tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264691768962767252024-03-09T21:46:06.617-05:00Poke the MerchA review site for anime figures, artbooks, doujinshi, and other goods imported from the Land of the Rising Sun (a.k.a. Japan).Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-50567948656343699342016-05-10T18:43:00.000-04:002016-05-10T20:51:53.274-04:001/8 Sorey (Kotobukiya)<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2016/05/18-sorey-kotobukiya.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GFOVYFIBbtc/VfXiQKY3whI/AAAAAAAAOGo/EZb1AEzzeLs/s1600/SoreyReviewIcon-2.png" /></a><font color="#003399">Tales of Zestiria (the game) might have gotten a lot of flack in Japan, but the characters at least are quite likable. Before the game was even released, it was announced that Alter and Kotobukiya were collaborating to create two figures. Alter did Alisha while Kotobukiya got Sorey. I ended up purchasing the first print of Sorey and I have quite a few things to say about him.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>To be completely honest, I had very little interest in Tales of Zestiria when it was announced. The character designs are quite nice this time around, but the trailers didn't astound me. I did, however, decide to check out the OVA, the live streams and some gameplay videos. It didn't take long for me to be sucked into it all. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzXlqiHDJfo/VfTntKWnX0I/AAAAAAAAOD0/kfnXO4FaKZk/s1600/Sorey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzXlqiHDJfo/VfTntKWnX0I/AAAAAAAAOD0/kfnXO4FaKZk/s400/Sorey.png" width="335" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKo5-MhG5Lo/VfTnq4wpPsI/AAAAAAAAODM/jRu7BtHCbWk/s1600/Sorey-Ufotable.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKo5-MhG5Lo/VfTnq4wpPsI/AAAAAAAAODM/jRu7BtHCbWk/s400/Sorey-Ufotable.png" width="335" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Credit for the right image goes to <a href="http://neylakiiroisenkou.tumblr.com/post/120273333697/sorey-transparent-pngs-collection-scanned-and" target="_blank">neylakiiroisenkou</a></span></div><br />
The OVA piqued my interest first, because it was done by Ufotable and because it's Tales. Although Sorey is a carrier of many shonen cliché traits, I find his character to be fun and endearing. What sets him apart from many other JRPG male protagonists is that he's a nerd who loves reading and exploring ruins. Sure, he's naive in some ways, but he's not very hot headed and he's definitely book smart! Also, he didn't get coincidentally sucked into his journey. He <i>chose </i>to become the shepherd!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aYWyO909PxU/VfQ0pXctZyI/AAAAAAAAOBw/4SDIGG8F3To/s1600/Sorey-screenshot3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aYWyO909PxU/VfQ0pXctZyI/AAAAAAAAOBw/4SDIGG8F3To/s320/Sorey-screenshot3.png" width="330" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVZIuKFk8F0/VfQ0pWePsaI/AAAAAAAAOBs/V4QYhJt5XhQ/s1600/Sorey-screenshot1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVZIuKFk8F0/VfQ0pWePsaI/AAAAAAAAOBs/V4QYhJt5XhQ/s320/Sorey-screenshot1.png" width="330" /></a></div><br />
I found myself liking his character a lot more than I initially did by the end of the promotional OVA. I decided at some point that I actually wanted the figure. I originally waited it out, hoping for a price drop since it's a 10 000 yen Kotobukiya figure. I was reluctant because Jenn and Ash don't often say good things about Kotobukiya, but the problem is that I like Sorey and wanted a figure of him. To my dismay, Sorey sold out pretty quickly in a lot of shops, or his price kept rising. I ended up shelling out a good $120.00 CAD after shipping costs and while I do like him, a part of me really regrets paying as much as I did for him.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">If you're not a Tales of fan or a big Kotobukiya fan to begin with I can tell you without hesitation that Sorey isn't worth the 10 000 yen price tag that's slapped on him. I hardly see Kotobukiya figures at this price. In all honesty, it's most likely because Sorey is part of a collaboration between Kotobukiya and Alter. They really have Alter to thank for this and it irks me because the quality of many Sorey figures out there aren't great. Mine included.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Sorey figure definitely looks good from afar, or when he's grouped with other figures. His dynamic pose and charming little smile are eye catching, but be warned, when you get up close you'll notice he's flawed in many areas!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t96F1fme70c/Vembk_xcXXI/AAAAAAAAN90/BkuFLMORjZM/s1600/Sorey-spin1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t96F1fme70c/Vembk_xcXXI/AAAAAAAAN90/BkuFLMORjZM/s320/Sorey-spin1.png" width="309" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMmB5AW-tL8/VemblyPIdtI/AAAAAAAAN-A/gO13qxMWU9M/s1600/Sorey-spin2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMmB5AW-tL8/VemblyPIdtI/AAAAAAAAN-A/gO13qxMWU9M/s320/Sorey-spin2.png" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zOYG-NATEwQ/VembmuLKSbI/AAAAAAAAN-M/Cs4xfz8RWmk/s1600/Sorey-spin3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zOYG-NATEwQ/VembmuLKSbI/AAAAAAAAN-M/Cs4xfz8RWmk/s320/Sorey-spin3.png" width="309" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNUDw6WiJRk/VembmiIyuWI/AAAAAAAAN-U/5mEdksd3VDw/s1600/Sorey-spin4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNUDw6WiJRk/VembmiIyuWI/AAAAAAAAN-U/5mEdksd3VDw/s320/Sorey-spin4.png" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sgn_UTiDJek/VembnPxrI9I/AAAAAAAAN-c/09Hzahs33iA/s1600/Sorey-spin5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sgn_UTiDJek/VembnPxrI9I/AAAAAAAAN-c/09Hzahs33iA/s320/Sorey-spin5.png" width="309" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U8mnevtp6T8/VembniuPJYI/AAAAAAAAN-g/2l3nSPTuuO4/s1600/Sorey-spin6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U8mnevtp6T8/VembniuPJYI/AAAAAAAAN-g/2l3nSPTuuO4/s320/Sorey-spin6.png" width="309" /></a></div><br />
The box is wide due to Sorey's base and pose, but the overall design is colourful and eye catching. It uses some of the concept art that was shown when the game was announced.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jlq8dxb-3Cc/VyrOQNcoZ7I/AAAAAAAAOko/13NLVPDcCUEnoL3zHIAw4mWp0My031USgCKgB/s1600/Sorey-box.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jlq8dxb-3Cc/VyrOQNcoZ7I/AAAAAAAAOko/13NLVPDcCUEnoL3zHIAw4mWp0My031USgCKgB/s400/Sorey-box.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jE-tSOsQXLA/VyrLru8GrKI/AAAAAAAAOkM/_WrzIC0M7xwlI71oMYlFNnRfa_urvmbWgCKgB/s1600/Sorey-box2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jE-tSOsQXLA/VyrLru8GrKI/AAAAAAAAOkM/_WrzIC0M7xwlI71oMYlFNnRfa_urvmbWgCKgB/s400/Sorey-box2.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><br />
Considering how colourful Tales of Zestiria's world appears to be, I'm surprised Sorey's base is so plain and boring compared to his box. It's based off the Celestial Records book in the game but for a base, it's still uninspiring.<br />
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It compensates for Sorey's wide pose, sure, but it definitely consumes a lot of space. It's essentially just a plain diamond with his name front and centre. Unfortunately, my Sorey figure is more or less stuck to his base now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r9t_Povewqk/Vembf5IAuXI/AAAAAAAAN8A/oKBtXwUnzzk/s1600/Sorey-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r9t_Povewqk/Vembf5IAuXI/AAAAAAAAN8A/oKBtXwUnzzk/s640/Sorey-base.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvDBKV57naM/VembgGYILpI/AAAAAAAAN74/Lxf1WN4oC28/s1600/Sorey-base2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvDBKV57naM/VembgGYILpI/AAAAAAAAN74/Lxf1WN4oC28/s640/Sorey-base2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal">When I was placing him on his base for the first time, I struggled. I believe the holes in Sorey's feet weren't wide enough for the pegs so I had to force him in. I've attempted to remove him a couple of times since, just to see if I could, but I was afraid he would break. To that end, I'm severely disappointed in Kotobukiya for this. I have never had this issue with any of my 1/8 scaled figures. </div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There were many complaints online regarding Sorey's base being creaky. So if you end up adding Sorey to your collection, you may end up with a base that could get stuck to your figure or one that makes nerve wracking sounds. If you're <i>really</i> unfortunate, you'll have both issues.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you plan on collecting the rest of the Tales of Zestiria figures, keep in mind that this base is going to be the one used for all of them. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nc_6U_ZDwfA/VfWRqhUhX6I/AAAAAAAAOFA/GJ9-Z2bO6uc/s1600/Sorey-boots.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nc_6U_ZDwfA/VfWRqhUhX6I/AAAAAAAAOFA/GJ9-Z2bO6uc/s640/Sorey-boots.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Sorey is slightly propped up on the base due to his dynamic pose. There are no complaints regarding his boots, except for the hole for the peg at the bottom. The paint job is surprisingly clean but lacks some much needed shading.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZD-ISOTfIo/Vembioxv8HI/AAAAAAAAN84/A7wbT60O31o/s1600/Sorey-cape5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZD-ISOTfIo/Vembioxv8HI/AAAAAAAAN84/A7wbT60O31o/s640/Sorey-cape5.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It would be wonderful if Kotobukiya cared more for the quality of their figures. Sorey's cape is riddled with sloppy paint spills, and unfortunately, you can see flaws on every angle. While I was taking photographs all I could wonder was whether or not the painters knew how to keep within the lines.<br />
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Evidently, they were incapable of this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdZpVcNgkg8/VembgYeP8rI/AAAAAAAAN8I/ax0gsDsoZMc/s1600/Sorey-cape1-v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdZpVcNgkg8/VembgYeP8rI/AAAAAAAAN8I/ax0gsDsoZMc/s400/Sorey-cape1-v2.png" width="318" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfFvxsJfa-s/VembhMDDTgI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/W1dyGLOCj2o/s1600/Sorey-cape2-v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfFvxsJfa-s/VembhMDDTgI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/W1dyGLOCj2o/s400/Sorey-cape2-v2.png" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qxkqcwjq6_I/Vembil_l0yI/AAAAAAAAN88/-6nYfuCwv-M/s1600/Sorey-cape4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qxkqcwjq6_I/Vembil_l0yI/AAAAAAAAN88/-6nYfuCwv-M/s640/Sorey-cape4.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Be sure to click and enlarge the photographs for a better look. Even if you don't, you'll notice that some of the spills are so painfully obvious they're cringe worthy. Some of the blue lines overlap or spill over the embosses, and they're prominent under certain light. Even on the white portions you can see the extra brush strokes or globs. It looks like a complete rush job and it's severely disappointing.<br />
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Clearly Sorey's cape alone was too much for them to handle...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7dkS9oMFxYo/VfXYpsMxIiI/AAAAAAAAOFg/av8qsh2EriA/s1600/Sorey-cape10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7dkS9oMFxYo/VfXYpsMxIiI/AAAAAAAAOFg/av8qsh2EriA/s400/Sorey-cape10.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n4TkrvNg6Bs/VfXYpjDqxWI/AAAAAAAAOFo/RRqIme7R6kc/s1600/Sorey-cape9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n4TkrvNg6Bs/VfXYpjDqxWI/AAAAAAAAOFo/RRqIme7R6kc/s400/Sorey-cape9.png" width="315" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGtI62hHBY_kXYU0VdDkjtfbEc6bLoOdMA2PMbo-6ODAFWD72T402wfTTM88MjBDqnhj8zKoekKjKCs7KLuLUe_bI2DCci038vOCQN-MZPq-ZLpnwVWZ_3cmSjloZMZyBVaEhZGtX3i8/s1600/Sorey-cape8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGtI62hHBY_kXYU0VdDkjtfbEc6bLoOdMA2PMbo-6ODAFWD72T402wfTTM88MjBDqnhj8zKoekKjKCs7KLuLUe_bI2DCci038vOCQN-MZPq-ZLpnwVWZ_3cmSjloZMZyBVaEhZGtX3i8/s640/Sorey-cape8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, that's a paint spill beneath Sorey's belt...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next up is this ridiculous seam line I discovered beneath Sorey's cape. I understand that pants have seams but not only is this line deeper than it needs to be, but it also literally split Sorey's belt in half. I honestly had a "Wait, what?" moment. I have no idea what Kotobukiya was thinking but this discovery disturbed me.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ylHWiyukpQI/VembkQV5KDI/AAAAAAAAN9o/G7Im5StYfxY/s1600/Sorey-pants1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ylHWiyukpQI/VembkQV5KDI/AAAAAAAAN9o/G7Im5StYfxY/s400/Sorey-pants1.png" width="300" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-syyaddwGKNI/Vembku2uDpI/AAAAAAAAN9s/25_GmEdJCqk/s1600/Sorey-pants2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-syyaddwGKNI/Vembku2uDpI/AAAAAAAAN9s/25_GmEdJCqk/s400/Sorey-pants2.png" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I kept my expectations low for this figure. I did, because I was very aware that the quality of Kotobukiya's figures could never match up to Alter (all of the other 1/8 figures I own are done by Alter). But to split Sorey's behind <i>and</i> belt in half really makes me question their sculpting abilities. The more flaws I found, the more irked I was with the fact that Kotobukiya slapped a 10 000 yen price tag on this figure. His value, in my mind, kept going lower and lower. Perhaps Kotobukiya should stick to basic designs.<br />
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At one point I felt the need to squint for some positive points, because, again, I did pay a lot for this figure.<br />
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I suppose if I disregard the orange paint spill beneath the belt, and the absurd seam line in the back, the pants aren't too shabby. I actually thought the colour was a bit dark at first, but I changed my mind after comparing them to the concept images a few times. I'll at least give the sculptor credit for including several creases on Sorey's pants. It really works with the dynamic pose.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyWwRdq_QmQ/VfXdNgJg1jI/AAAAAAAAOF8/MryTnnSNTP4/s1600/Sorey-sword3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyWwRdq_QmQ/VfXdNgJg1jI/AAAAAAAAOF8/MryTnnSNTP4/s640/Sorey-sword3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Every time I find something remotely positive about this figure, I'll find what feels like five problems shortly after.<br />
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The sword and sheath are unimpressive. I will admit that they're shaped nicely but both are definitely flawed in their own ways. I think the sword could have been a bit darker, or the painter shouldn't have used gold for the pattern. The combination isn't aesthetically appealing and makes the sword look quite cheap. The gold reflection is very unflattering and distracting.<br />
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Unfortunately the sheath hanging off of Sorey's belt is sealed up. It doesn't seem necessary to do that in the first place and it also makes the sheath look cheap as well. I can't put Sorey's sword away thanks to this. If I remove his sword, it just looks like he lost it. I would have preferred sheathing it so he could at least look armed.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hCukLj9gcvCqqBMcapRBRAhXvYj_YtV43aIwuLuLibwoKf5HBHIKR5QdtePwi2UBgaFAD5ggPja7t6WTZOv5nQuJtzTeNcLvCxYfOS78ax8JlKSNKA1ZHXxZB97Wc0TFtTk_SKOkxew/s1600/Sorey-Sheath1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hCukLj9gcvCqqBMcapRBRAhXvYj_YtV43aIwuLuLibwoKf5HBHIKR5QdtePwi2UBgaFAD5ggPja7t6WTZOv5nQuJtzTeNcLvCxYfOS78ax8JlKSNKA1ZHXxZB97Wc0TFtTk_SKOkxew/s320/Sorey-Sheath1.png" width="330" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9xNvcfUtz-s/VembfbBDziI/AAAAAAAAN7g/dJeo4E5wLKM/s1600/Sorey-Sheath2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9xNvcfUtz-s/VembfbBDziI/AAAAAAAAN7g/dJeo4E5wLKM/s320/Sorey-Sheath2.png" width="330" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Some areas on this figure, aside from the split pants and belt, are strangely constructed. On the right side of Sorey's cape I found extra blue paint filling the gap between a prominent fold. I don't particularly hate it but I also don't understand why that was necessary. There should be a wider gap but I almost feel as though the painter or sculptor didn't care enough to fix it.<br />
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Also, yes, that's a white paint spill on the inside of the cape of the right image. That drizzle...Why, Koto? Why?<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ncJBmwBkm64/VfTnq_TQXMI/AAAAAAAAODU/Suw-0pLVqMU/s1600/Sorey-cape-fold1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ncJBmwBkm64/VfTnq_TQXMI/AAAAAAAAODU/Suw-0pLVqMU/s400/Sorey-cape-fold1.png" width="335" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMZidmVqPss/VfTnrHn6RFI/AAAAAAAAODY/jmdmzySUdgk/s1600/Sorey-cape-fold.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMZidmVqPss/VfTnrHn6RFI/AAAAAAAAODY/jmdmzySUdgk/s400/Sorey-cape-fold.png" width="335" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It would have been nice if Sorey was a cast off figure. He certainly looks fuller with the cape on, but the cape itself is rather unsteady. A simple touch could actually make it wobble. Although, the split belt would be far more obvious if the cape were to be removed...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--5Hl177LLRY/VemonbInAhI/AAAAAAAAN_w/WNqch5722ac/s1600/Sorey-head3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--5Hl177LLRY/VemonbInAhI/AAAAAAAAN_w/WNqch5722ac/s400/Sorey-head3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aWctow5vvgU/VfTql3PazlI/AAAAAAAAOEE/UD7SPi6IkSw/s1600/Sorey-head4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aWctow5vvgU/VfTql3PazlI/AAAAAAAAOEE/UD7SPi6IkSw/s400/Sorey-head4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sorey's head is probably one of the better features of this figure. He doesn't have clumps of PVC anywhere on his head and the paint job overall is quite smooth. The only thing I noticed only after taking my photographs is that the painter might have left a tiny brush bristle at the top of Sorey's head... There are a few seam lines that could have been smoothed down but they're in the back and do not take anything away from the figure. I'm accustomed to figures having seam lines on the head though. I think that's normal for them.<br />
<br />
The feather decorations on his ears don't stand out as much, but with the way they're shaped and painted, they almost look like shrivelled leaves. They would have benefited from a bit of shading or depth. The ones on Sorey's glove are nice because of the warm gradient at the tips. The orange actually makes them look pretty.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tZiELxA-bg/VfV7a38lOcI/AAAAAAAAOEo/iTuBEYTJjZI/s1600/Sorey-feather.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tZiELxA-bg/VfV7a38lOcI/AAAAAAAAOEo/iTuBEYTJjZI/s400/Sorey-feather.png" width="325" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zyEzSzx3AE4/VfTnriLMZyI/AAAAAAAAODk/Z4h2WvwdYWM/s1600/Sorey-hand1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zyEzSzx3AE4/VfTnriLMZyI/AAAAAAAAODk/Z4h2WvwdYWM/s400/Sorey-hand1.png" width="325" /></a></div><br />
This may seem like an odd complaint, but I wish Sorey (the figure) had a slightly darker complexion. I find his skin tone to be exceptionally pale even though he has a slight tan in his status art, and in other official pictures. Sorey is very pale compared to the other 1/8 figures in my display case. The colours in general seem a bit flat or washed out in many areas, so unfortunately it makes Sorey appear a bit cheap. Again, his figure would have benefited from a bit of shading.</div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C4i-jcz63ug/VembnmwBPuI/AAAAAAAAN-Y/wC_HrPnU10o/s1600/Zestiria-tone-comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C4i-jcz63ug/VembnmwBPuI/AAAAAAAAN-Y/wC_HrPnU10o/s640/Zestiria-tone-comparison.jpg" width="650" /></a></div><br />
One of the few positive things I can say about this figure is that I like his expression. A poor expression can easily ruin a figure, but Kotobukiya did all right with this one.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eI4hQycRVxw/VemonNWZFcI/AAAAAAAAN_s/i6h3NcgAWhw/s1600/Sorey-head1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eI4hQycRVxw/VemonNWZFcI/AAAAAAAAN_s/i6h3NcgAWhw/s400/Sorey-head1.png" width="310" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rGxJKoH-efo/VemonKUtA-I/AAAAAAAAN_4/2mNOrDEEycQ/s1600/Sorey-head2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rGxJKoH-efo/VemonKUtA-I/AAAAAAAAN_4/2mNOrDEEycQ/s400/Sorey-head2.png" width="310" /></a></div><br />
I personally like that Sorey looks confident but not <i>overly</i> confident, though on the right angle and under the right lighting he can look quite evil! It's actually quite fitting considering the themes of the game revolves around purity versus malevolence.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--katkMgLQUo/Vf9FHFvgcuI/AAAAAAAAOIc/Jstr24qCLbA/s1600/Sorey-dark3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--katkMgLQUo/Vf9FHFvgcuI/AAAAAAAAOIc/Jstr24qCLbA/s640/Sorey-dark3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
His dynamic pose also earns a thumbs up from me as well. I love movement in a figure, especially if it's a male. Females at least have a lot of movement in their hair, but most males don't have long hair, so it's nice if the sculptors make up for it with a dynamic pose.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5uGe0UHBog/VxgaK5aRxKI/AAAAAAAAOjU/a1YFYuaiyRY6QymSAKs67XYilIDx_A9HgCKgB/s1600/Sorey-pic3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5uGe0UHBog/VxgaK5aRxKI/AAAAAAAAOjU/a1YFYuaiyRY6QymSAKs67XYilIDx_A9HgCKgB/s400/Sorey-pic3.png" width="305" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yeN4A3Uh71s/VzIF0V8V9-I/AAAAAAAAOlI/z7sLBVwRInIdW7IIIJCJUcfNmMBvcZ7swCKgB/s1600/Sorey-light.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yeN4A3Uh71s/VzIF0V8V9-I/AAAAAAAAOlI/z7sLBVwRInIdW7IIIJCJUcfNmMBvcZ7swCKgB/s400/Sorey-light.png" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MSM7SavnsXg/VxaN0_EPMvI/AAAAAAAAOiU/g7jDjY1xWs8x2NQAr3GVmpthaPcxBiAVACKgB/s1600/Sorey-flower2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MSM7SavnsXg/VxaN0_EPMvI/AAAAAAAAOiU/g7jDjY1xWs8x2NQAr3GVmpthaPcxBiAVACKgB/s640/Sorey-flower2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I know I criticized my Sorey figure a lot, but I'm actually quite fond of it. Of course, this is because I like the character, but at least Sorey has a dynamic pose and a decent expression. From a technical standpoint he has far too many flaws. I'm certain I lost count as I took photographs. I bet I even complained about them enough in my review to elicit some groans. However, if you're a fan of the Tales of series or Sorey, I say buy him at a discount. He's certainly not worth 10 000 yen, but he looks pretty good with the collection. Especially from afar. Kotobukiya, you can definitely do better than this. It's probably best if they stick to basic designs though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PzTX3rOEtVs/VxgaLDiH-DI/AAAAAAAAOjU/FUbBGzCPvsYFJ0Bm5LlsV8knvkP_3DLwgCKgB/s1600/Sorey-book2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PzTX3rOEtVs/VxgaLDiH-DI/AAAAAAAAOjU/FUbBGzCPvsYFJ0Bm5LlsV8knvkP_3DLwgCKgB/s400/Sorey-book2.png" width="310" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2K6YB4c3HuR2aswfNYsLuTIAWveBu_jS-d0l_TV04M9TpH3JyCnnfDqms-74rxTAlUcYSCOnAINzfh7VgVUk6jJH9Kabg2aoTBcQSUs2Wx4oQtHQKOeXtWzmzqTzEq5wvt5w_3P9o90/s1600/Sorey-bookv2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2K6YB4c3HuR2aswfNYsLuTIAWveBu_jS-d0l_TV04M9TpH3JyCnnfDqms-74rxTAlUcYSCOnAINzfh7VgVUk6jJH9Kabg2aoTBcQSUs2Wx4oQtHQKOeXtWzmzqTzEq5wvt5w_3P9o90/s400/Sorey-bookv2.png" width="310" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVwDKHdzL38/Vf82z9CK9fI/AAAAAAAAOHQ/2qm7ZY6ohrM/s1600/Sorey-sun3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVwDKHdzL38/Vf82z9CK9fI/AAAAAAAAOHQ/2qm7ZY6ohrM/s640/Sorey-sun3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="color: #003399;"><b>Summary</b>:</div><table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>Box</td><td>7/10</td><td><div class="MsoNormal">It's a colourful box that stands out. It's also somehow far more interesting than the base.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td>Base</td><td>6/10</td><td><div class="MsoNormal">It's plain, brown, boring, and my Sorey figure is pretty much stuck to it for life.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pose</td><td>9/10</td><td><div class="MsoNormal">I'm a sucker for dynamic poses, so I actually like the way Sorey looks.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sculpt</td><td>7/10</td><td><div class="MsoNormal">Kotobukiya did a decent job, but the fold at the back of the cape is awkward and Sorey's belt and bum are split in half...</div></td></tr>
<tr><td>Paint</td><td>6/10</td><td><div class="MsoNormal">Paint spills on the cape are painfully obvious, but the rest is...acceptable. A bit of shading would have been nice.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Overall </b></td><td>7/10</td><td>Sorey is nice to look at from afar, but this is a very technically flawed figure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Kotobukiya<br />
<b>Price</b>: 9120 yen (Retails for 10 000 yen)<br />
<b>Shipping method used: </b>SAL Registered<br />
<b>Box dimensions</b> Approximately 21.5 x 19.5 x 24.5 cm<br />
<b>Purchased from</b>: <a href="https://www.nippon-yasan.com/" target="_blank">Nippon-Yasan</a><br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
<b>~Suich</b></font>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-57840567466434260242015-12-30T01:15:00.000-05:002015-12-30T01:20:47.388-05:00Oh Noes!: Tamaki's Warped Leg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DWR4APUeiWI/Vn2jTGlzlHI/AAAAAAAAOXw/lNeuc0DNeqc/s1600/Tamaki-Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DWR4APUeiWI/Vn2jTGlzlHI/AAAAAAAAOXw/lNeuc0DNeqc/s1600/Tamaki-Icon.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">Friends, sometimes, mistakes happen. Sometimes, a ball is dropped and no one picks it up. Sometimes, details are overlooked and no one notices. Sometimes, people get lazy because they are human.<br />
<br />
Luckily, when such things happen, there's a thing called communication. And disgruntlement. Communication and disgruntlement can get you far in situations where people are busy being human. Read on, for the full story.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
This September, I decided to pursue an endeavour that I've kept in mind for the past few years: Obtaining Max Factory's Tamaki. She's a figure that I've always coveted but never really went about hunting. I had a slew of excuses. She was an older figure, and I didn't trust her quality. She wasn't a character I knew. Her price was steep (10k seems like a lot for a figure that's over five years old). But this was the year I finally said "Fuck it", and set my phasers to hunt.<br />
<br />
Tamaki is a figure that has stubbornly retained her value over the years. Five years ago, she resold for 10k. Nowadays, she also resells at around 10k. I watched her prices for a few months to familiarize myself with how she rolled. As expected, it hovered around 10k before one appeared on AmiAmi for just under 9k. <i>Hey,</i> I thought to myself, <i>some saving is better than nothing</i>, and went for it. She was listed as A/C condition, which meant her box was a bit beat up but the figure itself was almost pristine. As someone who gives little value to boxes beyond their protective qualities, I went ahead and ordered her.<br />
<br />
Fast forward a few weeks and a box appeared on my front steps. As per usual, I gleefully gathered the box, squirreled it away, and sequestered off a corner of my room to unravel my new bibelot. I removed and saved all the protective plastic bits, turned her around in my hands to ensure there were no noticeable flaws, poked at all inappropriate parts, giggled like an imbecile, and set her on my shelf.<br />
<br />
Where she immediately fell on her face.<br />
<br />
Eh?<br />
<br />
Out of curiosity, I set her back on her <strike>feet</strike> knees and observed the phenomenon. Yes, she faceplanted again. I balanced her out again. She faceplanted. That was when I noticed something very curious about her legs. They didn't match up. And my didn't match up, I mean, they didn't lie flat to the ground. If one leg was flat against the ground, the other wouldn't be, an vise versa. As such, she was dreadfully unbalanced, so badly so, that she had trouble staying upright without support.<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JyQXkc6YD0/Vn2jTSDY4qI/AAAAAAAAOX4/6e9OCgwydHc/s1600/Tamaki1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JyQXkc6YD0/Vn2jTSDY4qI/AAAAAAAAOX4/6e9OCgwydHc/s640/Tamaki1.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemYjOI9PQTK4_jwy05v0UDpZB1EepzSAeO-HPCAQsSR4Cl47nd9w75xdJ4wqa26Polo14KIoEPqxVRpoENwZsOMdzr0fd7biIzBX9wPwdJCwifMV3-lH5QnI3Z7z0BC4oPM9dCQ_nlK0/s1600/Tamaki2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemYjOI9PQTK4_jwy05v0UDpZB1EepzSAeO-HPCAQsSR4Cl47nd9w75xdJ4wqa26Polo14KIoEPqxVRpoENwZsOMdzr0fd7biIzBX9wPwdJCwifMV3-lH5QnI3Z7z0BC4oPM9dCQ_nlK0/s640/Tamaki2.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Well, <strike>fuck</strike> frig.<br />
<br />
Now, whenever I'm confronted with a problem, I assume the Thinker position and cry inside. But only for a second, because crying isn't productive, and I don't like dawdling on problems. I considered my hurt feelings for a little bit, then drew a conclusion.<br />
<br />
AmiAmi listed her in A condition, which, according to their website, meant "<i>Like New - Item is sealed and is unopened or appears to be unopened</i>". Clearly, a warped leg warrants a B or C status (minor to conspicuously damage, not "like new"). Two things could have happened here. Someone noticed her defect and labeled her the wrong condition. Or, someone overlooked her defect and assumed she was like new without checking. Either way, there was a misrepresentation and I ended up paying for an A condition item without getting an A condition item.<br />
<br />
Upon closer inspection, her warp is really quite noticeable. Had it been smaller, I may not have even been bothered, but considering she can barely sit upright, this was a significant flaw. <br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pemQPJGdQJk/Vn2jT82_D9I/AAAAAAAAOYA/zD-mMq1DUgU/s1600/Tamaki3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pemQPJGdQJk/Vn2jT82_D9I/AAAAAAAAOYA/zD-mMq1DUgU/s640/Tamaki3.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8xWmHAYRG20/Vn2kHnJol_I/AAAAAAAAOYI/Gj8DEbIX57s/s1600/Tamaki4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8xWmHAYRG20/Vn2kHnJol_I/AAAAAAAAOYI/Gj8DEbIX57s/s640/Tamaki4.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
So I emailed AmiAmi.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, folks. I don't like being negative. Before I email anyone with a complaint, I think long and hard about the validity of my complaint. I ask myself, what am I upset about here? What is the root of my issue? And how upset should I be? Do I throw a tantrum over it (Hint: Never throw a tantrum)? What do I put in the email to convey that my complaints are reasonable, and that culpability rested in the seller rather than my own, stupid actions? And what do I require as compensation?<br />
<br />
So I politely explained that I was disappointed because the item I received did not match the description that was provided to me. I explained that, according to their own definitions, I was given a certain expectation of their item, and that the item did not meet those expectations. I explained that I would not have ordered her at the price I paid had I known about her defect beforehand. I told them I know that she was a preowned item, so I didn't expect a replacement. <i>But</i>, I would like to see some sort of compensation in the form of a partial refund. I included the pictures above, with some additional red circles for clarity's sake.<br />
<br />
AmiAmi emailed me back, also very politely, asking for proof of ownership, a.k.a. a picture of Tamaki alongside her shipping label. At first, I mistakenly sent them a copy of my payment receipt and shipping notification. at which they replied saying they could not accept print-outs or electronic screenshots as proof (whoops). To clarify, folks, the shipping label is the piece of paper that is attached to the outside of the box (which thankfully, I always keep).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9h6cRop2LXY/Vn21yWGA01I/AAAAAAAAOYk/TQ6GzuTyBVw/s1600/Tamaki5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9h6cRop2LXY/Vn21yWGA01I/AAAAAAAAOYk/TQ6GzuTyBVw/s640/Tamaki5.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always keep these guys in case of emergency. Excuse the ugly strike-outs and blurriness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After all the proper forms were sent, AmiAmi requested that I send the photos once more so they could let their warehouse and preowned teams examine them. At this point, I got a bit frustrated. Couldn't they just forward my initial email? I spent a long time trying to get the file sizes small enough to fit within my email limits. But it was a fleeting annoyance. If they wanted photos, it honestly wasn't much of an effort to resend them. For good measure, I included some prototype photos for comparison purposes. <br />
<br />
Finally, after about a week's correspondence, AmiAmi replied with an absolutely stunning email. They had <b><i>found a replacement figure</i></b>, and were sending it over <b><i>at no extra cost</i></b>. (Sans box, of course, but who cares about the box at that point?)<br />
<br />
Wow! What a response! I admit, I was apprehensive about what compensation I would receive, but AmiAmi really went above and beyond to resolve the situation. I've heard reviews of AmiAmi's customer service before, both good and bad, but I've never experienced it personally. Having now corresponded with them, I can say they were honestly very professional and prompt. I never waited over 24 hours for a response (honestly, some responses came hours after I sent them), and they certainly exceeded my expectation in finding me an actual replacement.<br />
<br />
I have been with AmiAmi since the very beginning, and I've never had any issues with them. Luckily, this incident positively reinforces their immaculate status in my mind. There are many reasons I am so fond of them, and I am happy to say their customer service is now among one of them. A happy ending for all!<br />
<br />
So now I have two happy Tamaki's sitting on my shelf. One in all her glorious perfection. The other, just slightly derpy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ_oWxZLNgM/Vn2_VWBPmrI/AAAAAAAAOZM/dnf9dysC9jU/s1600/Tamaki9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ_oWxZLNgM/Vn2_VWBPmrI/AAAAAAAAOZM/dnf9dysC9jU/s640/Tamaki9.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In a side by side comparison, you can see the real difference between their legs. I wonder how my first Tamaki got so warped. Bad storage, perhaps? Or factory defect? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjh_hyphenhyphenLOAko2cjjLhhwdPiT0rrTU7iTKbL7Ss4M_DzuUDxeQ6RCcXzIz63zn3WeXBnrGLhgs97fASO0sqqT0_Vu8BZOODE4NqtX6lAPE4R6ahwEugsD69DTpsvn6oJ-SN4PadPGT9bjY/s1600/Tamaki7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjh_hyphenhyphenLOAko2cjjLhhwdPiT0rrTU7iTKbL7Ss4M_DzuUDxeQ6RCcXzIz63zn3WeXBnrGLhgs97fASO0sqqT0_Vu8BZOODE4NqtX6lAPE4R6ahwEugsD69DTpsvn6oJ-SN4PadPGT9bjY/s640/Tamaki7.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Of course, there's nothing a little creativity can't fix.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6fdSZNmy4c/Vn2_U7T31fI/AAAAAAAAOZE/rXcdgi2DWhQ/s1600/Tamaki6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6fdSZNmy4c/Vn2_U7T31fI/AAAAAAAAOZE/rXcdgi2DWhQ/s640/Tamaki6.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Usually.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TB4HZaV9Pu0/Vn2_U73lf0I/AAAAAAAAOZI/YV_cIwbPzqI/s1600/Tamaki8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TB4HZaV9Pu0/Vn2_U73lf0I/AAAAAAAAOZI/YV_cIwbPzqI/s640/Tamaki8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You know what, now that I've spent some time with her, I kind of like my derpy Tamaki. She's different. She falls on her face a lot. It's annoying. But there's also a lesson to be learned here. We all fall on our face sometimes, some more than others. But that doesn't mean we're irredeemable. We just need to find our chair. Derpy Tamaki reminds me that life is not fair, and that in this festive season, perhaps we'd all be happier being each other's chairs than judging and criticizing each others failures. During thing holiday season, remember this: Choose to be the chair. Preferably one with enough heft to hold up something much heavier than yourself.<br />
<br />
This public awareness message was brought to you by: Slightly Too Much Wine. When you really want beer, but just can't forsake your class. <br />
<br />
So. In the ever-learning spirit of Poke the Merch, what have we learned from this incident?<br />
<ol><li>Never be hesitant to write to someone when something goes wrong with your order. In all likelihood, the people on the other side are good people, and willing to help as long as you are not a total jerk about it.</li>
<li>Customer service is a tough job. Always practice these 4 Ps when emailing others: Promptness, politeness, provide evidence, and patience.</li>
<li>Derpy figures are cute.</li>
</ol>I suppose at the end of it all I will try to fix derpy Tamaki, because despite my compassionate words, I simply can't stand imperfection. Nor can I overlook a challenge, especially when they second as a new experience. I've always wanted to try my hand at fixing a PVC figure, and derpy Tamaki is the perfect specimen. With a little science and hot air, she should be good as new in no time.<br />
<br />
...But I suppose that's content for another post.<br />
<br />
So, readers, tell me your stories? Have you ever had a preowned figure disappoint you? What did you do about it? Also, I would love to hear your stories of un-warping figures and/or otherwise fixing them after conspicuous damage has been done. I'm thinking of going the hairdryer route, for efficiency's sake.<br />
<br />
Merry belated Christmas everyone. And a happy early New Year's.<br />
<br />
<b>Stay warm,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b><br />
</span><br />
<ol></ol>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-46897751732850523492015-11-20T18:58:00.001-05:002015-12-30T02:11:23.774-05:001/7 Beelzebub (Amakuni) NSFW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/11/17-beelzebub-amakuni-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFM41M-CbYE/VjVk4TcFlOI/AAAAAAAAOP4/fE9gh1XCr60/s1600/Beelzebub-icon.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">Friends, life is often filled with disappointments. Many days, I find myself underwhelmed, or disappointed, or ambivalent about a highly anticipated figure. An amazing prototype comes out, but the paint job fails to deliver. I pre-order a figure just to realize I am no longer interested when the release date comes by. Or something like that.<br />
<br />
Which is why I was so pleased when a figure actually surpasses my expectations. Figures like Beelzebub.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
It amazes me how voraciously a franchise can blossom under the right conditions, and the 7-sins line is a perfect example. The line runs on aesthetic appeal alone. There is no substance behind their veneer of polished character design and sex appeal, no show to support the art, or story to support the characters. It's purely a visual thing. I, among many others, wait for the 7-sins series to actually flesh out. There is news about a 7-sins anime, but it's scant and unsatisfying. For now, it seems, the series continue as a procession of 3D figures supported by <span class="trigger selected" style="left: 656.3px; top: 698.534px;"><span class="layer"><span class="light">Nishii</span></span></span>'s good name.<br />
<br />
Beelzebub, a.k.a. Lord of the Flies, is often depicted as a giant, gluttonous bug capable of famine, pestilence, and general chaos. Beelzebub has many representations throughout the ages, all of them coarse, horrifying, and mostly male, until the 21st century, where suddenly, it was cool to be square, and irony became the <i>in</i> thing, and great minds gathered and said, <i>no more.</i> If the human realm will deign to suffer, why not suffer at the hands of a tiny, cute girl?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptv6gz4L1ig/VkY4CsZyROI/AAAAAAAAOUY/9ay6bsvWVF8/s1600/Beelzebub.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptv6gz4L1ig/VkY4CsZyROI/AAAAAAAAOUY/9ay6bsvWVF8/s640/Beelzebub.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging the new look, Bee.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In my haste to write about Beelzebub, I have forgotten to take pictures of her box. Fortunately, the 7-sins series follows a very stable box design, and Beelzebub's box is exactly like <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-leviathan-amakuni-nsfw.html">Leviathan's box</a> (except with pictures of Beelzebub, of course). It's a solid containment device that protects its innards but otherwise has scant value of its own.</span><span style="color: #a30000;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"></span></span> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
Beelzebub's base is also much like the other sins', except it's orange, and a wee bit searing. In buying Beelzebub, one of my main concerns was her needlessly bright base. Couldn't they have considered a nice green, or even a dirtier orange? As it is, it might as well be well-formed mango pudding.<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ePcM3BxtM_U/VjVkZSgztNI/AAAAAAAAOLM/rZxuaIP7v5c/s1600/Beelzebub-base-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ePcM3BxtM_U/VjVkZSgztNI/AAAAAAAAOLM/rZxuaIP7v5c/s640/Beelzebub-base-1.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZpUvpy0tvI/VjVkZnSizgI/AAAAAAAAOLU/qgHk2QlLCMI/s1600/Beelzebub-base-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZpUvpy0tvI/VjVkZnSizgI/AAAAAAAAOLU/qgHk2QlLCMI/s640/Beelzebub-base-2.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><span id="goog_1696423661"></span><span id="goog_1696423662"></span><br />
Besides it's colour and general lack of depths, one other complaint that I have with Beelzebub (and the entire sins line) is her repetitive base. All their bases are the same! I understand it builds consistency, but it also gets terribly boring. Why can't Beelzebub be standing on a mountain of pumpkins, for example? Or a pile of <strike>penis-shaped</strike> hams? The sins line is so creative in their design that I imagine such creativity can be easily loaned to their bases. It's a shame that it isn't.<br />
<br />
Other than it's adherence to convention and general luminescence, Beelzebub's base is well endowed with detail. <br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcFM3LrofgI/VjVkauCQN8I/AAAAAAAAOLk/onlptcg7UqE/s1600/Beelzebub-base-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcFM3LrofgI/VjVkauCQN8I/AAAAAAAAOLk/onlptcg7UqE/s640/Beelzebub-base-4.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1M9ezFcNeo/VjVka9KAwgI/AAAAAAAAOLs/DGhgF7sszOc/s1600/Beelzebub-base-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1M9ezFcNeo/VjVka9KAwgI/AAAAAAAAOLs/DGhgF7sszOc/s640/Beelzebub-base-5.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Oh, and there's only one teeny problem with her base. Let's zoom in, shall we?<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6jCXAX7vhQ/VjVkaET6mlI/AAAAAAAAOLc/bgvJ_9gfvcs/s1600/Beelzebub-base-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6jCXAX7vhQ/VjVkaET6mlI/AAAAAAAAOLc/bgvJ_9gfvcs/s640/Beelzebub-base-3.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Yup, "Gult". A typo. This mistake was also shown on the prototype, but it seems no one at Amakuni bothered to notice and/or fix it. At this point, I'm so tickled by the Engrish that I'm not even mad. So as you continue through this review, remember only this: Forgive me if, at some point, I devolve into calling Beelzebub "Gult".<br />
<br />
Onto the actual figure.<br />
<br />
Beelzebub herself is a charming girl. Perched daintily on a small mound of edibles, she does not seem like your everyday epicure. For someone who's only goal in life seems to be eating, she sure doesn't show it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-De5K2D7-Iq0/VjVkuxhQJmI/AAAAAAAAOOs/RwXaAMkxroQ/s1600/Beelzebub-full-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-De5K2D7-Iq0/VjVkuxhQJmI/AAAAAAAAOOs/RwXaAMkxroQ/s640/Beelzebub-full-1.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ub3bBM_eoM/VjVkvpO1JGI/AAAAAAAAOO0/nWeIcI41eZE/s1600/Beelzebub-full-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ub3bBM_eoM/VjVkvpO1JGI/AAAAAAAAOO0/nWeIcI41eZE/s640/Beelzebub-full-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drnuyuSwZTg/VjVkwn7jH-I/AAAAAAAAOPA/mIaqaWJJH_Y/s1600/Beelzebub-full-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drnuyuSwZTg/VjVkwn7jH-I/AAAAAAAAOPA/mIaqaWJJH_Y/s640/Beelzebub-full-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B33DPsO42jQ/VjVkx5Re_BI/AAAAAAAAOPI/pM7Fh70K_6M/s1600/Beelzebub-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" separator="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B33DPsO42jQ/VjVkx5Re_BI/AAAAAAAAOPI/pM7Fh70K_6M/s640/Beelzebub-full-4.png" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" width="315/></a></div><div class=" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1JPN9rkLlZU/VjVkyrlmN3I/AAAAAAAAOPM/xRvByDEwUzo/s1600/Beelzebub-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1JPN9rkLlZU/VjVkyrlmN3I/AAAAAAAAOPM/xRvByDEwUzo/s640/Beelzebub-full-5.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2x_wCbtBio/VjVkzrKb3fI/AAAAAAAAOPY/7tgjGywe0vs/s1600/Beelzebub-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2x_wCbtBio/VjVkzrKb3fI/AAAAAAAAOPY/7tgjGywe0vs/s640/Beelzebub-full-6.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Let me get this out in the open right away. Beelzebub is currently a contender for my "top 3" figures of the year. I like her that much.<br />
<br />
Her face is one of her best features. A lot of work went into her eyes. They're wide, detailed, and well shaded. It's no secret I'm a fan of more subtle expressions, and Beelzebub's seems to be one of quiet observation. She's probably accessing the edibility of something off screen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3YcfLUPuN0MztFrk1U1J_bBQRBfFQbZXTkwFsf_JATs2Y2_JWjMMEpg_UG5PBWJpEKkkPO8MokdTeeuOmwsJKwgjnnLcUB2yw1LptzhG5AYnX6lKVr1Jv2TDgsxJfb32G5s0KQKAWfY/s1600/Beelzebub-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3YcfLUPuN0MztFrk1U1J_bBQRBfFQbZXTkwFsf_JATs2Y2_JWjMMEpg_UG5PBWJpEKkkPO8MokdTeeuOmwsJKwgjnnLcUB2yw1LptzhG5AYnX6lKVr1Jv2TDgsxJfb32G5s0KQKAWfY/s640/Beelzebub-face-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EHI0k7qhWzc/VjVknSwoIJI/AAAAAAAAON0/UK8PlqELZAo/s1600/Beelzebub-face-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EHI0k7qhWzc/VjVknSwoIJI/AAAAAAAAON0/UK8PlqELZAo/s640/Beelzebub-face-2.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zyYc9T2__Xw/VjVko_qUHaI/AAAAAAAAON8/ml1PLKggYAo/s1600/Beelzebub-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zyYc9T2__Xw/VjVko_qUHaI/AAAAAAAAON8/ml1PLKggYAo/s640/Beelzebub-face-3.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
The way she has one hand lifted is very cat-like. Almost every aspect of Beelzebub is sculpted to reflect a sort of girly fragility that contrasts her gluttonous nature. Honestly, if I didn't know Beelzebub represents gluttony, I would have never guessed she had anything to do with it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsI5Xpfn_N0/VjVlBMcbK_I/AAAAAAAAORM/0W3s-Ro3WDA/s1600/Beelzebub-mid2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsI5Xpfn_N0/VjVlBMcbK_I/AAAAAAAAORM/0W3s-Ro3WDA/s320/Beelzebub-mid2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hmFDIU4jz0/VjVlDbGW-kI/AAAAAAAAORc/kvM_b-okWhU/s1600/Beelzebub-mid4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hmFDIU4jz0/VjVlDbGW-kI/AAAAAAAAORc/kvM_b-okWhU/s320/Beelzebub-mid4.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oDYCoOj3hcQ/VjVlCVpsDmI/AAAAAAAAORU/eIZDL8paRu0/s1600/Beelzebub-mid3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oDYCoOj3hcQ/VjVlCVpsDmI/AAAAAAAAORU/eIZDL8paRu0/s320/Beelzebub-mid3.png" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Beelzebub's outfit is reminiscent of a french maid's, with frills, ruffles, and general lewdness (look at short that skirt is!). However, her outfit still manages to give her some sense of individuality. The metallic collar and breastplate are a nice, almost militaristic touch. The skull broach on her back gives her a slight menacing feel as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yheOk2Fhkds/VjVkYw9QMcI/AAAAAAAAOLA/NntZuA_ns2k/s1600/Beelzebb-mid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yheOk2Fhkds/VjVkYw9QMcI/AAAAAAAAOLA/NntZuA_ns2k/s640/Beelzebb-mid.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hBV_VIEfCNg/VjVkZOGFlVI/AAAAAAAAOLE/po5tzUZX0Tg/s1600/Beelzebub-back.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hBV_VIEfCNg/VjVkZOGFlVI/AAAAAAAAOLE/po5tzUZX0Tg/s640/Beelzebub-back.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Like any proper demon, Beelzebub comes with a set of bat-like wings. At first glance, they seem to be cast off, but alas, they are firmly stuck to her back.<br />
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I like that they seem fluffy. Fluffy bat wings are my jam.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iNsbrbWezeE/VjVlJELNxqI/AAAAAAAAOSM/wcvOw1i63VE/s1600/Beelzebub-wings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iNsbrbWezeE/VjVlJELNxqI/AAAAAAAAOSM/wcvOw1i63VE/s640/Beelzebub-wings.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I had not planned on collecting the entire 7-sins set, nor do I intend to. When Beelzebub's prototype was first announced, I brushed it off as "yet another moe girl" and left it at that. But then, her paint job appeared and busted through my resistances. Beelzebub's paint job is beautiful. If there was one clincher, it would be the detail on her skirt.<br />
<br />
Her skirt is an amalgamation of ruffles and insect wings, cells, veins, transparency and all. It's iridescent, with glimmers of green, blue, and violet. Great for light play, and stunning to look at. It's my favourite part about this figure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W0qzKpjFPqo/VjVlGTLz-8I/AAAAAAAAOR4/qmlbVN-hok0/s1600/Beelzebub-skirt-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W0qzKpjFPqo/VjVlGTLz-8I/AAAAAAAAOR4/qmlbVN-hok0/s640/Beelzebub-skirt-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WrGFDhTyEV8/VjVlHSE7sPI/AAAAAAAAOSA/Tqxqe7Lzr00/s1600/Beelzebub-skirt-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WrGFDhTyEV8/VjVlHSE7sPI/AAAAAAAAOSA/Tqxqe7Lzr00/s640/Beelzebub-skirt-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QRzf5BsOl54/VjVlIVvPZiI/AAAAAAAAOSI/u8uo3YxDOVo/s1600/Beelzebub-skirt-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QRzf5BsOl54/VjVlIVvPZiI/AAAAAAAAOSI/u8uo3YxDOVo/s640/Beelzebub-skirt-3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Anime girl figures always have a bad habit of always looking like they need to go to the bathroom. I guess the knees-together-ankles-apart look is reflect a childlike delicacy, but I'm usually not a huge fan. Thankfully, the pose works with Beelzebub thanks to her being balanced on several food items.<br />
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Like any good moe girl, Beelzebub wears thigh-highs, displaying an enticing sandwich of flesh between her panties and stockings. The squeeze of her stockings is especially attractive, but what I <i>really </i>want to draw attention to is the detail around her knees. Look at that discreet knee wrinkle, and the general boniness of her anatomy. I love myself some detailed knees. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kFkDXIdGqBY/VjVk54HvcHI/AAAAAAAAOQQ/8xLxG5YnHPA/s1600/Beelzebub-legs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kFkDXIdGqBY/VjVk54HvcHI/AAAAAAAAOQQ/8xLxG5YnHPA/s640/Beelzebub-legs.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ou_wonVdFyc/VjVk5IojfpI/AAAAAAAAOQE/7lXXCAujDW0/s1600/Beelzebub-legs-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ou_wonVdFyc/VjVk5IojfpI/AAAAAAAAOQE/7lXXCAujDW0/s640/Beelzebub-legs-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Of course, we need an obligatory panty shot.<br />
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For a girl in a ecchi series, Beelzebub wears some pretty tame undies. White, plain, traditional. I appreciate the fact that Amakuni bothered to put in some sew lines and wrinkle, but it's nothing to write home about. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l9TMm6ro5dE/VjVkbfz9lzI/AAAAAAAAOL0/ZQniWWJA-U0/s1600/Beelzebub-butt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l9TMm6ro5dE/VjVkbfz9lzI/AAAAAAAAOL0/ZQniWWJA-U0/s640/Beelzebub-butt.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
You're probably wondering by now whether Beelzebub is cast-off, and the answer is: Of course she is. The 7-sins line is as cast-off-able as the sun is hot.<br />
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Beelzebub's breastplate and skirt can be removed to show her in a state of undress. Her cast-off is thankfully <i>much</i> more effective than <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-leviathan-amakuni-nsfw.html">Leviathan's</a>. Beelzebub's collar detaches at her neck and is easily removed and reapplied when needed, a feature I appreciate after my disastrous struggle with Leviathan's clothes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4CZ9qpKRtGY/VjVkcArAO1I/AAAAAAAAOME/AkSrKi3s4-I/s1600/Beelzebub-castoff.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4CZ9qpKRtGY/VjVkcArAO1I/AAAAAAAAOME/AkSrKi3s4-I/s640/Beelzebub-castoff.png" width="426" /></a></div>Beelzebub has the thin body of an adolescent. There is not much detail around her chest, and there isn't much emphasis put on her nipples, which indicates to me that Beelzebub is meant to be "cute" rather than "sexy". Other 7-sins figures (ahem, Mammon) have great detail dedicated to her reproductive organs, but not Beelzebub. She's decidedly elfin in all her features (including her pointed ears). Her skirt also comes off to reveal her hips, which have just enough curve to be enticing.<br />
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Personally, I don't think I would display Beelzebub cast-off, mostly because my comfort zone doesn't include naked lolis, and partially because her shirt doesn't really make sense when it's cast-off. Do her frills just stick to her shoulders or something? Does her shirt not come with a top half? How does that work, exactly? I figure I must be getting jaded when I complain about cast-offs making sense, but hey, it is what it is.<br />
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Getting to the nitty-gritty now.<br />
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Beelzebub has a lot going for her, including her hair. See, I'm not a huge fan of semi-transparent hair because it always makes it seem greasy and unpleasant, so when prototype shots of Gult showed semi-transparent hair, I cringed a little. Happily, her end result is much better than I anticipated. It still seems a bit oily, but not to the extent where I begin thinking of gel toothpaste (a la <a href="http://www.pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/10/17-miku-hatsune-max-factory.html">Miku</a>).<br />
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Gult's hair has pull-lines where her pigtails meet her head, a feature I endlessly appreciate. Her pigtails are also wonderfully detailed, with individual strands rather than a chunk (again, a la Miku). Yes, she has a seam between her bangs and the rest of her head, but until figure companies find a way to insert face plates without disturbing the hair, we're begrudgingly stuck with them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSzHqTjElyJJhQC5_atSzJvRZQD_6qbLX4W689QD2yAx__Uj8aQW-teJIOCcl6nY2UhKTIny8Zl08VhN5JzLJv1gvI-el86Nbt6VJEu0MU3d8qUUA6otrwxYpquVUek2sTrchKqtM-ow/s1600/Beelzebub-hair-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSzHqTjElyJJhQC5_atSzJvRZQD_6qbLX4W689QD2yAx__Uj8aQW-teJIOCcl6nY2UhKTIny8Zl08VhN5JzLJv1gvI-el86Nbt6VJEu0MU3d8qUUA6otrwxYpquVUek2sTrchKqtM-ow/s640/Beelzebub-hair-back.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JCC3B-C0_Fo/VjVk3Vr8TbI/AAAAAAAAOP8/csEUkp7EGgA/s1600/Beelzebub-hair-top.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JCC3B-C0_Fo/VjVk3Vr8TbI/AAAAAAAAOP8/csEUkp7EGgA/s640/Beelzebub-hair-top.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzABqyqjwpU/VjVkfzFwwXI/AAAAAAAAOM4/dyCyXYGcKjA/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzABqyqjwpU/VjVkfzFwwXI/AAAAAAAAOM4/dyCyXYGcKjA/s640/Beelzebub-detail-3.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-geqI12IdK_g/VjVruH2yntI/AAAAAAAAOTI/zGqvoGS3WUk/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-geqI12IdK_g/VjVruH2yntI/AAAAAAAAOTI/zGqvoGS3WUk/s640/Beelzebub-detail-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now, my favourite part of any review: The details.<br />
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Gult's outfit if filled with clean lines and sharp detail. Her breastplate is painted with a nice, metallic sheen. There are a few well-placed wrinkles on the back of her shirt. I like that the chain link on her collar is an actual chain link rather than a glob of silver, and the texture on her horn is rather nice as well. Gult's the only demon who has a unicorn horn. Another homage to her innocent, childlike appearance, perhaps?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-m6uhrWg_k/VjVklVN2QuI/AAAAAAAAONo/gNstMzLKlxU/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-m6uhrWg_k/VjVklVN2QuI/AAAAAAAAONo/gNstMzLKlxU/s640/Beelzebub-detail-9.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2a8oc5a-P4w/VjVkhyC3HSI/AAAAAAAAONI/s5JNIRsGKa8/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2a8oc5a-P4w/VjVkhyC3HSI/AAAAAAAAONI/s5JNIRsGKa8/s640/Beelzebub-detail-5.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J84a7nkkEXM/VjVkg7CWzJI/AAAAAAAAOM8/6M1wDaaKdRo/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J84a7nkkEXM/VjVkg7CWzJI/AAAAAAAAOM8/6M1wDaaKdRo/s640/Beelzebub-detail-4.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpBWleybaJs/VjVkkvIoJ6I/AAAAAAAAONc/rEYDeCK3MMg/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpBWleybaJs/VjVkkvIoJ6I/AAAAAAAAONc/rEYDeCK3MMg/s640/Beelzebub-detail-8.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjRtOgnTcpU/VjVkjrkXTkI/AAAAAAAAONY/sYqE2rawgJ0/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjRtOgnTcpU/VjVkjrkXTkI/AAAAAAAAONY/sYqE2rawgJ0/s640/Beelzebub-detail-7.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-joxNFvT3Nbo/VjVkfK47R0I/AAAAAAAAOMw/yGmz0PcXrkk/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-joxNFvT3Nbo/VjVkfK47R0I/AAAAAAAAOMw/yGmz0PcXrkk/s640/Beelzebub-detail-10.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Too often I forget to mention shading in a review, simply because the quality of a figure's shading is usually apparent in pictures. In Gult's case, I feel compelled to mention the excellent, subtle shading on her wings, as well as her skirt (as previously mentioned). She also has some nice, lavender shadows on her clothes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GCvZgqur-2U/VjVkdI8sp2I/AAAAAAAAOMU/N_wy3hf5bQE/s1600/Beelzebub-colour-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GCvZgqur-2U/VjVkdI8sp2I/AAAAAAAAOMU/N_wy3hf5bQE/s640/Beelzebub-colour-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kom_GheWheo/VjVkefh0x9I/AAAAAAAAOMo/tFjAR2fsIGU/s1600/Beelzebub-detail-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kom_GheWheo/VjVkefh0x9I/AAAAAAAAOMo/tFjAR2fsIGU/s640/Beelzebub-detail-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now, we get into the few, teeny complaints I have about Gult. Overall, she's of excellent quality, but even she could use a few touch-ups.<br />
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Firstly, her chains. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I enjoy chains, especially when they're sculpted well. Unfortunately for Gult, the chains wrapping around her legs and body don't look so much like chain links than silver ovals welded together. There's not a single "link" to be found.<br />
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<i>But wait</i>. Every time I review a figure and find something unsatisfactory, I ask myself whether my expectations are overriding reality. Am I asking too much of Amakuni to give me realistic chains? After all, they're floating in midair, and they're already fragile (they're easily bent). Maybe the blobby look sacrifices aesthetics for stability. You know, to stop the figure from <i>falling apart</i>. So I always ask myself the million dollar question: <i>are there other figures that have managed to pull off stable, action chains</i>?<br />
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And the answer is yes. The entire Black Rock Shooter TV animation line have some pretty sick, midair chains. Alter's new Velvet figure shows her poised midair, with her chains trailing her like decorative ribbons. Given these examples, <i>could</i> Gult have also inherited more detailed, more realistic looking chains? Yes. Does she have to have realistic chains? No. Am I disappointed that she could have had realistic chains, but instead has silver ovals welded together? Yes, somewhat. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkfEWDy-HmY/VjVrc72UG8I/AAAAAAAAOSw/pZPgbSi2BKc/s1600/Beelzebub-chains-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkfEWDy-HmY/VjVrc72UG8I/AAAAAAAAOSw/pZPgbSi2BKc/s640/Beelzebub-chains-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTjT7MOJQ0g/VjVkcgibXQI/AAAAAAAAOMM/BKZkR_P1epo/s1600/Beelzebub-chains-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTjT7MOJQ0g/VjVkcgibXQI/AAAAAAAAOMM/BKZkR_P1epo/s640/Beelzebub-chains-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Besides my dislike for cast-offs that don't make sense, there's one more reason I probably won't have Gult prancing around with no pants, and that reason is Gigantic Seam Lines. <br />
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Look at the place where her hips connect to her top. Do you see that giant, gaping slash? Despite all my pushing and wriggling, Gult just would <i>not</i> click together properly. With her skirt on, the seam disappears, but without, it looks like Gult's got some serious anatomical screw-ups.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0qhf0TI1dy4/VjVk1hwD5_I/AAAAAAAAOPk/RS5H2tAA9is/s1600/Beelzebub-gap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0qhf0TI1dy4/VjVk1hwD5_I/AAAAAAAAOPk/RS5H2tAA9is/s640/Beelzebub-gap.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4tGThZUV1tava19qUWrJoq-AcPttSM_fPv5M6hgySMCuHcPQ8yJEtdb2eV8lhC7xgJyjGI2xr0BeeeESDQgmv5xPzKlyHfufNDJkEGAg_mVSW7desuInL5pWKuPncNpj4WQ9jPMomEw/s1600/Beelzebub-gap-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4tGThZUV1tava19qUWrJoq-AcPttSM_fPv5M6hgySMCuHcPQ8yJEtdb2eV8lhC7xgJyjGI2xr0BeeeESDQgmv5xPzKlyHfufNDJkEGAg_mVSW7desuInL5pWKuPncNpj4WQ9jPMomEw/s640/Beelzebub-gap-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Continuing with seams, Gult also has a couple of smaller, quieter seams in her hair. There are also a couple in her pumpkins. They don't bother me as much as the giant seam in her torso, but nevertheless, there they are.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--1fYkWBsds4/VjVlFh33blI/AAAAAAAAORs/sPIF8ghj2Uk/s1600/Beelzebub-seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--1fYkWBsds4/VjVlFh33blI/AAAAAAAAORs/sPIF8ghj2Uk/s640/Beelzebub-seam.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
You know, figure reviews can become tedious over time. Take pictures. Admire. Complain. Take more pictures. Edit photos. Edit words. Ponder deeply. Publish. This is especially true if the figures you've received have been largely satisfactory. There's always less to say about the good than the bad, which is why I take so much pleasure in blamming the <span style="color: #a30000;">occasional</span> mediocre figures. Yes, it's cathartic, but more importantly, it's different. A<span style="color: #a30000;">fter a while, all good reviews<span style="color: #a30000;"> </span></span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"></span></span>begin to sound the same. The process gets stale. The entirety of it becomes chore-like.<br />
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That's not to say I don't enjoy reviewing my figures. No, quite the opposite. I like flaunting these little plastic pieces to the world. I enjoy knocking out some sentences and stringing them into a semblance of sense. I enjoy photography. But sometimes, just sometimes, I wonder if it's becoming too <i>easy</i>. So, fellow reviewers, let me hear your stories. Do you sometimes feel the ho-hum catching up to you? And if so, what do you do to break out of it?<br />
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Now, onto more photos in all their glorious ubiquity. With fall quickly descending upon the Canadian landscape, I managed to rush Gult outside before the first frost killed everything. In the last nice day of autumn (before the frost and bitterly cold gusts settled in), I braved the outside and shot a couple of colourful pics of Gult among the flowers.<br />
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Yes, yes, flower pictures are <i>so</i> overrated, but think of it as an homage to flowers. They're all dead now, you know. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkLst9G_kCCy5iuarq2DJk-QIWNpTG2Ouw4lJYl1fcW2hgmB8wuRAE2CoGpvoSZOQgZdGamq7zB_yXhxp28ktCCtt7GlFo5x7DCouZW2nFnttBhoIPKkdvYzoQC6AaZhsr5hgYgfPzMQ/s1600/Beelzebub-flowers-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkLst9G_kCCy5iuarq2DJk-QIWNpTG2Ouw4lJYl1fcW2hgmB8wuRAE2CoGpvoSZOQgZdGamq7zB_yXhxp28ktCCtt7GlFo5x7DCouZW2nFnttBhoIPKkdvYzoQC6AaZhsr5hgYgfPzMQ/s640/Beelzebub-flowers-2.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSZ8Hc-J_-Q/VjVkqxVlzFI/AAAAAAAAOOM/rodx56Tr2NQ/s1600/Beelzebub-flowers-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSZ8Hc-J_-Q/VjVkqxVlzFI/AAAAAAAAOOM/rodx56Tr2NQ/s640/Beelzebub-flowers-3.png" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot2qz0JK8ow/VjVkr3SCD-I/AAAAAAAAOOU/4kzvq6e48R8/s1600/Beelzebub-flowers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot2qz0JK8ow/VjVkr3SCD-I/AAAAAAAAOOU/4kzvq6e48R8/s640/Beelzebub-flowers.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tTY1y4oEDiQ/VjVks6J-StI/AAAAAAAAOOg/ZCIN-kIG3uQ/s1600/Beelzebub-forest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tTY1y4oEDiQ/VjVks6J-StI/AAAAAAAAOOg/ZCIN-kIG3uQ/s640/Beelzebub-forest.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Gult has what I called a "fixed" look. She's not exactly the sort of figure with which you can really push a lot of angles. She can't really sit on anything fun, so the background has to be build around her rather than with her. Or maybe I'm getting lazy with shots. I noticed I use a lot of neutral and bluish tones in my photos, so here's an attempt at getting things a little more red.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALtUAKyJDnk/VjVlEv56HYI/AAAAAAAAORk/a_xfzotD66A/s1600/Beelzebub-red.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALtUAKyJDnk/VjVlEv56HYI/AAAAAAAAORk/a_xfzotD66A/s640/Beelzebub-red.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugh, go back to the blues.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course, with transparent hair and a transparent skirt, who's to deny Gult her proper place in the sun? From the back, Gult actually shows more movement than from the front. It has something to do with her tastefully thrust butt, I think. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FqhEoGDKHO4/VjVk_4B0PiI/AAAAAAAAORE/-odMR8iUntM/s1600/Beelzebub-light-8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FqhEoGDKHO4/VjVk_4B0PiI/AAAAAAAAORE/-odMR8iUntM/s640/Beelzebub-light-8.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw3gsjSnvSA/VjVk_CN9hZI/AAAAAAAAORA/4WY_n8WgOzI/s1600/Beelzebub-light-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw3gsjSnvSA/VjVk_CN9hZI/AAAAAAAAORA/4WY_n8WgOzI/s640/Beelzebub-light-6.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
I enjoy playing around with photography, although I don't nearly have as much time or funds as I would like to really get experimental. So the best that I'm going to give you today are some "off screen" shots that are inspired by a chat I had with a co-worker about awkward selfies (where only half of your face is "artistically" showing).<br />
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It's easy to take a picture of a figure's face. It's decidedly harder to make a photo look good when there's, say, only a half an arm showing. I'm not sure I would call this a successful experiment, but I did have fun randomly shooting pictures and sorting through them on the computer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i6DDNgPWqBA/VjVk69h1yuI/AAAAAAAAOQU/ZEDsfDAcoNM/s1600/Beelzebub-light-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i6DDNgPWqBA/VjVk69h1yuI/AAAAAAAAOQU/ZEDsfDAcoNM/s640/Beelzebub-light-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1bIKpxZM0k/VjVk787dgEI/AAAAAAAAOQc/BnCr4ekyjyQ/s1600/Beelzebub-light-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1bIKpxZM0k/VjVk787dgEI/AAAAAAAAOQc/BnCr4ekyjyQ/s640/Beelzebub-light-2.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p061IlrXJ78/VjVk9jIm9RI/AAAAAAAAOQw/HNULVh5RMoM/s1600/Beelzebub-light-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p061IlrXJ78/VjVk9jIm9RI/AAAAAAAAOQw/HNULVh5RMoM/s640/Beelzebub-light-4.png" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6BYc63R10g/VjVk84og1dI/AAAAAAAAOQo/vHBjbSSySj0/s1600/Beelzebub-light-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6BYc63R10g/VjVk84og1dI/AAAAAAAAOQo/vHBjbSSySj0/s640/Beelzebub-light-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pWj-wVL3TdY/VjVk-Tq5HnI/AAAAAAAAOQ4/anw2Ym4copM/s1600/Beelzebub-light-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pWj-wVL3TdY/VjVk-Tq5HnI/AAAAAAAAOQ4/anw2Ym4copM/s640/Beelzebub-light-5.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Finally, I took the majority of Gult's shots on Halloween. I'm terrible at Halloween, i.e. I don't dress up or hand out candy or decorate at all, but I did manage to find a couple of Halloween items at 70% off in our local art store, so I spent some money and tacked together something passable. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-lv5MDiAcU/VjVrdWG4xKI/AAAAAAAAOS8/6RttvaeOc_Y/s1600/Beelzebub-dark-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-lv5MDiAcU/VjVrdWG4xKI/AAAAAAAAOS8/6RttvaeOc_Y/s640/Beelzebub-dark-4.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw man, she ate a whole giant! What a...Gult.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQRrfqmuiuA/VjVrcZP-5AI/AAAAAAAAOSo/xkx_Gl6hz1E/s1600/Beelzebub-dark-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQRrfqmuiuA/VjVrcZP-5AI/AAAAAAAAOSo/xkx_Gl6hz1E/s640/Beelzebub-dark-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-ARXUUQcUQ/VjVrdPFFgXI/AAAAAAAAOS0/ltIvgk_dDYg/s1600/Beelzebub-dark-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-ARXUUQcUQ/VjVrdPFFgXI/AAAAAAAAOS0/ltIvgk_dDYg/s640/Beelzebub-dark-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Would I recommend Gult to other figure collectors? Sure I would. She's obviously high quality, and exclusive to boot. Even if you don't appreciate her cast-off, she's a wonderful figure to look at. Excluding her bright base and certain small flaws in her sculpt, Amakuni has done an excellent job convincing me that exclusive + limited figures are worth their price tag. (Besides, I'm thinking of altering her base myself and giving her a more expansive pumpkin field to play in.)<br />
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And she's hecka cute.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SON7H_j8S3M/VjVreW-x-7I/AAAAAAAAOTA/hbAevAAKHT8/s1600/Beelzebub-light-9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SON7H_j8S3M/VjVreW-x-7I/AAAAAAAAOTA/hbAevAAKHT8/s640/Beelzebub-light-9.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"> </span><table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Box is box.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>5/10</td> <td>It's solid, but lacking in detail. Could have used some more depth in colour. Bright orange is not harmonious with the rest of the figure.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>8/10</td> <td>Delicate and cute with a subtle sense of movement.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>8.5/10</td> <td>Beautiful, with only minor flaws. Successful cast-off, although the gap between her torso and hips is regrettable.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>I honestly don't see anything wrong anywhere. One of the best skirts I've seen yet.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>8.5/10</td> <td>An excellent figure with lots of detail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Amakuni <br />
<b>Price</b>: ¥11,852 (Proxies around ¥14 000)<br />
<b>Purchased</b> <b>at</b>: <a href="https://www.nippon-yasan.com/"><b>Nippon-Yasan</b></a><br />
<br />
<b>Box Dimension</b>s: Approx 31 x 25 x 19.5 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: Approx 700g<br />
<b>Shipping method</b>: Small Packet SAL (or fancier)<br />
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<b>Cheerio,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn</b><br />
<b></b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-523340720267766562015-08-22T23:48:00.001-04:002015-08-22T23:49:15.095-04:001/7 Cerberus (Max Factory)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/08/17-cerberus-max-factory.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POoWvdW9vsM/VTX_D_dvcDI/AAAAAAAANYc/trSau59Se3Q/s1600/Cerberus-icon.png" /></a></div><font color=a30000>Continuing our reviews of figures that have appeared in my <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/01/2014-year-in-review-nsfw.html">Year End Review</a> trend...<br />
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Cerberus was one of my superficial buys. When I ordered her, I knew nothing of her character except that she looked cute, had an attractive outfit, and was manufactured by Max Factory, both of which were apparently enough to warrant a buy. <br />
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A wise old mentor figure once told me, “<i>It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a card game in possession of sexy assets, must be in want of expansion</i>." And indeed, it seems card games of Japanese origin embody this adage most vigorously. <i>Look forth upon my fields where I lay my cards, and see that an entire franchise hath grown</i>. Such is the beauty and glory of good art.<br />
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No, seriously, Shingeki no Bahamut has some seriously good art (and some not so good, but let's ignore those for now). I remember the good ol' days where I used to collect pokemon cards just to stare at the cute little 2D critters. With art like this, it's little wonder Shingeki no Bahamut has spawned a following.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEise2gQXPGbKZgTuq0vd8pQc_b2beChSI7DXCLRBApamW-zL0d8ACJRvldgXxEBRwM08ZHqB5ajkLsOCmYousL2TZo7oRxSNV30wlBglCg2Cz35pV20_Jn2lzmJBw3Ff3KXBuibVGRzbkw/s1600/Shingeki+no+Bahamut+Aurelia.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEise2gQXPGbKZgTuq0vd8pQc_b2beChSI7DXCLRBApamW-zL0d8ACJRvldgXxEBRwM08ZHqB5ajkLsOCmYousL2TZo7oRxSNV30wlBglCg2Cz35pV20_Jn2lzmJBw3Ff3KXBuibVGRzbkw/s640/Shingeki+no+Bahamut+Aurelia.jpg" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD_V8oCH57ZmEb3OGWFIHdXYuXOvAS-BUP4QsUcsVT_l0UBuS12o6WkbuUNjDKT5t91WuWyaV7BAW5jnsJXcdmZVPz8lMlXMYOnk1iqpOqdF-mO3vtvY9t6d8hd3xJrpD4fe69V5hGNI/s1600/Shingeki+no+Bahamut+Cerberus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD_V8oCH57ZmEb3OGWFIHdXYuXOvAS-BUP4QsUcsVT_l0UBuS12o6WkbuUNjDKT5t91WuWyaV7BAW5jnsJXcdmZVPz8lMlXMYOnk1iqpOqdF-mO3vtvY9t6d8hd3xJrpD4fe69V5hGNI/s640/Shingeki+no+Bahamut+Cerberus.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Before long, Shingeki no Bahamut expanded into the world of figures and shows. And it was surprisingly enjoyable all the way. I even ventured a peek at <i>Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis</i> with a healthy dose of skepticism, and was pleasantly surprised when the anime made an effort to have an original plot and characters. Cerberus's role, unfortunately, is reduced to fan-service side-girl, but hey, if that's really the best role for her, then so be it. But enough about her character. More about her figure.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></span></div><br />
Cerberus's box is a box. It does as a box should. It has art of the figure inside should you forget how the figure is supposed to look despite being able to see it past the plastic window. And also some other art. Moving on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d3MG1XimcTU/Vc0F11F0ZDI/AAAAAAAAN1A/x1gztNfH1bk/s1600/Cerberus-box.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d3MG1XimcTU/Vc0F11F0ZDI/AAAAAAAAN1A/x1gztNfH1bk/s640/Cerberus-box.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dI4x4Fnv77M/Vc0F1gyxQHI/AAAAAAAAN1E/FCbWkbtY8Ts/s1600/Cerberus-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dI4x4Fnv77M/Vc0F1gyxQHI/AAAAAAAAN1E/FCbWkbtY8Ts/s640/Cerberus-box-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Cerberus's base is simple and stable. It doesn't gain points for creativity, nor does it lose any for loss of function. It is what it is, perfectly neutral.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-_AZevvxok/VTX7nQzEG6I/AAAAAAAANYE/P5OXu5jWqQ8/s1600/Cerberus-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-_AZevvxok/VTX7nQzEG6I/AAAAAAAANYE/P5OXu5jWqQ8/s1600/Cerberus-base.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now we get into the good stuff.<br />
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Cerberus's pose exudes energy and youth, with a hint of mischievousness. Her hands are ruthlessly shoved up the posteriors of her magical puppy companions. With her knees tucked and head slightly tilted, she appears to be in the middle of a mocking jig (or has to go to the bathroom, but let's stick with the jig idea). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jITDvhD3oF0/VTX7tKieY-I/AAAAAAAANUw/RQdTAlamnVI/s1600/Cerberus-full-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jITDvhD3oF0/VTX7tKieY-I/AAAAAAAANUw/RQdTAlamnVI/s640/Cerberus-full-1.png" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOFQk1xKXEGg-6SjqUfvskMnsq9_dXQP7wmWmbgyVw-JJ4I7XeiLeKDo3Uc6GAvuiEH1ZTHOTCvCHCkI6HUM1DJSaLAI3jZo0_-Qu0fdB03JXvxQmNHcB9VWyz92PjMkSWfMK_5FdWP4/s1600/Cerberus-full-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOFQk1xKXEGg-6SjqUfvskMnsq9_dXQP7wmWmbgyVw-JJ4I7XeiLeKDo3Uc6GAvuiEH1ZTHOTCvCHCkI6HUM1DJSaLAI3jZo0_-Qu0fdB03JXvxQmNHcB9VWyz92PjMkSWfMK_5FdWP4/s640/Cerberus-full-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IXrprzL5P9I/VTX7tg1BqMI/AAAAAAAANYM/z7LsYPHgT7s/s1600/Cerberus-full-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IXrprzL5P9I/VTX7tg1BqMI/AAAAAAAANYM/z7LsYPHgT7s/s640/Cerberus-full-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ctd824Q3vNk/VTX7uAsjv_I/AAAAAAAANVk/hSPfuHxrVCY/s1600/Cerberus-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ctd824Q3vNk/VTX7uAsjv_I/AAAAAAAANVk/hSPfuHxrVCY/s640/Cerberus-full-4.png" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8gJkgWLkmUs/VTX7uqqhgMI/AAAAAAAANVQ/3_cUdt-MZxc/s1600/Cerberus-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8gJkgWLkmUs/VTX7uqqhgMI/AAAAAAAANVQ/3_cUdt-MZxc/s640/Cerberus-full-5.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LO9WH5sWS-o/VTX7uzfouPI/AAAAAAAANWM/fmGkpEXJSgM/s1600/Cerberus-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LO9WH5sWS-o/VTX7uzfouPI/AAAAAAAANWM/fmGkpEXJSgM/s640/Cerberus-full-6.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
If I were to list the top factors that influence my decision to buy a figure, "her face" would probably be close to the top. Luckily, I allow some transgressions if various other factors, e.g. quality, detail, overall aesthetics, are appealing enough. That being said, I both like and dislike Cerberus' face. I like that it's round. I like her smile. It accentuates her youthful, playful pose. I like the shading of her eyes, <i>but</i> I'm not a huge fan of their shape.<br />
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Finally, like many-an-anime girl, Cerberus seems to have lost her nose, a gimmick I've never found pleasing. Sure, it makes her face smoother and softer, but it also makes it a lot flatter. It also opens up an uncomfortable blank space between her eyes and mouth. Like someone took an eraser and accidentally smudged out the one feature that would have rendered the picture complete. Why the lack of proboscis, Max Factory? She's got a <strike>small</strike> nose in the original pics, don't she?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-70CrMxGS11E/VTX7r8LGrzI/AAAAAAAANUI/7FcxTYEv2w0/s1600/Cerberus-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-70CrMxGS11E/VTX7r8LGrzI/AAAAAAAANUI/7FcxTYEv2w0/s1600/Cerberus-face-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzTWODay8dQ/VTX7sjx4UUI/AAAAAAAANU4/Kh984Zl2iX0/s1600/Cerberus-face.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzTWODay8dQ/VTX7sjx4UUI/AAAAAAAANU4/Kh984Zl2iX0/s1600/Cerberus-face.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bokPgyxHNBI/VTX7sP3q6XI/AAAAAAAANUY/K8qTNfGRh5M/s1600/Cerberus-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bokPgyxHNBI/VTX7sP3q6XI/AAAAAAAANUY/K8qTNfGRh5M/s1600/Cerberus-face-3.png" width="213" /></a></div><br />
An up-close of her face, as well as an up-close of her mouth. Like I said, I <i>like</i> her grin, but I would like it better if it had slightly more definition.<br />
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<i>But Jenn</i>, you protest, <i>wouldn't she look weird with fully sculpted teeth and all? </i>To which I reply, <i>Rightly so, I don't buy figures for the sake of their dental verisimilitude, after all. </i>But it's not merely her tiny, flat teeth that bother me, but her general lack of dimension in the mouth area (for an <i>excellent</i> mouth, check out Max Factory's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/17-miku-hatsune-ver-type-2020-max.html">7th Dragon Miku</a>). No lips, for one, is a bit of a downer. Even her official art shows a wider, more prominent grin. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMVvJtjGWFg/VTX7rnZjXDI/AAAAAAAANUU/b1PjL3jKHX0/s1600/Cerberus-eyes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMVvJtjGWFg/VTX7rnZjXDI/AAAAAAAANUU/b1PjL3jKHX0/s1600/Cerberus-eyes.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Nevertheless, despite her lack of nose and reduced mouth, Cerberus's eyes are the rightful stars of her face. They're just different enough to set her apart from other, stereotypical anime eyes, with just a hint of crazy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gGR-roDvsOs/VTX7rcTMjCI/AAAAAAAANUA/DkU9S73k0lg/s1600/Cerberus-eyes-close.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gGR-roDvsOs/VTX7rcTMjCI/AAAAAAAANUA/DkU9S73k0lg/s1600/Cerberus-eyes-close.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAehlbpLlQ1dz1DsriZW-6njlQl6rrEkuo7iehOW3M8l8HItqMHYF53jW1rHfCTr-sMG1bLTPnVil9LyKDiL7z3607mri4id47z2b25Zhdo1U7UH2mSkwFkrBRMUCLImmJFFLOiMYkGI/s1600/Cerberus_eyes.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAehlbpLlQ1dz1DsriZW-6njlQl6rrEkuo7iehOW3M8l8HItqMHYF53jW1rHfCTr-sMG1bLTPnVil9LyKDiL7z3607mri4id47z2b25Zhdo1U7UH2mSkwFkrBRMUCLImmJFFLOiMYkGI/s320/Cerberus_eyes.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Moving to hair, a girl's <i>real</i> best friend. Cerberus's hair is detailed, with all the right pull lines in all the right places. As we get down into her twin-tails, you'll find that the PVC becomes semi-translucent. The tinge of purple on her tips are an added plus. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGn0KZ5UiRs/VTX7vKF9TwI/AAAAAAAANVY/GQgOweAJ7P0/s1600/Cerberus-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGn0KZ5UiRs/VTX7vKF9TwI/AAAAAAAANVY/GQgOweAJ7P0/s1600/Cerberus-hair-1.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q6N_Xxtu-Q/VTX7vptq07I/AAAAAAAANVg/D3_khRWKN-I/s1600/Cerberus-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q6N_Xxtu-Q/VTX7vptq07I/AAAAAAAANVg/D3_khRWKN-I/s1600/Cerberus-hair-2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQgp18nF1aE/VTX7wIkKJ8I/AAAAAAAANVs/yopkAMW1DnE/s1600/Cerberus-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQgp18nF1aE/VTX7wIkKJ8I/AAAAAAAANVs/yopkAMW1DnE/s1600/Cerberus-hair-3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5Wt6UB0mtQ/VTX7wV15eyI/AAAAAAAANV0/pVWPi0latLY/s1600/Cerberus-hair-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5Wt6UB0mtQ/VTX7wV15eyI/AAAAAAAANV0/pVWPi0latLY/s1600/Cerberus-hair-4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The real stand-out feature of Cerberus, however, is not her pose or face or hair, but her outfit. Clasped in what appears to be medieval bikini armour, Cerberus's blatant purple-gold mass of fanciful design demanded immediate attention. Even as an unpainted prototype, I could see all the droolworthy detail rising from her delightful <strike>bosom</strike> body.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ilj2ngmnbxs/VTX7syfsOdI/AAAAAAAANUk/pu6kcuciNuk/s1600/Cerberus-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ilj2ngmnbxs/VTX7syfsOdI/AAAAAAAANUk/pu6kcuciNuk/s1600/Cerberus-front.png" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xmJW9-DXJqegauW50hBA2yxY38DDvQsihZJtDL9TQSb1fr9o_kgQyD73HmKZapnJzmDuh1UpiEswoT4kjvW_psEwHf0rKcYvQug5ZeD3_4wAcI96Pi28MiDQCtZ6pfSjNgHwA-JHnjs/s1600/Cerberus-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xmJW9-DXJqegauW50hBA2yxY38DDvQsihZJtDL9TQSb1fr9o_kgQyD73HmKZapnJzmDuh1UpiEswoT4kjvW_psEwHf0rKcYvQug5ZeD3_4wAcI96Pi28MiDQCtZ6pfSjNgHwA-JHnjs/s1600/Cerberus-back.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
If anime and manga isn't the world of costumely vestiges, I don't know what is. Besides being gaudily shiny and excessively intricate, Cerberus's costume is also full of layers and geegaw that serve no functional use in either the warmth or defense department. Two flaps of well-shaded cloth extend from her back in a pleasing wing-like imitation. I like that it mirrors the movement of her hair.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjed6KAFGSu8lg3KGIqmGZoEcNWd3nAc5x9yZFokQgj34nkk84BF0JJh4-s-ExUhCtqLJcn5Ni8V-tYhfPdKYKOlC3YtdWv15n7jodmoKu_8_Raq0XaKXA9F5MPuXMC8281X0lv2HizVNo/s1600/Cerberus-outfit.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjed6KAFGSu8lg3KGIqmGZoEcNWd3nAc5x9yZFokQgj34nkk84BF0JJh4-s-ExUhCtqLJcn5Ni8V-tYhfPdKYKOlC3YtdWv15n7jodmoKu_8_Raq0XaKXA9F5MPuXMC8281X0lv2HizVNo/s640/Cerberus-outfit.png" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUKhdVZ4iWcg4Z9q3Dpsr4WO5LvLB8s0sEc7YK58lTewwcH0eUfj4y9D5QGJch4nrOjvO5R9X96MArH4Zbyop4-in1G52fjXeiHS9SctwEgw0E8uhOam64FmNk14YKfV271IpDPPbWTA/s1600/Cerberus-outfit-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUKhdVZ4iWcg4Z9q3Dpsr4WO5LvLB8s0sEc7YK58lTewwcH0eUfj4y9D5QGJch4nrOjvO5R9X96MArH4Zbyop4-in1G52fjXeiHS9SctwEgw0E8uhOam64FmNk14YKfV271IpDPPbWTA/s640/Cerberus-outfit-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
What's a Cerberus without three heads? After all, the guard dog of the underworld needs to live up to her name, right?<br />
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Cerberus's puppy hands seem to be a matter of contention in the figure collecting community, with the vote split against hating and loving them. I'm firmly on the side of loving them. In fact, you could say that without the puppy hands, Cerberus would just be another generic, fantasy dog-girl in skimpy bikini armour, a la every single JRPG out there. Could Max Factory have made the puppies switchable with regular hands for those who prefer it? Sure, but that they didn't doesn't bite into the figure's appeal (speaking personally, of course).<br />
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Also, one is sad. How cute. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga19g1_1bR4JLcQ8i0Wezz0fRuE6K268bKJp34LTMVSySCyYj3DdQSGA9ojxfLfERgPIXBiJDaeRkzKNAXfufnaEPZdlzCVnpMf5yYbwwBp3rFsQesXLH-Wz_8ZuHXDf1aXYVzXJNmOm0/s1600/Cerberus-puppy-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga19g1_1bR4JLcQ8i0Wezz0fRuE6K268bKJp34LTMVSySCyYj3DdQSGA9ojxfLfERgPIXBiJDaeRkzKNAXfufnaEPZdlzCVnpMf5yYbwwBp3rFsQesXLH-Wz_8ZuHXDf1aXYVzXJNmOm0/s640/Cerberus-puppy-2.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rZ5hTB-MEI/VTX70RZhIsI/AAAAAAAANXQ/f7YrUQ7hB2A/s1600/Cerberus-puppy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rZ5hTB-MEI/VTX70RZhIsI/AAAAAAAANXQ/f7YrUQ7hB2A/s640/Cerberus-puppy.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Moving lower. <br />
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Cerberus bears a generous set of hips with an equally generous butt. Give it to Max Factory to present such a wonderfully plump body sculpt. Just look at those thighs. Those are some thighs I can swear by. And don't get me started on those wonderful cheeks. In a world where thin dominates, it's nice to see a girl who looks like she eats regularly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVj82VlGSUk/VTX7ytdUekI/AAAAAAAANXo/PncTFLKqAuw/s1600/Cerberus-hips.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVj82VlGSUk/VTX7ytdUekI/AAAAAAAANXo/PncTFLKqAuw/s1600/Cerberus-hips.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDHqFFwv9OA/VTX7pBYb26I/AAAAAAAANTQ/h8YklTrw9pM/s1600/Cerberus-butt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDHqFFwv9OA/VTX7pBYb26I/AAAAAAAANTQ/h8YklTrw9pM/s1600/Cerberus-butt.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Finally, Cerberus wears a spanking pair of boots. Purple and shiny, it complements the tips of her hair. Seriously, where are all these characters getting their boots from? I'd pay premium for boots so slick.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY8eLsnnFWY/VTX7onigJdI/AAAAAAAANS4/uqV9_4NlkvE/s1600/Cerberus-boots-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY8eLsnnFWY/VTX7onigJdI/AAAAAAAANS4/uqV9_4NlkvE/s1600/Cerberus-boots-1.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEUgZbMUtLk/VTX7oyTZecI/AAAAAAAANU8/48Jumt6hU_g/s1600/Cerberus-boots-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEUgZbMUtLk/VTX7oyTZecI/AAAAAAAANU8/48Jumt6hU_g/s1600/Cerberus-boots-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Here's one of my favourite features of Cerberus. Her layering. Cerberus's outfit, albeit skimpy, has ample layering. Her boots don't look plastered to her tights, and her tights don't look plastered to her skin. It has <i>dimension</i>. There's no stressing how gratifying it is to see Max Factory uphold their high standards by crafting every piece of her outfit to <i>not look like it's painted to her skin</i>. Points all around.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y79RU-PRYLQ/VTX70sh_u6I/AAAAAAAANXY/_fx8jQkAm3g/s1600/Cerberus-thighs-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y79RU-PRYLQ/VTX70sh_u6I/AAAAAAAANXY/_fx8jQkAm3g/s1600/Cerberus-thighs-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Max Factory's name is almost synonymous with high quality, so it comes as little surprise that they've put it all into giving Cerberus a mighty body. A <i>realistic</i> (albeit ample) body, might I add. See, I always sound like a creeper when I goggle a figure's bod, but let's admit it, it's part of the business. Sexy sells, and Max Factory is top-notch when it comes to sexy sculpts.<br />
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Take a look at her collarbone. The lines on her back. The hint of ribcage beneath her armour. The protruding shoulder blades. All defined. All anatomically correct. Even the bulge of her breasts indicates she's getting support from her gaudy purple bra-armour. Someone did their homework, and we're reaping the rewards.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsyC4zRAcP8/VTX7n5CaYAI/AAAAAAAANSk/8XrBaOLzpz4/s1600/Cerberus-body-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsyC4zRAcP8/VTX7n5CaYAI/AAAAAAAANSk/8XrBaOLzpz4/s1600/Cerberus-body-1.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c8mBTVL2LJ8/VTX7nOwzTMI/AAAAAAAANYE/lPph1dUifts/s1600/Cerberu-body-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c8mBTVL2LJ8/VTX7nOwzTMI/AAAAAAAANYE/lPph1dUifts/s1600/Cerberu-body-4.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtlmpAVKnkY/VTX7ofJ4AVI/AAAAAAAANS8/S2d16J6JLfE/s1600/Cerberus-body-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtlmpAVKnkY/VTX7ofJ4AVI/AAAAAAAANS8/S2d16J6JLfE/s1600/Cerberus-body-3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rq73hK7yQ60/VTX7oEQTKnI/AAAAAAAANSo/h48Dn1y6das/s1600/Cerberus-body-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rq73hK7yQ60/VTX7oEQTKnI/AAAAAAAANSo/h48Dn1y6das/s1600/Cerberus-body-2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As though wonderful body sculpts weren't enough, Max Factory also went ahead and plastered her full of minutiae, all of which are clean and crisp. I couldn't find a single, notable flaw in either her sculpt or her paint job.<i> </i>I especially appreciated that Max Factory didn't fill in her ribbon loops (on her thighs).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1HrlUaPo9WY/VTX7qnjLEuI/AAAAAAAANUc/2CMmAXYwD3w/s1600/Cerberus-detail-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1HrlUaPo9WY/VTX7qnjLEuI/AAAAAAAANUc/2CMmAXYwD3w/s1600/Cerberus-detail-5.png" width="645" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-88q9-54UqAw/VTX7p9xsRsI/AAAAAAAANTU/YZqGxwLe2dc/s1600/Cerberus-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-88q9-54UqAw/VTX7p9xsRsI/AAAAAAAANTU/YZqGxwLe2dc/s640/Cerberus-detail-2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EEdQsFmgBE0/VTX7pRfvucI/AAAAAAAANTM/T2AlNDlt0jQ/s1600/Cerberus-detail-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EEdQsFmgBE0/VTX7pRfvucI/AAAAAAAANTM/T2AlNDlt0jQ/s640/Cerberus-detail-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwnu0sbWjRNqaka-pPw_aN4VRyeBuOWHxc92bdIHf2KNN2R_EbPRl7-klYuicYZ_PQNWALPrhh1MwJzB6tJ4t2iO5N7Y6wc5idWV_Au16er_UCG7xaAqIsaGzFsAZlJA3SRdNtKUKPak/s1600/Cerberus-detail-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwnu0sbWjRNqaka-pPw_aN4VRyeBuOWHxc92bdIHf2KNN2R_EbPRl7-klYuicYZ_PQNWALPrhh1MwJzB6tJ4t2iO5N7Y6wc5idWV_Au16er_UCG7xaAqIsaGzFsAZlJA3SRdNtKUKPak/s1600/Cerberus-detail-6.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8gEs-eK02bQ/VTX7q7BVXlI/AAAAAAAANT0/ppDQOx4Ap4Y/s1600/Cerberus-detail-7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8gEs-eK02bQ/VTX7q7BVXlI/AAAAAAAANT0/ppDQOx4Ap4Y/s1600/Cerberus-detail-7.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w02n-5zJDDw/VTX7p1rI0CI/AAAAAAAANTY/dDs3RfSgknY/s1600/Cerberus-detail-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w02n-5zJDDw/VTX7p1rI0CI/AAAAAAAANTY/dDs3RfSgknY/s1600/Cerberus-detail-3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uy7561aJPTA/VTX7qPGTIyI/AAAAAAAANTo/5uDtmqXytOc/s1600/Cerberus-detail-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uy7561aJPTA/VTX7qPGTIyI/AAAAAAAANTo/5uDtmqXytOc/s1600/Cerberus-detail-4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cerberus has a lot of good going for her, but she does have one imperfection: Hair seams. <br />
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Now, it seems inevitable that figures will always have an unsightly gash across their head to accommodate for their bangs (the exception being Alter's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/03/18-stocking-anarchy-alter.html">Stocking</a>), so I have come to accept it as a standard rather than a flaw. The bang seams no longer bother me as much as they used to, although it's always somewhat disappointing when they can't be hidden. <br />
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The real problem with Cerberus's hair is that there are small strands of hair that are not fully integrated. They're just...stuck on. Firstly, it makes her hair fragile. I brushed against her hair one day (not with any strength, mind you), and one of her strands popped out. Secondly, Cerberus's hair gains semi-translucence as it goes down, which means the seam become <i>very </i>obvious when she's back-lit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAUk_nBM-Rg/VTX7xs4iUnI/AAAAAAAANX0/LUQP4oGDf8w/s1600/Cerberus-hair-flaw-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAUk_nBM-Rg/VTX7xs4iUnI/AAAAAAAANX0/LUQP4oGDf8w/s320/Cerberus-hair-flaw-2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqmqM7eqY5Y/VTX7xCf9ffI/AAAAAAAANWQ/ydpUkSwijTA/s1600/Cerberus-hair-flaw-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqmqM7eqY5Y/VTX7xCf9ffI/AAAAAAAANWQ/ydpUkSwijTA/s320/Cerberus-hair-flaw-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GDI1rOpoEfU/VTX7yBtJquI/AAAAAAAANWg/0BRdN8sKtZQ/s1600/Cerberus-hair-glaw-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GDI1rOpoEfU/VTX7yBtJquI/AAAAAAAANWg/0BRdN8sKtZQ/s320/Cerberus-hair-glaw-2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEDyHrA7Go4/VTX7xkacynI/AAAAAAAANXw/vE58jAoEA0M/s1600/Cerberus-hair-flaw.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEDyHrA7Go4/VTX7xkacynI/AAAAAAAANXw/vE58jAoEA0M/s320/Cerberus-hair-flaw.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oh, there is <i>one</i> more beef I have with Cerberus: The seam on her neck. Now I know manufacturers need a way to attach her head to her body, but many figures new and old don't have the seam (<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/10/18-amae-koromo-alter.html">Koromo</a>, <a href="http://www.pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/10/17-miku-hatsune-max-factory.html">Miku</a>, <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/17-menma-swimsuit-ver-max-factory.html">Menma</a>, <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/05/18-alvis-e-hamilton-lavie-head-alter.html">Lavie and Alvis</a>), it seems like an oversight not to hide it. Her up-do hairstyle doesn't help either. It exposes her neck and makes the seam extra obvious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBBOaznMcWpIy7DXBlPOyMZa9ndcDUVCU23lvQrmeVwzx_dXdoBwBJUShHrY-EKbGmMdzSbACUJfnEQVvGbzuAA-Odi57klWGVXuxVRAZv-phkk_NGZR8p-PBsbg4BBVfm8m_EGx9HYU/s1600/Cerberus-neck-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBBOaznMcWpIy7DXBlPOyMZa9ndcDUVCU23lvQrmeVwzx_dXdoBwBJUShHrY-EKbGmMdzSbACUJfnEQVvGbzuAA-Odi57klWGVXuxVRAZv-phkk_NGZR8p-PBsbg4BBVfm8m_EGx9HYU/s1600/Cerberus-neck-2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RfNSmcYuYM4/VTX7zX0ugoI/AAAAAAAANXg/qVP4gQhTxRM/s1600/Cerberus-neck-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RfNSmcYuYM4/VTX7zX0ugoI/AAAAAAAANXg/qVP4gQhTxRM/s1600/Cerberus-neck-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Other than that, there isn't much to complain about. She's solid all around, a good figure overall, and a nice addition to the collection.<br />
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When I first began reviewing figures, I did so for the sole purpose of informing people. Letting people get a closer look before a buy. As my figure journey continued, I realized that a strict regiment of up-close shots weren't doing it anymore. Nowadays, I try to run double-duty with my reviews. Yes, the informing aspect is still there, but I also try to learn something. Experiment. <i>Live</i>.<br />
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This review? Playing with a black-box. Initial results are decent, but more experimentation is required. I like that the black gives her a very neutral background to stand on. And, as usual, it works well with contrast.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98y6BOHf8K8/Vc07SMd9-yI/AAAAAAAAN1g/fvb7mWMR_d0/s1600/Cerberus-contrast-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98y6BOHf8K8/Vc07SMd9-yI/AAAAAAAAN1g/fvb7mWMR_d0/s640/Cerberus-contrast-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWa6V-uc5JY/Vcz7DRkqBvI/AAAAAAAAN0g/LMsHoxOS6jo/s1600/Cerberus-contrast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWa6V-uc5JY/Vcz7DRkqBvI/AAAAAAAAN0g/LMsHoxOS6jo/s640/Cerberus-contrast.png" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grR5nQ0IPR4/Vcz7CqAw30I/AAAAAAAAN0U/8cQ810OrC30/s1600/Cerberus-contrast-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grR5nQ0IPR4/Vcz7CqAw30I/AAAAAAAAN0U/8cQ810OrC30/s640/Cerberus-contrast-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The one thing I love about Cerberus is that she looks cute whether I use contrast or not. Bolder lighting? She rocks it. Flatter lighting? Also cute. She's a girl of many assets, that's for sure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--uRQSag_V-g/VZQmjaCAAzI/AAAAAAAANrE/_ef3hF86j6o/s1600/Cerberus-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--uRQSag_V-g/VZQmjaCAAzI/AAAAAAAANrE/_ef3hF86j6o/s640/Cerberus-3.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lI-8A1HYge0/VZQmNND84SI/AAAAAAAANq0/jymApm6gens/s1600/Cerberus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lI-8A1HYge0/VZQmNND84SI/AAAAAAAANq0/jymApm6gens/s640/Cerberus.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Funnily enough, there's always something about a figure that I don't notice until after the photos come out. For Cerberus, it's that her neck and shoulders look incredible scrunched up when shot from a straight angle. Like she's shrugging. Not a huge deal. Not really aesthetically damaging. But interesting nonetheless. Halfway through the photoshoot, I began avoiding certain angles, simply because it made her look...how should I put it? <i>Inelegant</i>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDoAAEpO5C0/Vcz7DAKC25I/AAAAAAAAN0c/A1cd2ieHZWo/s1600/Cerberus-ferns.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDoAAEpO5C0/Vcz7DAKC25I/AAAAAAAAN0c/A1cd2ieHZWo/s640/Cerberus-ferns.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-HTUhlAkvU/Vcz7DorIHXI/AAAAAAAAN0k/2jLi1YVtMdk/s1600/Cerberus-light-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-HTUhlAkvU/Vcz7DorIHXI/AAAAAAAAN0k/2jLi1YVtMdk/s640/Cerberus-light-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV3izdA228g/VTtGJ7xZ7oI/AAAAAAAANZo/a6zTlkiLC_k/s1600/Cerberus-paper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV3izdA228g/VTtGJ7xZ7oI/AAAAAAAANZo/a6zTlkiLC_k/s640/Cerberus-paper.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Unlike some of my spontaneous buys, I put a lot of thought into Cerberus before making her purchase, and I have to say, I am largely pleased. She's just the right amount of style and sexy to really rock it. She looks good on my shelf, and her detail-rich outfit really catches the eye.<br />
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What qualifies a figure for my "Best of" selection at the end of the year? It's difficult to pinpoint any real factor that propels a figure into my favourites list. Many years, I am surprised by which figures make it. For Cerberus, it was predominately her quality that landed her a top spot. It's hard not to look at her and admire her sheer technical accomplishment. From the astounding sculpt of her wee details, to the clean and shiny paint on her armour, Cerberus is an example of just how polished Max Factory is as a manufacturer.<br />
<br />
So, without further delay: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYaT0QyDueQ/VZQmjS1ztaI/AAAAAAAANrA/Yfqbi8WH7PQ/s1600/Cerberus-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYaT0QyDueQ/VZQmjS1ztaI/AAAAAAAANrA/Yfqbi8WH7PQ/s640/Cerberus-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>5/10</td> <td>Is a box.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>5/10</td> <td>stands on it.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>7.5/10</td> <td>Not hugely dynamic, but brimming with energy nonetheless.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>9/10</td> <td>Very detailed. Loses a point for hair and neck seams.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>Perfect. No smudges or imperfections anywhere.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>8/10</td> <td>There's a lot to like and very little to dislike. A great figure overall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Max Factory <br />
<b>Price</b>: ¥12 778<br />
<b>Purchased</b> <b>at</b>: <a href=http://amiami.com/>AmiAmi</a><br />
<br />
<b>Box Dimension</b>s: Approx 31 x 25 x 19.5 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: Approx 700g<br />
<b>Shipping method</b>: Small Packet SAL (or fancier)<br />
<b></b><br />
<b><br />
Fare thee well,<br />
Jenn</b></font>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-70180695237049827222015-07-12T17:12:00.000-04:002015-07-13T00:29:32.071-04:00Mutsumi Inomata Art Works Tales of 2004 - 2015<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/07/mutsumi-inomata-art-works-tales-of-2004.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dqtd9T1JrLI/VZgD9EKG-fI/AAAAAAAANrg/IkPHXrfJqrs/s1600/Review-icon.png" /></a><br />
<font color="#003399">I've been a fan of the Tales of series for a while now, and it's hard to believe they're celebrating their 20th anniversary. I suppose that means a plethora of new Tales of merchandise will be available by the end of 2015. The more recent games have been lacking in some areas, but overall they're pretty fun. I found myself liking the majority of character designs and artwork as well. When it was announced for pre-order, I ended up grabbing this gorgeous art book showing off Mutsumi Inomata's Tales of series designs! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a name='more'></a><br />
I'll admit that I wasn't a big fan of Mutsumi's style back in the day. I remember looking at the earlier Tales of games like Tales of Destiny and Tales of Eternia feeling less drawn to the artwork. This is most likely because I was more exposed to Kosuke Fujishima's work, having played Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Symphonia, and Tales of the Abyss during the earlier years. The first Tales of game I played was Tales of Symphonia, and it was the coverart for the GameCube box that drew me to the game. I never got to play Tales of Destiny or Eternia back in the day because I never had a Playstation 1, but I own Tales of Destiny R and Tales of Eternia for the PSP so I can happily say I'm grateful for remakes and ports.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now that I've seen her work for the later Tales of games such as Tales of Hearts R, Tales of Graces F, Xillia, Xillia 2 and Zestiria, I find myself really liking some of Inomata's designs. Let's dive into the book now, shall we?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaARX_fr2ION-xlKipYWb2CercUyM_pOkFOY5MV63IqP3h336LJ4E-Af8a0PPKYk0XNdxjyfOdWtMI8rxsH171UQYodOxH0Yls5zT6ge4vQQ2xLnUIn_rmK3e48_ajv9lFzlesss7GVM/s1600/Inomata-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaARX_fr2ION-xlKipYWb2CercUyM_pOkFOY5MV63IqP3h336LJ4E-Af8a0PPKYk0XNdxjyfOdWtMI8rxsH171UQYodOxH0Yls5zT6ge4vQQ2xLnUIn_rmK3e48_ajv9lFzlesss7GVM/s400/Inomata-cover.jpg" width="312" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYQMuUbHf-8/VZgFvHlRyNI/AAAAAAAANsk/ADdfAb7hRzg/s1600/Inomata-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYQMuUbHf-8/VZgFvHlRyNI/AAAAAAAANsk/ADdfAb7hRzg/s400/Inomata-back.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">The "Mutsumi Inomata Art Works for Tales of 2004 - 2015" is a collection of artwork Inomata did for the games that were released during these last fourteen years. So this book includes illustrations and concept work for Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Destiny R, Tales of Destiny 2 (PSP) Tales of the Tempest, Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts (R), Tales of Graces (F), Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2, and Tales of Zestiria. That's quite a few games, right? That's why this book is quite meaty. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Having flipped through the book a few times, I can say that there's a lot of white space. About half of the illustrations in this book are high quality, full body shots of the main casts of each game. The other half are very colourful art pieces. They're mostly promotional works or cover pieces for the games and their light novels. Some sections will have short comments from Inomata herself, and there are a few pages in the back that show off rough sketches and novel illustrations. <br />
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Although there's a lot of white space, I will give QBist props for not shrinking any of the main illustrations. More often than not, I'll buy an artbook and for some reason, the publishers or layout artists feel the need to shrink really nice images. It can be difficult to enjoy pictures the size of thumbnails.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4VpmcLivjg0/VZgGbk7z-1I/AAAAAAAANtA/udbL0zjUoJ0/s1600/Inomata-New2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4VpmcLivjg0/VZgGbk7z-1I/AAAAAAAANtA/udbL0zjUoJ0/s400/Inomata-New2.jpg" width="313" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GlAV5-NqzqU/VZgGcCjt_fI/AAAAAAAANtE/Uob0lx2OeLk/s1600/Inomata-New1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GlAV5-NqzqU/VZgGcCjt_fI/AAAAAAAANtE/Uob0lx2OeLk/s400/Inomata-New1.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Right off the bat, we have a couple of lovely bonus pieces for Tales of Destiny and Tales of Destiny 2, which I'm sure fans will absolutely love. Leon/Lion fans especially. The game with the most art work would be Tales of Destiny, which should come as a surprise to no one since that's the second Tales of game in the series, and it's also the first one Inomata made artwork for. Not to mention it had a nice PS2 remake (Tales of Destiny R).<br />
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In any case, both illustrations are gorgeous and colourful at the same time and to me it also reflects how fond Inomata is of Destiny. Or...it just shows how popular Leon/Lion is.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yvqL436gT-I/VZiJllxwGcI/AAAAAAAANv8/xkrHDVDSPeM/s1600/Destiny-spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yvqL436gT-I/VZiJllxwGcI/AAAAAAAANv8/xkrHDVDSPeM/s640/Destiny-spread.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The book is put together in chronological order from when the games were released. Tales of Rebirth (for the PS2) is the first to show up in the art book because it was released back in 2004. Although I never played Tales of Rebirth, I found myself drawn to the soft pastel-coloured illustrations in this book. I also want to note that both Rebirth and Destiny R each have about 20 - 25 pages of gorgeous artwork. They're a mix of promotional artwork, game covers, and light novel covers, so we have quite a few pieces. I definitely can't say the same about the other games.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gCFjmphlNow/VZiJmpcUw-I/AAAAAAAANv0/FG-YMwfyXEo/s1600/Rebirth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gCFjmphlNow/VZiJmpcUw-I/AAAAAAAANv0/FG-YMwfyXEo/s400/Rebirth.jpg" width="313" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pMBr8NABcQk/VaLLmVlXzKI/AAAAAAAANx8/4HeVR4yt5os/s1600/Claire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pMBr8NABcQk/VaLLmVlXzKI/AAAAAAAANx8/4HeVR4yt5os/s400/Claire.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br />
After you pass the Rebirth and Destiny R sections, you can expect a lot of character art. Each game has a few really colourful pieces and then they follow up with approximately 6 - 10 character pieces. Tales of Destiny 2 appears to be the exception, because there is only one piece of artwork for this game if you exclude the bonus piece at the beginning of the book. It's really just the cover art used for the PSP game, which in my opinion, seems a little sad.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AUyiidJZZko/VZiMrmaJy7I/AAAAAAAANww/TP4IPDnumiM/s1600/Innocence-spread2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AUyiidJZZko/VZiMrmaJy7I/AAAAAAAANww/TP4IPDnumiM/s640/Innocence-spread2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KADizz9VSVI/VZiNDiym1VI/AAAAAAAANw8/pqARwVoEjDc/s1600/Hearts-spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KADizz9VSVI/VZiNDiym1VI/AAAAAAAANw8/pqARwVoEjDc/s640/Hearts-spread.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I admire Inomata's creativity. Her style is unique and distinguishable, yet she's able to compose a variety of costumes and character designs for each game. Some remind me of characters from a couple of previous games, sure, but the majority of them feel fresh. I also love that her spreads and full-colour illustrations do provide me with a sense of fantasy. Her designs definitely translate well into game models and animated cutscenes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKZtlekDVv0/VZgJt7qAKKI/AAAAAAAANuQ/afn8tOd9ZA4/s1600/Graces-spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hKZtlekDVv0/VZgJt7qAKKI/AAAAAAAANuQ/afn8tOd9ZA4/s640/Graces-spread.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
It's fair to say that the older games have far more illustrations than the later games. I must admit, I'm really disappointed in the fact that Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2, and Tales of Zestiria sections have little to offer compared to the other Tales of games.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiFqXlYHEHA/VaLLmeBnuQI/AAAAAAAANyA/YLMqMblWI-Y/s1600/Xillia-spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiFqXlYHEHA/VaLLmeBnuQI/AAAAAAAANyA/YLMqMblWI-Y/s640/Xillia-spread.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
All we have in these sections are the main character illustrations and the cover designs used for each game.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9LhLvn1DpM/VZgKTH8onyI/AAAAAAAANuk/a9YjZ7rTGkQ/s1600/Milla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9LhLvn1DpM/VZgKTH8onyI/AAAAAAAANuk/a9YjZ7rTGkQ/s400/Milla.jpg" width="313" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vp2kazbK30U/VZgKTLzrWbI/AAAAAAAANuo/TZ0fNrNIzK4/s1600/Zestiria-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vp2kazbK30U/VZgKTLzrWbI/AAAAAAAANuo/TZ0fNrNIzK4/s400/Zestiria-cover.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Perhaps it's because Inomata shared the spotlight as a main artist with Kosuke Fujishima, Daigo Okumura, and Minoru Iwamoto, but I'm bummed out nonetheless. I love most of her designs for these three games, so it's a shame there are no extra pieces or spreads for them. I had crossed my fingers for them originally, but evidently that was just me hoping for too much. Even Tales of Tempest has a full spread and I'm aware that game didn't do very well in Japan. That said, I'm still happy with my purchase since everything in this book is still splendid. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wSAorUUhG0/VZgIuhrY70I/AAAAAAAANuA/wv4HckuReTQ/s1600/Tempest-spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wSAorUUhG0/VZgIuhrY70I/AAAAAAAANuA/wv4HckuReTQ/s640/Tempest-spread.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Finally, near the end of the book, we have novel illustrations and some rough sketches. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot in this section, which is a tad disappointing since this book is a collection of Inomata's works. When it comes to rough illustrations, you would find more purchasing complete or perfect guides of each game, but here we have bits and pieces. I would just consider them samplers. They do look nice though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-QZsRVGyis/VZiJl2bVf2I/AAAAAAAANvs/HU5VpwGxVuc/s1600/Graces-sketches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-QZsRVGyis/VZiJl2bVf2I/AAAAAAAANvs/HU5VpwGxVuc/s400/Graces-sketches.jpg" width="313" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsgErt2X4qw/VZiKp_XmiUI/AAAAAAAANwc/ly-2JZ8F9SM/s1600/Novel-pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsgErt2X4qw/VZiKp_XmiUI/AAAAAAAANwc/ly-2JZ8F9SM/s400/Novel-pics.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br />
Would I recommend this to Tales of fans? Despite the lack of illustrations from the more recent Tales of games, I still say absolutely! The majority of illustrations are of high quality and bursting with colour, and any fan of the Tales of series would be proud to own this. </div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-euZCRwSLfHo/VZiND9Ws-cI/AAAAAAAANxA/XyUmnzXePEU/s1600/Hearts-spread2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-euZCRwSLfHo/VZiND9Ws-cI/AAAAAAAANxA/XyUmnzXePEU/s640/Hearts-spread2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Should another Inomata artbook come out within the next 20 years, I'll be sure to buy it! Who knows? Maybe then there will be more illustrations for Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2, and Tales of Zestiria! Now the question is... will Kosuke Fujishima release a Tales of book of his own?<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Purchased from</b>: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/" target="_blank">Amazon Japan</a><br />
<b>Company:</b> Qbist & Bandai Namco Entertainment</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Number of Pages</b>: 175</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Price</b>: 3700 yen<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
<strong>~Suich</strong></font></div></div>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-42170641274077490092015-04-19T15:26:00.001-04:002015-12-30T02:12:03.863-05:001/7 Margit Suzuki (Native) NSFW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/04/17-margit-suzuki-max-factory-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZP8G4WM-MfM/VOZZJsMYN1I/AAAAAAAANDQ/QfQaiEFyOQw/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-icon.png" /></a></div><font color=a30000>Another day, another review. This time, we're headed to the classroom, where a naughty, half-German professor who definitely looks old enough to <i>teach</i> chemistry (wink wink) once again takes off her panties for the sake of science. Because, "If you're going to do science, it had better be German" (Native, 2013). Yes'sir, it's just another beautiful, typical day in Japanland.<br />
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Yup.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Ok, down to business. Native is a well-known player in the naughty figure business, and the only one thus far that has a solid reputation for churning out high quality goods. My <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/12/16-collet-native-nsfw.html">first Native figure</a> made such an impression on me that I have regarded the company with fondness since, and they have done little to let me down. Unfortunately, when Margit Suzuki was announced, I had my doubts. She struck me as less "naked and creative" than "typical schoolgirl with pants off." Naked? Yes. Creative? Eh. With companies like SkyTube quickly climbing the naughty figure ladder, I thought perhaps my money could be better invested elsewhere.<br />
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So, I stewed and stewed, because nothing clears the head like a few weeks rumination. After nights of tossing about, staring at my wallet, and making complicated budgeting schemes, I managed to convince myself she was worth it. No Native figure is <i>cheap</i>, but I also have an incredible weakness for all things science-based. The power of fetish compels me.<br />
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Let's start with Margit's box. It's a typical Native box, in that it's minimalist, discreet, and tasteful. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWsNz5MpvUo/VObOVFjyMMI/AAAAAAAANF0/5fQhqRoWYZ0/s1600/Margit-box.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWsNz5MpvUo/VObOVFjyMMI/AAAAAAAANF0/5fQhqRoWYZ0/s1600/Margit-box.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Margit Suzuki comes with a green base, but I'm somewhat baffled by its colour. Is she teaching on a lawn? Is the classroom floor, despite all convention, green? Anyhow, Margit displays fine without it, so I don't use it. I would have much preferred a nice tile, or some wooden flooring.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bFSQJWJ_H5c/VObOU4YPntI/AAAAAAAANF4/jr-uN-3VERQ/s1600/Margit-accessories.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bFSQJWJ_H5c/VObOU4YPntI/AAAAAAAANF4/jr-uN-3VERQ/s1600/Margit-accessories.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't tell if butt print, or heart...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Is her name Margit Suzuki, or Suzuki Margit? I'm so bad with Japanese ordering. Anyhow, for this post's sake, we'll go with first name Margit, last name Suzuki. <br />
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Margit Suzuki is posed on a schoolroom chair, experimentally poking her nether-regions. One can only guess whether this blatant display of lewdness is a regular in her classroom. I, for one, have never encountered a science curriculum with such a <i>direct</i> approach, but who am I to disagree with another's teaching methods?<br />
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Let me say outright that Margit Suzuki is not the most distinct Native figure out there. Without her job description, I would never have guessed she's a scientist. At short glance she seems like another generic school girl, pleated skirt and all. The only feature that points at chemistry is her test-tube (which is conveniently tucked away between her legs).<i> But </i>she is very cute, and I suppose that was the point all along.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5T-bwuG3pGc/VOZZLaSuu0I/AAAAAAAANEc/LpWCMiPoJKU/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5T-bwuG3pGc/VOZZLaSuu0I/AAAAAAAANEc/LpWCMiPoJKU/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhdl6TnWGxo/VOZZLo7_XDI/AAAAAAAANEk/etX_kNRPE78/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhdl6TnWGxo/VOZZLo7_XDI/AAAAAAAANEk/etX_kNRPE78/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FvvEvQNkjEo/VOZZL647TWI/AAAAAAAANEo/191mOjFCGAg/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FvvEvQNkjEo/VOZZL647TWI/AAAAAAAANEo/191mOjFCGAg/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c89yMPFaQv0/VOZZL1OdyyI/AAAAAAAANEs/L0RUey-Aq_s/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c89yMPFaQv0/VOZZL1OdyyI/AAAAAAAANEs/L0RUey-Aq_s/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXnECr_rBkE/VOZZMIo4g5I/AAAAAAAANE4/AdTgByO2QrM/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXnECr_rBkE/VOZZMIo4g5I/AAAAAAAANE4/AdTgByO2QrM/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WY9FzOf_Kwg/VOZZMsnkEtI/AAAAAAAANE8/TPorhMBwUpE/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WY9FzOf_Kwg/VOZZMsnkEtI/AAAAAAAANE8/TPorhMBwUpE/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-full-6.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Given her price tag and relatively bland get-up, Margit Suzuki is not the sort of figure I usually buy. However, as with all unusual purchases, there is something specific that tipped the scales in her favour: Her expression.<br />
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Yes, it's blase. Yes, it's underwhelming. But that's where the intrigue begins. Margit Suzuki is postured in a chair, very much exposed, with a borosilicate glass tube in close proximity to her female genital tract, yet her expression is very much unpronounced. What am I supposed to take away from it? Is she embarrassed? Uncomfortable? Aroused? <i>Ponderous</i>? And why can't I look away? It's not a standard eroge expression, and such ambivalence <i>mystifies me</i>. See, I have a thing for closure, for knowing, and for being confident in what I know, but Margit's expression baffles me. What am I suppose to take away from her nondescript expression? <i>I don't know</i>, and that's <i>awesome</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71QKY_URc3g/VOZZK-FWTBI/AAAAAAAANEQ/FiPI7DHEvJc/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71QKY_URc3g/VOZZK-FWTBI/AAAAAAAANEQ/FiPI7DHEvJc/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CdCLdW_b6HU/VOZZKhJsTII/AAAAAAAAND4/nT3nQAKODes/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CdCLdW_b6HU/VOZZKhJsTII/AAAAAAAAND4/nT3nQAKODes/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FaStP-CLmwI/VOZZLDfXDCI/AAAAAAAANEM/Zqfsa_h2Q-o/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FaStP-CLmwI/VOZZLDfXDCI/AAAAAAAANEM/Zqfsa_h2Q-o/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-face-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Ahem, moving on. Margit's hair, like the rest of her, is relatively simplistic. Her bangs are not overly detailed. Her twintails, even less so. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0qw5QM1PKI/VQshkNR-wpI/AAAAAAAANJc/ZID_fIUzEwY/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0qw5QM1PKI/VQshkNR-wpI/AAAAAAAANJc/ZID_fIUzEwY/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-front.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2yQ84rW03k-9ywJ3dwT2VHWu_qHtyZXwgCtynKwZB3DGhRXuy3H3zVQi0k7qjpDJV_t976Kk0dQ8iusQklJntXM0gmSw_IRJep2u37Rxl-yJvVI7X2CxiThmiJauDeD39i5DkauIq3c/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2yQ84rW03k-9ywJ3dwT2VHWu_qHtyZXwgCtynKwZB3DGhRXuy3H3zVQi0k7qjpDJV_t976Kk0dQ8iusQklJntXM0gmSw_IRJep2u37Rxl-yJvVI7X2CxiThmiJauDeD39i5DkauIq3c/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-back.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4aM8c4dFDso/VQsiKo76NPI/AAAAAAAANJ8/h-93fqoRsr4/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4aM8c4dFDso/VQsiKo76NPI/AAAAAAAANJ8/h-93fqoRsr4/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair.png" height="387" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It's rare these days to see such simple hair, but I appreciate how clean and sharp it looks. The thickness of her bangs also adds a nice illusion of volume, and while I'm not sure what has her twintails fluttering about when Margit herself is in a static pose, I appreciate the added excitement.<br />
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Margit's hair is a delightful blend of icterine and orchid, which is really a fancy way of saying she's a nice blonde. I rave a lot on sculpt and pose, but in all actuality, it's the paint job that really completes a figure. A good finish adds wonders. No one really buys a figure before seeing the paint job. Margit's hair is beautifully shaded, giving it even more dimension than her sculpt already allows.<br />
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On the subject of dimension, take a gander at Margit's head from a sideview. Does it seem a little squished? Although I recognize her proper anatomy, in terms of skull shape, I'm a little disappointed that they didn't make her hair puffier closer to the bottom. It's a preference thing, really. There is nothing wrong with it, but I still wish it were more copious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rF6oEbqTEBQ/VOZZJDsB5tI/AAAAAAAANDk/xyBhqrDFbDk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-side-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rF6oEbqTEBQ/VOZZJDsB5tI/AAAAAAAANDk/xyBhqrDFbDk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-side-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukiJGwegYnI/VOZZJEccjwI/AAAAAAAANDM/5Bg-RMYB94I/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-side.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukiJGwegYnI/VOZZJEccjwI/AAAAAAAANDM/5Bg-RMYB94I/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-hair-side.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Despite her lack of distinction from the typical schoolgirl, Native does put a decent amount of work into her costume. As a result, Margit has some nice, luscious folds, and good clean lines. Look at those sleeve folds. Those are some sweet sleeve folds.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Cg5n8RSbECKSr_pu0zdBWDUrNpttDDtTwYnnjSe8pJa932JG_DbetN0m3gPPXzG9ZVHHEDg9mRA3lIWSCpWwG8cIQxsiF52FbB8qKhT0A6icu0K-EmdBkl9UbVw-1c95fCNjOIF-RJg/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-outfit-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Cg5n8RSbECKSr_pu0zdBWDUrNpttDDtTwYnnjSe8pJa932JG_DbetN0m3gPPXzG9ZVHHEDg9mRA3lIWSCpWwG8cIQxsiF52FbB8qKhT0A6icu0K-EmdBkl9UbVw-1c95fCNjOIF-RJg/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-outfit-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3uI8bsvW9Zw/VOZZM97XK7I/AAAAAAAANFA/twrQKfBRXUw/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-outfit-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3uI8bsvW9Zw/VOZZM97XK7I/AAAAAAAANFA/twrQKfBRXUw/s1600/Marjit-Suzuki-outfit-1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Moving onto more, <i>ahem</i>, important areas of an eroge figure.<br />
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Like previously mentioned, Margit is not the most detailed figure. Her modest breasts are modestly painted, without much distinction or shading. They're small, unobtrusive, and relatively well hidden by her legs and outfit. I suppose the creators wanted audiences to focus on her amply proffered backside, but it would have been nice to see some distinct areolae.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4q_SoHuSGwc/VQshjOvLiFI/AAAAAAAANIE/x2224S8zoMg/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-frontal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4q_SoHuSGwc/VQshjOvLiFI/AAAAAAAANIE/x2224S8zoMg/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-frontal.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now, to the real star of the show: Margit Suzuki's butt. As a Native figure, Margit certainly doesn't suffer from Barbie syndrome. She has a fully crafted vulva, carefully drizzled with gloss to ensure a, er, <i>moist</i>, appearance. Sure, it's not the most detailed vagina I've ever seen, nor that Native has ever sculpted, but it's adequate (and rather cute, if I do say so myself).<br />
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Here's the thing though. Margit is her strangely placed anal sphincter. It's positioned too high up. Since the prototype pictures were released, I had hoped Native would rectify this by shunting her sphincter down a millimeter. They didn't. Thus Margit's desolate butthole remains woefully out of place. Is it a small point of contention? Perhaps, but as an eroge company, I expected slightly better anatomy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HScL1aFBH1s/VQshh3-5SKI/AAAAAAAANKI/VvsaOwoezOE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-bottomal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HScL1aFBH1s/VQshh3-5SKI/AAAAAAAANKI/VvsaOwoezOE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-bottomal.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Turn Margit upside-down and you'll see how she stays on her chair. Margit depends on a hunk of PVC fabric to keep her upright, which is perhaps not the most prudent way of keeping a figure set on its throne. A good magnet up the butt, however, would have done wonders. Alas, there's little to be done at this stage. Margit can be a bit wobbly, so be careful when moving her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7osZl5f6VI/VQshhnAxCkI/AAAAAAAANKI/vavoP_rEHcs/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-botto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7osZl5f6VI/VQshhnAxCkI/AAAAAAAANKI/vavoP_rEHcs/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-botto.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Moving "lower", Native has given Margit's panties a semi-translucent panties. Really, they're less panties than a sheet of cloth with two holes cut into it. Not that panties are a bit feature in this case, but still. With all the focus they put into her wonderful folds, could they not give Margit's poor panties some volume? Or opacity?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHNf_i-wOaQ/VQshkeQRtvI/AAAAAAAANIY/WeG_eVA8cPM/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-panties.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dHNf_i-wOaQ/VQshkeQRtvI/AAAAAAAANIY/WeG_eVA8cPM/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-panties.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Here are some shots for the foot-fetishists out there.<br />
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I am impressed by Margit's feet. I've said this before, but I'll say it again, many figure companies skimp out on the sculpt of feet. Besides Alter's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/11/18-honma-menma-meiko-alter.html">Menma</a>, I have not seen much attention go into any of the figures I have purchased. Margit's feet, on the other hand, are well-formed, detailed, and pleasing overall. Hip hip to feet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mt-QlWlPkrg/VQshikjs7SI/AAAAAAAANJs/EfEYLJEgViE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-feet.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mt-QlWlPkrg/VQshikjs7SI/AAAAAAAANJs/EfEYLJEgViE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-feet.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K867RZ94eNA/VQshiiKZDtI/AAAAAAAANH0/m72ZOBlD2hI/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-fet-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K867RZ94eNA/VQshiiKZDtI/AAAAAAAANH0/m72ZOBlD2hI/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-fet-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've harped a lot on Margit's lack of detail, but Native does come through in some areas, namely, the lovely face print on her tie. Her red glasses (which are not removeable, to my frustration), are well shaped, with lovely, transparent lens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuW7m1gE7zA/VQshiWPdsBI/AAAAAAAANKI/xmDH0OQFEWA/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuW7m1gE7zA/VQshiWPdsBI/AAAAAAAANKI/xmDH0OQFEWA/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-detail.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F5_iN_UMbZw/VQshjgeloYI/AAAAAAAANJk/BIqbu6l7tOs/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F5_iN_UMbZw/VQshjgeloYI/AAAAAAAANJk/BIqbu6l7tOs/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now, for the unhappy part: Flaws.<br />
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Perhaps I've been hard on Margit so far, but I have high expectations for Native. Having impressed in the past, and producing <i>only</i> exclusive, limited figures, I know first-hand the type of quality they can pump out. Unfortunately, it seems Margit got the short end of the stick in many aspects.<br />
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First, seams. She's covered with seams, the most blatant of which is in the back of her head. There is no real reason to not smooth down the seams for her hair. It's not like her hair is a monstrosity of individual locks. It's a chunk with some minor grooves, which, if anything, makes the seam more obvious. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbLUwm-44TA/VQshk4RWx1I/AAAAAAAANJM/7UlE9yxaDa8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbLUwm-44TA/VQshk4RWx1I/AAAAAAAANJM/7UlE9yxaDa8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Going downwards, you can see seams in both her sleeves and even her legs. Yikes, Native. What happened?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wdFTtNS6BzI/VQshlENJGGI/AAAAAAAANI0/Agu6kQMBSn0/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wdFTtNS6BzI/VQshlENJGGI/AAAAAAAANI0/Agu6kQMBSn0/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DM90I8x5iYI/VQshlOo59QI/AAAAAAAANIw/-2HcpxvIwiE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DM90I8x5iYI/VQshlOo59QI/AAAAAAAANIw/-2HcpxvIwiE/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ozkrKPGI-o8/VQshmLzCnnI/AAAAAAAANJg/gG7WDo65pYc/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ozkrKPGI-o8/VQshmLzCnnI/AAAAAAAANJg/gG7WDo65pYc/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Moreover, Margit has patches of roughness here and there that also detract from her overall quality. At 10k, Margit is not inexpensive, and being a Native product, I expected better. Native in the past has not disappointed me with their figures, so let's hope this is a mild blip on their record and not a new norm, hmm?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3fNqZS8BCk/VQshl6SJTpI/AAAAAAAANI8/Qr9XSREXVQw/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3fNqZS8BCk/VQshl6SJTpI/AAAAAAAANI8/Qr9XSREXVQw/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8nWisAVohIk/VRtdT9oV0PI/AAAAAAAANKg/5ruyS2Q7Fg8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8nWisAVohIk/VRtdT9oV0PI/AAAAAAAANKg/5ruyS2Q7Fg8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-seam-6.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
At last year's Anime North, I had a brief conversation with a figure vendor about figures, where she referred to Margit as the "froggie slippers girl", a term that is both accurate and endearing. Funny how a small accessory can take all the glory. <br />
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Margit's froggie slippers are undeniably adorable. Look at those derp faces. They can hang off her feet, but they aren't very steady. Any small jostle will knock them back down, so I prefer to leave them hanging around her chair like adorable sentinels. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWqRvP5pFU4/VQshmWhlp8I/AAAAAAAANJI/duieyoi4G0k/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWqRvP5pFU4/VQshmWhlp8I/AAAAAAAANJI/duieyoi4G0k/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_EQAsJelEsA/VQshmwacJaI/AAAAAAAANJU/MMv19xEjxc8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_EQAsJelEsA/VQshmwacJaI/AAAAAAAANJU/MMv19xEjxc8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqO-1Yrcu0g/VQshmT6j2VI/AAAAAAAANJY/tu83zzt3w3Q/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqO-1Yrcu0g/VQshmT6j2VI/AAAAAAAANJY/tu83zzt3w3Q/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-slippers-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
One might think I'm disappointed with this figure, given my many negative observations thus far, but let me assure you, I am harsh because I am fond. My high expectations of Native are reflective of their consistently superb output and my disappointment with them does not reflect disappointment in the figure itself. To make it short, they've spoiled me. A subpar Native figure is like a subpar Alter figure: Still incredibly worthy. Margit Suzuki might not be the best figure I've received from Native, but she's certainly not a bad one by any means. She's cute, she's partially naked, and she doesn't appear fazed by any of it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3TFr28WJMJM/VOZZJ8UA6bI/AAAAAAAANEE/zW88bjXAjX8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-stare.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3TFr28WJMJM/VOZZJ8UA6bI/AAAAAAAANEE/zW88bjXAjX8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-stare.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCvq52fQPY8/VKYophY2PZI/AAAAAAAAM-k/8v7sg9qPN1I/s1600/Suzuki-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCvq52fQPY8/VKYophY2PZI/AAAAAAAAM-k/8v7sg9qPN1I/s1600/Suzuki-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSXW3aVWRd4/VKYoqP7b73I/AAAAAAAAM-0/qh9hpKe7gHg/s1600/Suzuki-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSXW3aVWRd4/VKYoqP7b73I/AAAAAAAAM-0/qh9hpKe7gHg/s1600/Suzuki-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3mOz3FCYjuc/VKYoqb8S9lI/AAAAAAAAM-4/SLIhr-jQYag/s1600/Suzuki-chalkboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3mOz3FCYjuc/VKYoqb8S9lI/AAAAAAAAM-4/SLIhr-jQYag/s1600/Suzuki-chalkboard.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-yHVnkc57U/VSxokfPYA-I/AAAAAAAANP8/PGJhtqCfjbo/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-peek-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-yHVnkc57U/VSxokfPYA-I/AAAAAAAANP8/PGJhtqCfjbo/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-peek-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vXJL7yliOZs/VSxolFsy5BI/AAAAAAAANQE/VfcagcabJVI/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-peek.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vXJL7yliOZs/VSxolFsy5BI/AAAAAAAANQE/VfcagcabJVI/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-peek.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Followers of this blog will know that Margit made it into my "<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/01/2014-year-in-review-nsfw.html">top 3</a>" figures of the year, a placing that still baffles me. I am generally a huge fan of technical accomplishment, and many of my favourites coincide with higher quality, so the fact Margit stands out in my mind frustrates me to some extent. I am often quick to denounce low standards, and happy to write "blam" reviews, so why do I hesitate to treat Margit with the same harshness that I would endow other figures of subpar quality? Is it her cuteness? Is it because she's Native? Or do I just feel bad yelling at half-naked girls?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--V7HcpPLi0I/VObOVmaNhpI/AAAAAAAANF8/wBcjPZhWDdY/s1600/Margit-sunshine-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--V7HcpPLi0I/VObOVmaNhpI/AAAAAAAANF8/wBcjPZhWDdY/s1600/Margit-sunshine-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fty9ILmcSoI/VObOV3pyPmI/AAAAAAAANGE/UgIaleYd5vs/s1600/Margit-sunshine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fty9ILmcSoI/VObOV3pyPmI/AAAAAAAANGE/UgIaleYd5vs/s1600/Margit-sunshine.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1BICCd0p8k/VObOVmOoaWI/AAAAAAAANGA/21ZiwQ-klk0/s1600/Margit-sunshine-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1BICCd0p8k/VObOVmOoaWI/AAAAAAAANGA/21ZiwQ-klk0/s1600/Margit-sunshine-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Perhaps the source of my fondness will always be a mystery. But for the moment, let us attribute her attractiveness to her many, many moe points. Red glasses. Red eyes. Lab coat. Oh, and the slippers help.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5J0f__m-3ZDP53fEbTWldg2AMkvqvVlrD55Pruw-XIB6zAu6VNOhmntQVPnkHB4iDIg3cJRAZDUtKIlC-Eo56015qGuPWPuQkZA6GH5PXZv09mQy7BTolud1NbIvFjtmFfnU4i4_CHk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5J0f__m-3ZDP53fEbTWldg2AMkvqvVlrD55Pruw-XIB6zAu6VNOhmntQVPnkHB4iDIg3cJRAZDUtKIlC-Eo56015qGuPWPuQkZA6GH5PXZv09mQy7BTolud1NbIvFjtmFfnU4i4_CHk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk.png" height="773" width="640" /></a></div><br />
As a 1/7 figure, Margit makes great collaborations with <strike>Cat Lap Milk</strike> other 1/7 figures.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5AdvE-YjJW8/VS_jp5o4DKI/AAAAAAAANQg/i3C2cSMV2Uk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5AdvE-YjJW8/VS_jp5o4DKI/AAAAAAAANQg/i3C2cSMV2Uk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zBNxsZClOo1mlbnj4ep-mytCM40salcC4CMxqELyEOCmHi9fvBVTd_I718c5mxzz6afYd9X1YxcHbOtF_Nui2hmfnE9oKFm8kmH8xs-EpLF-JYtr6HL0rCG8XCpQ_BSQE8oVM3jPg4s/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zBNxsZClOo1mlbnj4ep-mytCM40salcC4CMxqELyEOCmHi9fvBVTd_I718c5mxzz6afYd9X1YxcHbOtF_Nui2hmfnE9oKFm8kmH8xs-EpLF-JYtr6HL0rCG8XCpQ_BSQE8oVM3jPg4s/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCpDI2V_zag/VS_oTCljdcI/AAAAAAAANRU/w6cg1Juvp5U/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCpDI2V_zag/VS_oTCljdcI/AAAAAAAANRU/w6cg1Juvp5U/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZGXxmYQp5s/VSxokRcJiOI/AAAAAAAANQA/4jNJtlr0T24/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZGXxmYQp5s/VSxokRcJiOI/AAAAAAAANQA/4jNJtlr0T24/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmiNMvy3AWQ/VS_micn16YI/AAAAAAAANQw/N-sb9u-d9Lk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmiNMvy3AWQ/VS_micn16YI/AAAAAAAANQw/N-sb9u-d9Lk/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-Cat-Lap-Milk-6.png" height="502" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hear this new teacher has an "interesting" way of punishing tardy students.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's my photographer's dilemma. The more I take photos of one particular subject, the less interesting they seem to become. Questions of repetition and monotony come to mind. After all, once I've exhausted all angles, where do I go? There are only so many props and backgrounds I can get my hands on without expending too much energy (and money), so what can I do to spice things up?<br />
<br />
As someone that gets bored relatively easily, I try to make every photoshoot somewhat different from the last. It's a task that becomes harder the more reviews I write. Reviews are by nature, a technical endeavor. There is a pattern to be followed. A standard to keep. Certain details that need to be covered. And there is always the risk of the post becoming stale. The technical shots are the easy part. Point, shoot, clean, resize, and post. It's the half dozen photos near the end of the review that take up the majority of my time.<br />
<br />
With silhouette shots, LCD screen backgrounds, photoshop effects, and dioramas covered in my last few posts, this time, I decided to revisit an old favourite of mine: Dramatic angles. I admit, the results are "interesting". Not good. Just interesting. Marigt is not a figure that lends well to many angles, given her scrunched up pose and, er, photobombing legs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YdSJ1AQz91I/VObOUuo2CHI/AAAAAAAANFk/NFmUuI2YmKg/s1600/Margit-above.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YdSJ1AQz91I/VObOUuo2CHI/AAAAAAAANFk/NFmUuI2YmKg/s1600/Margit-above.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5CkmMtCzlMc/VQshkX9XKFI/AAAAAAAANIg/CxzL3Iq_PN8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-paper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5CkmMtCzlMc/VQshkX9XKFI/AAAAAAAANIg/CxzL3Iq_PN8/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-paper.png" height="320" width="213" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW7tGCWLfUg/VQshhuzY_-I/AAAAAAAANHg/NLsT1wpQN28/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-above-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW7tGCWLfUg/VQshhuzY_-I/AAAAAAAANHg/NLsT1wpQN28/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-above-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
How, in the end, shall I grade Margit Suzuki? She are not my shining star, yet I am undoubtedly entranced by her spells. Proof that being cute goes a long way? Perhaps. Either that, or I'm struck by her "exclusive + limited" status. Rarity breeds fondness, indeed.<br />
<br />
Or maybe it's because she's so darn cute. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OY7kfnsl03k/VQshjbVorEI/AAAAAAAANJo/lyZ0tB_Cs30/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OY7kfnsl03k/VQshjbVorEI/AAAAAAAANJo/lyZ0tB_Cs30/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMpe6aey0C0/VSxokRIz0QI/AAAAAAAANP4/SDuxwzHOfqo/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMpe6aey0C0/VSxokRIz0QI/AAAAAAAANP4/SDuxwzHOfqo/s1600/Margit-Suzuki-glasses-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
That being said, Margit is definitely not a figure for everyone. Her backside is very much on display, and she's, er, has a very <i>youthful</i> presentation. She's also not the most technically accomplished Native figure out there. On the bright side, she does have quite a few positives going for her, including her enigmatic expression, her sheer adorableness, and a great number of moe points. Also, she's a Native figure, which means her resale value will probably skyrocket as time goes on.<br />
<br />
So, without further ado: <br />
<br />
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>Like all Native boxes, it's classy and enjoyable.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>6/10</td> <td>The chair is an acceptable base on its own, but I'm not fond of the green circle. She's also just a bit wobbly.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>7.5/10</td> <td>It is what it is. It shows off what it will. </td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Seams here and there. Some roughness. BUT, very nice folds.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>9/10</td> <td><br />
Good shading. No real complaints. A wee bit of blemish here and there.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>7.5/10</td> <td>I like her, so I'm perhaps more biased than usual, but she's still far from perfect.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Native <br />
<b>Price</b>: 9259 yen<br />
<b>Purchased</b> <b>at</b>: <a href="https://www.nippon-yasan.com/">Nippon-Yasan</a><br />
<br />
<b>Box Dimension</b>s: 22 x 17 x 20 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: Approx 600g<br />
<b>Shipping method</b>: Small Packet SAL (or fancier)<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>AWAY,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></font>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-88045352840450866252015-01-15T00:00:00.000-05:002015-01-15T00:01:02.872-05:002014: Year in Review (NSFW)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2015/01/2014-year-in-review-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r94c1WwBZBo/VKYopYjL6bI/AAAAAAAAM-U/yclb3Lkuo14/s1600/Review-icon.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">As the year draws to a close and a new one commences, I am forced once again to confront the financial and emotional budget of my wonderful hobby life. With 2015 sweeping away the woes of 2014, how, might we say, did my collecting journey evolve? The new year is a time for reflection, resolutions, and a brand new outlook on life. Learning experiences are abound, realizations are to be made, and statistics are to be analyzed. So, without further ado, I present to you a summary of my plastic conquests.<br />
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"></span> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Rules</b></span></span></div></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
As you remember, I followed a set of rules <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/01/2013-year-in-review.html">last year</a> which helped me stay within a self-imposed budget. Although I have become slightly more lenient in how I spent (thanks to acquiring some extra spending money), not much has changed this year. The rules are as follows:</span><br />
<ol><li><span style="color: #a30000;">Order only scaled figures. No nendoroids, paper merchandise, keychains, or other tchotchke.</span></li>
<span style="color: #a30000;">
<li>Do not have more than one new order per month, or, pending delays, more than 12 new orders for the year.</li>
<li>No more than one used figure per month.</li>
<li>No auctions. </li>
</span></ol><span style="color: #a30000;">You'll notice I got rid of the spending limit on used figures, which made me nervous at first, but didn't end up being a problem in the end. Perhaps I'm getting more disciplined, or perhaps I look at my saturated shelves and think, <i>no more</i>, but I had almost no inclination to impulse buy or defy my own restrictions last year. Sometimes, I look back and reminisce upon a time when I was young, willful, and daring, but then I remember the days I spend mourning my battered wallet and breath a sigh of relief. Thank goodness those days are over.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Statistics</b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urFVG_GArWw/VKoB29EgnMI/AAAAAAAANAs/hUEtBHwfoDY/s1600/Graph-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urFVG_GArWw/VKoB29EgnMI/AAAAAAAANAs/hUEtBHwfoDY/s1600/Graph-1.png" /></a></div><br />
Although I've loosened my rules, my figure intake in 2014 was the lowest of all years. Only 15. That's right. One. Five. I imagine my rapidly diminishing shelf space is to blame. No space, no figures. It's as simple as that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1S9F6XVDYs/VKXNY0iyOPI/AAAAAAAAM8w/WPC1rS_WLxs/s1600/Graph-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1S9F6XVDYs/VKXNY0iyOPI/AAAAAAAAM8w/WPC1rS_WLxs/s1600/Graph-2.png" /></a></div><br />
Surprisingly, Nippon-Yasan wins out this year despite their iffy customer service. Their willingness to carry exclusives at decent prices is what pushes them to the front of the pack. Being only able to order one figure a month puts a lot of pressure on the choices I make, and given the chance, why <i>wouldn't</i> I order an exclusive? AmiAmi falls to a distant second, monopolizing only 22% of my figure pre-orders this year. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU4OWDl_LXY/VKXNZAR23MI/AAAAAAAAM9A/KloDjqAc-CY/s1600/Graph-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU4OWDl_LXY/VKXNZAR23MI/AAAAAAAAM9A/KloDjqAc-CY/s1600/Graph-3.png" /></a></div><br />
On the other hand, AmiAmi still does well when it comes to the used figure category, occupying a full 50% of my purchases. Although Mandarake has been my go-to site for used figures, I feel like I avoided them in 2014 to stop myself from impulse buying, and the decision has largely played in my favour. Out of sight, out of mind, see?<br />
<br />
I also ended up ordering one figure from a fellow figure collector this year, a transaction that went both quickly and smoothly. Thanks, fellow figure collector.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQsQl1m2MIs/VLcsOqX8CLI/AAAAAAAANBw/ovuZgT2rDgs/s1600/Graph-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQsQl1m2MIs/VLcsOqX8CLI/AAAAAAAANBw/ovuZgT2rDgs/s1600/Graph-4.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Last year, I ordered from a large variety of companies. This year, I've defaulted to my tried and true figure companies. When you have a limit per month, a certain sort of apprehension haunts your decisions. You want to play it safe. Or, at least I do. I can't afford to risk spending my one choice on something sub-par. I know Alter and Max Factory do good work, so I felt relatively confident buying their products. <br />
<br />
Amakuni, Stronger, and Native also snuck in there with one play each. As previously mentioned, with a limit per month, I tend to stray more towards safety, quality, and, to a certain extent, rarity.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b>Best of 2014</b></span> </div></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favourite Releases of 2014 </b></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
<b>Stronger's Homura Haregi ver.</b><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5V6EZga8JZE/VKYooc_hyOI/AAAAAAAAM98/LGplg4JUHUI/s1600/Homura-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5V6EZga8JZE/VKYooc_hyOI/AAAAAAAAM98/LGplg4JUHUI/s1600/Homura-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NIwaq-uW4k/VKYonl-eBZI/AAAAAAAAM9s/bhfFW0qtTVI/s1600/HOmura-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NIwaq-uW4k/VKYonl-eBZI/AAAAAAAAM9s/bhfFW0qtTVI/s1600/HOmura-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bSW9wJh9mAM/VKYonsDesgI/AAAAAAAAM9w/Y9u1dffJ8xU/s1600/Homura-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bSW9wJh9mAM/VKYonsDesgI/AAAAAAAAM9w/Y9u1dffJ8xU/s1600/Homura-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
This is a no-brainer. I knew I would buy this incarnation of Homura as soon as she was announced. This is what happens when your favourite character from a good series gets dolled up in a beautiful, flowing, traditional attire that emulate the rays of a dying autumn evening. She radiates elegance, quiet, and mystery. Stronger is a new company, but boy did they make a good first impression. There's not much more to say about this Homura other than she's worth every penny I wrestled from my teary, despairing savings account.<br />
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<b>Native's Suzuki Margit </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mOz3FCYjuc/VKYoqb8S9lI/AAAAAAAAM-4/SLIhr-jQYag/s1600/Suzuki-chalkboard.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mOz3FCYjuc/VKYoqb8S9lI/AAAAAAAAM-4/SLIhr-jQYag/s1600/Suzuki-chalkboard.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCvq52fQPY8/VKYophY2PZI/AAAAAAAAM-k/8v7sg9qPN1I/s1600/Suzuki-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCvq52fQPY8/VKYophY2PZI/AAAAAAAAM-k/8v7sg9qPN1I/s1600/Suzuki-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eSXW3aVWRd4/VKYoqP7b73I/AAAAAAAAM-0/qh9hpKe7gHg/s1600/Suzuki-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eSXW3aVWRd4/VKYoqP7b73I/AAAAAAAAM-0/qh9hpKe7gHg/s1600/Suzuki-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Native figures always seem to inexplicably show up in my end of the year reviews, and I can't really figure out why. I suspect it has something to do with their exclusive status and NSFW nature (therein on referred to as the <i>Forbidden Fruit Factor</i>) that keeps them at the top of my mind. Suzuki Margit is not the most technically accomplished Native figure. She's certainly not as detailed as many Native girls, and her colouring is average at best. She isn't as impressive on the shelf, nor does she have the flawless presentation of many other Native figures.<br />
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Even so, she ends up on my top three list simply because I have trouble forgetting her. There's a reason this is a "favourites" list rather than a "quality" list. She hits a lot of my moe-points. Red glasses. Red eyes. Lab coat. Association with science. Cute froggie slippers. It's all about the froggie slippers. Moe-moe through the roof, y'all. <br />
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<b>Alter's Santa <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/17-sonico-santa-swimsuit-ver-alter.html">Sonico</a></b>:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPJepATWGK4/VJyk5vLvY9I/AAAAAAAAM7A/UxxyeXXlqSY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPJepATWGK4/VJyk5vLvY9I/AAAAAAAAM7A/UxxyeXXlqSY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-6.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j06iIXBxlO4/VJKHvfUGyuI/AAAAAAAAMz0/CBa8Cfjo0jE/s1600/Sonico-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j06iIXBxlO4/VJKHvfUGyuI/AAAAAAAAMz0/CBa8Cfjo0jE/s1600/Sonico-face-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cyN0PlduNrc/VJUDntsDhGI/AAAAAAAAM3o/VNGL26M0Dt8/s1600/Sonico-dreamy-2.png"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cyN0PlduNrc/VJUDntsDhGI/AAAAAAAAM3o/VNGL26M0Dt8/s1600/Sonico-dreamy-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Ugh, you collectively sigh, don't we have enough of Sonico?<br />
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No, I ejaculate brightly, one can never have enough of Sonico, especially when she's as well-made as this. There aren't many figures out there that look better than their promotional pictures, but Alter has a special way of giving their figures a little extra pizzazz in life. Not only does this Sonico have one of the most adorable faces out there, she also has a very <i>fair</i> body sculpt. She's one of the only Sonicos to look busty without having awkward proportions. Her breasts are just right. Not grossly inflated. Her waist-to-hip ratio is large, but not overly so. Her pose is suggestive and flirty without being discomfiting. And she's <i>cute</i>. Being cute will get you a long way, folks. A long way indeed.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favourite Hunts of 2014</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>Alter's Kos-Mos Ver.4</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgpitKUGvaQ/VKYoouA_ZQI/AAAAAAAAM-E/xvmZ0DBUi_4/s1600/Kosmos-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgpitKUGvaQ/VKYoouA_ZQI/AAAAAAAAM-E/xvmZ0DBUi_4/s1600/Kosmos-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9YOfelsulGE/VKYoq0cBDqI/AAAAAAAAM_E/kyqxLbGGfj0/s1600/kosmos-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9YOfelsulGE/VKYoq0cBDqI/AAAAAAAAM_E/kyqxLbGGfj0/s1600/kosmos-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQaxz_tBa60/VKYoraUbdmI/AAAAAAAAM_I/A2MrKG2zERM/s1600/kosmos-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQaxz_tBa60/VKYoraUbdmI/AAAAAAAAM_I/A2MrKG2zERM/s1600/kosmos-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Some figures you watch for years. Some figures you pine for in the dark recesses of night. Some figures haunt your very existence, and Kos-mos is one of them. Take one popular character, a good design, one kickass sculptor (Yagyuu Toshiyuki), and the result is a beastly output of aesthetic pleasure. I hunted her for a long time, but I always managed to hit a snag. Either she was too expensive, <i>too</i> used, or I was too late. Finally, sometime during the snug summer months of our balmy city, she showed up on AmiAmi for a reasonable price, and I pounced on her like a starved mountain cat. <i>Victory</i>, I ululated, and ate a raw horse heart in celebration.<br />
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And yes, she's worth every penny. Looking at Kos-mos, you'd never guess she was released over half a decade ago. That's right, <i>over half a decade ago. </i>Compare her to a figure released just a month ago, and their qualities are comparable.<br />
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<b>Max Factory's swimsuit <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/17-menma-swimsuit-ver-max-factory.html">Menma</a></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEpmaltEEcs/UzXoX83-65I/AAAAAAAAK0M/pkjxK0AC1Lo/s1600/Menma-steam-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEpmaltEEcs/UzXoX83-65I/AAAAAAAAK0M/pkjxK0AC1Lo/s1600/Menma-steam-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM-fYV0m_Y8/UzXlhRrG6wI/AAAAAAAAKzY/Q2XgdyrO8Is/s1600/Menma-curtains-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM-fYV0m_Y8/UzXlhRrG6wI/AAAAAAAAKzY/Q2XgdyrO8Is/s1600/Menma-curtains-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrN32B8dAnY/UzXlerYwksI/AAAAAAAAKzE/kkpWPEYwfvg/s1600/Menma-beach-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrN32B8dAnY/UzXlerYwksI/AAAAAAAAKzE/kkpWPEYwfvg/s1600/Menma-beach-6.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Sometimes, simplicity is best. See, I don't find bikini girls very appealing, but there is something about this Menma that captured my heart. She's calm, clear, clean, and sets herself apart from other bikini girls. Most, I find, try too hard to be sexy, but Menma presents a naturalness that I find refreshing. Floating ring tucked under arm, hibiscus in hair, and popsicle at her lips, she's ready for an afternoon of languid repose. It's like I came upon her while walking down a boardwalk. And if anything, I love figures that come with their own <i>atmosphere</i>.<br />
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Also, she photographs beautifully.<br />
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<b>Max Factory's Cerberus</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8loQa7b9RI/VKYono0F_HI/AAAAAAAAM-I/jYtujBbU_Rw/s1600/Cerberus-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8loQa7b9RI/VKYono0F_HI/AAAAAAAAM-I/jYtujBbU_Rw/s1600/Cerberus-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMxaP6rKWynaKKkHsfXaoatOI2YzLP9RV-0LLoUJe7ZfqwCtBJBGC5fM8IXTC-_ZnbytXaJD6nULa8z7CXPet6Qu5EjJIpKlZ8mY_TsoyMB3yYOS8NDa48hrUIxliRIOBzTiiMpNT57I/s1600/Cerberus-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMxaP6rKWynaKKkHsfXaoatOI2YzLP9RV-0LLoUJe7ZfqwCtBJBGC5fM8IXTC-_ZnbytXaJD6nULa8z7CXPet6Qu5EjJIpKlZ8mY_TsoyMB3yYOS8NDa48hrUIxliRIOBzTiiMpNT57I/s1600/Cerberus-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPerKd1CgCo/VKYomsRBsBI/AAAAAAAAM9U/z9gYccV5Ozg/s1600/Cerberus-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPerKd1CgCo/VKYomsRBsBI/AAAAAAAAM9U/z9gYccV5Ozg/s1600/Cerberus-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
My last choice was a toss up between Cerberus and Maiko Madoka, with Cerberus inching out Madoka by a mere millimeter. Why? Because of her incredible quality.When Cerberus was first announced, I was impressed, but not too interested. Did I really want to spend my one pre-order on a character I knew nothing about? Not really. But as time went on an her price began to drop, my interest piqued once more. I began surfing the aftermarket for an acceptable version. She's incredibly <i>shiny</i>. And so detailed. And very sexy. Plus she has puppy hands. Adorable puppy hands. Now that I have her, I'm surprisingly attached.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Almost but Not Quite of 2014</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lisl6nAu_UI/VKYoqqP7KmI/AAAAAAAAM_A/5smCfMDETEk/s1600/Tharja.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lisl6nAu_UI/VKYoqqP7KmI/AAAAAAAAM_A/5smCfMDETEk/s1600/Tharja.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0wV6_mlGEQ/VKYoovZXPoI/AAAAAAAAM-Y/TrJKUUr9XhE/s1600/Madoka.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0wV6_mlGEQ/VKYoovZXPoI/AAAAAAAAM-Y/TrJKUUr9XhE/s1600/Madoka.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CWBIA2IiFwg/VKYopX_P-fI/AAAAAAAAM-g/-jQcpuXLaXM/s1600/Miku.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CWBIA2IiFwg/VKYopX_P-fI/AAAAAAAAM-g/-jQcpuXLaXM/s1600/Miku.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b> <b>Max Factory's Tharja:</b> I love Tharja. She was one of my favourite Fire Emblem units. She literally carried my team till the second generation came in and swept everything, so when Max Factory announced a Tharja figure, I pirouetted. Everything about this Tharja is amazing. Great body sculpt. Beautiful face. Sexy stack of tomes. Awesome, flowing costume. So what stops her from being in my top 3? Her back-breaking pose. No spine is meant to bend that way. It makes me cringe. <br />
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<b>GSC's Madoka Maiko ver.:</b> This Madoka is a good figure. Her traditional garb is beautiful, her quality is high, and she has tons of cute and wonderful details. She came very close to making my top three, but fell just short. Firstly, take a gander at her yandere eyes. It's amusing, but perhaps not the best reflection of her character. It's also an example of how one small slip up can add an entirely different tone to a figure. Secondly, I got Madoka as an accompaniment to Homura, not as an independent entity. That alone is enough justification in my mind to bump her from my top 3 list. When she was first released I had very little interest. As time ticked on, I continued to feel ambivalent about her. But when Maiko Homura was announced, I stood and declared, <i>they must be together</i>. The collector's mentality is a strange beast, to say the least. <br />
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<b>Max Factory's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/17-miku-hatsune-ver-type-2020-max.html">Miku:</a></b> This Miku almost made my top three. <i>Almost</i>. She's a brilliant figure. Good folds. High quality. Impressive presentation. Details galore. Her quality is apex, and she's beautiful on the shelf. The one thing that stops her from making top scores is her pallid skin tone, and the fact that I have no real emotional connection to her. Perhaps if I played 7th Dragon 2020 (and I would dearly like to), she would be higher on my list, but seeing as I have not, she just skims the top 3 list.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Munnies and Otherwise</b></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wow, you saved a lot! So did you eat amazing foods with all that extra munnies?</b></span></div><br />
No. The answer is no. I suspect the answer will always be no, at least until I become famous and inherit my own luxury island somewhere in a semi-tropical climate. Here's how things went down in 2014.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kRu394rljA/VLb6rDqbnxI/AAAAAAAANBA/S32cVx3jF8s/s1600/Graph-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kRu394rljA/VLb6rDqbnxI/AAAAAAAANBA/S32cVx3jF8s/s1600/Graph-5.png" /></a></div><br />
My total expenditure adds up to approximately 161 900 yen, which equates to less than single term of a single Masters course. Good. Sort of. Putting things onto a chart also allows me to see just how meager shipping costs are in comparison to the actual figure. I'm glad to announce that I did not EMS <i>anything</i> in the last year, which remains consistent to previous years.<br />
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My expenditures have also stayed consistent from 2013 to 2014, which is a feat to be celebrated, given increasing figure costs and inflation. Though I only bagged 15 figures last year (versus 20 the year before), I found that I ordered many more limited and exclusive figures than before. New figures cost, on average, 11 832 yen a pop, and used figures, 9 235 yen a pop (shipping excluded). And to think, when I first began this hobby, new figures were showing up for 5000 yen.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Outlook for 2015</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Seeing as this "rules" thing has worked two years in a row, I don't expect to be giving them up any time soon, but with a new year comes a new outlook, and new possibilities. Will I finally land a high-paying job this year? Will I stumble upon some inheritance? Will I move into a bigger place with more detolfs to store my plastic goods? With 7 figures on pre-order until April (and Maiko Mami prepaid), I might be squeezing myself a little tight, but with other pressing financial obligations lifting in 2015, I expect to have a little more spending money anyhow. Here's what I have going on at the moment.<br />
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Thus completes my analysis of 2014. It was not the most bountiful year, but I didn't expect it to be<i>, </i>but it's been a <i>good</i> year. I am satisfied with almost every figure I received, and I did not go too far in terms of expenditure. With space issues looming, I look forward to selling some of my older figures and creating some room for the PVC beautifies that I expect in 2015.<br />
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So, folks, how was your year? Did you have a good one? What were your favourite purchases? Got any horror stories for us? Here's to another great, no, <i>transcendental</i> new year. To all the beautiful PVCs coming out in the future. To all you beautiful people reading our blog. And as always, to the merch. Always to the merch.<br />
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<b>Peace, birdies,</b><br />
<b>Jenn </b></div></div></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-5082060630192873582014-12-25T21:27:00.001-05:002015-01-14T16:23:03.509-05:001/7 Sonico Santa swimsuit ver. (Alter)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/17-sonico-santa-swimsuit-ver-alter.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6RmBeNZZQ6M/VJzFvN_Q_sI/AAAAAAAAM8E/S1oJ8zAZ3TA/s1600/Sonico-Icon.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;">Finally, it's appropriate to review Santa swimsuit Sonico (stranger sentences are possible, but rare). See, I've had this Sonico kicking around since Alter decided to release her in May, but never bothered to take pictures of her, because a Santa hood would look too darn silly against a lush, green lawn.<br />
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When Alter announced they were finally jumping on the Sonico bandwagon, I did an unsuccessful backflip. Sonico <i>and</i> Alter? Talk about blowing my mind.<br />
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Sonico is a good example of making something out of almost nothing. Following the Japanese tradition of turning mascots into full-blown cultural phenomena, Sonico began as nothing more than a cutsey, 2D representation for a Nitroplus-sponsored music festival. Since then, Sonico has made her way into the figure, music, manga, video game, and animation, proving once and for all that <strike>boobs go a long way in this world</strike> the world is a strange and unpredictable place. Here is a trailer of SoniAni: The Super Sonico Animation. Take a shot every time you see gratuitous fanservice. I dare you.<br />
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Here's my not-so-well-kept secret. Despite my uncharitable thoughts on moeblobs, fanservice, and the colour pink, I like Sonico. She's represented as smart, hard-working, kind, and optimistic. Not to mention, she's smoking hot. She also happens to be the target of a lot of undeserved hate. Here's my question to all those who look upon Sonico with disdain: In the world of art, is it the subject or gaze that bears the brunt of responsibility? Certainly, Sonico herself has not done any wrong. She isn't sentient and has no agency. If Sonico is overly-sexualized, and represented in an unsavoury manner, who are we to blame? Consumers for buying her merchanise and therefore encouraging the market to produce more, or creators for providing the product, and therefore enabling the masses? Or is it all a massive feedback circle?<br />
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Anyhow, it's Christmas and I've had a lot of wine, so excuse my ramblings. Of all the characters in the world, I have the most figures of Sonico. Santa swimsuit Sonico is the fifth Sonico incarnation I own. This Sonico comes in one a new-fangled, mostly plastic box that doesn't quite tickle my fancy. Figure collectors of old, do you remember a time when boxes were made with solid, corrugated cardboard, where opening it presented a real, and painful risk of extreme papercuts? Yes, those were the days.<br />
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Sonico's box is not unattractive. Rather, I like it's cutesy, pastel presentation. The snowflake decals are especially adorable. <i>BUT</i>, the box is flimsy. Just after a few uses, the top flap is warped, and its entirety is shaky at best. Sure, it allows a view of Sonico from all angles, but I don't have boxes so I can oogle figures (I'd take figures <i>out </i>for that. It's more personal.) Also, it doesn't come with a useable backdrop.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jtK07BomqZE/VJUDmAiIhOI/AAAAAAAAM24/1jw3Uic5z1s/s1600/Sonico-box-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jtK07BomqZE/VJUDmAiIhOI/AAAAAAAAM24/1jw3Uic5z1s/s1600/Sonico-box-1.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbtRjVA7oo0/VJUDmNQXWpI/AAAAAAAAM4k/iatdVzJv6Oc/s1600/Sonico-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbtRjVA7oo0/VJUDmNQXWpI/AAAAAAAAM4k/iatdVzJv6Oc/s1600/Sonico-box-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kneeling and sitting figures have the distinct advantage of not needing a base. Perhaps, taking this into consideration, I feel the same way about Sonico's base as I feel about her box. It's nice. It's innocuous. It's mostly transparent. And it could have been better. Imagine, Sonico perched on a pile of presents, or a snowdrift, or something else related to her festive attire. The snowflakes are nice but they're just that. <i>Nice</i>. Not spectacular. <i>Nice</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wrv2cTyjb0/VJUDlEP90OI/AAAAAAAAM2Y/X1nFZJyC9Tw/s1600/Sonico-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wrv2cTyjb0/VJUDlEP90OI/AAAAAAAAM2Y/X1nFZJyC9Tw/s1600/Sonico-base.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It does fit her form though. Has anyone else noticed how hearts kind of look like butt prints? <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9H18_8o81_Y/VJUDlVB-UKI/AAAAAAAAM2s/B1zseLEn-cI/s1600/Sonico-base-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9H18_8o81_Y/VJUDlVB-UKI/AAAAAAAAM2s/B1zseLEn-cI/s1600/Sonico-base-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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At first glance, Sonico has a strange fashion sense. A warm, fuzzy half-hoodie with a swimsuit? What endearing dichotomy! Then again, I suppose clothing sense isn't top of the list of the busty model/college student/part-time waitress's duties. After all, she has a life to attend. And a busy one at that.<br />
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Believe it or not, this is one of the less lewd Sonico figures out there. Hard to tell by her gratuitous presentation of skin, huh? Posed with a charming, almost shy smile, she's immediately likeable, and so incredibly <i>cute</i>. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU4tWSmOx90/VJKHwGM2z1I/AAAAAAAAM0I/-C8HWMW5XI8/s1600/Sonico-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU4tWSmOx90/VJKHwGM2z1I/AAAAAAAAM0I/-C8HWMW5XI8/s1600/Sonico-full-1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X0ejJmgZsxc/VJKHwiW_QeI/AAAAAAAAM0Q/7GqeGlp-i5c/s1600/Sonico-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X0ejJmgZsxc/VJKHwiW_QeI/AAAAAAAAM0Q/7GqeGlp-i5c/s1600/Sonico-full-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HHJT45DeDIc/VJKHwuixQqI/AAAAAAAAM0k/uq313Dki9UE/s1600/Sonico-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HHJT45DeDIc/VJKHwuixQqI/AAAAAAAAM0k/uq313Dki9UE/s1600/Sonico-full-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB-h6QRIjT7UzQfO7-1ohwyMOG9ieithMtcQAxjGU4wl8cZ5sKh80yWgeXd-RMgigeNZ57gN5DCffR8wbdMBHuTIbL5RlXnSdVTlB8C3-ScpGW-WkzX8cP5klyHTvRsgRvvGis2fCorw/s1600/Sonico-full-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB-h6QRIjT7UzQfO7-1ohwyMOG9ieithMtcQAxjGU4wl8cZ5sKh80yWgeXd-RMgigeNZ57gN5DCffR8wbdMBHuTIbL5RlXnSdVTlB8C3-ScpGW-WkzX8cP5klyHTvRsgRvvGis2fCorw/s1600/Sonico-full-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6z4zwo4pj8/VJKHxexHjzI/AAAAAAAAM0g/PPeCTWmfbhw/s1600/Sonico-full-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6z4zwo4pj8/VJKHxexHjzI/AAAAAAAAM0g/PPeCTWmfbhw/s1600/Sonico-full-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMd_AgNjmOI/VJKHxbAtzAI/AAAAAAAAM00/AXXpcGwUpV4/s1600/Sonico-full-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMd_AgNjmOI/VJKHxbAtzAI/AAAAAAAAM00/AXXpcGwUpV4/s1600/Sonico-full-6.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Here's the thing, I'm not fond of Sonico's hood. It's bearable from the front, where I am invariably distracted by her cute face and, <i>ahem</i>, lady parts, but there's something about the back that bothers me. From the back, it looks less like fabric than bloody sorbet. Or a blood-soaked cotton ball. Ugh, darn associations. I can't unsee! It's the texture. Something about it is off. I would have much preferred Alter just stick with a harmless, sleek look.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yDW4YxRVI8c/VJKXzFBzN4I/AAAAAAAAM1c/AwxD6czAGKs/s1600/Sonico-hood-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yDW4YxRVI8c/VJKXzFBzN4I/AAAAAAAAM1c/AwxD6czAGKs/s1600/Sonico-hood-front.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TV9EE_S5BLg/VJKXzD6vmlI/AAAAAAAAM1Y/Ppvl0pW8Ahg/s1600/Sonico-hood-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TV9EE_S5BLg/VJKXzD6vmlI/AAAAAAAAM1Y/Ppvl0pW8Ahg/s1600/Sonico-hood-back.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Luckily, if you are not into the blood-soaked cottonball look, Sonico comes with an alternate head, which you can switch in at your leisure.<br />
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One thing I've noticed about my Sonico, is that her hoodless head has some trouble attaching to her body. Either the peg is too large, or her head-hole a little small. Anyhow, it takes a lot of wriggling and force to get it on, which makes me nervous. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBXEJL9YVec/VJUDpCFbfOI/AAAAAAAAM4I/iFDFFoBeyjI/s1600/Sonico-heads.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBXEJL9YVec/VJUDpCFbfOI/AAAAAAAAM4I/iFDFFoBeyjI/s1600/Sonico-heads.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: Not creepy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It always surprises me how many complaints there were about this particular Sonico not being cast off. Alter doesn't partake in the naughtier side of figure manufacturing, so was it really a big surprise? Is poor Sonico not scantily clad enough? I mean, use your imaginations, folks. Some things are better left half-hidden.<br />
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That being said, Sonico's red hood can be removed to expose her pink hair in all its pink glory. Does this count as a true "cast-off"? Perhaps not, but it does reveal a whole lot more of her than was previously shown. As usual, Alter does a good job on both the sculpt and paint of Sonico's hair. <br />
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Sonico is also one of the few figures that does not have a noticeable seam line between her bangs and the rest of her hair. Let's thank her giant headphones. Thanks, giant headphones.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47Pm-uId8wQ3JyInYdH-Z5CcNrcGcNMYDkJYJwWofJWDGVIYMaonhidEIAWnRG27ligluBSw9KXU3bmiLP6lj59YVYw_Cv_J3feC4NAMOs7LudZURGfSsZTVD3i9m35q6wMSM5-XG1dk/s1600/Sonico-hair-back.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47Pm-uId8wQ3JyInYdH-Z5CcNrcGcNMYDkJYJwWofJWDGVIYMaonhidEIAWnRG27ligluBSw9KXU3bmiLP6lj59YVYw_Cv_J3feC4NAMOs7LudZURGfSsZTVD3i9m35q6wMSM5-XG1dk/s1600/Sonico-hair-back.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3lVtBJCPh3Y/VJKj9P18lNI/AAAAAAAAM1s/yYbcxz8twzM/s1600/Sonico-hair-front.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3lVtBJCPh3Y/VJKj9P18lNI/AAAAAAAAM1s/yYbcxz8twzM/s1600/Sonico-hair-front.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Sonico's innocuous face is one of the highlights of this figure. Alter always does good work, but it looks like they put extra effort into making Sonico super-sweet. The faint flush across her cheeks is an added plus. I, for one, am happy that she doesn't look like she's about to be violated by some off-screen menace. Sonico is certainly cuter happy than she is caught in a compromising position.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAHxo4_uYjI/VJKHv-OQdkI/AAAAAAAAMz4/edsWCYOWU_8/s1600/Sonico-face-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAHxo4_uYjI/VJKHv-OQdkI/AAAAAAAAMz4/edsWCYOWU_8/s1600/Sonico-face-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j06iIXBxlO4/VJKHvfUGyuI/AAAAAAAAMz0/CBa8Cfjo0jE/s1600/Sonico-face-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j06iIXBxlO4/VJKHvfUGyuI/AAAAAAAAMz0/CBa8Cfjo0jE/s1600/Sonico-face-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6B0BbT_gDA/VJKHwL244rI/AAAAAAAAM0o/VfY-9AvNB7o/s1600/Sonico-face-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6B0BbT_gDA/VJKHwL244rI/AAAAAAAAM0o/VfY-9AvNB7o/s1600/Sonico-face-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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I mean, look at this face. How can you dislike this face? Look at her cheeks, and those gradients in her eyes. That's quality, folks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69PT5xAr8Vc/VJUDoxL4WMI/AAAAAAAAM38/xMazAAh6RsI/s1600/Sonico-face-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69PT5xAr8Vc/VJUDoxL4WMI/AAAAAAAAM38/xMazAAh6RsI/s1600/Sonico-face-4.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awwwwww.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As usual, Sonico has an amazing body. Her hip-to-waist ratio is unbelieveably robust. Alter ensured Sonico has her telltale meatiness, which I appreciate. Skinny girls are all fine and dandy, but I, for one, like a lady with some padding over her bones. <br />
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With such heavenly curves, it's hard to think that this is one of the more modestly proportioned Sonicos out there.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFneIRIOOLI/VJKHuo6_hhI/AAAAAAAAMzk/RkI3-Ykof1o/s1600/Sonico-body-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFneIRIOOLI/VJKHuo6_hhI/AAAAAAAAMzk/RkI3-Ykof1o/s1600/Sonico-body-front.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJ4XYIoH9uk/VJKHur-Vi2I/AAAAAAAAMzY/xC1EO56OhPs/s1600/Sonico-body-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJ4XYIoH9uk/VJKHur-Vi2I/AAAAAAAAMzY/xC1EO56OhPs/s1600/Sonico-body-back.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Sonico gets a lot of flack for being a fanservice character. Sure, she started out as a glorified mascot for a software company, but she's not a hateful or unlikeable character in the least. And when has having the ability to monopolize the male gaze qualify you as deserving of hate? The poor girl did nothing wrong.<br />
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Anyhow, instead of degenerating into a pointless philosophical debate about the ethics of plastic portrayal, let's just oogle some girly bits and be satisfied. Sonico's ladyjunk has been sculpted realistically, and with care. I have just one small complaint about her bra/bikini top. See that discreet zigzag in the left strap? No bra does that <i>and</i> sticks so tightly to the wearer's skin. A zigzag means slack. A bra supports its contents. It doesn't slack, at least not in Sonico's current pose, where the bulk of her mammories strain <i>against </i>her bra. Unless her left cup were <i>wet</i>, and the material stuck to her skin, there wouldn't be zigzag like that. That's physics.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-av8_WDaCsNw/VJUDmgQc6OI/AAAAAAAAM3I/jy-pUfcXoNk/s1600/Sonico-cleavage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-av8_WDaCsNw/VJUDmgQc6OI/AAAAAAAAM3I/jy-pUfcXoNk/s1600/Sonico-cleavage.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Although sometimes ignored, Sonico has a meaty bottom. I'm not sure what style of underwear she wears (it strikes me as a half-thing of sorts), but I'm impressed it doesn't get vacuumed into those busty cheeks. The small fold lines are well appreciated, and the discreet pattern along its top saves it from being boring. Usually, I'm not too impressed by white underwear, but Sonico wears it well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Q1SyxY9co/VJUDmQMyiEI/AAAAAAAAM20/2NrFz0I5dU4/s1600/Sonico-butt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Q1SyxY9co/VJUDmQMyiEI/AAAAAAAAM20/2NrFz0I5dU4/s1600/Sonico-butt.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My anaconda <i>does</i> want some.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Moving even further, er, <i>under</i>, we see that Sonico supports a telling camel toe.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpxSYSuJv-Q/VJUDl0UqlJI/AAAAAAAAM2o/bDWQUDsOTS0/s1600/Sonico-bottoms-up.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpxSYSuJv-Q/VJUDl0UqlJI/AAAAAAAAM2o/bDWQUDsOTS0/s1600/Sonico-bottoms-up.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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By nature, bikini figures are not very detailed, but trust Alter to take care of the small things. Not only does Sonico's bra have sufficient pull lines, it also has a cute spattering of lace. Furthermore, it sets itself apart from others by supporting a small, cute, festive bell. Now I know a lot of peeps were upset they couldn't remove the bell, but honestly, how many people would be able to remove a detail so small without tearing apart her entire bra?<br />
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...Or perhaps that was the point. <i>Anywho</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-duYmV3L_Lfo/VJUDlbkpXSI/AAAAAAAAM2c/oRjCjxeyKl4/s1600/Sonico-bell.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-duYmV3L_Lfo/VJUDlbkpXSI/AAAAAAAAM2c/oRjCjxeyKl4/s1600/Sonico-bell.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-AYhOmXhDY/VJUDmwrqM6I/AAAAAAAAM3Q/u2yEFvLkInA/s1600/Sonico-details-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-AYhOmXhDY/VJUDmwrqM6I/AAAAAAAAM3Q/u2yEFvLkInA/s1600/Sonico-details-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are a couple of telling details I zoom in on in every figure evaluation. Hair and hair seams, clothing folds, shoelaces and ribbons, and hands. You'll notice that Sonico has several of these features done to a tee. Her hands are well-shaped, with sculpted fingers. Her bra and panties have cute, well formed bows, and her nails (both finger and toe) and polished.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y4Yv5rEpvoI/VJUDoyHjeAI/AAAAAAAAM4Q/rP2IhkTSl7E/s1600/Sonico-hands.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y4Yv5rEpvoI/VJUDoyHjeAI/AAAAAAAAM4Q/rP2IhkTSl7E/s1600/Sonico-hands.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25jTvCR78lk/VJUDpTsLdZI/AAAAAAAAM4M/pAKovxhVt5g/s1600/Sonico-panties.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25jTvCR78lk/VJUDpTsLdZI/AAAAAAAAM4M/pAKovxhVt5g/s1600/Sonico-panties.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another area where figures usually fall short are feet. Whether it's especially difficult to sculpt feet, or whether figure-makers are just too lazy to perform some worthwhile podiatry is debatable, but most figures have less-than-gorgeous feet.<br />
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It's not like Sonico's feet are <i>ugly</i> by any means, but there doesn't seem to be as much effort put into them as, say, her fingers. Look at those little sausage toes. Cute, but somewhat lacking. Then again, it's Sonico. Are her feet really going to be her biggest selling point? <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5LSqLOinlYY/VJUDp5MIupI/AAAAAAAAM4Y/KFgRzZ0xHQA/s1600/Sonicodetails-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5LSqLOinlYY/VJUDp5MIupI/AAAAAAAAM4Y/KFgRzZ0xHQA/s1600/Sonicodetails-4.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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There's not much more to say other than that she is a solid, and well made figure. The thing with "swimsuit" figures is that there isn't much to talk about. Their appeal is self-explanatory. There's no need to go into excessive detail or artistic minutiae. They're often "simple".<br />
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But simplicity can be a blessing. Simplicity can be refreshing.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8DuLvSli2P0/VJUDoAiZGjI/AAAAAAAAM4U/SZlsxPGD17Q/s1600/Sonico-dreamy.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8DuLvSli2P0/VJUDoAiZGjI/AAAAAAAAM4U/SZlsxPGD17Q/s1600/Sonico-dreamy.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ooysxeZWfLU/VJUDn2K-JsI/AAAAAAAAM30/gNmKUjwetzY/s1600/Sonico-dreamy-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ooysxeZWfLU/VJUDn2K-JsI/AAAAAAAAM30/gNmKUjwetzY/s1600/Sonico-dreamy-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Sonico is an enjoyable figure, and also incredibly easy to take photographs of. No, seriously, I just point and shoot. She's one of the rare figures that looks good from all angles. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JAXdB94Lqv0/VJy9BTpQnZI/AAAAAAAAM7c/sBOQgJTJK18/s1600/Sonico-curtains-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JAXdB94Lqv0/VJy9BTpQnZI/AAAAAAAAM7c/sBOQgJTJK18/s1600/Sonico-curtains-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a0ze-kcMHLE/VJy9BMQHEBI/AAAAAAAAM7Y/7FBTOdSxN2Q/s1600/Sonico-curtain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a0ze-kcMHLE/VJy9BMQHEBI/AAAAAAAAM7Y/7FBTOdSxN2Q/s1600/Sonico-curtain.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Whether she's swathed in pastel blue against the backdrop of an overcast sky, or posed alone on a simple, pink backdrop, Sonico manages to look good. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qj7zyum4Vk/VJyiOSvkSuI/AAAAAAAAM54/ml8XtU1HP-I/s1600/Sonico-solo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qj7zyum4Vk/VJyiOSvkSuI/AAAAAAAAM54/ml8XtU1HP-I/s1600/Sonico-solo.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Alter's santa swimsuit Sonico (no matter how many times I say that phrase out loud, it sounds funny) is 1/7 in size, and looks especially good when paired with her Alter-made, busty friend, Asuka. I display them together on my shelf. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lWByGfHXKb0/VJyiOPH_vnI/AAAAAAAAM58/ErkoXAsgUQ0/s1600/Sonico-friend.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lWByGfHXKb0/VJyiOPH_vnI/AAAAAAAAM58/ErkoXAsgUQ0/s1600/Sonico-friend.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Am6jmfQcxgs/VJy-BqMCDyI/AAAAAAAAM7s/FgAR0sa8Aik/s1600/Sonico-Asuka.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Am6jmfQcxgs/VJy-BqMCDyI/AAAAAAAAM7s/FgAR0sa8Aik/s1600/Sonico-Asuka.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BESTIES.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And naturally, one cannot write about Santa Sonico without presenting some festive photographs. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l08Dpm3wJMs/VJyk5M-2E8I/AAAAAAAAM6s/q7iMSSbes9I/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l08Dpm3wJMs/VJyk5M-2E8I/AAAAAAAAM6s/q7iMSSbes9I/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hb6xsv5KYDc/VJyk5God3sI/AAAAAAAAM64/kEXcQaLGuQ0/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hb6xsv5KYDc/VJyk5God3sI/AAAAAAAAM64/kEXcQaLGuQ0/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKdDmn_0rIQ/VJyk5aCRR4I/AAAAAAAAM68/KhyX4mXOpgY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKdDmn_0rIQ/VJyk5aCRR4I/AAAAAAAAM68/KhyX4mXOpgY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
I wanted to perhaps play with some Christmas light photos, but never actually got around to pulling the Christmas lights out of their boxes. Such is the story of my life. Nowadays, Sonico hangs out on top of my piano, mostly naked, among Christmas decorations that never made it onto my tree...mostly because I didn't erect a tree this year, on account of laziness. <br />
<br />
I'm so bad at Christmas.<br />
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Good thing Sonico's around to cheer me up.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-245bnreNcyw/VJyk5812erI/AAAAAAAAM7E/PyySXbguJzY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-7.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-245bnreNcyw/VJyk5812erI/AAAAAAAAM7E/PyySXbguJzY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-7.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPJepATWGK4/VJyk5vLvY9I/AAAAAAAAM7A/UxxyeXXlqSY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPJepATWGK4/VJyk5vLvY9I/AAAAAAAAM7A/UxxyeXXlqSY/s1600/Sonico-Christmas-6.png" height="474" width="315" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SdeOR0BI51E/VJydus0a_JI/AAAAAAAAM5k/7LSui7aTEYc/s1600/Sonico-up-close.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SdeOR0BI51E/VJydus0a_JI/AAAAAAAAM5k/7LSui7aTEYc/s1600/Sonico-up-close.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Despite having a market saturated with Sonico figures, Sonico's popularity doesn't seem to have an affect on her selling price. That being said, you can find Santa swimsuit Sonico in the aftermarket for just under retail price (6000-7000 yen or so), so grab her quick. If other Sonico figures are an indication of anything, she won't get much cheaper, and may potentially get more expensive.<br />
<br />
Would I recommend this Sonico to others? Well, it depends. If you're looking for a naughty cast-off playmate for the holidays, then you might want to pass on her. There are hordes more Sonico, many with more NSFW display options. However, if you like Sonico for the sake of Sonico, she doesn't get much higher quality than this. She's cute. She's simple. And she's Alter. It doesn't get much better than this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyaG054W1LN_qbzHdn-2qp-Ebh5XMeSBdGq44vXONFmvyX7dmPY1Pd4aie0qbCWSaS44frX4nD_eQ1QZr9PN0tdQE-WvWeyo8gJnAlrAiOr248t_2CRHz1SvUb9lRDyGDWjHsf7SSnxs/s1600/Sonico-shadows.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyaG054W1LN_qbzHdn-2qp-Ebh5XMeSBdGq44vXONFmvyX7dmPY1Pd4aie0qbCWSaS44frX4nD_eQ1QZr9PN0tdQE-WvWeyo8gJnAlrAiOr248t_2CRHz1SvUb9lRDyGDWjHsf7SSnxs/s1600/Sonico-shadows.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>4/10</td> <td>It's cute, but not very sturdy.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>5/10</td> <td>Again, cute, but not really necessary to enjoy this figure.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>7.5/10</td> <td>Simple, but effective. I like her head-tilt and the position of her hands.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>8.5/10</td> <td>Good, slight deduction for her hood and feet.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>10/10</td> <td><br />
Nothing to complain about here. </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>8/10</td> <td>I like her a lot.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Alter <br />
<b>Price</b>: 9200 yen<br />
<b>Purchased</b> <b>at</b>: AmiAmi<br />
<br />
<b>Box Dimension</b>s: 22 x 17 x 20 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: Approx 600g<br />
<b>Shipping method</b>: Small Packet SAL (or fancier)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>To all a good night,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-77054005633361094452014-12-19T07:52:00.000-05:002015-01-14T16:22:24.545-05:001/7 Miku Hatsune ver. Type 2020 (Max Factory)<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/17-miku-hatsune-ver-type-2020-max.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eN-NA4g_2i0/VIEFAboo7OI/AAAAAAAAMwQ/qXeP07v1ZJI/s1600/Miku-icon.png" /></a><span style="color: #a30000;">Seventh Dragon 2020 Miku is a prime example of an obligatory buy. With Max Factory's Samurai and Hacker already under my belt, was there any viable doubt I would add Idol Miku to the mix? None. Blame my rampant collector's mentality. <br />
<br />
So, did collector's mentality result in a good purchase? Maybe. Maybe not. I speaketh no spoilers. Not in this preview, anyway. You'll just have to read on.<br />
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;">But before we start, an announcement, if you will. <br />
<br />
Friends, I seem to be taking multiple, consecutive, unannounced hiatuses, and for that I am most repentant. I, like the classy and responsible lady I am, will immediately point the finger at school, work, and travel. But now, with things settling down, I plan to dedicate more time to this poor, neglected blog and re-enter the exciting world of figure reviews. I have much to catch up on. Will I actually be able to catch up? Doubtful. But darn it all, I'm going to try!<br />
<br />
7th Dragon 2020 Miku, as far as I know, hails from a Japanese video game that never made it to North America. 7th Dragon Miku is also, as a quick Google search denotes, a non-playable character who shows up to sing songs, look morose, and occasionally get rescued. Yet, despite her minute role, she's inexplicably popular enough to warrant a figure. Because, let's admit it, Miku is a brand that perpetuates herself. <br />
<br />
So when this Miku was first announced, I wasn't entirely delighted. I wasn't unhappy, per se, but I wasn't tickled-giggly. I was about 75% excited. Not because I'm a rampant Miku opposer, no sir, but because 7th Dragon 2020 has a slew of colourful cast that <i>could</i> have <i>perhaps</i> taken priority over a non player character that doesn't appear very often. Nevertheless, I knew I would get her (even though I tried hard to dissuade myself). After all, any collaboration between Max Factory and Mira Shirow is bound to be good.<br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Miku's box is effective, I suppose. It's relatively standard in terms of heft, strength, and overall boxiness. There's really very little to say about boxes. They're uninteresting in almost every manner. In fact, I wonder whether the box should warrant a rating at all, considering it's only there to provide safe passage for the figure. Hmm, food for thought. Either way, without getting too technical, Miku's box is somewhat elegant, with elegant blue swooshes and typical prototype pictures. <br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlW5RMAqzIM/VIZ-QV6KT-I/AAAAAAAAMx0/pvykCVT9Oi8/s1600/Miku-box-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlW5RMAqzIM/VIZ-QV6KT-I/AAAAAAAAMx0/pvykCVT9Oi8/s1600/Miku-box-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUD9-Vv0NNY/VIZ-QXK-6DI/AAAAAAAAMx4/RD25I2zjqNQ/s1600/Miku-box.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUD9-Vv0NNY/VIZ-QXK-6DI/AAAAAAAAMx4/RD25I2zjqNQ/s1600/Miku-box.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
Miku is a girl of many faces, and equally many outfits. This particular incarnation rocks an elegant, feathered dress, a-la-Swan-Lake. It's not a radical outfit by any means, especially compared to the offbeat costumes of other 7th Dragon 2020 characters, but it looks good nonetheless. Despite its non-too-inspired blue-white-black colour scheme, it does impress with its elegance, detail, and sheer horizontal presence. This Miku, if nothing else, takes up substantial shelf room.<br />
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Besides getting a classier dress, this Miku rendition also comes with a welcoming pose. Arms thrown open and posed mid-strut, this Miku is ready for some serious greeting duties. It's a pose that relays both motion and enthusiasm. Sure, it's not the most stable pose in the world, but she's got <i>sashay</i>, and that's all that <i>really</i> matters.<br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mn83bE7Dsk/VJJ8GwkKXVI/AAAAAAAAMyk/6ys7yQE4aQo/s1600/Miku-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mn83bE7Dsk/VJJ8GwkKXVI/AAAAAAAAMyk/6ys7yQE4aQo/s1600/Miku-full-1.png" height="249" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kehc3FCfw4/VJJ8GbfRfHI/AAAAAAAAMyU/ILng91vLEYs/s1600/Miku-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kehc3FCfw4/VJJ8GbfRfHI/AAAAAAAAMyU/ILng91vLEYs/s1600/Miku-full-2.png" height="249" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RrQlXd7oct8/VJJ8GulfNjI/AAAAAAAAMyg/CprzFj3kB0s/s1600/Miku-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RrQlXd7oct8/VJJ8GulfNjI/AAAAAAAAMyg/CprzFj3kB0s/s1600/Miku-full-3.png" height="249" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVRDWEOMF1fnIWodFx_owVNmShHdDNUF7_U6d9Ja-1bUzylq2xA5jtGJ6XOfvlLwLq55K_uO73ywTvzcqbipsJVQBYOdjB9CKfx0tvVEdO7r-SDByHygFsmGewuBpOioR7zUXnksA_9Q/s1600/Miku-full-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVRDWEOMF1fnIWodFx_owVNmShHdDNUF7_U6d9Ja-1bUzylq2xA5jtGJ6XOfvlLwLq55K_uO73ywTvzcqbipsJVQBYOdjB9CKfx0tvVEdO7r-SDByHygFsmGewuBpOioR7zUXnksA_9Q/s1600/Miku-full-4.png" height="249" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
My love of checkered patterns is well known. Ask anyone. "Jenn is a classy sir," they'll say, "and also, she loves checkers." So when my gaze first fell upon Miku's glorious checkered base, my reaction was to squeal and perform gestures that indicate great excitement.<br />
<br />
Miku's base is large, oblong, and completely suitable for her substantial, horizontal presence. She still wobbles a bit, being, well, horizontally substantial, but it does support her adequately. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rsoo6Yzlquk/VD4-H-M2TpI/AAAAAAAAMj0/9F7NQBOVhyY/s1600/Miku-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rsoo6Yzlquk/VD4-H-M2TpI/AAAAAAAAMj0/9F7NQBOVhyY/s1600/Miku-base.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It took me a while to get used to Miku's face. It's not a stereotypical anime-girl face. It's not conventionally cute, or even beautiful. Look at her angular head, that simultaneously bulbous and flattened forehead, that tiny pointed chin and jutting nose. And her <i>eyes</i>. Eyes so wide usually indicate some sort of yandere tendency. I was turned off, even <i>repulsed</i>. Ugh, I said. What an unsightly canvas. <i>Away with thee, vermin</i>. <br />
<br />
But as time went on, her face grew on me. Hmm, I said after a little while, it's very <i>faithful</i>. And it's strictly within Mira Shirow's style. It has <i>characterization</i>. It's got personality. It owns itself. And that's sexy. Somehow.<br />
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Also, her mouth is absolutely fantastic.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--2x5eynRFG4/U5twOOniy6I/AAAAAAAALUY/7Rsw-1XKb5U/s1600/Miku-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--2x5eynRFG4/U5twOOniy6I/AAAAAAAALUY/7Rsw-1XKb5U/s1600/Miku-face-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvupQyQlLzTZAkH4MOuVoiMnGMJG-vp0jGNfnlsseIXIRM8rvVEzzssq6NH-AVPiUYM3Un4GDFegT3E0duDV0TJuP5Et-W2ahrHgWy8jve3MwcrDv2C0_kpe9nmaO9V_zGze3SnFJEE0/s1600/Miku-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvupQyQlLzTZAkH4MOuVoiMnGMJG-vp0jGNfnlsseIXIRM8rvVEzzssq6NH-AVPiUYM3Un4GDFegT3E0duDV0TJuP5Et-W2ahrHgWy8jve3MwcrDv2C0_kpe9nmaO9V_zGze3SnFJEE0/s1600/Miku-face-1.png" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HyalNfGu5Qw/U5twQAbTR4I/AAAAAAAALUg/cOPbRLk1zYQ/s1600/Miku-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HyalNfGu5Qw/U5twQAbTR4I/AAAAAAAALUg/cOPbRLk1zYQ/s1600/Miku-face-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<br />
There's a certain leeway allowed when transitioning between two mediums. As a rule of thumb, I usually want my figures to resemble their artwork, but exceptions are always necessary. See, sometimes, the funky disorientation of 2D work doesn't translate well into 3D. Can you imagine trying to construct the Penrose stairs in 3D? Yeah, it wouldn't work. <br />
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Like the Penrose stairs (to a lesser extent) Mira Shirow's bold lines don't translate well into 3D. Fortunately, the clever peeps at Max Factory got around this minor obstacle with gumption. The 7th Dragon line uses sharp angles and exaggerated proportions. From a distance, they somewhat simulate boldness. Take Miku's twintails for example. Instead of individual strands, they're clumps of ribbon-esque trails. And while it's not exactly bold lines, it <i>works</i>. <br />
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<br />
Let's also pause for a moment and admire the Miku's generous gradients. Gradients are significantly preferable to single tones. If I had to name my biggest complaint about the majority of Miku figures, it's that her hair is too flat<i> </i>and monotonous<i>. </i>Sure, simple turquoise is soft and liminal, but it also has the an uncanny resemblance to spearmint toothpaste. And turquoise twintails triggers far too many associative memories. Mostly of chewing gum. Lots of chewing gum. Much chewing gum. Wow.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNhF8qNnprY/U5tw6A-iAZI/AAAAAAAALWQ/83KUJGd2Pkw/s1600/Miku-hair.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNhF8qNnprY/U5tw6A-iAZI/AAAAAAAALWQ/83KUJGd2Pkw/s1600/Miku-hair.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKzhGwfJfuw/U5twyOEmMII/AAAAAAAALVw/Vy2ybdCgdeg/s1600/Miku-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKzhGwfJfuw/U5twyOEmMII/AAAAAAAALVw/Vy2ybdCgdeg/s1600/Miku-hair-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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I have never worn a corset in my life. Nor do I ever wish to. I value my lung capacity, thank you very much. But that doesn't stop me from admiring the gentle curve of a well-made whale-bone chest-compressor. It does accentuate the bust. Yes it does.<br />
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That being said, Miku's corset is very...even. And <i>clean</i>. It's almost preternaturally smooth in front, but there are some nice wrinkles in the back to offset its otherwise stiff appearance.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3zfi8iFQKc0/U5twUBqFX8I/AAAAAAAALUw/Qh8pNiKYBNE/s1600/Miku-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3zfi8iFQKc0/U5twUBqFX8I/AAAAAAAALUw/Qh8pNiKYBNE/s1600/Miku-front.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Buhg7_AaDys/U5twHtRS44I/AAAAAAAALT4/2vSRZr66wxE/s1600/Miku-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Buhg7_AaDys/U5twHtRS44I/AAAAAAAALT4/2vSRZr66wxE/s1600/Miku-back.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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When I was a young, spry collector, I loved folds. They indicate motion, which is very exciting for a static block of PVC. My fondness of folds has not ceased over the years. In fact, the sight of well-sculpted curves still sends my heart aflutter, and Miku's abundance of books propels her straight into the innermost grottoes of my full-sized aortic pump. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cSava2OcAY/U5txEFPfBVI/AAAAAAAALW4/cd9z7_tFKuI/s1600/Miku-skirt-front.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cSava2OcAY/U5txEFPfBVI/AAAAAAAALW4/cd9z7_tFKuI/s1600/Miku-skirt-front.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nCgN-DEucc8/U5txCAkdyaI/AAAAAAAALWw/2Z-AA-yjWuk/s1600/Miku-skirt-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nCgN-DEucc8/U5txCAkdyaI/AAAAAAAALWw/2Z-AA-yjWuk/s1600/Miku-skirt-back.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course, the obligatory panty shot. Miku's panties are nothing to write home about. White, plain, with a cutesy bow to top it off. It's not the most magnificent part of this figure, but with everything else going on, that can be forgiven, no?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKmY4F07kCk/VIFKpheY2aI/AAAAAAAAMxE/P_-st4bOD0U/s1600/Miku-undies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKmY4F07kCk/VIFKpheY2aI/AAAAAAAAMxE/P_-st4bOD0U/s1600/Miku-undies.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wait, pause. I urge you once more to take in the spectacle of Miku's gradients. Look at that subtle transformation from ocean blue to periwinkle sky! This isn't some lazy airspray job. This is a carefully planned, carefully applied wonder.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7phvWiksA8iNZODM-bw7CqUqajEDHD7qpAGYg_0Jdr3KJsmzmUzIjgNa5t9tEVbjSmwRVIuT79R76TUyDuGceUrTi2RBgR0_DU9s4KF0Crwyt3oi_qbngj_quCEwV3eAOzbxi7A089fc/s1600/Miku-gradient.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7phvWiksA8iNZODM-bw7CqUqajEDHD7qpAGYg_0Jdr3KJsmzmUzIjgNa5t9tEVbjSmwRVIuT79R76TUyDuGceUrTi2RBgR0_DU9s4KF0Crwyt3oi_qbngj_quCEwV3eAOzbxi7A089fc/s1600/Miku-gradient.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_2113088217">Moving down, we get a nifty set of legs. Or perhaps nifty is the wrong word to use. Like the rest of this figure, Miku's legs are drawn out and exaggerated. Really, how does she support her monstrous skirt on such wee ankles? Does she have incredible bone density? Let's assume so.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA19t-94RgBDXXQueuWRl4Gf0r7Vi3HvorNIdoDDI-k6W83YTDZQnxaEqbcjI4EFMI2okNEox7w7GCJLvzyWvX-ouYzS1cFs2xQVdDDcV-lLrbFY7NVmUdTtALqyj33MXjQdzbpoImzdQ/s1600/Miku-legs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA19t-94RgBDXXQueuWRl4Gf0r7Vi3HvorNIdoDDI-k6W83YTDZQnxaEqbcjI4EFMI2okNEox7w7GCJLvzyWvX-ouYzS1cFs2xQVdDDcV-lLrbFY7NVmUdTtALqyj33MXjQdzbpoImzdQ/s1600/Miku-legs.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
She also has incredible knees. I noticed long ago that I get strangely excited over well-sculpted knees (and ankles). I'm not even sure why. I suspect it has to do with the fact that they're so often overlooked in the world of chests and glutes. <br />
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Figure collecting is an interesting hobby. In what other world are you required to explain to visitors why the plastic lady on your desk has bazongas resembling weather balloons? Not many, that's a certainty. Perhaps it's audacious to expect proper proportions from an industry of cartoon characters, but I tend to like my girls (and boys) to fall within certain proportional boundaries.<br />
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So at the risk of being labeled a pervert, let me direct your attention to Miku's surprisingly beauteous, and hidden cleavage. From the front, she's flat as a prairie field. But as with everything in life, a change in perspective can have significant affects. Coming from a bird's eye view, well, <i>hello</i>.<br />
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Notice verisimilitude of Miku's chest in terms of size, shape, and suppleness. Take a good, long stare, folks. This is what separates a good figure company, from a great one.<br />
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And by that I mean verisimilitude, not cleavage. Yes, that's what I meant.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UGfIS5ikB4/VD49-YVH1eI/AAAAAAAAMik/KCcfUDheNd8/s1600/Miku-anatomy.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UGfIS5ikB4/VD49-YVH1eI/AAAAAAAAMik/KCcfUDheNd8/s1600/Miku-anatomy.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qBIEk-kJ48/VD49-hND7QI/AAAAAAAAMio/HNyhJUoqYho/s1600/Miku-bosom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qBIEk-kJ48/VD49-hND7QI/AAAAAAAAMio/HNyhJUoqYho/s1600/Miku-bosom.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are many inspirational quotes about detail and it's relativity to greatness, none of which I will recite, but let me assure you that Miku's tiny details are a wonder to behold. From the lace on her collar to the ribbons on her wrists, every minutiae of Miku's outfit is carved with explicit care. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqA4GePnJuw/U5twJD-RlaI/AAAAAAAALUE/ERRBZwm9eJ0/s1600/Miku-collar.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqA4GePnJuw/U5twJD-RlaI/AAAAAAAALUE/ERRBZwm9eJ0/s1600/Miku-collar.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVDjHi9nF8Q/U5tw9-O7eyI/AAAAAAAALWg/tSdmRMJSMTY/s1600/Miku-lace.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVDjHi9nF8Q/U5tw9-O7eyI/AAAAAAAALWg/tSdmRMJSMTY/s1600/Miku-lace.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18LtpB3kL8o/U5tw8PD0OfI/AAAAAAAALWY/Iml2VwSo8Xs/s1600/Miku-hairband.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18LtpB3kL8o/U5tw8PD0OfI/AAAAAAAALWY/Iml2VwSo8Xs/s1600/Miku-hairband.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg6MWRb9A6k/VD49_vS944I/AAAAAAAAMjU/kFc07rtyKtg/s1600/Miku-ribbon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg6MWRb9A6k/VD49_vS944I/AAAAAAAAMjU/kFc07rtyKtg/s1600/Miku-ribbon.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Long ago, when I was a wee and eloquent toddler, I had a shiny pair of dolly shoes that I simply refused to take off. I wore the shoes outside. I wore the shoes inside. I'm pretty sure I tried to wear the shoes while sleeping too. Then I outgrew them. A tragedy, really.<br />
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So seeing Miku's shiny, dolly shoes brings back good memories of my parents telling me how much I loved those shiny shoes (a two-year-old's memory is, er, not stellar). So, like a common corvid, I find myself drawn to them. Something so shiny can't possible be bad.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9UNEvVPyEU/VD49_lKdXLI/AAAAAAAAMjM/Ieen1tvFmEY/s1600/Miku-shoe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9UNEvVPyEU/VD49_lKdXLI/AAAAAAAAMjM/Ieen1tvFmEY/s1600/Miku-shoe.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I get towards the end of my reviews, I am struck by a familiar sense of doubt. How do I judge something that's so subjective? Do I judge figures based on how faithful they are to their original art? Or by their proportions? Or by their technical accomplishments? If I find a figure's cleavage to be too large for my enjoyment, do I then assign her a lower score? Somehow, that doesn't seem completely fair. <i>What is this arbitrary madness</i>?<br />
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For example, are these minor (and mostly hidden) hair seams <i>really</i> impeding my enjoyment of this particular Miku? Is the merit of a figure not judged by its technical accomplishment, but by the joy it brings lowly sods such as I? Do I deduct 0.5 marks for these slips in hand, or a whole 1.0? They are barely mishaps, and yet it dampens my spirits to know they exist. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QCW5kdq6DBQ/VD49-gIzT1I/AAAAAAAAMjA/okJLGCaHfRQ/s1600/Miku-hair-seam-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QCW5kdq6DBQ/VD49-gIzT1I/AAAAAAAAMjA/okJLGCaHfRQ/s1600/Miku-hair-seam-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07i10gzZYbw/VD49_EQ-PjI/AAAAAAAAMi8/Kn-h8zTTLMs/s1600/Miku-hair-seam-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07i10gzZYbw/VD49_EQ-PjI/AAAAAAAAMi8/Kn-h8zTTLMs/s1600/Miku-hair-seam-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__BF_KF9qIc/VD49_QxLleI/AAAAAAAAMi0/ATVY4zVhQ9k/s1600/Miku-hair-seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__BF_KF9qIc/VD49_QxLleI/AAAAAAAAMi0/ATVY4zVhQ9k/s1600/Miku-hair-seam.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Miku's twintails have a curious attribute: They can be removed. As such, 7th Dragon 2020 Miku has a wide variety of hairstyles at her disposal, including short bob:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNuGo8pa9Cs/VD49_88x_qI/AAAAAAAAMjQ/7048swqhi6c/s1600/Miku-short-hair.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNuGo8pa9Cs/VD49_88x_qI/AAAAAAAAMjQ/7048swqhi6c/s1600/Miku-short-hair.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sidetail:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcr0lCAI6KE/VD4-AEYXaCI/AAAAAAAAMjY/wxVJGmCgRXI/s1600/Miku-sidetail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcr0lCAI6KE/VD4-AEYXaCI/AAAAAAAAMjY/wxVJGmCgRXI/s1600/Miku-sidetail.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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And twintails:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNvwcm5cPlc/VD4-AeSm-qI/AAAAAAAAMjc/y0PXoaKlkCs/s1600/Miku-twintails.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNvwcm5cPlc/VD4-AeSm-qI/AAAAAAAAMjc/y0PXoaKlkCs/s1600/Miku-twintails.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Which style do yo prefer? I think the sidetail is cute. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix2xn7iarJE/VIDz0I1V_5I/AAAAAAAAMvo/Op9g3Rh3e4U/s1600/Miku-curtains-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix2xn7iarJE/VIDz0I1V_5I/AAAAAAAAMvo/Op9g3Rh3e4U/s1600/Miku-curtains-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1LSbJAPMnqA/VD4-TATVinI/AAAAAAAAMj8/yw1RBgr-pN4/s1600/Miku-curtains.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1LSbJAPMnqA/VD4-TATVinI/AAAAAAAAMj8/yw1RBgr-pN4/s1600/Miku-curtains.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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If I had one complaint about Miku, it would be her skintone. She's pale. Pale like a bloodsucking creature of the night. This is especially apparent in harsher light, where her skin looks downright monochromatic.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VF1G55v32rY/VIEoT_EJLDI/AAAAAAAAMwk/tJvcDZHpAAw/s1600/Miku-bricks.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VF1G55v32rY/VIEoT_EJLDI/AAAAAAAAMwk/tJvcDZHpAAw/s1600/Miku-bricks.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S_K-BZHCThs/VIDz0cN0ckI/AAAAAAAAMvs/U40x6vWu9lM/s1600/Miku-fence.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S_K-BZHCThs/VIDz0cN0ckI/AAAAAAAAMvs/U40x6vWu9lM/s1600/Miku-fence.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Other than that, I'm happy with Max Factory's rendition of Miku. I don't think I've ever had a Max Factory figure not meet my standards, or at least score very high in my views, and this Miku is no exception. Yes, her face takes some getting used to. Yes, she's not for everyone. But all together, she comes together in a wonderful conglomeration of quality and art.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKKnFu2zdyo/VIDzzAdT-II/AAAAAAAAMvc/MdEoms6dEkk/s1600/Miku-Screens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKKnFu2zdyo/VIDzzAdT-II/AAAAAAAAMvc/MdEoms6dEkk/s1600/Miku-Screens.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As usual, all dynamic figures make good silhouette shots. Miku is no different. Take note of the translucence in her scrunchies and hair. <i>Muy beun</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPIYU4_O6C4/VIDz0zv6NNI/AAAAAAAAMv8/pr8lcql9HJ4/s1600/Miku-sunset.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPIYU4_O6C4/VIDz0zv6NNI/AAAAAAAAMv8/pr8lcql9HJ4/s1600/Miku-sunset.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1CV7IJdAcMs/VD4-VidiFOI/AAAAAAAAMkM/_FX2vXNh0s8/s1600/Miku-Stage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1CV7IJdAcMs/VD4-VidiFOI/AAAAAAAAMkM/_FX2vXNh0s8/s1600/Miku-Stage.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Despite seeming like an awkward mix of gangly features, 7th Dragon 2020 Miku presents an compelling whole. With her arms spread wide, she's positioned in a pose of perpetual welcome. She looks ready to introduce basically anything you stick in the background, whether it be a stage, a sunset, some majestic mountains...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie-e1TyPPH3LuCmahRQuid9F-v7zacCVBLLpzFSRw7yCOZvWtvW4-T2psqTi_Sl-qxvHCzqezbS-OgVhsvcIP0nEKgJSmK_XJN15fVvwf0Mh7TC-CzVU8ybg5q3tJ8KSs86LLplqKFAE/s1600/Miku-Mountains.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie-e1TyPPH3LuCmahRQuid9F-v7zacCVBLLpzFSRw7yCOZvWtvW4-T2psqTi_Sl-qxvHCzqezbS-OgVhsvcIP0nEKgJSmK_XJN15fVvwf0Mh7TC-CzVU8ybg5q3tJ8KSs86LLplqKFAE/s1600/Miku-Mountains.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Or even her own game!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARfjeH0xoqY/VIDz0hyULyI/AAAAAAAAMv4/SHSU1NykpT4/s1600/Miku-logo.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARfjeH0xoqY/VIDz0hyULyI/AAAAAAAAMv4/SHSU1NykpT4/s1600/Miku-logo.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As far as I can tell, 7th Dragon 2020 Miku can be found for under retail price. Take advantage, because she's a beautiful addition to any collection. Whether you are a Miku fan or not, this Miku incarnate is different enough from the stereotypical "Miku" that she sets herself apart.<br />
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Plus, she has good shelf presence. <br />
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Now, Max Factory, an alternate 7th Dragon 2020 Miku, please? I happen to like the magenta-black combination.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOmHOP_m__yDO4JmA19ZQ8TqakcG7R9dygVoHRQJXGUIuYpO5JowXvusgSSbZRlIquZS2yaqK9t6xBd_Hx15FH9h_A_yfFGTgUgolY1bH47eGGTovq-88KJ6gsPNHgq3Gm-DEe0SQTik/s1600/7th+Dragon+Miku+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOmHOP_m__yDO4JmA19ZQ8TqakcG7R9dygVoHRQJXGUIuYpO5JowXvusgSSbZRlIquZS2yaqK9t6xBd_Hx15FH9h_A_yfFGTgUgolY1bH47eGGTovq-88KJ6gsPNHgq3Gm-DEe0SQTik/s1600/7th+Dragon+Miku+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>6/10</td> <td>It's your typical box. The backdrop is pleasant.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Relatively sturdy, though she still wobbles a bit. Checkerboard pattern is a plus.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>Reflects a sense of serenity, joy and movement. It's casual <i>and</i> dynamic. </td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>9/10</td> <td>Excelsior. Loses points for a few hairseams though.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>9/10</td> <td>Wonderful gradients and excellent shading. Really, <i>really</i> pale skin though.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>9/10</td> <td>A lovely addition to any collection, Miku lover or not.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Max Factory<br />
<b>Price</b>: 11 238 yen<br />
<b>Purchased</b> <b>at</b>: <a href="https://www.nippon-yasan.com/">Nippon-Yasan</a></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Box Dimensions</b>: </span><span style="color: #a30000;">40.1 x 32 x 18 cm</span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Weight</b>: approx 1450g<br />
<b>Shipping Method</b>: SAL (although some sites will auto-EMS)<br />
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<b>Still alive,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-5839410497203129382014-11-02T21:30:00.001-05:002014-11-02T21:32:01.410-05:001/8 Estellise Sidos Heurassein (Alter)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/11/18-estellise-sidos-heurassein-alter.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OjjLwUIIYqI/VFbDFlRKr3I/AAAAAAAAMkk/RObpL2siI6g/s1600/Review-circle.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
She's pink. She's bubbly. She's the princess of Zaphias! Estellise Sidos Heurassein (or Estelle for short) makes an appearance at Poke the Merch as my first 1/8 scale figure! Alter seems to be shelling out lots of Tales of series figures and thanks to Ash and her sister Lisa, I managed to get one of them! It was hard to say no to Estelle because she looked incredibly sweet and lovely in the preview pictures. And I must say, she looks just as lovely displayed on my desk.<br />
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Estelle's the kind, naive, and caring type of princess that gets into all sorts of shenanigans after leaving her castle. Like all naive princesses, she can be a bit troublesome even though she has good intentions. Despite the little flaws (and the cliché character) Estelle's still quite cute at times, like when she didn't know how to give a high-five to Yuri the first time. Her character certainly didn't blow my mind but there were moments in Tales of Vesperia where she shined. Based on aesthetics alone, you can assume she's the main healer or light magic user in the game. Sure she can sort of fight with a sword but I usually want her to focus on keeping the team alive. That or she should be busting out a variety of AOE (area of effect) light magic. Her spells are all so pretty and shiny.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Thinking about it now, it would have been an awesome twist if she was evil.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">In any case, let's move onto the figure itself!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s2klGPNQU7c/VFbDFnnd43I/AAAAAAAAMks/bBqUELrTI8Q/s1600/Estellebox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s2klGPNQU7c/VFbDFnnd43I/AAAAAAAAMks/bBqUELrTI8Q/s1600/Estellebox1.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hGWjaowHmhc/VFbDGBWKvoI/AAAAAAAAMkw/sJnUDjuRuGE/s1600/Estellebox2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hGWjaowHmhc/VFbDGBWKvoI/AAAAAAAAMkw/sJnUDjuRuGE/s1600/Estellebox2.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><br />
Estelle's simplistic box does its job and it's a shame that nothing about it really impresses me. I would have been more content had a background been included in her box, but here we have three windows to show her off to the world. I guess I can appreciate that. You can view her from almost all sides without having to remove her from the box. That's great for the collectors who don't want to remove her from the box.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kVgHNxx0rM/VFbExWoDKGI/AAAAAAAAMmQ/JgSNjKkHHSs/s1600/Estelle1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kVgHNxx0rM/VFbExWoDKGI/AAAAAAAAMmQ/JgSNjKkHHSs/s1600/Estelle1.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XN_tHesi0Mo/VFbExhFustI/AAAAAAAAMmY/DOqmQyhdhJo/s1600/Estelle3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XN_tHesi0Mo/VFbExhFustI/AAAAAAAAMmY/DOqmQyhdhJo/s1600/Estelle3.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ58jzxGsxA/VFbExmrdHFI/AAAAAAAAMmc/LSoO7Lsd1RA/s1600/Estelle4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ58jzxGsxA/VFbExmrdHFI/AAAAAAAAMmc/LSoO7Lsd1RA/s1600/Estelle4.png" height="300" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J9qSJ4av6JY/VFbEyX5KS5I/AAAAAAAAMmk/olmtIelGddE/s1600/Estelle5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J9qSJ4av6JY/VFbEyX5KS5I/AAAAAAAAMmk/olmtIelGddE/s1600/Estelle5.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m9tt_wjMBcY/VFbEyiQ3CdI/AAAAAAAAMmo/jaShmtnywDo/s1600/Estelle6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m9tt_wjMBcY/VFbEyiQ3CdI/AAAAAAAAMmo/jaShmtnywDo/s1600/Estelle6.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZLksNljGhpXj7v-t66vw6XoN1ayN3767VaPKFAJqERn18m_dCwxntXmtZXfwNVy2mWMc-1yDcaoQY2kOTmtzGycphACsXPxMSr5fK1EqRPt4fZmXsnRlTiPaDq9u4oSGMz8feMpsUVA/s1600/Estelle7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZLksNljGhpXj7v-t66vw6XoN1ayN3767VaPKFAJqERn18m_dCwxntXmtZXfwNVy2mWMc-1yDcaoQY2kOTmtzGycphACsXPxMSr5fK1EqRPt4fZmXsnRlTiPaDq9u4oSGMz8feMpsUVA/s1600/Estelle7.png" height="300" width="216" /></a></div><br />
As my first 1/8 figure, I have to say Estelle is quite a stunning choice. Although she's quite delicate, I love the colour palette and the fact that she resembles a lovely bell flower (especially when you flip her upside down). Her pose also gives off the feeling that she's a bit of a dainty princess. Just look at the way she's taking her step and the way her hands are positioned. It certainly gives off a graceful vibe, and I wouldn't have it any other way with Estelle, given the fact that she's one of those proper princess types.<br />
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<b>Base</b><br />
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Having read comments about defects and broken parts on the internet, I was worried my Estelle figure would have an issue as well, like a warped base or a broken foot. I crossed my fingers and hoped hard that I would not have issues with my Estelle figure, but unfortunately I ended up with one with a slightly wobbly base. Her foot does not completely fit in the plastic peg either, but she's able to stand at least. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxdFcCJjC4A/VFbG1LothyI/AAAAAAAAMnY/RGdkORa9mdE/s1600/Base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxdFcCJjC4A/VFbG1LothyI/AAAAAAAAMnY/RGdkORa9mdE/s1600/Base.png" height="238" width="325" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeqN8nqD7Ob27qsYWOBgiVxnQPhFVEzg5CLaa1v5UWnrk8r-eMKLlJZFuP99dQT_i8eCvvh45iVzx2hwbvjJazRy-zGZSKkGUQ33ZveVoIibnftfNMNoE1txaegzDOBsmPSS6aLLcKkQ/s1600/Base2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeqN8nqD7Ob27qsYWOBgiVxnQPhFVEzg5CLaa1v5UWnrk8r-eMKLlJZFuP99dQT_i8eCvvh45iVzx2hwbvjJazRy-zGZSKkGUQ33ZveVoIibnftfNMNoE1txaegzDOBsmPSS6aLLcKkQ/s1600/Base2.png" height="238" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aun4AdaGB0U/VFbG1Mz_JEI/AAAAAAAAMnk/RPEOjHPTl1Y/s1600/Base3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aun4AdaGB0U/VFbG1Mz_JEI/AAAAAAAAMnk/RPEOjHPTl1Y/s1600/Base3.png" height="238" width="325" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRFj7ThHRb0/VFbG2Ekt1iI/AAAAAAAAMno/tghIbSyF8Bw/s1600/Base4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRFj7ThHRb0/VFbG2Ekt1iI/AAAAAAAAMno/tghIbSyF8Bw/s1600/Base4.png" height="238" width="325" /></a></div><br />
Alter doesn't see it as a big enough issue to send me a new base but I can live with that. It was worth a shot to try and get a better, flatter base, but it's not the end of the world if I'm not granted one. She may lack a bit of balance, but I have her inside a self-made case so if she falls at least she won't go far.<br />
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Taking her out for photographs can honestly be a bit of a chore if I don't hold her foot down and wrap my hand around her torso.<br />
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It would have been great if Alter included an extra right leg with a short pole or peg to attach it to the base. It would certainly increase the stability of this figure, but I suppose I shouldn't mull over it too much...<br />
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On a more positive note, her base, which is a nice dirt path, is quite detailed. There are a few layered rocks on the base and then the tiny specs of dirt in the crevices, which I really like. The short patches of grass resembles moss and adds a nice touch of colour to the path. It's simple but pleasant.<br />
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<b>Face</b><br />
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When I first saw the prototype photographs Alter released, I was floored by how amazing Estelle looked. Her expression was just so calm and lovely that I thought, "Wow, Alter nailed it!" Even now, having Estelle on my desk, I think her expression is perfect. I'm thankful it's not bursting with excitement or emotions. Somehow this sweet calmness suits her really well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w8vzl4axDfo/VFbG8wGGUfI/AAAAAAAAMn4/nXqOkcYdN-c/s1600/Estelleface1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w8vzl4axDfo/VFbG8wGGUfI/AAAAAAAAMn4/nXqOkcYdN-c/s1600/Estelleface1.png" height="290" width="215" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hM1XTIfBTG8/VFbG82MLZDI/AAAAAAAAMoA/6T5RPAnXYU8/s1600/Estelleface2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hM1XTIfBTG8/VFbG82MLZDI/AAAAAAAAMoA/6T5RPAnXYU8/s1600/Estelleface2.png" height="290" width="215" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXB2PO1GrJs/VFbG8zkSPII/AAAAAAAAMn8/AtmFEzG0WPw/s1600/Estelleface3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXB2PO1GrJs/VFbG8zkSPII/AAAAAAAAMn8/AtmFEzG0WPw/s1600/Estelleface3.png" height="290" width="215" /></a></div><br />
The gorgeous pastel pink used for Estelle's hair and dress reminds me of bubblegum or cotton candy. And yes, Ash has mentioned she wants to take a bite out of her but hey, PVC's deadly so that's a huge no-no.<br />
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There are a few seams in her hair but nothing that's out of the ordinary. There aren't any particularly bad features I can point out since she has short hair, but that's a good thing. Lots of long haired figures tend to have hideous seams here and there but Estelle doesn't have that issue.<br />
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<b>Body</b><br />
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It's fairly obvious Estelle's design was based off a bell flower. All you have to do is look at the shape of her dress and then under it. The way her dress flaps out is similar to how a bell flower opens when it blossoms. Even her pants resemble the stamens that grow behind the petals. Fujishima did a fantastic job designing Estelle, and Alter did an amazing job turning it into a figure. I appreciate the gold linings all over her dress, mostly because it's far better than using yellow, which is part of the original design. The shine really draws your attention to her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--U3Aet_xFXM/VFbLJVru5eI/AAAAAAAAMok/RaCk6Km9cDE/s1600/Body3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--U3Aet_xFXM/VFbLJVru5eI/AAAAAAAAMok/RaCk6Km9cDE/s1600/Body3.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2QwR9q5hEA/VFbLLTXFxUI/AAAAAAAAMpQ/KkRYD4bEh7k/s1600/body.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2QwR9q5hEA/VFbLLTXFxUI/AAAAAAAAMpQ/KkRYD4bEh7k/s1600/body.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ITozesfGVjE/VFbLJtY9ZiI/AAAAAAAAMoo/p8arIJboNcY/s1600/Body2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ITozesfGVjE/VFbLJtY9ZiI/AAAAAAAAMoo/p8arIJboNcY/s1600/Body2.png" height="290" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVB1gsZnVqg/VFbLLOcQzuI/AAAAAAAAMpM/pDaCxCKrm7E/s1600/Body8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVB1gsZnVqg/VFbLLOcQzuI/AAAAAAAAMpM/pDaCxCKrm7E/s1600/Body8.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2eBZyMMhrI/VFbRj-kMzfI/AAAAAAAAMrQ/cIkkqXyPZcs/s1600/body9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2eBZyMMhrI/VFbRj-kMzfI/AAAAAAAAMrQ/cIkkqXyPZcs/s1600/body9.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_z_egOFEOk/VFbLKF9bjCI/AAAAAAAAMo4/UfZWNGBM5xw/s1600/Body5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_z_egOFEOk/VFbLKF9bjCI/AAAAAAAAMo4/UfZWNGBM5xw/s1600/Body5.png" height="290" width="218" /></a></div><br />
Unlike many other figures out there though, I can't criticize or gush about fancy folds or creases in her outfit. She has a few wrinkles in the lower back but nothing grand. The dress details are simplistic but well done as there are very few paint spills. The only one I really noticed was the chipped gold piece above Estelle's left shoulder. It wasn't noticeable until I took photographs and started cropping them for the review. It's small enough that it doesn't distract me from the beauty of the figure.<br />
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The only real issue I have with the dress is that the white flaps are incredibly thin. I accidentally brushed a few fingers against it once and thought some part of it would snap. The back flap happens to be the thinnest layer on this figure, so I have to handle her with care when moving her around. Estelle truly is a delicate piece of work...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pPTXRLvJPysp0Om8LxZHjJsVdsL2K3bgg_sA-H6DDKoRK8HmOzkbs9cFF4cUk3tSdGgNjM0HcFinSk_ntenc2T6AJ91KbbmIyjrj0DPurSfTv7od6B8OpLd9fVt8L6AnL0g7JnY3AJs/s1600/Body4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pPTXRLvJPysp0Om8LxZHjJsVdsL2K3bgg_sA-H6DDKoRK8HmOzkbs9cFF4cUk3tSdGgNjM0HcFinSk_ntenc2T6AJ91KbbmIyjrj0DPurSfTv7od6B8OpLd9fVt8L6AnL0g7JnY3AJs/s1600/Body4.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fwCcQ7gpPU0/VFbLKja5rAI/AAAAAAAAMpI/1w7-5YM1rRg/s1600/Body6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fwCcQ7gpPU0/VFbLKja5rAI/AAAAAAAAMpI/1w7-5YM1rRg/s1600/Body6.png" height="290" width="218" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyoLZp_gX-Y/VFbLKj1WIbI/AAAAAAAAMpE/cya8PQ5NGzA/s1600/Body7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyoLZp_gX-Y/VFbLKj1WIbI/AAAAAAAAMpE/cya8PQ5NGzA/s1600/Body7.png" height="290" width="218" /></a></div><br />
On another note, Estelle is probably the safest figure for work out there. She's literally covered from neck to toe with garments, gloves and boots included. Think you'll find something risque underneath that dress? Wondering if she might actually be a bit of a naughty princess? Well, sorry to disappoint, because Estelle's all covered up there, too! I'll admit the black tights hug her legs and behind nicely, but there's nothing "adventurous" underneath that floral dress. If you're disappointed in your findings here, I can almost guarantee that reading one of Jenn's reviews will make up for it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QrE7srw-RyA/VFbRkDk95pI/AAAAAAAAMrM/WmXlHJdkIuA/s1600/bottom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QrE7srw-RyA/VFbRkDk95pI/AAAAAAAAMrM/WmXlHJdkIuA/s1600/bottom.png" height="400" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Too </b>safe for work!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course there's nothing wrong with having a safe figure! I would have liked her either way. Frankly, I'm just surprised there's a character who's that modest! This just goes to show how much of a proper princess she really is.<br />
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<b>Blastia</b><br />
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The Blastia, which is the ornament wrapped around Estelle's wrist, is one of prettiest features of this figure. The design is very feminine but it's elegant as well, especially with the way it weaves around the princess's wrist. I never noticed this before since Tales of Vesperia doesn't exactly show the bracelet off at various angles, but Estelle's Blastia has a little heart shape on top. Really nice touch. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sq4k38VUSaA/VFbRg2wGpSI/AAAAAAAAMp8/S0Lb6SIftEY/s1600/Bracelet1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sq4k38VUSaA/VFbRg2wGpSI/AAAAAAAAMp8/S0Lb6SIftEY/s1600/Bracelet1.png" height="400" width="306" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BqqXwB1lp78/VFbRg-rt9kI/AAAAAAAAMqE/J4zzxj1HwFM/s1600/Bracelet2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BqqXwB1lp78/VFbRg-rt9kI/AAAAAAAAMqE/J4zzxj1HwFM/s1600/Bracelet2.png" height="400" width="306" /></a></div><br />
The gold shine and red orb stand out nicely from the actual glove. While it can be a tad difficult to see them from a frontal point of view, you can certainly appreciate it from a side or birds-eye view.<br />
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<b>Staff and Shield</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEIxmwuSuQ68KrIlaK6xCcH5boO8vgRvb2ssrRO-qbhBLkVs4ENJ9j3-JEGgHvniBVznf-zq_MLd1qOIU4wf_kV0liT09KyEuMKHz1h6uUacJ5G3kEKiJNtPLMF_ASVqPsx5lL0NcNl8/s1600/Estelle-staff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEIxmwuSuQ68KrIlaK6xCcH5boO8vgRvb2ssrRO-qbhBLkVs4ENJ9j3-JEGgHvniBVznf-zq_MLd1qOIU4wf_kV0liT09KyEuMKHz1h6uUacJ5G3kEKiJNtPLMF_ASVqPsx5lL0NcNl8/s1600/Estelle-staff.png" height="260" width="640" /></a></div><br />
One of the weakest elements of this Estelle figure would definitely be her staff. Sure, the details engraved in the gold handle are a nice touch, but the plastic pink and white bits ruin the prop. Surprisingly enough these plastic parts make the staff seem cheap. Alter could have used a slightly better material. Nothing about it shines like the rest of the figure. I can display Estelle without the staff, but she doesn't feel complete without it.<br />
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The shield on the other hand is grand and heart-shaped! It's very Estelle. <br />
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I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the little screws and details on the back of the shield because I was expecting plainness. Note to self: expect intricate details from all of Alter's creations, including little props. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GUlENh2ajRI/VFbRjM8pV-I/AAAAAAAAMq0/TeIj4VMLYYY/s1600/Shield.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GUlENh2ajRI/VFbRjM8pV-I/AAAAAAAAMq0/TeIj4VMLYYY/s1600/Shield.png" height="250" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5r9XpnvrD08DeBHr93mnuprAWsGibDhp_BZpsGr_QN50lRKOwuQTI7WI1gtEFim4TqCnG9NKBaST2_noyxgosBhLaJYBwwHD0z-M3HwnOah68n9CWNEc1htpF0LPOmj-bD0DzRM1jIc/s1600/Shield2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5r9XpnvrD08DeBHr93mnuprAWsGibDhp_BZpsGr_QN50lRKOwuQTI7WI1gtEFim4TqCnG9NKBaST2_noyxgosBhLaJYBwwHD0z-M3HwnOah68n9CWNEc1htpF0LPOmj-bD0DzRM1jIc/s1600/Shield2.png" height="250" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Armed with a staff and shield, Estelle looks less dainty and a lot fuller as a figure. It's far more obvious she's from a video game, too. With those items equipped, Estelle is ready for more adventures and any hardships that come her way! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paWVQVTovwM/VFbVDS5HlQI/AAAAAAAAMsI/HDn_KH1b7mA/s1600/Estellespin1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paWVQVTovwM/VFbVDS5HlQI/AAAAAAAAMsI/HDn_KH1b7mA/s1600/Estellespin1.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h1Jldt3lvYU/VFbVDug41QI/AAAAAAAAMr8/yPY-Y0F6enU/s1600/Estellespin2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h1Jldt3lvYU/VFbVDug41QI/AAAAAAAAMr8/yPY-Y0F6enU/s1600/Estellespin2.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvEymy1iuoY/VFbVDj-Q-II/AAAAAAAAMsA/N7MR2hrkpZE/s1600/Estellespin3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvEymy1iuoY/VFbVDj-Q-II/AAAAAAAAMsA/N7MR2hrkpZE/s1600/Estellespin3.png" height="300" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTRju3sjvnH308-p0CBGBvpePPBPctUqrt8ZsKBrUEpJ7Zs214o39mz-R9GusYaBbAy-eYAfMG1SBPXqRBfjv1OcWzkleZXi2lsh9ajaDgSkDhMwe3YU4ZDxeBceAoVUV6GNbfA8NuMc/s1600/Estellespin4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTRju3sjvnH308-p0CBGBvpePPBPctUqrt8ZsKBrUEpJ7Zs214o39mz-R9GusYaBbAy-eYAfMG1SBPXqRBfjv1OcWzkleZXi2lsh9ajaDgSkDhMwe3YU4ZDxeBceAoVUV6GNbfA8NuMc/s1600/Estellespin4.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zv6VdqQFX0U/VFbVEcwNfhI/AAAAAAAAMsQ/QzK6G4pIjEA/s1600/Estellespin5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zv6VdqQFX0U/VFbVEcwNfhI/AAAAAAAAMsQ/QzK6G4pIjEA/s1600/Estellespin5.png" height="300" width="216" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJa9okAySpRhMHTGgf9FSw_xBtHv3OczjV6SxDKnRBQkSX6gZIE5cSSthMFV73zmqpS-6JR7UiTvJ0vlRHbRMVxCW4H6gjYGpMkkURwXoOU-gwOzn_6d_jAWYhEwVKLH6S20yAusTKCA/s1600/Estellespin6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJa9okAySpRhMHTGgf9FSw_xBtHv3OczjV6SxDKnRBQkSX6gZIE5cSSthMFV73zmqpS-6JR7UiTvJ0vlRHbRMVxCW4H6gjYGpMkkURwXoOU-gwOzn_6d_jAWYhEwVKLH6S20yAusTKCA/s1600/Estellespin6.png" height="300" width="216" /></a></div><br />
Finally, we have our super-deformed Estelle figure. In the game, it's an attachment you equip to Repede (a party member). Its alternate name is "Overdrive Princess".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsWPJWZ84_Q/VFbRh8_d5lI/AAAAAAAAMqM/c4z93n8LSdw/s1600/Overdrivedoll1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsWPJWZ84_Q/VFbRh8_d5lI/AAAAAAAAMqM/c4z93n8LSdw/s1600/Overdrivedoll1.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69u9bEGTUnQ/VFbRiPqTovI/AAAAAAAAMqY/S99e6Ehywso/s1600/Overdrivedoll2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69u9bEGTUnQ/VFbRiPqTovI/AAAAAAAAMqY/S99e6Ehywso/s1600/Overdrivedoll2.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3gx6enwOsk/VFbRieog5bI/AAAAAAAAMqg/xF2xXOBl4po/s1600/Overdrivedoll3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3gx6enwOsk/VFbRieog5bI/AAAAAAAAMqg/xF2xXOBl4po/s1600/Overdrivedoll3.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RowQmzPoosI/VFbRihj3BwI/AAAAAAAAMqs/nzGIZeWHgIU/s1600/Overdrivedoll4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RowQmzPoosI/VFbRihj3BwI/AAAAAAAAMqs/nzGIZeWHgIU/s1600/Overdrivedoll4.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a></div><br />
Admittedly, she's adorable but, her expression is much nicer on the Tales of series Nendoroid Petit Estelle. I can't help but compare them because they have similar heights, but both have their share of endearing qualities. Alter's little Estelle figure is very detailed for something so tiny. I'm amazed the paint job is so clean. Additionally, they used gold paint on the dress, so she matches the 1/8 Estelle perfectly! While I appreciate the pose and expression more on Good Smile Company's Nendoroid Petite Estelle, Alter's Chibi-Estelle is more detailed overall.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJtutk7Nvrc/VFbmmhO4jFI/AAAAAAAAMuU/5VWD3zsHJs0/s1600/MiniEstelle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJtutk7Nvrc/VFbmmhO4jFI/AAAAAAAAMuU/5VWD3zsHJs0/s1600/MiniEstelle.png" height="449" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I personally don't think Estelle is as photogenic as many other figures out there, but she can certainly rock natural areas quite well. I mean, she's already treading on her dirt path of a base, so why not in the forest or in a field, like in the opening of the game? Maybe she could be dancing at a party as well. That little step she takes could be part of a dance!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SjdzQG-fAQI/VFbX-2dTF0I/AAAAAAAAMsw/A00OW5S02cU/s1600/Estelle-flowers2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SjdzQG-fAQI/VFbX-2dTF0I/AAAAAAAAMsw/A00OW5S02cU/s1600/Estelle-flowers2.png" height="285" width="214" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iKgsIkeHxso/VFbX_-sh5_I/AAAAAAAAMtI/aogIYEPRSs4/s1600/Estelle-flowers3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iKgsIkeHxso/VFbX_-sh5_I/AAAAAAAAMtI/aogIYEPRSs4/s1600/Estelle-flowers3.png" height="285" width="214" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IVSJ1uU22MLnnHL84xkNTn01f_9MflNL-Aq41JIl1re-9LYb4fIy7PCvOWCcNiCiQi-TiykaCD2e39-eQxnHr9vU15yk2a463ocfL0NgMR5hafC-ZLV3URs6Ddw2jsRJdQT0lyzCsHk/s1600/Estelle-forest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IVSJ1uU22MLnnHL84xkNTn01f_9MflNL-Aq41JIl1re-9LYb4fIy7PCvOWCcNiCiQi-TiykaCD2e39-eQxnHr9vU15yk2a463ocfL0NgMR5hafC-ZLV3URs6Ddw2jsRJdQT0lyzCsHk/s1600/Estelle-forest.png" height="285" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZQrdhRMwXc/VFbYBEzjHYI/AAAAAAAAMtc/aW9Knz9aLfA/s1600/Estelle-sunset.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZQrdhRMwXc/VFbYBEzjHYI/AAAAAAAAMtc/aW9Knz9aLfA/s1600/Estelle-sunset.png" height="285" width="214" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HB7mlBRBH74/VFbcVE1GzUI/AAAAAAAAMt8/FExWzAPM5Cg/s1600/Estelle-forest3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HB7mlBRBH74/VFbcVE1GzUI/AAAAAAAAMt8/FExWzAPM5Cg/s1600/Estelle-forest3.png" height="285" width="214" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZvBdA54KD0/VFbX-9Xv3lI/AAAAAAAAMs8/9Q8LugvPFgk/s1600/Estelle-book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZvBdA54KD0/VFbX-9Xv3lI/AAAAAAAAMs8/9Q8LugvPFgk/s1600/Estelle-book.png" height="285" width="214" /></a></div><br />
Overall, Estelle is a fantastic figure. She is definitely well worth the price she goes for at Mandarake, despite the little flaws. Frankly, having her on my desk makes me want to invest in another 1/8 figure, because she's just so darn pretty. It's almost a shame I don't have space for another figure in my room.<br />
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If you're a fan of the <i>Tales of</i> Series, or a fan of cheap Alter figures, I recommend picking her up. She usually goes for about 5000-7000 yen on Mandarake these days, so if you're looking to spend on a pretty figure at a decent price, Estelle's a great choice!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xJsqilnsGg/VFbRgwkDE2I/AAAAAAAAMq4/qcUFhXssqjk/s1600/Estelle-party2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xJsqilnsGg/VFbRgwkDE2I/AAAAAAAAMq4/qcUFhXssqjk/s1600/Estelle-party2.png" height="240" width="325" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-60LiiBR7ZvM/VFbYDoITGyI/AAAAAAAAMtk/9t_jfa-WqqE/s1600/Estelle-class3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-60LiiBR7ZvM/VFbYDoITGyI/AAAAAAAAMtk/9t_jfa-WqqE/s1600/Estelle-class3.png" height="240" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Summary</b>:<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>Box</td><td>6/10</td><td>There's nothing special about it but you can view Estelle from various angles without taking her out.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Base</td><td>6.5/10</td><td>Very fitting for Estelle who's journeying around the world. Unfortunately, it's a bit unstable.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Pose</td><td>9.5/10</td><td>Estelle's pose makes her look lovely, like she's taking a little hop</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sculpt</td><td>8.5/10</td><td>The sculpt is smooth and clean. The downside is that Estelle's dress feels very delicate</td></tr>
<tr><td>Paint</td><td>9.5/10</td><td>The paint job is almost impeccable with the exception of a paint chip here and there.</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Overall </b></td><td>9/10</td><td>Estelle is a lovely figure with minor sculpting flaws</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Alter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Price</b>: 6500 yen</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Purchased at</b>: <a href="http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/shop/en/" target="_blank">Mandarake</a></div><br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
<b>~Suich</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-59198942485038176252014-04-18T21:05:00.000-04:002014-05-03T17:11:49.418-04:00Anime North 2014 Giveaway (Updated: May 03, 2014)<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/anime-north-2014-giveaway.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3w4z5a_V77E/U1GY_kTrj4I/AAAAAAAALEk/Oqk0-OXXy1U/s1600/Anime+North+2014+giveaway+banner.png" height="161" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hello dear readers, Poke the Merch will be heading to Anime North 2014 and we're hoping to see you there! Due to the success of our "<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sinbads-treasure-giveaway.html" target="_blank">Sinbad's Treasure</a>" giveaway last year, we've decided to give more goodies out! Be sure to find us on <b>Saturday, May 24, 2014 </b>to claim a piece of our merch!</div>
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<b>How will you find us?</b><br />
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This year the Poke crew will be cosplaying as characters from the game: "<b>Hatoful Boyfriend"</b>,<b> </b>a.k.a. the notorious pigeon dating game that results only in trauma! Hey man, don't judge. We can feel you judging. Go try the game! Try it now. It's short and fun, and it changed our lives forever. No joshing. We'll be cosplaying as the following characters: Ryouta Kawara, Anghel Higure, and Shuu Iwamine. In human "form"...not bird (although that would be an amazing cosplay).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSZpGVGKrciXK5jF2KKFz6HeOWeY07ttCNLpeommkKvmY-VKsJwFAy_9nvC4nkfrYyRmfvgCjUX_CaWhPun3Taqtd9pIp0IKtmegnwKvi1q8WU9rhaqhfYUBvqaOvbl6-AydQw7cREWU/s1600/Hatoful.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSZpGVGKrciXK5jF2KKFz6HeOWeY07ttCNLpeommkKvmY-VKsJwFAy_9nvC4nkfrYyRmfvgCjUX_CaWhPun3Taqtd9pIp0IKtmegnwKvi1q8WU9rhaqhfYUBvqaOvbl6-AydQw7cREWU/s1600/Hatoful.png" height="158" width="640" /></a></div>
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Suich will be cosplaying as Ryouta in his shrine maiden outfit so be on the lookout for her if you want to claim a prize from our goodies basket! <u>She will be holding a silver basket full of goodies.</u><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQnM3UF46_Q/U1xPJ4hhkCI/AAAAAAAALFY/uR2zlJt9ixM/s1600/Giveaway-basket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQnM3UF46_Q/U1xPJ4hhkCI/AAAAAAAALFY/uR2zlJt9ixM/s1600/Giveaway-basket.png" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
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Of course, you can always look out for other members of Poke the Merch! Ash will be cosplaying as quirky little Anghel, and Jenn will be cosplaying as Doctor Shuu. If you hear the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" coming from someone, it will be from Jenn. Yes, she comes with her own theme song. HINT. HINT.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE PROCESS </b></span></div>
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<b>HOW DO I GET DEM GOODIES?!</b></div>
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To acquire an item from Ryouta (Suich):</div>
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<li>Ask me, "How's your mother doing?"</li>
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And that's all you have to do to pick out any one item inside the goodies basket! It will be first come first served and one item per person! We hope to see you there!<br />
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Remember, <b>Saturday, May 24, 2014 </b>only! Please note that if we no longer have the goodies basket it means all the items have been given away.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE GIVEAWAY</b></span></div>
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<b>SHOW US THE GOODIES ALREADY</b></div>
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<b>Magi Chara Fortune Series charms by Mega House (x6):</b></div>
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We have available one of each character you see below: Aladdin, Ali Baba, Morgiana, Judar, Ja'far, and Sinbad. All are new and in their original boxes, with the exception of Aladdin and Ali Baba which were opened for photographs.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6gZr86ecod0/U0FqtDJg2gI/AAAAAAAAK_4/oc-5pVG9Ucg/s1600/Magi+Chara+fortune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6gZr86ecod0/U0FqtDJg2gI/AAAAAAAAK_4/oc-5pVG9Ucg/s1600/Magi+Chara+fortune.jpg" height="388" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Animal Crossing: Choco-Eggs, by </b><b>Furuta Confectionery (x10)</b></div>
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Animal Crossing: New Leaf (the game) was such a smashing success that we've decided to give out these Choco-Eggs! They're just like Kinder Eggs, but with Animal Crossing characters inside. All of these are new and unopened!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXob9mUOFpA/U0FqtAVRKzI/AAAAAAAAK_8/KYbDu-favto/s1600/Animal+Crossing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXob9mUOFpA/U0FqtAVRKzI/AAAAAAAAK_8/KYbDu-favto/s1600/Animal+Crossing.png" height="320" width="305" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qrQEq-ki4hA/U0FttmM2H1I/AAAAAAAALAg/FG8t0o4bGc4/s1600/ACNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qrQEq-ki4hA/U0FttmM2H1I/AAAAAAAALAg/FG8t0o4bGc4/s1600/ACNL.jpg" height="320" width="306" /></a></div>
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<b>Bakemonogatari prize figures, by Taito (x3)</b><br />
We've got two Senjougaharas and a Hanekawa to give away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8IucjUlRzLaZl-4VtDM2uWJE3d9X76E69NQ26BAbEzsCzhTmUGr_Potb6lAJThFn7B_KhNZcRNB7Dmu0HvBILnwQ3lVLZrhFygppavn_1jDMW9BEVG3htH1Tc_jT7IxS5lL2orNrt5o/s1600/Hanekawa.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8IucjUlRzLaZl-4VtDM2uWJE3d9X76E69NQ26BAbEzsCzhTmUGr_Potb6lAJThFn7B_KhNZcRNB7Dmu0HvBILnwQ3lVLZrhFygppavn_1jDMW9BEVG3htH1Tc_jT7IxS5lL2orNrt5o/s1600/Hanekawa.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ASSlAj_-Ga_J8Gc2yGVI7pX2yoAD8Dxj068k8QmV-IRkP6L7ByG6xZ4y8y8DXyDB4ckZ4ZEVWm4k3EWvR-v5vtdy06MjNtEiVMEsDuIER3twoRQZLb1q8TNEplyJsekNyY9BHEslcyI/s1600/Senjougahara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ASSlAj_-Ga_J8Gc2yGVI7pX2yoAD8Dxj068k8QmV-IRkP6L7ByG6xZ4y8y8DXyDB4ckZ4ZEVWm4k3EWvR-v5vtdy06MjNtEiVMEsDuIER3twoRQZLb1q8TNEplyJsekNyY9BHEslcyI/s1600/Senjougahara.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Attack on Titan: Rubber Straps, by Kotobukiya (x10)</b><br />
All rubber straps are new and in their original packaging.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPa7aPoZ9Sk0nCCH82Hdt-N8asjZVyDIKIxCAryu2bEmOaMEeQrNmKQ6DHUowAmeIReLpeDm1lIsRJtbyyFS2yAhneLF3qDUqI2UYJ7pdRfPpMYyoIhDKszI4jIDv6P65Hdps-7wxgU7A/s1600/SnK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPa7aPoZ9Sk0nCCH82Hdt-N8asjZVyDIKIxCAryu2bEmOaMEeQrNmKQ6DHUowAmeIReLpeDm1lIsRJtbyyFS2yAhneLF3qDUqI2UYJ7pdRfPpMYyoIhDKszI4jIDv6P65Hdps-7wxgU7A/s1600/SnK.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Prince of Tennis: One coin grande figure collection by Kotobukiya (x10)</b><br />
All figures have been opened and displayed but are in excellent condition.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b> <b><span style="font-size: large;">B-B-BONUS!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!</span> </span></b></div>
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We have not one, but <b>two</b> main draws this year!</div>
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<b>Shining Wind - 1/8 Elwing, by Kotobukiya</b></div>
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Everyone loves elves, right? Here's your chance to win an elf of your own! Elwing/Elwyn (however her name is spelt) is like new. Never displayed. Removed from box for photos. <br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Sailor Mars plush by Bandai<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">To celebrate the upcoming Sailor Moon series we have decided to give away a brand new, unopened Sailor Mars plush at Anime North 2014! </span></div>
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To be eligible for the draw:</div>
<ul>
<li>Go to Shuu and yell "I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE."</li>
<li>Go to Anghel and call him by his real name (HINT: Not Anghel)</li>
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Doing one of the two things above will allow you to put your
name in for one of the prizes (Elwing or Sailor Mars)</div>
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Should you shout out <b>both </b>of the above phrases, you can do
one of the three things below:</div>
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1) You can put your name in twice for the Elwing figure</div>
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2) You can put your name in twice for the Sailor Mars plush</div>
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3) You can put in your name once for Elwing and once for
Sailor Mars</div>
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Post it on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, or where ever else and share the love! Tell your friends about this giveaway! Tell your friends to tell their friends! TELL EVERYONE.<br />
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Speaking of Twitter, we will be tweeting about our whereabouts during the giveaway! See if you can try and hunt us down! <b><a href="https://twitter.com/PoketheMerch" target="_blank">Follow us today!</a></b><br />
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*One item per person. In the event of any inappropriate conduct, we reserve the right to withhold prizes.*<br />
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-<b>The Poke Crew</b><br />
<b>Suich, Jenn, and Ash</b></div>
Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-51422299777606054772014-04-12T01:45:00.001-04:002014-05-04T03:01:42.333-04:001/7 Menma swimsuit ver. (Max Factory)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/17-menma-swimsuit-ver-max-factory.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hhzgtn3g8Rs/Uy_NJT6fuuI/AAAAAAAAKvY/doVhPNQftnA/s1600/Menma-icon.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;">I'm not sure why it took me so long to pick up Max Factory's swimsuit Menma. I've been a fan of her unique look since the very beginning, but even when her resale price dropped to 3000 yen, I waited. What was I trying to prove? That I'm patient or something? How illogical.<br />
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So, after a year of staring at photos of her on the Internet (like an apex creeper), I finally threw up my arms and ordered her. Instantly, a thousand weights lifted from my shoulders. Hallelujah!</span><br />
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Menma is the cheerful ghost girl of (deep breath)<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="sub"> Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai, a.k.a. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day, prudently shortened to "AnoHana" by fans. I mean, the original name's poetic and all, but <i>seriously</i>? Now, I don't recommend many anime. I'm notoriously prickly when it comes to tight plots and prudent character development. Give me a story, and I will critique it. Mercilessly. So trust me when I say the show is at least worth a watch. It's an odd mixture of cutesy and cathartic, with strong depressing overtones. I mean, how happy can you get when your main character is dead? It's not among my favourite series, but it did make a decent splash. I also happen to like the closing song. Watch it. Shed tears. It'll be fun.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Now, onto more pressing matters. PVC matters, to be precise.</span><br />
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Menma comes in a long, uncorrugated cardboard box with pleasing blue and white tones, and many, many windows. Unfortunately, the windows on her box render her pink backdrop useless as a photographic accessory, which was a bit miffing—but it wasn't like I was short on pastel pink backdrops to begin with, so it's not a huge loss. The flower decals are also a nice touch. <br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dCDTXXQvOng/UzEaLrKpaPI/AAAAAAAAKwU/0qdTxopyEFg/s1600/Menma-box.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dCDTXXQvOng/UzEaLrKpaPI/AAAAAAAAKwU/0qdTxopyEFg/s1600/Menma-box.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4BE_2N3AADk/UzEaKWi3lcI/AAAAAAAAKwM/728Aub19FEM/s1600/Menma-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4BE_2N3AADk/UzEaKWi3lcI/AAAAAAAAKwM/728Aub19FEM/s1600/Menma-box-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></span></div>
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Menma's base is a clear plastic circle with more blue and green flower decals (the green doesn't show up well in photos). It doesn't make as much sense as a sandy beach base, but it does match her figure nicely. I can almost imagine her wading in a shallow pond of floating petals.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j_BnVs9wy5M/Uy_AXboDtYI/AAAAAAAAKqw/0SCAYblHAd8/s1600/Menma-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j_BnVs9wy5M/Uy_AXboDtYI/AAAAAAAAKqw/0SCAYblHAd8/s1600/Menma-base.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Menma's not the bustiest 16-year-old out there. Rather, I'm not even sure I can call her 16. Sure, she appears in a 16-year-old body, but she's technically trapped in the mindset of an elementary school child.... Aw man, now I feel like a real creeper, having a swimsuit version of her on my shelf.<br />
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Anyhow, despite being a bikini figure, there isn't much about Menma that's advertised as erotic. I mean, it's not like she's sucking on a <i>cylindrical </i>popsicle or proffering her booty or anything. Even with all her skin on display, she looks like she's just out for a casual, beach stroll. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ci-DJnTqyK8/Uy_A22SPnwI/AAAAAAAAKs4/ywXG0ESpvvk/s1600/Menma-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ci-DJnTqyK8/Uy_A22SPnwI/AAAAAAAAKs4/ywXG0ESpvvk/s1600/Menma-full-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWIipcmslZ0/Uy_A4lynTSI/AAAAAAAAKtA/82t3c7Lj6Xw/s1600/Menma-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWIipcmslZ0/Uy_A4lynTSI/AAAAAAAAKtA/82t3c7Lj6Xw/s1600/Menma-full-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KiWxIlCQ4bY/Uy_A6rh6EqI/AAAAAAAAKtI/Nq3BDJtshZU/s1600/Menma-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KiWxIlCQ4bY/Uy_A6rh6EqI/AAAAAAAAKtI/Nq3BDJtshZU/s1600/Menma-full-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxoGqK6RPUA/Uy_A8S_a2hI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/SyClStMx654/s1600/Menma-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxoGqK6RPUA/Uy_A8S_a2hI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/SyClStMx654/s1600/Menma-full-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9R2pbSGDKWo/Uy_A_Aha-zI/AAAAAAAAKtY/2irOdE40FWc/s1600/Menma-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9R2pbSGDKWo/Uy_A_Aha-zI/AAAAAAAAKtY/2irOdE40FWc/s1600/Menma-full-5.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2s_AH9xZ9W7XjEpyqu8_C6SEICUc1kgfxOGvuA0O5p-_7iGcONbQR7RlbScoJOkVQ1xLB0MS3o6KMnEa02dKpcxqUPiofU4S3-olmhG8XhlAkoWAqTFDbjPRXi6o2x57NZcTL1ghKuw/s1600/Menma-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2s_AH9xZ9W7XjEpyqu8_C6SEICUc1kgfxOGvuA0O5p-_7iGcONbQR7RlbScoJOkVQ1xLB0MS3o6KMnEa02dKpcxqUPiofU4S3-olmhG8XhlAkoWAqTFDbjPRXi6o2x57NZcTL1ghKuw/s1600/Menma-full-6.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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My favourite thing about Menma is her huge, disproportionate head and her huge, disproportionate eyes. Her expression is curious, if not a little surprised (it's hard <i>not </i>to seem surprised when your eyes occupy a third of your face). The paint job Max Factory has given her eyes is absolutely superb. All clean, bold lines and clear shades.<br />
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Another wonderful addition to Menma's face is her adorable little mouth, complete with adorable little chompers. <br />
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Side-ponytails are hilariously hard to pull off in real life. Take it from someone who's tried. They're slippery, and kinky (not in a sexual way...in a knotty way), and all-too-eager to whip innocent passerby across the eyes. Thankfully, what doesn't work well in real life finds refuge in sculpt, and Menma looks fantastic with a side-ponytail. The sharpness and semi-transparency of her tips adds an extra flair, and Max Factory did a wonderful job sculpting various pull lines and details.<br />
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The hibiscus in her hair adds a nice pop of colour. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2H_RcGIlbA/Uy_BENC4y-I/AAAAAAAAKtw/YyXKGYjK0KU/s1600/Menma-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2H_RcGIlbA/Uy_BENC4y-I/AAAAAAAAKtw/YyXKGYjK0KU/s1600/Menma-hair-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIjdUghGXtE/Uy_BCLBfK2I/AAAAAAAAKto/hQDqS2o4_f4/s1600/Menma-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIjdUghGXtE/Uy_BCLBfK2I/AAAAAAAAKto/hQDqS2o4_f4/s1600/Menma-hair-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_XP3WIXBvM/Uy_BFx5qF3I/AAAAAAAAKt4/QVRhY45rryY/s1600/Menma-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_XP3WIXBvM/Uy_BFx5qF3I/AAAAAAAAKt4/QVRhY45rryY/s1600/Menma-hair-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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There's irony in Menma's outfit, given her relationship with water (hint: they don't mix). Menma never actually dons a swimsuit in the series. But hey, why not? Artistic license and so on an so forth. It's a cute outfit, young and frilly, befitting of her eight-year-old mindset. Curiously, the polka-dots on her top and bottom are different shades, but a quick scan of her <a href="http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/PoketheMerch/media/Menmaswimsuit_zps2350144e.jpeg.html" target="_blank">original art</a> proves it's different by design, rather than error.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJc885RQsao/Uy_AaC_J1gI/AAAAAAAAKrA/PmNHHQOq_P8/s1600/Menma-body-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJc885RQsao/Uy_AaC_J1gI/AAAAAAAAKrA/PmNHHQOq_P8/s1600/Menma-body-1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oeHzoJm8QW4/Uy_AZW_KBXI/AAAAAAAAKq4/F8cS3-DPuV4/s1600/Menma-body-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oeHzoJm8QW4/Uy_AZW_KBXI/AAAAAAAAKq4/F8cS3-DPuV4/s1600/Menma-body-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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Menma may seem lacking in colour at first glance, but upon closer inspection, she actually has some nice shading going on. See her bottom? It actually a fine, lavender.<br />
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Very subtle, Max Factory. Way to make white more exciting!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzpX8gg0vNE/Uy_BQV-WZqI/AAAAAAAAKuo/LCyRyg_K9g4/s1600/Menma-swimsuit.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzpX8gg0vNE/Uy_BQV-WZqI/AAAAAAAAKuo/LCyRyg_K9g4/s1600/Menma-swimsuit.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0l9P9CXe_fQ/Uy_AbyaAVUI/AAAAAAAAKrI/3NFhzg18ixI/s1600/Menma-butt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0l9P9CXe_fQ/Uy_AbyaAVUI/AAAAAAAAKrI/3NFhzg18ixI/s1600/Menma-butt.png" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Menma has all the ungainliness of a growing teenager. Look at those stick legs. Damn woman, retain some weight! And do her feet seem large to you? They seem large to me. There is a lesson in contrast here. Her stalky shins make her feet look like oversized flippers in comparison. Or maybe that's just me. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFplaUD6u94/UzEd7KThUKI/AAAAAAAAKxA/P3ufIkIIlYs/s1600/Menma-legs-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFplaUD6u94/UzEd7KThUKI/AAAAAAAAKxA/P3ufIkIIlYs/s1600/Menma-legs-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOM3xYO0Us/UzEd-5Cwn3I/AAAAAAAAKxQ/3Ma4TDZgqfc/s1600/Menma-legs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOM3xYO0Us/UzEd-5Cwn3I/AAAAAAAAKxQ/3Ma4TDZgqfc/s1600/Menma-legs.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHFHaassHhk/UzEd8sHkMNI/AAAAAAAAKxI/StlbzY9cbNE/s1600/Menma-legs-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHFHaassHhk/UzEd8sHkMNI/AAAAAAAAKxI/StlbzY9cbNE/s1600/Menma-legs-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Figure manufacturers have long since become experts at sculpting fingers. However, not too many manufacturers sculpt nice toes. I can't blame them. Toes are weird and freaky, and I'd rather not spend too much time on them. But after seeing <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/11/18-honma-menma-meiko-alter.html" target="_blank">Alter's Menma's</a> cute little feet, I was a bit disappointed to see that Max Factory's Menma has bland, indistinct toes. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jPpMsltY7xc/Uy_BRp9KCgI/AAAAAAAAKuw/xFjLPEveXeo/s1600/Menma-toes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jPpMsltY7xc/Uy_BRp9KCgI/AAAAAAAAKuw/xFjLPEveXeo/s1600/Menma-toes.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As mentioned before, Menma has a neat style that sets her apart from the standard, female figure. Her long limbs and slim body ignites a righteous urge in me to <i>feed her and not stop until she's of satisfactory mass</i>. If you checked up her swimsuit top, you would notice her sculptor has actually given definition to her ribs. Yeesh. Like I always say, "If you can see your own ribs, you should probably be eating more."<br />
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Still, despite her general gangliness, Menma has some nice contours. I'm especially fond of the detail they put into her neck/collar area. Dats some genuine bone anatomy, Max Factory. Kudos all around.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gy79FBWWSRM/Uy_AlFaBhGI/AAAAAAAAKrw/wmpW3lRkMKQ/s1600/Menma-contours-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gy79FBWWSRM/Uy_AlFaBhGI/AAAAAAAAKrw/wmpW3lRkMKQ/s1600/Menma-contours-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GQnjoFCxnPM/Uy_AddGPcWI/AAAAAAAAKrQ/hUzAoCcKt4s/s1600/Menma-contour-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GQnjoFCxnPM/Uy_AddGPcWI/AAAAAAAAKrQ/hUzAoCcKt4s/s1600/Menma-contour-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wwf8OuVIRfD2DAIO_FeFSAuOv1r59FhScYA4-hgkwfRlPmZzoynyxk-3Okr3iMSjfHJfLdgAO3RlpmZJfZT9OzNwCxTJUEpvd_q7IKzb8qsTKxwjstVJl0lxvkOtF5QaOIuilQ8lNBE/s1600/Menma-contour-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wwf8OuVIRfD2DAIO_FeFSAuOv1r59FhScYA4-hgkwfRlPmZzoynyxk-3Okr3iMSjfHJfLdgAO3RlpmZJfZT9OzNwCxTJUEpvd_q7IKzb8qsTKxwjstVJl0lxvkOtF5QaOIuilQ8lNBE/s1600/Menma-contour-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Just to further show off her lines, here are a few higher-contrast pictures of her body. Nice shoulder blade definition, nice hip-bone definition, subtle flesh fold around her armpit, well-shaped elbows, good lines on her stomach and back. Yup. Menma's got it all. This sort of detail is why Max Factory consistently ranks among my favourite figure makers.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccXLkelUpT8/Uy_AhqOzgHI/AAAAAAAAKrg/B3udGewdhr0/s1600/Menma-contour-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccXLkelUpT8/Uy_AhqOzgHI/AAAAAAAAKrg/B3udGewdhr0/s1600/Menma-contour-4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UDXtecWOi8w/Uy_Aj0x04lI/AAAAAAAAKro/_jPfI0B4ztY/s1600/Menma-contour-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UDXtecWOi8w/Uy_Aj0x04lI/AAAAAAAAKro/_jPfI0B4ztY/s1600/Menma-contour-5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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The goodness doesn't stop there! Look at the soft lines in her flower, the little flower on her bikini straps (a tiny detail that made me squeal inordinately loud), and the cute tufts of hair sticking out of her neck. My one wish is that her hibiscus had just a bit more shading. That would have been absolute <i>perfection</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmUv6atO_fA/Uy_AolC9rwI/AAAAAAAAKsA/zwQ3B1GEHRo/s1600/Menma-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmUv6atO_fA/Uy_AolC9rwI/AAAAAAAAKsA/zwQ3B1GEHRo/s1600/Menma-detail-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YcWpAQ47F0/Uy_AqJNm-TI/AAAAAAAAKsI/SgCSETPGNLM/s1600/Menma-detail-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YcWpAQ47F0/Uy_AqJNm-TI/AAAAAAAAKsI/SgCSETPGNLM/s1600/Menma-detail-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zTe-OzlHB_I/Uy_ArzjzFqI/AAAAAAAAKsQ/zfxY_hXMRJQ/s1600/Menma-detail-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zTe-OzlHB_I/Uy_ArzjzFqI/AAAAAAAAKsQ/zfxY_hXMRJQ/s1600/Menma-detail-4.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Menma comes accessorized with a clear, floatation donut, etched with Japanese characters of which I only recognize three (one, fire, and mountain). As such, I have no idea what it says, but I like its design nevertheless. I'm glad they went with a clear, sleek design rather than a dopey, plastic blue or white.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljgSKexfiCQ/Uy_AuawnBlI/AAAAAAAAKsY/-WKtFgBDgvk/s1600/Menma-donut.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljgSKexfiCQ/Uy_AuawnBlI/AAAAAAAAKsY/-WKtFgBDgvk/s1600/Menma-donut.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ONE. FIRE. MOUNTAIN.</td></tr>
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So, she's getting a 10/10, right? With all this adulation, the only possible score I could give her is perfect, <i>right</i>? NAY. Mayhap her quality is enough to please most, but I am an insufferable, militaristic perfectionist who delights in finding the slightest mistakes, and pointing them out as a means by which to promote my own cleverness. Oh ho <i>ho</i> <i>ho ho</i>! <br />
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<i>Ahem. </i>Theatrics aside, there <i>are</i> a couple of incredibly tiny details that bug me.The first is the thickness of her bikini top. Max Factory can obviously sculpt thin, as shown by her lowest tier of frills, but the mid-tier is chunky, as though made of an entirely different material. What gives? It's not a huge mistake, but it did make me scratch my head.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nr73Yp-g7SE/Uy_BHl034bI/AAAAAAAAKuA/qXd9xUtTzyc/s1600/Menma-sculpt-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nr73Yp-g7SE/Uy_BHl034bI/AAAAAAAAKuA/qXd9xUtTzyc/s1600/Menma-sculpt-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Secondly, there are just a few places where her bikini straps seem to cut into her skin...literally. Take a look at the way her strap buries into her right shoulder. Looks kind of painful, huh? Makes me cringe just looking at it. Vicarious sympathy and whatnot.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tvl-SImK6P0/Uy_BJd5SZlI/AAAAAAAAKuI/lCc4H1504eg/s1600/Menma-sculpt-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tvl-SImK6P0/Uy_BJd5SZlI/AAAAAAAAKuI/lCc4H1504eg/s1600/Menma-sculpt-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, there are just a couple of missed opportunities. The hibiscus in her hair could use a few pull lines. Her ice cream could have more shine (or even some semi-transparency, or <i>mmm</i>, some drip). And the connection between her hips and bikini bottom could be just a tad more snug.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmNufIwfmsA/UzEd6KGe1PI/AAAAAAAAKw4/UgTml2MtecQ/s1600/Menma-flower.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmNufIwfmsA/UzEd6KGe1PI/AAAAAAAAKw4/UgTml2MtecQ/s1600/Menma-flower.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YirIBmAN88M/UzEeAuDRLVI/AAAAAAAAKxY/DTtNI-wQkCY/s1600/Menma-popsicle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YirIBmAN88M/UzEeAuDRLVI/AAAAAAAAKxY/DTtNI-wQkCY/s1600/Menma-popsicle.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybpN7AqFFpc/UzEeCPLp0bI/AAAAAAAAKxg/rEMVfRk7pPM/s1600/Menma-waist.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybpN7AqFFpc/UzEeCPLp0bI/AAAAAAAAKxg/rEMVfRk7pPM/s1600/Menma-waist.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Menma is officially listed as 1/7, but feels large for her size. She's significantly larger than <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/11/18-honma-menma-meiko-alter.html" target="_blank">Alter's 1/8 Menma</a>, as expected, but also a bit larger than <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/10/17-kureha-touka-swimsuit-ver-max.html" target="_blank">Max Factory's 1/7 Kureha</a>, which is less expected. I mean, unless Kureha's a shortie or something.... Finally, she towers over Alter's 1/7 Nanoha. Going by these comparisons, I think it's safe to say "scales" are really more approximations than actual scales, but hey, I'm not complaining. I happen to like my figures massive.<br />
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Max Factory's Menma is 23.5 cm tall, which according to math, would be 165 cm in life. According to <strike>Google</strike> her official profile though, she's only supposed to be 147 cm tall.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf4a0DTG-uY/Uy_BNPumx1I/AAAAAAAAKuY/t3dtIirX5T0/s1600/Menma-size-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf4a0DTG-uY/Uy_BNPumx1I/AAAAAAAAKuY/t3dtIirX5T0/s1600/Menma-size-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFAx5NBXGD8/Uy_BO_egTEI/AAAAAAAAKug/Eg8fvpiDG_k/s1600/Menma-size.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFAx5NBXGD8/Uy_BO_egTEI/AAAAAAAAKug/Eg8fvpiDG_k/s1600/Menma-size.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nkPqj2lqvHM/Uy_BLJsz5nI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/g_BsgoOVx40/s1600/Menma-size-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nkPqj2lqvHM/Uy_BLJsz5nI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/g_BsgoOVx40/s1600/Menma-size-2.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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There is a lot to like about Menma, and very little to criticize. There are literally no bad angles on Menma. She's cute from all sides, but not stereotypically so. Menma has a cuteness that belongs strictly to herself. A <i>recognizable </i>cuteness, even. At first glance, her strangely shaped head and disproportionate limbs might seem odd, but she's become one of the few characters I find legitimately adorable in every representation. There's just something about her...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5w0Feobc_8/UzEYemhzWOI/AAAAAAAAKv4/iAWI6cJqxcM/s1600/Menma-curtains-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5w0Feobc_8/UzEYemhzWOI/AAAAAAAAKv4/iAWI6cJqxcM/s1600/Menma-curtains-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM-fYV0m_Y8/UzXlhRrG6wI/AAAAAAAAKzY/Q2XgdyrO8Is/s1600/Menma-curtains-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM-fYV0m_Y8/UzXlhRrG6wI/AAAAAAAAKzY/Q2XgdyrO8Is/s1600/Menma-curtains-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHyhpDEiPY4/UzXlis9GJbI/AAAAAAAAKzg/dM9nvIVDhmo/s1600/Menma-curtains-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHyhpDEiPY4/UzXlis9GJbI/AAAAAAAAKzg/dM9nvIVDhmo/s1600/Menma-curtains-5.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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I credit her eyes for much of her allure. Those are some spectacular, armor-piercing oculars. It doesn't matter which angle I use, which colours I impose, where I am, or what I do, her eyes stand out above all else.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-so0vji3EWe4/UzXlfkX4i5I/AAAAAAAAKzQ/Y-wm2SK4GqQ/s1600/Menma-beige.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-so0vji3EWe4/UzXlfkX4i5I/AAAAAAAAKzQ/Y-wm2SK4GqQ/s1600/Menma-beige.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVeLe0vWjwU/UzXlmVHYMWI/AAAAAAAAKzw/4R9x4Huh3X8/s1600/Menma-plants.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVeLe0vWjwU/UzXlmVHYMWI/AAAAAAAAKzw/4R9x4Huh3X8/s1600/Menma-plants.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NegkgUZb8Jg/UzXlosyw4cI/AAAAAAAAKz4/coIjHQoPUcs/s1600/Menma-red.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NegkgUZb8Jg/UzXlosyw4cI/AAAAAAAAKz4/coIjHQoPUcs/s1600/Menma-red.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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I have a secret. Well, not really, I already mentioned it in my Alter Menma post. But I'm not a huge fan of Menma's character. She was your standard, cheerful, do-good ghostie with far too many selfless qualities and not nearly enough faults to be interesting. She served as a cathartic catalyst for <i>other</i> characters, and had very little development of her own. Then again, one could argue her development had reached an unfortunate impasse, due to her state of heightened <i>death</i>. Still, she managed to be one of the few characters of whom I have more than one figure. In fact, I think her figures actually increased my opinion of her character. Weirder things have happened. <br />
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Speaking of ghosties, I like the transparency Max Factory gave to the tips of her hair. In the light, they give her an ethereal feeling. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEpmaltEEcs/UzXoX83-65I/AAAAAAAAK0M/pkjxK0AC1Lo/s1600/Menma-steam-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEpmaltEEcs/UzXoX83-65I/AAAAAAAAK0M/pkjxK0AC1Lo/s1600/Menma-steam-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74nqYRQDLf8/UzENHtD-fsI/AAAAAAAAKvo/W0GN76h6oMU/s1600/Menma-steam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74nqYRQDLf8/UzENHtD-fsI/AAAAAAAAKvo/W0GN76h6oMU/s1600/Menma-steam.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQdONEtjavE/UzXoZeGUz8I/AAAAAAAAK0U/8R_cQKhd6jE/s1600/Menma-steam-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQdONEtjavE/UzXoZeGUz8I/AAAAAAAAK0U/8R_cQKhd6jE/s1600/Menma-steam-4.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Question: Why is Menma's resale price so affordable? For a figure of such calibre, why is she going for only 4000 yen in the after market? Could it be the influx of Menma figures during the time of her release? Or the relative static nature of her pose? <br />
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Anyhow, she's a steal for under 5k, and easily one of my favourite figures acquired this year (granted, I've only picked up about 3 figures so far...so that's not saying much). Max Factory once again proves why they are deserving of my trust, adulation, and, most importantly, hard earned money. If they keep pumping out consistently spectacular figures like Menma, they're going to do some serious revamping to my "favourite companies" list. To Alter's expense. Watch out, Alter. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TErbNav7CQs/Uy_FpI3KpYI/AAAAAAAAKvI/aFqXpaZdFi8/s1600/Menma-curtains.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TErbNav7CQs/Uy_FpI3KpYI/AAAAAAAAKvI/aFqXpaZdFi8/s1600/Menma-curtains.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div>
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>6/10</td> <td>It works, but it's nothing special.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Pleasant to look at, but could have used a bit more innovation (like awesome water ripples).</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Casual and loose, but not too exciting.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>9/10</td> <td>Excellent. Just slight mishaps on her swimsuit and straps.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>9.5/10</td> <td>Almost perfect! Great eyes. Slight splotches on her polka-dots.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall </b></td> <td>8.5/10</td> <td>Platinum. </td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Manufacturer</b>: Max Factory<br />
<b>Price</b>: 6476 yen<br />
<b>Purchased from</b>: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.amiami.com" target="_blank">AmiAmi</a><br />
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<b>Box Dimensions</b>: 29 x 14 x 14 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: approx 350g<br />
<b>Shipping Method</b>: SAL small packet or fancier<br />
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<b>Sent from my iPhone,<br />
Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-53473916841472479832014-04-06T23:57:00.001-04:002014-04-16T21:04:57.209-04:001/8 Aladdin - G.E.M. Series (Megahouse)NSFW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/18-aladdin-gem-series-megahouse-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqqYCSkj6JT6arpodL7kdjMnljLbaiEXNksEecL6NdZnRVz2Ff7x2npQwG1Zydt5NTL6zs0BBWbMDY8mKa7CjRAfN1M27GSnqdgAFBzlK2dk8Bcw0DN2AnD015PRKHvrVIrC5BloRVWs/s1600/Aladdin+Preview.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple;">As a character, I found Aladdin really intriguing. On the surface he seems like a typical 'shounen-style' hero what with his sense of compassion and his being really hungry all the time. He's also a being sent to the world by a higher power to restore peace and unite the world. I assumed that he would act in a manner befitting such a protagonist. He would be the cool, righteous voice to the morally ambiguous deuteragonist, Ali Baba. Imagine my delight when I found out that wasn't the case at all. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Despite his starring role in Solomon's plans to redeem mankind, Aladdin isn't afraid to waste his time in brothels, party all night with his friends and get fat when left unattended. He's self-indulgent, perverted and at times, very childish.</span><span style="color: purple;"> He shows us that the real key to world peace is remembering that, despite all of our cultural differences, everyone loves a good party. </span><span style="color: purple;">That, my friends, is a messiah I can get behind. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin is the adorable protagonist of <i>Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic</i><span style="font-size: small;">. The series is very loosely based off of the famed </span><i>Thousand and One Nights</i><span style="font-size: small;">, a collection of Eastern fairy tales. In the </span><i>Thousand and One Nights</i><span style="font-size: small;">, the characters do inexplicably stupid things despite very clear warnings, or inadvertently stumble into someone else’s dark circus of the soul and are disproportionately throttled by the universe as penance for their idiocy and/or bad luck. It’s fabulous reading, actually. In a slight departure from its source material, the characters in </span><i>Magi</i><span style="font-size: small;"> are dealt a brutal hand by fate and try to better their lot by employing the use of magic, friendship and more recently, puberty. It’s a fun series to read, actually. There are also Vikings, gladiators, and dungeon-crawling thrown in for the hell of it because if a story is willing to accommodate such things, then what kind of abstemious monster would fail to take advantage of that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aladdin’s role in this madness is to restore order by selecting a candidate who will become a ‘king’ and occasionally guide his candidate through mysterious towers called ‘dungeons’ where he will obtain the power to rule over people with the power of the bling-a-rific loot found therein (some of which happen to host the elemental magical fury of djinn). Aladdin and his friends spend their time journeying through exotic lands, forming bonds, engaging in magical battles and playing the politics game in an effort to bring about substantial peace in the Middle East...and force an Eastern superpower to reduce their imperialist presence in the area. So </span><i>Magi</i> could be seen as a dressed up metaphor for current geopolitical problems or a very clever way to ensure the series lasts forever and ever and ever.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Now that we're all on the same page, let the scrutiny commence! </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s box is woefully average. It is also one of the busiest boxes I’ve ever seen. The whole thing is littered with graphics. The stylized windows, which might have been a nice touch in more restrained hands, only contribute to the chaotic, inelegant mess. The nicest things I can say about his box are that it is relatively small and that it does its job of protecting Aladdin and his flimsy hair. I’m also partial to its vibrant shade of blue.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s base suits him quite well. The transparent blue goes really well with his colouring. Admittedly, it is an unimaginative piece of round plastic but I like that it is embossed with intricate detailing inspired by the aesthetic of the Middle East. It’s no sculpted base, to be sure, but the little show of effort warms my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s dynamic and buoyant pose is the main reason I </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">couldn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> pass him up. He’s frozen in the midst of a giddy twirl with a look that says, ‘Are you watching me?’ Really, the only thing Aladdin is missing here is musical accompaniment and a dazzling retinue of shining rukh to encircle him.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Just look at those bright eyes and that big smile. Aladdin is the very picture of childish lightheartedness with nothing held back. In my collection of sneering bastards, this expression of pure joy is refreshingly sweet. His eyes are easily my most favourite thing about this figure. They’re huge and gorgeously painted. His nose is practically a non-existent little button, which I believe is in keeping with the aesthetic of ‘moe’. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Megahouse took a risk by giving Aladdin an open-mouthed smile. It’s too easy for a small slip of a knife to render his adorably exuberant expression into a gaping rictus straight from a nightmare. Luckily, Aladdin pulls it off even if it does seem like he’s sticking his tongue out at some angles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s cuteness wasn’t ‘cute’ enough apparently so Megahouse decided to upgrade him to ‘heart-meltingly darling’ by painting tiny little blushes on his cheeks. He’s sweetness in puffy pants.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">I’m going to give the sculptor the benefit of the doubt here and say that they were trying to emulate the anime’s stylized aesthetic when they sculpted Aladdin’s proportions. His head is much larger than his body, and his limbs and torso are twig thin. Luckily, Aladdin’s huge head makes this disproportionate composition interesting as opposed to off-putting. This is largely due to Aladdin being a young child. Small, hyperactive children tend to be scrawny, after all. His body parts, when considered separately may seem freakish but the aggregation results in a very youthful figure when considered as a whole. My overall impression of Aladdin’s proportions is that Megahouse clearly aimed to maximize his cuteness and I think they succeeded.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p1qs9wTfTqN01y8hyphenhyphenMf2Ke71a2m58T2Fg8hvpgjoiSrKebt9dOeLwirFYkuePmGhUmCUKWnqWb_BJ4Q8OLL2VhnjKW8uc_PgRkdMP6G_eNX7EsXZDVeYLAwN0LpeuP4WC1vejqSwpBM/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p1qs9wTfTqN01y8hyphenhyphenMf2Ke71a2m58T2Fg8hvpgjoiSrKebt9dOeLwirFYkuePmGhUmCUKWnqWb_BJ4Q8OLL2VhnjKW8uc_PgRkdMP6G_eNX7EsXZDVeYLAwN0LpeuP4WC1vejqSwpBM/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+3.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4I2sgpQ3AMV-YXCvASnJACHUtANYxeGLO6krDSomEt_U_ACMCVjuON6vbN34MU0dUjXt6qVvHQN1GLfRrNAksnZNrFKGMsFkmsL8q721z15aFmsxsWl8-jpmHucxRMy6eX6aXUHgYmIc/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4I2sgpQ3AMV-YXCvASnJACHUtANYxeGLO6krDSomEt_U_ACMCVjuON6vbN34MU0dUjXt6qVvHQN1GLfRrNAksnZNrFKGMsFkmsL8q721z15aFmsxsWl8-jpmHucxRMy6eX6aXUHgYmIc/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8UTS0DgP0lDWSUOIVI72WgxOTz_hSSOdIYJSYAONgyPrnJ7TeNqqd67l9BWXroD4Q7aI190hciCTCgTCkd6I7beab3hInYHWJJEz6EoKiDgwKONV-LNb6OR0WQCw74a2kK5dKO5209A/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8UTS0DgP0lDWSUOIVI72WgxOTz_hSSOdIYJSYAONgyPrnJ7TeNqqd67l9BWXroD4Q7aI190hciCTCgTCkd6I7beab3hInYHWJJEz6EoKiDgwKONV-LNb6OR0WQCw74a2kK5dKO5209A/s1600/Aladdin+Angle+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s hair is a strikingly beautiful azure blue. Its colour and motion really grabs my attention. The shading and highlighting of his hair is impeccable as well. It makes the colours really pop. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s hair comes in four pieces: a turban which connects to jewelled bangs, and a plain back hair piece which connects to unadorned bangs. My attempts to mix and match these hair pieces resulted in a hard lesson about playing god. His turban is dutifully rendered and it slots very easily into Aladdin’s head. The jewel on his hair is painted with a really lovely shade of red. I love that it sparkles in the light. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">It's strange that his jewel appears to have no visible means of support. What’s keeping it on his head like that? Magic, probably.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">The figure seems more complete with his turban and hair jewel but his plain hair is actually really nice. Without his turban, he becomes so wonderfully blue and his appearance becomes wilder and more natural. It’s hard to say which one I prefer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgKO2vfOSsxeTonU64U_wcXgMZb498ey8QD9mPMH-g-QX9zlGerL6_rv1XNcPe5Mw8KNMqybTooZW1mK2Jximhcy7vrugsvpD8zaa_i__3guvXyQ39O6ZKVgLtnGGaHIjklDmdd6koUw/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Jewel.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgKO2vfOSsxeTonU64U_wcXgMZb498ey8QD9mPMH-g-QX9zlGerL6_rv1XNcPe5Mw8KNMqybTooZW1mK2Jximhcy7vrugsvpD8zaa_i__3guvXyQ39O6ZKVgLtnGGaHIjklDmdd6koUw/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Jewel.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMaQXTdIXdLG8PnG2QulGwBLNTIiVUaY9jliR5DuSrLzpWqBlPkeTc9cGwVrh_F1lJaPjF5Q50W6DedmRzq2ORUpKmnOYU5MOjLBxMAxq0gZ6-fSb737kZn7k23HpeNsw_An1CGo9UDk/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Front.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMaQXTdIXdLG8PnG2QulGwBLNTIiVUaY9jliR5DuSrLzpWqBlPkeTc9cGwVrh_F1lJaPjF5Q50W6DedmRzq2ORUpKmnOYU5MOjLBxMAxq0gZ6-fSb737kZn7k23HpeNsw_An1CGo9UDk/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Front.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMA_-usBhJYp1hQTcy283QKbs8aQdjP-BlIjEhyphenhyphen1V7AUBfwC4wNdtGoGd_iqe0cHgvfbtA5grqROjPj3ZgWCzVnKn9xHmZ0md3Aw8iS4fCJqtAt-oahvj0NkLttvPU8YLjxYWuHvOOEt0/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+End.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMA_-usBhJYp1hQTcy283QKbs8aQdjP-BlIjEhyphenhyphen1V7AUBfwC4wNdtGoGd_iqe0cHgvfbtA5grqROjPj3ZgWCzVnKn9xHmZ0md3Aw8iS4fCJqtAt-oahvj0NkLttvPU8YLjxYWuHvOOEt0/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+End.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNkI7myjM1cFueRKcGPBmECbxVdHa6NtVVDIh7wliEabozjsf_eulJfqLARlv6ez7eB_B0wOwkyoExkcwZCWGr8N8EtFp2AB-aaex45FurVxxx_-fMvjqHpHZqa9Pgmug7lAfAu5KYTo/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Braid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNkI7myjM1cFueRKcGPBmECbxVdHa6NtVVDIh7wliEabozjsf_eulJfqLARlv6ez7eB_B0wOwkyoExkcwZCWGr8N8EtFp2AB-aaex45FurVxxx_-fMvjqHpHZqa9Pgmug7lAfAu5KYTo/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Braid.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzA0h6Ie5y65HLHYJyfT6zYfrHSevsGf6KxJmOpoQ2-9cgRdMjjPsd4P3xjiJK3OCqO7z3fQECaKFHmHVpduMnDl5maAiEZ4pADOdHx1ZlSz3DsaW-1gBz7VlaTSK5-uomznbh1G6l0I/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzA0h6Ie5y65HLHYJyfT6zYfrHSevsGf6KxJmOpoQ2-9cgRdMjjPsd4P3xjiJK3OCqO7z3fQECaKFHmHVpduMnDl5maAiEZ4pADOdHx1ZlSz3DsaW-1gBz7VlaTSK5-uomznbh1G6l0I/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Back.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JNY7CQR1dJ6TqCJ2Q9BjgZy2E1KSy8cZMspnd_pVT5d6AQWRViBFnQIYzi1x8JZIfWTwA8fb2Hh23sRCKkGgDXvpvzq80847rqE8Iiy5glsn3InfJ3eBtML7UJpWBmK4ioPhyWzRpx4/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Alternate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JNY7CQR1dJ6TqCJ2Q9BjgZy2E1KSy8cZMspnd_pVT5d6AQWRViBFnQIYzi1x8JZIfWTwA8fb2Hh23sRCKkGgDXvpvzq80847rqE8Iiy5glsn3InfJ3eBtML7UJpWBmK4ioPhyWzRpx4/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Alternate.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Despite my earlier adulation, Aladdin’s hair is far from perfect. Lurking in his vibrant locks are some nasty seam lines, particularly on the sides of his head. There are also a few clunky clumps of hair. If you look really closely, you’ll notice that there are some paint issues in the form of flecking on some of his bangs. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD3rha2EwXw3L4D4gTwi2ZKSa_zfpqoU8d2HYuQkyyL0hIJF_b2lTfNyvlK6Tij-ZfoOrJKYb2wLVRgHyu4bVlBu7YR3a-oQrOn7pqaHY9IOCwyXlm-PjYEdevNG4i7APdLfAF3pRw2U/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Alternate+Side.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD3rha2EwXw3L4D4gTwi2ZKSa_zfpqoU8d2HYuQkyyL0hIJF_b2lTfNyvlK6Tij-ZfoOrJKYb2wLVRgHyu4bVlBu7YR3a-oQrOn7pqaHY9IOCwyXlm-PjYEdevNG4i7APdLfAF3pRw2U/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Alternate+Side.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrsplhs1LmJwd3J6PAr9jeAZei7mfaCo_yBDX_XHaKFL0KBkTxhAkqAK1InV1azuuxJtImPWDV1B-gRTFGkDBH9czvwJC6p7G3I4z9Ad-D3ksx2zMpUZgv-Z6v2wmXfiJ-PoEfOLEGlM/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Seams.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrsplhs1LmJwd3J6PAr9jeAZei7mfaCo_yBDX_XHaKFL0KBkTxhAkqAK1InV1azuuxJtImPWDV1B-gRTFGkDBH9czvwJC6p7G3I4z9Ad-D3ksx2zMpUZgv-Z6v2wmXfiJ-PoEfOLEGlM/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Seams.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dJyPj6wD05NQyB3NazT8_OK7alc4selvdwcPEuJgZjN6F8vrHXX6VVfhgn-4J-bQWek75yDz0mhYsDOYimjpXRtKBgUoIrS-dhAFfrbPJQTWDoBkO1POrGeXxMEp55oVv33V1WtX8BE/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Side.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dJyPj6wD05NQyB3NazT8_OK7alc4selvdwcPEuJgZjN6F8vrHXX6VVfhgn-4J-bQWek75yDz0mhYsDOYimjpXRtKBgUoIrS-dhAFfrbPJQTWDoBkO1POrGeXxMEp55oVv33V1WtX8BE/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Side.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: purple;">His braid is very fragile and I can imagine that attempting to fix something so bottom-heavy and airborne would be very frustrating so I have to be careful when slotting it into the back of Aladdin’s head and when moving the figure. Aladdin’s braid is also odd looking and I wish Megahouse could have made it look less plastic and more like actual hair. Also, there is an unnatural break where the braid ends and the tuft of hair begins and no attempt was made to hide the seam. </span></span><span style="color: purple; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Despite its flaws, I love Aladdin’s hair. It’s vibrant, eye-catching and it really pulls the whole figure together.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECIbYNORtZo8UKInFINpPFig3ZgktYPzgMB8mL4me9dEQzM-wSyCAyYITFvIOjuHeaPmHFXfnlyK6jEkpHXb2vJOvINGZ3BahWTftIVlX79fCe2xUNhG57Ipahx5Bdw_L5h3s_DzY3bQ/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Tie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECIbYNORtZo8UKInFINpPFig3ZgktYPzgMB8mL4me9dEQzM-wSyCAyYITFvIOjuHeaPmHFXfnlyK6jEkpHXb2vJOvINGZ3BahWTftIVlX79fCe2xUNhG57Ipahx5Bdw_L5h3s_DzY3bQ/s1600/Aladdin+Hair+Tie.png" height="640" width="425" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Hair just doesn't do whatever the hell this is doing.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">I’m a sucker for vibrancy and pleasing colour palettes. There is something about his pinkish skin, his bright Capri blue vest and the golden flute that creates a really pleasing combination. It’s reminiscent of a desert landscape. Aladdin’s vest is wonderfully buoyant with the wrinkles and creases placed exactly where they should be. </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">It does have quite a few seam lines however. They’re not intolerable unless you look very closely though I have to say that marring such a gorgeous vest is heart-breaking. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-cI4WoFjQr6j46sE2lGqYFO_-7dPNJYT8MEHjrzSfXr1XDT-WeVaSyccdvoCs_Vcx6CTvYgMXjaOvRy7iYq36RdpH2pFN0-nuxekAT5duujIa8kttCw83gfFnOSFdPpSCiTs6vctNg4/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-cI4WoFjQr6j46sE2lGqYFO_-7dPNJYT8MEHjrzSfXr1XDT-WeVaSyccdvoCs_Vcx6CTvYgMXjaOvRy7iYq36RdpH2pFN0-nuxekAT5duujIa8kttCw83gfFnOSFdPpSCiTs6vctNg4/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+18.png" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF86dhWHFAMaomf6x4AjtwENTM6Mi4KMFV9_mVgazxZXTSjW3RgWSrju5TIofY54VGfbKMtOHAgVSKu4xFwTi4dByNJf6C0w212lVnIAtfmsMQvLbxkZL6DKM3p6P-1XkbqjRXMH26imw/s1600/Aladdin+Back+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF86dhWHFAMaomf6x4AjtwENTM6Mi4KMFV9_mVgazxZXTSjW3RgWSrju5TIofY54VGfbKMtOHAgVSKu4xFwTi4dByNJf6C0w212lVnIAtfmsMQvLbxkZL6DKM3p6P-1XkbqjRXMH26imw/s1600/Aladdin+Back+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NG3tiAXiGWxqfjSiAtRzInGsGtmL7J2bBj_nRl2K0xVFKIww8E2_gmLmvNboGP5k_5s5_DOrpj2GwosDG6BqcsVmxoAo4pvXSoQKCK-33z0WjaLctJrwg9f95GdPUWiYaTfLGNT_PWU/s1600/Aladdin+Vest+Seam+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NG3tiAXiGWxqfjSiAtRzInGsGtmL7J2bBj_nRl2K0xVFKIww8E2_gmLmvNboGP5k_5s5_DOrpj2GwosDG6BqcsVmxoAo4pvXSoQKCK-33z0WjaLctJrwg9f95GdPUWiYaTfLGNT_PWU/s1600/Aladdin+Vest+Seam+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycoSLMPSHntDKq0gUd_heZmIk88SlQnWQ3AQ8sLjmkkRDy4yJYEkNZuMh7UeUez5-q4Dka5Ml1uqIjn8Pqlx6W0hlahRynS8sSz04gyzRGsBOxLzsEGbJQzNUvyQl67VsnGx6jLEUNkQ/s1600/Aladdin+Vest+Seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycoSLMPSHntDKq0gUd_heZmIk88SlQnWQ3AQ8sLjmkkRDy4yJYEkNZuMh7UeUez5-q4Dka5Ml1uqIjn8Pqlx6W0hlahRynS8sSz04gyzRGsBOxLzsEGbJQzNUvyQl67VsnGx6jLEUNkQ/s1600/Aladdin+Vest+Seam.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Aladdin’s flute is stunning. They used a very conspicuous shade of gold which really catches the light. The minute details are carefully and faithfully sculpted. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Fans of the series will probably note the absence of the magic circle that was inscribed on his flute at the beginning of the series. After a certain event, the circle disappears so rather than being a mistake on the part of the sculptor, it may indicate that this Aladdin is from a point in the series after that incident took place. While the lack of the magic circle doesn't lessen my affection for the flute, I would have preferred if they had included it, if only for the sake of having another lovely detail to ogle over. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6hohpznJrWxInkOdiYfptesngmFPvdjApVcwOfG4ib80yZbpmyZMynlKsvyjqr4dXB9pkhipJKK77MrtKakDZMPdgc2upOxOxEMRroMTIU_3xkpKlC9rlOHJC2Pz0FtLti49Z3h8UPA/s1600/Aladdin+Sun+Flute.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6hohpznJrWxInkOdiYfptesngmFPvdjApVcwOfG4ib80yZbpmyZMynlKsvyjqr4dXB9pkhipJKK77MrtKakDZMPdgc2upOxOxEMRroMTIU_3xkpKlC9rlOHJC2Pz0FtLti49Z3h8UPA/s1600/Aladdin+Sun+Flute.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucvQkU76FOmFhBYeAJyssK-C3VB1IEVzYNfYpM_afDPVUg78eHILBrZZrPU6JBCjglOi07GqgKmQBVMB18RTBnw3T3sZM99ggIqgnxR2LXR9t-tTyEpbbFnS2KnOzeqgVWBxq4chuhHM/s1600/Flute+Blue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucvQkU76FOmFhBYeAJyssK-C3VB1IEVzYNfYpM_afDPVUg78eHILBrZZrPU6JBCjglOi07GqgKmQBVMB18RTBnw3T3sZM99ggIqgnxR2LXR9t-tTyEpbbFnS2KnOzeqgVWBxq4chuhHM/s1600/Flute+Blue.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s staff is beautiful. It almost looks like it's made of actual wood. The texture and colouration are wonderfully rustic.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDO7ms1ANjtsLj0Oye0RCRdXA4cznYhQdxH3LaAMfuqaWf6Iw-qDFC5tRrUJn8Jiydp-ZyZr2xoSrM1uNjWDY-H9YLadackWRBkPuwbIFSe51cBdduvTovF_53HzO1ms7L8EV5lnBabc/s1600/Aladdin+Staff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDO7ms1ANjtsLj0Oye0RCRdXA4cznYhQdxH3LaAMfuqaWf6Iw-qDFC5tRrUJn8Jiydp-ZyZr2xoSrM1uNjWDY-H9YLadackWRBkPuwbIFSe51cBdduvTovF_53HzO1ms7L8EV5lnBabc/s1600/Aladdin+Staff.png" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s hands were clearly neglected in terms of sculpting and painting. His left hand has his fingers splayed, which is fine, but it means that I can clearly see how severe the webbing is between his those little digits. Just get a load of that wonky thumb. It makes his fingers appear stubbier. His right hand is an absolute mess. Luckily, his staff diverts my attention away but when viewed up close, it looks like it was made of dirty </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Plasticine</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> with each finger monstrously thicker than those on his left hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwY3xK774gHAmhfL4OmuFeoWTA5uHe78QPny_JQz7hRIzWt_uitQYq3iJtxqgVXcWWJQc21rR4l3-GNDmR1fSwGNaCtBEZ7ZV6LZCXC3M_ruqmu8YP78F-IwOykxSoVipuyEXjLvfoVQ/s1600/Aladdin+hand+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwY3xK774gHAmhfL4OmuFeoWTA5uHe78QPny_JQz7hRIzWt_uitQYq3iJtxqgVXcWWJQc21rR4l3-GNDmR1fSwGNaCtBEZ7ZV6LZCXC3M_ruqmu8YP78F-IwOykxSoVipuyEXjLvfoVQ/s1600/Aladdin+hand+1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPNN7_GCbZeO7pFZC7YZWLTDy451BMX-dFvugvlmgXgGacw6P1IzSqjZOD18pl2OO5anOvju4HlZTB3MQtlt_aw9FLFm1qmcY6pk1UyoutS3lXcsHVv01qXDV5tXMkAH_OEfLjTUdGdc/s1600/Aladdin+Fist.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPNN7_GCbZeO7pFZC7YZWLTDy451BMX-dFvugvlmgXgGacw6P1IzSqjZOD18pl2OO5anOvju4HlZTB3MQtlt_aw9FLFm1qmcY6pk1UyoutS3lXcsHVv01qXDV5tXMkAH_OEfLjTUdGdc/s1600/Aladdin+Fist.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Aladdin's feet look minuscule when contrasted with his substantial pant legs but those tiny little bare feet are scrumptious. His feet and toenails were diligently and neatly sculpted.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23dT-uGvp6Hx6rLtOvipa20i-VNiG5wqW2jaAwIF55_PJ-hrzgsJzCHVIwK2L6oWpw3ikpOgFwEXhLNYyJdmkS9O4VJbD7zNqwQyPhBqa09aXQPO30MqC68yfEbuU5D_27ulNiuOot0g/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23dT-uGvp6Hx6rLtOvipa20i-VNiG5wqW2jaAwIF55_PJ-hrzgsJzCHVIwK2L6oWpw3ikpOgFwEXhLNYyJdmkS9O4VJbD7zNqwQyPhBqa09aXQPO30MqC68yfEbuU5D_27ulNiuOot0g/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0dPKz1AaP0xqiIzg4eb6h7C2mA4jQy3AJG1tptwHP2V8NWBCgjIxNcQIbUykNi3briEj2Ss_wlnktuIgqxJZBt9KTiGGfUZQzZCPKFasR4so7k2YxC5jgxXWkTkKHnN13IVtDLLS74/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0dPKz1AaP0xqiIzg4eb6h7C2mA4jQy3AJG1tptwHP2V8NWBCgjIxNcQIbUykNi3briEj2Ss_wlnktuIgqxJZBt9KTiGGfUZQzZCPKFasR4so7k2YxC5jgxXWkTkKHnN13IVtDLLS74/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+3.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3nmZFwNBwtd_gUenuon32VFIsL_Ncbd1mb7zqYFUibNW8cqoWb_HmnlUV_5xM3Zd2I825SacrTeBNRGl9hcTPND3fN7XwAzHVEPXe1Wp7mGfVbQnT8iEDsneD6GAJTLav-KmwB91N8k/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3nmZFwNBwtd_gUenuon32VFIsL_Ncbd1mb7zqYFUibNW8cqoWb_HmnlUV_5xM3Zd2I825SacrTeBNRGl9hcTPND3fN7XwAzHVEPXe1Wp7mGfVbQnT8iEDsneD6GAJTLav-KmwB91N8k/s1600/Aladdin+Feet+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s pants are ridiculous and adorable. It’s like he’s wearing a big cloud on his legs. Unfortunately these also have some seams but they’re small and thankfully situated on the back where I don’t have to see them. His sash has a dramatic, yet subtle swish to it. The knot is odd in that it </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">doesn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> look like it’s attached to the rest of the sash but I will once again concede that it does look like the source material.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuoqNGN-uw4yJZS-kJkZD1cTf8zElCTpH8iovhAqgA56Y77mrR27mpt5xZt_mDkbvYi_CLStgzsOLQb9CElatbGNxmrq9YKZ9zs1nog2LB64sO8JtDEQMTqkVtJPhM4cdSbDDVjXs-wE/s1600/Aladdin+Sash+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuoqNGN-uw4yJZS-kJkZD1cTf8zElCTpH8iovhAqgA56Y77mrR27mpt5xZt_mDkbvYi_CLStgzsOLQb9CElatbGNxmrq9YKZ9zs1nog2LB64sO8JtDEQMTqkVtJPhM4cdSbDDVjXs-wE/s1600/Aladdin+Sash+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0j51TEU_UpNP7SsNzV4b61Gn1U2AqYIH1oUnJhz_plndF24OfVIq7sbbVmLyT0TJywtBZJyFDHrh_cP9ynuSIL816FOpQe9YKCyQZcqhRYwYhYqgCAvhkjZhPVd42nZaJ0KT6Ka4aKE/s1600/Aladdin+Sash+and+Pants.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0j51TEU_UpNP7SsNzV4b61Gn1U2AqYIH1oUnJhz_plndF24OfVIq7sbbVmLyT0TJywtBZJyFDHrh_cP9ynuSIL816FOpQe9YKCyQZcqhRYwYhYqgCAvhkjZhPVd42nZaJ0KT6Ka4aKE/s1600/Aladdin+Sash+and+Pants.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1n9AxbFAfIGU5kX2RM_tV9Y_VsBwoHBTaHMh2QzPNxjclVprHyYv4zvw-oWS5nuRfIMV9JRNeo8OjE-KRgASJ5BFK-wsElEJ5iWy-ikX5Ge_mDLJ1FbrMGqKFzKXnUl9FBCsInTpL070/s1600/Aladdin+Sash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1n9AxbFAfIGU5kX2RM_tV9Y_VsBwoHBTaHMh2QzPNxjclVprHyYv4zvw-oWS5nuRfIMV9JRNeo8OjE-KRgASJ5BFK-wsElEJ5iWy-ikX5Ge_mDLJ1FbrMGqKFzKXnUl9FBCsInTpL070/s1600/Aladdin+Sash.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs4vHyh3rBrMyxS9_6Aq1dbYU5l0R5En8brZERdM-VdcHBpxbCui9ouSXGVQevTpgxOLSPBdFMyDs2P6B4e9t1LNE88ytWpu2Vwcqpx2NYl9RYgKGyKWNljO5_LzcwdouJynEDume7eY/s1600/Aladdin+Back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs4vHyh3rBrMyxS9_6Aq1dbYU5l0R5En8brZERdM-VdcHBpxbCui9ouSXGVQevTpgxOLSPBdFMyDs2P6B4e9t1LNE88ytWpu2Vwcqpx2NYl9RYgKGyKWNljO5_LzcwdouJynEDume7eY/s1600/Aladdin+Back.png" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin’s sash is also completely loose. It is not attached in any way to Aladdin and merely hangs there, staying in place thanks to gravity and Aladdin’s puffy pants. There is an odd surprise waiting for the depraved among us who decide to lift his sash and gaze at what lies there (like me). You may have noticed how low both his pants and sash ride. Well, there's a reason for that.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">I have no idea why Megahouse thought I’d want to see a ten year old's bare ass but lo and behold, they gave me that option anyway.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgme2v2puSn-skDivlt66Xts1zyMDGm5uohzef5t53ul5SOyI8XUwZwjdS0LMKJa49SWwjGteZyVCQvDObjygAT2QRu-vYzQqmtijXgdTFex7eedou6w0Wp-cR4p0o1onaE6tEJeRJELFo/s1600/Aladdin+Rear+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgme2v2puSn-skDivlt66Xts1zyMDGm5uohzef5t53ul5SOyI8XUwZwjdS0LMKJa49SWwjGteZyVCQvDObjygAT2QRu-vYzQqmtijXgdTFex7eedou6w0Wp-cR4p0o1onaE6tEJeRJELFo/s1600/Aladdin+Rear+2.png" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks?</td></tr>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Now, is this photo blurry because, A: I had to use my one of my hands to hold up the sash while taking the photo with the other, or is it B: because I smeared a little Vaseline on my lens to create an appropriately ‘porn-ier’ mood?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R724mZuLeQDz3qKI-PnRYob5ZPqCDTtm6YQcUlUo4BEZzB4ENDoM0w1X59wObiqps9q7O1tnxbTXnts4njpYyoP-LVen9o1K37hc9iny1fgArDyBAHUMh0aAKZONqNwgLHSOYOuvcVU/s1600/Aladdin+Rear.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R724mZuLeQDz3qKI-PnRYob5ZPqCDTtm6YQcUlUo4BEZzB4ENDoM0w1X59wObiqps9q7O1tnxbTXnts4njpYyoP-LVen9o1K37hc9iny1fgArDyBAHUMh0aAKZONqNwgLHSOYOuvcVU/s1600/Aladdin+Rear.png" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Answer C: My camera has more shame than I do.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">What conclusions can I draw here? Well, other than the fact that Solomon’s proxy doesn’t wear underwear for some reason, and coupled with the knowledge that this isn’t even the first underage character figure from whom a touch of unannounced and unexpected nudity awaited those who purchased them from this figure company, I’ve concluded that they need to do better background checks over at Megahouse. A little hint to whoever is in charge of hiring over there, maybe it’s time to have a little talk with the guy at the office who greets your kids with his hand down his pants. Oh and in case you were wondering, I did take pictures of Aladdin’s exposed Adonis lines as well.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hJH7GuxizGL0up9PU6reVDTHf3JhokUJCdbdR3Rqt0MqG9PZn3n6fblPpOisdEyB8z-5Yn7wi2G_8I7UQBU_HNEVygRLzh7X2Z3qDUloAVLNR55I_0-WCSogXnuvqUp3pcWq6u_oqFA/s1600/Aladdin+Adonis+lines.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hJH7GuxizGL0up9PU6reVDTHf3JhokUJCdbdR3Rqt0MqG9PZn3n6fblPpOisdEyB8z-5Yn7wi2G_8I7UQBU_HNEVygRLzh7X2Z3qDUloAVLNR55I_0-WCSogXnuvqUp3pcWq6u_oqFA/s1600/Aladdin+Adonis+lines.png" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And with this review, Pokethemerch finds itself on some unique government lists.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin isn’t a technically flawless or complex figure but despite the drawbacks, I think he’s absolutely darling. In terms of quality, he is exactly what I’ve come to expect from Megahouse which is to say that I am neither disappointed nor utterly blown away by this figure. Nevertheless, his cute face, lively pose and bright colours allow him to make his presence known on any shelf. He turned out to be a solid purchase and I’m genuinely glad I didn’t pass on him. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Aladdin is easily one of my most photogenic figures. I don’t know whether it is due to his pose, his colouration or a combination of both but it was a remarkably easy shoot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pRD_coiNZyjHxqQkPNT9YwIR60yEeDAICVuNOFoO8BMMlxz_7_-asUrLVf-Zk1Ixg1P9nHMq5CNISSpQstbwl7q2UBNpGTk3pbMnNVZcSlFkcFxBHOtRbdfY-AC9sHQEhOBHvcb6OwE/s1600/Aladdin+Citrus+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pRD_coiNZyjHxqQkPNT9YwIR60yEeDAICVuNOFoO8BMMlxz_7_-asUrLVf-Zk1Ixg1P9nHMq5CNISSpQstbwl7q2UBNpGTk3pbMnNVZcSlFkcFxBHOtRbdfY-AC9sHQEhOBHvcb6OwE/s1600/Aladdin+Citrus+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ldfaoYEuCE9QwzSRbInm8YglEhvfxf6MaUa5ahGi1xa53Ssec8reDYpZEE8Yiz8S-OCqtI1oga8yEFma-Jx3kKd3-1_WGFWIIMh7AgeKiOAPDMfGXRppHIhweSKr2e0Vlvn5kN-PQkQ/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ldfaoYEuCE9QwzSRbInm8YglEhvfxf6MaUa5ahGi1xa53Ssec8reDYpZEE8Yiz8S-OCqtI1oga8yEFma-Jx3kKd3-1_WGFWIIMh7AgeKiOAPDMfGXRppHIhweSKr2e0Vlvn5kN-PQkQ/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsxWasB5GRTcP6qD-Z2v0qS44u3k7wlOE0hZhyphenhyphen45V23TC57fokJg3zhWJD4ZOc_ISwCPtNlyZH_PuejWvAN0RAp3ySaS0pHd__fOhJaLf8DabHOR8u5sxNj2ME2tSPiWIjKbHYa9LNAY/s1600/Aladdin+Sky+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsxWasB5GRTcP6qD-Z2v0qS44u3k7wlOE0hZhyphenhyphen45V23TC57fokJg3zhWJD4ZOc_ISwCPtNlyZH_PuejWvAN0RAp3ySaS0pHd__fOhJaLf8DabHOR8u5sxNj2ME2tSPiWIjKbHYa9LNAY/s1600/Aladdin+Sky+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6xo5jBpLD5aKbx1c7Ri2rlCdzqk81etoAVHYBAzYZBCN6m61oo8uL-23ftNxELB2CFYnjVfn03f4CNX6hnGC1D4-rLKY5JEPPfOVznCjATWAkycwJU98yZ32BE90TpN409DbtXyKmuM/s1600/Aladdin+Glow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6xo5jBpLD5aKbx1c7Ri2rlCdzqk81etoAVHYBAzYZBCN6m61oo8uL-23ftNxELB2CFYnjVfn03f4CNX6hnGC1D4-rLKY5JEPPfOVznCjATWAkycwJU98yZ32BE90TpN409DbtXyKmuM/s1600/Aladdin+Glow.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhdnmuxhoTaVZ0g4Qn4eHLx4GpV97weo78BiFBJCJVuqsepz1i-DGvErvBiTuoiTFVyEJsG_o-zBv-4efqnc_2_HtnjxBwVxjZSBdrWbkY-b7YpmStxkCnaaTH_Lnc1nqXCJslBB7Pq8/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhdnmuxhoTaVZ0g4Qn4eHLx4GpV97weo78BiFBJCJVuqsepz1i-DGvErvBiTuoiTFVyEJsG_o-zBv-4efqnc_2_HtnjxBwVxjZSBdrWbkY-b7YpmStxkCnaaTH_Lnc1nqXCJslBB7Pq8/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+16.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgJ7KgD_z1tG_MC7wOK7XC8SfPq99bF9lgi8QopjfR2NV7xQG0OhSWrZFSMeD9GYUPrPfiehjRsd56FaG6BoOca9-lkDA4_13zQhrk9woF_HJ7DTK7CsXU6xXb1cAtyFVVuEuFOuHNdM/s1600/Aladdin+Sun+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgJ7KgD_z1tG_MC7wOK7XC8SfPq99bF9lgi8QopjfR2NV7xQG0OhSWrZFSMeD9GYUPrPfiehjRsd56FaG6BoOca9-lkDA4_13zQhrk9woF_HJ7DTK7CsXU6xXb1cAtyFVVuEuFOuHNdM/s1600/Aladdin+Sun+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dZpTKhaNZAnhWqgECWHV2ii5JkltCCws4EQKsEEr8woNOuZ_1YVPI0lJZnC33vfQna1nOxDIQVeTptuYy6Ymn9w14a4llPN-zuCrsUIpx84FlXvg0sKr3TuEOSZvLyzuohE3fejbUlc/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dZpTKhaNZAnhWqgECWHV2ii5JkltCCws4EQKsEEr8woNOuZ_1YVPI0lJZnC33vfQna1nOxDIQVeTptuYy6Ymn9w14a4llPN-zuCrsUIpx84FlXvg0sKr3TuEOSZvLyzuohE3fejbUlc/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+24.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLzC_LrQ2HR7Lvi8-iEWcGq4hg__-KLkZebazAK2GvjpXfN0RiTeD5z1WYvci83HHtzA4SA3x3zZ7FTo4ozMefCm7LuZStD47YPCB_pTXxaRaAg52EL2HveD9zOIOJXyQJnBb8ZwW2FU/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLzC_LrQ2HR7Lvi8-iEWcGq4hg__-KLkZebazAK2GvjpXfN0RiTeD5z1WYvci83HHtzA4SA3x3zZ7FTo4ozMefCm7LuZStD47YPCB_pTXxaRaAg52EL2HveD9zOIOJXyQJnBb8ZwW2FU/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+11.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu79R4rKmfiWQq_q72gGOurUSWK4qfbtB4MiTk9jrpXkSQbAIxX_heWhi2Q0fm5PHVQx5StiOjJ-rtVDaVjLTdid4c0_mUsRslkDIlpcQWwWnEg5qydt1vmvgRxRu7je3FXeOBfdo4sng/s1600/Aladdin+Orange+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu79R4rKmfiWQq_q72gGOurUSWK4qfbtB4MiTk9jrpXkSQbAIxX_heWhi2Q0fm5PHVQx5StiOjJ-rtVDaVjLTdid4c0_mUsRslkDIlpcQWwWnEg5qydt1vmvgRxRu7je3FXeOBfdo4sng/s1600/Aladdin+Orange+1.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojHWU-XGcKGXV-LYMIUxqU-pUX5x1P-470UlUjfLSmJERw91ehw6vSTuX01CnTjBhQ7Hdfu9BSUsvZ2gvu5galnpP_qdvibfi8T5izj2A7M6hTMgDRgd0y5KjtN9OR2RXc6kfJUecbBs/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojHWU-XGcKGXV-LYMIUxqU-pUX5x1P-470UlUjfLSmJERw91ehw6vSTuX01CnTjBhQ7Hdfu9BSUsvZ2gvu5galnpP_qdvibfi8T5izj2A7M6hTMgDRgd0y5KjtN9OR2RXc6kfJUecbBs/s1600/Aladdin+Oasis+3.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJKxLWKdKJfbfJ4qB9eX0Rv4yMydqUBVEb-dITJtWZf6TmBrR1eeH_2psTHruwNa_u3K6epMLdO5drhwnmOzFLG9Ne9Y0a4-sH4DHQBmS-tXyrUeXeb_bfr_T2DVQ_67PLkAfWO7mnJQ/s1600/Aladdin+Citrus+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJKxLWKdKJfbfJ4qB9eX0Rv4yMydqUBVEb-dITJtWZf6TmBrR1eeH_2psTHruwNa_u3K6epMLdO5drhwnmOzFLG9Ne9Y0a4-sH4DHQBmS-tXyrUeXeb_bfr_T2DVQ_67PLkAfWO7mnJQ/s1600/Aladdin+Citrus+8.png" height="310" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdHjvymkITN8uvLL3sxWFjTxSx2A82WC12YXhRa_Tj4Nne9UkheEjg8kMRGiuIwRtxUSRmX6h9OCQ7PegUYvjoJLyqV-BAnFcNH0B16CrUaZZpSD0jLJsfOGgf88l0JaPkXOTF1iUdCs/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdHjvymkITN8uvLL3sxWFjTxSx2A82WC12YXhRa_Tj4Nne9UkheEjg8kMRGiuIwRtxUSRmX6h9OCQ7PegUYvjoJLyqV-BAnFcNH0B16CrUaZZpSD0jLJsfOGgf88l0JaPkXOTF1iUdCs/s1600/Aladdin+Caravan+2.png" height="310" width="203" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Breakdown:</span></b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Box</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">5/10</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Why so busy?</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Base</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">7/10</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">An unremarkable base but it gets points for effort and suitability.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Pose</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">10/10</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">The dunes are alive with the sound of muuuusicccc~</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Sculpt</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">7.5/10</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Thought was put into this sculpt and I think it met its goal but what is the story behind those hands? And goddamn, there are so many seam lines.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Paint</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">8/10</span></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Yes, there are specks and roughness but look at those glorious colours.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Overall</span></b></td><td><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">8.5/10</span></td><td><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">♪</span></span><span style="color: purple;">Genuflect, show some respect, down on one knee!</span><span style="color: purple; text-align: center;">♪</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>Manufacturer: </b>Megahouse</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>Price: </b><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">¥</span>6070</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>Purchased from:</b> AmiAmi</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: purple; text-align: center;">Did you really think I could end this without referencing that movie at least once?</b><br />
<b style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Ash</b><br />
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Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-33692373706278305502014-02-26T01:22:00.000-05:002014-02-26T01:22:48.126-05:00Wonfes Winter 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/02/wonfes-winter-2014.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPRg2TEIGctK8K98gW4gmLQqG0fN_Nfq_L2CkJDHyZGifDdk_36Xij6qnrbnthANwr2d906qOXRS4k7QOh69HXVzC0P_juuPLCG7ZSmMarkd1uGz3hNGR2bHfvoe4kogA1uV47PsFg6o/s1600/Wonfes.png" /></a></div>The following the a true to life reaction of Poke the Merch upon seeing Winter Wonder Festival 2014: "<i>My god, it's ALL Kan Colle!</i>"<br />
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We're not kidding. We might even be a bit traumatized. Sure, there were other figures here and there, but it was mostly Kan Colle. How one series became so dominate in terms of representation is a mystery to us. We suspect conspiracy (or overwhelming firepower). So we ducked our heads, peeled our eyes, and sought out the few figures brave enough to stand among the crush of personified war machines.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jenn's List</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Want</b></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"> <b>Max Factory's 1/7 Psychic</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_XwUlx9wUWOAKSWmGyZqfPJVNs3UwGRe93St5p2yHDGG3-WbAJ8cDb_IjHsSz5LlOKTlbCd9CLaiUOj3E7x3sWh3b3n5QHEr-oLt2mFXlbp2QkC7TC4toUJS_4O0WiO16DgBzZAtDuU/s1600/Psychic.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_XwUlx9wUWOAKSWmGyZqfPJVNs3UwGRe93St5p2yHDGG3-WbAJ8cDb_IjHsSz5LlOKTlbCd9CLaiUOj3E7x3sWh3b3n5QHEr-oLt2mFXlbp2QkC7TC4toUJS_4O0WiO16DgBzZAtDuU/s1600/Psychic.jpeg" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xyYVT0SJJ90/Uv7tlmhKhsI/AAAAAAAAKd0/HO3JOMmthpE/s1600/Psychic+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xyYVT0SJJ90/Uv7tlmhKhsI/AAAAAAAAKd0/HO3JOMmthpE/s1600/Psychic+2.jpeg" height="400" width="265" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
I'm psyched to see Max Factory continue their 7th Dragon 2020 line. For no particular reason, I feared they would stop after releasing Idol Miku (she seemed like one of those end-all releases). Considering I already have Samurai, Hacker, and Idol Miku, is there any doubt I would skip Max Factory's Psychic? Besides, Psychic's prototype is <i>killing it</i>. Look at that leopard print and those legit bell-bottom stockings. That's some serious 60s-80s-futuristic fashion fusion right there. Mix in a mean smirk, a gorgeous body, and some good ol' Max Factory quality, and who am I to say no? <br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Alter's 1/8 Asuka </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQA-SHUFqZbIACNP7wGCTofMV166-KKg5mMn6GhQoJyEQthiq-iN7lR6wNNUfZ_u7oPvqpoLbSyzbHkDupSgAsb5fNwjp6zua3LzUjzwtVuTu0Kr5oCV0ATPtd0b8Vp_oM3V7-uP5K1H4/s1600/Asuka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQA-SHUFqZbIACNP7wGCTofMV166-KKg5mMn6GhQoJyEQthiq-iN7lR6wNNUfZ_u7oPvqpoLbSyzbHkDupSgAsb5fNwjp6zua3LzUjzwtVuTu0Kr5oCV0ATPtd0b8Vp_oM3V7-uP5K1H4/s1600/Asuka.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zK3vawly50/Uv70NSsqAQI/AAAAAAAAKfU/k5q1GkEkXeQ/s1600/ASuka.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zK3vawly50/Uv70NSsqAQI/AAAAAAAAKfU/k5q1GkEkXeQ/s1600/ASuka.gif" height="320" width="232" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Alter didn't have the most impressive WonFes showing this time around. But hey, at least they got their act together well enough to pump out a gorgeous Asuka.<br />
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See, my enduring complaint about Asuka figures is that, for whatever reason, the market is saturated with vapid, happy Asukas that just don't reflect her <i>self-destructive-bitchy-badassness</i> (oh look, my first <i>Mammutwörter</i>). But this one breaks the mold. Just look at her world-weary expression. That's pure Asuka grump. You can almost hear her sigh of annoyance. She's seen some shit, and now she's got more shit to deal with<i>.</i> <i>Ugh</i>. Awesome. Plus, her quality is obvious. My wallet is ready!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"> <b>FREEing's 1/8 Racing Miku Sepang </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JX9l-vxGCLc/Uv7x2e9r47I/AAAAAAAAKfA/YQF6QGOqVn0/s1600/Racing+Miku+Sepang.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JX9l-vxGCLc/Uv7x2e9r47I/AAAAAAAAKfA/YQF6QGOqVn0/s1600/Racing+Miku+Sepang.jpeg" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LANy3aIhQv0/Uv71ql_uT4I/AAAAAAAAKfg/bztv2LvB4PQ/s1600/Racing+Miku+Sepang+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LANy3aIhQv0/Uv71ql_uT4I/AAAAAAAAKfg/bztv2LvB4PQ/s1600/Racing+Miku+Sepang+2.jpeg" height="400" width="282" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
She's cute. She's tan. She's mostly naked. Enough said.<br />
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But seriously, of all the Racing Mikus out there, this one strikes me as most memorable. Her beach-pixie characterization is a welcome deviation from the standard, sleek, sporty Racing Miku look. She looks like she's having fun. Genuine fun, not the sort of exaggerated, commercialized fun you witness in mascots. I look forward to her undoubtedly gorgeous, semi-transparent wings. Oh, and I like her buns (the ones on her head).<b> </b><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Amakuni's 1/8 Beelzebub </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXKR2-gU1q0/Uv7tgTjXT3I/AAAAAAAAKcw/lssozsNkWU4/s1600/Beelzebub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXKR2-gU1q0/Uv7tgTjXT3I/AAAAAAAAKcw/lssozsNkWU4/s1600/Beelzebub.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DiCtwoH9RmI/Uv75VjICq4I/AAAAAAAAKfs/6Y0Stxz_m9s/s1600/Beelzebub.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DiCtwoH9RmI/Uv75VjICq4I/AAAAAAAAKfs/6Y0Stxz_m9s/s1600/Beelzebub.gif" height="400" width="295" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
When I first began collecting the Seven Deadly Sins line, I swore to obey the compositional rule of odds, i.e. I will collect either 3, 5, or all 7 Sins, so that I can arrange them advantageously on the shelf. (I impose some...weird collecting rules on myself sometimes). Having already procured Leviathan and Lucifer, and skipped Asmodeus, I planned to round out my collection with Belphagor and be done with it. <br />
<br />
But then Beelzebub got a paint job, and <i>oh man,</i> what a paint job! That semi-transparent skirt! Those clear, detailed eyes! And she's <i>cute! </i>Although there are still aspects of her I'm not too big on, such as her bright orange base, everything else looks deliciously high quality. So it looks like I'm reneging on my prior promise to collect an odd number of Sins, unless, of course, Satan comes out swinging.<b> </b><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>GSC's 1/8 Mikasa Ackerman</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--IH0B6vqbTY/Uv7x1qt1S8I/AAAAAAAAKew/kEFUzUr80XY/s1600/Mikasa2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--IH0B6vqbTY/Uv7x1qt1S8I/AAAAAAAAKew/kEFUzUr80XY/s1600/Mikasa2.jpg" height="400" width="361" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--VX8X_x9J9Q/Uv7x0-JqnpI/AAAAAAAAKeg/aMJCVBblVeI/s1600/Mikasa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--VX8X_x9J9Q/Uv7x0-JqnpI/AAAAAAAAKeg/aMJCVBblVeI/s1600/Mikasa.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
I was worried when Mikasa's sculpt came out with weird looking hair, but it seems GSC heeded our cries and fixed it up. Now she looks perfect, with her high-flying action pose, business face and gorgeous paint job. I have nothing else to say except, TAKE MY MONEY AND BE DONE WITH IT. Oh, and humour me by making a Hange please, because crazy scientists make my day, every single time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"> <b> </b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The Watched</b></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black;"> <b>Union Creative International LTD's Psycho Pass figures</b></span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-34cOqTGZ6C0/UwRuqqA59LI/AAAAAAAAKj4/eSZk3wywFH0/s1600/Akane.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-34cOqTGZ6C0/UwRuqqA59LI/AAAAAAAAKj4/eSZk3wywFH0/s1600/Akane.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8UPo_oUdxk/UwRurxRwIII/AAAAAAAAKkE/VB3B39v5Tig/s1600/Pssychopass1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8UPo_oUdxk/UwRurxRwIII/AAAAAAAAKkE/VB3B39v5Tig/s1600/Pssychopass1.jpeg" height="320" width="228" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5TzcOSwCYY/UwRuqzsCVwI/AAAAAAAAKj8/KdBAyL1fLLM/s1600/Makishima.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5TzcOSwCYY/UwRuqzsCVwI/AAAAAAAAKj8/KdBAyL1fLLM/s1600/Makishima.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Despite my whimsical exterior, I really enjoy serious shows, especially if they come with a yummy sci-fi atmosphere (cause my favourite passtime is mentally navigating what-if scenarios...no joke), and Psycho Pass was one of the few shows I <i>really enjoyed</i> in the last few years. Sure, it emulates Minority Report, but hey, I <i>really enjoyed</i> Minority Report too, so I'm not complaining. Plus, it has Akane Tsunemori, one of the best female leads I've seen in a long time. The only thing holding me back is my unfamiliarity with Union Creative International LTD as a company, and their lack of prototypes.<b> </b><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Orchid Seed's 1/8 Satan</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZsp80LWI7Y/Uv76gZWlFiI/AAAAAAAAKf8/CtAW7K03U4c/s1600/Satan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZsp80LWI7Y/Uv76gZWlFiI/AAAAAAAAKf8/CtAW7K03U4c/s1600/Satan.jpeg" height="400" width="263" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2r2tXeywSq4/UwRvyFjUQII/AAAAAAAAKkU/KUMcjtSz6DU/s1600/Satan2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2r2tXeywSq4/UwRvyFjUQII/AAAAAAAAKkU/KUMcjtSz6DU/s1600/Satan2.png" height="400" width="268" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
Excessive red is a surefire way to my heart. If the colour red were a person, I'd snog them. Thing is, Satan came out more of a tomato-soup red than the sultry, heartblood red I was hoping for. Also, isn't she supposed to have more magenta on her? Hmm. So instead of shooting to my Want list, I'm watching her and hoping her weird colours are due to bad lighting or an incomplete paint job. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Alter's Magical Emi</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fl0vO41Dz2M/Uv7tkC5EtvI/AAAAAAAAKdg/ZT1pUtAITFM/s1600/Magical+Emi.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fl0vO41Dz2M/Uv7tkC5EtvI/AAAAAAAAKdg/ZT1pUtAITFM/s1600/Magical+Emi.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dytVS76YQzA/Uv7tkKzcNxI/AAAAAAAAKdo/1TDJjxDf7kc/s1600/Magical+Emi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dytVS76YQzA/Uv7tkKzcNxI/AAAAAAAAKdo/1TDJjxDf7kc/s1600/Magical+Emi2.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
This came out of the left field, and <i>holy sheet</i>, am I glad it did! I have never seen an episode of Magical Emi, the Magic Star. Still, the presentation of this figure was enough to leave me breathless. Her delicate hairpiece, flowing ribbons, soft colour palette, all converge to promote a girlish delicacy that's rarely found in the figure world. I've always been a fan of art nouveau. Something about it's symmetry, contrast, and <i>flatness </i>appeals to me. Kind of like vectors (which I also enjoy). I don't even care that she's missing her legs. <br />
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So what's stopping her from making my Want list? My lack of knowledge of the character, and her distinct presentation. She has such a different <i>feel</i> that I can't really see her in my collection. In many ways, she reminds me of Max Factory's Belldandy. Absolutely beautiful, but ultimately not for me. Still, we'll see. I have a feeling much will depend on her price.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Megahouse's 1/8 Marika</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjfKUqcEkoodOIuS-cvKUZW-s8EBKr2fyjUqWViTv2mEYHMv2CfzfehVWdJ43TMbVZXFumcT7r2v1-nJv47-n09__jjJLl_9lm3oIPdVkOANUcKsFNNsYvCJDFWdnaCN7Qm_4f3j1im0/s1600/Marika.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjfKUqcEkoodOIuS-cvKUZW-s8EBKr2fyjUqWViTv2mEYHMv2CfzfehVWdJ43TMbVZXFumcT7r2v1-nJv47-n09__jjJLl_9lm3oIPdVkOANUcKsFNNsYvCJDFWdnaCN7Qm_4f3j1im0/s1600/Marika.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Osa_iIFUk9I/UwRvppjm2QI/AAAAAAAAKkM/i1l8zpnSHZY/s1600/Marika2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Osa_iIFUk9I/UwRvppjm2QI/AAAAAAAAKkM/i1l8zpnSHZY/s1600/Marika2.png" height="320" width="219" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
I got all excited when this Marika was announced, then became considerably less excited when I realized her coat was red instead of black. Nothing against red, of course, but this Marika is plagued by the same not-quite-red issue as Satan. Red is a very specific colour. Unlike blue, which looks great in just about every shade, red begins to look like <strike>crap</strike> crud if it leans too far into pink, magenta, orange, or any other off-red variation, and Marika's coat is far too saturated for my liking. But I like her pose, and I like her sass, and I like the way she crosses her legs. So...<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>GSC's 1/8 Ceil Alencon</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmCCE2pPZN8/Uv78PCSCQ4I/AAAAAAAAKgI/Lyc3HeZOKhI/s1600/God+Eater.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmCCE2pPZN8/Uv78PCSCQ4I/AAAAAAAAKgI/Lyc3HeZOKhI/s1600/God+Eater.jpeg" height="400" width="326" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j0kNYOC1Eq0/UwRv6vyAHVI/AAAAAAAAKkc/gP8Y9hnRE0o/s1600/Ciel2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j0kNYOC1Eq0/UwRv6vyAHVI/AAAAAAAAKkc/gP8Y9hnRE0o/s1600/Ciel2.jpeg" height="400" width="267" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
Damn, GSC. You can really come out with some gorgeous stuff if you apply yourself. I haven't played God Eater 2, but when have I ever needed context to pick up a gorgeous girl with impractically enormous weapons? The details in her hair, skirt, and weapon appeal to my perfectionist heart. Plus, she has a lovely face, and you know how I get around lovely faces (i.e. all swoony). Her one downside? Price, of course. And shipping price. I don't even want to imagine how much she'll cost in total.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>All of the Homuras. Seriously. </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> </span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NhMLwlcPxSA/Uv76f1Stc1I/AAAAAAAAKf0/om747NE6Z9g/s1600/Homura3.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NhMLwlcPxSA/Uv76f1Stc1I/AAAAAAAAKf0/om747NE6Z9g/s1600/Homura3.gif" height="320" width="201" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35j97C4FpgI/Uv7vFBdIQwI/AAAAAAAAKeU/lSOotngsMOo/s1600/Homura2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35j97C4FpgI/Uv7vFBdIQwI/AAAAAAAAKeU/lSOotngsMOo/s1600/Homura2.gif" height="320" width="176" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AdG1Eq2pEvw/Uv7vExfe_wI/AAAAAAAAKeQ/OVyrLQxKGc8/s1600/Homura.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AdG1Eq2pEvw/Uv7vExfe_wI/AAAAAAAAKeQ/OVyrLQxKGc8/s1600/Homura.gif" height="320" width="176" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
I've been meaning to get a Homura for a long time, only to be disappointed by most her figures. Maybe I'm picky because she happens to be the type of character I respect, a.k.a. a professional, efficient, hard-working lady who isn't afraid to get her hands messy while still maintaining a sense of humanity and purpose (I mean, if we disregard the Madoka Rebellion, where she goes a little loopy). I want my Homura with guns everywhere, hair everywhere, steel in her eyes, standing on a pile of dead Kyuubeis, not looking bored, being awkward in a bikini, or dolled up like some cheerleader. The <i>one</i> costume I might make a exception for are yukatas, cause...yukatas.<br />
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At the moment, it's a toss-up between FREEing's 1/8 Yukata Homura, GSC's 1/8 Haregi Homura, or Aniplex's 1/7 Homura. A part of me still really wants demi-witch Homura with gorgeous, splatter-wings, but the chances of getting one seems remote now that <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/AkumaHomura_zps9b1d0ad2.jpg" target="_blank">Akuma Homura</a> has made her debut (I guess I could get Akuma Homura to match Godoka, hmm, decisions, decisions). I guess I'll wait and see if any of them tickles my fancy. I can be patient. I guess. Like a stalker.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <b>Everyone's Kan Colle </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9WJiQgY71c/Uv8KQMZh79I/AAAAAAAAKgc/8n24uBi2DQc/s1600/Wo+class.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9WJiQgY71c/Uv8KQMZh79I/AAAAAAAAKgc/8n24uBi2DQc/s1600/Wo+class.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasYRxXE8hszyiQP6U2DAVeqb4uwb07AjB1eJIU_l781bM3ysUNvgdnBW1fjBa9Voi-zad9SEVm7XUyib6DIA_oRc82HgdO1mh0Obu6zJYJoorZfuRsMJdnh6Pb8EmGPIsHumhhzX4azo/s1600/Yamato.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasYRxXE8hszyiQP6U2DAVeqb4uwb07AjB1eJIU_l781bM3ysUNvgdnBW1fjBa9Voi-zad9SEVm7XUyib6DIA_oRc82HgdO1mh0Obu6zJYJoorZfuRsMJdnh6Pb8EmGPIsHumhhzX4azo/s1600/Yamato.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
If I had an accurate moniker for Wonfes Winter 2014, it would be "The Kan Colle Show". Not that it's a bad thing. Don't get me wrong. I'm just surprised at how absolutely <i>everywhere</i> they were<i>. </i>Usually, girls with big guns are a no brainer for me, but the sheer number of figures made me hesitate. There are certain series I refuse to collect (even if they're gorgeous) because I know my collector's mentality would drive me to buy the <i>entire godforsaken collection </i>and I'd be out on the streets panhandling for PVC.<i> </i>This is true of Alter's Hyakka Ryouran line, and now, also of any Kan Colle line. This doesn't mean I don't have my eye on some of their more unique sculpts though, namely, GSC's Wo-Class, and to a lesser extent, Max Factory's Yamato.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;">Suich's List</span></b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Watching</b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="color: black;"> <b>Good Smile Company's Link Nendoroid</b></span></span><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VHRjer-m7XU/UwVARWUICrI/AAAAAAAAKk0/HnXnyJ1_gkk/s1600/Linknendo2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VHRjer-m7XU/UwVARWUICrI/AAAAAAAAKk0/HnXnyJ1_gkk/s1600/Linknendo2.jpeg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7AUZwMgs3s/Uv965qKF50I/AAAAAAAAKg4/YFHQ822gZKI/s1600/Linknendo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7AUZwMgs3s/Uv965qKF50I/AAAAAAAAKg4/YFHQ822gZKI/s1600/Linknendo.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #003399;">Last year, Good Smile Company announced a Nendoroid for Link from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It took me by surprise, but I was excited that a big figure company like GSC wanted to release a Nendoroid for Link. I thought, <i>finally </i>I can put a Link figure on my shelf! I was actually hoping GSC had a sculpt for him at Wonfes, but they instead surprised me with a painted version!<br />
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One of my favourite things about this figure is the pose. I love how Link looks as though he's about to conduct with that tiny baton! It definitely makes me want to play Wind Waker HD again. I wouldn't call this a downside, but I noticed there's a hint of eeriness in Link's expression. With the dark gradient in his eyes and the shadows of his bangs covering half his face, he looks possessed and almost evil. That smile doesn't help either. I mean, Link looks great and very much like his in-game design, but his expression can really throw me off. It's funny because the game is so bright but we're going to get this evil little guy. I'm expecting him to come with at least one more face and a few props. I'm actually crossing my fingers for a little pig from Outset Isle!<br />
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I'm probably going to buy this little guy. Him or the Sakura Kinomoto Nendoroid...or both. I want to see if the quality of GSC's more recent Nendoroids are better than their old ones. I still don't like how my Totori falls apart, but maybe GSC's much better now. If I do get him, I'm going to see if I can swap that evil face with my other small figures. Then everyone can look evil!</span><br />
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</div><b>FREEing's 1/8 Kagamine Len - Senbonzakura</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgrNIsIw86w/Uv965h39r0I/AAAAAAAAKg8/giM-_Vwx1ZA/s1600/Senbonzakura+Len.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgrNIsIw86w/Uv965h39r0I/AAAAAAAAKg8/giM-_Vwx1ZA/s1600/Senbonzakura+Len.jpeg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #003399;">I love Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F. I picked the game up when it was released in North America and I had so much fun that I decided to import Project Diva F 2nd. I ended up liking Vocaloids a lot more thanks to that game. Seeing the characters dance so merrily on my television screen in various costumes just made me grow fonder of them. I guess I just like them all animated!<br />
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One of my favourite songs from Project Diva F is Senbonzakura, which is where Len's costume comes from. All the characters look fantastic in their Senbonzakura outfits, so it's no surprise they're getting figures made. Len's little <i>bang-bang</i> pose here is absolutely adorable and I love how his cape flows. I would be incredibly excited about this figure if I wasn't concerned about his face. I admit I'm not very fond of FREEing's 1/8 Miku - Senbonzakura figure because of her face. It's definitely different from all the other Miku figure's I've seen out there. It's new...but is it a good new? Maybe I just have to get used to it. One of the major selling points of a figure is the face after all, so if I don't like Len's face then unfortunately it's a deal breaker. I'll have to wait and see how Len looks when he's painted. I have a feeling his face will be similar to Miku's. Maybe he'll look better with it. I also really hope FREEing keeps his eyes blue too.</span><br />
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<b>Good Smile Company's Sakura Kinomoto Nendoroid</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1KWahB3L_Q/UwJDkIKYcjI/AAAAAAAAKhU/hvqcF90yvD8/s1600/Sakura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1KWahB3L_Q/UwJDkIKYcjI/AAAAAAAAKhU/hvqcF90yvD8/s1600/Sakura.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #003399;">It's hard to say no to buying Sakura because she's from one of my favourite classic magical girl series. Plus she's just plain cute. I do love that GSC kept her classic look. Sakura's got it all! The little winged costume, her staff, a clow card, and even her stuffed sidekick, Kero-chan! I may just cave and buy this adorable little lady. I'm really looking forward to seeing her extra face(s) and props!<br />
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On another note, I almost laughed when I thought Sakura was giving the finger, but that's just the way she holds her cards.<br />
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I hope they bring out a Syaoran nendoroid someday. I would definitely buy them both. Gotta pair them up after all!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ash's List</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grabby-grabby</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Megahouse's 1/8 Dandy</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mavEpDtgtwF87yovY0XcWRfDxh-KEturi4RPZdBV9KfsAxQXy6dZ67rURkzp1rlp0F0mNMd-RpsVpjGXAmDGdXY1GrFiE-1yJSRH0VFbCYOGiYa8J9_u1MLxQxZDQkdTH5y3SYEaVyg/s1600/198563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mavEpDtgtwF87yovY0XcWRfDxh-KEturi4RPZdBV9KfsAxQXy6dZ67rURkzp1rlp0F0mNMd-RpsVpjGXAmDGdXY1GrFiE-1yJSRH0VFbCYOGiYa8J9_u1MLxQxZDQkdTH5y3SYEaVyg/s1600/198563.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">The insane, surreal and fabulous Space Dandy is a series that hits my nostalgia button hard and brings me back to the days of after-school cartoons but with an adult twist. Considering that the series is still relatively new, this figure announcement came as a delightful surprise. Looking like the badass alien-hunting mofo he is(n't at all really), this 'BooBies' aficionado is throwing some serious smolder my way as Dandies are wont to do. However, it's not ALL good. I feel deflated taking in those proportions. His legs appear oddly stout compared to his torso<u> </u>and rather than being from the G.E.M. series line, he's part of the not quite as reliable Excellent Model line. I also would have preferred if he wielded his gun instead of his fishing-rod-sword thing, even if it would have been rendered ineffectual by his legendarily bad marksmanship. Despite the myriad drawbacks I just listed, and barring any unforeseen disasters, Dandy is still a must-buy for me because he's Dandy, baby. Now just announce a QT and Meow, so I can get the whole Aloha Oe crew!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Megahouse's 1/8 Kise Ryouta</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2hPec-mO-ktKjqY-GOF1pHscnm0heJXHy_UiyHNpOIwAtv2-_vfYF2hVopqkEbsBHXTLvLZD74Xejk99_334oXlfJhBhvpYL8TCYHBv71loVoT2KJwumd40gSsUAWuazhR5r_CI6RSM/s1600/175643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2hPec-mO-ktKjqY-GOF1pHscnm0heJXHy_UiyHNpOIwAtv2-_vfYF2hVopqkEbsBHXTLvLZD74Xejk99_334oXlfJhBhvpYL8TCYHBv71loVoT2KJwumd40gSsUAWuazhR5r_CI6RSM/s1600/175643.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Megahouse is clearly determined to continue posing its Kuroko no Basket characters frozen mid-play, gravity be-damned. It's a good thing Kise is smiling otherwise this pose could be viewed as an impending sports injury. Sculpt-wise, Kise is a beautiful specimen, just like Kuroko. He has taut muscles and dynamic action. The good folks at Megahouse even made the effort to painstakingly sculpt his shiny earring. I worry about finding space for a figure whose pose is so very...splayed. I also wonder about his optimum display configuration. From the position of his face, it looks like he's meant to be viewed from above but the placement of his limbs suggest otherwise. I can only hope a killer paint job will somehow solve my conundrum. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Alter's 1/8 Natsume Takashi (Renewal)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnPNpY1gHvH79he_onIsw4qx5uh8AmJIZ05ZTamDzE0AbCgqi_MEGLijfjum5d-8XMIkSfxNFki54GeRMcZ31t-fUm9cLUbu9IKHjpQRYCBwoWWhjo_AyGFWhUCOls54IQldYlVG_6pw/s1600/198656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnPNpY1gHvH79he_onIsw4qx5uh8AmJIZ05ZTamDzE0AbCgqi_MEGLijfjum5d-8XMIkSfxNFki54GeRMcZ31t-fUm9cLUbu9IKHjpQRYCBwoWWhjo_AyGFWhUCOls54IQldYlVG_6pw/s1600/198656.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Yes, I own the original but that doesn't stop me from wanting the renewal as well. Leave it to Alter to look back at their already lauded older figures, a singular sample by which most other figure companies would bolster their reputations, and instead think to themselves, 'What is this crap? We can do better than this'. Using newer techniques, they're breathing fresh life into the already exquisite 1/8 Natsume and Nyanko-sensei. Natsume's face is much more like his manga version (which is admittedly better) and Nyanko-sensei is chubbier (an obvious improvement). All this while retaining the exquisite and tranquil beauty of the original figure. I am looking forward to seeing the paint job.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>FREEing's 1/8 Kagamine Len -Senbonzakura ver.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">When you're a Vocaloid fan <i>and</i> a male figure collector, desperation is the name of the game. This translates to my wallet-shriveling, 'I'll take it where I can get it'-mentality. Am I disappointed at the lack of KAITO? Yes, very much so, but Len's adorable, lively sculpt puts a smile on my face. FREEing did a rather admirable job in capturing both his cuteness while utilizing the naturally beautiful flow of his Senbonzakura costume to its fullest. Like Suich, I worry about how his face and eyes will turn out. Senbonzakura Miku has solid black eyes and a contentious face but its possible that Len, by virtue of his younger age, might be able to pull off what she could not.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Ogle-ogle</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Good Smile Company's 1/7 Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMvUv_2ERhaqNTjklxj9i6dW8XGNIhuuJEGg9ZKbZXHcrGhXvOL5kY7e5PqODYnTTWybsGO4VdTrGrKQvdtBwP0mbgMb2je6al9dM0onsS1OvihXXMUaJgQwtAAq-vgBrxj1-8z_66jg/s1600/198433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMvUv_2ERhaqNTjklxj9i6dW8XGNIhuuJEGg9ZKbZXHcrGhXvOL5kY7e5PqODYnTTWybsGO4VdTrGrKQvdtBwP0mbgMb2je6al9dM0onsS1OvihXXMUaJgQwtAAq-vgBrxj1-8z_66jg/s1600/198433.jpg" height="400" width="275" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzmsy0LLyh9kH-gsrSWKVJUU-Vhk7NivlD9EPPsYFpQ1zJ8D1pp9DggbtOnpIqpMaECFjIwbU8L0JyM8V7T_zZpNZOwJ5c6pDh97CmSOF_qlUKZOYOnQydBf_N1cnQkMvevbDcjA7yHk/s1600/198550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzmsy0LLyh9kH-gsrSWKVJUU-Vhk7NivlD9EPPsYFpQ1zJ8D1pp9DggbtOnpIqpMaECFjIwbU8L0JyM8V7T_zZpNZOwJ5c6pDh97CmSOF_qlUKZOYOnQydBf_N1cnQkMvevbDcjA7yHk/s1600/198550.jpg" height="400" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">I may not know anything about Fairy Tail but whatever, look at those abs. I'm happy to see GSC getting into the male figure scene. A quick internet search reveals that Gray is eighteen so I feel a lot less creepy about leering at his scarred, rippled chest. There are a lot of things to love about Natsu's figure as well. He's tan, he's buff, his hair is gorgeously detailed and that transparent flame is gloriously rendered. I'm also looking forward to Gray's paint job and hopefully, like Natsu, GSC will incorporate his elemental ice magic somewhere into his sculpt. Last year, Max Factory demonstrated their intention to make serious dents in my wallet. Now, years after their Len Kagamine figure, it seems like GSC has finally decided to enter the male figure game in earnest.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Union Creative International Ltd, Wit Studio's Levi</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNY73XR4AO9N3538ryTOBkXedFxoT7neLblzwdNAwj6LXCabviSQA8uKahpHnHN73ppjFmASFAbB1Ajq9Wu8ITosLCV4wy7QJpuwrghicIq9iNjVwxHF3pXlb7LUWZGm2jzHLOG_-VcXA/s1600/198265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNY73XR4AO9N3538ryTOBkXedFxoT7neLblzwdNAwj6LXCabviSQA8uKahpHnHN73ppjFmASFAbB1Ajq9Wu8ITosLCV4wy7QJpuwrghicIq9iNjVwxHF3pXlb7LUWZGm2jzHLOG_-VcXA/s1600/198265.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Heichou's looking damn slick. I can't help but imagine him with an Italian-American accent, making offers that prove to be irremissible, and having doors closed in peoples faces. The little teacup is adorable too. While most figure companies aim to present the battle-ready, 'hero of humanity' Levi in his capacity as a hacking and slashing maestro, UCIL actually captured the other side of his character. This is the Levi who's in a position of privilege as a high-ranking officer of the military, engaged in the backdoor wheelings and dealings that ultimately have a greater impact on the future of humanity than all the Titan expeditions and pyrrhic victories combined. It's a sad truth but doling out emotional gut-punches is sort of this series' metier. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with UCIL's quality so for now, I'll be keeping an eye on this Levi figure with the sort of qualified optimism I'd never dare feel while reading the series itself.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>A </b><b>tack-on list (because there were a crapload of other Attack on Titan figure announcements):</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkA5aq5wqmj_NWwpK1Bp8sCjagrmTgDoFhAYO-I-4pZD4TGahDIObGqBUAIWP5JCQI5cEej_WkuPZuPIXNs-YL_v05LYVQdUYSvfBW7cpXvPR7AMibBaSgDxyXbpPJIEu-7MGyJ3XhIc/s1600/166977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkA5aq5wqmj_NWwpK1Bp8sCjagrmTgDoFhAYO-I-4pZD4TGahDIObGqBUAIWP5JCQI5cEej_WkuPZuPIXNs-YL_v05LYVQdUYSvfBW7cpXvPR7AMibBaSgDxyXbpPJIEu-7MGyJ3XhIc/s1600/166977.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mqlzB9hAnArF4YXtDVRkC6Zmv5x2ctQDza4TFt_DWw3W-qblEvzbs7cw-REUSQTjK4j7l8mAB90nP0r-W2pKqbsHzhOSTw2s49f84DJzD3hraodgINNHcy3eajbiVDGDh9wgYXtuRNM/s1600/178696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mqlzB9hAnArF4YXtDVRkC6Zmv5x2ctQDza4TFt_DWw3W-qblEvzbs7cw-REUSQTjK4j7l8mAB90nP0r-W2pKqbsHzhOSTw2s49f84DJzD3hraodgINNHcy3eajbiVDGDh9wgYXtuRNM/s1600/178696.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbL33jqUQ1Qn4Bw3uJTxwkHQf-zmX2yFCQIw-raBLVNnRee21MgRAqSYrB7Cm-qdnZvbaiL_bZRwYWGK26dR-T-Vhz70NDUHQ9DtdYsUcW5hs4g9c5D5A_ESmfBxPeI_KOHDAqG0U6hQ/s1600/178697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbL33jqUQ1Qn4Bw3uJTxwkHQf-zmX2yFCQIw-raBLVNnRee21MgRAqSYrB7Cm-qdnZvbaiL_bZRwYWGK26dR-T-Vhz70NDUHQ9DtdYsUcW5hs4g9c5D5A_ESmfBxPeI_KOHDAqG0U6hQ/s1600/178697.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: purple;">Okay, so it wasn't on the scale of Kan Colle, but Attack on Titan did have a fairly decent showing at Wonfes this year. Various figure companies, both famous and relatively obscure alike, have brought forth a contender in the form of an Attack on Titan figure. Sentinel drew first blood with their Levi figure and they already have prototypes for Eren and Armin. While Sentinel seems to favour grim, determined, pre-battle poses (see: they stand still while looking vexed), Kotobukiya's Eren is right in the thick of a fight, flaunting that 3-D maneuver gear like it's 849. I've read a lot of complaints about Kotobukiya's Eren looking nothing like the character. He does look younger, and certainly more wide-eyed but it isn't the face with which I take the most issue, it's the hair. By that same token, Sentinel's Eren appears to have a bad case of Saiyan-forehead and while w'ere on the topic of potentially wonky heads, let's talk about Sentinel's Armin. I'll concede that he's adorable but that's a given and you'd really have to screw up somewhere for him to turn out otherwise. It's their decision to give him such voluminous hair and an open-mouthed expression that gives me pause. I'm reserving judgement until I see their paint jobs.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4y-GgwU9wEP5d5CTdvp_FGxoBivROSHbvuEvDqwGuG5Nihbqmo84JNx4OOcYLYslAkmNQK3-3yrxy1xs3pNxDcle2dwI1oasmf5dTUunR-0ZXhXumf_vKC4h1YfR2fDfJtXfcZN1bkZk/s1600/198467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4y-GgwU9wEP5d5CTdvp_FGxoBivROSHbvuEvDqwGuG5Nihbqmo84JNx4OOcYLYslAkmNQK3-3yrxy1xs3pNxDcle2dwI1oasmf5dTUunR-0ZXhXumf_vKC4h1YfR2fDfJtXfcZN1bkZk/s1600/198467.jpg" height="307" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: purple;">After seeing their beautiful Mikasa prototype, I have high hopes that GSC will deliver when it comes to Eren and hopefully, the other members of the Attack on Titan cast. Depending on how his prototype goes, I will probably throw my lot in with GSC when choosing my Attack on Titan figures.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSGKSA2AvZnKLp01vp9SjepSMCvhFbkQsP3aLqvvMKVhBlUAFZD-_PaJcokZd9SVu5frvz3-TtkzB9ot_y9DKKx2k_W3Foyo5JPilFwfq3rKDTuYoZPJFZ6BYd1pq5PWKuWmrogmFGIU/s1600/198334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSGKSA2AvZnKLp01vp9SjepSMCvhFbkQsP3aLqvvMKVhBlUAFZD-_PaJcokZd9SVu5frvz3-TtkzB9ot_y9DKKx2k_W3Foyo5JPilFwfq3rKDTuYoZPJFZ6BYd1pq5PWKuWmrogmFGIU/s1600/198334.jpg" height="400" width="232" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJWHjlYtDS1Sm6XkobkAmct7L5IyYLkD6zKb3GOQQh1DUXZbbg4_wxycmxcNzGLOJgYFb5cqauj4gVLoc1f3D8TZ5IpkTYSGQKB_lyY-hwX0wLUT35L_aHOCV_aIqRPlKuK7Y9ydOJM/s1600/198335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJWHjlYtDS1Sm6XkobkAmct7L5IyYLkD6zKb3GOQQh1DUXZbbg4_wxycmxcNzGLOJgYFb5cqauj4gVLoc1f3D8TZ5IpkTYSGQKB_lyY-hwX0wLUT35L_aHOCV_aIqRPlKuK7Y9ydOJM/s1600/198335.jpg" height="400" width="232" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Along with Armin and Eren, Sentinel also announced plans to release Erwin and Hange. Hey, I hear no one say, I thought you only collected male figures! Why is Hange listed here? Well you see, No One, Word of God has yet to confirm Hange's gender and has elected to keep it deliberately ambiguous even when asked outright. So there you have it. Not that it really matters either way. Based on clues from the series, my theory is that Hange would self-identify as an androgyne, Titan-sexual and damn it, that's good enough for me! Okay, so the frugal part of my mind knows that I'm just using this ambiguity as a convenient loophole to my stringent collecting rule but to that, frugality, I say tough titties (which Hange may or may not have). I'll probably get Ozymand-Erwin too (though not necessarily Sentinel's). Though I have to ask, did he always wear a bolo tie and how did I manage to miss that? Though I suppose it's a good thing it's there because otherwise his aura of genius would make him virtually unapproachable. The presence of a bolo tie is probably a calculated faux pas on his part that's meant to trick people into thinking he's capable of erring like the rest of us. I can't wait to see those prototypes!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that concludes our bi-annual Wonfes spazz out. Even with the field flooded with Kan Colle (and to a certain extent, SnK), there are some undoubtedly gorgeous figures coming out way. We at Poke the Merch are bracing our wallets and facing the storm. Onward ho, into the new year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, what tickled your fancy this time around? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Signing off,</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Poke Crew</b></div>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-31461932879218136172014-02-21T17:48:00.000-05:002014-02-21T17:49:28.061-05:00Yuu's "Magic" (Doujinshi)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/02/yuus-magic-doujinshi.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AKnBRZmJ5lQ/UwWCfHUjU1I/AAAAAAAAKlU/WkmwIsC3Zbg/s1600/Magic-icon.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">Hey all, it's been a while since I pumped out an artbook/doujinshi review! I have an explanation! I swear!<br />
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Today we'll be looking at one of the only doujinshi I picked up in the past year. <b>Magic</b> by Yuu (last name currently unknown) is a short, yet spectacular orgy of pastel softness and astounding detail. But hey, don't trust just my word. Take a look for yourself.<br />
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If you have been following this blog, you'll know I imposed upon myself a stringent set of rules in the year of 2013. Growing financial commitments and a series of inconvenient events made me hyperaware (and rather nervous) of my shaky monetary situation. One of my self-imposed rules, unfortunately, involved cutting all leisurely paper products from my collecting habits. So for the past year, I have not touched, or even bothered to look at doujinshi, artbooks, posters, or other printed merch. Does that mean I've stopped collecting art? Not in the slightest. I mean to pick up where I left off, as soon as my situation allows. Consider it a hiatus of sorts.<br />
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That being said, I still have a buttload of doujinshi from previous years that dearly need reviews, so never fear! There will be art reviews for months to come.<br />
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As aforementioned, <b>Magic</b> by Yuu is one of the last books I picked up before my rules took effect. Boy, am I glad I found this little masterpiece before going cold turkey. This small, but potent collection is choked to the brim on fantastic pieces that do nothing less than stun the visual cortex. It's like being bombed. With artistic excellence. At only 24 pages, it hasn't the same bulk as other doujinshi, and at B5, it's smaller as well, but what it lacks in size and bulk, it makes up for with sheer colour and detail.<br />
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This is its cover. Look at its cover. Look at that delicious, golden frame. You know we're in for a good ride.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsDdqRLMMHA/UwWCkOWLRpI/AAAAAAAAKlc/CUGcDUkXPiA/s1600/Magic-title.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsDdqRLMMHA/UwWCkOWLRpI/AAAAAAAAKlc/CUGcDUkXPiA/s1600/Magic-title.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuY_5Rz5WUkVEtkbRWrRFQblmPey_AFGVWec_t1vQlW7t9hDFLNvcLvdPb6NeesZTMa31xytGStTzBDzzWTr357DoagmTooiP4_dvD2LQ4ByeyIWFGA61JUmOdiz7pVpLxm0R7xYoVIo/s1600/Magic-title2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuY_5Rz5WUkVEtkbRWrRFQblmPey_AFGVWec_t1vQlW7t9hDFLNvcLvdPb6NeesZTMa31xytGStTzBDzzWTr357DoagmTooiP4_dvD2LQ4ByeyIWFGA61JUmOdiz7pVpLxm0R7xYoVIo/s1600/Magic-title2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
I have never heard of this <i>Yuu</i> or their circle <i>The Door of Arcadia </i>(sounds like something right out of Dungeons & Dragons), but from the very first page, I was a fan. <b>Magic</b>'s illustrations stretch from border to border, without a single blank space in sight. Each are finished, fully coloured, and professional. Seriously, I would love to see some of these pieces blown up into wall posters. <br />
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Yuu's art is filled with <i>light</i>. Not simply brightness, <i>lightness</i>. There's an airy atmosphere to the illustrations that makes you feel as though they might dissolve into thin air if you're not careful. And they're mad detailed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BZQInQ8Lshc/UwWCyhsTFVI/AAAAAAAAKl0/B5Rwo2zaF-k/s1600/Magic10.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BZQInQ8Lshc/UwWCyhsTFVI/AAAAAAAAKl0/B5Rwo2zaF-k/s1600/Magic10.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YNcxuXlTXpI/UwWDbStSPsI/AAAAAAAAKm0/y6AjLSCATp0/s1600/Magic9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YNcxuXlTXpI/UwWDbStSPsI/AAAAAAAAKm0/y6AjLSCATp0/s1600/Magic9.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
I like to refer to Yuu's pictures as "framed chaos". Yuu has a wonderful way soft-fram<span style="color: #a30000;">ing a picture, i.<span style="color: #a30000;">e. not using definitive borders while still co<span style="color: #a30000;">ntaining the <span style="color: #a30000;">details within a certain shape</span> </span>(se</span></span>e chocolate girl on the left), while simultaneously filling the page with minutiae. The softness of the subjects mixed with the sharpness of the details make for some wonderful contrast. Only on my third look did I notice there were <i>three</i> girls in the picture on the left.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H9QAo4-qZIM/UwWDWr3CICI/AAAAAAAAKms/8_xXvUx8Dk4/s1600/Magic8.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H9QAo4-qZIM/UwWDWr3CICI/AAAAAAAAKms/8_xXvUx8Dk4/s1600/Magic8.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2D7Mu-UaT4A/UwWCtnL1rFI/AAAAAAAAKls/obZy7wnKJxQ/s1600/Magic1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2D7Mu-UaT4A/UwWCtnL1rFI/AAAAAAAAKls/obZy7wnKJxQ/s1600/Magic1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Unlike many artists, Yuu pays just as much attention to backgrounds as they do characters. Instead of drawing attention to one feature or another, the pictures are a harmonious clash of colours and <span style="color: #a30000;">patterns</span>. Characters can be so swamped they<span style="color: #a30000;"> <span style="color: #a30000;">are almost</span></span> hidden. With no definite focal points, your eye is allowed to wander and savour freely, to take y<span style="color: #a30000;">our time with each page and <span style="color: #a30000;">really <i>look</i></span></span>. In fact, <span style="color: #a30000;">it's in the wandering that you notice man<span style="color: #a30000;">y of the pi<span style="color: #a30000;">ctures' details</span></span></span>. It seems the best way to take in the lovely nuances of each page.<br />
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There are no sections in this doujinshi, only brilliant art. As far as I know, Yuu only includes original characters, but there is one illustration that obviously pays homage to Alice in Wonderland. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XYpiW3TC7SU/UwWDMqstNSI/AAAAAAAAKmc/FsZp1r2kq90/s1600/Magic6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XYpiW3TC7SU/UwWDMqstNSI/AAAAAAAAKmc/FsZp1r2kq90/s1600/Magic6.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIFe8AvEmcw/UwWDR5-wJfI/AAAAAAAAKmk/EYPmUDDi7gc/s1600/Magic7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIFe8AvEmcw/UwWDR5-wJfI/AAAAAAAAKmk/EYPmUDDi7gc/s1600/Magic7.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
There are only a couple of two-page spreads in <b>Magic</b>. This doujinshi, unfortunately, does not have a strong spine. It's is glued together, and takes badly to bending. In the process of taking photos, I accidentally tore several seams in my copy (and consequently swore a lot). If there is one, just <i>one</i>, downside to this gorgeous collection, it's its physical fragility. I almost wish it were held together by staples instead, like Kurogin's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/11/kurogindsbs-archive-illustrations-2006.html" target="_blank">Archive Illustrations 2006-2009</a>, and Rco Wada's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/07/rco-wadas-toka-toka-2-doujinshi.html" target="_blank">Toka + Toka 2</a>. <br />
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My one other grouse <span style="color: #a30000;">involves</span> the doujinshi's matte finish. It's actually not an issue to the naked eye, but it does make the paper seem grainy in photos. My camera is more sensitive than my eye, apparently. So excuse the extra noise in the photos. As they say, too much of a good thing, in this case, clarity, can do more harm than good. Again, I'm just grousing here. If you don't plan on taking photos of the doujinshi,<span style="color: #a30000;"> this is a non-issue</span>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2eTxCOSWLXtm8mVpuo6hYMlXzw8iqQ0flXSJowtTb2spO0gO0W160DDTPZcz4nv1cznYWJpLKJzrjxVZM63vJWaqV5CDy1MGDrGkqLAjA22Y2TN-9T9MApIMo4vhFCWUEtm3ozjnJlQ/s1600/Magic11.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2eTxCOSWLXtm8mVpuo6hYMlXzw8iqQ0flXSJowtTb2spO0gO0W160DDTPZcz4nv1cznYWJpLKJzrjxVZM63vJWaqV5CDy1MGDrGkqLAjA22Y2TN-9T9MApIMo4vhFCWUEtm3ozjnJlQ/s1600/Magic11.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uoYmia45Hsk/UwWQs9SlXeI/AAAAAAAAKnE/5PWlWUXCQsM/s1600/Magic12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uoYmia45Hsk/UwWQs9SlXeI/AAAAAAAAKnE/5PWlWUXCQsM/s1600/Magic12.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Although there are no sections in this doujinshi, Yuu does includes a series of age-themed pictures. There are six in all, all beautifully framed, all corresponding to a certain time of day, all with its own, unique colour palette, starting from "the childroom in morning" to "the bedroom at midnight". For no particular reason, it made me a little emotional. Life, bro. Life.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EFHTFC-UmOc/UwWDHaPzrLI/AAAAAAAAKmU/s7GHUmtysjA/s1600/Magic5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EFHTFC-UmOc/UwWDHaPzrLI/AAAAAAAAKmU/s7GHUmtysjA/s1600/Magic5.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KwQq5XGcJzw/UwWDCONi3CI/AAAAAAAAKmM/TMICVbqM7zE/s1600/Magic4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KwQq5XGcJzw/UwWDCONi3CI/AAAAAAAAKmM/TMICVbqM7zE/s1600/Magic4.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ttru0CqeHs8/UwWC9PvdzII/AAAAAAAAKmE/10FMI3S6dy8/s1600/Magic3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ttru0CqeHs8/UwWC9PvdzII/AAAAAAAAKmE/10FMI3S6dy8/s1600/Magic3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q1WEd63ta4/UwWC5T5q7vI/AAAAAAAAKl8/Uxc3v_RPu_M/s1600/Magic2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q1WEd63ta4/UwWC5T5q7vI/AAAAAAAAKl8/Uxc3v_RPu_M/s1600/Magic2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
And, whoa, we're done! <br />
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I keep forgetting how short 24 pages is. Believe me when I say this book feels longer than 24 pages. The amount of time I spent staring at each picture, admiring its details, carefully flipping through the pages, then doing it all over again, is astounding. <br />
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Is this doujinshi worth getting? Yes, absolutely.<b> </b>It's a real gem. <b>Magic </b>is sold out in stores at the moment, so your best chance of snagging it is to stalk stores that sell used items, such as Mandarake. It can be hard to find, but believe me, it's worth the effort.<br />
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</span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"></span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Title</b>: Magic<span style="color: #a30000;"> </span><br />
<b>Author</b>: <span style="color: #a30000;">Y<span style="color: #a30000;">uu</span></span> (</span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span class="trigger selected" style="left: 529.5px; top: 583.533px;"><span class="layer"><span class="light">憂</span></span></span>)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Circle</b>: <span style="color: #a30000;"> The Door of Arcadia (</span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span class="trigger selected" style="left: 529.5px; top: 562.767px;"><span class="layer"><span class="light">アルカディアの扉</span></span></span>)</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Size</b>: <span style="color: #a30000;">B5</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Sans-Serif;">(<span style="color: #a30000;">7.3</span> x <span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;">10</span>.<span style="color: #a30000;">2</span></span> in)</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Sans-Serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Pages</b>: <span style="color: #a30000;">2<span style="color: #a30000;">4</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Price</b>: 1400 yen</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Purchased From</b>: <b><a href=http://alice-books.com/ target=_blank>Alice-Books</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><b><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;">Cheerio,</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><b><span style="color: #a30000;">Jenn </span></b></span></span></div>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-12719276691332765142014-01-30T16:53:00.000-05:002014-02-02T00:23:05.200-05:001/7 Trunk Girl (Native) NSFW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/01/17-trunk-girl-native-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQaDB3bVsHAuWhaDpl-vGqyzXSqPN4B_s7Jm5ikcSowuzH9RbTqtFpVGZHWpafyRmHXAGqH0Zk7Nm2YuHOZhEzI-QbY4uvjWFeWuh-folqqf8766ERof3U03ot8PdQWpGlTtderWaenA/s1600/Review-Icon.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">Wow, has it been a while since I last wrote a review, or what? My sincerest apologies to our readers for taking such a long, unannounced break. If I've learned anything, it's that life has a way of interrupting at the most inconvenient times!<br />
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That being said, I have a lot of figures to catch up on. Today we'll be looking a tone of Native's naked and creative ladies. She's lithe. She's twisty. She's Trunk Girl! Read on, O readers!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;">First of all, what kind of name is "Trunk Girl"? For a company that identifies as creative, their names sure are...to the point.<br />
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I picked up Trunk Girl over half a year ago at <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/05/anime-north-2013.html">AnimeNorth</a>, but never got around to reviewing her till now. She was one of my only buys at the convention, and a darn satisfying one at that. I had my eye on Trunk Girl since her conception (man, that sounds creepy, but it's really not), yet somehow managed to miss her pre-order deadline anyhow. Imagine my delight when she showed up right under my nose! Her unique pose and artistic presentation were too tantalizing to pass up.<br />
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Native, by far, has some of the most elegant box designs out there. They are made beautiful by their simplicity. Of course, Trunk Girl would come in a box that looks like a trunk, a mysterious, purple box with bronze-gold frames. No production pictures stain its surface. No pomp and circumstance. Just a wonderful, functional, beautiful, refined box.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws22dnClQH0/UnMj_gtx1XI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/rYBHRlj276Q/s1600/Trunk-girl-box.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws22dnClQH0/UnMj_gtx1XI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/rYBHRlj276Q/s640/Trunk-girl-box.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a beaut!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Trunk girl's base, is, surprise, surprise, another trunk! And it's tiny! How does Trunk Girl fit in there? With skill and practice and discomfort, that's what. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_csQZ2RgUl8/UnMk40Nb0uI/AAAAAAAAKFw/R6bVYJa_S0U/s1600/Trunk-girl-trunk-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_csQZ2RgUl8/UnMk40Nb0uI/AAAAAAAAKFw/R6bVYJa_S0U/s400/Trunk-girl-trunk-2.png" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>But at least she's traveling posh. The faux-fur lining is a nice touch. Functionally, it prevents paint transfer. And that pseudo-leather ain't too shabby either! The trunk's outside is as lovely as its inside. It's metallic. It's got a bow. It's an attractive, polished periwinkle. I love it.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPPMEyIPxFM/UulwUH1c_iI/AAAAAAAAKZo/NS514RYek84/s1600/Trunk-girl-trunk.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPPMEyIPxFM/UulwUH1c_iI/AAAAAAAAKZo/NS514RYek84/s1600/Trunk-girl-trunk.png" height="271" width="407" /></a><br />
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My one complaint? It's not sturdy. My trunk's top and bottom are actually two separate pieces, but I'm not sure if that's standard or because mine came with some damage. There's a connection at the hinges, but it's not very stable. Jostle her, and her base falls apart (so, no, he trunk doesn't actually close. I've just balanced the two pieces on top of one another). This is made worse when it's balanced on the plastic raiser. The trunk is "held" in place by two small barriers. And I use "held" in the loosest sense possible. Brush against her with the slightest force, and she slides right off.<br />
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But onto the main event! Trunk Girl might look mighty uncomfortable all crammed up in like some circus contortionist, but rest assured her pose is entirely achieveable. She has a slim, young, <i>proportionate</i> body, the legs of a yoga instructor, and the face of a porcelain doll.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WqkW3k84b9Y/UnMjZneyWvI/AAAAAAAAKBo/XY5t9VAHnsE/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WqkW3k84b9Y/UnMjZneyWvI/AAAAAAAAKBo/XY5t9VAHnsE/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-1.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFCpYKXNpm4/UnMjYBQs-SI/AAAAAAAAKBg/bo0RrPrrooM/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFCpYKXNpm4/UnMjYBQs-SI/AAAAAAAAKBg/bo0RrPrrooM/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zcl8Q_pYMsA/UnMjcnghyEI/AAAAAAAAKBw/3qO8aiUFgqU/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zcl8Q_pYMsA/UnMjcnghyEI/AAAAAAAAKBw/3qO8aiUFgqU/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-3.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lExz8Rhk6Wo/UnMjfA-MkfI/AAAAAAAAKB4/sMfivBK1HwQ/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lExz8Rhk6Wo/UnMjfA-MkfI/AAAAAAAAKB4/sMfivBK1HwQ/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-4.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnqTTpb2FzY/UnMjixxgP_I/AAAAAAAAKCA/HKAyZHUillU/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnqTTpb2FzY/UnMjixxgP_I/AAAAAAAAKCA/HKAyZHUillU/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-5.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqYxyr-rLa8/UnMjl03jhgI/AAAAAAAAKCI/uAdoL9DKAWA/s1600/Trunk-Girl-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqYxyr-rLa8/UnMjl03jhgI/AAAAAAAAKCI/uAdoL9DKAWA/s320/Trunk-Girl-full-6.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Will you look at all that floaty hair. Why doesn't it obey gravity? Well, sirrah, it appears her sculptors did not initially plan to include her riser. She was designed to lie flat against the ground, and her hair was sculpted thusly. However, sometime between her conception and her release, the clever peeps at Native realized lying flat on the ground gave her an awkward display angle (she would have to be displayed below eye level for full effect), so they included the riser. A smart move? We certainly think so, floating tentacle hair and all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ir21ztSk6MwcuN4eOLHBI_fiv7_dx__yrHeXr86OK0yJYLb-FP0F3g7peDACEYeyIdXqdxZMc7BkaC12SByoWjtonC_bWIxSxniiGOND55pc02eVqP6TUfJizbIe0N98W_2VgDOTsdE/s1600/Trunk-girl-sans-stand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ir21ztSk6MwcuN4eOLHBI_fiv7_dx__yrHeXr86OK0yJYLb-FP0F3g7peDACEYeyIdXqdxZMc7BkaC12SByoWjtonC_bWIxSxniiGOND55pc02eVqP6TUfJizbIe0N98W_2VgDOTsdE/s320/Trunk-girl-sans-stand.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4q91dW6hmU/UnMkawIFFoI/AAAAAAAAKEg/44Msqr81L28/s1600/Trunk-girl-flat-hair.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u4q91dW6hmU/UnMkawIFFoI/AAAAAAAAKEg/44Msqr81L28/s320/Trunk-girl-flat-hair.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl sets herself apart from other anime girls with her largish head, dollish face, and round, wide eyes. Is it a perfect face? No. As with many figures, it has better presentation angles than others. Sometimes, she can get a bulbous, fish-eyed look, especially with her open mouth and half-hidden chin.<br />
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What she does have, however, is distinction. Sometimes, looking at figures is like looking at bunch of Hollywood celebrities. They're all beautiful. In fact, they're all <i>so beautiful </i>they blend into a mass of beauty so intense it becomes difficult to recognize individuals. It's overwhelming and confusing. In such a case, a face that breaks the mold feels godsend. Sometimes, variety really is the spice of life.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpRt1hTqXlnBidYFG-lkvA-Jl_IaRrG_UCGtxuq98gHz4DXbvBMCGYgGWQnJUuTTSUpzODmmmGQuJsUoG6lTgC7vQ2vpSVnbU0GTZppBMBiUG1aOg_rh_kiAdWp5ZH5cdhmD8t9pxHCw/s1600/Trunk-girl-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpRt1hTqXlnBidYFG-lkvA-Jl_IaRrG_UCGtxuq98gHz4DXbvBMCGYgGWQnJUuTTSUpzODmmmGQuJsUoG6lTgC7vQ2vpSVnbU0GTZppBMBiUG1aOg_rh_kiAdWp5ZH5cdhmD8t9pxHCw/s320/Trunk-girl-face-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dF0JRDLmAsQ/UnMkRvXL8lI/AAAAAAAAKEI/4hhYjX3JR8M/s1600/Trunk-girl-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dF0JRDLmAsQ/UnMkRvXL8lI/AAAAAAAAKEI/4hhYjX3JR8M/s320/Trunk-girl-face-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j-0KbaTuofE/UnMkUEASo4I/AAAAAAAAKEQ/Aldsv5Vi0TY/s1600/Trunk-girl-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j-0KbaTuofE/UnMkUEASo4I/AAAAAAAAKEQ/Aldsv5Vi0TY/s320/Trunk-girl-face-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl's hair is a wonderful, milk chocolate brown. Did I mention I love brunettes? I love brunettes. Native spared no tools when it came to shading her hair. The highlights and shadows are carefully applied. Better yet, like with all Native sculpts, she has wonderful, detailed lines. No bowling ball head for this battle maid, no sir.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJRY4c_V6mY/UnMjqBbDnQI/AAAAAAAAKCQ/esQjVisvpoU/s1600/Trunk-Girl-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJRY4c_V6mY/UnMjqBbDnQI/AAAAAAAAKCQ/esQjVisvpoU/s640/Trunk-Girl-hair-1.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
But as much as I would love to laud Trunk Girl's yummy locks, I do have a couple of bones to pick with it. It looks like delicious chocolate, yes, but perhaps a little <i>too much</i> like delicious chocolate. When we get to its tips, the PVC looks clumped together, as though molten. As though she has <i>molten chocolate</i> hair.<br />
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Man, I'm hungry.<br />
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Moving on. Trunk Girl has her fair share of seam and roughness. I'm not sure why she has a vertical seam down the middle of her hair, or that one, extra, tacked on strand. Why, Native? Why not smooth it out? To their credit though, they did try to make it look natural. Looking close, Trunk Girl also has a few fingerprints in her hair. It looks like someone out there touched her accidentally while she was still wet (her paint, I mean, while her <i>paint</i> was still wet...).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYzSMxeYsW4/UnMktS3U_2I/AAAAAAAAKFQ/icfx5Mtu74w/s1600/Trunk-girl-hair-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYzSMxeYsW4/UnMktS3U_2I/AAAAAAAAKFQ/icfx5Mtu74w/s320/Trunk-girl-hair-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v12RywV_3Pk/UnMkpDR8BiI/AAAAAAAAKFI/I92wxYhYVk4/s1600/Trunk-girl-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v12RywV_3Pk/UnMkpDR8BiI/AAAAAAAAKFI/I92wxYhYVk4/s320/Trunk-girl-hair-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zeKjYRZv6qM/UnMkwTJyjdI/AAAAAAAAKFY/TzCmHB52bC8/s1600/Trunk-girl-hair-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zeKjYRZv6qM/UnMkwTJyjdI/AAAAAAAAKFY/TzCmHB52bC8/s320/Trunk-girl-hair-5.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl's body doesn't only look great from the front, but from the back as well. Nevermind that you'll probably never see her back, Native's going to give you details anyways. Look at those wonderful shoulder blades, that cute little butt, and those fancy, iridescent ribbons! Nice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I04VcOiVNLk/UnMjxAkbJ4I/AAAAAAAAKCg/5HnztUrWZE0/s1600/Trunk-girl-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I04VcOiVNLk/UnMjxAkbJ4I/AAAAAAAAKCg/5HnztUrWZE0/s640/Trunk-girl-back.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>As with all Native figures, Trunk Girl is cast off. She separates at the waist, and you can pop out her boobs in exchange for more naked boobs. Yup, they're like little boob cakes. Weird, but true.<br />
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Her shoe comes off too, but I was too lazy to remove it. Her weapons too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CcB9kqlSOUs/UnMjRRyaaNI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/v4s_8fzWRFM/s1600/Trunk-Girl-Equipment.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CcB9kqlSOUs/UnMjRRyaaNI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/v4s_8fzWRFM/s640/Trunk-Girl-Equipment.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trunk girl and all her parts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Trunk Girl is a thin girl. After all, she needs to be to fit in that wee trunk of hers. Native did a great job rendering her body. She has an attractive stomach-region. <br />
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My favourite part of her, of course, are the tendons under her knee. <i>Aw, yiss</i>. Well-formed legs.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uSaGURM6D8/UnMj1eYfZ8I/AAAAAAAAKCw/W3ljTJjGNyI/s1600/Trunk-girl-body-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uSaGURM6D8/UnMj1eYfZ8I/AAAAAAAAKCw/W3ljTJjGNyI/s320/Trunk-girl-body-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ATsqjxRjYjI/UnMj36SFz4I/AAAAAAAAKC4/HyxnlzmXga0/s1600/Trunk-girl-body-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ATsqjxRjYjI/UnMj36SFz4I/AAAAAAAAKC4/HyxnlzmXga0/s320/Trunk-girl-body-3.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Is it weird that her cast-off boobs still have the outline of a bra? Kind of, yeah, but I got used to it. I like to think of it as her own, special form of kink. Stare harder at her boobs. Notice how they're gravitationally obedient, and not at all melon-like in terms of shape or size. I like that.<br />
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I once had a friend describe the perfect boob size as a "happy handful". Going by his definition, Trunk Girl's boobs are just the right size in my humble opinion. Do I like huge knockers? Sure. Do I like raison nips? Sure. But my favourite boobs are, as Goldilocks puts it, <i>juuuuuuuuuust</i> right.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8_tjp1iqt4/UnMj588XfMI/AAAAAAAAKDA/xIU3JoK1m6s/s1600/Trunk-girl-boobs-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8_tjp1iqt4/UnMj588XfMI/AAAAAAAAKDA/xIU3JoK1m6s/s320/Trunk-girl-boobs-1.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NfTVQcEkIE/UnMj8GKiPcI/AAAAAAAAKDI/zDAHCtEBSQc/s1600/Trunk-girl-boobs-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NfTVQcEkIE/UnMj8GKiPcI/AAAAAAAAKDI/zDAHCtEBSQc/s320/Trunk-girl-boobs-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl does a good job of hiding her privates. It's actually quite a bit of work to see them at all. I mean, you got to lift her out of her trunk and remove her skirt-bit and all.... Don't look at me like that. It's hard work!<br />
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Anatomy wise, Trunk Girl does not have the most detailed nethra yayeh out there. It's only a slit and a pinprick hole. I always giggle a little when I see sculptors portray women's vaginal area as smooth, fleshy sheaths free of hair or blemish (oh, how <i>cute</i>). But hey, it's pretty to look at, and that in itself is justification enough. Aesthetics, right? Aesthetics over all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xdXwvbRlk0I/UultuxR1O1I/AAAAAAAAKZU/UTpmv__wWM0/s1600/Trunk-girl-netheryeyah.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xdXwvbRlk0I/UultuxR1O1I/AAAAAAAAKZU/UTpmv__wWM0/s1600/Trunk-girl-netheryeyah.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dKpsaND_ykw/UultwI5zEEI/AAAAAAAAKZc/5ZQj8ADBx2U/s1600/Trunk-girl-netheryeyah2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dKpsaND_ykw/UultwI5zEEI/AAAAAAAAKZc/5ZQj8ADBx2U/s1600/Trunk-girl-netheryeyah2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Native holds their own when it comes to the detail department. Not only do their figures have carefully carved proportions and tangled manes, they also host a number of painstaking details. Like the combination lock on Trunk Girl's base, beautifully rendered fingers, and, of course, fingernails. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsBtrVdE7Dw/UnMkH5jCF1I/AAAAAAAAKDo/R4oWHjAAx94/s1600/Trunk-girl-detail-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsBtrVdE7Dw/UnMkH5jCF1I/AAAAAAAAKDo/R4oWHjAAx94/s320/Trunk-girl-detail-1.png" height="212" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_qe3WzNfmyA/UnMkKOgP0oI/AAAAAAAAKDw/970pOfi2Its/s1600/Trunk-girl-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_qe3WzNfmyA/UnMkKOgP0oI/AAAAAAAAKDw/970pOfi2Its/s320/Trunk-girl-detail-2.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJcIJd1Gckf1KQzf0dL4VFua3ivonQ2kfsVRT8x-yjwak2usd3Ufvyd535YUSU3MTuxsTm59F2rT68pqcXR-45TZbNH9jZXMNKc_tXQo3TTVj1w6z7i262Z1sIvTtu53gM_PGYwmJNGU/s1600/Trunk-girl-detail-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJcIJd1Gckf1KQzf0dL4VFua3ivonQ2kfsVRT8x-yjwak2usd3Ufvyd535YUSU3MTuxsTm59F2rT68pqcXR-45TZbNH9jZXMNKc_tXQo3TTVj1w6z7i262Z1sIvTtu53gM_PGYwmJNGU/s640/Trunk-girl-detail-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
With the good said and done, there are also a number of disappointments in Trunk Girl.<br />
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First and foremost, what's up with her guns? Miniature guns have been perfected to a tee in the figure industry, so how did Native <strike>fuck</strike> fudge them up? Who's brilliant idea was it to have them painted <i>white</i>? What are they made of, some sort of ceramic? And is that top-left piece supposed to be a scope, or a white-chocolate <strike>dildo diddler</strike> <strike>portable penis</strike> adult toy? <i>I</i> certainly can't tell. Worse, look at those sloppy lines. Those aren't lines, my friends, those are <i>trails of sewer water</i>. And I <i>disapprove greatly</i>.<br />
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And though I don't have a picture, I can tell you neither of her guns have proper muzzle holes. They ain't firin' anything, that's for sure. So what are they, some sort of kinky, maid decoration? <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zzOqblE3aEE/UnMkmaBPpaI/AAAAAAAAKFA/lHVwEj81X6s/s1600/Trunk-girl-guns.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zzOqblE3aEE/UnMkmaBPpaI/AAAAAAAAKFA/lHVwEj81X6s/s640/Trunk-girl-guns.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bro, do you even firearm?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Trunk Girl is also victim to some unfortunate gaps. Her torso doesn't connect cleanly with her bottom, though it's only apparent from the back, so I don't mind. Worse, her cake-boobs don't slide properly into their cake-case, and the resulting chasms <i>are</i> apparent from the front. If I can concentrate really hard, I can sort of imagine them to be shadows.<br />
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Besides the sloppy job on her guns, she has a few paint midhaps here and there, both in terms of paint bleed and paint transfer. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6sbxyLZL6-s/UnMkd4iq2zI/AAAAAAAAKEo/sYz_6_sTE_Y/s1600/Trunk-girl-gap-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6sbxyLZL6-s/UnMkd4iq2zI/AAAAAAAAKEo/sYz_6_sTE_Y/s320/Trunk-girl-gap-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GbbAzJfMyNQ/UnMkgUwt6EI/AAAAAAAAKEw/aJe05KKbTMc/s1600/Trunk-girl-gap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GbbAzJfMyNQ/UnMkgUwt6EI/AAAAAAAAKEw/aJe05KKbTMc/s320/Trunk-girl-gap.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl is initially drawn by Nishieda, a well known artist of the hot-and-heavy hentai variety. Given the, ahem, <i>caliber </i>of their art, Trunk Girl is surprisingly tame in comparison. <br />
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Like all Native figures, Trunk Girl comes with a cute postcard of her original art (would anyone actually send any of Native's postcards? Anyone?). Do I wish her figure were slightly more tan? Yes, but that doesn't subtract from the fact that Trunk Girl has a lovely, peachy body with equally lovely shading.<br />
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(All right, looking at the postcard, her white guns make sense, but seriously, who uses white guns? What sort of hipster rebellion is this?)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1CvhjHkoMws/UnMjtYarg1I/AAAAAAAAKCY/VMFBQV5FLRc/s1600/Trunk-Girl-postcard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1CvhjHkoMws/UnMjtYarg1I/AAAAAAAAKCY/VMFBQV5FLRc/s640/Trunk-Girl-postcard.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Hey, hey, guess what I noticed? I've got no dressed maids, and two dirty ones! I don't consider myself a maid person, but I have to say, the power implications have appeal. Bring disciplinary aspects to a picture, and we're talking a whole other chess game (<i>ho ho ho ho~</i>). <br />
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I have three Native figures so far, Trunk Girl, Cat Lap Milk, and <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/12/16-collet-native-nsfw.html">Collet</a>. Hmm, a girl lying in a trunk, and two on their hands and knees. I seem to like them close to the ground, for whatever reason.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kXpU8B_tDqQ/UnMjRZuXH-I/AAAAAAAAKBM/7ajudR980Ag/s1600/Trunk-Girl-Cat-Lap-Milk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kXpU8B_tDqQ/UnMjRZuXH-I/AAAAAAAAKBM/7ajudR980Ag/s640/Trunk-Girl-Cat-Lap-Milk.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Unlike some dirty figures, which I might cover with a cloth when <strike>prudes</strike> conservative relatives come over, Trunk Girl is a specimen I have no trouble keeping on the shelf at all times. There is a certain elegance to her that makes her less lewd than artful. Although many of Native's figures have a sense of tasteful nudity, Trunk Girl is one of the most tasteful of the bunch. I'm glad she doesn't look afraid of imminent violation. An expression can do wonders, my friends.<br />
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That being said, I love my dirty, dirty girls too. Love to all the ladies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C5z6FWDGyaE/UnMk2_NgCtI/AAAAAAAAKFo/vRFel4CIAdI/s1600/Trunk-girl-squares.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C5z6FWDGyaE/UnMk2_NgCtI/AAAAAAAAKFo/vRFel4CIAdI/s640/Trunk-girl-squares.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3KFU1F9VIc/UnMjTpwfp8I/AAAAAAAAKBY/BXZH7qtPVeE/s1600/Trunk-Girl-blue-fabric.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3KFU1F9VIc/UnMjTpwfp8I/AAAAAAAAKBY/BXZH7qtPVeE/s640/Trunk-Girl-blue-fabric.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEgGECixank/Uuojho_DW6I/AAAAAAAAKb8/s0SoRVEee1s/s1600/Trunk-class.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEgGECixank/Uuojho_DW6I/AAAAAAAAKb8/s0SoRVEee1s/s1600/Trunk-class.png" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Trunk Girl's pose becomes a natural frame for many of her photos. I always seem to notice something new about the figure when I shoot them. For Trunk Girl, I noticed exactly how difficult it is to make her look natural on anything other than her trunk or some sheets. She's not the most deploy-able figure, that's for sure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NDjAsO0TJdA/UnMkFkDzSfI/AAAAAAAAKDg/eJxWG6s0UVg/s1600/Trunk-girl-chains.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NDjAsO0TJdA/UnMkFkDzSfI/AAAAAAAAKDg/eJxWG6s0UVg/s320/Trunk-girl-chains.png" height="320" width="219" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhP7ymOVC3aLxdY1Gm73CgzaCRwJBZx3Yr6pqHnQdr4luY3MtGxZ1ut9AuGBcdKPOp_6yOj9h9O4E4chL0TSBBhqifxb5-DcVUaYSLGI0OpvliHZzsVT7IK9qLTLypJqstQEPbMPdaw8/s1600/Trunk-Girl-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhP7ymOVC3aLxdY1Gm73CgzaCRwJBZx3Yr6pqHnQdr4luY3MtGxZ1ut9AuGBcdKPOp_6yOj9h9O4E4chL0TSBBhqifxb5-DcVUaYSLGI0OpvliHZzsVT7IK9qLTLypJqstQEPbMPdaw8/s1600/Trunk-Girl-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkpRI6C3jrixztEjL6Cev4Cjk8wyQddXpYcimew7ItOFg2LujN9SDZcT-wFvddq6oX57fQdmSwi6jLaF-AKWc7f848eDApszDm43FQlDeuL2-gfcW2emIXT1ir5jQpYKEWCGtbpZbyr0/s1600/Trunk-Girl-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkpRI6C3jrixztEjL6Cev4Cjk8wyQddXpYcimew7ItOFg2LujN9SDZcT-wFvddq6oX57fQdmSwi6jLaF-AKWc7f848eDApszDm43FQlDeuL2-gfcW2emIXT1ir5jQpYKEWCGtbpZbyr0/s1600/Trunk-Girl-2.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
She does, however, have some interesting points of balance. Like on her head. Trunk Girl can do an excellent semi-head stand. It's fun. Especially when there's a cat maid to torment (in my head they're totally best friends...with benefits).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnALiH4yeRQ/Uuojc8V-8sI/AAAAAAAAKbk/iHwq0ofU-7c/s1600/Trunk-Cat-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnALiH4yeRQ/Uuojc8V-8sI/AAAAAAAAKbk/iHwq0ofU-7c/s1600/Trunk-Cat-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f9qbP8ddWgW6lGgrc3hDLXKWZHZTEJYuho2zLKI0VK72Xi2__mR0bnPMJHC9FesahBZFadQ70sWz88n0TucE20LU3pZW4qHM-7hus3z_Opq5JGjlcZ4ZQcl-2bNniikSyA74q9sxJI8/s1600/Trunk-Cat-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f9qbP8ddWgW6lGgrc3hDLXKWZHZTEJYuho2zLKI0VK72Xi2__mR0bnPMJHC9FesahBZFadQ70sWz88n0TucE20LU3pZW4qHM-7hus3z_Opq5JGjlcZ4ZQcl-2bNniikSyA74q9sxJI8/s1600/Trunk-Cat-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74tbq3RRd98/UuojfVKFocI/AAAAAAAAKbw/AM86yKCTri8/s1600/Trunk-Cat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74tbq3RRd98/UuojfVKFocI/AAAAAAAAKbw/AM86yKCTri8/s1600/Trunk-Cat.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on, Trunk Girl, give the Cat her milk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I would dearly love to take Trunk Girl to an airport and snap some shots of her there, but alas, I don't want to expose her to the bustle. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSYcLyIdEx4mCTlRfe62g19YtyR0ALGoDOJ_7xkmU0HfmY3AqqEJoCQdRtbxMfn0GV5jcOzr4OQ12rhyQfBpx-5oFhPPXcs8EdS3FPVQYADIL5uPYy-MoQtiR4XYcxUA3U3GHgU8CMH8/s1600/Trunk-Girl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSYcLyIdEx4mCTlRfe62g19YtyR0ALGoDOJ_7xkmU0HfmY3AqqEJoCQdRtbxMfn0GV5jcOzr4OQ12rhyQfBpx-5oFhPPXcs8EdS3FPVQYADIL5uPYy-MoQtiR4XYcxUA3U3GHgU8CMH8/s1600/Trunk-Girl.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Trunk Guuuurrrrrrl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Do I recommend Trunk Girl? Well, do <i>you</i> like naked maids with ceramic guns? She's relatively conservative for a Native figure. With her twisted pose, you have to work to see her naughty bits. But really, if I wanted to see <i>only</i> naughty bits, I would peruse the world wide web rather than collect figures (it's more efficient). Her face could be another point of contention. Personally, I like her wide-eyed, dolly appearance, but I can see why some people might not. Furthermore, Trunk Girl isn't the most technically astounding Native figure out there, but even on the lower end of the technical scale, she's still up there in terms of quality. Her seam and roughness issues can be disconcerting up close, but really, how many of us will be staring at her seams when there's so much <i>more</i> to look at?<br />
<br />
Like all Native figures, Trunk Girl is a limited and exclusive. That doesn't stop her from popping up on Mandarake and AmiAmi once in a while though. You can usually find her between $120-$130 in the aftermarket. <br />
<br />
<b>The Run-Down</b><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td>Box</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>This is the sort of box I want to see for every figure.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Base</td> <td>8/10</td> <td>Beautiful, but not exactly sturdy...or stable.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Pose</td> <td>10/10</td> <td>Adoration max.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Sculpt</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Wonderful body sculpt, but loses points for seams and clumsy cake boobs.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Paint</td> <td>7/10</td> <td>Some roughness, some paint transfer on back, <i>really </i>ugly guns.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Overall</b></td><td>8.5/10</td><td>She has her technical issues, but I really enjoy her overall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Native<br />
<b>Price</b>: Originally 8000 yen<br />
<b>Purchased from:</b> AnimeNorth Convention<br />
<br />
<b>Shipping Method:</b> ...A car. But seriously, she's SAL-able. <br />
<b>Box Dimensions: </b>Approx 29 x 11.5 x 20.5<b> </b>cm<b> </b><br />
<b>Weight: </b>Approx 650g<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Arrivederci, peeps,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span><br />
Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-63877100986477302402014-01-18T23:33:00.001-05:002014-01-18T23:34:58.395-05:002013: Year in Review <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2014/01/2013-year-in-review.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhr333SwmPniMAF2zc6FGelakG9Em9PsjHSEIcDGSwam97gvm1Gs1gmr9OBdgYtC6PGhbQ1X9Jlf21-Jl3To6bLW-1D56yirad5WaPgFCj49BzHaJyICmjfYEuTx0jTKo9TKFgHW6RI5M/s1600/Review-icon.png" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTyNlXQAe0MtE-Sa7Ah2TWY4QN6fzNrt6uXYbs6kTKSUjml9CZbyeDq_UJ9kargDIEs1yU2MjvrPD4f8sg0lSffA0Q5NpHVoDyuDYO-F1HJjRTgFiRYO1Y7pvbwsHeVd89301BSXdewo/s1600/Review-icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #a30000;">Hey-yo, all you gorgeous homo sapiens. Happy New Years to all! So another year has gone and what have we to show for it? Slightly fuller Detolfs and a basement full of cardboard boxes, that's what. If I sound bitter, I assure you, I'm not. After the insane year-long shopping spree I went on in 2012, I kicked my own butt and<i> budgeted </i>for 2013. If 2012 was the year of loose wallets, 2013 is the year of prude wallets. I set myself a stringent list of rules to reign my spending habits this year.<br />
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Rules</b></span></span></div><br />
<a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/01/2012-year-in-review.html target=_blank>In 2012</a>, I went a bit nuts. For 2013, I was determined to control myself, partially because I desperately needed it, and partially to challenge myself. Despite my flighty nature (or perhaps because of it), I operate best under strict self-governance. Sure, I shed a few tears while writing out these rules, but I knew I would be better off in the long run. <br />
<ol><li>No nendoroids, figmas plushies, paper products, keychains, or other attractive knickknacks, only scaled figures.</li>
<li>No more than 12 pre-orders for the year, ideally, one per month.</li>
<li>No more than one used item per month</li>
<li>Used items must be under 6000 yen.</li>
<li>No auctions. I get stupid with auctions.</li>
</ol>For the first few months, it was <i>hard</i>. I broke out in cold sweat at inconvenient moments. I salivated uncontrollably every time a manufacturer released a tantalizing prototype. I had the shakes. It was bad. <i>Be strong</i>, I reminded myself. <i>Be brave</i>. Then, around the third month or so, it got easier. My cravings receded. My finances were in much better shape, and I was feeling chipper again. I performed an impromptu, solo flash mob in a tea shop. All was well.<br />
<br />
Now, standing firmly in 2014, it is to my great pleasure that I stand here today and announce I dutifully obeyed every single rule. Am I proud? Look for yourself. My nose could snag low-flying birds.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Statistics </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5dqA5xN3Zx7BzhWvMayy5HG24PhJvqwRWlGBgo6jCAXg3meAOQ7PO9ARfVSEs_DgtPmXrf-M3N0xy-jRy2QTeBtuW-My4o_3179B0619p97Ciyqdph399-amM3OCAD1kuSeBsWRcU58/s1600/Chart+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5dqA5xN3Zx7BzhWvMayy5HG24PhJvqwRWlGBgo6jCAXg3meAOQ7PO9ARfVSEs_DgtPmXrf-M3N0xy-jRy2QTeBtuW-My4o_3179B0619p97Ciyqdph399-amM3OCAD1kuSeBsWRcU58/s1600/Chart+1.png" /></a></div><br />
</div>My figure intake in 2013 was a lowly, 20 items, which is lower than my projected 24. In the habit of taking things too far, I actually fell short of my self-imposed limit of 24 items. Good. Sort of. With the cost of figure rising slightly faster than the yen-to-dollar ratio, a little over-control can't hurt. With figures nowadays easily surpassing the 10 000 yen mark, it's all too easy to accidentally KO my savings, even with limits. Boy, do I miss the good ol' days, where figures retailed at half that price (I remember a time I thought paying 5000 yen for a new figure was steep, ha!)<br />
<br />
"Gifts" are considered figures that I received in the year that I did not pay for in the same year (e.g. pre-orders from last year that I paid upon purchase, or you know, actual gifts). The one figure I cancelled was iBRS, who was unfortunately delayed into September. Silly GSC. Don't you know? Between tuition and plastic leisure, tuition wins every time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9NaCavZqh6OYPi5DcoqIR_9NfwnC24m80ZK0L-gsoGATA4ossKZYP6mIUP42q3Vcgs3aRIZ_9DTPQUByq1KBTvSZ56eoXGmmIAhVoD3_uNuveN9_58aqnyABPzyIjUXxRNN00Dfs5Ao/s1600/Chart+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9NaCavZqh6OYPi5DcoqIR_9NfwnC24m80ZK0L-gsoGATA4ossKZYP6mIUP42q3Vcgs3aRIZ_9DTPQUByq1KBTvSZ56eoXGmmIAhVoD3_uNuveN9_58aqnyABPzyIjUXxRNN00Dfs5Ao/s1600/Chart+2.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOrBtp9FgOmgissaKB3gNmZg4HCyAuwKP8ZwK8tG-FMiKev-NUBurYzGKA47AayS0QXE28s9xpJD6s-bbQ0O03UAG6WKRx_R2bI2wqI10kcDKRzUMY55nb-xAMkqrebvYplT26yasIxI/s1600/JennNewbySite.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>AmiAmi still wins when it comes to my new purchases. No big surprise there. I might be a little bit loyal when it comes to them. Just a little. They were my first import site, after all. They got the ball rolling. They started it all. They were the ones that <i>created this monster</i>. Ahem. <br />
<br />
That being said, other companies are clawing their way to a larger slice of pie. AmiAmi monopolized about 70% of my purchases in 2012, but only to 50% in 2013. Big in Japan and Nippon-Yasan have both earned my attention this year with their discounts and item availability. Watch out, AmiAmi, old friend. My loyalty isn't unconditional.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3Tt8or2yq_fI9l3HwQ5_OKU9NREv4I3qjmgRIzuzscbJovAhs-YuVTvevCgSHLqR9DEsFPOhz4afFQ3wM1VNFP4ycKfQp7VHTzCmjjE7fFKi0b6PEiyGqbnaxd8irVyuioimkqnspK0/s1600/Chart+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3Tt8or2yq_fI9l3HwQ5_OKU9NREv4I3qjmgRIzuzscbJovAhs-YuVTvevCgSHLqR9DEsFPOhz4afFQ3wM1VNFP4ycKfQp7VHTzCmjjE7fFKi0b6PEiyGqbnaxd8irVyuioimkqnspK0/s1600/Chart+3.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4246bznDBn9IYBfant1nLu9f1l11zhXL0n_9mx09VtzA8ocuTrEfYb1YhOCsAomhlfrqe6389B5zvrTSLf3VxC64uYgus_AQdSEPucF2ZzwmCo7rXKHfNuVF6SJLlZwknlSm4FxBqS8/s1600/JennUsedbySite.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>This pie looks oddly familiar. I wonder why. Oh, right, because AmiAmi monopolizes 50% once again! Take that, Mandarake, former emperor, now fallen to the waste side like some noble thrown into a lowly pauper's grave. Naw, I kid. I still love Mandarake. I've just been avoiding them to thwart temptation. You know, evoking the "no see, no buy" clause. Plus, AmiAmi's used section has some absolutely amazing deals. Their point system also helps.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qY0eISY9U1pW8J-E8juQKUCeAtCKl0jbpBsSe66x9RZnvdYjBfdnDnPd0wO4ygUx_E7kbpKOX_cZCMUnylzAen6OQF9CZzaVf1XlGUdUMiY8Bp05SLki4Bks9xwDUGAl-y_l2uj5NGY/s1600/Chart+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qY0eISY9U1pW8J-E8juQKUCeAtCKl0jbpBsSe66x9RZnvdYjBfdnDnPd0wO4ygUx_E7kbpKOX_cZCMUnylzAen6OQF9CZzaVf1XlGUdUMiY8Bp05SLki4Bks9xwDUGAl-y_l2uj5NGY/s1600/Chart+4.png" /></a></div><br />
Looks like I managed a relatively even spread between major figure companies! <br />
<br />
I have to admit, it was a disappointing year for both Alter and GSC. Terrible delays, increased prices, and dips in quality had me thinking twice about ordering their products. I mean, 6 month delays, guys. That's half a year. That just ain't cool. If I turned in a project 6 months late, you can be as sure as hell I ain't graduating. Let's hope they get back on their game in 2014.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, other companies rose to fill the gaps, with Yamato releasing their <i>gorgeous</i> Velvet figure, Orchid Seed and Amakuni releasing their Seven Deadly Sins line, and Native and Max Factory being their usual, awesome selves.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Best of 2013 </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cutting down really forced me to really <i>think</i> about my pre-orders. Unlike 2012, I couldn't go gallivanting into the sunset and throw money at every pretty face I saw. I had to pick and choose my purchases, which ensured I at least <i>wanted</i> every single figure, and that each one was <i>of relatively decent</i> quality. After all, I couldn't afford wasting one of my slots on something subpar.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That being said, who stood out from the crowd?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favourite Releases of 2013 </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Man, this was hard. Of the 12 new figures I acquired this year, there are so few I <i>dislike</i> that I can almost throw them all up and say "<strike>Fuck</strike> Fudge it, they're all amazing." But indecision is<i> unacceptable</i>, so I grit my teeth and made a list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Yamato's <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/04/16-velvet-yamato.html target=_blank>Velvet</a></b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPxqX1mXiUsYXWIry97pgpGlz9tfQY8v2gvDHgIY6GQLNvOpnv4cSeSbQ4lXE4-CrK8j1yqj2HJJtiiSAHPio3EJinEwtS2bdDb-uSWGSYPgOEicJD_BxjXkySvvoTeeBfWYOW1hCK-A/s1600/Velvet-sunset-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPxqX1mXiUsYXWIry97pgpGlz9tfQY8v2gvDHgIY6GQLNvOpnv4cSeSbQ4lXE4-CrK8j1yqj2HJJtiiSAHPio3EJinEwtS2bdDb-uSWGSYPgOEicJD_BxjXkySvvoTeeBfWYOW1hCK-A/s320/Velvet-sunset-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjHbRjxhWKXr9tHfIQGqRt5GyPvKTDcIxy73PcKp1zAVaG11196DHV9n9SkAAYhFNIKDpy0WCuZCDkvxjxoWmTB0b-vQVC96cffzNjKtG4WowBisK2XAmGE6FzJatSfoCbku0NWhIQOc/s1600/Velvet-face.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjHbRjxhWKXr9tHfIQGqRt5GyPvKTDcIxy73PcKp1zAVaG11196DHV9n9SkAAYhFNIKDpy0WCuZCDkvxjxoWmTB0b-vQVC96cffzNjKtG4WowBisK2XAmGE6FzJatSfoCbku0NWhIQOc/s1600/Velvet-face.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40KR0jxRqHMdweCYw2EUbfpI7MNwoMiI-ESYNYWrHYa2LBL5AK-cC8OTEUyoh9Vj7-2Xf1XsAKOD8doA5RAPXgLA5b3IMcjI45hvEvS3UCq5T9OPTCGqOjtHRWA4bPekI74E23ZkKnQs/s1600/Velvet-curtains.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40KR0jxRqHMdweCYw2EUbfpI7MNwoMiI-ESYNYWrHYa2LBL5AK-cC8OTEUyoh9Vj7-2Xf1XsAKOD8doA5RAPXgLA5b3IMcjI45hvEvS3UCq5T9OPTCGqOjtHRWA4bPekI74E23ZkKnQs/s1600/Velvet-curtains.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">To me, Velvet is the perfect combination of surface beauty and personal investment. Odin Sphere was one of my favourite PS2 games, and Velvet was one of my favourite characters to play. Then Yamato took her likeness and made it <i>magical</i>. Her face, her pose, her outfit, all radiate elegant sensuality. Even her base is delicious! Nevermind one of my favourite figures of 2013, Velvet easily makes it into my list of favourite figures <i>ever</i>, and believe me, that's a darn exclusive list. It's too bad Alter never released a Velvet figure to accompany their Gwendolyn and <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/10/18-mercedes-alter.html target=_blank>Mercedes</a>, but if the alternative is Yamato's Velvet, I find I don't quite care.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><b>Native's 1/7 Cat Lap Milk</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaOhJwHzfoRCcaB5uKaHSrtK62nHLw7VIOkMeQXITiwBT6EZsdfdB482nQ-TQCDNOJPBT1jJOwhbDkJsubOVRG3M9WaGDguT-CkFssi7CACayY6tZR4jHdr6fvEudsKFzSU77il9wYP8/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaOhJwHzfoRCcaB5uKaHSrtK62nHLw7VIOkMeQXITiwBT6EZsdfdB482nQ-TQCDNOJPBT1jJOwhbDkJsubOVRG3M9WaGDguT-CkFssi7CACayY6tZR4jHdr6fvEudsKFzSU77il9wYP8/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJVmes93UG-57cjBzxZwq0jx_89IKgPSapaYSw3pAGvIJBQl4cotxdWr6vuvLqNtZBgUhFRgk_I3lr6NgdFAkq6H9lth7dd3WQ6tT7jEXSixsYq58YReMp6VzysdGl-u9pJQJiXq7OKw/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJVmes93UG-57cjBzxZwq0jx_89IKgPSapaYSw3pAGvIJBQl4cotxdWr6vuvLqNtZBgUhFRgk_I3lr6NgdFAkq6H9lth7dd3WQ6tT7jEXSixsYq58YReMp6VzysdGl-u9pJQJiXq7OKw/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk-1.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND0M53nQYWB5qgcTOu2WwKx3qgUtgXzI4845Q_Wsr-rJLor5dn2dVZB88tcs6rP4lGxMuUPPqF802WYyD-kymciQuuYq5rRwHixwTDYaB2QwBMXJeM0EJxE84BY6-pw1Xu7ZZhvwWZaI/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND0M53nQYWB5qgcTOu2WwKx3qgUtgXzI4845Q_Wsr-rJLor5dn2dVZB88tcs6rP4lGxMuUPPqF802WYyD-kymciQuuYq5rRwHixwTDYaB2QwBMXJeM0EJxE84BY6-pw1Xu7ZZhvwWZaI/s1600/Cat-Lap-Milk.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Of course she was going to make this list. How could she not? I knew she was going to make the list as soon as her prototype was painted. Native would have to <i>really</i> <strike>fuck</strike> <strike>screw</strike> mess her up (there's really no way of saying that without making it sound sexual) for her to drop out of my top 3. I talked about Velvet's elegant sensuality. Now I can talk about Cat Lap Milk's blatant sex appeal. If anything, I like my girls to evoke a wide variety of reactions. Every time I feel the need to write some smut, I take a good gander at her and feel my blood rush to a very important organ (don't be crude, I'm obviously talking about my heart). Her pose is so wonderfully <i>dirty </i>that I can't help but grin each time I pass by. Take that, conservative sensibilities! <br />
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Of course, Native's quality only helps. She doesn't have a single mistake on her gorgeous, busty body, and I <i>like it that way</i>. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Orchid Seed's 1/5 Sonico</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ml0G_m1d0xyEje13O7YH_oZiVjS6eqzNmgFSBHauv0p_hHXY4PG3PgPl6K26f0-d-AiVl7DCwYzcbxv0l2af-7eKXtamhadZBaNzDAfVGTwn95I1HsGFCaryERiuUhxO5Defug_GjJY/s1600/Sonico3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ml0G_m1d0xyEje13O7YH_oZiVjS6eqzNmgFSBHauv0p_hHXY4PG3PgPl6K26f0-d-AiVl7DCwYzcbxv0l2af-7eKXtamhadZBaNzDAfVGTwn95I1HsGFCaryERiuUhxO5Defug_GjJY/s1600/Sonico3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6zDdt7-zw_6UjQqu1pwYGfc9YFaHJWGCgSLDnZMqQRVWrJQyi91cRTNxYLqNZCl51e4ZyFbljQAgVE5oCYAvXyogMb8NS_2elobKjl2g4qNXs-JzZf7g2CL_-S8Hp4Uw1xa8ZYXskZo/s1600/Sonico.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6zDdt7-zw_6UjQqu1pwYGfc9YFaHJWGCgSLDnZMqQRVWrJQyi91cRTNxYLqNZCl51e4ZyFbljQAgVE5oCYAvXyogMb8NS_2elobKjl2g4qNXs-JzZf7g2CL_-S8Hp4Uw1xa8ZYXskZo/s1600/Sonico.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSAvfAZsk-ad_UC7NJKszdJO4ouLqIEUIwayfwaBRfy3bVesoOpHwRpY5OMj0o2fh_qjFFibnKRVvwlsIGfL8Aal1UfDsbE3vuw4b2aFJMOg3RC743JKPWA4J6I7jzalIIubR_2-c1R0/s1600/Sonico2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSAvfAZsk-ad_UC7NJKszdJO4ouLqIEUIwayfwaBRfy3bVesoOpHwRpY5OMj0o2fh_qjFFibnKRVvwlsIGfL8Aal1UfDsbE3vuw4b2aFJMOg3RC743JKPWA4J6I7jzalIIubR_2-c1R0/s1600/Sonico2.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Words cannot express how much I adore this Sonico, not only because she's busty and well sculpted, but because she has one of the best expressions I've seen in a long time. Till now, Sonico's face has been limited to two primary expressions: Flustered, or happy. Thank you, Orchid Seed, for making her look calm and curious and <i>thoughtful</i>. It's an expression that needs to be used more often. Companies seem to struggle when it comes to Sonico, whether it be with facial expression, or proportion, but Orchid Seed's Sonico strikes just the right balance. To sweeten the deal, she has one of the most delicate cast-offs I've ever seen. Trust me when I say her bra operates much like a real bra. Just unclasp, and enjoy. Oh, and she's HUGE (and SALable).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favourite Hunts of 2013</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ok, so maybe it's not fair picking and choosing my top <i>three</i> favourites. After all, I only had 8 hunts in 2013, none of them for anything too spectacular. Still, I feel compelled to make a list. Here goes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Native's 1/7 Trunk Girl</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4u-IEe8WMbTcIRlgNvewkMA0-_fBorX3rHnptiQxTNhu39XiLNcYYuoGqDI3WBCARzaHkMwGE6ebNcz52SMRe-TgQDVCtfQHbAnYXV4HSagwGbZ75N6X5h6OEAs8GmxbYfIJeLfIlWs/s1600/Trunk-Girl-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4u-IEe8WMbTcIRlgNvewkMA0-_fBorX3rHnptiQxTNhu39XiLNcYYuoGqDI3WBCARzaHkMwGE6ebNcz52SMRe-TgQDVCtfQHbAnYXV4HSagwGbZ75N6X5h6OEAs8GmxbYfIJeLfIlWs/s1600/Trunk-Girl-2.png" height="474" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBJUdqUeBx2fRj1kgrARj7gg95ht9kqFIIaReCPWqRCgTVDM7KeJajhkgD_RcpkJnAuqitPPHS0LeLC1JTqJjQNjXoCbR9eO__5gHM7zUacAG7IkWjGjJyxBCIJHqzRxPOxgmh-Xt-zc/s1600/Trunk-Girl-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBJUdqUeBx2fRj1kgrARj7gg95ht9kqFIIaReCPWqRCgTVDM7KeJajhkgD_RcpkJnAuqitPPHS0LeLC1JTqJjQNjXoCbR9eO__5gHM7zUacAG7IkWjGjJyxBCIJHqzRxPOxgmh-Xt-zc/s1600/Trunk-Girl-3.png" height="474" width="315" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuo4Au-xhYpynsHC3qDq2oOzJfuNqxoZ1MRYGzYXHiUaJcPXNpRytIkcEPMmRKzKG6OcCjP8tdoxJcYkQ3yyonG1nu2yR-CAqiq6ZdQ-vv19_SoqxBNhSYAflvH18yBR3PO65kbxQ89WI/s1600/Trunk-girl-squares.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuo4Au-xhYpynsHC3qDq2oOzJfuNqxoZ1MRYGzYXHiUaJcPXNpRytIkcEPMmRKzKG6OcCjP8tdoxJcYkQ3yyonG1nu2yR-CAqiq6ZdQ-vv19_SoqxBNhSYAflvH18yBR3PO65kbxQ89WI/s640/Trunk-girl-squares.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your horses! There's no way you got a Native figure for under 6k! Are you lying to us, Jenn? Are you a big fat lyre?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ah, you caught me! I thought I could maybe get away with it! But wait, before you start throwing stones, let me explain a thing!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">See, I got Trunk Girl at Anime North. I wasn't hunting for her, per se, she just sort of showed up and slotted herself into my budget. No, that's not my excuse. <i>This </i>is my excuse: Every year, I write include the cost of Anime North in my budget. Every year, I allow myself $200 of merchandise money. Buying Trunk Girl in no way exceeded my $200 (it actually left me with enough to purchase a bunch of cute buttons alongside). Having already deducted the cost of Anime North from my monthly budget, whatever I picked up at the convention is <i>technically</i> exempt from The Rules, since the $200 were already forfeit. Does that make sense? No? Yes? Kind of?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, big fat lyre or not, I'll sing my praises about Trunk Girl. I've had my eye on Trunk Girl since she was announced. Her concept was intriguing, yet, for whatever nonsensical reason, <i>I never pre-ordered her.</i> She haunted me for <i>years</i>. I can't count the number of times I sat at my laptop, staring at her photo like some creepy, pining ex. Yet, I <i>never picked her up. </i>When I finally, finally purchased her up, it was like a being touched by light. All the shadows lifted. I felt...right. The world felt...right. I couldn't be happier. She has a special spot in my heart for looking simultaneously elegant and really uncomfortable. I mean, look at her pose! If that doesn't make you ache, then you're way more flexible than I am. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, she has her issues. Her weird ceramic guns are gross looking and she has some seam problems, but that doesn't stop her from looking amazing on the shelf. She's one of the few Native girls who don't look submissive and debauched. Instead, she looks playfully elegant, and I find that mighty attractive.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>GSC's 1/8 Henrietta</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTtZ1EXytKjn7vurbjjSmcaCZhmliOrYMby_nP2BawmgQo1VCUTzcYTZOIlUFWxTUASdNAv9Tay9ABv9ORfraW4z02LHU4vGvEHZ5Jh8K0T90hRVa2OrMFDy73W4hWpZQUu94zwmJVBQ/s1600/Henrietta-mid.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTtZ1EXytKjn7vurbjjSmcaCZhmliOrYMby_nP2BawmgQo1VCUTzcYTZOIlUFWxTUASdNAv9Tay9ABv9ORfraW4z02LHU4vGvEHZ5Jh8K0T90hRVa2OrMFDy73W4hWpZQUu94zwmJVBQ/s1600/Henrietta-mid.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaYjE7GBtcffnBinF4y18WpZ4P-aMlUjkrIZdyxTV2RBfmYMXG2bjsenmU_yih7xBnwjVOBM4Ff945CQqk_rttNNVZVq2X7kAuNrh6OA41GSBVa6S6Z4A3f_5M91ZNof8LM_EA7RWoTU/s1600/Henrietta-full.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaYjE7GBtcffnBinF4y18WpZ4P-aMlUjkrIZdyxTV2RBfmYMXG2bjsenmU_yih7xBnwjVOBM4Ff945CQqk_rttNNVZVq2X7kAuNrh6OA41GSBVa6S6Z4A3f_5M91ZNof8LM_EA7RWoTU/s1600/Henrietta-full.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOsYyIekHVUPK3XwcA2O0yzU-Sb64zf-0_t9e1dWJJ9JDsD0DrmYn-rZF9eTT21PyGdylC57aQmDsCl_TqWmk_b5K_8-hYe4Gp1xXzRTCWz9fARBloVFrGbw8fCsxJBL_rW447U2J8BU/s1600/Henrietta-shadows.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOsYyIekHVUPK3XwcA2O0yzU-Sb64zf-0_t9e1dWJJ9JDsD0DrmYn-rZF9eTT21PyGdylC57aQmDsCl_TqWmk_b5K_8-hYe4Gp1xXzRTCWz9fARBloVFrGbw8fCsxJBL_rW447U2J8BU/s1600/Henrietta-shadows.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gunslinger Girl was an amazing show. It was slow, it was moody, it was sad, and I <i>loved it</i>. Since I acquired GSC's <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/09/18-triela-gsc.html target=_blank>Triela</a>, I've been on the edge about purchasing Henrietta. I badly wanted a partner for Triela, but they were released in very different years, and their scales don't really match (Henrietta looks like she's sculpted to a slightly larger scale). I was doubtful Henrietta could live up to the wonder that is Triela, but after months of flip-flopping, I finally grabbed her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And she's awesome. I think this is a case where my character bias beats out my objectivity. She's by no means a top tier figure, but she's tiny, adorable, and very nice for something release back in 2006. Plus she's a small girl with a firearm. That's always a win.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"><b>GSC's 1/8 Mayoi Hachikuji</b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ESREmFin4P7U-4UJ786rA41ybLWEmC8fPogscx6rJ9rcGxE042OGxSs42om9JN96kjg7p5mNYqWgNQ6HYdVbBAIZi2W0PDU364fNvDBZMSzuPEpg-MSeCXbTuhmBiwo_DfmHn10grE/s1600/Mayoi-full.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ESREmFin4P7U-4UJ786rA41ybLWEmC8fPogscx6rJ9rcGxE042OGxSs42om9JN96kjg7p5mNYqWgNQ6HYdVbBAIZi2W0PDU364fNvDBZMSzuPEpg-MSeCXbTuhmBiwo_DfmHn10grE/s1600/Mayoi-full.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cte6LPRO5mO1KEpIvtbnYiO6V-JZBkPxUy7UVqm0ql7-_woQehZPHVmljADwdfZes7krqD4HxYWqePfGN3CImOPamAyA8xKonWOsRRIIpISBgt5MaYkw8E68z0od54-x0aFztv-_FfI/s1600/Mayoi-glasses.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cte6LPRO5mO1KEpIvtbnYiO6V-JZBkPxUy7UVqm0ql7-_woQehZPHVmljADwdfZes7krqD4HxYWqePfGN3CImOPamAyA8xKonWOsRRIIpISBgt5MaYkw8E68z0od54-x0aFztv-_FfI/s1600/Mayoi-glasses.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7KKp3EcdVIb4BFR0H9Ae3u7Yy1G6USCNrWb6jp22ASZbXmCJYt5r-xApAhpUlFrpEUy3FVQQw73PbLj_0vjXsWPFCrWo6amYN787Kx0abSiqB5yQVlo7BXJcjROa-s40Cv89moz9ApE/s1600/Mayoi-strong-light.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7KKp3EcdVIb4BFR0H9Ae3u7Yy1G6USCNrWb6jp22ASZbXmCJYt5r-xApAhpUlFrpEUy3FVQQw73PbLj_0vjXsWPFCrWo6amYN787Kx0abSiqB5yQVlo7BXJcjROa-s40Cv89moz9ApE/s1600/Mayoi-strong-light.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div></div><br />
I wasn't initially going to buy Mayoi. Her pose doesn't reflect her energetic nature, and I'm not too fond of her mildly suggestive pose, nevermind how precocious the show makes her out to be. Mayoi strike me as more playful than provocative, and I would have preferred to see her skipping along, being her usual upbeat self. Of all the Bakemonogatari girls, she's perhaps the least enchanting to me, figure-wise. <br />
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As such, I was originally going to put Alter's bikini Kos-Mos in this spot, but <i>then</i> I watched a certain episode in Monogatari Second Season and screamed a lot (episode 20). So instead of a sexy robot, you get a ghost loli instead. Nostalgia strikes again. My favourite part of her? Her giant backpack. It's adorable. Also, she's super adorable with glasses.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Almost There But Not Quite of 2013</b></span></span></div><br />
Once again, I salute the figures that <i>almost </i>blew me out of the water, but didn't quite get there. If we were a crasser blog, this section would be titled "All Hail the Losers". But as we are Poke the Merch, the absolute <i>epitome</i> of class, we'll indite no such moniker.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4P9dIxfhd7sjSYWIF5A9EqjFF-1MoPE-wikX9fr7phMcjvjXIAUKUcUn37lnXbecen8SVqo1dt7zsvl-He6wLMcoCTr6uSye9fOebRPD4cwMOlILMeKmiBTeGAgYC73V0eW68K45nbc/s1600/Leviathan-red-light.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4P9dIxfhd7sjSYWIF5A9EqjFF-1MoPE-wikX9fr7phMcjvjXIAUKUcUn37lnXbecen8SVqo1dt7zsvl-He6wLMcoCTr6uSye9fOebRPD4cwMOlILMeKmiBTeGAgYC73V0eW68K45nbc/s1600/Leviathan-red-light.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOcjw4usrt8p__FLnKY8p5PF2kPH9rH_Sg7vySKscxe_etKjQDcjIlac6QJR7rRFpWVABeMZuVNDAaieYpUp8yt6lq-dkBqDqaaxP82iigYnk5jb4eE8bvJ1gcF8yxidlVLaZxnSspTY/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOcjw4usrt8p__FLnKY8p5PF2kPH9rH_Sg7vySKscxe_etKjQDcjIlac6QJR7rRFpWVABeMZuVNDAaieYpUp8yt6lq-dkBqDqaaxP82iigYnk5jb4eE8bvJ1gcF8yxidlVLaZxnSspTY/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hD0dMkZ-slFvGOquSm4tLh8E9G31vtPVzMf6Tg98MepYlcc7UzjD6yKblJ0uH-MZrvnJHR5OfBu7qFrE5OEyvvd5G9oZiogx5K8OAQnvmkPXSMyDiaPAkHjF0o9OVsaK4WS0-YBTr0M/s1600/Aoba.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hD0dMkZ-slFvGOquSm4tLh8E9G31vtPVzMf6Tg98MepYlcc7UzjD6yKblJ0uH-MZrvnJHR5OfBu7qFrE5OEyvvd5G9oZiogx5K8OAQnvmkPXSMyDiaPAkHjF0o9OVsaK4WS0-YBTr0M/s1600/Aoba.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: black;"><b>Amakuni's 1/8 <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-leviathan-amakuni-nsfw.html target=_blank>Leviathan</a></b></span>: I like Leviathan a lot. She doesn't have the cleanest sculpt or paint job I've ever seen, but there's something attractive about her design. Her punk rock outfit and baby fat set her apart from other figures. I love her grumpy expression, and her audacious pose. So what stops her from making my favourites list? Easy. Her terrible cast-off. Had her cast-off even been remotely competent, who knows how high she could have soared.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>GSC's 1/8 <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/07/18-princess-of-crystal-gsc.html target=_blank>Princess of the Crystal</a></b></span>: I surprised myself by not putting Princess of the Crystal on my favourite's list. I like her a lot, I really do, both as a figure and a character. She has an attractive face, an attractive body, and clean sculpt all around. So what happened? Did her 6 month delay put me off? Or her huge green base? Or her <i>lack of penguins-</i>oh, yes, that one. Princess of the Crystal is nice, but she could have been <i>so much nicer</i>. And that gets to me. She was so, <i>so </i>close. If only GSC pushed a mite harder.... But they didn't, and that disappoints me. The same thing happened with Alter's <a href=http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/09/18-panty-anarchy-alter.html target=_blank>Panty</a> last year. Just one extra accessory, one small tweak, and she would have been perfect. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Max Factory's 1/7 Aoba</b></span>: Shout out to Aoba for being one of the most dynamic male figures out there. It's too bad the XY crowd doesn't get much love in the figure world. Personally, I'd like to feel the ovary-exploding gush of seeing an excelsior male figure more often (that's the good stuff). By all means, Aoba is an achievement of technical excellence. At close to $180, he's also one of the most expensive figures I've ever bought. There's really nothing objective blocking him from my favourites list except sheer, personal bias. I played DMMD for its 2D canoodling, not its engaging storyline or well-rounded characters. Aoba is, how do I put this nicely, <i>not that memorable</i>. He's sweet, but I feel no real attachment to him. But hey, he's a great figure otherwise, and looks amazing on the shelf.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Munnies and Otherwise</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>If you're spending less, did you get to eat more amazing foods in return?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This year has been an amazing exercise in restraint for me, and yes, I'm quite satisfied with the result. Overall, I spent a total of about 152 408 yen, which is only about 50% of last year's total. Good. Budgeting works. 2014 will probably follow along the same lines. Discipline is healthy. Savings, even healthier. My bank is still emancipated, but at least it's lost that harrowed look it carried through 2012.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nonetheless, I'm still not eating amazing foods. If anything, I've been eating <i>less</i>. Thanks to higher education, it's still impossible for me to eat <span lang="fr">confit de canard</span> every night. I would dearly love to <strike>eat</strike> be fed <span lang="fr">confit de canard</span> between sips of superior Bordeaux, while a half dozen magnificent paragons of human pulchritude fan me with money that smells of nectar and narcissus. But no. I decided to claw my way up the ivory tower with nothing but my <i>raw, bleeding hands</i>. Not that I regret it or anything, but every time I choke down half a PB&J sandwich (the other half I save for dinner), a little bit of my soul flies away. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Outlook for 2014?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are so many amazing figures already announced for 2014! Yes, I'll still abide by the same rules. Yes, I'm still going to be strict. With four pre-orders awaiting payment and one pre-order already paid for (Kotobukiya's Olivia), I'm right on track.<b> </b>I'm aiming to pre-order no more than 12 figures next year, but again, it has everything to do with my financial situation. Nothing's set in stone. </div><br />
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</td><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>January</b></span></span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>February</b></span></span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>March</b></span></span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">April</span></b></span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: orange;">May</span></b></span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>June</b></span></span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ordered</b></span></td><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAxB0ErXN_h2ya0gNm1AerQu7EOeJERrC4mt6eQTazKaLkAQ5QYcPafHGbEbz6lniHLoElXUZjLGMuhH3KHeaYg4uJO9N3s5GOt__sNFSSI6RevJqNl_pUFwq-Ju7Wi3XNTfi9LTLt8k/s1600/Jan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.2em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAxB0ErXN_h2ya0gNm1AerQu7EOeJERrC4mt6eQTazKaLkAQ5QYcPafHGbEbz6lniHLoElXUZjLGMuhH3KHeaYg4uJO9N3s5GOt__sNFSSI6RevJqNl_pUFwq-Ju7Wi3XNTfi9LTLt8k/s1600/Jan1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjqRx8a69pw9s1VIydGQ9UtTz3NKrg0G10jaymd5VIxe5HT9JUil6qmgemXbi20RzIfzoBog9juKb8eHMnmieWDOYM78mccrPv7Qdk7W1l4OaEHUdYPvgIF3HoGPOR5vBcRkN6HJaHfo/s1600/Jan2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjqRx8a69pw9s1VIydGQ9UtTz3NKrg0G10jaymd5VIxe5HT9JUil6qmgemXbi20RzIfzoBog9juKb8eHMnmieWDOYM78mccrPv7Qdk7W1l4OaEHUdYPvgIF3HoGPOR5vBcRkN6HJaHfo/s1600/Jan2.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YPpRjOn0Y2tfTp_zX8rPsokzME5aparFTCRli4Xq5_1TRmQY0-ICa15aYGZnoiT1HVxOfpcYyBVcKREf5Vfxde8ES-nx0xIBQYww_D8W5nGdn1osdNTWMi5-IokKaOnm4Y9vjbMjjm0/s1600/Feb1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YPpRjOn0Y2tfTp_zX8rPsokzME5aparFTCRli4Xq5_1TRmQY0-ICa15aYGZnoiT1HVxOfpcYyBVcKREf5Vfxde8ES-nx0xIBQYww_D8W5nGdn1osdNTWMi5-IokKaOnm4Y9vjbMjjm0/s1600/Feb1.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmxXlhvHFwfu5x1vwIG1QLI_Mq8aXvv7Dy7Jz10Zs7jKsoWVRJb3yXhzyPIahM1o_kFgqApVrtI3PzBpAweJchdF5138USN-NsT0uRC3R6Mf8Yzen3ofJ4f7e3jqGBEGB8GkeGA_NjX4/s1600/Mar1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmxXlhvHFwfu5x1vwIG1QLI_Mq8aXvv7Dy7Jz10Zs7jKsoWVRJb3yXhzyPIahM1o_kFgqApVrtI3PzBpAweJchdF5138USN-NsT0uRC3R6Mf8Yzen3ofJ4f7e3jqGBEGB8GkeGA_NjX4/s1600/Mar1.jpg" /></a></div></td><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YoWcDz5pu0wk-73EmeWdsg64MZeQLtUKTwtPCyh7b5fW8la4w387Dn9bq9k6dv20tT6FWV2EndABxXoTFwk9hfjBPiUt_EP9ucIULyME2vTFqMyQM7_SZamQt2XSog5OrR3eYcTEiig/s1600/Apr1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YoWcDz5pu0wk-73EmeWdsg64MZeQLtUKTwtPCyh7b5fW8la4w387Dn9bq9k6dv20tT6FWV2EndABxXoTFwk9hfjBPiUt_EP9ucIULyME2vTFqMyQM7_SZamQt2XSog5OrR3eYcTEiig/s1600/Apr1.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Watchin'</b></span></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorkdCxzo1BNpuwkkFjsFReL7zds7qwYufmZVmNqKRyInYZ4yKvVHBd_Y8m7hyfCxh1hp39AHBdRSODxSXUoZtb7TyhhbphuDnlTLlEfdY8x1ynyWv7nlolold_NzeiS-1Q0hWnbwnKwI/s1600/Mar2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorkdCxzo1BNpuwkkFjsFReL7zds7qwYufmZVmNqKRyInYZ4yKvVHBd_Y8m7hyfCxh1hp39AHBdRSODxSXUoZtb7TyhhbphuDnlTLlEfdY8x1ynyWv7nlolold_NzeiS-1Q0hWnbwnKwI/s1600/Mar2.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uXOSbcaugQ6dcWzOK7AUTLPdXv9VSalvizOJHz8KO4QCTvnlzRzfcuMaANgwzfqjt2PT9wIOvN35Je1fpYW_mWbpOMJSlka13__0Cf4DwkCONztXhciekht3N_KFmgjvyPduPs_ahfw/s1600/Apr2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uXOSbcaugQ6dcWzOK7AUTLPdXv9VSalvizOJHz8KO4QCTvnlzRzfcuMaANgwzfqjt2PT9wIOvN35Je1fpYW_mWbpOMJSlka13__0Cf4DwkCONztXhciekht3N_KFmgjvyPduPs_ahfw/s1600/Apr2.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetpAxrscMwM9oKMEPbui0FEMe2uwBX88pJowfLyBcS_bjdlzRi97_O2qVfj7BqU1DvYag9Rb4zNU-UEiz5DStozF7rZ_sLiKAwcT_RYemvrYhDbkj7nS_EO0tveCctw87ZVZrnsgAZcM/s1600/May1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetpAxrscMwM9oKMEPbui0FEMe2uwBX88pJowfLyBcS_bjdlzRi97_O2qVfj7BqU1DvYag9Rb4zNU-UEiz5DStozF7rZ_sLiKAwcT_RYemvrYhDbkj7nS_EO0tveCctw87ZVZrnsgAZcM/s1600/May1.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLlsNx5O5KqMRzCPzseAXSZ218oZgLuqO0F4yMrv4j8Ve69MXtGJ-smCB0K0YnFOBmLaNwdHPXSisOQzOBxLxjh1dsK1dJeEh53ip2Donlv_NSvWlYxsjEi12C2tns3lAkDfMMJ44z9I/s1600/Jun1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLlsNx5O5KqMRzCPzseAXSZ218oZgLuqO0F4yMrv4j8Ve69MXtGJ-smCB0K0YnFOBmLaNwdHPXSisOQzOBxLxjh1dsK1dJeEh53ip2Donlv_NSvWlYxsjEi12C2tns3lAkDfMMJ44z9I/s1600/Jun1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjpbqF1RdOzZgD6HZfPz0VBhX9DsrTQGK86fpjNh0ClV__N608uGfsmCOJu7Ldtv5nizwsrRDjPYFi7ax2hUs42bv4zp5n1Tz93BILuZfV_NjfB8Zz3P19F2V1teW_OgBUYK2SF_2NQ0/s1600/Jun2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.2em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjpbqF1RdOzZgD6HZfPz0VBhX9DsrTQGK86fpjNh0ClV__N608uGfsmCOJu7Ldtv5nizwsrRDjPYFi7ax2hUs42bv4zp5n1Tz93BILuZfV_NjfB8Zz3P19F2V1teW_OgBUYK2SF_2NQ0/s1600/Jun2.jpg" /></a></div><span id="goog_2144309867"></span><span id="goog_2144309868"></span><span id="goog_2144309874"></span><span id="goog_2144309875"></span></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></center><br />
Thus, I conclude my summary of 2013. It's been a tough but satisfying journey. My set of rules has strangled my used item intake, but it was ultimately for the best. I leave 2013 feeling proud but sad, like I had sacrificed a limb to save a friend. Yes, it was worth it, but it still hurt a helluva lot. Bittersweet, might be the word. Do I miss my artbooks? Yes, of course. Do I miss indulging in spontaneous buys? Naturally. Will I ever loosen by rules? Sure, maybe when I become a doctor-professor, or something.<br />
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So what was your year like? Who were your favourite purchases? Are <i>you </i>eating <span style="color: #a30000;">all the </span>amazing foods I'm not? Anyhow, here's to a prosperous 2014 and <span style="color: #a30000;">abundant PVC pleas<span style="color: #a30000;">ures</span></span>. <span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"></span></span><br />
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<b>Peace, birdies,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-55349948733298843092013-10-26T23:18:00.000-04:002013-10-26T23:32:05.816-04:00Chibi-Arts Sinbad (Bandai Exclusive) slightly NSFW<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/10/chibi-arts-sinbad-bandai-exclusive-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNIA64-ynvbeb8BOrgnaPZvK_oI09QbfkdvY9Jst7NqvWzmBcQcwteVlK8LXKJLbuPFDsTHbFVotvuGsFoG3keF9hgBp91Yj857UwmdFpswFsp0PoNbPrh8RwHgxGzF3hj_HrVndLRr4/s1600/Sinbad-revicon.png" /></a><span style="color: #003399;"> It took a while, but I'm glad a nice little <i>Magi – The Labyrinth of Magic</i> figure was released! Sinbad, high king of the seven seas, is the first to get a Chibi-Arts figure from Bandai and I have to say “huzzah!” to that because he’s one of my favourite characters!<br />
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Despite him being an exclusive and costing me more than what I would normally pay for a small figure, I’m glad I managed to snag him during the early pre-order period at Big in Japan. The price for Sin eventually shot up at several other stores near the release date. Even now it’s incredibly hard to find him at a decent price. Was he worth the 5890 yen I paid? Well, let’s take a look, shall we?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #003399;">I must confess I was a tad nervous about the quality of Sinbad because he was being produced by Bandai. Judging by what I’ve read about previous Chibi-Arts figures, I was in one of those hit or miss situations where the figure could have been absolutely awesome or absolutely terrible. But all worries washed away the second I pulled him out of three separate boxes and his plastic casing! Seriously, Sinbad came in the shipping box, then the Bandai box, then the figure box, and then the plastic casing if you want to count that as a fourth layer. The suspense while opening one box after the other…was killing me! And if that didn’t hurt me somehow, I’m sure the fresh smell of figures obliterated some of my brain cells. Remember folks, unbox your figures in a nice open room. Outside is even better.</span><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNG_mmHkOzu4zINlettKMMMke86RedOsiBjUxvc6QY7-aReI-lI5MV7W9uf5MHbMcXAY-z3CsYXP_Yysjl0KqBb2A96GTpKx5w7Ovg07ZEaW7S5DKhqDuj4wOtZQXSz4csP45u9OSEDg/s1600/Box1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNG_mmHkOzu4zINlettKMMMke86RedOsiBjUxvc6QY7-aReI-lI5MV7W9uf5MHbMcXAY-z3CsYXP_Yysjl0KqBb2A96GTpKx5w7Ovg07ZEaW7S5DKhqDuj4wOtZQXSz4csP45u9OSEDg/s320/Box1.png" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiv_rhnRe4eVB2nLx0N0XXdjpT0rJnvxm__J-w188KUXlVFEUSk_YbcGS3jEMAK_mM5g8G-NB63x2alEuqw6sMg9M7_yV8S9jpnXTRolfiCw6a2XPO_RQ1yE3f7_0fJup_407iJneLKo/s1600/Box3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiv_rhnRe4eVB2nLx0N0XXdjpT0rJnvxm__J-w188KUXlVFEUSk_YbcGS3jEMAK_mM5g8G-NB63x2alEuqw6sMg9M7_yV8S9jpnXTRolfiCw6a2XPO_RQ1yE3f7_0fJup_407iJneLKo/s320/Box3.png" width="296" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"> <br />
I was under the impression we were going to receive a box with a window showing us Sinbad, but this time we just have a closed box with images displayed on all sides. Seeing the black and white Rukh fluttering around Sinbad immediately made me think “spoiler alert!” but hey, for fans who haven’t watched the entire first season of Magi or haven’t caught up with the manga chapters, this is actually okay. I imagine they wouldn’t understand the meaning behind the glowing Rukh on the box anyway.<br />
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There’s nothing particularly fancy about this box. The sides show off king Sinbad and naked Sinbad while the back displays all that you’ll get in this box. It’s very straightforward so let’s leave it at that. <br />
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Inside you'll find a manual, which I probably should have used when I was putting Sin's turban on, and all of the goodies that belong to Sinbad!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOC3Som0wNokD36vCNp7iE6WUOY4IySHcphG7_PV9CKaXfw9nx3d8so4OtE_GQAxAroseHA_Z2b19_kvjq4tI1EqaOtTrHH3yiEEO1vgeE_c1Qc18CUIAby46HhFm8uaywUJHRuHUQA0/s1600/Sinparts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOC3Som0wNokD36vCNp7iE6WUOY4IySHcphG7_PV9CKaXfw9nx3d8so4OtE_GQAxAroseHA_Z2b19_kvjq4tI1EqaOtTrHH3yiEEO1vgeE_c1Qc18CUIAby46HhFm8uaywUJHRuHUQA0/s640/Sinparts.png" width="552" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Sinbad's base is nice and simple, just the way I like it. I'm grateful it isn't clunky like the ones used for Good Smile Company's Nendoroids.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK4qQJ-H6Ap1JmlEbzERrgrjYYxiajmtOVAzG5feZ4O37YKPv9pqCtIPNClOvxAwxRNYkyR-8L6x_hBEatXTL4eDFhAa7Oqo7K_OakdtPY-_0xN-6YxbJNjGvFp6V_BSvMHJ7zLnjTKM/s1600/bases.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK4qQJ-H6Ap1JmlEbzERrgrjYYxiajmtOVAzG5feZ4O37YKPv9pqCtIPNClOvxAwxRNYkyR-8L6x_hBEatXTL4eDFhAa7Oqo7K_OakdtPY-_0xN-6YxbJNjGvFp6V_BSvMHJ7zLnjTKM/s640/bases.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Putting Sin together was surprisingly easy. His pieces just fit together so smoothly, I was coloured impressed, especially since my past experiences with putting figs together were painful. Kingdom Hearts Formation Arts figures demanded blood from my fingers while my Totori Nendoroid just insistently fell apart every time I touched her. I’ll admit Sin's sword gave me a little trouble at first, but everything was perfectly fine after five or ten minutes of wiggling it into his hips.<br />
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There's something I also want to point out with regards to his crossed arms. The pegs fit into their slots very well but it takes a bit of effort because of his wide torso. I find that I'm constantly worried that the pegs will grind against his clothing and leave a mark, but so far so good! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sinbad's turban can also give me a bit of trouble every now and then. The decoration above his forehead likes to grind against his hair. So far some scratch marks have been left behind but nothing too damaging. It's often covered up by the turban, but it's also still damaging to the product. I hope the rest of the Chibi-Arts Sinbad owners out there are careful.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">On a more positive note, Sinbad managed to stay together after I put all his attachments on. I can pick him up by the head and nothing will fall off. Shocking, right? So Sin definitely earned my affection in the sculpting category. Each piece, fortunately, isn't oozing disgustingly with paint.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGVLyPzVXYVzN3r619espdNSRtVtO9dukmaLEEiVleYcRtUN6392Bn-cSgejjMF701p6gK_dNbwdx2XjE2HD3iAJqx55nCBZ57CivrrUp-aWRGcXOTZmf5jcNB6bX9AyDbQ1cZRquuuQ/s1600/Sin1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGVLyPzVXYVzN3r619espdNSRtVtO9dukmaLEEiVleYcRtUN6392Bn-cSgejjMF701p6gK_dNbwdx2XjE2HD3iAJqx55nCBZ57CivrrUp-aWRGcXOTZmf5jcNB6bX9AyDbQ1cZRquuuQ/s320/Sin1.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyWp4VJYwt9Q6VI8z84Hy-k5yUUZz3-ub_jB9PpiWp1h34oAl6q2Xw5m_H8nLQt65lg8jpd2Snz6P2REpkRd1zGRIyLDG9BNcuU_icegeUJECUza_E8brvqHvCB853-0u9alcVRUGsN0/s1600/Sin2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyWp4VJYwt9Q6VI8z84Hy-k5yUUZz3-ub_jB9PpiWp1h34oAl6q2Xw5m_H8nLQt65lg8jpd2Snz6P2REpkRd1zGRIyLDG9BNcuU_icegeUJECUza_E8brvqHvCB853-0u9alcVRUGsN0/s320/Sin2.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRStlNExqQHf4-7OpkBlob27wVwrHWg3jMS3F_NPy6cZmOBf_Sp6GpIYT3lnG52BnpLdyQMPQb91Y-8GlGvw1GfSLjjxZExk5PEkpgE_OebhsVx72BqnxaZCB3JDKWGe4JQKmXpZkCrXA/s1600/Sin3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRStlNExqQHf4-7OpkBlob27wVwrHWg3jMS3F_NPy6cZmOBf_Sp6GpIYT3lnG52BnpLdyQMPQb91Y-8GlGvw1GfSLjjxZExk5PEkpgE_OebhsVx72BqnxaZCB3JDKWGe4JQKmXpZkCrXA/s320/Sin3.png" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS_Kj8VOdS9oET3MozJLiLJCNV4jirIytp7nPhPQQn8asYRjTI0utrPfDI-LPlErj9qhOHpy3JUUUkGp0bmaC8oWmkgtoHamd9pirwX68nkeVvchQw1yyJOkb8kkNlviAhOkJtbE9k08/s1600/Sin4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS_Kj8VOdS9oET3MozJLiLJCNV4jirIytp7nPhPQQn8asYRjTI0utrPfDI-LPlErj9qhOHpy3JUUUkGp0bmaC8oWmkgtoHamd9pirwX68nkeVvchQw1yyJOkb8kkNlviAhOkJtbE9k08/s320/Sin4.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Az9qNkqjca4qhKOotyur0oidHwYzHcp_Tfvy8IXqbBSIUdtUNR-o3nXyJWweKiRTpQ2dzmRXx7s7Am-uX2E6AXHzlwJy89-6P7FwN_yqxHTDS93K7J8RCZZIywYK1atT36liV8owNDk/s1600/Sin5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Az9qNkqjca4qhKOotyur0oidHwYzHcp_Tfvy8IXqbBSIUdtUNR-o3nXyJWweKiRTpQ2dzmRXx7s7Am-uX2E6AXHzlwJy89-6P7FwN_yqxHTDS93K7J8RCZZIywYK1atT36liV8owNDk/s320/Sin5.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq3OyM3RqlWuOQlWHGglWrAofwgcSKB1TuWeIX6dpNiCoSWQC55iRHSVys2M_yq_8mBeb14iGxvc8HzoWUGx3AhKk6-cKc1ekqEYo1y6zsimzap6DZ3qYGe0_oxPjJVRYS-NGvm7A9A4/s1600/Sin6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq3OyM3RqlWuOQlWHGglWrAofwgcSKB1TuWeIX6dpNiCoSWQC55iRHSVys2M_yq_8mBeb14iGxvc8HzoWUGx3AhKk6-cKc1ekqEYo1y6zsimzap6DZ3qYGe0_oxPjJVRYS-NGvm7A9A4/s320/Sin6.png" width="215" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sinbad comes with two faces, two bodies (one normal and the other fabulously naked), three arms, a stand for him, and a stand for some quotes. I’m thoroughly impressed by the fact that I can actually display two Sinbads at the same time! It’s a two in one deal that I honestly was not expecting! Sin’s ponytail (for naked Sin) actually keeps him properly balanced for the most part, so a stand isn’t even needed.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6N8YqOAp2df5flyBNclcx8MqUcixPCDDTdPC883U42GwvOH0Zx24I_fUy_y8P0SFz2ZEO5JNMp4bkDMEcn2RHLprxTBZIHZ_CXF9dXn8XyspPG2AGNKu8VjkeH4C1Oov-UeUWIY9QAs/s1600/2Sin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6N8YqOAp2df5flyBNclcx8MqUcixPCDDTdPC883U42GwvOH0Zx24I_fUy_y8P0SFz2ZEO5JNMp4bkDMEcn2RHLprxTBZIHZ_CXF9dXn8XyspPG2AGNKu8VjkeH4C1Oov-UeUWIY9QAs/s640/2Sin.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Displaying two Sinbads is far better than one, right? Okay, admittedly in my case, I can’t display the naked Sinbad without getting questioned by my family members, but for other people it’s a joy to display two Sins! I don't think any Chibi-Arts Sinbad owners really imagined they would have the opportunity to display the two figures at once, so this is really quite a treat. Thank you, Bandai!<br />
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Now let's take a look at Sinbad in his almost-naked glory. He holds the defining pose from when he was first introduced to the series. It's fantastic, right? Okay, maybe it's a little awkward at the same time, what with his naked man-body in a smaller form. I'm sure some people are into that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-cd-5SiCF6pvx5jizp8Ld2Wi2Un6pZ4vfpocjRUbkGlDnVmAn4tDw1slgiUBFIoCGGiAmKGPrtHW9LOOy0PZGQ138FfHee_dBjFqF8zM_GoOi4dyxRm7MkZa9bqOu6Fs33SNDzMCwV2O/s1600/Nsin1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-cd-5SiCF6pvx5jizp8Ld2Wi2Un6pZ4vfpocjRUbkGlDnVmAn4tDw1slgiUBFIoCGGiAmKGPrtHW9LOOy0PZGQ138FfHee_dBjFqF8zM_GoOi4dyxRm7MkZa9bqOu6Fs33SNDzMCwV2O/s320/Nsin1.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZTMPUZ8yE_-KRtWn2Xm44H9wCIJPyb0PuVxvMhJYs0ucV8RNVzYXtM-e2J6yXuMRIsuyLP7shAvvhblB9gZKsUb6Il5RS_pgAlEMAWWlwRNn-D7AzZQof11tISrrf4gApdJq35-ch0Mf/s1600/Nsin2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZTMPUZ8yE_-KRtWn2Xm44H9wCIJPyb0PuVxvMhJYs0ucV8RNVzYXtM-e2J6yXuMRIsuyLP7shAvvhblB9gZKsUb6Il5RS_pgAlEMAWWlwRNn-D7AzZQof11tISrrf4gApdJq35-ch0Mf/s320/Nsin2.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVT__YevT_n-XhPYf37EFB9JiDMqc3TstAXelZOW6EpDruldWDzw_u6X-DsvfcKi4L3Qe6OsoS4Rbq24rMhlj0AqkzMt-GNpyaUlRiwZqH7l42h3bOuDmBnHh3B27jTu9YyhZATaV2yAL/s1600/Nsin3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVT__YevT_n-XhPYf37EFB9JiDMqc3TstAXelZOW6EpDruldWDzw_u6X-DsvfcKi4L3Qe6OsoS4Rbq24rMhlj0AqkzMt-GNpyaUlRiwZqH7l42h3bOuDmBnHh3B27jTu9YyhZATaV2yAL/s320/Nsin3.png" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFilV8WvR0FxNlYS_Zd_tJp9pUimt0Ms6Rblau2tuHxpvNj1EoxxhtTnRM5Ge2xN_AsdNJFI1u8TWC5SHgIk1tXilGcFcYXHJexsapFBv5ouRG87ArxJ0jF8p9uSYswzD2V_ehLvMtD2RF/s1600/Nsin4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFilV8WvR0FxNlYS_Zd_tJp9pUimt0Ms6Rblau2tuHxpvNj1EoxxhtTnRM5Ge2xN_AsdNJFI1u8TWC5SHgIk1tXilGcFcYXHJexsapFBv5ouRG87ArxJ0jF8p9uSYswzD2V_ehLvMtD2RF/s320/Nsin4.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZusDUzfHm6L8Px8iyoQxH96biA95J1KFNqlnuzbvSFCCbS72EYMaiScTO4sowtsYM0N0eFgwoVgaUHo6C1piIWDb-ye1GD_LHDldqzXuQvUPA-IC9IvrhxJ73XUxaB5R4HH3veIeHd26/s1600/Nsin5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZusDUzfHm6L8Px8iyoQxH96biA95J1KFNqlnuzbvSFCCbS72EYMaiScTO4sowtsYM0N0eFgwoVgaUHo6C1piIWDb-ye1GD_LHDldqzXuQvUPA-IC9IvrhxJ73XUxaB5R4HH3veIeHd26/s320/Nsin5.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUHkalV4AddUOHK9pic_Ayj6Vs8SJTOg64_-GjrZpNHbWCWo7q5kHvtFc-NnyrECRFhXLGXbXIxtA2LiY2zO_KZBrcn_Pvj01or8V9Iv3XohMYeL7wEuTDfa8oIH1QUKhcrSD3TUp_hfV/s1600/Nsin6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUHkalV4AddUOHK9pic_Ayj6Vs8SJTOg64_-GjrZpNHbWCWo7q5kHvtFc-NnyrECRFhXLGXbXIxtA2LiY2zO_KZBrcn_Pvj01or8V9Iv3XohMYeL7wEuTDfa8oIH1QUKhcrSD3TUp_hfV/s320/Nsin6.png" width="215" /></a></div><br />
Naked Sin isn't as top heavy as King Sinbad. The turban is overkill. Sometimes King Sin likes to fall forward or backwards if I remove the base and try to balance him with just his hair. Naked Sin happens to have the right amount of balance and is capable of standing on his own...in his naked glory. It must be the <i>ahoge</i> attached to the top of his head! It gives him true balance!<br />
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...Okay, I kid. It's really the ponytail.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJB7HQnQ7Aq5lORYsqQhifx8BS9yDDfSAe3ePx_DF8_kJZJ06H9WuUhxjDhVOSjZwGpNIEQRWjFW_218ziX692f6Ls4xq6GZgTPZX1SKI8JeONWZOBpKhMI_lmpsdqqxW9xS20U_jYUA/s1600/Sinbad_Appears.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJB7HQnQ7Aq5lORYsqQhifx8BS9yDDfSAe3ePx_DF8_kJZJ06H9WuUhxjDhVOSjZwGpNIEQRWjFW_218ziX692f6Ls4xq6GZgTPZX1SKI8JeONWZOBpKhMI_lmpsdqqxW9xS20U_jYUA/s400/Sinbad_Appears.png" width="325" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2pPr_LYI3q-SMOAE-S7XX9P1ezhs5fN2dVwWi1I9hnIUUKrKkJ5X3Izs2e0vOa6E51YS1-rt-Z7o9CSKxT9lK2Ix03E9SkOzCOpw-Ct2OtfrCALoFRwbYVSCHIZnSzhgyJpKtpaG73c/s1600/Sinbad_appears2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2pPr_LYI3q-SMOAE-S7XX9P1ezhs5fN2dVwWi1I9hnIUUKrKkJ5X3Izs2e0vOa6E51YS1-rt-Z7o9CSKxT9lK2Ix03E9SkOzCOpw-Ct2OtfrCALoFRwbYVSCHIZnSzhgyJpKtpaG73c/s400/Sinbad_appears2.png" width="283" /></a></div><br />
</div>The Chibi-Arts Sinbad has a tiny leaf, which is inadequate when it is being compared to the anime/manga version. It certainly makes Sin “cuter” but he also shrunk…significantly. On that note, for those of you who are curious there’s actually nothing between his legs. The same applies to Sinbad with clothes. So for those of you who were expecting to find something beneath the robes, you’ll be disappointed to learn that Bandai did not include certain "features". Let's face it, it's meant to keep the Chibi-Arts Sinbad figure from being completely NSFW.<br />
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You can, of course, let your imagination do the work.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB0BDDY_or7yS-UAQt4BAD82WNRdgZJ9ZUUw2MQS-niWPSNvU81gw9mCjFIJflAh93xCoKdrStkh46Kxqf_IcVBtxHKT46dVh5YW_9XGicHc99xY14LDcxa2GUWsPG-KwXwTm9x-gu-Y/s1600/Sinbottom1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB0BDDY_or7yS-UAQt4BAD82WNRdgZJ9ZUUw2MQS-niWPSNvU81gw9mCjFIJflAh93xCoKdrStkh46Kxqf_IcVBtxHKT46dVh5YW_9XGicHc99xY14LDcxa2GUWsPG-KwXwTm9x-gu-Y/s320/Sinbottom1.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsS1S1wxC122Owc_EzttwF-1GRJKqeid5yPRal-_gwyJuaGjwdt15Ns4B3MbcAtwUOQxheyJHHf71T-6anTBJGuyq5nG3c_hIDRjNCzzWMCBnZP-fg1WviB1DJyPpMcDX1h3UILmMRD8/s1600/Sinbottom2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsS1S1wxC122Owc_EzttwF-1GRJKqeid5yPRal-_gwyJuaGjwdt15Ns4B3MbcAtwUOQxheyJHHf71T-6anTBJGuyq5nG3c_hIDRjNCzzWMCBnZP-fg1WviB1DJyPpMcDX1h3UILmMRD8/s320/Sinbottom2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For a Chibi, Sin’s body is well-toned in several areas. This little guy’s got smooth, muscular abs along with glorious, firm buttocks. I’ll admit I was somewhat weirded out by his finely toned torso since the majority of chibis I’ve seen don’t have definition along the torso. Somehow I've come to accept it. It just suits him. Furthermore, I think we would all feel dirty if he was naked and there were no muscles...just saying. Sin is the only naked Chibi I'll ever own. I hope.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7ywp8vkHxW1x_unte9t4Rz7wBfBLSPzlJc4fVbhuH9yBhFSSrBn8wYHA-LpxjR_VSGgqlCAui6fdTgUW7MdrgPCcoSzXGjoa8YIrRFGkL2c4EOwEinZXjrPUfdqmwRz5gDdwCRG098k/s1600/Sinhands.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7ywp8vkHxW1x_unte9t4Rz7wBfBLSPzlJc4fVbhuH9yBhFSSrBn8wYHA-LpxjR_VSGgqlCAui6fdTgUW7MdrgPCcoSzXGjoa8YIrRFGkL2c4EOwEinZXjrPUfdqmwRz5gDdwCRG098k/s640/Sinhands.png" width="599" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4lvCINvDxni38-2C18KrpQnGAUtEC__XrFKxIVGRiutm1whXzG8EeHJAMGln4T5OdNUwcg0dG3s9NEFVruUJEuG5hyiaJm5FeIFViHzj8T1o8gXx2vjiIrOx7P6LlZhfEb8KvkvXrAE/s1600/Sinleaf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4lvCINvDxni38-2C18KrpQnGAUtEC__XrFKxIVGRiutm1whXzG8EeHJAMGln4T5OdNUwcg0dG3s9NEFVruUJEuG5hyiaJm5FeIFViHzj8T1o8gXx2vjiIrOx7P6LlZhfEb8KvkvXrAE/s400/Sinleaf.png" width="293" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dQtBErS-_dqrVRgHW0lZPZKXGFH_CVKZQHaXaAES0KiiZ3UfTTpdq8bVt9KSS54ONLWnK6gkdA8y_Y6PIyzZJ-vLqOfaa3sXdbE0d5vgU3VOsRUKSozWvB9q7X3K2YBmj2s7zod-Pow/s1600/Sinleafback.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dQtBErS-_dqrVRgHW0lZPZKXGFH_CVKZQHaXaAES0KiiZ3UfTTpdq8bVt9KSS54ONLWnK6gkdA8y_Y6PIyzZJ-vLqOfaa3sXdbE0d5vgU3VOsRUKSozWvB9q7X3K2YBmj2s7zod-Pow/s400/Sinleafback.png" width="293" /></a></div><br />
Additionally, he's got smooth little hands and feet. While they are really cute, I can't help but think of a child when I look at them. Then I find myself mildly disturbed when I remember he's a full grown man with abs and a toned behind. Thank you, Bandai, for making everything about Sin smooth...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiK_UI4C_zQd2ZMQgmlo1RN_yKr24FHLUjlXXus_N6LnGgvmfl7reCPGrsOFSsXwXdoJCX2Tscxv4UsqEprXS1uPpdQilJp9ibEvvIuE6Am2QYrKqkYtLHsc7MMiHSPEMLu75_-fVQHU/s1600/Sintorso.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiK_UI4C_zQd2ZMQgmlo1RN_yKr24FHLUjlXXus_N6LnGgvmfl7reCPGrsOFSsXwXdoJCX2Tscxv4UsqEprXS1uPpdQilJp9ibEvvIuE6Am2QYrKqkYtLHsc7MMiHSPEMLu75_-fVQHU/s320/Sintorso.png" width="235" /></a></div>I have a nice handful of figures with mediocre paint jobs, and I was half-expecting Sinbad to be as bad as my Kyun Chara figures or Good Smile Company's Totori, but Bandai actually did a swell job. Of course, that doesn't mean little Sin is flawless!<br />
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You can already see in the photo that white is spilling onto the purple sleeve of Sinbad's left arm. The rest of him is all right, especially from a distance, which is how we usually look at our figures. I would like to think that it's difficult to really mess up a paint job when you only have a few palettes to work with.<br />
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While there may be a few obvious paint spills of white or purple here and there, Bandai impressed me with the finer details on Sinbad. When I look at Sinbad's jewellery I question how the painters even screwed up with the white and purples in the first place, because there are no silver or gold spills on his torso. It's incredibly smooth overall. Near or far, that paint job on Sinbad's bling is superb. On a side note, I'm thankful Sinbad doesn't have any obvious gross paint blotches on him like my <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS87IWSNVjpKeBQW8rgeGbNXGwuhXBVUWY23xWWR26TEZWh7EWh78Tj9Z9wIG-9seGTl3wj3uNsNdTT78Cmn7KkHspvzf6ZlBD0c6volcn2dijJDxWNdy-vMm1qdUy8IZJLjK0sVhJWGMp/s1600/Millapaint.jpg" target="_blank">Milla maid's wrist</a>. I did expect it though. Boy I'm glad I was wrong.<br />
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The details popped out in other areas as well, such as Baal (Sinbad's sword). For something so incredibly thin and tiny, the paint job is impressive. To give you an idea of how small it is, the sword is thinner than your standard HB pencil. It's a wonder if people go cross eyed when they're painting hundreds of these swords.<br />
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Bandai even included the grip lines on the hilt of Sinbad's sword.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WWATw0sL9O8UwjRURsKiMjbov0oWB4xeCvSQZBnSI09pgJlRofv2tstpVpoVEjYoOyQEdWRMJLdcXe9B9SyTAFRdVLgRhe8LCAxnMYm1VjCHsCSUdRuktrW6_NXHFQNJchD2v2dtCUw/s1600/Sinbad-baal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WWATw0sL9O8UwjRURsKiMjbov0oWB4xeCvSQZBnSI09pgJlRofv2tstpVpoVEjYoOyQEdWRMJLdcXe9B9SyTAFRdVLgRhe8LCAxnMYm1VjCHsCSUdRuktrW6_NXHFQNJchD2v2dtCUw/s640/Sinbad-baal.png" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0qPVY9XOMNhuSKFy8XJleiaZiWSyonhPAG50CA4a-fZGMB1btgsb71g4l8TFVJ_Q-ydSlIZf-43T-mh1TzqBuW-roOpIKUY1XYbhY_0HQsE5PBj4DiWhtIR7RLt5ZxND5onmomndico/s1600/Ripples.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0qPVY9XOMNhuSKFy8XJleiaZiWSyonhPAG50CA4a-fZGMB1btgsb71g4l8TFVJ_Q-ydSlIZf-43T-mh1TzqBuW-roOpIKUY1XYbhY_0HQsE5PBj4DiWhtIR7RLt5ZxND5onmomndico/s400/Ripples.png" width="293" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aviSZeX6eHZwUBW8XFcP3S6xpHcQ2KZVBQfbuTnCMfdtmrVeK2ru1JkDrbLyEOwSZlMn4DMRslDC5M3XK0IyiLDbVtyPyTCIE3MyY6cto_QYUBVc4nqwrA4S4B3ysr_ytjFbdF7UIYg/s1600/Sinbad-cup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aviSZeX6eHZwUBW8XFcP3S6xpHcQ2KZVBQfbuTnCMfdtmrVeK2ru1JkDrbLyEOwSZlMn4DMRslDC5M3XK0IyiLDbVtyPyTCIE3MyY6cto_QYUBVc4nqwrA4S4B3ysr_ytjFbdF7UIYg/s400/Sinbad-cup.png" width="293" /></a></div><br />
The ripples and wrinkles on the back of Sin's outfit look great even though I never see his back when I display him on my shelf. Heck, I can't even really see them when I attach his ponytail because that sure as heck blocks off all the details. Regardless of all that, I'm still happy Bandai included this small detail. It's the thought that counts! Arabic garments tend to have a nice ripple or flow to them and here you can tell Sinbad's sporting some really comfortable clothing. I'll admit they aren't the most beautiful ripples but I can only expect so much out of a Chibi figure.<br />
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You also probably noticed that one of his arms comes with a nice cup of alcohol! The high king is always ready to party as long as he has some booze with him!<br />
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The paint job on the chalice isn't quite as smooth as everything else. It looks like a tiny glob got pulled off last second and left a mark. However, since the chalice is so tiny, it's hardly noticeable. You really have to zoom in a bit before you can really notice anything odd about it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02n5msiP4Z25k8o5KpFkyNt83pprxGi-gMq6xKmMcezizvFrSNrVlrW-TgFyPDYB9ZZyLSvsf_Gw6nm_ona7DKu7J_mku25QoRcoH8ZdBfYx7iq1B48JmX4VXJGccOR-87dLFzh6N5iQ/s1600/Head+Piece.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02n5msiP4Z25k8o5KpFkyNt83pprxGi-gMq6xKmMcezizvFrSNrVlrW-TgFyPDYB9ZZyLSvsf_Gw6nm_ona7DKu7J_mku25QoRcoH8ZdBfYx7iq1B48JmX4VXJGccOR-87dLFzh6N5iQ/s320/Head+Piece.png" width="320" /></a></div>The head decoration is painted quite nicely as well. The strokes are very clean and thankfully there are no clumsy spills. Unlike <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxrkxpmzb7S45ywlJUpkVTFLnstUBrHcFbV5a9DT22sQAVcfeey49wz8HJk9_pfeO1jbRJ7u40DfBS2Weao5nr3-UFtLm77IH86XP5GLRpoxkkJfrGUu30XQ7W9repEpfIRt1hSii0MqZ/s320/SoraOathkeeper.jpg" target="_blank">Sora's Keyblades (from</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxrkxpmzb7S45ywlJUpkVTFLnstUBrHcFbV5a9DT22sQAVcfeey49wz8HJk9_pfeO1jbRJ7u40DfBS2Weao5nr3-UFtLm77IH86XP5GLRpoxkkJfrGUu30XQ7W9repEpfIRt1hSii0MqZ/s320/SoraOathkeeper.jpg" target="_blank"> the Kingdom Hearts: Formation Arts Vol. 3 series</a>), Sinbad's headpiece doesn't look like it was sloppily coloured in with a Sharpie.<br />
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I confess I thought the colours were going to be quite off from the prototype and original anime design, but I'm glad I was wrong. The head decoration on the figure definitely lacks some shading but at least the colours are accurate for the most part. I only wish it didn't scrape against Sinbad's bangs...<br />
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Sadly, there were some details missing from Sinbad which could have been included. For example, Bandai could have left a hole in Chibi-Sin's earrings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVVcVjKPcnZE4dttBXAl8GpONciBo8X87Jchohkg_6YJDZtNw8C6H-MvJc5QEO43gBcSx2oeBV67N2JkI5jy4RMPqtNqdYAhoACWF37vWqS29I3TDzxYOA_9n-tp_DRan-KCxu7s5_wU/s1600/Earring2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVVcVjKPcnZE4dttBXAl8GpONciBo8X87Jchohkg_6YJDZtNw8C6H-MvJc5QEO43gBcSx2oeBV67N2JkI5jy4RMPqtNqdYAhoACWF37vWqS29I3TDzxYOA_9n-tp_DRan-KCxu7s5_wU/s400/Earring2.png" width="295" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginDkv9Wj06sQ-iINh5QqixK6riEHXcHZyhsuwOYX2JbshhIThc8fclA8Cq_WvtMsf2fpD-Te4-SbXkIejqaBbgz5lG9xfTRBaR_EJBceMpcIxZtKQND0olzJ0_ZGKb3rgq3Vt2D1LhL4/s1600/Earring.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginDkv9Wj06sQ-iINh5QqixK6riEHXcHZyhsuwOYX2JbshhIThc8fclA8Cq_WvtMsf2fpD-Te4-SbXkIejqaBbgz5lG9xfTRBaR_EJBceMpcIxZtKQND0olzJ0_ZGKb3rgq3Vt2D1LhL4/s400/Earring.png" width="295" /></a></div><br />
It's a shame because it's a very obvious flaw in my opinion. It's a mystery as to why that gap is filled. Maybe Bandai decided it would be a waste of time carving out small circles with every Chibi-Sinbad figure. Or maybe the hole would making Sin's earring too fragile. Either way, I was a bit disappointed when I saw Sin's earrings completely filled with gold.<br />
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Another small flaw (and I really mean small) can be found on Sinbad's left armlet. I know I'm nitpicking but it just seemed as though Bandai really could have coloured in the visible gem on Sin's gold armlet. A dab of green and a touch of yellow would have completed it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlTH5pxXGwGimqKohVUwDRq1WDaS2p7hHmFj40cD8tMjTBsZEPSZEE-On9eR4vE13l7w25d6x7OH_2P7hW6cccS3g2TvOUIN0s7h4EvCZexm1JdsROWtxOq68A2jD5c5F2iexJ8IXS9A/s1600/sinbad_armlet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlTH5pxXGwGimqKohVUwDRq1WDaS2p7hHmFj40cD8tMjTBsZEPSZEE-On9eR4vE13l7w25d6x7OH_2P7hW6cccS3g2TvOUIN0s7h4EvCZexm1JdsROWtxOq68A2jD5c5F2iexJ8IXS9A/s400/sinbad_armlet.png" width="295" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3x85dd0wG94bbJXqYoM281YdiRfFAqJT2jDpqE-60VLI3oIlbFChKa_Fr_ScVwvx1eGki0gJ0P1enBbKcpD6PtiLLBLOYY9csD5Vt2HG46t5o3dDQTLA6rDx6DpTJ-Gykwuuyj3B5dY/s1600/sinbad_goldarmlet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3x85dd0wG94bbJXqYoM281YdiRfFAqJT2jDpqE-60VLI3oIlbFChKa_Fr_ScVwvx1eGki0gJ0P1enBbKcpD6PtiLLBLOYY9csD5Vt2HG46t5o3dDQTLA6rDx6DpTJ-Gykwuuyj3B5dY/s400/sinbad_goldarmlet.png" width="295" /></a></div><br />
To be honest, it's such a small detail that it wouldn't surprise me if the people at Bandai actually forgot to paint it. Maybe other Sinbads out there have green paint on their armlet. If there are, I'd really like to know! <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Oh, Bandai…just minor details away from perfection. But I suppose that can be considered a good thing, since it's a chibi figure!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsG9OFRdqZkWgsRmW5bSdYkQbQJQHXOq3y9m_5AL-otFnR23Eo_SoJ5rsnVr_Hy5IPCF_MM4Xuj-FDZm9w2W71g2fPGwqJW5aHdGz78ou76vMAbjeUhhz8aMEPL3vfIVGMPryoFy6Arw/s1600/Sinbad-quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsG9OFRdqZkWgsRmW5bSdYkQbQJQHXOq3y9m_5AL-otFnR23Eo_SoJ5rsnVr_Hy5IPCF_MM4Xuj-FDZm9w2W71g2fPGwqJW5aHdGz78ou76vMAbjeUhhz8aMEPL3vfIVGMPryoFy6Arw/s320/Sinbad-quote.png" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1h5u6IXFGUORFqjUPd9TN2wWTx9VUjVAG1fNkjrpOor8Hyqeh8n2ssekb2cBjjyfY7-I9qapvPU8DA7EodHiI7XEA2_on4gfayQ3CFlW2rVAxNBtoF2-l3mfgTMzTPo3m7xk3dorAfk/s1600/Sinbad-quotes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1h5u6IXFGUORFqjUPd9TN2wWTx9VUjVAG1fNkjrpOor8Hyqeh8n2ssekb2cBjjyfY7-I9qapvPU8DA7EodHiI7XEA2_on4gfayQ3CFlW2rVAxNBtoF2-l3mfgTMzTPo3m7xk3dorAfk/s400/Sinbad-quotes.png" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Finally we have five little manga quotes, which come with a small stand so you can alternate between them. These are extras I don't use for a couple of reasons. They're in Japanese and my family members wouldn't be able to understand what was being said just by looking at them. Most of my friends wouldn't be able to understand either. They also look out of place on my shelf because they're really just thin pieces of cardboard in between a set of chibi figures. I haven't seen a lot of Chibi-Arts Sinbad owners display quotes either, but hey, they're there if we ever want to use them, right? <br />
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Purple quote: <i>Look!!! I didn't do anything, right!!?</i><br />
Blue quote: <i>My name is Sinbad, of Sindria.</i><br />
Green quote: <i>Stop it, Ja'far</i><br />
Baby Blue quote: <i>Adventures...are a man's chance to grasp his dreams (roamce)!</i><br />
Orange quote: <i>You guys, believe in your king...</i><br />
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(Translations courtesy of my friend Yumee)<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNDyU8Amq-3eV-x4DosxQfuRikkpFjr0TSofDz4KnYC1aAE03GvROiiMmCEYifrrme2XIi6K_ot8j9M-mJPtESETnFeOh7jnhIz9zO04KPdU1iI4z-AchZssfrvm7J8miB2l4dRaYgqc/s1600/Sinbad-beach.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNDyU8Amq-3eV-x4DosxQfuRikkpFjr0TSofDz4KnYC1aAE03GvROiiMmCEYifrrme2XIi6K_ot8j9M-mJPtESETnFeOh7jnhIz9zO04KPdU1iI4z-AchZssfrvm7J8miB2l4dRaYgqc/s640/Sinbad-beach.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Was Sinbad worth 5890 yen? Definitely! While Sin may not be the most decorated little figure out there, he’s still incredibly adorable. Bandai did a fantastic job overall, and I’m glad I didn’t miss out on him. As I mentioned earlier, Sinbad doesn’t fall apart like Totori and he’s not oozing paint in several areas like <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/09/tales-of-xillia-kyun-character-figures.html" target="_blank">Milla and Jude</a>, which makes him a winner in my books. Bandai’s Chibi-Arts Sinbad figure is fabulous and I highly recommend Magi fans pick him up if they ever get the chance. He looks dashing on my shelf! And remember, dear readers, you can display two Sinbads at the same time!</div><b><u><br />
</u></b> <b><u>Summary:</u></b></span><b style="color: #003399;"> </b><b style="color: #003399;"> </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxo-Jg_mdSjZe0ZD4fECNK4S2AAkh42aosFEq3DL_eR2PwReQoTSSd43gqBiqDRwTESCTNoPA-YANWAxo_W8FEtCK8TTZOjfgN2ZQ5Ny-NF-k2RvLYIEQPfIT0WzBxOdAsMH8V9ahE9l4/s1600/Shinysin4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxo-Jg_mdSjZe0ZD4fECNK4S2AAkh42aosFEq3DL_eR2PwReQoTSSd43gqBiqDRwTESCTNoPA-YANWAxo_W8FEtCK8TTZOjfgN2ZQ5Ny-NF-k2RvLYIEQPfIT0WzBxOdAsMH8V9ahE9l4/s400/Shinysin4.png" width="265" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"><b> Base: 8.5/10</b> (Simple, clean, transparent, and not clunky! What's not to like?)<br />
<b>Sculpt: 9/10</b> (Easy to put in and remove pieces. Sin doesn't fall apart easily)<br />
<b>Poses: 8.5/10</b> (Sin can cross his arms or hold a cup of alcohol. What's not to like?)<br />
<b>Paint: 8/10</b> (There are spills here and there, but the finer details are well taken care of)<br />
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<div><span style="color: #003399;"><b>Overall: 8.5/10</b> (A solid Chibi-Arts figure. You can also display two Sinbads at the same time!)<br />
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<b>Manufacturer:</b> Bandai<br />
<b>Price</b>: 5890 yen (4700 yen + 1190 yen shipping)<br />
<b>Purchased from:</b> <a href="http://biginjap.com/" target="_blank">Big in Japan</a><br />
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</span></div><div><span style="color: #003399;">Thanks for reading!<br />
<b>~Suich</b></span></div></div></div></div>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-85398789055437771552013-10-23T10:53:00.000-04:002013-11-16T22:47:15.621-05:001/7 Miku Hatsune (Max Factory)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6S0tuD5IFdcVaiKw0QQolf4XeWgfhTUnTBltHBJj1V8Tz3MrQdJaio6ASr3M_34243Wm38EtXRBpIdsWzvMm3WsdomXpkThBGo-fg1LrlhX4YlQlzwx2tqAOKs_fHHJASWMRLEKnYsg/s1600/Miku-review.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6S0tuD5IFdcVaiKw0QQolf4XeWgfhTUnTBltHBJj1V8Tz3MrQdJaio6ASr3M_34243Wm38EtXRBpIdsWzvMm3WsdomXpkThBGo-fg1LrlhX4YlQlzwx2tqAOKs_fHHJASWMRLEKnYsg/s1600/Miku-review.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #a30000;">Does this count as a retro-review? 2009 was, <i>oh god</i>, four entire years ago. Time, come back! I'm not done with you yet!<br />
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Granted, I didn't get my hands on this figure until recently, so retro or not, she's still "new" to me. Since I obtained Max Factory's beautiful <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/12/17-luka-megurine-max-factory.html" target="_blank">Luka</a> figure, I've been scouring the Miku-scape for a perfect match. Sure, I already have GSC's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/09/18-miku-hatsune-lat-type-ver-gsc.html" target="_blank">Miku Lat</a> and <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/01/18-miku-hatsune-2001-racing-ver-gsc.html" target="_blank">Racing Miku 2011</a>, but neither look great beside Luka. So I did what I do best, and began a systematic hunt for a partner. </span><br />
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But Jenn, you cry, isn't the choice simple? What about Max Factory's 1/7 Tony Taka Miku? Isn't she the natural partner for Max Factory's Luka? Why bother hunting at all? They look great together, as the pilfered internet picture below obviously proves!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpxjBdDDDKwFng4n5vpOLN7ckiplZZVjl68G_S-8FHBwAZfRCxEblFvXr7cqCREE_lOcNvX7TiY5KTCgjuwSD9jVbmEsWX_c3ob-MMF1OUgwcrjuQoAVCJ85tpCN5FIrzXVY6-uu-uRk/s1600/Tony+Taka+Vocaloids.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpxjBdDDDKwFng4n5vpOLN7ckiplZZVjl68G_S-8FHBwAZfRCxEblFvXr7cqCREE_lOcNvX7TiY5KTCgjuwSD9jVbmEsWX_c3ob-MMF1OUgwcrjuQoAVCJ85tpCN5FIrzXVY6-uu-uRk/s1600/Tony+Taka+Vocaloids.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: The Obvious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well, yes, I reply, she would have been the <i>obvious</i> choice, but what's life without some <i>whimsy</i>? Then I would make jazz hands and repeat myself for emphasis. <i>Whim-sy. </i>In a seriousness, Tony Taka's Miku looks wonderful except for the tortuous twist of her body. Look at that chiropractic nightmare! I have a bad habit of replicating figure poses, and badly hurt myself attempting hers. Now, every time I look at her, I feel terrible, traumatic<i> pain</i>. That, plus her resale price makes my wallet sad. Have you ever seen a grown wallet cry? I have. It's not pretty. <br />
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So, with Max Factory's Tony Taka Miku eliminated from my list, I set my crosshairs on Max Factory's earlier, 1/7 Miku. With similar scales, similar heights, a parent family, and stunning details, she seemed the best match for my pink-haired jazz queen. <br />
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<i>But is she really?</i> Let's review.<br />
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Max Factory's Miku comes in a standard, rectangular box. It's either flashy nor bland. Its utilitarian function shines brighter than its aesthetic appeal. Better sturdy than showy, that's what I always say (albeit, best strudy <i>and</i> showy). The volume bars are a nice touch.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trNVBrD2mpQ/Uls9_3SlieI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/YD8VBgBYyfY/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-box.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trNVBrD2mpQ/Uls9_3SlieI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/YD8VBgBYyfY/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-box.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Z51aPg7pks/Uls-A2ZgfHI/AAAAAAAAJ6s/dBmseSdtbws/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Z51aPg7pks/Uls-A2ZgfHI/AAAAAAAAJ6s/dBmseSdtbws/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-box-2.png" width="315" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Miku's base is a simple black oval with some silvery scrawl. It's sturdy and does its job, but like all dark surfaces, it gathers fingerprints and dust easily.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyOvaUXmvWs/Uj-XdTDBh3I/AAAAAAAAJeM/OEVQaOLkLvA/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-base.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyOvaUXmvWs/Uj-XdTDBh3I/AAAAAAAAJeM/OEVQaOLkLvA/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-base.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Max Factory's Miku isn't the most energetic Miku out there. She stands without adornment, in her original costume, her arms loosely at her sides, hip thrust casually to one side. Her hair isn't touseled in some blistering gale. She's not performing some moe-kyun aerial salutation. She's not even that expressive, really.<br />
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But I've decided I like this calm, composed Miku, so everything's peachy. It's a nice change from her usual, cutesy incarnations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LDsRL0q7wtw/Uj-Y1h-iHLI/AAAAAAAAJiU/NS6cwxBTodI/s1600/miku-Max-Factory-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LDsRL0q7wtw/Uj-Y1h-iHLI/AAAAAAAAJiU/NS6cwxBTodI/s320/miku-Max-Factory-full-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKdhYwZPBvOzUmHeeFmCOeIDHIAw_Qqn6wZc5PmwcOxpeixOwrrWgCBQUI3ldvq9Yg0r-veVt6YAq3e4R8zD67uQdB8kWdRlsucgdS_dTXOoPxggud0P039bTFngzm38gjzvBSGATZQM/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-full-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKdhYwZPBvOzUmHeeFmCOeIDHIAw_Qqn6wZc5PmwcOxpeixOwrrWgCBQUI3ldvq9Yg0r-veVt6YAq3e4R8zD67uQdB8kWdRlsucgdS_dTXOoPxggud0P039bTFngzm38gjzvBSGATZQM/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-full-6.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXuMfAbYp44dqjqkpnBsYdxbEbtb6Zrgt68IHJMzwNwx0WaaS_ku7naEFqcpsb92288HGDI5eKMyE75SkZxGTHlQWLKa_rXvYSGo1vFmDQn9ijIj-T74-JUueIrPUPdC56CsBtRC3l1g/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-full-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXuMfAbYp44dqjqkpnBsYdxbEbtb6Zrgt68IHJMzwNwx0WaaS_ku7naEFqcpsb92288HGDI5eKMyE75SkZxGTHlQWLKa_rXvYSGo1vFmDQn9ijIj-T74-JUueIrPUPdC56CsBtRC3l1g/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-full-5.png" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YviLhTV4AXQ/Uj-X8JYEdZI/AAAAAAAAJfk/NmGJaQhRW48/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YviLhTV4AXQ/Uj-X8JYEdZI/AAAAAAAAJfk/NmGJaQhRW48/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-full-4.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NTleDnIuoaQ/Uj-Y6fAWi7I/AAAAAAAAJic/u1dMPOC4eO0/s1600/miku-Max-Factory-full-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NTleDnIuoaQ/Uj-Y6fAWi7I/AAAAAAAAJic/u1dMPOC4eO0/s320/miku-Max-Factory-full-3.png" width="212" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uduyj7JnrQA/Uj-Yvr0cf8I/AAAAAAAAJiE/ypGNij81LHk/s1600/Miku-Max-Fatory-full-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uduyj7JnrQA/Uj-Yvr0cf8I/AAAAAAAAJiE/ypGNij81LHk/s320/Miku-Max-Fatory-full-2.png" width="212" /></a></div><br />
If there's one thing that bothers me about this Miku, it's her face. Her eyes are slightly too far apart and the top of her head is rather flat. Her lips look bloated at certain angles, and her stare does have a certain, soulless quality. This might have been a bigger problem if I weren't a fan of her blank gaze. Which I am. It looks calculated. I like calculated things.<br />
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As I mentioned before, it's nice to see Miku is portrayed as something other than a bubbly, young idol with enthusiasm up her wazoo. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2i_ugOprDg/Uj-X6PvjTuI/AAAAAAAAJfc/Jvaq2EGaJ6s/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2i_ugOprDg/Uj-X6PvjTuI/AAAAAAAAJfc/Jvaq2EGaJ6s/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-face-3.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4MnwAN5ILM/Uj-X0uFaDQI/AAAAAAAAJfM/7HcrgfIvFPI/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4MnwAN5ILM/Uj-X0uFaDQI/AAAAAAAAJfM/7HcrgfIvFPI/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-face-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SG1myRaX-S8/Uj-X3f6xkuI/AAAAAAAAJfU/r2UG-lqt-Sk/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SG1myRaX-S8/Uj-X3f6xkuI/AAAAAAAAJfU/r2UG-lqt-Sk/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-face-2.png" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Miku's telltale teal hair is well articulated, especially from the back. It has all the physics of actual hair (look at those cute little upside-down antenna locks at the base of her neck). Everything is in the right place, especially on top. However, as we move down, her hair begins to clump into gross gel-like globs. Sure, this is how her hair is presented in official art, but not all 2D renders work well in 3D, and some artistic intervention would not have gone amiss.<br />
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A word of warning when dealing with this Miku: her hair is so heavy it can snap her neck if you're not careful. Her head and hair are <i>definitely not</i> as stable as I want them to be. Go ahead, pick her up and give her a wee shake (emphasis on <i>wee</i>). See how her head and hair wobbles? It goes without saying all sudden movements with her in hand risk unwanted, cervical dislocation. Exercise caution, chaps.<br />
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Finally, this Miku is <i>glossy</i>. Her hair outright <i>glistens</i>. I've never been a fan of glistening hair. I feel like the ability to glisten should be limited to liquids, and liquid-covered solids. It sort of looks like her hair's slathered in corn oil. Ick.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-miWyzX_UG8c/Uj-YDDeeTuI/AAAAAAAAJf8/pM6MHdxNzd4/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-miWyzX_UG8c/Uj-YDDeeTuI/AAAAAAAAJf8/pM6MHdxNzd4/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2gkXqCz4wn4/Uj-YF-3mdxI/AAAAAAAAJgE/32B1YQ7AG1g/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2gkXqCz4wn4/Uj-YF-3mdxI/AAAAAAAAJgE/32B1YQ7AG1g/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztAAai5y4VY/Uj-YKVMlJtI/AAAAAAAAJgU/gq41Ox1UdM4/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztAAai5y4VY/Uj-YKVMlJtI/AAAAAAAAJgU/gq41Ox1UdM4/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-4.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcQMOlJAjSY/Uj-YHwZYU1I/AAAAAAAAJgM/0ERLf3KakgU/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcQMOlJAjSY/Uj-YHwZYU1I/AAAAAAAAJgM/0ERLf3KakgU/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-hair-3.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Max Factory has always impressed me with their fabric sculpts, and Miku is no exception. She comes with an impressive arsenal of folds and wrinkles, meticulously crafted to hug her every curve. Have you ever seen such a comprehensive collection of folds and wrinkles? I bet you haven't. Probably not even on a real person. Ho ho!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5M0UViW9cKw/Uj-YkYhZ-hI/AAAAAAAAJhk/FFMjiqOvsq4/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-top-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5M0UViW9cKw/Uj-YkYhZ-hI/AAAAAAAAJhk/FFMjiqOvsq4/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-top-1.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W36a0LdbQVQ/Uj-YnhFISKI/AAAAAAAAJhs/5YHz9jeOGJM/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-top-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W36a0LdbQVQ/Uj-YnhFISKI/AAAAAAAAJhs/5YHz9jeOGJM/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-top-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Need a closer look at her outfit? I could stare at it all day. Miku is an example of seams done <i>right</i>. Look at those lovely lines down her sides and sleeves.<br />
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On a curious note, Miku's tie must weight a ton to press into her chest like that. Just commentin'. Totally not staring at her chest. No sir. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u7rttICYNDw/Uj-Yp4MghmI/AAAAAAAAJh0/ESaYslFTxjo/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-top-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u7rttICYNDw/Uj-Yp4MghmI/AAAAAAAAJh0/ESaYslFTxjo/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-top-4.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sygUDBQDeik/Uj-YyvehHOI/AAAAAAAAJiM/dxICsex4i78/s1600/Miku-Maxx-Factory-top-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sygUDBQDeik/Uj-YyvehHOI/AAAAAAAAJiM/dxICsex4i78/s640/Miku-Maxx-Factory-top-3.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Moving further down.<br />
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The teal "fabric" on Miku's skirt is actually slightly see-through. It's made of the same, shiny material as her hair. Not a pro or con, just an interesting observation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEZbXZmQBUM/Uj-XaPCiEbI/AAAAAAAAJeE/zC2s1abWomU/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-bottom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEZbXZmQBUM/Uj-XaPCiEbI/AAAAAAAAJeE/zC2s1abWomU/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-bottom.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Miku's folds don't end at her waist. Her thigh-highs are equally detailed. Look at the seam line down the back of her leg! And the beautiful texture along their sides! And, of course, the wonderful wrinkles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AadMUgM3lkc/Uj-YMcvFtJI/AAAAAAAAJgc/fa0DB3BAodI/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-leggings.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AadMUgM3lkc/Uj-YMcvFtJI/AAAAAAAAJgc/fa0DB3BAodI/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-leggings.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrV_8FjXPXAZ1apQukgI84n6_zW2_EumrPOG0uAP3Pbd_tY9HTLCulU7-BxSXMvsgFcdzIVWhxFkfcgBIFtI196xsaoysBCmHK5F4_QFT5VOBAqfO7r3ShkLGsCCEPsgqLh1iWXIp-aM/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-leggins-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrV_8FjXPXAZ1apQukgI84n6_zW2_EumrPOG0uAP3Pbd_tY9HTLCulU7-BxSXMvsgFcdzIVWhxFkfcgBIFtI196xsaoysBCmHK5F4_QFT5VOBAqfO7r3ShkLGsCCEPsgqLh1iWXIp-aM/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-leggins-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ouhGme3yXaA/Uj-YYJH-WzI/AAAAAAAAJhE/q9RH3IVCz6Y/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-shoe.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ouhGme3yXaA/Uj-YYJH-WzI/AAAAAAAAJhE/q9RH3IVCz6Y/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-shoe.png" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Peeking in more inappropriate areas, we see Miku isn't wearing striped panties. Fortunately, the scruptious shape of her buttocks are more than enough to make up for the lake of shimapan. Her panties are wonderfully detailed as well.<br />
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Now, I have a question for all you wonderful people out there. What's the allure of shimapan? It's the one fetish I've never been able to wrap my head around. I'm a fan of tiny black panties myself (all the better with lace), but why stripes? Why teal and white stripes? Elucidate, friends.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vtDScDKFh8c/Uj-YScHPWCI/AAAAAAAAJgs/Yhv9XNW0Zo8/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-panties-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vtDScDKFh8c/Uj-YScHPWCI/AAAAAAAAJgs/Yhv9XNW0Zo8/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-panties-1.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkgOH38tH5U/Uj-YTJr78iI/AAAAAAAAJg0/svqqpLWwyZk/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-panties-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkgOH38tH5U/Uj-YTJr78iI/AAAAAAAAJg0/svqqpLWwyZk/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-panties-2.png" width="320" /></a><br />
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But Miku's virtues don't end at her folds. Max Factory is right up there with Alter when it comes to detail. No need to say much here. The pictures speak for themselves. They're very, very clean.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iK5HhPOBFUA/Uj-Xrvn51oI/AAAAAAAAJe0/n37wxR__suU/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iK5HhPOBFUA/Uj-Xrvn51oI/AAAAAAAAJe0/n37wxR__suU/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9C1HWtzguGc/Uj-XqPE4bCI/AAAAAAAAJes/HPw-pk_k-3E/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9C1HWtzguGc/Uj-XqPE4bCI/AAAAAAAAJes/HPw-pk_k-3E/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6b3yHntfQX4/Uj-XuiyYNqI/AAAAAAAAJe8/RWE0aUN2zes/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6b3yHntfQX4/Uj-XuiyYNqI/AAAAAAAAJe8/RWE0aUN2zes/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-detail-3.png" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The fun thing about using a macro lens, is its ability to capture details too small for the eye to see. Not only do minute dust specks come into focus, so do the impossibly tiny font on Miku's body. That red blip under Miku's number actually says Hatsune Miku, and the little black stripe under "Vocaloid" actually says...well, ok, it's too small to read, but I can still admire it's text-like appearance, right?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZ69wIcaZfk/Uj-Yc_fBJ2I/AAAAAAAAJhM/x0j9rKVxWmw/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-tiny-detail-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZ69wIcaZfk/Uj-Yc_fBJ2I/AAAAAAAAJhM/x0j9rKVxWmw/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-tiny-detail-2.png" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupjXWkKjA29wr9FR7LKYRWyA-O8DkcF1wniiswgsW4usbdwiLmXQL1qYcxFTocC52zoq92gfx4cnJGYmExsnYSyUve6BuRSYVqrNvt8r0_q0pUrLAlUlElXO8vma6s0vjhP2vj9nUOo/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-tiny-detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupjXWkKjA29wr9FR7LKYRWyA-O8DkcF1wniiswgsW4usbdwiLmXQL1qYcxFTocC52zoq92gfx4cnJGYmExsnYSyUve6BuRSYVqrNvt8r0_q0pUrLAlUlElXO8vma6s0vjhP2vj9nUOo/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-tiny-detail.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Miku's eyes might be soulless, but the green rim in her irises was a nice surpruse. From a distance, her eyes look teal, but up close, they're actually quite beautiful. They're like little, green koi scales.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-deKVv2XLJdQ/Uj-Xxchh_vI/AAAAAAAAJfE/12TOaich0v4/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-eyes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-deKVv2XLJdQ/Uj-Xxchh_vI/AAAAAAAAJfE/12TOaich0v4/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-eyes.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Finally, Luka has a friend to share her shelf-space with. Previously, I paired Luka with Miku lat. and they never seemed comfortable togther. Don't get me wrong, I love Miku Lat. She's childish and adorable, but she's also <i>tiny</i>. At 1/7 and 22 cm, Max Factory's Miku better matches Luka in terms of height. Luka's figure is 23 cm tall in comparison. In case you're wondering, Luka and Miku are 162 and 158 cm respectively, according to their wiki entries (I'm taller than them both, har har!)<br />
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Luka is more matte, but her gold bits match Miku's silver outfit quite well. The slight transparency on both figures is also quite interesting in the light.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j9VmgdXUJ3M/Uj-Xm8o4j5I/AAAAAAAAJek/CxeijFardMA/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-comparison.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j9VmgdXUJ3M/Uj-Xm8o4j5I/AAAAAAAAJek/CxeijFardMA/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-comparison.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olJWLkYsEoA/Uj-Xic8tamI/AAAAAAAAJec/YKDH_VRRjdU/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-comparison-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olJWLkYsEoA/Uj-Xic8tamI/AAAAAAAAJec/YKDH_VRRjdU/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-comparison-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Max Factory's Miku is technically astounding. Not a single, misplaced seam, not a single paint smudge. Besides gloss issues and a few complaints about her face, there's very little to be unhappy about.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgeX9R-X619GVtFI8HciH71armwf3egWs_K8KdYLl_nYl1o-ROuzK8hh0vZfxQ5SmEvH_c6anSNBMtNgTxgu3uv0qCKdYlHhG26z_4MojV8Tdc4CYakGw2gaCOlPgrLpHC5r_2hFPE7w/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-porch.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgeX9R-X619GVtFI8HciH71armwf3egWs_K8KdYLl_nYl1o-ROuzK8hh0vZfxQ5SmEvH_c6anSNBMtNgTxgu3uv0qCKdYlHhG26z_4MojV8Tdc4CYakGw2gaCOlPgrLpHC5r_2hFPE7w/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-porch.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zTvxS8J4N4c/Uj-YtbUsrpI/AAAAAAAAJh8/xMNXuacBA4o/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-underwater.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zTvxS8J4N4c/Uj-YtbUsrpI/AAAAAAAAJh8/xMNXuacBA4o/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-underwater.png" width="212" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65fSvySE730/Uj-YVqzyMDI/AAAAAAAAJg8/Jtnj9KBvV4c/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-pillar-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65fSvySE730/Uj-YVqzyMDI/AAAAAAAAJg8/Jtnj9KBvV4c/s320/Miku-Max-Factory-pillar-1.png" width="211" /></a></div><br />
This Miku has some odd angles. Sometimes, her face looks compressed and alien. Other times, it's perfectly shaped. I'm not sure what to make of it. She has a Schrodinger's face. Until the photos come out, her face can be considered both attractive <i>and</i> awkward. Maybe I'm stretching the analogy a bit. I just wanted to throw a science reference in there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EANFDvQRm-Q/UkUhRdwve0I/AAAAAAAAJj8/OSa-QRB3Z3M/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-Teal.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EANFDvQRm-Q/UkUhRdwve0I/AAAAAAAAJj8/OSa-QRB3Z3M/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-Teal.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YL5327Qswpo/UkUhReQdNiI/AAAAAAAAJkA/vvJrLUXHoY0/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-Teal-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YL5327Qswpo/UkUhReQdNiI/AAAAAAAAJkA/vvJrLUXHoY0/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-Teal-2.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Miku's glossiness is magnified under the light. During her shoot, I spent a great deal of time scooting around, attempting to get an angle where her hair doesn't look as oiled up. It was an uphill battle to say the least. Is there a way to get rid of extra gloss? Not that I would be bold enough to take things into my own hands, but a slight shine reduction would serve Miku well.<br />
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On the bright side, her shininess disappears under fuller, softer lighting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZU553cfdR0/Uj-Yflizt2I/AAAAAAAAJhU/fwhW3YrnZfg/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-teal-stripes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZU553cfdR0/Uj-Yflizt2I/AAAAAAAAJhU/fwhW3YrnZfg/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-teal-stripes.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I've never been one for secondary colours. Prime colours are my home boys. Red, blue, yellow or bust, but I have to admit, turquoise and pink look beautiful together. It reminds me of soft things (and cotton candy).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Pmb3xvbxB8/UkUjCEXTRbI/AAAAAAAAJks/DUUsD9dVf0E/s1600/Miku-Luka.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Pmb3xvbxB8/UkUjCEXTRbI/AAAAAAAAJks/DUUsD9dVf0E/s640/Miku-Luka.png" width="315" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZJ4mYf5cnY/UkUi_V98o-I/AAAAAAAAJkk/N0H2GrMdc4A/s1600/Luka-Miku.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZJ4mYf5cnY/UkUi_V98o-I/AAAAAAAAJkk/N0H2GrMdc4A/s640/Luka-Miku.png" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Miku's actually not as see through as I wanted her to be. The bottom of her hair is semi-transparent, but there aren't many other areas where light gets through. I'm a little disappeared the teal on her skirt isn't that transparent at all, but it's not a huge deal.<br />
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It also appears that her hair isn't unanimously transparent. Some parts are obviously more opaque than others, giving her hair an interesting, striped appearance when backlit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bnemPKDmD4w/Uk4RkrqA8MI/AAAAAAAAJ3Q/jf8muhLTll4/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-silhouette.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bnemPKDmD4w/Uk4RkrqA8MI/AAAAAAAAJ3Q/jf8muhLTll4/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-silhouette.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
There's a lot of teal on this page. Let's spice it up with other colours.<i> </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2hqV8721sw/Uk4rDhY2QwI/AAAAAAAAJ3g/hUyqLwwSWS8/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-purple-stripes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2hqV8721sw/Uk4rDhY2QwI/AAAAAAAAJ3g/hUyqLwwSWS8/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-purple-stripes.png" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krX4bU_tNaY/UltNb7Xh1LI/AAAAAAAAJ7E/ohyxI18JPaI/s1600/Miku-rainbow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krX4bU_tNaY/UltNb7Xh1LI/AAAAAAAAJ7E/ohyxI18JPaI/s640/Miku-rainbow.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun with awkward photoshop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Am I happy with how this Miku matches up with Luka? <br />
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Yes, actually, I am. Her height and size are perfect. To be honest, I probably would have been happy with her even if she looked terrible next to Luka. Her quality and price (I managed to grab her at 6k) make her a welcome addition to my collection. <br />
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Would I recommend this Miku to everyone? Is she the best Miku out there? Well, no, she isn't. She has nothing on <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Loveiswar_zpsdb9fbbc4.jpg" target="_blank">Love is War Miku</a>, or <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/CheerfulJapan_zpsd4dab735.jpeg" target="_blank">Cheerful Japan Miku</a>, or the plethora of more recent, more dynamic Mikus out there. What she does have, is excellent quality, excellent shine, and a robotic calmness that reflects her inhuman side. If you're into that, great. If not, there are plenty of other Mikus in the sea (including the upcoming <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Deepseamiku_zps8dc99b46.jpg" target="_blank">Deep Sea Miku</a>). What I'm trying to say is that she's solid. Not spectacular, but very solid. What this Miku does best is show off Max Factory's sculpting prowess. Keep in mind this figure was made over three years ago, and still manages to rival contemporary figures in terms of sculpt and detail. You can find her in the aftermarket from about 6000-8000 yen.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYl60a0VAWs/Uj-XdxP7I8I/AAAAAAAAJeU/uL6R5L7YHJY/s1600/Miku-Max-Factory-Matrix.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYl60a0VAWs/Uj-XdxP7I8I/AAAAAAAAJeU/uL6R5L7YHJY/s640/Miku-Max-Factory-Matrix.png" width="315" /></a><u><b>The Run-Down</b></u><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td> Box</td> <td> 5/10</td> <td>Does its job.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Base</td> <td> 5/10</td> <td>It keeps her upright, but it's not too inspired, and gathers dust <i>very</i> easily.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Pose </td><td> 6/10</td> <td>Calm and subtle, but not very exciting.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Sculpt</td> <td> 8/10 </td> <td>Close to perfect, but loses points for her clumpy hair and slightly awkward face shape.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Paint</td> <td> 8.5/10 </td> <td>Crisp and sharp, but her hair is too glossy for its own good.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Overall </td> <td><br />
7.5/10</td> <td>Very solid overall, and an excellent addition to any collection.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><b>Manufacturer</b>: Max Factory<br />
<b>Price</b>:<span id="idx_to_yen"> ¥8381</span><br />
<b>Purchased from:</b> <a href="http://www.amiami.com/%20target=_blank"><b>AmiAmi</b></a><br />
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<b>Box Dimensions</b>: 28.5 x 22 x 14 cm<br />
<b>Weight</b>: Approx. 610g<br />
<b>Shipping Method</b>: SAL unregistered or fancier<br />
<b><br />
Just keep swimmin'</b><b>,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-50889451353851005822013-08-13T19:48:00.000-04:002013-08-14T11:43:07.745-04:00Wonfes Summer 2013! (some NSFW content)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/08/wonfes-summer-2013-some-nsfw-content.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pjoq4_Algug5gWegdbOzNEC8wBqo53ds-WnixwuurvVM0TjhildTbDZWNv2LgrUQoL3YBbfdEcjlvrUc00C9vTK50Tma7OgWxhU2-KF0twbtfqBR-4OU37799oPnqzSxsnw5cZbvZiHq/s1600/Wonfes-icon.png" /></a></div>Summer Wonfes has come and gone, bringing with it a veritable orgy of plastic goodness to tease and tickle the senses—and what a numinous orgy it was! Here at Poke the Merch, we are solemnly consulting physicians to discover which organs we can safely pawn in exchange for figure funds. After all, we have our priorities straight.<br />
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So, given the better-than-expected showing this Wonfes, what did we find <i>especializing </i>tantalizing? <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jenn's List </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Want</span></span> </b></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alter's Aty</span></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"> </span> <br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAYnjwnuAA8bofX-H77aTKZrLJym_RjIvcPBKSODGJGExHTuSs2P_y0aKhFxt1VyTCNsj3FTgfMNmDHUsHA6UiFyXXA3MND4Zg_6IxapnIOczeqn5vrjOI-HY6J5sIus2HRGYyr6gOXi0/s1600/Aty2.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAYnjwnuAA8bofX-H77aTKZrLJym_RjIvcPBKSODGJGExHTuSs2P_y0aKhFxt1VyTCNsj3FTgfMNmDHUsHA6UiFyXXA3MND4Zg_6IxapnIOczeqn5vrjOI-HY6J5sIus2HRGYyr6gOXi0/s400/Aty2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOdXlbgskHZCS5ghiAGj6tJQyhF1df9bImZ8Wq2pQndPzPFDSkD7eoDK2FTfGvAK0v1Z3KDKj2yexIeued3ePa2-zGjMs8SwHNE6Zf61TMIlL-31XYJaIH_7tsN0aqoaxzGzOWNMvCXk5/s1600/Aty1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOdXlbgskHZCS5ghiAGj6tJQyhF1df9bImZ8Wq2pQndPzPFDSkD7eoDK2FTfGvAK0v1Z3KDKj2yexIeued3ePa2-zGjMs8SwHNE6Zf61TMIlL-31XYJaIH_7tsN0aqoaxzGzOWNMvCXk5/s400/Aty1.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
Red, check. Dynamic, check. Alter, check. <i>Glasses</i>, check! Is it any wonder Aty shoots to the top of my watch list? Of course not. I've never played Summon Night 3, but that's neither here nor there. After all, I need as much context to appreciate figures as I need an astrophysics degree to appreciate stars (a.k.a. none). Aty's aesthetically appealing enough on her own to stoke my collector's lust. I will pre-order her with the speed of a thousand octane engines!</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Alter's Sonico</b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgbt9ybHjjCWh6oOkuwJhMPpHLD1i-GQ5iStSZ9U-hmtuj0gf0LYOao_gK3KPmAv531ox8wnYZmbyi5FCQk1UKCLjbUYKQH2xvhLAegq7mB6hl0M5jII8hzoHxF1vCExIfoS9yd6XG2Ae/s1600/Alter+Sonico.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgbt9ybHjjCWh6oOkuwJhMPpHLD1i-GQ5iStSZ9U-hmtuj0gf0LYOao_gK3KPmAv531ox8wnYZmbyi5FCQk1UKCLjbUYKQH2xvhLAegq7mB6hl0M5jII8hzoHxF1vCExIfoS9yd6XG2Ae/s400/Alter+Sonico.jpeg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFU6GTgvdy0NczBiaE7KfTg3HYa7a8OIxBelTszwj-xEobUGGdeXroSN4ZPcG3k96g7EufqQwHRtGiGdSaTI7QwGEYcnaWE3Dd1E0fST2Wv_uy7ktW75D1GnOo6OLJ0VMR6h_O2SOY8eL/s1600/Alter+Sonico+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFU6GTgvdy0NczBiaE7KfTg3HYa7a8OIxBelTszwj-xEobUGGdeXroSN4ZPcG3k96g7EufqQwHRtGiGdSaTI7QwGEYcnaWE3Dd1E0fST2Wv_uy7ktW75D1GnOo6OLJ0VMR6h_O2SOY8eL/s400/Alter+Sonico+2.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;">Sonico + Alter = Win! It's not opinion, it's math, and math doesn't lie. Besides, it's about time a big company succumbed to Sonico's bodacious charms. Look at those big eyes, those curves, that sweet smile, that fuzzy hood! <i>I must have her</i>. Even as a sculpt, she looks amazing. Knowing Alter, her paint job's going to be spectacular as well. There's little doubt in my mind that I will pre-order her. Girls in hoodies for life!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Max Factory's 7th Dragon 2020 Miku </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;">7th Dragon 2020's Songstress Miku is an odd entry. I can name half a dozen things I dislike like about her. Her head is funny-shaped. Her eyes look sketchy. Her hair looks plastic. Her skirt reminds me of Hacker's. She's wide. She'll be expensive. Her blue-white-black colour scheme isn't as daring as either of her predecessors', and, well, she's <i>another</i> Miku. Yet despite my misgivings, there is something about the way she <i>comes together</i> that's <i>different</i>, and not in a bad way. Her big eyes, open arms, and almost <i>cheesy</i> strut is oddly charming. Plus Max Factory's quality is undeniable. I expect this figure, much like Samurai and Hacker, to grow on me over time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Sentinal's Levi</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU3UEeLWgTaFOYLMk7YNpMMli0WUBI2_cNERmsJnFIoQbKyeHsTjSxKxiXUygriVYyPWj8IXwgiAhMG5VU-i1ITChmDlH0oDGt4Sleoew-DUW8IPLpODhi1HA8xbDQz1ah1bfCCSM9hZc/s1600/Sentinal+Levi.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU3UEeLWgTaFOYLMk7YNpMMli0WUBI2_cNERmsJnFIoQbKyeHsTjSxKxiXUygriVYyPWj8IXwgiAhMG5VU-i1ITChmDlH0oDGt4Sleoew-DUW8IPLpODhi1HA8xbDQz1ah1bfCCSM9hZc/s400/Sentinal+Levi.jpeg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHZ9LPJHI6hziZT7VGmpBzgZUT_0moYzDVyWiKncR3od0o9W-rpn-xhmw8UT6J7lxDX6Au87DLZy_xhr1DcYxjDhw5A3QA6nCQvdzpkY85Ft7hu6zypSij97yokYqFoBUJtGoJgJgM451/s1600/Sentinal+Levi+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHZ9LPJHI6hziZT7VGmpBzgZUT_0moYzDVyWiKncR3od0o9W-rpn-xhmw8UT6J7lxDX6Au87DLZy_xhr1DcYxjDhw5A3QA6nCQvdzpkY85Ft7hu6zypSij97yokYqFoBUJtGoJgJgM451/s400/Sentinal+Levi+2.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;">When Sentinal unveiled their Levi figure, I screamed forever. <i>Yes</i>. He's perfect. Levi is <i>always perfect</i>. Sure, Sentinal isn't known for their high quality figures, but Levi will elevate them by presence alone. As long as Sentinal nails his deadpan expression, I don't care what they do with the rest of him. It's his defining characteristic, after all. I'm also keeping an eye on Kotobukiya's Levi. I will get <i>all</i> the Levis. I will carry them around in my pocket. <i>Yes</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>GSC's Mikasa Ackerman </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;">Continuing the Kyojin love! Is it a surprise Mikasa Ackerman got a scaled figure? Of course not. Badass without sacrificing her humanity, Mikasa is exactly the sort of female character I <i>adore</i>. Given GSC's female-only policy (disclaimer: not an actual policy, disclaimer: Len excluded), I wouldn't be surprised if she were the only character of the series to get a scaled figure (although if they do a Hanji Zoe, my year will explode out of sheer stupendity). I can't wait to see Mikasa's prototype.Give her a flying action pose, GSC, and you're guaranteed my money.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Native's Margit Suzuki</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Hzr2Jqsdpj_UsvJwy2oDx-9Uj39rXcu1B9A656u2eleg_4zzok0bM9KYy8D1SES-Kbor2V13vWDmyIQyYZBXLrMgxqU0A9xWsK9OqJxGrKgoxiQhebGzLRG2nHvr3x0riRJ0v8q-Vk-3/s1600/Native+scientist.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Hzr2Jqsdpj_UsvJwy2oDx-9Uj39rXcu1B9A656u2eleg_4zzok0bM9KYy8D1SES-Kbor2V13vWDmyIQyYZBXLrMgxqU0A9xWsK9OqJxGrKgoxiQhebGzLRG2nHvr3x0riRJ0v8q-Vk-3/s400/Native+scientist.jpeg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixki_IS_D6VKM1_f2QyXsGGTNe_MkX9I5AoZqmSbYbDiVc5KXyVmPPjGtH62VwXbsM968rpmNZPQR6nnVME6DD_n50lfWgLvx3asf62hqwTpOIDm9bPzUSEBBjPdDPJa6N71yAtvJ6J0yu/s1600/Native+scientist+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixki_IS_D6VKM1_f2QyXsGGTNe_MkX9I5AoZqmSbYbDiVc5KXyVmPPjGtH62VwXbsM968rpmNZPQR6nnVME6DD_n50lfWgLvx3asf62hqwTpOIDm9bPzUSEBBjPdDPJa6N71yAtvJ6J0yu/s400/Native+scientist+2.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;">By Native standards, Margit Suzuki is a simple figure. She doesn't have hair everywhere, or complex props, or an unique outfit (we've all seen the school uniform + thigh high combination before). She has only her lab coat, her red specs, her froggie slippers, and <i>science</i>. Look at her face. She's not embarrassed, she's contemplative. She's not playing with herself, she's engaging in experimental clitoral stimulation, and <i>I must have her</i>. In typical Native fashion, her lady parts are displayed unconventionally—through the feeble censorship of a transparent test tube. <i> </i>My only gripe with this figure is her childish appearance. I like my dirty figures curvier.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Alter's Shinobu</b> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmXA4CGpNKuPebPrwWKxlU8tB13RYpsDXo-MtGSb2WELjVtGudCCN_O0xMTrruFbvnds9sHAcKC5ZFF5VB9tAAMXQhkBbpjM7EZmbSWsGFxO0nnNC_Q6QimLuSokMUDAafO2zVVNMS0Sv/s1600/Shinobu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmXA4CGpNKuPebPrwWKxlU8tB13RYpsDXo-MtGSb2WELjVtGudCCN_O0xMTrruFbvnds9sHAcKC5ZFF5VB9tAAMXQhkBbpjM7EZmbSWsGFxO0nnNC_Q6QimLuSokMUDAafO2zVVNMS0Sv/s640/Shinobu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">She's doesn't have a prototype yet, and she's already on my want list. The mere announcement that Alter is picking up Shinobu was enough to send me into spasms of excitement. It looks like she's getting a cute, sunhat too. Yes! Shinobu is one of the few ladies I am willing to shrine, and Alter is one of the few companies in which I have full confidence. Unless something goes very, <i>very</i> wrong, I'll be picking her up.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Amakuni's Marika</b> <b>Katou</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OV9Hj2_A6YCK_JZsqmp4ITxHK3dKiGUbigxCU4RLKmQmwXiblrGKUEtGIKBUOyLAZRSiuwGasNyvRO7aVtdxKB1wlE9Y3waLjZQz2f87R-nV7X0vFAqlAanZRZ6M40dq8GNL5y3ipPFA/s1600/Marika.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OV9Hj2_A6YCK_JZsqmp4ITxHK3dKiGUbigxCU4RLKmQmwXiblrGKUEtGIKBUOyLAZRSiuwGasNyvRO7aVtdxKB1wlE9Y3waLjZQz2f87R-nV7X0vFAqlAanZRZ6M40dq8GNL5y3ipPFA/s640/Marika.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">Ok, so she wasn't announced at Wonfes, per se, but we did get many more tantelizing pictures. I've been waiting for Marika to get a figure. Mouretsu Pirates seems like a silly premise (school girl pirates in space? <i>Pffft</i>), but it turned out to be an enjoyable run, and Marika is difficult to dislike. She's silly, devious, hard-working, and charismatic all at once. Her costume is a pefect mix of school uniform and pirate captain. Look at her almost-smirk! Oh, and that trailing cape is too cool for skool. I'm a bit worried about her price, given that she's an Amakuni exclusive, but that's really the only misgiving I have about her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The Maybes</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Megahouse's Dragon's Crown figures</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdVPNsN-gvgHte0xPcoj9nBnayQN3suEMshuLNwihgS3g_76HUvUWfLbDKmAUM1gMWPFl8XgE1ZQM0_8lT-kSEI-oM3C5GrqgXyvxr-nsUWBtTGxtlF218cs1JiUZ7hkoaYli3-j7jx9j/s1600/Megahouse-Amazon.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdVPNsN-gvgHte0xPcoj9nBnayQN3suEMshuLNwihgS3g_76HUvUWfLbDKmAUM1gMWPFl8XgE1ZQM0_8lT-kSEI-oM3C5GrqgXyvxr-nsUWBtTGxtlF218cs1JiUZ7hkoaYli3-j7jx9j/s400/Megahouse-Amazon.png" width="265" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunrRfaiSihKHWQckYjr6UwsZx1RP3VIqtctOEFl13zhIhZiQp-jRncMsCQMPUZobHYIfTL4gbq_Q58goQvMP8vWsSJuDGP_uVfueILsOkUoHnF-N94uZUqmqALSs9nWAO90cC9RZbugY0/s1600/Megahouse-Archer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunrRfaiSihKHWQckYjr6UwsZx1RP3VIqtctOEFl13zhIhZiQp-jRncMsCQMPUZobHYIfTL4gbq_Q58goQvMP8vWsSJuDGP_uVfueILsOkUoHnF-N94uZUqmqALSs9nWAO90cC9RZbugY0/s400/Megahouse-Archer.png" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">I'm on the fence about Megahouse's Dragon's Crown series. I dig their dynamic poses and beautiful faces, but I'm not sure I like their proportions. Even Archer, who is the least stylized of the girls, has a disproportionately tiny head given the size of her body. I wish Alter picked up the Dragon Crown girls, given the fantastic job they did on their Odin Sphere and Muramasa lines, but Megahouse is by no means a shabby company. Still, I will need to see their paint jobs before making a decision.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Alter's Hayate Yagami</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYOT7UIjf6RZU86tIF7fmbATXcElVoPz_QbCd5BNOkCbYKMHD3EKTZ7h-yHPrumF2CXduURF3ogBdWjNDohJ1daeefHT8Y-QU0qFU1Iq_u0RaZwGWvxfssgsKLjIXqmuy3wxVEEZCpxGH/s1600/Hayate.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYOT7UIjf6RZU86tIF7fmbATXcElVoPz_QbCd5BNOkCbYKMHD3EKTZ7h-yHPrumF2CXduURF3ogBdWjNDohJ1daeefHT8Y-QU0qFU1Iq_u0RaZwGWvxfssgsKLjIXqmuy3wxVEEZCpxGH/s640/Hayate.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">Finally! Some Hayate love! I've been waiting for Hayate to get a good child sculpt for years. I'm just disappointed it doesn't vary much from her adult form. She's still got her wide-legged stance. She still has her staff in one hand and Book of Darkness in the other. As much as I love her determined expression, I'm not sure I'm as in love with her as I want to be. She's on my watch list for now, but whether I'll order her remains to be seen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Kotobukiya's Olivia</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9XKZrYTX3J4N_BxecpDEw9CSqhlNMCAXq_UKM4tg5RNx59yMEGRAvSaN3tqKygDW_CiQ_sitszQDtlMcMQvunSbFznn8vfxttIqPNyJjvhCNHsB_CC_9gHSBqc2fruK4jTeFA6W82jYF/s1600/Olivia.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9XKZrYTX3J4N_BxecpDEw9CSqhlNMCAXq_UKM4tg5RNx59yMEGRAvSaN3tqKygDW_CiQ_sitszQDtlMcMQvunSbFznn8vfxttIqPNyJjvhCNHsB_CC_9gHSBqc2fruK4jTeFA6W82jYF/s640/Olivia.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">My reaction to Olivia goes exactly as follows, "Oh my god, pretty wings! Oh, wait, it's a <i>Koto</i>." Koto, what am I supposed to say? My contempt towards them isn't exactly a secret. After all, they have a history of disappointing me. Their paint jobs have never been spectacular, their sculpts are lacking up close, and they have a tendency to present prettier prototypes than finished products. So yes, Olivia looks fantastic now, but I doubt she'll be mind-blowing in the end. If, if, <i>if</i> Kotobukiya can nail this one, I will put them back in my good books. Until then, Olivia stays firmly in my peripheral vision. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="color: black;"><b>Pulchra's Yukari Yuzuki, Max Factory's Cerberus, FREEing/Max Factory's Senbonzakura Miku</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIB0X6cQJ3vauQpVhPrvUdU1n2PwSkWKQGAjM15BRif_J2PTVciPiJRkmUQv7O66b5meJ6ZC1UfARtnmgUrbiemwYt6pO-9a79IiSQ7AQ_R-tXg1K2w-bYhbxvVux3jt8HZYvnu9Ly9l3u/s1600/Yukari+yuzuki.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIB0X6cQJ3vauQpVhPrvUdU1n2PwSkWKQGAjM15BRif_J2PTVciPiJRkmUQv7O66b5meJ6ZC1UfARtnmgUrbiemwYt6pO-9a79IiSQ7AQ_R-tXg1K2w-bYhbxvVux3jt8HZYvnu9Ly9l3u/s320/Yukari+yuzuki.jpeg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ks1vPKZ-DPb04VkTX8tgVwPSU76T5rOSsHE_9cLNpaTUhkl9BDJktMgNbNI2mPERvVlsJKqo6o0xAgmjm-dqLj_H3Z90zuhiP1LEiRFXT0zppJSrR2v2U7Qxa20cy4cv9v5oxYw7MwHa/s1600/Cerberus.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ks1vPKZ-DPb04VkTX8tgVwPSU76T5rOSsHE_9cLNpaTUhkl9BDJktMgNbNI2mPERvVlsJKqo6o0xAgmjm-dqLj_H3Z90zuhiP1LEiRFXT0zppJSrR2v2U7Qxa20cy4cv9v5oxYw7MwHa/s320/Cerberus.jpeg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpduznRZsIWRqYNjv7htMNUCeLW8-41rZ6knNdujSKKXcVT8FL6WSNhWK2cRyvE5Qv6Q2m1wqgePyyojnH1_mKcjmMaWhfTpBnEG4PVD27ifo_eXLmigA5hpII9jyMwI3LlJ0oI1HVH-f/s1600/Senbonzakura+Miku.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpduznRZsIWRqYNjv7htMNUCeLW8-41rZ6knNdujSKKXcVT8FL6WSNhWK2cRyvE5Qv6Q2m1wqgePyyojnH1_mKcjmMaWhfTpBnEG4PVD27ifo_eXLmigA5hpII9jyMwI3LlJ0oI1HVH-f/s320/Senbonzakura+Miku.jpeg" width="233" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a30000;">These three ladies caught my eye, but I have no real desire towards ordering them yet. Yukari Yuzuki is one of the gorgeous, V3 vocaloids, and one of my favourites to boot. Pulchra has her sculpt down to a tee, but I'll need to see her painted before making any financial commitments. Senbonzakura Miku may or may not come out fantastic, depending on which company is actually doing her (does anyone know for sure? Is it a collaboration?). Her floppy sleeves and yummy outfit look fantastic, but again, it's yet <i>another</i> Miku figure. Finally, I have no idea who Cerberus is, but she was interesting enough to catch my attention. Puppy dog hand gloves? <i>Wut, wuuut</i>? </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ash's List</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fighting against every basic human instinct for food and shelter for:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Max Factory's Benten</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim89G524Q9m5T35i2258kiDfCHRJ9tpqHQCiue1YwFe3Y7pWLNLoqJQDcRSmg8xAqeqGqf6pbQfU0FjutEWziRkbnTy4OwEZGhyphenhyphenlM5A9eCdKHxWqMzaF6XodvFYusagC8cRaILr8TV6yA/s1600/Benten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim89G524Q9m5T35i2258kiDfCHRJ9tpqHQCiue1YwFe3Y7pWLNLoqJQDcRSmg8xAqeqGqf6pbQfU0FjutEWziRkbnTy4OwEZGhyphenhyphenlM5A9eCdKHxWqMzaF6XodvFYusagC8cRaILr8TV6yA/s400/Benten.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Yes, this prancing confusion of limbs is a guy. He’s from a manga called Zone-00 and the only things I remember about the series are the sexy nuns, and pacing so erratic, it gave me whiplash. Zone-00 is a relatively obscure manga series with no anime, and Benten </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">isn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> even the main character. So this announcement is very much a cross-section of numerous unlikely decisions. Max Factory clearly aimed to shock and amaze with this one and they absolutely succeeded. Even if I </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> know who Benten was, I would want him anyways. His design </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">doesn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> just hit my buttons, it freaking smashes them. A cursory glance reveals an ethereal being, all feathers, hair and lutes but on closer inspection, you get a glimpse of a tattoo, a cigarette and eye make-up that would shame a hooker. He's a gorgeous blend of grace and grit, like a bewinged pin-up. Based on Aoba and Benten, it's clear that Max Factory is aiming to be a major threat to the male figure collector's wallet.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Megahouse's Ginpachi-sensei</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSkxYQ9NtL23zWS3lL5sJbA0POSl9Hi5nfLNaIddce5X3-ug6LZTwR1HiskGhz1CW0OX5FTKg7JeTiRUf7ZJetuT5C2TMkojWN-kQW5aJ1gFg4tV9_g9DQMcs2b8p3RTLgLOJosxHdwEV/s1600/Ginpachi-sensei.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSkxYQ9NtL23zWS3lL5sJbA0POSl9Hi5nfLNaIddce5X3-ug6LZTwR1HiskGhz1CW0OX5FTKg7JeTiRUf7ZJetuT5C2TMkojWN-kQW5aJ1gFg4tV9_g9DQMcs2b8p3RTLgLOJosxHdwEV/s400/Ginpachi-sensei.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Gintama is my favourite series so predictably, I've set out to grab every scaled figure from the series that I possibly can. It's worth noting that Gintoki figures alone comprise about 20% of my current collection so to say that I'm shrining him is putting it lightly (you can never have too much badass in your collection, after all). The be-spectacled and consumate fetish-fuel, Ginpachi-sensei is one of Gintoki's many personae. He is a teacher at Gintama High and sometimes actually manages to do his job occasionally despite his obvious lack of fucks. I'm digging the devil-may-care stride of this figure. And as though he wasn't delectable enough, he's fetching cake (or books depending on the attachment). Combined with his unruly appearance and a face that screams, "the hell you lookin' at?", he would have been on my must-have radar even if he wasn't already my favourite character.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Alter's Nanase Haruka</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7kWLeBwbOziZN8u3YRzi6-nAPLq7d-UlKO8yReRJf7qgGCIb1BIHdg9LV5x5uwsjbrf_ql1ibPZ-svY4zrpxcsn0mu7NpL33GeFj3YznKJ58yq3aPP1jtazLAClSiZlCJaPuXDnhMbo-/s1600/Nanase+Haruka.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7kWLeBwbOziZN8u3YRzi6-nAPLq7d-UlKO8yReRJf7qgGCIb1BIHdg9LV5x5uwsjbrf_ql1ibPZ-svY4zrpxcsn0mu7NpL33GeFj3YznKJ58yq3aPP1jtazLAClSiZlCJaPuXDnhMbo-/s320/Nanase+Haruka.png" width="226" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">When Alter announced that it was going to release Free!'s Nanase Haruka, it came as a shock to a whopping 0% of the fans. Seriously, this show is as famous for its hype as it is for its rampant homo-eroticism. It's only five episodes in and I bet there's already a movie in the works. Nevertheless, this news is definitely not unwelcome. In fact, it's exactly one of the things I'd been looking forward to when I first got into the series. Nanase may be one of the first scaled male swimsuit figures ever and given his preternatural relationship with water, I can't think of a more appropriate character for that honour. When Alter offers me an unrealistically rippled pretty boy in a skintight swimsuit, I don't need a prototype. My baser urges are pretty much in the driver's seat at that point.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Megahouse's Kuroko Tetsuya</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwxanxQTLVQC3gl12kwqMt_y9I8VRD1RhvfB3wVZrxtb-jxxy60SBmh5waBRKRw9wMREe56MgXwX0Bsm_JrjcHMBcbktwm-4BlvQ8JWOAwKoHydaoYTKePdlveTG0IyDvutoJx1cq8InF/s1600/Kuroko.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwxanxQTLVQC3gl12kwqMt_y9I8VRD1RhvfB3wVZrxtb-jxxy60SBmh5waBRKRw9wMREe56MgXwX0Bsm_JrjcHMBcbktwm-4BlvQ8JWOAwKoHydaoYTKePdlveTG0IyDvutoJx1cq8InF/s400/Kuroko.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Check out that dynamism! It's as though Kuroko's been frozen mid-play. I'm impressed with the subtle sculpt of his musculature and focused expression (no doubt readying himself to troll some unsuspecting player through misdirection). I'm highly delighted with his sculpt already. His clothes and limbs are expertly rendered and I look forward to seeing it painted. Megahouse also captured his face's natural cuteness. The precarious pose is a bit of a concern for me. I love that Megahouse is taking a bit of a risk with this pose but I hope that leaning won't be an issue. With Megahouse taking up Kuroko no Basket, Kotobukiya taking up Prince of Tennis and Alter taking on Free!, I'm looking at a finance-depleting collection of anime athletes and you'll hear no complaints from me. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>FREEing's Senbonzakura Kaito and Len</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQshTqgWFF4XaaSOfpHFVm9IG_oni4UM8n0OMh0aLjlxmzwJdW4_TDfF8L4rzAWoY_JQmgpZ4OzTK_52LVamndsHwqrsJECLGdT-86UZ1MbK9PqLq_61Dj8O2rfPvyfLkZ4RDExbqhQ7U/s1600/Senbonzakura+Vocaloids.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQshTqgWFF4XaaSOfpHFVm9IG_oni4UM8n0OMh0aLjlxmzwJdW4_TDfF8L4rzAWoY_JQmgpZ4OzTK_52LVamndsHwqrsJECLGdT-86UZ1MbK9PqLq_61Dj8O2rfPvyfLkZ4RDExbqhQ7U/s640/Senbonzakura+Vocaloids.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">I have a burning propensity for Taisho era-inspired clothing. It's the enticing combination of clean, power-exuding military uniforms with the floral, swish of traditional Japanese clothing that can utterly rob me of any sense of frugality. Not to mention that I've been waiting for Kaito to get a scaled figure ever since I started collecting. He's my favourite Vocaloid and woefully underrepresented. So imagine the joy-fueled paroxysms I experienced when FREEing announced that they were going to release the Senbonzakura version Vocaloids. I'm a fan of Len and Kaito's Senbonzakura designs so I'm looking forward to seeing the prototypes. Though simply by releasing the first scaled Kaito figure they've secured a purchase from me. Like Sentinel, FREEing doesn't have the credibility that companies like Megahouse, Alter and GSC have but once again, like Sentinel, they have managed to pander to my tastes completely. Speaking of which...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Sentinel's Levi </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFvMJNWvvjaEhBn2wcK1sOJCbPZAuPujqpUmdDiTJ4iJqx__9_ui3N6AtxeUjZ0H4d6LlwNsAmiQz19irBM-SOAmfXKm3HWxae6SZer9N6VmFosCfzErUhfWVyNKJRXpMuB8cC7vmvcsK/s1600/Levi+again.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFvMJNWvvjaEhBn2wcK1sOJCbPZAuPujqpUmdDiTJ4iJqx__9_ui3N6AtxeUjZ0H4d6LlwNsAmiQz19irBM-SOAmfXKm3HWxae6SZer9N6VmFosCfzErUhfWVyNKJRXpMuB8cC7vmvcsK/s400/Levi+again.png" width="282" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgSojThPUp8LC-vNsOsoOue4BMwCK9Jsx5NVGbkztYMWlx-ogWWDBWJrtFA3xRvZtdUVVn1z3aIU2zKaPatg-l9f8UyAONJRA0ORu6vQSQbP0lbolnkswH52GtvzFX9xROo79E70uPtAS/s1600/Grumpy+Levi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgSojThPUp8LC-vNsOsoOue4BMwCK9Jsx5NVGbkztYMWlx-ogWWDBWJrtFA3xRvZtdUVVn1z3aIU2zKaPatg-l9f8UyAONJRA0ORu6vQSQbP0lbolnkswH52GtvzFX9xROo79E70uPtAS/s400/Grumpy+Levi.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">I know Jenn already mentioned him but this announcement bears repeating. His fabulous ornamentation coupled with that annoyed and cold expression sing to me the virtues of my impending poverty. He's sporting a military style but with a roguish flair so I honestly never stood a chance. He's also packing. Is there a single inch on his body that doesn't promise certain doom for any wandering titan? Nope. With just a disdainful glare from the first picture he can probably cause a lesser titan to drop dead from shame. His prototype looks superb so I'll give Sentinel a chance despite their lack of street cred. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Megahouse's Aladdin</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMeWTJl5JqDxe8XIMhc-TwB0sPLJw4IngNZ_krbDW7EuRyi85iVJq3n0WimWGpUcnoee1buRBwok218AM73bqQPavPzgylje6g1NoKNDAQW54AVssG0r_3G8yqY00ixLuASZvgzZetUEh/s1600/Aladdin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMeWTJl5JqDxe8XIMhc-TwB0sPLJw4IngNZ_krbDW7EuRyi85iVJq3n0WimWGpUcnoee1buRBwok218AM73bqQPavPzgylje6g1NoKNDAQW54AVssG0r_3G8yqY00ixLuASZvgzZetUEh/s400/Aladdin.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Doesn't it look like he's about to burst into song? I'm tickled by Aladdin's playful dance-like pose but the things that won me over the most were his eyes and expressive face. They're gorgeously painted and exude Aladdin's happy magic. Not to mention the painted prototypes suggest that he's strikingly vibrant where it counts. He's just so wonderfully blue and puffy. His flute and wand are also beautifully detailed. I'm even willing to overlook the fact that Aladdin can come off as toothpick thin because his adorably big smile is just so darn persuasive.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Alter's Jinguuji Ren, Hijirikawa Masato, Kurusu Shou, and Shinomiya Natsuki</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfWXxHnykpv4lVyAmyX-47udSX3ZIpA6QgGCT9LYmX4EbZ6q6ov1r9Sv0NOvHq2lbNAD6iGOvsgDIHRl2wIBSiBidJa2-CIkCH9jLQF6R36PK47rFg6dOhXlHReHUK_kjd-tvyCVAlgf7/s1600/Masato.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfWXxHnykpv4lVyAmyX-47udSX3ZIpA6QgGCT9LYmX4EbZ6q6ov1r9Sv0NOvHq2lbNAD6iGOvsgDIHRl2wIBSiBidJa2-CIkCH9jLQF6R36PK47rFg6dOhXlHReHUK_kjd-tvyCVAlgf7/s400/Masato.png" width="282" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JFaApzUhvg_XhdBzaqPRcr-dvi6XIuOvkhaOqYyPW3jIJooBn06IReqbg54Rf9Cx_7ykgONNccNf3xoSMsbUuZ1s8Uhf034el4LpEK_ABdxI2x1FvcD_HHl7fGS-bpZmzJf94qudZnJX/s1600/Ren.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JFaApzUhvg_XhdBzaqPRcr-dvi6XIuOvkhaOqYyPW3jIJooBn06IReqbg54Rf9Cx_7ykgONNccNf3xoSMsbUuZ1s8Uhf034el4LpEK_ABdxI2x1FvcD_HHl7fGS-bpZmzJf94qudZnJX/s400/Ren.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7nlByAGMWfxHPOeYmwHV-nyr2S5_7cqSnUM2GHJUC57kXGL2GbnR66JJ8Btn77p56YNFaN19wwJ8jF0uFN3NpKhkgngt_edRtV4aAB87HN7uAhbPo4sMj0YzTvj0kgZkHnNS1PfDE6je/s1600/Natsuki+and+Shou.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7nlByAGMWfxHPOeYmwHV-nyr2S5_7cqSnUM2GHJUC57kXGL2GbnR66JJ8Btn77p56YNFaN19wwJ8jF0uFN3NpKhkgngt_edRtV4aAB87HN7uAhbPo4sMj0YzTvj0kgZkHnNS1PfDE6je/s640/Natsuki+and+Shou.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">I'm not going to get into how I feel about Utapri and its characters. I'll leave that to my Tokiya review. I will say that based on Tokiya (who is from the same series as these four) and that fact that they are from Alter, these gentlemen will, in all likelihood, be technically stunning. It's hard to ignore scrupulous craftsmanship and bright colours and I've very good reason to believe that Ren, Shou, Natsuki and Masato will have all of those things in spades. Whether I'll buy all four, pick and choose between them, or ignore them completely remains uncertain right now. I'll keep these boys in my sights for now and wait for their painted prototypes. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Kotobukiya's Malik, Yami Malik, and Yoko Kurama</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-Lgggud6q82axmWwUL8ly_pZIOENMD9kHFlYmsQEYqiDm3aICCRrk5lm1weYNQOR5a4j_0xfjMAqBQ9qgWFKQST8KY1Xb7Q5ZtOP_40RVZsi2NPTMKXnYTKsazaMhCLM0C_anwe84bkf/s1600/Koto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-Lgggud6q82axmWwUL8ly_pZIOENMD9kHFlYmsQEYqiDm3aICCRrk5lm1weYNQOR5a4j_0xfjMAqBQ9qgWFKQST8KY1Xb7Q5ZtOP_40RVZsi2NPTMKXnYTKsazaMhCLM0C_anwe84bkf/s640/Koto.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;">Poke the Merch is very vocal about its criticism of Kotobukiya, but to be fair, they are asking for it. Most of the time their prototypes are deceptively enticing but then they fail to deliver. I suspect this will be the case with Yoko Kurama whose prototype is sublime. So I'm naturally cautious about ordering him. In other cases, the prototypes actually resemble the sub-par product you will ultimately end up paying for which is basically the case for the YuGiOh! line. Unfortunately, Koto knows how to prey mercilessly on my sense of nostalgia. I am sorely tempted by Yu Yu Hakusho's Yoko Kurama and YuGiOh!'s Malik and Yami Malik. In fact, I want all the figures from those series but I can't stand the idea of paying good money for crappy paint jobs and wonky hips. They already got me with their Prince of Tennis figures and now with their YuGiOh! and Yu Yu Hakusho figures baiting me, I'm starting to understand why they don't bother improving their quality. I mean, why bother when they can just as easily appeal to the impetuous little kid in us all? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Suich's List</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Appreciating, but probably not buying:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #003399;">It's true! While I most likely will not be buying the figures displayed fabulously at Wonfes, I can certainly appreciate them! They're all eye candy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Alter's Tales of Symphonia Line</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIJhNiaZfW4m3OqEfq_DziAkmTZKLlNlZgGXz6JjXSJ2dxIqYqzcs9UnXAYKcBZk89dRrXYVB-GnPd0gawB7SXcBzHCHnQOOexqfAsxLECOel1MfI93GlScCkiLsdZELQnBNTfbx84Jmd/s1600/Tales+of+Symphonia.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIJhNiaZfW4m3OqEfq_DziAkmTZKLlNlZgGXz6JjXSJ2dxIqYqzcs9UnXAYKcBZk89dRrXYVB-GnPd0gawB7SXcBzHCHnQOOexqfAsxLECOel1MfI93GlScCkiLsdZELQnBNTfbx84Jmd/s400/Tales+of+Symphonia.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagpKTzxZ94dZ_4ATBDYXP4ZczR2FqsPaoEbpyA5lmQ_16qf6vtIS4LTLa7HaIt6-wbU8l9Q214phBNlgdE9PlI3aFHVRrlPXMP7f0W9opa8Wd87hdbl2zEiXxgsXCsKND8QIBpTkQmjvU/s1600/Zelos.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagpKTzxZ94dZ_4ATBDYXP4ZczR2FqsPaoEbpyA5lmQ_16qf6vtIS4LTLa7HaIt6-wbU8l9Q214phBNlgdE9PlI3aFHVRrlPXMP7f0W9opa8Wd87hdbl2zEiXxgsXCsKND8QIBpTkQmjvU/s400/Zelos.jpeg" width="287" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
I'm really glad Alter picked up the Tales of series because it really deserves top quality figures! Plus the costumes generally look nice. Alter's definitely captured Zelos' character, though I will admit that he seems geared more towards the female collectors. I'm not saying the males won't be picking him up but you know Zelos wants a lady judging by his pose! I'm sure Alter and/or Tales of Symphonia fans will want to add him to their collection. It's a male figure so naturally he'll be cheaper than all the female figures done by Alter! Get your money ready, fans!<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Good Smile Company's Nendoroid Link</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuxWu5rRAIL22zPR9waifP4o-qbMsDvYH0S-uIpBh7bdWUN4wefGFFyv6hd4Y-65gnuGrh9ItBJh6Xsr94VAXVZctx1T6saye5KZAFAnhkRw-8Rhqp3voTc96VyqJt8FePIRu94DqdSPm/s1600/Link+Nendoroid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuxWu5rRAIL22zPR9waifP4o-qbMsDvYH0S-uIpBh7bdWUN4wefGFFyv6hd4Y-65gnuGrh9ItBJh6Xsr94VAXVZctx1T6saye5KZAFAnhkRw-8Rhqp3voTc96VyqJt8FePIRu94DqdSPm/s320/Link+Nendoroid.png" width="226" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"><br />
I'll admit it. I didn't see this one coming. I didn't expect GSC to pick up a Nintendo character, but I sure as hell am not complaining! I love Link! I also love chibi-fied characters, so yeah, I might be tempted to pick this little guy up. I know a certain hard-core Zelda fan who will definitely pre-order him the second she saw him. The Zelda series could definitely use more affordable figures, so I'm glad GSC's releasing a Nendoroid of Windwaker Link! Hopefully they grab Zelda or Midna next! Link should have a buddy on the shelf!<br />
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Can you imagine a Navi Nendoroid? Not as an attachment for Link. Just a Nendoroid. It'd be pretty bad, right?<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Megahouse's Aladdin and Morgiana</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #003399;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_lVagsNyHAkKkJ-ziFK-DbS1h-4Y_mUpdFpMUu7aPaKG3L-JUJFu8o9lMcJARxAQGxnv1s2Uox5vl89Q72yRXlB9SOPxnDrxzkvh-EqgBe-tuAExFztGAJkAp_eLMu_o6wEb1jzyBBN5/s1600/Aladdin.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_lVagsNyHAkKkJ-ziFK-DbS1h-4Y_mUpdFpMUu7aPaKG3L-JUJFu8o9lMcJARxAQGxnv1s2Uox5vl89Q72yRXlB9SOPxnDrxzkvh-EqgBe-tuAExFztGAJkAp_eLMu_o6wEb1jzyBBN5/s400/Aladdin.jpg" width="267" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXmQgFM6LxSJOQAo3A8kJVOYk2RYAAqBCscMlO9VtSB0bqhRNZ_42w9iKshpVRB9uIXBsReE8dzjL2zRStcG6mx50vxvUdV7o6YOLCt80OMB0HoqfB9IWPBb-z-qBRBNk2kY_n0maPexi/s1600/Mor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXmQgFM6LxSJOQAo3A8kJVOYk2RYAAqBCscMlO9VtSB0bqhRNZ_42w9iKshpVRB9uIXBsReE8dzjL2zRStcG6mx50vxvUdV7o6YOLCt80OMB0HoqfB9IWPBb-z-qBRBNk2kY_n0maPexi/s400/Mor.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #003399;"> <br />
I love how the Magi characters look as though they're dancing! They're so carefree and happy I can't help but smile when I look at them!<br />
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Aladdin, being the adventurous 10-year-old that he is here, looks adorable and full of spirit! I always appreciate the sense of movement in some figures. Just look at the "whoosh" in his pose. His hair bounces out as he lifts himself with the balls of his feet. I love it! In addition to that, I believe he comes with a tiny (derpy) dancing Aladdin as well! Too bad it wasn't on display with big Aladdin.<br />
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I actually really like that Aladdin's staff has a bit of texture. Well, at least from here it looks like it does. We can't judge him properly unless he's in our hands, right? In any case, I'm happy G.E.M. Megahouse picked him up!<br />
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Next we have Morgiana who looks absolutely lovely here, what with her elegant dancing pose and her smashing smile. I think most of us Magi fans imagined her in her standard outfit if she ever got a figure, so I think we were taken by surprise here! Not only is she wearing her dance festival costume but she's actually <b>smiling</b>, which is quite rare! I think Magi fans all around would be happy having this amazing little lady on their shelves! Until she's ready to be released, you can only gaze upon her unpainted splendor online! Hopefully Morgiana will come with a mini Mor. I'm counting on you to do a good job, Megahouse!</span><br />
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And that concludes our Wonfes spazzing! There were plenty of amazing figures on display this year and chances are our wallets are already weeping. Some figures aren't available for pre-order yet, so it's time to start saving up!<br />
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It was a pleasure to see more male figures on display this year. They're finally getting the love they deserve so let's look forward to seeing more!<br />
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What figures are you all looking forward to?<br />
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<b>Peace out,<br />
Poke Crew</b>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-36680785169335228942013-07-30T11:16:00.000-04:002013-07-30T18:07:59.458-04:001/8 Princess of the Crystal (GSC)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohvirTNOzlLcM2d7q2IGgZQFQs9TyO3uGH_tOSlSMbwhu_Cb-_N1SFHwAItkoQ1qtNdVTceLoEn5biN2Wkz9i6mYs-7SP0P5iZUjXgnI59PDcsXkvA3UlrFuXis923h8RDbYrYoFkkBZq/s1600/Review-icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohvirTNOzlLcM2d7q2IGgZQFQs9TyO3uGH_tOSlSMbwhu_Cb-_N1SFHwAItkoQ1qtNdVTceLoEn5biN2Wkz9i6mYs-7SP0P5iZUjXgnI59PDcsXkvA3UlrFuXis923h8RDbYrYoFkkBZq/s1600/Review-icon.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"><i>"Let's initiate the survival strategy!"</i>—Princess of the Crystal <br />
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Once in a while, I pick up a figure that doesn't have guns a-blazin', booty a-bouncin', or bases a-stounding. Once in a while, I pick up figures because I like the character (<i>shocking</i>, I know). Princess of the Crystal had a slew of memorable moments in Mawaru Penguin Drum. She's flamboyant, blunt, dominating, and able to deliver a deadpan <i>seiron senryaku</i>. She made me laugh, and laughter is a surefire way to my heart.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;">Mawaru Penguindrum was an—<i>interesting </i>show. It has the special distinction of making me legit cry without fully understanding why. The only other entity to do that was the last paragraph of Cormac McCarthy's The Road (trout, guys, trout). With heavy symbolism, numerous cross-references, a nonlinear narrative, and a preoccupation on theme, Mawaru Penguindrum exactly the sort of show I usually dismiss as pretentious<i>, except that I actually enjoyed it, damn it. </i>It's artistic direction, beautiful soundtrack, well-rounded characters, and incredible atmospheric development made up for whatever downfalls it might have had. Sure, it got ambiguous and <i>poetic </i>at times, but it also refused to hold my hand, and dared me to engage. </span></div>
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I could happily write essays about this show, but that's not what we're here for. We're here for plastic goodness.<br />
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Princess of the Crystal's box is heavy, corrugated, and made to catch your eye. Nevermind grace or coordination. This box is all about <i>blam</i>. It has symbols abound, bold text, and glaring red circles. I love it. GSC nailed her backdrop. It's a beautiful, brazen pink. Promo pics of the Princess are made to stand out. It's in no way an elegant box. It just wants to be noticed.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b> </b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="color: black;"> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GQTb0Z5Bdg/UfWw1h3TV8I/AAAAAAAAJCM/RfAp5g7PIeM/s1600/PoC-box.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="349" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GQTb0Z5Bdg/UfWw1h3TV8I/AAAAAAAAJCM/RfAp5g7PIeM/s400/PoC-box.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TVLkd39Qr7k/UfWwzD0Es_I/AAAAAAAAJCE/uz_5POqPucc/s1600/PoC-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TVLkd39Qr7k/UfWwzD0Es_I/AAAAAAAAJCE/uz_5POqPucc/s400/PoC-box-2.png" width="316" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Princess of the Crystal has an <i>enormous</i> base. It's the size and weight of a frisbee. This is no wafer-thin piece of plastic we're talking about. We're talking about<i> dinner-plate-style</i> mass. I could eat off this appletini slab, it's so sizeable. Thankfully, its semi-trasparency is rather attractive, and as you'll see below, her highness doesn't actually<i> </i>need a stand at all.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzwcJR4JXVw9aL2XNewmmYRHsuq1ugVJTP0yRzX1wZ0En4RW1ncIcuQvIgwtWSbOJbSGKgMKPBI9psl2r7f8gTLU5Z0UU0NbNKvteiBA53x0BgcI6mtpP4mOqC7d3tobEVjU1RyUzAME/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzwcJR4JXVw9aL2XNewmmYRHsuq1ugVJTP0yRzX1wZ0En4RW1ncIcuQvIgwtWSbOJbSGKgMKPBI9psl2r7f8gTLU5Z0UU0NbNKvteiBA53x0BgcI6mtpP4mOqC7d3tobEVjU1RyUzAME/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TOw31sMj--M/UdkIa964UvI/AAAAAAAAI4Q/F9JteuzIKxI/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TOw31sMj--M/UdkIa964UvI/AAAAAAAAI4Q/F9JteuzIKxI/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-4.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Princess of the Crystal has an unique sense of fashion. If I were to describe it in one word, it would be: Ringmaster. Her theatrical clash of colours, leotard, and nonsensical penguin hat give her a strong, circus flair. <i>This ain't your mother's school uniform, sir</i>. The Princess sets her own trends. Her thigh-highs and high cut panties add a sense of fetishism to her figure.<br />
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Posed with one hand outstretched and heels firmly planted, Princess of the Crystal gives off an aura of dominance and assurance. What do you think she's saying? Probably, "<i>Listen, you lowlifes who will never amount to anything</i><i>. Obtain the Penguin Drum.</i>" While I'm a little disappointed she doesn't have this pose:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOPWP0Z7PaQIDUobc9Mbamos-N_PGRgD4hPZSdAHcP1dIF_5UZv71YjAT16ge5vBHSJ_DxjeDeTQNOIYgKG_i6piabKG6rn7AzzTRvM3U7YL4KWeGyCnRk-48fCHzPuzHbWZENxHaLiIf/s1600/PoC+pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOPWP0Z7PaQIDUobc9Mbamos-N_PGRgD4hPZSdAHcP1dIF_5UZv71YjAT16ge5vBHSJ_DxjeDeTQNOIYgKG_i6piabKG6rn7AzzTRvM3U7YL4KWeGyCnRk-48fCHzPuzHbWZENxHaLiIf/s1600/PoC+pose.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IMAGINE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still relatively satisfied with the pose we got. Now that I think about it, her dynamic pose would require a more dynamic face (otherwise it would seem forced and silly), and figure companies are, for whatever reason, reluctant to sculpt shouting expressions.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-abPxkxXR-dU/UdkIxA56nRI/AAAAAAAAI5Y/jqHhg3xyY3Q/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-abPxkxXR-dU/UdkIxA56nRI/AAAAAAAAI5Y/jqHhg3xyY3Q/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-1.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2eXgRmm3XNQ/UdkIzJyk4KI/AAAAAAAAI5g/jX-8f-a9rAI/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2eXgRmm3XNQ/UdkIzJyk4KI/AAAAAAAAI5g/jX-8f-a9rAI/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9lQqK06ng0/UdkI1VrnL5I/AAAAAAAAI5o/oe9Y4ZzBKHg/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9lQqK06ng0/UdkI1VrnL5I/AAAAAAAAI5o/oe9Y4ZzBKHg/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-3.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RbFmuwPAv6A/UdkI3ibC5kI/AAAAAAAAI5w/pmmtFRa_KRs/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RbFmuwPAv6A/UdkI3ibC5kI/AAAAAAAAI5w/pmmtFRa_KRs/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-full-4.png" width="316" /></a></span></div>
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Princess of the Crystal wins my award for Most Delayed Figure (though some of Alter's 2013 figures will surely surpass her). Slated for release November of 2012, she was finally released June 2013. See, I'm a patient person, but half a year, GSC, <i>half a year</i>. Sit down, and reflect upon your actions! <br />
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Thank goodness she's near perfect. With the last few GSC figures being either a bit of a flop (<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/01/18-miku-hatsune-2001-racing-ver-gsc.html" target:_blank="">Racing Miku 2011</a>, and Inori) or less impressive than I imagined (<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-tenshi-exclusive-ver-gsc.html" target:_blank="">Tenshi</a>), GSC was overdue for a good one. Princess of the Crystal looks just like her promo pictures, maybe even a little better. I love her eyes. She has very distinct, <strike>laser</strike> magenta eyes, and GSC doesn't disappoint.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-roY0r-195og/UdkIrcKxOJI/AAAAAAAAI5I/2FDQFRPERMY/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-roY0r-195og/UdkIrcKxOJI/AAAAAAAAI5I/2FDQFRPERMY/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-3.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0poBxuXdQA/UdkIuUcj23I/AAAAAAAAI5Q/3qfe49AJfaw/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0poBxuXdQA/UdkIuUcj23I/AAAAAAAAI5Q/3qfe49AJfaw/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5JI_0e3_fw/UdkIqEMQwXI/AAAAAAAAI5A/YC-0d8eENx4/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5JI_0e3_fw/UdkIqEMQwXI/AAAAAAAAI5A/YC-0d8eENx4/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-2.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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Princess of the Crystal's hat isn't removeable, and covers many of the nasty hair seams we're so used to seeing on figures. The back of her hair could have been a bit less, <i>clumpy</i>, and more layered, but it's not enough for me to list it as a fault. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iBXAITuQH_U/UdkJSxqykwI/AAAAAAAAI7Q/4ew7YGcrunM/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-profile-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iBXAITuQH_U/UdkJSxqykwI/AAAAAAAAI7Q/4ew7YGcrunM/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-profile-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YnSB_CwxPNA/UdkJXEHAuoI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/UQRth83ofpg/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-profile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YnSB_CwxPNA/UdkJXEHAuoI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/UQRth83ofpg/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-profile.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra2LKr9XuBE/UdkI_PL_yJI/AAAAAAAAI6I/3sgdPiaIBSs/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hair.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra2LKr9XuBE/UdkI_PL_yJI/AAAAAAAAI6I/3sgdPiaIBSs/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hair.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Princess of the Crystal's hat is an interesting entity. On one hand, it's a hat. On the other, it's one half of a small girl's soul. Never you mind who. I speaketh no spoilers. The sculpt of her hat is clean, and the paint is sharp. The penguin hat even has little nostrils, which I find eternally endearing.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghc1SaXhSQI/UdkJHhUYHOI/AAAAAAAAI6o/_UkSZlhYYE4/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghc1SaXhSQI/UdkJHhUYHOI/AAAAAAAAI6o/_UkSZlhYYE4/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iK2qMGDfrq0/UdkJDJLMRNI/AAAAAAAAI6Y/PXrbbl2Hi8I/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iK2qMGDfrq0/UdkJDJLMRNI/AAAAAAAAI6Y/PXrbbl2Hi8I/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat-back.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the past few months, GSC has tumbled from my second favourite manufacturer to my fourth. Much of their descent is thanks to the questionable quality of their more recent figures, but Princess of the Crystal infuses them with a much needed dose of esteem. <br />
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Princess of the Crystal is one part girl, two parts dress, and GSC pulls through mightily with her outfit. Look at the cleaniness of her lines, the excellent gloss, the discreet wrinkles of her coat, the glorious indents in her skirt! The variation between gloss and matte gives her costume a mixed-materials appearance. Her top, sleeves, and heels looks like vinyl, while her skirt and hat appear softer. Oh my, material verisimilitude! I <i>do </i>enjoy material verisimilitude.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f8iQQU1k0Vs/UdkJeRs-BBI/AAAAAAAAI74/CCB3yEQOwYs/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-top.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f8iQQU1k0Vs/UdkJeRs-BBI/AAAAAAAAI74/CCB3yEQOwYs/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-top.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSHoLORNYZs/UdkJJyQ5CwI/AAAAAAAAI6w/ZOeGmppP8lo/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-huge-dress.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSHoLORNYZs/UdkJJyQ5CwI/AAAAAAAAI6w/ZOeGmppP8lo/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-huge-dress.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Princess of the Crystal gets naked frequently, and it's little wonder why. Her dress is enormous! If I had to drag around half a hot air balloon, I'd want to get rid of it too. <br />
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Princess of the Crystal was auto-EMS thanks to her enormous skirt. It easily increases her size twice (maybe even thrice), which, if I have learned anything from zoology, establishes her as a dominent member of her species. There are no real sculpt or paint issues to grump about. I assume the white bits were wriggled on after the black and red sections are painted to prevent paint bleed from occuring. Clever.<br />
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There are a couple of what appear to be oil stains on the black regions of her dress, but they're not noticeable at most angles. <br />
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Princess of the Crystal has some <i>fabulous</i> boots. Having tried 7-inchers maybe twice in my life, I can attest to the skill it takes to stand, let alone <i>strut</i>, in heels. The added height gives a satisfying sense of dominance, but the extra ankle-twisting wasn't worth it. Thus was born my immense respect for women (and men) who can work these babies on an everyday basis.<br />
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The wrinkles along the back of her ankle are gorgeous, and the sheen, oh my, <i>the sheen</i>. Look at the light reflect off her calves. Not a single fingerprint or blemish in sight. It's positively orgasmic!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZ5ERixuZTY/UdkIf19ZjJI/AAAAAAAAI4g/2Z9zqbYGqms/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-boot-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZ5ERixuZTY/UdkIf19ZjJI/AAAAAAAAI4g/2Z9zqbYGqms/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-boot-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J2juxgvJpnU/UdkJMPrIztI/AAAAAAAAI64/QFQgfskDOzE/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-legs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J2juxgvJpnU/UdkJMPrIztI/AAAAAAAAI64/QFQgfskDOzE/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-legs.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dhp9AE55_s8/UdkIhzRVV4I/AAAAAAAAI4o/j2Yhqg4ZtRQ/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-boot.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dhp9AE55_s8/UdkIhzRVV4I/AAAAAAAAI4o/j2Yhqg4ZtRQ/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-boot.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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GSC is a Big Name when it comes to figures, but they aren't renouned for producing the most detailed work. As I always assert, Alter is the true champion of Byzantine frou-frou, set on a pedestal so lofty that other companies can only keen for scraps from below. (Ok, maybe that was a slight exaggeration. Please don't break my limbss, other companies. I need those to pick up Alter figures.) This time though, GSC <i>almost</i> nailed it. <br />
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Princess of the Crystal has wonderful distinction on her buttons and hat. The tassels on her penguin hat end in attractive pearl adornments that are both finished and clean. Her fingernails are glossed. Her folds are crisp, especially around her sleeves. The only imperfection I can spot is the slight smidge where her forearm meets her sleeve. I suppose her ribbon could be a little less laffy-taffy too.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ke-puLID-0/UdkIknLNMjI/AAAAAAAAI4w/6M1wA-0mElI/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-bow.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ke-puLID-0/UdkIknLNMjI/AAAAAAAAI4w/6M1wA-0mElI/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-bow.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAUiVQImTSg/UdkJXokwzrI/AAAAAAAAI7g/nyqlkFgdPyE/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-puffy-sleeve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAUiVQImTSg/UdkJXokwzrI/AAAAAAAAI7g/nyqlkFgdPyE/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-puffy-sleeve.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIh79YURJzc/UdkJA1Mo91I/AAAAAAAAI6Q/dgF-ap4raIw/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hand-detail.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIh79YURJzc/UdkJA1Mo91I/AAAAAAAAI6Q/dgF-ap4raIw/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hand-detail.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kw0lGsHK2ss/UdkJFiBqZiI/AAAAAAAAI6g/tXTlHoAvVTA/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat-detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kw0lGsHK2ss/UdkJFiBqZiI/AAAAAAAAI6g/tXTlHoAvVTA/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-hat-detail.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, the Princess is a cast off. With a bottom so substantial, was there really any doubt it would come off? Nevermind that Princess of the Crystal has a certain proclivity for disappearing her garments anyhow, making her cast-off 100% cannon. She comes apart easily at the waist to release her jumbo dress.<br />
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Despite the skirt not covering much in the first place, Princess of the Crystal seems much more exposed without it. <br />
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I'm not sure I dig the Princess's high-riding leotard. Sure, it lengthens her legs, but it also looks like it would chafe. When her promo pics first emerged, I worried for her crotch region. From a distance, her panties seemed to cut into her crotch zone, giving her two seams in a very delicate place. In addition, it seemed plain and unrealistically smooth. Thankfully, no seams are to be found on her figure, though the plainess remains.<br />
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Fortunately, GSC makes up for it with a frilly rump. The ruffles add a bit of spice to her rear, and, as an additional perk, distracts from her pancake butt. Yup, the Princess is a flat as a Stunfisk. You can bet she's not one for squats and lunges. She's the opposite of asstastic. She's got no junk in the trunk. There ain't no cushin for the pushin'. On a scale of one to badonkadonk, she's a badonkadon't. Someone stop me. Please. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBIMEs95B0M/UdkJQn_Dj1I/AAAAAAAAI7I/UdT68uPFuZ4/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-panties-front.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBIMEs95B0M/UdkJQn_Dj1I/AAAAAAAAI7I/UdT68uPFuZ4/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-panties-front.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oX8T1APJjP8/UdkJOqV-ZMI/AAAAAAAAI7A/DxnPaM3QcQQ/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-panties-back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oX8T1APJjP8/UdkJOqV-ZMI/AAAAAAAAI7A/DxnPaM3QcQQ/s320/Princess-of-the-Crystal-panties-back.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sure, she's <i>technically</i> 14 (who knows how old the Princess is in her <i>soul</i>), but let's not forget most girls begin puberty at age 10, which means by age 14, what you see is <i> mostly </i>what you get.<br />
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Thankfully, everyone knows a girl's true appeal doesn't lie in her measurements, but how she wears them, and the Princess certainly does not give a single <strike>fuck</strike> damn what anyone thinks. <br />
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Besides, she has a nice back. MOVING ON.<br />
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There's only one place where GSC messed up with Princess of the Crystal, and it has nothing with what's already present. Let's consider. <br />
1. Princess of the Crystal <i>can</i> stand without her base while <i>cast-on</i>. <br />
2. Princess of the Crystal <i>can't</i> stand without her base while <i>cast-off</i>.<br />
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Is it more important to provide a proper base for her cast-on, or cast-off? <i>Right</i>, it makes more sense to give a proper base to her cast-off option, considering she can't stand without one. <i>However</i>, GSC decided to give her a base best suited for her <i>cast-on</i> option, leaving those who want to display her cast-off with an awkwardly enormous frisbee.<br />
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Now, I have nothing against her huge base, but GSC should have foreseen the possibility that some people would want to display her without her skirt, and included a second, smaller base. After all, lack of space is a collector's Dire Enemy, and maximizing space is a necessary skillset in this hobby. As is, the cast-off Princess looks silly hogging a base that could plausibly hold four of her. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVJcSEqCkm0/UdkIdtwOnAI/AAAAAAAAI4Y/41Nk3XLBocE/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVJcSEqCkm0/UdkIdtwOnAI/AAAAAAAAI4Y/41Nk3XLBocE/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bN-l0iWsmuM/UdkIXWzgwYI/AAAAAAAAI4A/gpWPqhMrpvk/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bN-l0iWsmuM/UdkIXWzgwYI/AAAAAAAAI4A/gpWPqhMrpvk/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-base-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span class="trigger">Princess of the Crystal is sculpted by Iwanaga Sakurako, who happens to be one of my favourite sculptors in the figure business. His slender female forms are a breath of fresh air amid the juicy bazongas that are so prevalent in this hobby. </span>Having knockout figures like Love is War Miku under his belt only helps. Unfortunately, Sakurako's sculpts all seem to lean towards the small side, and Princess of the Crystal is no exception. <span class="trigger">She looks closer to 1/8.5 or 1/9 than 1/8. Here she is next to two other Sakurako figure, looking proportionate. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQJIFxpCTKM/UfdepYmdDqI/AAAAAAAAJEU/MfK6XyrHcGo/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-Lacia-Inori.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQJIFxpCTKM/UfdepYmdDqI/AAAAAAAAJEU/MfK6XyrHcGo/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-Lacia-Inori.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here she is next to Senjougahara (my go-to figure for 1/8 comparisons, for no particular reason), where her smaller size becomes obvious. At 19 cm tall, Princess of the Crystal would only be 152 cm in life, which actually seems plausible given the petite size of her character. Still, I would have liked to see her a mite taller. She gets dwarfed by most 1/8 figures. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmF5szirjlw/UfdemifS0vI/AAAAAAAAJEM/ZlUDsgPIFA4/s1600/Princess-and-Senjougahara-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmF5szirjlw/UfdemifS0vI/AAAAAAAAJEM/ZlUDsgPIFA4/s640/Princess-and-Senjougahara-2.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
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Her small size is especially apparent when she's cast-off, but her dress partially compensates for her puniness. She's like a bird. Mostly puff.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80kSp2AEJU0/UfderAslyZI/AAAAAAAAJEc/cXwmlMAaU2Y/s1600/Princess-and-Senjougahara.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80kSp2AEJU0/UfderAslyZI/AAAAAAAAJEc/cXwmlMAaU2Y/s640/Princess-and-Senjougahara.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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If there's anything that can make or break a figure, it's the face, and Princess of the Crystal has an amazing face. She <i>smiles</i> with her <i>eyes</i>. If that's not an example of sculpting finesse, I don't know what is.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VQovUwkBlQA/UfBpxBwdnJI/AAAAAAAAI-4/aqyKucVafJE/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VQovUwkBlQA/UfBpxBwdnJI/AAAAAAAAI-4/aqyKucVafJE/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-face-4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-14hcaazZy1A/UfC_6dmkrkI/AAAAAAAAI_k/-p1Avzt9SuM/s1600/PoC-red-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-14hcaazZy1A/UfC_6dmkrkI/AAAAAAAAI_k/-p1Avzt9SuM/s640/PoC-red-2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPhXCpKlOoo/UfC-zEe207I/AAAAAAAAI_Y/yAMjTg-pRnA/s1600/PoC-face-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPhXCpKlOoo/UfC-zEe207I/AAAAAAAAI_Y/yAMjTg-pRnA/s640/PoC-face-5.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had some difficulty thinking up backgrounds for Princess of the Crystal. After all, what could be more perfect than the backdrop GSC already provides? Unlike many girls, who I can plunk amidst some flowers and snap away, Princess of the Crystal demands special attention. She resides in an entirely different dimension, filled with rocket ships, teddy bears, and all sorts of flashy pizzazz. It's not like I could just snap shots of her in any old flora. And I was <i>not</i> willing to take her onto a crowded subway. I feel like I could have some fun with glo-sticks and precious gems, but alas, I have neither at this moment.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7Slt4dRxrs/UfBpu2aFgXI/AAAAAAAAI-w/yzeJQKbOB1o/s1600/Poc-dark.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7Slt4dRxrs/UfBpu2aFgXI/AAAAAAAAI-w/yzeJQKbOB1o/s640/Poc-dark.png" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOE_JqiFxnuD8QZm0tEXs_Wdti3DVqAS1KM2-aWnFM_Xoe786PDLp_-oYxwKbIiI8xMgTEoQligz6EBtMm5sV0N18boFbpyIwpM5Zu5JvjLIzcswxUS8lYWktLVDNXmuzMNHh3ZPK9Io/s1600/PoC-green.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOE_JqiFxnuD8QZm0tEXs_Wdti3DVqAS1KM2-aWnFM_Xoe786PDLp_-oYxwKbIiI8xMgTEoQligz6EBtMm5sV0N18boFbpyIwpM5Zu5JvjLIzcswxUS8lYWktLVDNXmuzMNHh3ZPK9Io/s640/PoC-green.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3eULpBGR5ljXjBfC5crGyG65gLi-QrAMsQh8xshszwMpmH81MRsQzqscfMkntV1-NTlSwGWOb98u_XTUeuu0VKU6HRz2_2j2EFPLx9TMsJHYrVsrhR3R9wfHxpfPRuByrjfb1NUAph0/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-green-lamp.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3eULpBGR5ljXjBfC5crGyG65gLi-QrAMsQh8xshszwMpmH81MRsQzqscfMkntV1-NTlSwGWOb98u_XTUeuu0VKU6HRz2_2j2EFPLx9TMsJHYrVsrhR3R9wfHxpfPRuByrjfb1NUAph0/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-green-lamp.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DGThnSiudw4/UfBppXnrcKI/AAAAAAAAI-Y/wpBnqfyEsCg/s1600/PoC-cushions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DGThnSiudw4/UfBppXnrcKI/AAAAAAAAI-Y/wpBnqfyEsCg/s640/PoC-cushions.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Another challenge in my photo journey with the Princess, was her colossal dress. Carrying that thing around was like carrying another DSLR. No dainty poses for the Princess, no sir, her skirt demanded the presence of solid ground at all times. No placing her on tree limbs, or whimsically hanging her off my old skool clock. I could brain someone with that fluttering clam. No joke.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nrq1SoyWGvQ/UfDBWxH3M4I/AAAAAAAAI_0/Y8L2JZyTYg0/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nrq1SoyWGvQ/UfDBWxH3M4I/AAAAAAAAI_0/Y8L2JZyTYg0/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk.png" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQjCfsbNdjP7QzGdNdz3C2DM2PKI3dNbvl6B0oglWC9K-UH0R0QePtDMf2jU-rDPIWFQ5GbsnVKDDDeFLI-b04EsOtLxc12MsCocYxkWZXcH-wCjzqRVAK-i7WN4EMlGgL07j-hBmZWo/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dawn-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQjCfsbNdjP7QzGdNdz3C2DM2PKI3dNbvl6B0oglWC9K-UH0R0QePtDMf2jU-rDPIWFQ5GbsnVKDDDeFLI-b04EsOtLxc12MsCocYxkWZXcH-wCjzqRVAK-i7WN4EMlGgL07j-hBmZWo/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dawn-4.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7F5YVwwENBFruyIYsC2LZgsqWW_r0lKmHfFbjLve1PoHF0wOjluT-clbFMHn2BWyXYHH_E_iJ1F3ysgZU-aAGj-tk-R8L-lhz6IAzqZ2HwIW6P3T1oHEoSLIj2oFAqKy-vz0khehpGmc/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7F5YVwwENBFruyIYsC2LZgsqWW_r0lKmHfFbjLve1PoHF0wOjluT-clbFMHn2BWyXYHH_E_iJ1F3ysgZU-aAGj-tk-R8L-lhz6IAzqZ2HwIW6P3T1oHEoSLIj2oFAqKy-vz0khehpGmc/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk-2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wYy1qNGFQDMV-QPGj4Gp24hShuSS1ndjsbAs9EuyWqMnv2iKAEPRZrqDgaCCQdPHfAySsB9oDsezBvFDTb12B4vD2K9bxainSoqb9HCSHUHUwxvPETkRwoTLeplt-RQXJXwB1aD5A_4/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wYy1qNGFQDMV-QPGj4Gp24hShuSS1ndjsbAs9EuyWqMnv2iKAEPRZrqDgaCCQdPHfAySsB9oDsezBvFDTb12B4vD2K9bxainSoqb9HCSHUHUwxvPETkRwoTLeplt-RQXJXwB1aD5A_4/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-dusk-3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hoped that after a 6 month delay, that GSC would give her a trio of penguins. After all, what is Princess of the Crystal without her avian minions? How awesome would it have been to have her standing on them (perhaps <i>too awesome</i> for the universe to handle)? That she lacked penguins was a missed opportunity in my books. They could have been the extra little detail that elevated the Princess to a whole new level of perfection. Sure, she's still gorgeous in every possible way, but she's missing that little extra oomph. Now, I'm tempted to buy her nendoriod just for the penguins.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUrw09zjEsU/UfXkVNDvLuI/AAAAAAAAJCc/RLywkBOre3Y/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUrw09zjEsU/UfXkVNDvLuI/AAAAAAAAJCc/RLywkBOre3Y/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mhX6BJ742g/UfXkZ7Lc0qI/AAAAAAAAJC0/Z96Yi3woCDg/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mhX6BJ742g/UfXkZ7Lc0qI/AAAAAAAAJC0/Z96Yi3woCDg/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcygo0_dA0I/UfXkX_yTS9I/AAAAAAAAJCs/YLDI1hGkNY8/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcygo0_dA0I/UfXkX_yTS9I/AAAAAAAAJCs/YLDI1hGkNY8/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-3.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CS7RHjOhSnQ/UfXkWc7puvI/AAAAAAAAJCk/yVdyXR06Oe4/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CS7RHjOhSnQ/UfXkWc7puvI/AAAAAAAAJCk/yVdyXR06Oe4/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-curtain-4.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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</span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;">Recently, I found myself grappling with an unsettling phenomenon. Figures haven't been able to take my breath away like they used to, or, at least, they haven't been able to take my breath away with the same intensity or frequency as when I first began collecting. When I recieved Alter's Gwendolyn, I spent hours turning her around in my hands in reverence. Now, even with dynamic, high-quality, objectively stunning figures, I rarely get the same level of, for lack of a better word, <i>YEEOWZA. </i>Blame it on burn-out, or the recent delays in production, or increased financial pressures, but my figure intake in the last half year has declined dramatically. I was beginning to wonder whether my passion for the hobby had waned.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INxz03rRt5w/UfXkcmjES9I/AAAAAAAAJC8/V-C53VKQwXo/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-from-above.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INxz03rRt5w/UfXkcmjES9I/AAAAAAAAJC8/V-C53VKQwXo/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-from-above.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clam. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;">Thankfully, Princess of the Crystal managed to inject me with a good ol' dose of excitement. You would think a six month delay would put a damper on my mood, but the Princess's allure proved too powerful to diminish. While she doesn't crack my top 10 list (which only speaks of the quality of those top 10 figures), she's definitely up there in terms of quality. Her gorgeous face, excellent paint job, and overall cleaniness gives GSC a good reputation boost in my books. You could even say she redeems GSC's for their recent faceplants. Plus, I find Princess of the Crystal's design ridiculously magical.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tlJNniKuBI/UfXoB5rerFI/AAAAAAAAJDM/TA8zwbpKrCk/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-up-dress.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tlJNniKuBI/UfXoB5rerFI/AAAAAAAAJDM/TA8zwbpKrCk/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-up-dress.png" width="316" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;">So, would I recommend GSC's Princess of the Crystal? Yes, with the passion of a thousand pasadobles! Several other companies offer their own Princess of the Crystal, though none have quite captured her with the same adeptness as GSC (except perhaps Alter's). Mawaru Penguin Drum fan or not, she's an asset to any collection.<br />
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It's too bad that Princess of the Crystal seems to be the only character from the series that major companies seem willing to immortalize. After seeing GSC's fantastic rendition, I would love to see more of the cast. The recent influx of male figures gives me <i>slim </i>hope that I'll one day see a Kanba or Shouma, or even better, an <i>electrifying</i> Dr. Sanetoshi (a certain <a href="http://www.dlsite.com/eng/work/=/product_id/RE091090/?unique_op=af" target:_blank="">pigeon dating game</a> has endeared to me gorgeous, morally questionable doctors with energetic twin sidekicks). I doubt any of them will get anything substantial, but just for the record, I would die if Dr. Sanetoshi got a figure. I would die, and buy him from beyond the grave.<br />
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Until then, Penguin Drum fans will have to be satisfied with Princess of the Crystal. GSC's version is still available at most major figure outlets, and given by her sale trends, will probably show up on resale circles at about market price. Pick her up if you're interested! You won't be disappointed.<span style="color: #a30000;"></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxipxrkx_HI/UfDQs07vgzI/AAAAAAAAJA8/I3-yh8PWePU/s1600/Princess-of-the-Crystal-Warhol.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxipxrkx_HI/UfDQs07vgzI/AAAAAAAAJA8/I3-yh8PWePU/s640/Princess-of-the-Crystal-Warhol.png" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess of the Warhol?! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b>The Run-Down</b></u><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td> Box</td> <td> 8/10</td> <td>Corrugated cardboard with bold symbols</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Base </td> <td> 6/10</td> <td>Relatively attractive, but too large for her cast-off option</td> </tr>
<tr><td> Pose </td><td> 9/10 </td><td>Fitting, but could be slightly more energetic</td></tr>
<tr><td> Sculpt </td><td> 9.5/10 </td><td><i>Beautiful </i>face, great details, but a mite small</td></tr>
<tr><td> Paint </td><td> 9.5/10 </td><td>Tiny, tiny oil stains in her skirt, otherwise perfect</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Overall </b></td><td> 8.5/10 </td><td>Gorgeous, but her lack of penguins, small size, and too-large base takes away from her overall presentation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Manufacturer</b>: Good Smile Company<b> </b><br />
<b>Price</b>: <span id="idx_to_yen">¥9333</span><b> </b><br />
<b>Purchased from</b>: AmiAmi<br />
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<b>Box Dimensions:</b> 29 x 27 x 27 cm <br />
<b>Weight: </b>approx 1500g<b> </b><br />
<b>Shipping Method:</b> EMS<br />
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<b>Share ALL the fruit of fate,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span><br />
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Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-74318390210689852912013-07-08T17:13:00.000-04:002013-07-09T19:36:45.433-04:00Oh Noes!: Hacker's Amputation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/07/oh-noes-hackers-amputation.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsTw_Vkp_9AdVIyKobB0eKIC0mFUrUoWNAAWm8-Hfk4JH6zXY3lQbh-8wBfXC0jPSI-xj1tC252OsvDuz1Y8kkj3nQoJHycczTGTY4iwXmgW5OcEgaLtZ09L5uOwSfXzXvn9JNV1RIfGW/s1600/Hacker-icon.png" /></a><span style="color: #a30000;">Ah, it's been a while since we last had an Oh Noes! How <i>nostalgic</i>!<br />
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Sadly, the longer you collect, the higher your chances of having a <i>mishap</i>. Nevermind fault or folly, accidents happen. Stuff breaks. Things fall. We have naught to do but take to the Internet, vent our frustrations, and mope. If anything, they at least make interesting stories. Oh life, you and your villainous trials! </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
I like to think Hacker's mishap infused with purity. That is, no one was directly culpable, and there was no deception or malice intended. A <i>pure</i> and <i>radiant</i> accident. Like getting caught in a hailstorm in the middle of July. It's hard to get angry because there's no one to blame. Responsibility, if any, is spread so thin that emoting strongly seems childish and wasteful. As the British say, Keep Calm and Carry On <strike>Drinking</strike>.<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #a30000;">I have learned many things in my collecting career<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">—</span>things that I can store for future consultation, or better yet, use for anecdotes. One thing I picked up early, is that <i>rattling noises are bad</i>, especially with scaled figures. Rattling means something has come loose, and nothing should ever come loose when you're dealing with fragile pieces of PVC.</span></div><span style="color: #a30000;"> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzDaXa5LLmcfTnei6aIS4c8iBPNLVPqDuTUbmZutcavpUWWEx2dF1Te9zW3SH1U-nIlH0UPe4SPXG4RhJC05HPdEkN_eSA7Tnvai08JGwvXjQt6iBpgvRuYfHW4pipW6sNKQrpO7IjhMr/s1600/Hacker-Max-Factory-Broken.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzDaXa5LLmcfTnei6aIS4c8iBPNLVPqDuTUbmZutcavpUWWEx2dF1Te9zW3SH1U-nIlH0UPe4SPXG4RhJC05HPdEkN_eSA7Tnvai08JGwvXjQt6iBpgvRuYfHW4pipW6sNKQrpO7IjhMr/s640/Hacker-Max-Factory-Broken.png" width="426" /></a></div>So when I picked up Hacker's box to hear the distinct bicker of loose parts, I heaved a sigh and steeled my soul. <i>Let it be a joint dislocation rather than a straight-out fracture, </i>I thought, as I gazed skyward towards some presumed figure diety,<i> so I can at least attempt to repair her without leaving scars.</i><br />
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As I popped open Hacker's box to ascertain the damage, the source of her rattle became clear. Hacker was missing an arm. Well, not <i>missing</i>, per se, just <i>misplaced</i>. Her amputated limb was getting snug with one of her twin tails in the blister box. To vindicate the good people at AmiAmi, her box was well padded with an exccess of packing paper. There was no sign of physical damage on her box.<br />
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<i>Beautiful</i>, I thought<i> </i>with some trepidation, but hey, accidents happen. In a batch of hundreds (maybe thousands), it's expected to get a few bad apples. Both humans and machines make ocassional mistakes.<br />
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I snapped a few pictures, and opened her blister box for further examination. Not surprisingly, all that PVC on PVC action lead to some nasty paint transfers. The navy of her sleeve had rubbed dark streaks into her hair.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfr_xgapXpGJL9tV_x_4Atqyz0I4aRk5g0i46FCnr042mnaxeEbCH4OFuRy8Bdh2e4Z4h0Kpw_bVcLcRo7XyHjJvXO6QJoBL-CCLwLKJxp9XLqfSAr4EXYa5xo8Y4sFQ0NwbKjCCKv-L0E/s1600/Hacker-Max-Factory-hair-stain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfr_xgapXpGJL9tV_x_4Atqyz0I4aRk5g0i46FCnr042mnaxeEbCH4OFuRy8Bdh2e4Z4h0Kpw_bVcLcRo7XyHjJvXO6QJoBL-CCLwLKJxp9XLqfSAr4EXYa5xo8Y4sFQ0NwbKjCCKv-L0E/s640/Hacker-Max-Factory-hair-stain.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And vice versa, though the yellow wasn't nearly as obvious. I've highlighted the yellow smudge on her arm.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBN2SYL5JIiHGL3XNd4uVFMOIL_gswmX-0C-jEOn6c_EEcyHBBQv6HqwOT6VhOejNesP6irZaV0BM1HuZ2CQtRIAILHaq1WPEJOoyPaddbj-YKrid9eBlPG0UwVRXSjAuTUSg2PNeQlW3/s1600/Hacker-Max-Factory-sleeve-stain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBN2SYL5JIiHGL3XNd4uVFMOIL_gswmX-0C-jEOn6c_EEcyHBBQv6HqwOT6VhOejNesP6irZaV0BM1HuZ2CQtRIAILHaq1WPEJOoyPaddbj-YKrid9eBlPG0UwVRXSjAuTUSg2PNeQlW3/s640/Hacker-Max-Factory-sleeve-stain.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In vain, I poked her arm back into her shoulder, only to have it tumble back out. I repeated this action three times, for reliability's sake, then I mulled. I considered my options. What to do? Do I glue her arm back in, ignore the stains, and carry on? <i>No, </i>such inertness didn't sit right with me. After all, a factory defect is a factory defect, and figures aren't cheap. Besides, I had heard of GSC's legendary customer support when it comes to broken figures, and thought it the perfect opportunity to try it out myself. So I snapped more shots, and sent a polite email explaining my situation.<br />
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(For those that are wondering whey I would email GSC about a Max Factory figure, the two companies have a long-standing relationship, and GSC distributes all of Max Factory's figures, so they fall under the same umbrella.)<br />
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Then, I brewed myself a cuppa, and waited.<br />
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Three days later, I got a straight-froward reply.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmRFdQrmize0cm0QAC32ijuMEmqU5ivFaJ78xlTbNSqbHTiCH_5n5WeEJ1vqSbgxxiL3ywtw1T0yg6USeuvVHEz24gltaQGqRD6GL6HOWpX4m9aZ9bjGZrGoe7VBxORQ7UnzRKeW7zERO/s1600/GSC-Win.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmRFdQrmize0cm0QAC32ijuMEmqU5ivFaJ78xlTbNSqbHTiCH_5n5WeEJ1vqSbgxxiL3ywtw1T0yg6USeuvVHEz24gltaQGqRD6GL6HOWpX4m9aZ9bjGZrGoe7VBxORQ7UnzRKeW7zERO/s1600/GSC-Win.png" /></a></div><br />
<i>Ah,</i> I thought as I performed a brief, undulating dance, <i>so, this story has a happy ending</i>. <i>And, more importantly, <b>Good Smile Company's customer support is as legendary as rumoured.</b></i><br />
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Three weeks later, a package arrived in the mail. Huzzah! I love that they priced the package at 1 yen, so even if customs decides <strike>to be an ass</strike> to do their jobs, I could hardly be charged anything at all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg_ZTncQ9eomEtxU_q-psuztTpYnfcCQTsd4vnGkv6NNZn7o79dh0nsSmyCkitAEPMkFjZT_ToobJARTxBuAn9PW-sFvfJF7_wW5B89SWrVwn5xeTg3n9ikWthpk2uESpPQ7GgweaEBrG/s1600/Good-Smile-Company-replacement-parts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg_ZTncQ9eomEtxU_q-psuztTpYnfcCQTsd4vnGkv6NNZn7o79dh0nsSmyCkitAEPMkFjZT_ToobJARTxBuAn9PW-sFvfJF7_wW5B89SWrVwn5xeTg3n9ikWthpk2uESpPQ7GgweaEBrG/s640/Good-Smile-Company-replacement-parts.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Replacement Hacker's arm is exactly where it should be. Happy times.<br />
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Also, notice that replacement Hacker does not come with a box or a base. I'm guessing some <i>finanacially motivated</i> people out there attempt to procure extra figures off GSC's customer support just to make a profit, and such measures are taken to (rightfully) make their lives harder. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXARDo04ivGkUQnrnhcvHh6z9Btnjro2WE92txidNYmf2X7-VWcZGufrhInaWNav3c9TDk_4xvZFolBSchSxhG1XwgrWE7wJ_-MOD53oLVbLSx1qpKsNkKik5YINuijq7JVcqqbvKtAOD7/s1600/Good-Smile-Company-Replacement-Hacker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXARDo04ivGkUQnrnhcvHh6z9Btnjro2WE92txidNYmf2X7-VWcZGufrhInaWNav3c9TDk_4xvZFolBSchSxhG1XwgrWE7wJ_-MOD53oLVbLSx1qpKsNkKik5YINuijq7JVcqqbvKtAOD7/s640/Good-Smile-Company-Replacement-Hacker.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: Awesome customer service.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All in all, I could have called it a day, but I'm not one to abandon one Hacker <i>just</i> because she hadn't an arm and couldn't stand. She looked sad being horizontal and incapacitated, so I got to work. I bought some Superglue and stuck her arm back in, careful to ensure none of the glue squished out of her shouler socket. After a few minutes of of setting, I gave it a few good flicks to make sure it stayed in place (it did).<br />
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Satisfied, I went matchmaking. I pulled out my boxed figures and examined their bases. I sifted through them until I found one that fit Hacker<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">—</span>Fate Testarossa's base, plain clothes version. One of her pegs slips snuggly into Hacker's foot. The base is a little small, and Hacker's a little wobbly, but until I can create a more suitable base, it'll do.<br />
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Water proved futile when tackling her hair stains. Instead, I grabbed my rubbing alcohol and swabbed the stains with a Q-tip. If anything, the alcohol worked <i>too well</i>, and lifted off both stain <i>and</i> paint. I went from darker lines, to faded patches, which was only a slight improvement. Anyone looking close enough will still see the damage, but it's less obvious than before. <br />
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When I was done, I was left with two upright Hackers, looking equally beautiful and unimpressed. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3hUFFTJUjXMhkhEKCSDUEDI-UpKl0hyp2xdgQ54NvtEFSYJBgdXDyX7RgeOB4JVNV_e3KgOYe6tsC5lOUpFbITLUuM-0lM7afh_nD8wde3yKVvBaQla0Xo5EeUoSollEwIe6SYYNG5o5/s1600/Max-Factory-Hacker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3hUFFTJUjXMhkhEKCSDUEDI-UpKl0hyp2xdgQ54NvtEFSYJBgdXDyX7RgeOB4JVNV_e3KgOYe6tsC5lOUpFbITLUuM-0lM7afh_nD8wde3yKVvBaQla0Xo5EeUoSollEwIe6SYYNG5o5/s640/Max-Factory-Hacker.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apathy twins will apathize.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>On an interesting note, I have never gotten two versions of the exact same figure before, so this was my first opportunity for a direct compare and contrast. It shouldn't have surprised me that the two Hackers have differences, especially in shading. My original, broken Hacker had darker shading overall than my replacement Hacker. Even in the picture above, you can see the different shades in her twin tails. In fact, replacement Hacker seems a midge paler when it comes to colour. Neat.<br />
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Overall, Hacker's amputation was a pleasant experience, as far as accidents go. So, wide world, have you ever recieved a broken figure? Have you ever contacte GSC for replacement parts? I'm a lucky duck, in that many of my mishaps were easily remedied. My worst experience with a "new" figure goes to Max Factory's swimsuit <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/09/our-very-first-oh-noes.html" target="_blank">Clalaclan</a>. My worst experience with an used item was when one of my figures came snapped in half (Superglue fixed that one too, but it was <i>unpleasant</i>). Have you had an especially h<span style="color: #a30000;">ai</span>r-tearing experience?<br />
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I feel like I have to dedicate a paragraph to lauding GSC's famous customer support. In all honesty, they could have easily blamed the post office and left it at that. "Not our problem after it ships" is a popular excuse to dodge responsibility, but GSC rises above such petty defenses. If I've learned anything about running a business (which I don't know how to do in the slightest), it's that healthy customer service is positively correlated with long-term profitability. So, GSC, good on you, for understanding that taking care of your audience means taking care of yourselves. Respect, birdies.<br />
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<b>Cheerio,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-83276517715697755212013-06-27T10:28:00.000-04:002016-01-05T19:59:54.350-05:001/8 Leviathan (Amakuni) NSFW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-leviathan-amakuni-nsfw.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFR1HCUQH6SnixMgaG3CK75HahVWetavtVlMbEMZCb4MkMK2UhIq34arciai20KDRtEAcGTIAqEASQxzFZanlsPSU4_zYfxtH4NaEHcv8S97agupQmGAg3d46ZAenrvofueojkn1JSwvS/s1600/Leviathan-review-icon.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;">Did I not tell you I was as shallow as a hastily assembled grave? Half the figures I have are of characters I have no knowledge about, and Leviathan is yet another notch on my stick. According to my research, the Seven Deadly Sins aren't anything. Not a show. Not a manga. Not a game.<i> Not yet anyway.</i> An anime production is in the works, but so far, only two episodes have been confirmed. Nevertheless, figure companies weren't going to let these busty beauties slip through their fingers, not when there was a chance to <i>capitalize</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;">But going in blind with Leviathan has a bright side. It means I can impose a personality on her. Tabula rasa, and whatnot. Have some fun. Remember a time when you gave all your stuffies debilitating mental shortfalls and set them loose in an all-out battle royale of epic proportions? No? Was that just me? <i>Anyhow</i>. Given Leviathan's cornucopia of incongruent body language<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">—</span>the frustrated expression mixed with her slight blush, her in-turned toes despite her aggressively forward chest, her awkward, unbalanced posture<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">—</span>I propose that she is tsundere, thereby childish, abusive, contrary, peevish, stuttering, and perpetually in a state of denial. I will eat a metaphoric shoe if I'm wrong.</span></div>
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But less speculation, more review! Leviathan hasn't a confirmed personality yet, so any energy spent disparaging her "character" is energy wasted. Leviathan comes in a sturdy, corrugated box decorated with attractive, pentagram windows. As usual, pictures of Leviathan grace its sides, but they're discreet, and don't distract from the box's attractive burnt-bronze texture.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></span> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DI8uqfWu064/UcTfCoCRKvI/AAAAAAAAIrw/ic43lIMbU7g/s1600/Leviathan-box-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DI8uqfWu064/UcTfCoCRKvI/AAAAAAAAIrw/ic43lIMbU7g/s640/Leviathan-box-1.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_j8ocGFdvCM/UcTfDZ-j3wI/AAAAAAAAIr8/2sHIT13IN0E/s1600/Leviathan-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_j8ocGFdvCM/UcTfDZ-j3wI/AAAAAAAAIr8/2sHIT13IN0E/s640/Leviathan-box-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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There are two options with Leviathan's base: a <i>huge</i> pedestal, and a simple circle. Her<i> </i>pedestal comes with faniciful patterns and delicious horny sculpt (and by horny I mean horn-like, <i>gosh</i>). With a base so substantial, I can only find one complaint. Unlike her sister, <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Asmodeus_zps7b47bf77.jpeg" target="_blank">Asmodeus</a>, who has a matte base, Leviathan's base is glossy, and looks rather plasticky.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29k2v4tUt27X-kd5FkwZN8Bt2xny-ADzXPoXw_5AQNCI08R8U1_ENlDcPW8TPrU8SRfCjq_WohgLqKs0EV8YiPkXYRz3Exgzv1ZfE2OqHQ9eiuRa38GEeo3f9VHrGkUT08sxfGCF4_B8/s1600/Leviathan-base-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29k2v4tUt27X-kd5FkwZN8Bt2xny-ADzXPoXw_5AQNCI08R8U1_ENlDcPW8TPrU8SRfCjq_WohgLqKs0EV8YiPkXYRz3Exgzv1ZfE2OqHQ9eiuRa38GEeo3f9VHrGkUT08sxfGCF4_B8/s320/Leviathan-base-1.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GE7dqV79iog/UcTe7cqqNrI/AAAAAAAAIrk/YrBz9ye4skk/s1600/Leviathan-base-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GE7dqV79iog/UcTe7cqqNrI/AAAAAAAAIrk/YrBz9ye4skk/s320/Leviathan-base-2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Leviathan is a small girl, and doesn't completely fill it out her pedestal, which could, on a certain level, account for her uncomfortable expression. I prefer Leviathan on her smaller base as a result. The top of her pedestal can be popped out to provide a less intimidating circle. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSpjv1Dvkc4/UXdmZJIbP5I/AAAAAAAAHwo/SL42OGyKTGc/s1600/Leviathan-big-base.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSpjv1Dvkc4/UXdmZJIbP5I/AAAAAAAAHwo/SL42OGyKTGc/s640/Leviathan-big-base.png" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPNolHAZqrWD5XNGHCq-h_SOf2YQNfnC1G3fVZVlEdJGiBrvQFek9uHjP8VbVNO0MTXvC4LaI8hkSEQPSMiWXoN2eJpU3721shnRH6R9FG-fStb_YzZXHUb_HWm6vBah0-EIeLiYlQVaS/s1600/Leviathan-full-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPNolHAZqrWD5XNGHCq-h_SOf2YQNfnC1G3fVZVlEdJGiBrvQFek9uHjP8VbVNO0MTXvC4LaI8hkSEQPSMiWXoN2eJpU3721shnRH6R9FG-fStb_YzZXHUb_HWm6vBah0-EIeLiYlQVaS/s640/Leviathan-full-1.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Leviathan's base has an interesting pattern. I call it smoky-blue marble. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W99Gd3YT2_Q/UcTe7YmYMZI/AAAAAAAAIro/LJ7Qab5JWgE/s1600/Leviathan-base-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W99Gd3YT2_Q/UcTe7YmYMZI/AAAAAAAAIro/LJ7Qab5JWgE/s640/Leviathan-base-3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Leviathan has a punk-rock costume, and excellent sex appeal, both of which I enjoy. Her pose is tailored to show off both her bust and butt. I also like that she's a bit chubby for an anime girl. It's cute.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BRgAVEDH_1T_xWsu5YFuV0AogKeU0NA4O5My-rz053Q3kwjRkYglT-zillOfLLMs_rDq9wBcGP2sBEZLa4SJuGxhaVu776KGujyOz_T-45Bqx3KxHz2486-LyRWEkdjd4qrsXzEIa9kA/s1600/Leviathan-full-1.png"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BRgAVEDH_1T_xWsu5YFuV0AogKeU0NA4O5My-rz053Q3kwjRkYglT-zillOfLLMs_rDq9wBcGP2sBEZLa4SJuGxhaVu776KGujyOz_T-45Bqx3KxHz2486-LyRWEkdjd4qrsXzEIa9kA/s320/Leviathan-full-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RI2KD9batMnigmIEPjvMJWP18bngd8lSEKlGutCgohWv5SvVLrDx4Zr-L2Gq3Tqm9qC1_XhI9OXoEEXUdqJV5lNpb4JfULIw4QfFACfn4vpmsHFA0GuaBOIbBsKROXC91ERhVAiKEVdS/s1600/Leviathan-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RI2KD9batMnigmIEPjvMJWP18bngd8lSEKlGutCgohWv5SvVLrDx4Zr-L2Gq3Tqm9qC1_XhI9OXoEEXUdqJV5lNpb4JfULIw4QfFACfn4vpmsHFA0GuaBOIbBsKROXC91ERhVAiKEVdS/s320/Leviathan-full-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwbNYoAkndTEYcYLJvzBYsSWD-buFsupzuNYMMjswCy_UfTrdSilcVyTtF2zazspgSAGyKXabw8TiZRsRbLovrD2LJIVAJOKTjcdUCRoh1rhXei34o7n_VHNfi2GQ-8qbkT6Cmts9z3sp/s1600/Leviathan-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwbNYoAkndTEYcYLJvzBYsSWD-buFsupzuNYMMjswCy_UfTrdSilcVyTtF2zazspgSAGyKXabw8TiZRsRbLovrD2LJIVAJOKTjcdUCRoh1rhXei34o7n_VHNfi2GQ-8qbkT6Cmts9z3sp/s320/Leviathan-full-3.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiQPUI6cP6lAERsak_6eX_5xuhrku3zzKq7hj5g42bPmyBK7Gu62YV1pIGB416gMERI6L1Szsxjw90rWJAdKB2lM80Uq6LwpS9t_m3rvpN7mJOKTkx9ac_rfaIAMuV9B46xbBjGNzCiU4/s1600/Leviathan-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiQPUI6cP6lAERsak_6eX_5xuhrku3zzKq7hj5g42bPmyBK7Gu62YV1pIGB416gMERI6L1Szsxjw90rWJAdKB2lM80Uq6LwpS9t_m3rvpN7mJOKTkx9ac_rfaIAMuV9B46xbBjGNzCiU4/s320/Leviathan-full-4.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jKNzw1lny9FkRiyuuSyMHSH7OFo9uq1TpSkwi-szFVMHH7o8d2BVCUmfZPKbooUGYibanpcLtN7CAtv1egpz28AMu5sPqIqVfDHyx1-LefFF-lUCeKn9yMMjuXQMffjul05W6DRGZLqb/s1600/Leviathan-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jKNzw1lny9FkRiyuuSyMHSH7OFo9uq1TpSkwi-szFVMHH7o8d2BVCUmfZPKbooUGYibanpcLtN7CAtv1egpz28AMu5sPqIqVfDHyx1-LefFF-lUCeKn9yMMjuXQMffjul05W6DRGZLqb/s320/Leviathan-full-5.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR7_-piGl3Hs9I_RjYULo4pnBjjelt40Ly81B9-NOBK6wh_olCJiQOBooPtLhBXE3oWysX_DVqZUS0_TgjeY3DK1gfDSCRFm3JAEeNFDMNoCSbdzOlCcMjNWFHRPCLYzbUcG3n-9lfqm8/s1600/Leviathan-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR7_-piGl3Hs9I_RjYULo4pnBjjelt40Ly81B9-NOBK6wh_olCJiQOBooPtLhBXE3oWysX_DVqZUS0_TgjeY3DK1gfDSCRFm3JAEeNFDMNoCSbdzOlCcMjNWFHRPCLYzbUcG3n-9lfqm8/s320/Leviathan-full-6.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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Amakuni has given Leviathan an expression that's both flustered and curious, like she's seeing you for the first time and doesn't know if she can trust you. In a sea of happy smiles, and serene stares, it's refreshing to see a grumpy face. This is my first figure from Amakuni, and there's much to admire. From the slight blush on her cheeks, to the crease above her upper eyelid, to the smooth slope of her jawline, Amakuni spared no effort making her photogenic. Her eyes are wide and ringed (reminescent of <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/06/hukes-blk-artbook-regular-ver.html" target="_blank">Huke's</a> characters). <br />
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She also has a little fang, but it's so tiny it could be mistaken for a cold sore. I kind of wish it were a lip ring instead. Because how awesome would <i>that </i>be?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFZ42qdG8BZsoLIpI2nJ_Wdz2lQIF-FU0wNdOKTOHUuTSwJoN_dFFKtRpxo40nwEtEOmz9He2y11mxIODxLonpF4smzzCJ7E949vCZOMI-vaaBfSS0m1k3OaVwK6miKuN3327TteUlkSu/s1600/Leviathan-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFZ42qdG8BZsoLIpI2nJ_Wdz2lQIF-FU0wNdOKTOHUuTSwJoN_dFFKtRpxo40nwEtEOmz9He2y11mxIODxLonpF4smzzCJ7E949vCZOMI-vaaBfSS0m1k3OaVwK6miKuN3327TteUlkSu/s320/Leviathan-face-3.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXwHUBlUkBhJhJtAxVmUrsYGQfwt3xmvCLed8ZPLqlUfP4MdjOU9myQGHfk2eq9G4RVq2fQXKczgnYU4xjhxNG9nfHrBl2pnPwhgOZH1EMtwickENMbfbmrpfySyuvfsTTk6mRnNsNVEz/s1600/Leviathan-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXwHUBlUkBhJhJtAxVmUrsYGQfwt3xmvCLed8ZPLqlUfP4MdjOU9myQGHfk2eq9G4RVq2fQXKczgnYU4xjhxNG9nfHrBl2pnPwhgOZH1EMtwickENMbfbmrpfySyuvfsTTk6mRnNsNVEz/s320/Leviathan-face-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwGtYCsllLVZS2FO15nrinC4XP9JKZv9hbQ0f76jhHl1eaTPUnLJwJdLgna6hsLIqBIRd2InDdCAeKUHQqeIy8VkplMTNJesmhyphenhyphenAm_Dkuz_sC7LpWqw6M1n_uZGBEvBXbsfWd1Hv5wPae/s1600/Leviathan-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwGtYCsllLVZS2FO15nrinC4XP9JKZv9hbQ0f76jhHl1eaTPUnLJwJdLgna6hsLIqBIRd2InDdCAeKUHQqeIy8VkplMTNJesmhyphenhyphenAm_Dkuz_sC7LpWqw6M1n_uZGBEvBXbsfWd1Hv5wPae/s320/Leviathan-face-2.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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The back of Leviathan's head looks just about as good as her face. I'm always disappointed when figures end up with bowling ball head (I'm looking at you, <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/03/18-stocking-anarchy-alter.html" target="_blank">Stocking</a>), but happily, Leviathan's hair has all the right physics. Her right side is especially interesting, with a mini side-tail and lightning-bolt sideburn.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zgVG3CMrLZI/UXdlB7id2YI/AAAAAAAAHuo/A4OsquTja2o/s1600/Leviathan-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zgVG3CMrLZI/UXdlB7id2YI/AAAAAAAAHuo/A4OsquTja2o/s320/Leviathan-hair-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-86Mn9uiEYys/UXdk7PHa8vI/AAAAAAAAHug/R5NutLoy-_0/s1600/Leviathan-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-86Mn9uiEYys/UXdk7PHa8vI/AAAAAAAAHug/R5NutLoy-_0/s320/Leviathan-hair-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_syn38FBMdWUMyKA7vuAgeQJ7Y_mugZjBJa8yVldQnE8uHjYyVQV9ZTVIAViJrw9HVQwtmgy3mtcKRblISdSIko_pItiQ_7KF8oFRSf6Fok0LyxP6tSi-EQPBinnck5sbLD32wyAl_E/s1600/Leviathan-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_syn38FBMdWUMyKA7vuAgeQJ7Y_mugZjBJa8yVldQnE8uHjYyVQV9ZTVIAViJrw9HVQwtmgy3mtcKRblISdSIko_pItiQ_7KF8oFRSf6Fok0LyxP6tSi-EQPBinnck5sbLD32wyAl_E/s320/Leviathan-hair-3.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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I remember a time when I rocked Leviathan's t-shirt-over-sleeves look. It was way back in middle school, when I roughed and rebelled with the rest of 'em. It's a look I fondly associate with the fiery throhs of youth and ignorance.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKy5Uu9tDT4/UXdlKHWvlMI/AAAAAAAAHvA/ciaf1jPtZBg/s1600/Leviathan-mid-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKy5Uu9tDT4/UXdlKHWvlMI/AAAAAAAAHvA/ciaf1jPtZBg/s640/Leviathan-mid-1.png" width="316" /></a></div>
Overall, Leviathan's outfit is well rendered. The folds along her t-shirt are realistically sculpted, and the lines are, for the most part, clean. Her ENVY symbol is clear and obviously stenciled, and the knot in her t-shirt adds individuality to her design. <br />
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But Leviathan's outfit has two bright and massive weaknesses: <i>Terrible seam lines along her side</i>.<br />
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Leviathan's cast-off is one of the clumsiest I've ever seen. It's as though Amakuni didn't bother to check that she could be properly cast-<i>on</i> before releasing her. The pegs don't always match up with the holes, and more often than not, pushing one peg in means another will pop out. To make matters worse, some pegs are too large for their corresponding holes, and require some <i>manual intervention</i> to push in. With some patience, a blowdryer, and some needles (for precision), you can get her properly clothed, but there will still be substantial gaps in her shirt. <br />
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At times like this, I'm reminded of why I look upon cast-offs with some trepidation. There are clever, convenient ones, like the majority of Orchid Seed's. Then there are <i>Leviathans</i>. There's no telling how successful cast-offs will be until you have them in your hand. Given Leviathan's price, Amakuni should have considered including an exchangeable bust. Though on second though, that would mean seam problems lower down on her body...<br />
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I wonder if anyone's ever attempted a magnetic cast-off. That would be neat.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsScSXtDUUI/UXdlLpfDyLI/AAAAAAAAHvQ/b-a2iL9XEI4/s1600/Leviathan-mid-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsScSXtDUUI/UXdlLpfDyLI/AAAAAAAAHvQ/b-a2iL9XEI4/s640/Leviathan-mid-3.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjUsHpmte70/UXdlLRU7JMI/AAAAAAAAHvI/SnNNeUHH56k/s1600/Leviathan-mid-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjUsHpmte70/UXdlLRU7JMI/AAAAAAAAHvI/SnNNeUHH56k/s640/Leviathan-mid-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Moving south. Leviathan's belt is detailed, metallic, and, most importantly, stays out of the way of her super butt. As to not encroach on Native's territory, Amakuni has provided Leviathan with a bandage to cover her nether-regions. If you're naughty, you can peel it back, but it's a futile endeavor. Leviathan has Barbie crotch, smooth as butter and just as undefined. Since I lack the dexterity to perform such surgical manouvers myself, I learned this by stalking Leviathan photos online. Orchid Seed even provided a packet of extra bandages. Just in case. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ui_Lfz7INLA/UXdlRxDclzI/AAAAAAAAHvY/nI6NjevYo4U/s1600/Leviathan-pants-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ui_Lfz7INLA/UXdlRxDclzI/AAAAAAAAHvY/nI6NjevYo4U/s640/Leviathan-pants-1.png" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XWE9MwPyIhWTQJxn0gXSH-NdndcfFWqFVFplsOlTzWd_0UK9tnwUN0pxmAEQ0XBci3JGCQDgNH2hfJQi3vJ-TT30GtsGqxZBkTA6HKKY-jDnfplYB8-TISj7Er2Cuf1Hzb3b3gw0t7I/s1600/Leviathan-pants-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XWE9MwPyIhWTQJxn0gXSH-NdndcfFWqFVFplsOlTzWd_0UK9tnwUN0pxmAEQ0XBci3JGCQDgNH2hfJQi3vJ-TT30GtsGqxZBkTA6HKKY-jDnfplYB8-TISj7Er2Cuf1Hzb3b3gw0t7I/s640/Leviathan-pants-2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We need more punk rock girls in our lives. Look at the mischievous grin on Leviathan's boots! I love it! There are slight paint slips on the buckles, and a thin seam down the middle, but her boots are so spankin' I really don't mind.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXIbR7bjFQ8/UXdky0hY9hI/AAAAAAAAHuI/zH6paOyDZlo/s1600/Leviathan-boots-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXIbR7bjFQ8/UXdky0hY9hI/AAAAAAAAHuI/zH6paOyDZlo/s640/Leviathan-boots-1.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10VxqYN3v5s/UXdk6BaEpII/AAAAAAAAHuQ/BrxNCNhLL_A/s1600/Leviathan-boots-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10VxqYN3v5s/UXdk6BaEpII/AAAAAAAAHuQ/BrxNCNhLL_A/s640/Leviathan-boots-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Leivathan comes with a pet bat-thing with a gas mask to obscure it's undoubtedly wide smile. Who doesn't want to be plastered against cushions so fine?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja3gu9XdbefEGbN3BW6x_P7ewMOBy7DdoeJnfgW31DUZA7zGXPq6gWQrK6yen25cWbDCdjduD1vrPEKvlRn6XYahNo70WsamQvgERtai6JZV9I8nUTHNOqCiJvfD3qS4IV_b1OraaYx0/s1600/Leviathan-bat.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja3gu9XdbefEGbN3BW6x_P7ewMOBy7DdoeJnfgW31DUZA7zGXPq6gWQrK6yen25cWbDCdjduD1vrPEKvlRn6XYahNo70WsamQvgERtai6JZV9I8nUTHNOqCiJvfD3qS4IV_b1OraaYx0/s640/Leviathan-bat.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dU1HSGSh1Y/UXdmWFReBhI/AAAAAAAAHwY/4cTrVpSBE90/s1600/Leviathan-bat-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dU1HSGSh1Y/UXdmWFReBhI/AAAAAAAAHwY/4cTrVpSBE90/s640/Leviathan-bat-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lkGrcqoB9_4/UXdmWDSf2pI/AAAAAAAAHwc/wnwJxQPmVC0/s1600/Leviathan-bat-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lkGrcqoB9_4/UXdmWDSf2pI/AAAAAAAAHwc/wnwJxQPmVC0/s640/Leviathan-bat-3.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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Unfortunately, Leviathan isn't without faults. I've already mentioned her clumsy cast-off. At closer glance, both her sculpt and paint job is not as strict as I would have liked for an exclusive figure. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kUW-b8HBWoA/UXdky4ZVzrI/AAAAAAAAHuE/60cjW27WqBA/s1600/Leviathan-arm-seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kUW-b8HBWoA/UXdky4ZVzrI/AAAAAAAAHuE/60cjW27WqBA/s640/Leviathan-arm-seam.png" width="640" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nq7VXrSeAa4/UXdk6-iMpVI/AAAAAAAAHuY/CvRNCDcIcPs/s1600/Leviathan-collar-roughness.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nq7VXrSeAa4/UXdk6-iMpVI/AAAAAAAAHuY/CvRNCDcIcPs/s640/Leviathan-collar-roughness.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Leviathan also has a few smaller inconsistencies that make her feel unpolished up close. There are mistakes that could have been smoothed over if the sculptor only spent five more minutes ensuring quality.<br />
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Her horn could be pressed closer to her head so that it's not floating above her hair, and the fingerprints along her stockings could have been remedied with a quick swab. It's the small things, my friends. It's always the small things.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mrVesyVdDMI/UXdlDeOGK_I/AAAAAAAAHu4/ydD3oWp3_4Y/s1600/Leviathan-horn.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mrVesyVdDMI/UXdlDeOGK_I/AAAAAAAAHu4/ydD3oWp3_4Y/s640/Leviathan-horn.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0XDTsfLk29k/UXdlal2aGxI/AAAAAAAAHv4/pva0nRFPzwg/s1600/Leviathan-stocking-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0XDTsfLk29k/UXdlal2aGxI/AAAAAAAAHv4/pva0nRFPzwg/s640/Leviathan-stocking-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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But enough grump, let's get to the important part: Taking off her shirt.<br />
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Leviathan comes with an extra set of arms to compliment her nudity. Without her clothes, her pose is a little strange. She's either angry you stole her shirt, or trying to seduce you with a huffy chicken dance. But really, when you have measurements like hers, it doesn't matter what you do. It's all good. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zgYosbfsFnY/Ub1UsE5qKNI/AAAAAAAAIoM/WT4Y9U8rOfM/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zgYosbfsFnY/Ub1UsE5qKNI/AAAAAAAAIoM/WT4Y9U8rOfM/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1jADHZ0YFA/Ub1UtnNvaWI/AAAAAAAAIoc/nqOChLpLVqk/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1jADHZ0YFA/Ub1UtnNvaWI/AAAAAAAAIoc/nqOChLpLVqk/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQU2TmKtmRA/Ub1UtqxwB8I/AAAAAAAAIoY/3iPmrSoHUOU/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQU2TmKtmRA/Ub1UtqxwB8I/AAAAAAAAIoY/3iPmrSoHUOU/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-3.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yoy5oqIk6c8/Ub1Uy2aX12I/AAAAAAAAIok/PeQp4647YaU/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yoy5oqIk6c8/Ub1Uy2aX12I/AAAAAAAAIok/PeQp4647YaU/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-4.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aU7VvSaFC5k/Ub1U0s6LXHI/AAAAAAAAIow/BfIsNqnIzuI/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aU7VvSaFC5k/Ub1U0s6LXHI/AAAAAAAAIow/BfIsNqnIzuI/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-5.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCHwEWPhYEQ/Ub1U069bweI/AAAAAAAAIo0/txhhoELq-s4/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCHwEWPhYEQ/Ub1U069bweI/AAAAAAAAIo0/txhhoELq-s4/s320/Leviathan-cast-off-full-6.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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Leviathan has wide, child-bearing hips, and subtle muscle lines around her stomach. I wish she had a modest stomach pouch, for a little extra chub in her midregion, but there's no love lost with what she has. She also has great sculpt on her back.<br />
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Leviathan cups her glutteal maximus in a manner most pleasing to the eye. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpmPCU6H47SUBDguIDbA98Cto4Tre5uqqJU0tttVi1O89Osd1sIK_vVKyVpRUbNOPFEH1G9rFINsRPOX76AWDD8gEU3BDLk6jLPtPT4C2OwjSk4g0_uj8f0fULjlYWmRSSgLEqyMq9bg/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-midsection.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpmPCU6H47SUBDguIDbA98Cto4Tre5uqqJU0tttVi1O89Osd1sIK_vVKyVpRUbNOPFEH1G9rFINsRPOX76AWDD8gEU3BDLk6jLPtPT4C2OwjSk4g0_uj8f0fULjlYWmRSSgLEqyMq9bg/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-midsection.png" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZYtAwu_TAzF9nMzNPz8NIBN4lLtZk_ku8X0lgNmoTxLBYYxfzxWqz8rCENVvjqBJdRrgCvvbTSscAVZXALuA1JrnCRSdaIFYefvYQYWm1ydUnDybg8eUdp6GnA4jmD0v38WrK1FoVBLx/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-midsection-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZYtAwu_TAzF9nMzNPz8NIBN4lLtZk_ku8X0lgNmoTxLBYYxfzxWqz8rCENVvjqBJdRrgCvvbTSscAVZXALuA1JrnCRSdaIFYefvYQYWm1ydUnDybg8eUdp6GnA4jmD0v38WrK1FoVBLx/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-midsection-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Tthat butt's working so hard it should clock overtime.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HblFLCMIQqw/Ub1Uk2gEGBI/AAAAAAAAIn0/pkR6RCwkeoE/s1600/Leviathan-butt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HblFLCMIQqw/Ub1Uk2gEGBI/AAAAAAAAIn0/pkR6RCwkeoE/s640/Leviathan-butt.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course, while Leviathan's generous rear end needs an equally generous topside. She's busty, but not overly so. Her boobs are gravitationally regular, and enjoy all the hang and perk of real boobies. Her nipples are pink and detailed. Amakuni even included the wrinkle in their center that lead into her <i>lactiferous ducts</i>. Yep. Biology. <i>The more you know</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq8Xy6KTLM4/Ub1VCy-r8qI/AAAAAAAAIpU/ztM-tP6m470/s1600/Leviathan-sideboob-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq8Xy6KTLM4/Ub1VCy-r8qI/AAAAAAAAIpU/ztM-tP6m470/s640/Leviathan-sideboob-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuzW6ah6HVo/Ub1VGUw_xhI/AAAAAAAAIpg/zBOS4alBD48/s1600/Leviathan-sideboob.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuzW6ah6HVo/Ub1VGUw_xhI/AAAAAAAAIpg/zBOS4alBD48/s640/Leviathan-sideboob.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmtuzVSiZN4/Ub1UekP-jjI/AAAAAAAAIno/u1rjpeWuU-o/s1600/Leviathan-boobs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmtuzVSiZN4/Ub1UekP-jjI/AAAAAAAAIno/u1rjpeWuU-o/s640/Leviathan-boobs.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The one thing I enjoy about cast-offs is the ability to control just how naked a girl gets. I'm not a huge fan of all out nudity. I find it boring. Semi-nudity, however, is a whole other beast. <br />
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You can also switch in Leviathan's original arms for some extra coverage, but Levi-tan looks awkward flailing about (though I like to imagine she's about to spank herself), so it's best to include her bat friend. I'm sure the it's happy to partake of her generous curvature. Leviathan's smooth, unadorned butt doesn't have the best traction, so a belt is necessary to keep her pet in place.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8QRr6mTvtTk/Ub1UmRlebfI/AAAAAAAAIoA/sTjvnWm5w98/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-arms-full.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8QRr6mTvtTk/Ub1UmRlebfI/AAAAAAAAIoA/sTjvnWm5w98/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-arms-full.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bB1vuiBTObc/Ub1UmancTyI/AAAAAAAAIoE/Thg3Fmi4vdE/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-bat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bB1vuiBTObc/Ub1UmancTyI/AAAAAAAAIoE/Thg3Fmi4vdE/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-bat.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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The only trouble with using her striped arms is that they don't fit as snuggly as her unstriped ones. While her t-shirt usually obscures this, the gaps between her flesh and buckle become apparent when Leviathan is cast-off. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEAyjiT0MGs/Ub1UewrfxtI/AAAAAAAAIns/8rz4ynIzsy8/s1600/Leviathan-arm-gap-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEAyjiT0MGs/Ub1UewrfxtI/AAAAAAAAIns/8rz4ynIzsy8/s640/Leviathan-arm-gap-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NN5kQWp8Aig/Ub1UemD7S0I/AAAAAAAAInk/eP4WWeBgTlk/s1600/Leviathan-arm-gap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NN5kQWp8Aig/Ub1UemD7S0I/AAAAAAAAInk/eP4WWeBgTlk/s640/Leviathan-arm-gap.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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I wish Leviathan came with a guitar. Everyone looks good with a guitar.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VH7seZY9VCU/Ub1VW784j7I/AAAAAAAAIp0/guqTBuWAaQg/s1600/Leviathan-guitar-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VH7seZY9VCU/Ub1VW784j7I/AAAAAAAAIp0/guqTBuWAaQg/s640/Leviathan-guitar-3.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6REHetHLQU/Ub1VZoi2wmI/AAAAAAAAIqE/qffDv6Os_DA/s1600/Leviathan-guitar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6REHetHLQU/Ub1VZoi2wmI/AAAAAAAAIqE/qffDv6Os_DA/s640/Leviathan-guitar.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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I was late ordering Leviathan, and couldn't get her <i>without </i>her exclusive item. Therefore, instead of just having a figure, I also have a sexy handkerchief. Is the handkerchief worth the extra ten dollars? Well, that depends. Would <i>you</i> like to rub your face against a picture of a boobalicious anime girl?<br />
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Wait, don't answer that. <br />
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Illustrated by NIΘ, well known designer of the Hyakka Ryouran girls, the hankie depicts Leviathan in all her busty glory, propping up her ample bosom, and wearing nothing but buckles and a quizzical expression. Both sides are definitely <i>not safe for work</i>, though one side is slightly more censored than the other. What I would give for a figure of her with only blue nipple cups. What I would give...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQazJlEQfZnBdzlx5lQV0oPwdj1mIuJoBnW_7cSdnSKBfqLu5Ng0OrOIK50mxpREsGUIdNg2i8PjDfR4Pg30o2o1v-9_5fUAqOzdURqD-oxj4bba_R90mg5uiZ10Q6FyD6N72ntpA2LM/s1600/Leviathan-handkerchief.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQazJlEQfZnBdzlx5lQV0oPwdj1mIuJoBnW_7cSdnSKBfqLu5Ng0OrOIK50mxpREsGUIdNg2i8PjDfR4Pg30o2o1v-9_5fUAqOzdURqD-oxj4bba_R90mg5uiZ10Q6FyD6N72ntpA2LM/s640/Leviathan-handkerchief.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYu4yZJw6W4/Ub1VA-MUP_I/AAAAAAAAIpM/Zx3sIUokRYI/s1600/Leviathan-handkerchief-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYu4yZJw6W4/Ub1VA-MUP_I/AAAAAAAAIpM/Zx3sIUokRYI/s640/Leviathan-handkerchief-1.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Leviathan is one of the few exclusive figures I have. I don't pander in exclusives often because, let's face it, figure collecting is already financially punishing with standard runs. It's difficult to convince myself to buy exclusives unless they're cheap in the resale market (ha, good one), or <i>I absolutely need them in my life</i>. That being said, Leviathan is a character I know nothing about. She's not <i>that</i> fancy, or large, or well-known. Pass, right?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KleOMQcWuI/UcUlcGFtmcI/AAAAAAAAIuU/ZzYh4LOT4to/s1600/Leviathan-metal.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KleOMQcWuI/UcUlcGFtmcI/AAAAAAAAIuU/ZzYh4LOT4to/s320/Leviathan-metal.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huAIgH3fP3I/UcUn_0DxVGI/AAAAAAAAIuk/PKu93v0E-Yk/s1600/Leviathan-peek.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huAIgH3fP3I/UcUn_0DxVGI/AAAAAAAAIuk/PKu93v0E-Yk/s320/Leviathan-peek.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dkUVmtpGnC8/UXdlWhlKYNI/AAAAAAAAHvo/K3_M9WL8fac/s1600/Leviathan-pipes.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dkUVmtpGnC8/UXdlWhlKYNI/AAAAAAAAHvo/K3_M9WL8fac/s320/Leviathan-pipes.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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Nope. Something about her sucked me in. Incredible, considering I managed to talk myself out of more impressive exclusives, such as Alter's Hyakka Ryouran line and Amakuni's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/noelvermillion_zps638c511d.jpeg" target="_blank">Noel Vermillion</a> (a decision I now mildly regret). I can't say exactly what got me in the end. Maybe it's her punk outfit. Maybe it's her strong sense of character. Maybe it's her mix of youthful awkwardness and carnal allure, like she's just stumbled upon her own sexuality and doesn't quite know how to wield it yet. <br />
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Or maybe it's just that she's not wearing pants. Who can deny the call of supple, protruding buttcheeks? It <i>is</i> about the simple things, after all.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7S6JRXoaLU/UcT65sxSp2I/AAAAAAAAIsg/b0rMZhlzXfM/s1600/Leviathan-bricks.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7S6JRXoaLU/UcT65sxSp2I/AAAAAAAAIsg/b0rMZhlzXfM/s640/Leviathan-bricks.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzU_E2aO4K4/UcT9JA4pYFI/AAAAAAAAIs0/fbkxAO4UfUo/s1600/Leviathan-bricks-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzU_E2aO4K4/UcT9JA4pYFI/AAAAAAAAIs0/fbkxAO4UfUo/s640/Leviathan-bricks-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItGjgbbpwrg/UcT9JiF-z5I/AAAAAAAAIs8/V5DUEI-drSc/s1600/Leviathan-grate-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItGjgbbpwrg/UcT9JiF-z5I/AAAAAAAAIs8/V5DUEI-drSc/s640/Leviathan-grate-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYjrbomddUc/UcT-M6oOGsI/AAAAAAAAItk/ydGRvev2134/s1600/Leviathan-bricks-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYjrbomddUc/UcT-M6oOGsI/AAAAAAAAItk/ydGRvev2134/s640/Leviathan-bricks-3.png" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />
Amakuni must be confident The Seven Deadly Sins franchise will do well to release figures so early on in its development. Sure, the Seven Deadly Sins has been done to death, and wacky harems has also been done to death, but when have busty girls ever let a franchise down? Never underestimate the power of a good jiggle.<br />
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And while I'm not big on shows that shove ladybits down your wazoo, I have to admit I respect franchises that know exactly what they're doing, and advertise themselves shamelessly. After all, if you're going to do anything, you might as well own it.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeuHXgF0D9Q/UcUi1WDAgWI/AAAAAAAAIuA/fHxJnMDnHAI/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeuHXgF0D9Q/UcUi1WDAgWI/AAAAAAAAIuA/fHxJnMDnHAI/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-2.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcfv3te3IMw/UcUi1KYz4fI/AAAAAAAAIt8/D6H8NI-YSAI/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcfv3te3IMw/UcUi1KYz4fI/AAAAAAAAIt8/D6H8NI-YSAI/s640/Leviathan-cast-off-3.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F9-_-AxB7A/UcUi1XPG9uI/AAAAAAAAIuE/lgPiDhDpBx0/s1600/Leviathan-cast-off.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F9-_-AxB7A/UcUi1XPG9uI/AAAAAAAAIuE/lgPiDhDpBx0/s640/Leviathan-cast-off.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Every time I do a photo shoot, I notice something new about the figure. <br />
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In my adventures with Levi-tan, I found she isn't all that versatile on angles. While she isn't exactly lacking from any side, it's clear she's sculpted with a specific presentation angle in mind. The shape of her face, as well as the sweep of her hair, all work best straight on. As much as I tried diversifying, I kept coming back to her front. After some contemplation, I figured it out. Leviathan's stare needs a target. Having a more serene figure stare blankly into the distance makes them seem contemplative, but Leviathan has a confrontational expression, and having her glare at thin air is just awkward.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eXxMvwM3Ek/UcT65UCSgJI/AAAAAAAAIsY/f90e6MolFrg/s1600/Leviathan-trumpet-flowers.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eXxMvwM3Ek/UcT65UCSgJI/AAAAAAAAIsY/f90e6MolFrg/s640/Leviathan-trumpet-flowers.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vkh6kVpAYE/UcT9qwqSGKI/AAAAAAAAItY/pkQrq-OH9Dc/s1600/Leviathan-trumpet-flowers-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vkh6kVpAYE/UcT9qwqSGKI/AAAAAAAAItY/pkQrq-OH9Dc/s640/Leviathan-trumpet-flowers-3.png" width="316" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B3hPn7oZPd0/UcTfD2XLLDI/AAAAAAAAIsA/S7zKZlSC1I8/s1600/Leviathan-ferns.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B3hPn7oZPd0/UcTfD2XLLDI/AAAAAAAAIsA/S7zKZlSC1I8/s640/Leviathan-ferns.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Exclusives, exclusives, exclusives, you poor, scrutinized spectacle. I tend to judge exclusives with a severity I reserve for literature and employee performance reviews. I can tell myself that as long as I enjoy the product, I have made a good purchase, but my judgemental mind rejects such wish-washy rationalizations. To say the price of something has zero effect on my appreciation of it is tomfoolery. I can't deny my critique of a product is partially swayed by the amount I shell out. In a sense, I judge figures like I judge food. If I grab a coffee off the street, I don't mind if it's mediocre, but if I'm paying a hundred bucks for a gourmet cuppa, it better be a numinous orgy of flavourful ambrosia on my tongue. I better be <i>crying</i> by the time I finish it. Crying <i>diamonds</i>. <br />
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As with all exclusive figures, I ordered Leviathan with a healthy dose of doubt. Do I really want to pay that much? Will she turn out as nice as her promo pics advertise? Should I instead save for other figures? Is she worth the fifteen used books, or six sushi buffets, or 1/133 of a master's degree I could get for the same price?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8o27gcc8R7w/UcT9RHw9TFI/AAAAAAAAItI/vv-wsMhLLq4/s1600/Leviathan-pentagram.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8o27gcc8R7w/UcT9RHw9TFI/AAAAAAAAItI/vv-wsMhLLq4/s320/Leviathan-pentagram.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-itraCNqs55Y/UcUqUMZMJ-I/AAAAAAAAIu0/1lUsvIxsTGM/s1600/Leviathan-pink.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-itraCNqs55Y/UcUqUMZMJ-I/AAAAAAAAIu0/1lUsvIxsTGM/s320/Leviathan-pink.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwww7nmNQ5k/UXdlatSW3qI/AAAAAAAAHv0/N-CQpT-HyZE/s1600/Leviathan-red-light.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwww7nmNQ5k/UXdlatSW3qI/AAAAAAAAHv0/N-CQpT-HyZE/s320/Leviathan-red-light.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, <i>is she</i>?<br />
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That's a hard one. Happily, I'm quite fond of Leviathan. Sure, she has her troubles, and her awkward cast-off is unfortunate at best, but her unique outfit, well rendered face, and excellent measurements overwhelm her minor disappointments. However, she's expensive for her size and quality. As an exclusive, she's still not as impressive as some of the standard run figures I possess, both in terms of quality and shelf presence. Mingle her into my collection, and she disappears against heavyweights like Alter's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Dizzy_zps2a9532a0.jpeg" target="_blank">Dizzy</a>, GSC's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Ultimatemadoka_zps3986e584.jpeg" target="_blank">Ultimate Madoka</a>, and Max Factory's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Aoba_zps8c859f1f.jpeg" target="_blank">Aoba</a>. Sure, her base is fancy, but it can't really compete with the equally heavy, more atmospheric bases of GSC's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/BRS_zps35e55bdf.jpg" target="_blank">Black Rock Shooter</a> line. Other exclusives I have, such as Alpha x Omega's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Alice_zps8baf2a3f.jpeg" target="_blank">Alice</a>, have cleaner details and cleaner cast-offs.<br />
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Even after this review, I'm ambivalent about her purchase. I like her, but she's expensive. Perhaps a part of me likes her <i>because</i> she's expensive. While I don't regret paying a hefty sum for Leviathan, the fact that her price was hefty will always be in the back of my mind. Then again, that's just how exclusives roll. If I ever feel bad, I can always just take a look at her resale values and preen.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9NQyv2PRA/UcVBf1OMDEI/AAAAAAAAIvE/lp2ognzNKyQ/s1600/Leviathan-fire.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9NQyv2PRA/UcVBf1OMDEI/AAAAAAAAIvE/lp2ognzNKyQ/s640/Leviathan-fire.png" width="316" /></a></div>
For more pics of Levithan, visit more prompt and masterful blogs, <a href="http://wieselhead.de/2013/04/06/leviathan-the-7-deadly-sins-by-amakuni/" target="_blank">Wieselhead</a>, and <a href="http://figyura.com/2013/04/05/review-amakuni-18-leviathan-nsfw/#more-2300" target="_blank">Figyura</a>.<br />
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<u><b>The Run-Down</b></u><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td> Box</td> <td> 7/10</td> <td>Sturdy, nice windows, great grunge</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Base </td> <td> 7/10</td> <td>Choice between two bases, but big version looks too plastic </td> </tr>
<tr><td> Pose </td><td> 8/10 </td><td>Aggressive, full of personality, <i>great</i> proportions </td></tr>
<tr><td> Sculpt </td><td> 7/10 </td><td>Fail cast-off, some seam and roughness issues </td></tr>
<tr><td> Paint </td><td> 8.5/10 </td><td>Minor roughnes, but nothing damning </td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Overall </b></td><td> 8/10 </td><td>Sexy and cute overall </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Manufacturer</b>: Amakuni<br />
<b>Price</b>: 8381 yen (Upwards of 11-12k by proxy)<br />
<b>Purchased from:</b> <b><a href="http://biginjap.com/" target="_blank">Big in Japan</a></b><br />
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<b>Circle, circle, dot, dot,</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-4131636817557842532013-06-22T14:03:00.000-04:002013-06-22T15:31:32.452-04:001/8 Totori Helmold (Phat Company)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-totori-helmold-phat-company.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaJJcP7EBB8/Ua60XQTfOXI/AAAAAAAAIZI/06XyLOBCE0I/s1600/Totori-icon.png" /></a></div>
Occasionally, there is a figure that appeals to Poke as a whole rather than Poke as a half. Suich has extensive experience with Atelier Totori, but also the common sense not to get sucked into this messy "figure" business. On the other hand, Jenn's is Atelier-ignorant, but bought her figure anyway. That's just how she rolls. <br />
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Given our respective expertise, this only makes sense. This is the only way. You can even call it fate. <i>Time for a joint review.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Let's come clean straight off the top. I bought Totori for her base and girly pastel colours. I have no idea who she is, or what her character is like. Guide me, Suich. Enlighten this lowly ignoramous.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Totori's a sweet and optimistic little lady who's trying to find her long-lost mother in the second title of the Atelier Arland trilogy. In order to travel around the land she earns a license from Arland to become an "Adventurer". It's mostly because the world's dangerous, so she needs to gather items and synthesis bombs and healing items. Speaking of synthesizing, little Totori is also an alchemist! But enough about the basic stuff. Let it be known that Totori's just one of the best characters in the Atelier series simply because she's just so darn cute! Even when she accidentally creates an explosion in her atelier she's adorable.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Moe moe kyun~ <br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUII2pgJBrI/UbEhNNwppzI/AAAAAAAAIas/CSupUmNA_PE/s1600/Totori-box.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUII2pgJBrI/UbEhNNwppzI/AAAAAAAAIas/CSupUmNA_PE/s640/Totori-box.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bhdL0M2IhwQ/UbEhNBswFTI/AAAAAAAAIaw/1yTHabOeYPM/s1600/Totori-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bhdL0M2IhwQ/UbEhNBswFTI/AAAAAAAAIaw/1yTHabOeYPM/s640/Totori-box-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> With a plain white backdrop and no real colour (other than some promo pics), Totori's box is one of the less inspired boxes I have. You think it would be fitting to give it a pastel wash.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Agreed. Phat should have taken inspiration from Mel Kishida's artwork. That box could have been covered in glorious pastel colours, and it could have stood out more, but instead they just stuck with plain white. What a waste. <br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> At least the floral border is kind of pretty?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5a4Sl6cC6s/Uae3FJbxKWI/AAAAAAAAITU/i2JFHhBgm2E/s1600/Totori-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5a4Sl6cC6s/Uae3FJbxKWI/AAAAAAAAITU/i2JFHhBgm2E/s320/Totori-full-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3a_I2ZKKEIo/Uae3FlD5rwI/AAAAAAAAITc/06kx7rElyrY/s1600/Totori-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3a_I2ZKKEIo/Uae3FlD5rwI/AAAAAAAAITc/06kx7rElyrY/s320/Totori-full-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RwNDoVbhGEI/Uae3FePAa2I/AAAAAAAAITY/lWmzrTCQfKI/s1600/Totori-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RwNDoVbhGEI/Uae3FePAa2I/AAAAAAAAITY/lWmzrTCQfKI/s320/Totori-full-3.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5fdLcMxVys/Uae3MXqCKzI/AAAAAAAAITk/Rtb7KDPeV2o/s1600/Totori-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5fdLcMxVys/Uae3MXqCKzI/AAAAAAAAITk/Rtb7KDPeV2o/s320/Totori-full-4.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2SOgkQgk9sA/Uae3Nrgj9GI/AAAAAAAAITw/6EHRpmHBngM/s1600/Totori-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2SOgkQgk9sA/Uae3Nrgj9GI/AAAAAAAAITw/6EHRpmHBngM/s320/Totori-full-5.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oC4YSzxBhIM/Uae3N1NSY5I/AAAAAAAAIT0/N1ViYcPqa-E/s1600/Totori-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oC4YSzxBhIM/Uae3N1NSY5I/AAAAAAAAIT0/N1ViYcPqa-E/s320/Totori-full-6.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Some people are unsatisfied with Totori's face. As someone who has never played the game, I think she's cute. Her dimpled smile, round eyes, and tilted head remind me of a little turtle.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Her expression is decent at best in my opinion. Something about it really throws me off. I'm thinking it might be the nose because it makes her look a tad strange on some angles.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Looking closer, it looks like she has a bit of an overbite? Maybe it's just me.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_T7Bfx2ZQ/Uae29DggCHI/AAAAAAAAIS8/4kNDFhif-qU/s1600/Totori-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_T7Bfx2ZQ/Uae29DggCHI/AAAAAAAAIS8/4kNDFhif-qU/s320/Totori-face-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MhfB2edii5o/Uae29Jb0BmI/AAAAAAAAITE/GMV3G9tyFYA/s1600/Totori-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MhfB2edii5o/Uae29Jb0BmI/AAAAAAAAITE/GMV3G9tyFYA/s320/Totori-face-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SeG1tteWtMc/Uae29Lop-iI/AAAAAAAAITA/D2U8luiOnVI/s1600/Totori-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SeG1tteWtMc/Uae29Lop-iI/AAAAAAAAITA/D2U8luiOnVI/s320/Totori-face-3.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Totori is my first figure from Phat, and despite my sympathy for new companies attempting to make a dent in the figure business (how cute), I must say I expected more.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Totori's hair is so clumped together it looks cheap, like Phat wasn't even going to try and shape it into something prettier. I understand that her hair is meant to be a bit wavy, but the execution was poor.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> I think it looks <i>wet</i>, like she just stepped out of the shower (oh, good mental image). <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Totorihelmold_zps55d639e1.jpg">Pictures</a> of Totori show her with longer, fluttery hair, but Phat fails to capture its levity. On a more technical level, she also has several small seams, all of which could have been smoothed out.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vhnNWgnTN8/Uae3UVLpDtI/AAAAAAAAIUE/F1cC3RkY6UU/s1600/Totori-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vhnNWgnTN8/Uae3UVLpDtI/AAAAAAAAIUE/F1cC3RkY6UU/s320/Totori-hair-2.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmbAIKpm9Lg/Uae3TitSdZI/AAAAAAAAIT8/3vP8DN_bAMo/s1600/Totori-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmbAIKpm9Lg/Uae3TitSdZI/AAAAAAAAIT8/3vP8DN_bAMo/s320/Totori-hair-1.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbw2Qe2mouk/Uae3VOz97qI/AAAAAAAAIUM/qC635Flapis/s1600/Totori-hair-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbw2Qe2mouk/Uae3VOz97qI/AAAAAAAAIUM/qC635Flapis/s320/Totori-hair-3.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Totori wears a dollish dress complete with semi-transparent tutu-esque skirt and wide-collared vest. She wears a delicious, opalescent, semi-transparent bow in the back. I use "delicious" as a descriptor because it reminds me of a gummy.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> The bow is coloured in nicely but it falls down in a really strange manner,. It's possibly due to the fact that Totori is a really flat figure, so she gets a flatter ribbon as well. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1h6EtP3Ps6zkTqVjRrKbSVEAHNA4dDbkt-TwW4AVssWeqmub-0DIoZ9O9YD6ygQqW3uVUa6XbiSVxIgT-nsdR2_jiiGO_FmhPJD0rp8f5puTtcPpE5h9PbUthP1WBVKUxyNwcrSGRRU/s1600/Totori-outfit-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1h6EtP3Ps6zkTqVjRrKbSVEAHNA4dDbkt-TwW4AVssWeqmub-0DIoZ9O9YD6ygQqW3uVUa6XbiSVxIgT-nsdR2_jiiGO_FmhPJD0rp8f5puTtcPpE5h9PbUthP1WBVKUxyNwcrSGRRU/s640/Totori-outfit-1.png" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPb38HludgrSPOKRvmaWy6OqvrcEgc4jv9oogXT71By0y1JhBsFkGH9NB6Hzm7OsaO11Q1C9L2ytMs-_0gQ_Z1woezN1HEiOog5-a7r0QqbMAFD-AJ4EP00AnmNcdOb7UJUBIn_qubmK4/s1600/Totori-outfit-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPb38HludgrSPOKRvmaWy6OqvrcEgc4jv9oogXT71By0y1JhBsFkGH9NB6Hzm7OsaO11Q1C9L2ytMs-_0gQ_Z1woezN1HEiOog5-a7r0QqbMAFD-AJ4EP00AnmNcdOb7UJUBIn_qubmK4/s640/Totori-outfit-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Totori isn't exemplar in the detail department, but she does have a few clean lines going for her. The decoration on her sleeve and collar are relatively precise. Makes me question under what conditions sculptors whip out stencils versus wing-it by hand.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> It's one of the very few good qualities about this figure...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W-FEKLFpp6U/UafAR1Y6g9I/AAAAAAAAIXA/Fr5zWOyNd4U/s1600/Totori-sleev-prints.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W-FEKLFpp6U/UafAR1Y6g9I/AAAAAAAAIXA/Fr5zWOyNd4U/s640/Totori-sleev-prints.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Unfortunately, the rest of Totori isn't nearly as attractive. First, let's talk seams. Totori is plagued with small, weedling seams that muddy her quality. You can find them on her coat, in her hair, and along her knees. Yes, Totori has knobby knees to the utmost degree. A visible line runs from her knees and through her boots.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> I'm used to seeing seams in the hair when it comes to figures, but damn, Totori has seams <i>everywhere</i>. Looking at her up close isn't exactly pleasant.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T4L20nMOTB4/UafAM3tLI0I/AAAAAAAAIWo/veIDqhIVUqo/s1600/Totori-outfit-seam.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T4L20nMOTB4/UafAM3tLI0I/AAAAAAAAIWo/veIDqhIVUqo/s320/Totori-outfit-seam.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srd77kFQjcw/Uae_9BQDBwI/AAAAAAAAIWQ/-FbjhH9Tf0A/s1600/Totori-hair-seam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srd77kFQjcw/Uae_9BQDBwI/AAAAAAAAIWQ/-FbjhH9Tf0A/s320/Totori-hair-seam.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JxFnn9BBjY/UafAM0t4YJI/AAAAAAAAIWs/FKoECSDoKdo/s1600/Totori-leg-seam.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JxFnn9BBjY/UafAM0t4YJI/AAAAAAAAIWs/FKoECSDoKdo/s320/Totori-leg-seam.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Despite Phat's attempt at detail, Totori's "details" are more damning than impressive. There are a dozen places where she could have blown my mind, but falls far short. For one, she's holding a darn ratty notebook. In fact, it doesn't even look like a notebook. It looks more like a pastel cigarette case. <i>Is Totori tapping out cigs that look like litmus paper?</i> Arland is a darker place than I first imagined.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> I agree with Jenn on the details. I'm severely disappointed in them since Phat had such a lovely design to work with. Perhaps Phat was going for a tethered look for that book of hers, like they were trying to show that Totori used her book every day to the point where it looks ragged. Ah, who am I kidding. It really just looks like a cheap sculpt and paint job.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Did you also notice? No fingernail distinction. Her fingers might as well be rolls of dough. It doesn't speak well of Phat, considering most manufacturers have made fingernail distinction a commonality. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4-K1CGHQ9k/Uae_hi7eQZI/AAAAAAAAIU4/t6owZ5ivF0k/s1600/Totori-bag.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4-K1CGHQ9k/Uae_hi7eQZI/AAAAAAAAIU4/t6owZ5ivF0k/s640/Totori-bag.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKrSA1RxygU/UafANJDcOCI/AAAAAAAAIWw/0jF-O4fHklY/s1600/Totori-notebook.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKrSA1RxygU/UafANJDcOCI/AAAAAAAAIWw/0jF-O4fHklY/s640/Totori-notebook.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> There's something else about Totori that bothers me. Look at her sleeves. I mean, <i>into</i> them. Do you espy with thine little eye what I doth espy with mine? Her sleeve is filled!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6RfbssPj2Y/UahMe_-98mI/AAAAAAAAIX4/ju5VU5vMl_E/s1600/Totori-filled-sleeve.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6RfbssPj2Y/UahMe_-98mI/AAAAAAAAIX4/ju5VU5vMl_E/s640/Totori-filled-sleeve.png" width="316" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> I'm severely disappointed in this detail. Phat could have put more effort into making it look better, and frankly more realistic, and really, it isn't as though they're making space for any particular detail. It's just arm space!<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Phat could maybe get away with it if both her arms were lowered, but this just looks like they were too lazy to carve out a proper arm.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> It definitely stands out since her arm's raised. People would definitely want to check out the whole sleeve in this case, but Phat probably didn't take that into consideration.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Overall, Totori's paint job is wracked with roughness. It's almost as though Phat using a lower quality paint than companies like GSC and Alter.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Their paint is...kind of shitty.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Whoa there, you mean "shoddy". Think of the children! The only figure I can really compare her to, paint-wise, is Kotobukiya's <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/10/18-kureha-touka-kotobukiya.html" target="_blank">Kureha</a>. <br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Ouch.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnYHLe7iY1Y/Uae_-HYZ0ZI/AAAAAAAAIWY/c4_wyFmZ904/s1600/Totori-headband.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnYHLe7iY1Y/Uae_-HYZ0ZI/AAAAAAAAIWY/c4_wyFmZ904/s640/Totori-headband.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> You know what the worst part of Totori is for me?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> What?<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> How flat she is.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6RhWerCHo30/UagDdl4dGkI/AAAAAAAAIXo/F5jFsKvfcRY/s1600/Totori-flatness.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6RhWerCHo30/UagDdl4dGkI/AAAAAAAAIXo/F5jFsKvfcRY/s640/Totori-flatness.png" width="316" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Jenn, are you checking out a 14-year-old gurl? <br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Yes, and no. Totori's lack of rack might be a subject of humour in the games, but I'm taking "flat" on a more technical level. Take a look at her sideways. She's like Paper Mario.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> We had this conversation before. What did we compare her to?<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> A Stunfisk.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Right. It could have been beautiful, but then someone stepped on it.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Is there a reason her skirt and ribbon and <i>barrel</i> are so horizontally challenged? No? Then why, Phat, <i>why</i>?<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> There's no excuse for that really...<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> I feel like we've grumbled enough. There's one great thing about Totori I want to get out there.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Shoot.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Her staff-head. Sure, the actual staff is a tube of plastic (I would have really liked to see some metal in there, for stability's sake), but the cute, heart-shaped staff-head is pretty darn clean. Nevermind the red gem shines like a beacon in the right lighting. Actually, I'm big on Totori's semi-transparency in general. It softens her up.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vykpz_N2SqE/UafAR7UTghI/AAAAAAAAIW8/H3rcmYpvrt4/s1600/Totori-staff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vykpz_N2SqE/UafAR7UTghI/AAAAAAAAIW8/H3rcmYpvrt4/s640/Totori-staff.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Speaking of good things, let's look at her decorative little base! Each item represents something in the game. The barrel is a reference to all Atelier games, I tell you. Every time you get a character to walk up to a barrel and interact with it, all they say is, "Barrel" and that's it. It's an ongoing inside joke, but a very strange one, yet all the fans of the Atelier series will know what it is. <br />
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The sign in front of the barrel on the base actually hangs on the door outside Totori's Atelier in the game. <br />
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I don't recall a wheel being in her room, but Totori does end up owning a ship later, so that may represent the adventurer in her, which is cute because she's working so hard just to find her missing mother. What a great daughter!<br />
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The flask and beakers are items she uses for alchemy. It's too bad they didn't include her cauldron but it would probably overwhelm the figure...though Phat could have flattened it quite a bit if they wanted to.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Wow, thanks, professor. That was quite a detailed summary. Considering Totori's base is the sole reason I bought her, it pleases me that it's at least as <i>substantial </i>as her promo pics promised.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYDO6bDZQ44/Uae_5k2u3NI/AAAAAAAAIWE/TBltP7UdREQ/s1600/Totori-base.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYDO6bDZQ44/Uae_5k2u3NI/AAAAAAAAIWE/TBltP7UdREQ/s640/Totori-base.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG-gmg08t9U/Uae_h4sSfeI/AAAAAAAAIVA/1P555Swl48Q/s1600/Totori-base-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG-gmg08t9U/Uae_h4sSfeI/AAAAAAAAIVA/1P555Swl48Q/s640/Totori-base-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> I love the bunny plush the most out of all the props. It's one of the only items on this figure that actually has some texture, and it actually looks really cute. I'm a sucker for bunnies though, so I'm being quite biased towards that plush, but who can resist that face? It's got cute little eyes and an "X" for a mouth!<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> My favourite part of Totori's base are those sexy test tubes. They appeal to the latent scientist in me. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cfbf9yY6NlE/Uae_wBa9WNI/AAAAAAAAIVg/CXq4Dc4VQ6o/s1600/Totori-base-bunny.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cfbf9yY6NlE/Uae_wBa9WNI/AAAAAAAAIVg/CXq4Dc4VQ6o/s320/Totori-base-bunny.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-er1nOhFsxsU/Uae_oxTJYwI/AAAAAAAAIVI/9W0s7Cpcfmc/s1600/Totori-base-barrel.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-er1nOhFsxsU/Uae_oxTJYwI/AAAAAAAAIVI/9W0s7Cpcfmc/s320/Totori-base-barrel.png" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJkxdsu1hZA/Uae_3Xr6LOI/AAAAAAAAIV4/2GJKvSz2HkU/s1600/Totori-base-wheel.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJkxdsu1hZA/Uae_3Xr6LOI/AAAAAAAAIV4/2GJKvSz2HkU/s320/Totori-base-wheel.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> I'm also fond of the frumpy curtain. It's gross ochre presentation is endearing in its ugliness. <br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> So it's so ugly it's cute?<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Yes, like a pug.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> You have strange tastes.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> You got it, bra. But before we continue, allow me one more grump. Totori doesn't fit properly on her base. Sure, she sticks to it, but her right foot is too loose around the peg and her left foot is too tight. If others hadn't reported experiencing the same phenomenon, I would have written it off as a defect unique to my Totori, but seeing as they have, we can conclude it's a result of a less-than-ideal design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81VZx_UqoIQFrp3j887ZQd_RD1dyJR3clJQIzSCwkCKr_FHF9WrIaboJJX61Kv0mkdT_LnWdkWJEUp0PA72cWQadBtXSs9TgTCy5lJe2lfPyOfRmNpb1vWGmwr-8WAG2vY2saoU_KIg/s1600/Totori-base-curtain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81VZx_UqoIQFrp3j887ZQd_RD1dyJR3clJQIzSCwkCKr_FHF9WrIaboJJX61Kv0mkdT_LnWdkWJEUp0PA72cWQadBtXSs9TgTCy5lJe2lfPyOfRmNpb1vWGmwr-8WAG2vY2saoU_KIg/s640/Totori-base-curtain.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Oh wait, did I say <i>one</i> more grump? I lied. I have more grumps. I would love to end here and say Totori's base is her salvation, <i>but not all is right in paradise</i>. Oh, the flatness! Such persistent <i>flatness</i>, not only in sculpt, but also in paint. Those bricks are so flat they might as well be chunks of cheese. Her steering wheel looks like milk chocolate rather than wood (it needs grain). Then there are additional paint defects. Look at that crumbling sign. Is it supposed to be so rugged?<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Don't think so.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-x9J253Bq0/Uae_hpP9OzI/AAAAAAAAIU8/4gzyAet_nMM/s1600/Totori-base-barrel-flat.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-x9J253Bq0/Uae_hpP9OzI/AAAAAAAAIU8/4gzyAet_nMM/s640/Totori-base-barrel-flat.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R-u5PO3A7U/Uae_xtWCGMI/AAAAAAAAIVs/BBkTyU7lbI0/s1600/Totori-base-paint-problems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R-u5PO3A7U/Uae_xtWCGMI/AAAAAAAAIVs/BBkTyU7lbI0/s640/Totori-base-paint-problems.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hAoMd8pS3BQ/Uae_piyXrnI/AAAAAAAAIVY/dQRQ9K_D2Js/s1600/Totori-base-bricks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hAoMd8pS3BQ/Uae_piyXrnI/AAAAAAAAIVY/dQRQ9K_D2Js/s640/Totori-base-bricks.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Well, guess we should move on. Never have I wished for a tallship of my own so acutely till I got my hands on Totori. Then I could snap all sorts of seafaring photos with her.<br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Would you really spend 30 grand for a fancy prop?<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> I think tallships cost more actually. Much, <i>much</i> more.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FsVmx6cUBSs/Ua6Z4utWZXI/AAAAAAAAIYo/Oaf-qBJTqkY/s1600/Totori-garden.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FsVmx6cUBSs/Ua6Z4utWZXI/AAAAAAAAIYo/Oaf-qBJTqkY/s640/Totori-garden.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dTBfhZSUuHo/Ua62bdZNQNI/AAAAAAAAIZY/8SuRaQKaX80/s1600/Totori-world-map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dTBfhZSUuHo/Ua62bdZNQNI/AAAAAAAAIZY/8SuRaQKaX80/s640/Totori-world-map.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLnKiPzL_2g/UbEpLNqjVNI/AAAAAAAAIbI/k-tGAwJgcaw/s1600/Totori-beads.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLnKiPzL_2g/UbEpLNqjVNI/AAAAAAAAIbI/k-tGAwJgcaw/s640/Totori-beads.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmTFkpOauvE/UbEpKVeRGNI/AAAAAAAAIbE/kt5VJc0FH-Y/s1600/Totori-angle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmTFkpOauvE/UbEpKVeRGNI/AAAAAAAAIbE/kt5VJc0FH-Y/s640/Totori-angle.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-7zWm4cvU8/UbE1R8VpbKI/AAAAAAAAIbk/0SlE1Lyf7eg/s1600/Totori-low-angle.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-7zWm4cvU8/UbE1R8VpbKI/AAAAAAAAIbk/0SlE1Lyf7eg/s640/Totori-low-angle.png" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3ERKn6DRo/UbE1RwLBw6I/AAAAAAAAIbg/0H2z4uojGj4/s1600/Totori-book-pile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3ERKn6DRo/UbE1RwLBw6I/AAAAAAAAIbg/0H2z4uojGj4/s640/Totori-book-pile.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Sunset channel is my home boi, yo.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ue8PXi3ftaE/Uaf-D3ujiJI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/Liplx31ds1I/s1600/Totori-sunset.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ue8PXi3ftaE/Uaf-D3ujiJI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/Liplx31ds1I/s640/Totori-sunset.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSJhkbzJQ6k/Uaf-Ef_xaSI/AAAAAAAAIXY/UAq9kdfJg9k/s1600/Totori-sunset-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSJhkbzJQ6k/Uaf-Ef_xaSI/AAAAAAAAIXY/UAq9kdfJg9k/s640/Totori-sunset-2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Analogy time. Any sadomasochistic, high-achieving student understands it takes more work to achieve the final 10% than the previous 90%. As such, I am happy to pay good money for that smidgeon of extra quality control that levvies an "A" figure into an "A+". Call it a perfectionist mentality. As such, the knowledge that a mistake exists hurts me more than any aesthetic impact it might have. Some people can forgive seams, rough paint, and strange sculpt. Not I. I roll and roll in agony.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15_yYf70Hug/Ua6iAezEaKI/AAAAAAAAIY4/R2dfg2idH5Q/s1600/Totori-white-bakground-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-15_yYf70Hug/Ua6iAezEaKI/AAAAAAAAIY4/R2dfg2idH5Q/s640/Totori-white-bakground-2.png" width="316" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Where are you going with this?<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Hmm, I wonder.... Oh, right. Paying extra for the icing on top. Unlike some companies, who will work their fingers bloody to achieve perfection, Phat gave up early and went to bed. Totori is passable, in terms of having shelf presence, but she isn't the smoothest, cleanest, or the most 3D figure out there. Nor can she compete with the high quality output of companies like Alter, Max Factory, or GSC. Instead of working a few extra hours to make sure she's spotless, Phat threw up their hands and settled for passable. Totori's an A. Not an A+. Actually, she might be more like a C+. <br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> For people that have played the game, Totori's figure doesn't completely capture Totori's character. Phat hasn't managed to get all her cuteness. Her face is a bit...long, maybe? I don't know, but it doesn't look right. Her hair is too short. It's not exactly the right colour either. Totori in the game has greyish hair, but her figure's is more brown. She doesn't look exactly like Totori from the game. For people who go in blind, she's passable, even if her quality isn't all that high. Fans of Totori might not be too pleased with how she looks though.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Good enough, right? <br />
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<span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich:</b></span> Er, not really.<br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn:</b></span> Right, I think we've made it clear how we feel about her. All we have to do is apply the finishing blow. So, my love, what's our final conclusion? <br />
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<u><b>The Run-Down</b></u><br />
<table border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: white; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td><b><br />
</b></td> <td><span style="color: #a30000;"><b>Jenn</b></span></td> <td><span style="color: #003399;"><b>Suich</b></span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Box</td> <td>5/10 (Box is box)</td> <td>5/10 (Disappointing and boring, but at least she got a box)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Base</td> <td>7.5/10 (Lovely, but could use more depth in both sculpt and paint)</td> <td>7.5/10 (Good references to the game itself, which is nice. It's also pretty cute, but I hate the flatness.)<br />
<br /></td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Pose</td> <td>6.5/10 (Cute head tilt, but otherwise unremarkable)</td> <td>7/10 (I think it's cute. I like how her hip's pushed out a little)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Sculpt</td> <td>6/10 (Why so flat? Many small seams) </td> <td>6/10 (Totori <i>and</i> her base are flat!)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Paint</td> <td>6.5/10 (General roughness, lack of shading, lost opportunities on the base)</td> <td>6.5/10 (Too many spills. She could definitely use shading as well)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b> Overall </b></td> <td>6.5/10 (Decent, but not <i>resplendent</i>)</td> <td>6.5/10 (I'm disappointed in the treatment Totori got from Phat)</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Manufacturer:</b> Phat Company (Dat company so phat, yo)<br />
<b>Price</b>: 9000 yen<br />
<b>Purchased from:</b> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.amiami.com" target="_blank"><b>AmiAmi</b></a><br />
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<b>Poke it good,</b><br />
<b><span style="color: #a30000;">Jenn</span> and <span style="color: #003399;">Suich</span></b>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626469176896276725.post-73087999034604313232013-06-14T19:04:00.000-04:002014-05-04T03:05:56.398-04:001/8 Tenshi exclusive ver. (GSC)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/06/18-tenshi-exclusive-ver-gsc.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yAyt8t1jYMk/Ubav5UBj-fI/AAAAAAAAImA/-3wnz4Ml72c/s1600/Tenshi-icon.png" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;">Behold! Tenshi descends from heaven to grace the earth with cuteness and charm—<br />
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Wait, wait, wait, didn't I already do a <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2011/10/18-tenshi-gsc.html" target="_blank">Tenshi</a> review? Well, yes I did, and kudos to you for being so clever. But it's common knowledge that everyone could use an extra angel, so the when GSC announced they were releasing an exclusive Tenshi, complete with glorious, sweeping wings, I <i>freaked like balls</i>. </span><br />
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See, my flighty nature prevents me from committing to any one character for long, and my urge to buy repeats of any given character is actually quite low. Unlike more dedicated collectors out there, I have never mastered, or even understood, the art of shrining. Tenshi, however, has a quiet badassery I wouldn't mind indulging.<br />
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Tenshi hails from Angel Beats!, a series developed by Jun Maeda, creator such dramas as Clannad, Kanon, and Air. Unlike it's predecessors, however, Angel Beats! hits hard with the comedy, and falls flat on everything else. Such aimless meanderings I've yet to see in South American tributaries. The plot was a mess, the pacing, hackneyed, and the gaping plot holes made me wonder whether the writers were shot. Tenshi's was the sole reason I saw it through. She was, to put it lamely, the wind beneath my wings. <br />
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Lately, GSC seems to be going down the road of fully covered boxes (see <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/01/18-miku-hatsune-2001-racing-ver-gsc.html" target="_blank">Racing Miku 2011</a>), and I'm not sure I like the idea. I enjoy peeking through windows. Makes me feel all <i>through the looking glass</i>. Fortunately, Tenshi's box is relatively pleasant, with a lavender gradient wash and copies of Tenshi's promo pics on all four sides. For an exclusive figure, I would have preferred a plain white box with silvery words, and elegant, shining wings (as opposed to <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2012/02/18-lacia-gsc.html" target="_blank">Lacia's</a> sleek black box), but hey, as long as it does it's job.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #a30000;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>(**Click to enlarge photos**)</b></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #a30000;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt0MZeiuzW8/UbVn7O9H2KI/AAAAAAAAIdg/uZbdzUWFQUs/s1600/Tenshi-box-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt0MZeiuzW8/UbVn7O9H2KI/AAAAAAAAIdg/uZbdzUWFQUs/s320/Tenshi-box-1.png" height="299" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Yi4XnK8KLE/UbVn7nBQdcI/AAAAAAAAIdo/kf_dWA_Rra8/s1600/Tenshi-box-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Yi4XnK8KLE/UbVn7nBQdcI/AAAAAAAAIdo/kf_dWA_Rra8/s320/Tenshi-box-2.png" height="299" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #a30000;"><br />
Like the previous Tenshi, this version can be displayed with or without wings, though once you've seen her with wings, it's difficult to see her "streamlined" version as somewhat lacking.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vUETOxJoMs/UbVogBaRuoI/AAAAAAAAIfg/f8QQq3HHQHI/s1600/Tenshi-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vUETOxJoMs/UbVogBaRuoI/AAAAAAAAIfg/f8QQq3HHQHI/s320/Tenshi-full-1.png" height="299" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMFzBD55IUOwfNi-nFSOaugPRhgeOwgfhWskPmiikojd5mfAJrKjYv6ZDAbj0GzqSRf7-76vr_TiH401UiD4IBZf2LYFalYPmisbiJ4Z7d_AlfYjFsaLGcbKJ2GqPX1n5AQBPFcS23Ec/s1600/Tenshi-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMFzBD55IUOwfNi-nFSOaugPRhgeOwgfhWskPmiikojd5mfAJrKjYv6ZDAbj0GzqSRf7-76vr_TiH401UiD4IBZf2LYFalYPmisbiJ4Z7d_AlfYjFsaLGcbKJ2GqPX1n5AQBPFcS23Ec/s320/Tenshi-full-2.png" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckmxC3fqMHs/UbVohuitGdI/AAAAAAAAIfo/t_jc1b5TXMY/s1600/Tenshi-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckmxC3fqMHs/UbVohuitGdI/AAAAAAAAIfo/t_jc1b5TXMY/s320/Tenshi-full-3.png" height="299" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WpjwqOitIDI/UbVop2PXBcI/AAAAAAAAIf0/rTfF6nopmDQ/s1600/Tenshi-full-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WpjwqOitIDI/UbVop2PXBcI/AAAAAAAAIf0/rTfF6nopmDQ/s320/Tenshi-full-4.png" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq7sv2SY88M/UbVoqC49ABI/AAAAAAAAIgA/M8CRAg_vch8/s1600/Tenshi-full-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq7sv2SY88M/UbVoqC49ABI/AAAAAAAAIgA/M8CRAg_vch8/s320/Tenshi-full-5.png" height="299" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXrSuxgg5f0/UbVoqpWKFXI/AAAAAAAAIf8/7UNzK_8wfD4/s1600/Tenshi-full-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXrSuxgg5f0/UbVoqpWKFXI/AAAAAAAAIf8/7UNzK_8wfD4/s320/Tenshi-full-6.png" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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Without wings, Tenshi looks like any old anime girl, casually flipping her hair in that enticing way girls do but don't realize. In fact, she looks so relaxed I almost want to plop a bag of groceries in her left hand. You can almost see her taking an afternoon walk on a street of solid cheese.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tCAzuY4CyQU/UbVo3z3QMPI/AAAAAAAAIgo/QjnGTG0r44Y/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tCAzuY4CyQU/UbVo3z3QMPI/AAAAAAAAIgo/QjnGTG0r44Y/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YbZR2d9QfH8/UbVo4ZcI0uI/AAAAAAAAIgw/u1n-RjY-MYI/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YbZR2d9QfH8/UbVo4ZcI0uI/AAAAAAAAIgw/u1n-RjY-MYI/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oxYNqGrngM/UbVo9U6781I/AAAAAAAAIg4/qbJqgkWjUtA/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oxYNqGrngM/UbVo9U6781I/AAAAAAAAIg4/qbJqgkWjUtA/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-3.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ejiqeJWeOw/UbVo-7dlqeI/AAAAAAAAIhA/7xZZNj1Aq-Y/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ejiqeJWeOw/UbVo-7dlqeI/AAAAAAAAIhA/7xZZNj1Aq-Y/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIS4fpHhOZU/UbVo_Tg1zlI/AAAAAAAAIhI/3kPaI3K9PMw/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GIS4fpHhOZU/UbVo_Tg1zlI/AAAAAAAAIhI/3kPaI3K9PMw/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-5.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjDtM7xM10k/UbVpEO1mLnI/AAAAAAAAIhQ/a4d6xMGmTaE/s1600/Tenshi-no-wings-full-6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjDtM7xM10k/UbVpEO1mLnI/AAAAAAAAIhQ/a4d6xMGmTaE/s320/Tenshi-no-wings-full-6.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Wait? What cheese? No, I'm not making schizotypal associations. I'm talking about her joke of a base. I could write an entire essay on why her base drops the ball. I have high expectations of exclusive figures, if not for anything other than their higher price tags. If I'm going to pay extra, I want it all. I want ball-busting detail, glorious paint jobs, dynamic poses, and <i>decent bases</i>.<br />
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But what disappoints me about Tenshi's base isn't that it's simply round, plain, and otherwise unadorned. Plenty of exclusive figures have plain, round, unadorned bases, so that alone isn't enough to rile my ire. It's when a base <i>detracts </i>from a figure that I begin to bristle. Tenshi's base looks unfinished, like GSC went for imitation sand and failed to pull off the texture. Is it hard to imitate sand? Not really. So what happened, GSC? Caught a bout of halfassery, did we? If you didn't want to bother with a nice base, just use a clear, circular piece of plastic (like they did in <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Tenshiclearbase_zps61d8387a.jpeg" target="_blank">promo pics</a>). It would have looked better than a half-baked, half-decent, non-aesthetic chunk of semi-ripe cheddar.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZewGS3wq0x0/UbVnx8F0IKI/AAAAAAAAIdI/cHOOiKNDUyg/s1600/Tenshi-base.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZewGS3wq0x0/UbVnx8F0IKI/AAAAAAAAIdI/cHOOiKNDUyg/s640/Tenshi-base.png" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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Breathe deep. Calming down. Moving on.<br />
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Tenshi isn't one for strong emotions. Till the last few episodes of the show, she operated with the unreadable professionalism of a practiced poker player. It surprised me that GSC decided to go with a smile on both her figures, considering she smiled only about once in the entire series. Nevertheless, her shy smile and slight blush are too sweet too criticize.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kbU1XS_QG-s/UbVoMpJwonI/AAAAAAAAIeg/auVNcxOnO9o/s1600/Tenshi-face-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kbU1XS_QG-s/UbVoMpJwonI/AAAAAAAAIeg/auVNcxOnO9o/s320/Tenshi-face-3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYO3z5msywk/UbVoJk90AnI/AAAAAAAAIeU/79il0xJ2Vps/s1600/Tenshi-face-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYO3z5msywk/UbVoJk90AnI/AAAAAAAAIeU/79il0xJ2Vps/s320/Tenshi-face-1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvMBsBE1Z68/UbVoJ9RhOXI/AAAAAAAAIeY/UBmXA1GcQ-I/s1600/Tenshi-face-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvMBsBE1Z68/UbVoJ9RhOXI/AAAAAAAAIeY/UBmXA1GcQ-I/s320/Tenshi-face-2.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YXHiG6O8Zrk/UbVoQjS4mGI/AAAAAAAAIew/swQd-7Hkjtc/s1600/Tenshi-face-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YXHiG6O8Zrk/UbVoQjS4mGI/AAAAAAAAIew/swQd-7Hkjtc/s320/Tenshi-face-4.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYOWj7DqBuU/UbVoXD40BLI/AAAAAAAAIfE/o8JSeQ1Lnw0/s1600/Tenshi-face-7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYOWj7DqBuU/UbVoXD40BLI/AAAAAAAAIfE/o8JSeQ1Lnw0/s320/Tenshi-face-7.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3PQYDEsUDOI/UbVoQT13G8I/AAAAAAAAIeo/c1P1BMrQKNw/s1600/Tenshi-face-5.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3PQYDEsUDOI/UbVoQT13G8I/AAAAAAAAIeo/c1P1BMrQKNw/s320/Tenshi-face-5.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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I've been bothered by the appearance of Tenshi's bangs, but couldn't put my finger on it till recently. Then, as I was taking photos, it suddenly clicked. Tenshi's bangs are a little wide and squashed, which makes her head look a bit flat.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksyqvngYTCg/UbVnx_ARxRI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/ze1o06eedPw/s1600/Tenshi-bangs-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksyqvngYTCg/UbVnx_ARxRI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/ze1o06eedPw/s640/Tenshi-bangs-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Naturally, Tenshi also has a seam line between her bangs and her hair, but it's a feature so common it might as well be tradition. Still, I look forward to the day manufacturers get around this minor nuisance. Alter made a good attempt at hiding <a href="http://pokethemerch.blogspot.ca/2013/03/18-stocking-anarchy-alter.html" target="_blank">Stocking's</a> seam line, after all. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANlP5tu_WehAULDI_r-QCFn4rlcX-G1qz3nsAUR1p_D_O3QgmPKL69MGWGRtGzCF8qiaYEf1-CGZEJAHpvo1dL0SHLDJieynR57PwB9jIG0j6QYWQ8nl5T075D4hyc74CnpUjN6Nc9f0/s1600/Tenshi-bangs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANlP5tu_WehAULDI_r-QCFn4rlcX-G1qz3nsAUR1p_D_O3QgmPKL69MGWGRtGzCF8qiaYEf1-CGZEJAHpvo1dL0SHLDJieynR57PwB9jIG0j6QYWQ8nl5T075D4hyc74CnpUjN6Nc9f0/s640/Tenshi-bangs.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Neither her slightly misshaped bangs or bang seam are a big deal given the generous sweep of her remaining locks. There's some nice <i>whoosh</i> in there, and the tug lines around her hairband are a plus.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JArEUQ1KDDU/UbVowz3F0cI/AAAAAAAAIgM/LTw6QBpjelY/s1600/Tenshi-hair-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JArEUQ1KDDU/UbVowz3F0cI/AAAAAAAAIgM/LTw6QBpjelY/s640/Tenshi-hair-1.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM3BBp3Osh4/UbVoxXcN9nI/AAAAAAAAIgY/WvWWiRhL3yY/s1600/Tenshi-hair-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM3BBp3Osh4/UbVoxXcN9nI/AAAAAAAAIgY/WvWWiRhL3yY/s640/Tenshi-hair-2.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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There was a hubub about Tenshi's dress a little while back when GSC teased a shot of her (<span style="color: red;">nsfw</span>) <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Tenshicastoff_zpsf59c1493.jpeg" target="-_blank">cast-off</a>. There was an even bigger hubub when consumers realized that GSC trolled everyone, and that Tenshi <i>is not a cast-off</i>. You could, of course, cut her dress off. It's not attached to her body in any fashion, and there's a convenient seam line you can use as a guide, but the entire procedure has a do-it-yourself, IKEA vibe that doesn't sit well with me (much in the same way GSC's <a href="http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/06/06/placing-stickers-on-blank-nendoroid-expressions/" target="_blank">nendoroid-sticker-faces</a> don't sit well with me).<br />
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Either way, a cast-off option would have been wasted on me. There are girls I would like to undress, and girls I wouldn't, and Tenshi falls into the latter. Rather, I enjoy the summery flair her dress provides. Its semi-transparency is significant enough to provide an ephemeral feeling to her overall character, but opaque enough to censure her lady bits. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJun1aCwUCc/UbVoC_kTICI/AAAAAAAAIeA/hsLE9ik6jus/s1600/Tenshi-dress-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJun1aCwUCc/UbVoC_kTICI/AAAAAAAAIeA/hsLE9ik6jus/s640/Tenshi-dress-1.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqGBXScLk0U/UbVoCmYZIEI/AAAAAAAAId8/EVai3pU5sJ0/s1600/Tenshi-dress-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqGBXScLk0U/UbVoCmYZIEI/AAAAAAAAId8/EVai3pU5sJ0/s640/Tenshi-dress-2.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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Tenshi is not very heavily shaded, a prudent decision on GSC's part given her angelic atmosphere. Her buttons and ribbons provide all the spice she needs. The sculpt on Tenshi's dress is pleasant and detailed, though I find it strange that her ribbons so not have holes through their loops, though clever placement of her ribbon ends actually negates the need for holes. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WpqezHeHI-I/UbVoF909z7I/AAAAAAAAIeI/CVlqJAKJ0Pc/s1600/Tenshi-dress-close.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WpqezHeHI-I/UbVoF909z7I/AAAAAAAAIeI/CVlqJAKJ0Pc/s640/Tenshi-dress-close.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tenshi has thin, girly legs. Look at how tiny her calves are! Careful on those sticks, girl. Angels with broken wings are acceptable. Angels with broken fibulas are just silly.<br />
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On first inspection, Tenshi seems like a chaste girl. But a closer inspection reveals she wears an enticingly short dress. One naughty gust of wind and she'd be flashing her panties at the world.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNBd7fNJxzI/UbVoxU-0GoI/AAAAAAAAIgU/r6qd0QF43Jc/s1600/Tenshi-legs-1.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNBd7fNJxzI/UbVoxU-0GoI/AAAAAAAAIgU/r6qd0QF43Jc/s640/Tenshi-legs-1.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hvicJ8Qx74k/UbVo25b7jKI/AAAAAAAAIgg/HqB_XQaJmks/s1600/Tenshi-legs-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hvicJ8Qx74k/UbVo25b7jKI/AAAAAAAAIgg/HqB_XQaJmks/s640/Tenshi-legs-2.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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And since we're going there anyway—<br />
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Tenshi wears safe, white panties. Did you really expect anything else? <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-siPjwu4EzgY/UbVpKk-98uI/AAAAAAAAIho/bIi3TRYqYBk/s1600/Tenshi-panties-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-siPjwu4EzgY/UbVpKk-98uI/AAAAAAAAIho/bIi3TRYqYBk/s640/Tenshi-panties-2.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ugNHi27FFBw/UbVpF4VUhFI/AAAAAAAAIhg/f9k0LdejNvI/s1600/Tenshi-panties-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ugNHi27FFBw/UbVpF4VUhFI/AAAAAAAAIhg/f9k0LdejNvI/s640/Tenshi-panties-1.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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Getting down to the nitty gritty. I've said before I like my exclusives to have ball-busting detail, but not all characters are as ornate as I want them to be. Tenshi is a keep-it-simple girl, but that doesn't mean GSC can slack on her detail. Rather, whatever scant detail she does possess needs to be crisp to the umpteenth degree. After all, it's easier to forgive folly when you're bogged down by a million nano-lines than when you just have one ribbon to paint.<br />
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Tenshi's details are all right. She has fingernail definition, but they're not too neat, and her toes seem a bit stiff. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1gnbkEzp3c8/UbVoY5MAq8I/AAAAAAAAIfQ/uhoALWVc5II/s1600/Tenshi-fingernails.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1gnbkEzp3c8/UbVoY5MAq8I/AAAAAAAAIfQ/uhoALWVc5II/s640/Tenshi-fingernails.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-tNLx5_qME/UbVoXetpQiI/AAAAAAAAIfI/iA-qdJGoG34/s1600/Tenshi-feet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-tNLx5_qME/UbVoXetpQiI/AAAAAAAAIfI/iA-qdJGoG34/s640/Tenshi-feet.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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I have too many fetishes to count when it comes to character design. They include large weapons, glasses, striped leggings, red-black colour schemes, snazzy uniforms, futuristic latex suits, anything steampunk, and <i>wings, </i>namely, <i>avian wings</i>. Birds are my home boys, guys. I love them with all the might of my wee, villainous heart. So I'm glad to report Tenshi's wings are exaclty as beautiful as I expected. GSC went all out in creating a set of believable, relatively anatomically correct flight apparatuses. Look at all those glorious, individual feathers.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu7KRRt_MVc/UbVpfjTdfpI/AAAAAAAAIi4/88HMcUa_M2M/s1600/Tenshi-wing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu7KRRt_MVc/UbVpfjTdfpI/AAAAAAAAIi4/88HMcUa_M2M/s640/Tenshi-wing.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, to the real nitty gritty. Tenshi has a couple of paint problems. Her hair comes with several small scrapes straight from the box, and the paint on her wings transfers very easily. You risk rubbing paint off her wings just by popping her head on, since the action beings her hair and marginal coverts into contact. Her wings are also <i>dreadfully</i> fragile. During assembly, one of her wing pegs snapped off. Superglue (binder of the universe) fixed the problem, but it was disconcerting nevertheless. Take extra caution!<br />
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Tenshi also has a couple of seams in her hair that could have been smoothed over, but they're generally well hidden. Without her wings, Tenshi also sports two gaping back gouges, which I will neither count for or against her given their necessity.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUTdW7knpWg/UbVpE3z-WSI/AAAAAAAAIhY/ASGWmyckaAY/s1600/Tenshi-paint-scrap.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUTdW7knpWg/UbVpE3z-WSI/AAAAAAAAIhY/ASGWmyckaAY/s320/Tenshi-paint-scrap.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oHvhyhSt0tI/UbVpLeEs60I/AAAAAAAAIhw/CYmoYe0kZ4o/s1600/Tenshi-seam-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oHvhyhSt0tI/UbVpLeEs60I/AAAAAAAAIhw/CYmoYe0kZ4o/s320/Tenshi-seam-2.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7lNlqFzqS4E/UbVpMPtOGmI/AAAAAAAAIh4/90c9ISz4Fkc/s1600/Tenshi-shoulder-hole.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7lNlqFzqS4E/UbVpMPtOGmI/AAAAAAAAIh4/90c9ISz4Fkc/s320/Tenshi-shoulder-hole.png" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awz2IM1U_VA/UbVpfI_58XI/AAAAAAAAIiw/ijyl-AvUJ_4/s1600/Tenshi-wing-paint.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awz2IM1U_VA/UbVpfI_58XI/AAAAAAAAIiw/ijyl-AvUJ_4/s640/Tenshi-wing-paint.png" height="436" width="654" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: Sadness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, it's hard to have two versions of Tenshi without comparing them. Looking back, it shocks me that I only gave GSC's previous Tenshi a 6.5/10. I must have had a <i>bad</i> day when I reviewed her. It must have been raining. I was probably splashed by a bus on the way home. I probably had my mouth open. Something or the other. Looking back, I was unfairly harsh. She's not a bad figure at all. I feel like I should re-evaluate her one day.<br />
<br />
Comparing the two Tenshis might be like comparing apples to oranges. Her alternate outfit makes it difficult to compare them directly, but there are certain qualities that I can still work with.<br />
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Side by side, you can see Tenshi's previous incarnation has a slightly pinker skin tone. Her eyes are darker, and her face a little rounder. Her bangs are also more detailed. In terms of face, there's something sweet and alert about previous Tenshi's wide eyes that exclusive Tenshi lacks.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N4f1Z391x8c/UbVpZgiGxuI/AAAAAAAAIig/hUDcl7eqrP0/s1600/Tenshi-uniform-skin-tone.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N4f1Z391x8c/UbVpZgiGxuI/AAAAAAAAIig/hUDcl7eqrP0/s640/Tenshi-uniform-skin-tone.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jABzFisoLgA/UbVpSLBqlSI/AAAAAAAAIiI/NSH58aIxqoE/s1600/Tenshi-summer-dress-skin-tone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jABzFisoLgA/UbVpSLBqlSI/AAAAAAAAIiI/NSH58aIxqoE/s640/Tenshi-summer-dress-skin-tone.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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Exclusive Tenshi has grown out her hair! Previous Tenshi has more lavender in her hair, while exclusive Tenshi has more blue. Exclusive Tenshi also has fewer gradients in her hair, giving it a more matte appearance overall.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUtogDKO4Z4/UbVpYabdJ-I/AAAAAAAAIiY/PGmerjT_4w4/s1600/Tenshi-uniform-shading.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUtogDKO4Z4/UbVpYabdJ-I/AAAAAAAAIiY/PGmerjT_4w4/s640/Tenshi-uniform-shading.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cLpL2h6W4_g/UbVpRs_TIXI/AAAAAAAAIiE/CU6QIWwLl7w/s1600/Tenshi-summer-dress-shading.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cLpL2h6W4_g/UbVpRs_TIXI/AAAAAAAAIiE/CU6QIWwLl7w/s640/Tenshi-summer-dress-shading.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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Both Tenshi are light and breezy in their own way. Previous Tenshi has an airborne pose, while exlusive Tenshi has a lighter colour scheme and breezier dress.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xU3JKXY4Kjw/UbVpfKah8DI/AAAAAAAAIis/epVf_Tp_5SQ/s1600/Tenshi-uniform.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xU3JKXY4Kjw/UbVpfKah8DI/AAAAAAAAIis/epVf_Tp_5SQ/s640/Tenshi-uniform.png" height="598" width="640" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv_2X777n4A/UbVpVsxZp9I/AAAAAAAAIiQ/mtOxTDbtu4w/s1600/Tenshi-summer-dress.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv_2X777n4A/UbVpVsxZp9I/AAAAAAAAIiQ/mtOxTDbtu4w/s640/Tenshi-summer-dress.png" height="595" width="640" /></a></div>
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When I first laid eyes on exclusive Tenshi's prototype I thought she would blow the previous Tenshi out of the water. But when they're side by side, it's actually rather difficult to chose one over the other. On one hand, GSC's previous Tenshi has excellent quality (again, I'm not sure why I rated her so low). Her sharpness and spot-on face are difficult to beat. On the other, GSC's exclusive Tenshi has beautiful, pursuasive wings, and a lovely, angelic atmosphere.<br />
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Which would you choose?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drrOd-hTks4/UbZ66oY-M5I/AAAAAAAAIjY/55PkhJm5tDk/s1600/Tenshi-curtains-3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drrOd-hTks4/UbZ66oY-M5I/AAAAAAAAIjY/55PkhJm5tDk/s640/Tenshi-curtains-3.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LOpAsQDWArA/UbVoAH1E7wI/AAAAAAAAIdw/KooaPxkCi1E/s1600/Tenshi-curtains.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LOpAsQDWArA/UbVoAH1E7wI/AAAAAAAAIdw/KooaPxkCi1E/s640/Tenshi-curtains.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lD7ZewJCknM/UbVn7hf7PVI/AAAAAAAAIdk/bWAiiC-KlZk/s1600/Tenshi-curtains-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lD7ZewJCknM/UbVn7hf7PVI/AAAAAAAAIdk/bWAiiC-KlZk/s640/Tenshi-curtains-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
One interesting side effect of being a figure collector is that you get very good at stacking boxes. Seriously, I can Tetris that <strike>shit</strike> snazz in half a minute flat. Unlike more steel-souled individuals out there, I can't bear the thought of throwing out, or even flattening my boxes to save space. On the bright side, having lots of boxes also means having lots of backdrops, many of which I employ in moments of photographic-desperation.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26rkCrU3sb0/UbZ7ASl_L5I/AAAAAAAAIjo/dC7Nh_G8pTg/s1600/Tenshi-pink-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26rkCrU3sb0/UbZ7ASl_L5I/AAAAAAAAIjo/dC7Nh_G8pTg/s640/Tenshi-pink-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9pfDfvEGFf0/UbaKIh7kuVI/AAAAAAAAIkw/UAQMQLxlzMs/s1600/Tenshi-night-sky-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9pfDfvEGFf0/UbaKIh7kuVI/AAAAAAAAIkw/UAQMQLxlzMs/s640/Tenshi-night-sky-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Up2tcFP4wCg/UbaI198HbpI/AAAAAAAAIkY/5wXwU4VBUgU/s1600/Tenshi-night-sky-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Up2tcFP4wCg/UbaI198HbpI/AAAAAAAAIkY/5wXwU4VBUgU/s640/Tenshi-night-sky-2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vv8hIT0HqrQ/UbaznhkLnOI/AAAAAAAAImU/mgx3AJgBceo/s1600/Tenshi-feathers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vv8hIT0HqrQ/UbaznhkLnOI/AAAAAAAAImU/mgx3AJgBceo/s640/Tenshi-feathers.png" height="532" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wish I were a photographic genius, but my process can only be described as trial and error. As I once explained to a piano salesperson, "I like to take a bite out of every sample, then when I find a sample I like, I eat a whole bunch." I don't think she quite knew what I was talking about. In retrospect, <i>I'm</i> not even sure what I was talking about, or why I was conversing with a piano salesperson about food samples. What I <i>think </i>I was trying to convey was my need to experiment. In photography, as in life, I get uncomfortable relying on old patterns. What works works, and that's totally cool, but there's nothing quite like the rush of trying new things.<br />
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For the longest time I avoided taking low-lighting pictures. One, because my camera can't handle high ISO settings without spitting out grain, two, because I don't have a strong tripod, and three, because I'm plumb lazy. But a few weeks ago I kicked myself and did what I do best: winged it. Here's what I learned.<br />
<ol>
<li>Soft lighting is a real <strike>bitch</strike> bother to get right.</li>
<li>Having a heartbeat is really inconvenient. I could <i>be my own tripod</i> if I didn't have such pulsating muscular spasms.</li>
<li>You can kind of imitate an off-camera flash by flicking a lamp on and off (I call this frugal-flashing)</li>
<li>Piles of textbooks make excellent, albeit <i>heavy</i>, tripods. Ha! If that's not frugal living I don't know what is....Though if I sold all those textbooks, I could probably afford a very nice tripod. Damn it, Jenn. Start thinking things through!</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EoKFZeTJN8k/UbaI1YbIryI/AAAAAAAAIkI/J90iIWukTBw/s1600/Tenshi-moonlight.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EoKFZeTJN8k/UbaI1YbIryI/AAAAAAAAIkI/J90iIWukTBw/s640/Tenshi-moonlight.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qBfhLfCW8Iw/UbflL3NjxvI/AAAAAAAAImk/gQfCPCy_5jI/s1600/Tenshi-red.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qBfhLfCW8Iw/UbflL3NjxvI/AAAAAAAAImk/gQfCPCy_5jI/s640/Tenshi-red.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSlK_nb79hI/UbaffC0RjhI/AAAAAAAAIlQ/PdIjNUMxkIA/s1600/Tenshi-blue-squares.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSlK_nb79hI/UbaffC0RjhI/AAAAAAAAIlQ/PdIjNUMxkIA/s640/Tenshi-blue-squares.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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While I see Tenshi as more cute than sexy, the silhouette of her body through her dress is oddly erotic. Mmm, oh yeah, look at that kinky shadow play.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjMNYw5ehaw/Ubat2LB8QFI/AAAAAAAAIlk/6bmYwTi2YlU/s1600/Tenshi-silhouette-2.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjMNYw5ehaw/Ubat2LB8QFI/AAAAAAAAIlk/6bmYwTi2YlU/s640/Tenshi-silhouette-2.png" height="474" width="316" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zW7KmAkD3Ak/Ubat2CSW1lI/AAAAAAAAIlo/HdLKMoke2Uk/s1600/Tenshi-silhouette.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zW7KmAkD3Ak/Ubat2CSW1lI/AAAAAAAAIlo/HdLKMoke2Uk/s640/Tenshi-silhouette.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tc4eLiFFtzE/UbaubLtEg7I/AAAAAAAAIlw/ca6zZNMvORk/s1600/Tenshi-silhouette-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tc4eLiFFtzE/UbaubLtEg7I/AAAAAAAAIlw/ca6zZNMvORk/s640/Tenshi-silhouette-3.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As much as I like Tenshi, and as much as I like this figure in general, I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed overall. Maybe my expectations were too high. I saw her prototype and clapped like a broken toy monkey. I was so excited. When her actual figure came into being, she wasn't quite as spectacular in person as my mind imagined her to be. At the risk of sounding douchy, let me reference Wordsworth, who once wrote, in his embellished, roundabout way, that the physical world could never live up to the spectacles wrought by the mind's eye (to which I jumped up in class and shouted "OBJECTION", but that's a whole other story). While I bite my thumb at most Romanticism, I admit Wordy might be partially correct this time. Nothing makes a disappointment of reality quite as effectively as high expectations.<br />
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Besides her wings, which are glorious, though not the best I've ever seen (best goes to Alter's <a href="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x388/PoketheMerch/Gwendolyn_zpscb6a45e9.jpg" target="_blank">Gwendolyn</a>), Tenshi is really standard-run quality. My real beef is aimed at her <strike>lazy-ass</strike> lazy-butt base, but her small slipups also detract from my enjoyment of her overall. Sure, I sometimes put her on a windowsill, recline on the floor, watch the glorious sun rise over her head, and smile, but other times, I mingle her with my other figures and think, "She's nice, but she's not <i>that</i> nice."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
As a GSC exclusive, it may be more difficult to get your hands on Tenshi in the future, but<b> </b>she'll show up on Mandarake eventually. As I always say, believe in the Rulers of Time and you shall reap. Would I recommend her to others? It depends. For Tenshi fans, yes, and moreso if you're a suck for angel wings, but otherwise, you might want to think twice. Her price tag of 8000 yen isn't hefty for an exclusive figure, but neither is it cheap. She easily goes for 10k+ on proxy sites. Despite her beautiful wings, I would argue that there are better, more interesting, exclusive figures you can get for about the same price.<br />
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Though as usual, it's all about preference.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNcAgQZQPDc/UbZ64-D7ysI/AAAAAAAAIjQ/OUryiGRHbGc/s1600/Tenshi-blue-candles.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-left: 1.75em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNcAgQZQPDc/UbZ64-D7ysI/AAAAAAAAIjQ/OUryiGRHbGc/s640/Tenshi-blue-candles.png" height="474" width="316" /></a></div>
<u><b>The Run-Down</b></u><br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr> <td> Box</td> <td> 5/10 </td><td>Pleasant colours, but no windows...?</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Base</td> <td> 4/10 </td><td>Unimpressive, lazy, would have preferred a clear base instead</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Pose</td> <td> 7.5/10 </td><td>Breezy, feminine, with a good sense of movement</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Sculpt</td> <td> 8.5/10 </td><td>Seam in dress, bangs are a wee bit funky, otherwise splendid</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Paint</td> <td> 7/10 </td><td>A bit flat overall, paint rubs off wings very easily</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b> Overall </b></td> <td> 7.5/10 </td><td>Not perfect, but nice nevertheless</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Manufacturer</b>: Good Smile Company<br />
<b>Price</b>: 8000 yen<br />
<b>Purchased from</b>: <b><a href="http://www.anime-island.com/" target="_blank">Anime Island</a></b><br />
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<br />
<b>It's over 9000!</b><br />
<b>Jenn</b></span>Jenn and Sui Cheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14248172631727355187noreply@blogger.com4