Fate Testarossa - Mid year figure haul part 5

Very huge Play-Asia box.

This figure is actually arrived together with Elwing, in last Saturday. These 2 figures arrival posed me a little problem. Both of them are actually held by custom and the custom hasn't even checked it yet. An acquaintance in post office helped me to solve this problem, and this is it. I got them in the last Saturday, pretty late if i do say so.

Can you guess what's on the TV?

I'm pretty surprised with that box size. I've already heard from some other site and blog before about this box size, but after seeing the size myself, i can say that this box is huge! Three times the height of figma Haruhi. The actual figure itself isn't really that huge though.

It's MGS4 menu on the TV.

Fate Testarossa is my 1st favorite character in Nanoha series. Too bad i started my figure collecting hobby after so many good figure released, including this figure. You can also say that I'm kinda late watching Nanoha series. At the moment where Nanoha Strikers were still at ongoing status, i just started to watch Nanoha 1st season.

Her cape is actually the cause of that huge box.

I'm glad that Alter re-released this figure. But so many people interested in this figure, and i almost lost this figure once more. I'm glad that Play-Asia still has this figure with open preorder. Not long after that, i noticed that in HLJ and PA, this figure has already gone out of stock / no more preorder accepted.

Only sword, base, and the character itself, no alternate part.

Anyway, this figure is IMO the coolest and the best Fate Testarossa figure ever. From my experience of searching Fate Testarossa (A's version), i know that only this Fate has the coolest pose and best quality. For now, i think Alter is the manufacturer that released the most in number and the best quality for Nanoha series figure.

Maybe some of you wouldn't agree with me, since MaxFact released figma Nanoha and figma Fate, and GSC also released Nanoha instructor uniform version. I won't add Movic here since their quality can't be compared to GSC, MaxFact, and Alter.

Zanber form is cool.

Bardiche has some forms, normal form, scythe form, and this zanber form. I really forgot the forms name, so please correct me if I'm wrong. Sword is my favorite weapon, and even though Fate with scythe form Bardiche is cool, i know that Fate with zanber form is the coolest form for Fate. As i remember, Fate Testarossa GSC version also used Bardiche with zanber form, but not with cool pose like this.

Visible sexy butt from behind (and below).

This figure is actually named Fate Testarossa burst version. I don't really know what's with that burst mean. Is it the yellow aura below her feet? This yellow aura is actually one of the cool part this figure has. And she's still loli, that's the best part. Even with that DFC appearance, she still got a sexy butt, and you can see it clearly from below because her skirt is lifted up.

"I will kill you if you dare to touch my Nanoha"

So this is it for June and early July. All that's left is just waiting for release date of figma Fate, figma Konata, and Chua Churam. That's it for now...

Elwing - Mid year figure haul part 4

This time is Play-Asia box.

Elwing's arrival marked the 4th figure to arrive in this mid year figure haul. And this time is Play-Asia's turn. The rest is just waiting for :
- Nanoha Instructor uniform (GSC) : ordered in local store.
- Chua Churam (Alter) : ordered, and i heard it's delayed until early August 2008.
- figma Konata : ordered.
- figma Fate : ordered.
So all that's left for now just waiting, photo session, and playing my PS3... XD

Elwing Shining Wind version from Kotobukiya.

This is the 3rd Shining figure series i ever had. The first is Kureha MF, next is Kureha Kotobukiya, and this is the 3rd, Elwing from Kotobukiya. I know that there was a great Elwing figure released by Max Factory, too bad it must be out of stock wherever it is.

Elwing in Shining Wind version is HAWT!

I started to watch Shining Wind after i bought Kureha MF last December. And i noticed that Elwing in that anime looks hotter than ever. Hey... i played Shining Tears and i know who's who, who's hot, and who's not. Elwing is my favorite character from Shining Tears game, and her new clothes from Shining Wind is great (and sexy). This makes me love her more :P.

Tsundere, angel winged, elf girl with bow.

An elf girl, with angel wings on her head and a bow, this is Elwing, the first partner you can play with in the game. I saw a great personality change between the game and the anime. She's somewhat tsundere, and she showed more of her tsun-tsun side in the game. But in the anime, she was showing more of her dere-dere side. And her dere-dere side makes me love her more and more.

Elwing parts, it has a removable skirts, no alternate parts.

When i saw Seena Kanon released by Kotobukiya, i already predicted that Elwing in Shining Wind version would also be released by Kotobukiya. And yeah... i guessed right! I would only stick to 1 out of 3 manufacturer that released Shining Tears / Wind figures, Kotobukiya. I haven't even started collecting figures at the moment where Max Factory released Shining Tears characters in bikini. I know that they're hot and have a very good quality. So now i guess it's only between Kotobukiya and President Japan.

Elwing's new clothes, still with her mini skirt.

I have a little feeling that Elwing's face is kinda weird in some ways. Her eyes are a little too round, while in the illustration, she doesn't really have a round eyes. And too add more weirdness, her front hair dropped too low, and it covered her eyebrows. Without seeing eyebrows, you can't really see whether she's smiling happily or smiling lightly (or whatever i can't really find a word for it).

Better bow shape, better bow grabbing.

Oh yeah, i already said it before, that i like long haired girl. And Elwing also have a long hair that meets my criteria :P. She grabbed a bow, and her bow shape is somewhat unique, unlike Kureha's bow. She's also grabbing the bow with 2 hands, making the bow harder to fall off from her hands. The bow string is also well-made, even better than Kureha's bow string.

Skirt removed, visible pantsu.

This figure also has a castoffability, just like Kureha Kotobukiya version. Only skirt can be removed. As always, i never display my figure with clothes removed, because i enjoyed fashion beauty, not just underwear (pantsu) watching. Well anyway, Elwing wears a mini skirt, and it's more fun to "see" under the mini skirt rather than see it with her skirt removed. Her vest is still long enough to cover the skirt from behind, so you can't really see her pantsu from behind.

Foot is screwed on the base, preventing leans.

I don't know about Seena Kanon, but Kureha and Elwing got their feet screwed on the base. This screw pose better and stronger hold of the figure, and it can prevent leaning for a very long time indeed. Even though these figures are shorter than Kureha from MF, they're still screwed on the base, in this shows precaution from Kotobukiya. Well i guess this better than a visible stand to hold the arms, legs, or body parts like Metamo Haruhi Bunny from Bandai.



Hey, i just noticed that i started to call her Elwing. From the first time i met her in Shining Tears until now, i keep calling her Elwyn. Because in the game (US version), it's written Elwyn. Well, anything is okay as long as she still a tsundere, angel winged, blonde long haired, elf girl with bow.

That's it for now, next will be Fate Testarossa and result of photo session of Liu Meifeng. Look forward to it.

ISML - Emerald Final

Emerald necklace top 10.

This is the final match for Emerald necklace. Sadly, some great characters like Haruhi, Nanoha, and Konata can't even reach top ten of Emerald necklace. I can only put my hope high to Fate Testarossa, eventhough she's still in 9th place. Kyou and Kagami already won necklace, and this time, there's a high chance that 1 of them win a necklace again. Well, anyway keep voting...

Link:
http://www.internationalmoeleague.com/
http://www.saimoearena.com/vote.html

Kureha - Kotobukiya

Touka Kureha Kotobukiya version.

Two figures in 1 photo session in Friday (4 July 2008). Teana Lanster (Movic) which already posted yesterday, and this Kureha Kotobukiya version. As i mentioned in STF loot post, i got this figure from Surabaya Toy Festival 2008 with a lower price than normal price.

Kureha Kotobukiya version came with more dynamic pose.

I guess I've said everything i wanted to say in STF loot post, so i guess i don't have much to say here, just let the photos do the talking, people said a picture worth a thousand words. Or maybe I'll repeat some parts from what I've said before.

Cute face, big breast, what's more?

Kureha Kotobukiya version has cuter face than MaxFact version. It's amazing how these manufacturer made a same character in their own style and way, resulted in 2 different feelings. Elegance in MaxFact version, cuteness and sexiness in Kotobukiya version.

I don't like only 1 thing in this Kureha Kotobukiya version, her lips... I can't really explain what's wrong, but i can see that her lips is weird in some ways. A normal lips will have very thin paintwork, but her lips is somewhat thick, almost the same thickness like her eye brow.

Backside of Kureha, grabbing a bow.

I had a hard time getting her bow right on her hand. Unlike the MaxFact version, this bow doesn't have a place to fit in. So you have to put her bow using your feeling, and you have to decide on your own where to put it. Wrong placing means easier to fall.

Cultural yet sexy outfit.

I bought Kureha Max Factory version before event watching the anime. After that i started to watch the anime, and i saw Kureha not in this outfit, but with school uniform, and i think she also looks beautiful in that uniform too. I guess her good looking came from her face and body, and this outfit makes her even better.

Obi + mini skirt + sleeveless = ?

This outfit gives a cultural feeling, yet it still shows sexiness. Notice that the belt she wore is similar with obi (belt for yukata -correct me if I'm wrong-). I guess this belt gives the cultural feeling. But with the mini skirt and sleeveless outfit (and of course Kureha's big breast), you'll get the feeling of sexiness. Her breast looks bigger in Kotobukiya version rather than Max Factory version.

Cleavage of big breast, i wish i was a naughty small cat :P.

This photo above proved her sexiness. Showing cleavage is somewhat borderline, showing sexiness and ecchiness altogether. Kureha said it herself in the anime that this clothes is somewhat too daring. Yeah Kureha, i know, but you are popular like this now because of that outfit.

Paint work on the necktie isn't good.

Another noticeable accessory is this necktie. It isn't connected to the clothes, so it can't be called a collar, but oh well, it's just a neck accessory. If you look at this photo above, you can see that her necktie isn't very well painted. I guess only top manufacturer can paint small detail / parts with good quality. I noticed that Kureha's necktie in the MaxFact version is well painted.

There are already 2 Kureha released (Koto and MaxFact), and 1 in preorder session (President Japan).

But overall Kotobukiya did a very good job on making this figure. There are so many version of Shining Wind figure. Between Max Factory (Kureha, and the rumored Seena Kanon), Kotobukiya, and President Japan. All of them are working nicely on their Shining Wind figure. I guess I'll stick with Kotobukiya for now, my friend said that if you're getting Kotobukiya version then you'll have to stick with them for next Shining Wind figure series.

Kureha's sexy butt is exclusive for Kotobukiya version, i guess...

After this Kureha, i already had my Elwing arrived and also next up will be Blanc Neige. In order to get my Kotobukiya collection complete, i planned on getting Kotobukiya's Seena Kanon (still available in local stores), but after seeing MaxFact's Seena Kanon prototype, I've decided to wait and see the complete prototype of that figure.

The figure is screwed on the base.

Well that's it for Friday photoshot. Today, i did another photo session with my friend (Joan and Jaya), and i got Liu Meifeng completely photographed. I have to edit and sort the photos, so just look forward to it.

Teana Lanster - Movic

Teana Lanster - Movic

It's already holiday and i still doing photo session rarely. I've done this photo session last Friday, i've done it with my friends (Joan and Nico), they are the persons who helped me at Nendoroid photoshot. In this photo session, i had Teana Lanster (Movic) and Kureha (Kotobukiya) photographed.

My favorite character from Nanoha Strikers.

I got this Teana Lanster back in March 2008 for IDR 580000 (USD 60, JPY 5800). Teana Lanster is one of my favorite character from Nanoha Strikers. She's the leader of Strikers squad. Some of my friend said that Teana doesn't have great power, weak, and all. But i like twintailed girl, and i like dual weapon wielding girl.

Her vest and skirt are nicely made.

Some people don't really like Movic quality. I had a hard time deciding to buy this or not, because i had a dilemma. If i didn't buy this figure, then i would miss out the only PVC figure of my favorite character. But if i bought this figure, then i would have to deal with Movic quality. I had a little doubt of Movic quality, they can't make things nice and clean like Alter, Kotobukiya, Max Factory, and Good Smile.

Her aiming face looks cool.

After i bought this figure, i quickly checked all her body parts, legs, arms, hand, foots, skin, face, hair, and all things that came with this figure. At first glance, you can see that her skin is pale, and also a little glossy. A good figure came with a nice colored and doff skin.

Note : glossy surface can reflect light harder than a doff surface.

Sometimes people judge figure quality by the face. Just look at Teana's face, eyes are important factor that determine figure face quality, and her eyes are (still) good. The best eyes i ever seen are made by Max Factory.

I can't see her breast, not sexy.

Movic figure's skin isn't that good, but her clothing is well made. Details, painting and shading are still okay. You can still see flawed paint on the edge of her vest, but you won't see a little detail like that unless you check it closely. Teana Lanster wears vest styled clothing, skirt, stockings, shoes, and gloves. So her open body parts are only her arms and small parts of her legs. So i had no worry about her skin flaw like i said before.

Detail at her skirt and her belt.

Looking at her skirt, it's safe to say that Movic done her clothing well. Her belt and details at her skirt are well made. This figure is made by Movic, and Movic's quality is doubted by people, so i made this post to clear your doubt. So you can decide what will you do if you had a favorite character figure released by Movic.

Visible plastic line on her stockings.

Skin, face, and all things i mentioned above are still on my tolerance rate. This is the worst part of this figure. Plastic line all over the arms and leg. You probably won't see the plastic line on her arms, but you can see this clearly on her stockings. The photo above proved it. Plastic line are things that you don't want to see on a figure, it shows that this figure isn't that soft and clean.

Cross Mirage, dual gun device that only has 2 forms.

Cross Mirage, Teana's device, is on of the coolest device in Nanoha series i ever seen. While Fate's Bardiche and Nanoha's Raging Heart are focused on their ability to transform to other forms, Teana has to deal with the enemies with just 2 forms of this device. I like her not just because of twintail, but she's cool, smart, and skilled.

Magic circle base, unique.

This figure got unique base, a magic circle. But a unique base won't really affect figure overall quality. So i don't really care about this base. Anyway, this is the first time i used mini studio setup with my Canon Speedlite 580EX II, and it turn out that using external flash with high power is effective for bright background but not white background.

Creating shadow with reflector background.

At first i tried to use white background, but i guess 1 external flash can't really make the whole setup bright, so i still have to avoid usage of white background for now. I planned on getting 2 wireless hotshoe slave (PT-04) and buying another cheap external flash. This way, i can use white background.

Extreme RGB level editing.

The second photo used white colored background, but it didn't get that white after the shot. I extremely increased the RGB level and the brightness, and the result are that photo. The original photo result has grayish background. And this experiment proved that you can't combine the usage of photography flash with desk lamp, you have to choose one of them.

Well, that's it for now. Next will be Kureha (Kotobukiya) photos, i'll post them tomorrow.

ISML - Real Sapphire Winner

Sapphire necklace winner: Kyou Fujibayashi.

So, after all that stuff of Sapphire 8 rematch and all, Sapphire necklace winner stayed the same. The winner is Kyou Fujibayashi (Clannad). Well, eventhough i haven't watched Clannad, i still like Kyou. I have things with twintail or long haired girls, they're so moe... I was hoping that Haruhi won this necklace, but looking at her opponent -Kagami- in Sapphire 8, she would have a high "Vote Against" point in the match, that's why she couldn't win and the same for Kagami.

Well, just stay tuned and keep participating in ISML. Anyway, today (Sunday) there's a overtime match for Saber vs. Furude Rika, don't forget to vote!
http://www.internationalmoeleague.com/
http://www.saimoearena.com/vote.html

NanoFate.net

This is total WIN.

Allright!!! This is the heaven for yuri fans AND/OR Nanoha X Fate fans. I AM fans of yuri and CRAZY fans of NanoXFate, and this place is a heaven for me.

Link:
http://www.nanofate.net/

This site contains some goodies like NanoFate doujinshi, NanoFate images, and also has a NanoFate Image Board (too bad it doesn't support thumbnail yet). Just visit it, NanoFate FTW XD.