> has Cherrypal completely scammed us on this one?

While *I* don't feel scammed by them it seems their Japanese distribution partner does:

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://gpad.tv/topic/cherrypal-scam
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.redstar.co.jp/cherrypal.htm