Interest

Lots of Microsoft Character Goodies at This Season's Comiket

Microsoft has won a fan following in Japan for its cute female mascot characters, in particular Nanami Madobe, who represents Windows 7, and her sisters Yū and Ai, who promote Windows 8. It has parlayed this into a booth at Comiket in winter 2012 and both summer and winter 2013. Microsoft will reappear at this season's Comiket with a bevy of goods featuring its mascots.

The booth will sell the Windows 8.1 Pro DSP edition in three different versions. The Store Manager Theme Bag version comes with the Microsoft Store manager's apron and a CD-ROM featuring Daisuke Namikawa (Ulquiorra in Bleach, Yu in Persona 4, Prince Baka in Level E) as the store manager. The CD-ROM includes original wallpaper and Daisuke Namikawa voice samples for your OS, such as "There's a problem. Do your best!" (for a system error) and "Have you saved your data? The battery will run out soon." Ten lucky attendees will also get a picture of the manager signed by Namikawa. The Nanami & Claudia Dream Duet Remix version has a CD with Nanami (Nana Mizuki) and Claudia (Eri Kitamura) singing a duet together, as well as a cloth bag featuring the couple. The Claudia Anime version includes a DVD featuring a Claudia anime and a pair of earrings fashioned after the Windows logo. All three versions come with Yū and Ai ema (wooden prayer tablets), Yū and Ai postcards, and clear files, and come in bags featuring Nanami, Yū, Ai, Claudia and the store manager in front of an electronics store in "Akihano." The Windows 8.1 sets cost 19,000 yen (or $158) each; only 60 of each version is available.

Store Manager version

Nanami & Claudia Dream Duet Remix version

Claudia Anime version

Microsoft is also selling Arc Touch mice featuring Nanami or Yū and Ai. The sets also come with ema, postcards, and clear files. The mouse sets cost 12,000 yen (or $100) each; only 60 of both versions are available.

Comiket guests can also opt for a grab-bag lacking any technology but with eight Microsoft character badges, an ema, a postcard and a clear file. There will also be an original manga by Toshiya Takahashi featuring the Madobe clan. The grab-bag costs 2,000 yen (or about $16.60) each, with 200 available; the manga costs 500 yen (or about $4.15), and 2,000 will be available.

Microsoft is also planning on holding a Skype conversation between Toshiya Takahashi, Asuka Nishi and Nao Tamura (Yū and Ai's voice actresses), although the time hasn't been determined yet. In addition, trade show models will be cosplaying as the Madobe sisters and will be posing for photographs at the booth's opening and closing each day.

Comiket 87 will be held from December 28 to 30 at Tokyo Big Sight. Microsoft's booth is #162 in West Building, Hall 4.

[Via PC Watch; Images from Kai-You and Windows Navi+]