Figure Unboxing and Review: Kousaka Honoka Angelic Angel ver. (Banpresto)

Figure Unboxing and Review: Kousaka Honoka Angelic Angel ver. (Banpresto)

Monday, October 8, 2018 / No Comments

While the Angelic Angel versions used to take the world by storm with their colorful costumes and their symbolism to the ending of µ's, the announcement of Aqours later caused their hiked prices to fall rather drastically for less popular characters. And now, with PDP announced as well, I am struggling to get Honoka's goods before the new mobile game: All Stars! bring the prices up a notch again.

Kousaka Honoka... Prize A in the Ichiban Kuji! 

The box is rather plain, coming in a white box with some print-outs of the figure to give a feel of what the figure would look like when assembled. However, do note that these pictures cannot be trusted sometimes, and unfortunately, this figure comes with a printing defect (that many others experienced as well) making it difficult to put her into the advertised pose.

As with most prize figures recently, she also comes in a simple blister to keep her safe during transport. Every pocket is deep enough to hold all the items securely and surprisingly, the smell of plasticizer isn't overwhelmingly strong for a figure this old, that hasn't been opened before.

We also see that she comes mostly pre-assembled and all you have to do is connect the figure to its base and place the opened yellow fan in her hand!

While purple is more of Nozomi's color, I have to praise Banpresto for choosing purple because it fits the red of Honoka's kimono so well without taking the limelight away from the figure! It's also a good size for the figure itself, making it easy to squeeze this figure into displays.

The base also features a small portion of flowers and a portion of sparkles as well. The pegs are also of different sizes so there is a 'correct angle' to display her at and you wouldn't mess it up.

Once out of the box, we realize that there is a fatal printing error with Honoka. Her head is... tilted slightly too much and hence the fan wouldn't be able to sit flush with the peg on her hand and remain in the advertised position.

This seems to be a common problem across many platforms and reviews, but seeing as this is a prize figure, Banpresto wouldn't and didn't do much about it. If you managed to get a flawless copy, good for you, but if not, you could try using her hair as support to hold the fan in place.

I love the hair accessory as it features such vivid colors that tie in with the orange of her hair. The curl of her new braided hairstyle also makes the figure look that much more dynamic.

While her pose and how her face is sculpted makes her look a lot more feminine than how she is like in the series, I think that this is a rather good buy due to the strong colors that makes her so attention-grabbing no matter which display she is in.

However, as this is a prize figure, be prepared to have lesser quality figures. For instance, the flower decals on her left sleeve does not reach all the way to the yellow hem. The material also sports less creases, and hence appear less soft, than how scale figures are sculpted.

Due to her pose, the obi isn't visible from the front, but it is in full view from behind! The white is a nice contrast against the reds and yellos and the floral pattern ties the concept of her kimono together while still adequately setting itself apart due to the color scheme employed. That being said, the sculpting is a tad poor where the string meets the sash, creating this extra pinch of white material sitting above the purple string.

The white pom-pom and purple tassel is another one of my favorite points of this figure! The way the purple tassel is sculpted just looks so dynamic and attention grabbing! It's also a nice contrast to the red and yellow as well. On the other hand, the white pom-pom could use a little more shading, but the sculpting is alright given its price point. 

And last but not the least, three points. Firstly, the flower at her neck has a two toned color which makes it subtle yet pretty. I never noticed that it was there until I got the figure. It was a wonderful surprise to see how much a one flower can add to the figure.

Secondly, the layers of her kimono that you can clearly see under her folded arms. Each layer feature a different sculpting and painting style and I'm particularly impressed by the second layer which has detailed and precise yellow hems painted onto it.

Lastly, the stockings/boots. The red ribbon is painted on so precisely, with no painting errors at all. On the other hand the sculpting could be slightly better in showing that the ribbon is there to hold the ensemble together.

All in all, I think that the sculpting work is decent but could be better. There is a lot more shading that has to be done to the figure to elevate it as well. That being said, I love the attire and the vivid colors used. This same strong point is seen in the figures of the other eight girls as well, so if you like a particular member, I think this is an excellent and worth-it buy... while the price is still decent (2k yen and below).

~ Reina-rin

Vanitas Art Gallery

Vanitas Art Gallery

Saturday, September 29, 2018 / No Comments

Do you like visiting the art gallery/museum? 

Art can be analysed in multifarious by fascinated sightseer; creativity encircling us notably in a time of age, we scour for in-depth values such as during the weekend, I found myself off to a journey to an art exhibition located at Kult Gallery. A common district yet, it was the first time I set foot to another section of the streets. Rows of houses, a hipster cafe that of which garnered my curious attention. 

By the aid of Vanitas postcards as a makeshift torchbearer for visitants to stalk the correct pathway. Grateful for the warm weather, the gallery was "hidden" before I logged into my hand-phone to determine the venue. Beyond the glass doors, I catch the glimpse several girls clad in black.

Hosted by a group of local artists they greeted me in chirpy voices just as Sarah Thursday whom I was lucky enough to encounter at the Singapore Toy Game and Comic Convention, mosey over to hand out a desired cooling drink. Vermilion and ebony-tone as the keynote; the ambience was soothing whilst music blared from a small screen television. 

On the last event for the day, I turned up early the gallery was void of guests apart from the creator, recuperated from my short break, it was time for me to sightsee the surrounding display. My straying eyeballs hesitated a moment to dote on the perfect settings without further ado, I was stationed at the front of the precise details; strewn crisp petals, with illustration pictures, were framed and hung onto the vibrant scarlet wall. 

The artist, Sanatoriium, kindly dropped by to clarify her amazing showpiece; she contributed snippets about the artwork as the pretty maker wisely enlightened individual beings had their own interpretation. Once again, I was left to my own device when she gently excused herself it gave me the opportunity to study the poetry printed on the behind the postcards. 

The goth vibe is to live for.

One by one, I mentally read the words but ceased to move when tears prickle behind my eyelids; scattered sentiment because "Letting Go" and "Crimson & Spider Lilies" affected me deeply. 

Letting Go

The petite exhibition room began to bristle with companies as well as a fluffy special guest; an adorable dog. Artists mingle with their adoring fans as the atmosphere became lively. I fluttered off to another booth prepared by a creator with the monicker mothhead; the style of art was beyond arresting at the same time each piece epitomize a strong message.

Mothhead with her creative artwork

Yelselogy diverged her artwork referring to the eternal struggle with famine, pestilence, war and death. The element for each and every one of her creation was captivating. The next illustration by Erikartoon was spellbinding; each frame displayed eccentric illustration and tattoo worthy. 

Erikartoon makes awesome illustration, trust me.

Peithedragon, an illustrator and a tattoo artist cause me to literally saliva, every single fine artpiece was enthralling; my fascination for fine art notched higher. The said creator was absent but it never stopped my brain from screeching mentally and if there was a possibility to have one of her fine art tattooed on my body. 

(Hotaru Tomoe)

I am hopelessly in love with "Jealousy" as the name for this illustration

(Oni)

(Rebirth)

In the fullness of time, the art exhibition was well put together with friendly artists in the hopes to spread more awareness for local arts. As a means of support and a show of appreciation, I make a purchase and felt better to witness the smiles on the faces of the talented individuals. 

Written by, Rugi Chan

Gokushufudou: The Way of the House Husband

Gokushufudou: The Way of the House Husband

Friday, September 28, 2018 / 2 Comments

Lately, I've got friends asking me for the name of a particular manga. Funny and fresh, it has been appearing all over social media. It is none other than Gokushufudou: The Way of the House Husband!

The series revolves around Immortal Tatsu, an ex-yakuza who gave up his violent lifestyle to take care of the household as an honest man. Unfortunately, due to his killer demeanour and burning intensity, he not only manages to freak everyone out but also bewilders his wife sometimes.

From this...

...to this.

Since I'm a huge fan of all sorts of gangster movies (mafia, yakuza, triad...you name it, I might have watched it), I enjoyed the way Gokushufudou simultaneously plays up the yakuza stereotype while poking fun at it!

Although originally meant to have only 5 chapters, it has become so popular that the author has continued drawing it. If you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, check it out!

Written by Nana

「Mobage」Choichoi Doraemon!

「Mobage」Choichoi Doraemon!

Monday, September 24, 2018 / No Comments

Nostalgic? Fret not, your childhood cartoon animation Doraemon is here to save the day! The title has recently released a mobile game that encompasses another childhood game mechanic...

Yes, that's right, you've guessed it! Using a ball to break bricks (but with a modern twist)!

As with most games, you are able to choose if you'd rather be male or female, along with setting a name.

You can also exchange for costumes and customize your character's appearance. There is a chance that events might encompass such customization as well~

When you start the game, you'll be given a Doraemon ball which you will be using in stages. There are also 8 other character balls so if you're a fan of the series, you'll definitely want to collect all of these.

Each character also has 6 different balls, and these are likely to be of different colors. When you break a block of the same color as the ball you're using, you'll get a higher score!

Likewise, using a ball in stages earns it EXP, which in turn gives you a higher score, so you'll definitely want to get a ball of a character you like, with a skill that's useful for your playing style.

Unlike most games, there is no "rebound" feature and you'll not lose the match if the ball touches the bottom of the screen. In fact, you can move the ball by flicking it against the wall and thus change the ball's trajectory mid-air.

If you get all the coins in a stage, you'll get a congratulatory dorayaki, which can be used to exchange for items (image below).

Do note that one stage does not always only mean one map, you might have three maps to collect from and they are linked one-way, so if you accidentally leave the first map (by going through the ceiling), you will not be able to return.

There are many other tiles and obstacles. For instance, there's a bomb one (image above), as well as a coin tile as well. There's also an electric zapper that would subtract one second each time you come into contact with it :(

        

Some types of shards you can get upon clearing a stage are blue, white and pink shards. A mixture of these would be useful in power-ups and exchanging for items.

These power-ups will come in useful when playing stages as they come with three-star goals such as score, and collecting more than X number of coins goals. In the event that you're unwilling to trade for them, you could always buy them before your stage!

What I have noticed about the game is that despite having a simple game mechanism that only involves flicking the ball, it takes a lot more to actually be good at the game. You'll have to understand the ball's trajectory and find a suitable method to evade obstacles while collecting as many coins as possible.

This is definitely a challenging game that would be rewarding if you manage to get three-stars on your stages. It's even better if you are a Doraemon fan!