How far are you willing to go to protect your interests? For one Japanese vending-machine enthusiast, the answer is “to the grave.” Crushed by his favorite contraption, his life as a fanboy of dispensed goods may be over, but his close connection to vending machines can only grow—when he’s reborn as one in a fantasy world! Is a land of monsters and magic ready for this modern marvel of convenience?! INSERT COINS FOR ADVENTURE

After dying in a traffic accident, I find myself standing near an unfamiliar lake. My body won't move, I can't hear my voice, and when I try to shout in confusion, words that I never expected come out! "Get one free with a winner." I-it seems I've turned into a vending machine...! I can only do what actual vending machines can. It's impossible to move by myself, and there's no way for me to have any meaningful conversation-how am I going to survive some fantasy world's dungeon like this?!

I'm gonna survive-just watch me! I was your average, everyday high school girl, but now I've been reborn in a magical world...as a spider?! Wait-this isn't how these stories are supposed to go! Can I get a do-over? ...No? But how am I supposed to survive in this big, scary dungeon as one of the weakest monsters? It's "every spider for herself " in here! I gotta figure out the rules to this QUICK, or I'll be kissing my short second life good-bye...

Maid: The Role-Playing Game is a comedic take on a uniquely Japanese cultural icon: The fetishized modern maid. Injecting the concept of Maid with 50ccs of anime and comedy, the players take on the roles of maids, serving the master (played by the GM). Sheets are left unfolded and mantelpieces undusted when giant robots crash through the mansion, ninjas attack and kidnap the young master, and a demonic pit to Hell opens up in the pantry... and all before teatime! Play in the modern comedy setting, or mix it up with 9 additional settings including Victorian era, old Edo period, fantasy and post-apocalypse; and 6 genres including romance, horror, and action. Due to the rules system and random events that form the backbone of the Maid RPG, the game practically runs itself: Go from opening the book to playing a game with friends within just minutes! Three game styles in one: The traditional scenario-type; the random event-driven type; and the "favor race," a race to the master's heart! Make characters and start playing the game within minutes of opening the book. Everything about the game gears it for Fast Play, Now. Optional character types including player-character masters and butlers, and optional rules for seduction and romantic tragedy. 11 complete adventure scenarios. 3 complete "replays," actual play scenarios in screenplay format. Great for learning the feel of the game. The first ever Japanese tabletop role-playing game to be released in English! ...which, when you think about it, totally makes sense in a weird sort of way. Hundreds of optional items, costumes, genre and setting events, all presented in a way to easily bring them into the game! Combines the original Japanese core book and two supplements into one huge, complete edition of the game in English. A $75 value!

I used to be a normal high school girl but in the blink of an eye, I woke up in a place I've never seen before and-and I was reborn as a spider?! How could something that's nothing more than a tiny spider (that's me) possibly survive in literally the worst dungeon ever? Are there no rules? There should be some rules! Who the hell is responsible for this? SHOW YOUR FACE!

Reviews of over 300 graphic adventure games, focusing on games from prominent publishers such as LucasArts, Sierra On-Line, and Legend Entertainment but covering games from independent developers as well. Reviews primarily cover games published 1984-2000. Interviews with game creators/developers Al Lowe, Corey Cole, Bob Bates, and Josh Mandel are included.

Since its inception as an art form, anime has engaged with themes, symbols and narrative strategies drawn from the realm of magic. In recent years, the medium has increasingly turned to magic specifically as a metaphor for a wide range of cultural, philosophical and psychological concerns. This book first examines a range of Eastern and Western approaches to magic in anime, addressing magical thinking as an overarching concept which unites numerous titles despite their generic and tonal diversity. It then explores the collusion of anime and magic with reference to specific topics. A close study of cardinal titles is complemented by allusions to ancillary productions in order to situate the medium's fascination with magic within an appropriately broad historical context.