Review date: 2/20/2005

Manufacturer: Kotobukiya

Released: 2003

Availability: RARE

Type: PVC Figure

 
 
Personal Story:
I was browsing around a Japanese online site and I came across it. I really loved the design. I didn't really watch the anime, Comic Party, that this character was from but I did make an anime music video with it a few years ago so I was familiar with it. I decided to get it just because I liked the original garage kit but now I can afford this PVC version.
 
Introduction:
This is from a series of figures by Kotobukiya based on popular anime characters. These figures were originally garage kits which have been made into PVC figures for the masses. The figure is based on the character Mizuki Takase from the anime, Comic Party. It depicts Mizuki in a bikini.
 

Sculpt:
Very cool design. The character looks very nice and sexy. Some might say that she looks slightly different than her anime counterpart. She's a little bit more slender and her face is also a little longer but it works for this figure. Her hair is very well sculpted. The ponytail and ribbon look amazingly good. It's very dynamic and I like how it was exaggerated to show off its stylistic approach by the sculptor. It flows with a lot of movement and looks quite impressive. The bangs are full of detail with tons of little strands to help layer the look. The hair is definitely one of the more impressive features on this figure. It's full of details. The face is also fairly well sculpted but I would've liked a bit more emotion. She looks sad and melancholy for some reason.

The body is equally nice. Her body is slender and quite sexy. It looks very good. The limbs are nice and solid and I think it works quite well in this scale. I'm particular pleased with the sculpt of her legs and feet. They look very feminine and show off an elegance in a way that I haven't seen with figures in swimsuits before. The same can be said for her hands even though they're not doing anything special. The bikini sculpt has just a tiny amount of creases to give it some realism which is a nice detail. The straps and parts that touch the skin have a thickness that is just right so it doesn't look like it's painted on. Good job.

The pose itself is quite unusual. If you tried posing like this then you will find that it's impossible to have this pose in real life. The only way to achieve a pose like this is if you're living without any gravity. I think what the sculptor was trying to achieve was that he wanted to show all the parts of her body without sacrificing anything. You can tell that there are multiple focus points all over her body. The face, chest, legs and crotch seem to be screaming for attention. It's weird but it works for some reason. She looks darn sexy and I think that's all that matters. It's definitely one of the more unique poses I've seen on a figure like this. Well done.

The only accessory is her base. It's a weird looking base that doesn't work quite that well. It holds the figure fine but I don't like the sculpt. It's a weird rectangular stand with a round base. I think they should've put some work into the base and made it look like water or something a bit more natural. It hurts the overall presentation of the figure. The original garage kit used the same base but I think a new base would've been a good idea. Oh well.

The figure itself has ZERO articulation so you won't be posing it or anything. I didn't find any major problems with the sculpt and I have to say I was quite happy with it. Good job from Kotobukiya.
 

Paint:
The paint job is very clean with some minor details. The hair is the major pieces. The dark red/brown color is slightly darker than the source but it looks good on this figure. The yellow ribbon is nice and bright. Both pieces of the hair and ribbon have little bits of airbrushing to give it some detail. The eyes are nice and clear. Very clean. They also provided a tiny bit of color for the lips. The skin tone has a nice pigment that isn't too light or dark. The skin also has a tiny bit of airbrushing to accentuate the shadows.

The bikini's colors are decent with a tiny bit of slop on the edges. The purple stripes work and the text that says "Sports" on her bikini top is fairly clean. I can't really say there's anything really special about it. It works. I was quite happy with the overall paint job.

 
Overall: A
This is a nice sexy figure. I was pleased with her design even though I felt her pose was unnatural. The figure itself is very cool though. If you like the anime or a cute sexy chick in a bikini then it's a definite must-have. I like how the sculptor went for a soft slender look without making her too skinny.
 

Where can I find this?
Kind of rare. I got this a few years ago and it seems it's sold out at most places and is discontinued. I suggest checking various online Japanese retailers and online import stores for it but it's pretty much gone.

 
Other Images:


The figure in its box. Nice design as usual from Kotobukiya. Everything including the colors and layout works.

 


"Hey hun, wanna lather me up with some lotion?"

 


The other side. Just as sexy. I love the legs.

 


The "frontal" view. As you can see, we're not sure what we're supposed to focus on but it looks good nonetheless.

 


The back. Great hair and ribbon sculpt.

 
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