Figure Unboxing and Review: Nendoroid Fairy Racing Miku 2017 (Vocaloid)

Figure Unboxing and Review: Nendoroid Fairy Racing Miku 2017 (Vocaloid)

Friday, May 25, 2018 / No Comments

Here is another Miku Nendoroid and this time, it's Racing Miku 2017 version! If it isn't obvious yet, I'm finally opening all of my unopened figures and I hope to get them all done before... maybe December? Without further ado, let's look at this figure!

The box of Racing Miku has always been humongous, partially due to the fact that it always comes with a car and stickers to emulate the race car being used. This year's Miku is based on a fairy, and is illustrated by Tony. While I have my gripes about the scale figure (which my friend, a fan of Tony's artwork, has preordered), this Nendoroid is simply too cute and irresistible for me. So, here she is!

The front of the box is mainly in white and rather clean-looking while the back features slightly more color and design. That being said, the entire packaging is rather simple-looking and slightly plain, although I think that by doing so, it doesn't outshine the printed pictures of the Nendoroid itself.

Racing Miku figures are complimentary to the donation (8,000 yen) and thus are "exclusive" since you wouldn't be able to get them otherwise. However do note that for the 2018 version, it isn't as exclusive as you are still able to pre-order her at stores (for 6,000+ yen) although it definitely is less worthwhile than getting the "exclusive" one which comes with additional items such as a personal sponsor card and acrylic keychains/stands which are 1,000+ yen each on pre-order.

Leaving that aside, let's look at the different compartments of Fairy Miku!

She comes with quite limited pose-ability but the main bulk of the price is usually due to the car included as well as exclusive status. And as usual, Miku comes with accessories which you can use for posing Miku both inside and outside of the car. As you can see in the image below, there's the steering wheel of the car complete with hands to hold, as well as a flower bouquet which you can use when you simulate her victory!

Miku also comes with a bent leg for a cuter pose as well as hands with peace signs which you can use for a cheery double peace pose!

Additional accessories include her fairy wings and a trophy.

First, let's look at Miku with a bouquet in her right hand and a peace sign for her left. By using her bent leg here flushed out to the side at an angle, it really helps to complete the cute aspect of this figure. There are two aspects which I would like to mention about Miku's hair would be the gradient from green to yellow that adds to the soft feel this figure comes with, and the floral hair band on her left twintail has the same colors as her bouquet and really go well together!

Next, let's take a look at her outfit! It comes with a mass of white and light greens, but has a few parts highlighted by red (such as the butterflies on her boots as well as the Good Smile Racing logo. Her ears also comes with an ornament covering her ears, which plays up the fantasy aspect for this fairy themed Nendoroid.

She comes with this small green tie to boost the kawaii aspect, and some special design for her outfit, as demarcated by the translucent grey parts. You can even see her belly button through it!

Her wings uses a transparent plastic part with a light dusting of blue from the middle of the wings and designs to create a futuristic fairy appearance. I was initially quite skeptical as to how they would pull this off but the end result isn't too far from amazing. The only downside is that you are unable to use it when posing Miku in the car. I do wish they included a compromise for that.

Next up, we have Miku in the car, along with the trophy. I wouldn't go into details about the trophy as it is pretty self-explanatory but I'll like to show how the car looks before and after using the decals provided. Without further ado, let's look at a 360 of the car without any decals!

   

   

GSC has provided two sets of decals that you can use to paste on your car to make it look exactly like the one shown on the box. It also comes with a set of instructions on which to stick where in case you are uncertain. Do note that for my case, there are some stickers on either set that wouldn't come off well, and so I had to use the extra set to make up for it. Do treat each pasting like you wouldn't have an extra decal to use in replacement, and you'll mess up less.

The way the decals are arranged are exactly how you should put them on the car and it is actually rather simple to discern what should go where. Though, do note that the oil and dirt from you fingers may result in the decals being less sticky so I do recommend using something such as a pair of tweezers to carefully position the decal well. Re-pasting the decal would also obviously lead to it being damaged or being less sticky.

The most difficult decal to paste would be the yellow and pink flowers as I felt that they didn't line up well with the grooves and different angles of the car where it should have been pasted on. It wasn't very nicely done even on the prototype, so there's that as well.

It's definitely a very good feeling to finally own a Racing Nendoroid since most of them rise in price after release! Keep a lookout for her in the aftermarket if you do like this Nendoroid and I hope you'll find her at an affordable price!

~ Reina-rin

Figure Unboxing and Review: Magical Mirai Hatsune Miku 2017 (Vocaloid)

Figure Unboxing and Review: Magical Mirai Hatsune Miku 2017 (Vocaloid)

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Magical Mirai Miku 2017 was definitely one of the better Miku Nendoroids. I do love these Miku Nendoroids that we get a very different costume for every year, such as Snow Miku! This is also the second consecutive year that I'm getting a Magical Mirai Miku Nendoroid... These are just too cute!

As you can see, the theme is very close to a Magician theme and she comes with a wand and some playing cards to perform her magic tricks! Something good about these Nendoroids is that they often come with a whole bunch of accessories and this definitely does not disappoint!

She comes with three different faceplates, a wand, a top hat, a different bottom body part to pose her floating mid-air, and several exchanges of limbs.

She also comes with this background sheet that shows a circle of cards. You can display this either behind (as in official pictures) or in front of Miku to heighten the effect that she is casting her magic. Of course, this would work with any other Nendoroid as well.

For this Nendoroid, you can display her with or without her top hat. First, I'll take a look at her without her top hat so we can see her facial features and hair better.

And the first thing which I would like to highlight is that her hairstyle is quite different from the common Miku Nendoroids we see everywhere. Not only is the color slightly different, she also has a "straighter" and "chunkier" front part between her eyes, while the usual Miku only has one thick bunch of hair in the same area. The next two images below would provide a comparison for a better emphasis of what I just mentioned.

   

Next, let's take the same image from above back to take a closer look at the front view of the outfit of this Miku's Nendoroid.

She comes with a little dark blue tailcoat vest with a tiny ribbon to hold the entire set-up together. In addition, she comes with this dress that has a beautiful dark to light gradient going on and the bottom is lined with a thick border of lace and littered with three to four different star patterns. In addition, she comes with gloves to match the white lace and a pair of boots to complement. The boots uses a slightly translucent white shade and violet accents that contrasts well against the blue to add a splash of color to this Nendoroid.

She also comes with bloomers that not only really matches the concept of this outfit but also has each ruffle carefully sculpted. You can really feel the detail and amount of effort put into such a simple outfit by the sculpting and painting crew!

From the back, we see even more purple accents on her vest which helps to tie the color scheme used for the boots better with the rest of this Nendoroid.

Looking at the back of her head, do you see that criss-cross sectioning of her hair? I really love how that looks in real life and on Nendoroids and since not all Miku Nendoroids actually have this sectioning, I did hope that this Miku would have it and here she is, just as I wished for! That being said, the side strands at the nape of her neck is slightly awkward looking and I hope that they would have used something that would be more natural looking.

Now let's look at the other accessories that Miku comes with, starting from the wand. It comes with the elegant colors of gold and red and ends with a translucent teal apple-shaped top that matches Miku's hair color. This fits mostly well in Miku's hand and also complements her theme.

The other glorious accessory that comes along is this rainbow with playing cards and stars to create a more magical effect. When you match this with the wand, it looks just as if she has just casted a spell or performed a really cool magic trick! This rainbow has a peg hole at its back which you can then attach to the base with a ball-stand. By using a ball-stand, you can also change the angle for the rainbow to create different nuances in posing.

The other accessory which I'll like to highlight is this skirt part, which does come with different folds and lined around the edges with patterns which are better seen with this lighting. The flare of this skirt also makes it suitable for a pose where she is sitting or jumping in the air.

The other side of the skirt doesn't have any patterns which are worth mentioning but do note that it comes with a peg to join to her pelvic and legs. This peg also helps with posing her as you can have her either just leaping or sitting in the air.

And finally, last but not the least, let's take a look at her top hat. It comes with some decorative accessories at the left side - some roses, a playing card, and a dangling star. It also comes with a white ribbon that contrasts well against the dark colors of the hat.

Unfortunately the hat isn't well-balanced on her and instead of putting a magnet, GSC has chosen to use the purple felt strap for securing the hat to her head. The hat comes with the felt strap already attached to one side of the hat while the other side comes with a velcro. You have to slip the felt strap under her chin and attach it to the velcro. While this may hold well in the short term, I have my suspicions on its durability if you are the kind to move the hat around frequently.

That being said, this Miku Nendoroid is definitely one of the cutest and I hope that you'll consider purchasing one if you have the chance to do so!

~ Reina-rin

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 / No Comments

Ignorance isn't necessarily bliss, though I suppose that would still make an effective excuse for not doing certain stuff, like watching the anime adaptation of Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii. Believe it or not, I have read the manga before, but have since conveniently swept that memory under the carpet. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the manga. I just wish I could relate more to it.

The glaring question is, would a non-otaku like myself be able to happily immerse in the anime then? Yes and no. Really, it depends on how one approaches the series from its beginning. My suggestion is to simply focus on what plays on the surface, and not dwell much on the many references and such that could easily overwhelm a non-otaku. The anime is thankfully rather digestible compared to the manga.

Naturally, the narrative brings together a bunch of characters who identify as otaku though their interests vary. There is a fujoshi slash BL doujinshi artist, a hardcore gamer, a cosplayer, and a hero slash bishoujo fanatic. The idea of finding romance from an otaku's perspective shapes the gist of the story, as these characters bring with them the struggles of balancing their 'normal' lives and 'not so normal' interests.

I think I actually appreciate the anime more, maybe because it feels milder yet still colourful enough to please most people. There is an overall feel-good vibe to it, and I find myself laughing quite heartily at several scenes. Unfortunately, the anime will only run for 11 episodes. I don't know if it is a one-season thing, but a continuation would be nice!

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

「Ani-summary」Introduction to Mahou Shoujo Site - Episode 3

「Ani-summary」Introduction to Mahou Shoujo Site - Episode 3

Tuesday, May 15, 2018 / No Comments

There are three main parts to this episode and I'll highlight them separately. The first would be following the main team comprising of only Aya and Tsuyuno at this point. Due to Shioi Rina using too many sticks consecutively and at once, she has suffered severe internal injuries and is now in a coma. Due to this, Aya and Tsuyuno are unable to get any crucial information from her regarding the Tempest.

This is when it daws on Aya that that they could just cooperate with a Mahou Shoujo with the power to wake Shioi up and get the information regarding the Tempest from her. To identify the abilities matching what they needed, they referred to Shioi's  "Murder Book" and found the photo of a girl who looks familiar.

At the exact same time, the TV in the hospital turns on to an idol show and the same girl appears on the screen. She is Anazawa Nijimi, appearing in the idol group Dog's Play as Nijimin.

Nijimin has numerous fans and the main fan which they focused on in this series is this dark-haired man in the image below.

Aya and Tsuyuno managed to infiltrate at this particular meet-and-greet session, and by using their powers, managed to freeze time and teleport Nijimin away from the meet-and-greet location so they had some time to speak. This makes the remaining hall go into a frenzy when Tsuyuno unfreezes time as Nijimin is missing. They start looking for her which cuts the time they had to speak to Nijimin to an incredibly short interval.

Ignoring the fact that it would be definitely more beneficial if they allowed Nijimin to move while still pausing time, they managed to identify each other as Mahou Shoujo and confirm a meeting time that same day.

At that same time, Nijimin meets them at the lobby and appears to be overly excited that she has made new friends. It then strikes Tsuyuno as weird that even with the rumors of Magical Hunter loitering around, Nijimin was so defenceless around them.

This quickly makes sense to Tsuyuno when Nijimin reveals that her stick could help her control other people's minds. This was effectively one of the most powerful skills as she could literally command another person to do anything with just her voice alone. She also uses her powers frequently for trivial things such as getting her fans to do her cleaning and laundry for her.

   

Noting the dangers of falling on Nijimin's bad side, Tsuyuno quickly steered the conversation to how Nijimin was able to keep her identity as a Mahou Shoujo hidden, especially from other Mahou Shoujo. Nijimin then acknowledges that her stick is actually underwear which makes it easier to hide from other, as compared to bulky items such as Aya's gun. She also dyes her hair and wears colored contacts to prevent the change in her hair and eye color from being known when she uses her powers. She also uses a concealer to conceal the mark on her wrist.

They then moved on to the question if Nijimin knows of any other Mahou Shoujo before meeting them. This was obviously a landmine as she immediately sinks into her other personality.

Nijimin had a fellow Mahou Shoujo named Mikado that was murdered by Shioi Rina. Shioi had a firsthand experience with Nijimin's power and was commanded to rip herself to shreds, and barely managed to escape only due to Mikado's own stick, which helped to cancel out all magic and physical attacks from outside the box.

It isn't revealed in Nijimin's flashback as to how Shioi managed to escape after, but the power of the flashback causes Nijimin to go all insane as she sketches out Shioi's "changed" appearance angrily out on a piece of paper while screaming about her urge to murder Shioi.

The scary part about Nijimin here is how quickly she switches back to her neutral jolly mood after that whole episode. But despite the quick switch, Aya and Tsuyuno understands that it would be impossible to try and enlists Nijimin's help, thus they tried to evade the topic and find a suitable time to leave, which they succeeded in doing.

Back at the hospital, Aya comes out with another plan that consists of stealing Nijimin's wand and simply using it but this was shot down quickly by Tsuyino as she refused to shorten her lifespan for this. This could perhaps also be the same reason as to why she doesn't use the other wands to change Shioi's appearance back to normal as well.

Meanwhile in the same hospital, the second important part in this episode moves. Sarina has her gripes over the scar on her neck and how she was going to make Aya pay for it. Upon leaving her ward, she hears Aya's voice and by following it, she hears about Mahou Shoujo and also finds the ward which Shioi is in.

Upon entering the room she finds the site admin who mentions that Shioi Rina is disqualified. And in her place, the unfortunate soul, Sarina, was invited to become the new Magical Hunter.

The third important part to this plot would be Aya's brother, Kaname. Kaname notices that Aya has changed recently and is extremely unhappy with that as he thinks of Aya as his punching bag and for such an object, friends are not necessary.

Hence he decides to do a little snooping around and realizes that Aya has been on a "Mahou Shoujo Site" due to her computer's history.

Despite being unable to find and enter the said site, it still piques his interest and it's almost certain that he would be snooping around even more in episodes to come!

If my brief summary of the first three episodes of Mahou Shoujo Site has piqued your interest, be sure to set aside some time to watch the anime and read the manga :)

~ Reina-rin