Polyvinyl Crush

Wonder Festival Summer 2009 is wrapping up in Japan and it looked like it was amazing: so many figures!  I didn’t have the resources (ie. money) to go to an event like this, but it’s a dream of mine to go to one of these large-scale Japanese cons: Wonfes and Comiket being the ones I’m most eagar to see.  I could’ve tried live-bloging it, but others already had that covered.  Instead I just combined the usual upcoming figures post with some event wrap-up “coverage”.  Oh, and be careful this time if you’re accessing from work – there are a couple of risqué ones.  :3

Wonderful Hobby Life for You (Potentially NSFW)
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Max Factory NV02 Miku

There might be a war brewing  between Max Factory and Good Smile Co over these Vocaloid figures.  GSC started the trend with Black Rock Shooter and World is Mine while Max Factory answered with a strong take, before completely changing the game with NV02 here.

Miku here is easily my most anticipated figure from the convention.  The colors, the details, the pose, the face, and the design are all so breathtaking.  I don’t know the details like cost yet, but I don’t really care – this is another Miku that will be mine!
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Alter 1/7 scale Nanoha

Alter is continuing their run of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha figures by taking a stab at the younger version of Nanoha.  I remember reading somewhere that she’s supposed to be based off the movie, but I may have made that up.

I’m really digging Nanoha here.  I got in late on the 1/7th scale MGLN run that Alter started so I missed a few of the first ones, and the completionist in me is definitely weeping.  I do think there is something a little odd looking about her face, but that could also be poor lighting.  Either way high on my list.
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Alter 1/8 scale Yui & Mio

Even higher on my list are Alter’s Yui and Mio.  It’s a little odd: I’ve sunk so much money into K-On! and I haven’t seen a lick of the show.  I haven’t even opened the CDs I bought at Otakon!

That’s still not going to stop me from getting these two.  I think Yui is the stronger of the two (love the thigh-highs) but Mio is nice too.  If I had to pick one it would be Yui because, in addition to not having thigh-highs, Mio has some pretty serious cantilevering going on.  Knowing Alter we’ll likely get some sort of peg for her right foot, but still.
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Wave 1/10 scale Nanoha & Fate Swimwear

Honestly, I’m always a little worried that Wave will risk being “creative” with their figures, but thankfully they’re not trying that any time soon. 

I kid, I kid!  I like Wave’s swimsuit line and Fate and Nanoha are a great addition to it.  These would be a challenge to get a good sense of because of their unfinished nature alone, but it’s particularly hard in Wave’s case since they rely so much on their skill with the brush.  They look like they have potential, but I’m waiting until I see the painted product before I get too excited.
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Alter 1/7 scale Shamal

There is a bit of a MGLN theme running today, isn’t there?  I wonder if that talks more to my taste then it does what was featured at Wonder Fest?

Honestly, Shamal isn’t a figure I’m super excited about.  I include her mostly because I know people out there like their MGLN and because I’m a completionist.  If I decide to go back and get the few 1/7th scale Alter figures that I’m missing, I’m going to have to get Shamal here as well. :/

Someone tell me I’m crazy, please.
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Good Smile Co 1/8 scale Index

Now here is an unfinished sculpt that is easy to see the quality on!  Index here  piqued my interests, that she did.

Again, I wouldn’t make the call without seeing what the paint job will look like, but Index is certainly eye catching.  She has a very cute face and I love the way that the flow of her clothes compliments her pose – like she’s gliding through a gentle current.  Also, kudos to GSC for bothering to put some eyes on her even though she’s a prototype.  Much better than Wave’s soulless MGLN entries.
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Alter 1/6 scale Saber Maid

Here’s one that I wouldn’t have to wait to see the paint scheme first.  I love the intricate detailing that went into Saber’s outfit and the face/pose combination gives off this amazingly suggestive vibe, but there’s one thing holding me back.

We’ve already gotten this figure!  No, it’s not exactly the same, but it’s in the same clothing and gives off the same vibe.  No doubt this is a good chance for those who missed out on Saber the first time, but when I think of what could of been – when I visualize a Rin head on that torso – I weep a little inside.
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Wave 1/10 scale Mio & Yui Swimwear

Looks like K-On! is big enough where Wave could justify giving Mio and Yui some eyes.  XD  While I like the swimsuits themselves better on Nanoha and Fate, I think Wave did a better job overall with these two.

Firstly, both Mio and Yui have strong faces – arguably better than the Alter sculpts.  Yui is a little less like I imagine her character to be, but Mio is spot on this time.  The ponytail is amazing and looks so good it’s criminal.  That, combined with the way her knees come just slightly together and the arm holding out the sandels, just makes the figure so moe.
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Kotobukiya 1/8 scale Azaka

I’m not sure why I included this one, honestly.  I think it’s because I wanted to showcase some more of Kotobukiya’s work than I originally had, but Azaka here really isn’t all that exiting on second viewing.

Actually, that’s a little harsh.  I think it’s more that  of all the figures I’ve seen from the event Azaka suffers the most of being unpainted.  She’s got some cute things going on with her skirt and Kotobukiya will likely make her a cast-off too.  Anyway, Azaka comes from Kara no Kyoukai and this figure of her is “coming soon”.
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Alter 1/8 scale Samurai Girl 3

The third in the line of Alter’s Samurai Girls was showcased at the event, in addition to Jubei and an unpainted mock-up of Yukimura.  All I can say is:

“Please don’t be an exclusive.  Please don’t be an exclusive!  PLEASE don’t be an exclusive!”

My initial reaction after the Yukimura-exclusive disaster was to write off the line completely, but then Toys Logic got some in and I totally caved.  Now I have a vested interest in the line again.  Oh, and this third samurai girl is jaw-droopingly amazing.

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Good Smile Co 1/8 scale Canaan

Not all that familiar with Canaan, but I like girls with guns and I love GSC, so this is a figure I’m definitely interested in.  She hearkens back to Nadie, in my mind.

I mostly like this figure because she demonstrates a sophistication in paint application that I haven’t come to expect from GSC.  They always do rock-awesome sculpts, but their paint style can be over-saturated at times.  Very stylistic and oddly fitting for their ero-game figures, but it wouldn’t have fit in Canaan’s case.
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Kotobukiya 1/8 scale Unknown 01-chan

I don’t know where this figure is from, so I refer to her as “Unknown 01-chan“.  Unknown 01-chan’s a figure that looks like it could come from Alice in Wonderland as much as anything else, but I still find her to be an amazing little sculpt…even if she’ll murder me in my sleep.  o.O

Most of the attraction has to do with the folds upon folds in her skirt.  That seems little an amazing technical marvel to get that intricate with some plastic.  Unknown 01-chan also looks to have some great skin tones too.
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Good Smile Co 1/8 scale Saber

I guess it would be hypocritical for me not to berate GSC for making a similar PVC to one they already produced like I did with Alter, but <sarcasm>she’s clearly bringing the smack-down from above whereas she’s utilizing a ground-based counter attack in the other so they’re totally different!</sarcasm>

Yeah, I really can’t defend myself.  There is just something that feels fundamentally different between the two Sabers that was absent in Alter’s.  I do think she looks better than the last one, but I think the same about Alter’s new maid version as well. 
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Good Smile Co 1/8 scale Unknown 02-chan

For a second I thought Unknown 02-chan could be related to Unknown 01-chan before but there there weren’t schoolgirls wielding giant wrecking balls trancing around in Wonder Land last time I checked.

Wherever she’s from, Unknown 02-chan is on my buy list mostly because of the shear absurdity of that wrecking ball.  I mean, it’s GSC so you know she’s going to be painted well but that wrecking ball…

I love how the incorporated it into the sculpt by making it part of her base.  Pretty ingenious.
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Kotobukiya 1/8 scale Unknown 03-chan

Fairly certain Unknown 03-chan is from Shinning Wind (or some such variation of the franchise) and therefore not related to the other two.

I think this is the most standout figure that Kotobukiya  had at the convetion (that we hadn’t already seen before).  She’s an elegant figure that’s simply gorgeous in her simplicity.  She has just the right amount of detail to keep the eye interested, but not too much where your focus drifts.

I can’t wait to see her fully colored!
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Max Factory 1/6 scale Tamaki

Max Factory gets in on the ToHeart2 action with Tamaki and the results are simply phenomenal.  Her face seems a little off, but I know that’s not where you’re looking. 

I always see tons of To Heart2 figures everywhere and I’m usually not so tempted by them as I am this time, so I don’t know how to react.  I like my figures to be somewhat tasteful (though I’ve made exceptions to that before) but I can’t place where Tamaki falls.  I really want her because it’s Max Factory and she’s one of the nicer To Heart2 figures, but…
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Native Tony Taka Collet

And tasteful this one isn’t.  O.O  Native is set to release another figure from a Taka Tony illustration.  I keep going back and forth on this one: I was more excited when I first saw her, but now reason is starting to set in.

I think she’s just a tad too ero for me to be able to get away with and I’m not clear on whether you can cover her up: which brings her close to crossing my personal threshold.  I really want her, though.

Confession: I totally bought Native’s Ousaka Kotone.
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Other Sources

For not having the energy to live-blog, this post certainly took a long time to write so sorry if my grammar is worse than usual.  These images are obviously not my own so I stole borrowed from some of the many sites covering Wonder Festival.  These are just the few that I found, but feel free to share sites you liked.

The majority of these images were borrowed from foo-bar-baz.  You should see their convention coverage.

I borrowed the Taka Tony image from Akiba Hobby and you can check out their coverage here.  They also have the uncensored pics, if you’re into that.

I borrowed the top image from AZURE Toy-Box.  They have some of the highest resolution pictures I’ve found, really.  Page can take a long time to load.

Finally, Neko Magic did a really good job collecting images from the smaller circles and GK makers, so check out what they’ve put together if your interested in that stuff.

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Edits

Rather than trying to change my post and the inter-references between figures, I’ll just keep a running update of changes below.

• EDIT 1: Unknown 01-chan is actually Clalaclan Maid Ver. from Shinning Wind.

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• EDIT 2: Unknown 02-chan is Yuzuko Hayakawa from Yuzuko Peppermint (thanks, Aka).
• EDIT 3: Unknown 03-chan is Celestia from Shining Wind (thanks again, Aka).

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• EDIT 4: Samurai Girl 3 is Rihanzou Hatto and, according to Tokyo Hunter, she’s a Hobby Japan mail order exclusive.

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out for now,
Rico-sama

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