May: May-jor Merch Expected!

We got a few of you in April, didn't we? Don't deny it! Two of our last previews were actually made by ourselves and our awesome friends. Sorry we're so astoundingly skilled. We apologise if we got your hopes up, only to dash them with incredible cruelty. It's what we do best.  We promise not to pull any hijinks with you in May. After all, May is a big month. May is filled with wondrous, spring-fresh merchandise, and we're excited. So excited.

1/8 Panty Anarchy (Alter)

Jenn: One cannot express my excitement for this figure in words alone.

Suich: I haven't even watched the series and I'm excited!  Look at how stunning that figure looks!

Jenn: Panty + Alter? Can we have a better combination? The details in her hair, the ruffles on her skirt, the puny wings on her heels - I feel a swoon coming. Her face is undoubtedly the best part of this figure. Blue eyeshadow? That's sexy!

Suich: Alter definitely knows how to pick them!  They also know how to take Jenn's money.  But I must admit, Panty really does look sexy with that pose and ruffles

Jenn: Nevermind the pink hearts and light fluffiness, Panty is THE MAN. I'm of the opinion she should have come with a stripper pole and a halo, but hey, that's what Photoshop is for. Now I just have to wait for GSC to reveal their prototype of Panty. Will she be as incredible? Or better, duel-wielding?!

Suich: Since they're not "racing to release" this time, Alter should do really well!  They've already got her painted and pretty much ready to go!

Jenn: There's just one thing that bugs me about this figure. Her wings aren't attached to her back. They're attached to her hair. Wut? That ain't cool, man.

Hair wings are all the rage these days.

Pre-Order?
Jenn: Done
Suich: I'll gawk at Jenn's when I get a chance!

1/7 Nanoha Takamachi - Summer Holiday Ver. (Alter)

Jenn: Truly, Nanoha is a franchise that just keeps on giving. How many figures does she have now? I can't even remember, but I ended up buying 5 of them even with complete apathy towards the actual series. How? I have no idea! It's creepy I tell you.

Suich: Just a tad, but we'll let it slide.  If Alter's shelling them out then I say buy them!

Jenn: Spoken like a true Alter fan, despite your distinct lack of Alter figures. The sense of motion in Nanoha is wonderful. It really captures the essence of a good sea-side breeze. I also love that they decided to give her a hoodie. It adds to her rockin' tourist vibe. You can see her strolling through the streets of Greece in this outfit, all sans pants and whatnot.

Suich:  I like that she's actually leaning against something.  It works splendidly with the pose.

Jenn: Yes, the wall is win. A bit bland, but a bland win nevertheless. Am I disappointed that Fate doesn't also utilize a wall. I pre-ordered Nanoha with the expectation that I could place her with Fate, but now it just looks like Fate's chillin' at the beach and Nanoha's perched on a tombstone of some sort. How awkward is that?

Fate, so generic...

Pre-Order?

Jenn: Yes, but I'll probably cancel

Suich: Nope

1/8 Saber - Motored Cuirassier (GSC)

Suich: I'm not a huge fan of Saber, but even I must admit this figure looks amazing.  Good Smile Company seems to release some beautiful, detailed Saber figures and I bet all the fans just fall to their knees and throw their money at the screen.  Not that I can blame them.  I like that this particular Saber comes with a cool bike.  I don't know what to think about that base though.

Jenn: Who does Saber think she is hefting a machine like that around? Celty? Naw, I'm joshing, Saber looks bang up with her manned-up bike and man-certified suit. Is it weird that I like her in a suit better than any other costume? Probably not. Suits emanate a sense of style and command that I find sexually arousing. The bike is definitely the star of the show though.

Suich: Agreed.  Without the bike, Saber would pretty much be like all the other Saber figures, except this time she's sporting a black suit.  She's more badass than usual!

Jenn: She'll certainly look spectacular as a centerpiece. I can't help cringing at how much she'll cost to ship. Auto-EMS anyone?

Pre-Order?

Jenn: No
Suich: Nope

1/8 - Yakumo Yukari (Ques Q)

Suich: Boy, do I love Yakumo's overall design!  The colours blend in together so well!  I think one of my favourite aspects of this figure is the unique base.  I mean, you have to be impressed with the way Yakumo just creates her own base from the tip of her umbrella. It's not fancy but I sure as heck like that it's different.

Jenn: Her base is ok. From most angles you can tell it's just a string of black PVC sitting on a plain black slate. My favourite aspect is actually her face. This is the first Yukari figure that does her face just right, and also the first figure to give her gold eyes. Don't get me wrong, I love my purple-eyed gals, but gold is just so much cooler.

Suich: The colours used for her head are pretty darn awesome.  Plus, purple and gold really compliment each other, so that's certainly a plus.  I'm honestly just still really into the outfit.  I truly hope the real figure looks as good as (if not better than) the stock photos.

Jenn: I'm iffy about Ques Q's quality. They seem to be a hit or miss company, and I can already point out areas on the promo pictures I find displeasing, namely the seam under her breasts. I'm happy that she comes with two hairstyles though.

Suich: Yes, I agree.  I have seen some nice figures and some not-so-nice figures from this company.  Overally, I really do like this Yakumo figure though.  She's got a nice charm to her, and like I said, her design is lovely.  Did I mention I also like her fan?

Jenn: Sometimes figure collecting requires a leap of faith. In retrospect, I probably should have leapt at a figure that wasn't over 10k yen, but hey, no pain no gain, right? 

Granny Yukari's gonna smack you down

Pre-Order?

Jenn: Yes
Suich: Nope

Sakura Kyouko Nendoroid (GSC)

Jenn: There is a rule in life: Wielding a spear automatically makes you awesome. This also carries over to elegant polearms, although we see less of those.

Suich: I do love spears.  And Kyouko does handle hers exceptionally well!

Jenn: Handles a spear well...sounds sexual. I like Kyouko. Sure, her constant gluttony was a little annoying (because constantly eating is obviously synonymous with not wasting food), and her pining after Sayaka was forced at best, but she had potential to be one of the most complicated characters on the show. Oh, and her outfit is prime cosplay material.

Suich: Kyouko's outfit is my second favourite out of the main cast in Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.  

Jenn: The Madoka nendoroids are not the cutest in the world, nowhere as cute as, say, Menma or Amano Tooko, but until a company (Alter) makes more dynamic full-scaled figures of our favourite magical quintet, I'll make do with their nendos.

I see what you're doing there, Sayaka.

Pre-Order?

Jenn: Yes

Suich: Nope

Luka Megerine Nendoroid Cheerful Ver. (GSC)

Jenn: Luka needs more love, and she looks surprisingly good in a ponytail! She's the only Cheerful Japan Nendoroid I actually like.

Suich: Or we could just use a little less Miku and a little more of everyone else, but then the companies wouldn't make as much money as they do now.  Still, I do agree with Jenn.  Luke's design is my favourite out of all the Nendoroids.  It would be nice to see more merch of her.

Jenn: Truth be told, I can't convince myself to buy an exclusive nendoroid (plus 2000 yen shipping) when it's so similar to her original nendoroid. All that differs between regular Luka and Cheerful Luka is her ponytail, pom-poms, tambourine and funky octopus visor.

Suich: They just add a few extras to get you.  Overall, the Luka Nendoroid is charming, especially because she comes with an adorable ponytail.

Jenn: I would buy just her ponytail.. If anyone ever wants to get rid of it, send me a note and we'll do business.

Pre-Order?
Jenn: No
Suich: Nope

1/8 Hakurei Reimu - Curiosities of Lotus Asia Ver. (Griffin Enterprises)

Jenn: Reimu, if only some awesome high-end company would pick you up. Can't they comprehend the sheer fiscal prowess of the Touhou line? Come on Alter, airbourne Reimu with boundaries, yin-yang orbs and bullets everywhere. I believe.

Suich: Griffin may sculpt out some odd expressions but I always appreciate the way they sculpt their outfits.  I love the details in the back of Reimu's dress, though to be fair, I've never owned a Griffin figure, so I wouldn't be able to say for sure that their frills and dresses are as beautiful as they make them out to be in stock photos.

Jenn: The Griffin face is a major turn off. And no, their frills aren't as beautiful in real life as they are in stock photoes. Rather, they're significantly less beautiful. Lack of quality control has stopped me from getting a single Griffin figure so far, and will probably prevent me from ever getting one.

Suich: Oh dear, that really burst my bubble.  I hope Griffin can improve on that some day.  It's a shame the real thing isn't as nice as the stock photos

Jenn: My favourite part of this figure is, surprisingly, her hair! That's some delicious shading she has there.

I bet it tastes like chocolate.

Preorder?
Jenn: No.
Suich: Nope

And that's it for May!  Wow, there sure are a lot of great figures coming out this month!  Hopefully everything gets released on time, because it certainly looks like there are many delays lately.  If you've already preordered some items for May, cross your fingers and hope they don't get pushed back!

That's it for previews!
Jenn and Suich