August 31st is Miku Hatsune’s birthday, so you know what went up for order this week? A whole lot of Mikus! We got scaled figures, robots, and Nendoroids in two different sizes, but of course that wasn’t all that was on the menu. We had quite a few odd releases this week, including a giant and oddly-shaped nurse, a shrine maiden who has lost her clothing, the most boring Alter figure ever, and some truly awful recolors.
All in all, it was a very weird week for releases. So hit the jump to see the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly!
A+
Mizuho Kazami | 1/2.5 | ¥31, 600 | October
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Leah: This is one of those figures that I just don’t get. I mean, why would you want something THAT BIG that is pretty poorly sculpted? It boggles my mind that people buy this stuff.
Stephen: At this price for that low quality, I wonder how these companies stay in business…
Alter
Ryoko Kaminagi | 1/8 | ¥5,800 | January
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Leah: I find this figure mind-numbingly boring, which is good for my wallet I suppose.
Stephen: Zegapain was an incredibly stylistic and interesting show and this figure manages to capture absolutely none of that. One of Alter’s biggest duds ever. When can we get some good figures of the mechs too while we’re at it?
Alpha Max
Konoe Subaru | 1/7 | ¥6,800 | February
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Leah: For some reason, I adore Subaru. Her face is so adorable! Plus Alpha Max delays everything for an eternity, so I don’t expect to see her until May!
Stephen: She’s just so cute! I think it’s the fact that she looks incredibly similar to Kirino that makes me like her, but is that really a bad thing?
Bandai
Fei-Yen Hatsune Miku | Composite ver. KA | ¥4,800 | November
Leah: This is just too WTF not to buy. She sold out at AmiAmi and Hobby Search rather quickly, so it seems like a lot of people have the same idea!
Stephen: Miku IS quite robotic with the way she sings and all so it seems all too fitting to make a figure of her as a robot. Insta-ordered.
Daiki Kougyou
Ryomou Shimei | 1/6 | ¥13,800 | January
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Aya Ayanokouji | 1/5 | ¥9,800 | January | Exclusive
Leah: I love the original Goth Loli Ryomou, but this one… ugh, I hate the colors. She looks like Miss America. And Aya… well, let’s just say this wasn’t a great week for Daiki releases.
Stephen: Daiki: a company that either gets things really right or really horribly wrong. This week was the latter. Do yourself a favor and pick up the original Ryomou especially since she’s on sale too.
e Jeuness
Chantilly & Neige | 1/8 | ¥15,000 | December | Exclusive
Leah: These figures were originally released in 2009 and the set sells for around ¥30,000 so the option to get these at retail in a colorway I prefer is severely tempting!
Stephen: These are incredibly cute, but considering how soon they come out and how expensive they are, you may have to think twice. I hope these go on sale like Palette so that I can add them to my collection.
Good Smile Company
Love Is War Miku | 1/8| ¥14,000/¥8,800 | Exclusive & Regular Releases | January
Regular Version: AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Append Miku | Nendoroid | ¥3,500 | January
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Vocaloid Petit Set | Petit Nendoroids | ¥5,700 | October
AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Erio Touwa | Nendoroid | ¥4,000 | January
Nanoha Petit Set | Nendoroid Petit | ¥1,800 | January | Exclusive
Not Up Yet!
Leah: Good Smile put up a lot of Nendoroids this week, but Love Is War is clearly the showstopper. We went for the deluxe version, and I am very excited for her!
Stephen: Love is War is finally coming out, Append Miku has an actual use for the stupid new Nendoroid stand that goes in the middle of their backs, and Erio is just all around adorable. Lots to look forward to from Good Smile Company this week.
Max Factory
Index | Figma | ¥3,200 | December
Leah: I always get excited about figmas in the promotional shots, but I end up buying them and never really doing anything with them. The only ones I’ve really enjoyed are the Eva girls and the se.kirara cast!
Stephen: While Index is incredibly cute, she’s just not something I’d really want a figma of as I can’t really think of any poses for her other than “standing and praying”. I’d much rather have a scaled figure of her.
MegaHouse
Dark Pretty Cure | 1/8 | ¥7,600 | December |Exclusive
Big In Japan | Mio Boutique | Tokyo Hunter
Leah: I hate that the only Precure figure I have ever been interested in is an exclusive. Why, MegaHouse?!
Stephen: Those wings are just stunning! Sadly she’s an exclusive so I’ll have to pass.
Sentinel
Panty | RIO:Bone | ¥3,700 | December
Leah: I’m torn over this figure–the proportions look great, but the face is a bit weird. To get or not to get?
Stephen: Had this come out before the Nendoroid and Phat Company figures been released/shown off, I would have gone for it, but I’m quite confused as to why her feet are larger than her head, which is looking quite weird as well.
Q-six
Tomoe | 1/6 | ¥16,800 | November
Red: AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Purple: AmiAmi | Hobby Search | HLJ
Leah: I don’t even… what’s wrong with her face?
Stephen: Low quality sculpting of a character I couldn’t care less about? Nope. Just nope.
So that’s it for this week’s roundup! Aside from Love is War, none of these really wowed us, but what about you guys? Let us know in the comments!
Ended up ordering figma Index, despite how I said I would in fact not order figma Index until February. I still have time to think about LiW Miku, but I think I’ll just rely on Stephen to take some awesome photos of her instead.