Anyone who has seen the top of my bookcase (the one full of manga) knows I’m a figure collector. However, save for a few exceptions, the majority of my collection is composed of figmas. Personally, I’d say they’re the best out there – both in terms of collection lineup and craft quality. Many of them also come with an insane amount of swappable parts, which often can even be mixed-and-matched with other figures. For those of you unfamiliar with the figma series, they are made jointly by Max Factory and Good Smile Company. However, figmas are not the only figures Good Smile Company makes; GSM also produces a series known as Nendoroid.
I’ll be honest, I’ve thought of the Nendoroid series as the less of the two: less posable, less appealing designs, less swappable parts – overall, less. Now, for the record, the Nendoroid series is an intentionally disfigured one – it’s the point of the series actually. There have been a couple of entries in the series that have gotten me to laugh enough at their faces to consider investing in the series, but I’ve never done so.
That may well soon change.
Earlier this week, Danny Choo of Culture Japan gave both a new tease of the Mirai Suenaga Nendoroid, the second Mirai Suenaga figure to be released, as well as a release month. Well, Danny, you’ve got me interested. For one, the Mirai Nendoroid comes with an absurd amount of parts compared to others I’ve seen. The Moekana card set – also from Danny Choo and a brilliant study tool – has been re-produced in its entirety in Nendoroid-friendly size. Ever wanted an itasha? Well, you might not be able to fit in it, but the Mirai Nendoroid does and it comes with. Other parts include Retrokyu, faces, a miniature Hinomaru, and a micro-booster pack of Moekana to add to your existing full-size card set (for the special bonus collectors like me, AmiAmi is offering an exclusive bonus Moekana card with preorders).
Long story short, well done, Danny, you’ve got me to reconsider the Nendoroid series. The Mirai Suenaga Nendoroid is nothing short of impressive, and when it’s released in December this year, I think I’ll have to make room for her on my bookshelf. For more details on the Mirai Suenaga Nendoroid, head on over to Culture Japan.
If you’re already at shutupandtakemymoney, the following retailers are ready to do just that:
- AmiAmi – Reminder: Exclusive bonus card 😉
- Hobby Search
- JList
- Otacute
- Amazon Japan (for those who live in Japan or only trust Amazon*)
- Hobby Stock (for those who live in Japan)
* Shipping restrictions may exist if purchasing from Amazon Japan. It’s also, of course, in Japanese.
