Pastel Ink Popup Vignette

Language is an exquisite element of human existence. Words sew the seeds of meaning, sprouting into lush forests of communication and expression. These lands of linguistics are vast, their limits reach as far as your knowledge, understanding and imagination.

Students of a foreign language, however, must become the intrepid explorers of a new realm. Grappling with comprehension is like journeying into the wilderness, a place that can only be survived by plotting new maps of meaning. This is achieved only though dedicated study.
Alone, this can be an unrelenting struggle, yet for the Methodology of English, there is a guardian angel to light the path of the confused and weary student. Enter Pastel Ink! Popping into life with the peppy protestation

“I’m always gonna be by your side. Please don’t worry… I’ll show you how to do it!”

Equipped with her whirlypop wand and 1000 of the most commonly used words and phases, her genki charm wraps a ribbon of courage around the melancholy of study!
Courage: We need courage to pay all the money for goods without thinking about where your next dinner will come from. But such barbarous courage is a part of real courage

-Moetan, Lesson 6, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”

In the infamous study guide, POP paints the trials of academic adversity with a pretty pastel tint! Expressing English via exemplary enthusiasms of Akiba-kei, you too can learn English the otaku way. In the explosive fusion of art and imagination, character culture conjures a candied connection between the signifier and the signified!
This sweet sensei happily helps her devoted students at every turn, baring all the quintessential magical marks of the mahou shojo. Moetan is a chaotic concoction of cultural commentary whirled into the whimsical aesthetics of the loli moe!
Good Smile Company’s Pastel Ink Pop Up Vignette is the model answer to the Moetan pop quiz. Springing out of the dynamic diorama, Ink is the image of an explosive imagination! She gleams with the brightest enthusiasm to inspire the intellect and to rouse a studious spirit in us all!

Spiritual: He feels spiritual comfort in the embrace of a life-sized pillow.

-Moetan, Lesson 5, “Better have it than hear of it”
This is a wonderfully extravagant piece that showcases the very best in Good Smile’s creative capabilities. The expressive quality and combination of intricate elements conjures up an ambitious picture popup panorama in 3D.
Pastel Ink prances from a pedestal of an open textbook, her magic popping forth from a jumble of plump pastel motifs, wrapped in up in miniature warped world. The dizzying composition is distinctly dreamlike with the heady pleasures of a Lewis Carrol adventure. It glows with beguiling charm of nostalgia with a dusting of sugarplum lolicon. Its presence is like that of the ultimate gashapon diorama, the jumbo scale accentuates the illusionary elements and the carnivalesque cuteness that is so indicative of Ink-chan.
The sculpt itself is delightful, the finishing and rendering is rich and lovingly applied to perfectly portray the iconic style of the infamous illustrator POP. The misty shapes of the wraparound landscape encapsulate the cuteness of the Moetan world, in an irresistible arrangement that brings cheer to any collection.
Ink’s wrinkled oversized garments accentuate her dinky dojikko proportions. The frills and folds are the sweet frostings that envelop her muffin cup form to create a costume that is a totally audacious erotic accolade of magical girl moe. Good smile have inked the stitching in the white swimsuit with exceptional care and precision.

This miniature marvel is utterly irresistible, both larger than life and incomparably cute. The only frustration of this figure is attaching excruciatingly fiddly arrangements of ribbon fixings that are a compositional must… if you are prepared NEVER TO TOUCH THEM AGAIN!
For my taste, this is one of Good Smiles finest works in finishing, a pieces that really is the last word of excellence in tribute to the Moetan etango phenomenon.

Miyafuji Miina

Miyafuji Miina, is beach beautiful in a classic Onegai Twins summer sweet by Good Smile, sculpted by Tanaka Touji.
Miina’s pose captures the heart of the season with nostalgic allure. She embodies all the mischief of adolescence, provocatively poking out her tongue as she tugs at the soaked shirt that clings to her skin. The wet translucence of the cloth reveals the pale peachy curves beneath as the yellow bikini top dangles from her raised hand. This playful portrait of her personality is marked with a boldness that skirts the edges of adult desire.
Bright as sunflowers and as sumptuous as the rosy flesh of sliced watermelon, Miina sexily sizzles in the high heat of summer sunshine.

This is one of my all time favourite pieces, the basic elements are simple but perfectly aligned. Tanaka’s anatomical work is stunning and he seems to have taken particular care on the musculature of her bare legs. His work celebrates the fresh beauty of Miina’s youth and adds real substance to the solidity and charm of the composition. For this, the erotic overtones are all the more enchanting, enticing the eye towards the partial exposure of her breasts.
Despite the 2005 vintage, the production work is accomplished to perfection. The effects of the finishing are not hampered a lack of sophistication whatsoever and boast a rich tonal palette that combines flawlessly with the sculpt with optimum results.
Miina’s sweetness has refreshing flavour like a spoonful of iced berry sherbet. The taste is reminiscent of the irresistible bitter sweet tang of first love encounters under the endlessly blue summer sky that is mirrored in her eyes.

Kuonji Shinra

The noble art of seduction is skilfully enacted by the first lady of erogaming spinoffs, Kounji Shinra, as she slips into something a little more comfortable for our personal pleasure. Her debut in PVC is as a 1/8 scale figure, fashioned by the Good Smile Company to ensnare the hearts of her admirers.

Here follows the account of my own dances in figure mania, the movements choreographed to a softly rising serenade. It is not a tale of love at first site but of the rising tempo in my beating heart, of Shinra-sama’s image flirting brazenly on the outskirts of my mind.

At the preorder stage, figures appear like debutantes, their manufacturers escorting them to pose for promotion to cordially invite the attentions of eligible suitors.

Enter the mysterious figure of Kuonji Shinra, a form that cast a subtle but indeterminable mood in the cut of a majestic pose. The lady, whilst stirring and comely was lacking the essential rhythm to draw me devotedly to her side. My hand was stayed, her invitations denied.

The arrival of the televised anime series riding on the coattails of the gaming franchise served as the Shira’s haphazard entourage, opening the doors to a glimpse of her origins. What lay before me was intense erotica restricted to harem hijinks. I viewed the pretence of an elegant life with distaste, unmoved even by the most deadly of my moe mores MAIDS.
It was not until I retired from the animated throng of giddying capers that I happened across my lady’s bed chamber. The lure of Shinra’s siren song was cast the moment I encountered her noble image in repose, lying dishevelled across her bed sheets with arms outstretched to ready to receive me. This dreamlike encounter was no mere illusion but yet another of hobby culture’s sweetest secrets ~ of printed bed linen emblazoned with the images of bishōjo goddesses. After this forbidden twilight interlude, the original restriction of my snobbery readily became a fine network to bind me to my desires, like a lattice of silk rope concealed beneath the haughty vestments of good taste.
When I found that Good Smile were to be marrying their production to an alliance with the legendary masters of figure finishing excellence Alter, I was sold the graces of good breeding.
Good Smile’s Shinra may not be called exquisite and yet I find myself held rapt by the rubies of her eyes that burn with the power to possess and command. The bejewelled costume is a conductor’s robe, the one she wears when moving the heart of the orchestra. Her hands play along the gilded edges of her gown to simulate the movement of a sweeping courtesy.

Ultimately what compromises the quality of the figure is attributable to the restrictions of Shinra’s character. Without the inspirational flair that is sculptor’s initiative to take she remains aloof, her reception too reserved to welcome our complete enchantment. The fault may indeed lie within in the limits of her original design, something that to my aesthetic temperament calls for more luxury and elegance. The satiny darkness of the pantyhose she favours would seriously benefit from a nice pair of stilettos to elongate her smoky stems.

My personal affections for the figure are celebrated in the forbidden recesses of my imagination and on the glossy lustre of nylon luxury linen.

Nendoroid Al Azif

The sugary swirling of snowy white icing, the sunny yellow of jelly lemon slices with a rainbow sprinkling of candy flowers and nonpareils. What could possibly make a cupcake sweeter? Only the addition of a secret special ingredient ^_~ Al Azif, the lavender-haired lolita from Good Smile’s nendoroid series makes an adorable appearance on the merry cake tier.
The Nitro+ series Demonbane presents the delicate Al Azif as the personification of the Lovecraft’s legendary tome the Necromomicon. In her creamy white gown with its blood red fastenings of ribbon Al Azif is a dream in goth lolita. Contrary to the pretence of girlish fragility, she is formidable and fierce. The nendoroid styling seals this potent fury in a candied coating making Al Azif a sour sherbet lemon to suck at your peril.Al Azif’s ornate outfit and tresses are reduced from their wedding cake grandeur to cupcakey cuteness in their nendoroid form. She is accompanied by her nekomimi headset and the yellow gumdrop Cyclops mascot. Under her frilly skirts, Al Azif’s panties are the sweet colour of matcha parfait. Pure cream of condensed kawaii!

Nendoroid Nao

The magic of Nendoroids is that if once encountered, you are always enchanted. Their charming proportions crop up in my collection with decorative and happy freshness. They are like tiny buds of the first plucky blossoms to emerge in the cusp of spring. Good Smile’s sweet chibi vignettes are tiny posies, arranged to become of highest calibre of cuteness.
Little Nao of the game Mabonogi was another irresistible incognito impulse buy… However, I am able to placate my ignorance with fact that she beings sweet harmony to my bookshelf ^_^
The sorceress’s hair is of the pale hue of heather honey, her eyes like the dusky summer sky. Nao’s tiny costume flows from her body in a miniaturised form of the elegant translucent gown she wears in the game. With the beauty of the Milky Way and midnight, the nendoroid commands surprising elegance in this petite incarnation. Amongst her complimentary caboodle, Nao possesses a staff and an adorable owl familiar (ovo)!!! So cute! I had to pop him on her little head! Kya!

Amami Haruka

IdolmAster's Amami Haruka expresses the irrepressible charm of the girl with a big heart whose power is akin to that of the idiot savant. She is in truth a formidable soul, in possession of innate skill and core strength disarmingly veiled by a ditzy exterior. As bubbly as a sodapop, Haruka is the ripest little peach on the beach in her pale pink bikini.
The triumph of Good Smile figures is not in flawless production; rather it is in their conveyance of individuality. It is this that ties the character their essential aspects and gives them vitality, setting Good Smile’s artistry far apart from other makers such as Kotobukiya.
Beach Haruka is a glorious vision of blossoming youth! Her 1/8 body is both small and delicate yet sweetly curved in all the right places. The pose is incredibly cute, peppy and energetic, she is poised on one dainty little sandal as she kicks off her shorts and makes for the waves. The sculpt is uncomplicated but the simple composition exudes happiness and perfectly captures her cheerful spirit. A piece that never fails to make me happy like rays of summer sunshine. Haruka’s high point (for there are always some to note on GSC gals) is her exquisitely crafted waist. The small of her back dips, forming a subtly protruding arch on the surface of her belly. The clinging cloth of the bikini briefs ripples into creases following the form of her body as if they were tugged on in an exited hurry to get ready for the beach.
(For a full illustrious view of Haruka check out the accomplished work on the HappySoda rundown).

Rin Tousaka Noble Maid

Rin Tousaka of the Fate/Stay fame maintains a noble air that belies the modest Victorian attire that she sports with grace. Her cheeks glow with the energy of a fastidious housemaid as she sweeps her skirts around her in a glorious movement, the billowing fabric captures the motion of her elegance.
This modest 1/8 piece from Good Smile Company brings to life the Fantasy Noble Maid costume with splendour. Despite her tiny size, the dynamic arcs of her flowing apron and gown express the brimming force of Rin’s personality. The noble maid costume celebrates her lady’s pride that she carries off with ease. It is the motion and vitality expressed by the modeller that makes this figure such an eye catching success. Rin is utterly charming, enrobed in regal red that counteracts the customary appearance of a servant’s servile reticence. The prissy fastenings and high lace up boots all indicate Rin’s personal restraint, which becomes a wonderful contrast to Saber’s French maid attire. The fresh white of her headdress and apron are lavishly crafted with frills and fastened with bows to create a fiery carnival of maid moe!

Misa-Misa Nendoroid

She’s up to something nasty! Idol Misa Amane, Yagami Light’s little love slave appears in full Goth Loli glory in Good Smile’s Nendoroid line.
Death Note's Misa-Misa is a perfect mini mix of the kawaii and the macabre. A sweet porcelain dolly mixture that is the candied essence of the Goth Loli style. As a nendoroid she is an irresistible bite-sized morsel, right down to the stockings and suspenders! Like her full-sized counterpart, her cuteness is laced with something that alludes to darkness, concealing a deadly secret like a poisoned berry. Just because she’s cute, doesn’t mean she’s not out to get you!

Melissa Seraphy

Trick or Treat! Princess of the Pumpkins Melissa Selaphy from Wagamama Capriccio the perfect festive centrepiece for All Hallows Eve.
Sweeter than a candy apple, she is wonderfully whimsical with her curly tresses and mischievous grin. Her costume is simply fabulous, with gloves, wings and a plastic shell like a childhood keepsake it’s as if she has stepped out of a fairy tale in a pair of black stilettos. Her base is a shiny magic circle that attaches discreetly to the back of the plump amber ball gown, which like magic, unfastens, reducing her to her minute pink panties for maximum moe topped with a tiny gold crown. Good Smile’s little nymph is a figure maniac’s must have - grade A gorgeousness. Happy Halloween Minna!
Here follows a cautionary tale – do NOT put this girl close to an edge – these photos were taken after she had taken a tumble prior to her little fix up. Her bulbous form makes her all too susceptible to gravity!!!

L Nendoroid

Always hot on the heels of Yagami Light is super sleuth L, Kira’s arch nemesis. With a taste for the finer things such as sweet confections and teas, L is a curiosity alive with an array of eccentric idiosyncrasies.
The Nendoroids return with this perfect miniature, in the grips of some petulant contemplation L adopts the iconic pose in his favourite nesting spot.
KA-WA-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! The only thing the set IS missing is a miniature tea cup and an array of delicate pastries… and man servant Watari…
L’s mannerisms and irrefutable cuteness is amplified by the petite bulbous form of the Nendoroid incarnation. It is all that I can do to resist sticking a dessert fork into that delicious little face (>_<);; Ittakismasu!

Yagami Light & Ryuk Nendoroids

“Ne Raito…” Megalomaniacal poster boy Yagami Light and shinigami Ryuk of Death Note make their debut in Goodsmile’s Nendoroid series.
The poseable pieces come with an array of accessories and expressions to create a scene tailored to suit your deathly desires, whatever they may be.
Preferring my Light on the dark side, I adopted this disinterested expression (that reminded me intensely of Moriyama Sunao of Potemayo ^_^) equipping him with the tools Kira’s deadly divinity. I like my boys to be calculating, ruthless, intellectual and evil and Light with his delusions of grandeur is the dynamite mix that makes for one atomic sexpot. I just want to EAT HIM!
…Ryuk is a work of genius. The elevated support base creates an impression of ominous silent hovering. His goggle-faced expression is simply perfect, the hinged jaw offering the only variation necessary to emulate his emotional range.
The SD forms create a divine comedy of the characters, a chorus of the apathetic angels of death.

Amamiya Manabi

Pure distilled essence of genki, perfectly plump and peppy is Good Smile’s rendition of the heroine from Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!
The story centres on the irrepressibly energetic Amamiya Manabi as she aims to reinvigorate the community sprit in the hearts of the disillusioned students at Seioh Private High School. Hiro’s sculpt is the definitive tribute to this gentle slice of life show that parades perseverance against the adversity of ambivalence.
For me, the highest point of figure mania is a successfully captured sprit, in which the sculptor creates a perfect conduit that communicates the individuality and vivacity of the original character in 3D. For all the abundance of beauty that prevails in the figure industry this remains a rare achievement. The joy of this figure is that it is totally emblematic of the values instilled in Manabi Straight.
The production quality is extremely high in this complex eye-catching piece, which incorporates Manabi’s aero scooter rising out the waves to create the ultimate in dynamic poses. Moe! Panchira prevails in this upbeat treat! Massugu GO!

Kazami Mizuho Swimsuit

Reclining in the curve of a chair like a glassy pudding cup, hair curled elegantly like spun sugar and strawberry sauce, Kazami Mizuho is the flavour of summer as she basks in her lime green bikini. Her beckoning gaze and the sumptuous lines of her body cascade into an irresistible cocktail of peachy skin and sun blushed beauty.
By the grace of Good Smile, 2007 saw the days of summer stretch on endlessly with the sweetness of Sensei.
Truth be told, I have some reservations about the piece, which are mostly due to the fact that the facial sculpt necessitates particular angle to stop her looking utterly gormless ^_^;;
Her body, however, is flawlessly finished with the bikini encroaching deliciously upon the soft flesh. The composition is also quite charming, her jewellery accentuates the delicacy of her pose while the chair is both stylish and subtle echoing the dessert theme. A perfectly balanced 1/7 scale summer sundae, Mizuho is a harmony of tropical decadence.

Nendoroid Suzumiya Haruhi & Nagato Yuki

Nendoroid-orama! Good Smile Company, one of my top 3 model manufacturers came up with an ingenious line of figures called nendoroids. Similar to the Kaiyodo Keroro Gunsou shotai series of posable characters with interchangeable props and parts, these models are high class chibis for the model connoisseur with the finest finishing on the market.
First up are the Suzumiya Haruhi figures, with miss melancholy herself and the ever evanescent Nagato Yuki.
Naturally, they are fiddly and difficult to pose but considering how top heavy chibi models are by default, Good Smile reins triumphant with these masterful and charming creations! Haruhi’s character brims with a volatile potency so I posed her up accordingly to add a bit of steadfast genki moe to my days. Yuki, so sweetly antisocial is like me, to be found most commonly on the outskirts, nose in a book amongst the veritable carnival, which is my figure wonderland. Chibi deluxe BANZAI \(^o^)/