Otaku Collection 2017: January Update | Bargains, CDs, Catching Up, BERSERKER

What a way to start the new year! Yep I went all out and acquired a bunch of sets thanks to the special deals going around. I went overboard but sometimes it's best to get it out of the way now than leaving it too late.

The January haul contains 18 different items. It's also worth pointing out that because I went back to Uni the overall haul pic will be missing the earlier pickups.

#1 | Root Letter

The first video game pickup of the year is the 2016 Kadokawa Games visual novel Root Letter. This is a short mystery story and it's pretty interesting from what I've played so far. The game was on sale in GAME for £20 in its limited edition form so I got the artbook also.

You can view the unboxing here.

#2 | Nisekoi: False Love Volumes 3 & 4

Delayed from the December haul, the Rightstuf package for the remainder of the show's first season has arrived though at the cost of having to pay for customs. These are Aniplex sets and it was perfect timing to say as Volume 2 went out of print instantly after I got 3 & 4. The sets themselves are barebones compared to the other shows but at least I managed to get it now.

You can view the unboxings for the following here:
 - Nisekoi: False Love Volume 3
 - Nisekoi: False Love Volume 4

#3 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven

A pickup that honestly bugged me. I have no issues with the game itself but the fact that Bandai Namco offered a low print run on this game annoyed me and it never went down in price which was even worse. I was very lucky to even find a copy in town. I can't play the game just yet as the game's storyline spoils Parts 1-7 plus some bits of Part 8.

You can view the unboxing here.

#4 | Goblin Slayer novel

Delayed from the Christmas haul, my copy of Goblin Slayer arrived just before I was about to leave for Uni. I brought it along with me but have yet to start it.

#5 | The Case of Hana & Alice

Pre-ordered the film not long after the New Years, this is the first arrival after coming back to Uni. The set itself is really nice but I have yet to start the film just yet.

You can view the unboxing here.

#6 | Blue Exorcist

MVM had a 20% off Blu-ray sale and I wanted to make use of it, and what caught my eye were the Blu-ray parts for Blue Exorcist. Blue Exorcist is a series I've been meaning to own for ages now, and while I was originally going to acquire the Aniplex versions I eventually decided they weren't any use as I've already read the first four volumes of the manga and half the show is just filler so I couldn't justify paying lots for that. Anywho I finally own the UK versions now, and I will be getting the Movie later down the line.

You can view the unboxing here.

#7 | Japanese CD Haul

One of my favourite pickups to date, I finally went ahead and bought a couple Japanese CDs. I was originally going to do this back in the last semester but the pound to yen rate was way worse than what it is currently. The CDs are Susumu Hirasawa's Ash Crow album, the Garden of Sinners soundtrack, and Utamonogatari (the DVD LE). Very pleased to own all three despite not getting the version I wanted for Utamonogatari (wanted the BD version but it was OOP).

You can view the unboxings for the following here:
 - The Garden of Sinners - Theatrical [Kara no Kyoukai] Music Collection
 - Susumu Hirasawa's Ash Crow album
 - Utamonogatari - Limited Edition DVD Version

#8 | Akiba's Trip, Arslan Part 1, Love Live and Metropolis

The next haul came in four different packages oddly enough. From Amazon I pre-ordered the Osamu Tezuka film Metropolis since it was a limited edition steelbook. From Base.com I acquired Akiba's Trip and Arslan Part 1 as they were going for a good price. And from the MVM 20% off Blu-ray sale I acquired both seasons of Love Live! in UK form. Love Live! was a double dip as they were decently priced plus I wanted to own UK compatible discs.

You can view the unboxings for the following here:
 - The Heroic Legend of Arslan Part 1
 - Love Live! School Idol Project Season 1
 - Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2
 - Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis

#9 | Gravity Rush Remastered

Next up was an emergency pickup - this game went out of print. It seems the hype for Gravity Rush 2 eventually made the first game sell out. I was lucky enough to find a copy in GAME for a decent price when you compare it to everywhere else.

#10 | Arslan Part 2

Arslan Part 2 was ordered not long after receiving Part 1. This was the plan all along due to the prices on the Universal anime sets were very good (£23 instead of £49.99). I've already seen Arslan and I felt these special sets did a great job representing the series.

You can view the unboxing here.

#11 | Berserk (1997), The iDOLM@STER and Seraph -Battle in Nagoya-

The last batch of crazy orders concluded with the arrival of Berserk from the reception, The iDOLM@STER after going to the post office and back due to customs, and Seraph -Battle in Nagoya- when Amazon delivered the package fairly late. Berserk I've already seen and there's currently no licensor in America so I went for the UK MVM Blu-ray release (after already owning the DVD version). The iDOLM@STER I've been meaning to get into for ages and given the pound to yen rate I went for it (as Solaris Japan had a better deal than Play Asia for the game). Seraph's second half I have yet to see but I did enjoy the first half.

You can view the unboxings for the following here:
 - Berserk (1997)
 - The iDOLM@STER Platinum Stars
 - Seraph of the End -Battle in Nagoya-

#12 | Nyaruko: Crawling With Love Season 2

And the final haul of January is an emergency pickup - a select number of NIS America Premium sets were going out of print and this set was one of them so I wanted to get it as I already owned the first season. This will be the last 'long box' NIS set I'll acquire though, since most of them are already out of print anyway.

You can view the unboxing here.

Bonus | 8 films on Blu-ray
Like last time I went to HMV and acquired some more films to own. I watch at least 2 at a time with a friend on a Friday/Saturday night with takeaway. The films from the 5 for £30 deal for Drive, The Hateful Eight, The Nice Guys, Spotlight and Straight Outta Compton. Two films I got for £4.99 each; Kingsman: The Secret Service and Trainspotting. And lastly I bought Kubo & the Two Strings for my society's movie night.

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And that's it for this month's haul. It's huge and I have gone a fair bit overboard on the spending but to be frank I did get some big stuff out of the way - for example I'm now up to speed with the Universal anime releases.

February will contain more Anime Limited sets assuming they don't get delayed, March will have Serial Experiments Lain from MVM, and April will have Suda51's The Silver Case ready at home (the game hasn't arrived at home just yet as it's been pushed back to early March to improve the packaging). In addition I also have Funimation's Anime Classics release of Sekirei coming up as it's going out of print, and there's also MCM Comic Con Birmingham in March to look forward to.