Monday 15 September 2014

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Ryuko Matoi

Nendoroid Ryuko Matoi from Kill la Kill

It's been almost a year since Kill la Kill first graced Japanese television screens, yet only now are figures of Studio Trigger's first full-length series beginning to hit retail. There's plenty to choose for both poseable and non-poseable fans, witth Good Smile Company, Max Factory, Phat Company and Medicom among some of the companies bringing out figures in the next few months. However my first Kill la Kill toy review moves towards the chibi side of things, looking at the endless juggernaut that is Good Smile Company's Nendoroid line. The end of August saw a double bill-release of the first two characters to grace the line, so we start things off with the main protagonist of the show - Ryuko Matoi.

New(isn) look Nendoroids

Simple backdropsNever short on the fun

Now having surpassed their 400th release, Nendoroids have gone through a few packaging changes since they began. This latest change isn't so new anymore having been first implemented with the 300th release, however its been a while since I bought a full-sized Nendoroid so it's pretty new to me! Like the recent change Figma boxes underwent these new boxes are a lot more simplistic and uniform, with a minimal amount of pictures adorning the box. Despite the simplicity, Ryuko's still very much comes with a Kill la Kill flavour! In addition to the Senketsu red/black colour scheme, the window also features some bold red Japanese text like the what would regularly appear on the show itself.

DON'T LOSE YOUR WAY

IN YOUR MINDWE HAVE TO BE AS ONE

I GOTTA FIND OUT WHO KILLED MY DADI HEAR THE VOICE OF YOU IN MY MIND

Despite her stubby limbs and super-deformed body, Ryuko looks pretty damn fantastic. If you're anything like me your eyes should have been immediately drawn to red streak of hair, which has been moulded in translucent red plastic! It may seem like a tiny thing, but it really does look fantastic and is a nice little feature that may end up being wholly unique to the Nendoroid. Her short stature doesn't mean any accuracy is lost either, right down to her signature striped panties.

Despite articulation not being a big priority for the Nendoroid line, there's still a fair bit of possibility you can get out of Ryuko. She contains a total of four ball joints, located in her neck, waist and legs. None of them are particularly notable for having a huge range of motion, but they do add that little bit extra that stops the figure from just being made up of sockets and plugs. Parts can be rearranged by removing the hair piece and then the faceplate in terms of the head, while the alternate arms just plug in and out of their respective sockets. The outstretched arms are a little on the loose-side on my particular copy of the figure, but even with the added weight of the weapon are still able to do their job without any real problem.

Scissor blading

Chibi power!Perverts rejoice

Since poseability isn't exactly a huge selling point for Nendoroids, GSC ensure these little guys come with plenty of accessories to keep them interesting. Among Ryuko's rather impressive selection is a total of three faceplates (smiling, shouting and embarrassed/angry), six alternate arms (an outstretched pair, a bent pair and a pair to simulate hands in pockets), alternate cocked leg, a pair of alternate weapon holding hands, folded scissor blade and case. The case can be plugged into the back of the figure, and features an additional hole so that the Nendoroid stand (which comes standard with every release in the line) can plug into that.

Those who bought Ryuko from Good Smile Company's online store will have also received an additional bonus in the form of a miniature scissor blade accessory. It's a nice little extra, but not one I felt was worth the significant additional cost it would have been to order directly from them.

Senketsu unawareSenketsu notices the picture above

Now with sticker-ing fun!

But that's not all! Also included are two separate Senketsu collars (one with his default eye and another with a widened surprised look) and a sticker sheet featuring a variety of Kill la Kill-related stickers! The instructions specifically suggest these are for kitting out the scissor-blade case accessory, however being stickers there are any number of places you can put them!

And of course, the wondrous thing about the Nendoroid line is just how cross compatible everything is. If you want to add a little more variety to your Ryuko, you can always just borrow a few bits and pieces from your other Nendoroid figures. These could be anything from faceplates and bodies to weapons, effect parts and more!

Crossover when?

Shining stars!Senketsu Titan? We're doomed.

While Nendoroids don't quite pack the same punch as their more-articulated cousins (especially in the advent of poseable chibi figures such as Kotobukiya's Cu-Poche line), Ryuko is still a pretty fun figure that displays just how fun Nendoroids can be. She has a great sculpt and a good set of accessories, and when it comes to Nendoroids that's about everything you could ever want out of one. Right now she's also the only semi-posable version of her non-powered up form on the market as well (Figma and Medicom both opting for the skimpier battle suit versions), so take that as you will.

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