Month: October 2012

by

1/8th Scale Lily from anim.o.v.e

Let’s continue yesterday’s quiz! (ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

001Which character would come with these parts…?
If you looks close, you’ll see there is a big and small version of each part!

Those of you who read yesterday’s blog should already know exactly who these belong to! Although once again you could have just read the title, or even just looked at the shape of the blue stand to figure it out anyway! 😛

002
Phat! Company’s:
1/8th Scale Lily from anim.o.v.e!

The 1/8th scale figure of Lily, the VOCALOID who has rapidly been gaining popularity, is being rereleased together with the release of ‘VOCALOID3 Lily’! She is posed in the same amazing pose from the VOCALOID packaging!

She was shipped out from GSC on the 29th October and should already be lined up in stores, ready for purchase!

Nendoroid Lily from anim.o.v.e opened up for preorders yesterday as well, so if you’re a fan of Lily, you ca stop by a hobby store, preorder the Nendoroid and pick up the 1/8th scale figure at the same time!

I took some photos of the two of them together myself, so scroll down to the bottom if you’d like to see how they look together!
10
This is how she looks from the back!

Just like the Nendoroid we saw yesterday, her hair has a lovely transparent effect! Just as I said with the Nendoroid, I really think it suits her look so nicely!

She also has a lovely and sexy outfit, I can’t wait to get some closer shots of it!
004
A close-up of her beautiful expression!

Her refreshingly clear eyes look just like KEI’s original illustration. The eye-shadow is also included on the 1/8th scale figure!

I know a lot of you love armpits, which is definitely one of the highlights from this shot, but even more than that I love her mouth!! The corners of the mouth in particular look like she’s show off her smile so nicely!! The soft looking lips also look lovely!
007
What an incredible body line!

This is more than just sexy, it’s simply beautiful! I could just stare at her all day long… the sculpting of her pelvis together with the way her body is ever so slightly twisted really catches your eye!

Oh, and those thighs! Stunning! Simply stunning!
005
Mmm… (=ﾟωﾟ=)

The tattoo on her back is quite hard to see, but it looks really nice when you take the time to look at it!

The rings on her arm are completely out of focus in this photo, but there are actually more tattoos between the rings on her arms too!
006
The mesh on the speaker is so tiny!!

Not only is the mesh beautifully sculpted, but you can even make out the actual round speaker inside when you look through the mesh! I don’t know how well I’m explaining this, but I’m sure you get the idea!
008
My favorite shot for today!

From this angle you can enjoy her beautiful backbone as well as the lovely looking thighs! Not to mention you get a lovely look at her long, flowing hair!

The outfit makes it hard to see some other parts of her body, but that just adds to the effect in my opinion! I love being teased by figures!
11
Displayed together with Nendoroid Lily!

They can even take the same pose! The 1/8th scale Lily is like the sexy older sister, and the Nendoroid is the younger cute sister! If you’re a fan be sure to display them together!
9
Phat! Company’s:
1/8th Scale Lily from anim.o.v.e!

She is on sale in stores now!! (`･ω･´)

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

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

 
 
Character Design KEI © 2010 AVEX MANAGEMENT INC.

by

Nendoroid Lily from anim.o.v.e

Quiz Time! (ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

001
Which character would come with these parts…?

A square microphone, mike stand and a speaker! Only one character would come with all of these, and the answer is of course in the title of the post… today we’ll be taking a look at this lovely Nendoroid!

002

Phat! Company’s:
Nendoroid Lily from anim.o.v.e

The character created for the anime song album ‘anim.o.v.e’, Lily, is joining the Nendoroid series! She comes with both her microphone and speaker, allowing you to display her in the pose from the VOCALOID 2 packaging!

The same pose that Phat! Company’s 1/8th scale Lily was in!

When one thinks of Lily, this has to be the first pose to come to mind… it’s so cute and sexy!
003
This is how she looks from the back!

Just like the 1/8th scale version of Lily, her hair makes use of beautiful transparent plastic. I’m sure some people will love this while others may not, but personally I think it suits Lily’s look beautifully!

The amount of detail that has gone into her outfit also makes for an amazing rendition, even in Nendoroid size! The zippers along her outfit and rings on her arms in particular are very detailed!

005
She comes with a singing expression!

This expression comes the illustration on the cover of the ‘anim.o.v.e 03’ album! You can even see the eye-shadow on her eyes!

I think the only other Nendoroid in the past to have eye-shadow was Joy Max-san, and that was quite some time ago!
004
The headphones can be removed!

Officially I’m not sure if this has ever been done on Lily, but on the Nendoroid you can pose her with the headphones handing at the back instead of on her head!

The inside of the headphones (the part you place on your ears) actually looks like it’s made from soft, fluffy material! I love seeing little details like that!
006
The ‘Harii Expression’ from Honey Lily!

Fan-made characters have become an important part of Vocaloids now, so this expression just had to be included as well! This expression was created based on a version of Lily that looked like a cute little bee – the bee body itself is unfortunately not included, but the expression alone is absolutely adorable!

Other than the expression, she also comes with straight arms as well as a bent right arm. The pose from the packaging makes use of a bent leg and a separate skirt that makes way for the bent leg!
007
The ‘Internet’ Vocaloids!

The difference in color is just magnificent!! Displaying them all together like this has such a bright effect! I can’t wait to have three of them together to display for myself!

The reason GUMI is wearing her goggles is because her standard face has already been sent off to China! ^^;
002
Phat! Company’s:
Nendoroid Lily from anim.o.v.e

She’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow! (`･ω･´)

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 next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 

(C) AMG Illustration:KEI

by

Nendoroid Kanna Tanigawa

Back on the 9th October, I gave a sneak peek of this figure!

001
How many of you were able to guess the character?

She was on display at the Dengeki 20th Anniversary event, and will be announced for preorders shortly! I managed to get hold of her prototype now, so today I’ll be starting off the week with a lovely Nendoroid review!
002

From ‘Waiting in the Summer’:
Nendoroid Kanna Tanigawa!

From the anime series ‘Waiting in the Summer’ comes a Nendoroid of Kanna Tanigawa, the girl who finds herself caught up in a complicated love triangle. She is wearing her Komoro High School uniform just like Ichika Takatsuki before her!

She is the second character from ‘Waiting in the Summer’ to join the Nendoroids, following on from the previously announced Ichika!

003
This is how she looks from the back!

I’ve posed her together with Ichika so you can see the two together!

Kanna ends up in a lot of unfortunate roles throughout the series, but even so having all the characters from the same series on display together really helps bring out the atmosphere of the series! （´∀｀）
004

The pin-up poster pose!

Fan’s of the series should recognise this pose! She comes with a special right arm to help you recreate the pose!

I’ve always loved this pin-up illustration of Kanna, they really draw your attention to her chest and thighs! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3
006
Cat ears and an indulgent expression!

Remon-senpai is always causing all sorts of trouble for Kanna! The cat ears she wore in the series are included with the Nendoroid allowing you to make cute poses like this! Attaching the cat ears actually makes use of an interesting new method, which I’ll introduce to everyone a bit later!

Plus she also comes with two bent arms which allow you to display her in a very kitty-like pose!
005
The ‘Dynamite Drink’ and a crying face!

Remon-senpai’s mysterious special drink, the ‘Dynamite Drink’ is also included together with a teary-eyed face for Kanna! She looks so cute when she’s had too much to drink!

Plus…! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ*)

She also of course comes with parts to pose her like this!

007
Crawling on all-fours!

The planning head of the project was Shuu-chan, who made the comment that this is the most beautiful of any all-four poses in Nendoroid history! It did come out looking very sexy!

She comes with an special skirt, two arms and a separate lower body part to recreate this pose… as well as an extra ‘neck’ part, which is actually very important! (`・ω・´)
008
The small things that make this Nendoroid special!

With a normal Nendoroid joint for the neck, if you tried to pose the head in an upward position for the all-fours pose, the joint would get stuck on the back.

But with the alternate neck part with a hollowed out area, you can pose her on all fours glancing upward!

As for the cat ear parts on the right, normally these would just be placed on the head like a normal Alice band, but in order to make them fit better, the part of the hair above the ears is actually replaceable, with the sides of the Alice band pushing into the sides for a nice, neat fit.

These small little details are really wonderful! (((ﾟДﾟ)))
009
The all-fours parts can also be used as a sitting pose!

It is a little bit unstable, but it does at least seem to balance! It gives you a few extra options when deciding just how you want to pose her!

002
From ‘Waiting in the Summer’:
Nendoroid Kanna Tanigawa!

 
She’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow!! (`･ω･´)

Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!
010
And don’t forget!! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

Nendoroid Ichika will be on sale from the 30th October!

The same day that Kanna is going on preorder!! If you’re a fan of the series, you can grab Ichika and preorder Kanna on the same day!（´∀｀）

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

(C) I＊Chi＊Ka／なつまち製作委員会

by

Nendoroid Petite: THE IDOLM@STER2 Stage 02

001
Anyway, today we’ll be looking at IDOLM@STER products!
From THE IDOLM＠STER2:
Nendoroid Petite:
THE IDOLM@STER2 Stage 02!

From the popular idol production game, ‘THE IDOLM@STER 2’ comes a second set of the adorable idols to join the Nendoroid Petite series of figures. Be sure to display them together with the characters from Stage 01 for a complete performance!

I got hold of a box of eight figures! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

There are a total of seven characters to collect including one secret character, and each of them comes in a sealed box so you don’t know which character you’ll be getting! Let’s see who I manage to draw out first… I’m hoping for Miki!!
002
My first box gives me… Ami Futami!

I didn’t get my Miki… but Ami is also super cute!! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3

Mami can be found in the first ‘Stage 01’ set, so be sure to display the two twins together!!
003
My second was… Miki Hoshii!!

Yay, I got my Miki!!!

It seems my luck is in today! Just look at that cute little stomach sticking out!! It’s amazing that she can be both so cute and sexy at the same time!
004
Iori Minase and Yukiho Hagiwara!

I got my Miki, so now I’ll go through as a standard product review! 😛

The outfits for each of the characters is the same ‘Pink Diamond’ outfit that was used for Stage 01! They’re such lovely vibrant outfits that really suit the idols!
005
Azusa Miura and Hibiki Ganaha!

The Nendo Petites are so tiny but the separation of the colors and the paintwork overall is absolutely beautiful! The golden highlights match up with the white and pink very nicely!（´∀｀）
006
From THE IDOLM＠STER2:
Nendoroid Petite:
THE IDOLM@STER2 Stage 02!

They’ll be on sale from the 30th October!! (`･ω･´)

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

Plus, as some of you may have noticed, I’ve positioned by them by their respective attributes from the mobile game – the top left is the Cute’ attribute, top right is ”Cool’ and the bottom four are all ‘Passion’! (I think I’d be categorized under ‘Passion’ myself… :P)

Also, as some of you might have seen…

Yep… that’s right!Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟ )

07

Nendoroid Petite:
THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls!

Yay!! Jougasaki, the one on the bottom right is absolutely adorable!!! Only these five have been announced so far, but I’m sure there will be more?

Otanaka is in charge of planning for this product – he’s also playing the IDOLM@STER Mobile game and his front members are quite an impressive sight! He’s got over 1000 Stamina and Energy drinks!

But GSC aren’t the only ones making IDOLM@STER figures!
008
Phat! Company’s:
THE IDOLM@STER
Cinderella Girls Trading Figures!

Aren’t they just adorable!?

Just looking at them makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!! Anzu-chan on the left is amazing herself, but Kirari on the right is simply outstanding!

The character with her back facing us… who could it be? I can’t show her just yet! Phat! Company needs to complete the set for all of us to see!!
009
Anzu-Chan!!! ﾍ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾍ)

Comparing Phat’s trading figure and GSC’s Nendo Petite! It’s so nice to be able to see Anzu-chan outside of the game – I can actually touch her and display her on my desk whenever I like!!

For a small price you can keep Anzu-chan by your side whenever you like, there is no way I could resist!

Plus, from the 30th October…
Two special campaigns are starting!!
011
First up, at Lawson!

Phat! Company will be contributing Rubber Straps to the IDOLM@STER C-course at Lawson! (The images here are just for illustrative purposes).

The players of the game here in the offices are all dying to get hold of the S-Rare card of Rin Shibuya! 😛

– Kirin Beverage x THE IDOLM@STER x Lawson –
http://lwp.jp/idol/campaign/static/idol/
012
A themed café at the GSC-Tetsu Café!

There will be an all-new original menu for fans to enjoy! I’ll be sneaking in at some point to let everyone know what they can expect!

– Good Smile x Karaoke no Tetsujin Café –
http://www.gstjcafe.jp/
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛
© NBGI/PROJECT iM@S

 

by

Photography Techniques Part 1: Tools & Nendoroid Joints

Hello everyone! (・ω・)ノ

A big thank you to everyone who reads the blog! It means a lot to me!

I wanted to write something interesting, but I wasn’t too sure what I could write up on, but I finally decided to write up a blog post on taking photos! The blog does mostly cover reviews of prototypes or product releases, and I often get asked how I take my photos in emails and on twitter, so I figured I’d try and answer some of those questions with a blog post!

This post is really written in my own style and explains how I take the pictures for the blog. Gou-kun on the GSC Newcomer’s Blog is also doing some photography lectures, I think I kind of stole his post for my own blog, sorry!!

If you have the time, be sure to check out his posts as well!

GSC Newcomer’s Blog:
http://ameblo.jp/blog-shinsotsu2012/ (Japanese)
001
My camera is a Sony Alpha 350!

Well, I say ‘my camera’, but the truth is it is actually Aki’s camera that I’ve been using for on the blog for 4~5 years now… I think it’s pretty much become my own camera now! I’m sure there are a number of updated versions of the same series of camera by now as well.

On that note, I should mention that I know nothing about cameras!!

This camera automatically gets into focus for me, and all I really need to do is press the button!

I also always uses an SLR as it blurs out the background nicely!

With the background blurry, the figures come out looking much nicer to me. I believe some other reasons for using an SLR would be that it decreases the noise on the photos, and makes the picture look lighter. Maybe something more advanced would provide better quality photos in the end, but in the end the SLR makes it nice and easy to just take photos!
003
This is how I normally take photos!

The SLR is actually quite heavy and holding it with just one hand tends to make the pictures blur, so I actually sit with my knees up and use them to support the camera and keep it still. Having the extra support really helps keep the figures in focus nicely!

I don’t use a tripod… it’s too much work! (`･ω･´)

This does mean that taking photos for a long time tends to tire my arms out quite a lot, but I’m used to that now! I don’t use a tripod because firstly it takes up a lot of space, and secondly because I just want to take photos when I want to, without needing to set up a whole tripod each time I take photos or change angles.
002
I do make use of this piece of cardboard!

I think this is the first time I’ve ever shown this outside of the offices. ^^;

It’s been though quite a lot over the years, but the gloss, feeling and thickness are all perfect for me!

…but perfect for what, exactly?

004
I use it to make a shadow over the figure!

It means I end up taking pictures with just one hand, but it really has become a really important part of my pictures! Mind you, I didn’t do this at the start of the blog… it was a technique I developed along the way. 😛

I don’t use any lighting either… it’s also too much work! (`･ω･´)

There are actually a few other reasons for this too though – a photo booth area with lighting takes up a lot of space, and in most cases figures are displayed without any lighting anyway, so I think the photos act better as review material without any extra lighting – it shows what they truly look like!

When I want to take pictures, I like to have my setup and and easily available, which is why I keep it simple like this! Holding the camera with one hand does tend to cause a few more blurry photos, but I just retake any that don’t come out nicely, plus balancing it on my knee really does help avoid this problem to a degree. Obviously you don’t need to use your knee, you could easily find something else to balance it on as well!

Anyway, let’s make some comparisons now!! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ
005
Without the cardboard, so no shadow!

Today’s model is the recently rereleased Nendoroid Saber Lily! This photo of her certainly isn’t bad or anything, but let’s add the shadow and compare!
006
With the cardboard and shadow!

You can see there is more of a shadow on the bridge of her nose, as well as on her armor! I definitely feel like you get a lot more depth with a shadow cast on the figure – just a sheet of cardboard can make quite a substantial difference!
007
Next up, let’s look at poses!

When taking photos of Nendoroids, the joint angle is important!!

When you first buy Nendoroids, you’ll often see that the head joint will have the join facing the front – by that I mean the red line you see in the picture here is facing forward.

The joint moves along this red line, so different poses require you to make sure the join is facing the right direction! (If you try force it to move to the sides while it’s facing the front, it’ll just get stuck and risk breaking the joint.)
008
Let’s try changing the angle of the join!

If you move the join to a little bit to the left like this, but not quite the full 90 degrees, you’ll be able to pose the Nendoroid’s head…

・ Tilting to the left.
・ Tucking in at the chin.

You can change the angle of the joint quite easily with some small pliers!

I’ve explained this using the joint for the head, but obviously the same applies with the leg or hip joints as well! Try playing around with changing the angle of the joints next time you’re taking photos!

Let’s try a pose with the joint at this angle! (・ω・)ﾉ
009
“Hmm?”

the tilted head makes for a pose that makes it look as if she is questioning, or confused about something! You can also make use of this for poses with upturned eyes for great effect!!

Little adjustments to the joints that allow things like a slightly tucked in chin can really make for very cute differentiation in poses!

010
Lifting the chin up isn’t the best idea!

It exposes the joint which tends to look a bit strange, however I still think that Saber looks rather cute even with the joint showing! In the end, although it might sound a bit silly, I really think that…

The #1 ingredient of good photos is love!!

I’m really not skilled with a camera at all, but I do my best to make the figures look as cute possible whenever I’m taking my photos for the blog!

The things I’ve shown are really nothing amazing, but I hope that this post has been of some interest for those of you who love taking photos of figures like I do!
011
Last but not least, a little bit of advertising! 😛

From Fate/unlimited codes:
Nendoroid Saber Lily!

 
She is currently available for purchase!! (`･ω･´)

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゛

 
(C) 2002-2006 TYPE-MOON

by

1/7 Scale Aoba

Ooh, it looks like Oonoshi has the Aoba prototype!!
011
I’ve been waiting for ages to review him!! (`･ω･´)

There have been all sorts of delays such as the second prototype painting and various displays at events, but he has finally returned for me to do a review! I know that Oonoshi doesn’t want to let go of him, but I’m stealing him away!
001
From DRAMAtical Murder:
1/7th Scale Aoba!

From the PC game ‘DRAMAtical Murder’ comes this 1/7th scale figure of the main character from the game, Aoba Seragaki!

Aoba is dynamically posed within the ‘RHYME’ cyber game together with his dog-type ‘ALL MATE’ named Ren, who is always by his side in the virtual world. The figure also features an impressive base that includes a number of motifs from other characters in the game! The unique posing and mischievous smile really bring out Aoba’s personality perfectly, creating a figure that can be enjoyed by all fans from almost any angle!

He looks fantastic!!

Most figures usually have some specific angle or side that make them look the best, and whilst that point probably still exists for some, I honestly think he looks great from absolutely any angle! I could spin him around for ages trying to find the perfect angle, and I’m sure most people would have a similar problem!
003
This is how he looks from the back!

The mid-air suspended position creates a really dynamic pose! I also have to add that it’s really difficult to photograph this figure – mainly I think because there are so many amazing parts, and I don’t know how to feature them all in each photo!!

I hope my amateur photography skills manage to capture at least some of his amazing charm!!
005
A low-angle shot!

If you look at him from the front down you get to gaze into his lovely eyes, but that’s not to say he doesn’t look fantastic from the bottom!

As a side note, I know I called it a low-angle, but to be honest this is actually just the normal straight-on angle I normally use on the blog with Nendoroids!
013

The reverse side at the same angle!

The entire design of the figure makes we want to place him on one of those automatic rotating pedestals and enjoy looking at him from a different angle every second! It even makes for an impressive pose from an angle like this where you can’t see his face at all!!!
002
Such a perfect expression!! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3

Aoba’s mischievous personality really comes out in this expression! It’s wonderful!! I think personally the canine teeth and lips have a lovely masculine look to them that really does it for me!
004
The Rhyme Board also looks amazing!

The fluorescent looking colors are lovely!! You can also take a look at the top of the board in the third picture of this article – just scroll back up and be amazed at the lovely design! (`･ω･´)
006
A stunning narrow waist!

On female figures you generally look at the body line from the waist to the hips and then move into onto the bottom, but for once I have to say it’s almost just as appealing on a male figure!! You can really make out his entire body line through the top of his clothes!
007
A look at his hips from the bottom!

I recommend displaying him at this angle for a more realistic looking body! The figure also really recreates the fluffy texture of his jacket, and I also love the gap in-between his jacket and his T-shirt! (don’t you just feel like sticking a finger in there or something?! I do!)
008
My favorite photo for today!

The angle makes it seem like he’s looking down on you, plus you get a good view of the headphones, jacket and of course the lovely hips!!
009
The figure base recreates the atmosphere of the series nicely!

The base is so amazing it makes me think it could almost be sold as its very own product… three televisions, chains that make use of clear materials, and various little items that come from other characters in the game and are sure to inspire some nostalgia into fans of the game!
012
Aoba’s All Mate, ‘Ren’!

Look! Even his little paw pads have been carefully sculpted!! And that fluffy tail!! Plus, you can carry the lovely Ren around with you wherever you go as well!!
010
As a preorder bonus, you’ll get a Ren keychain!!

All you need to do is preorder Aoba, and you’ll get this Ren keychain as an free extra!! You probably won’t be able to get hold of it if you wait for him to release in stores, so don’t miss out!

The keychain will be provided at the same time you receive the figure, not at the time of ordering. I’ve heard that it’s quite uncommon for female fans of figures to preorder, but I’d definitely recommend it this time around – you can order from a number of different stores online!!
001
From DRAMAtical Murder:
1/7th Scale Aoba!

He is already available for preorder!! (`･ω･´)

Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!
014
Bonus! Oonoshi’s Photo!!

Oooh! I can feel her love for the figure through this photo!! She also made the background image you saw on my monitor for all the photos above!!　(`･ω･´)

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

 
(C) 2012 Nitroplus

by

Prisma Illya: (Manga ver.)

I just…. can’t see!

001
You really did pick the perfect place to stop, Uchitarou!!

Although even from here I can tell I’m going to like the thighs on that figure!

Uchitarou is a part of Phat! Company, which is on the same floor of the same building as Good Smile Company! He is quite far away from my desk, but even so I’m sure he’ll bringing me more and more lovely prototypes to have a look at in the future – isn’t that right, Uchitarou? *evil grin*
002
From Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya:
Prisma Illya: (Manga ver.)!

From the spin-off manga of ‘Fate/stay night’ with an anime on the way, ‘Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya’ comes this 1/8th scale figure of Illya transformed into her magical girl form! She has a lovely smile across her face and the sculpting gives the figure an amazingly dynamic feeling that fans of the series are sure to enjoy!

I’m sure most of you already know, but…
The series will become an anime in 2013!!

I’m not going to mention anything about the series, as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the manga, but you don’t need to know how she became a magical girl to enjoy the cuteness of this figure! The series also has some interesting… bath scenes, and of course a number of magical girl fighting scenes, so if you’re an Illya fan or a magical girl fan you definitely have something to look forward to!

But anyway, today’s figure is based on the manga version!

Most of the TYPE-MOON series are originally games, but Prisma Illya actually started off as a manga series!
003
This is how she looks from the back!

Her vibrant magical girl outfit with an open back actually makes for a really stunning figure, even from the back!

The figure has it’s balance at the back which makes Illya look light and airy in her signature pose! It also makes it really easy to enjoy her expression and outfit to the fullest when you see her from the front!
004
A lovely smiling expression!

The figure is based directly on the illustrations from the manga, which were done by Hiroshi Hiroyama! What an adorable expression this is! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3

I think the figure makes her look even more like a magical girl than ever before!!
005
So close, yet so far…

I’m sure many of you are hoping I’ll rotate it just a little bit further, but I promise you that this feeling of just not being able to see is even better than actually being able to see anything!!

The fact that you can enjoy both her outer thighs and inner thighs at the same time is also absolutely fantastic! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3
006
The area everyone seems to love!

This picture ended up at a much lower angle than I intended… but I’m sure that’s not a problem! Her skin looks so soft, just look at the little swell around her armpit, don’t you just want to try touching it for yourself to see if it’s soft?
007
My favorite shot today!! (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

The perspective gives this picture a really interesting feeling!

I also want to turn everyone’s attention to a few other of my own personal fixations… look at the little creases along her boots at the knees and the drape of the skirt! There are so many different parts of the figure to look at, each of them equally amazing!!
008
From Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya:
Prisma Illya: (Manga ver.)!

She is available for preorder from today! (`･ω･´)

 
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゛

 
(C) 2013 ひろやまひろし・TYPE-MOON・角川書店／「プリズマ☆イリヤ」製作委員会

by

graphig++ Puella Magi Madoka Magica

A big thanks to everyone who came to Dengeki’s 20th Anniversary!!

00

The GSC booth was a great success! Thanks to everyone who stopped by! I hope you enjoyed the food, goods and figure displays!

Today I’ll be taking a look at one of the products that debuted at the event!
001

From Puella Magi Madoka Magica:
graphig++ Puella Magi Madoka Magica!

The Madoka Magica characters are joining the chibi square ‘graphig++’ series of figures! These look like so much fun to collect!

The films recently premiered in a number of countries, how many of you managed to see them? Myself, Oonoshi from the web team and Masu from Max Factory went to Ikebukuro th watch the first movie, but he hadn’t reserved seats and they sold out while we were on the way there!

Fortunately we quickly changed our plans and went to Saitama, where we managed to enjoy the movie!! It was really close though… a few seconds later and we might have missed out! It just goes to show how important reserving seats are!!
002
Homura Akemi and Madoka Kaname!

They have such a simple design, and yet all the important features of each character are still nice and visible. The large headed design also give them such unique balance!

Madoka has kind of droopy eyes that look so cute! Homu Homu even has the Soul Gem printed into the back of her hand – it’s so tiny!!
003
Sayaka Miki and Kyouko Sakura!

The sculpting of Kyouko’s ponytail needs a special mention here! It manages to keep the square feeling of a graphig figure so nicely, while still keeping the shape nicely! It’s quite hard to see from this angle, but Sayaka’s cape is also faithfully reproduced in graphig form!

Somewhat irrelevant, but I have to add that I really love these two characters!
004

Kyubey and Mami Tomoe!

Kyubey looks so adorable like this! His body and tail are so cute! 😛

Mami-san’s slanted hat, bust size and hair accessory are all faithfully represented on the graphig! It’s so nice to see all your favorite characteristics on a chibi figure like this!
005
graphig++ figures can swap expressions!

As you’d expect, the head can be detached at the joint found in their necks, but you can also detach the hair and face separately!

Unlike the others Kyubey doesn’t really have a separate hair part, but inside the Kyubey head is another Kyubey head! There is in fact a reason for this…
006
(◕ ‿‿ ◕)

It allows you to exchange expressions for completely bizarre situations like this!! I think we ought to be quite scared of this Madoka…

007
Plus you can kind of use the outer head as a… hat?

Unfortunately if remove the hair, you also remove the side on the sides, so it looks a bit strange in that regard. You could always buy two sets and try repainting the one. 😛

You could also use it giant Kyubey mask instead!
008

Displayed with Nendoroid Petites!

They’re ever so slightly bigger, and definitely have a strong presence! They’re definitely a very convenient size to display beside you on the desk!

I think I’ll place them on the top of my monitor! They’ll look so cute there!

001

From Puella Magi Madoka Magica:
graphig++ Puella Magi Madoka Magica!
They’ll be up for preorder from the 25th October!

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 next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛

 

(C)Magica Quartet／Aniplex・Madoka Partners・MBS

by

Dengeki’s 20th Anniversary at the Makuhari Messe!

The GSC Café team are bunched up at the end of the offices!
010
But what are they up to…?

001
Dengeki’s 20th Anniversary will be taking place at the Makuhari Messe this weekend!!

GSC will be running a booth at the event, and the GSC Café team is hard at work with preparations! Today we’ll take a look at what will be available at the Good Smile booth if you stop by the event!
011
A special collaborative food menu!!

A: Accel World: Accel World Don
B: Sword Art Online: Ragout Rabbit Stew
C: Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere: Five Grain Fried Rice
D: Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo: Ultimate Melon Bread

All that delicious looking food is making me hungry!!

Plus every meal also comes with a special event-only sticker!! Once you’ve enjoyed the event a bit, come by the GSC Café and have a meal based on your favorite series!
002
Original Dengeki Bunko goods will also be on sale! (`･ω･´)

First up, Magnetic Stickers!

From the left, these come from Accel World, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere and Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo!

The entire image is one giant magnet, so you can attach it to anything metal! Decorate your shelves or fridge with your favorite characters! Each magnet is B5 size and will cost ¥1,200.
003
Clear Bookmarks!

These are also from Accel World, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere and Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo!

Each pack contains four different illustrations as bookmarks with a lovely transparent effect! The pack will cost ¥500, so you can pick them up with just one coin!
004
Tin Badges!

Once again from Accel World, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere and Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo!

These will be available in the form of capsules, so you won’t know which one you’ll be getting! However, there are also plans to have a box containing all the badges from each specific series as well. I think it’s more fun to leave things up to chance, and see which series and variety you get!

Each use of the capsule machine will cost ¥200 and there will be a maximum of five spins per customer – if you still want more, you’ll have to rejoin the back of the queue as others want some badges too!
005
An Accel World Tapestry!

Even if summer has come to an end, it doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy our favorite anime characters in swimsuits! The tapestry is nice and big as well!!

Each of these tapestries is about the size of a poster and there are two different varieties – one for ¥3,000 and another for ¥2,500. The one in this photo is the ¥2,500 option!
006
The Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere Tapestry!

This one is also ¥2,500! I’ve never really felt the texture of these tapestries before… they’re really soft and silky!! Once you start feeling it, it’s actually quite hard to stop…
007
A Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo Tapestry!

Also ¥2,500! I really like this illustration, it has such a nice clean feeling to it! There are also three other Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo tapestries as well as some Sword Art Online tapestries that will all be available at the event!
009
Oreimo Record Bag: Side A!

A strong, nicely sized bag! It’s really easy to hold and is the perfect thing to carry all the goods you buy home with you – you can even see it holds the tapestries nicely!
008
Oreimo Record Bag: Side B!

Kirino looks so cute!! It’s a very chic design too – the bag will cost you ¥3,500! I’m sure many of you are surprised to see so much at one event, but that’s still not all…

The latest figures will also be on display!

I borrowed some prototypes that will be at the event from the production team and quickly took some pictures of them… this is their very first debut!! (`･ω･´)
013
017
018
016
014
015
013
You’ll get a better view of them at the GSC booth!!

There are some really cute figures coming, so I hope you’ll come take a look if you’re in the area!! It’ll be a weekend of eating yummy food, getting goods of your favorite characters and taking a look at the very latest GSC figures!!

Dengeki’s 20th Anniversary Event Information
http://www.goodsmile.info/post/ja/3542/ (Japanese)

We’ll see you there!!
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again next week!! (・∀・)ノ゛

by

Kuroyagi-san’s Letter Corner! (Number 65)

Only two and a half months left of 2012!

I haven’t done a letter corner in ages… sorry everyone!

Ever since I joined GSC I’ve wanted to spread the love of figures as much as possible, but sometimes I get so pressured with work that I back into a corner and can’t get the time to do a letter corner. Fortunately I really do put whatever I like up on the blog… so I do try to add in this corner whenever I have the chance!

So… let’s get started! (`・ω・´)
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!

Please note that whatever I write in this section isn’t official – it’s just my thoughts on matters! If you’re only looking for official news, you might want to dodge this post!

I’m always following and enjoying both your blog and your twitter.

I purchased Snow Miku at both WonFes and through the website, and I was quite sad to see how differently the two came out. It was an unfortunate incident, but I haven’t lost my faith in Good Smile at all – in fact I’ve already preordered a number of other upcoming figures, and I trust they’ll all be great!
– Anonymous

Hello! I hope you’re well!

It seems like Snow Miku is causing quite a lot of trouble, so I hope you’re not too stressed! Both Mikatan and the GSC Support team are all so kind, so I’m sure everything will work out fine! I’m looking forward to all the cute figures that’ll be announced soon! Good luck!
– Tabu

Once again I’d like to apologize for all the problems that arose regarding the Nendoroid Snow Miku: Fluffy Coat Ver. Replacement parts are being sent out in order of the orders on the site, so you should have received, or be receiving a mail regarding the shipment shortly if you ordered her!

Many people sent in encouraging emails regarding the matter, and I’ve read through each and every one of them – thanks to everyone and sorry for the concern. There are many factors that come into the manufacturing of the figures, and with the constant attempts to improve quality, the increase of customers and the state of affairs in China, many problems can arise during production. That said, we will of course be doing everything in our power to make sure that everyone who ordered Miku is happy with their purchase.

Changing the subject a bit, I’ll be visiting China myself next year! I’ll be checking all the products with my own eyes and I’ll be reporting back to everyone about how the manufacturing line is looking in China!

What ever happened to the rerelease of Zetsubou-sensei that you mentioned on your blog back on the 11th July? You said he’d be rereleased soon, but it’s been over three months now!

I hope I didn’t somehow miss the rerelease or something…
– Anonymous

Sorry for the delay!!!

The rerelease is still being prepared, but he should be announced for rerelease soon! Keep your eyes on the blog, I’ll let you know as soon as he is available again!

Something I’ve been wondering about the figure making business… do the publishers request figure companies create figures of their products, or do the figure companies need to ask permission from the publishers to make figures from their series?
– Batten

Both possibilities can occur!

In most cases, the planning team will go to the publishers with their plans and ask permission, however recently there have been a number of requests coming from the other direction as well! It’s most common with Nendoroids, which I think it shows just how many people love Nendoroids!

I’m so glad to see the UtaPuri Nendoroid Petites!!
If there are 8 characters in one large box, does that mean there is a secret character? I can’t wait to find out!!
– Anonymous

You probably know by now, but there is a secret character!

You’ll have to wait and see who it is though! It is a secret character after all! They release next month, so you’ll be able to have the princes by your side shortly! (・∀・)ノ

Hello! I’m a big fan of your blog! I was fortunate to win some things in the Miku lots, and I heard there will be a new set of prizes in Winter, have they been decided yet?
– Anonymous

The FamilyMart x Miku HAPPY Lots officially start tomorrow, but many of the stores had already been running the lots since yesterday… apparently many of the stores have been absolutely packed.

I’m sure this probably will just make me look like a sore loser, but I feel that the supply and demand is not well structured for the lots. The chances of getting the GSC figures is so slim, and the bulk of people that win them simply buy endless lots and then put the winnings up for resale at exorbitant prices. It makes people like me who really want to win very unmotivated to even try.

Is it not possible to have the products available as made-to-order products at a later stage after the lots? I’m a huge fan of Miku and the Nendoroid series, and it makes me quite depressed to see that I can’t get my hands on some of the products without a slight stroke of luck.

– Wasabi

I received quite a lot of mail regarding the Miku HAPPY Lots, and let me first say that your concerns have been noted, and thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately due to the fact that the project is also largely in collaboration with FamilyMart and Miku , I don’t have very much say in the matter… I do however wish to apologise that we cannot simply sell the product to all the fans who want to get their hands on it. Figures are actually a fairly expensive commodity for students and the younger generation, so I think the possibility of getting a figure from a lot is quite a nice option for some!

As has been announced, there will be another set of Vocaloid lots this Winter that Good Smile Company will be associated with once again, however the prizes have not yet been announced. There will be more information available sometime in November, so just be patient a little while longer!

A quick question, do figures kept in their boxes have any risk of getting damaged over time? I have many unopened figures and I’ve become concerned about whether or not they’re safe like that.
– Anonymous

It depends on the product, but certain products will become kind of sticky on the surface if left in their boxes for a number of years. I asked the manufacturing team for a more detailed explanation, and they had this to say:

One of the raw materials for PVC plastic is oil, and when it remains in hot and humid conditions over a long period of time while still sealed, the oil-based plasticizing agent included in the products exudes onto the surface of the product causing it to become somewhat volatile. Removing the figures from the sealed state and into the open air prevents this from occurring, so it is a better idea to display your figures out of the boxes.

There you have it! It’s a good idea to either display the figures out of the box, or at least take them out for some air once in awhile. That said, it’s very unlikely that any other degradation will occur to figures kept in the boxes (except perhaps the loss of color from UV rays if they are stored in a sunny area). It all comes down to keeping good care of your figures so they can last as long as possible!

In the requests of figure polls, a scale figure of KAITO was one of the most requested figures, are there any plans to make him into a scale figure? Please tell me there are!! I look forward to seeing the sexy KAITO as a scale figure by my side!
– Rokuro

I’d really love to see a figma of KAITO. I’ve got the Nendoroid, but figmas were the reason I got into figures, so I’d love to see a figma of him as well!

My request might fall on deaf ears, but I thought I had to at least try!
– Herumetta

I want them too!! Σ(´Д｀)

KAITO was high in multiple places of the polls, so he is being considered for figures!! Personally I’d love to see a figma as well – I want to be able to display him on my desk in a new way each and every day!

Your blog is always so playful and yet still very respectable, I often read the blog on my phone while riding on the train and end up bursting into laugher as everyone around stares at me suspiciously. When I found out you were really a girl I was really quite surprised! You always seem to notice the exact same details as me, and I’m a middle-aged guy! 😛

My wife, nephew and I will always be fans of both GSC and your blog! Looking forward to creative things are to come!
– Tsuredure

Thank you so much for the lovely comments! I always feel recharged after reading a message like this!

There are still many instances that I get mistaken for a guy online, but according to my birth certificate I am indeed a girl… perhaps it would have been better if I was born as a guy. ^^

I have something I want to ask you regarding Nendoroids – the holes on their back for the arm of the stand seem to never really be the right size, and no matter how hard I try to get the arm in, they just seem to slip off. Is there anything I can do about that? I’ve considered making the hole deeper myself, but I’m too worried that I’m going to end up breaking something! Is there any simple solution?

I love the work you do, keep it up!!

– Mon
If you really can’t seem to get the arm to fit into the hole, try warming up the joint on the arm with a hair dryer or hot water and then trying again. I often warm up the stands underneath the kotatsu or heater at home before trying to connect them to the Nendoroid – it’s a quick and easy method!

If the hole has become too big and the Nendoroid is falling off due to that, you can read up on some methods to make the arm thicker in the blog posts below:

DIY Figure Repairs Part 1: Broken Joints
DIY Figure Repairs Part 2: Reinforcing Joints
DIY Figure Repairs Part 3: Scuffed Paint

I made a secret base for Nendo Menma! But she’s all alone, which is a bit sad… I think she’s hoping for some of the other Super Peace Busters to join the Nendoroid universe! ^^
– Annon
008
This is lovely!! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟ*)

The texture of the wood and the walls is incredibly realistic! I also the the use of light! It must also go up quite high for a Nendoroid-sized secret base! It really makes me want to listen to anything that Menma might want…

An angelic Miku descended from the heavens down in front of my TV, so I grabbed a quick photo! I only had my iPhone as a camera… but it allowed me to apply a rather interesting effect!
– Anonymous
009
It’s like Append Miku is in some sort of commercial!

I believe you sent an equally lovely picture of Aigis in the past, also with an iPhone. It’s amazing how well you manage to take pictures with an iPhone! The quality of the camera is only one side, you also need a good sense for taking pictures, and I think you excel in that department!

Hello! I love reading your blog! The hot summer months are quite unbearable at times, but this Nendoroid suits the season so nicely! Plus she looks great displayed with the ocean!
– Ander B
004
Ika-chan looks so adorable!!

The little footsteps in the sand look like she has been pit pattering around! That expression looks happier than ever now that she’s by the ocean!

Viva outdoor photos!

Nice to meet you Mikatan! I’m a girl living in Hyougo prefecture.
The other day I picked up my Cuirassier, so I took her with me when I went fishing at Kobe Park! The area was seen in Fate/Zero which made me really happy to be a local! You should come down and visit sometime!
– Yuki
005
I love seeing figures in locations from the series!

As a Fate fan, I think the first place I’d like to go is Fuyuki bridge! When the 1/1 scale Cuirassier was touring around Japan, there was some discussion about taking it down to the bridge, but there was no time in the end. One day…!!

I was fortunate enough to enjoy the Miku events at Hakkeijima! I decided to take a Nendoroid Miku commemoration photo to remember the Summer!

Always looking forward to your blog updates!
– Kitsune to Figure na Hibi
001
I hope everyone enjoyed the 39’s CARAVAN event at Hakkeijima!

I went along with some of the GSC staff over the long weekend – the combination of the lovely ocean scenery and Miku was wonderful! My personal favorite was the ‘Deep Sea Goddess’ that was inside a giant water tank – there was a little eel sleeping underneath her twin-tails which made me laugh. ^^

My Nendoroid Gakupo has arrived!! He’s so awesome!! I want a figma next!!
– Anonymous
002
So cute! I can feel the love!!

I’m so glad to see that Gakupo was so popular with the fans! I hope that you’re all looking forward to the recently announced GUMI Nendoroid as well! The ‘feudal lord’ expression you’re using in this picture is such a lovely expression part too… you can use it with any Nendoroid with ease!

I’ve been looking forward to Sanya for ages, and she finally arrived! She’s adorable, and I’m very happy with her! The first thing I did was recreate this scene from the 6th episode of the 1st season and took a photo! Now I’m just waiting with Eila to display with her!
– Tanupon
003
How beautiful!! (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3

Is the left side making use of the figma archetype? It makes it surprisingly sexy to have one bare leg like that!!

I love outdoor photography, but I must say that the digital backgrounds like this one are also lovely to see! You can even simply take a picture with the monitor in the background for quite a nice effect!

I love reading your blog every day! I was playing around when I took this photo, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
– Anonymous
006
Nendoroids playing games!

What a relaxing picture! I want to join them!! 。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。

Millhi is playing on the Super Famicon… I wonder what she’s playing? I’m not even sure if the younger readers of this blog will know of the SNES anymore…

Nice to meet you! I’m a fellow girl that recently got into Nendoroids! My very first Nendoroid was bought by my parents for me… it was Nendoroid Sonic, and as a Sonic fan I couldn’t explain how happy I was to see him! I was so excited! It’s been one month since I grabbed him, and so I decided to take a photo together with Miku to celebrate!

– Anonymous
007
Be sure to thank your parents!! (；∀；)

It’s like they jumped out from the 3DS screen – you can even see the respective games at their feet! I hope you have lots more fun with your Nendoroids!

Dear Mikatan:

This is the first time I write a letter to you, so maybe I am a little bit nervous… But first I must say: Thank you for all your excellent work~ I love GSC and I love mikatan too~

It is summer here in Hong Kong and I couldn’t stop myself from taking some photos of one of my most beloved figures: Ryuna. She just rose above the surface and she was there like a waterlily, with all the silent trees, all the silent water around. The only problem was I had to jump into the water to take this and later I caught a cold…

So, that’s all~ Hope we will meet again~

– Ateens
010
A message from overseas!!

She really looks like a true Goddess in this photo! The drops of water on the figure make it so much more beautiful – not to mention the lovely reflection of her legs in the water!! The contrast of the white swimsuit and the green background is also stunning! It’s amazing how wonderful a photo you can create even with the figure facing away from the camera – this is a perfect example!

So many of the photos that come from overseas have such unique ideas, they give me so many wonderful ideas!

Mikatan! I finally found this rare, adorable snail here in Hokkaido! She was in one of the hydrangeas that flower in July!
– Anonymous
012
Hachikuji!!

The slightly faded colors and use of light really make for a very gentle picture! I hope you took the poor lost snail home with you!!

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

Thanks to everyone who sent in messages! There were so many photos I just didn’t have time to show here on the blog, but I read through every single one of them, and as always, I’m looking for more mail from readers!

If you have any questions, photos, product requests, want to talk about what you ate today, your goals for the last two months of the year… no matter what you want to talk about, send it through to me! Girls and boys both welcome!

 
(ﾟ∀ﾟ) Mikatan Mail
mikatan-b@goodsmile.jp

 

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