In my last post (which was a while ago! Sorry!), I mentioned that I had nothing on order so I wasn't expecting anything. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep clean long enough and have been splashing out on goods left, right and center! Oops!

boo!

boo!

Well, you can't blame a guy when there are so many hot figures recently released, along with many more on the horizon *gulp*. Add to the fact that many places have been having sales, it really was hard to not spend!

boo!

List of figures:

ALTER - Chouun Shiryu
ALTER - Kanu Unchou
ALTER - Lily Salvatana

KOTO - Kureha
KOTO - Shii Arisugawa (bust)
KOTO - Angela (bust)
KOTO - Niniane (bust)
KOTO - Hitomi DOA
KOTO - Tina DOA
KOTO - Uesugi Kenshin
KOTO - Louise
KOTO - Silfa
KOTO - Rin Natsume

TOYSWORKS - Yuiko Kurugaya

GSC - Yuki Nendoroid
GSC - Corticarte

KAIYODO - Lazengann

Chouun Shiryu and Lily Salvatana are my favourite from the bunch. Although I also love the Shunya busts, you never do quite feel you get your money's worth...

There are a few impulse buys that made it in there somehow. I'm not a To Heart fan, and Silfa is not particularly special but I got her during Forbidden Planet's birthday weekend (30% Off all full priced goods!). For those of you in the UK, did any of you get any goodie bags? I didn't -_- 
I also bought Louise whilst I was there (just wanted to make the most of the coupon - not very wise)

Lazengann - my first Revoltech figure, but definitely not the last! I didn't know how amazingly articulate these figures were, so I've been having a lot of fun posing it about (ahh, I'm such a kid at heart).

Pure ALTER-goodness!

The Yuki nendoroid is for my girlfriend. I did attempt to give nendoroids a go, having bought Light and Ryuk nendoroids before, but they're a bit too cute for my liking. My girlfriend doesn't collect figures and is not particularly interested in them, but she did find Yuki cute. Still looking to get Bincho-chan and Miku 'roids, as well as Shana when she's available!

boo!

My room will have this wall o figure for a while, as the guest room (where I usually keep these stacked) is currently occupied by relatives staying over for my brother's wedding. Mmm, can't wait to eat all the lovely food on the day :D

boo!

Anyway, that's all folks! Unboxing and review soon... (yeah, who's gonna believe me when I have such a track record ;P)

La semaine dernière, j'ai appris qu'il y avait un concours d'illustration. Seul petit problème : date limite de participation mardi 9 septembre 2008... Sachant que le week end était déjà compromis, il fallait que j'optimise mon temps... Bref, j'avais alors 4 petits jours pour me décider... Participera, participera pas, participera, participera pas...

Est venu le temps du participe-passé...
Et voila. Ecriture d'une histoire sur le thème de la légende africaine d'Anansi, création d'une couverture, illustration d'une double page et story-board complet...
Dans ces moments là, je me pose souvent la même question : le temps est-il plusieurs ?

Et quand on poste son travail, y'a comme une sorte de réaction-alanguissante-musculaire-opérationnelle... Bref, je suis naze !!

I recently marathoned Magical Lyrical Girl Nanoha and its sequel Magical Lyrical Girl Nanoha As. I remember when these series came out, I watched the first few episodes and thought, not for me! After Sailor Moon overload back in the day, no more Magical Girl Anime for me.

I only got interested when I recently watched one of Actar's Figure reviews of Nanoha, and saw a few clips of the Anime, specifically when she's winding up one of her special moves (Divine Buster?). I thought it looked pretty cool, so decided to look into it further.

The first few episodes of the MLGN were really kind of boring, and seemed like just another monster of day show. However, when Fate (loli blonde girl) showed up, it all changed ^_^. This is the first Magical Girl Anime that I've seen that the whole focus is on Magical Girls beating the absolute living hell out of each other! Think about it ... who else can beat a Magical Girl, but another Magical Girl?

So I spent a whole day watching it, then A's. A's was even better - more Magical Girl on Girl, and what makes it fun to watch is that all of them are pretty evenly powered, at least when Nanoha and Fate upgrade their devices (what the staffs are called) to the cartridge system.

And aside from the fighting, the emotions run pretty high in this show, and you do get to feel what the actual characters are feeling. And that's a win for any work of fiction.

The Magical Combat system is also quite interesting. Their devices seem kind of like a cross between real world guns / rifles, in that they need to reload them with cartridges, but they actually look like bullet casings :P

Currently I've started watching its third season, Magical Lyrical Girl Nanoha StrikerS. It looks interesting in that the characters are all grown up. However the feel is very different. I'm only up to episode 2, and I'll see if it gets better or worse.

Anyways on to the second figure / toy, is Starscream from the Takara/Tomy Transformers Encore line. I think I was 5 or 6 when this toy came out, and I actually had it. Unfortunately, eventually, I lost all the parts to it, and the whole toy. So when I saw this had been re-issued, I wanted it again to relive some nostalgia. I remember myself and my older bro saving up to buy this thing, and biking over to the shops once we had enough.

However ... as you will see later in this review, perhaps some things are best to leave to nostalgia...

And lastly, the Figma Tsukasa from Lucky Star. I don't actually have my first loot pics that I debuted on dannychoo.com, but I actually have Konata as well. I figured I might as well collect the set of Lucky Star Figmas. I'm not really a fan of Tsukasa (as you will also see later in this review ^_^;;), but oh well. I do have to admit that this figure is really well made though, and you can tell that Max Factory / Good Smile Company have learned a few things since their first round of Figma Action Figures.

Here are all the figures taken out of their packaging. If Starscream had a pilot, I think he would be very happy.

Here are all the associated parts that come with the figures. Nanoha easily has the most accessories. She comes with her Raging Heart Device (Staff) with optional head piece for shooting mode, an extra hair piece with the fringe on opposite side, an angry face (my favourite), 4 more sets of hands, 2 Axle Fins (the wing things that go on her feet), and Figma Stand and Bag.

As for Tsukasa, I noticed that the Lucky Star Figmas don't really come with a lot. She only comes with 1 optional face, 4 more pairs of hands, and a special pair that holds her mobile phone. And of course the Figma Stand (which actually fits now) and Bag.

And Starscream has the least with only 2 weapons, missiles for it (Long or short), 2 fists, and instruction book (like you need instructions to transform a G1 figure).

One disappointment with Nanoha. I noticed that when I twist her skirt to the side, it had actually transferred some paint to her waist. I think I can fix this with some paint thinner however (that I use for Gundams). What was funny was that I actually thought it was an emblem of some kind before I looked closer.

And a disappointment with Starscream, this time more serious. I noticed that his thrusters are slightly misaligned and leaning to the side. My original Starscream from like 20+ years ago did not have this problem! And this one I believe, I won't be able to fix... GRRR

Meanwhile, the Tsukasa figure is perfect. No QC issues that I could see. However what would make her even more perfect is if she was Kagami ^_^;;

Here I am "preparing" Nanoha's Figma Stand. In all of my Figmas *except* Tsukasa, the Figma stand peg that goes into the figure back is actually too big to fit into the Figma hole. So I've been trimming them all slightly on the sides and after that, they fit perfectly. It's better to damage the stand than the Figma - if you try to force a peg, you may end up either scratching the figure paint when it slips out, or stressing the plastic of the figure.

Here is how you install Nanoha's "Axle Fins" on to her feet. Basically she has 2 holes in the soles of her shoes that are used to fit the Axle Fins on to. This is really quite clever in that you don't see any unsightly attachment thingys on any exterior part of her shoes that will be in view, as they will be on the bottom.

Here is Starscream in Jet mode with armament attached, Tsukasa in Haruhi mode, and Nanoha in Divine Buster mode.

Nanoha has the typical absolutely awesome Figma articulation, as well as articulated twin tail hair. Tsukasa's articulation is also superb because of it also being a Figma.

Starscream articulation? Well ... his arms can go up and down!!!

Because of Figma articulation, you can get pretty much any humanly possible pose out of them. And the joints are hardly visible if the Figure has clothing in that area (joints in the skin area are visible, but personally I don't mind them).

As for Starscream.... yeah ... he just stands there. Or leans, because of his QC victim thrusters. One other thing - I was going to review Starscream without putting the stickers on (call it laziness). However, when I transformed it, I didn't realise it would look absolutely disgusting without stickers. So I was forced to put them on for this review.

In conclusion:

Nanoha: 8 out of 10. She loses points for paint transfer (even though I can fix it, it's annoying), and her hair piece is quite loose and doesn't seem to fit exactly. I need to check if I can fix that too.

Tsukasa: 9 out of 10. Really top quality figure. It seems that as they get to their later generation of Figmas, they're improving their build control. Even though Tsukasa isn't one of my favourite characters, I can appreciate the quality of this one.

Starscream: 4 out of 10. I was really disappointed by this figure. There are plastic nub marks throughout (where it looks like they ripped plastic parts off the sprue), thrusters, and hence legs are leaning. Looks absolutely disgusting without stickers. Articulation of a dead turtle. I think I should have just left this figure to the depths of nostalgia.

And now, time for Figma Fun!

Alternate faces:

What the...Nendoroid with Bewbs??!!!

Apparently you can move her ponytail ^^

Miku-Guardian Fariz's Dream come true?

More at Mikatan's Blog~ ( ^ _ ^ )/

To Heart 2 Sasara Kusagawa 1/6 Scale PVC Statue
release date january 2009

and

To Heart 2 Tamaki Kosaka School Uniform 1/6 Scale PVC Statue

release date january 2009

and the winner is....To Heart 2 Sasara Kusagawa 1/6 Scale PVC Statue

This new 1/8 scale figure of "Kanu Unchou Juban Ver." will be available this coming October 2008 by Taki Corporation for 5,500 Yen retail price. Hobby Search is taking pre-orders for her as of today.

More Kanu, although this version doesn't look so bad ( ^ _ ^ );

It's not like I planned it. It's not like I thought weeks before today: ''I want to start a blog!''

No.

The idea just came to me. I had watched an anime. Sat in the dark. Ignored the fact that it was 2 a.m. And thought: ''I want to share them.'' And with that, I meant my figure collection.
And what better way is there then to make a blog about them? A place to share photo's of them, a place to discuss them, to review them... But especially; to look at them.

I know that there are already a lot of places on the web where people share there love for anime, manga and figures, but I thought that one more of such a place wouldn't hurt anybody.

So, this is where at least my fun begins.

First of all, I have to warn you; this is the FIRST time I blog, so I have little to none experience with it. Still, I will try my hardest to find my way around as soon as possible.
Second, English isn't my native language, and I can guarantee you that you will notice that. (For the people who want to know; I'm actually Dutch)

What you can expect from this blog: ... *silence* ...
Just keep following it, then you're sure to find out. ^_^

Your optimistic blog-writer:

Thérèse

Fist of the North Star Revolution No. 004 Jagi

release date: 31-10-2008

and

Street Fighter Online - Ryu Revoltech 001 Figure

release date: 30-11-2008

and the winner is:

Ryu Revoltech 001 Figure

from Street Fighter Online

Como limpar minhas PVC Figures, foi uma dúvida a qual me perturbou por um tempo. Procurei bastante na internet, pois inevitavelmente elas tornavam-se um depósito de poeira. Minha primeira tentativa para limpar a Rin foi trágica - tive a maravilhosa idéia de comprar uma escova de dente para limpa-la - o que resultou no arranhão que Rin possui agora na perna - as cerdas eram muito duras.

Não abandonei a idéia totalmente, mas a escova de dente estava fora agora. Decidi começar a usar alguns pincei que eu tinha em casa, para os meninos isso pode ser meio inconveniente, mas a melhor maneira que achei de limpar minhas figures é com pincel de maquilagem (ou maquiagem).

Os pincéis eram idéias para alcançar qualquer parte da Figure, eles existem de diversos tamanhos e grossuras. Às vezes faz-se necessário a ajuda de uma flanela para limpar a base, dê preferência a aquelas flanelas ou pano multiuso as quais não soltam pêlo.

Caso suas figures estejam sujas a um bom tempo, ou apenas muito sujas, seria bom para que a sujeira acumulada saísse por completo, passar uma flanela úmida e uma seca, acostume-se a limpar suas figures com freqüência - elas irão agradecer e ficar mais felizes ^_^ .

Algumas pessoas banham suas figures em bacias com água e sabão para limpar. Eu nunca fiz, pois tenho medo de não conseguir secá-las por completo e manchar algum lugar, ou amolecer a peça por ficar muito tempo molhada ou úmida.

Para os meninos tenho uma alternativa, usar pincéis de pintura, mas antes de comprar sempre teste se o pincel é maleável e macio, a aspereza das cerdas pode arranhar a pintura das figures assim como fez a escova de dente.

Como você limpa suas Figures ou Garage-Kits ?

Lançamentos da Alter

Yoko - Versão sniper da segunda fase do anime
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de lançamento: ???

Sakura Nankyoku
Anime: Penguin Musume Heart
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de lançamento: ???

Louise
Anime: Zero no Tsukaima
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de lançamento: ???

KOS-MOS versão de bikini
Anime/Game: Xenosaga
Escala: 1/6
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: ???

Senhime
Game: Sengoku Rance
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: ???

Metatron
Anime/Game: Demonbane
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de lançamento: ???

Yomako-sensei
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Escala: ???
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: ???

Fate Testarossa
Anime: Nanoha Strikers
Escala: 1/7
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: ???

Nagato Yuki
Anime: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: ???

Gwendolyn
Game: Odin Sphere
Escala: 1/8
Preço: 7800 yens
Data de Lançamento: Dezembro 2008
Disponível para pré-venda

Lançamentos da Good Smile Company

Ryogi Shiki
Anime: Kara no Kyoukai
Escala: 1/7
Preço: 6191 yens
Data de Lançamento : Novembro 2008
Disponível para pré-venda

Yashiro Kasumi
Game: Muv-luv Alternative
Escala: 1/8
Preço: 6477 yens
Data de Lançamento: Dezembro 2008
Disponível para pré-venda

Sumika Kagami
Game: Muv-luv Alternative
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: Prevista para Janeiro de 2009 (não é oficial)

Human Mage
Game: Lineage II
Escala: 1/8
Preço: 6477 yens
Data de Lançamento: Novembro 2008
Disponível para pré-venda

Unity Mei
Game: Unity Marriage
Escala: 1/8
Preço: ???
Data de Lançamento: Prevista para Fevereiro de 2009 (não é oficial)

Fotos descaradamente tiradas de:
foo-bar-baz
DannyChoo
HLJ
Akiba Hobby
Moeyo

Amanhã parte 2 da cobertura incluindo lançamentos da Max Factory, Megahouse e Alpha-Omega. Até lá. o/

LazyShinigami

Total newspaper advertising revenues fell by $3 billion in the first six months of this year to $18.8 billion, the lowest level in a dozen years, ... The record 14% sales plunge featured the first-ever drop in online sales. Interactive revenues slipped by 2.3% in the second quarter

Mediapost comments on this fall in online revenues, suggesting that it indicates that worse things are to come:

In the best of times, online never contributed more than 10% of most publishers' total revenues, but with double-digit growth, it held... the promise that it might some day make up the losses on the print side. Unfortunately, most of the growth in the online revenues was due to "up-sells" from print ... As the volume of print listings declines at an ever-faster pace, that means there are fewer opportunities for online "up-sells."

A point given added emphasis by TechCrunch

Advertisers trained to buy bundled ads are more likely to drop the entire bundle when making budget cuts.

The advertising recession is in full swing, and no segment is safe any longer.

The final word to Newspaper Death Watch

These trends continue to have all the makings of a classic death spiral: accelerating revenue declines create alarm among traditional customers who start fleeing in droves out of fear of being associated with a dying business.

There are simply no bright spots left. Between a recession, Internet competition and dramatically increased newsprint costs, this is a perfect storm.

So, how does your company do things? Are you still a print business that has a title-specific website bolted on, or have you a proper web strategy? Would the web presence exist without the print title? How do your sales teams work?

Arrived earlier this week, but I only had the time to unpack them today! Both under GSC's wide umbrella of figure manfacturing, Nendoroid Pastel Ink and Max Factory's figma Tsukasa have arrived! :D

My figure purchases are slowing down, which is good in some sense -- I have a huge backlog of photoshoots and reviews to do. I'm currently post-processing the photos I have of figma Fate so do look out for that sometime next week! (=A=;; And I haven't even reviewed Nanoha...)

A preview of the upcoming 1/6 scale figure of Toranoana's Donne Anonime a.k.a Miss Nobody from Tre Donne Crudeli - Satsuriku no Django, an Eroge by Nitro+.

No confirmed price and date yet, but supposedly it's scheduled for 2008 release. The figure was also displayed during Wonder Festival 2008 Summer, although during that time it was still unpainted.

The eyes on this sexy anime figure are really cool.

#64, BOY'S BEST FRIEND, BY ARTIST ANN SULLIVAN

WATERCOLOR

7 X 11

WA 3, A NEIGHBOR CALLS, BY CAPE COD ARTIST ANN SULLIVAN

WATERCOLOR

7 X 11

Danny launched an English version of a popular Japanese figures website.

Website looks pretty, but has a major usability flaw: absence of a search box.

http://eng.goodsmile.info/ (English Website)
http://www.goodsmile.info/ (Japanese Website)

(Click to enlarge)

This study was released a few weeks ago and is really worth reading. It is published by Roland Berger Consulting and is titeled "WebTV insights and perspectives - A web 2.0 phenomenon is coining new TV usage patterns"

Very useful for all of you who need some inspiration for questions like... What is behind the current WebTV drive? Who is watching WebTV and how can the audience be monetized? Is it a temporary phenomenon or will WebTV establish itself as a real alternative to "traditional" TV and IPTV?

In short some key findings of the study:

- WebTV is a mainstream online application and plays a key role in web entertainment.
- The WebTV audience is commercially very attractive if you are able to target a niche market.
- While UGC is still far from drowning, premium content offerings are on the rise
- The majority of WebTV offers will probably remain free in the future.
- Web TV will fast move to mobile devices
- Through new devices WebTV is becoming an integral part of the living room entertainment sphere.
- WebTV will benefit from differentiating factors like interactivity, ondemand accessibility as well as extensive communication- and personalization features.
- WebTV is likely to converge with IPTV in the long run.
- Operators and traditional media companies must react now in order to keep WebTV companies from establishing their brands in the minds of the consumers.

For me one  important insight of the study is that users and particularly teens use WebTV offerings as a form of social interaction. As a consequence, more and more large online communities grow around the basic content offerings. So the context of TV content or Web TV services is getting a very important "intangible" feature to differentiate from competitors.

Nemuiwanko here. Today I bring to you a recent hobby of mine. After coming back from Japan earlier this year, I started to collect a line of figures called nendoroids. They're superdeformed chibi figures of characters from various games and anime. They're quite a bit costly ranging from ￥３０００ー￥４０００ if you exclude the many limited edition and exclusive figures! But a large number of them having been coming out recently, with as many as one new one being released every month. With characters like Hatsune Miku up there, along with Zetsubou-sensei (Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei), Shana (Shakugan no Shana), and Saber, (Fate Stay Night) there's an impressive lineup of nendoroids.

Hit the jump for more!

These nendoroids are designed very well for their chibi state, and have gotten so popular that they're getting bootlegged. Although they're quite easy to tell considering the superior paint quality of the real figures, and materials used. I'll be posting a few of my new nendoroid arrivals as they come, but enjoy some of the pictures I've took of my current ones. I believe that they will soon take over the world one day, so I'm gathering my own army! Beware for those who get into this, you might not be able to get out ^^;;

Sexy Kasumi from Dead or Alive should have her own anime. Why hasn't anyone thought of this yet?

Also,i'll say this in before hand XD the figure looks better IRL ^^; and click on the image to get higher res ^^

The overall view,and once again i wonder - how did that cloth on her "oppai" get ripped without a single damage on her skin? xD

I kinda like how the light fell on her shoulder ^^ also - her hair has "alot of motion" just like the shuraki figure (whose name iv forgotten right now) :P

Some kind of side view

And im kinda bad at explaining,so yeah >_<;;

The way she hold her arm along her chest but still has a firmly grip of her weapon is really nice - Prepared to continue the fight but also covering herself ^^;

Closer view of a part of her weapon (which is some kind of spear) I really like the way its made and the details, although i kinda wish the "dragon head" would be a little more metallic, but i have not watched Ikki tousen,so im not 100% in what color it should be >.<;

back view - also in the picture you get to see a little more on how the hair "flows"

No need to check higher res of this picture - since its damn blurry,also a perfect example of my camera disobeying me ^^; (check the text on the box - perfectly read-able)

Back view again - more hair "flow" xD

The pose Griffon has choose'd for this figure is good,and it gives me the feeling as if she is about to jump up and attack you xD (maybe cause "you" ripped her shirt? lol)

and even more back view ^^;;

"connection thingy"

When you pack up this Kanu from her box you'll get her weapon in 2 pieces, The spear itself, and i do not know what to call it, but i'll call it "back piece" of it,the "connection thingy" that is in the picture is the thing which holds them together, but its stuck on the "dragon head" part of the spear from the beginning ^^

the piece i call "back piece" ^^;

finally a good picture of her face ^^;

The base

Kanu cant stand without the base,which i guess is a bit of a "shame" (or so my bro said XD) And she feels like she is standing a little lose,so you cant lift her up without holding the base and her >_<

Low angler ^^;; so i need to say more? oh.."white pantsu"

And another low angler! but from back view xD

Picture taken from above.

I guess it a bit of ":x" that griffon doesnt hide the "mold lines" as good as Good smile company does, but it doesnt really bother me and it could always be worse i believe ^^; and its only the one on the head that you really notice alot xD but there is one on the side of her belly,but you wont think too much about that one~

i just had to take a picture of her where the angle would make the hair look a bit weird xD

another blurry pic >_< my cellphone is focused! argh~!

whii @ blurry , and another "above" angle '.'

'

Hikari Ooo! ^^;;

her back - again *rolleyes*

One thing i dont quite like with this kanu is her hands - they are a bit darker then the rest of her skin,which i know is normal XD well..i dont really "dont like" it,it just kinda....annoy me? lol..i dont know..

Blurry picture of her belly ^^;

Another side View ^^ and you can see her hair-molding-line on the head

Overall back view

And now for some facts about the figure:

• Company : Griffon enterprises Co.
• Sculpted by: Satoshi Ishiyama
• Price: 43.02 EUR (3699 JPY) (price from Archonia,where figure was ordered)
• Scale: 1/6
• Hight: about 15cm,spear = ~33cm

And thats all for this review/photoshot ^^ i'll add her to the photoshot page asap,and such

next review/photoshot wil be either Elwing or a figma ^^ so look forward to it!

Two new entries from Kotobukiya are now ready for reservations ^^

Name: Magical Girl Maryan
Scale: 1/8
Series: To Heart2 ~Another Days~
Release Date: December 2008
Retail Price: 5,800 Yen

Name: Octavia
Scale: 1/8
Series: Tears to Tiara
Release Date: December 2008
Retail Price: 6,800 Yen

Hobby Search is taking pre-orders for both as of today.

I have to say, both figures looks gorgeous~ ( ^ _ ^ )/

Face is a little off, but she's cute none the less... Need to catch up on my Macross F, but if I'm not mistaken, what I ought to say in situations like this is "DECULTURE!", meh. I wonder what the scale for the normal Klan Klang will be... 1/72? Klan Klang will be released this November for 5,500円. Alpha x Omega's page on her here. Nao back to my Super Robot Taisen AP...

I was in my local model store earlier this week when I spotted one of these in the corner. So, it being pay week, I was more likely to purchase something I would otherwise have no intention of buying. Well, it looked cool in the package! And, and Michelangelo was my favourite Ninja Turtle!

I think I must have been around 9 or 10 or something at the time the TMNT craze hit. And hooked badly I was. I played the Ninja Turtle arcade game every day after school. Talked all day with fellow primary school friends about turtles.

However, my older sister's boyfriend at the time was a mature 17 or 18 year old. He in his infinite wisdom told me that the TV show turtles "sucked" and that the comics were much better. Me being the impressionable lad at the time believed everything he had to say. And then he showed me some of his comics, and wow! Blood! Awesome violence! (spoiler lol) Shredder falls off a building all cut up, and gets blown up by a grenade!

Therefore, immediately, comic Turtles were the "best" and I snapped up all the graphic novels somehow. I think I still have them somewhere in a box. They never did make toys of the comic turtles (there was no way they would have marketed this more violent TMNT to kids), so I was left with getting the whole set of the "inferior" cartoon Turtles. Eventually my whole set which was stored in a large garbage bag was stolen by some evil kid during one of my birthday parties however.

20 years later, they finally come out with these "comic" toys. I must admit they look pretty good, and I would've probably wet myself if these toys were out back then. However I'm now more spoiled by anime Figmas.

Here is what you get in the package. 2 extra hands in a different pose, one with a spike band thingy. 3 Ninja Stars (where one of them lost a bit of paint because it was stuck on sticky tape - bad packaging design!). 1 plastic base, which looks like Pikachu crapped all over it. And 1 pet turtle.

Unfortunately no Figma stand, so I can't put Michelangelo in a pose like he is in the back of the packaging without 3rd party assistance.

Articulation as follows:

• Head turns 360, moves forward and back, up and down
• Arms in and out, up and down, rotates at the bicep. Elbows up and down. Hands turn 360 and hinge up and down at the wrist
• No waist articulation
• Legs in and out, up and down, rotates slightly at the pelvis. Double-jointed at the knee. Feet up and down at the ankle

The chest is made of soft pvc, and it seems like you can rip it off if you have a mind to. The top bandanna is also soft like pvc.

It might be unfair to compare to a figma, but figma articulation is much much better.

Overall, a good figure, for an American made one. The accuracy to the comic design is very high. And the actual chains on the Nunchuks are actually pretty damn good. I remember the Nunchuks on the cartoon version of Michelangelo were plastic, and they broke after a few bendings.

However ... those of us used to Figmas will now judge every articulated figure against them. And sad to say that the measuring stick has grown a lot larger. Overall I give Michelangelo a score of 7 out of 10. If only this had come out 20 years ago!