Kotobukiya 1/8 Louise PVC: Zero no Tsukaima (Re-release)
I’ve had this figure for a couple weeks now and I just keep liking it more and more. It’s not the most accurate or best Louise PVC either on the market or coming out, but it’s one that just hits me right. Today we’re taking a look at Kotobukiya’s 1/8th scale Louise PVC from Zero no Tsukaima (or The Familiar of Zero, whichever summons your familiar).
The Hobby of Zero~
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Kotobukiya Louise: Background
Kotobukiya’s 1/8th scale Louise was originally released back in October of 2006, with a re-release that followed in late 2008. The first release retailed for about $60 USD (prior to shipping and import fees) and the re-release was comparable.
Louise is a cast-off for both her cloak and skirt. The cloak itself is real heavy and weights down on the figure, but Kotobukiya included a little pole that helps keep the figure upright. You really need to use that pole since the plastic on Louise is pretty soft. Not the best of options, but better than a leaning figure. The good thing is it’s hardly noticeable when viewing from the front.
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Louise the Zero
When looking at the official images, Louise’s face was the most concerning element as it looked too small and oddly shapen. As it turns out it’s neither of those. The hair on Louise’s brow is also being lifted by the unseen magic power that is affecting the rest of her hair and outfit. This gives the illusion of a small, oddly shapen face – especially under poor lighting.
That said, her face isn’t exactly on model either when compared to either the anime or the light novel designs, mostly due to the size of her eyes. When looking at either drawn model, Louise’s eyes are bigger and shaped differently than on the figure. As odd as this may sound, these smaller eyes enforce the small face illusion.
Production quality is a bit of an issue with Louise. Not the design, coloring, or detailing; those are all solid. It’s the finishing on the figure that’s really rough. Paint is already rubbing off Louise’s cloak and onto her blouse by simply removing the cloak (see above). Thankfully this can be covered by keeping the cloak on, but some extra paint finish would have been really appreciated.
Beyond those two issues (and the painting rubbing is particularly annoying), Kotobukiya’s Louise is a very remarkable figure. Sculpting wise, Kotobukiya put a lot of detail in Louise’s clothing in the the form of folds, but we’ve seen that before. What makes Louise’s clothing stand out is that there is also weight.
Making some folds in a skirt is easy. Making a skirt flip up during the casting of magic is also easy. Sculpting a varying undulation that ripples and rolls differently depending on the relative length of said skirt, therefore factoring in weight and materiality to it, is hard. You can see this the better in her hair and cloak than in her skirt, but skirt is more fun to write. 
Coloring and shading is top notch for a Kotobukiya figure and the scheme avoids their usual pitfall of being muted. In fact, there is a vibrancy in Louise that’s unusual for Kotobukiya: look at the fantastic gradients of pink in her hair and purple on her under-cloak. Skin tones are spot on as well and are aided with very subtle shading.
Louise strikes a fairly simple pose, but the fantastic sculpt detail and coloring use that like a painter would use a blank canvas. If the pose itself were really creative, a lot of those moments would have been lost. I’m slowly learning not to be too critical of poses for that very reason and, since it must be hard to come up with an original pose, I’d rather see energy directed in areas that can be creative.
The cast-off feature for Louise is pretty awesome, but also hard to actually get the stuff off. The joints are made of a firmer grade of plastic than the rest of the figure (like they reserved them) and are notched. So you have to pull and push pretty hard to get the joints to snap into place, but since the rest of the figure is playdough by comparison, you really have a tough time of it.
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Final Thoughts
It took me a while to decide whether I like this Louise better with or without the cloak. Seeing her entire neck helps the proportions face and figure read better but, from an overall composition aspect, the cloak helps visually break apart the simpleness of Louise’s blouse and skirt by themselves. That and a mage absolutely needs a cloak. It’s like a rule or something.
Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!
Rico-sama
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Louise’s Full Gallery
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I’m torn on this figure. On one hand, I love it and want to buy it. I’ve seen some neat pictures where people have put lights under the base for that glowing magic feel.
But on the other hand, I detest Louise. There’s Tsundere, and there’s Bitch, and Louise is just a plain Bitch, mixed with tiny miniscule moments of dere.
It’s a shame, because of that hate I can’t purchase this figure, I’d be a hypocrit.
-Aka
Found the pictures I was referencing here.
The quality of the pictures isn’t super, but the idea is really neat I thought.
So that would be Bitchdere?
Never let being a hypocrite stand between you and a good figure. Like with me: my hatred of Burst Angel is well known and but I love the figures.
Yeah, I saw those pictures when I was re-searching the re-release. Gives me all sorts of ideas for the future!
lol Bitchdere, I think I’ll try and remember that one.
Maybe I’ll reconcider this figure when I’ve got some spare cash again. I’ll just pretend it’s not Louise…
That’s the way!
Yes! Louise is a huge bitch and it caused me to stop watching the anime. I’m usually non-picky person when it comes to couples. Like the first girl and boy that meet/kiss etc…I want them to be together….
But gosh! I didn’t even care that the other girls are all over Saito. I really hate Louise. Just as much as I hate Sakura from Naruto. (I like her a bit now in Shippuden, but that’s besides the point_
Pink haired anime girls ARE EVIL!
Hahaha! Just the other day I was commenting on my weakness for girls with pink hair…
Man, what show are you guys watching? I thought I was watching Zero no Tsukaima, but with so many people calling Louise a bitch it’s making me think I wasn’t watching the same show. It’s either that or I’m exceptionally dense, because I certainly wasn’t picking that up from watching the show.
She’s 100% bitch… ok no… maybe 80% bitch 20% dere. A friend of mine argues that makes her dere so much more appealing when it does happen, but I tell him he’s full of it.
Hmm non-evil pink haired girl… hmm Anemone? she was a bit crazy and evil I guess. Anya wasn’t evil! (Code Geass), Lala isn’t evil either (To Love Ru), Hinagiku wasn’t evil either! (Hayate the Combat Butler), Miharu (Girls Bravo) and Whilhelmina from Shakugan no Shana.
I’d say you need more evidence to support your claim Dashami-chan.
-Aka
To name a few more “non evils” there’s also Milfeulle (Galaxy Angel), Lacus Clyne (Gundam Seed), Miyuki & Yutaka (Lucky Star), and Moka (Rosario + Vampire).
Seeing all those pink haired girls listed out makes me realize why I have a weakness for them: they’re all amazing!
(Except for Miyuki.)
My lovely Louise ! Nice shooting for a lovely figure. Direction wishlist. Your photos gave me envy to have a new Louise in my collection!
I think, because she looks soooo good, she’d probably be the Louise figure I’d go for. Just her whole flowiness. The hair n cape. Looks brill. And pink. Pink is always a win.
Personally I still prefer Alter’s version over this, but I’m really happy I got this one. Especially as Kotobukiya decided to do a re-release and I didn’t have to pay high eBay prices for her!