Crazy-cheap GURPS books on Amazon Japan

[tbone]

I recently wondered whether the GURPS (and DFRPG) books shipped by Amazon Japan are print-on-demand titles.

That remains unclear, but I suspect it's the case. There are a lot of titles ready for quick shipment by Amazon, many in the ¥2500-¥3500 range, or US$30-ish. Expensive, yes, but about what I expected. (Items from other sellers have greatly varying shipping times, and prices that run from the expected to the obscene.)

Anyway, scanning through the offerings of paperbacks and occasional in a search for DFRPG Magic Items 2 (there it is; ¥2989, presumably PoD), I came across two oddities: GURPS Discworld and GURPS Mars Attacks are available at the expected high prices and slow shipping times from small importers/sellers – or at ¥532 and ¥811, respectively, from Amazon Japan. Hardcover, new, immediate shipping. That's the claim, anyway.

That's roughly US$5 for Discworld and US$8 for Mars Attacks. If you're in the country and interested in these books, grab your copies fast while they last –

(While I'm here, info for the curious: The prices from individual sellers go up and down, but at present, the DFRPG boxed set will run you about ¥15,000 on Amazon Japan, the giant The Fantasy Trip Legacy Edition box about ¥33,000, and the new The Fantasy Trip Melee & Wizard black plastic box set about ¥6,000. Such is the world of small-scale importing.)

[Daigoro]

Aaaand bought! Cheers!

I'd put them on my wish list but forgotten about them. Also picked up Blue Planet for Y980, used.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by tbone

Hardcover, new, immediate shipping. That's the claim, anyway.

And for the record, they are new hardcovers and have arrived already. Thanks again for the heads up!

[tbone]

I'd pick up copies of my own, but I have the PDFs, and am avoiding hard copies of anything unless I'm pretty sure of using it. (In the case of Discworld, I've yet to read a single book in the series, so I'd want to do that first . . . )

Anyway, I'm glad someone was able to take advantage of those super-cheap prices!

[Sorenant]

Speaking of Japan, is there even a remote chance of getting settings like Runal/Yuel, Youma Yakou/Hyakki Yashou, and Sorcerl Knights Academy available digitally?

[pestigor]

Originally Posted by Sorenant

Speaking of Japan, is there even a remote chance of getting settings like Runal/Yuel, Youma Yakou/Hyakki Yashou, and Sorcerl Knights Academy available digitally?

It would only be possible if SJ Games owned the rights to these properties and if SJ Games found it profitable enough to devote the money to get these setting's laid out and ready for electronic publication.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by Sorenant

Speaking of Japan, is there even a remote chance of getting settings like Runal/Yuel, Youma Yakou/Hyakki Yashou, and Sorcerl Knights Academy available digitally?

AFAIK, the rights belong with the publisher, Kadokawa. But I know nothing of dealings between the two companies; not mine to speculate on.

A quick search, though, shows that there may be digital versions of any given title. One example: online book seller honto.jp is offering six Runal Saga books collected into one digital book for ¥3850. (In the original language, of course.)
https://honto.jp/ebook/pd_27581265.html

Maybe the other titles you note are out there digitally as well.

[finn]

I think the digitization of the Japanese GURPS books are unlikely at this stage. I will add my reasoning/speculation later.

tbone, the books you link to are novels based on the Runal setting. They are great novels, but not GURPS suppliments which I believe Sorenant is looking for.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by finn

I think the digitization of the Japanese GURPS books are unlikely at this stage. I will add my reasoning/speculation later.

tbone, the books you link to are novels based on the Runal setting. They are great novels, but not GURPS suppliments which I believe Sorenant is looking for.

Yeah. I guess "Saga" refers to the novels, not the supplements?

In any case, the fact that the fiction property is available digitally suggests to me that it'd be worth making a good search to see whether the rules books (from the same publisher) are also available. Though as you suggest, it may turn up nothing.

[Daigoro]

It looks to me that this is the GURPS supplement.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/482917420X/

And this looks like it might be the cover.

https://static.mercdn.net/thumb/phot...jpg?1494752776