Hello reader.
This is my first review on this site and I want to begin by giving you a guideline to what my reviews will be like and how it is going to be structured and reasons why you should care to read them ^_^
If you find typos and/or spelling errors I blame everything on the fact that English is not my native language *cough*.
At first I just wanted to write down my thoughts about this figure for myself and friends but now it ended up in review form and I started to collect them here for myself and for all people that are interested.
After reading it (or after stopping reading it) please give me a comment at the bottom why you (not) liked the reading or just some words to the figure, if I should do another review of another figure (consult my collection at MyFigureCollection.net for wishes, maybe I will do a „quickie“) and what I should do differently or in addition (more pictures, longer, shorter, whatever).
Also you can give me your opinion to the content at which parts you (dis-)agree with my point of view.
Notice: Near all pictures are clickable links (watch your mouse pointer).
Most reviews on many sites are not reviews at all. They, most the time, are just a whole bunch of pictures and maybe a comment or two at the end.
The fact that you are reading this now is proof that you already got a liking on this figure and that in turn implies you already looked on a lot of pictures of this one or even maybe you already have it and want to share and compare your opinion.
So if you would like to have more supplementing imagery to this open one of them. Some are listed in section 12. at the very bottom.
So here I am trying to give you the things just pictures can not provide you with. It is written to primarily give you facts in an easy to understand and also entertaining funny way. If you are not interested in one part (for example assembling) just skip ahead to the next number:
About my scoring system.
A little introduction to the character and the figures related to her.
The box
What's in the box
How it differs from previous and other releases
Assembly of the parts and possibilities of posing
The figure from bottom to top
In depth descriptions of little and major details on the surface, color gradients, effects, material quality, possible faults and errors and everything else you should look for(-ward to).
Wrapping up with points I love and hate
And my detailed scoring
And final thoughts
Related links
01. About my scores:
I'm a gamer, so from being exposed to gaming media I'm well aware of scoring and what an important role it can play for readers/consumers.
I prefer a 100 points (percent) system because in the long run just ten isn't detailed and dividing enough.
The way the whole thing is taking now I really don't like that much. Too much “uber” scores and nothing under 85 out of 100 points is considered really good. Bullshit I say. IMO nothing should ever receive a complete perfect 100 because that would mean it is flawless, perfect in every way, now and forever... who can say that?!
In addition 50 means half of it is good... isn't that good in some way?
So my scoring may seem more conservative but very reasonable even if you look at my collection and shout “fanboy” ^_^. Aren't we all fanboys because we spent money on such things? - We have to be.
02. Who's that?
Five complete model figures have already been released and this is the sixth attempt to create a PVC image of her.
This is Cerberus Project's (sculptor) and Yamato's (manufacturer) shot of the character Ignis from the popular visual novel (hentai game) Jingai Makyou also known as Chaos Gate released by
in 2005.
In the game she is a powerful demon hunter (the protector of humanity) with no supernatural but superb weapon skills with katana and other various weaponry.
She was released in three different (color) variations in the months of November 2008 to February 2009 and here is the last one of the bunch, the limited edition version of this "hell spawn raving babe".
03. What no villa?
On first sight the box is a classic figure box with your typical cardboard plastic windows combo.
There are four windows in total: The front has a puddle shaped window exposing the figure in the upper middle and the accessories in the top right.
The left and right side have a butterfly shaped looking hole directly over two printed ones completing the well known Ignis three butterfly design.
The top has a medium size puddle to look down in.
The bottom is clean dark gray to black colored.
The back has the concept art on the top right as well as all the descriptive text and two stickers, a Nitroplus one and a bar code sticker.
There are four more on the front the same Nitroplus copyright sticker bottom in the middle, a warning for small parts left, a holographic approval sticker from Yamato right and a “Limited Edition” in the middle.
04. Wow this much?
First let's start the concrete review by listing what's in the box:
This figure consists of seven parts in total:
The base, the "tentacle", a sword, an Uzi and the figure itself with removable skirt and chest clothes.
The skirt can be opened on the left side of the waistline while the chest part has to be unfixed at her back (if desired). So she can be posed stripped.
05. Didn't I see that already?
Second the differences between this one and the former variant releases:
As the first figure of the variant trio (and every other model released before), the color scheme sticks to the original look and feel of the character with very good nuances here and there. The colors are not completely different like number two a.k.a. scarlet red (which has a totally new devised color pattern) but the main feature of this one makes them look different:
This figure has glowing from hell translucent to transparent parts!
Because you can not clearly (pun intended) see all parts well enough on images and they really do not bring out the full beauty of this effect, I will first list the points that are "shiny" and describe them:
The hair from the middle to the tips (the hairline is normal)
The dress at the chest and bra area
The skirt part of the dress from the middle to the bottom
The katana (I never saw that on pictures)
The base plate
The hair's clear plastic consists of three different colored parts, more precisely a color gradient from red to white (clear) and there are shimmering little neon green dots scattered throughout the hair.
The chest plate like top is, in terms of color, divided in the lower near black and the bra area milky white see-through parts.
The skirt part of the dress like the chest part is dark at the waist but see-through and gradients to clearer parts up to the bottom. The end is fringed and has (intended) holes. Looks really cool with this burned and bitten feeling... from heellllll ^_^
The katana blade's (not the hilt nor the tsuba) color blends from dark near black top across an orange red to yellow and orange again. The little dark top part is not transparent. This effect starts from the orange part along the rest of the blade.
The base plate with the three printed butterflies is also in the already mentioned dark near black transparent tone in this final version (no clear base like in some pictures) but somehow it looks a little bit ocher to me (with the right lighting).
06. What to do with all this LEGO?
When you take away all the packaging plastic you will be left with the main "plastic", as described before divided in the base plate, the tentacle, the figure and the weapons.
Looking at the tentacle and her leg you find a long peg under her stretched leg that is supposed to fit the hole at the lower part of the tentacle (the spiky area ^_^).
First take the figure gently in one hand and align the leg peg with the mentioned hole and see to which angle you have to attach them.
The tentacle is supposed to stretch to the left while her face is looking at you. Her leg and body should sit on the middle to top part of the tentacle "riding" it (it supports her weight at the center of mass).
My Tip no. 1:
Remove the skirt before trying to find the right way to put them together. It's much easier because the long rag can stuck on the tentacle.
Then just slide them together the only way possible and reattach the skirt (or not if that's what you like more).
Then take the construct by the "spikes" and position the two holes over the two pegs on the base (only one way possible to fit right).
Lightly press them together about half the way.
My Tip no. 2:
Position the base on the edge of a table and let the part with the pegs go over the edge and the part with the butterflies on the table. Put hold the plate from the bottom with three fingers exactly under the pegs so you are able to apply counter pressure.
Press some more from above that the pegs go completely in the holes. Done.
Now stick in the Uzi in her left hand by sliding it in between her fingers from above slowly. The little plastic things that look like triggers are supposed to go around the index finger.
Last point is sliding the katana in the other hand to the end or maybe some millimeters before that.
My Tip no. 3:
You can put in the katana backwards to give the figure a unique and gung-ho look.
07. What are you looking at?
As a whole on an interesting composition. Because of the lack of kanji knowledge I did not play the game so I don't know if something similar looking is viewable in it but I know that this is an original design.
First "her sizes"... I mean the measurements of the figure:
Assembled and standing it's height is 18.5 cm (base to highest strand of hair on the head) and the oval base's diameter is about 13.7 cm (shortest side) and 18.8 cm (longest side).
You have the dark transparent base with three butterflies in a golden color printed at the left side and the tentacle-horn-thingie as kind of secondary base ride side on top of it. The horns are white with red dots all over them (bloody) coming out of red flesh or slime (depending how you imagine the monster to look like) with a purple (lilac) wavy ground. The tentacle is part sea-green, part black and part dark red.
Her boots are in black and white like the skirt part with silver buckles.
The black on the skirt looks dirty gray because of the transparency topped by golden buttons.
The panties are classic white (yaayyy) exactly like the collar and her “bat shaped” hair-band, catching the eye in midst of all the red on her head.
08. Say it exactly!
The “second base” except the purple part has a spray can look especially the dots covering the biggest horn (tooth). The material is thing and robust nothing loose of fragile feeling.
The mentioned green dots in the hair are almost distributed evenly with a higher accumulation in the middle of the hair. The plastic there also looks good and solid not too thin from the tips up to the head and the pony tail. Only the curls at the front (for anime insiders the “ahoge”) is a little bit too fragile in my taste.
The boots are painted nicely. Good covering black, white edges, silver buckles and heels. Only on the front of the shoes the thin white lines look poorly painted on and maybe a little be sloppy.
Light white stockings are well under the boots. No color bleeding overall.
The only parts where the color seems to not blend over perfectly are on the middle skirt where the colored white parts and the medium dark transparent parts are next to each other.
Around the chest up to the neck everything (color and lines) look good and in place.
The skin tone is nicely done. Not monotone but with little nuances to a more red tone in some fitting places.
And yeah you can see nipples if you like to.
Paint errors: On the white top edge of the skirt waistline tiny black line is present (some would say magnifying glass size) and over her right eye between the eye border and the eyelash is a tiny black line, nothing serious.
09. Can you please stop now:
Now this report went on long enough so I'll wrap things up by giving you the good old positives and negatives.
The goods:
I really like the smirky smile. It's faint and you have to use your imagination but she fairly enjoys herself while shooting.
The fringed and perforated skirt part looks awesome.
The hair tips (aren't they one of the main reasons anyway?).
Eyelashes: Thin, straight... fitting.
In a glass display cabinet when you look at her from a low angle and on her back the rising katana and waving clothes combined with her leap looks so badass.
Optional: It is Limited. For some people (not so much for me)this may be an argument (just look everywhere else like in the tcg/ccg world) but aren't all the figures limited? - Announced, preordered... gone out of stock!
The bads:
In general the most important part of a figure (and also most the time a knock-out criterion) is the face. When I look at a (feminine) figure I first look her in her cleavage eyes. As in real life ^_- it's crucial to like the face that it captures the character well and fits the rest of the modeled body.
In this case the eyes are a little bit too big or more precisely wide and the nose and the mouth are a little bit too far away from the eyes. The whole face seems a little bit out of shape (but this really is nitpicked).
The tsuba (the part on the katana between the hilt and the blade) looks cheap. Just gray and shaped like a real toy.
The hilt could fit better in her hand. Like with some other figures you have to stick the whole hilt through so she is holding the katana (almost) at the top part of the hilt.
The tips of the strand of hair at the front right side look too much glued together.
10. What are these numbers (out of 10)?
Sculpting: 7.7
The ideas on this one alone (better said the original sculpture) guarantees it a higher than average score. Dynamic jumping, monster fighting, death escaping hell spawn looking teeth/horns and and and... and everything is transferred nicely.
Painting: 7.9
No noticeable color bleeding, minimal shaky thin lines and some nice skin tone effects paired with solid mono color areas.
Posing: 8.3
Does not seem very dynamic but the many aspects on the figure make is look very good and different from various angles.
Base: 7.9
Considering the tentacle as part of it, very solid and gl (good looking). Good details and different methods of painting.
Packaging: 5.8
A bit above average with OK visibility inside but nothing too fancy either.
Enjoyment: 8.4
Depending on your Ignis loving factor this can be higher than it should be but an objective “better than good” from me.
Overall: 7.7
You won't be disappointed with so much going on on the base plate.
11. Any last words my friend?
And finally should I (and you) care now? - I'm glad I bought this one.
Because I do not own the other versions, just this one, I can not comment whether it's better or worse than the other possible choices but IMO Yamato succeeded with this one.
Despite the negatives the complete presentation is very good and if you can look over the “bads” (and you should easily be able to do that because they are soo minor) look at the “goods” and be happy.
Owning close to every other Ignis figure already I was looking for something different.
I was close to ordering the red one because it's different but after seeing the announcement for this version I reconsidered and went with this choice.
If you want your Ignis to look as authentic as it gets or totally stand out I think the other versions are more for you but if you want to keep the essence of the original look with a twist and in general a figure that stands out from your other statues, this thing with it's “glowing” like parts is your best bet!!
12. Where to next?
Yamato Toys
moeyo.com
Updates:
May 21, 2009
Added measurements of the figure in section 6.
Fixed the index with leading zeroes.
Fixed two word conjunctions and added some words.
Added some japanese Kana "for the fans" in the introduction header.
Added related links section 11. and now refering to it in the introduction passage.
