When companies began pumping out Miku figures like common flapjacks, I promised myself I wouldn't get sucked into it.Of course I wouldn't. Except I was.
When GSC released Miku Lat-type with a pair of spiffy red glasses, she was so adorably nerdy I couldn't help myself. They got me right in the Achilles heel this time. Well played, GSC, well played indeed.
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| Ready, set, MIKU. |
I usually don't say good things about boxes, but Miku's box is quite attractive. Its turquoise-white scheme is broken by vibrant red hexagons. The extra splash of colour gives it some pop and saves the box from being just another utilitarian instrument. It's also large for how small Miku is, thanks to Miku's gargantuan hair.
Miku stands about 18cm tall and comes with two bases, a circular one that tries to imitate the pattern of a stereo speaker, and a pinkish hexagon. Personally, I find the pink base overwhelming and rather cheap-looking, but it's nice that you're given a choice.
You can help Miku balance by inserting a peg into her left foot. In all honesty, she's light enough to balance without it, but anything to stop Miku from leaning in the future is a plus in my books.
Unfortunately, the peg is (excuse me) an ass to insert. Thankfully I have tiny fingers to deal with tiny "challenges" like this. I can't imagine someone with larger hands getting the peg in without rage quitting. My strategy was to place the peg in position, then force it in by leaning on the coffee table. It was awkward and uncomfortable for the both of us, I'm sure.
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| We both love and hate you, peg...but mostly hate. |
Miku's pose is chipper, cheerful and full of bounce. She's caught in mid-skip, dangerous twin tails rotating about like elegant medieval maces. One smack from those Goliath locks and she could knock a grown man out. Can you hear the "nya" popping from her lips? We sure can!
Miku Lat-type appears younger than her counterparts. Bearing a round face and large head-to-body ratio, she appears all of 12-years-old (if even). It's true. These pop-idols get younger every year!
Miku's glasses are removeable, but without them, her face looks oddly naked. The glasses stop her from becoming another mundane Miku figure. They add character.
Unfortunately, there seems to be some assembly issues with Miku. Like the peg, the glasses are determined to make a scene. It took pure, brute force to jam them onto her face, which was rather nerve-wracking given their wire-thin fragility. I won't be taking them off anytime soon, if only in spite.
Miku's dork rating is off the charts! Look at how she innocently flashes her panties! So oblivious...
Miku's hair is not as transparent as it seems. I tried taking a few back-lit shots and her hair really doesn't allow light through all that well.
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| Sorry about the blur, I wobbled. |
On the other hand, the material used is awfully flat. It's not really translucent, and there's no shading whatsoever. Under certain conditions, they appear—well—rubbery.
So I'm going to throw this out to the audience. What do you think of Miku's hair?
Miku's sculpt job is truly exquisite. When I first saw her I thought, god, what an insipid, uninspired figure, but the more Google searches I performed, the more details floated to the surface, and the more I began to like her. Miku only gives the impression of simplicity.
The folds in Miku's shirt are nothing short of spectacular. All winkles are in place. All pull lines are realistically rendered. How does GSC make a shirt look so exciting? Damned if I know.
Her skirt. It be detailed. I seem to have some colour fade on the hem of my Miku's shirt. Anyone else have this problem?
Miku's headphones are equally detailed. I love the tiny "R" and "L". Isn't it darling?
The type of Miku's arm spells out her name, and is the smallest I've ever seen on a figure. It's so small it doesn't even show up well in photos, but it's quite clear in person.
The squares around Miku's hair are highlighted with transparent pink and complement her glasses nicely.
Miku also comes with two microphones, a chubby grey, and a streamlined black. Although I'm partial to anything black, I find details show up better on the more traditional mic. Again, it's nice to have a choice.
I'm not sure how to feel about Miku being cast-offable, seeing as she looks all of 12, but I can't ignore the attention that's gone into Miku's rear end.
Miku wears striped panties, which seems to be an important detail to many people out there (I'll never understand striped panty fetishes, really). They're rather risque for such a young-ish virtual girl, and low cut enough to show off her buttcrack. They also look rather tight, but who am I to complain about a cosy buttcheek squeeze?
Everything about this Miku is shiny—her pose, her expression, her clothes, her general shininess. I like her more than I thought I would. She really comes to life in person. Miku has no sculpting errors as far as I'm concerned, and her paint job is admirable. With the exception of a few setting up hiccups (stupid peg), this Miku is a real pleasure to have.
If you're thinking of picking her up, she's still available at AmiAmi and HobbySearch for a very reasonable price. I'm guessing this model isn't as popular as her standard model, but she's still very nice. Being GSC, you're practically guaranteed quality.
I, in the meantime, am waiting for a Miku Append figure that doesn't make her look like a rabbit.
The Run-Down
Package: 6.5/10 (It screams Miku all over)
Base: 6.5/10 (Choice appreciated, but the pink one looks cheap)
Pose: 7/10 (Standard, cute happy pose)
Sculpt: 10/10 (Purrrfect)
Paint: 8/10 (Hair a bit of a let down, otherwise great)
Overall: 7.5/10 (Solid job, cute character)
Company: Good Smile Company
Price: 5239 yen
Purchased from: HobbySearch
Truly, madly, deeply,
Jenn
Really Beautifull, i love Miku LAT!
ReplyDeleteI love her too. She's the cutest.
DeleteThanks for visiting!
Jenn
She'dam cute ;o)
DeleteLove miku... If she was real id marry her. ;0)
Delete