	JPN		US$ 17.90
The Prince of Tennis: Best of Rival Players XXIII	JPN		US$ 11.90
The Prince of Tennis: Best of Rival Players XXV	JPN		US$ 11.90
The Prince of Tennis: Best of Rival Players XXVI	JPN		US$ 11.90
Time Bokan Song Selection	JPN		US$ 19.90
Victor Anime Song Collection I	JPN		US$ 23.90
Victor Anime Song Collection II	JPN		US$ 23.90
Wagamama Fairy Mirumo de Pon! Wonderful Mirumo de Best 2	JPN		US$ 26.90
Yakitate!! Japan Original Sound Track	JPN		US$ 28.90

Explore further music related releases here.

---

Looking forward to next week, around 20 new titles are scheduled for release in Japan. Quickly pre-summarizing all highlights, we will have the anime based Beck the Game, Taito's Saikyo Shooting Collection Vol.3: Sol Divide and Dragon Blaze and Namco's Japanese version Tekken 5 (incl. Hori's licensed Tekken 5 Real Arcade Pro Stick and Tekken 5 Memory Card 8MB) for PlayStation2™.

With Dream Mix TV World Fighters, another Gamecube™ fighting title will be re-published as budget Hudson the Best release version.


Additionally, 3 Japanese titles are coming up for PSP™ (Generation of Chaos IV: Another Side, Harukanaru Jikuu no Uchi de: Sae Techou and Sangokushi V / Romance of the Three Kingdoms V), while DS fans might look forward to Yakuman DS (which is also known as Mario Mahjong DS).


A more detailed video game related preorder list can be accessed here.