News Related to anime figures and toys.
Anime fans from the 90s rejoice! Good Smile Company has put their best foot forward and made a return to anime from the good old days. Like a blast from the past, pre-orders for Nendoroid Sakura Shinguji from the popular series Sakura Taisen is open! Any serious anime fan from the 90s will remember this monumental Japanese franchise. From Visual Novels, to Dating Sims to Tactical Role-Playing Games, Sakura Taisen has done them all.
Alter unveiled a full colored prototype of the voluptuous Selvaria Bles from the hit video game and anime series, Valkyria Chronicles earlier last week at the Autumn MegaHobby Expo. The figure was originally unveiled earlier this year at the Winter Wonder Festival as an unpainted prototype. Fans will be please to know Raita Honjou (the original character designer for the series) designed the figure, while Toshiyuki Yagyu did an excellent job in adhering to Raita's voluptuous style with the sculpt.
Long term readers will be aware my past rants on Alter's plain display bases, but this one is simply amazing! I am a little concerned how her hair will look in the final product as it appears her hair may be semitranslucent.
You can take Selvaria home later next year in April for roughly 8,800 yen. For now, check out all the gorgeous photos we've gathered online.
Fans of the popular Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt anime will be thrilled to learn that one of the top figure makers, Alter, has unveiled a stunning colored PVC sample of Panty Anarchy at the recent Autumn MegaHobby Expo 2011. Panty is in her signature pose after transforming into her angel outfit. Little else is known about the figure, but it will be released later next year in 2012. This is probably the best looking Panty figure shown so far based on resemblance and sculpt, and only time will tell if Good Smile Company/ Max Factory decides to top them.
Alter has also revealed an unpainted prototype of Kneesocks from the same series and I would expect a Stocking and Scanty figure to be announced sometime in the near future. Any takers?
Figure maker Good Smile Company released the complete colored photos of Shinobu Oshino from the hit series Bakemonogatari earlier this week. Based on the cover art for the 6th volume of the Blu Ray release, Shinobu cutely sits on top of the rest of the cast from the series buried in donuts. In a rare twist, I have to say I think the figure is better than the original art, especially the face! What do you guys think?
She will retail for 7800 yen and be released next year in March 2012 and most likely will be on my preorder list.
Alice and Clara are definitely special. Being the popular junior high idol unit known as ClariS, they have been made famous by singing the opening songs for popular anime series such as Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. In tandem with their recent single release, Good Smile Company has created the vessel for their Nendoroid debut.
More information and photos after the jump.
Figures from the series Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha seem to never stop releasing, maybe because most of them are either insanely cute and/or well sculptured. In any event, this time around Kotobukiya has released yet another Nanoha centered figure. It is a 1/8 Scale PVC figure of Nanoha in her School uniform. Struck in a moving pose, this figure is sure to attract even the not-so-hardcore fans.
Nanoha is casted here as if she is just on her way to school; with a slice of bread in her mouth, Yuuno (in Ferret form) sticking out from her bag and a fluttering skirt, this is a must buy in my book. The face carries a surprised but very cute expression. Promo photos show a very decent paint job on the demo model; however, we shall see how she turns out on the mass production line. Kotobukiya has their hit and misses, hopefully this one will turn out to be a hit.
Scaled at 1/8 for a retail price at 5,800 yen, this figure is actually on the expensive side. There isn't much complexity to the figure and it doesn't come with an elaborate base. With the current exchange rate, this is an expensive buy. Several online retailers should have it for a little bit cheaper, so check your favorite web retailer. Even though this figure is slated to be released in January of 2012, pre-orders have already started.
More photos after the jump.
Good Smile Company has teased us for almost a year now, originally with the unpainted version of the figure appearing at various figure shows in Japan, and finally preview photos have popped up on their blog. The figure is based on the popular Hatsune Miku song, Love is War by supercell.
The figure will be released in 2 versions, the deluxe, "version DX," which will only be available exclusively from the Good Smile online shop for 14,000 yen, it will come with a larger tower platform complete with the megaphones found in the original art by Shirou Miwa. At almost half the price, the normal version will come with a smaller tower platform without the megaphones for 8,800 yen.
You have until September 26, 2011 to order either version, but for American shoppers, beware of the current exchange rate or you might find yourself paying more than you expected.
This has been on my buy list for some time since it was shown, which version interests you?
More photos inside that may help you decide.
As it is tradition, we will be posting updates from one of the largest figure conventions, Wonder Festival! We've seen a plethora of figures and Nendoroids from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and fans will be pleased to hear figures from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Infinite Stratos, and Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko. For now, you can check out some of the latest photo updates from the show at the following link:
Although not really figure news, fans of the popular Puella Magi Madoka Magica series will be please to learn that COSPLA will be releasing a replica of the Soul Gem rings while Algernon Products will be releasing replica Soul Gem pendants. Both products outer body is made of silver while in the inner gem itself are made from cubic zirconia.
Each pendant will cost a hefty 15,750 yen while each ring will cost 12,600 yen and are expected to be released in September 2011. Tough choices but would make great addition for fans and cosplayers alike looking to make a contract with Kyubey. In the meantime, you can stare of drool over the photos.
For those who have not been pleased with the recent plush offerings of Kyubey from the popular series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, figure maker Good Smile Company is offering a life sized 1/1 scale soft vinyl version.
Unfortunately, he will only be sold at the 2011 Summer Wonder Festival (7/24/2011) and on the company's Japanese online store for a limited time (7/24 - 8/1, 2011). Although you won't have to make any 'costly contracts' to obtain Kyubey, he still comes with a hefty price tag of 10,000 yen. More pictures inside!
At a figure show earlier last week, figure Maker FREEing unveiled a whooping 1/4 scale figure of the voluptuous Satelizer el Bridget from the hit series Freezing. She will be released some time in September with no current pricing information available. Freezing originally was a manga written by Dall-Young Yim and illustrated by Kwang-Hyun Kim and was later adapted into an anime in early 2011.
Source: Moeyo
For those of you who are still looking for ways to help the relief efforts after the recent disaster in Japan, Goodsmile Company just released the preorder details for their latest Nendoroid figurine of Hatsune Miku titled Support Version (Cheering/Cheerleader Version).
This version will be released with the previously released interchangeable faces (normal, singing, and Hatchune Miku face) as well as a new cheering face. Accessories include the onion leek arm, singing arms, pompoms, and a support flag.
The Nendoroid can be preordered on Goodsmile Company's online store from April 8 to April 21, 2011 for 3000 yen, with 1000 yen of the purchase donated to the Red Cross in Japan.
Shipping cost will be 2000 yen per order for Express Mail Service (EMS), so buyers may want to combine orders with friends to save money. Note, you may only purchase 5 of them per person.
The Nendoroid is expected to be released in late July 2011.
Fans of the restaurant comedy, Working!! will be pleased to learn that the special edition of the 9th volume manga released on March 23, 2011 includes a small figurine of Popura Taneshima. The figure is part of the Nendoroid-Petit figure series made by Goodsmile Company.
Video game and anime publisher, NIS America released the complete series in English earlier on Tuesday retitled as Wagnaria!!.
Painted photos and full product descriptions have appeared on Goodsmile Company's website for their Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Nendoroids. The promiscuious blond angel Panty will come with a small figurine of Chuck, and her signature Blacklace guns. Her sister Stocking includes her doll, twin katana blades, and a Swiss roll and fork. Both will come with interchangeable faces, retail each for 3,500 yen, and be released later this year in June.
More pictures inside.