The Shrine

http://www.destructoid.com/xenogears-pe ... 9110.phtml

As the article notes, this book goes used for $200-300, so having a brand new copy available for $50 is a treat. Although, I think the interesting point to make is the timining. Since Monolithsoft is not long from revealing their latest game which fans have begun calling "X" after the bloody X logo that appears during the closing of the teaser released last year.

Perhaps a coincidence that it looks SO much like Xenogears in terms of art direction?

I have the book and it's pretty overrated. Not much illustration and a lot of useless stuff like the unit of measurement in Xenogears or how Miang #752 was responsible for the Great Recession in Zeboim. I do like the Tolone and Seraphita section.

I am considering getting it just for collector purposes. Even though I don't know much Japanese.

It's a good collector's item but there really isn't anything interesting in most of the book. It's not an art gallery and most of the info is just way too tangential. I really didn't need to know all of 1000 Miang's impact on history of the world of Xenogears.