Collection Snapshot: Figmas

This idea was taken from a few of the good folks at DannyChoo. A few of the members of the awesome community there posted their Figma and/or Nendoroid collection, and I felt compelled to put my personal collection of Figmas up yet. I haven’t quite hit the magical 2-0 in my number of Figmas, but that will change when I receive my Haruhi summer uniform version and my Kagamiku Figma early next month, God willing.

Here is an overhead view of all of them in from of my computer. That is part of a K-On! meido-cafe wallpaper you see on the monitor, and my Hot Toys Iron Man Mk III skulking in the corner there.

A Tale of Two Kallens

Today, I’ll be doing a comparison review between two figures of Kallen Kozuki/Statdfeld (depending on if you are an Eleven or a Britannian citizen), from the anime Code Geass. Both figures feature Kallen in her fetching pink bunny girl outfit from episodes one and two of Code Geass R2. One is made by Alpha-Omega to a 1/8 scale, while Bandai has made theirs to a 1/7 scale. Both figures come in sets as well, Alpha-Omega Kallen with Shirley, and Bandai Kallen with Viletta, which I will include in photos at the end of the comparison between the two Kallens.

Figure K-ONtact!

Initially, I thought that my plea for K-ON! figures was answered, but then my hopes were dashed by this caveat: these are only trading figures. I now feel like a pothead who was just dealt a bag of oregano. Although I might still pick these up if I find them in the dealer rooms of whatever conventions I might find myself at in the next few months (probably Otakon).

Is it me though, or do Mio, Ritsu, Yui, and Mugi all look like they had a little too much of the snacks that Mugi brings into the club room? There are some serious thunder thighs on these girls. This band really needs to start playing death metal and crowd-surfing to work off those extra pounds that Yuji (the trading figure company making these) put on them. Still anxiously awaiting scaled PVCs, Figmas, and Nendos of my K-ON! girls.

Also, as a huge fan of the PS3 game Valkyria Chronicles, I noticed this and immediately geeked out. It’s Selvaria, one of the Empire’s generals and Valkyrur dominatrix supreme. As I just played through the DLC, including the Imperial missions where you get to play with Selvaria (“Behind her Blue Flame”), I am definitely hyped for this figure.

Is that a Valkyrian lance you are holding, or are you just happy to see me? (Don’t worry, she’s not a trap)

I’d get “behind” her “blue flame” anytime, although Alicia is still my favorite.

Via NekoMagic

Hot Toys 1/6 Iron Man Mark III

And now for something completely different…

I picked up a Hot Toys 1/6 Iron Man Mark III today from Forbidden Planet in New York City (13th and Broadway). Although their forte is Western comics and action figures, they do have a selection of anime bishoujo figures and a manga and anime section as well. They also have a 10% student discount, which is why I occasionally will pick up figures there that I miss in my online pre-ordering sprees.

Although I do maintain a strict ban on hot dogs in my anime figure snack stand, I maintain that I am not breaking my own rules here, because Iron Man is originally Western property, and barring the upcoming Madhouse production of an anime version of Iron Man, doesn’t really have any relation to Japanese media. Made by Hong Kong company Hot Toys, a premiere manufacturer of articulate yet detailed action figures generally in the 1/6 scale of characters from popular movie franchises, this particular figure is based on the Iron Man suit from the 2008 live-action film.

Need K-ON! Figures Now!

I just watched K-ON! episode 4, the required-by-law beach episode, and after wiping the drool from my chin, I realized that I need figures of the four lovely leading ladies now. As in, I entered into withdrawal and curled up in the fetal position when the episode ended. Alter, GSC, whatever else figure manufacturer out there, making these figures would make you akin to being my drug dealer, as I am now seriously addicted this show like particularly bad crack. The four K-ON! girls clad in swimsuit wear come to mind as potential figure candidates.

This show is about forming a band and learning how to play instruments

So far in this show, there hasn’t been a single male character identified by name, and certainly no significant male voice roles, besides the Krauser cameo in episode 1, a character from another show (Detroit Metal City) about music that involved more mention of rape and death than actual music, all tongue-in-cheek of course. Kyoto Animation knows the health value of eliminating sausages from a steady moe diet, just like I maintain a strict ban on one-eyed-snakes in my garden of figure bishoujos.

A figure version of Mio-chan in meido cafe attire is fine, fine, fine too.

Another typical scene from said music-oriented show

The power of the otaku rears its sweaty, awkward head again with the two singles from the OP and ED of K-ON!, Cagayake Girls and the delightfully Engrish Don’t Say Lazy placing near the top of the Japanese Oricon charts, and also placing one and two on Amazon.co.jp. I’m sure that the K-ON! figure scene will be a gold mine, on par with the armada of Haruhi figures out right now. So please, figure companies, get on making these figures before I’m forced to pause scenes from K-ON! on my HDTV, take the LCD fluid from the pixels, and inject them directly into my bloodstream.

Moe Moe Kyun!

FREEing 1/8 Nagi

Nagi is one of my newest favorite characters in anime, and she is receiving several figure treatments, including the 1/8 PVC one by FREEing that I’ll be going over today. Nagi-sama is from the manga-turned-anime Kannagi, which Zange-chan, the bunny-girl I reviewed earlier, is also from. In that review, the Kotobukiya Nagi in her nekomimi costume makes a guest appearance towards the end. The FREEing Nagi however, is wearing the standard attire that you see her wearing for the majority of the show, and is holding the mahou shoujo-ish wand that she uses to banish impurities, while standing on the stump of the sacred tree that was used to create the statue that she materialized from.

Nia in a Lovely Two-Piece

Releasing in early September by WAVE in a 1/8 scale is lovely little Nia here from the Gainax anime Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Gurren Lagann is an awesome mecha anime that has a bombastic style of storytelling and over-the-top action that will literally knock your socks off and your ass out of your chair. It is that good. The series is currently being released in the United States in volume packs. Nia here is one of the reasons to watch, as her innocent introduction and initial oh-so-moe naivety belies a more complex character shift that occurs much later in the show.

The Figma Sandlot

Because of my figure obsessive completist disorder, I added the Haruhi and Mikuru cheerleader Figmas to my Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Figma collection that is nearly complete with every Haruhi Figma in the wild except for Kyon and Itsuki, because of my strict ban on sausages in my figure breakfast (which might have to be broken to accomodate for epic trap Mariya-sama in my previous post). These particular Figmas come with a bevy of accessories so that you can act out all your favorite scenes from Haruhi episode four, where Haruhi enters the SOS Brigade into the local baseball tournament. It’s one of my favorite episodes from that series, and I was definitely excited to start posing these Figmas.

Dude Looks like a Lady!

This just went up on OrchidSeed. In all his Ackbardian glory, here is Shidou Mariya from the manga/anime Maria-Holic, made in 1/7 scale PVC, set be released in August of this year at around ￥7,400.

Macross Girls, Girls, Girls

Girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls of Macross Frontier
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Hit me up and ditch that Alto queer
(sung to the tune of Girls, Girls, Girls by Jay-Z)

I finally completed my Banpresto Ichiban Kuji Macross Frontier collection, consisting of Ranka Lee, Sheryl Nome, and Clan Clang, which I reviewed before individually. As a huge fan of Macross Frontier, the moment I heard about this set which can be obtained through a lottery in Japan, I let out a sigh, and started perusing eBay and Yahoo Japan Auctions for purchasing opportunities with my wallet kicking and screaming all the way. Eventually, I got my grubby mitts on all three of these figures, and I can say that they do not disappoint at all. A truly high-quality set of figures we have on hand here, and I will be doing a double review of Ranka and Sheryl today.