Here’s my second go at a figure photo shoot. I know the lighting is far from perfect but I’ll get better as time goes along. Sorry in advance for the low resolution shots, because Flickr caps the maximum size for free users. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Shuraki is a collaboration between Good Smile Company and Red Entertainment. Mishiro is the first in the series of figure boxsets that include a figure, artbook, and a drama CD.
Manufacturer: Goodsmile Company
Scale: 1/8
Price: ~$42
Release date: October 2007
Quoted from Heisei Democracy, This first “trinity box” release features original character Mishiro Akatsuki, designed by Migarashi Aki and sculpted by zenko of circle Iousen. This first limited edition box release due out in September consists of 5,000 units, containing the figure itself (with interchangeable parts), a 92-minute drama spanning two CDs and featuring some of Japan’s finest voice talent , and a 24-page A5 size booklet with production art and other material.
Quoted from HLJ’s page: To start off the series, here’s battle-ready Akatsuki Mishiro, wielding her unique Aonoyuki and Yominomu katanas. Sculpted by Zenko of Iousen, Akatsuki measures about 17cm tall to her tallest lock of hair, and comes packed with an interchangeable battle-damaged school uniform set, plus snow diorama bases for each of her feet. The included 24-page illustration booklet contains works by character designer Aki Igarashi, along with information on the story and character, a cast interview, comments from staff, and a column about the making of the music. As if that’s not enough, a 92-minute Japanese audio drama spanning two CDs is included, with Ami Koshimizu performing Akatsuki’s voice and a special character song!
You may know Ami Koshimizu as the seiyuu of characters such as Kallen (Code Geass), Anemone (Eureka Seven), Tenma Tsukamoto (School Rumble), and most recently Nanaka Yatsushiro (Myself; Yourself).
From what I can gather of the story, I think Mishiro has some sort of spirit possess her when she needs to fight. If anyone could translate or wants to collaborate on one, feel free to contact me. The CD is pretty much an anime drama CD minus the anime. The artbook is a fun bonus with original artwork and concept art.
Well, the figure itself is absolutely gorgeous. She comes with two swords and extra battle scarred clothing. While the cast-off ability is a nice extra, I’m not too fond of it. It’s inevitable that the figure will get scuffs and scratches in the process. She also has hair crazy enough for two anime girls. My Mishiro did come with a few minor blemishes here and there, but that can’t be totally avoided. Luckily they aren’t in major areas so they aren’t too noticeable. I didn’t bother changing to the damaged clothes for this session because it’s pretty difficult to take the sailor fuku on and off. All you get are a few bra shots as a consolation.
The sculpt is very nicely done and has a good dynamic quality to it. The paint has nice tones to accentuate certain areas of her figure. The base itself is also quite interesting as she stands over the blood splattered snow. Number run-down time.
Sculpt: 10/10
Very nicely done with lots of intricate details. As said earlier it is very much an action pose. The seam lines really blend in and don’t stand out too much. Gotta love that crazy hair she has. The swords really seem to become the centerpiece of the figure.
Paint: 9/10
Good paint work. Skin tones and clothing colors look spot-on. Be careful not to rub the paint off if you decide to cast-off the clothes.
Base: 9/10
The blood covered snow really sets the mood of the figure. Nice touch.
Predicted Reliability: 9/10
Doesn’t look like she’ll be a leaner judging from the way the figure is balanced because of her stance.
Total Score: 37/40 = 92.5%
Overall: A great figure if you can find it. The second run is slated for a January 2008 release. Very highly recommended.
Sources: Heisei Democracy, HobbyLink Japan
