Figure Unboxing and Review: Nendoroid Minami Kotori Training Outfit Version (Good Smile Company)
To All,
I finally found time to unpack the remaining figures of my December pre-orders~
I finally found time to unpack the remaining figures of my December pre-orders~
If you are following my figure review posts, you would have realized that I didn't order much for December and only got Oshino Ougi's 1/8 scale figure (Monogatari Series) from Kotobukiya, 2 of Nendoroid Minami Kotori (Love Live!) Training Outfit Version by Good Smile Company, as well as a small Wooser Plush (Wooser's Hand-to-Mouth Life) also by Good Smile Company.
I have already made a post for the unboxing and review of Ougi's scale figure. If you'd like to read it, you can find it here. As mentioned in Ougi's post, I would not be making a review for Wooser, so I'll finally be done with my December loot after this!
So, let's make haste and move on with the review!
Packaging 7/10
I'm incredibly pleased with Kotori's packaging although she's in the standard Nendoroid box. Don't get me wrong, I do like the standard boxes which Nendoroid come in. The similarities in the boxes make them easy to display or store away if you require more space. Also, as Love Live! Nendoroids have smaller boxes, they take up even less space! The only drawback of that would be that they might appear strange when placed with the other regular (larger) Nendoroid boxes.
Other than the size, I also like the colors used in this box. The other Love Live line was based mainly on grey and slight green, and I'm glad that they decided to switch to having majority of the box as green this time round!
Kotori was snug in the blister and required quite a bit of force on my part to part the two plastic pieces. It has been quite a while since I've gotten such a tight blister, and as expected, all my pieces are intact and perfectly safe. There were also no paint transfers, which left me feeling quite relieved after seeing all the problems I had with the other Nendoroid Minami Kotori (Stage Outfit line) which was released earlier.
Base 7.5/10
As a long hair character, she actually comes with the same Nendoroid stand as Nendoroid Kirisaki Chitoge (if you would like to read her review, please click here) but hers did not give me any problems like Chitoge's did. It slid into place easily and snugly, and held up the Nendoroid with ease.
Posing and Assembly 7.5/10
This lower rating is due to the lack of accessories which come with Love Live! Nendoroids, thus resulting in less possible poses. I'm sure there are some creative people out there who can come up with better poses than I can but I must admit that I'm not a very imaginative person, hence this is all that I can do with a single Nendoroid.
"When I'm with you, I can practically feel joy in the air."
I love the cheerful smile Kotori has on. She seems ready for a challenge! Though, that also makes it seem like a similar face-plate as her Stage version, leaving less variation between the two different Nendoroids. However as both Nendoroids come with the bare minimum (mainly just exchanges of limbs), exchangeable parts between the Nendoroids is a plus.
Having hands behind the back is a rare thing for Nendoroids until recently, or at least they are for me!
However, the main focus of the Training Outfit Nendoroids is her pleading face-plate and the sketchbook Kotori comes with!'
Sculpting and Painting 9/10
I prefer the sculpting and painting of this Kotori Nendoroid (Training Outfit version) instead of the first Kotori Nendoroid (Stage version). Perhaps it's because my version of the Stage version was the re-release and didn't have very good quality control and various parts of her was quite loose and had paint flaws.
Maybe it was because of the other Nendoroid that this current one seems so much better in comparison.
Anyway, back to the Training Outfit. Like I mentioned, there wasn't any sculpting and painting flaws on my copy, In fact, I like the sculpt on her outfit, especially the frills on her two-layered skirt which looks lightweight.
I also love the sculpt of her pleading face-plate, especially the blush and the teary-eyed effect.
First, let's try on the pleading face-plate in one of the poses Good Smile Company has offered.
"Pl-Please don't go..."
This must be the best face-plate between both Kotori Nendoroids! The teary-eyed look together with the blush and the open mouth creates just the right balance of embarrassment and melancholy in her pleading expression!
But I'll like to include her sketchbook in as well since that's the only accessory she comes with. So here, a new pose I've invented for Kotori:
"Would you... like to look at my sketchbook?"
Having Kotori's head slightly tilted down and the sketchbook covering her mouth really turns this expression from a pleading look into a full-blown hesitating and embarrassed expression! However, that's not all! Let's take a closer look at her sketchbook~
It has Kousaka Honoka printed on it in her START:DASH!! uniform and the main color of her sketchbook is pink, which matches Honoka's main color perfectly! The "spine" of the notebook is also individually sculpted nd if you run your fingers down it, you can feel all the individual rings.
The book cover is also thicker and wider than the pages itself, giving it a true "book" feel. The only thing I could nitpick on would be that I wished the book could be opened. That would have been a very nice touch to add!
Last but not the least, let's not forget the additional hand-holding part which all Training Outfit Nendoroids come with!
This looks exactly like the gloves on the Stage version! Any two Nendoroids of Love Live! would be able to pull off this hand-holding pose so well! Unfortunately I only have Kotori's Nendoroid, hence I'm unable to test out the hand-holding part but I'm sure your OTP would work well with this part.
Also, you don't have to use it only with Love Live! Nendoroids~ Of course, you can put them on any other Nendoroids you wish to -- especially since Nendoroids with hand holding parts are just so rare!
Have fun creating adorable scenes of your OTPs hanging out with each other~
Enjoyment 8/10
Once again, the drawback of having little accessories really decreased my enjoyment of her by a lot. However, I would encourage all Kotori fans to get a copy of her. It's definitely worth it!
And if you'd like, do acquire a copy of the Stage version as well. I'm sure that not all copies of her would turn out like mine and although I mentioned how displeased I was with her quality control, trust me when I say that I have no regrets in purchasing her since she came with the outfit I liked the best in Love Live!
Cheers to the best outfit.
From Your Fellow Collector,
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