As time goes on, I find that I really don't have the time or interest in starting a new series of, well, ANYTHING unless it's pretty much a done deal. which is how I keep ending up with seemingly random figures. I have no idea what Hell's Paradise is about, but clearly it is popular enough for Tamashii Nations to release a line of figures, including one slick look Kunochi, Yuzuriha..
After several fancy Web exclusive figures, it was nice to go back to something a bit simpler in terms of packaging, though I guess it's really about the same less the brown outer box. Certainly a departure from the colouring scheme that is the Dragonball line.
Contents of the set are fairly modest, though the price point isn't exactly like that:
1 x Main Figure
5 x Faceplates (Neutral, Varying Degrees of Happy)
1 x Tanto/Sheath
2 x Kunai
8 x Gripping/Posing Hands
Yuzuriha looks like one of those sketchy characters that I love so much in anime. Questionable ethics and tactics, but ultimately a heart of gold. Overall, very sleek looking design, with the bulk of the pants used to facilitate movement thought they might have over done the girth of the pant legs a bit. The Tanto doesn't actually pop out or lend itself to be used as a weapon - it's pretty much just a decoration. I've only seen clips of towards the end of the series, so I don't know if she actually uses it. Overall, not too shabby of a reproduction.
Did I mention she shamelessly bares her chest?
The faceplates are not too bad either. A bit wider than necessary, the eyes and mouth are actually pretty close to source material. The thing that holds these faces back, no fault of Tamashii Nations I suppose, is that the rest of her facial features aren't as prominent as a typical Dragonball character, so it doesn't show up that well.
While the overall sculpt is pretty good, the Articulation is actually very average, which is saying it's very underwhelming for a Kunochi, particularly a Figuart release. Starting with the most obvious issue - the hip articulation is pretty standard - Tamashii Nations did not give the poor girl any pull down hips, limiting her hip movement to 90 degrees forward (back flap restrics movement backwards) and making her one of the few Kunochi I own that can't front high kick someone in the head. This lack of mobiltiy also affects other poses, most notable being any crouching poses. While we're on the legs, the bulk of the outfit also affects the operation of the knees, which if you didn't know better, you'd never think was a double jointed knee.
The rest of the figure generally operates as you'd expect from a Figuart, including Butterfly shoulders and a waist job, but there is one flaw, and that is the Chest and Abdomen sections are fused to one another due to no desire to have breaks in her top. Having said that, I don't understand why the underlying torso is most obviously two pieces, and if you were gonna do this one piece thing you could have save costs and made it slightly less ugly. One has to wonder if perhaps there were plans to free the Abdomen section (and actually allow Yuzurihu to twerk) but someone came along and put a stop to it.
Paint Applications are again typical Figuarts, where the bulk of the colour is carried by the base plastic with help from some matte top coat. I feel that this is possibly one of the least painted Figuarts I own, as there isn't even any weathering ont he body. I'm thinking the Whites on the forearms and the bamboo containers on her waist and the scabbard. Paint is also observed on the other forearm, possibly the bicep rings, the kunai, and the small decoration in her hair. Smaller detail Paint apps are not as prominent, but they are crisply done. Decal work looks nice and sharp, as well as being aligned properly.
Build Quality wise, there's nothing to complain about. The fundamentals are in place with no issues, so parts will fit and joints will hold. The Kunai fit in the hands nicely. Limbs are not randomly falling off because I decided to pick up the figure and hold it. From a finish perspective, a few seamlines but that's pretty typical of this line - Figma take this stuff a bit more seriously.
I mean, overall this, like most of the Figuarts line up, is pretty solid. It's just unfortunate due to some strange design choices, it's like the ability for Yuzurihu to pose like a Kunochi was completely forgotten, likely in the name of aesthetics. I like the figure and it's sculpt, but I would have LOVED it had it been able to pose appropriately.
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