Project mirai cafe & Miku Live Party 2012

       ____
 / ) ) )/ \  /\  
 {   ⊂)(●)  (●) \   ”Normally I’m a stay-at-home kinda person…
 |   / ///(__人__)/// \    but today is gonna be different!”
 !   !    `Y⌒y’´    |
 |   l      ゙ー ′   ,/
 |   ヽ   ー‐    ィ
 |           /  |
 |          〆ヽ/

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The Akiba Good Smile Tetsujin Cafe!

It was the morning of a weekday, but there were still so many customers!

And the reason I’m visiting today is because…

goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version

The Project mirai cafe has started!

Sega’s 3DS game, Miku Hatsune and Future Stars Project mirai was released on the 8th of March, and so the GSC Testujin Cafe is working in collaboration to bring a cafe themed around it!

The Project mirai game is a music game where Miku and the others dance around and sing for you, it’s incredibly cute! I was also involved here and there with it’s production, and had great fun with it! I hope everyone will try it if they can!

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The stage at the back!

There is a giant panel featuring Nendoroid Miku-sab, as well as a monitor playing one of the movies found in the game. Of course the cafe is filled with Miku’s beautiful voice for you to listen to while you’re eating!

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I was placed at a Rin & Len seat!

Ooh! Very cute indeed! Depending on the seat you are placed at, you’ll be greeted by different characters! Unfortunately you won’t be able to pick for yourself though… you have to just look forward to finding out which character you will be seated with. 😛

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A brand new original menu!

To start off with, the menu features dishes based around Miku and Luka! However the menu is planned to change every so often, so keep checking the GSC Cafe website to see what’s coming up!

          ____
       / \  /\  キリッ
.     / (ー)  (ー)\
    /   ⌒(__人__)⌒ \  ”Bring me one of everything!”
    |      |r┬-|    |  
     \     `ー’´   /
    ノ            \

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Miku & Luka drinks!

The Miku drink is a lemon soda with blue curacao and vanilla ice cream. The Luka drink is a strawberry au lait with vanilla ice cream!

The Miku drink has a much fresher taste to me, while Luka is much sweeter! They were both delicious, but I think girls will love the Luka drink the most!

Each drink also comes with a free coaster!

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Leek Fried Rice! (With Leek Soup!)

As expected of the Miku dish! A ton of leek! Let me try some…

       ___
     / ⌒  ⌒\     “It’s delicious!
    / (○)  (○) \   The rice has a lovely flavor and a perfect texture!
  /   ///(__人__)/// \  and the crispiness of the leek is wonderful”
  |       `Y⌒y’´     |  
   \      ゛ー ′  ,/   
    /      ー‐    ィ

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Miku with her fried rice!

It’s been awhile since I’ve taken photos that haven’t been for a product review.

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MikuLuka Leek Tuna Plate!

When it comes to Luka, you just have to include tuna! Let’s try this one with a little bit of wasabi…

       ___
     / ⌒  ⌒\     “This is also delicious!
    / (≡)  (≡) \   There is such a lot of tuna as well!
  /   ///(__人__)/// \  The chopped up nori on the side is great as well.
  |       `Y⌒y’´     |  and really blends the tastes together perfectly!”
   \      ゛ー ′  ,/   
    /     ー‐    ィ

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Luka with her tuna!

It really is so much fun to take pictures together with the figures! Plus they become an important memory to remember at a later time!

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The Project mirai concept art!

These are all the actual materials from Sega, that the cafe is borrowing! Thanks Sega!! There are all sorts of illustrations of costumes and the like that were used in the Project mirai game.

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“Aku no Musume” and “Aku no Meshitsukai”!

Rin & Len have such detailed costumes! You can even see the little textures on their outfits! I’m pretty sure these would be a mission to make Nendoroid Petites out of… 😛

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“Mousou Sketch” and “Kimi no Taion”!

The designs really had the lovely Nendoroid feeling about them even at the design stage. From this point, the illustrations would be changed into 3D models by Sega, they really all came out spectacularly…

Gakkun from the manufacturing team and I would then look at all the 3D images, and say things like “It’s really cute… can’t you make it cuter though”. We went through every costume just like that until they were all up to the cute standards of Nendoroids.

I remember commenting on the “Mousou Sketch” and “Kimi no Taion” models as well – I really loved them, so I went particularly strict on them to make sure they were as perfect as possible! Thanks for all you hard work, Sega!!

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“Sakasama Rainbow”!

Even the little accessories are all carefully detailed on the designs!! All these details went into the Project mirai models!

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There are even storyboards!

This is from the opening theme, ‘Yumeyume’! I really want to compare the storyboard to the final video sometime…

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This is where Miku opens the door!

I really loved the opening, so I’ve watched it a number of times. It’s amazing to look at the storyboard and then see what the final product looks like. The opening is running on the monitors at the cafe, so those who haven’t seen it can take a look right at the cafe!

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KAITO!!

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The original work for “Happy Synthesizer”!

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Original illustrations!!

This is by Ryuuichi Makino from the animation production company, AIC! These rare illustrations can only be found at the GSC Cafe! (well, at the moment :P)

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There are also figures on display!

A variety of Vocaloid figures from GSC and Max Factory are all on display for customers to enjoy! Photos are welcome!

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The secret back room!

Station Yamada and Akiyama were up all night preparing things the day before the launch! They were then waiting here in the back room to make sure everything ran smoothly on the opening day. They look really highly strung in this photo for some reason…

Thanks for all the hard work guys!

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Ren-kyun at the entrance!

I had to rudely ask for a photo for the blog! 😛 Apparently the staff cosplay was only for one day… they should have kept it going much longer!

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Adorable shop cards!

These are all free to take home! They are sitting at the front desk, so just grab on your way out!

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3900 Yen! ((((゚Д゚))))

All that for just 39000 yen!!! It’s a miracle! I can live on with Miku by my side!

Now it’s time to move on to Suidoubashi!!

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The Tokyo Dome City Hall!

Today (8th March), the Miku Live Party 2012 was being held right here!
GSC also had a booth up on display!

025

This was the sales corner!

We had quite a lot on sale, but there were so many visitors that almost everything was sold out by the end of the evening! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth!

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The latest prototypes on display!

A couple of figures including Tony’s Luka Megurine and Miku Hatsune: Cheerful Ver. were on display with lots of people taking photos! Luka in particular seemed very popular – and with good reason!

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The Live Starts!

Miku-san was right there in front of our eyes!! Look at all the green glow sticks as well!

The box we were in was smaller than the previous event, but it was a booth with seats, so it was actually easier to see than before! Everyone was so exited, which really added to the atmosphere!

Here are a few pictures from the live! (`・ω・´)ゞ

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030
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027

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032

034

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Overall, it was very similar to last year’s Miku-Pa, but the location and set were very different which gave a nice new atmosphere to the event! It was great to have attended!
 
 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again soon! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C) Crypton Future Media, Inc.

Nendoroid Kokoro Akechi

     / ̄ ̄\
   / .ー  ー \  ← Miura from the Production Team
   |  (●)  (●) |  
   |   (__人__)|    ”Mikatan! I want to send this figure to China…”
   |   `i  i´  | 
   |   . `⌒   }      
   ヽ       } 
    ヽ     ノ 
   /      ヽ 

001

“Just give me 30 minutes!!”

Is a conversation I have with the production team, or manufacturing team fairly often… luckily everyone is always super friendly and says I can use it quickly first… I’m quite glad for that, because if they said ‘Be quick, dammit!’ I’d probably end up with very blurry pictures. 😛

002

Today we’ll be taking a look at this Nendoroid:

Nendoroid Kokoro Akechi!

She is the super genius that attends Harvard university, and is a part of the mystery investigation team, ‘Genius 4’ (also known as G4).

She will be included with the PSP game,
‘Tantei Opera Milky Holmes 2’! (・∀・)ノ

Those who are watching the anime series will have seen the Bushiroad commercial that features the Kokoro Nendoroid!

003

Above you could see her smiling face, but she also has:

An upset face and golden mask!

Even when she is upset, she is still super cute! Plus her weapon, the golden mask, is also included! The mask looks incredibly realistic too… I was rather impressed. The bent arms can be rotated at the shoulders to pose her with her hands on her hips!

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A snapped face and folded arms!

Oooh! What a wonderful choice of expression! This really shows off Kokoro’s real personality! 😛 I also somehow have this strange urge to put my finger in her mouth…

She is so cute that you just can’t help but tease her – it only makes her cuter… and she was already so cute to begin with!

005

A Segway and patrol light!

         ____
      /::::::─三三─\
    /:::::::: ( ○)三(○)\  ”You said that Korkoro-chan…
    |::::::::::(__人__):::|    is included with the PSP game, right?”
     \:::::::   |r┬-|   ,/
    ノ:::::::  `ー’´   \

This extra that may make you wonder if it’s not rather from the anime…

This allows you to recreate the scene in the first season’s opening theme!

She also comes with hands to hold onto the handlebars! I wonder if other characters could ride the Segway as well…?

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Elly decides to give it a go!

If you just move Kokoro’s hand parts onto Elly, she can ride on it just fine! Plus as you can see, the expressions are fully exchangeable! (Assuming there are no changes in production…)

The snapped expression has no eye color, so it’s very easy to stick onto other characters without looking too strange! Plus it’s just so cute!

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“Don’t call me Kokoro-chan!”

      ____
     /_ノ ‘ ヽ_\
   / (≡)   (≡) \   ”A-Alright, I won’t!”
  / /// (__人__) /// \  
  |  u  |r┬-|      |   
  \     ` ー’´    /  
  ノ           \

002

Nendoroid Kokoro Akechi!

Included with the PSP game,
‘Tantei Opera Milky Holmes 2’! (・∀・)ノ

If you have any preorder queries, be sure to get in touch with out partner shops!
 
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again soon!! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C)bushiroad/Project MILKY HOLMES

Miku Hatsune : Cheerful Ver.

The Cheerful JAPAN! project has been going for a year!

As of the 11th March, it will have been a full year since the earthquake and tsunami. I hope that over this year those affected by the disaster have managed to get back on with their lives. My heart goes out to all of you. I believe there is still a huge amount of work to be done in the areas that were hit, but there is more and more progress each day.

Good Smile Company has been working together with other companies for the past year to run a charity project to donate money to help relief efforts, and we thank everyone who has purchased any goods that were a part of the project – know that you’re helped in the restoration of Japan!

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Cheerful JAPAN!

http://www.cheerfuljapan.com/

The damage that has occurred during the March 11 quake in the Touhoku region is astounding, and in order to get over the destruction caused there is a lot that needs to be done, and lots of support that needs to be given. Good Smile Company has formed a support group named ‘Cheerful Japan’ which will strive to support the relief efforts for as long as possible. For at least 1 year we be releasing charity products among other efforts to raise donation money for the cause. To everyone who supports the Cheerful Japan movement – thank you, and know that your money is going where it is needed!

This is the last Cheerful Product! Let’s take a look!

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Cheerful JAPAN! Part 11:

Miku Hatsune : Cheerful Ver.!

The final product to join the Cheerful JAPAN! charity project is a 1/8th scale figure based on the winning illustration from the Cheerful JAPAN! feat. Miku Hatsune Cheerful Illustration Contest. The illustration was titled ‘Cheer Up!!’, and was illustrated by bun150. She is wearing a cheerful cheerleader’s outfit, and has a huge smile across her face to help spread the cheer all over the world!

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This was bun150’s illustration!

She’s so adorable!! The illustration really fills you with energy just by looking at it! That twisted body and long flowing hair are also absolutely stunning!

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Let’s take a look at her front!

        ____
      :/      \:
     :/ ..:::─::::─ \:    ”What a magnificent design…”
   :/  ..::<●>::<●> \:
   :|     (__人__)  |:
   :\     ` ⌒´   _/:   
   : ノ           \ :

You can’t see the front side of her on the illustration, but on the figure you can see the design is complete, and you can look from any angle you like! The first time I saw her from this angle I could hardly contain my excitement… I just love the way she is designed!

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A close up around her her stomach!

The cheerleader’s outfit has a very high waist line, giving you tons of skin to enjoy! Plus even though she is wearing a skirt, you can make out the outline of her body through it perfectly!

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This is how she looks from the back!

This is really a figure that you can enjoy from absolutely any angle. Plus the giant speaker seen in bun150’s illustration is used as a base for her!

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My favorite shot!

          ____
        /      \
       / \  /  \   ”Those who read the blog often will
     /  (●)  (●)   \   probably know just why I like it so much!”
     |    (__人__)    |
      \   ` ⌒ ´’    /ヽ
      (ヽ、      / ̄)|
       | ``ー――‐”|  ヽ、.|
       ゝ ノ      ヽ  ノ |
  ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

002

Such a lovely smile!

She has a nice young look about her, and the big ribbon in her hair suits her so nicely!! Plus even zoomed in as close as this, you still get a really dynamic feeling from the way she is posed!

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Twin-tails and pompons!

That subtitle almost sounds like the name of a song. 😛 A look from above gives us a good indication of just how incredibly the hair has been sculpted! (I was really scared it would snap if I touched it, so I got Hiro-san to help me out…)

I’m absolutely certain this is going to be a nightmare for the manufacturing team though – there will be so many tiny parts to work with! 😛

010

She even makes use of clear plastic!

As you can see on the original illustration, Miku has see-through parts to her outfit – all of which have been added using clear plastic on the figure, including the soles of her shoes! I think it’s a really cute idea for a design.

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Plus, tomorrow the 9th March…

Is the release date for ‘Quarterly pixiv vol.8’!

As a bonus included with the magazine, a Nendoroid Petite of Miku’s Cheerful ver. is included! The detail on the little Nendoroid is so incredible it’s hard to believe that it’s actually just a Nendoroid – don’t miss out on her if you’re a fan! The magazine also includes Crypton’s wat-san and some inside info about Project mirai!

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Both displayed together!

It is so adorable to display the big and the small versions together! Plus the Nendoroid version can stand without the need for her stand – the twin-tails can hold her up perfectly!

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Cheerful JAPAN! Part 11:

Miku Hatsune : Cheerful Ver.!

■ She will cost 10000JPY. Delivery in Japan is free.
For each sale made, Good Smile Company will donate 2000JPY to aid relief efforts in Japan.

Please take note of the following if you want to order:

[Purchases Within Japan]
This product can be ordered from the following stores:
Please see their respective home pages for more information.
・GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP: http://cheerful-japan.ecq.sc/
・GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP Mobile: http://cheerful-japan.ecq.sc/

■ Orders can be placed between 9th March 2012 (Fri) from 11:00 until 28th March 2012 (Wed) at 20:00.
■ Delivery within Japan is free of charge.
■ Delivery will be in August 2012.
■ Five figures per person will be available.
■ Payment will be via bank transfer or credit card. Cash-on-delivery will not be an option.
■ Products will be made to order. Please order within the dates specified above.
■ If you have any questions please email shop@goodsmile.jp. Japanese only.


[Overseas Sales]

・GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP: http://cheerful-japan-global.ecq.sc

■ Orders can be placed between 9th March 2012 (Fri) from 11:00 until 28th March 2012 (Wed) at 20:00.
■ Five figures per person will be available.
■ Figures will be made to order.
■ Figures will start being sent out from August 2012. (Delivery time varies depending on location)
■ Payment must be done via credit card or Paypal. Please see http://cheerful-japan-global.ecq.sc/help for more information.
■ Your credit card will be charged on order, and not when the product is sent. This is due to the donation taking place before products are delivered.
■ Shipping will be charged at 2000JPY to all countries.
■ You may be charged additional fees such as import tax and customs duties when buying from overseas. Please be aware of this before ordering.
■ Payment will be in Japanese Yen.
■ Please mail shop.overseas@goodsmile.jp if you have any questions. English only please.

Orders will be taken at the GSC Online shop from 9th March at 11:00 and continue until the 28th at 20:00.
http://cheerful-japan.ecq.sc/


And now for some notices!

The Nintendo 3DS game…

Miku Hatsune and Future Stars Project mirai goes on sale today!

Nendoroid versions of Miku and friends will all dance and sing for you! Good Smile has been very involved with the production, and SEGA have been very helpful with so many things! I’m confident to say the game is a load of fun!! It’s filled with lots of love from Vocaloid fans, so if you’re a fan you are bound to enjoy it!

And from today, the Akiba GSC-Tetsu Cafe…

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Is a Project mirai cafe!

What kind of cafe is it going to be? Akiyama-san has been wandering around there, so I decided to ask him!

     / ̄ ̄\
   / .ー  ー \ ← Akiyama
   |  (●) (●) |  
   |   (__人__)|    ”It’s a cafe that’ll bring a smile to your face!
   |   `i  i´  |      Plus the menu is super cute!
   |   . `⌒   }      There are even limited edition goods!”
   ヽ       } 
    ヽ     ノ 
   /      ヽ 

Oooh, sounds great!

Lemme see some pictures!

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This is the drinks menu!

Drinks based on Miku and Luka’s image colors! They have ice-cream in them, perfect for the upcoming warm months! Plus a coaster is included with each drink you order!

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Next is the food menu!

These are also based around Miku and Luka! They look absolutely delicious… each food order also comes with a paper place-mat that you can take home!

       / ̄ ̄ ̄\
     / ─    ─  \   ”I wanna try it…
    /  <●>  <●>   \.   Maybe I should head there now…”
    |   (__人__) し  |  
    \    ` ⌒´    / 
    /  し          \

So… by the time you’re reading this, I’ll probably be in the cafe trying some of the food! 😛 I’ll have a review up on Friday! (`・ω・´)ゞ


Another notice!
The Black Rock Shooter anime airing on noitaminA…

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Now has a special page to itself!

The anime is getting more and more exiting with every episode!
From today and for the next month, we’ll be passing on some special info about the series!

Comments from those involved, never before seen images and other things that should be interesting for fans of the series… be sure to check it out!

BRS Page: (Japanese)
http://www.goodsmile.info/post/ja/3314/


 
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C) bun150 / Crypton Future Media, Inc.

1/7th Scale Luka Megurine : Tony ver.

GSC’s President’s Room!

(Which has tatami mat flooring!)

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I’ve been waiting for this to get back for ages!

Last weekend, Meiru (aka Moja) took this prototype to an event in Shanghai, and I’ve been really worried that it wouldn’t make it back safely! But it’s back safely in one piece!

          ____
       / \  /\  キリッ
.     /  (●)  (●) \    ”I better open up the box just to make sure it’s safe!
    /  ⌒(__人__)⌒ \    It’s not like I wanna see it or anything!”
    |      |r┬-|    |    
     \     `ー’´   /
    ノ            \

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Max Factory’s:

1/7th Scale Luka Megurine: Tony ver.!

The second Vocaloid figure based on an illustration by the famous Tony! The wonderful transparent effect and coloring from Tony’s illustration have all been faithfully rendered in figure form for fans to enjoy! Not to mention the sexy pose she is taking!
 
What an incredible figure!!

Just by looking at this one photo, I’m sure you can see the amount of detail that has gone into this figure! The sculptor for her is the same sculptor behind Tony’s Miku – Chieri! I’m always complementing Chieri’s work and I’ll do it once again – this sculpting work is absolutely stunning!!

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This is how she looks from the back!

She is 1/7th scale so she takes up quite an impressive amount of space – the dynamic look of the skirt is also incredible. The way it is sculpted really makes it look just like real cloth!!

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Absolutely incredible!!

I get the feeling I’m repeating myself from a previous blog, but once again Chieri’s sculpting really brings out the sensual side of figures. The way her body is sculpted makes me think that if I touched it would feel just like real skin.

That open stomach just shows off her body even more!
(I really love the way you can see the direction her pelvis is turning… )

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A beautiful, radiant smile!

Tony’s illustrations always have eyes that draw the viewer in, and I think that same feeling has been transferred to the figure here perfectly! It’s such an adorable expression combined with that super sexy pose… she is like a little devil trying to lure in her prey!

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Time for a lower angle!

There are no words to describe this beauty! The line from her armpits, along her waist and down to her thighs is simply stunning!

         ____
       /      \
      /   ─    ─ \   ”Yeah, yeah… what a naughty mind you have!”
    /   (=・=)  (=・=) \
    |       (__人__)    |
     \      ` ⌒´   /
     ノ            \

I won’t lie, that may be true… but that doesn’t change the fact that the sculpting is incredible!

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Displayed with Nendoroid Luka!

This should give you a good feeling for the size of the scale figure. Those who are considering ordering her but want to get a good feeling for the size, I hope this helps!

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Her hair makes use of clear plastic!

To be honest, I’m usually not a fan of scale figures that make use of clear plastic for the hair… (Just my personal tastes). But this Luka figure has really pulled it off perfectly – the uneven feeling I normally get from clear hair doesn’t strike me at all on this figure. In fact, I think the clear parts really adds some life to the figure!

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My personal favorite shot!

A profile photo. Her eyes are hidden by her hair, giving the picture a kind of mysterious charm. You get to imagine the expression on her face for yourself! 😛

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Look at the details on the fingers!!

I don’t know if you can tell from the photo… but they are really super sexy! Not to mention beautiful! It’s simply incredible to look at them…

I’d say it’s like a real hand shrunk down to figure size, but that’s not quite it… it’s more like the perfect mid-point between 2D and 3D!

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Max Factory’s:

1/7th Scale Luka Megurine : Tony ver.

She will be up on the GSC site on the 8th March!
 
If you have any preorder or sales inquiries, be sure to contact our partner shops.
 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!!  (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C) Crypton Future Media, Inc.

Nendoroid Sakura Shinguji & Koubu Set

Now that WonFes is over, I keep finding treasures at all the project leader’s desks!

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         ____
       /      \
      / \  /   \ 
    /   ⌒   ⌒    \  。 o O ( I don’t think the one on the left is related…
    |/// (__人__)  ///  |   
     \   ` ⌒´     /   
     /       __|______   
    |   l..   /l Prototype   l
    ヽ  丶-.,/  |__________|
    /`ー、_ノ /      /

Before WonFes I was always running between the planning department, production department and manufacturing department, so it was really hard to find anything to play with!

Now it’s much easier… although I need to make sure I don’t bump into Tori Bird on the way back to my seat… I wouldn’t want him to steal it back! 😛

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Today we’ll be taking a look at this Nendoroid set!

From Sakura Wars:
Nendoroid Sakura Shinguji & Koubu Set!

A special commemoration product to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Sakura Wars series! A Nendoroid of Sakura Shinguji along with a cute Nendoroid of the Kougu she rides in! You can display them together, or completely separately – it’s up to you!

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This is how they look from the back!

Sakura’s lovely ponytail looks absolutely wonderful, and is fitted with a joint so you can pose it blowing up in the wind as seen in many illustrations from the series. The huge red ribbon is also beautifully sculpted, and adds some volume to the figure! Plus don’t forget to look at the detail on the Koubu!!

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Nendoroid Sakura Shinguji!


She comes with a smiling face and an angry face!

She also comes with her father’s sword, Reiken-Arataka, which you can use together with the included scabbard to recreate the pose seen on the cover of the PS2 game!

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Nendoroid Koubu Sakura!

The arms and legs are fitted with Nendoroid joints!
The feet are huge and really stand out nicely when you place it in a pose like this! Plus it’s so easy to pose that I wasn’t even afraid to make this pose on the prototype! 😛

You can even place Sakura’s sword in the Koubu’s hands!

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Sakura can even ride inside!

The Koubu’s top hatch can be opened up, and Sakura can get inside! Incredible!! You simply need to remove Sakura’s lower body part, and then connect her upper body inside the Koubu instead.

     ____
   /      \   
  /  \   ,_\   “Hmm… does that mean other characters can ride it?”
/    (●)゛  (●) \
|  ∪   (__人__)  |  
/     ∩ノ ⊃  /
(  \ / _ノ |  |   
.\ “  /__|  |   

I’ll be trying that shortly! 😛

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Even as one, the figures are perfectly balanced!

Nendoroids focus on looking cute more than anything else, and these two achieve that perfectly while still looking great both separately and together like this! You can really see a lot of careful planning went into these two Nendoroids!

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Yay! It worked!!

Although, that doesn’t mean that all characters will be able to ride it – but most with a similar inward connector should be able to.

Certain Nendoroids like Miku instead have an outward connector on the upper body, which means they won’t be able to ride the Koubu perfectly – but you can still balance them inside it quite easily! (They just end up a little bit wobbly…)

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Homu Homu from the Taisho Period!

She has long, black hair just like Sakura, so if you exchange the heads it suits very well! Plus it looks really cute! The ribbon is connected with double-sided tape in this photo. ^^

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From Sakura Wars:
Nendoroid Sakura Shinguji & Koubu Set!
 
They’ll be up for preorder shortly!! (`・ω・´)ゞ

Be sure to contact our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!
 
That’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C)SEGA (C)RED

Nendoroid Estelle Bright

Is that another new one?!

01

Gundams seem to appear more and more with other figures on this blog… but I think this is a different one yet again! Juat how many Gundams does Oda-P keep at home…? I kind of want to see for myself! 😛

But even more interesting to me is the Nendo in front!

02

From Trails in the Sky: THE ANIMATION:

Nendoroid Estelle Bright!

From the popular game series that has also become an OVA, ‘Trails in the Sky: THE ANIMATION’, comes a Nendoroid of the young heroine Estelle Bright, dressed in the outfit from the anime version of the series!

10

Estelle is also available as a Nendoroid Petite!

She is a part of the Nendoroid Petite: Falcom Heroine Set! The set is currently up for preorder! I wanted to display her together with the new prototype and compare the two… but unfortunately she was off in China…

Although I’m certain that the two Estelles would look wonderful displayed together!

03

This is how she looks from the back!

Her twin-tails are of course fully posable! You can also see the detail on her outfit is incredible for her size, it looks just like the original! I’m sure it’ll be quite a pain for the production team to deal with! 😛

09

She comes with an angry face!

Estelle is well known for her expertise with the rod, and her weapon is taller than her! She can hold it in a single hand, or in both hands by making use of a bent arm. Plus that angry expression is so adorable, I think I’d lose the fight just by looking at her!

04

Her Orbment is also included!

The Orbments are mystical crystals made from quartz that bring out various abilities! This allows you to recreate the scene where she activates her abilities! A definite bonus for any fans of the series! The Orbment even has the exact same pattern as the one from the series!!

05

A depressed face and harmonica!

Normally Estelle is a super energetic and positive character but sometimes everyone has to feel a little down like this…

This allows you to recreate the touching scene where she plays her step-bother, Joshua’s harmonica!

06

The fishing mini-game!

The figure is actually officially a Nendoroid based on the OVA, but even so it lets you recreate the fishing scene from the game, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. She also comes with a set of hands to hold it out in front of her!

08

From Trails in the Sky : THE ANIMATION:

Nendoroid Estelle Bright!
Preorders will be starting within the next few days!! (`・ω・´)ゞ

Please contact our partner shops for more information regarding preorders and sales.
 
Estelle is also showing off the The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky BD/DVD!

The second volume is now on sale! Don’t miss out on it!
http://www.sora-anime.com/
 
 
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C)2011 Nihon Falcom/Kiseki Project

Nendoroid Aoi Yamada

The table tennis table has been cleaned up!

      ____
 / ) ) )/ \  /\  
 {   ⊂) (●)  (●) \     ”Some of you might think this is still messy,
 |   / ///(__人__)// \    but it’s much better than before WonFes!”
 !   !    `Y⌒y’´    |
 |   l      ゙ー ′   ,/
 |   ヽ   ー‐    ィ
 |           /  |

001

The state of table shows the proximity to an event. 😛

They say that the state of one’s desk is the state of one’s mind, and I think whoever said that first was really clever… it’s very true! Although my mind is pretty cluttered all the time, so I guess that means I should just never clean up my desk… right? 😛

Anyway, today we’ll be looking at this Nendoroid!
002

Max Factory’s:

Nendoroid Aoi Yamada!

From the popular anime series ‘WORKING!’ comes the third Nendoroid from the series, Aoi Yamada! She’s cutely dressed up in her Wagnaria uniform, even though she almost definitely won’t be helping out around the restaurant at all.

The sculptor behind her is once again, Yukiwo Ageta!
Who has been responsible for all of the Nendoroids from WORKING!! so far, and as you can see, she has come out super cute, just like the last two Nendoroids in the series!
003

This is how she looks from the back!

The stand she makes use of the the arm-type that connects into her back. She also comes with two different cases – both an M-shaped on that allows her to stand on the ground around the base, and a stand for her to actually stand on top of.

The main reason for this is to work nicely with the Wagnaria Playset from Phat! Company. It feels a lot more natural when she is standing on the floor in the playset, rather than on a base.

004

Let’s take a look at her expressions…

An astonished expression!

Combined with the included bent arm and bent leg, you can make a really lively pose like this! The bent leg can be used on either the left or right, whichever you need for your pose!

005

Yamada, the queen of breaking things!

             ___     ________
     ____,../     \  | |          |
    ノ   /             \| |          |  ”That crying face is too cute!!!”
  /   /                | |          |
 |     |::..           …| |          |
 ヽ    -一ー_~、⌒)^),-、::/| |________|
  ヽ ____,ノγ⌒ヽ)ニニ- ̄   | |  |

Really! Yamada is just too cute!

A plate with hands to hold it, and a broken plate are all included!

006

She also comes with a… ceiling part!

The middle bit opens up and lets you place Yamada inside! Let’s give it a go…

007

There we go!! (*゚∀゚)=3

You can attach the ceiling to Phat! Company’s Wagnaria set for the complete effect! It looks great!!

Using the upside-down hair and the special hands holding onto the edges of the ceiling, you can recreate the scene from the opening (and in the actual show) when Yamada sticks her head out of the ceiling.

008

But you don’t need the Wagnaria Set!

You can make use of the long arm to hold her up much higher and still pose her hanging from the ceiling! The back of the hair doesn’t have a hole – it is held up using a magnet! It holds it very securely!
009

But if she isn’t upside-down…

It kind of makes it look like she is being blown away by something, or just been surprised by something… you could definitely use it for something else! It’s always great to have unique parts like this to play around with!

goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version

Max Factory’s:

Nendoroid Aoi Yamada!

She’ll be up for preorder shortly! (`・ω・´)ゞ
If you have any preorder or sales queries, be sure to get in contact with our partner shops!


– Notice #1 –

A mail from Good Smile Racing’s Emi!

Seems like a notice about the Miku Team!

Hello Mikatan Blog readers! My name is Emi, from Good Smile Racings PR department. Good Smile Racing is working on the concept of becoming a team that ‘races together with the fans’, and thus created the Miku Hatsune GT Project, which of course took a Miku itasha and placed it in the SUPER GT races.

Now we’re looking for a theme song, sung by Miku, to represent the project in 2012!

The theme song will be played when the GSR Miku Hatsune BMW is racing on the circuit, as well as during pit-work or fan events! Plus it will also be released as a CD! Last year we not only played the theme song in Japan, but even at overseas circuits, a theme song sung by Miku entranced the audiences. This year we want her voice to echo though the circuit again, so we’re hoping to find a lovely theme song that everyone can enjoy!

Those who want to enter their creation, you’ll need to upload your song to NicoNico Douga. The deadline is 22:00 (JST) on the 12th March. Please see the following for more information: (Japanese Only)
http://supergt.goodsmileracing.com/theme-song-entry.html

Also, GSR&Studie with TeamUKYO is currently looking for personal sponsors for 2012. Please see the GSR&Studie with TeamUKYO Official Sponsor site for more information
: (Japanese Only)
http://supergt.goodsmileracing.com/personal-sponsors.html


– Notice #2 –

This one is a mail from Hobby Stock’s Takepi!
Two notices in one day! Lots to let everyone know about!

Hi everyone! My name is Takepi, and I’m the writer of the ‘Shimazou Report’ figure reviews over at the online hobby shop, ‘Hobby Stock’.

There have been a load of requests for Zero no Tsukaima’s heroine, ‘Nendoroid Louise’ to go on resale, and she is going to be available once again, exclusively at Hobby Stock!

Nendoroid Louise was planned by Hobby Stock and put on sale with the help of Good Smile Company! I was happy to be involved in the process of getting this figure to all the fans!

To those who want to have a Louise from the anime series which is currently airing it’s 4th season… or to those who missed the first batch of figures… or to those who only just found out there was a Nendoroid Louise! Don’t miss out on this chance to grab your Nendoroid Louise this time around!

You can grab your Louise over here:
http://www.hobbystock.jp/item/view/hso-gcf-00000023

For those who haven’t ever heard of Hobby Stock! We stock all of Good Smile Company’s figures as well as many other items and limited edition goodies! Be sure to take a look!
http://www.hobbystock.jp/top

 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
(C)高津カリノ/スクウェアエニックス・「WORKING!!」製作委員会

Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner! (Number 60)


March has begun!
 
Most of the time I generally spend my days either at home or in the office, but March often ends up as one of those months that I get out quite a lot. If you see me out and about know that I’m not really the social type, but if I’m called out for an event like this one, I’ll do my best to not disappoint!!  (`・ω・´)ゞ

BGC [Highscore Girl] Volume 1 Sales Event
#1 : Who is the strongest Street Fighter 2 Player?

2012/03/10 (Sat) from 14:00~
AKIHABARA GAMERS Main Store 8F

Attendees:

  • Rensuke Oshikiri (Highscore Girl, Derodero)
  • Kazuma Kondou (Eureka Seven, Deadman Wonderland)
  • Jigoku no Misawa (Kakkokawaii Sengen!)
  • Yuusuke Kozaki (Donuts, Karasuma Kyouko no Jikenbo)
  • Yuuki Kodama (Asobiba, BLOOD LAD)
  • Yuukou Osada (RUN day BURST)
  • Mikatan (GOOD SMILE COMPANY PR Agent)
  • Kajita Mafia (Game Writer)

http://www.square-enix.com/jp/magazine/biggangan/news_fairs/index.shtml#highscore_sign

I’m sure I’ll end up a complete nervous wreck on the day of the event… but anyway, for today we’ll be continuing this corner!

Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner!

(゚д゚) Letters asking about changes to products are quite hard for me to reply to… but I do pass the info onto the design team!(゚д゚) If there is a problem with your product, please email the Good Smile Support Team at: support@goodsmile.jp

(゚д゚) If you want to let me know something without me talking about it on the blog, just let me know in the mail and I’ll be happy to keep it quiet!

Today we’ll be taking a look at everyone’s lovely photos!

Alright, let’s get started!! (・∀・)ノ


Hello, Mikatan! I love reading your blog! ♪ I wan never much of a figure lover, but I recently decided to pick up some figma figuers and took some photos (on my cellphone…) It was my first ever attempt, so it’s a bit amateurish, but it was great fun for me! I have no experience taking photos, so I hope they’re not too bad!

As you can see, I tried to build a figma arcade!

   - DAC

001
002

003

I can’t believe how amazing this is!

There was even a layout map for the arcade included in the files that were sent to me! Everything is made so carefully, and the characters all seem to be having such a good time! It makes me wish I could jump into the arcade and join them all! I’m sure it must have been a lot of work to leave so much space available for photos as well… and it probably took ages to get all the figmas into their poses as well. Not to mention the poses are very well done!! (Their positioning as well!)

Thank you so much for sending this through, I really enjoyed it! As a side note I also really love the way Kaiji seems to fit in so well! 😛


I was looking at the upcoming 3DS Project Mirai game, and Miku and the others looked so cute that I had to try and pose my own Nendoroids in the same way! My favorite song in the tracklist for the game is ‘Sing & Smile’, so I decided to pose my Nendoroids just as they looked in the game. I hope you enjoy it!

   - free-p

004

Another amazing work of art!!

When I first saw the comparison I got goosebumps! It’s a perfect recreation with real Nendoroids! I feel like I’m going to break down in tears! 😛

It’s so lovely to see how much people love the Nendoroids! I know that Miku and the others love it as well!


“You! You were watching!”
I finally got my hands on figma Sakuya, I was so happy I had to take a photo!

   - Kani Taichou

005

It’s perfect!!

The way her face is hidden gives it such a powerful effect! How did you take this photo? It’s amazing!!


Today I went down to my local shop and saw Nendoroid Petite Madoka on sale. I bought a couple and luckily managed to get both Madoka and Homuhomu, so I took some photos! I much prefer buying singles and getting the rush of getting your favorite characters instead of just buying a complete box…

   - Luka

006

So cute!! … I actually said that out loud to the monitor… 😛

HomuHomu’s expression is perfect for the way she is staring at Madoka like that! Wondering what character you’re going to get is one of the best things about Nendoroid Petites in my opinion! I also get super exited while I’m opening the box and wondering who is going to be inside!!



I grabbed my Nendoroid Taiga Aisaka and just had to recreate the ‘Palmtop Tiger’! Unfortunately that meant I had to take the photo with one hand, which was shaking so it didn’t come out very nicely ^^; Thanks so much for turning one of my favorite characters into a Nendoroid!

   - Annon

007

The Palmtop Tiger!! (*゚∀゚)=3

The way the sunlight is beaming onto the photo is very nice! I think it’s a lovely picture! Plus… I love the way she is looking up at you like that, it makes we want to hold her myself!


I can happily say that today, although a bit late, my Rin & Len Cheerful Ver. has arrived! I decided to play with them and really enjoyed seeing how much work went into the smaller details that you normally can’t see, like the ears! The two of them are now happily displayed on my desk together! I’ll take good care of them。

   - Toonomama

011

They both look so happy!

There were many, many resale requests for Rin & Len, so I’m glad we were able to release them again and even include some lovely ‘cheerful’ extras! They look so carefree and exited… it really warms your heart just to look at them, doesn’t it!


I tried editing a photo for the very first time… but just a small edit! It’s a picture of the two Sabers.

  - Bunke

012

Amazing! I’m jealous!

It’s a more solid version of Saber Alter with a feint image of the normal Saber standing behind her. A nice picture that compares the light to the dark! I also love the way that Alter is holding a sword, while the normal Saber is instead reaching out to us! I’m jealous that you can take such nice photos, let alone still edit them to make lovely effects like this!


Miku is becoming a housekeeper! I hope she cleans the house up for me…
She seems happy to help out right from the start… I just hope she doesn’t look out the window and see how messy the real room is! 😛

   - Spoon

008

Sylvanian Families playsets!

At least… I think it is a Sylvanian Families playset… I’m sorry if I’m wrong. 😛 I wish I had a Miku housekeeper to keep my house clean as well! She can also make some delicious food for me… and when she sees the house is messy she can get all angry and shout at me! (escape from reality :P)


Hi Mika-tan, this is the first time ever I had sent an email to you.
I had just received my Black Rock Shooter Beast yesterday and really like it. This is also the first figma that I had to pay a crazy amount of shipping fee 😮 Here is a picture that I took her with my Scale PVC Black Rock Shooter Animation ver.

   - Anonymous

010

BRSB vs. BRS ! !

I’ve been getting lots of pictures from people overseas, and lots of them make great use of lighting and send in lovely photos like this one! The way the light is shining on BRSB’s blade so that you can just make it out is wonderful!!


Christmas has come along, so I thought I’d send in a seasonal photo! HomuHomu and Madoka are together this Christmas, so there is nothing to worry about! I also have to say that I love the way this year’s Snow Miku looks! I don’t any Miku figures at the moment, so I’ll be sure to grab that one!

   - Miso Caramel

014

Sorry for missing this at Christmas time!

I received so many Christmas and New Year’s photos, but I just never get around to putting them up at the appropriate time… sorry! But this one was so cute that I had to put it up, even if it was late! (`・ω・´)ゞ It gives off a very nice Christmas feeling, and makes me feel all warm inside when I look at it!


The attached image is to wish you a Merry Christmas! I hope you’ll take a look. The sword at his hips is pointing to one of the most important parts of Christmas! (´∀`)

I really love playing around with Nendoroids at the moment! It’s so much fun! >< I’m always looking forward to seeing what Nendoroids are coming up next, so good luck with all your work!

   - Shiroyagi

015

What an adorable idea!!!

It’s nice to see a mix of Christmas along with the very Japanese taste of Sengoku Basara! The sparkling effects also create a lovely atmosphere!


I read your blog pretty much every day! Thanks so much for writing so often! I’m also a girl that loves figures of cute girls, and I’m glad to know there is someone else who shares my happiness! I live in Sapporo, the Miku loving city, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to go any buy a Snow Miku at the event this year! …(ノД`)

I was frustrated, so I decided to make a huffed Snow Miku Chocolate! I’ll be watching the WonHobby Live while munching on this chocolate!

   - Yukona

017

The expression is so perfect!

You can see all the fine little lines like around her eyes! Such small details!! On a figure, the expressions are definitely the hardest part to work with… I’m really impressed to see it done so well with chocolate!! If you ever make one again, please send it my way again!

I got a load of mail from female fans this time around. I’m sure there are a lot of people that wonder if they really ARE all girls, but I’m always very pleasantly surprised by the number of girls that come to chat with me at events! Plus most of them are really pretty! (Seriously!)


I went to the Sapporo Snow Festival the other day, and decided I had to send this photo I took while at the event. I hope you enjoy it!

   - Otouchan

018

Snow Miku is so adorable!!

You’d normally expect photos in the snow to be filled with nothing buy a white or blue color, but the orange coming from the lamp contrasts so nicely! It’s beautiful! I wish I could escort Snow Miku through the snow myself…


I’ve noticed that Ririchiyo from Inu x Boku SS is really popular at the moment, so I decided to make my own Nendoroid Petite of her! She really looks cute no matter what size she is!

I’m looking forward to all of GSC’s upcoming products!

   - Jina Hong

016

She is cute no matter what size!

It looks like you made her right from scratch as well! :O What would happen if you showed this figure to Riricho-sama?


As soon as I heard that a Gumako Nendoroid was going to be released, I decided this had to be done! The image I had of her only showed the left side, so I had to imagine the other sides for myself… The head is from Gumako, the body, hips and arms are from BGS and the legs are from Miku.

And there you have it, a Metal-Powered Gumako Nendoroid! ^^ I painted the eyes, but that part was very difficult…

   - Monban

013

Metal Powered Gumako!!

She even has the striped panties!!!

This was the character drawn by huke for GSC’s 10th anniversary! She looks really great as a Nendoroid… maybe we should make an official one… ^^


That brings this Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner to an end!

Thanks to everyone who sent in mail!!
I read through every single one of them!

As always, I’m always looking for more mail from readers!
If you have any questions, photos, product requests, want to talk about what you ate today, or anything else! No matter what you want to talk about, send it through to me! Girls and boys both welcome!

         ____
       /      \
      /   ─    ─\    ”I won’t eat your mail!”
    /     (●)  (●) \
    |       (__人__)  | ________
     \      |r┬-|   ,/ | |           |
    ノ      `ー’´  \  | |           |
  /´                 | |           |
 |    l                | |           |
 ヽ    -一ー_~、⌒)^),-、  | |_________|
  ヽ ____,ノγ⌒ヽ)ニニ- ̄   | |  |

 
(゚∀゚) Mikatan Mail
mikatan-b@goodsmile.jp
 
 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ