When it comes to Sekirei I must confess my guilt: like the manga’s hapless protagonist I am unable to choose who among his harem is highest in my affections (though Musubi does have a slight edge on the others); today’s favorite is the token tsundere Tsukiumi, due in no small part to the release of this very nice figure from Movic. I’m not usually a huge fan of the tsundere character type, but I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see cross her arms below her voluminous bosom and gaze at me sternly with just a hint of petulance…

Original Design: Gokurakuin Sakurako
Sculptor: Hiroshi (Amiami search)
Source: Sekirei (manga)
Scale: 1/7 (23 cm tall)
Materials: PVC
Release Date: October 26th, 2007
Production: Movic
Price: 6,090 JPY (tax included)
Current Availability: [HLJ] [HS] [TL] [AAA]
Support HD!: [PA] [JLIST] [YA]

Tsukiumi is the token tsundere member of the Sekirei cast, her desire to remain aloof and independent of Minato conflicting with her affection for him and jealousy at his closeness to Musubi. As one of the single digit Sekirei (number 09) she is a powerful fighter, capable of bending the power of the waves to her will.

Tsukiumi as she appears on the cover of Sekirei vol. 3

This bit of background helps explain the choice of pose here, which is think is quite an apt one - arms folded in a defiant yet defensive gesture that suggests her hidden vulnerability. While otherwise rather bland, the billowing cape of her dress lends a dynamic quality and a pleasing balance to the sculpt that makes it a pleasure to view from a wide variety of angles. Detail work on the sculpt is generally adequate as well, though the hands do seem rather odd when viewed with a critical eye.

Movic’s reproduction work on this kit is solid, if not overly remarkable; there are no major visible seams or other blemishes on the kit surface, and the paint job (while quite simple) is well done. In the few spots where detailed trim work is required it’s one of the cleanest trim jobs I’ve seen in awhile, which deserves recognition. There is essentially no shading anywhere on the kit, but the variation of matte and gloss finishes lends a decent textural palette to an otherwise sober color scheme.

The castoff procedure is simple and elegant, though a bit of tugging is required and I was afraid I might snap the chest piece in the removal process. The nipples are on the unrealistically bright red side, though not as bad as some; I would’ve appreciated a more subtle coloring job here to match the overall aesthetic of the kit.

In the end Movic’s Tsukiumi PVC is a piece that holds up surprisingly well to scrutiny, somehow becoming more than the sum of its admittedly simple parts. When cast off a distraction is provided from the awkward hands, and the solid gold color of her hair works surprisingly well against the black of her dress to create both a color combination and a flow of pleasing lines through the kit that just feels right. Simple, subdued, sober, and all-around decent, this is a kit I’d recommend to any Sekirei fan or fan of attractive bishoujo figures, though the castoff might not be a selling point for some.

Overall Score: 8/10

+ pleasing combination of sculpt and coloring job
+ very nice trim work
+ faithful rendition of the character in both form and spirit

- hands seem inexpertly sculpted when viewed from certain angles
- Tsukiumi’s ill temper when she learns that Musubi is actually redacted for spoilers

If you’d like to support HD with your purchase she is currently available at Play Asia, J-List, and Yes Asia (all three, amazingly enough). I don’t know of any other stores that currently have her in stock, though ToysLogic is expecting their shipment at the end of the month.