So this figure, or rather two figures, had appeared on my blog a couple of times already, so we’ll mention them a tad before we delve into my review of them.
The first appearance was back in the Figure Friday post covering September 18th to the 24th (2009). It shared the first pick of the week award with another figure. Then, it made another appearance, on Figure Monthly of that same month, under the title of “Figure I am Most Likely to Buy”, and at this stage, everything was just me trying to stave off the expenditure of money, fighting against the inevitable.
It wasn’t very surprising that in the overview of November, in the Media Consumption and Purchases post, I had let it be known that I had sent forth the money in order to purchase this figure. In the end I picked this figure over Saber Lily Distant Avalon.
This figure is a Hobby Channel exclusive, so I had to use a deputy service in order to acquire it. I have went with the figure-oriented Joseph Tsai of Tokyo Hunter. The figure was 8,000 yen cover-price, and going through a deputy service had not surprisingly made the costs higher. The figure was very well packed, and communication with Joseph was rapid, easy, and accomodating, so I am not at all sorry about having used him. Thumbs up to Tokyo Hunter’s services, so long you’re ok with the prices.
Figure produced by Alter.
This post will cover the figures of September 2009 most worthy of getting another mention. The best, the worst, and the most interesting. There will be a custom category in most places for the figure most-deserving it, and you shouldn’t count or bet on seeing the same categories appear again.
If you’re wondering why there’s no “Figure Friday” this week it’s because even on a preliminary check, only 6 figures caught my eyes, and it doesn’t seem too crazy they can’t wait another week. So next week will have a big post covering two weeks’ worth of figures.
As always, this post is not entirely Safe For Work. Each figure will receive one photo, which will link to a page with more coverage of the figure, and after that a link to the weekly post where it was covered. Thank you.
September 18th-24th post.
Because Ikkitousen gets such an awful treatment from Taki Corporation, I thought it’d be only fair to mention when they actually get a nice figure, if an expensive one.
January 2009, 275mm, 14,800 yen.
Figure Friday is back on track, covering the figures announced and released during the past week. Since it had been the Silver Week in Japan from the 19th to the 23rd, there was a relative dearth of figures.
I did not skip this installment, though it is slightly smaller, because some of the good figures were really great, and already on this Friday (which goes to next week’s post) I’ve seen two really lovely figures, and I couldn’t handle next week’s post otherwise, so here goes :) UPDATE: More re-stock items.
As always, click on the first picture to go to a site with more information on the figures, and the pictures after the description for the Flickr page, where bigger photos can be had. As always, post is not entirely safe for work, be advised.
Four Hot:
1.
Lineage II Elf 1/7 PVC figure by Orchidseed
Images both from Nekomagic and Kumo‘s blog.
On any other week, this figure definitely would have been number 1. This week it has to share the title.
Best elf I’ve ever seen. Love the details, love the filigree, love the lace-design. Her leg isn’t too big, it’s the ankle-bone and a trick of perception. Her hair is a bit bland. And in case you worry about the seam in her arm when her top is off, there’s a nice bracelet to cover it. Now that is smart design. Just wish her arm next to her face had another configuration.
December 2009, 227mm, 7,429 yen. Reserve.
(Slightly short elf, she’d be 158 centimeters due to scale, /with/ those high heels).
Ok, so I’ve felt a bit under the weather today/yesterday, and then Nekomagic had decided to get borked, in a manner that I can’t click the posts in order to take those pictures. So there might be a Figure Friday today, or there might be one tomorrow, or a condensed one next week… we’ll see.
In the meantime, I come bearing gifts, and questions, and stuff.
There seem to be several major sales going on, so I’ll be your guide to them:
The first, and the one that seems constrained by time is held by Play-Asia, the sale is %20 off on VISA sales. Most products older than 30 days on the shop fall under the category, but you must pay directly by a VISA card, not through PayPal. Too many items to go over them, especially as there doesn’t seem to be a specific listing for all of them together… so look around. This only applies until the 6th9th of September.
UPDATE: Took a ridiculous long time (for me) to find it, but here‘s the figure/toys discount list. One day left.
Update 1.5: The promotion had been extended until the9th of September.
UPDATE 2: Ok, I went through the first 100 figures or so and collected some for you. Many of them are “Double-dip”, they have a discount available to all, and on top of it the 20% off VISA discount, I’ll note it by listing two prices, the first is with VISA, the second without:
Another Hearts Tonami Yuma Maid, $23.92/29.90; Another Hearts Kusakabe Yuki Maid, $35.92/44.90; Kanokon Minamoto Chizuru 1/5, $67.92/84.90; Creators’ Labo #16, Jingai Makyo Ignis, $47.92/59.90; Diformate Al-Azif, $27.92/34.90; Diformate Saber $27.92/34.90; Gurren Lagann phone straps, Kamina, Simon on Gurren, Yoko, $7.92 (only VISA discount); Halo 3 Spartan! $55.92/69.90; Cat Earned Nagi to those who missed her on Hobby Search, $3992/49.90; Kotobukiya X Plamo Tsukuru Custom Pre-Painted PVC Figure: Air, limited availability, but I think it’s stunning, $39.92/49.90; Little Busters Yuiko Kuruga (note, it’s a bit risque), $31.92/39.90; Last: The very cute Moetan, $47.92/59.90.
The second sale is mostly for the USA Citizens, and seems to be a Memorial Weekend sale (please correct me if I’m wrong, so tired). Anyway, this sale by Toylet doesn’t seem to be limited by time, only by stocks. Note the prices as they are, because due to it being an American shops, customs and shipping mean the “MSRP” is higher than what the figure sells for on Japanese sites, but most sale prices are quite good.
Many of these figures range from “Sold out” to “Long sold out” on Hobby Search.
Some figures that called out to me (this is a pared down list, I begun with more and cut it down as I eyed my pocket most ruefully): Want: President Japan’s Seena ($45); a nice Ikki Tousen Kanu Unchou ($25); Swimsuit with Shinai Saber ($35); Heart Work Yuna Morikubo.. I love that pose.. ($45). Really want: Kotokubiya Elwyn, Shining Tears ($30); Saber New Costume, the face is slightly off, especially the cheeks ($30); Megachu! Fauna by Alter, which almost made it to the next category, damn! ($40). The ones I was going to shell money for: Mabinogi Nao Adventure ($50), Mikuru Asahina Maid version by Alter, the blue dress, not the crazy cafe one ($40); Shigure Asa by Kotokubiya, yes, that pose ($35).
Now, what stopped me from getting the last three was the shipping charges. Shipping Airmail, the cheapest way, would be $35 for Nao alone (and dammit, she’s so gorgeous) and $45 for the other two. That makes me pause, though to be honest, that’s often what one pays on eBay, and still cheaper than what you would pay for them new, even sans cheaping. Wish I knew this sale was coming, say, 3 weeks in advance, and could prepare :P
USA residents should be made happy by the sale though, as shipping internally is ok.
Question: Still, tell me what you think, should I get that amazing Nao? Should I get one of the other figures? If I only chose one figure, which would you argue for?
UPDATE: Now added “Air” to the running, so feel free to revote
Mikuru, Nao and Shigure, respectively.
Air:
Now, it turns out there’s a third big sale going on, at Otacute. This sale is a bit of a pain to navigate, as the site is so slow to load each page, and even slower with itesm’ pages, as to make snails seem to have consumed jet-fuel. Moreover, you can’t seem to be able to separate the sale items so it’d only show you figures on sale…
I would keep watching this site though. Their starting prices seem cheaper by $10-15 than what HLJ/Hobby Search sell items for (AKA, the MSRP). With the current sale, it’s really lucrative.
I have never heard of the site before, so if you have testimonials, please share. Both good and bad. Cause they might beat Hobby Search with their prices…
Some items (the sale has 254 items, I only went through 100):
Prism Ark: Sister Hell Flooding Version (I knew there had to be a version without the leather bandages being pink!), $47.90; Murata Range PSE Collection 002 ‘Chris‘, this figure’s versions seem to be everywhere, this is the yellow eyed pink/white hair version, $43.90; FREEing’s amazing Aisha Kanu, for about half price, $56.50; Karauchi Annei by Toys Planning, for those wanting a cute and cheap figure, $19.90; SDX Command Gundam, which maybe should be painted/washed by a miniature painter? $27.50.
Finally, a question. I found out that Play-Asia has an affiliate program, and I enrolled in it. That’d give me about %8 of the money you pay for figures you get there through my links (the previous link not-withstanding, the sale link above does). How many of you buy from Play-Asia? Those who do, why do you over other shops, those who don’t, why not?
Also, would it bother you if the “Reserve” link at the end of the figures I list were to be linked to Play-Asia instead of Hobby Search (when possible), which seems by far the most popular choice?
I slightly got the dates on last week’s post messed up. The post covers from last Friday to this week’s Thursday. Anyway, on we go, with a special side dish of Comiket news, VolksGarage Kit, and NSFW figures on our “NOT!” list.
As always, click the “read more” to get to the main body of the post, click on the first picture of each figure to get to a post with more pictures that are larger. Clicking on the following smaller pictures will lead you to the Flickr page. And we’re on!
Five Hot:
1.
CANAAN Canaan 1/8 PVC figure by Good Smile Company
So this figure, or rather two figures, had appeared on my blog a couple of times already, so we’ll mention them a tad before we delve into my review of them.
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Geekorner-Geekulture. 