With some of the bigger names out of the way in the first two series, games like R-Type, Fantasy Zone, Gradius, it's time to delve into the more obscure. Shooting Game Historica Volume 3 features two Raiden variants, the Wolf Fang mech, the tank from Maneuver Cepter Granada, the Ceaser from Star Soldier and that thing from Soukyugurentai. Household names these are not.

And don't forget my personal favorite, the chubby sub from In The Hunt. It even has a lil' mini-sub accessories that's totally chibi. Look!

Totally precious, is it not?

Yujin has nailed down a May release date for the new Shooting Game Historica toys, charging 6300 yen per box containing 12 blind boxed toys.

U.S. Importer NCSX is now taking pre-orders to the tune of $66.90 USD. This is gonna be one expensive In The Hunt sub..

The new stars of the Shooting Game Historica, volume three, are from the following games:
- Raiden
- In the Hunt
- Soukyuu Gurentai/Terra Diver
- Wolf Fang
- Granada

I'll take one of those Raiden ships and the In The Hunt submarine to go, please. Here's to hoping that Capcom signs on for Shooting Game Historica fun and brings us some Side Arms and Forgotten Worlds capsule toy joy.

Gashapon Shooting Game History volume 3 [Shoot The Core via GameSetWatch]

Having just (finally!) picked up series one of Yujin's mini-toys, we couldn't be more pleased to see Fantasy Zone's Opa Opa rendered in small amounts of plastic. And that M.U.S.H.A. from Musha Aleste? A nice surprise. Wave goodbye to another $25, over-consumers!

Shooting Game Historica Vol. 2 [NCSX]

Shooting Game Historica Vol. 2 [NCSX]

They're great fun. Playing the 'discovery' sound when you find some old leftovers in the fridge, playing the prize sound when you find 100yen down the back of the couch, and playing the phantom sounds when your boss nearly catches you on youtube at work.

Video Games: providing the soundtrack of our lives. If you'd like to hear what each one sounds like, Gene has thoughtfully provided us with a YouTube clip of samples.

• Boy
• Blanca
• Mabel
• Mallary
• Brewster
• Elvis
• Aurora

Having returned from Japan with a sick "charm" obsession, seeing this makes me want to search every Asian buffet I come across until I find these. Hopefully Presto 117 will save me the trouble and just let me send him/her a check to go and get them for me. I only wish there was a KK Slider available.

New York based importer Nation Console Support is now taking pre-orders for the first releases in the series, listed below.

R-9A Arrow-Head from R-Type
0F-1 Daedalus from Image Fight
Vic Viper T301 from Gradius
Metarion from Gradius II
Silver Hawk from Darius Gaiden

At $20 for all five, with an estimated ship date of early December, you're looking at the perfect stocking stuffer for the shmup lover in your life. I'm looking at you, Mom.

SR Shooting Video Game History Gashapon [NCSX]

Alice over at Wonderland points to this cute as pie new set of gashapon Animal Crossing Toys. A similar set of these made their debut last year to much fanfare and were sold out almost immediately. Now, Yujin has issued this new set in honor of the Animal Crossing movie that which is hitting movie screens across Japan. Instead of having to buy all the sets individually, website NCS is offering the entire set including houses, furniture and lovable critters for $26 plus shipping.

The greatest thing about this Animal Crossing town is you can leave it as long as you want to, no weeds grow, no cockroaches show up (hopefully) and no cutesy doe-eyed animals are going to bitch you out when you finally come back. Flynn De Marco

Animal Crossing House Gashapon Set 3 [NCS]