Quantcast
Channel: figures – SoraNews24 -Japan News-
Viewing all 232 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Samurai Darth Vader figure and his light-katana tempt us to the dark/awesome side of the force

December 26, 2014, 10:00 pm
$
0
0

SV 18

It’s been said that the costume design for Darth Vader, one of the most recognizable outfits in the history of film, was heavily inspired by samurai armor. The similarities are pretty easy to spot, what with the face plate and helmet backing that continues lower down the back of the neck than what’s normal for western helms.

But what if you kept going until you came full-circle, and designed a set of samurai armor based off of Vader’s? You’d get something like this awesome figure that just went on sale in Japan.

You can thank manufacturer Tamashii Arrows for this crossover. Vader is part of the company’s Meishou Movie Realization series, which reimagines iconic movie characters with an infusion of Japanese flair. The newest member of the lineup, the Meishou Movie Realization Samurai General Darth Vader, went on sale earlier this month.

SV 1

SV 2

With the release of the trailer for the upcoming seventh Star Wars movie, there’s been a lot of discussion about its three-beam lightsaber. While it may not be the most practical design for a science-fiction laser sword, it is pretty stylish in its own way. Still, it isn’t quite as cool as Samurai Vader’s light-katana.

SV 4

▼ Looks like Vader’s new duds means he can’t resist the urge for a little bit of Japanese cinema-style chambara swordfighting.

SV 7

▼ “No. I am your chichioya.”

SV 3

The 9,504-yen (US$81), 180-milimeter (7.1-inch) figure comes with two versions of his katana (drawn and sheathed) and three sets of hands.

SV 10

SV 8

While minions aren’t part of the Samurai Vader package, a samurai stormtrooper figure is set to go on sale next May.

SV 15

SV 13

The stormtrooper stands just a little shorter than his superior, at 170 millimeters, and is also slightly more affordably priced at 8,424 yen ($70). While he lacks the Sith Lord’s lightsaber, the package does include a sword, sheath, and blaster.

SV 12

SV 17

Plus, just like the Vader figure, the samurai stormtrooper comes with three sets of hands, which can be removed and swapped in and out to match whatever pose you’re going for.

▼ The starkly defined nipples though, are fixed in place.

SV 16

Source: Artist Database, Tamashii
Images: Tamashii

Related Stories

Origin: Samurai Darth Vader figure and his light-katana tempt us to the dark/awesome side of the force
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧
Search

Anime ninja girl figurine takes it from behind, doesn’t seem to mind what “it” is

December 28, 2014, 1:00 pm
$
0
0

SB 9

Let’s play a little word association game. What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear Senran Kagura?

I’m guessing at least a couple of you just said “Gesundheit.” Those of you who keep up on anime or Japanese video game releases, though, probably answered “Boobs.” After all, the Senran Kagura anime and video game series is about ridiculously oversized mammaries first, and ninja schoolgirl fighting action distantly second.

However, the problem with any long-running franchise is the risk of things growing stale, which would be especially problematic for Senran Kagura, because it’s hard to imagine something more unappealing than stale breasts. So after a half-dozen games, an anime TV series, and five different manga adaptations, Senran Kagura is poised to enter a new area: butts.

Online anime retailer Chara-Ani is currently taking orders for this 175-milimeter (6.9-inch) figure of pink-tressed ninja Hibari.

SB 4

As you can see, the 1/8 scale figurine makes use of two of Senran Kagura’s most recognizable design cues: copious amounts of cleavage, and only a cursory acknowledgment of physics, as we’re not quite sure how Hibari managed to slip those gym bloomers on over such a frilly pair of panties.

▼ Actually, we’d just assumed that given the target market, she’s supposed to be stripping down, but taking another look, it’s entirely possible she’s just having trouble getting dressed in the first place.

SB 3

But like we said, this figure represents a new dawn for the series, and while the bust catches the eye (and also threatens to poke it out), the real star here is the derriere. Made with a silicon infused material, Chara-Ani says Hibari’s butt is soft and pliable. Even though we’re sure its construction will be pleasing to lonely otaku who just want to rub or slap it (or, we’re guessing, kiss it), the manufacturer also points to some practical uses for the figure’s backside.

SB 1

Yes, that’s a scroll of ninja secrets gripped firmly but softly in Hibari’s butt. While several of her in-game attacks employ her behind, this seems to be the first time it’s been used as a storage rack.

▼ Speaking of racks, the figure’s chest doesn’t seem to have the same functionality.

SB 5

And don’t worry, there’s a perfectly good reason one of the promotional shots features a scarf-wearing rabbit attached to her hindquarters. You see, Hibari is occasionally assisted in battle by Ninto, the ninja rabbit. Ninto can help Hibari leap high into the air, summon a lightning-spewing cloud, and…now that we think about it, doesn’t actually have to be latched onto her hindquarters.

▼ Although again, maybe we’re just looking at this from the wrong perspective, and Ninto is actually stuck and trying to escape from Hibari’s crack.

SB 2

Chara-Ani points out that the pliant buttocks is good for more than just displaying other Senran Kagura paraphernalia in the most awkward way possible. For example, it also makes a handy place to store an SD card.

▼ If it contains anything other than porn, sorted into two folders (“big butts” and “huge butts”), we don’t think the owner is using this setup correctly.

SB 6

Other ideas include using the figure as a pencil stand (with or without a cap that turns it into an enchanted weapon), a place to loop errant cables around, and, of course, crossovers with other figures that have an ample supply of tentacles.

▼ We just sort of assumed with that last one, but Chara-Ani is still thoughtful enough to include an explanatory photo.

SB 7

If you’ve got to get this baby who’s got back, Chara-Ani is taking preorders for the 11,046-yen (US$94) figure here, with shipment scheduled for late April. The website cautions that each individual buyer is limited to a maximum of 10 figures, or 20 cheeks.

Source: IT Media
Top image: Chara-Ani (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Chara-Ani

Related Stories

Origin: Anime ninja girl figurine takes it from behind, doesn’t seem to mind what “it” is
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧
↧

Poseable North American Mega Man figure lets you admire the character’s belly in three dimensions

January 13, 2015, 5:00 am
$
0
0

MM 10

Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, it wasn’t unusual for Japanese video games to be released internationally with box art different from that which was used at home. Many overseas publishers worried that the original versions were too cutesy, concluding that the covers needed an extra dose of testosterone in order to appeal to machismo-seeking non-Japanese gamers.

The logic itself is sort of shaky, but what made things worse was how most of the new box art bore little resemblance to the in-game designs, plus rarely looked appealing even when judged solely on its own non-existent merits. While much of this lazily produced art has been fittingly forgotten, there are some things you just can’t unsee. Like discovering a dead pigeon inside your bag of fast food takeout, the North American cover of the very first Mega Man has been burned into the memories of older gamers, and the pudgy sci-fi hero has now made the jump into three-dimensional space with his own figure.

Let’s take a moment and track the twisted path the Blue Bomber took to arrive in this form. Here’s how Mega Man appeared in the graphics of his very first outing on the Famicom, back in 1987.

MM 1

His unlined face, cartoonish proportions, and all-blue costume are all accurately depicted on the cover of the Japanese version of the game, called Rockman.

MM 2

But the title slapped on the box wasn’t the only thing that was different for the North American release. For some reason, the artist for the new cover saw fit to add large fields of yellow to the hero’s outfit. In-game, Rockman’s arm itself is a cannon, but North American Mega Man packed heat by gripping a good old-fashioned pistol. Most notably, the redone cover art gave the protagonist a much more human-like face, and not one that radiates youthful vigor and vitality, either.

MM 3

Oddly enough, many people are quick to call the North American Mega Man fat, but when we put them side-by-side, we can see his physique really isn’t any more rounded than that of the original.

▼ Rockman’s not exactly svelte, but the less stylized look of the North American art somehow makes the character look chunkier (plus sillier).

MM 4

Somehow, though, North American Mega Man has beaten the odds and become the poster boy for “so bad it’s good” box art. One fan has even made his own detailed figure honoring the heavyset hero.

MM 6

Momoji, a member of Thai toy, video game, and animation internet forum MODxTOY, shared his handiwork on the site recently with a series of snapshots of the figure he’s crafted. As you can see, it lovingly recreates the characters musculature, firearm, and, of course, paunch.

MM 5

It’s really kind of ironic to see how North American Mega Man’s standing in the fan community has changed over the last few years. In 2012, Capcom even added him as a playable character to its Street Fighter X Tekken fighting game. It’s that iteration that seems to be the primary inspiration for Momoji’s figure, especially where the facial features are concerned.

▼ One of these Mega Men is not like the others.

MM 8

So just what’s caused the reversal of fortune for the design? We’re not sure, but it’s worth noting that Mega Man was released 28 years ago. Many gamers who played the original as kids and laughed at the weirdo on the North American cover are now pushing 40 themselves, and maybe they’re starting to warm up to the design as they begin to see more of themselves in it.

▼ Although those who find the resemblance uncanny may want to consider a few more minutes on the treadmill.

MM 7

Source: Inside Games via Jin
Top image: Wikipedia/GameSpot, Inside Games (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Wikia (edited by RocketNews24), Beyond the Gamer, Wikipedia/GameSpot, Inside Games

Related Stories

Origin: Poseable North American Mega Man figure lets you admire the character’s belly in three dimensions
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧

Eyelashes run amok as folks in Japan have too much fun with their falsies【Photos】

January 20, 2015, 9:30 am
$
0
0

false eyelashes on plushies, figures, funny photos

Whether you love ‘em or hate ’em, false eyelashes have become a mainstay of the Japanese makeup arsenal and are readily available in a fluttery profusion of designs at every drugstore and hundred-yen shop. One survey from 2012 revealed that 58 percent of teenage girls and 74 percent of women in their twenties have used them, some relying on their magic daily rather than reserving them for special occasions.

They became the sole subject of a chart-topping single by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, have been turned into alluring decorations that anthropomorphize your car, and even became a way to have harmless fun with your pet! But what do you do when you have so many falsies that you run out of storage space or are just too darn lazy to put them away properly? Attach them to cute plushies and manly figurines, of course! So even if your Sasuke isn’t asking to channel Elvis and his fringes, this chuckle-inducing photo collection may give you some ideas for the next time you party too hard and can’t be bothered with those pesky plastic cases.

Before eye makeup authority KOJI started selling Japan’s first falsies back in 1947, geishas would knit them by hand from their own hair; I bet they never imagined that a time would come when girls and boys alike would have more fake lashes than they know what to do with and be creeping out their family members!

▼ @k5n2s4: “Ugh this storage method, they’re practically insects.”

▼ @BeN_The_BLok: “Finally trying to organize my pile of lashes, it’s like playing a really tough game of Memory…” Well, that’s one way to spend a dateless evening!

▼ @miyabi5589: “It’s a drag putting them away every time so I do this, but my parents always yell at me to cut it out!”

▼ Left: @urakuso says of his Sasuke from Naruto, “His arms were the perfect length for storing lashes!” Right: @73aaT compares another figure with a radiant Mary.

Sasuke from Naruto and fake false eyelashesImages: Twitter @urakuso, Twitter @73aaT

▼ @tenjin_tatata tries it out too and exclaims, “It’s true! He’s the perfect eyelash holder.”

Sasuke from Naruto and fake false eyelashesImage: Twiter @tenjin_tatata

▼ @bitou1129 dresses up Dio from JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure and notes with surprise, “not out of character at all.” Kind of reminds you of that awesome feathered cloak, no?

fun with fake false eyelashes, Dio Brando JoJo's Bizarre AdventureImage: Twitter @bitou1129

▼ @mqruxxmqru can’t help but laugh at her friend’s unique storage method (great for deterring piggy bank looters?)

▼ Blogger Pink confirms our suspicion that nothing with curves is safe. Doesn’t it look as if Oscar the Grouch’s relative had the lid slam down on his hands?

fun with fake false eyelashes, baby powder can tin, Image: Pinku no Otsukisama

▼ For Yūka, “They came off during dance lessons and I didn’t know where to put ‘em =P.” You wear them during dance lessons?

fun with false fake eyelashes, on plastic water bottleImage: Cheerful Days

▼ Theater troupe member @chiune keeps them here while in her dressing room—seems like the Annoying Orange went all shōjo after marathoning Sailor Moon Crystal.

▼ Did @eight_baseF give the Chocoball mascot “Peanut Kyoro-chan,” a beauty mark as well?

▼@yagizoo: “My younger sister washed them and left them by the sink, so my mom put them on this chick, lol.” Perfect if your plushie friends ever need some Clockwork Orange flair.

▼Korilakkuma looking quite coquettish. A fellow Twitterer comments bluntly, “A perfect spot, see? This is what happens when the foundation is already good.” Burn!

Last but not least, let’s not forget the boys! Thanks to @oliwab, the Great King Oikawa from Haikyuu!! is looking a bit more queen.

▼ “All of a sudden, I feel… glamorous?”

Well, after all this silliness how could I not be inspired? A quick look around the room turned up some potential candidates for storage.

▼ “No fair, you guys! Where’re my lumpin’ lashes?”
“Sorry LSP, get your own peduncles.”
“…Wenk.”

adventure time finn jake, gunter, Lumpy space princess, fun with fake false eyelashesImage: RocketNews24

And that’s a wrap for now, folks! If you have your own strangely perfect perches for your falsies, then snap a photo and share with your friends for a good laugh!

Sources: Matome Naver, Mind Sonar, KOJI
Feature Images: TwitPic 1, TwitPic 2, Twitter 1, Twitter 2

Related Stories

Origin: Eyelashes run amok as folks in Japan have too much fun with their falsies【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧

Man attempts to create ancient moss-covered Gundam ruins: “It’ll only take a few years.”

January 21, 2015, 7:00 pm
$
0
0

top

Japan has an interesting relationship with moss. From the “Moss Covered Forest” that inspired Princess Mononoke, to the marimo “moss balls” found in Hokkaido, to MOS Burger that has tragically deterred foreigners for decades by its name alone.

But it’s one man’s quest to use moss in a new way that has recently piqued the interest of the internet. In the hopes of creating realistic figurines that look like they’ve been abandoned for centuries, he wants to get them covered in moss the old fashioned way: by waiting for years.

Twitter user nanai_komusai posted the following tweet on January 17:

▼ “I’m trying to make moss-covered Gundam figures. In order for the moss to naturally spread to them, I made their surfaces rough and uneven by covering them in a stone-like spray and rust paint. Now all I have to do it wait. Since the moss is the real thing, it make take a few years to complete!”

For anyone wondering how on earth this would even work, it is actually possible. Moss reproduces through spores in the air, so it will spread as long as there is a hospitable surface nearby, such as the rusty/stony figurines that are porous and hold water well.

Still, even under ideal conditions with lots of wind and rain, spores can still take years to blossom into fully-formed moss. We hope our moss-loving Gundam fan has other plans besides just sitting around staring at his figurines, waiting for them to bloom.

▼ Oh! I think I see a bit of moss right- oh. No, it was just the light. Why did I quit my job to do this again?

But waiting around for spores isn’t the only way to get that mossy, abandoned look. He’s also tried sticking the moss right onto some figurines, to see what that looks like:

▼ “The tanks were the first to be tested on. I tried sticking on some moss just to see if it would work. Even though it’s not bad and completed the task pretty much instantly, I’d still like to see what it looks like with the natural approach.”

The “natural approach” of course being the one that potentially takes forever.

Still, we have to applaud nanai_komusai’s effort. He’s clearly done a lot of research, collecting different types of moss from his neighborhood, and he’s anxious to try a bunch of different methods to see what works best for creating his post-apocalyptic mossy models.

▼ Look at all this moss! Everywhere! I bet they didn’t even spray any of those rocks or trees with rust paint. #jealous

So what do you think of this one man’s attempt to create mossy masterpieces? Is he a fun-gi, or is it all just in spore taste? En-lichen us in the comments!

Source: Togech, Wikipedia
Featured/top image: Twitter

Related Stories

Origin: Man attempts to create ancient moss-covered Gundam ruins: “It’ll only take a few years.”
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧
↧

After 23 years, Sailor Moon figures are more amazing than ever at Wonder Festival 【Photos】

February 13, 2015, 12:30 pm
$
0
0

SW 1

We recently made the trip out to Chiba Prefecture for the winter 2015 iteration of Wonder Festival, where we could have spent all day admiring the awesome anime, video game, and movie cosplay going on. But as eye-catching as the outfits were, Wonder Festival is actually an event for showcasing new figures and models, and taking a look around the booths taught us something about the anime industry.

Trends may come and go, but Sailor Moon is here to stay. More than two decades after the phenomenally successful magical girl series made its anime debut, modelers are still making new figures based on its characters, and they’ve only gotten better in the twenty-plus years they’ve had to practice.

The second arc of Sailor Moon Crystal is currently streaming on Nico Nico Douga, and the first part of the reboot is set to finally start airing on TV. Even public broadcaster NHK is getting in on the Sailor Moon action, as it’s contracted for the rights to show reruns of the original 1992 anime.

Accompanying this media blitz has been the most intense Sailor Moon merchandise release schedule since the mid-1990s. As such, there’s a whole new wave of Sailor Moon figures coming both from major toy industry players like Bandai as well as independently produced kits from individual modelers. The Sailor Senshi were out in force at Wonder Festival, so let’s dive right into the best of what we saw.

Starting off with Sailor Moon’s biggest patron, Bandai was displaying this posable Super Sailor Moon from its S.H. Figuarts line.

SW 4

The hair may look like Sailor Venus, but the face-obscuring glasses let you know you should call her Sailor V.

SW 5

SW 10

Something look a little off on this Sailor Moon figure? That’s because it’s actually the villainous Zoisite, disguised as the Fake Sailor Moon from the original series’ 33rd episode.

SW 6

▼ The rest of the cast in their S.H. Figuarts renditions

SW 9

If you’d like your figures a bit more compact and cuter, not to mention cheaper at just 1,620 yen (US $13.75) each, there’s the Tamashi Buddies line of SD Sailor Senshi.

SW 7

SW 8

On the opposite end of the spectrum, these lengthy limbs and glossy colors could only come from the character designs of Sailor Moon Crystal, which hew closer to creator Naoko Takeuchi’s original manga artwork.

SW 12

SW 13

SW 11

▼ Somehow, the sheen on the unpainted plastic makes Sailor Mars look even leggier than she usually does.

SW 14

With a rebuttal, here’s Mega House’s Petit Chara line, which is so plump it’s hard to tell if the characters have knees.

SW 17

▼ Unless they’re bending them, of course.

SW 18

As Sailor Moon Crystal moves into its Black Moon story arc, it makes sense for new figures of the Specter Sisters to show up.

▼ Can someone this cute really be one of the bad guys?

SW 16

▼ SD Sailor Senshi posing with daintily decorated cookies? Sure, why not?

SW 19

While the majority of the figures were of the cast clothed in their combat attire, this 1/10-scale Usagi does a great job of showing off the pleats in the skirt of her school uniform.

▼ And also the character’s slender midriff

SW 20

Being classmates, Ami wears the same uniform, but is ladylike enough to keep her bellybutton covered.

SW 21

▼ As is Rei

SW 22

Mixed in with all of the plastic-molded offerings were these plush versions of Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon from manufacturer Sekiguchi.

SW 23

SW 24

But Wonder Festival isn’t just for big companies. Individual modelers also show off their wares, which often give up nothing in quality compared to those which are shipped to major retailers. As an added bonus, individual modelers have a bit more freedom in straying from the original character designs, and the way they add their own special touches can make their figures a treat for collectors who already have a full team of by-the-book Sailor Senshi models.

SW 25

Eldora Model did a fantastic job recreating Sailor Moon’s regalia.

SW 26

Searching for their niche also sometimes means the individual modelers will recreate characters’ alternate costumes, such as this stunning Sailor Jupiter from Usa P House wearing her stage musical outfit.

SW 28

SW 27

SW 29

But perhaps the most impressive work of all came from Ryunryuntei.

SW 30

Based on Sailor Moon’s Sailor Moon Crystal design, the recreation of her intricately flowing hair is uncanny, and a closer look reveals the modeler didn’t scrimp on attention to the smaller details, either.

SW 31

SW 32

This figure is a real showstopper, even if the past 20-plus years have taught us there’s no stopping Sailor Moon.

SW 3

Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]

Related Stories

Origin: After 23 years, Sailor Moon figures are more amazing than ever at Wonder Festival 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧

DyDo’s coffee drink & Nintendo collab: We get nostalgic with limited edition 8-bit Mario figures

February 20, 2015, 7:00 am
$
0
0

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign

If, like me, you’re a tad obsessive when it comes to character goods and love the kitschy cross-promotions that often infiltrate Japanese convenience stores, here’s something that’ll perk you up: beverage company DyDo Drinco recently announced its “Super Mario Bros. Dot Figure Collection” campaign, to commemorate the anniversary of both its canned coffee drink and Nintendo’s worldwide phenomenon of a game.

Read up on the collaboration’s details after the jump and bear with me while I get a little sentimental. Also, thanks to excited YouTuber and goods enthusiast Satoshi Machida, you’ll get a close-up look at the pixelated (but not pixilated) cuties!

For the 40th anniversary of its “DyDo Blend – Blend Coffee” beverage, the company teamed up with another beloved icon that’s celebrating its 30th this year: Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan on September 13, 1985, and at over 40 million copies sold, it’s still the best-selling game of all time if console-and-game bundles aren’t included in the numbers (if included, it’s actually Wii Sports that tops the list).

Starting on Feb. 17 and continuing until supplies last, two types of DyDo canned coffee drinks come with a pixel-art figure inside a special cap which when turned upside-down becomes a display stand that, yup, looks like a warp pipe!

▼ There are eight varieties in total: Mario, Luigi, Bowser/Daimaō Koopa, Princess Peach, Goomba/Kuribō, Koopa Troopa/Nokonoko, Toad/Kinopio, and Lakitu/Jugem.

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign

The figures will be attached to cans of DyDo Blend – Blend Coffee, a light roast coffee that uses beans from five countries, and DyDo Blend – Demitasse Coffee, another long-selling hit with a richer coffee flavor (this type includes milk). The latter is brewed with premium coffee beans that are selected from five different Central and South American countries, and it uses 1.5 times more beans per drink than the industry standard. Both drinks retail for 115 yen (US$0.96).

Luckily for us, YouTuber Satoshi Machida, who goes by the name SaitamaNoSennin (Hermit in Saitama), provides us with a spirited review of the retro trinkets!

▼ A close-up of the cap…

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign Toad Kinopio cap close-up

▼ And once it’s removed…

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign Toad Kinopio cap close-up

▼ There’s the familiar leaflet, if you’re a fan of collecting Japanese capsule machine toys and the like.

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign open leaflet, pamphlet, insert, paper

▼ He scored a Toad along with King Koopa, which seems to be his favorite. The quality is pretty great for a freebie that comes with a 96-cent can of coffee!

DyDo blend canned coffee drink and Nintendo Super Mario Bros Dot Figure Collection collaboration campaign

So if you’re a Mario fan who’s lucky enough to be in Japan, try a speedrun through all of your local convenience stores—if you see what looks like cans of green spray paint in the beverage section, you’ll know you hit the jackpot! (Or if you’re truly obsessed, you could always try a proxy shopping service.)

Marketing gimmicks aside, it might be nice to pick up a can, or eight, and share a drink with someone while swapping memories of Mario. I’ll never forget the music or the clinking coin sounds that permeated the living room and mingled with the bright California sun back in the late eighties, when my brother, his friends and I used to play. Neither can my mom, for that matter; even she has nostalgic flashbacks whenever she hears the intro’s “ta-ta ta ta-da ta! boop”.

Where were you when you first met the Mario Brothers?

▼ Around 2:20, Machida starts talking about how he wasn’t even one year old when Super Mario Bros. came out (man, I feel old), but that he remembers playing Super Mario Bros. 3 repeatedly; when the game wouldn’t load, he would not only blow on the cartridge but also go too far and lick it, getting yelled at by his older sister in the process.

Sources: DyDo via Famitsu, Wikipedia 1, 2
Images: DyDo, YouTube
Video:  YouTube

Related Stories

Origin: DyDo’s coffee drink & Nintendo collab: We get nostalgic with limited edition 8-bit Mario figures
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

↧

How to perfectly recreate the death of Dragon Ball’s Yamcha using baked goods

March 29, 2015, 2:00 am
$
0
0

1000096837_6

With the release of the new Dragon Ball movie now less than a month away, the popular manga/anime series has had quite bit of exposure on the Japanese Internet recently. One related product that’s getting a lot of attention is a figure of Yamcha, one of Goku’s rivals- turned-friends.

But this particular figure doesn’t have the look of your typical toy. As a matter of fact, it shows Yamcha in quite a pitiful state. Nonetheless, fans seems to be getting a huge kick out of it, and one fan has even tweeted an easy way to create a realistic diorama scene with the figure using quite an unexpected item — apple pie!

Dragon Ball fans have often spoken about the “hyper inflation” of the strength of the characters in the series — you know, how the fighting power of the main characters seems to grow at an ever-accelerating rate as the story progresses. Looking at the battles in the latter half of the series, it’s hard to believe that characters like Krillin and Yamcha were, early in the story, portrayed as worthy rivals to protagonist Goku.

Ahh… yes, good old Yamcha! In the beginning, he even had his very own cool-sounding signature combat technique, the  “Wolf Fang Fist,” but by roughly halfway through the Dragon Ball comic saga, with the introduction of the powerful race of Saiyan warriors, Yamcha was unfortunately on his way to becoming a negligible force in terms of fighting power.

This is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that one of Yamcha’s most memorable scenes in the entire series is that of him lying crumpled and dead after falling victim to a suicide attack by one of the Saibamen, creatures controlled and used as living weapons by the Saiyans to fight for them.

And that’s exactly the pose toy manufacturer Bandai has recreated with their new Yamcha figure.

▼ The figure is currently available for pre-order on the Premium Bandai site at a price of 3,200 yen excluding tax (US$26.85) for delivery in September this year. The price was set in honor of Yamcha’s birthday, March 20.

figure 2

But twitter user @kntm apparently felt that the figure alone didn’t quite complete the picture. In the manga and anime, Yamcha is shown lying at the center of a shallow crater created in the ground from the Saibaman’s self-destructing blast, and @kntm discovered that placing the figure on top of an apple pie comes quite close to recreating the general look of the scene!

▼ See the comparison yourself in @kntm’s tweet below! The message says “The Yamcha figure doesn’t come with any diorama parts or decorations, but you can almost perfectly recreate the scene with just a regular store-purchased apple pie.”

Well, that’s certainly a creative way to complete a diorama! Although you would need to find an apple pie with just the right shape, we have to admit it actually does approximate the original scene to a surprising degree. We guess the only problem with this apple pie diorama is that the base won’t last very long (because the pie is destined to either get eaten or go bad).

Hmm … maybe the sweet pie will help Yamcha rest in peace.  Thanks @kntm, for sharing such an entertaining idea with us!

Source: Twitter (@kntm), Premium Bandai website, Byokan Sunday
Photos: Premium Bandai website

Origin: How to perfectly recreate the death of Dragon Ball’s Yamcha using baked goods
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
Search

Are they all duds!? Another defective Attack on Titan Eren official figurine leaves us wondering

April 26, 2015, 6:00 pm
$
0
0

eren4

Despite the Attack on Titan franchise being massively popular on an international scale, why is it that the toy companies just can’t seem to get the darn character figurines right?

We’ve already seen the shoddy Levi figure that surfaced last year, and now there appears to be another disappointing officially licensed Eren model on the market, too. And we have to say, we really can’t blame one fan for lamenting the poor quality of her new toy at all…

One Japanese Attack on Titan fan was eager to show off her newly arrived official Attack on Titan Eren figurine, but what she got in the mail wasn’t quite what she was expecting. Understandably, she then took to Twitter to voice her dismay:

▼ “I bought the ‘Vol. 1 Eren’ from the official Attack on Titan figure collection…I wonder if I can return it. His face is completely warped…”

▼ “I don’t see Eren’s face at all…”

She then posted some follow-up messages the next day:

▼ “I could kind of see the resemblance in the assembled Eren figure that arrived yesterday, but then I found myself staring at the box again. G-Good morning, Eren…”

▼ “The head fell off when I took it out of the box just now. It’s SUPPOSED to be removable…right??”

▼ “It looked like he was in so much pain that I gave up and put it back in the box…”

But wait! She appears to have found an ingenious solution:

▼ “I’m trying to think of ways to fix him. If I just touch up one of the eyes and add a bandage around the other, maybe something will come of it…err, not really.”

Poor Eren, and poor Twitter user @kaorukosandesu. Let’s hope that the shipped versions of the currently on sale “Titan Eren” figure won’t have the same problem.

Source: Hamusoku
Images: Twitter (@kaorukosandesu) (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Origin: Are they all duds!? Another defective Attack on Titan Eren official figurine leaves us wondering
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
↧

Amazing Japan Model Expo shows off creations creepy, cute, and undeniably gorgeous

May 7, 2015, 9:00 am
$
0
0

amazing models top

It’s no exaggeration to sat that Japan is the plastic model capital of the world. There’s a tiny decorative version of pretty much anything you can imagine, from Gundam figures covered in actual moss to build-your-own gyoza.

To celebrate their love of all things models, Amazing Japan Model Expo 2015 invited model-crafters and sculptors from all over Japan to show off their goods built from a variety of materials, not just plastic. “Amazing Japan Model Expo” may be a bit of a silly name, but once you take a look at some of the incredible detail in these models, you’ll see that they easily lived up to the “amazing” part of the promise.

These past few days may mark just the first Amazing Japan Model Expo to ever take place in Osaka, but plans are already being made for another one in 2016. Taking a look at some of the great pieces to come out of the 2015 one, it’s not hard to see why:

▼ The detail in this creepy ghost Totoro is just stunning, making it a fan favorite online.

▼ This big-nosed Japanese mythological tengu looks like it’s peering deep into your soul.

▼ Not all the models were small. These robots were human-sized and the one on the right is sporting a familiar ribbon.

▼ Yup, these ships look like they could just take off at any moment…

▼ …and dock inside this adorable little Death Star.

▼ Here are some horrifyingly lifelike Baltan Aliens, the monsters/pub managers from Ultraman.

▼ And a, uh, thing with udders

▼ I think we’re in the weird/creepy part of the exhibition…and that’s just fine!

▼ A wire-frame Evangelion in fighting stance

▼ Hopefully the Eva isn’t about to fight these cute little guys.

▼ This space-dog dude looks like he’d be right at home piloting an Arwing with Star Fox and friends.

▼ Oh, that’s right. This is an expo where you can also buy stuff, not just drool over how cool everything looks.

▼ A build-your-own Basset Hound kit. Because why not?

▼ And of course some obligatory big-headed moe models

▼ This model of the Robot Soldier from Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky Laputa may not look like much at first…

▼ …but he’s actually even bigger than his creator. Seems like he skipped the whole “model” concept and went right to creating the real thing.

Phew! And that’s just a sampling of the models that were at the expo. If you’d like to see more, then check out the Amazing Model Expo Twitter hashtag here, or book your tickets for next year at their website.

Source: Kinisoku
Featured/top image: Twitter (1, 2) (Edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Amazing Japan Model Expo shows off creations creepy, cute, and undeniably gorgeous
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Look again! This isn’t a drawing, it’s an amazing mecha model! 【Photos】

May 7, 2015, 7:00 pm
$
0
0

ST 0

One of the things that separates great comic artists from merely good ones is the ability to apply screentone. By using sheets of flexible material that transfer ink to a flat surface, such as paper, a skilled artist can add texture and shadowing effects beyond those achievable with ordinary line art.

But while the technique is generally used to make a flat drawing look a three-dimensional object, it turns out the opposite is possible too, as demonstrated by these amazing photos of a model kit colored with screentone to look like exactly a 2-D manga sketch.

If this jump from anime art to a physical form and seemingly back to two dimensions feels familiar, you might be remembering Mumumuno53, whose incredible talents we showed off last year with his Gundam model that looked like it stepped right off of your TV screen. The skilled modeler is back again, this time with a muse that may not be as well-known to Japanese animation fans as Gundam, but still has quite the sci-fi pedigree.

ST 14

Foreign novels published in Japan often get new covers. When Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers was brought over, Kazutaka Miyatake, a mechanical designer whose resume includes contributions to Space Battleship Yamato, Macross Plus, Dirty Pair, and RayXephon, was commissioned to do the artwork.

ST 20

Miyatake’s design, often called the Studio Nue Powerd Suit or Mobile Infantry, became a cult favorite among fans of science fiction and anime, and was used in the later anime adaptation of Starship Troopers.

As with just about any bit of fictional military technology in Japan, the Powered Suit is popular with modelers. But rather than paint his in the conventional manner, Mumumuno53 decided to once again make it look like a 2-D drawing, and this time to do it in black and white.

ST 7

ST 3

ST 5

ST 2

By applying screentone to the figure, Mumumuno53 recreated the feel of irregular, blurred pen and pencil strokes.

ST 4

ST 9

ST 10

In some of the pictures posted to his blog, the modeler has even included what look like handwritten annotations, further adding to the illusion that what you’re looking at is just a design sheet or sketchbook, and not a photo of something you can actually touch and pick up.

ST 6

ST 1

We’d be completely fooled if it wasn’t for the photographs of Mumumuno53 holding and posing the suit, and also the few select angles from which the shadow it casts is visible.

ST 19

ST 17

ST 18

Additional proof that this is more than just a drawing comes when the model is reconfigured with its hatch opened, revealing its wearer who, of course, is similarly shaded.

ST 12

▼ Talk about craftsmanship! Even the interior edge of the hatch is detailed.

ST 13

ST 15

Some may question the point in all this, though. After all, it does sort of beg an obvious question: If the eventual goal is to make something look like a drawing, why start with a model?

Of course, that obvious question has an equally obvious answer.

▼ Because it looks awesome.

ST 16

Related: Nijigen Mokei Mumumuno (Mumumuno53 blog)
Source: Hachima Kikou
Top image: Nijigen Mokei Mumumuno (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Nijigen Mokei Mumumuno, Amazon Japan (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Look again! This isn’t a drawing, it’s an amazing mecha model! 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Hideo Kojima confirms Metal Gear Solid V’s Quiet figure will have soft breasts you can play with

May 11, 2015, 10:00 pm
$
0
0

MG 2

Recently, anime and video game fans have been sharing pictures online of the shoddily produced figurines that merchandisers have been foisting on them. This isn’t something that happens exclusively with low-profile franchises, either, as mega-hit Attack on Titan dropped the second of two plastic duds just last month.

Given the falling out between Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima and long-time employer Konami, you might think the famed game designer is taking a similarly apathetic attitude towards the merchandise for his upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Kojima is a pro, though, and not about to let his acrimonious situation with the game’s publisher discourage him from making sure the title and all its related products are of the utmost quality.

That’s right, Metal Gear fans, you can breathe easy, because it’s been confirmed that the figure of the game’s female sniper has soft, squishable breasts.

When a series gets to be as big and successful as Metal Gear Solid, the producers pull out all the stops in crafting extra goodies and collectibles so that die-hard fans can own a physical symbol of their passion. So Metal Gear Solid V is getting high-grade figures from the Play Arts Kai, a subdivision of Square Enix.

▼ The Play Arts Kai Snake figure, set to go on sale in July

MG 5

Leading man Snake isn’t the only character getting the Play Arts Kai treatment, though. Next up is Quiet.

MG 6

As you can see, Quiet has almost no clothes, although the game perhaps counterbalances this by giving her supernatural capabilities. The non-magical figure, unfortunately, lacks such powers, but does feature something many men find just as enchanting: soft breasts that can be played with, according to this tweet from Kojima himself.

MG 4

Despite the overt sex appeal, Kojima has hinted that once Metal Gear V is actually released and players learn the mysteries behind why so much of Quiet’s flesh is on display, he’ll be vindicated for the controversial character design decision.

▼ A tweet from Kojima in 2013, following the mixed reaction to Quiet’s initial unveiling

On the other hand, if you’re already completely comfortable with ogling (and fondling) Quiet regardless of what her backstory turns out to be, you may want to clear out some space on your shelf next to your pliable butt ninja girl figure for the voiceless sniper and her cushiony cleavage.

Sources: VG 24/7, GameSpot
Top image: Twitter
Insert images: Square Enix Shop, Twitter (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Hideo Kojima confirms Metal Gear Solid V’s Quiet figure will have soft breasts you can play with
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Evangelion razor stands being given away as Gendo shaves for the first time in years in new video

May 14, 2015, 6:00 pm
$
0
0

GS 0

When I stop and think about it, I’ve actually got a couple of things in common in Shinji, the protagonist of hit anime Evangelion. We both live in Kanagawa Prefecture. In our teen years, we were both entrusted by our fathers with pieces of fantastic machinery (although Shinji’s Eva Unit 01 combat robot is more technologically advanced than the Mazda I drove through my student years). And for both of us, our mental images of said fathers are strongly linked with their facial hair.

But while I’ve never seen my dad entirely clean-shaven, Shinji’s old man, Gendo, occasionally gets rid of his signature Abe Lincoln beard as part of his sporadic spokesman role for razor manufacturer Schick. He’s once again answered the U.S.-based company’s call, and as part of his anime’s latest endorsement deal, the stoically mad scientist is appearing in a new animated ad and giving away some cool Evangelion goodies, including a motorized razor stand shaped like the mecha his son pilots.

Japan is pretty into electric razors, but in his new videos Gendo espouses the merits of a refreshing, liberating wet shave…using Schick’s Hydro 5 quintuple-bladed disposable razors, of course.

▼ “Here, there is perfection. A feeling of freedom from deep in the heart,” declares Gendo as he ascends to heaven accompanied by the strains of Tsubasa wo Kudasai, the same piece that played during the climax of the Evangelion 2.22 film.

GS 1

GS 2

But if Gendo’s personal recommendation alone isn’t enough to convince you to pick up a Schick Hydro 5 Comb Pack, perhaps some exclusive Eva merchandise, like this Unit 01 razor stand, will sway you.

GS 3

GS 4

At the base of the unit, there’s a light sensor. Place you hand in front of it, and Unit 01, now merged with your consciousness, will recognize your desire to shave and extend the razor up to make it easier for you to retrieve.

GS 5

This is only one of two Eva Unit 01 razor holders Schick is offering. The second lacks the handy pop-up action of the above version, but it’s more three-dimensional design gives it extra visual impact, and the suction cup on its backing allows you to stick it to the tile of your shower or your bathroom mirror.

GS 6

▼ Schick! If it’s good enough for Gendo, it’s good enough for RocketNews24’s Mr. Sato!

GS 7

Finally, during the promotion, Hydro 5 shafts and replacement razors are also being packaged with Petit Eva balancing figures, which you can perch on the edge of your desk, coffee cup, or computer.

GS 8

GS 9

GS 10

The lineup consists of four different characters, with cute SD versions of Gendo as well as Eva pilots Rei, Asuka, and Mari. Shinji is unaccounted for, but considering how ambivalent Gendo generally is about whether his own offspring lives or dies, that’s really not much of a surprise.

Like the razor holders, though, these figures are only available for a limited time, so if you’re a true Eva fan who wants to collect the whole set, either consider stocking up on a few months’ worth of replacement blades right now, or start burning through them by shaving your body as smooth as an Olympic swimmer’s.

GS 13

Related: Schick/Evangelion promotion website
Top image: YouTube
Insert images: YouTube, RocketNews24

Origin: Evangelion razor stands being given away as Gendo shaves for the first time in years in new video
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
↧

Bikini Warriors anime officially doesn’t care about its own plot, has 12 breasts by six designers

May 27, 2015, 10:00 pm
$
0
0

BW 14

While a masterfully crafted plot twist or genre shift can be a satisfying thing for sophisticated media consumers, doing either of those things poorly can leave the audience feeling unsatisfied or even downright cheated. As such, you really can’t blame anime producers if they decide to play things safe and let viewers know exactly what a show has in store for viewers.

That’s why the team behind the upcoming Bikini Warriors is laying its cards on the table. Oh, and its cards are breasts. As a matter of fact, even the show’s official website says that there’s really no point in watching for anything other than a mono-faceted mammary motivation.

Bikini Warriors is the well-endowed brain child of Hobby Japan, the same organization responsible for other classics in the “busty women fight with swords” category such as Queen’s Blade and Samurai Girls. While Bikini Warriors is set to be a mixed-media IP with animation, comics, and video games all in the works, the starting point for the franchise is plastic figures.

As you might have deciphered from its symbolism-laden title, Bikini Warriors is about a group of women who fight in two-piece swimwear-inspired outfits. Each of the six women making up the principal cast was designed by a different designer…starting with Fighter, from Porno Switch manga artist Hisasi…

▼ Protect the wrists, oh mighty armor!

BW 7

…Beat Angel Escalayer character designer Onigiri-kun’s Paladin…

▼ Protect the forearms!

BW 8

…Shining video game series character designer Tony Taka’s Valkyrie…

▼ Protect the shins!

BW 12

…Black Lagoon manga artist Rei Hiroe’s Hunter…

▼ Protect the left knee only, for some reason!

BW 11

… Ninja Slayer From Animation character designer Saitom’s Mage…

▼ Protect…the face from harsh UV rays?

BW 9

…and finally, Queen’s Blade Rebellion character designer Odanon’s all-one-word Darkelf.

▼ Most precious of all, protect the nipples!

BW 10

Oddly enough, it seems as though “Fighter,” “Mage” and the like aren’t just nods to the characters’ classes, but may indeed be their official names as well. If that seems like a pretty slipshod bit of storytelling, you might want to bear in mind that, by Bikini Warriors own admission, no one should be watching for the plot.

The following is taken from the Bikini Warriors official website:

“Along with Paladin, Mage, and Darkelf, Fighter, the daughter of a hero who once saved the kingdom, leaves on a quest to save the life of the king and prevent the ruin of the world. On their journey they have strange encounters with villagers, and fight monster after monster in heroic battles.

In the end, will Fighter and the others be able to save the world? Who cares? But on the other hand, please look forward to the group’s sexy, alluring bodies!”

As further proof that Hobby Japan knows exactly which side its bread is buttered on (with said butter presumably made from breast milk), the opening passage of the franchise’s introduction page gives you all the bullet points you need to know in its bright red text.

▼ Swords…magic…adventurers…Demon King…traditional RPG-style world…beautiful breasts, humongous breasts [literally “exploding breasts”], bikini armor!!

BW 13

The animated portion of this exercise in truth in advertising premiers June 8 at 1:35 a.m. on Tokyo MX. Each episode is scheduled to last a mere five minutes, though, so we imagine most of them consist of the cast riding on a cart, going over a bump in the road, and then the camera focusing on their jiggling breasts one pair at a time for a little under a minute each before immediately cutting to the ending credits.

Source: Culture Lab
Top image: Bikini Warriors official website
Insert images: Bikini Warriors official website (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Origin: Bikini Warriors anime officially doesn’t care about its own plot, has 12 breasts by six designers
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Bandai recreates everyday items from Sailor Moon in miniature, and the results are adorable!

May 28, 2015, 4:30 am
$
0
0

SM figure 1

Have you ever wondered what life as one of the “pretty guardians” in the hit manga/anime series Sailor Moon might be like? Well, the lovely Sailor Soldiers may be fictional creations, but toy maker Bandai is coming out with a line of delightful miniatures that give us a glimpse into their everyday lives. Yes, from the precious transformation pens to more mundane school items, objects from the Sailor Soldiers’ world will be recreated in miniature, and judging from the pictures, the miniatures are incredibly detailed, not to mention utterly adorable! 

SM figure 2

The line of miniatures, called the “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal : The Daily lives of the Sailor Soldiers (Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal Sailor Senshi no Nichijo)”, are part of the “petit sample series”, which feature miniatures created in exquisite detail, down to the fine points like the texture of cream or golden-baked color on a dessert or the decorative designs on tableware.   

The “Daily Lives” series will come in eight different sets, each with a specific theme, but you won’t know which one you’re getting until you open the package.

SM figure 3

Here’s a summary of the eight sets which are pictured above:

1. The “Going to School with Usagi” set
This package contains items such as Usagi’s transformation pen and her school bag decorated with a small ribbon charm. Oh, and of course, we can’t forget a copy of Nakayoshi, the magazine Sailor Moon was originally serialized in, right? Luna the black guardian cat also looks charming as a tiny figure, striking an innocent-looking sitting pose.

2. The “Studying with Ami” set
This set of items belonging to the studious Ami (Sailor Mercury) includes thick textbooks, a pencil case, and of course, her transformation pen. The notebook and pencil case are decorated with Sailor Mercury motifs which should delight fans, and there are also cookies (presumably made during home economics class) that she can munch on while studying.

3.  The “Visiting Rei’s Shrine” set
This set contains items that make you feel like you’ve visited Hikawa Shrine where Rei (Sailor Mars) lives and works. There’s a hamaya charm in the shape of an arrow to ward off evil as well as a wooden ema plaque on which pilgrims can write their wishes and a goshuinscho, a notebook in which visitors to shrines and temples can get an official seal stamped at each location.  There’s also a tasty looking dumpling, which we guess symbolizes the snacks you can get at shrines. A student card for the T·A Academy for Girls Rei attends is also included.

4. The “Having Lunch with Mako-chan” set
This set is centered on Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), or Mako-chan, as Usagi calls her, and shows what Makoto’s lunch would look like. The main item is a cute home-made obento boxed lunch she might bring to school, complete with star-shaped rice balls and heart-shaped cooked eggs, as well as a sausage cut in the shape of an octopus that comes with a rose-shaped toothpick. The thermos bottle also comes in a lovely rose pattern that catches the eye.

5. The “After-School Fun with Minako” set 
This set shows how you might enjoy an afternoon with Minako (Sailor Venus), having a crepe or going to a bookstore to buy magazines. Minako’s oversized bag is decorated with Sailor Venus-themed hearts, and her guardian cat Artemis also appears as a figure.

6. The “Going Out with Chibiusa” set
This set includes cute and magical items like the “Luna-P Ball” and the “Space-time Key”. You can also see  the rabbit doll tucked into Chibiusa’s backpack. 

7.  The “Having a Party with Everyone” set
This particularly fun-themed set contains a tasty-looking cake decorated with Sailor Soldier motifs and even Luna and Artemis chocolates on top. Of course, everybody loves a good party, right?

8. The “Going on a Date with Mamoru” set
This set features some romantic items like a bouquet of red flowers and a drink for two with a combined straw that a couple can drink from together. The Tuxedo Mask-themed ice cream and the watch that holds precious memories for Usagi and Mamoru which are also included in the set should make fans smile.

The sets, which seem to be eliciting squeals of “Kawaii!” and “So adorable!” from fans on the Japanese Internet, will be sold from July 27 at convenience stores, anime shops and other retailers dealing with miscellaneous “cute” goods across Japan, at a price of 600 yen (US$4.85) each.  The details in the items really do look amazing, so it’s not surprising that many of the comments on the Internet seem to be positive. If you’re visiting Japan this summer, the sets may make cute and unique souvenirs. Besides, you wouldn’t want to be punished in the name of the moon for not buying one,  would you?

 Source and photos: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Project Official Site (Japanese) via Nijimen (Japanese)

Origin: Bandai recreates everyday items from Sailor Moon in miniature, and the results are adorable!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
Search

Japanese toymakers collaborate on amazing Hulkbuster you can call your own

May 28, 2015, 7:00 pm
$
0
0

hulk buster 7

Superhero movies mean big business for toy makers, and whenever Marvel releases a new movie, a slew of action figures are made to fulfill everyone’s toy needs. There are the cheap small figures that anyone of any age can play with, and there are also the larger, more expensive, but extremely poseable figures for those who want to seriously play. Then there are the really expensive versions that boast incredible detail and size. This Hulkbuster is one of those ones.

Many toy makers are producing their own version of the Hulkbuster from Avengers: Age of Ultron, but Bandai is taking its time and attaching all the bells and whistles including LEDs and real metal parts.

S.H. Figuarts is Bandai’s elite line of action figures that are aimed at the adult fan since they’re positioned at a higher price point but include more accurate detailing. Starting May 29 at 4 p.m. JST they will begin taking orders, online only, for their version of the Hulkbuster from the new Avengers movie.

▼ Note: Hulk sold separately

hulk buster 6

This special limited edition is a collaboration with toy company Chogokin, which is known for its metal die-cast figures. This 25-centimeter (9.8-inch) figure will tower over the rest of your collection and features die-cast metal parts and LEDs.

▼ Super poseable!

hulk buster 1 hulk buster 2

While reservations are being taken online this month, the figure won’t be ready until approximately January 2016. This limited edition Chogokin x S.H. Figuarts Iron Man Mark 44 Hulkbuster will cost fans 34,560 yen (US $280)

▼ All the best materials!

hulk buster 3

▼ A whopping 25 centimeters (9.8 inches)

hulk buster 4

▼ And LED lights!!!

hulk buster 5

Those looking to buy this special figure should head over to the Premium Bandai website.

Source: Culture Lab
Images: S.H. Figuarts

Origin: Japanese toymakers collaborate on amazing Hulkbuster you can call your own
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Can you guess which Pokémon character just got a super muscular shirtless figure?

June 16, 2015, 6:00 pm
$
0
0

PF 1

The Pokémon series spends a lot of time focusing on how its adorable fighting monsters become stronger as they gain experience, but what about their human trainers? Sure, they may not be throwing any punches, but the core characters of the anime and video game franchise leave home at an early age to wander the world on foot and subdue wild beasts that, cute as they may be, can breathe fire, produce high-voltage electricity blasts, and squirt poison.

You have to figure the child mortality rate for would-be Pokémon Masters is astronomical, and those kids that do survive would become incredibly fit by nature of all death-defying physical activity their lifestyle demands. So maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised that retailer Bandai has just announced a shirtless figure of one of the most well-known human beings in the Pokémon universe, and it turns out he’s pretty ripped.

So who is this hard-bodied young man? Why, it’s none other than Takeshi, also known as Brock.

PF 2

Wait a second, this apparent fitness buff is the girl-crazy traveling companion of main character Satoshi/Ash? How did he go from this…

PF 3

…to this?

PF 4

Well, it seems that way back in the original Pokémon Red and Green Game Boy games, he shows up to fight the player looking like this.

▼ Apparently while Satoshi was choosing Pikachu, Takeshi forget to pick out all of his clothes.

PF 9

That shirtless appearance, plus the fact that Takeshi specializes in rock-type Pokémon, planted the seed for the idea that the character should have muscles as firm as the stony flesh of his Pocket Monsters.

PF 6

PF 7

The figure’s creator describes the design process as:

“When I got a call saying they wanted me to design a Pokémon figure, I thought I’d be designing a Pikachu or another monster, but I was totally wrong. ‘For a kid his age, Takeshi works his muscles hard, but he shouldn’t be completely buffed out, but rather have the look of a boy who likes rocks and stones!’ they told me.”

Can you imagine what someone who “likes rocks” should look like? Neither could the designer, but his client had also told him to refer to Takeshi’s in-game appearance from Red and Green, and the result was what you see here.

PF 8

The figure can be ordered here between now and August 31 through the Premium Bandai website for 3,456 yen (US$28). Delivery is scheduled for November, and when you get yours, you can put it on the shelf in your home gym to remind yourself of your dream to be the very best…at working your abs, delts, and biceps.

Source: Premium Bandai via Hachima Kikou
Top image: Premium Bandai (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Premium Bandai, Wikipedia/WarChild, PokéDex

Origin: Can you guess which Pokémon character just got a super muscular shirtless figure?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
↧

Get your own angry mob of medieval Japanese peasant farmers with these collectable sets!

June 19, 2015, 1:30 pm
$
0
0

10233543

Fictional depictions of Japanese medieval warfare tend inevitably to focus on samurai, the military nobility. Whether the medium is cult movies or collectible models, Japan’s common foot-soldiers barely get a look-in compared to their samurai masters.

Ukrainian company Redbox, however, aims to buck this trend by producing plastic figurine sets of the Japanese peasant infantry.

There are three sets available: Ashigaru, Ikkō Ikki, and Japanese Peasant Infantry.

Ashigaru ((足軽)) literally meaning “light-footed”, were foot-soldiers employed by the samurai class. Unlike samurai, they wore minimal or no armour, but carried blades, swords and bows.

▼ Redbox makes not one but two Ashigaru sets: Archers and Arquebusiers (an arquebus being a type of firearm); and a Command and Support Group.

10233540All images: Redbox

10233541

The Ikkō Ikki (一向一揆) were large groups of locals and peasants (including monks and priests) who rose up against the samurai in the 15th and 16th century.

10233543

The Japanese Peasant Infantry set comes with figures holding a variety of weapons – swords, knives and a long hammer (pictured on the front of the box).

ikkouikki

Each set comes with 48 figures in 12 poses, which should be enough for any figure fan wanting to put together a diorama.

Website Plastic Soldier Review points out that the quality of the figures is not particularly high, and they come with excess plastic that needs to be trimmed off before painting. However, as they point out, “Redbox deserve credit for delivering an increasingly comprehensive range of figures on their chosen subject of medieval Asia.”

10233544a-650x440

Source: Japaaan
Featured image: Redbox
All other images: Redbox

Origin: Get your own angry mob of medieval Japanese peasant farmers with these collectable sets!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Flat tires, crumpled hoods, dented doors: These new miniature car figures come broken on purpose!

June 23, 2015, 12:00 pm
$
0
0

carscover

We have seen plenty of weird miniature figures over the years, and while some of them have left us scratching our heads, none of them have been quite as unusual as this, the “Haisha Collection” (“Scrap Car Collection”). Beaten, battered, dented, and crumpled, these miniature cars probably won’t be high on anyone’s souvenir list…but then again, we might be wrong!

cars (2)

Set to be released towards the end of June, this six-piece collection will be available in gachapon machines at various stores around Japan, including Bic Camera and Yodabashi Camera. The scrap cars include a minivan, sports car, compact car, and an “American” car, which seems to be a convertible you’d expect to find the ghost of Hunter S. Thompson driving through bat country. There’s even a “scrap car block” that looks like a deformed brain.

cars (3)

You will be able to buy them from gachapon machines for 200 yen each (about US$1.63). What you choose to do with the cars is obviously up to you, but playing Jenga, as you can see above, is obviously one possibility.

▼ Or you could sacrifice them to…this.

cars (1)

Here’s an official tweet announcing the imminent release of the beaten-up vehicle miniatures. They wisely inform potential customers that “they come as scrap cars, so please don’t try to exchange them for new ones!”

Though they’re slightly unconventional, we can see these miniatures being pretty popular. Especially if you’re filming a stop motion short with lots of vehicle damage!

Sources: Embrace Japan via ITMedia
Images: Twitter (@embrace_japan)

Origin: Flat tires, crumpled hoods, dented doors: These new miniature car figures come broken on purpose!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧

Venus de Milo gets her arms back thanks to Japanese figure company

July 7, 2015, 3:00 pm
$
0
0

top

Even if you know nothing about classical art, there’s a good chance you’ve at least seen photos of the Venus de Milo, the Greek statue of a lovely woman without arms. With a height of 203 centimeters (6 feet, 8 inches), the statue is larger than life in every sense of the phrase, save her missing limbs. What happened to her appendages remains a mystery to this day, and, we imagine, it will likely continue to be that way for approximately forever.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t imagine what the sculpture looked like! And thanks to FREEing, a Kanagawa-based company, we won’t even have to stretch our imaginations too much, as they’re producing a “Venus de Milo” figure…with arms!

v2

The Venus de Milo, which was likely created sometime between 130 and 100 B.C., is one of the world’s more iconic works of sculpture. Even if you don’t know its proper name, you likely recognize it as something to do with high art — partly because of the statue’s missing arms. Though reconstruction of the statue is mostly impossible it hasn’t stopped people from wondering what the piece originally looked like.

v1

Though the upcoming Venus de Milo figure being released by FREEing won’t bring us any closer to confirming what the statue was originally doing (some have suggested she was spinning cloth), it will let us set her in whatever pose we want!

v3

The figure will come with various interchangeable parts, including two different torsos (one without arms and one with), posable arms, an adjustable head, and a “stone” apple. It looks like you’ll even be able to open the cloth draped around her waist to pose her legs as well!

▼ So she can finally run away from all those gawkers at the museum!

v11

▼ Or lay the smack down on anyone who’s disrespecting.

v

The figure is set to be released in January next year and will cost 4,444 yen (plus tax) which is about US$36.22 in today’s money. The figure won’t reach the real statue’s towering height, but it will look pretty impressive on your desk at home at 150 millimeters (5.9 inches) tall.

Of course, if you’re going to get the Venus de Milo, you should get her a friend as well! At least, that’s what FREEing says, and who would know better than the manufacturer, right? Luckily, they’ve produced another posable figure: The Thinker.

▼ They make quite a nice couple, we think!

v5

▼ Of course, they look good just standing next to each other too.

v12

The Thinker figure is available now for 3,980 yen ($32.44) plus tax. It stands 155 centimeters (6.1 inches) tall and is available on Amazon Japan, waiting to molded to your will!

▼ Less The Thinker and more a Man of Action!

k1

▼ John McClane-levels of action!

k11

▼ And cowering, apparently.

k2

▼ Or…Burt Reynoldsing?

k3

Though these figures will obviously appeal to art lovers around the world, we also can’t help imaging the glorious stop-motion films these will make possible! Venus de Milo dates The Thinker, and everything is going great until she has to meet his family. Oh, the wacky hijinks that might possibly, but probably won’t, ensue!

Sources/images: FREEing, Good Smile Company (Venus de Milo, The Thinker)

Origin: Venus de Milo gets her arms back thanks to Japanese figure company
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

↧
Viewing all 232 articles
Browse latest View live
Search
<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>