Whether it was through being told the story by our parents, reading a picture book of it at some point in school or watching one of the several animated or live-action adaptations released over the years, it is safe to assume that many people reading this review would already know the tale of Little Red Riding Hood (or in Japan, Akazukin / 赤ずきん). The story can be told in a more darker or lighter tone depending on an adapters preference and/or desire to be authentic to the original tale by the Brothers Grimm. Writer Michiyo Hayano and artist POP (Behind the Moetan series) opted to release their own version of the book, which true to the artistic style of POP, was cute and fairly well detailed. Unlike some of POP’s other works however, this was a 100% family friendly book with no fanservice, and was designed to be read by pretty much anyone. This book like others in the POP Wonderland series was published by Dark Horse Comics quite a few years ago, although I have still seen the books around occasionally.
While I reviewed the Hayano/POP adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland back in 2011, I never got the chance to review the book adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood despite acquiring them at the same time. Instead, and while I had planned to review something newer, I have decided to review the POP Wonderland figure of the book’s titular character. This was a recent acquisition to my small but growing figure collection, and one which has already earned its place at the front of my shelf. To describe it in one word, I would use: Adorable.
The figure was originally released in 2008, having been manufactured by Alter and Happinet. Working off the original artwork created by POP, this was sculpted by Morikawa Hiromitsu, who has also worked on many of the other Moetan figures currently available on the market. In total it is 1/8 scale, coming in at 19.5cm in height. There might however be very slight differences in height depending on which hood choice you opt to use when displaying her.
The figure and base combo pictures Little Red Riding Hood travelling down a forest path to her grandmothers house, wearing her red hood and carrying a large basket containing a large green bottle and presumably other treats under a towel. Given how she is positioned, it seems like she has stopped to look at something ahead of her rather than actually walking down the path at that moment. It is a pose unique to the figure, as it was not present in the book. Overall however, while the chosen pose does not portray any particular key moment in the tale (not that there are many or that it really matters), it is adorable at the very least.
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Do note that there is always the possibility of slight quality differences between two figures of the same type. These comments are based on the figure I possess, and may or may not be reflective of what you will receive should you order yourself one.
The overall construction and design of this figure was of a high standard, and it was clear that a lot of attention to detail went into crafting this. From the ribbons on Little Red Riding Hood’s apron and creases of the towel covering her basket, to the rocky and leafy path she treads on, a lot of attention to detail went into its creation. The overall design was also pleasing, keeping with the cutesy look present in the book. The paintwork was flawless in my instance as well, with no major or even minor flaws from my perspective. Red looks like she has simply left the pages of the book, and while the colour choices was duller than you might see in other figures, it was nevertheless a colourful creation overall.
As you may have noticed in the three photographs of the this figure above, you are able to shift between different hood options. In the POP Wonderland book for Little Red Riding Hood, she is seen at different times without her hood, wearing her hood and just not having the hood covering her head. With a detachable head and different hood options, you can switch between the three at your leisure for display or photography purposes. In my case I will be leaving her with her hood on, but it is nevertheless nice to have a choice.
When placed on the base, Red is very sturdy and I don’t imagine her falling off the base without direct force. There are three well sized pegs positioned on the base, which are aligned with three holes present on the soles of her shoes. The pegs and holes fit together snugly, with no major elevation which could otherwise come with a greater risk of having them break at some point. It should be noted that unlike some other figures such as the Itakushinaide ver. of Yoshino & Yoshinon I reviewed back in December, this figure is not sturdy without a base or at least something keeping her feet attached to the ground.
Not only is Red fairly sturdy, but is also heavier compared to many of the other 1/8 scale figures I possess. While I would never dream of subjecting this figure to any pressure tests, she does feel a lot sturdier and durable than others in my collection.
In terms of packaging, the box provided was adequate although nothing special. Carrying a sort of autumn theme and making many references to both “POP Wonderland” and sculptor “Morikawa Hiromitsu”, it features transparent plastic windows on all side of the box alongside photographs of what awaits you inside. In terms of protecting what was inside, the plastic within fit snugly and I had no immediate reason to be concerned about the state of the figure.
Overall, this 1/8 scale POP Wonderland figure of Little Red Riding Hood is of a high quality, featuring excellent paintwork, great sculpt/build quality and most of all is an adorable addition to my collection. This is a figure I could see keeping on display on my collection for some time to come. Just do note that, having been released many years ago, this might not be the easiest or cheapest addition to your collection.
Review Score
Design: A
Build Quality: A-
Base: A
Packaging: B-
Personal Opinion: A-
Final Score: A-
This review is currently being transitioned over to the new review system.
