Today we get a two-fer. My original plan was to do the Ninja Gaiden wall scroll and call it good, and then came the realization that one whole picture isn't a whole lot of bang for the buck. So to round out the package today may I also present the Shining Lore panda.

First off, the Ninja Gaiden wall scroll. The tapestry is 14" wide by 35" tall, not including the hanging bits or cross-braces, with a picture of Ryu Hayabusa looking all ninja-y on it. It was given out in limited quantities for the Xbox Ninja Gaiden game, and decorates a wall quite nicely. It's got a glossy finish to it, although nowhere near slick enough to be confused with real silk, but it's still nice enough to please the discerning leather-fetish ninja fan. Unless he's wearing rubber, which is really more than I want to think about.

Moving right along, the Shining Lore panda fills in the pictorial slack created by one otherwise-lonely shot of a wall scroll. I actually got a bit of hands-on time with Shining Lore, and the pandas are one of the most common enemies in the game. They get dressed up in all sorts of outfits, from wizards to cowboys, but this guy is a straight-vanilla panda and I've named him Panda Khan. At 7.5" tall to the tip of his ear and 8" wide from elbow to elbow, this guy is a full-featured mass of fuzzy evil. His pointy-toothed grin, clawed paws, and glowering eyes all let you know that he's a stuffy who means business and has no fear of taking care of it in his own straightforward way. Fear him, fear the Panda Khan!

Or at least enjoy knowing that there's a stuffed critter out there that's made for Men.

· · · James Cunningham