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One third of May has already flown by!

How can time go by so quickly?! (((゚Д゚)))

But this year has been strangely cold… it seems that Spring hasn’t really come yet! I hope the colder temperature continue into the Summer, so it doesn’t get too hot! Anyway, today will be the final post in this series…

Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner: Cherry Blossom Season 2013!

I hear that there are still some blossoms blooming in Hokkaido, but I had to get this post done this week, so I’m sorry if you didn’t get the chance to send through your photos!!

I will still happily look through all photos that come through, and I’m always looking for letters for the normal letter corner, so feel free to still send them through!


I kept putting off taking photos because of work or the weather, and before I knew it all the blossoms in my neighbourhood has started falling. I decided I still needed a photo and drove for about two hours to get some pictures of Miku with the cherry blossoms!

Miku sitting under the cherry blossoms having a little nap!

– Tsuukun
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I went out to view the cherry blossoms with a Nendoroid for the first time! I went alone, so it was hard to get the photos I really wanted. I finally got this, which I’ve now set as my desktop’s wallpaper!

– Shirokuro Neko

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This year there weren’t many branches which lead to not many cherry blossoms, but I decided to still send in my picture of Cheerful Miku basking in the light of the sunset.

– Rikachama
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I’ve been waiting to go to to my local park to get some photos while the cherry blossoms were in full bloom… but the weather just wasn’t cooperating. But eventually there was a nice sunny day for me to grab some pictures! I think it came out looking quite cute! (´ω`)

– Shinonome Eisuke
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I decided to match the blossoms with the size of the Nendoroids, so I found some young branches near the bottom of a cherry tree! They may be small, but they still had lovely blossoms flowering! (´∀`)

“I hope you’re drinking, Sanada Yukimura~!!”
“I can still go on much longer, Masamune-dono!

It seems this little cherry blossom viewing party will continue for some time!

– Kuraki
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Last year I really enjoyed viewing everyone’s loving photos during the cherry blossom season, so I decided I had to go out and get some for myself this year. I’m really not great with a camera, but I thought I’d still send through my favorite photo from the ones I took. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

This was the first time I had ever taken Miku outside, and her expression seemed happier than ever before!

– Elixir

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Hello! Today I went out to the local park with some friends to enjoy the cherry blossoms. Unfortunately it was rather cloudy, but the blossoms were in full bloom so it was still great! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ

– LQ (China, Shanghai)
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I took a picture for the cherry blossom season photos, so here it is!

“I’m so glad I met you…”

– Jim no Hito
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Am I still in time for the cherry blossom photos?
– I_D_R_

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Bonjour Mikatan,
J’ai adoré les photos dans les articles du courrier de Kuroyagi-san.
Hier le soleil est enfin revenu à Paris. Je me permet de t”envoyer

quelques photos prise ce weekend.
J’espère que certains te plairont.
Bonne continuation ^_^

– Ting
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It seems Gackpo went out to see the cherry blossoms.

“They had all fallen down to the ground after being knocked down by birds… but they were still so pretty so I brought them back with me! ♪ I’m also sure they’ll look great on you, Luka!♪”
“Oh, thank you! ♪”

Was the conversation he had with Luka when he got home.

Sorry, I was only able to get a photo indoors! I love letting Nendoroids hold the blossoms or sticking them on with double-sided tape… but going outdoors for photos is still a hurdle I haven’t quite managed to get over! orz.

– Anonymous
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This is my first contribution, so I’m a little nervous. While the blossoms on the way to school were blooming, I took Sakura Miku with me to enjoy them! She’s so cute! ヾ(*゚▽゚)ノ

Here in Beijing, this year’s blossoms bloomed slower when compared to last year. I read you were still taking a few more contributions for Part 3, so I decided to send in my photo too! I’m sorry for the poor Japanese, but I hope you enjoy the photos! m(_ _)m

It’s the Two-Leek Swordsman and the Sakura Wizard? :P

It’s really sad that the cherry blossom season is so short, but perhaps that is why they look so beautiful to us when they do bloom!

– Sywinty
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Mikatanこんにちは!私はまどかのいくつかの写真を撮った!
私はあなたがそれらを好むことを望みます!

Hello Mikatan!! I’m sorry for my bad Japanese, I can’t speak it….(www) I took some pictures of Madoka in the English cherry blossoms, I hope you like them!

From an English fan of yours!

(I’m really happy I found your blog, it is so much fun to read and it’s nice to see another girl interested in figures! I’m also SUPER HAPPY about the Dangan Ronpa figures that are being released!!!! I love Dangan Ronpa a lot a lottt!!)
– Anonymous
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I enjoying reading your blog every day! I went down to the park with Sakura Miku to view the cherry blossoms!

– Urufu

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I’ll be sending my photo through once again this year! ヽ(・∀・)ノ

This was taken early on a cold morning, my hands were so cold they were numb! It has also just been raining, so the blossoms were unfortunately facing a bit downward… (´・ω・`)

– Akaisuzu
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I really wanted to take photos at Takato Castle Park for the special Takato cherry blossoms there, but when I went the famous blossoms had already passed, so I took some pictures with some other blossoms instead.

– Azukyatto

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I went out with my figma Kyouko on an early morning cherry blossom viewing! I grabbed some photos with my iPhone!

The morning light together with cherry blossoms looks great. I really want to take my figures out to even more places now!

– Katakiri Saeika
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There were so many lovely photos in this year’s cherry blossom photos!♪
I didn’t find any Nendoroid Petites with the cherry blossoms in part one or two, so I decided to send one of my own!

Because they’re so small, the cherry blossoms are super big and easy to take pictures of! (`・ω・´)

– Luka
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Spring has finally come to the town I live in! I took my Sakura Miku out on a cherry blossom tour and some outdoor photos. She looks so cute in the shadow of the cherry trees! (*´ω`*)

– Nanashi no JK
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Whenever I read your blog I always thought to myself that I should get a digital camera. I finally grabbed one and took some photos at the riverbed near my home.

You can see that Octo-Luka was really enjoying the beauty of the scenery! > v <

– uepon
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A photo contribution from Hong Kong!
Last week I visited Japan and took a load of photos! This is at Nagoya Castle!(≧∇≦)

– ZephyrJK
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I made a Nendoroid Lyfa-chan and went out to view the cherry blossoms with her.

The weather wasn’t great with a fairly strong wind, but the flowers will still blooming beautifully!

– Anonymous

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The rain had caused all the cherry blossoms to fall to the ground, which I thought looked really pretty. They guided Madoka to the ‘Law of Cycles’.

– Yakumo

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Hello Mikatan-san!
There are cherry blossoms in France too!!

– Maritan.

(Maritan is the French translator of Mikatan Blog! She’s also super cute! :P )
http://blogdemaritan.com/
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Hello.

I went to see the Takizakura cherry blossoms, so I thought I’d send a photo through to you.

This year’s cherry blossoms bloomed in no time at all, and it feels as if they also scattered to the floor in no time at all. At least, that’s how it felt in Tokyo…. I wonder if it was the same all over…?

I’m sure there are a lot of people who are thinking something like, “It was too quick, I didn’t even have time to see them!”

I thought I’d share this photo of a proud figure in front of some beautiful blooming blossoms for all those people.

– Komuragaeri Banzai
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I went cherry blossom viewing with Sakura Miku, so I thought I’d send a photo through.

The photo was taken on the 21st April, it was the best time to see the blossoms in Miyagi prefecture even though it looked as if was about to snow. Even Sakura Miku was quite amazed at the scenery she saw!

(I’m sorry she had to get a little wet to see it though…)

– Akewata

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This year I have once again ventured out alone to take some photos with the cherry blossoms! Last year I took photos with Millhi, so this time around I decided it was Ricotta and Sakura Miku’s turn!

– Broad Blast
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I was wandering why no one ever did something different from the rest, when finally I decided I’d have to just make something myself!

I apologise if it’s a bit too far from the point of the cherry blossom photos!

– Molly

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A huge low pressure system hit my area, so I was never quite able to get the cherry blossom photos I wanted.

I was very happy to see all the photos from others though, they meant a lot to me. Even though I never got quite what I wanted, I still got something that I thought was nice enough to send through, so here it is!

I took it in the image of Homuhomu thinking deeply about Madoka, while standing under the cherry blossoms.

I also have to add that I’m really amazed at how people manage to take photos that hide the Nendoroid stands so well. It’s a lot of work to get great outdoor photos, but so many are absolutely amazing!

– D_yashi
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I went cherry blossom viewing with Sakura Miku. They were already starting to fall when I arrived, so I borrowed one of the fallen blossoms.

– Uni
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I carefully put Miku-san up onto a branch making sure not to injure the tree. Every time there was a slight breeze she kept making a cute ‘Kya!” and falling down. Eventually I managed to catch her in a cute pose though!

The photo is taken with the theme of “A New Semester”.

– Marimoru
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I just got my hands on Wakana, and even though the blossoms were already falling I managed to find quite a nice spot for a photo. I decided I’d send it in to this year’s cherry blossom photo collection!

– Meganekirari
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Hope i can visit Japan again someday with Sakura Miku

– JF
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The cherry blossoms have already all fallen here, so I decided to send through some photos of the blooming moss phlox instead. Gumako is nice and light so she doesn’t hurt the pretty flowers when she sits in them!

– Under B

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Today I’ll be showing the cherry blossoms from my hometown of Tomioka in Fukushima prefecture. As I’ve previously written in my Miku support message back in 2011, my hometown was marked as a hazard area after the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Fukushima Nuclear Reactor incident.

It’s been two years since the incident now, and slowly but surely the area is getting back to normal, but entry is still very limited at the moment. My hometown of Tomioka was actually once very famous for its cherry blossoms before the incident, and many tourists would come by to see them. Ever since I first heard Sakura Miku was going on sale last year, I’ve been keen to go back to take some photos of Tomioka’s cherry blossoms with her.

In March this year, the restrictions to entry were loosened even further, and permission to enter some of the area in which the cherry blossoms bloom was allowed. I was a little worried to go, but I couldn’t resist, so I went with my Sakura Miku for some photos. The area I really wanted to take photos at is called the ‘Cherry Blossom tunnel’, but unfortunately the radiation levels were high and I could only see it from my car – I still had to take some photos elsewhere though.

I’m very glad I was able to show Sakura Miku the cherry blossoms of my hometown. The complete restoration of the area may still be awhile away, but I’m sure that by next year we’ll be able to see the cherry blossoms properly once again. Another big thank you to both Mikatan and Good Smile Company for all you’ve done!

– Zero

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That brings this year’s ‘Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner: Cherry Blossom Season’ to an end! (=゚ω゚)ノ

(´∀`) Thank you for all the lovely photos! I’m very sorry I wasn’t able to put them all up on the blog! I’m so glad to see how many people are enjoying the cherry blossoms with their figures! Cherry blossoms really are so lovely!

(´∀`) I increased the brightness of some of the darker photos!

(´∀`) I really got the impression that everyone was trying hard not to hurt nature with their photos. It’s always best to be gentle with your figures and with nature!

(´∀`) There was a load of messages from overseas! Thanks to all the international fans!!

(´∀`) I’m always encouraged by my readers. When I see the figures we’ve spent a good half a year working on being enjoyed by people all over, I really feel happy inside! huge thank you yo everyone, and I hope you’ll continue to love figures with me!

As always, I’m also looking for more messages from readers! I promise I’ll read them all, so if you have any questions, pictures, requests, or just want to talk about what you had for dinner… send through a mail! Boys and girls both welcome!

Mikatan Mail
mikatan-b@goodsmile.jp

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛

All the recent events and Golden Week have come to an end!
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But that said… WonFes is in just two and a half months, and preparations for that have to start now!

This it he desk of Otanaka from the planning team. He already seems to be a lot less space than normal… just look at that huge wall of documents on the right! Someone needs to clean it up before the Titans come and knock it over! :P

Anyway, today I’ll be taking a look at this prototype I found on his desk!
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From Macross Frontier:
Nendoroid Sheryl Nome!

From the anime ‘Macross Frontier’ comes a Nendoroid of one of the heroines, Sheryl Nome! The Nendoroid is based on the outfit seen in one of the opening themes as well as in the final episode, where she is dressed shining on stage as the ‘Songstress of the Galaxy’. She even comes with stage parts which can be used together with her standard base.

The famous outfit from the ‘Lion’ opening song! Σ(゚∀゚*)

Just by looking at her I can hear her saying “Listen to my song!”.

This Sheryl first debuted back as an unpainted prototype during February’s WonFes, and now she’s coming up for preorder just after Max Factory’s 1/7th scale figure! (`・ω・´)
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This is how she looks from the back!

Sheryl has lovely strawberry blond hair which looks stunning in Nendoroid size!! I really don’t think the photos really do her hair justice – you need to see it for yourself!!

The large ribbon around her hips is definitely one of the highlights of her ‘Lion’ outfit, and the bottom sections are even posable, meaning you can pose her in all the dynamic poses she took while singing the song! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ
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She wouldn’t be a songstress without a mike!

The golden mike that she uses in the series definitely has a very unique design, and the shape and color have been carefully recreated in Nendo size! You can also see she comes with a bent arm and bent leg, which allows for even more posing variety!! Not to mention there are bent arms and legs for both left and right sides! (`・ω・´)b

Also, the wrist section of the hand holding the mike can be switched out, in case you’d rather display her without the mike!
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Stage parts that connect onto the base!

This special platform helps you to recreate the setting of the final episode – the deck of the ‘Battle Frontier’ space ship! It simply connects onto any standard Nendoroid stand, so it’s also super easy to use! Plus it’s not too big, but still adds a bit of a dioramic effect to the display!

I’ll continue the review with Sheryl standing on this instead! (・ω・)ノ
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One of her expressions is a shouting face!

Here we have Sheryl singing to her heart’s content!! Before this I’ve been using her standard ‘smiling’ face, which does suit the cute Nendoroid design nicely… but seeing Sheryl singing like this with a more serious expression is also so amazing… (*´∀`*)

Plus if you combine it with the extended left arm you can create this really dynamic looking pose!!
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Her earrings have a metallic paint coat!

It’s a little hard to see as her hair is covering them up for the most part, but you can still see that the earring has a metallic, shiny look to it! It seems the earrings were not only important to Sheryl, but also important to the production team!! o(`ω´*)o

In the previous photo you saw she had her arm out to the side… but if you prefer you can also have her arm out forward like this! There are so many different ways to pose her!! Otanaka thought of everything!!
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She also comes with a more gentle singing expression!

This expression has her eyes closed as she continues to sing… it’s such a touching expression! Even in chibi Nendoroid form, I really think the detail and emotion shown on this expression is outstanding!

So from what I’ve I’ve shown today… there are an lovely set of expressions, multiple arm and leg parts as well as a special stage part! I’m confident fans of the series will be happy with this one! You can choose to just display her as is, or change around the parts to create your very own Sheryl! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ
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From Macross Frontier:
Nendoroid Sheryl Nome!
 

She’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow!!
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

Plus… Σ(゚∀゚*)
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Ranka-chan’s scupt prototype!

The photo here is still in development so I can’t show too much! She’ll be much cuter soon, so I’ll just show off her back for today! :P

Although… she’s already super adorable!!
I can’t wait to be able to display the final versions of these two together!

 
Anyway… that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ

 
 
© 2007 ビックウエスト/マクロスF製作委員

The jargon post on May 1st was rather popular!

Jargon in the Figure Industry:
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/05/01/jargon-in-the-figure-industry/

There were too many words to include in just one post so I only went through some of them, but even so I received a lot of messages from fans who learnt something from the post! Because of that, I decided I’d do a part two much sooner than I originally anticipated! (`・ω・´)
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Today’s lecturer is once again Tori Bird!

Thank you once again, sensei! (`・ω・´)

By the time this blog post is upped, I believe he’ll be away visiting China… he’s always so busy, so I feel bad asking him to help with these posts all the time!

Just like last time, all the explanations are filtered by the Mikatan filter, so anything that’s too complex has been left out, but all the important info is still in tact! If you’re a part of the industry and think something isn’t quite explained right, let me know! I also included the Japanese words beside the English this time for those who are interested!

Mould (Kanagata)
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This refers to the iron or other metal ‘template’ used to mass-produce figures. The moulds are made for each part separately based off the prototype. There are normally around 5-10 moulds for each Nendoroid, while a scale figure will have between 7-20 different moulds. For a more specific example, the 1/8th scale Ultimate Madoka made use of 13 moulds. 

Generally speaking these moulds can be used any number of times once they’ve been made, however sometimes when used too often, the metal can deteriorate causing the finer details of the sculpt to fall away. The previously mentioned T-1, T-2 and so on are used to make adjustments to the mould.

Example Use: “These tips look too dull, lets adjust the mould a little to fix them!”

More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10730147929.html

Injection Moulding Machine (Shashutsuseikeiki)
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Melted PVC & ABS is poured into a mould which is placed inside the Injection Moulding Machine, where it is then cooled to allow it to take the right form. Each one of these machines is manned by 1-2 people, who open up the door and take out each part for each figure as it completes. 

Even though the contents are cooled, they are actually still very hot when they first come out of the machine – sometimes water is poured over to prevent the shape from changing once the process is complete.

Example Use: “Try saying ‘Shashutsuseikeiki’ (Injection Moulding Machine) three times fast!”

More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10731094688.html

Cast Color (Seikeishoku)
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This refers to an unpainted cast created by the Injection Casting Machine. Parts that are skin-colored such as expression parts are often simply left unpainted as they are already the right color, and by not adding a layer of paint, unevenness can be avoided. There’s also no risk of paints rubbing off on other parts. 

Example Use: “Let’s just leave these parts as the cast color!”

More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10736119736.html

AQL Inspection (AQL Kensa)

AQL stands for ‘Acceptable Quality Level’. During the AQL inspection, products go through a quality check and the number of defective parts must be under a certain pre-determined percentage. 

Example Use: “Once the AQL inspection is done we can ship out!”

China Southern Airlines
(Chuugoku Nanpou Kuukou)

An airline company that can quickly and cheaply provide tickets for urgent business trips to China for the manufacturing team. It also goes by the nickname “Chuunan”. 

Example Use: “I’m headed to China tomorrow through Chuunan!”

PO

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Short for ‘Purchase Order’. Refers to the decided amount of each product that will be made. Without a PO in place and established with the factory, mass production of that figure simply cannot begin. 

Example Use: “Hurry up and get the PO done!” “The PO should be done by the end of the month.”

Draft Angle (Nukikoubai)

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In order to take the products out of the mould smoothly, some parts need to have a specific angle of inclination known as the draft angle. By adding this draft angle, the parts can be removed from the mould with much less friction and thus prevent unnecessary scratches or abrasions – all in all allowing for a higher quality part. 

This angle of inclination is generally not even 1mm, making it very difficult to make out with the naked eye.

Products that use a Draft Angle: Nendoroid Stands, graphig expression parts, bumps on Mechawooser, etc.

Surface Texturing (Shibokakou)

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This refers to the process of creating a fine texture (such as slight bumps) within the mould, in order to recreate that same texture on the final product. Sometimes this process makes use of sand and is thus also known as ‘sandblasting’. This creates a more matted appearance, prevents slippage and also makes small, unwanted scratches and marks less noticeable. 

Products that use Surface Texturing: The top side of standard Nendoroid stands, etc.

JJ (Tori Bird’s Personal Vocab)

Short for the Japanese ‘Jirashi Jyouzu’, this refers to a long-waited sample coming through with a high level of completion. 

Example Use: “I’ve been waiting for this sample for ages! It’s a JJ! Just look at the great shape!”

That’s all for today! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ
But there is still even more figure jargon to come!

Today’s words even included some things I had never heard of, such as the ‘draft angle’ and ‘surface texturing’! Even I have much to learn from the manufacturing team! I’m also sure the production team and other divisions also have all sorts of new words for us to learn!!

I’ll continue with these posts until I’ve covered all the words I can come across, then I can make a complete alphabetical list! (`・ω・´)
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ

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Shuu-chan from the planning team likes the figure so much that he tried to take the same pose himself! (((゚Д゚)))

To show how determined he was, he even tried to get the expression right! Although I have to say that perhaps the cute upward glances should be left to the girls… :P

Anyway, today I’ll be taking a closer look at this figure that Shuu-chan loves!!
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From Waiting in the Summer:
1/7th Scale Ichika Takatsuki

From the romantic comedy anime ‘Waiting in the Summer’ comes a 1/7th scale figure of the main heroine, Ichika Takatsuki! The pose is based on an illustration by the series’ original character designer, Taraku Uon.

Careful attention has been made to keep the same feeling of the original illustration by faithfully recreating the relaxed, gentle appearance of Ichika.

She’s rather sexy for a high school student!! (*゚∀゚)=3

I wish she could share some of that sex appeal with everyone else!!

Many of you will know this pose from the cover of DVD/Blu-Ray’s first volume – it’s amazing how similar she looks to the original illustration!!
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This is how she looks from the back!

The long hair that sweeps down to her hips, and if you look at the bottom you’ll see the tips of her hair have both a front and back layer!

Plus just look at this adorable looking way of sitting!! It just makes me wish I could come up behind her and give her a big hug!! Σ(゜∀゜*)
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She is such a goddess!!

Just look at that beautiful smile – it’s strangely hard to describe!! The whole expression has a kind-of motherly quality to it! 。・゜・(つД`)・゜・。

Ichika’s gentle and kind personality even manages to come through the figure, and the amazing sculptwork on her glasses is also noteworthy!!
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Lovely slim arms and a beautiful body!

This angle from the side has to be my favorite! I’d have to say the best way to describe her body is ladylike – she has a much more mature looking appearance than you’d expect of a high school student!

Also note the delicate hand placed on her shoe, the creases in her clothes which let you get a better picture of her waistline and even the little peek you get of her thighs through the skirt! The figure is just filled with Ichika-senpai’s charm!
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Just look at those… err, that collar area!

I’d often say you can’t help your eyes shooting down to her breasts… but this time around I can’t help staring at them! :P

But that’s really not the only thing to look at! The little bit of skin showing around her collar area is also super sexy!! It’s so nice to see such incredible detail put into such small areas of the figure! Great job!! (`・ω・´)
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Nobody could say no to this cute pose!

If any girl did this to me, I’m fairly certain I’d fall for her in a heartbeat!!! (*`ω´)

She’s posed gently twirling her finger in her hair – the hand looks lovely enough by itself, but it’s also surrounded by her lovely full-bodied hair – the sculpting looks great from so many different angles!
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☆(ノ゚∀゚)人(゚∀゚ )ノ☆ Yay!!

A shot from a slightly lower angle! (=゜ω゜=)

The other day I got told off by one of my superiors for taking some blog posts a little too far, so I have to be careful… but I had to include this as to me it’s the best angle to show off her lovely bust!

Whether it’s a figure or a real person, you always have to find the angles that show them off in the most cute and beautiful way possible! You need to make sure to capture every one of their most charming points!
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Her captivating thighs!!Σ(゚∀゚*)

I was trying to figure out why the combination of a pleated skirt and thighs look so amazing, and I came to the conclusion that it must be the little triangles that are formed between the folds in the skirt and the skin! They look great!

The sitting pose also means that you can really make out the smooth line of her thighs, which adds even more to the combination!
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From Waiting in the Summer:
1/7th Scale Ichika Takatsuki
 

She’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow!!

Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

 
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ

 
© I*Chi*Ka/なつまち製作委員会

It’s that time of the year again! (=゚ω゚)ノ
The 2014 Snow Miku Costume Design Contest!
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This year’s theme is ‘Magical Girl’!!

Plus this year we also want a design for Miku’s pet!

In other words you can enter two different design sections this year – one for Snow Miku’s outfit and another for her pet! Last year we had the elegant ‘Strawberry White Kimono’ Snow Miku, but this year I expect something cute and showy! I also have a feeling it’s going to be really hard to pick this year…
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The entry deadline is the 13th May (Mon) at 16:00JST!

This will be the 5th Snow Miku and she is, al always, fully supported by Crypton! Looking through all the different Snow Mikus all lined up together like this is a railroad of memories for me… Snow Miku is easily one of the most memorable set of products for me! (´∀`)

As I mentioned before, there will be two different contests, one for her outfit and one for her pet!

A: Nendoroid Snow Miku 2014: Outfit & Magical Girl Staff Design.
B: Nendoroid Snow Miku 2014′s Pet.

You can choose to just take part in just one of the two, or send in designs for both! If you want to submit your design, take a look through the piapro page below. (Unfortunately it’s only available in Japanese!)
- Summary -
http://piapro.jp/static/?view=2014yukimiku

- Details -
http://piapro.jp/static/?view=2014yukimiku_detail

- Entry Rules -
http://piapro.jp/static/?view=2014yukimiku_rule

I look forward to seeing everyone’s lovely designs!

In mid-May we’ll have a NicoNico live broadcast with a poll for everyone to determine which design will be used as the 2014 Snow Miku! I’ll let everyone know which designs will be up for voting as well as the URL of the broadcast closer to the date!

A little extra section, seen tomorrow is a public holiday!
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The Character Vocal Series: Earphone Jack Accessories are up for preorder!

These cute little Vocaloids will keep your earphone jack nice and safe! Not to mention how cute they are! (*´∀`*)

1 large box will include eight blind boxes. Each one of the blind boxes will cost just ¥500! I’ve received a couple of questions about them since they’ve been up for preorder, so I thought I’d address some of them! (`・ω・´)b

Q. Can these be used on anything besides iPhones?
A. They can attach to anything with a standard earphone jack! More details below!

Q. How do you get the pink stand?
A. One stand is included with each accessory! Two accessories means two pink stands!

Q. Can you only buy these in a large box of eight?
A. Of course not! You can get them both as single blind boxes for ¥500 each, or you can preorder a large box of eight accessories for ¥4,000.

If you’re unsure about anything else, please feel free to get in contact with customer support with your questions! (・ω・)ノ
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Let me show them attached to some items other than the iPhone!

Starting with the 3DS!

Miku fits onto the 3DS console very nicely! Even though the earphone jack connector is on the bottom, she actually seems to suit quite nicely! (・ω・)
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Trying on the PSP!

The PSP also has the connector on the bottom, but Ren still looks adorable hanging from the bottom! Just think… you’ll have Ren watching your every move while you’re playing! :P
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And the PS Vita!

Here I’ve used the Miku on a cloud illustrated by Putidevil! She has a little strap attached for a slightly different feel – it’s almost more like a keychain, and can be used for all sorts of things!
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Attached to my monitor!! Σ(゚∀゚ )

If you have an earphone connector on your monitor you can even connect them onto there! Just look how much more cheerful my monitor has become!

Plus, even if you don’t have anywhere to put them, they come with the little pink stand that can hold them up just fine for display! One stand is included for each accessory you get, so you’ll always have a way to display them even if you don’t have a device with an earphone jack connector!

As you can see above, the stands can also be connected together, which means they look great when all connected and displayed together!

But anyway, that’s all for today!

There are a couple of public holidays in Japan coming up, so I’ll only see you all again next Tuesday!! I hope everyone enjoys their Golden Week!! (・∀・)ノ゛
illustration by Souno, illustration by Y-Oji, illustration by Putidevil
© Crypton Future Media,INC.www.piapro.net

We’re currently in the middle of Golden Week!

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Whether you’re still at work, relaxing at home or heading off on vacation, be sure to take good care of yourself during Golden Week! But at the same time make sure it’s a week to remember! (´∀`)

Today is one of the days in the ‘gap’ between public holidays, so I thought I’d do a bit of a relaxed post today.

I’ll explain some of the jargon used in the figure industry!

Just a bit of vocabulary for both those who are new to the figure scene, and also for those who just aren’t quite sure about some of the words that come up from time to time. Once you’ve read through this you might understand the world of figures a little bit better! (`・ω・´)

All the explanations are filtered by the Mikatan filter, so anything that’s too complex has been left out, but all the important info is still in tact. I hope I haven’t made any mistakes… :P

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Today’s lecture comes from Tori Bird of the manufacturing team!

A big thanks to him for his time! Let’s get started! (`・ω・´)

Prototype

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This refers to something sculpted with a design knife or by hand from materials such as polyester putty, epoxy putty or clay. This prototype is then used to create casts in order to replicate each part of each figure. 

Normally about 4-5 sets of these parts are made from this original cast: one set is issued to the factory in China, another is sent for preparations at the factory, one is for painting use and another could be a sample, among other things. A ‘prototype display’ refers to the display of an unpainted figure, which is only coated with a surfacer, giving it the grey appearance you can see above.

Example Use: “Please send through the prototype to China sometime this week!”

Decomasu

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This is actually a shortened form of the words ‘Decoration Master’. This refers to one of the duplicate prototypes that has been painted. Often on the English blog this is also translated as ‘prototype’ , to avoid too much confusion with those who aren’t familiar with the figure world.

Normally two of these are made – one is sent through to the factory in China and another is kept for promotional use. These are what I review on the blog, before they appear on the GSC website.

Example Use: “I accidentally broke the Decomasu!”

Release

This refers to the time that a product goes up on the the GSC website (not the time the product is available for sale). It’s pretty much around the same time as the start of preorders, but because certain stores start preorders at a later stage than others, the term ‘release’ is used instead.

Example Use: “Please send the release text via email!”

PVC

The primary material used in the final product version of figures. PVC has a fairly sticky, soft feel to it which allows for very flexible shapes. When mixed together with a plasticizer, the degree of softness of the material can also be altered, which allows for the creation of the softer, more flexible parts often found on figures. Soft vinyl figures such as the 1/8th scale Mikudayo are hollow inside but also made from PVC. 

Examples of figures using ‘softer’ parts: Nendoroid Milky Holmes’ Capes / figma Anzu Futaba’s Shirt and more!

ABS

Another primary material used in the final product version of figures. It’s frequently used together with PVC on figures. It is considerably harder, more stable and better for casting than PVC, however it has a tendency to shrink in the manufacturing process which is its biggest downside. ABS is most commonly used for bases, weapons, robots – things that have a very exact shape.

Examples of Use: 1/8th Ultimate Madoka’s hair, swords on various figures, bases, etc.

T1 (T-One)
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This refers to the very first sample shape (such as the one above) which is sent through to the factories in China. ‘T’ stands for ‘Test Shot’. Once adjustments are made then they are sent back and forth, with each set of changes increasing the number to T2, T3 and so. Adjustments include to removal of unwanted marks or distortions, or changes to the fitting of the various parts of the figure.

These adjustments continue on and on until the OK is given, in which case a final version called ‘T-End’ is sent through and things move on toward the painting process. Once the T-End stage has been reached, it’s almost impossible to make further adjustments.

Example Use: “The T1 has arrived, so let’s get to checking it!”

1st (First)
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This refers to the first painted sample that is sent through to the factories in China. In order to differentiate them from the unpainted prototypes, the “T” is no longer used and the terms 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on are used instead.

In the same way that that ‘T-series’ worked, any unwanted paint marks are removed and adjustments to the decomasu are made. Once these adjustments are all complete, it is referred to as the ‘Painted T-End’, and things can move along once again. The photo above of Nendoroid Dead Master is currently a ’3rd’.

Example Use: “This is only the 1st, but it already looks pretty good!”

Signback

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This refers to the process whereby the sculpted and painted parts are given the OK, and then the date is written on them as two different sets are sent between the manufacturing team and the factory in China. The ‘signbacked’ versions and the production samples are then continuously compared to one and other to ensure that nothing goes off during manufacturing.

MF (Tori Bird’s Personal Vocab)

MF stands for ‘Miracle Fit’. It refers to the point at which areas such as a Nendoroid’s neck, arms or other connected parts all fit together without any unnecessary gaps between them.

That’s all for today!

There’s still so much more I could cover…

I’m sure many of you who have been figure fans for awhile already knew a lot of these terms, but I hope this post may have made some small part more clear or explained some term you had never heard of before!

Perhaps I’ll cover some more jargon in the future! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ

 
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ

Nendoroid Maou

The air is filled with an ominous presence! (((;゜Д゜))
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Christina looks rather angry for some reason!

Don’t worry Christina!! There is also demand for flat chests!! (´・ω・`)

Or maybe she’s transformed into a Demon Lord because she’s angry that there is still no info about Nendoroid Faris!! It’s been ages since she was first announced back at the Tokyo Tower live broadcast… but don’t worry, she’s still in development!! Just wait a little longer for her debut!

But anyway, today’s blog will focus on the prototype of a very well endowed Nendoroid with these lovely horns!
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From Maoyuu Maou Yuusha:
Nendoroid Maou!

From the light novel that originated on 2channel and was then transformed into an anime series, ‘Maoyuu Maou Yuusha’ comes a Nendoroid of the main character, Maou.

She comes with optional parts that allow you to display her lifting her skirt to recreate the scene where she first greets the Hero. You can even recreate some more embarrassing poses using the included dakimakura! You’ll know exactly how the hero felt with this Nendoroid by your side!

She is wearing the outfit from episode one, when she met the Hero! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ

It’s a beautiful crimson dress which looks fantastic! I also think this might be the biggest bust we’ve ever seen on a Nendoroid! (((゜Д゜)))

The fact that they’re so big actually means they covers up the separation line on her body really nicely!
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This is how she looks from the back!

Because of the dress, she can stand easily without the base! She’s actually very stable!

Plus even though you can’t generally see them, there are complete leg parts underneath the dress – the shoes are even painted with great detail!
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“Then I’ll dodge and say hello again!”

I know there are many that have fallen for the charms of Maou! I myself just let out a really strange voice in front of my monitor when I saw her again! :P

This pose makes use of the two bent arm parts as well as a alternate front dress, which allows you to display her in the cute pose she took when she first greeted the Hero.

The alternate dress part is made a little shorter than the standard dress part, which means she automatically bends over when you use it! Kyojin was in charge of this product, and he had some really fantastic ideas along the way!
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“Hero! Will you become mine?”

This is from the scene where she flirts with the Hero! No one could resist her after that lovely speech! :P

This pose makes use of two opened out and inviting arms! I also have to mention her impressive bosom once again…. it’s even more impressive when you take a photo from a higher angle like this! (*゜∀゜)=3
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“I don’t normally use them…”

Those who have seen the series will know her horns aren’t so real – it’s just an Alice band with horns to give her that ‘Demon King’ look – and just as in the series, she can take the Alice band off and be displayed without horns! Plus if you look in the background you can see that her cape can also be removed!

The first of her alternate expressions is an upward glace! (・ω・)ノ

You may have noticed that I already actually used this expression back with the lifted dress photo… it’s a really powerful expression!! I’ve never quite understood why upward looks from girls are so cute, but there is no denying it! Seeing her like this makes it clear to me why the Hero always got so excited and nervous around her!
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A kissing expression and dakimakura!

A scene from her very own mind can now be seen by everyone in Nendoroid form! That expression is so adorable!! :P

In the photo you can only see the back of the dakimakura, but the front of course also has a complete print of the front of the Hero! Now she can happily roll around on the floor with their Hero to her heart’s content!!
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*Stare*

The background for today’s photos is none other than Phat! Company’s Western Life Playset! Note that the set isn’t included with Nendoroid Maou though!

Here I’ve posed her at just the right angle to have her peeking up over the table! Isn’t it cute?!
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From Maoyuu Maou Yuusha:
Nendoroid Maou!

 
She’s up for preorder from today!!

Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 
© 2013 Tohno Mamare/PUBLISHED BY ENTERBRAIN, INC./PROJECT まおゆう

April is coming to an end… we’re fully into Spring now!

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A big butterfly is covering up Yuri-chan’s face!! (((゚Д゚)))

I always thought this breed of butterfly only came out in Summer… not to mention I can’t help but think it’s a little too big to be real! :P

Today I’ll be looking at an adorable prototype that came swooping down into the GSC offices today!
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From Accel World:
1/8th Scale Kuroyukihime: Black Butterfly Ver.!

From the anime ‘Accel World’ comes a 1/8th scale figure of the elegant and cunning young lady, Kuroyukihime! She has been sculpted in her butterfly avatar form, wearing a black dress which contrasts beautifully with her pale skin.

Her long dress spreads out magnificently to the floor, and the lacing on the edges is features a transparent purple parts – everything has been sculpted to the finest of details. Her outfit together with her huge wings create a beautiful, mystical figure of Kuroyukihime for fans to enjoy.

She has so much volume for a 1/8th scale figure!

Figures in a sitting position tend to look a little too small or cramped, but I don’t get that feeling from this figure at all! Plus the contrast between her pale skin and the black of her dress is absolutely beautiful!

You can really feel Kuroyukihime’s aura coming off from this figure! It suits her so well!
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This is how she looks from the back!

It’s quite hard to tell from the photos, but the butterfly wings actually makes use of a slight transparent gradient! If you look at the bottom right here you’ll see that you can just see through the wing a little bit.

The details are so tiny it’s hard to even capture them in photos… but seeing it in person is even more amazing!
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This is a too much for me, senpai!! ヽ(`Д´)ノ

That ever so slight bump is really something, isn’t it!! (;゜∀゜)=3

I’m sure most of you will know I’m generally someone who prefers a bit of meat on the body, but the line from her collar bone to her shoulders is so lady-like… I couldn’t say no to this! When I see such a gentle looking body, I can’t help but get the feeling I need to protect it!
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Such a cute, innocent expression!!

She has her head tilted slightly to the side which makes it look even cuter! But beyond the cuteness you can also see Kuroyukihime’s strong resolve, just by looking into her eyes!
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Look at the drape of her dress!

All the creases along the dress give it such a dynamic feeling, and the paintwork makes the fabric look heavy and realistic! Just like with yesterday’s Sheryl, Kuroyukihime looks so very real – the dress seems to be acting just as a real dress would… figures are such a work of art!

The lacing on the edges also makes use of a lovely transparent purple – the lacing over her thighs makes them look even more sexy!
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Aki, the head of GSC, helped make sure the legs were perfect!

While the sculpting was still being worked on the legs had a slightly plumper look, but Aki requested it be changed because a middle school’s legs should be thinner and more lady-like! :P

Thanks to the change her legs have indeed come out looking very lady-like which makes for this lovely photo! The uneven knees and the shadow you can see on the reverse side of her thighs are also great!!
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If you look from the side… you get a little present!

Ah, she is wearing something underneath, in case you’re wondering! :P

The huge butterfly wings make this section quite hard to see normally, but from the side you can get a nice little view of her back. That silver butterfly is in such a sexy position! Σ(゜Д゜;)
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Even the hard-to-see parts are detailed!

Kuroyukihime is actually sitting on this lovely antique chair!Once she’s sitting on it it’s very hard to see, but even so the detail is amazing!
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You can also display her without the wings!

Unfortunately it does leave a little hole in her back where the wings connect to, but from the front she looks just fine!

There is another thing I want to mention, but I can’t go into too much detail without getting into trouble… the skirt section of her dress isn’t held in place with tabs or anything else. Plus the separation lines on the body are also carefully done as to not stand out… I think you can see where I’m going with this? (゜ε゜)
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From Accel World:
1/8th Scale Kuroyukihime: Black Butterfly Ver.!

 
She’ll be up for preorder from the 30th April!!

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 
© 川原 礫/アスキー・メディアワークス/AW Project

Up for preorder from today!!
 
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Max Factory’s Sheryl Nome!

This is how she looks on my desk… she has such an incredible presence!! Even from far away you can tell how amazing the sculptwork is!! (((゚Д゚)))

Yesterday I spun her around completely taking photos from a variety of angles, but today I’ll be focusing on more specific areas on the figure!

1/7th Scale Sheryl Nome: Part 1
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/04/24/17th-scale-sheryl-nome-part-1/
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From Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress:
1/7th Scale Sheryl Nome!

From the anime film ‘Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress’ comes a 1/7th scale figure of one of the main heroines, Sheryl Nome! The pose and base are both based on the main visual illustration used for the movie when it first released in cinemas in 2009 – the unique design has been carefully sculpted into a truly dynamic and detailed figure for fans to enjoy.

The figure is filled with a number of highlights such as the huge gears that spin around her, the sorrowful expression across her face and the various parts of her alternating black and white outfit as they all twist together. The ‘Galactic Songstress’ is ready to capture the hearts of all who lay eyes on her!

Special Bonus!! Σ(゚∀゚*)

I managed to get a comment about the figure from Sheryl’s voice actor, Aya Endo!

Oooh! Thank you so much for your time!
Everyone has to read the next few lines in Sheryl’s voice!

“Such a memorable scene of Sheryl has been beautifully sculpted with so much detail… I was really amazed when I saw it!

I think most people’s eyes will wander off to her bottom at first, but the dynamic feeling of the hair and outfit, and the overall feeling that Sheryl is going to be back on stage are all so lovely!”

I’m sorry!! My eyes also kept wandering down to her bottom first!!
。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。

But just as Endo-san says, this Sheryl figure is filled with many different highlights! I’ll be taking a closer look at each of them today!
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The beautiful hair sculptwork!

Sheryl’s beautiful long hair criss-crosses all around the gears and floats about in such a gentle way! The different twists and turns in her hair have all been carefully calculated and look great from any angle!

Seeing a figure like this really makes me once again appreciate how amazing sculptors are… but it’s not just the sculpt – the paintwork and delicate gradient are also fantastic!
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This is how she looks from the back!

You really can’t stop your eyes from seeing that cute bottom first!! 。・゚・(ノД`)・゚・。

But if this photo wasn’t a part of this article it simply wouldn’t count as a full review! She it really is just so beautiful… even from a girl’s point of view that hipline is perfect!

Not to mention that the way it has been sculpted and painted gives it such a soft looking skin-like appearance! It’s almost hard to imagine it’s just a figure!
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Her outfit is just as sexy from the front!

I think the fact that it’s the lovely Sheryl-san is also a large part, but the outfit itself is really stimulating! Just look at her bust, her stomach, her thighs… did I mention her stomach? I’m sure you’ve all had a good look even without having read all this though! (If I keep talking it might end up a bit too risqué. :P )

Even ignoring all the bare skin, there are a number of highlights to her outfit! The unique design and the shiny paintwork… the painted nails… and how about the golden part on her Garterbelt! Every little part of the figure has clearly had so much care put into it!
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Her sorrowful expression!

I have to say… this is a really erotic expression!(゚∀゚ 三 ゚∀゚)

Maybe that’s not the best word… it’s sexy! Sensual! Voluptuous!! It’s such a powerful expression!

It’s hard to think such an exquisite face was painted with nothing but a brush! Just look inside that cute little mouth with shiny lipstick and you’ll even see her teeth! I remember saying the same thing about the ‘Love is War’ figure in the past, but the feeling of ‘depth’ of the mouth is absolutely amazing on this figure!
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This is one of my best photos in the set!

This is taken from the reverse side, where you can a part of Sheryl through the gears! The reason I like it so much is that even though her whole body isn’t showing in the picture, you get such a dynamic feeling even with just the bottom half of her body! I think that’s the most amazing thing!!

Plus the S-shape of her body is magnificent! (`・ω・´)
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This is how she looks from the top!

I think this is the best angle to get a good feeling for how amazing her hair looks! If you decide to pick her up for yourself, you’ll be able to enjoy her from absolutely any angle you choose whenever you like! Every time I move her around I seem to find a new interesting angle!

She is very detailed and takes up quite a lot of space, so I know many of you are thinking “She’s too big…” or “She’s too expensive…”, but I can assure you won’t be disappointed if you decide to pick this one up! I really don’t think this level of figure is released all that often – it’ll be worth it to clear up a little space, or save up a little for this kind of figure! Don’t miss out!!

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From Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress:
1/7th Scale Sheryl Nome!

 
She’s up for preorder now!

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 
© 2009 ビックウエスト/劇場版マクロスF製作委員会

The Skytree may be big…

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But so is this Sheryl Nome figure!! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ

This lovely 1/7th scale figure of Sheryl first debuted back in February during WonFes! It was one of the main figures to feature at the event so it has it’s own special little display box… and it was surrounded by fans from the start till the end of the event! (((゜Д゜)))

This is a product that looks fantastic from every angle… and it’s finally going up for preorder tomorrow! I’ll be spending both today and tomorrow taking a nice long look at this lovely figure, so I hope you all enjoy it!
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From Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress:
1/7th Scale Sheryl Nome!

This is a Max Factory product, it’s sculpted by Chieri-san and it is a truly amazing!! The size and quality are both of the utmost quality!! (`・ω・´)

Today I’ll spin the figure around completely while taking photos, to show her off from every angle! ヽ(゚∀゚)ノ

When figures are on display at events, it’s not always easy to see them from the angles you really want to… but with these and tomorrow’s photos I’ll try to get at any angle you might have wanted to see!
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Let’s start with the right-side front!

From this angle you can enjoy Sheryl’s sexy body and sorrowful expression!! The huge gears surrounding her somehow seem to mesh with the figure no matter which angle you look at her from! (=゜ω゜)ノ
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Directly from the right side!

The sculpting of her hair is fantastic!! Σ(゜Д゜;)

On most figures, a completely horizontal view tends to not look as great as front or back angles… but just look at this! The use of space is outstanding!
Max Factory is once again showing just how incredible they are!
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The right-side back!

From this angle you can see all the cords wrapped around the gears nicely… they’re beautiful! The little pinky finger Sheryl has up in the air is also lovely!

You also can’t help but notice that lovely bust far in the distance! :P
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Directly from the back!

The contrast between the black and white of her outfit is beautiful! Plus it’s so lovely and big!

From this angle most of Sheryl herself is covered up, but you can see the incredible detail put into the sculpting of both the outfit and hair!! (`・ω・´)
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The left-side back!

Sheryl-san right in the middle of the two gears! It’s such a huge stand! (ノ゜∀゜)ノ

Together with all the cords, this makes for another really impressive angle!
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Directly from the left side!

Her light blue cape is fluttering about not only horizontally, but vertically as well! Not to mention you can see her lovely slim legs! I almost wish she could come here and step on me!! (*´∀`*)
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The left-side front!

The perfect angle to see Sheryl’s cute bottom!! Not to mention that sideways glance! I think personally I’ll have to use this angle when I put her on display… just in a slightly higher up position!
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From Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress:
1/7th Scale Sheryl Nome!

 
She’ll be up for preorder tomorrow!
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 
© 2009 ビックウエスト/劇場版マクロスF製作委員会

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