1/7 Erio Touwa (AlphaMax)

Denpa Onna to Seishin Otoko isn't something I usually pick up voluntarily, but thanks to its WTF opening I had to give it a try. It didn't take long for me to realize Erio Touwa is probably the most fascinating moe-blob out there. Seriously. I watched the entire series because of her.

So even Alpha Max's reputation for mediocre products, I pre-ordered this figure. Why? Because it's ham. Because it's delicious ham.

1/8 Misaka Mikoto (GSC)

It's about time I got to reviewing some older figures! My backlog on reviews is so stupendous it pierces the heavens (What? Nevermind). So without further ado, here is a retro-review for your enjoyment!

Misaka Mikoto is a small girl who fights gundams with her bare hands. That alone makes her awesome. Unfortunately, Misaka Mikoto isn't the most colourful person in the world, and her bland design translates to an equally mundane figure—or does it?

Ideolo's Black♣Album 2 (Doujinshi)

I've hunted Ideolo's doujinshi since I was made aware of their existence, yet somehow, they've always eluded my grubby little fingers. UNTIL NOW.

Ideolo's Touhou series is the epitome of high-contrast stylization. The colours are bright enough to punch your retina right in the cones. The heavy blacks are stark and uncompromising. Such abusive boldness can only signify greatness. Read on.

Wonder Nyan/Meow (Square Enix)

Look in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...It's...Wonder Nyan, the dream eater from Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance! He's stuffed with awesome and he stares at you with an expression that lacks emotion!  He's adorable and plump, and all you want to do is give him a hug! Or even a poke!

Wonder Nyan can be your buddy and your pillow too!  He's got all sorts of uses!  Let's see what else makes Wonder Nyan so wonderful in this review!

April: LET THE RAINS BEGIN

April showers bring May flowers, but no one gives two farts about flowerrs at Poke the Merch. Now if April showers brought May merchandise we might care, but that's illogical and impossible to boot. Besides, nothing that rhymes with "merchandise" would make a cohesive poem, so we're not even going to try.

That being said, April has its own slew of beautiful materialistic wallet-eaters that require attention. So what are you waiting for?

1/8 Oshino Shinobu (GSC)

Oshino Shinobu rocketed to the top of my favourite character list as soon as she opened her mouth in Nisemonogatari. Her silky drawl is fabulous. Her laugh, even moreso. There's nothing I dislike about her. Nothing at all.

So while I prefer Shinobu: Total Badass rather than Shinobu: Cuddly Vampire, any form of Shinobu is good. That's just how she rolls. After all, you can't go wrong with Shinobu, and you can't go wrong with GSC. The only logical outcome is win.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep SE (Square Enix)

As a huge fan of the Kingdom Hearts series, I must say I am disappointed in myself for not reviewing more Kingdom Hearts merch on this blog.  I mean, have a handful Kingdom Hearts books and several imported games!  I even have a lovely collection of doujinshi! (Shame on me, I know)

Since it's the 10th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts, I decided to celebrate by putting up a review for one of the best games in the series! So here it is! The Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Special Edition PSP!

1/7 Black/Dark Magician Girl (Kotobukiya)

Ah, this brings back memories. Memories of a time where world crises can be solved by playing a card game. Those were the days.

I love Black Magician Girl (Dark Magician Girl depending on region). She's mostly mute, incredibly cute, and girly in the best way possible. So despite my aversion to all things Kotobukiya, I had to get her. She compels me in so many ways. Behold! The power of nostalgia.

March: Bring on the Leprechauns!

Sometimes, we run out of clever things to say in our posts, after all, our smart-ass banks have a finite cache dedicated to witticism. Let's make this one brief and sweet. March is the month of good drinking and Leprechauns, and here at Poke the Merch, nothing is more intoxicating than the scent of fresh merch.

So what do we have in store for you this glorious month?

Izanagi D-Arts (Bandai)

Oh, Izanagi, you should have gotten a figure of your own a long time ago!  It's a good thing Persona 4: The Animation came along. Otherwise Izanagi would have never gotten a figure of his own!

I love the Japanese bancho look he has.  It really makes the main character of Persona 4 look like some gang leader, and it makes sense!  Izanagi definitely looks like he won't take crap from anyone and that's what makes him so badass.  I couldn't resist this figma because Izanagi is my favourite Persona.  I pre-ordered him as soon as I saw him.