After several release delays, Orchid Seed’s Mogudan-inspired Comic Unreal cover girl Onna Kenshi Feane is finally here! Unlike most kits this is one that proved to be in almost every respect better than the production shots available in the past – if Orchid delays mean more figures of this quality, I’m all for them. Read on for a detailed look at the first figure that can truly lay claim to embody the spirit – and the monumental bosoms – of Mogudan’s art.

We wrap up our coverage of Wonder Festival 2008 Winter (for real, this time) with a look at the industry items that fell through the cracks in our earlier reporting. This primarily consists of offerings on display at the Yamato and Happinet booths, but also contains a look at Organic’s Tama-chan from Bamboo Blade and the as-yet unsubstantiated rumor of an Erect Sawaru-designed figure from Solid Theater. Details follow:

The following is a quasi-chronological look at the events of February 24th, 2008, and one person’s trip to Japan’s biannual hobby mecca Wonder Festival. In addition to boring personal anecdotes it contains information of a potentially useful nature – if you’ve been wondering when the next Wonder Festival is, what happened to Eropon, why there was a veritable army of Yoko kits for sale, what’s up with Organic, or who translated the text on the warning label of that Mr. Simple Mask for Paint you just bought – well, you’ve come to the right place!

Our look at the garage kits on display at Wonder Festival 2008 Winter concludes in earnest with a look at many of the adult-themed kits that were on display, from an amnesiac Viletta from Code Geass to a sculptural depiction of The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, to several very attractive Kanu Unchous, an irresponsibly proportioned Uesugi Kenshin and Yamamoto Isoroku, and things far more outlandish – not a post for those at work, under legal age, or not wanting to see some pretty bizarre (and yet strangely hypnotic) pieces of sculpted plastic.

Why put out Wonder Festival industry news in installments when you can do it all at once? This is the question we attempt to answer in this post, bringing scoops from (in alphabetical order): Alter, Amie Gran, Cafe Reo, CM’s, Daiki Kougyou, First Class, Goodsmile / Max Factory, Griffon, Hobby Stock, Konami, Kotobukiya, Lilics, Megahouse, Movic, Orchid Seed, Organic, Piccolo, Revoltech, Solid Theater, Toranoana, Toy’sworks, and Volks. This post will initially be pretty barebones, with nothing but a bunch of (exceedingly crappy) pictures, but it will be continually fleshed out with concrete information over the next day or so, so feel free to check back if you’re so inclined. Update: Post now includes basic information on all of the new kits announced from the makers we covered! Further updates to be posted as the news trickles in.

In which the good, the better, and the best of the garage kit world are on display in various stages of completion at sculptor sites around the ‘net as they exert a last heroic effort to put the finishing touches on items going up for sale this Sunday at Wonder Festival 2008 Winter. This list isn’t totally comprehensive, but should serve as a nice appetizer for things to come…

It’s been awhile since we last saw the PVC incarnation of a kit based on a Sengoku-series character, so I was excited when the PVC version of this Cerberus Project Sunny Day Mizuka was announced on Goodsmile’s website last year. While some at the time found her expression ghoulish I really liked the radiant energy I saw pouring out of the resin prototype and placed an order primarily for that reason. Several months later I can report that the finished version came out decidedly mixed, and more than a little zombified, sadly – read on for details:

One of the highly anticipated figures of the latter half of 2007, Daiki Kougyou’s Toushirou-sculpted Mai finally arrived on store shelves in late December. Fans of large scale figures had a lot to look forward here, but questions remained regarding production quality and precise specifications – the castoff issue was resolved awhile ago, but today we take a more intimate look at what Mai has to offer.

We wrap up our coverage of World Hobby Festival Ariake 17 today with a look at all the other great stuff that didn’t make it into the earlier posts. Contains a run down of garage kits in the following categories: Anime / Manga, Game, Group, Misc., and Ero (18+). I believe most of the miscellaneous kits are originals, but there are probably a few anime and game ones that I wasn’t able to source; if you can correct me on any of these it would be much appreciated. On to the gallery!

Our World Hobby Festival Ariake 17 coverage continues with a look at what the official industry presence had to offer at the event, as well as what I took away from it personally. Includes what may be an HD exclusive look at the original resin cast of Orchid Seed’s Tsuzuki Shiori, with hopes that it bodes well for the PVC! Needless to say, this post is not safe for work.

In addition to recently popular standards of the garage kit repertoire (Nanoha, Touhou, Rozen Maiden), World Hobby Festival Ariake 17 saw the emergence of some new titles that are currently taking hold of the fan imagination in Japan. Chief among these at the event were virtual idol Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, the cast of Gurren Lagann, and Lucky Star, all of which saw a sharp rise in representation since the last figure event covered by HD. Check out the many offerings below for a look at the cutting edge of what’s heating up the winter ’07 garage kit world!

A figure we’ve been anticipating here at HD for almost a year, Yamato’s Dynamite Keikaku Kanu Unchou has finally arrived. Pairing the peerless sculpting skill of Cobra-Kai’s Toushirou with Shiozaki Yuuji’s erotic designs from an evocative scene of the Ikkitousen manga, will the first installment in Yamato’s new and ambitious Dynamite lineup provide production quality to match the design talent assembled? Read on for the thunderous conclusion to what feels at this point like an epic quest through time and space…

Back when this figure was announced I was taken in by the cute simplicity of the interpretation of Noriko’s design, and put in a preorder on a whim. While I’m not the most hardcore Gunbuster fan I have fond memories of the show as a Gainax classic, and the fact that Noriko figures are still regularly being released after almost 20 years stands as a testament to its enduring legacy. Not all Norikos are created equal, though, so let’s take a look at what Wave’s recent attempt has to offer:

As promised in our review of the Tsukasa Jun-designed Megahouse Excellent Model CORE Holstein Hanako-san, what follows is a photo gallery of her limited edition alternate color counterpart, Guernsey. I was unable to find any shops that would ship her internationally and it seems she’s gone from the primary market in Japan as well (though still available on Yahoo auctions via proxy for those willing to pay a premium); for the rest of us, this is all I can offer:

Another in the parade of Orchid Seed’s delayed releases finally made her way to open air this week. When we first reported on Seihouin Erika she was due for release in September, and looked quite attractive in her prototype incarnation; eight months later it seems she may not have been worth the wait, alas. Just how does she live up to the aspirations of naked apron aficionados everywhere? Read on for the inconvenient truth:

We’ve been following the development of Nitro+’s Zoku: Satsuriku no Jango from its bizarre English language announcement back in March, through its official site opening, its July release, the announcement of Alter’s Donne Anonime in June and subsequent announcement of Kuro no Franco, and now Donne Anonime’s release. What does the first figure incarnation from the latest Nitro+ tour de force have to offer? Read on for the nitty gritty spit-in-your-eye sci fi spaghetti Western straight shootin’ truth!

When Hanako was first revealed to be in production back in May she was an instant preorder for me, and I expect was so for many other Tsukasa Jun fans; his past collaborations with Megahouse had yielded nothing but solid gold, and the prospect of an original cowgirl kit was right up my alley. When we confirmed later in the summer that she was a likely candidate for castoff that was just icing on an already delicious cake – now that she’s finally out, how does she stack up to the hype? Very well indeed, as I’m pleased to report:

Cerberus Project’s guitar girl Arisa is a kit I’d been lusting after since I first saw her in resin at Wonder Festival Winter 2006, so when news came last July that Yamato was going to produce a PVC rendition of her the extent of my chortling glee can scarcely be underestimated. I’ve been in high tension mode ever since, wondering just how Yamato would treat her – fears that I am very happy to say were largely needless. Read on for a look at what turns out to be one of the loveliest kits of the year.

As an ardent fan of the Sekirei manga and an equal opportunity devotee of the various female members of its cast, back when she was announced I found Movic’s Matsu impossible to ignore. I have a critical weakness for brainy girls with glasses, and despite her uncharacteristically racy attire in this figure Matsu fits the profile perfectly… How does she compare to Tsukiumi and Musubi? Read on for our third Sekirei figure review!

The multimedia figure series that earlier this year redefined the scope of the figure otaku feeding frenzy is back in its second installment! Shuraki vol. 2 brings the incredibly cute Riu (Liu) Meifeng to the fore, in yet another dynamite combination of character design, sculpting and voice acting talent. How does she compare to the series’ first installment, Akatsuki Mishiro? I’d say incredibly well, but pictures speak louder than words:

Whenever I see the word “Vispo” a primordial reflex action is triggered somewhere in my brain stem that makes me hit the “BUY” button if one is within reach, and this Haruhi was no exception. Back when she was announced in May there was much rejoicing (along with a schooling in the meaning of the term “gakuran”), but when she was finally trundled out to an expectant audience earlier this month the excitement was somewhat abated. Would you trust Toy’sworks with your Vispo? After seeing this kit I’m not so sure…

If it seems like we just reviewed an Orchid Seed Ikkitousen figure last month, that’s because we did. Ishiyama Satoshi has been churning them out fast and furious, giving fans of his signature style and hot Orchid castoff kits something to celebrate; how does his gothic lolita Ryofu stack up against the others, and against her competitors? Read on to find out!

When C-Works’ Imari came out in April I thought it highly unlikely that I’d ever buy another figure from the brand, and yet here I am, suckered into yet another purchase. Thankfully Saori isn’t quite as bad as her predecessor, but the thumbnail alone speaks volumes: this is not a good figure. Worth picking up regardless? Perhaps… Note: this review contains spoilers from the final episode of the Bible Black anime.

There’s a limit to the amount of skin you can show on a figure and still classify it as non-ero, and Chrono Gate’s Mylene is just about at that limit. This is what initially drew me to the kit, and my appreciation of her original design and affinity for the 009-1 anime sealed the deal. Were these reasons enough to justify the purchase? I’m not entirely sure, but maybe you’ll have a more concrete opinion…

Looking back to this kit’s announcement in June I can’t quite recall what attracted me to her – wait, it’s coming. Oh yeah, it was the yellow KEEP OUT tape. I just can’t stay away from that stuff… I’m not much of a Masamune Shirow connoisseur beyond Ghost in the Shell and I don’t own any of his Intron artbooks, but toss a figure like this in my direction and you’ll get my attention every time. Read on for a look at a nice, unpretentious ero kit:

Announced last April just prior to Orchid Seed’s successful Chichinoe+ Cover Girl PVC release, this has been one of the figures I’ve personally anticipated most this year. Her release was delayed multiple times, the cause of the delay eventually revealed to be the pliant chest part added as an option to the kit in mid-production. Was she worth the wait, and how does she stack up against her predecessor? Overall quite well, despite some unpleasant drawbacks that mar her otherwise exceptional design.

The hype for Daiki Kougyou’s Sanae PVC grew steadily from the moment she was announced in June, through her listing in Hobby Japan in July, the scooping of her malleable chest in August, Amiami’s image update in September, her release delay to November in October, and finally the [ERO] revelation of her anatomical detail when she went on sale last week. After putting her through her paces today I can say with confidence that this is the best kit Daiki has ever produced, and is indeed a milestone in the development of PVC-based erotica. An excessive amount of pictorial evidence follows. Update: Sanae is currently available at Play Asia once again, though who knows for how long.

We first brought news of Cocona when she appeared at Hobby Stock on August 10th, and in the remarkably short turnaround time of two and a half months from announcement to release she was here on the doorstep at the end of October. I wasn’t interested in Movic’s first Shunya-designed figure Rosanna, but Cocona’s design really appealed to me so I decided to take the plunge; despite the lack of castoff or other gimmicks she’s a decent item, though not in the top rank of stuff we’ve seen from Yamashita in the past.

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…

When I first spotted this figure in the pages of Tech Gian last June I wasn’t quite convinced of her allure. After she was listed for preorder and a few more sample images began to surface however I realized that I’d be forced to trust my luck with Wafuudou yet again – the prospect of the combination of cute and ero from Nanao Naru and Cerberus Project was just too hard to ignore. She came in last night, just in time to ask the question: what would you do if Halloween girl said “Trick or Treat“?