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Astro Toy - Gutto-Kuru Noriko Takaya




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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1528
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:04 am Reply with quote
How funny. I just re-watched Gunbuster yesterday. It's one of my all-time favorites (even if I always end up crying at the end).

I'm so glad the Noriko figure turned out okay. I was really on the fence about whether or not to pre-order her because of the cost and the fact that I knew nothing about the manufacturer. I didn't want to end up paying a lot of money for crap, but I figured that I'd never see another Noriko figure again, so I gambled. Looks like I won. Hooray!

Thanks for the review!
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Kit-Tsukasa



Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 930
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:01 pm Reply with quote
To be honest, the figma looks cheaply made as does the paint and while the face is off a bit, they did managed to impressively capture the 80s anime feel as described. The worse part about this figure though is it's cost. Figmas tend to go for about $50-$60, high end probably $80 or so, but $125 is way too much of a premium, especially from a lesser known company. The joints/connectors are all too visible, which makes it look even uglier. I feel one is paying more for the size of the figure than anything else at this point as 20cm is indeed very tall.

It's nice to see some more manufacturers rolling out older figures, but if they keep selling them at such high prices, it kind of defeats the purpose.
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Juno016



Joined: 09 Jan 2012
Posts: 2381
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:05 pm Reply with quote
Kit-Tsukasa wrote:
To be honest, the figma looks cheaply made as does the paint and while the face is off a bit, they did managed to impressively capture the 80s anime feel as described. The worse part about this figure though is it's cost. Figmas tend to go for about $50-$60, high end probably $80 or so, but $125 is way too much of a premium, especially from a lesser known company. The joints/connectors are all too visible, which makes it look even uglier. I feel one is paying more for the size of the figure than anything else at this point as 20cm is indeed very tall.

It's nice to see some more manufacturers rolling out older figures, but if they keep selling them at such high prices, it kind of defeats the purpose.


Just a note, but "figma" is a brand name, not a general term for jointed figures. Figma are typically the $40-60 jointed figures with some pretty cheaply-made parts (even though they are cool, nonetheless). This figure is from CM, who are small, but pretty well-known (at least, in my broad field of interests). CM's stuff is pretty much what-you-pay-is-what-you-get. It's not ridiculously amazing quality, like I've seen on $200-300 figures, but it's not exactly super-cheap quality like I see on many $40-80 figures (or inhumanely cheap quality on some $20-50 figures). For the most part, this looks about right, considering most figures I see like this are about $80-150 in price.

Figure collecting is expensive in the first place, though. I can only afford cheap figma and third-party/previously-owned figures (risking fakes)... and tiny trading figures and such, of course. But I'm pretty much done collecting figma outside of any possible future Madoka figmas they release... and even then, if it's anything like another exclusive $150+ set, I probably will have to pass it up. ):
I want to find an old Kamen Rider Ryuki figma for less than $40, though. I saw one being sold like that once and I missed my chance to buy it...
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Lord Geo



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 2544
Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:44 pm Reply with quote
My only experience with CM's is via my Mecha Action Series: Mechander Robo Standard Ver. Limited Ed. Metallic Color, which is very nicely done, if a little annoying to get into certain positions; I got it to stand still in a pose featuring Mechander Fencer (the sword) in one hand, while the other hand is flipped into the missile launcher and it's staying that way for the moment.

As for the Noriko, it does look very nicely done. The face is perfect and it's cool to see it so very poseable and specifically made to be put into "The Pose". Even though it's really expensive (about twice the price I paid for my Mechander Robo) it looks to be worth every penny, honestly.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5823
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:37 pm Reply with quote
Looks like a great figure, and probably a must have for Noriko fans that have the money or debt for it.
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Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:30 am Reply with quote
Quote:
May the Dirty Pair figures come out this well... but at that price, people are really going to be forced to choose between Kei or Yuri, huh?

Does anybody even like Yuri that much? The original TV series is really more The Kei Show, anyway.
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Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:48 am Reply with quote
Fronzel wrote:

Does anybody even like Yuri that much? The original TV series is really more The Kei Show, anyway.


I never much liked Kei, personally.

Though (and this will probably sound weird to people who are aware of my taste), I couldn't ever really get into Dirty Pair the way I wanted to. And I did try.
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Vaisaga



Joined: 07 Oct 2011
Posts: 13224
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:50 am Reply with quote
As much as I think Gunbuster is the greatest anime ever made and how Noriko is my favourite character period, I wouldn't pay that much for this figure. Heck, I doubt I'd pay anything. I just don't particularly like how it looks. I've always prefered fixed posed PVC because joints usually bother me.

I'll just make due with the Noriko and Nono figures that came with the limited edition of the movie DVD boxset.
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The Human Spider



Joined: 19 Jan 2007
Posts: 334
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:03 am Reply with quote
Vaisaga wrote:
As much as I think Gunbuster is the greatest anime ever made and how Noriko is my favourite character period, I wouldn't pay that much for this figure. Heck, I doubt I'd pay anything. I just don't particularly like how it looks. I've always prefered fixed posed PVC because joints usually bother me.

I'll just make due with the Noriko and Nono figures that came with the limited edition of the movie DVD boxset.


I'd like to get this figure but the price is too much. I prefer fixed-pose figures too. Posable figures tend to be a more risky purchase--there's too many things that can go wrong with them. For posables about $50-60 is the top price I'll pay. Still it's nice to see a figure from an old-school series. But what I'd really like to see are affordable, pre-assembled SLAYERS figures.
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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1528
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:53 am Reply with quote
The Human Spider wrote:
But what I'd really like to see are affordable, pre-assembled SLAYERS figures.


I'd LOVE to have Slayers figures too!!
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davecabrera
ANN Columnist


Joined: 28 Feb 2010
Posts: 132
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:20 am Reply with quote
Volks is doing PVC for Slayers. I don't think preorders have opened up but I'm buying a Lina, because of course.

EDIT: Whoops it's resin. That rather changes the situation.


Last edited by davecabrera on Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1528
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:15 pm Reply with quote
davecabrera wrote:
Volks is doing PVC for Slayers. I don't think preorders have opened up but I'm buying a Lina, because of course.


Woo hoo! I'll definitely pre-order her. Thanks for the tip!
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The King of Harts



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 6712
Location: Mount Crawford, Virginia
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:15 pm Reply with quote
What's this I hear about Slayers figures? Looking on MFC for Volks and Lina Inverse only brings up Garage kits.
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luffypirate



Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3186
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:50 pm Reply with quote
Do want but I'd rather grab the Gunbuster 2 BD box next month for almost the same price. If its still around in a few months I'll get it. she's real cute.
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The Human Spider



Joined: 19 Jan 2007
Posts: 334
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2012 9:15 am Reply with quote
davecabrera wrote:
Volks is doing PVC for Slayers. I don't think preorders have opened up but I'm buying a Lina, because of course.

EDIT: Whoops it's resin. That rather changes the situation.


The Volks kits are very tempting, I especially like the Naga sculpt and it's cool to see Gourry getting a kit too, but price and assembly are major roadblocks for me(though I heard that they might be pre-painted, which would ease the pain a little.) What I'd really like to see done for SLAYERS is something similar to the upcoming YU YU HAKUSHO figures from Kotobukiya: mid-priced standard PVC figures. Anyways it's encouraging to see what seems to be a mini-surge of interest in older series from figure makers.
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