An LT is a handheld PCE that cost an insane $700 or some shit when it came out. Before there was such a thing as a collectable game this thing was, at least with my friends, a holy grail. Worth at least 10 Supergrafxs.
The halo effect usually refers to something like a Corvette being such a kick-ass car that people go out and buy much worse GM vehicles out of...I don't know. Submissive worship? Awareness? Lack of awareness? I don't know. I know exactly why people buy Dodge Vipers. I have no idea at all why they buy Dodge Calibers.
So at any rate, the US MC is so popular that when collectards learn of a JP version they want that instead as a low cost alternative but then the price of that increases too. In this case we are seeing some guy trying to leverage that doubly.
A similar thing is happening to MVS.
The best thing that could have happened to an actual fan of Magical Chase would be if the US version never came out. The JP version would be the same price as Hanataakadaka or similar titles, everyone who knew of it would be able to get a copy.