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Vol 1:
1-56971-059-7 Expect to
pay between £7-£11 per volume. The earlier versions of the first two
manga volumes are now becoming increasingly rare, but despite this usually
cost around £10 each if you find them. The animé is available in the UK on VHS in five volumes priced
at between £10 and £14 each, volume one and two can also be
purchased as a 'double feature' video for around £13. For
some reason the price of animé on VHS hasn't plummeted like most other old
VHS tapes, but on the plus side you can still pick them up in many high
street shops, although they are becoming scarcer as they are now deleted.
Auction websites such as
eBay as well as standard online shops such as
Amazon are still
good places to pick up 3x3 Eyes on VHS, and they can usually be
bought for very good prices (around half RRP or less) through these
sources. The DVD is only available in the US (Region 1, NTSC) but can be purchased
through many import DVD sites priced between £30 and
£50. It is worth noting that because of its price there is a
risk of a customs charge when it reaches the UK. This charge is
applied pretty randomly by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and
constitutes the VAT of 17.5% of the package value plus a £4 handling
charge. Some sites (such as
DC-DVD) will cover
this charge for you, but this peace of mind comes at a price, and you will
invariably pay more there than on some other sites. Super Manga Blast! is available from most comic shops priced
around £4.50, and can be ordered if it isn't on the shelves. Please
note that you will only find 3x3 Eyes in the issues prior to 41,
but most comic shops have back issue sections in which the price of
Super Manga Blast! is often slashed by about half. The Yuzo Takada Art books (Aien Kien and Last Order) cost between £35
and £50 and can be purchased from online import retailers such as
Otaku UK,
Animé Online
and CD Japan.
It is always an idea to check with your local sci-fi goods stores,
particularly those that get a lot of Japanese goods in, as they can often
order them for you. Shops like Sheffield Space Centre and
Forbidden Planet are particularly good bets, although it is advisable
to check the online prices for comparison. There are several soundtracks available but your best bet for buying
them in the UK is through online websites such as
Animé Online,
Otaku UK or
CD Japan.
Amazon sometimes
have them listed but the availability varies. Some large or
particularly specialised sci-fi retailers stock them, or can order them,
and it may be possible to order them through shops like Virgin,
HMV or Tower Records - who all have large Japanese operations.
In all cases buying Japanese imported CDs in the UK is an expensive hobby,
with import duties and postage knocking the price up to around £20 or
more. The computer games are quite difficult to get hold of and remember that
you will need the correct systems and import adaptors to play them.
As no 3x3 Eyes games were released in the west you'll be best off
checking shops that sell imported 'retro' games or keeping an eye on
auction sites like eBay*.
Please remember that these games are mostly text-heavy role playing games
(RPGs) and that all the text will be in Japanese. These games
will set you back between £10-£30, depending on the format. Other goods are available but on various sites as the Japanese love merchandise, but prices and selection vary a lot between sites. You are best off sticking to reputable retailers when looking for these goods, and err on the side of caution with regards to unusual goods as there is pirated merchandise about... *Auction sites can be rife with unscrupulous individuals who will knowingly sell you pirated goods. Although the risk with VHS tapes and old console games is minimal due to the small market for these formats, DVD and CD pirating has rocketed in recent years. To minimise the risk of being ripped off make sure you check Digital Animé's excellent Piracy FAQ. |
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