The Good, the Rare, and the Ultra-Rare

So it's been a pretty busy week, and I haven't had much time to get out and about, but I did come across a few nice finds recently.

First up, is the 1999 PSX hit that spawned some pretty famous sequels as well, Valkyrie Profile. This game stood out as an RPG with it's unique mixture of game elements including platforming, puzzles, and RPG. There is no currency in the game or things to buy as well. As a game based on Norse mythology, equipment is gifted down to you by the gods at the beginning of each game chapter. 

Next up is probably the coolest find of this lot. It is the Laserdisc release of the 1985 super rare/cult anime Tenshi no Tamago or Angel's Egg. The artwork is all done by Yoshitaka Amano which if you read my previous posts is the famous artist responsible for a lot of the classic Final Fantasy artwork. The LD itself is extremely rare and technically the only completely uncompressed version of the film on print. The film itself is quite interesting in the fact that it is almost completely void of dialogue. It is very atmospheric and symbolic in a lot of it's presentation. It might not be for action fans, but if you are a fan of Amano or cult anime, it is something you should give a shot. It has garnered quite a following a recent years, and there is definitely a good reason why.

Another thing I had to pick up when I saw it was the Laserdisc release of Spriggan. I have loved this movie since I came across it at an anime convention many years ago. It is the story of modified super soldiers, genetically created psychopaths trying to control the world by utilizing the powers of Noah's Ark, and twisted memories that might have been better off forgotten in the first place. The animation for the time was really spectacular as well. I remember the first time I watched the chase scene through the town market when I was younger and just being blown away at how smooth the action was. I can't wait to sit down and watch this in it's perfect quality image.

The presentation of the packaging itself is really nice as well. It comes in a fold out 12" and is just very visually appeasing. 

The last thing for this post is the Tactics Ogre Art Works book. This is one of the most beautiful art books I have come across since I have been scouring Japan. Hiroshi Minagawa is such an absolutely amazing artist and has been one of my favorites since I really got into his work through Final Fantasy Tactics. He has such a wonderful blend of anime style and pure medievil ruggedness. The book is put together so well, and as it just sits in your hands you know you are holding something that is of the utmost quality. It goes through character portraits, a great amount of character design, monsters, landscapes, and concept art. It is a great buy for any Art Book fans.

Here is an example of one of the spreads that was used in essence on the cover of the game's original packaging. It is really spectacular front to back.

That's all for this time, good luck to every collector out on the hunt.