Japanese otaku tend to cluster around certain items like sharks in an inexplicable feeding frenzy of consumption, and this figure was one of them. Is Yujin’s recent attempt at a 3-D incarnation of Samurai Spirits’ Iroha worth the carnivorous pursuit? Read on.
Original Design: Satou Yoshihito (佐藤好人)
Sculptor: Satou Yoshihito (佐藤好人)
Source: Samurai Spirits Tenkaichi Kenkakuden
Scale: Non
Material: PVC
Release Date: March 1st, 2006
Production: Yujin
Price: 3,360 JPY (tax included)
Current Availability: Backordered (alternate color version preorder)
Final Analysis: 7/10
The past six months have seen a veritable boom in Iroha’s popularity, inspiring a raft of doujinshi as well as several resin kits and trading figures (and singlehandedly reviving the Samurai Spirits franchise in the process). This is the first time she’s been incarnated in PVC, though I’m doubting it’ll be the last, if enthusiasm for the character continues to build as I’m sure it will; she’s a maid. And a ninja. And well-rounded in all the right places. At the same time. What’s not to like?
While this is certainly the best quality we’ve seen out of Yujin’s SRDX line in awhile, the small scale of the model relative to the price relegates it to the lower range of hotness (as does the fact that a certain someone had to pay double for it from a reseller on Amazon). Worth twenty bucks? Sure. Thirty? Maybe. Sixty? …only if you’re an idiot, especially with the recent news that an alternate color version will be available later this spring for those who missed out on it the first time around.
While there are no doubt those who will find the, uh, bar and choker appealing, I tend to find it a distraction on the overall aesthetics of the figure. Yujin could at the very least had made them from transparent plastic, of go with the time-honoured and proven tradition of a pegged base for her to stand on. Bah, indeed. And closeup pics reveal some weaknesses in the paint job, though that is probably to be expected of a figure that size.
i really don’t see the appeal of the figure. the character is way sexy from the character art i’ve seen but this figure leaves a lot to be desired. maybe if i played the game i would be more of a fan. yujin’s already gonna re-release this figure for US shores. i’ve seen preorders for her from various US online retailers so there’s no need to worry about her rarity over here if you missed it.
i hope a more higher quality figure pops up in the future in PVC form. btw, nice pics
Shingo.
I considered buying it for a time, but the black-white color scheme is definitely too plain for my taste. Damn maidobi character concept, I vote for that the people over at SNK playmore buy her a new costume. Preferably something more shinobish and less maidesque ;p
The figurine is really sexy, though; It’s always good to see some mature curves. Nice pics, thanks you :)
It seems I’m in the minority here in my taste for poor Iroha :(
The figure itself, while above average for Yujin, still succombs to all of the typical weaknesses associated with the brand (as you point out, Agent Wax). It seemed like a no-brainer at preorder time, but when put in perspective with other recent figures it’s nothing to write home about. Ah well.
Here’s hoping for a PVC release of Nakayama Eiji‘s resin from Wanfesu… :3 (pictures buried a few pages in)
wow, that resin is a whole lot sexier than the yujin figure. i’ll be hoping for a PVC version of that ^^
>It seems I’m in the minority here in my taste for poor Iroha :(
Depends.
Would you happen to have the names of those Iroha doujinshis, by any chances ? lol :D