We return to the world of figure reviews today with a look at Orchid Seed’s entry into the battle of the Witchblades, a series I’m tempted to dub “which blade is Witchblade” but I won’t because that would be silly and nothing silly ever happens on this blog. Orchid Seed has emphasized the blade over the witch anyway, producing what is certainly the most impressive phallic implement to grace a Masane figure yet. How does she stack up against Alter’s recent offering, and can you make Julienne fries with that thing? Read on:

Original Design: Uno Makoto
Sculptor: Ishiyama Satoshi (WFS) (Amiami)
Source: Witchblade (anime)
Scale: 1/6 (22 cm tall, 40 cm with blade)
Materials: PVC, ABS
Release Date: April 28th, 2007
Production: Orchid Seed (with Goodsmile)
Price: 6,800 JPY (tax included)
Current Availability: [HLJ] [KNC]


Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade

Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seeds Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade

Orchid Seed's Amaha Masane PVC figure from Witchblade

Masane is the heroine of 2006′s Witchblade anime, an original Gonzo production based on the Top Cow American comic franchise by the same name. Her appeal as a subject for figures is due in large part to her sensuous Uno Makoto designs, fidelity to which is likely to be the deciding factor in their appraisal.

The Good

  • Riding high with his second PVC kit to be released in a month (the first being his Chichinoe+ Cover Girl), Ishiyama Satoshi brings a level of craftsmanship to this sculpt that is to be applauded. While the cocked hip and standing pose are similar to Alter’s earlier plainclothes offering, the swooping curves of the hair tendrils and the blade projected from arm held aloft give a much more dynamic feel to this kit.
  • Ishiyama’s interpretation of the Witchblade design leaves very little more to be desired, in my opinion. I’m especially fond of his meat-bun inspired bosoms, and among the Masane (Witchblade version) kits out to date (Kotobukiya’s and Organic’s are the others) his has the most pleasing face sculpt by far.

The Adequate

  • The hair tendrils were a real bitch to attach, but thankfully once pressed into place they’ve stayed put. Definitely the kit’s biggest structural liability.
  • The paint job is decent, with clean lines and good color selection. I do wish they would’ve gone for some shading, though.

The Ugly

  • Like the Chichinoe+ Cover Girl before her, Orchid Seed’s Masane suffers from either dwarfism or an inflated sense of her own size – she’s no more 1/6th human scale than I am. Don’t believe me? Toranoana’s offering (review coming soon, pictured here at rear right), is listed at 1/7 scale and is bigger than Orchid Seed’s supposed 1/6. It’s elementary math, people…
  • The ugly part deux: remembering too late that PVC and delicious nutritious meat buns are not, in fact, the same thing.

Overall Score: 8/10

A decent sculpt with some dynamic lines, nikuman bosoms and a pretty face goes a long way, long enough to bring this Masane incarnation higher in my favor than Alter’s version. If she were a bit bigger with a slightly better paint job she’d be pushing nine points; as is I’m quite optimistic for the future of Orchid Seed as a vendor of high quality and very sexy PVCs.

Coming soon: a review of Toranoana’s Masane (Witchblade version). Otanoshimi ni~