The combination of a Yoshizawa Mitsumasa sculpt and a Yamashita Shunya design is enough to evoke a Pavlovian drooling response in many figure collectors, myself among them. Formerly available exclusively in limited resin kit form, the announcement from Yamato at last summer’s Wonder Festival that the Yamashita / Yoshizawa team’s coproduced Ayanami Rei would be coming in PVC was incredibly welcome news. Following shortly on the heels of other significant Yamato releases last December Rei was lost in the shuffle here at HD, but we’re happy to finally be able to bring you a review of this great figure!
Original Design: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, Yamashita Shunya
Sculptor: Yoshizawa Mitsumasa (Reflect)
Source: Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime, multimedia empire)
Scale: non- (26 cm tall)
Option Parts: none
Materials: PVC
Release Date: December 29th, 2007
Production: Yamato
Price: 7,140 yen (tax included)
Current Availability: [KNC] [HLJ] [HS] [TL]
Support HD!: [PA] [JLIST]
Related: Rei at J-List, Eva at YesAsia, Evangelion 1.0 Limited Edition Theatrical DVD, download Rei doujinshi (How To)
Ayanami Rei is a character who truly needs no introduction; her Wikipedia entry says far more about her than I could conjure off the top of my head, and even if you’ve never seen Evangelion I doubt there’s anyone reading this site who is unfamiliar with her now archetypal short blue hair and red eyes.
Yamashita Shunya’s depiction of the character falls about as far afield from her original design as can be imagined, depicting her as a voluptuous woman with refined features uniquely belonging to his style. Looking at his illustration it’s hard to remember that this is the same character invented by Anno and Sadamoto over a decade ago.
Ayanami as conceived by Yamashita Shunya
Sculpt
Yoshizawa Mitsumasa and Yamashita Shunya are a match made in heaven, as far as I’m concerned. Setting aside a critique of Yamashita’s conception of the character for the moment (a critique which can certainly be made), Yoshizawa manages to refine Yamashita’s Ayanami illustration even beyond the original to the point where it attains a unique, statuesque beauty of its own, accentuated in the subtly erotic pose that, while stationary, breaks symmetry in incredibly pleasing ways.
Yoshizawa is so good at adapting Yamashita’s designs it’s hard for me at times to remember that they’re two distinct individuals, but there are sculptural elements here that would probably not be found if Yamashita decided to set up shop on his own. The face is slightly more angular, the features more refined, and the body elongated – both torso and legs proportionally longer than the original.
These slight liberties taken with the sculpt don’t detract from the original design in my opinion, but would be better presented in as an exact duplicate of the original kit upon which this PVC version is based – the bandages provide balance and an illusion of volume that really fills out the kit, and it’s a shame Yamato chose not to include them here.
Production
Yamato has done a commendable job here, with solid casting work – though the pose and tight-fitting costume leave her vulnerable to visible seams, especially in the armpit area and the zettai ryouiki zone. These do not particularly detract from the overall look of the kit, however. The casting job preserves detail well, with very few visible mold lines.
Due to the requirement for a large amount of detail work in the paint job it ends up showing a kind of uniform roughness when viewed at extreme closeup, but the overall effect when viewed as a whole is pleasing and consistent. A great job is done on the face in both paint and casting, with just enough subtle skin shading. The finish shows very effective use of contrasting gloss (plug suit) and matte (skin, stockings, panties, hair, etc) finishes as well as semi-gloss on the green bits and backpack unit.
Conclusion
Yamato’s Yamashita Shunya-designed, Yoshizawa Mitsumasa-sculpted Creators’ Labo CL #015 Ayanami Rei PVC figure is objectively speaking a very solid kit. She holds up well to scrutiny from a variety of angles, and boasts a killer combination of design and sculpting prowess that leaves the entire responsibility for the finished product in the hands of the producer. Yamato does a good, if not stellar job here, certainly good enough to recommend to anyone tempted by the concept of a Rei who looks nothing like Rei and everything like a Yamashita Shunya painting. My only regret is the lack of bandages from the original, but perhaps Yamato has that in store for a future alternate version… I don’t expect we’ll see the original resin’s castoff feature any time soon, though.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
If you would like to support HD with your purchase, Yamashita Shunya’s Ayanami Rei is currently available at J-List. Other retailers are listed at the top of this post.
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if I hadn’t bought an unofficial resin kit of her (with cast off abilities and bandages) I think I would buy her. Too bad they didn’t includes all the features.
It was a long wait for the official PVC version, but it was worth it! I am quite satisfied with the overall quality of the figure when I bought it last month…Too bad Yamato skipped on the bandages, it would have given Rei an enigmatic look…But that ain’t enough to make me think twice on buying this figure… =)
other than lacking the bandages/covered eye and exposed/cast off mammary glands, the Yamato’s PVC also lacks amour/suit covering her upper arms.
I prefer the PVC’s version of the sculpt(except for the lacking of cast off feature.. so much so that I got 2 of it.. one at the released date and another late last month at 50% off.
I don’t got her yet. Maybe I would get an alternate version later, especialy if they turn out like Cobra Keis Kanu.
Certainly Yamashita Shunya and Yoshizawa Mitsumasa belong together but theyr style is very different. When looking at both designs of every released figurine both are great. But while Yamashita Shunyas version are soft, round and warm Yoshizawa Mitsumasas realization has a more mature, harder and colder look. Most of it comes through the eyes. While Yamashitas Rei looks like saying “Come to me!” Yoshizawas Rei look seem to freeze every Viewer.
Also the proportions of the sculpt seem more realistic and refined than those curvy 2D lines of the illustrations. You will argue that both sport a good portion of nonrealistic proportions and mangaresk design but Yoshizawas figurines are one of the most realistic looking ones within all those PVC releases. They never leave the comic look though. But he uses details like muscles and female curves in a very artistic way to improve them and give them a more athletic, livelike appeal.
I think the strongest point of this statue is the butt!
Damn, I didn’t know the original resin kit is top castoffable. Now I have to source for a copy. Hopefully, the originals won’t be too expensive at Evilbay. I don’t think I will get the bootleg resin kits. But, if I’m desperate enough, maybe, just maybe…hmm…
p.s. I have Yamato’s PVC version. I just didn’t know the original resin kit was castoffable. I should have guessed it was though, since the Ino resin kit (done by Reflect) has nipples while the PVC version by Yamato doesn’t. sigh…
While he tend to differ on review scores, I must say that I’m with you almost 100% on your views on this figure, Shingo. I would have liked (maybe even preferred) the bandaged original sculpt version over the ‘mod’ rendition that the PVC is, but it is still a stunning figure, and a great addition to my collection. More than anything I would have liked an alternate head with the bandaged look in the package so as to have both looks as options. I also certainly agree with your assessment of Shunya and REFLECT being a perfect match. It’s a good thing too, since a large number of REFLECT’s sculpts are based on Shunya art.
I think unfortunately some of the other comments on your review really missed what the figure is for what they expected it to be (a straight translation of the original GK). The ’60′s Mod’ look of this rendition is too cool for school and if there was no original GK or it had been this look and not the bandaged look, I think there would be more appreciation for the brilliance that is, and less complaining about what it is not.
>>blacklotus
The Ino PVC is a Max Factory.
I own both the resin and pvc version and find the pvc version far superior. The bandages were nice, but overall it didn’t look like a shunya design, where I think the pvc does. The cast-off-ability is nice but hardly a deciding factor for me. I’ll be selling my resin one on “evilbay” as blacklotus calls it. Hopefully I get some scratch for it.
I was a tad disappointed Yamato decided to produce this amazing kit due to their occasionally sketchy QC, but overall there isn’t much to complain about except the somewhat sloppy painting. I’m just glad one of my favourite kits was made available in PVC at decent quality. Shunya x Mitsumasa collabs just look brilliant.
@uncensored: So true! Rei Ayanami’s butt on this figure is one of the best I’ve seen in PVC… XD
Wow- great and beautiful figure…I just dropped a crud load for the Good Smile Hakufu so this will have to get a pass but it’s gorgeous figure- Shunya is a brilliant artist.
I’ve always known this Rei would be a killer, but I can sit back and not need her. I’m good like that.
Nah, really it’s just wantiong other figures more than this one! ^^
it might just be my particular figure, but i think its worth mentioning mine has a bit of a cellulite problem lol. i guess the molding wasnt done too well on her thighs. its only really noticeable under direct light however, and thats my only complaint.