Figure Friday – August 28th-September 3rd in Review.

Ok, this is the post for the figures and news of the week running from the 28th of August to the 3rd of September. It is a tad late, I do realize. That week had more than its share of news, but slightly fewer figures, so we only have “Four Hot” and “Four Not”. Last week’s post will go up Monday or Tuesday.

And as for this being Monday my time and not Sunday, with such a great semi-final in the US Open between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, what can you expect? :)
For those who wonder, I think I did pretty well on my test!

As always, click on the first photo to go to a page with more details/photos, and click on the following pictures to see a larger version.

Four Hot:

1.

Vocaloid #01 Nendoroid Petite trading figure by Good Smile Company

 Some more photos on Kumo’s blog.
CUTE overload! I especially like Megurine Luka (with the red hair), and Sakine Meiko, the bopping redhead (orange hair).
Miku Saihate, with the flower (at a funeral?) is also adorable.
Reserve, 6,000 yen. November 2009.
Update: Second shipment opened for reservation right now.

2.

K-ON! Hirasawa Yui 1/8 PVC figure by Alter

If you ask me, a lot more exciting than Mio. Cute pose, hair, sculpt, guitar. Only problem is that if she’s not looking directly at you, it looks as if her eyes are not focused on anything.
December 2009, 210mm, 6,800 yen. Reserve.

 

3.

Ookamikakushi Nazo no Shoujo 1/8 PVC figure by Konami

Limited to online, must get 1,000 orders before December 1st, or it won’t get released.
Real fabric, the other figure looks more like PVC. This model is… interesting. Sometimes the fabric looks a bit much, others, very interesting. The scythe looks great, and so does the mask she’s holding. Certainly the most interesting figure of the week. Designed by PEACH_PIT.
March 26th, 2010, 200mm, 7,600 yen. Order (use deputy services).

 

Original art.

 

4. 

 

Phantom Integration Ein ~GA Graphic Ver.~ 1/8 PVC figure by SoftBank Creative

You need to suspend some disbelief for this figure. As it’s unclear how she got to this position, and seriously, why the smiling face option for this case? Ein after all is much more for the dead eyes option. I mean, if she were fully dressed, and weren’t Ein, that position would’ve rocked with the smiling face, as is, with the gun? Weird.
Aside from the necessary hair-seam (I’d have done away with the alternate face, AND the hair-seam), this is a pretty nice figure. Striking a nice balance between coyness and flaunting.
December 2009, 110mm, 7,500 yen (including tax, shipping and handling). SoftBank Creative exclusive, order here (use deputy service).

 

 

Four Not

1.

Black Lagoon Revy non-scale GK by Alphamax

Erm, the body might look alright, but DAMN, what’s wrong with that face? It looks like a wolf.
January 2010. Around 280mm tall, 16,000 yen.

 

 

2.

K-ON! Kotobuki Tsumugi Mobip 004 Action figure by Aoshima

The model’s default expression is almost “empty”.
They look more like toys for lil kiddies, rather than anything I’d put on display. Big joints, bulky limbs, etc.
The only problem for these figures is that they are priced along the same price as Figma. The thing that may justify it are the big accessories, but if all you care for are the figures, then it doesn’t hold water.
October 2009, 3,000 yen. Reserve.

  

 

3.

Queen’s Blade the Thousand faces Assasin Melona Revoltech QB 005 action figure by Kaiyodo

She’s pretty small, 1/12? One of the reason I really dislike ero poseable figures, especially Revoltech, is that it isn’t smooth. Too noticeable joints, and the space in the chest? Off-putting. For this figure, if she’s “thousand face assassin”, then why are her faces so awful? And the buttons of her underpants look too much like eyes.
Now noticing the eyes also exist on the shoes.
I think some of the Queen’s Blade revoltechs are not so bad. This one is.
October 1st 2009, 135mm tall, 2,762 yen. Castoffable. Reserve.

 

4.

Zero no Tsukaima Louise 1/6 PVC figure by Clayz

Not much was necessary to get this model to the “Hot” section, but this little killed this model for me, as a person who liked the anime. Her expression and what she’s holding? Perfect Louise. But she has no chin, her cheeks are too wide, and this throws off the figure for me. Also, what’s the source of the “wind” that blows back her cape so, and not her hair?
Fix this model; make me love it.
December 2009, 6,500 yen. Reserve.

News:

Nekomagic covers Chara Hobby 2009, garage kit and manga/anime character figures.
Day 1: Part 1 for Max Factory and Good Smile Company;
part 2 for Alter, Kotokubiya, Megahouse and Azone (really good stuff);
part 3 for Bandai, Nissin Foods(!), and CM’s Corp. A lot of gundams here.
Day 2: Part 4, Character figures, a lot of shots, varying quality of figures;
part 5, mecha.

Some Chara Hobby 2009 posts by Kumo:
Here’s one about the Bleach secret figures, and here’s a general post of interesting figures.

Yamato room opening: Limited attendance opening only, might open to the wide public in the future.

Limited Petit Nendoroid Haruhi Suzumiya news by Kumo.