February 27, 2013 by Kahotan

[Final] Painting a Nendoroid Expression Part 10: Adding a Matte and Blush

The grand finale of the expression series!

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This is the expression as it stands!

I started painting this expression back on the 7th November… it’s been almost three months and I’ve finally managed to get this far! It’s been a long journey!

At this point I’ve completed all the painting, I just need some finishing touches which I’ll do today! This includes getting rid of the shine on the face with a matte and adding in a little blush!!

Each time I ‘saved’ my expression using lacquer paint I did so using the ‘gloss’ spray you see on the right hand side here – the smooth surface it creates is much easier to paint on.

But now the face looks too shiny, so I’m going to apply the matte on the left to make the face look less shiny and more like skin again!

– Saving with Lacquer Paint (Gloss) –
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2012/11/15/painting-a-nendoroid-expression-part-4-preparing-to-apply-color/
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Spraying on the matte finish!

This works exactly the same way as the ‘saving’ did in the past – a quick spray, then some time to dry, then another quick spray… and so on!

A little unrelated, but the stick with the clip holding the expression up for me here was made by Seibu-san from the production team! (Strawberry Snow Miku’s sculptor!) Everyone uses tools like this, but I felt like a part of the sculpting team when I was allowed to use one! 😛
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
The shininess is all gone!

Ooh! It’s starting to actually look like a Nendoroid expression now!!

The bumpy bits from the lacquer layers and thicker paint that caused uneven areas actually also look a bit better now that I’ve put the matte layer on too!

Be careful though… if you put too much on it’ll end up looking a bit white and get a kind of rough texture, so be sure not to put too much on and mess up all the hard work!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
The blush will be added with pastels!

I’ve also got some sandpaper at the ready – you’ll see why in just a second…
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Rubbing two colors together on the sandpaper!

I can mix these two colors together to try and get the perfect blush color! The brush I’m using isn’t the same super thin brush I was using for the painting, but instead a brush with a flat head. This will allow for a cute, gentle blush!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Added in the blush!

I definitely think it’s added a little bit of cuteness!! (*゜∀゜)=3

You just need to lightly apply the brush at the very top of the cheekbones to get this effect – pretty much just like real make-up! It was actually very fun applying the blush! I decided not to erase the darker blush lines, but you can of course choose to have them or not! （´∀｀）
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Miku-san, complete!!

She’s finally done!! At long last!!
It makes me so happy yo see the final product of my work!!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
She looks quite cute from this angle!

Although I think I might just be biased about my own creation. ^^;

She is the Miku I poured all my heart into making, so of course she is super special to me!!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Together with the original Miku-san!

I honestly tried to copy the original Miku as much as possible… but she ended up rather different. The biggest differences were:

・ The eyes should have been 0.7mm further apart.
・ Both eyes needed to be 1mm lower.
・ The eyebrows needed to be thinner.
・ The shadow on the eye needed to be lighter.
・ The line at the bottom of the eye should have been rounder.
・ The base color of the eye should have been lighter.

I think that sums up most of the differences… but there is nothing I can do about these things now! 😛

When Aki took a look at it he was quick to say that the eyes should have been lower… after all my hard work he was so quick to point out the biggest error! Even though I saved the whole way along, it’s so depressing that I can’t go back to any of the places I saved at now… If I wanted to correct the position of the eyes now, I’d literally have to start from scratch!

The expression team is going to take a look and see if they can make any changes to make it look a little bit cuter for me, if anything comes out of that I’ll be sure to show everyone!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Displayed with Strawberry Snow Miku!

If you look from a distance, the gradient on my version is very hard to make out, while the gradient on the Snow Miku and original Miku-san both look beautiful no matter what distance you look from – even the gradient in the pupil is perfect! I guess this just goes to show the skill of a professional!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
After three months, it’s time to bid this seat farewell!

I’ve been using this seat in the production studio whenever I worked on my expression… it’s quite sad that I won’t be using it anymore… although it was a lot of fun trying my hand at creating an expression, so perhaps one day I’ll challenge myself to do it once again!

The one thing I realized was that it takes much longer than you’d think to do all of this work by hand! (`・ω・´)

I honestly started this series expecting to finish this in just three days… I couldn’t have been more wrong! If you take one mistake too far you have to go back to step one, and each and every process takes time and careful preparation to complete.

I think the most difficult point was the outlines of the eye and the eyebrows. I’m sure with enough practice it would become much easier, but for me getting the lines to look right on a completely blank canvas was very difficult. You also need to be so careful to ensure that it looks right from any direction… if you focus too much from just one point of view it’ll end up looking distorted and off balance from another – and if you try and fix that you just end up messing it up from a different angle!!

But with all that said, the reward of completing the expression is amazing!
The face is the main part of any figure or doll, and if you’ve made it yourself it just means so much more!!

My conclusions:

· Expression painters are incredible!!

· Making things is lots of fun!!

Some people who can’t sculpt well at all sometimes have amazing talent with painting or creating expressions. When I tried my hand at sculpting it was a complete failure, but at least my expression came out looking alright – I think I’m much better at the painting side of things.

If you’re interested in things like sculpting and painting, consider taking part in the ‘Sculptors Tryout & Finishers Tryout 2013 Spring’! Unfortunately you do need to speak Japanese to apply!

– Sculptors Tryout & Finishers Tryout 2013 Spring –
http://www.goodsmile.info/post/ja/3624/ (Japanese)
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

February 26, 2013 by Kahotan

Painting a Nendoroid Expression Part 9: Adding in Highlights

The day before WonFes!
It’s 9PM on February 8th, in the production studios!!

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Everyone is hard at work while I prepare my expression!

If you’re unsure as to why I’m working on the expression the day before WonFes, it turns out that I’m being forced to complete it at WonFes!

The paints you can see in the photo above are the different paints that I’ll need to use at WonFes, I quickly had to secure them before the event!

They are completely different to the paints I’ve been using up until now, so I needed to get a little practice in before the big day!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Preparing to practice with the paints!

I was worried that this paint would dissolve all my hard work so far, so I quickly made a mock up version of what I currently have completed – the base color, pupil and gradient.

Somehow I think I’ve managed to get the gradient looking nicer on my quick mock-up compared to the actual version, but let’s just ignore that little fact for now and move on…
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Mixing up the paint to test!

I’ve been using enamel paints up until now and these definitely have a different feeling to them, but I’m sure it’ll work out! I’m told that these paints dry very quickly, and once they dry they do become a bit powdery.

They are however very safe paints, which is why we are using them at the event. They might not be ideal for expressions, but I’m sure they must have their own specific uses elsewhere.
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
I’ll be adding highlights to this at the event!

The stare looks just as impressive as ever! I’ve worked really hard on this, so I’ve actually become quite attached to her now!! 😛

I tried to add a little blush to her expression to make her look a little bit cuter, but it was much harder than I expected to get the balance right on both sides! I thought it would just be a few quick lines, but they actually ended up taking quite a long time… I was working on it until the last train!

Everything about this expression ends up taking so much longer than I expect!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
February 10th: WonFes!!

Now that I think about it, WonFes was already 2 weeks ago!
Time has been flying past far too quickly!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
My expression painting started at 2PM!

I really didn’t expect so many people to come by, a big thank you to everyone who came to watch!! I don’t know why you’d want to spend your time watching me, but it was an honor anyway!! ^^
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
These were the tools for the day!

All I needed were paints, paint dishes and a a paint brush!
I also had a mirror with me to check symmetry!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
I had 2 and a half hours to work on it!

The monitor on the right has a close up on my hands so everyone could see exactly what was going on – it definitely helped to show off my incompetence, but at the same time it gave everyone a good close up on exactly what needed to be done, which was nice!

Before I started I was so nervous that I was drenched in sweat, but I slowly managed to calm down once I got started and realized everyone was there to watch over me, not judge me! Thanks again to everyone who was watching!!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Completed the upper highlights!

Hmm, I might have made them a little bit too big…

But anyway, nothing I can do about it now, I don’t have time to adjust it any further for now, so I’ll just move into the lower highlights now.
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Mixing colors for the lower highlights!

The upper highlights were simply done with white, but the lower highlights (known as “crescent moons”) need to be a color similar to the base color.

Normally this would go in a cycle of mixing the color and testing the color until it was perfect, but because I don’t have that much time I’m just going to try this out and hope for the best!!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Added in one of the crescent moons!

It’s come out far too white!! The color should definitely have been closer to the base color…

There is no time to rework it though, so I’m going to move on ahead once again! (This blog is a very abridged version of the work I actually went though… I needed to erase and redo the highlights a few times!)
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
Highlights complete!!

At this point it was already around 4:30PM!! At this point I still wanted to add matte and more of a blush to the expression.

I actually went all the way out of the event hall to get the matte layer done, but WonFes seemed like it about to end, so I had to end my expression work for the day!
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
On display for everyone to see!

The title of the painting at the event was “Painting a Nendoroid Expression: Final Part”, but it ended up not really being completed to the very end!

But everyone still gave me a round of applause, which really meant a lot to me! I was so happy I actually teared up a little bit! I’ll don’t think I’ll ever forget the way I felt having everyone applaud my work. Thanks so much everyone!!

goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version

I made a few more adjustments after WonFes!

While I was working on it at WonFes the size of the upper highlights and the color of the ‘crescent moons’ were annoying me, so I decided to fix them up! I know she’s not perfect, but I think I’ve done the very best I can to make this Miku-san!!

While I was working on the expression I accidentally erased the blush a bit too, so I’ll need to rework that as well. I’m getting used to dealing with these silly mistakes now. 😛

Tomorrow I’ll create the very last post in the series!

I’ll add a matte and complete the cheeks to finish up the expression!

It’s been a long journey!! I originally wanted to finish this in three days, and I simply can’t believe how long ago that was!!

I don’t think I’ve ever had such a long series of posts on the blog either! But I hope you’ll all read through tomorrow to the very end of the series!!
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

February 25, 2013 by Kahotan

Nendoroid Monokuma

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Monokuma has many fans here at GSC!!

This Monokuma hoodie belongs to Oonoshi from the web team! It was so cute that I had to make an animated .gif out of the photos! 😛

So anyway, today we’ll be playing with the Nendoroid version oh him, which you can see sitting on the desk here!
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From Super Danganronpa 2 – Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen:
Nendoroid Monokuma!

From the high-speed detective action game ‘Super Danganronpa 2: Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen’ comes a Nendoroid of Kibogamine Academy’s self-proclaimed headmaster, Monokuma! He comes with both his standard expression and a laughing expression!

He also comes with a number of extra parts to recreate the famous punishment scene, including sitting parts and a punishment button! Enjoy posing him in your favorite scenes from the game!

The fact that he was voiced by Nobuyo Ooyama is amazing enough!!

I haven’t actually played the game myself, but I hear that Monokuma is a rather cruel character… that says all sorts of evil things in Nobuyo’s voice! I really want to hear that!! (((゜Д゜)))

The game in the photo isn’t actually ‘Super Danganronpa 2: Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen’, but in fact the prequel ‘Danganronpa Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei’ – I decided to buy it yesterday! I knew it was popular, but I never really knew much of what it was about… now that I’ve heard about Monokuma I can’t wait to try the game! 😛
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“Upupupupupupu!”

This is Monokuma’s own unique way of laughing! Isn’t it lovely! He also comes with a bent arm to fully recreate the insidious laughing pose! You can also choose to use just one of the bent arms instead of both of them if you prefer!

I can’t wait to hear Nobuno-san laughing like this!!
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This is how he looks from the back!

His neck and legs are loaded with Nendoroid joints to move around! The neck can only be moved left and right and not vertically, but even that actually allows for some very different looking poses!

Take a look at the next photo as an example!
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Embarrassed Monokuma!

He comes with another bent arm for the roar of laughter expression you’ll see in just a second – but here I’ve placed that arm behind his head to create an embarrassed looking pose instead!

I have to say that even without playing the game I’m already a Monokuma fan… I think I’ll grab two and make a team out of them – it’ll look so cute!!
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Monokuma roaring with laughter!

He comes with an alternate expression for a burst of laughter!

Monokuma comes with just the two expressions – the standard one and this laughing one with his mouth open much wider. At the same time though, he will be cheaper than the standard Nendoroids at ¥3000!

This pose also makes use of both bent arms placed on his stomach, which just shows how hard he is laughing!
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Punishment Time!

The button & hammer used in the class trial executions are included!

What? Ex-Executions?! (((( ；゜Д゜)))

So if you press this button, some character is going to be executed…

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He pressed it!!

The spring part of the button can be removed so that you can pose him having pressed the button for punishment time!! I trust fans will believe this is a very important pose to have!

Plus he comes with alternate legs for a sitting pose!

He is very stable while sitting down, plus the way he is just plonked down looks so adorable!!! 。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。
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From Super Danganronpa 2 – Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen:
Nendoroid Monokuma!

He’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow!! (`･ω･´)
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

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

February 22, 2013 by Kahotan

Nendoroid Petite: Hatsune Miku Selection

10th February at the Makuhari Messe was…

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Wonder Festival 2013 (Winter)!!

This is a photo of the GSC/Max Factory booth – the WonHobby booth! So many people came through the booth which made for a great event for all the staff!!

Believe it or not, we’ve already started preparing for Summer WonFes…
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One of the things revealed at WonFes was…
Nendoroid Petite: Hatsune Miku Selection!

A second set of Vocaloid Nendo Petites following on from the previously released set!! The new set was very popular at WonFes, and it was retweeted by so many people on Twitter!

They will come in a box of 12, or sell as singles for ¥500!

You can choose to grab the whole set together with a single box, or just collect them one-by-one over time! You can’t see which character is inside each single box though, so you’ll have to wait and see who you get!
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These are the six main figures!

They are all in different poses and make use of different colors compared to the previous set! Looking at all of their energetic poses makes me feel all warm and happy inside! （*´∀｀*）

Plus as usual, the paintwork is incredible detailed!!
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This time we have new fan-made characters!

Kagamine Len: Servant of Evil (Song: Akuno-P (mothy)　Illus: Ichika)
Kagamine Rin: Daughter of Evil (Song: Akuno-P (mothy)　Illus: Ichika)
Megurine Luka: Akahitoha (Song: Kurousa-P　Illus: Moka Ichiyou)

These are all from hit Vocaloid songs that have had over 1 million views!
I’m sure many of you thought of the songs just by seeing these figures!! 😛
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This is how all nine look together!

But there are actually three more in the set!! (`･ω･´)

Every Friday I’ll be introducing one of them… starting with today!!
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Here we go!
Can you tell who it is…?

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The 10th character is Hatsune Miku: Deep Sea Girl!

As many of you will know, there is also a scale figure version of ‘Deep Sea Miku’… but you’ll be able to get the Nendo Petite of her too!!! Isn’t she adorable!

Everything is a completely new sculpt – her fringe, twin tails and outfit!
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This is the original illustration!

The illustration done by Haruyo-san and Makuu-san is so beautiful!! We’ve really tried to keep the same cute yet mysterious feeling about this Miku-san!!
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This is how she looks from the back!

Her twin-tails are painted with a kind of bubbly image to create the underwater effect of the original illustration. She also has a fairly dark gradient which looks beautiful, and the loose black dress also looks so cute in Nendo Petite size… there are so many lovely parts to her!

Alright, so that’s 10 out of the 12 figures in the set!

There are 2 left…!! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

I’ll show more of the set on the 1st March! You’ll have to wait and see which other characters will be in the set!!

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

February 21, 2013 by Kahotan

A Look at Where 3D Sculpting is Used on Figures!

The 3D corner during the WonFes Live Broadcast!
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On the stream we had YOSHI-san sculpt something using 3D data during the broadcast, which would be printed out before the end!

We also had a couple of guests such as Bre Prettis who is the president of MakerBot (a company that makes 3D printers), Kazuhiro Kimura who is the president of Knead as well as Masaki Asai.

We had some really interesting talks going on, I really wish we had more time for that section as I wanted to ask so many more things!! Not to mention YOSHI-san was a very interesting person to have on the broadcast! 😛

There is no doubt that 3D data and figures are very closely related to one and other!!

Today I’ll be showing where 3D data is used on some figures! (σﾟ∀ﾟ)σ

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This is Fuumin from the 3D team!

Fuumin has been a member of the staff since the offices were back in the Tsuchiya Building in Matsudo… one of the sculptors who has supported GSC for many, many years!

Let’s take a look at a few of the things Fuumin has worked on in the past…

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Kino’s gun from Kino to Tabi!

Oooh! This is a product that brings back a lot of memories!! Kino uses a gun known as a 51 Navy 3rd Std. (Colt M1851 Navy)… as you can see even the screws are carefully included on the 3D model!
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This is how the final product looked!

The gun itself is so tiny! But small things like this are always important aspects of a figure! This product was actually released all the way back in January 2008!

It’s over 5 years old now!! I can’t believe it!! (((ﾟДﾟ)))

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At that time, this needed to be printed first!

Back in 2008 we didn’t have the laser based 3D printers, but instead used a wax 3D printer known as a Thermojet. This caused the back to end up feeling very rough, which meant that instead of printing out the gun as is, a kind of mould needed to be made instead, which would then be filled with silicon to create the final product.

Nowadays, we can simply print out the data exactly as it is made, although obviously it still needs to be fixed up a little afterwards. It’s incredible to see how far 3D sculpting and printing has progressed in just a few short years!
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The scale Miku, Rin and Len!

The bottom left is Miku’s base, the rest are parts from Rin and Len. Things like bases, small items and symmetrical things are often made using 3D data!
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Here are the finished products!

The pattern on the base is actually on the reverse side, but the semi-transparent material lets the pattern come through onto the top! Things like that pattern would have taken ages to create by hand – 3D work makes repetitive sculpting like that so much faster!

While we’re talking about them, don’t forget that the 1/8th scale Rin and Len are currently up for preorder!

– Kagamine Rin & Len Review –
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/02/19/18th-scale-kagamine-rin-kagamine-len-rerelease/

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Nendo Petite K-ON!’s instruments!

The instruments held by the girls were all made using 3D data! Of course they had to be a rather strange looking size to suit the Nendoroid Petite design!
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This is how tiny they come out!!

One of the amazing things about sculpting with 3D data is that you can keep amazing detail even when creating super tiny things like these! The instruments are only a few centimeters in size each, but the amount of detail on them is unbelieveable…

That said though, there is a limit to how much detail things can have… if it is too intricate then mass production becomes a problem, so the production team and the sculptor need to keep careful balance between detail and viability.

Nendoroid Kamui Kobayashi’s Helmet!

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Nendoroid Fully Posable Saber’s Sword!

Small accessories like these are also made with 3D data! I actually always thought that Kamui-san’s helmet was made by hand!

If I remember correctly, Saber-san’s armor was also made using 3D data!
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Nendoroid Kokoro’s Segway!

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1/8th Scale Akane Isshiki’s Bike!

Even big vehicles like this can be made using 3D data now! The thing about something like Akane’s bike is that it doesn’t actually exist, so the 3D sculptor needs to carefully build the model using the anime designs. The method is different to sculpting by hand, but it really is quite a similar job in the end!
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The soft vinyl Kyubey-san!

Accessories and mechanical things are not the only things made with 3D data… complete figures can also be made! You might remember that some time ago I showed how the 1/8th scale Millhi figure was made using 3D sculpting – and I’m sure many more upcoming figures will also be!

– A Look at How Millhiore F. Biscotti was Made Using 3DCG Sculpting! –

http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2011/11/04/a-look-at-how-millhiore-f-biscotti-was-made-using-3dcg-sculpting/
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Hanekawa-san’s chair and table!

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Nendo Petite: New Japan Wrestling Ring

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Miku: Love is War’s Pedestal!

The pedestals and bases that figures stand upon often bring something really special to the figure itself! These three products I’ve shown above are good examples which create a small little diorama for the figure to be displayed on.
I always love it when the bases have this much detail!!

The Love is War pedestal really was quite amazing… I bet it must have taken ages to create the data for it!!
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The Miku-san ice tray!

This was also made from 3D data. The ice tray was included together with the fully posable Snow Miku!

I remember the first time I tried to get the ice out from the tray and I ended up ruining Miku’s arms and skirt, or causing the edges of the blouse to become all rounded… sorry Miku!! ;_;
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Time for a Quiz!!

What part is this?!

[Time Limit: 30sec]
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Hint:
It’s a part of someone’s sword!

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Answer:
The Guard on Shiki Ryogi’s Sword!!

How can such a tiny piece be so intricate?! The pattern you see on the guard comes directly from the publisher’s data!

Because figures are made to a scale, certain details to sometimes need to be omitted… but there are often intricate details like this that are kept, which I believe are the key to a high quality figure!!

That brings this blog on 3D sculpting to an end, I hope you enjoyed it!

It’s quite interesting to see all the different ways in which 3D sculpting is used! If this post is popular, I’ll happily make a part two and show some more interesting parts of figures made using 3D data!!
But anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

February 20, 2013 by Kahotan

Belldandy with Holy Bell

Max Factory’s 25th Anniversary!!

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Congratulations!!

Max Factory had their own special 25th anniversary booth at the 2013 Winter WonFes which had all the products they’ve released over the years all lined up for everyone to see! 25 years of products is quite an impressive sight!! Plus as a commemoration to 25 years, they are also going to be releasing a PVC figure of a garage kit created by Chieri-san 16 years ago!

Back when the garage kit was first made, it was very difficult to create a full figure version for the public, but now things have changed and the possibility is very much here! That said, it’s still going to be an incredibly high hurdle for Max Factory’s production team!! (((( ゜Д゜)))
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Max Factory’s:
Belldandy with Holy Bell!

From the popular manga ‘Oh My Goddess!’ comes a 1/10th scale figure of the main heroine, Belldandy! The figure is based on an illustration which was originally released as a pinup poster, and also features her angel, Holy Bell, supporting her from behind.

The figure has been carefully sculpted to create a dynamic effect through the flowing material of her dress and her windswept wings, and each figure will include a unique serial number to ensure collectability. With over ten years passed, the beauty of Belldandy and Holy Bell will be be available for all fans to enjoy.

It’s beautiful!!

Nothing more needs to be said! She is simply beautiful for words! To think that everyone will be able to get their hands on a fully painted version of this figure… this really is a great age to be living in!!

This is one figure that can be recommended without second though to an “Oh My Goddess!” fan, but it’s also simply beautiful enough as a figure that I’d even recommend it to figure collectors, even it they don’t know the series that well! It’s one figure I’d never miss out on! Ever!!

Let’s take a 360 degree look!

As I said, it’s too beautiful for words… so this is the fastest way to show everyone how beautiful this figure is!! If you take your time to study the next few pictures, I’m sure you’ll understand just how incredible this figure is!!

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So, what do you think?!

Absolutely beautiful! A true piece of art!! If you’re a fan of the series and get to see this figure up close, I can almost guarantee that it’ll impress you to no end!

Figures really are so incredible! I love them!!
I haven’t had this amazing feeling in ages!!
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Belldandy!!

Such a gentle smile on her face… she truly is a goddess!!

Her soft, airy looking hair has been faithfully sculpted! Plus the subtle use of color all over the figure and the tiny beads and accessories that adorn her outfit are all so stunning!! (((゜Д゜)))
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with Holy Bell!

It’s seems a tad strange to write this on the blog… but this figure is kind of the opposite to normal – even though she is half naked, it doesn’t really give off any kind of erotic feeling… it’s simply beautiful!

She truly looks like a deity from the heavens!!
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Such a beautiful gradient!

Whilst Chieri’s sculpting is undeniably outstanding, we can’t forget about Max Factory’s amazing painting team! The pastel orange slowly fades to white as a lovely gradient which adds even more beauty to the figure.

The orange slowly fades as it gets lower, but the impressive thing to note here is that the gradient is applied not only on the areas that stick out, but also the indented areas… getting the airbrush to spray the gradient evenly over all of that must be incredibly difficult!!
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The wings and effects are incredible!!

If you look close, you can see Holy Bell’s wings are separated into a number of different layers. How many different parts will this take during production… I can’t even begin to imagine! ((( ；゜Д゜)))

It’s quite hard to tell from this image, but there is also paintwork to simulate light shadows cast all over the figure… the detail is outstanding!
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I can’t believe this was all made by human hands!

The twirls in Belldandy’s hair and the twirls in the clouds around her hips and even more twirls in the effects around Holy Bell… everything is so intricate that I almost can’t believe this was made by hand!

Sculptors really are true craftsman! Even after all these years I’m still constantly impressed!!
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Max Factory’s:
Belldandy with Holy Bell!

The figure will be priced at ¥19,800! I’m sure some will think that’s expensive, while others will think it’s cheap for such a piece of art!

(To be honest… from a production point of view, I think even that price is pushing it! It’s certainly not your standard figure!)

She’ll be up for preorder from the 22nd February!
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

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

February 19, 2013 by Kahotan

1/8th Scale Kagamine Rin & Kagamine Len Rerelease!

These two were both high on the rerelease request polls…

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And both are now scheduled for rerelease!!

The rerelease polls were created as a part of GSC’s 10th anniversary… it’s hard to think that in May we’ve already reached the end of our 11th year! But even so, the rerelease poll results are still being used to help us decide what needs to be rereleased, and I’m sure that will still continue for some time to come!

This image comes from Hamako’s desk (one of 2012’s newcomers), look at all the sticky notes! One is a very simple “The mail size limit is 1MB”, but I can’t help but wonder why one of them reads ‘Servant’! 😛
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The 1/8th Scale:
Kagamine Rin & Kagamine Len!

From the Character Vocal Series comes two 1/8 scale PVC figures of the twin Vocaloids, Kagamine Rin and Len! Sculpted by the popular sculptor Kanji Toona, these energetic figures of Rin & Len are sculpted as if they’re both performing on stage for fans.

These products have a very special place in my heart! (`･ω･´)

The prototypes were originally shown back in December 2008. with both of them releasing in June 2009… it’s been more than three years since then! I remember when I first saw the colored prototypes I had already fallen in love with how cute they were… I wanted to take pictures that would really show off how great they were but I was never quite happy with the results…

But this time I’m going to ensure I get the photos that I want!!
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This is how they look from the back!

Both Rin & Len are absolutely amazing! Even after three years they look incredible! Their individual sculpting alone is great, but the way that Otanaka from the planning team through to create the duo pose between the two of them looks even more fantastic!

There is a little extra trick to the double pose which I’ll show a little later.
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Let’s take a look at Rin-chan first!

She is in a lovely pose with one hand on her hip as she turns her body to the side!! It’s gorgeous!! The pose and expression capture Rin’s playful personality, and the little gaps of bare skin also provide a slightly sexier side to her as well!
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Her cute, round hipline!

This is really where Rin-chan shines!! It wouldn’t be easy to see this hipline through a skirt, but with hot-pants you really get a good look!! It’s not only a lovely size, it also has such a nice round shape… it’s perfect!!
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Her curved body and soft looking stomach!

The way her body is twisted around not only shows off her bottom, but also allows for the little glimpses of skin between her clothes as she turns!

Just look how smooth and soft her stomach looks!!
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Next up we have Len-kun!

While Rin is lovely cute pose, Len instead has a flashy, cool looking pose!
He has a lovely youthful looking body, emphasized by the great sculpt work!
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Even the back has a dynamic feel to it!

His outfit and suspenders are both sculpted in mid-motion to capture the movements he is making during his performance!

I’m sure there are many girls out there who can’t get enough of this pose – he is bending down over his instrument, appealing to all his fans! （´∀｀）
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Such intricate detail on the keyboard!

Even as a 1/8th scale figure, the indented areas around the black keys are carefully sculpted on! I also personally love the way his knee looks as well as thighs you can make out through his loose pants!

Just like Rin, Len also gives a few glimpses of bare skin! (=゜ω゜=）
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A special way to display them!

Most figures have both their feet connect onto a single base, but Rin and Len both only connect using a single foot. This means you can spin the figure around with that one foot as an axis, which easily allows you to create a pose between the two of them like this – you could even have them facing each other, or back-to-back instead! There are a load of different positions to try!

These stands were actually made using 3D data, but they were definitely not the first use of 3D sculpting by GSC. The very first was actually back with Nendoroid Bicycling Rider (Nendoroid #21) – her bicycle was made using 3D data!

You know, I’d love to do a post on all the old figures that made use of 3D sculpting some time…
goodsmile company Mikatan's Blog English Version
The 1/8th Scale:
Kagamine Rin & Kagamine Len!

They’ll be up for preorder again from tomorrow! (`･ω･´)
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

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

February 15, 2013 by Kahotan

Hobby Maker Product Exhibition: Winter 2013

Even with WonFes over, the sales and advertising teams are still hard at work!

They’re all busy with this event…
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All the new products introduced at WonFes are on display at:
The Hobby Maker Product Exhibition!

This event is held at the GSC Tetsujin Café for all those involved in the industry that didn’t have a good view of all the products at WonFes! The first day is strictly business only, but the figures will all be on display until the 17th for everyone else! (Please note that some products won’t be on display after today!)

If you want to see the latest figures up close, be sure to stop by!

– Good Smile x Karaoke no Tetsujin Café –
http://www.gstjcafé.jp/

I also snapped a couple of photos, so here they are!

These pictures were with a compact digital camera instead of my usual SLR, so they’re not the best quality. Sorry!

Let’s first look at GSC and Max Factory Products!
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Everything from here…
Are products from other companies distributed by GSC!

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Ega-chan’s White Tights version is currently up for order!

The deadline is 21:00JST on the 18th February!! Don’t miss out!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf.ecq.sc/top/wf17frefigjp00001.html

And everything else from here…
Are interesting products from other companies!

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That brings my Hobby Maker Product Exhibition report to an end!

But there is still something missing…!
Where are the cute little Vocaloids?!
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Nendoroid Petite: Hatsune Miku Selection!

A second set following on from the previously released Nendo Petite: Vocaloids!

They’ve all posed in completely new ways for this new set!

Plus this set also includes popular fan-made characters!

In the back you can see the “Servant of Evil Len’, ‘Daughter of Evil Rin’ and ‘Akahitoha Luka’… but that’s not all!

There are three more characters in the set which I’ll show starting next Friday on the blog!

You’ll have to wait and see if a certain character you’re hoping for is included! (If it isn’t, sorry!) Who could they be?! You’ll have to wait and see next Friday!

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

February 14, 2013 by Kahotan

1/8th Scale Racing Miku 2012ver.

Wonder Festival 2013 (Winter)!

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A big thank you to everyone!! (Once again!)

This is a photo of the WonHobby 17 booth! So many people came by to enjoy the festivities with us!! There were so many people that it actually became too crowded to get a good look at everything sometimes… my apologies to everyone who wasn’t able to get a look at everything they wanted to see!

But that’s exactly why this blog exists! Everyone who didn’t get a good look at the event will find photos of all the new figures right here!!
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All rhe figures that were on display at WonFes have now been returned to the GSC offices!

But very shortly they’ll be taken to the upcoming Figure Maker Exhibition!

All the sculptors are hard at work fixing up any scratches or bumps that the figures might have got at WonFes. Now that WonFes has ended and everything should be calming down, everyone is still just as busy as ever!! 😛
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1/8th Scale Racking Miku 2012 ver.!

GSR&Studie with TeamUKYO’ is a racing team that took part in the 2012 season SUPER GT300. The official mascot of the team, ‘Racing Miku’ was designed by GAN, and has now been transformed into a 1/8th scale figure for fans to enjoy!

It’s a figure filled with highlights such as her unique transparent costume, detailed paintwork throughout the figure, and the dynamic sculpting of her hair!

FREEing’s Racing Miku was a 1/7th scale, but this one is 1/8th scale!!

Both of them are so cute!! I think that FREEing’s version had a slightly more mature air to it, while GSC’s version has more of a youthful charm! I’ve already done a review of FREEing’s version, which you can find here:

– FREEing’s 1/7th Scale Racing Miku: 2012 ver. –
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/01/16/17th-scale-racing-miku-2012-ver/
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This is how she looks from the back!

Her twintails twirl about behind her giving the figure some amazing volume!

The dynamic sculpting really makes it look as if the wind is blowing through her hair! It’s beautiful!
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Her cheeks look so soft and squishy!

They look so cute that I almost can’t help but put out my finger and poke them!!

Just look at her modest bust, not to mention the beautiful body-line between her collarbone and shoulder – I could stare at her in wonder all day long!!
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I also love the area around her hips!

She has such a lovely slender build, and I can’t get enough of how soft her skin looks around her hips!! You can easily make out exactly where her thighs, hips and waist are – which is very important on a figure of a cute girl like this!
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Her outfit is also incredibly detailed!

FREEing’s Racing Miku has a glossy looking outfit, but GSC’s version instead makes use of shiny pearl white paint!

Another very important highlight of the figure is everyone’s favorite armpits… but I still think the area around the hips is the best for me! I was trying to figure out why exactly I like it so much, and I came to the conclusion that it’s because the vivid 3D figure captures the cute 2D look so very perfectly!
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Low Angle!

One shot that couldn’t be left out! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

It’s my job to make sure everyone is happy with what they see, and that’s the only reason I chose to take such a low angle photo! I swear it wasn’t for my own benefit!! 😛
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Her amazing twintails!

The way her hair is twisting and turning in every direction looks absolutely amazing! It’s not only beautiful, but also still looks so amazingly natural…
I can only imagine how much work went into making this look so great!!

The whole figure has a light color scheme!

It makes her looks so light and airy, which personally I find to be lovely! The subtle coloring on her hair is also wonderful… the paintwork here must have been so difficult!

FREEing’s version has more solid colors, while GSC’s version has lighter feeling to it… I suppose which one everyone will prefer is down to personal taste!
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1/8th Scale Racing Miku 2012 ver.!

She’s up for preorder from today! (`･ω･´)
Get in contact with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

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

February 13, 2013 by Kahotan

The WonHobby 17 Exclusive Products are Available for Order Online until 21:00JST on the 18th February!

Wonder Festival 2013 (Winter)!

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A big thanks to everyone involved!!

Plus a big thank you to everyone who came by the WonHobby booth or the Max Factory 25th anniversary booth… as well as to everyone who watched the live broadcast! I hope you were all able to enjoy yourselves at this year’s first WonFes!!

Now I’d like to calm things down and just relax a bit… but that isn’t going to happen! There are so many new products that I can’t wait to take a closer look at, not to mention there are still many more events to come!
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Today’s blog is mostly just a big notice!

A summary of all the products available online now!

I know a lot of people put this off thinking there is a load of time, but then often end up forgetting to order… (me included…) If you see something you like in this blog post, I recommend ordering it before it’s too late!!

Orders close at 21:00JST on the 18th February!
(Excluding Glenfire)

GOOD SMILE ONLINE SHOP (WONDERFUL HOBBY LIFE FOR YOU!!)
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/
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Homura Akemi: you are not alone.

Price: ¥9000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

From the anime series ‘Puella Magi Madoka Magica’ comes a 1/8th scale figure of Akemi Homura, the time traveler who fought in endless parallel worlds. She comes with a number of replaceable parts which allow you to display her in all sorts of different poses.

You can choose to display her holding her bow with Madoka’s red ribbon in her hair, just as she looked in episode 12, or instead you can display her with braids and glasses while holding a bomb or golf club, as she was in episode 10. Enjoy both the confident and the shy Homura, all with just one figure!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17gscscawd00001.html
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Nendoroid Snow Miku:
Strawberry White Kimono Ver.

Price: ¥4000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

Designs for the 2013 Snow Miku were submitted by fans to the piapro website and then a winner was chosen by viewers during a NicoNico Live Broadcast. The winning entry was an illustration of Snow Miku with a slightly more mature air, wearing a beautiful white kimono – which has now been transformed into a Nendoroid!

Her cotton veil can be removed, and she comes with two different hair styles to choose from when it is removed – you can display her with either her trademark twintails, or instead with her hair tied up. Sitting parts are also included for a more relaxed pose, and she also comes a number of items for a snowy day, including an umbrella, a toothpick and a snow bunny.

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17gscnenwd00001.html
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Nendoroid Petite: IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls –
Anzu, Kaede and Rika + Live Stage Set

Price: ¥4000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

From the popular social game ‘IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls’ comes a set of Nendoroid Petites featuring Anzu Futaba, Kaede Takagaki and Rika Jougasaki all wearing their S Rare+ outfits!

The set also includes a huge stage pedestal which can be put together in a number of different ways to recreate the LIVE Battles from the game! Not only can you change the positions of the stage objects, you can also place up to five different idols on stage!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17gscnepwd00001.html
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figma Rin Shibuya

Price: ¥3500
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

From the hugely popular social game ‘IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls’ comes a figma of Rin Shibuya in her school uniform.

· Using the smooth yet posable joints of figma, you can act out a variety of different scenes.
· A flexible plastic is used for important areas, allowing proportions to be kept without compromising posability.
· She comes with a standard expression, a smiling expression as well as bashful smile with closed eyes.
· Special parts to display her with one hand in her pocket are also included.
· Her pet dog ‘Hanako’ is included, together with a leash to take him out for walks.
· An articulated figma stand is included, which allows various poses to be taken.

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17maxfigwd00001.html

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figma Anzu Futaba

Price: ¥3500
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

From the hugely popular social game ‘IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls’ comes a figma of Anzu Futaba wearing casual clothes.

· Using the smooth yet posable joints of figma, you can act out a variety of different scenes.
· A flexible plastic is used for important areas, allowing proportions to be kept without compromising posability.
· She comes with a yawning expression, a forced smile as well as a dead tired expression with closed eyes.
· A number of extra parts are included, such as her favorite plushie bunny, a game console and some candy.
· Tear-shaped stickers are included which can be used as tears on the yawning expression, or sweat on the tired expression.
· An articulated figma stand is included, which allows various poses to be taken.

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17maxfigwd00002.html
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Tomokazu Seki: Glenfire

Price: ¥4000
Number Available: 100 available. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late March 2013

The 12th figure to join the Tomokazu Seki series comes from the Ultraman Zero Movie – the pirate bodyguard of flame, Glenfire! The sculpting of the impressive flames burning atop his head together with the confident pose create a figure that fans are sure to love!

– Good Smile Online Shop – (Japan Only)
http://goodsmile-wf.ecq.sc/wf17maxsfbjp00001.html
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Dekacchu Kirari Moroboshi

Price: ¥4000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: June 2013

From the popular social game ‘IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls’ comes a special version of one of Phat! Company’s new Minicchu series, a much bigger ‘Dekacchu’ version of Kirari Moroboshi! She is approximately 4 times bigger (220mm) than the Minicchu version, so fans can enjoy even more cute power from the lovely Kirari!

– Good Smile Online Shop –

http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17phaothwd00001.html
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figma Egashira 2:50 – White Tights ver.

Price: ¥3800
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

Enjoy the legend of Egashira 2:50 in your very own hands with this special limited edition version of figma Egashira 2:50, wearing his famous white tights – the same white tights that were sold on Yahoo! auctions for about 280000 yen as a charity auction to aid those affected by the Tohoku earthquake. You can also display him together with the standard black version for amazing contrast which you can enjoy forever!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17frefigwd00001.html
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WWR Hara Patrol

Price: ¥15000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

As a part of threeA’s popular ‘World War Robot’ series comes a new addition to the JDF colorway released by GSC. This time its a set of two which includes both the GRUNTS and Square Mk.2.

The GRUNTS figure has long been requested by fans and is now finally available. His outfit is incredibly detailed, featuring packs that can open and close as well as highly realistic paintwork to give him a worn appearance. The Square Mk.2 is different to the original Square as it has multiple joints in his legs, allowing for more active poses. The legs can be extended out for a more intimidating effect, or instead kneeling down for a cuter appearance – pick the style you prefer!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17maxthrwd00001.html
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WWR JDF Square SMART PHONE CASE

Price: ¥4000
Number Available: Made to Order. Max 3 per person.
Est. Delivery: Late June 2013

The popular ‘Square’ model from threeA has been transformed into a smart phone case designed for the iPhone5! The case is much more than just a print, as it features the characteristic mouth of the Square as well as the amazing rusted paintwork seen on threeA figures!

The design is by Ashley Wood and the paintwork by threeA’s skilled craftsmen, ensuring the same amazing quality you’ve come to expect from threeA products!

– Good Smile Online Shop –
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/top/wf17throthwd00001.html

10 different exclusive products!!

There are so many different products – more than I think we’ve had at any previous WonFes!! We have cute girls, Ega-chan and even threeA for a very varied line-up! You can find the reviews I did for these products here:

– Winter 2013 WonFes Products –

■ [GSC] Homura Akemi: you are not alone.
■ [GSC] Nendoroid Snow Miku: Strawberry White Kimono Ver.
■ [GSC] Nendoroid Petite: IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls –
Anzu, Kaede and Rika + Live Stage Set
■ [MAX] figma Rin Shibuya
■ [MAX] figma Anzu Futaba
■ [MAX] Tomokazu Seki: Glenfire
■ [Phat] Dekacchu Kirari Moroboshi

Orders close at 21:00JST on the 18th February!

GOOD SMILE ONLINE SHOP (WONDERFUL HOBBY LIFE FOR YOU!!)
http://goodsmile-wf-global.ecq.sc/

If you’re planning to buy something, make sure you don’t forget to put your order in before the deadline!
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛

Kahotan's Blog

Month: February 2013

[Final] Painting a Nendoroid Expression Part 10: Adding a Matte and Blush

Painting a Nendoroid Expression Part 9: Adding in Highlights

Nendoroid Monokuma

Nendoroid Petite: Hatsune Miku Selection

A Look at Where 3D Sculpting is Used on Figures!

Belldandy with Holy Bell

1/8th Scale Kagamine Rin & Kagamine Len Rerelease!

Hobby Maker Product Exhibition: Winter 2013

1/8th Scale Racing Miku 2012ver.

The WonHobby 17 Exclusive Products are Available for Order Online until 21:00JST on the 18th February!