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Top 5 Bishoujo Figures for 2009

AlternateSam — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:52:04 +0000

2009 has been a pretty good year for figure collectors especially in Singapore. Anime Fest Asia came and Danny Choo brought the Tokyo Figure Show out of Japan for the first time. The entire showcase of nendoroids as well as PVCs was stunning and I believe it was the first time a collection of such scale was displayed in Singapore for the public. The figure collection craze amongst the general public took off there and then and I can already see a thriving and rapidly growing community springing up in a few short months.

The top 5 figures for 2009 are of course purely based on my personal opinion. The only criteria is that it has to come out during the year 2009 so those which has been announced in 2009 but only released in 2010 will not be considered.

Ok, let’s start!

5. Native’s Kotone Banana Girl

This figure originated from a Tony Taka artwork which was then taken up by Native on a limited run. Fairly hard to get and only if you are willing to ship it from Japan. Very good details and a coquettish yet sensual face at the same time. Comes with the banana, desk and fully castoff-able clothes. Potentially a very very interesting photoshoot subject.

For more pictures of this figure, please take a look here.

4. Alter’s Yoko Littner

Definitely one of my favourite PVC purchase for 2009, the Alter’s version of Yoko Littner comes with a detailed, sculpted base with Yoko bearing pistols as well as a wind-swept jacket. A more mature themed Yoko but very very well-made nonetheless. Can’t find any obvious flaws and her resolute expression on her face coupled with the pose of her with her rifle make this a MUST-GET for any TTGL fans. For my short review, please click here.

Gallery of Yoko Littner.

3. Goodsmile’s Haruhi + Mikuru + Yuki Extravaganza Version Set

This is technically 3 figures but the entire collection is a set so I’m including it as a single figure. The set features a very dynamic trio with Haruhi on her electric guitar screaming passion, Yuki with her usual calmness on her guitar and the air-headed Mikuru with her tamborines. Besides the nicely made instruments, the details on them (note the creases on the jackets and the stocking linings on Haruhi) make this set very very hard to find after it was released. Prices started shooting up and I really regretted not pre-ordering it. Interestingly, many people commented that Mikuru looks like a potential leaner but it turned out to be a false alarm which was a hugh relief.

Gallery of Haruhi, Yuki & Mikuru.

2. GoodSmile’s Saber Lily ~Distant Avalon~

No surprises here. This was one that many Saber fans were waiting for the entire year and turned many non-Saber fans into one. The dynamic pose, the fierce expression, the subtle tonal shadings and the elegant base. What more can you ask for? Best Saber figure in years, and probably ever.

More of the Saber Lily ~Distant Avalon~ figure at the gallery over at AkibaHobby

1. GoodSmile’s BLACK ROCK SHOOTER

Hands up if anyone, ANYONE, finds this a surprise. This made it into year 2009 barely by the skin of the teeth, launching on the 23th of December and only available in stores around the 28th of December onwards due to the Christmas break.

With all the rave reviews going about the internet, I guess it would be extremely sycophantic and redundant to even review the entire figure for the 9000th time. Just look at the cannon, the scar on the belly, the flame eye and of course, the marvelous detailed base and marvel at how far PVC figures have progressed ever since they started being produced. Paired with a careful touch of the paintbrush, this figure will no doubt be a classic in the PVC world.

When it was first shown unpainted, people have already started remarking about how fantastic it would be and how detailed it was. And when the pre-order was open, everyone in the know just started rubbing their hands in anticipation. After months of delay, this was finally released as the year was winding down. And I bet not a single one of them was disappointed by the end result or the waiting time after holding this in their hands.

Awesome gallery of Black Rock Shooter over here at Happysoda. I have been following his site for the longest time as he continues to amaze me with his stuff.

And there you go, my top 5 bishoujo figures for the year 2009! GoodSmile is certainly well on its way to world domination by the looks of things!

Pictures courtesy of Goodsmile.info, akibahobby.net, polyvinylcrush.com & happysoda.com

The Ninja Otaku

AlternateSam — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:19:54 +0000

I admit it, I can be considered what one will call an otaku if you consider my ‘unhealthy’ obsession with anime / PVC figures and the miscellaneous merchandise that you can so often find in any anime items shops such as files and particularly, pencil boards (shitajiki). However, I don’t exactly go around and announce such stuff to friends unless I know them well enough or until they have caught on enough to guess what I am up to in my spare time. I have also learnt enough not to go around using anime-related files in school.

The point is, being an otaku isn’t exactly the coolest of things and it can sometimes prove to be quite an awkward moment in a discussion. When I meet someone who share my interest, and I know is totally fine with mine, I will usually start to open up. However, most people will just give you a strange look if you start going on an extended otaku conversation with them. Worse, they remember you as “the strange otaku” and that will be the end of your social life so far. Ok, that was probably an exaggeration but you get the idea ^^ Anyway, until then, I will just keep a low profile with regards to my otaku interests and at best, be just a typical narutard/bleach or increasingly, a K-ON fan. Mind you, the first 2 categories are pretty hard for me as I don’t keep up with either Naruto or Bleach at all. Being a fan of the moe-blob show isn’t that hard….its engineered to let everyone like it. Why else 5 girls prancing around and doing funny stuff? Surely there must be a reason don’t you think so?

For those with a similar inclinations to remain under the radar, I have 10 tips for you. Not to be presumptuous but I guess we could use every tip we get.

The first is one of the easiest – Do NOT discuss anime or profess to knowing ‘popular’ (read cult hits/mega otaku obsession level) titles like Haruhi. When absolutely pressed, talk about shows like Gundam, Bleach and Naruto and just show a passing interest in them.

Do NOT attempt to have a lecture or ‘teaching’ session with other people. If you find that you are dominating the conversation and is already on a 1-minute monologue, stop immediately. Otakus generally feel like they have to attempt to level up other peoples’ otaku knowledge. We have a tendency to correct others or make known our point of view. DO NOT! This is a trap to lure you out of your otaku ninja-hood!

Do NOT talk about figures/PVCs, especially the gazillion collection that you have or that 1 moe bootylicious PVC girl winking at you from the corner of the shop. Knowledge about The Most Evil Company in the World (TMECW), otherwise known as GoodSmile Company, should be kept to a need-to-know basis. Its partially for their own good as well since no one can withstand the various poisons unleashed periodically on the unsuspecting public by TMECW.

Talking about bishoujo figures is obviously off-limits if you haven’t figured it out by now. Do not identify or even show recognition of popular collections, the nendoroids or any limited edition rare items. Talking about retail websites such as amiami (finally!), hobby-link japan or even hobbystock/otacute etc are obviously a big NO-NO. When absolutely needed, a discussion about gundam plamo & its difficulty is your best bet. Do not venture in Macross Plamo because it will just spiral out of control into a Ranka vs Sheryl debate.

Do NOT confess to reading any manga or even any scanlations. Its a dead giveaway for a ninja-otaku especially if you let slip you are reading some obscure or niche titles.

Do NOT in any case talk about cosplay, cosplayers’ raison d’être (fancy phrase which basically means why a cosplayer do what he/she does) or celebrity cosplayers (KIPPI !!). People don’t really want to know what you think of it, and knowing it inside out just make you sound like a creep who stalks those cosplayers. Just say its quirky, interesting and colorful and most people will leave it at that.

When someone says that some show is the BESTEST show of the season/year/decade/EVAR, and even if its the moe-blob show K-On or some show which you can obviously see is missing a plot, do NOT interject and argue that they are sacrilegious/rubbish/out-of-their-freaking-mind/obviously have not watched enough anime. Just let it go and suppress those urges to knock some sense into that person’s head. This rule applies to game(ero-games…), manga or anime movies as well.

On that note, do NOT even talk or venture into ero-ge/game territory. The less said about this, the better. Self-explanatory for anyone who wants to be a ninja-otaku.

Do NOT use words like orz/moe etc in your regular vocabulary. Besides making you sound like a terrible weaboo, its very disorientating for anyone who is trying to take you seriously when you are in ninja-otaku mode.

Most importantly since chances are that many people will trip up on this due to the surprise, do NOT in any case name popular anisong artists as your favourite band/musicians. A regular j-pop one is fine but will set some peoples’ otaku-radar on alert though. Anyone that starts to shift towards the niche like Nana Mizuki, Yukarin etc, no matter how awesome, is of course NOT appropriate for an answer if you are trying to be a ninja-otaku.

Personally, I will say Fire Bomber, High & Mighty Color and Orange Range. Most people who are not in the know will just wave them off as regular western bands. Those who are slightly in on the joke might find it slightly familiar on account of Orange Range though.

Which brings me to the last point. Its fun to know more people who you can just discuss/debate random stuff and commit every mistake the above 9 points have tried to prevent you from committing. This means you have to spread out some ‘feelers’ but nothing too obvious. Sometimes it feels much better to be yourself and have a nice chat about how moe-anime is killing the industry. Do NOT wall yourself away from the world

That’s all for now. Have fun and good luck!

No related posts.

GSC’s Index Announced!

AlternateSam — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:06:23 +0000

Good Smile has announce the pre-ordering of Index from To Aru Majutsu no Index. Quite a nice figure but a plain base and nothing fantastic in the design/sculpting. I guess the production issues with all their new fancy bases must be giving them a ton of headache.

A must-get for all Index’s fans but otherwise, I can safely assume you will give it a miss. Pre-orders will start 17th November, tomorrow. You can expect to get it at the usual places, including HobbyLink Japan and HobbySearch.

Index
Release Date: Mar 2010
Scale: 1/8th scale – approximately 190mm in height
Price: 7,800 Yen

Pictures via goodsmile.info

Alphard PVC pictures

AlternateSam — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:06:18 +0000

More pictures of Alphard figure out! All of them look stunning and I can only guess when will they be ready for the market, given all the recent troubles Good Smile has with deadlines etc.

The sculpt looks really good and this is just a 1st print, meaning the final sculpt and finish will probably be slightly different/better. The slight bit of problem I see in the hair area will probably be fixed by then. The base is top-notch like most of their current figure releases pre-orders. I wonder how much effort it takes to produce them in the factories.

Overall, another affirmation of my decision to go ahead with the pre-order of the Alphard PVC figure and I know it will pair up sweetly with Canaan’s PVC figure. Just look at their combined bases!

For more of those stunning pictures, visit AkibaHobby here!

Pictures via akibahobby.net

The Fast, the Furious and the Fake Saber Lily!!

AlternateSam — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:11:03 +0000

I think most of the people who know about the Saber Lily ~Distant Avalon~ PVC by Goodsmile will have known that it was just released just a few days ago. While I did not order one, I felt it was a wonderful piece of work with fantastic craftsmanship to boot. Regrettably, some bootleggers have already come up with an imitation PVC of this figure. Here’s a quick guide to show you the differences, courtesy of Goodsmile.

Those bootleggers are pretty good themselves, making an imitation of such a well-crafted figure and releasing it just as Goodsmile released the original, probably to confuse those who are not well-versed in spotting fakes. Not that I blame those who fell for the fakes as some of them are quite well done and even passable for the real thing at times. Goodsmile Company predictably, reacted very fast and came out with the update on their webpage to condemn them and showcase the differences as soon as they learn about the issue.

RED / Left is genuine while BLUE / Right is fake

The genuine version comes with the Good Smile Company sticker as well as another sticker.

The printing on the fake is pretty awful as you can see for yourself. The color is also slightly off as if it was photocopied, which it probably is. ^^

There is an holographic sticker on the back for the genuine box.

For the actual figure itself apart from the box, there are 3 tell-tale signs.

Firstly, the base. Pretty obvious once you compare both of them. One comes with Fate / Unlimited Codes and the other without. The shade of the gray is different as well.

The connector that joins the left hand to the scabbard is also of a different color. The authentic one is clear while the imitation is black.

Lastly, the angle of the head and the ahoge is totally off for the fake. It does however, look alot like Yami from To Love-Ru from this angle. It could just be me though but maybe fans of Yami-chan could do well to take note. ^^

Personally as a collector, I feel there is no point getting a fake. It just decreases the perception of the original figures which you already have just by having a fake in the midst. If you can’t afford the original, maybe save up and hope to get it another day rather than spend your money on a fake which you know will never replace the real stuff.

Also, I feel its good to support the company which release such excellent figures by purchasing their items. But by purchasing bootlegs, you are just feeding the bootleggers who obviously do not pay any copyrights etc to the respective copyright holders. On a larger scale, this will just decrease the motivation of the companies to release such well-crafted figures since they know that people will just end up buying the bootleg copy instead and this will be terrible for the entire market.

On a brighter note, if you want to take a look at the original Saber Lily, head over to AkiraHobby here where there is a fantastic gallery and review of the figure. Terrific work by Goodsmile Company here, can’t wait for Black Rock Shooter

Pictures via Goodsmile.info & akibahobby.net

K-On! Release by Wave

AlternateSam — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:46:23 +0000

Wave has just released both these K-On! characters for pre-orders in homage to the beach scene in the show. Yay to fan-service! ^_^

Mio fanboys will undoubtedly be overjoyed when they finally lay their hands on a bikini version of their goddess. Me, I think both these figures look moe and the price is pretty awesome as well, almost the cost of a nendoroid. Its rare nowadays that you can find a PVC at this price point, especially for a popular series.

Yui looks rather awkward at first but she sorts of grow on you with her pose and her ‘friendliness’. As for the Mio figure, she’s just being herself with her shyness and her coy facial expressions.

However, I find the paintwork somewhat lacking, especially in the head region. Both heads look rather badly painted and they look kind of odd. You can see for yourself how the hair looks like one badly molded lump of plastic with horrible joint-lines to boot. However, this could just be due to them being pre-release pictures. The final products might be much much better with an overhaul of the molding design etc. Not a must-get for me in any case as I do not really like them in their swimsuits. If, and a very big IF, Azusa-nyan comes along with this set, I might be sorely tempted.

Truth be told, I’m still holding out for the ED PVCs ^^ Will give these 2 a good thought though, the Yui figure beckons me oh so often…

Both of them are available for pre-order at HLJ and HobbySearch.

Hirasawa Yui Wave Version (PVC Figure)
Release Date: Dec 2009
Scale: 1/10
Price: 3,800 Yen
HLJ / Hobby Search

Akiyama Mio Wave Version (PVC Figure)
Release Date: Dec 2009
Scale: 1/10
Price: 3,800 Yen
HLJ / Hobby Search

Pictures via HobbySearch & konachan.com

Pre-order for Alphard Nendoroid Out

AlternateSam — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:21:07 +0000

Alphard nendoroid is out for pre-order. Goodsmile is apparently not letting up its hunt for our wallets…

To add to the multitudes of figures released or will be released by Goodsmile in the coming months, Alphard from Type-Moon’s Canaan join the ranks of the nendoroids.

Alphard comes with a grinning face, a calm face and an angry face, presumably when she’s fighting with Canaan. She has a revolver as well, similar to the Canaan nendoroid.

I say she does look great when paired up with the Canaan nendoroid in a battle scene. A must get if you already ordered the Canaan nendoroid. Otherwise, it boils down to whether you like the character design or not. Canaan is a pretty good, action-packed anime but its essentially Type-Moon to the core. Some people will like it while others can’t even sit through 15 minutes of it.

Preorders are open at Hobbysearch here and at HLJ here.

Nendoroid Alphard
Release Date: Jan 2010
Scale: Not to scale – approximately 100mm in height
Price: 3,500 Yen

Pictures via Goodsmile.info & Hobbysearch

GoodSmile Shiki

AlternateSam — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:49:22 +0000

I finally found this figure of Shiki made by GoodSmile Company. It was sold out pretty fast when it was released late last year. I guess even GSC themselves didn’t realize what a hit they had on their hands.

The highlight of this figure got to be the kimono worn by Shiki. While not being made of fabric, it looked very realistic under some lighting. The details on the kimono look fantastic as well.

The base is plain and unadorned. I think the overall theme of this figure is just simple and dignified class with a hint of flair. The base fits right in as it doesn’t take away anything from the figure but adds on to it in an unstated manner.

The katana have some delicate etchings on it, especially on the hilt guard. Its rather fragile though so I’ll advise people to handle it with care. Overall, a very nice piece for display.

Pictures of the Shiki figure:

More di:stages!!

AlternateSam — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:56:50 +0000

Just came back with more di:stages! Not all of them are for me though.

No related posts.

Di:Stage

AlternateSam — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:48:22 +0000

Bought 4 black di:stage to test out on my figmas. It works pretty well and it looks like I can save some space….
Planning to get more soon. ^^

Alter’s Yui Pre-order Out

AlternateSam — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:58:40 +0000

Alter announced the release of Yui PVC for pre-order today.

Yui was just released for pre-orders to complement the one released of Mio about 2 weeks ago. Her electric guitar looks pretty detailed and the paintwork is excellent as expected from an Alter’s PVC. The only drawback I can see is that it looks a potential leaner with the weight all balanced on the ankle of her left leg. I supposed they will have to find a way to prevent the leaning from occurring.

You can pre-orders yours at either HobbyLink Japan or HobbySearch.

Hirasawa Yui Alter Ver. (PVC Figure)
Release Date: Dec 2009
Scale: 1/8
Price: 6,800 Yen

Galactic Fairy Sheryl Nome has Arrived!

AlternateSam — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:56:50 +0000

The Galactic Fairy has touched down! Go grab your ticket before it sells out and remember to get her autograph!!!

I missed out on her pre-order back in May and when this came out yesterday, I sourced around immediately and found one at Rapid Culture for SGD 115. Quite a reasonable price which even beat La Tendo’s pre-order price!

Anyway, the main focus is on the excellent sculpting on the Sheryl Nome’s PVC. The paintwork is excellent as well, on par with the best of Alter’s productions. This might not be such a surprise if you know that Alpha x Omega is a collaboration between Alter and Megahouse.

The figure is semi-castoff, in the sense that there are ‘2′ costumes, the normal blue concert attire and a stripped down black bandeau bra set which is the ‘default’ costume. You can’t go any ‘lower’ beyond this level which is a pity because the entire thing is so well sculpted that you want to see what she looks like when fully cast off ^^

In terms of accessories, she comes with a flaming-red suspenders which you can attach to her black hot pants as well as 2 microphone – one with a whip and one without. Her arms are changeable between the ones which match the blue cloak and a pair which has black gloves but bare otherwise.

The blue hat which matches the more elaborate blue uniform is removable so you can pose her with or without her hat, just don’t lose it! Her hair is semi-translucent pink which is just enough to make it stand out against the deep blue of her uniform. The color contrast is what make this figure so good. Lastly, the stand which she is on has Sheryl’s autograph on it on the underside, probably to prevent anyone from accidentally scratching it. All in all, its a very sweet touch to complete the great package!

Currently, looking at this wonderful piece of art, I’m sorely tempted to get the complete set which includes Klan Klang and Ranka. I know that Klan Klang is another fantastic piece of work and if the Ranka figure is anything near those 2, she will no doubt be brilliant as well. What do you think?

Pictures of the Sheryl Nome figure:

Canaan 1/8 PVC and Nendoroid

AlternateSam — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:03:53 +0000

Goodsmile has opened pre-orders for the 1/8 Canaan PVC and Nendoroid. The character is from the Type-Moon’s anime of the same name. All the pictures are in here!

The base on the 1/8 PVC is fantastic and it sure looks like more and more figures are moving into a sculpted base instead of a generic plastic circle one as in the past. A step in the right direction as it makes an absolute statement piece on your shelf or display case.

The dynamic modeling of the PVC makes it stand out, with Canaan diving one direction and her cloak going the other as if she was jumping out from the side. Her pose with her hands fixed firmly on her handgun shows her displaying ultimate concentration as she sets her sight on her target in front.

Canaan 1/8 PVC
Release Date: Jan 2010

On the other hand, �the Canaan Nendoroid shows her concentrating in a cute chibi sort of way. Same attire and roughly the same pose, but in the super-deformed modelling which GoodSmile knows we can’t resist. She comes with a leather sling-on holster as well as the sugar candy stick which she loves.

Canaan Nendoroid
Release Date: Dec 2009

Pictures via Goodsmile.info

Yoko Littner 1/8 PVC

AlternateSam — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:51:22 +0000

Its out and what a beauty it turned out to be! Here are the photographs I promised. Really happy that I stuck with this Pre-order for so long.

The details on her is amazing. The pistol that was attached separately had amazingly fine details on it. Her cloak had bullet holes etched and have dirt scruff marks which just made the entire thing looked extremely realistic. The figurine’s stand is out of the world with the details, one of the best I ever seen for figurines’ stands, when they are usually just a flat dull plastic.

This one, on the other hard, blended perfectly into with the figure and can be said to be really part of the background, not just a generic stand. It looks like this is the trend that the better PVC figurines companies are following nowadays as the GoodSmile Black Rock Shooter figurine looks to have a similar ultra-realistic stand as well.

One of the best PVC figurine I have ever seen and one of the highlights of my collection so far. Its so good that you can actually spend hours just looking at it and admiring the workmanship.

Mio Akiyama Nendoroid PO out!

AlternateSam — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:40:20 +0000

The legions of Mio’s fanboys can whip themselves into a greater frenzy already. (Evil) GoodSmile Company has released pictures and open pre-orders on the Mio nendoroid. The rest of the gang including Azusa will be rolling in soon I think, just slow enough to keep the coffers full. Keep your wallets closed and hold them tightly! Resist the poison!!

Price-wise, it will start at the usual nendoroid price of 3500 yen so its not an exclusive. But judging from the character’s popularity, there might not be enough to go around since I think some people will get about 10 of her.

I will be getting her and the whole gang of course. How can I resist? But I’m more of a Mugi / Yui supporter so hopefully I wouldn’t have to wait too long. More pictures below.