Next in the series of Bishoujo (Pretty girl) style, 1:8 scale line of statues based on the ladies of Marvel Comics by Kotobukiya is Black Widow.

Black Widow is next in the series of Bishoujo (Pretty girl) style, 1:8 scale line of statues based on the ladies of Marvel Comics by Kotobukiya as interpreted by the talented Shunya Yamashita.

Yamashita is one Japan's most famous and talented Bishoujo artists with a wealth of material available in the form of art books, video game work, as well as many of his illustrations being the basis of statues and action figures. If you have been paying any sort of attention over the past 6 months you know I am an enormous Yamashita fan.

Black Widow is a “sometimes” villain from the Marvel Comics Iron Man franchise and has an incredibly long and complex history. Feel free to check the link for a complete breakdown from wikipedia.

The figure comes in a very neatly designed window box decorated with artwork by Yamashita...

...the same artwork the sculptor, Koei Matsumoto used to bring this beauty to life.

And beauty is indeed the word that comes to mind. Black Widow is gorgeous. Suitably voluptuous and dangerous looking while being sexy and demure like most of Yamashita's work.

And of course she has the signature “yamashita eye's” that pull you in and make you melt...

The sculpt detail is excellent and precise. The paint detail is flawless. No under/over-spray anywhere. Honestly I expect nothing less from Kotobukiya's well-earned reputation for craftsmanship.

I particularly like the pedestal display for the base elevating it from just sexy girl statue to art piece.

I am only a casual marvel fan (if that) but a huge Yamashita fan and I am happy to add her to the collection.

With a $59.99 price tag you are certainly getting a quality piece at a great price. Any Marvel or Yamashita fan would do well to get one while you can. Kotobukiya now has their own on-line store and you can be sure to get one there.

I think I finally figured out what it is that makes a Yamashita design/illustration so... “Yamashita.” It's the eyes. They just make you melt and feel like they are looking right at you.

Rogue is the first in a new series of Bishoujo (Pretty girl) style, 1:8 scale line of statues based on the ladies of Marvel Comics by Kotobukiya as interpreted by the talented Shunya Yamashita.

Yamashita is one Japan's most famous and talented Bishoujo artists with a wealth of material available in the form of art books, video game work, as well as many of his illustrations being the basis of statues and action figures. If you have been paying any sort of attention over the past 6 months you know I am an enormous Yamashita fan.

Rogue is a staple of Marvel Comics X-Men franchise and has an incredibly long and complex history. Feel free to check the link for a complete breakdown from wikipedia.

The figure comes in a very neatly designed window box decorated with artwork by Yamashita...

...the same artwork the sculptor, Koei Matsumoto used to bring this beauty to life.

And beauty is indeed the word that comes to mind. Rogue is simply stunning.

I think I finally figured out what it is that makes a Yamashita design/illustration so... “Yamashita.” It's the eyes. Sure, his women are sensual, shapely and stunning but it's the eyes. They just make you melt and feel like there looking right at you.

The sculpt detail is excellent and precise. The paint detail is flawless. No under/over-spray anywhere. Honestly I expect nothing less from Kotobukiya craftsmanship. Their reputation is well deserved.

I particularly like the pedestal display for the base elevating it from just sexy girl statue to art piece.

I am only a casual X-Men fan but a huge Yamashita fan and I am happy to add her to the collection.

I must say even though I knew they where in the 1:8 scale, I was a bit surprised at how small they are in person. However with a $59.99 price tag you are certainly getting a quality piece at a great price. Any Rogue or Yamashita fan would do well to get one while you can. Kotobukiya now has their own on-line store and you can be sure to get one there.

This is such a fantastic idea I sure hope more are made, I would LOVE to have a a whole series of girls lining my computer monitor!

Review sample provided by Aoshima.

Kyou Fujibayashi is the foul mouthed, aggressive girl that secretly has a crush on our main character, Tomoya Okazaki in the video game, light novel series turned anime Clannad. This is Kyou from the follow up series Clannad After Story where she is a teacher and no longer a student as seen in her gym uniform.

This is a new line of girl statues that are designed to be displayed on your computer monitor. Isn't that a great idea?! I thought so. Now you can always look at your favorite character while surfing the Internet for more Otaku goodness!

Kyou is 11.43 centimeters tall from bottom of her lovely feet to the top of her beautiful head.

The details of her curves are nice but I wish her nipples where a bit more pointy. That's just me though....

Paint application is very good, adding in shading to accentuate her sensual curves.

They include a swappable head with a serious face with her her in a pony-tail and a happier, hair down face. Her eyes are beautifully painted in.

The figure can not however be put on display on the shelf with the included bases. They give you a base for attaching her to a flat-panel LCD and a base for those with the big, CRT tube styles. The sculot is designed to have Kyou's legs dangling down over the monitor.

This is such a fantastic idea I sure hope more are made, I would LOVE to have a a whole series of girls lining my computer monitor. Wouldn't you?

I got this from Aoshima's on-line store and you should too.

Saeko Busujima is the token “bad girl” from the 2006 manga Gakuen Mokushiroku, which translates as Highschool of the Dead. Saeko is “extremely skilled with a bokken and close combat” and describes herself as “…a sadist who enjoys inflicting pain on those weaker than her.” As a result, Saeko gets a lot out of killing zombies. Go figure.

Character Background: Saeko Busujima is the token “bad girl” from the 2006 manga Gakuen Mokushiroku, which translates as Highschool of the Dead. Highschool of the Dead is about a bunch of Japanese high school kids who are caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. According to Wikipedia, Saeko is “extremely skilled with a bokken and close combat” and describes herself as “…a sadist who enjoys inflicting pain on those weaker than her.” As a result, Saeko gets a lot out of killing zombies. Go figure.

Saeko is a 1/8 PVC statue made from Chara Ani and is about 9 inches tall.

Review/Features: The statue has no posability and comes in a full window box.  Saeko comes with cast-off clothing and two alternate aprons as well as two sets of arms that allow for different poses. The statue comes with a full packaging plus brief set of instructions to show how the castoff pieces switch out. Accessories include a sword, the scabbard and bokken.

Sculpt is good. Not perfect-but the pose captures the attitude of the character and has definite personality. A lot of good features-the full apron, for example, has some nice detail to allow detail from the breasts to show through and the face has just the right attitude in the eyes.

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Minor quibbles include the bikini bottom, which seems flush with the statue (although the knot isn’t bad) with some minor imperfections around the buttocks and on the arms. But these are barely noticeable.  Some minor imperfections with the paint job as well with minor discoloration anywhere there is a black band. This includes the arms and the thong around the abdomen.

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Two alternate cast-off aprons result in two different poses. Aprons fit on over the removable head and around the arms, which are also removable. The arms switch out right at the armbands where the small knives are attached.  The arm connections aren’t as snug as I would like and I wonder about how they’ll hold up over time.

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Full apron pose- This is the default. Arms are straight to hold weapons. Apron covers front but allows for breast outlines to be seen.

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Sexy apron pose- This is the alternate. Arms are bent and posed so that Saeko is lifting the apron, which is uplifted. The apron shows Saeko’s breasts through the front.

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Full nude. Either of the aprons can be completely removed with any mix of the arms. The straight weapon arms make the best sense with the full straight nude mode, since the bent arms mode goes along with the uplifted half-naked apron.

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The accessories (bokken, sword, scabbard) fit well into the arms but even new, aren’t perfectly tight. This is always a difficult feature to work in-but the plastic on these is soft, so in the long term probably not going to be one of the more enduring features.    

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The stand is actually bolted to the foot of the statue itself, which suggests its not intended to come off.  This makes it quite stable.

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I have a great fondness for the ‘bad girl’ statues-the attitude, the swords, and the switchable castoffs were all pluses for me. Although no socks to complete the whole outfit-Saeko really has a great pose and works well among my other statues.

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Yak! Deculture! It's Ranka Lee!

I got the whole prize set from Angolz.

Ranka here is from the Banpresto produced prize items for Macross Frontier. Ichiban KUJI Premium Macross Frontier is sold in convenience stores across Japan as a lottery. Customers buy a 800 YEN ticket you pull from a blind box with a letter on it telling you which item you have won. It's completely random on what your end up with for your hard earned YEN. Available in the set of Premium goods are...

• A. Klan Klang (Melatrandi Pilot) 25cm tall
• B. Sheryl Nome (Finale Concert Dress) 22cm tall
• C. Ranka Lee (Kira Pose) 20cm tall
• D. Nyan Nyan Bowl
• E. Sport Towel Set (Monster Girl, VF-25, Kabuki Alto)
• F. Super Deformed Character Figure Set (Ranka, Sheryl, Klan, Alto)
• G. Super Deformed Mecha Set (VF-25F Alto Battroid, VF-25S Ozma Armored Gerwalk, VF-27 Brera Battroid, Klan Queadluun-Ray, Raramia Queadluun Ray)

This is prize item C and apparently in Japan is the most sought after and difficult to get of the Ladies of Macross Frontier...

Ranka Lee is Macross Frontier's Lynn Minmay. A young lady with dreams of singing her songs for people leads her down the road of rising Pop-star. Much like Minmay's songs took away the Zentradi will to fight; Ranka's seem to passify the newest alien menace, the Vajra.

In Episode 12 (“Fastest Delivery) Sheryl arrives on Galia 4 to give a concert to the 33rd Navel/Marine Zentradi Fleet (which features Zentradi that are the spitting image of classic characters from the original series.) but falls ill. This leads some of the rowdier Zentradi to start a revolt and take Sheryl's entourage hostage, which includes Ranka's crush and our main character Alto Saotome.

So what's a young lady to do? Why, she puts on her best dress and puts on a show! The S.M.S. Slap funky disco speakers to a VF-25 and fly Ranka in to save the day with an impromptu concert! And it works like a charm.

And this is the moment Banpresto choose to capture for there statue of Ranka in their fantastic line of prize items and I think it was a good choice. Let me just say this up front, I am more a Sheryl kind of guy myself. I don't mind having a nice statue of Ranka for the Macross display but I won't be buying and reviewing multiple versions of Ranka in different swimsuits, waitress or maid outfits. Sheryl on the other hand... but I digress.

With that said this is a stunningly beautiful piece and a great embodiment of the characters signature cuteness.

The package for this prize item is a Shadowbox with windows on the front and sides. Photos of the statue decorate the back while hand drawn stars and her signature decorates the yellow background behind the figure on display in the box.

The box sports a hefty die-cut handle so you can carry your newly obtained Ranka on the train during rush hour with ease. Now that's classy.

Assembly is easy. Just attach Ranka and her pet Vajra – Ai-Kun to the supplied base (an S for the S.M.S. logo) and your done.

Like I've said with the other two gals from this lineup - Technically you could have pulled a 800 YEN ticket with the letter C on your first try. Which means you could go home with this piece for the equivalent of $8.00 to $10.00 US which, in my opinion, is a steal.

Paint and sculpt detail is top-notch, easily on par with an $80 to $100 release. Everything is flawless on this release with painted detail for Ranka's dress and skin done in all flat colors and the microphone in glossy.

Like the other releases there are no cast off parts (and if your looking for that in a Ranka figure you need some help... .)

So each of the ladies in this trio have a base that makes up 1/3 of the S.M.S. logo.

So when you arrange them correctly they not only make the S.M.S. logo they look beautifully arranged.` A very nicely thought out touch.

So the reality that your getting this for $8.00 to $10.00 is pretty slim, especially considering how Ranka has an almost cult like status in good ol' Japan.

Average after-market price on this piece is $100 and even at that price is a steal so grab one while you can my fellow Macross Frontier fans. Because this was an extraordinarily limited run prices are bound to triple as time goes on and you will kick yourself later for not scooping one up while you could.

I got Ranka as part of the full set thru Angolz but as of this article she was still available individually.

It's the Klan Klang statue the fans really want.

I got the whole prize set from Angolz.

Klan Klang is from the Banpresto produced prize items for Macross Frontier. Ichiban KUJI Premium Macross Frontier is sold in convenience stores across Japan as a lottery. Customers buy a 800 YEN ticket you pull from a blind box with a letter on it telling you which item you have won. It's completely random on what your end up with for your hard earned YEN. Available in the set of Premium goods are...

• A. Klan Klang (Melatrandi Pilot) 25cm tall
• B. Sheryl Nome (Finale Concert Dress) 22cm tall
• C. Ranka Lee (Kira Pose) 20cm tall
• D. Nyan Nyan Bowl
• E. Sport Towel Set (Monster Girl, VF-25, Kabuki Alto)
• F. Super Deformed Character Figure Set (Ranka, Sheryl, Klan, Alto)
• G. Super Deformed Mecha Set (VF-25F Alto Battroid, VF-25S Ozma Armored Gerwalk, VF-27 Brera Battroid, Klan Queadluun-Ray, Raramia Queadluun Ray)

This is prize item A and definitely one of the more sought after pieces in the set and the first toy incarnation of Klan in her full Maltrandi size...

... and I gotta say, she is a looker.

Klan Klang is from the latest incarnation in the Macross franchise, Macross Frontier. She is a Meltrandi and Captain of the S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services) Queadluun-Rea Battalion, Pixie Squad.

Klan is an interesting character in the series. She has a problem with her genetics, in her full grown Meltrandi state she looks like a full grown woman (a really full grown woman if you get my meaning... .) When she miclones herself to a smaller human scale size she looks like a wee little lass, certainly a problem when trying to date human sized guys her own age.

She represents the extremes of female characters in anime without actually "behaving" as such. From mini, lolicon cutie to full grown and shapely woman. Her story is one of unrequited love and the path not taken. It's very touching actually.

It's the usual packaging for a fixed pose figure, a shadow box with windows on the front and sides to see the figure on display. On the back of the package are photos of the figure. On the top of the box is a handle (to make it easier to carry your prize item home on the train.)

Klan is pretty much assembled right out of the box. You just add her feet to the base and put the helmet in her hand (sadly the helmet will not fit on her head...) and your good to go.

So as for the figure itself, all I can say is Wow! This is a stunning piece. It's a dead-on likeness of Klan from the show and the detail is just fantastic.

Again, keep in mind that technically you could have pulled a 800 YEN ticket with the letter A on your first try. Which means you could go home with this piece for the equivalent of $8.00 to $10.00 US which, in my opinion, is a steal.

She definitely has the curvy shape that has made her an Otaku favorite early on. I am personally not a fan of Triple Z boobs myself (As a matter of fact I very much dislike the G-taste style of character design that is popular in the anime figure market) but I do very much like the character and they have captured her anime look here.

Sculpted detail is excellent and very generous. Lines of the flight suit are sculpted with precision, giving the suit a great level detail. Her flight suit is painted in a glossy shine with her skin and hair being done in flat paint/materials. Again the color choices and material used really add to a piece that looks and feels far more expensive than the 800 YEN it could go for.

This figure features no cast off pieces (you dirty perverts, she's practically nude with a flight suit painted on her. Isn't that enough?)

Klan is a heavy, solid piece and in no way feels like a cheap “prize item” but a high end collectible.

When you collect all three of the ladies offered in this Macross lineup, there designed to be placed together.

Creating a dynamic display and forming the S.M.S. logo for a base.

So for 800 YEN, yes you should be tripping all over your self to get this piece if your a Macross Frontier fan... Now is this worth the average after market price of $100.00? If your a fan of Macross Frontier or a fan of fixed pose girls this is an absolutely top notch release and given it's relative low production run well worth the after market prices. I got mine in a set with all of the other Prize items from Angolz.

It's Volume 2 of the Shunya Yamashita Character Series and I must say Nasca is a cutey.

I am a fan of pin-up art. I have been for many, many years. From classic old school Vargas to the more modern and fantastical Olivia, I have always enjoyed the style and look of the pin-up girl. Japan’s own Pin-Up Master Shunya Yamashita .

Shunya Yamashita does the naughty and nice thing very well with his girls and if you enjoy the pin-up genre you should head over to Shunya Yamashita’s Official Website and take a look at his gallery. You might be surprised how many of his art pieces end up the basis of a fixed pose statue likes Nasca here and given the chance I will get around to collecting and reviewing them all.

Today I am taking a look at Art Storm’s second release in the “Shunya Yamashita Character Series”, Vol. 2 Nasca. Nasca appears as an illustration in his art book, Wild Flower.

The figure comes in what seems to be the default packaging for items like this. Die-cut windows on all sides giving you a chance to see in detail what you are getting before you buy it.

Sadly, the plastic they wrap around the figure does abscure being able to see any actual detail. I guess it's the thought that counts.

Once unpacked, you attach the "arm" to the base, remove Nasca's backpack and attach. Place the backpack back on and you are good to go.

Nasca is a perfect three-dimensional representation of the Yamashita illustration. Attached to the base she is approximately 10 inches tall so despite floating in mid air she has the same presence on the shelf as other 1:6 scale figures.

The paint application has a glossy sheen to it making it feel more like an art piece than an animated character if they had gone all flat like some statues. It’s just the right amount of shine.

Detail is very good but not flawless. When you get very close you can see some under spray, particular in the finer lines of detail. It’s very subtle and not obvious so it shouldn’t deter you from considering one. Also upon close inspection you can make out the seams where the figure was assembled, again you have to get very close to notice it and really doesn't detract from the look of the figure.

I have had a tendency to ignore the whole girl statue-market-thing but now that I realize some of Yamashita’s art is being realized so well in 3D I will keep my eye out for more. I look forward to more releases based on his artwork. If you like the Pin-Up style of Shunya Yamashita then you will enjoy this...

Personally it was a no-brainier.. Wings, check. Sexy woman, check. Shunya Yamshita, check. I love the unusual floating pose and I am happy to add it to the growing collection of fine art/soft-core pornography that is amassing on the top shelf. You might want to consider getting one too.

It's the figure you really want but your wife or girlfriend won't let you have. I take a look at an earlier release based on Shunya Yamashita artwork, Funny Knight's Rudy.


There be boobies in here boys and girls. Which means pictures that are NSFW if you are logged into the site.

This review features images that are NSFW if you are logged into the site.

I have been a pin-up art fan for many, many years. From classic old school Vargas to the more modern and fantastical Olivia, I have always enjoyed the style and look of the pin-up girl.

Japan’s own Pin-Up Master is Shunya Yamashita. I must say he does the naughty and nice thing very well with his girls and if you enjoy the pin-up genre you should head over to Shunya Yamashita’s Official Website and take a look at his gallery. Be sure to also see my recent review of his latest art book, Wild Flower.

It was the Revoltech/Fraulein release Pocco that brought his work to my attention. Since then I have been slowly going back and picking up other releases based on his work. So today we are taking a look at an earlier 2007 release by Aoshima called Rudy from what they are calling the “Funny Knights Series”.

This particular piece has been fairly out of print for a while but seems to have shown back up on shelves again recently. Rudy has been released in several paint variations but this the standard/regular release which stands 8 inches tall at the 1/7th scale and comes courtesy of Angolz.

Rudy comes packed in a cardboard box with windows on the front and side making it easy to see the figures detail in the package. Original Shunya Yamashita artwork decorates the box on all sides.

When looking into the package you notice there is a black tab in the lower back of the package. Hmmm. Wonder what this is? Well let's get it open and find out...

Once removed from her plastic coffin she is ready to display with absolutely no assembly required and I will say she's a looker.

Rudy is an original character design by Shunya Yamashita and very much embodies the look, feel and style of his artwork. With her sexy, exotic, sci-fi themed outfit and sword in hand I'm not sure if I should tip her a dollar or run for the hills. It's the whole naughty and nice thing...

The sculpt detail is very good and really captures the subtle nuance of Yamashita's work and this good looking woman looks great in 3D. If you look very carefully you can see seem lines but it is not remotely noticeable up on the shelf.

Paint detail is equally as good as well. Her outfit is painted in exacting detail with a gloss finish while Rudy,'s skin and hair are painted in with flat colors.

Her sword is looks to be made of PVC and is permanently attached to her hand.

So being a good looking girl in a sexy outfit wasn't enough for this release and still has a few surprises in store...

So that black thing in the package is actually hiding a replacement chest. Yes you can have your Rudy on display with all her Momma gave her just hanging out there and yes, it's cold in the room.

You just pull off the clothed top and pop on the nude top. The seems for this removable piece are pretty well hidden but if looking at it from below with the nude part on you can make out a slight gap. It's a nit pick more than a real complaint.

But dropping her top isn't Rudy's only trick. Apparently her bottoms are movable (not removable as there is no way to get them off her legs) and feature a tiny pair of pink panties.

A cute touch...

I really recommend Rudy here if you'd like to add a little sexy to your collection or your just a fan of Shunya Yamashita. She's sexy but very tastefully done and is sure to catch peoples attention up on the shelf.

This review sample provided by Angolz.

Even though she’s supposed to be thin as a stick (she’s 14, what do you expect?), the long legs seem to throw the rest of her off because it makes her seem too thin proportionately everywhere else.

This item appears here courtesey of Angolz.com

In 2015, Earth is under attack from mysterious, powerful beings called Angels. Their origins and goals are unknown, but the focus of their attacks are on the post-apocalyptic, high-tech metropolis of Tokyo-3- a city designed to be a hidden fortress for the secret headquarters of the United Nations special organization NERV. What makes the Angels such an imposing threat is their ability to project and manipulate AT Fields- natural, invisible, omni-directional defensive shields which cannot be penetrated by any physical attack or weapon, including the most powerful N2 bomb. Learning of the Angels’ existence years earlier, NERV constructed a small group of advanced biomechanical robots called Evangelions to fight the Angels. However, only 14 year old children are capable of merging their minds on a near-spiritual level with the 700’-tall armored humanoids. Shinji Ikari is only one of a select handful who has been able to accomplish this. ...But he does not care. He has been push aside and ignored ever since his father abandoned him when he was four years old. And he does not care if he dies or lives, or if humanity dies or lives. Together with two female pilots in their own EVA Units- the confident, confusing redhead Asuka Langley Shikinami; and the curiously silent, red-eyed, blue-haired Rei Ayanami- the abandoned son of NERV’s Supreme-Commander must face his inner demons and find the courage to go on protecting humanity while fighting to preserve what little is left of his own!

A full twelve years after its debut in 1995, the anime series “Neon Genesis Evangelion” has remained a staple in Japan as one of the most dramatic and controversial; its fan-base ever vigilant for debate, answers, and new material. 26 episodes for the original series ended with pains after behind-the-scenes difficulties forced it in a different-than-planned direction, and so two films- “Evangelion: Death and Rebirth” and “The End of Evangelion” (both 1997)- sought to fix the deflated final episodes, but succeeded only in adding fuel to the fire. And so, in 2006, Studio Khara- founded by Evangelion’s creator, Hideaki Anno- took on the challenge of refreshing the work that had been started by Studio Gainax over a decade earlier, and bringing it to full blossom on the big screen. No longer restricted by a limited TV budget, the four films collectively known as “Rebuild of Evangelion” cover the length of the entire series- inviting new viewers, pleasing previous fans, and expanding & trimming all 26 episodes into four bite-sized chunks. Additionally, acting as a type of reboot for the franchise, “Rebuild of Evangelion” seeks to rewrite the ending of the original series and further expand what was not possible before- including new special effects-sequences, more-detailed scenes, and generally grow from both the mistakes of its namesake & long-standing fan input.

. . .

14-year old First Children Rei Ayanami is the designated pilot of the yellow-and-white prototype model Evangelion Unit-00, and one of the main characters in the series. Oddly, little is known about her or her background, other than her peculiarly pale white skin, naturally-red irises, and short powder-blue hair. Many in her school consider her odd as it is- unconcerned, disconnected, philosophical, and usually has little to say about anything, or show any signs of enthusiasm. Equally so, Shinji and Asuka find it hard to work with her for similar reasons despite being her teammates in trying to protect the world from the Angels! Perhaps the only person that Rei will open up to and interact with like any other human girl is Shinji’s estranged father, Supreme-Commander Ikari. But maybe her silence and lack of connection with the outside world are due to her near-death experience when attempting to Activate Unit-00 several weeks earlier, as the giant armored humanoid went out-of-control & trashed the testing facility. However, being connected to the Evangelion Project for far longer than the other two Children, Rei has always seemed to have both this quiet temperament and undefined relationship to Commander Ikari.

As the first film, “Evangelion 1.0- You Are (Not) Alone”, approaches its finale, Rei- and Unit-01’s pilot, Third Children Shinji Ikari- are waiting for the time to begin Operation: YASHIMA in order to destroy the 6th Angel Ramiel. In a short lull before boarding their Entry Plugs, they have a quiet moment amidst the storm of activity behind them. Having been seriously injured by the same Angel the day before, Shinji’s confidence is low, he fears that he may not have the courage to go on, and his [second] failure to destroy the Angel will be the doom of humanity. Rei, continuing to keep neutral and her feelings to herself, simply states that what happens cannot be changed, and it could go either way. While this scene is almost-identical to how it appears in Episode 6- “Rei II”, much of the dialogue and camera angles are different. It is from this moment that the EX Figure is based.

This figure of Rei Ayanami (back) is fixed-pose, and she stands comfortably on a simple white round base, with her hand resting lightly on a handrail. While the base, handrail, and most of her body is ABS, her hair and both arms are PVC. But the difference in materials is only noticeable at close-range and with careful examination; the entire figure is painted and so none of the original plastic coloring seems to be exposed. Her body retains the same design-style used for all female characters in the series- long legs, pointed nose, and a prominently-busty chest [for a fourteen-year old].

Rei is dressed in her standard white & black skin-tight Plug Suit, with her designated EVA Unit’s numbering (00) on both her chest and small backpack. Only her head is uncovered. Common details include the small white integrated backpack, multiple life-support monitors along the front of the torso (both below and between her breasts), and the suit’s vacuum On/Off switches on both wrists.

She is also wearing the A10 nerve receptor headset that is standard required equipment, which ties the Children mentally to their massive humanoid constructs. But the headset only appears as two small white bumps in her hair. Rei’s short blue hair is painted PVC, with her stamped red eyes easily seeing through the two parts in her bangs.

Since Rei is standing on an elevated platform in the scene, an ABS handrail is fixed to the base, and she has her right hand resting on it. In her left hand, however, is a non-removable accessory that doesn’t make much sense for the scene. For the character, Rei keeps Commander Ikari’s broken glasses since he rescued her from her Entry Plug the day that Unit-00 went out-of-control. While she keeps them at home, on this particular figure she is holding them in a dark blue container in her left hand.

The molds on this figure are good, and there are no obvious gaps between the various pre-assembled parts; even the seam in her hair is fitted well. However, I do have one beef with this figure. As stated earlier, one of the design traits of all female characters in Evangelion- regardless of age or standing height- is that they have proportionately-longer legs. Well, in this case, Rei’s legs are way too long. What I mean is, she is supposed to stand noticeably shorter than Misato, and compared to the companion EX Figure Misato Katsuragi, she’s only 7½”. While this makes her an inch shorter than the Misato figure (appropriate to how they compare in both the series and movies), the length of the figure’s legs just seem too long. And even though she’s supposed to be thin as a stick (she’s 14, so what do you expect?), the long legs seem to throw the rest of her off because it makes her seem too thin proportionately everywhere else. (It’s like she’s of a smaller scale from the hips-up, and of a larger scale from the hips-down!) Now, maybe this is just the style used by the sculptors at Sega, but with the impressive work on the Misato figure, my expectations were let down a little here. Additionally, even though Plug Suits hug the Children like there’s no tomorrow & leave very little to the imagination, there’s a slightly-odd crease along her stomach which doesn’t quite fit her pose. This may be a simple QC error, but considering the quality of the rest of the figure, and that other areas don’t have creases where they should logically be, it is noticeable.

Overall, for the price, you get a good representation of the character. Paint apps do not bleed over, and sculpts are accurate save for the two small exceptions above. The handrail will not bend or break unless you put pressure on it (so don’t!) and both of her arms are PVC, so if she falls there’s little to worry about. And even though she is a small-sized character to begin with, at 1/6th-scale she takes up equally little room on your shelf. That’s not surprising really, since the EX Figure Rei Ayanami set is frequently found in UFO catcher game machines across Japan.

Though anything larger might be made of higher-quality materials and have detail shading painted in, for $15 you get a great deal: a faithful representation of the character for a low price.

This item appears here courtesey of Angolz.com

In 2015, Earth is under attack from mysterious, powerful beings called Angels. Their origins and goals are unknown, but the focus of their attacks are on the post-apocalyptic, high-tech metropolis of Tokyo-3- a city designed to be a hidden fortress for the secret headquarters of the United Nations special organization NERV. What makes the Angels such an imposing threat is their ability to project and manipulate AT Fields- natural, invisible, omni-directional defensive shields which cannot be penetrated by any physical attack or weapon, including the most powerful N2 bomb. Learning of the Angels’ existence years earlier, NERV constructed a small group of advanced biomechanical robots called Evangelions to fight the Angels. However, only 14 year old children are capable of merging their minds on a near-spiritual level with the 700’-tall armored humanoids. Shinji Ikari is only one of a select handful who has been able to accomplish this. ...But he does not care. He has been push aside and ignored ever since his father abandoned him when he was four years old. And he does not care if he dies or lives, or if humanity dies or lives. Together with two female pilots in their own EVA Units- the confident, confusing redhead Asuka Langley Shikinami; and the curiously silent, red-eyed, blue-haired Rei Ayanami- the abandoned son of NERV’s Supreme-Commander must face his inner demons and find the courage to go on protecting humanity while fighting to preserve what little is left of his own!

A full twelve years after its debut in 1995, the anime series “Neon Genesis Evangelion” has remained a staple in Japan as one of the most dramatic and controversial; its fan-base ever vigilant for debate, answers, and new material. 26 episodes for the original series ended with pains after behind-the-scenes difficulties forced it in a different-than-planned direction, and so two films- “Evangelion: Death and Rebirth” and “The End of Evangelion” (both 1997)- sought to fix the deflated final episodes, but succeeded only in adding fuel to the fire. And so, in 2006, Studio Khara- founded by Evangelion’s creator, Hideaki Anno- took on the challenge of refreshing the work that had been started by Studio Gainax over a decade earlier, and bringing it to full blossom on the big screen. No longer restricted by a limited TV budget, the four films collectively known as “Rebuild of Evangelion” cover the length of the entire series- inviting new viewers, pleasing previous fans, and expanding & trimming all 26 episodes into four bite-sized chunks. Additionally, acting as a type of reboot for the franchise, “Rebuild of Evangelion” seeks to rewrite the ending of the original series and further expand what was not possible before- including new special effects-sequences, more-detailed scenes, and generally grow from both the mistakes of its namesake & long-standing fan input.

. . .

29-year old Captain Misato Katsuragi is the primary tactician and operations officer for NERV- performing a central and vital role during any Angel attack on Tokyo-3. This means that she is the voice that the Children hear in their Entry Plugs as they face off against the giant monsters. With a dedicated passion to eradicating the threat of the Angels, she is not, however, willing to do it at the cost of others- something that sets her apart from many of her superiors at NERV and which frequently puts her at odds against them. In addition to leading battles on-duty and coordinating NERV’s massive resources, Misato has taken on the responsibility of acting as legal guardian for two of the Children, Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Shikinami. Though she is clean and professional in public, in private she is a bit slovenly and leans towards binge drinking her favorite Yebitsu beer. In an odd twist, Misato adopted a new genetically-engineered warm-water penguin years earlier named Pen-Pen whom freely roams throughout her three-bedroom apartment as confidently as a fourth member of the small & sometimes-stressed household. As a teenager, she was heavily influenced by the fact that she was the only member of the 1999 Katsuragi Expedition to survive the direct Second Impact ‘meteor strike’ in Antarctica. To this day, Misato wears a small white crucifix around her neck that her dying father (the Expedition’s leader) gave to her as he shoved her into an emergency capsule.

This figure of Misato Katsuragi (back) is fixed-pose, and she stands comfortably on a simple white round base. Her left hip is swayed, and this emphasizes both her butt, and tightens her outfit along her torso even more-so than it already is. While the base is ABS, she is composed of primarily PVC, and her legs are ABS. But the difference in materials is only noticeable at close-range and with careful examination; the entire figure is painted and so none of the original plastic coloring seems to be exposed. Her body retains the same design-style used for all female characters in the series- long legs, pointed nose, and a noticeably-busty chest.

Misato is wearing her NERV-issue waist-high red commander’s jacket with dual muted-orange stripes on either shoulder, bright-orange triangular rank insignia on both upper arms, and upturned collar; though even open it cannot disguise the curve of her breasts. As usual, she has her jacket unzipped, so you can clearly see the thick white crucifix hanging below her neck. Her form-fitting black one-piece body suit is cut very short below her hips, and has a zipper line running from top to bottom. (If you absolutely have to know, she is wearing white panties.) She has short leather boots with individual zippers on both, and dark green socks folded over.

Misato’s shoulder-length hair is the only change from how it appears in the series. There, it is purple (though this is due to shading in the animation rather than Misato dyeing it), but for “Rebuild...” it is now very dark purple, almost-black. The figure here features no added paint highlights; but it still has the split bangs above her eyebrows. Her eyes are not painted, but rather stamped onto her face. She does not have any lipstick.

Though Misato is casually posed looking downwards, the figure reminds you that she is still a fighter, and so she is holding a black semi-automatic pistol in her left hand which cannot be removed. (My pre-review research has led to the discovery that, the few times that Misato wielded a pistol, it was a Heckler & Kosh USP. Comparing the accessory on this figure to images of the real weapon may be irrelevant, but the resemblance does seem quite close.)

The sculpt is well-done, with both folds and creases in the plastic fabric(s), and strands highlighted in her hair. Her legs and face are also accurate. Mold-lines are not easily spotted even on close inspection (but I’m detail-oriented enough that I can still find them). The seams between the manufactured parts are well hidden except perhaps the piece used for her bangs. Paint applications are simple for a character like this, but well applied with no obvious spill-over. Equally-so, her eyes are detailed and flawless.

Standing only 8½” (20.5cm) tall including the ½” base, this is a fine example of how even a cheap figure from Japan can have excellent production quality. Though anything larger might be made of higher-quality materials and have detail shading painted in, for $15 you get a great deal: a faithful representation of the character for a low price. And at 1/6th scale, it takes up little space. That’s not surprising really, since the EX Figure Misato Katsuragi set (and companion EX Figure Rei Ayanami) is frequently found in UFO catcher game machines across Japan.