January came and went without much information posted about the director’s cut for the final episode of the anime, and I realized later that they had removed the note that it would air in January.

The official website was recently updated to include some more information about this (but not much).

Essentially, a new COVID-19 outbreak got in the way of both the completion of the original episode 12 and the director’s cut of episode 12.

The director’s cut is scheduled to be completed in early February now.

More information is forthcoming about where it will be distributed.

Here is something really cool. The youtuber Jammin’ Sam Miller has apparently taken to restoring the soundtrack to Secret of Mana. Essentially what he does is recreate the entire soundtrack using the original samples from all sorts of sources from when the game was made. We’re talking keyboards, drum machines, sample libraries, etc. This guy finds them and does the best he can to remaster the entire soundtrack. If you have not seen his Donkey Kong Country pieces, you’ve gotta check him out. Anyway, here is his “Fear of the Heavens” restored:

Did you ever think you’d hear those whales so clear? Apparently they come from “OMI Universe of Sounds Vol 1” and are entitled “SFX_Animals”. Really wild stuff. You can check out the information on where samples came from here.

The project has an anonymous sponsor, and will result in a vinyl release in the end. I might have to get this.

Preorders for the Serafina Nendoroid are being taken between January 20th 2023 and March 1st, 2023.
She comes with a Greenball Bun.

Don’t forget about the Shiloh Nendoroid, you have until February 1st, 2023!

I’m going to make various merchandise sighting updates when I can, but only when I think things are fairly interesting (Like the SoM and LoM SuperGroupies merch drops). Today I’ve got a handful here that I think are really cool. If you really want to, though, you can dig deep for all sorts of knick-knacky Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal merch. There are little tins (with marshmallows), keychains, acrylic stands, keychains, acrylic stands, some keychains, and even more acrylic stands if you’re interested in them. For me they are a bit too many and a bit too uninteresting for me to go after all of them, but if you’ve got a favorite character they’ve probably got something out there.

The first items I want to point out are a Rabite Plush (currently out) and a Flammie Plush (not yet released) that are found in Taito UFO machines in Japan. These are pretty great. The Rabites look quite good, better than the 2018 big plush version if you ask me. It’s also really cool to see a Flammie plush. You’ll have to pick these up on eBay (expensive) or through Japanese auction sites (a bit cheaper) if you want them.

The second items are in the realm of strange Legend of Mana merch. I don’t know who decided there need to be necklaces for Bud and Lisa’s weapons, but hey here they are. They’re produced by Goodsmile and you can look into preordering them in Japan here. Now you too can hold onto the memories of Bud and Lisa’s parents, but I can’t say I’d recommend these as Mother or Father’s Day gifts.

On the twelfth day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Twelve more Rabite things,

eleven more Rabite plushes,
ten Rabite charms,
nine Rabite kings,
eight Rabilions,
seven more Rabite plushes,
six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

Finally, we have two totes, three cloths (one from Children of Mana), a Heroes of Mana muffler, a Legend of Mana Card Duel trading card, a 30th anniversary charm, a Children of Mana screen cleaning plushie, a Trials of Mana card case (nearly impossible to see at this angle), a Black Rabite UFO prize plushie from the Trials of Mana remake, and a promotional hat from Dawn of Mana.

And just so you can get a good look at everything, I’ve got some zoomed in shots for you!

On the eleventh day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Eleven more Rabite plushes,

ten Rabite charms,
nine Rabite kings,
eight Rabilions,
seven more Rabite plushes,
six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

Today we have Rabite UFO prize plushies from the Trials of Mana remake.

On the tenth day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Ten Rabite charms,

nine Rabite kings,
eight Rabilions,
seven more Rabite plushes,
six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

They are a bit hard to see, but today we have a mix of two pewter (DigiCube) and three gold (Jugemu magazine) Legend of Mana pre-order Rabite pendants and three Legend of Mana and two World of Mana Rabite phone straps.

On the ninth day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Nine Rabite kings,

eight Rabilions,
seven more Rabite plushes,
six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

Today we have King Rabite UFO prize plushies from the Trials of Mana remake.

On the eighth day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Eight Rabilions,

seven more Rabite plushes,
six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

Today we have Rabilion UFO prize plushies and a promotional Rabilion ball pit ball from the Trials of Mana remake.

On the seventh day of Rabite Christmas the Seikens gave to me…

Seven more Rabite plushes,

six Rabites peeping.
Five Rabite things!
Four Rabites sleeping,
three Rabite fans,
two Rabite mugs,
and a Rabite in the Mana Tree

Today we have three giant UFO prize plushies, two normal plushies, and two “mascot” plushies all from the Secret of Mana remake.