Loot Anime | Geekscape

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime August 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperSeptember 7, 2017

Grab your apron and pin on that name tag because Loot Anime’s August crate carries the theme, “Work for it!” The anime featured in this shipment all center around jobs (albeit unconventional ones). We’ve got Gin Tama, Bungo Stray Dogs (cue inner-fangirl yelling), Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, and Soul Eater. Let’s get to work, guys!

The poster art for this shipment was drawn by Lim Wei Lun and depicts Loot Anime’s purple-haired mascot Yume working as a barista. She looks so pleased to serve that freshly-prepared coffee! Dang it, now I kind of want some. As always, flipping the poster over reveals a pictorial summary of what items are included in the crate.

This Banpresto prize figure of Gintoki from Gin Tama was the only item in this shipment that was not exclusive to Loot Anime. All things considered, the figure itself was impressive in size, standing about 7 and a half inches tall. However, it arrived in the box unassembled and putting it together was moderately frustrating. Gintoki’s sword and scabbard simply did not want to stay put in their appropriate spots. The scabbard portion was the worst. Oh and despite spending a day airing out, the figure still smells like paint.

As a huge fan of Bungo Stray Dogs, I was thrilled to learn that Loot Anime would have an item themed to the series in this crate. The item in question is pouch made to look like the journal that Kunikida Doppo uses in the series. Just like in the show, the cover reads “risou” or “Ideals” in Japanese. The pouch would make a great accessory for cosplay! It also fits a New Nintendo 3DS (not the XL – the one with the face plates) quite nicely. This was my favorite item in the crate.

The third item was also one that could be used on a daily basis, a Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid journal. The cover has a matte finish with gold accents used on Tohru the dragon maid’s silhouette along with the title. The pages inside are unlined and have art in the bottom corner of the right-hand page as well as a “scale” border around each page. The book itself was high-quality and I can see many people getting use out of it.

The included manga for this month was volume one of Atsushi Ohkubo’s Soul Eater. This Loot Anime-exclusive version of the manga has an embossed cover.

The phone charm for this crate resembles one of the to-go coffee cups you might get at many of the popular coffee joints these days. This one reads “Loot Anime Cafe” on the label. Interestingly, while the majority of the phone charms are made of metal, this one is composed of plastic. I dig it.

The last thing I found in my crate was a clever ad for the two-night theatrical release of Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In celebration of the famous thief’s 50 anniversary, the movie will be in theaters nationwide on September 14 and September 19. Tickets are available for purchase here.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime July 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperAugust 12, 2017

The time has come for yet another unboxing of one of Loot Crate’s Loot Anime boxes. This time, I am picking apart July’s crate, which bears the theme of “Action Comedy.” I had my hopes higher than normal for this one because I saw that one of my favorite series, Trigun, would be included. Joining that beloved Sc-Fi/Western anime, is KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, FLCL, High School DxD, and One-Punch Man. Let’s take a look!

The first item is the monthly poster. The artwork by Hans Tseng looked promising, capturing an unfortunate mascot girl and cat collision. I loved Yume’s facial expression. It looks like she isn’t going to have a chance to eat her ramen. As always, the backside of the poster broke down what else could be found in the shipment. But since you are reading this article, which serves the same purpose, there is no need to spend much time on it. It should be noted that every item in this crate is marked as “exclusive.”

The big ticket item for many an anime fan was most likely the two-pack of One-Punch Man figures. If you have seen my review of the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack for the series, you would know that this was not the case for me.

However, while I genuinely do not like this series, I do respect the quality of these figures. Subscribers received one of four potential sets. As you can see, I got the set containing Lord Boros and Saitama. The little figures have a metallic paint finish and the clear plastic stand makes it appear as though they hover over the base.

In case you didn’t get the set you were hoping for or want to own all four, Loot Crate will have the figure sets available for purchase in their Vault for a limited time, starting at some point in August.

Two of the series for July, High School DxD and FLCL, were represented with art prints. I am sure this seems like a great item to some fans (most likely those with limited space) but to me, this seems a little lame. One art print would have okay, if a tad unimaginative, but two? Come on, guys.

Now we get to the Trigun item: a shirt. Yes, Loot Anime chose this series for the apparel item this month. I was so bummed. While I will admit that it is nice that the shirt features artwork by the series’ creator, Yasuhiro Nightow, it still isn’t something I see myself wearing.

The manga for this month is KonoSuba: God’s Blessings on this Wonderful World!, written by Natsume Akatsuki with art by Masahito Watari and character designs by Kurone Mishima. While the title itself is available outside of Loot Anime, subscribers are treated to an exclusive cover.

The final item is the monthly phone charm. Most of them star Yume, their purple-haired mascot girl, but this one features her kitty friend. You can spy him in the poster as well. The little fur ball is the one chowing down on Yume’s ramen. The katakana in the charm reads “Nya!!,” meaning “Meow!!” in Japanese.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime June 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperJuly 6, 2017

June 2017’s Loot Anime crate has arrived and with a theme like “Rise Up!,” you can expect loads of teamwork-centric series are in the mix. And, guess what? You’d be right! Represented in this crate are Neon Genesis Evangelion, Voltron: Legendary Defender (watch it on Netflix – you will thank me later), Knights of Sidonia, Gurren Lagann, and Blame! So, grab a buddy and let’s explore the loot!

As with every Loot Anime crate, subscribers are treated to a poster featuring art inspired by the theme of the month. Here we see Loot Anime’s mascot, Yume, teaming up with a helmet-wearing feline and piloting a cat mecha because cats are awesome. This poster is brought to us by Will Overton and Advocate Art. Flip this sucker over to reveal a list of the shipment’s contents.

The first item, and one that I was particularly excited to receive, was the Evangelion Micro Macro plush. This item is a Loot Anime-exclusive and subscribers had the chance of receiving either Asuka or Rei. As you can see, my shipment contained the latter. The plush is teeny-tiny as one would expect with a name with “mico” in the title. I love the soft texture of the fabric, the simple design, and that she can stand on her own, thanks to PVC pellets at the base of the plush.

Is anyone else psyched for the next season of Voltron: Legendary Defender? I would wager the folks over at Loot Crate are, given that the next item is an exclusive collector pin inspired by the fighting mecha. There is a movable visor piece, which is supposed to give the pin the appearance of the Black Lion or Voltron’s head, depending its position. Unfortunately, the effect misses its mark slightly because the piece doesn’t move down enough to conceal Voltron’s eyes, so the Black Lion version looks a bit off.

Let’s move on to an item that is both fun and functional. Here we have an exclusive cellphone stand staring a mech from Knights of Sidonia. The Rei plush is standing for my phone because that is what I use to take these pictures. The stand itself feels sturdy. It is made of two pieces that lock together but can be taken apart for easy storage.

The Gurren Lagann Art Works by Udon Entertainment is actually out-of-print but Loot Anime managed to procure a limited edition reprint exclusively for its subscribers. The art book is over 130 pages long and is super-shiny and colorful. Contained within its pages are artwork from DVD covers, magazine spreads, posters, promotional pamphlets, among others.

Here is a peek at one of the spreads in the book.

This Loot Anime-exclusive wearable is a shirt featuring Killy from the anime, Blame! It is a little hard to tell from the picture (not for lack of trying – I took nearly a dozen pictures trying to get it right) but the shirt is muddy brown in color.

This month’s phone charm, the Kitty-Mecha, is actually pretty cute. I haven’t been much of a fan of the phone charms from the last few crates but this one works for me. I dig the cute, simple design and how well it fits the theme.

As frequent readers and current subscribers know, Loot Anime likes to decorate the inside of their boxes to match the month’s theme. Because of all the giant robot-y, outer space goodness in this month, we get a runway used by ships (and presumably mechs) for deployment into the unknown. You’ve got to love the forced perspective.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime April 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperMay 14, 2017

Things took a dark turn when I went to unbox April’s Loot Anime crate. The shipment’s theme was “Humanity” and drew inspiration from the franchises Attack on Titan, Black Lagoon, and School-Live! If the titles involved don’t already give you a sense of the box’s tone, the monthly poster erases all doubt: Humans are no longer at the top of the food chain in this scenario. Let’s take a look at the items Loot Crate has provided for us in the event of the apocalypse.

The illustration on this month’s poster/inventory list is created by Low Zi Rong, Wong Su Ling, and Collateral Damage Studios. Return readers know the drill: flip the poster over to reveal descriptions of what you will find in your crate. This time, four of the five items are exclusive to Loot Anime.

This month’s manga is School-Live!, written by Norimitsu Kaihou with art by Sadoru Chiba. The story follows four girls in a Japanese school club (The School Living Club, to be precise). The dark twist is that the group live at the school as the last remaining survivors of a zombie apocalypse. With cutesy visuals and a thoroughly unsettling premise, it reminds me of Madoka Magica.

The pull-out poster inside the cover is exclusive to Loot Anime.

The phone charm for this month features a battle-worn Yume, armed to the teeth and covered in gore. This isn’t one I am particularly fond of.

April’s crate comes with two items for Attack on Titan, the first of which is a Banpresto prize figure of Levi Ackerman of the Survey Corps’ Special Ops Squad. The figure stands approximately three inches tall. It did require some assembly to get the figure to stand on the base but it was not difficult (unlike that Luffy figure that continues to haunt me).

This is the only item in the crate that is not exclusive to Loot Anime.

The second Attack on Titan-themed accessory was a pouch and notebook set. I was a bit disappointed in one particular design choice, the pencil’s shape. The thing is shaped like a shoebox. I have no clue how I am going to sharpen it. Yes, I get that it is suppose to resemble the weapons used in the show but this is completely impractical. Also, the poster mentioned there being three pencils included. I only received one.

As for the rest of the set, the notebook bears the Wings of Freedom crest and is filled with graph paper. The leather pouch that holds both the notebook and pencil also has the crest on its front. The back of the pouch has a strap that opens with a snap closure, in case you wanted to attach it to your belt or something.

I found the final item, the Black Lagoon coaster set, to be useful. The coasters have cork board on the bottom and printed metal on the top. The color on the metal portion is impressively vibrant and I liked the faux bullet holes design in both the coasters as well as the container. I could actually see myself using these.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime March 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperApril 7, 2017

Loot Crate’s Loot Anime subscription explores the possibilities of tomorrow with March’s “Future” crate. The concept of the future has inspired many different anime and manga series and this month celebrates four of them: Clockwork Planet, Psycho-Pass, Kiznaiver, and Ghost in the Shell: Arise.

This month’s cyberpunk-flavored art poster was illustrated by Lim Wei Lin and Collateral Damage Studios. Flip the picture over to get an overview of what can be found in this month’s crate. This time, every item included is exclusive to the subscription service.

Loot Anime loves to turn their boxes into clever props that are relevant to the month’s theme. This month is a futuristic-looking laptop. I noticed the little chat going between Yume and her friend Akane on the bottom of the “screen.” Cute touch.

Clockwork Planet, a manga by the creator of No Game No Life, was the monthly book this time. The book itself is not exclusive to the Loot Anime however subscribers are treated to a special alternate cover. The volume is relatively thick, with 209 pages.

The one item I had a some issues with the USB drive themed to the weapons found in Psycho-Pass. Problem number one should be obvious. The thing looks like a gun. Kids have gotten shot for having squirt guns. How does this seem like a good idea? Let’s say that isn’t something you are concerned about. There is still problem number two. The drive’s capacity is 2 gigabytes. That is nothing in today’s technological world. Not very futuristic. Minor by comparison is problem number three. To open and close the compartments that allow access to the drive’s plug there is a hinge that is incredibly hard to open and close. It took me so long the first time that I had my doubts as to whether that was the correct way to open it. Closing it is even worse. The device just won’t stay closed for very long. I don’t know if it is just mine that has this issue but it definitely is not user-friendly.

The anime Kiznaiver is represented by a standard mousepad. The art is lovely and as far as mousepads go it is of a decent size. Being a laptop user, I have no use for this however. What a shame.

The “wearable” for this month was a t-shirt featuring Major Kusanagi Motoko from Ghost in the Shell: Arise. I was actually impressed by how soft the shirt felt. The printing on it isn’t terribly thick but it looks and feels like it should survive a run through the washing machine.

The final item was the ever-popular phone charm. This month’s sort of baffled me though. Usually the charm draws inspiration from that month’s poster. And while Yume can be seen in both the charm and the poster in the same outfit, the feel is totally different. It isn’t like Loot Anime has done non-cutesy phone charms before. The “Demi-Human” and “Blade” crates both had charms that were better suited to their themes. I don’t understand what happened here.

March 2017’s Loot Anime crate wasn’t my least favorite but it definitely felt like the most confusing. The choices made were ones I would not have thought would work and in truth, I don’t think that they did work all that well.

Next month’s crate is “Humanity” and will feature items from Attack on Titan, Black Lagoon, and School-Live!

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime February 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperMarch 1, 2017

Gather ’round because it’s time for another Loot Anime unboxing! February’s theme, “Together,” celebrates the bonds shared between friends and family. Although, if you were going by the poster, box art, or phone charm, you might guess it was a “Piracy”-themed box. The series represented this month are One Piece, Mr. Osomatsu, Haikyū!!, and The Boy and The Beast.

The art for February’s poster is illustrated by Cotton Tan. I genuinely believe that the poster leaned too heavily on their item from the pirate anime, One Piece. As a standalone, I didn’t get a “together” vibe from the poster. It was lovely and fun to look at but that is about it. Out of the five items in this month’s crate, four are exclusive. The odd one out is the One Piece figure.

The first item I cracked open was The One Piece Film: Gold Luffy figure, manufactured by Banpresto. It came in a colorful box of relatively large size.

Unfortunately, some assembly is required. The paint job on each of the pieces looked fine when I removed them from their packaging. I will say that putting the figure together was a bit of a hassle. Not on par with a Gundam kit clearly but still more than I anticipated.

Even after Luffy was set into one piece (no pun intended), I could not for the life of me get the figure to stay on its stand. The pegs were too far apart for the placement of the holes on the feet. I eventually gave up which is why you see one of the stand’s naked pegs in the photo.

Loot Crate seems to be into promoting light novels. This is the second month in a row that the included book is a novel rather than a manga. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation. I am actually in favor of this trend. In any case, February comes with The Boy and The Beast light novel.

Next up is a blind bag phone charm from the series Mr. Osomatsu (Osomatsu-san in Japan). You had a chance of getting one of the six Matsuno brothers paired with a food item that represents their personality. And… that is as much as I know. The truth is, I don’t follow the series and with six identical siblings, I think the odds of me figuring out who mine is is slim. Do you know who he is? Please post in the comments!

This month’s apparel item comes to us from the highs school volleyball series, Haikyū!! In case you are wondering, the writing on the shirt says,” Haikyū!! Karasuno High School vs. Shiratorizawa Academy.”

As you would expect, the monthly phone charm ties in with poster art. I noticed that the Loot Crate logo on mascot Yume’s pirate cap is outdated. It was changed mid-February.

The inside of the Loot Anime box transforms into a pirate den diorama for the One Piece figure. Well, when I say “transform,” I mean “open and turn on its side.” Still cute, though.

The “Together” Loot Anime crate felt a little lopsided in terms of theming, with all of the promotional material only really tying into just one of the items. Individually, the items were fine as far as it goes but this wasn’t my favorite of the crates I have received.

March’s theme is “Future” and will feature items from Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Psycho-Pass, Kiznaiver, and Clockwork Planet.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime January 2017 Crate!

by Natalie KipperFebruary 9, 2017

Just like Alice venturing down the rabbit hole, we embark on our own unboxing adventure, brought to us from the good folks from Loot Crate! This time, we will be digging through the January 2017 Loot Anime crate. The theme for January was “Dimension” and I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to see what’s inside!

This is the sight that greeted me upon opening the package. As always, the goods were securely packed and in good condition upon arrival.

Let’s take a peak at the poster. January features art drawn by Madeleine Rosca. It looks like Loot Anime’s mascot, Yume, has become some sort of magical girl/mage, complete with the Loot Crate logo hidden on her costume and weapon.

I noticed some intriguing box art when I opened the package and, once removing the contents and dismantling it, I was rewarded with this picture. It depicts two different yet parallel worlds, a perfect fit for this month’s theme.

The book included this time actually a light novel rather than a manga, Log Horizon: The Beginning of Another World, Volume 1. The book is published by Yen Press and I believe what makes it a Loot Crate-exclusive is its cover but I am not certain.

Hailing from Sword Art Online II is this Asuna prize figure, made by Banpresto. The figure is relatively detailed for its size and made up of two parts plus a stand and base. I will say that getting the figure to fit with stand was a bit of a chore but it was worth it. The base also has some art on it.

The second exclusive item is a Re:Zero Rem and Ram rotating picture frame. The quality of the art on the frame is good but I think the size and shape of the frame may be a but awkward when attempting to add actual photos inside.

The was another Sword Art Online item in the crate, a pair of Asuna socks. Apparently subscribers either received these ones or socks with the male hero, Kirito, on them.

This shirt features Jibril from No Game No Life. The tee has a babydoll cut, which I am personally not a fan of. It’s a shame, really; the colorful art is beautiful.

The final item is the Loot Anime monthly mobile charm. It has Yume in the same outfit from the poster. I dig her outfit so I am pretty fond of this one.

February’s upcoming box’s theme is “Together” and will feature items from One Piece Gold, Hailyū!!, The Boy and The Beast, and Mr. Osomatsu. Look forward to it!

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Unboxes: The December 2016 Loot Anime Crate!

by Natalie KipperDecember 28, 2016

It is the last Loot Anime crate of 2016 and they did a fantastic job of closing out the year on a high note.

The theme this time around is “Galaxy,” with items from Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Revoltech, and Space Patrol Luluco. Join me as we unbox this month’s goodies!

I liked the poster art for this month. Drawn by Finni Chang, it was very pretty and the color scheme was somewhat soothing. As always, the poster’s backside detailed what was included this month. I noted that, unlike every other month since I have been doing these unboxings, there was no manga in the shipment this time.

Another flyer was also packed into the crate. This one advertised Sailor Moon R THE MOVIE‘s limited engagement in U.S. movie theaters in January. Don’t mind the black ink smudge on the logo in the second image; that is my fault.

Tying in with the Sailor Moon movie ad was this bottle opener shaped like the magical girl’s Moon Stick. It is a nice bottle opener and all but I feel like they could have done some other item and had it fit the series better. It feels heavy duty so I trust it would work on actually opening bottles. Too bad I will probably get any use out of it.

The coolest item was the plush of Ein from Cowboy Bebop. The corgi pup is relatively big, about the length of the box if measured from nose to tail. And it is so soft! Definitely a pleasant surprise!

This super-pretty keychain is the “aflutter jewel” from Space Patrol Luluco. It has some decent heft to it. All the same, I would be concerned about the shooting star portion chipping during regular use because it is a little thinner there. It might make a cool sun-catcher, though.

The only item I was kind of “meh” about was the Robotech LED lamp. It is a neat idea but feels a tad flimsy and relies on you providing your own usb charger. The item is exclusive to Loot Anime.

In this month’s phone charm, Loot Anime mascot Yume is shown in a space suit literally reaching for the stars. I liked the addition of glitter to the charm’s finish. It fits the feel and look of the art well.

To sum up, I straight-up loved this month’s crate. The series represented fit the “Galaxy” theme perfectly and the majority of the items were winners. A perfect way to round out a year of anime loot!

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime November 2016 Crate!

by Natalie KipperNovember 30, 2016

It’s time again for another Loot Anime unboxing, brought to you by Loot Crate! The theme for this month’s theme is “Blade” and there is no denying that there are plenty of anime titles with swords, similar sharp objects, and the people who wield them.

The monthly poster this time takes the dramatic approach, breaking the art into three panels (complete with sound effects) to illustrate mascot Yume expertly wielding a katana. Flip the poster over for the details on what goods you’ll find in the crate.

And here is this month’s phone charm, Yume as a swordswoman in chibi-form. There isn’t much to say about about this one. I think I prefer this to what I had anticipated it would be, some sort of sword just hanging there. But all the same, it doesn’t feel like it has the same flavor that the previous charms have.

Included this month was the first manga volume of Sword Art Online Progressive with a (very shiny) variant cover exclusive to Loot Anime. I know the whole SAO series is super-popular but it isn’t my cup of tea.

Okay, this item was pretty awesome. It is letter opener modeled after Guts’ sword from Berserk! This thing had some heft to it and the cloth wrapping around the hilt was a nice touch.

Another item was this Gintama mini wall scroll. I say “mini” because while most wall scrolls I see are too big to hang on a door, this one would probably fit on the inside door of a locker.

I don’t know why these Bleach lounge pants seem like such a bizarre add-in to me. I mean, in the Loot Wear crates, you get freaking underwear for crying out loud. The fabric is a nice, soft jersey but I just don’t see myself wearing this thing.

Just like how August’s box transformed into a desk, this month’s container was supposed to be able to turn into, well, something. As you can see from the photo, I never managed to finish this one. It wasn’t for lack of trying either! Many a curse word was uttered before I decided to call it quits.

This month’s crate was a bit of a disappointment. The licenses utilized felt overused and the items, besides the letter opener, were on the boring side. I know that the whole gamble/surprise is a big part of what makes these subscription services so exciting but it also means that, odds are, there will be things that don’t appeal to me on occasion. This was one of those times.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime October 2016 Box!

by Natalie KipperNovember 7, 2016

I hope you brought an appetite because this month’s theme for Loot Crate’s Loot Anime is “Delicious.” Food- and cooking-themed series take the spotlight and I am super-excited to show you what is inside! Let’s take a look:

As in the past, the inside of Loot Anime’s box is decorated according to the theme. I noted the cola, a favorite of Umaru-chan, whose show is represented in the crate.

The month’s poster art is illustrated by littlereddo and features the crate’s mascot, Yume, surrounded by delicious sweets as far as the eye can see. Flipping the poster over reveals descriptions of the crate’s contents. Of the six included items, five are exclusive to the subscription box!

Despite being the only non-exclusive item in this month’s box, the Himouto! Umaru-chan “I love Cola” Trading Figure was my favorite in the bunch. It was made by Good Smile Company, the Japanese figure company responsible for Nendoroids and figma, and I could tell the trading figure is of a similar high quality. It is a slightly hefty weight and the paint job is clean. The figure comes with a small clear pedestal for display.

The Gudetama plush was a close second favorite. The toy is a little more than palm-sized and has PVC pellets in the bottom of his belly along with the fluff. Gudetama himself is a soft minky fabric while his yolk bottom and bacon “blanket” are felt.

The anime version of Sweetness and Lightning has been a big hit on Crunchyroll. I haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet (I am hooked on Yuri!!!! On ICE) so I was excited to see the manga packed in. Loot Anime’s print of the manga has an exclusive variant cover.

The only real weak link in the box was the Naruto: Shippuden ramen bowl. Sure, it is cool that you get a replica of the one that Naruto uses in the show but with the care instructions of “Do not microwave,” “Do not Soak,” and “Hand wash only,” it is clear this for display only. I much preferred the bento box that was packed in a few crates prior. A display-only bowl seems like a waste to me.

While not as useless as the bowl, the included Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma apron is “for costume use only.” I guess cosplayers would get a kick out of this one at least.

This month’s phone charm was definitely my favorite iteration of the item so far. The little parfait looks sweet and the accompanying spoon is a darling addition.

While two of the six items were a moderate bummer, I am still happy with this month’s crate. The excitement I got from the other four items easily overshadowed any disappointment I felt from the bowl and apron. As always, it is clear that Loot Crate put a lot of thought into what series are to be included with the themed box.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime September 2016 Box!

by Natalie KipperOctober 10, 2016

[This unboxing is based on a sample provided by Loot Crate.]

Loot Crate‘s Loot Anime subscription box line, created in partnership with Crunchyroll, is celebrating those that are more than human with September’s Crate. The theme is “Demi-Human” and looking at recent anime, there is a wealth of series to choose from. And as an added bonus, every item included is exclusive to Loot Anime.

Here are the contents of the “Demi-Human” crate, five items total.

Also included is a poster with themed art on side and item descriptions on the other. The poster stars Yume, the mascot of Loot Anime.

The Loot Anime phone charm this month is a broken Yo-kai mask. It is reminiscent of Ichigo’s mask in Bleach, which is perfect because the series is also represented in this Crate.

Next up is the first volume of One Punch Man, written by One and drawn by Yusuke Murata. While the manga itself isn’t an exclusive, the one from Loot Anime has an exclusive variant cover.

The Bleach watch is the most impressive item in this shipment. Its quality was superb and it looks like a lot of care was put into designing it. The watch face uses the kanji for 3, 6, 9, and 12 instead of the actual numbers. Another cool detail was Ichigo’s Zangetsu sword replacing one of the watch’s hands.

Twin Star Exorcists‘ heroes, Rokuro Enmado and Benio Adashino, are the stars of a super-soft shirt. The print reminds me of the ones from shirts sold at anime conventions in the early 2000’s.

The final item is a standee keychain set from Tokyo Ghoul. The two characters included are Ken Kaneki and Touka Kirishima, drawn in a chibi style. The art is printed on some kind of hard plastic. Unfortunately, it is only on one-side. It is still nice and all but it would have been so much cooler if it had both front and back artwork.

Those standees can be used to create a little diorama using the inside of the box. Unlike August’s Crate, there was no assembly recquired to bring out this box’s extra feature.

Loot Anime’s “Demi-Human” Crate is a winner in my eyes. Like last month, every item appears to be thoughtfully chosen. I was also pleased that all of the included items were some degree of an exclusive item.

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime August 2016 Box!

by Natalie KipperAugust 31, 2016

Geekscape has partnered up with Loot Crate to bring you, dear readers, this unboxing of the August 2016 subscription box in the Loot Anime line, made in partnership with Crunchyroll. Befitting the end of the Summer season, the theme of this Crate is “Back to School.”

For this unboxing, I was assisted by my plush cat, Rolo. And without further ado, let’s open this sucker up!

Who would believe that a normal-sized box held so much stuff? What’s more all of the enclosed goods were exclusive to the Crate! You’ll see what I mean in the next set of photos.

The first item was the poster containing the theme’s artwork. On it, we see the Loot Anime’s mascot, Yume (the girl with purple hair), enjoying a bento with her buddies during a break in the school room. Flip the poster over and you’ll see a break down of what is inside this month’s Crate. See all those “Exclusive” marks? Every single item is either made or available in some special capacity for subscribers.

The item I was most jazzed about finding inside my Crate was this Revolutionary Girl Utena bento box. This iconic item of Japanese culture is from A Crowded Coop. Look at all those compartments! It even came with chopsticks that fit within the box. I am in love with this thing.

Being a huge Persona fan, it is safe to say I was thrilled to get volume 1 of the new Persona 3 manga, published by Udon Entertainment. I will note that this manga will eventually be available outside the Crate; we just got first.

There were also a set of four Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. charms from Fruits Basket. Each character is wearing little cosplay caps bearing the animal they are possessed by (with the exception Tohru and her onigiri). From the left to right: Hatsuharu (cow), Yuki (rat), Tohru, and Kyo (cat). The figures themselves are very detailed and I was impressed with the paint job on the faces and uniforms.

Next up was a tie themed to Danganronpa‘s Monokuma. This tie was very high-quality. Even the box impressed me, with different pictures of Monokuma on each side.

Here is the tie modeled by Rolo. Doesn’t he look classy?

The Digimon Adventure Tri item in the bundle was a set of three prints. The prints were not big, each one a little bit bigger than a postcard.

There was also a magnetic message board featuring Koro-sensei from Assassination Classroom. The board has magnet strips on the back to secure it to a board as well as a stand to prop it up on a table or desk. The marker (with eraser on the cap) writes in white against the black backdrop. The board comes with three magnets that let you give Koro-sensei different moods (there is also a standard image printed on the board itself).

The final item was a phone charm made in the image of mascot Yume’s school notebook. It has a earphone jack plug as well as a loop, giving you two methods of attaching it. The art style is cute and matches that on the inside of the box. Speaking of which…

This Crate can be transformed into a desk (a rather cute one at that). The instructions say that all you need are scissors but I ended up using a small amount of tape in the end as well. The assembly was quick and easy.

I was thrilled all around with the contents of this month’s Loot Anime Crate. I think it did an excellent job of matching the theme while tying into current and classic anime titles. I also appreciated that some of the items were of a practical nature (that bento box, man).

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.