OMG how are there so many new posts everywhere when I just woke up!! (I'll answer later today because I have to leave soon - weekends are not the best time for me somehow... less free time)
About the merch, yeah, there was barely anything in Tokyo. Seeing how they do things there though, I guess there might have been some around the time the anime came out. But usually they tend to sell whatever's new and popular at the moment , or things that are really classic, such as One Piece. I found a keychain in a doujin store, but that was only one time and not official merch. The only official thing I got was I guess the postcard that came with the Volume 9 manga/drama CD then.
And yes, Shion as 'Aster' *punches a wall* I will forever be boycotting such translation. Not that I would have any inclination to read it in French though, it's kind of like how I can't read fanfiction in French... I don't know, it just makes me fee extremely awkward.
Anyway... I'll go... try not to die at the gym... Talk to you later :-)