Can you guess without reading?
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Teh Haul

Here’s everything that shipped with this haul:

Max Factory Yoko Littner - Real Image Ver.: I remember saying something to the effect of “I want to want this figure” when she first went up for pre-order because I was having difficulty getting past the unique design.  Boy am I glad I got her because she turned out hotter than the images portrayed.  :3

Alter Kudryavka Noumi: When Alter announced their Kudryavka figure they answered a long held wish of mine to have one of the more top tier figure makers tackle Little Busters! and the final product certainly doesn’t disappoint.  Now if only Alter would get on my new long held wish and finish their Evangelion line…

Alter Yoshika Miyafuji: I guess there were some concerns with the production run of Yoshika revolving around her coloring, but the figure I got looks vibrant and lives up to the high standards I have of Alter.  Even considering Yoshika was supposed to be released last September and I’m sure Alter was in a rush to get her on the market.

GSC Petit Nendoroid - Vocaloid Series 01: If Nendoroids are cute then smaller Nendoroids must be even more cute!  I have a soft spot for the Petit Nendoroid line.  So much so that when a set comes out that I love I buy a whole box of them to make sure I get each and everyone.

GSC Yuki Morikawa: I was pleasantly surprised to see Yuki come in because I thought I missed the deadline on her.  While Rina may be the more interesting figure detailing and design wise Yuki here wins hands down in the “cute” department.  Never under-estimate the power of cute!

Nendoroid Yui Hirasawa: Yui’s reign as “cutest Nendoroid to date” will be short lived because at almost the exact time I got her Azusa made her entrance.  Oh well, Yui can be cutest for the next couple months at least.

Alter Masane Amaha: These next two are gifts from balalaika_ism.  Well, maybe more like how he paid me back for some convention tickets I bought him.  So they’re not really part of the haul per se, but  he gave them to me the same week so I think that counts.  Anyway Masane is a figure is one I always kicked myself for not getting and now she’s mine!

Alter Saber - Black Dress Ver.: Here is another one that balalaika_ism parted with and is now in my collection.  Truthfully I’m not much a fan of Saber’s design in Fate/hollow ataraxia and I had no desire to own her until balalaika_ism offered her up, but now that I have her in my hands I think she is a fantastic figure.

So that just leaves one final figure…

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the one I regret getting is…

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Yup! It’s Miyuki.

FREEing Miyuki Takara: I finally finished off FREEing’s Lucky Star line with this acquisition of Miyuki and it happened not a moment too soon.  As this line dragged out it was apparent that FREEing wasn’t living up to my expectations with their coloring - most notably on the girls’ skin tones - and their detailing. The line ended up being completely uninspiring and a distinct drop in quality from their past work.  Collecting this line is perhaps my single greatest regret as a collector; surpassing even my regret of purchasing Griffon’s Eureka.  And, on top of everything else, this line was expensive to collect!  Grr.  My issue is with the entire line here so I’m trying not to trash Miyuki specifically (she’s actually one of the line’s nicer figures) but she was the unfortunate one to cap it off; a line which was far too comfortable in it’s own mediocrity.  Thankfully it’s over now but FREEing has ground with me it needs to recover before I buy from them again.

you win some, you lose some,
Rico-sama

Related posts:

1. First haul of the new year! nyoro~n
2. New haul or why Rico might need more shelf space
3. A big day for a small room

shining hobby~
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Orchid Seed Seena: Background

Orchid Seed’s 1/7th scale Seena Kanon PVC was released in December of 2009 and retailed for ¥7800 (86 USD).  Seena was sculpted by Kyosuke Arai.  At this point I would normally highlight some of the sulptor’s other works but he only has a few and, honestly, I feel Seena is Kyosuke-san’s best work.

Shining Wind, like all incarnations of the series before and since, has featured character design and artwork by the renowned Taka Tony; with this sculpt of Seena borrowing from this piece.  I’m not a Shining Wind fan so I can’t tell you why she sports different looks throughout the franchise, but I do know that I like twintails and zettai ryouiki.  :3
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The Luminous Knight

Ever since Gothic Punk Mikuru I’ve been very impressed with Orchid Seed’s work.  They really don’t compare to the likes of Alter and Max Factory but they have good production values.  What really elevates them in my mind is the company’s tenancy to do figures that are more imaginative or non standard figures while still able to keep the figure in character.  I don’t know a lot about Seena but I do know this twintail version isn’t the norm yet it’s still Seena.

The thing I really wish Orchid Seed would stop doing is billing their figures at the 1/7th scale.  Of the two I own both are supposedly 1/7th but they are really more like 1/8th.  I know scales are mostly bogus for figures anyway but you’d think a 1/7th scale figure would fit somewhere between 1/8th and 1/6th.  There is a cynical part of me that thinks it’s just to bump up the selling price for the figure.  Anyway, on to the review!

I really like how Kyosuke-san captured Seena’s face as it captures that alluring yet detached look of the artwork so nicely.  I think there could’ve been a little more done in coloring of her eyes to captured the artwork more but the expression is spot on.  Her face is a little longer than the artwork but I don’t really notice it much.

Kyosuke-san did a phenomenal job taking a 2D piece of art and rendering that pose in three dimensions for Seena; it’s really this figures most distinguished feature since it works so well - with the face  and the base - in setting the mood of the figure and at the same time pops on it’s own.  The added depth of being in three dimensions even improves upon the mood of the original piece.  Kudos to Kyosuke-san for doing it so well.  As an aspiring architect I know how difficult it is taking something that looks good on paper and bringing it to life.

Coloring is a little difficult to really grasp since so much of her outfit is dark but her skin tones are warm and lush, the patterns in her skirt and panties are detailed quite nicely, and there is even a little shading going on in her stockings.  The only thing I think could’ve improved the coloring job was a touch more shading in her hair; it just seems a touch too flat to me.

Detailing on Seena is actually pretty nice even though you may have a hard time seeing it because of the pose, oddly enough.  You get some great folds in her shirt but most of that is covered by her arms and hidden by her right leg.  Then her lefs which are front and center are smooth themselves so it’s kind of a double whammy on Seena.  Her hair looks good though.  I also like the gold foil trim on her cuffs and the semi-gloss on her shoes; that just adds a little texture to the figure.
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Final Thoughts

I had heard that some people were disappointed with the release version of Seena back when the figure was first hitting the shelves so I was a tad worried about how she would end up.  Whatever their issues with the final product were I certainly don’t see them.  Seena is a real solid figure all around and I’d say she met every expectation I had when I purchased her; she’s not amazing, she’s not breath taking, but she is certainly a compelling figure nonetheless.

out for now,
Rico-sama
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Seena’s Full Gallery

 

Related posts:

1. Orchid Seed 1/7 Mikuru Asahina “Gothic Punk” Ver. PVC: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
2. I saw her face and my heart went boom
3. Kanon: Makoto Sawatari 1/8th PVC by Max Factory

illustrious hobby
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Mari Illustrious Makinami

Series: Rebuild of Evangelion
Company: Kotobukiya
Sculptor: Shirahige Tsukuru
Scale: 1/6
Release: May 2010
Price: 91 USD // 8,190 Yen

The Short:
The long awaited Kotobukiya Mari figure finally arrives on the scene.  It’s either that I’m unfamiliar with the character or she’s just the weakest of the set.

The Long:
What we have with Mari is a tale of two faces.  If she ends up looking more like this then I’ll be happy but if she looks more like this then I’ll be sad.  The latter just doesn’t look like Mari.  Granted that last one could just be a really bad angle - and I should give Shirahige-san the benefit of the doubt since he rocked Rei and Asuka - but at the end of the day something doesn’t feel right about her face.

Aside from that though, I’m liking what I’m seeing.  Paint quality seems to be on par with Rei and Asuka and (unlike Asuka) it looks like the got Mari’s skin tones right.  She doesn’t have translucent hair like Rei and Asuka but I’d argue that would look as preposterous on Mari as it would’ve with Misato to to her hair color.  It just wouldn’t work well with brown.  Her pose is a little underwhelming but I forgive that for putting her nicely shaped bum on perfect display.  :3

Now that Kotobukia’s set is complete, this means Alter can finish theirs!  Right?

Rico’s Verdict:
At the end of the day a nice end is a nice end.  Bought.

 

Source.
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Mizuho Kazami

Series: Please Teacher!
Company: FREEing
Sculptor: UNK
Scale: 1/4
Release: Jun 2010
Price: 157 USD // 14,800 Yen
Notes: Castoffable

The Short:
FREEing continues to make needlessly huge figures, this time giving Mizhuo Kazami from Please Teacher! the full stocking treatment.

The Long:
I’ve been wanting a good Mizuho figure for a while now.  Since the show ended eons ago I was trying to hunt down the GSC one or the Max Factory one since I figured no one would be making a new one.  Then a shift in the cosmic fabric occurred and Daiki Kougyou and FREEing decided it was still 2002 and therefore okay to make Please Teacher! merchandise.  The Daiki Kougyou one is all kinds of bad but this FREEing one is quite nice.

Two things bother me about this Mizuho: 1) the scale versus detail and 2) FREEing.  As others have pointed out, Mizuho doesn’t seem to have the detail necessary for such a large scale.  You might be thinking “but the fishnets!” and I counter with “others have proven fishnets can work at smaller scales”.  This was a problem I woke up to when I started getting their Lucky Star figures.

Speaking of Lucky Star this brings me to my second bother.  FREEing’s coloring has gotten pretty bad at this scale since their Haruhi Bunny Girls and the Lucky Star figures got the brunt of this problem: the final product looked more muted and less lush then the what was advertised.

Rico’s Verdict:
I felt like I got burned with FREEing’s Lucky Star line.  They’ve got some trust to win back.  Pass.

 

Source.
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HMX-17a Ilfa

Series: To Heart 2
Company: Alter
Sculptor: Fumiki Saitou
Scale: 1/8
Release: Jun 2010
Price: 76 USD // 6,800 Yen

The Short:
While G rated To Heart 2 figures seem to be a bit of a rarity, Alter’s well documented production standards aren’t.

The Long:
Alter’s second (of currently three) To Heart 2 figures is HMX-17a Ilfa.  Ilfa looks to be quite the pleasant figure.  Nice coloring, nice detailing, nice pose - nothing to really get excited about but still an overall charming figure.  Not being a fan of To Heart 2 I have a hard time justifying what I see in this figure that elevates it to “buy” status.  It’s just for some reason I’ve become quite enamored with Atler’s growing line of To Heart 2 figures and, again, I can’t really explain why.

Oh wait, yes I can.  It’s because I’m an Alter fanboy. 

Rico’s Verdict:
Charming, but that’s about it.  Would’ve passed had it been anyone but Alter making.  Bought.

 

Source.
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Rin Kagamine -Nuclear Fusion-

Franchise: Vocaloid
Company: Max Factory
Sculptor: Shining Wizard @ Sawachika
Scale: 1/8
Release: Sep 2010
Price: 104 USD // 9,800 Yen

The Short:
Rin gets something of Gothic punk re-imagining with this figure from Max Factory.  I totally want her.  Or do I?

The Long:
I think I’m a little out of my mind but I’m having a bit of difficulty getting excited about Rin.  There is something about the way she is posed and the face that she makes that just doesn’t seem to fit.  Looking at the artwork Rin is (at least partially) based on there is this really fantastic “spoiled rotten” vibe that permeates through out the piece.  It reminds me a lot of WiM Miku’s vibe.  In Rin’s figure realization only her face seems to have that vibe while the rest of her pose reads “happy idol”.  I don’t think the two of them fit with each other, especially after thinking a different head was more appropriate for the pose.

But that’s the only thing I’m having issues with - the rest of the figure I’m totally in to.  I’ve already talked about how great her face is but the composition and design are quite spectacular as well.  The monochromatic dress she wears works so well it should be criminal.  I don’t know what those rings are supposed to be, but I think it’s fantastic to see figure companies make bolder moves like this which try to mimic the original art more.  Detailing is quite phenomenal too but that’s almost to be expected from the madman who brought VN02 Miku to life.

That pose issue is still pretty big though. So despite everything I find myself stuck in the middle.

Rico’s Verdict:
When left with a choice between action and inaction I take action.  Bought.

 

Source here and more pics here.
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Figures Rico is too lazy to talk about but still likes

Max Factory continues their descent into madness making more K-On! figmas at presumably limited numbers!  Next up is:

• figma Tsumugi

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I want Mugi but by the time I’ve written this she’s probably sold out.

Related posts:

1. Kotobukiya Asuka Langley Shikinami PVC: Rebuild Of Evangelion
2. Kotobukiya (provisionally) wins this day
3. Temporary madness but a great hair day

Fate/unlimited Hobby~
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GSC Saber Lily: Background

Good Smile Company’s 1/8th scale Saber Lily ‘Distant Avalon’ version PVC was released in September of 2009 and retailed for ¥9800 (109 USD).  Sculpted by Kawahara Takayuki this figure features Saber in her 4th unlockable costume from the Fate/unlimited Codes arcade style fighting game.

As appears to be GSC’s wont these days, there is already a variant on Saber Lily in the works with the upcoming ‘Golden Caliburn’ version.  It’s mostly the same as this Distant Avalon version except for the fact that the Golden Caliburn version is missing some armor and has a reworked face.  There is a cynical part of me that thinks this Distant Avalon version was originally meant to have her armor removable, but I can’t completely defend why I think that.
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Distant Avalon

A few weeks ago I was going back and forth with myself about which of the three big figures in my haul was the best release of 2009.  At the time I was so overwhelmed by the shear immensity of the Miku and BRS figures that Saber Lily completely fell off my radar.  I think I’m going to have to re-think those sentiments a bit because Saber Lily is definitely the running for top.

It’s extremely difficult to find a place to start a review when presented with a figure this breathtaking and magnificently crafted but I’ll try my best.  The element to Saber that is the most readily apparent to me is her energy.  It’s not explosive like a lot of other figures out there so it doesn’t grab you with the same intensity, but there is a sort of prolonged vitality to Saber that’s far more complex and equally enjoyable.  It’s like the difference between taking a shot of whiskey (or liquor of your choice) and sipping a fine wine.

A wine has a simpleness in the first moments when it hits your tongue but also a complexity to the aftertaste after you swallow; the prefect embodiment of two otherwise dissimilar elements of “simple” and “complex”.  So in the same vein I feel that this prolonged vitality allows for a similar visual contrast between “simple” and “complex” and this theme permeates throughout all aspects of the entire figure.

Saber’s pose is perhaps the clearest embodiment of this idea.  At first glance the pose is relatively straightforward.  It’s simple but as you begin to focus in on specific elements - the way her head is turned, how she pulls back her shoulders, the spread and angle of her feet - you begin to read a tension in her body and, by extension, her demeanor.  It gives Saber a secondary meaning without ever breaking the initial impression of elegance.  It’s really fantastically done.

The most critical element to achieving this balance is Saber Lily’s design.  It’s rather ingenious how her outfit is designed in a way that each element is broken up enough to be read individually but not too broken where the outfit can’t be read as a whole as well.  This is achieved primarily through smart use of detailing and coloring; simple complexity at its best.  Yeah, Kawahara-san can’t really take credit for the design, but he’s able to pose Saber in a way where the two elements play off each other wonderfully.  I wish someone else took a page from this book.

Then there is Saber’s face; which serves as the coup de grâce for the her composition.  Like her pose it’s simple and somewhat serene at first glance but Saber’s focused gaze and the way the her rather chaotic hair frames her face paints another picutre entirely: one of a girl poised for battle.  But it isn’t so overwhelmingly obvious where it overpowers the initial elegance.  The way these elements - Saber’s face, pose, and design - work together to make this theme work is nothing short of remarkable.

The last couple points I want to talk about  - detailing and coloring -  work with the theme but more in how they relate to the design than anything.  Instead I walk to talk about them on their own merits because they are essential parts to any good figure.  Detailing is top notch and folds in her clothing and her hair flows fantastically.  I also like the use of translucent material between her skirt and lower armor piece.  But the thing I love the most about Saber is the layering.  Each piece of armor and most of her skirt has been molded individually and later attached to the figure; often overlaping with other pieces.  This results in a fantastic layering effect which allows each piece to be read individually or as a whole.  I think it’s this layering that makes me believe Saber was originally meant to have her armor removable.

Then there is coloring.  I have to say that I was a little worried about how Saber’s armor would turn out but it ended up being just as well done as the set on the Gift’s Saber.  Skin tones are warm, pleasant, and expertly done as GSC tends to do.  One element I really like is the hint of burgundy in Saber’s skirt; it adds a little color to the figure’s lower half and that balances better with the top half.  Looking at some of the other Saber figures I own Saber Lily’s hair is definitely among the lightest.  While I don’t know if that was an asethic choice to keep it in line with the more muted color scheme or not, I think it’s far more appropriate color for Saber then some of the straight up yellow heads I have.
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Final Thoughts

I think the best testament about Saber Lily that I can give comes from a story about a friend of mine.  This friend - we’ll call him Merritt - has been going to my local anime shop for about as long as I have.  In fact, I first met Merritt at the anime store.  Merritt has never been one for PVCs.  He’d see the figures I or others would get in but never saw a reason to get any of them for himself.  As a result Merritt missed out on some great figures over the years.  He passed on the likes of Rei, Yoko, Louise, Haruhi, Melissa, Shiki, Misato, and countless others.  And despite near constant prodding encouragement by myself and others he wouldn’t budge.  He’d say that they were “nice” or “good looking” or “cute”, but nothing ever grabbed him; he just didn’t see the value in these plastic goddesses.

Until Saber Lily came along, that is.

Now Merritt is a proud owner of one PVC.  In fact, he has a second on order as well.  I don’t know if this is the turning point for Merritt to become “one of us”, but I can think of no better testament to Saber Lily than to say “Merritt, the guy who held out on figures for years, got himself a Saber Lily.”

everyone has one after all,
Rico-sama
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Saber’s Full Gallery

 

Related posts:

1. Good Smile Company 1/8 Saber PVC: Fate/stay night
2. Fate/stay night: Saber Holiday Ver. 1/6th PVC by Good Smile Company
3. Gift 1/8 Saber PVC: Fate/stay night

Triumphant Hobby
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Saber - Triumphant Excalibur ver.

Series: Fate/stay night
Company: Good Smile Company
Sculptor: Hironori Tokunaga
Scale: 1/7
Release: Jul 2010
Price: 107 USD // 9,800 Yen
Notes: Two swords included; not Rin Tohsaka

The Short:
GSC chooses to release another Saber in an outfit we’ve seen before after the imaginative Saber Lily.  She’s still no less awesome but I find myself wondering where all the Rin love is.

The Long:
In my opinion, this is the best “classic” Saber figure to date; even surpassing Good Smile’s first one by a rather large margin.  The sculpt is incredibly dynamic and portrays Saber as the bad-ass warrior she is at heart.  Yeah, it’s “another armor version”, but I’ve never seen it as life-like as I see it here.  Textures and materiality are really brought out by superb detailing and painting.  Then there is her face; arguably the most incredible element to this figure.  It completely sells the pose and bad-ass warrior vibe.

Hironori-san has a quite extensive body of work but I think this is the first real blockbuster figure I’ve seen him do.  His Nanoha was quite good and Tenma will always have a special place in my heart but it looks like he takes Saber to a whole other level of awesomeness.  I look forward to his future works.

I am a little annoyed at the recent bias GSC seems to be giving Saber, but I’m hopeful that they’re just saving the Rin love for when Unlimited Blade Works hits.  Since that opens tomorrow (today in Japan) I think we’ll see Rin figures popping up soon.

Given GSC’s recent trend to re-release popular figures with slight modifications I’ve been pondering whether a similar fate would befall this Saber.  I think it’s pretty obvious that they will.  Even though they’ve already done “armor-less” with Saber Lily Golden Caliburn I think that could work well with this pose as well.  Especially is they let her hair down.  Hawt.  :3

What do you all think?

Rico’s Verdict:
Oh so bought.  And I am anxiously awaiting a Rin to pair her with.

 

Source here and more pics at MyFigureCollection.
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Figures Rico is too lazy to talk about but still likes

Max Factory decided to get with the program and started releasing K-On! figures.  I’m sure there will be more to follow these two later but for now I want:

• figma Yui
• figma Mio

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However, it looks like Max Factory got with the program in a small way as most every place I checked has already either sold-out or have placed an order stop on Yui.  I’m hoping that retailers are just exercising good business practice and making sure they get stock before they guarantee any more orders, but the status of Yui is so universal that I think I may have missed out.  T.T

I was waiting for AAAAnime to get Yui and I never expected that she’d sell out so quickly.  I can’t let the same thing happen with Mio!

Related posts:

1. Girls who leap through space find unlimited darkness
2. Figures I’m Excited About ~WONFES 2009 Ver.~
3. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program

Yozakura Hobby~
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Kotobukiya Hime Yarizakura: Background

Kotobukiya’s 1/8th scale Hime Yarizakura PVC figure was originally released in April of 2009 and retailed for ¥6800 (75 USD). The figure features Hime with both her trademark lacrosse stick and Dragon Spear.

Hime was sculpted by Hidemasa Kiyohara who was the same sculptor behind a number of other Kotobukiya sculpts like Mikoto, Mikoto, and Taiga.  Hime’s right hand is rotatable and is actually meant to be displayed differently; something I forgot until I started writing this review so that explains the funky angle throughout most of my shots. 
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Just Tune

Despite the fact that I’m a few volumes behind in the manga, I love Yozakura Quartet and wish that the franchise had more popularity.  That said Suzuhito Yasuda’s art style is very unique and I don’t think it lends itself well to figure adaptations.  I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it’s going to take a skilled hand to do it right.

So how does Hidemasa-san fare?  It’s a bit of a mixed bag.  He did an alright job with Hime for the most part but things like the thickness of her hair and shape of her eyes vary greatly from the manga.  On the other hand, parts like the shape of her face, eyebrows, and mouth are spot on for the design.  The hair is a pretty big deal though since it needed to be a lot more ephemeral and her antenna is way too thick.

Hime’s pose is something that I’ve grown to like more and more as I’ve been looking at her.  At first glance it’s a little simple but if you know the character and story she seems to be standing in the way as to protect what’s behind her.  There is also a cute little moment with how she’s clenching her treasured scarf.  Both those elements are pretty fitting for the character.

That said, the pose is still “simple” and I feel that Hidemasa-san needed to make up for the “lack” with some good detailing.  There is some on Hime but the problem is - going back to the uniqueness of Suzuhito-san’s art work - that the design doesn’t really lend itself to good detailing and there isn’t enough in the figure to balance against the simple pose.  This combination makes for a figure which isn’t very striking.

The coloring on Hime is one of the few highlights of the figure, which is odd considering this is an area that Kotobukiya has had some issues with.  Her skin tones are warm, have good shading, and avoid Kotobukiya’s usual murky coloring.  The coloring over the rest of Hime is nice as well but the scheme on a whole is underwhelming.  That’s not really the fault of Hidemasa-san but, again, a more dynamic pose would’ve made up for that.
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Final Thoughts

I love Suzuhito-san’s art style and like Hidemasa-san sculpting work, but the two of them didn’t go well together in this case.  The biggest problem was with choosing a simple (if accurate) pose and not also following up with good or interesting detailing.  But again, you couldn’t really do too much detailing since the art style doesn’t lend itself to that.  So, in actuality, the biggest problem was the pose.  I think it definitely would’ve been better to give Hime an interesting pose.  You know, like the one on the cover of the manga.

At the end of the day I’m still glad I got Hime.  Around the time I purchased her I thought that she was fine but that Alter could probably do a better one.  As I thought about it more I came to the conclusion that this Hime would likely be the only Yozakura Quartet figure that would be made (due to a lot of the reasons I detailed above) so I better get her while I had the chance.  So far I’ve been right.

to the shooting stars,
Rico-sama
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Hime’s Full Gallery

 

Related posts:

1. Kotobukiya 1/7 Mai Tokiha PVC: My-HiME
2. Good Smile Company 1/7 Hime PVC: Princess Resurrection
3. Kotobukiya Mikoto Misaka ‘Swimsuit Ver.’ PVC: To Aru Majutsu no Index

Is there any smoked cheese left?
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Teh Haul

I’m having major troubles sorting out this haul in my head because there are just so many banging figures.  I feel like I’m at odds with my self over which ones are the best and which ones are the bestest.  Well, no use trying to sort that out until I’ve reviewed them I guess.  Here’s everything that shipped with this haul:

GSC Black Rock Shooter: Black Rocker Shooter is easily the figure of 2009 that I was looking forward to the most.  Everything about this figure is top notch, even if the painting didn’t come out exactly as advertised (thanks for the tip, Aka).  By the way, I’m officially almost regretting not getting the Black Blade version.  Almost.

GSC Miku Hatsune - World is Mine Ver.: Did I just say that BRS was the figure of ‘09 that I was looking forward to the most?  Bcause I really meant to say that WiM Miku was.  Weird.  Anyway I love this figure more and more each time I look at it.  I was taken with her spoiled face when I saw the promo shots and it’s even better in person.  Her pose is killer to boot.  Now I just gotta find spot on my wall to mount her.

GSC Black Rock Shooter: Wait, no!  I take back what I just said about WiM Miku being the best of ‘09.  Black Rocker Shooter is my favorite from last year.  Really.

GSC Miku Hatsune - World is Mine Ver.: No, wait again!  I mean WiM Miku is!!  I absolutely mean it this time!

GSC Black Rock Shooter: Black Rocker Shooter is easily the figure of 2009 that I was…  What the hell?  You tricked me!  Look.  I can’t possibly pick between these two.  Can’t we just call it a tie and move on to another figure?

Max Factory Miku Hatsune: Max Factory’s Mike Hatsune is easily the figure of 2009…   GAH!  You tricked me again!!  Grr.  Obviously I’m having some issues processing these three.  This  Max Factory take on Miku is simply amazing: fantastic detailing; subtle, yet powerful pose; zettai ryouiki; everything you want in a Miku Hatsune figure and more.  In my opinion, she’s the best “classic” Miku Hatsune on the market and maybe even the “best” Miku Hatsune on the market period.

GSC Miku Hatsune - World is Mine Ver.: WiM Miku might be the “best” Miku Hatsune on the market…  *Sigh*  OK, the joke is done.  Let’s just move on now.

GSC Yukino Sakurai from Candy Boy: Yukino may not be one of the (un)lucky three that I’m fighting myself over but she’s a damn nice figure nonetheless.  Yukino is brilliantly pained and showcases a great pose.  Overall all I’d say she’s the better figure compared to her sister, but the two of them combined is a power that will pierce your heart.

GSC Kanade Sakurai from Candy Boy: Speaking of Yukino’s sister, Kanade also came in the haul.  It’s going to be interesting when I get her out of the box because of things I think I’m seeing with her paint job.  Her base coat seems a little too pale compared to the promotional shots.  I’m willing to bet that it’s the blue inserts affecting the color more than anything, but we’ll see for sure when I open her up.

Alter Rise Kujikawa from Persona 4: Alter and swimsuit figures go so perfectly together it should be a crime not to own one.  Well, to not own one from the last three years at least.  Rise is fantastically pained and quite sexy, as is Alter’s wont.  The only real downside is that it looks like it’s going to be a pain to get her glasses on.  Ugh.

Max Factory Miku Hatsune: Look, it’s not funny anymore.

Haruhi Disapproves: I’m sorry; it was still funny.  HA HA HA!  See?  Everyone is laughing!  Can we continue?  Please?  That is, of course, as long as it’s OK with you.

Orchid Seed Kanon Seena from Shinning Wind: Thanks.  I bought Seena on a whim and mostly because I was so impressed with Mikuru, but Seena is certainly striking in her own right.  I think it’s the stand and backdrop really gives the figure a great context to work with.  Oh, and they’re stripped, in case you were wondering.

Nendoroid (GSC) Mio Akiyama from K-On!: “Nendoroid.”  I know most of the regulars will have likely stopped reading at that very word but I must do my part to spread the Nendoroid love!  Mio is my third favorite of today’s Nendoroids, but only because her alternate face is less appealing than Skiki’s.

Nendoroid (GSC) Shiki Ryougi from Kara no Kyoukai: Second favorite in today’s batch is Shiki.  Despite the generosity of Watanuki, I still haven’t seen Kara no Kyoukai.  Why get this Nendoroid then?  I got her for the physco eyes.  For me no other reason was necessary.

Nendoroid (GSC) Churuya-san from Nyoron Churuya-san: Does the character make a good Nendoroid or does the Nendoroid make a good character?  However you choose to look at the question, Churuya-san it the best Nendoroid conversion in history.  Granted, she was super-deformed to begin with, but she’s just so perfect that those details don’t even compute.

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Final Thoughts

So interesting anecdote about Kanade and Yukino.  Originally they were supposed to have come in weeks ago.  As some of you may know I get most of my figures indirectly via AAAAnime.  Well, there was a problem with the shipment of Candy Boy figures that AAA got.  They were broken.  All except 2 sets.  I don’t know how many AAA was supposed to get in total for all the stores they distribute too, but my local store (who orders from AAA) accounted for 6 sets of Candy Boy figures alone.  Guess who didn’t get one of the surviving sets?

Now, my point in sharing this isn’t to bitch about having to wait a little longer for a plastic statue.  In fact the owner to my local store immediately placed an order for the deficient stock at a retail outlet (meaning that he wasn’t going to make any profit since he couldn’t buy these wholesale) to make sure his customers got their figures.  Totally cool and I have nothing to complain about there.  But it just strikes me as really odd that so many Candy Boy figures would be broken on arrival, especially because there apparently wasn’t any physical damage to the boxes.  I always thought these things were shipped via boat, so that must’ve been one hell of a boat ride.  Either that or they were shipped broken.

In all the figures I’ve ever collected I’ve never had one arrive broken; even from the more sketchy eBay sellers.  Hell, I remember this one time where I bought Belldandy from a really sketchy eBayer: the dude “packaged” Belldandy by taking the display box and wrapping it in a brown paper bag and mailing it.  That’s it.  From overseas.  No protection to the figure outside the box and the inner plastic shell she was meant to be displayed in.  The “package” looked it had gone through a garbage compactor by the time it arrived.  But the figure was absolutely fine; the plastic shell she came in totally protected Balldandy from the rigors of trash compacting.  So I know for a fact that those plastic shells take a hell of a beating, so in this case how do so many Candy Boy figures get damaged without any signs of physical damage to the display boxes?

It’s like The Twilight Zone, but with cute yuri anime schoolgirl sisters.

Maybe the next time China hacks Google they can take some time to also steal data about shipping and packaging standards.

out for now,
Rico-sama

Related posts:

1. I may have one regret but the rest of this haul is amazing
2. New haul or why Rico might need more shelf space
3. A slow week but the new year is already making Waves

Beat Blades Hobby~
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Alter Narika Shihoudou: Background

Alter’s 1/8th scale Narika Shihoudou PVC was first released in August of 2009 and retailed for ¥7800 (84 USD).  Narika was sculpted by Aketagawa Noboru, who is the same talented hand that brought Alter’s previous Beat Blades Haruka (Choukou Sennin Haruka) ero-ninja game figure to life.

I don’t know much about Beat Blades Haruka but apparently this sculpt showcases Narika’s alternate/powered-up gear.  There were a few minor changes to her outfit but the biggest difference is that she originally wielded a large throwing star and now she wields what looks like an entry plug cockpit with a laser knife.  I wish Alter had included the giant throwing star with this Narika, as non-canonical as I assume that would have been.
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The Dragon One

Let me get this out of the way first: brightly colored jumpsuits do not a ninja make.  Oh, and that entry plug laser knife thing…I really don’t know where to begin with that but it doesn’t exactly say ’stealth’ to me either.  The whole outfit is just so patently eccentric…and I love every inch of it.

My enthusiasm for this figure hasn’t dampened in the slightest since we first got wind of her a few months back; in fact it’s actually grown.  Narika is even better in person than the official images made her out to be.  She surpasses Alter’s Haruka as not only the best Beat Blades Haruka sculpt out on the market, but also stands as one of Alter’s best sculpts.

The entire coloring scheme is what really sells me on Narika.  It ties together the three big disparate elements - the detailing/pose, the outfit/weapon, and the energy of the sculpt - and makes them work seamlessly in unison to create one astonishing figure.  A certainly masterful work on Aketagawa-san’s part.

The coloring on Narika is as polished as I’ve seen on any other figure.  The red, which normally might be to bold by itself, is toned down with the use of dark accents which makes it work with the rest of the scheme.  Narika’s skin tones are also exceptionally done and have fantastic subtle variations that make it look warm.  There is a little large range of colors in her hair than I’m used to seeing in figures, but it works in this case to tone down the pink.

Narika’s pose is really captivating and is my second favorite aspect to this figure.  I think it captures the essence and the energy of the character quite nicely but, and most importantly, it allows for the maximum exposure of her pan…erm…outfit.

Detailing on Narika is nothing short of phenomenal.  There is so much good detailing on Narika that I swear to you when I first saw her I thought she was a mecha girl because all the intricate little parts and details.  I may still not know what the whole entry plug laser weapon is supposed to be but it’s wonderfully detailed.  What I really like though are the little written decals on her - it takes detailing to the next level.

Narika’s face is the one area that I’m a little disappointed in but that’s mostly due to personal opinion.  Her face is sculpted and detailed wonderfully and it’s spot on for her character, but I kind of wish we got something other than a typical big, blank smile.  I don’t really have an alternative in mind when I say that, but when I look at Haruka and see a more unique expression it makes me wish the same for Narika.
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Final Thoughts

One of the seemingly small things about Narika that I really like is that you can view her from 360 degrees and still have something interesting to look at.  While not such a big deal for display purposes, it made photographing her a lot more fun. 

wondering if there are any more girls from the game that Alter can make into figures,
Rico-sama
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Narika’s Full Gallery

 

Related posts:

1. Alter 1/8 Haruka Takamori PVC: Beat Blades Haruka
2. New haul or why Rico might need more shelf space
3. Figures I’m excited about

~after hobby~
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Black ★ Rock Shooter - Black Blade Ver.

Series: Black ★ Rock Shooter
Company: Good Smile Company
Sculptor: Akeji
Scale: 1/8
Release: Apr 2010
Price: 73 USD // 6,800 Yen

The Short:
GSC is set to release this Black Rock Shooter sculpt, which itself is a slightly remolded version of their original, next spring.  Rico isn’t convinced.

The Long:
Black Rock Shooter is a fine looking figure but my big issue with her is that she’s like 90% the same figure from before with a few changes and, while she’s certainly visually different, that doesn’t necessarily mean better.  I feel she’s got that a little of that half-starved alien lolicon thing going on that Real Arrange Saber did.  I may be seeing thing here but it seems like they took parts that were never meant to been exposed were exposed without really adding any work to the figure.

Actually I take that back.  Akeji has to have sculpted an entirely new torso for Black Rock Shooter because I don’t see a seam anywhere in the vicinity of her left arm.  So “parts never meant to be exposed were exposed” isn’t the problem.  Something still looks off about her though.

The nice thing about this sculpt is that she’s cheaper than her predecessor by about 30 USD.  You lose a few things with her - the giant melee weapon thing and a much more creative base - but if you’re willing to look past those elements she may be a more viable alternative for those on a budget.

Rico’s Verdict:
I feel I got the superior version.  Pass.

 

Source.
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Tomoyo Sakagami

Series: Clannad ~ After Story ~
Company: Wave
Sculptor: Miki Ohsaka
Scale: 1/7
Release: May 2010
Price: 84 USD // 7,875 Yen

The Short:
Wave waits half a year since releasing their last Clannad figure and they come out with my favorite from the show Tomoyo.  I kid, I kid.  They’re all my favorite.

The Long:
Even though there doesn’t feel like there is anything overtly special about Tomoyo here I still really like the figure.  She has beautiful coloring and a pleasant pose.  Mold detailing looks a little spares but I’m willing to forgive that because there is a nice flow to the figure.  I love the fact that you can see a bit of her teeth in her mouth - it makes her whole expression a bit more melancholy and perfect for her character.

After the first Clannad figure had Kyou in her gym clothes it feels like Miki Ohsaka made a less bold design choice by putting Tomoyo in her school uniform, but then again the only other trademark thing I can remember Tomoyo wearing was that bear suit and I’m not sure how well that would’ve sold (though I for one totally would’ve bought one).

The other thing that excites me about this Tomoyo figure is the announcement from Wave that they’ll be re-releasing Kyou.  Since I missed out on Kyou the first time (shame on me) this makes me doubly excited.

Rico’s Verdict:
Doubly bought.

 

Source.
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Ritsu Tainaka & Azusa Nakano - Beach Queens Ver.

Series: K-On!
Company: Wave
Ristu Sculptor: Saito Heel
Azusa Sculptor: Arakawa Yasuyuki
Scale: 1/10
Ritsu Release: Jun 2010
Azusa Release: May 2010
Price: 41 USD // 3,800 Yen
Notes: Each sold separately.

The Short:
Completing the run of K-On! characters that anyone cares about, Wave is set to release swimsuit versions of Ristu and Azusa next spring and summer.

The Long:
I think that Wave has really carved themselves a niche with these smaller scale figures.  They are cheap, simple, detailed where they need to be, colored great, and have very expressive faces; they’ll even throw in extra pieces to give the character something a little cuter.  All this works together to capture both the hardcore collector and casual consumer alike.

As for these two themselves, I actually think they’re the weakest in Wave’s K-On! line.  Ristu is a particular disappointment because I was hoping she’d be a lot more in character than she is.  I still haven’t watched K-On!, but from the little I know of her character she’s a little more mischievous than portrayed here.  Still buying her though, for many of the reasons listed above and I also love her swimsuit.

Azusa just isn’t that appealing to me on either the design or swimsuit fronts.  She reeks of a design that was specifically designed to be Moe in a franchise that decidedly redefined Moe-blob and thus fails, like other ill-conceived attempts.  Still getting her though.  See how Wave’s magic works?

But why was Azusa photographed under such different lighting?  Bleh.

Rico’s Verdict:
Bought and bought.

 

Source here and here.

Related posts:

1. Alter[nating] Waves
2. First haul of the new year! nyoro~n
3. Clannad PVC: Kotobukiya Tomoyo Sakagami

Psychic Hobby~
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Kotobukiya Mikoto Misaka: Background

Kotobukiya’s 1/8th scale Mikoto Misaka ‘Swimsuit Ver.’ PVC, sculpted by Hidemasa Kiyohara, was released in Japan in December of 2009 and retailed for ¥5800 (62 USD).  Mikoto was a Dengeki Daioh magazine mail order exclusive which meant you’d have to buy the volume of the magazine where she was featured and then mail in the coupon insert to get her.  Oh, and Dengeki Daioh doesn’t ship outside of Japan.

So in order to get Mikoto you’d either need a friend living in Japan to go through the hoops for you or you’d have to use a proxy service.  Since I don’t have a friend in Japan, I went through Tokyo Hunter instead.  It was my first time using TH and all in all it was a great experience, but I hope there won’t be many exclusives in the future I end up wanting (or I find a friend in Japan) because Mikoto ended up costing nearly double the retail price (to cover the magazine purchase, domestic shipping, international shipping, and TH’s commission).
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“One-pieces bring out curves so they match thin bodies better”

This Mikoto figure does one thing and it does it exceptionally well: Moe.  Everything about Mikoto - her pose, her choice of outfit, and the look on her face - is specifically designed to hit you in the gut with cuteness and overwhelm your rational thought process.  In a way that makes her the most one-dimensional figure I own, but she’s just so damn cute that I don’t care.

I’ll try to keep the review as balanced as I can because, believe it or not, I do have a couple of issues with Mikoto’s detailing and coloring but I’ll get to those later.  For now let’s talk about the good stuff.  I like Mikoto’s swimsuit because it actually makes the one-piece look interesting for once.  Hidemasa Kiyohara accomplished this mostly in the way he allowed the white trim to accentuate Mikoto’s body.

I’m a little torn between which element is my favorite on Mikoto: her face or her pose.  Her face is unique in my collection and it stands apart from all the blank, dumb smiles and stern, serious stares, but it also perfectly encapsulates the Moe effect in that the way her eyes are shaped, she looks backwards, the slight blush, and the shape of her mouth.  Again, it’s kinda one-dimensional but it’s so cute I forgive it.

But then there is her pose; an critical aspect to the figure because, since the figure is low on sculpt detailing, it is the only thing really giving her face the context to do it’s magic.  She’s posed so you view her mostly from the rear, a far more candid view, and you catch her in a “drop in on” moment of adjusting her swimsuit and caressing her leg.  Without this pose, the face loses some it’s impact, but I’d also argue that without the face, the pose would lose impact as well.  See the issue I’m having?

Detailing on Mikoto is pretty much non-existent.  That’s really not the fault of anyone given the nature of these swimsuit figures, so that’s not my issue with the detailing.  My issue with the detailing comes from the fact that a lot of the seams are visible.  This is most apparent in her hair because of the way it’s styled, but there is also a noticeable seam running down the back of her swimsuit.  Normally seams don’t bother me so much, and maybe I’m being too sensitive because this is such a simply designed figure, but what annoys me about it this time is that both of the areas I mentioned are visible when looking straight at the figure from the angle she was meant to be seen at.

Finally there is the coloring.  As you all know I take issue with Kotobukiya’s coloring because they have a nasty habit of giving us muted/browned colors; usually manifesting in skin tones of their final products.  That said, Mikoto was spared this ugly fate and the final figure has warm skin tones and lush coloring all around; I was really pleasantly surprised by Mikoto’s quality in this area.  What’s my issue with her coloring then?  My issue is that even though Mikoto’s colors are great, they are only great for an exclusive Kotobukiya release and still falls short of a standard Alter release.

Then again, Alter is hard to top in this area.
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Final Thoughts

So was Mikoto worth double the retail price to get her?  I think that’s really hard to justify that.  It’s not like the issues I had with her prevent my enjoyment of the figure (they were extremely nit-picky anyway) but it’s hard to justify the cost at this size/scale, no matter the quality of the figure.  But at the same time, from the moment I saw her, I knew I had to have her.  There comes a time in every collector’s life, regardless of the hobby, that something must be had no matter the cost.  For me it was Mikoto.  And for satisfying that urge, Mikoto was definitely worth the price.

she’s just so damn Moe,
Rico-sama
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Mikoto’s Full Gallery

 

Related posts:

1. Kotobukiya 1/8 Mikoto Misaka PVC: To Aru Majutsu no Index
2. Kotobukiya 1/8 Emi Kizaki “Swimsuit Ver.” PVC: Linebarrels of Iron
3. In other news, railguns now hard to get