2nd Native/Ashito Collabo Princess Stella Makes Her Debut

Pre-orders open for striped stunner

Pre-orders have opened for the highly anticipated second collaborative effort between Native, at one time considered the preeminent erotic figure maker, and fan-favorite sexy twig designer Oyari Ashito.  Following up 2012's Princess Mordina (a Because Japan favorite!), Princess Stella looks to be a charming companion piece to her sister.  While the two share their striking blue eyes and white gloves, Stella's edgier, almost militaristic costume and playfully aggressive brandishing of her flail stands (kneels?) in sharp contrast to Mordina's ethereal dress, heavy restraints, and submissive positioning.  Pre-orders close on March 10, with a May 2014 release expected.

Moeyo's Best of V-Zone 2013

Gushing, flowing praise

The best PVC breasts and butts of the year are one thing--one can almost explain away a curvaceous and scantily clad maiden to a potential mate and live to tell the tale.  The ten figures that make up Moeyo's Best of V-Zone 2013, however, take a certain kind of dedication to the pursuit of otakudom and complete abandonment of any non-ecchi pretenses.  Like War Emblem or Charismatic winning two of the three Triple Crown races, we find one figure appearing on two of Moeyo's Best Of lists, and two different presentations of the same character appearing on different lists.  Maidens birthed by the hand of one particular unrivaled god of the business take up seven of the total 30 spots on all three lists combined.  The v-zone banzuke:

1)      Special Military Policewoman Kozue Sakakibara from Tony Taka, 1/6 scale by DRAGON Toy. 

2)      Princess Milk, 1/7 scale by Orchid Seed.

3)      Celia Cumani Aintree from Walkure Romanze, 1/6 scale by Daiki Kougyo.

4)      Love Bitch Kaori Lingerie Version, 1/7 scale by Q-Six.

5)      Ai Saeki from Fault!!, 1/6 scale by Alphamax/SkyTube

6)      Rika Shiraki from Bible Black, 1/6 scale by DRAGON Toy.

7)      Cat Lap Milk, 1/7 scale by Native.

8)      Perrine H. Clostermann from Strike Witches, 1/8 scale by Alter. 

9)      Maya Kamiwazumi from Fault!!, 1/7 scale by Alphamax/SkyTube. 

  10)  Konome Kiritani from Pisuhame!, 1/6 scale by Okayama Figure Engineering. 

Moeyo's Best of Hip 2013

It's hip to be square round, thick, and luscious

Moeyo, unquestionably the world's foremost resource on PVC-rendered butts, has released their Best of Hip 2013 lineup, and the cast and the castings are quite varied, from shonen series to hentai starlets, with trading figures, resin kits, and garage kits all finding room among the standard issue retail offerings.  

1)  Nami from One Piece H.O.O.K. -Film Z- Version by Sentinel.

2)  Konome Kiritani from Pisuhame! 1/6 scale by Daiki Kougyo.

3)  Ayase Aragaki Thanatos Version from OreImo 1/8 scale by Kotobukiya.

4)  Secret Elephant X-Rated! 1/7 scale by Native.

5)  Bertille Althusse from Walkure Romanze 1/7 scale resin kit by Volks.

6)  Komaki Manaka Bunny Version from To Heart2 1/5 scale by Orca Toys.

7)  Super Sonico Sonicomi Package Version 1/5 scale by Orchid Seed.

8)  Mammon 1/8 scale by Orchid Seed.

9)  Peace Keeper Daisy 1/6 scale by Kotobukiya

10)  Liliana-san from Waga Ie no Liliana-san 1/5 scale garage kit by Mouse Unit.

Considering the amount of manipulation and destruction that went into discovering the assets Nami holds, I am personally inclined to call shenanigans on these results, but cannot one at the same time say the best things in life are earned, not given?  

Moeyo's Best of Bust 2012

With the end of each calendar year, we denizens of the intertubes can expect our favorite websites to crank out annual "Best of 2012" lists--otaku interest site Moeyo submits perhaps the most useful of these lists annually by examining and recapping the most essential features of anime figures, starting off this year with their Best of Bust rankings for 2012. 

1)  Sasara Kusugawa from ToHeart2 Dungeon Travelers 1/6 by Daiki Kougyo

2)  Kanu Unchou 1/7 scale Swim Wear version from Ikki Tousen by Griffon Enterprises

3)  Tamaki Kousaka Vacation version 1/6 scale To Heart 2 by Griffon Enterprises

4)  Misa-nee 1/7 scale by Native

5)  Queen's Gate Kanu by Hobby Japan

6)  Unico Wingedhorse from Pandra by Daiki Kougyo

7)  Hotori Yoshii by Native

8)  Nami H.O.O.K. Bust Collection from One Piece

9)  Mai Ichijo 1/7 scale from Mai Favorite by Orchid Seed

10)  Tamaki Kousaka 1/5 scale from To Heart 2 by Orca Toys

A bit of a surprise winner at the top of the fixture this year; Moeyo itself calls Sasara's assets "not too large, not too small," showing some love for a figure that actually finds itself within the realm of human physiological possibility.  My vote stays with that stunning Yuniko Wingedhorse figure, personally, with the DFC of Oyari Ashito's Princess Mordina a close second (note: Mordina was released in Japan in 2011, but made her way to the States in 2012, and it's my blog so deal with it), and SkyTube's delectable Ai Saeki a solid third. 

The Damsel in Distress Arrives

Exactly eleven months ago, this fine young lady made her first appearance on Toylet.net.  Today, the fine chocolate-clad craftsman from UPS dropped this box off at my door.  Unboxing GO GO GO GO GO!

Aaaaaand it's a pretty big one...

Not only does Toylet offer Native's figures for the cheapest prices in the US, but they also pack their shipments with all the TLC one could possibly hope for.

Inside the large box, a smaller, denser, very well-sealed one, with Japanese printing.  I wonder if other figures are shipped from the manufacturer in their own individual boxes?  I've never ever had a problem with a Native figure's box sporting the slightest scratch.

Inside the smaller box...

A very satisfying matroyshka if I may say so myself.  Native takes the time to make their packaging an event unto itself--from the wine bottle container that Nozomi Watase came in, to Chie's tissue box, to Trunk Girl's...um...trunk.  True to form, Princess Mordina arrives in a very thick, sturdy, heavy-gauge cardboard hat box, suitably fit for a crown.

OMG TRINKETS!  Mordina comes very securely sealed in her mold, and each of the optional accessories has its own compartment.  Princess or bunny girl?

Native trains us in how to dissemble the figure by layering plastic sheeting between her separation points, and we have quite a few to contend with here.  Fortunately, she also comes with a large instruction sheet for guidance. 

Native figures always include a postcard featuring the original artwork on which the piece is based; especially handy for SEVERE EXAMINATION AND REVIEW.

After some jiggering and a little more force than I'm usually comfortable using on figures, I finally have the young damsel apart and ready to be composed.  I usually stick with emulating the original artwork, so we'll be going princess-mode for display.

Crown, neck shackle, ankle shackles, and discarded glove can be swapped for bunny ears and a tail if so desired.  I would have never guessed the figure's shoes come off without the included--credit to Native for an exceptionally tight seam.

I'm a cheater at jigsaw puzzles, too.  Let's get building!  Mordina comes back together with relative ease; I found getting her head back on her shoulders to be the most challenging but it didn't require any force or manipulation.  I love love love the magnet embedded in her head to keep her crown in place, and there's another one in the small of her back to keep the bunny tail in place if desired.  The shackles and ball weights will stick as well, which can be used for hilarity if so desired.

Drumroll please....

....

....

...

...and here she is.  I'll do a proper figure review soon.  For now, let's just enjoy.