Building a collection of anime and video game figures is an expensive hobby. The small collection I have (some of which have been covered on The Otaku’s Study) has easily cost me a few thousand dollars to acquire over the last couple of years. Therefore if you are someone whose favourite characters shift with every season or prefer mainstream characters, and don’t have some form of disposable income, then it might not be the hobby for you. While the most popular figures will sell out during their pre-order period, in situations where you do have the luxury to do so, knowing a figure is tailored to your preferences is essential to ensure you get value for money.
As I have had to pull back from purchasing any new figures for the past couple of months, rather than write reviews of new releases, I would like to share a look at my current figure collection through this new photographic series. I hope my sharing these may help you in deciding whether purchasing a particular figure is a wise decision or note.
First manufactured by Griddon Enterprises and later re-released by Grand Toys; four pre-painted 1/3 scale figures based on PEACH-PIT’s Rozen Maiden media franchise were released in Japan. This collection featured four out the seven main characters: Shinku, Hinaichigo, Suiseiseki and Souseiseki – with a figure based on Kanaria planned but never eventuating. While the figure for Shinku and to a lesser degree Hinaichigo left much to be desired, those created for the twins were of a much higher quality.
Although this is a trickier figure to find despite the re-release, meaning that the aftermarket prices can be higher than you would probably hope to see, this figure of Suiseiseki remains one of my favourites even though it is still a little flawed. I love the base which has remained consistent among the Rozen Maiden figure releases, the layering on her gothic-lolita themed dress and how they almost perfectly handled her hair. Is it worth a greatly inflated price from its RRP of ¥15,556? Probably not, but if you like what you see from the photos, then this might be a figure to keep an eye out for.
