And Here Come The Girls

freedom Amiot has released two cosplay renditions of anime heroines who gave their name to titles: Shana (Shakugan no Shana) and Haruhi Suzumia (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya / Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu).

Both are scripted; Haruhi has face expressions, an AO and "attacks". Shana's got an AO as well and can transform. Both are available here.

From The Miscellaneous Store

CHATNOIR Catnap has been busy this last week and you can see it from the number of new releases in her store.

First, here's a rare calligraphy, that you would even not find in antiques shop in Japan even if you try hard. It reads in Japanese: "Yome no meshi ga mazui". In order words: "(my) bride's food is awkward".

About the radically different English translation, CHATNOIR explained to me that it's a joke, and that you can link the two sentences this way : "Without the power of love, there is a wall that you can't climb over."

Then, on a different note... CHATNOIR first tought about the upcoming spring season... And then about the Setsubun festival and its bean throwing on oni (ogres), then the mask of a woman that has turned into an oni from an excess of jealousy... She came back to the start and got the camellia, who symbolizes spring... Mixed the two together and came up with a "devil and flowers" kimono set.

And finally, twelve (!) sets of three textures for japanese sliding doors, the one below being one of them. There is certainly one that will fit your tastes. Come to have a look!

New Cosplay Shop

A warm welcome to Yori Aska!

Yori has a fairly wide range of Final Fantasy cosplay outfits for 300L$. Your favorite character is probably in there! Come check it out!

New Shop

Kodama no Ki welcomes Hawk Sak! Click here to acess his shop!

Hawk's main line are kimono and tattsuke/Iga-style hakama sets, and there are as of now a dozen of them to fit your tastes and your gender! They all come with waraji (straw sandals) and suneate (shin guards).

But if you prefer the more classical style, you should look for the Shiroi Hakama.

Rats of Stealth

Kodama no Ki welcomes katakuri Zenovka in our circle of amazing content creators! katakuri has a very unusual line of half-rat half-human tiny avatars dressed as ninja and kunoichi, all at an incredible price. Get them before they disappear with your cheese! Click here for TP.

Be Pretty This Winter

Some new stuff from taiko McCaw! Click here for TP.

First, two nice kimono for women, both including a michiyuki coat.

And a beautiful hair lotus hair accessory!

Modern Cosmetics

Kiba Tachikawa released a series of 18 visual kei inspired tattoo makeup layers. They are designed for a specific set of skins from Selos Dae (who is a creator in Kodama no Ki) but perhaps you can find them useful anyway! Each design was hand panted and inspired by real j-rockers or visual kei artists. Every version comes with an option without the lipstick and in the case of Gariben Rock, without the writing on the face. "These were a lot of work and a lot of leaning experience so I really hope everyone enjoys them as much as I do!" Ready to get on the stage and sing? Head to his store in Kodama no Ki!

Heian Aristocrat Casual

Abamama Hax has two new Heian-era Japanese nōshi outfits, one indigo-dyed (ai) and one purple. Click here for TP.

Also, there is a tiny rabbit dressed in a kan-nōshi outfit in a lucky letter board! (My letter came out as I was taking the SLURL coordinates! ^^;)

The cat presents the rabbit

In the Chinese zodiac (very much used in Japan), 2011 is the year of the rabbit.

CHATNOIR Catnap has released a hung scroll that reads Kinga Shinnen (Happy New Year) and that features the New Year's zodiac animal.

Available here.

Evercutting Crescent

Koenees Karas released Ichigo Kurosaki's (Bleach) zanpakutō sword. It's a fully scripted weapon with sounds, animations and special effects. Click here for TP.

It has two forms - shikai and bankai - and you can switch from one to the other. (Depending on what sheath you wear, you can keep it in the bankai form or not when sheathing it.) You can stab throw waves of energy, stab and paralyze your opponent, and so on. The shikai sheath, which is bandaged, would fit very well any traditional-like Japanese avatar. Simply having the word in your hand looks cool, but I guess you're in for more ;o)

New Shop

seigi Wisent has recently opened his shop in Kodama no Ki! seigi has a nice range of anime and Japanese avatars, ranging from Tachikoma-kun (Ghost In The Shell / Kōkaku Kidō-tai) to a Hiko-nyan (Hikone castle's samurai cat) tiny avatar. Shown below is the Nirvash mecha from Kōkyōshihen Eureka Seven, which features an automatic transformation "AO". Go to seigi's spot to check out the rest!

Make Your Face A Picture

Aika Zadark's recently released anime doll head #4 (available here) features an emotion HUD that will definately give your avatar a character!

New Shop

Aika Zadark and Lacryma Quandry have opened their own shop in Kodama no Ki. You can find there all of Aika's releases (like the anime heads), and Lacryma has prepared for you Black Rock Shooter's hair, available in seven colors. Click here for TP.

Some more visual kei

Two new excentric outfits from Kiba Tachikawa, available here.

One is related to his September 6th release: it is from the same music video (Au Revoir), though it was worn by band member Yu~ki. It uses sculpted feathers for the neck.

The other, "Dirty Faith" grasps the mood of the song of the same name from the band Nega, and reproduces its singer, Jin, tied into chains, expressing "how religion binds you".

Meet The Sweeping Emo

Shoma Baxton just released a very nice cell-shaded Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7), complete with a working vacuum cleaner-sized buster sword that will sweep your enemies away. His blinking eyes and foot step sounds will make them believe that they have been swept away by Something. Click here to TP.

And Shoma is just telling me that Sephiroth is now complete:

Yoga

There is some new stuff at freedom Amiot's spot in Kodama no Ki, the most recent being Dhalsim's (Street Fighter) "Yoga" powers made reachable to you at the RL price of a bentō! It's right here.

And if you don't feel like doing all of these, freedom has them separately (without a HUD) as well.

Cosplay Update

Kazuki Sonic has new avatars, available here:

Tsunade (Naruto)	Sora (Kingdom Hearts 2)
Madara (Naruto)	Jin Kazama (Tekken)

Sword AO

Animation goddess Hinamori Burleigh has released a sword animation overrider, which includes a good number quality animations. It is specially helpful for those of you owning non-animated swords. Head to her spot in Kodama no Ki to get it!

How to Search in Kodama no Ki

This post is for you, when you are stuck in the following situation:

Many of you have suggested me to think of a way to allow you to search more easily in Kodama no Ki. I must then have replied that:

• Sorting the mall into sections and keeping it sorted right would be administratively hard.
  
• Having a search engine would contribute to lag, and maintaining it would take time as well.

Well. What about using a tool that the Lindens are already providing?

All you have to do is to head to this page, and search within it with your favorite browser. Then, click on one of the "Go" buttons, and you will be offered to TP right where the item is. (Sometimes you will arrive on the other side of the wall, but I can't help that ^^;) This can be done because in Kodama no Ki, TPs aren't clamped to a specific point. Landmarks you take within the mall will always lead to the exact same position, too.

This tool, of course, works only if creators have provided useful vendor names and descriptions. But for when they have not, I have put keywords in the buildigns that summarize the goods directly below. (Feel free to IM me if you think some are mistaken!)

I have added the link at the top of the right column so that you can access it quickly.

I hope this helps! (^_~)v

Creatures

cark Milos released two items that will certainly grasp your interest if you're a fan of the My Neighbor Tototro (Tonari no Totoro) movie. To the right you have a box that, when you touch, emits soot sprites (susuwatari). To the left, three Totoro head-shaped pumpkins for Halloween, at a fairly cheap price. Click here for TP.