I just…. can’t see!

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*

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!

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!

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!!

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

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?

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!!

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

I got hold of yet another prototype today!

I’ve been searching for this figure that was on display at Machi Asobi!

She actually needs to be sent off to China as soon as possible, so Nagaizumi from management told me I had to be quick with my photos! Talk about putting on the pressure…

FREEing’s:
1/8th Scale Rin Tohsaka: Yukata ver.!

From the popular ‘Fate/stay night’ series comes a 1/8th scale figure of Rin Tohsaka wearing a lovely yukata! She is posed sitting relaxed on a bench with the wind gently blowing through her hair.

The yukata is a deep red to match with Rin’s image color, and features prints of camellia flowers and butterflies. A mosquito repellent ‘pig’ is also included to display alongside her, to really recreate the atmosphere of a summer festival!

Rin is finally joining the series!!!!

Ever since this series was on display at WonFes, I’ve been waiting for her!

This is how she looks from the back!

Rin is looking up at the fireworks in front of her! She looks so relaxed with that one hand on the bench!

Her lovely round hips are also a point to note – as I mentioned when I reviewed Saber, the best thing about yukatas is that they really bring out the curves of the body!

Just a peek of her legs!

This is definitely the kind of thing I love to see on figures, and I’m sure there are at least a couple of others out there that love it as much as me! Being able to sneak a peek on an area that should be covered up by her clothes is amazing!

For example, getting a glimpse of a girl’s cleavage because she’s bending down, or a glimpse at her thighs from a gust of wind!

If a girl is wearing a mini-skirt, seeing everything from the knees down is perfectly normal, you wouldn’t think anything of it… but when she’s wearing a yukata and you get a glimpse of the leg like this, it somehow seems a lot more appealing, doesn’t it? 😛

At least I know that FREEing understands me! I want to send a round of applause to their beautiful work!

A lovely expression with upturned eyes!

The pose and expression suit the ‘Always Elegant’ phrase that accompanies Rin. She might even be a little more mature looking than normal…

Seeing her so relaxed and happy… I’d be glad to help her with anything she asked of me!

A shot from the waist up!

Her posture is lovely! The fingers resting on her thighs are also beautiful!

Her yukata is red to match with Rin’s image color, and has lovely prints of camellia flowers and butterflies – a gorgeous combination that really suits Rin! The black sash brings the whole outfit together nicely as well!

The bench and mosquito repellent ‘pig’ are included!

A lovely set of optional parts that bring across the summer festival atmosphere! I think you could quite easily use the mosquito repellent ‘pig’ with Nendoroids or other figures as well!

The three yukata girls displayed together!

They look gorgeous displayed together!! The mix of standing and sitting poses gives a nice balance when displaying them all together, I love the mix of poses! (I wouldn’t mind if they were all standing, but I like being able to display them in front and behind of each other like this, instead of all just in a line!)

Sakura will be joining them soon!! !

Sakura hasn’t had her fair share of figures, but this time FREEing made sure to include her with the set!

Saber Alter will also be joining the yukata series!!

Ooooh!! I want Saber Alter in her yukata!! I want her right now!! That sulking expression is just perfect for her as well – it’s so cute!!!

FREEing’s:
1/8th Scale Rin Tohsaka: Yukata ver.!

She is already up for preorder!! (`･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

Two prototype boxes & a little chicken!

There were orange stickers with Chinese on them, so I knew for sure they had just come back from China! The chicken was left on my desk by someone, and I’m not sure who, so I decided I’d just leave it there for now! (`・ω・´)

FREEing’s:
1/8th Scale Illya: Yukata ver.

From the popular ‘Fate/stay night’ series comes a 1/8th scale figure of the innocent looking yet powerful master, Illya. She’s the second in this series following on from Saber! I love having a series of figures like this to collect and display together!

This is how she looks from the back!

The yukata is a lovely purple color, which of course is also Illya’s image color! There are also super cute bellflower prints all over! She has one hand on her hip and another up in the air in a very playful and innocent pose that suits her perfectly!

A super happy smile!

Whenever I see a happy Illya I can’t help but smile myself!! (*´∀｀*) I also love the upper arm sticking out of the yukata! It makes me want to reach out and feel how smooth her skin is…

A Berserker Mask!! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟ )

She comes with an optional Berserker mask, isn’t it cute? On the prototype the mask is being held on by putty rubber, but on the actual figure you’ll be able to attach and remove it as you like!

The yukata really shows off her body line!

At least, I think so… but that’s really just my opinion I suppose. 😛 As I said with Saber before, the hip area really comes out nicely on these yukata figures!

She has a lovely pink sash!

Normally kimonos and yukatas have a towel wrapped around the body in order to make the body look more waistless. But I actually quite like the fact that I can kind of make out Illya’s waist (and small bust!) on the figure!

FREEing’s:
1/8th Scale Illya: Yukata ver.

She’s up for preorder from today!
Get in touch with our partner shops if you have any preorder or sales queries!

Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou!

They will also be joining the lineup soon, and just look at Rin!! Her knees are so sexy!! Plus the set comes with a bench with incense sticks!! I can’t wait for them to be announced as well!!

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

(C) 2002-2006 TYPE-MOON

The 2012 Summer WonFes Joint Product Exhibitions!

What a wonderful project! Even those who couldn’t make it to WonFes still get a second chance to take a look at all the latest prototype figures!!

The exhibition starts in Nagoya tomorrow!!

Today I had to sneak into the GSC Café to take a couple of photos of these two!!

These photos were taken in the karaoke room with my a Sony NEX-05! I normally always use my Sony Alpha, so these shots might seem a little different compared to normal.

These photos also let me pretend I’m doing karaoke after the summer festival together with the cute girls in yukatas! Adding that premise also gives a whole new feeling to the photos! 😛

FREEing’s:
1/8th Scale Saber: Yukata ver.!

From the popular Fate/stay night series comes this 1/8th scale figure of Saber wearing a yukata perfect for the summer months! She is holding a folding fan in her one hand and a candied apple in the other!

It’s like she’s asking, “Want some?”

They way her hand is far out makes it feel like I’m out on a date with Saber and she is offering me some of the candied apple!! I can’t believe I got a date with Saber-san!!

This is how she looks from the back!

Even this side is more than cute enough!!! ･(ﾉД`)･ﾟ･｡

She is wearing a lovely blue yukata with darker blue morning glory prints along it.

I love seeing characters in yukatas, they always look so cute! I suppose part of the reason is because you don’t get to see them like this very often, but there must be more to it than that…

Her lovely hipline is visible through the yukata!

Your eyes just go straight for those lovely hips, don’t they? Often with kimonos or yukatas a towel will be placed between the bust and fabric to prevent them from standing out too much, so being able to make out the other areas of the body through the fabric becomes all the more important!

She also comes with a ponytail option!

An very nice extra option from FREEing!! The ponytail makes her look even more cuter to me – she looks more relaxed somehow!

Even the back of her neck is cute!

Saber looks like she has her attention elsewhere – I’m guessing there are more stands with some delicious festival food she wants to try! 😛

You can also switch around which hands are holding the candied apple and the folding fan. (Well, you can on the prototype, we’ll have to wait and see if it is still possible on the final version!)

The second in the set is Ilya: Yukata ver.!

Ilya has a yukata with a similar shade of purple to her normal outfit, along with a lovely pink ribbon! She is posed in a much more exited pose as a lovely contrast to the calm Saber!

She even has a Berserker mask!

She looks so adorable in this pose! Rin and Sakura will also be following to complete the Fate girls Yukata collection, allowing you to keep all four of them by your side, all wearing the yukatas that come directly from the designs in the game!

FREEing’s:

1/8th Scale Saber: Yukata ver.!

She’ll be up for preorder from the 9th August!!

Be sure to contact our partner shops if you have any sales or preorder queries!

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

 
 
(C) 2002-2006 TYPE-MOON

Me: “I want to go with to the product inspection but I don’t have the time… can you take some pictures for me, Oda-P?”

He got me some pictures of the warehouse!

There are piles and piles of cardboard boxes reaching the ceiling – and all of them are filled with Saber and her motorbike!

Now I’m even more depressed that I didn’t get to go with them!!

The truck is packed up and ready to go!

Lots of people want to get hold of this figure, so the size of the truck is really impressive! A big thanks to all the workers at the warehouse for loading all those boxes up!

Saber is watching over the warehouse!

All the boxes were successfully sent out yesterday thanks to her watchful gaze! One of them was also brought back to the offices for me to do my product review!!

From Fate/Zero:
Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier!

From the popular anime series ‘Fate/Zero’ comes this 1/8th scale figure of the servant that Kiritsugu Emiya makes a contract with, Saber.

The figure’s pose is based on an illustration that featured in the original novel for the series, in which Saber is riding her motorbike while holding Excalibur in one hand – a pose that truly captures her fighting spirit as she rides into battle!

To summarize my feelings for the figure…
You’ll regret it if you miss out on this one!

It’s really hard to believe this is the final product and not the prototype – the manufacturing team has done an incredible job!! I literally got goosebumps when I saw her… she is just that amazing!

The reverse side looks like this!

She looks great no matter what angle you choose to look at her from! You can’t help but spin the base around to see her from all sides!

Instead of just placing her in a display case I think you should keep her beside you on your desk to spin her around once in awhile and see her at every angle possible!

The bike itself is very long so these pictures make her look much smaller than she really is! Let me take a closer look at each section now, in the hopes that will give you a better opinion of how amazing the figure is.

Let’s take a look at Saber herself first!

Her expression is amazing!!

Even zoomed in this much I can’t find a single fault in that expression – the sculpting of the hair and jacket really makes it seem like the figure is in mid-motion!

Her lovely hip-line!

Pay special attention to just how round her bottom looks! I think it’s the part of the figure that really shows off Saber’s feminine side the most! It looks like it would be soft if you were to touch it… unfortunately it isn’t, I tried 😛

The seat makes use of a soft material!

At first Oda-P and Tsukki from the manufacturing team were discussing that the figure would look strange of Saber was ‘floating’ above either the pedal, the seat or the ground. The first way to avoid this was by putting a tab on the figure to hold her in place, but they didn’t want to have to place a tab on Saber’s bottom to connect her to the seat, nor make the seat dented.

That’s when Tsukki came up with the idea to make the seat from a softer material instead – that allows all the three parts to be put together easily and keep Saber touching all three points while still keeping the shape of the seat normal. Great job, Tsukki!!

The engine section is so intricate!

As I mentioned with Nendoroid Saber, mechanical sections like this on figures tend to look odd more often than not – but as you can see this engine looks just like a real motorbike’s engine!

I can’t imagine how they managed to put together all the tiny parts like each of those screws with such amazing detail and accuracy!

The suspension and exhaust!

If you feel the exhaust with the tip of your finger it really feels like metal!! According to Tsukki the metallic parts are made from ABS with a metallic coating to create a very realistic appearance and feel!

The springs also look just like real springs, but they don’t expand and contract like a normal spring would. (they looked so real, I had to try!)

The cowl has a shiny gradient effect!

The shininess here is a different kind compared to the exhaust – it is less evident but also looks stunning! The bike has a very streamlined shape, so if you change the angle or lighting in just the slightest way the shine looks completely different!

A long-angle shot!

I recommend using a long angle like this when you want a picture that captures the feeling of the scene. Looking at this photo really makes the bike and Saber look so heavy and realistic, it’s hard to think she is just a figure!

This figure in particular really has been so much fun to photograph, I ended up taking way too many photos of her…

I also love the creases in her jacket!

The way it seems to be fluttering in the wind is amazing in itself, but just look at the creases on her upper arm! They are incredible!!

A close-up on the tires and base!

The tires don’t actually spin, but they do have a kind of rubbery feel to them!! It’s amazing how realistic they can become just through different materials and paint…

The base is modeled off the scene from the anime where Saber slid along the road to a halt! A big thank you to Kondo-san from ufotable for all the help with that!

Now to play around a bit with parts from other figures!
Here she is holding Invisible Air!!

This is the sword that Saber ~Triumphant Excalibur~ is holding! Although the Triumphant Excalibur figure is a 1/7th scale and this Saber is a 1/8th scale figure it doesn’t look too out of place when she holds it instead. This recreates the scene from the anime perfectly!!

figma Saber Zero can sit behind her!

I’m sure a lot of you have thought about putting other figures on the bike, so here is a figma size comparison! Obviously the size doesn’t quite match up, but I think you could fit three figmas on the bike at once! 😛

My best photo for today!

Saber and her bike are not stuck together, so you can remove Saber and display her on her own! If you put Excalibur in the hand that would normally be holding the handle bars then it just looks like she is swinging the sword around instead – I think it looks great!!

From Fate/Zero:
Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier!

She is being shipped out today!!

Apologies for the long wait, but you’ll be able to get your hands on her soon!! This is definitely a product that Good Smile has worked hard to release in the best possible quality, so I hope fans will enjoy having her on display!!

Be sure to contact our partner shops if you have any sales or preorder queries!

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

(C)Nitroplus／TYPE-MOON・ufotable・FZPC

Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier!

Is now available for preorder!

I’ve been giving her a thorough review over the past few days… I hope I manged to show at least partially what an incredible figure it is! I think this is one of those figures that really looks so much more impressive when you see it in person rather than looking at photos… you have to see its wonders for yourself!!   (`･ω･´)ゞ

Today I’ll be interviewing both the sculptor of the figure, Kawapon and the head of planning for the figure, Oda-P!
Hopefully they’ll be able to convey even more of its beauty to us!

This is the same sculptor who created the lovely Saber Lily ~Distant Avalon~ that is going on resale in January! Kawapon is known for his incredible sculpting quality, but I want to know what parts of this figure gave him the most trouble!

The face of a figure really is the most important part in the end, isn’t it! A lot of work was put into her head as a whole – and just look how beautifully the final product came out! That hair looks absolutely perfect!

A careful combination of the V-MAX bike and the Saber from the anime! Before the figure they didn’t really have any connection, so it was important to balance the two together – which meant a lot of hard work for the sculptor! Plus those creases in the clothes! I can’t believe that such wonderful sculpting can be done by human hands!

Next up let’s get some thoughts from the head planner for the figure – Oda-P! He is a craftsman himself, so when it comes to directing sculpting work he is super strict! By the way, Saber Lily was also sculpted as a combined effort between Kawapon and Oda-P!

The bike part of the figure was made using 3DCG, and then altered by hand afterwards. It’s a great example of a cross between the 2D and 3D worlds! The details of the engine area are incredible!! I really hope the mass production is able to recreate this level of detail – but I have faith in them! You can do it guys!

I think the curves came out wonderfully! As I wrote in my review yesterday – this is a figure that looks great from absolutely angle. The ‘heavy’ feeling is also definitely there, and along with the glossy appearance just makes you want to reach out and feel if it’s not in fact really metal! It’s absolutely beautiful!

Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier

She is up for preorder from today!

For sales or preorder info, be sure to contact our partner shops!

Don’t forget the love broadcast from 22:00 (JST) today!
Aki, Oda and myself will be introducing Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier to everyone live! There might also be some interesting guests! Be sure to check it out!

Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier Live Broadcast!
http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv74723343

The life-size Cuirassier  is now in Akihabara!

We’ve spoken to Volks, and you will be able to sit on the bike at the Volks Showroom as well! (If it gets too busy, those who preorder the figure will get preference.)

However, the Goodsmile x Tetsujin Cafe will only allow those who preorder to get on to bike. The store is just too big for a staff member to be watching it all the time! Sorry!

Photos are always welcome!
If you come by Akibahara, be sure to check it out!
 
 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again next week!!  (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
 
(C)Nitroplus／TYPE-MOON・ufotable・FZPC

Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier!

Just 2 days until preorders start!

Even Panda is fascinated by it’s beauty! Today is the start of the much awaited prototype review! I absolutely love taking photos of figures, and the more amazing the figure the more I love to take photos!

Let’s start with the conclusion:
What an incredible figure!!

If you’re reading this blog you must have some interest in figures and maybe even be a collector yourself, and if you are either of those then this figure will definitely pull on your heartstrings!

As a side note, I don’t know anything at all about bikes… (to the point that I can’t even tell you where the engine is on a bike :P)

But even if I know nothing about bikes, I can still tell you the sculpting is absolutely incredible!

Do you all love figures? I love figures! No matter what that figure might feature, I still love to look at them! I hope I can convey just how lovely this figure really is through the images and text I’ve written up today…

Let’s start with a horizontal shot!

The bike is really long when you look from this angle!

The figure it so long it was quite a task to photograph – the web team have been having quite a tough time!! Yesterday during the live broadcast, Oda-P said the bike measured an impressive 290mm. That’s about the size of an A4 sheet of paper!! Just grab an A4 page and then you’ll get a good feeling for the size of the bike!

Let’s compare her with another figure!

Here we have her displayed with Nendoroid Movable Saber. You can really see the size difference now! It might be a 1/8th scale figure, but it certainly takes up an impressive amount of space!

A shot from a more backward angle!

That pose of Saber looking behind her is both awesome and sexy!

Saber is wearing a rather tight suit, but it has a very tight fit to still leave her with a strong sense of femininity! (According to Kawapon!)

But even with a tight fit, there are still creases all over the figure giving an incredibly realistic effect! Just look at the legs of the pants, or even the jacket pockets!

This is how it looks from the back!

This was a very popular angle during last night’s live broadcast! The contrast of the black clothes on Saber and the silver bike really stand out from this angle. Plus you can also get a nice view of the base – a road filled with debris!

Apparently the positioning of the debris even went through some real experiments to see how exactly the bike would displace them – all done just for the figure’s base!

The reverse side looks like this!

Just look at the lovely body!!

Kawapon has really got the slenderness and roundness of a girl’s body down perfectly! 😛 This particular version of Saber doesn’t expose much skin, and yet it’s still so… sexy…! Don’t you agree!?

No matter what angle you look from, the figure always looks great!

If you’re a figure collector, I’m sure you’ve also experienced the feeling of getting a figure displayed at the perfect angle. But I just can’t do it with this version of Saber! I just can’t find the perfect angle as she looks great from any angle! I think that’s due to a combination of the minute details on the base and bike, as well as the unique posing of Saber – not to even mention just how well sculpted she is herself. This is really one figure that is so very carefully created, it’s hard to find any flaws! I’m certain that anyone who grabs her up will enjoy her for years and years to come!

Today we’ll be focusing on Saber!!

The bike is great, but Saber is just as great!! Hence today’s review is more focused around Saber herself!

Isn’t she just beautiful!?  (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3
That determined expression across her face as the wind blows over her blowing her hair all around…. it’s simply perfect!

I love the area between her breast and waist!!

Let’s focus on the breast area first!!
She has three layers of clothes – a blouse, best and jacket!

Just seeing that gives her such a realistic appearance. It’s like she is right there with you! Her lovely slender waist is also another one of the highlights of the figure!

Let’s zoom in a little closer!!

Just like the suit the blouse also has a lovely tight fit! Even if she doesn’t boast the biggest of assets, you can still make out the shape though the tight clothes…

And what a lovely bottom!

It looks so very soft and touchable!!
There really isn’t anything else you can say about such a lovely bottom! And all this is coming from a big Fate fan!

Everyone loves thighs!

I don’t think I need to say anything more about this image.

Don’t think! Just enjoy!!

Just imagine the soft skin and fight back the urge to want to touch it!! 😛

But the best things are not only the sexy parts of her!

Just look how the jacket is fluttering up!!

It really looks as if the jacket is caught in the wind! It’s so hard to believe that this was sculpted by human hands! Sculptors really are incredible at what they do! It’s quite common for people to focus on the bike at first, but when you get down to looking at Saber herself, you realize just how much work went into this figure!

Excalibur and her bracelet!

The photo is zoomed in quite a lot, but even the tiny bracelet features gradient painting!! I can’t believe how much detail is put into it! Excalibur is also of outstanding quality – you can’t have a Saber figure without Excalibur! 😛

Today’s review will continue tomorrow!

Tomorrow we will be focusing on the bike!

The bike is just as filled with wonderful highlights as Saber herself, so look forward to the second section! I have to say that I’m very proud of the picture above, I think it came out so well. ^^

Let me end with a quick notice!

On the day Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier goes on sale (12/22) we will be doing a live broadcast from the Good Smile x Karaoke Tetsujin Cafe from 22:00!

Those who want to see the figure live can tune in right here:

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv74723343
 
 
Anyway, that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ゛
 
 
 
(C)Nitroplus／TYPE-MOON・ufotable・FZPC