Here is a review of Mikuru Asahina adult version by Max Factory. I didn't see lots of her's: foo-bar-baz... and that's all :x
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Name: Asahina Mikuru Adult Ver. (朝比奈みくる 大人Ver)
Manufacturer: Max Factory (page of the figure).
Distributor: Good Smile Company (page of the figure).
Price: 7,429yen excluding taxes / 7,800yen including taxes.
Release date (Japan): June 2009
Original: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no yūutsu)
Scale: 1/8 - Height: 20 cm
Type: PVC figure
Sculptor: Chieri
Box size: L14 cm x D12 cm x H26 cm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ABOUT MIKURU ASAHINA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mikuru is the most MOE member of the SOS Brigade in the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. She travels through the time but I won't say anything more 'cause it's confidential, shh ;) She's far from the image that I had of time travellers (Michael J. Fox or Christopher Lloyd from one of my fav SF movies).
"Shh, that's a secret!"
Mikuru is rather clumsy and looks like timid and that makes her even more adorable (as well as her natural advantages).
This Mikuru from the future appears in the 10th episode of the 1st season. She is clumsy as well but she is more confident. It's the first time Kyon meets her and he has doubts about her true identity, that is why she wants to prove she's really Mikuru by showing the beauty spot she has on her left breast.
The following review is about the PVC figure of "Mikuru Asahina's temporal variation" as Yuki Nagato says.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE BOX AND ITS CONTENT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The box is "small" o/ that's something good for me 'cause the space is more and more limited in my room and the boxes of my BRS by GSC, Saber Lily by GSC and Fate T. Harlaown True Sonic form by Alter do not help :x
The colors are ok: there are parts of the pink H (H for Haruhi) on a white background. There are also some samples of cut official shoots. The box has classically windows to let us see the content. The pictures on the rear shows clearly the possibilities to mix the faces and the different positions for the arms.
The cardboard is rather thin... in short, that's a classical box at Max Factory.
There is the round brilliant "Kadokawa Production" sticker (it can be a criterion to identify bootlegs but noone spotted any bootleg for this figure).
Both thermoformed shells contain the figure with the "wink" face by default, the base, 1 right arm and 2 alternative faces.
There is an instruction papersheet that says that the shoulders have articulations:
Packaging score: 7/10
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The base.
It's just a light-green disk: I won't give the RAL or the Pantone references but this colour reminded me the pistachio ice-cream's one. At the beginning I thought it was ugly, but the light colour makes the base become a bit invisible in an environnement with light colours and that's the case at my house. It is also possible to customise the base by laying a papersheet on the base after having cut holes for the shoes.
The chara-design, the faces, the posing.
Mikuru from the future is dressed like a "working girl": a shirt with a skirt. My boss is dressed with something like that but her skirt is longer. I prefer shorter... I prefer Mikuru's one (L).
She has sober pumps. It seems to me that she wears pantyhose because the colours of the legs is darker than the arm's one.
Mikuru stands up straight and her legs are crossed (that's so feminine :p). There are 3 possible epxressions of the faces: by default there is the winking face... I really like winks: it shows a kind of special relationship ("Shh, that's our secret").
One of the face has a smile while the other one looks angry (she frowns). This frowning face would shows that she is upset by the fact that Kyon does not recognize her.
There are two possibilities for the right arm: the one has the up forefinger, the other one holds the shirt. I would have preferred the arm with the up forefinger to be made in order to let Mikuru say "Shh" with the forefinger on her lips =/ The way it is for the figure is not exactly the purpose.
Besides the arms are articulated: they can slightly rotate. The movement of the right arm is limited because the elbow trips over the hair. The left arm can rotate more... until she torn the shirt (I did not do it!). This mechanism is used to adjust the opening of the shirt.
In comparison with a static PVC figure, this mechanism has some drawbacks: by removing the front hair block to change the face, the left lock can rub the left hand and rotating the left arm makes the fingers of the left hand rub the breast (it's less seeable when the shirt is closed).
Posing score: 7/10
The quality and the details.
About the shirt: the shirt on the body is made of a supple material. It's a kind of plastic/rubber like Akatsuki Mishiro's seifuku (Shuraki Trinity Box 1). There is no painting on it but it has been modelled to make the shape of some details like buttons or folds.
Then the sleeves are made of classical painted PVC: the folds are well-sculpted but the paint is so simple (no real colour gradation). It's the same for the skirt: nice folds on the front and on the rear but the painting looks like so simple. BUT nice thing: the buttocks are well-molded :P
There is the nail-polish... on the contrary to Touko :P
The bracelet is not molded in the wrist like Akiha Shishidou by GSC: it's a ring that can move around the left arm. It's nice but it can slightly rub (not as much as the mechanism that rotates the arms).
The hair is so-so: there is a slight colour gradation between the top of the head and the hair on the back. The locks of hair are not detailled but I must admit the original chara-design's ones were like this.
The joint of the front hair block is seeable, and for one of the face I did not succeed to completely push the hair block (but I did try a lot).
Let us come to the pretext to have made this figure: the beauty spot! We have it: it just a little black spot (what a surprise)... be careful people who do not watched the anime, IT IS NOT A DUST !!! Do no try to remove it :P
Painting score: 6/10
Sculpting score: 7/10
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I would say there is a mix between a PVC figure and an articulated figure (more PVC figure of course). Max Factory has the experience in producing articulated figures (with its successful toyline figma). I felt this influence with the changing face system: other manufacturers would have made alternative heads.
But that's not the main interest of this figure, it's just something curious in comparison to classical PVC figures.
What's interesting would rather be the character herself. Following the example of Yuki Nagato as spaceship captain by Daiki Kougyou, I like that kind of version because it is a variation of the character, but this version is not pure fan-service (outfits that wouldn't have anything to do with the character) because she appeared like this in the anime even if it was during a very short moment. But I did not (yet) buy Yuki Nagato by Daiki because of the scale (1/6): it is too huge for me :o
The general quality is satisfying but the price is high: it's probably because of the evolved articulated PVC system. In my opinion, this figure is not a must have because she has (I've got the feeling I am going to repeat myself regarding what I said in Touko's review -.-) a so simple oufit.
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