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Artbooks: Only one of the Neon Genesis Evangelion artbooks - Der Mond - has been translated and released in the West, and it doesn't contain 100% Evangelion art. However, it does have quite a lot and it's a superb book, plus the translated version is not only hardback but also a hell of a lot cheaper then importing the Japanese one. Der Mond has recently been reissued in the US after being out of print for quite a while, and can be picked up from most specialist retailers for around £17. You can also order it in to bookshops by using the ISBN code, so here it is: Der Mond (English Language Version): 1-56931-546-9 Many specialist and online retailers carry at least one of the huge number of Evangelion art books, but the price for the imported Japanese books is pretty much around the £30 mark (give or take a few quid). Some websites we know to stock Evangelion artbooks include CD Japan, Anime On Line, Otaku UK and the Sheffield Space Centre, but they can also be picked up in many branches of Forbidden Planet and Travelling Man. Figures & States: Statues, figures and model kits are very easy to get hold of from specialist retailers and there are a huge variety available, ranging from the 3" 'gashapon' style figures costing around £3-£4 right through to limited edition statues costing upwards of £100. Your best bet for the statues is either specialist toy retailers like Tokyotoys and local comic shops like Forbidden Planet, who are usually able to order them in if they don't already stock them. Auction sites like eBay* can also be good places to look, as long as you're careful and avoid fakes. Prices can range from £40 to £100 plus, depending on the type of statue and how limited the run is. Figures are easier to get hold of and online merchandise retailers often stock them, as do many Sci-Fi and comic shops. The price again varies depending on the level of detail and size of the figure, but you are usually looking in the region of £5-35. The model kits are not so easy to come by, but still crop up in some comic shops and at trade fairs. Your best bet once again is from auction sites*. Prices vary wildly, but sites that sell model kits often have two prices - one for the model in kit form, and a much higher one for it built and painted - but again the cheapest place to get hold of them built is on auction sites like eBay*. The amount of figures available is colossal, and they change all the time. Keeping an eye on sites with regular stock updates - like Tokyotoys - is the best way to keep on top of the latest lines. Soundtracks: There are a fair few Evangelion CDs available from online import retailers such as Otaku UK, Anime On Line and CD Japan, ranging from straight soundtracks to spoken word dramatisations (in Japanese) and concept albums such as the incredibly random Evangelion Vox CD - an English language hip-hop take on music from the series. These imported CDs vary in price depending on the number of discs, but will generally set you back around £20-£30 each. However, ADV Music have recently been releasing the soundtracks in the US and, unless you are after the more eclectic titles, this is by far the easiest way of getting the Evangelion music without breaking the bank. Online retailers like Anime On Line, Amazon and Otaku UK are great places to pick up these CDs and some specialist Sci-Fi shops, such as Sheffield Space Centre, also stock them. The imported US CDs will probably set you back around £10-£15. Computer Games: Games based on Neon Genesis Evangelion are still being released in Japan, and can be found on the Nintendo 64, Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo Game Boy Colour, Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), the PC and even the short-lived Wonder Swan. Price varies wildly depending on the system the games are on, how new they are and their rarity, but are generally between £10 and £40. Evangelion characters also appear in several other games, including the Super Robot Wars series - which pits the Evas against other giant robots such as Wing Zero Gundam and Giant Robo - and a couple of obscure puzzle games. Getting hold of them can be tricky, but import game retailers like CD Japan and YesAsia are good bets, as is the ever-present eBay*. Others: There are many other items of merchandise for Evangelion, ranging from the normal (ie. T-Shirts) to the practical (ie. Soap Dishes) to the just plain weird (ear pickers anyone?), and the prices and selection vary between retailers. There's far too much to cover here, but keep your eyes open in the usual kinds of places - Otaku UK, Tokyotoys and Forbidden Planet are good bets, as is eBay* - and you're bound to find some interesting stuff for a decent price... *Auction sites can be rife with unscrupulous individuals who will
knowingly sell you pirated goods. Although the risk with figures and
VHS tapes is minimal due to the small market and difficulty of
manufacturing (in the case of figures and statues), DVD and CD pirating has rocketed in recent years. To
minimise the risk of being ripped off make sure you check Digital Anime's
excellent
Piracy FAQ. |