To wrap up our bests and worsts of 2013, Tekizen and I wanted to have a bit of fun. Since we got very little as far as trading figures, petits, and gashapons go, we decided to touch on them briefly, and fill the rest of the day with random topics of noteworthy mention.
May not be safe for work. We are weird, and you have officially been warned!
As before:
Topiki- Blue
Tekizen- Red
Overall Best Little Figure:
I didn’t really have a hard time with this one. There were just a handful of trading figures and such that really left an impression on me. We may have only gotten about 5 sets of them this year plus a few stragglers, but there were a couple that were pretty special. The most noteworthy of these was my Len Senbonzakura figure. All three of the ones we got are really nice, but between Miku and Len a bit of favouritism tipped the scale. He is painted really well, and fairly unique. It would have been easy to make another random cute vocaloid chibi wearing this costume, but they went for something a bit stranger than the norm. I appreciate that. Also he is pretty sturdy. The pegs for his base are on the bottom of the sleeves, instead of his tiny feet. My runner up for this is Orion. I can’t get over how cute this little guy is. I love his design, and his little base support that holds him aloft. His base is even sparkly, reminiscent of the night sky. The last place goes to Len’s twin sister Rin for her Daughter of Evil figure. I thought it was a breath of fresh air seeing some different costumes pop up in this set of Petits. This one is by far the best!
I haven’t run into a company yet that has been able to beat Kotobukiya as far as trading figures go. Their Megami Tensei specifically blows me away every time I look at them. Regrettably I didn’t want ‘ugly’ figures back when I first started collecting so there was no way I was go to delve further then the Frost Brothers and Pixie. A figure like Varuna? No way in Hell. I played digital Devil Saga a few (lot of) years ago and God I wanted this figure after playing the game. He went for a lot of money on the rare occasion he was up anywhere. I finally got him in Dec 2013. He’s fantastically detailed and makes me squeal “Serphy” every time I see him. Romeo and Cinderella Miku is so close to being perfect that it’s almost wrong, but she is lacking in KAITO ness. So she gets second place. Orion is fantastic. Truly. I love his eyes and the starry base is way cute. 😀
Overall Worst Little Figure:
My worst little has got to be this little fairy. He is supposed to hang on the corner of things, but he isn’t balanced to do it, so he just falls over. He now lives in Sonico’s bad shorts. Tekizen, and I are planning a shelf of shame this year. I bet he gets to live there. Next up is Shannon. She is absolutely adorable, but she is top heavy, so she just falls over as well. They gave her an ugly yellow base that she sits on. It has no pegs though, just a stick that goes behind her with a horseshoe shaped halo that is supposed to fit around the back of her head. It is too loose, so it does no good. She will balance without it, but don’t breath. Last is Yotsuba with a zebra. This is another one that is kind of cute, but you have to angle it just right to able to see her well. It is a cute idea, but there are much better, more thought out figures in this set.
Yousei has a problem or two that I simply can’t get around at all. We’ll start with the fact that he doesn’t stand up straight. He kind of leans backwards, which looks stupid. Second his curly cue doesn’t reach his hat. The whole set feels extremely cheap too. Not cool. Then there’s Luka who is kind of cuteish I guess. What on earth is she supposed to be doing though? Her arms look freaking retarded. Lastly is the Danboard. Not only are the ideas getting lamer all the time, but it’s the same mold over and over and over.
Cutest Little Figure:
I bet you didn’t see this coming. Kanata as my number one cutest little figure. Honestly it was an easy choice. I adore his huge forehead, and big green eyes! He doesn’t look very happy, it makes me want to give him a hug. Shannon is back for my number two spot. She may not be particularly functional, but she sure is cute. It looks like she needs a hug too. I think I just have a thing for expressive faces. Lastly I have the very cheerful looking Orion. He seems almost out of place here. It makes no difference to me. He is adorable from his twisted horns, right down to his pointed toes.
So I’ll be the first to admit that I think Suzuya is freaking adorable but he has nothing, and I do mean nothing on Kanata. This guy is just mind blowingly cute. Then there’s Orion who is almost cute enough to make me want to watch a show that is so far out of my realms of taste that it might as well be alien. Still he is cute though. Lastly is Miku because….well I mean look at her! She’s precious!
Ugliest Little Figure:
This easily would have gone to Yotsuba’s orca figure had I been able to find it. Since I couldn’t find it I am going to pass my vote off to this Weeping Angel, and yes I think orca Yotsuba is uglier. Weeping Angels are my very favourite race in Dr. Who so it is no surprise that I dug one out of a box of random figures at the comic shop. I love him, and he hangs out with all of my other figures, but he is one ugly s.o.b. After him is Rin’s Senbonzakura figure. The quality is just as good as the other two, but her overall design and colour scheme make her look pretty questionable. The last one that I picked for this category is Luka’s petit nendo in normal clothes. I can honestly say that I do not like her face, and I have no idea what her arms are doing. I do like that I have both sets of Vocaloid Petits so I can pick and choose which versions to display, and still keep all the characters out!
I’m sorry…kind of. Okay I’m not really. I love Serph Sheffield! He was a truly magnificent bastard and Serph the Avatar was an awesome leader. Varuna however is one ugly s.o.b. He is however one of my grail items and I am so happy to have him ugly character design or not. The clockwork man from Dr Who sends shivers down my spine and makes me want to hide under the bed. And then there’s this Miku who isn’t monstrous or scary, she’s just not cute. I don’t really dig this design at all.
Most Original:
Whereas I wasn’t happy with the way they all turned out, I thought it was a pretty cool idea to bring Yotsuba and the Monochrome animals into the figure world. I have always thought she needed more figures! this was a really cool way to make several very unique figures. Orion is also pretty original. Not only is he the only figure in his set that is flying, but I think he is the only chibi in my entire collection doing so. I have better proportioned trading figures do this, but not so much with a chibi. I have to admit, I really like it. In my third spot we have Len again. This set is just so different from every other bright coloured, bubbly looking Vocaloid chibi out there, that I think it deserves this spot. So many people say they are tired of seeing Miku figures. I don’t agree. I am sick of seeing tired old designs used over and over. The Vocaloids have so many different personas that I get giddy when they actually tap into their other costumes and such. More Miku’s are always welcome, but let’s keep them fresh!
I can honestly say there is nothing else on my shelf like the eyeless wonder himself. That’s right we’re back at Varuna again. This guy is so cool and so very different. I love it! Then there’s this fairie, from a series where they almost all look fundamentally the same I wouldn’t have expected to get something that felt so different. This guy though is completely different from the rest of the set. I really want to take pictures of him….well everywhere pretty much sums it up. Then there’s Kyousuke who is cosplaying because……? Well why not? This figures uniqueness comes in two different forms. 1.) He’s a lead male and he got a figure. 2.) He’s a male character in a costume that is not his prototypical costume. Ooh.
Least Original:
Big surprise here. I think these Danboard figures, while cute, and fun to play with are the least original figures that we bought in 2013. If people want to talk about tired designs, how about this one? Does adding a new logo really make it unique? No, but it does pad somebody’s pockets. I do like that eyes light up, but that is a feature that the full size Revoltech shares, so you might as well just buy that, and actually get a character with it. Second worst goes to Suzuya which breaks my heart. He is easily my second favourite starry Sky boy, but honestly what can you say about a brown haired boy, in an overdone Petanko pose? Not much, because it is boring. I love him, and I won’t stop displaying him, but he is definitely lacking in originality. Lastly I have Luka again. Do I even have to say it? It is Luka standing there doing something, I don’t know what, in her normal Vocaloid outfit. Couldn’t they have at least done something with her pose?
I really wish I could have given the phone jacks points for originality, but alas these things have exploded. There are phone jacks for everything, in every size shape and form you can imagine. They’ve made so many in fact that now they’re giving them bases since you can’t use them all at one time. Sad. Then there are these fairies. I really love the laying down one, but the set I bought came with two that were standing there waving. That’s the problem with this guys, they keep using the same poses and just changing the colour scheme. It’s kinda stupid. Then there’s KAITO who’s new petit nendo looks almost like his last one…….
Starting here Tekizen and I picked some random fun categories to throw out there just for giggles!
How did your most anticipated figures for 2013 turn out in the end?
Heh. Well that really is a mixed bag, now isn’t it? Keigo turned out fantastic. He was worth every single second of anticipation, and turned out just as I had imagined! I am quite pleased with him. Append Len looks like one cool little dude, but I think his body looks a bit stumpy. I know he is a nendo but if you look at him and either of the other two it is obvious. He doesn’t just look stumpy, his body is too short. The last one was Sonico and unfortunately I decided to cancel my order on her. I haven’t yet decided if I am going to go back for her or not. One great, one ok, and one cancelled, it really is a mixed bag!
I didn’t do anywhere near as good as Nagara. For that matter Raidou isn’t out yet (Oh but he is on order) Gumi looks like a plastic (bonus if you understand that) and Chie is virtually pornographic. I only need one of the three of these for my shelf. Thanks anyway. PS Raidou and Goutou will be coming home this coming March!
Most Anticipated 2014:
Link is hands down my figure of ultimate want for 2014! I wanted him when they announced him for 2013, and that anticipation has only grown since his delay until March. I want him bad! My second Choice is Matt from Digimon. He comes out sometime this month, and I getting super excited about it. Matt was my favourite character back when I first watched Digimon. It is hard to believe how long ago that was. I think he will be my Keigo of 2014! My last choice is a bit awkward because it isn’t a statue, but a prize figure. It isn’t even a very good representation of the character, but it IS Suzaku. Not just any Suzaku, but the character that I love. I bought his AlphaxOmega statue this year, and despite it not looking like the character that I liked, I learned to love him. My Suzaku is a hero. A good natured, friendly, and optimistic sort of guy, even when odds are against him. If nothing else this figure seems to be of that guy!
It’s kind of wrong that the same figure heads my list two years in a row. It also amazes me how much it’s changed since the conception pictures. Now Raidou’s in a T and A pose which to be perfectly honest is hilarious. This figure does however look like it was pulled directly from a game cinema and that’s some cool shit. Morgiana also from Megahouse is beautiful. Her outfit, hair, face, and pose all look wonderful. I can’t wait to love on her a little bit. Then there’s the Dark Jorse of the year Maka Albarn. Wow! She’s coming to us from Medicom toys whom in general don’t do statues. It’s going to be exciting to see what comes of that….in only seven more monthes…..presuming she doesn’t get hit with delays. Stupid Medicom.
Scores of the Year:
My number one score of the year is Ivan Karelin by Gate River/ Yetiart! I had a proxy hunt him down at an event, and then sent him away to get painted. Never before have I gone to such lengths for one figure. He is gorgeous, and I am quite pleased! Laugh at me if you’ld like, but my second score of the year came in the form of a tiny Petanko. Kanata Nanami came with a limited release of Starry Sky: After Spring. I scoured the internet looking for it, but nobody had figures listed with it. I wasn’t sure how to be certain that I was buying the right version. Then I put my wish in the hands of a really pissy proxy. It took me over a year to finally get him to send these guys. It was quite a mess, but they are home now! The last one that I counted as a score was nowhere near as hard to come by, but I had to wait forever none the less. That figure is Kotobukiya’s Keigo Atobe! I have been an avid fan of Prince of Tennis for years. I even cosplayed as Keigo roughly 5 years ago. I always dreamt that they would make a statue of him, and I voiced my opinion about it to Kotobukiya every survey they put out. Finally he was announced. I seriously checked the page several times, just to look at the announcement card. I couldn’t be happier.
Did I mention that this stupid trading figure was a grail for me? If I didn’t I think it bares repeating. I spent forever hunting this guy and in the end he came home to me for only ten dollars. Yay Serphy! Then there was Naruto whom I genuinely didn’t think I was going to get. I wanted him from the moment I saw his grey scale, but I hadn’t watched Naruto in years. So approaching my sister and my husband about adding a fairly expensive figure from a show none of us cared about to our mutual collection. I waited for monthes to say anything. Finally the night he went up for order, I mentioned that they’d probably laugh at me, but I wanted this figure. To my surprise they said that it looked way cool and I should just order it and stop being so silly. Yeah that was a long unnecessary story huh? Lastly is Shannon, I love her, but I thought I missed my chance to get her when I passed on her years ago at a con. She finally came home this year and was well worth the wait.
Top 10 Favourite Figures Acquired in 2013:
1) Aoba Searagaki
2) Keigo Atobe
3) Ivan Karelin
4) Kanata Nanami
5) Link
6) Jaina Solo
7) Suzaku Kururugi
8) Konatsu Miyamoto
9) Iron Man
10) Lelouch Lamperouge
1.) Jaina Solo
2.) Kanji Tatsumi
3.) Serph Sheffield
4.) Chrollo Lucifer
5.) Yuri Petrov
6.) Raidou Kuzunoha
7.) Shannon
8.) Link
9.) Yzak Jule
10.) Tony Stark
Best Representation of a Character:
I picked Keigo as being the representation of character for a couple of reasons. First of all, his two different expressions fit him perfectly. There is a determined more focused face, as well as a more playful expression. I think both suit him well. If you pair either option off with his dynamic pose you get one hell of a figure that is true to its source. The second figure in this category is Konatsu. I picked her because this figure was taken right out of the anime. It comes from a scene where they are practicing their choir music on the beach, and she conducting. Her face is lively, and her swim suit is perfect. They did a great job putting “Konatsu” in this figure. The last one is Neko Musume. This figure shows her playful side, but doesn’t let you forget she is a cat through and through. It is pretty much what I think an ideal figure of her should look like.
Hmmmm…. I think that Plex captured the spirit of Naruto so perfectly well. He looks so…. perfect. Like this figure could have been cut right out of the first episode when he’s running with the scrolls on his back. Rintaro is far from a perfect figure, but he does hold well as a rep. DMG is perfect. She encompasses everything that I could have ever wanted her to be perfectly.
Worst Representation of a Character:
I wish I hadn’t buried Echizen’s other head in the closet, because he is my top choice. With or without it I still have issues with this figure as Echizen. You can view the face in question here. It just looks strange, maybe a little bit crazy. It kind of reminds me of this look without the eyepatch. Shikinami looks way more menacing though. Thankfully his other head is spot on, but it is missing his hat. I can’t win. The other thing that bothers me is the way he is walking? He is clearly swaying his hips. At what point did Echizen ever walk like a Victoria Secret model on a catwalk!? He looks really good, but not what I picture when I think of Echizen. Why does Keigo get an awesome Tennis pose, and Echizen gets to model? Pretty lame. The next figure on my awful represnetaion list goes to Kobato. She is supposed to be 14 at her oldest. She is depicted in her series as being a diminutive little monster, so why did she get stretched out for her beach figure? She looks too old, and her legs are too long. Anything for a bit of fanservice, but I think she would have looked better had she been built more like Konatsu (who is older, but looks younger :/) Lastly I am picking Cow sena. I think she is pretty sexy, but after looking over her pose I can only assume this is not a random moment in which her clothes fell off, but indeed a deliberate pose. I don’t really see Sena sitting still for such a set up. Also her hiccup face looks really strange. The more I looked at her the more awkward the whole thing got.
Yzak Jule is smiling at me and holding out his hand. If that isn’t a trap I’ve never seen one before. Lurking just behind that pretty boy smile of his is a really angry guy that wants to throttle you over a shopping trip. No seriously though this is like Meer Campbell to Lacus Clyne. Sure it looks great but it’s clearly an imposter done up with plastic surgery. Then there’s ‘oh my god’ I’m sexy Echizen. Staring slightly upward, lips parted sensually as he sashays across the….tennis court? What the hell Koto? I seriously hate this face so much that I dug it out of my closet for this. Lastly I really just want to know why Yui looks like a monkey.
Guilty Pleasure:
Sena was a shoe in for this category. This figure is so weird, but still fairly sexy. I mean I get bunny girls, and cat girls, but a cow? Not sure about that one. My second figure in this category is going to be Glow in the ark Tony Stark! That totally rhymes! I find my Iron Man toys to be really funny, because I spent years hating Tony Stark. The guy is such a loser. I didn’t bother seeing the Iron Man movie until after I saw The Avengers. It was only then that I realized I could really dig the movie version of this guy. He is definitely a guilty pleasure though, because I still won’t read the comics, or play him in any games. So there. You may wonder what is a guilty pleasure about Family Mart Len, but I have worked in a convenience store for about 12 years so this little bugger grabbed on to me especially tight. I never really expected to see one of my favourite characters as a C-Store employee, but now that I have him he is a little treasure!
Two girls in animal cosplay and a man eating monster. Because my guilty pleasures could afford to get weirder. Mokoi is awesome. He’s one of my main monsters in Megaten that I doggedly stick with as long as possible. Sens’s clothes are kind of sorta falling off in all the right places to give her a spot here and Kallen she really makes me want to go listen to Empahtic’s Bounce.
Most Eyebrow Raising Detail:
This category always makes me laugh. I try to keep these in mind from the beginning of the year, because they are usual little oddities that I can’t believe are there. I think the obvious answer is Aoba, but because I don’t think any single detail is more impressive than the others, he is just getting a mention here. My first legal pick is Lelouch’s rock god figure. I had a hard time deciding whether or not I should take a picture of his eyes, rings, or tattoos for this one. I settled on the garter belt tattoo. I have never seen a man with one of these before, but I guess Lulu barely qualifies anyway. Ok. I have never seen one of these tattoos on a boy before, and probably won’t again. This figure clearly has a Geass fixation, as both rings bare the symbol as well. the second one is going to Kanata’s Petanko. I was surprised that they actually got his jewelry on him, given his size, but what I thought was really cool was his necktie. He doesn’t wear it. He keeps it in his back pocket. Imagine my surprise when I noticed that it is actually there poking out from under his jacket! The last really cool thing that I have to mention is Shikinami’s plug suit. I was so enamored by her face that I didn’t even notice her plug suit was damaged. It is though, and they repaired it with some sort of tape. How cool is that!?
When I first got Naruto the ninjato slipped out of it’s sheath. I seriously thought I broke him! Lelouch in his strange obsession with his geass has an image of it on his rings. That is some tiny detailing. Before I ever even watched Nyaruko san I knew I was going to buy this Beach Queen. Her bathing suit seriously says Lovecraft.
Best Dressed:
This was harder than you would think. I have quite a few figures that are dressed pretty average, and coming up with worsts was a piece of cake, but well dressed was tough. The first one was a no brainer, the obvious answer was Yukio. His jacket looks so cool, and I am not even going to start on his wire framed glasses. Middle place goes to Athrun because I have thought his ZAFT uniform was pretty sharp from the first time I saw it on! The third spot was really, really hard. Eventually I settled on Yuri Petrov in his nice grey suit. You gotta give him credit for his Lunatic tie. That is such a cool, and subtle detail.
❤ Okay now that I’ve officially put at every opportunity that Yukio is a happy little piece of plastic fetish…. I think his outfit is really nice and very classy. Especially the jacket it’s very nice and the tie looks pretty damn good too. Speaking of classy I think Shiori looks really elegant. Her outfit is super simple but looks so nice on her. Apparently I’m all about monochromatic outfits because I also gave a nod to Kirito’s freaking sweet jacket. I kind of dig his pants too.
Worst Dressed:
Yikes! Some of these are bad! First there is Lelouch and his split pant leg pants, and corset combo. That is pretty strange. Then there is Nia and her giant flower pasties. I am not even going to start on that, but it is scary, and I wish I had looked closer at her nubbies before I ordered her….The last one I have for this category is Milla. She is wearing these twisty strap things all over . They go up her right leg, under her skirt, and up her torso. They are like really complicated panty suspenders! Seems like a hassle to me.
Omg…..Yozo what the…..I don’t even know where to start in describing this as a disaster. Is it the leather? The tiny panties,? The spikes? The suspenders holding the whole thing together? Well whatever it is it’s hideous. Then there’s Nia who I must say is painfully cute, but pasties always make me raise an eyebrow. And I don’t care who you are, nose art pop star or russian super hero, pasties are bad news. The Mickey Mouse gloves leave a little to be desired as well. Lastly is Ittoki’s fashion disaster. The open backed vest, untucked shirt, one tucked in pant leg, and ridiculous sash put him in a solid third place. It’s mostly because I like his scarf.
Best Overall Body:
I knew from New Year’s Day 2013 that Sena had this one. There was no doubt in my mind. Her sculpt is just amazing, and her body is perfect. I especially love her proportions because her hips and her bust balance out very well. Keigo Atobe had very little competition from the other male figures this year, Kagura being the only real rival, but he still came out I my top three. I love his profile, hands, stomach, back, and legs. You would think for a figure that is wearing so much that I am over exaggerating, but I assure you every bit of his body that we see is fabulous! My last pick is Wakana, who honestly is pretty modest next to Sena, but she has fantastic legs, and really nice hips. Good for bearing sons!!
Shockingly Sena came out on top. I really hope her Gift statue comes out this year so she can win again. She has fantastic proportions and for having ginormous boobs, she really doesn’t come off as overbearing. It’s because she has such great hips to match. Asuka’s always been a thin girl, but as the character very slowly ages her figure has been filling out to show her full potential nicely. Rukawa has got it going on in spades, his body is sculpted fantastically well. His muscular and bone structure are both well represented for a grade A+ body.
Build a Body (Best Females):
1) Asuka Kazama– Honestly I love her head, because her profile is cute, and feminine. She actually has a top lip which is a rarity amongst female figures. She has very pretty features.
2) Asuka Kazama– Look at that sculpt. Her hair has so much detail, and body to it. They also made the tips transparent which looks really nice!
3) Jaina Solo– Jaina was my choice for best chest, because she looks natural. Her body is proportioned well, and though her breasts are not huge they look good. I really like the way the shirt conforms to her body.
4) Sena Kashiwazaki– Wowzer! Look at that stomach! I don’t think I need to say more than that.
5) Sena Kashiwazaki– Most of the girls this year have really gangly arms. Sena, however has really nice, meaty arms. I really like the definition around her elbows.
6) Asuka Kazama– Asuka has really cool looking gloves, and even better fingers. They are very detailed, well sculpted, and painted nicely to boot. I love them!
7) Shirahoshi– The way she is bent forward puts extra emphasis on that spine. It looks amazing, and very realistic!
8) Sena Kashiwazaki– Well ya know…I think this was a well rounded decision.
9) Sakai Wakana – Wakana has nice meaty legs. As a matter of fact legs are the first thing to draw me in on a female figure. I am rarely impressed by slender legs.
10) Nyarlathotep – Those toes! Oh how I love those toes!
1.) Konatsu– I love Konatsu’s hair because not only does it look nice, but it’s very unique as well.
2.) Nyaruko– Her face is very cute and full of life and energy, and her eyes are absolutely gorgeous.
3.) Sena– I have a hard time imagining someone with an all around better rack then Sena.
4.) Asuka– Asuka has a great stomach, she’s very thin and the tight flight suit she’s wearing makes for a great view of her ribs.
5.) Sena– Thanks to the brilliant sculpting efforts of 2% I do have at least one girl this year who does not have noodle arms!
6.) Shirahoshi– I love her hands, I think it’s partially due to the pose itself, but her fingers all look very nice too.
7.) Wakana– This girl has amazing thighs, her leg proportions are magnificent.
8.) Nyaruko– Awesome feet!
9.) Nadeshiko– One of the things that really stood out to me about this figure from the get go was her back. It’s the first picture I took of her actually. It’s very well sculpted and the short cut of her hair leaves an unhindered view.
10.) Asuka– That is one fine piece of tail that she’s showing off. This figure of Asuka is nice because where as she is wearing a skin tight flight suit, the sculptor did still keep physics in mind.
Build a Body (Best Males):
1) Aoba Seragaki– He has a great profile, which I love. His expression, and the details on his face are fantastic!
2) Keigo Atobe– The sculpt of Keigo’s hair is chock full of detail. His swoopy locks look just right. I thought this style would be hard to pull off on a figure, but it turned out pretty awesome!
3) Athrun Zala– Athrun has a pretty good looking chest. I remember in Gundam Seed he wore a blue t-shirt that showed it off. He might want to buy a bigger jacket, though I am not complaining!
4) Kagura Demuri– This guy has a great body. If I hadn’t gotten Keigo this year he would have dominated this part of the post. I love his stomach muscles.
5) Kagura Demuri– Those are some nice looking arms. They are slender, but strong, and very well sculpted. A very nice balance.
6) Aoba Seragaki– Maybe it is the fingerless glove, or maybe it is the way his hand cups the headphone, but whatever it is I love Aoba’s hands. The outstretched one looks fantastic too, but I really dig this one.
7) Kagura Demuri– It isn’t so very often that we get a male figure with detailed back muscles, but Kagura has got it going on!
8) Keigo Atobe– Have I mentioned before that I totally have a fetish for tennis, and soccer shorts? Oh well I do. Blame Ken Hidaka for that one. Either way, I like the way the fabric pulls against him where his legs are bent, but is loose enough that it isn’t clingy. Very nice.
9) Keigo Atobe– While we are talking about Keigo, we can’t pass by without mentioning those legs. They are glorious aren’t they? I love his calves, and his knees. Fabulous!
10) Ivan Karelin– Since I don’t get to see too many plastic man feet, I decided to take a look at footwear. Ivan’s huge work boots look great. The laces, and soles are done really well. He even has tread on the bottom of them.
1.) Athrun– Not only does Athrun have nice bishie hair, but it’s shimmery too. Gotta count for something.
2.) Yukio– Okay hard core megane fetish aside, I think Yukio’s intense gaze is really kind of hot.
3.) Yukio– Okay jacket fetish aside, I love the way his coat pulls against his chest. Sexy without being overbearing.
4.) Kagura– Mr Demuri has a very nice stomach. Muscular and definitely appealing.
5.) Rukawa– Kaede has great arms, the muscular structure is top of the line work.
6.) Rintaro– This guys hands are fantastically sculpted. He even has life lines!
7.) Keigo– Like Rukawa’s arms, Keigo’s legs are a piece of art. Gorgeous in their entirety.
8.) Rintaro– I really didn’t have a good answer for this…sooooo house slippers for the win!
9.) Yami– I really liked the backside of the original Yami no Yuugi statue. Fortunately this is one of the few things they left the same between the two figures. It does have a positive note!
10.) Echizen– Well Echizen is…….nevermind.
These last few are honorable mention categories that we each thought up individually, so there won’t be answers from both of us, just whoever thought it up!
Coolest Random Feature on a Figure: Sega’s Glow in the Dark Iron Man is taking home this award. This is cool stuff!
Best Blatant Abuse of a Character That I Didn’t Like Anyway: Somewhere out there some wonderful person looked at Lord Genome and said “Put that guys head on stick” and if that’s not demeaning enough “turn him into a flower after that.” Something about that feels really great to me.
Smallest Stand Alone Statues: This award goes to Seven Two for their little polystone dragons. I love these guys so much that I hunted down the other three. Look for them in loot this month!
Best Two Pack: Something happened here that is both rare and wonderful. The Penguindrum girls Hikari and Hibari came out in a set together and are by some god given miracle actually moving different directions.
Coolest Animal Companion: This has got to be Kuro! He came with Rin’s G.E.M. from Megahouse. WE got several other cats this year, but he has the coolest face, and two tails! That has to count for something!
Best Animal Companion Features: It’s cheating I know but……Petrock easily is the coolest as far as pets go. He has alternate wings and his head can turn! How cool!
Figure That Came to Me as a Complete Surprise: This year I participated in MFC’s Secret Santa. It was great! I didn’t expect my person to get me the Suzaku figma that I had been yearning for. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box. I was so happy!
Best Bounce For Your Buck: Yes. Everything that I just typed was entirely intentional. Kallen won this award over Okita this year because honestly I like her boobs more.
Coolest Figure that would have Rocked if Included in the Normal Categories: I got my first completed Garage Kit this year, and boy is he impressive. I decided not to include him in statues because it would be unfair to the other contenders. He is pure awesome!
Coolest Villain I got a Figure of That I Never in a Million Years Guessed I Would: Chrollo Lucifer is so freakin….skin crawlie. This toy makes me a very happy little fan girl!
Most Entirely Average Figure that Looks Really Good: Jude Mathis is getting this one. He turned out fantastically, but there is nothing that stands out about him enough to get into the main categories. That doesn’t change the fact that he looks good.
Best Loss of Sanity: I’m pretty sure everytime I look at Nyaruko I need to go to Arkham Asylum……
Coolest Looking Weapons: I am not going to lie if there is one thing that Jude’s figure excels at, it is weaponry. The gauntlets he wears look amazing. The sculpt, paint, and overall detailing is great! I made up this category just for him, but it is true so I think that is ok.
Most Expressive Chibi: I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so bad for a chibi figure before.
Character that I was Wishing for a Figure of that I Never Thought I would Get: Some may see this as “just another Len figure”, but to me it is my first figure of Allen Avadonia. I hope eventually they will make more, as this is my favourite Vocaloid story!
Coolest Body Feature That I Couldn’t Justify Up Above: If I have said it before I’m sorry but his arms are so freaking cool! The detail that went into them is fantastic. Especially where the fingers split for the blade to be released!
Best Fetish Figure: Kallen immediately came to mind for this category. I absolutely love her plaid mini-skirt, combat boot combo. It is pretty hot. Then there is the loose tank top with the bunny hoodie. On top of all that she is a guitarist. Heck yeah! I don’t really care for Kallen, but that is pretty rockin’.
That’s all! It was a great year for collecting, but now it is time to start over again! See you next time!
Somewhere In The Midst Of Nowhere 