My Last Haul for 2013? (Look What I Got 2013-12-27)

Last Friday, 27th of December, I got a box from HLJ. I never thought my orders that were stored on HLJ's private warehouse would grow up so fast that I had to ask for shipping again. This is my last haul for 2013? Probably not. I just purchased my first RG Gundam last Saturday, so yeah, that will be my last collectible item for 2013.

Get Ready For His Sharingan

So we don't have new POP for preorder this month, but MegaHouse isn't stopping on bringing us good stuff every month. This month we'll be having the preorder of a Naruto Shippuden character - the 1/8 scale G.E.M. Series - Uchiha Sasuke. Preorders starts next Wednesday, 11th of December 2013.

When the G.E.M. Series. - Uzumaki Naruto and G.E.M. Series - Hatake Kakashi Ver. 2 was announced, we knew that a G.E.M. Series - Uchiha Sasuke will follow. We saw this the first time during the Megahobby EXPO 2013 Spring on it's uncolored prototype stage. Last Saturday, it was showcased during the Megahobby EXPO 2013 Autumn in colors.

It isn't a total mindblowing figure, but so far this is the best 1/8th scale Sasuke figure out there. The face isn't that faithful to the manga/anime but you will notice that there is a photo at the back which seems to be an alternate head/face with a sharingan eyes. That face looks a lot better than the one on the displayed prototype in my opinion.

The details are pretty decent and has all the interesting features of Sasuke. The pose isn't bad as well. I just noticed that his sword Kusanagi is a little different from the one showed during it's uncolored prototype stage. This one doesn't resemble the Kusanagi and the colors looks different. It almost seemed like a different weapon. We don't have any other good shots at the back of the figure so its really hard to make out the details of the weapon.

Hopefully we see a lot of alternate parts for different display options just like the G.E.M. Series - Uzumaki Naruto, but for any fan of Naruto Shippuden, this is a must have. We should be seeing the official promotional photos anytime soon so it's just a matter of time before we see complete package of what MegaHouse has to offer. I wish they would announce G.E.M. Series - Haruno Sakura and other Naruto characters soon.

G.E.M. Series - Uchiha Sasuke is set to be released on April 2014 with the price of 7,800 yen. I will give you an update once the official photos are released.

Megahobby EXPO 2013 Autumn - POP

The Megahobby EXPO 2013 Autumn event has already wrapped up by the end of Saturday, 30th of November 2013. But the butterflies of excitement for the upcoming new figures are still clinging on my whole body. Of course the first thing that I watched out for are the new POPs by MegaHouse.

MegaHouse has a whole lot to offer, but as usual, they have to give the best priority to their most famous 1/8th figures of One Piece characters product line, the Portrait of Pirates. We got six new surprises. By surprises, I mean new figure prototypes that we haven't seen before. Two fully painted and four unpainted ones.

What's more surprising is that MegaHouse is on full throttle on bringing us characters that hasn't even appeared on the One Piece manga yet. The problem with this is that non-manga readers or anime-only followers may not even know these characters yet. So this is some kind of spoiler for them. So before you proceed reading this, I should warn you of some spoilers. But if you're a manga reader or you just simply don't worry about spoilers, let's go check out the photo and talk about it as we go.

Just Got Some Early Christmas Gifts (Look What I Got 2013-12-02)

Just got some early Christmas gifts for myself. Last Monday, 2nd of December, I happily received three brown boxes. One from HLJ, one from Hobby Search and one from Figmation. Let's check out the contents.

Super-Franky Returns [UPDATED]

We got an info that POP SA-Maximum - Armored Franky is getting a re-release. But this only applies to MegaHouse affiliated stores like Megatreashop, etc. No word yet if this is also going to be re-released internationally just like what they did on the first release.

Remember that during the first release, it was initially announced as LIMITED edition and Japan-only exclusive. It is still labeled as "Excellent Model LIMITED" but was eventually released for international markets. The same release scheme may happen on this re-release. So for those who doesn't have this awesome POP yet, and having a hard time getting one, don't lose hope. This maybe your best chance.

No preorder schedule yet, so for further updates, just keep yourself connected to this blog and my Facebook page.

Update (2013-11-22): It turns out that this announcement is not a re-release but just a re-sale of unclaimed/cancelled orders. This will only be available at the Megatreashop and stock availability will only be granted to those who will be drawn via lottery. You will need to sign-up in order to be included in this lottery (more info here and here). So for those who are waiting for the international re-release, sorry this isn't for you :)

Have You Included The Captain To Your February 2014 Plans?

It has been two weeks now since the preorder for POP Edition-Z - Monkey D. Luffy has began (check-out the preorder announcement here). We've seen the promo photos all over the internet already. But I haven't had a chance to talk about it yet here on my blog. 

The first thing that I would like to talk about is the release date. I mentioned in my earlier post is that I'm assuming this to be a March 2014 release, considering that there are already three POPs scheduled to be released for February 2014 alone. Those three are POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro, POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point) and POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver). But to my surprise, POP Edition-Z - Monkey D. Luffy will also be released on the same month. This makes four POPs to blow away your wallets in one go like a hurricane.

Every POP collector is probably worrying about these release schedules, especially those like me who is on a tight budget and also considering of getting some other collectibles aside from POPs. But this is Luffy, and like I said earlier, no strawhat crew collection is complete without the captain. Who knows, MegaHouse might end up delaying any of these February 2014 releases.

Release schedule aside, let's talk about the figure itself. It looks really nice on all angles but considering Luffy's character design, you're not getting much PVC meat. The upper body looks so thin, specially without the red/yellow vest. I think they should have added more bulk to his body since this is a post time-skip Luffy where he have gained a bit of muscles from the 2-year training. It should be just like the same body size of the POP SA Luffy. This one is definitely much more skinny.

A lot of fans were wishing for an optional Armament Haki arm to be included, but based on these photos, it seems that the only alternate parts included are one right arm and one left arm without the sleeves to go along with the vest-less display and an optional open palm left hand to be able to hold the straw hat. We also got a serious face. No black shiny fist for the Armament Haki. 

Overall, this figure really looks good. It looks a lot better as compared to POP SA Luffy, both being Luffy's post-timeskip appearance. Detail wise, everything is there. From the hair, face, vest, trousers and slippers, all are greatly detailed. Just like I said, my only complain is the less muscular body which I find a little awkward without the vest, specially in side view. I'm not planning to display it without the vest anyway, so I think it's not of a big deal.

POP Edition-Z - Monkey D. Luffy retails for 7,600 yen (inclusive of tax) and scheduled to reach store shelves on February 2014. Preorders and now open at HLJ, Amiami, Hobby Search, and Figmation. Better check out these stores and secure your order. I just find it weird that it hasn't gone sold out yet on these Japanese based hobby shops. Anyway, I'm sure this is gonna be one of the rare, high valued figure in the future. I'm still hoping for the version with red coat with sword and meat on his back though :)

POP SA Chopper Crimin Ver. Is A Jump Festa 2014 Event Exclusive

Remember the Chopper Crimin Ver. that we saw back at Wonder Festival 2013 Summer? Well it turns out that it's gonna be another event exclusive. Yep, that's right! POP Sailing Again - Tony Tony Chopper (Crimin Ver.) will be available exclusively at the MegaHouse booth during the upcoming Jump Festa 2014 event which will be held from 21st to the 22nd of December 2013.

I'm excited as I'm worried on the availability of this figure. I'm dying to get this one, but being an event exclusive, it's going to be tough to get from third party resellers outside Japan, not to mention the pricing which will be... oh well, let's just assume that it's going to be more than doubled. It will only retail for 3,000 yen at the event, but I'm thinking that I'll be slashing about 6,000 yen from my wallet before I can get my hands on the figure. Lucky of those who would be able to attend on the event.

Why would I pay 6,000-ish yen for such a small POP? Well, what I can I say? Aside from a cute looking Chopper figure, I love how he wears that pink Crimin shirt while holding a black flag with a Mugiwara jolly roger and the title "Portrait of Pirates" in it. It's also nice that the base isn't the usual POP base but a mock oak barrel top, giving the figure a familiar pirate touch.

This is the second Crimin ver. to be released. The first one being the Nami Crimin. I would really like to see all the Straw Hat Crew in their Crimin outfit to get the POP treatment as seen in Oda's illustration below.

Straw Hat Pirates on Fishman Island

Below are the details of this figure:

POP Sailing Again LIMITED - Tony Tony Chopper (Crimin Ver.)

• Price: 3,000 yen
• Release Date: Jump Festa 2014 Event Exclusive (MegaHouse Booth)

Jump Festa 2014

• Date: 21-22 December 2013 (Saturday-Sunday) 9:00 - 17:00 (JST)
• Venue: Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 1-8
• Admission: Free

This maybe just another POP Chopper, but it's a very welcomed version of him, rather than those neverending Chopperman releases.

It's The Captain's Turn to Raid Your Wallets

November POP preorder has been announced and it is gonna be a follow-up of another Edition-Z. This time, it is none other than the captain himself - Monkey D. Luffy who will be taking your money. Preorders starts next Thursday (not the usual Wednesday schedule), 7th of November 2013 at 18:00 (JST).

We've seen the fully completed prototype before, in addition to those photos of the uncolored prototype, so it's not much of a surprise 'cause we have a clear idea of what we will be getting. We haven't seen much accessories though, just the strawhat and an alternate left arm to hold it. I am actually hoping for another one or two alternate facial expressions. I like the smiling face but I prefer him in some kind of serious or pissed-off face during his battle with Zetto. We should be seeing the official poster and promo photos anytime soon.

This is Luffy, and no strawhat crew collection is complete without the captain, so expect that most stores will declare sold-out in just a few minutes after preorders go live. Be ready with your F5 key, to quickly refresh your internet browser if you're after Japanese distribution version.

No pricing details and no official release date announced yet. I believe it is safe to assume a March 2014 release though. In any case, be sure to check out this post or my Facebook page for future updates.

The Attack That Cuts Vergo

This is earlier than I expected. Remember the Figuarts ZERO release announcement that we talked about three weeks ago? Well Bandai Tamashii Nations didn't let us wait for too long and revealed today the official photos of their Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Battle ver.). It wasn't as awesome as I have expected but it's not bad, not too bad at all.

Well, I was expecting more like their past releases and announcements like the Luffy (Red Hawk), Zoro (Rengoku Onigiri) and Sanji (Flambage Shot). Those three we're out of this world kickin' in style, with all those nice looking effect parts. This Trafalgar Law Battle ver. doesn't look as great as those three.

But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this isn't a nice figure. It's also looks like a really good figure in its own way. I do prefer this one over the previously released Schichibukai ver. Notice that they didn't give any attack title. It's simply because it isn't a devil fruit ability and there isn't any attack name. But for a real fan of One Piece and Trafalgar Law, this attack is epic, as it reminded us of how he cuts Vergo, as well as the whole laboratory and the surrounding mountains into two. Now that's something. I just wish it comes with a Vergo figure that was split into two :)

The effect parts that comes with it are just the cloud of dusts on his two feet and the swoooshing effect part on the sword, more like the one on the Dracule Mihawk (Battle ver.) sword effect. Another thing that I kinda dislike is the facial expression. It's nice to have that smirk but I prefer him to be in a more serious expression. I think it would look a lot better in this attack pose to relive that scene with Vergo. There aren't any photos telling that there is an optional head or face to swap, something that I'm hoping to be in the final production release.

Price wise, for 3,780 yen, I think it's quite expensive considering the lesser amount of effect parts compared to Luffy (Red Hawk) and Zoro (Rengoku Onigiri) which has a lower SRP of 3,360 yen and 3,675 yen respectively. Well, that might be caused by Japanese yen inflation rate or some other reasons whatsoever. Anyway, for every fan of One Piece, fan of Trafalgar Law and serious collectors alike, 3,780 yen isn't that much.

Below are the details.

Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Battle ver.)

• Price: 3,780 yen
• Release Date: February 2014

No preorder schedule announcement yet, but I'm assuming that it would be on the 1st week of November. Keep an eye on this post or on my Facebook page for further announcements.

Update (2013-10-30): Preorders for Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Battle ver.) will open tomorrow, Thursday, 31st of October 2013 at 16:00 (JST).

The Cutest Battle Ready Zoan

Following my earlier post about POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro. I'm now bringing in POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point). Went up for preorder yesterday as well (check out the preorder announcement here), and the official promo photos are now available for us to check out this figure in full color.

Remember that the last time we saw this figure is still on the unpainted prototype stage. Seeing this official photos is really exciting. We get to see the amazing sculpture alive. I really love how it ends up painted. Those huge antlers had those shiny and textured effect, giving a sense of justice to the name Horn Point. The fur on the forearms looks amazingly realistic. I can't say much aside from a really nice sculpt and great color application with those shades of brown. There isn't any optional/alternate parts, but what else do you need?

This is the best looking Chopper form after the timeskip. We're not sure if MegaHouse is planning to make all the seven transformation stage, but with this Horn Point alone, I'm already satisfied. A much better form than the Kung Fu Point and a much more welcome addition to POP Chopper than those never-ending Choppermans.

Three POP Mugiwaras for a single month - POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro and POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver.) and POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point), all will be released on February 2014. A little heavy for the wallet since all of them are must have. We'll if I were to be asked to choose only two, I'll just be dropping Nami. I'm sure you know why.

Chopper will retail for 7,560 yen (inclusive of tax). Preorders are open (or have been closed) at Amiami, Hobby Search, HLJ, and Animarket.

The Fifth Addition to the Edition-Z is a Pirate Hunter

Preorder for POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro and POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point) has officially opened yesterday, 9th of September 2013 (check out the preorder announcement here). Along with it is the availability of the official promo images at the MegaHobby Station site. Let's check it out.

We're all familiar on how it looked like since we have seen tons of photos of it on past exhibits. But we would also wanted to see what display options it offers. First, it can be displayed with the familiar bandanna tied around his head, and the two swords - Sandai Kitetsu and Shusui on each hand. Second option is using the alternate head without the bandanna and the marimo head sticking out. The third one is with another alternate head with the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, making him do the Santoryu pose. But too bad it seems that you can't put the red cape while doing the Santoryu.

That will be a total of three head option. I'm not sure if the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth is the same as the one on the scabbard, I'm assuming that it will be the same as the Sailing Again version where there are two separate Wado Ichimonji, one holstered in it's scabbard and one on his mouth. But it seems that unlike the Sailing Again version, the Sandai Kitetsu and Shusui cannot be holstered on the their respective scabbards.

This is the first POP of Zoro with a black bandanna tied around his head (the first Strong Edition doesn't count since it isn't really his regular black bandanna). But I find that the head without bandanna looked a lot better than with it. The bandanna hides his eyebrows which in turn hides his overall expression. Whereas without the bandana, Zoro's intimidating personality is clearly visible, giving more depth to it's attacking stance. My only problem is that when the bandanna is not on his head, it's supposed to be tied around his left bicep, it's clearly isn't there. Another thing to note is that there isn't a Santoryu pose option with the bandanna tied on his head.

Notice that the shoes has some brown mud paint details, really cool. It the first time I have seen this kind of detail in a POP. The red cape seems to be blown by the wind. I'm afraid that with this pose and that cape, the box is going to be huge. Overall, the figure looks amazing. It isn't perfect but it's one of the best Zoro figure out there.

POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro will retail for 9,240 yen (inclusive of tax). It will be released along with POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point) and POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver.) on Febriary 2014. Preorders are open (or have been closed) at Amiami, Hobby Search, HLJ, and Animarket.

Bandai Introduces A 1/8th Scale Figuarts ZERO

Nope, I'm not a fan of Sailor Moon and I'm not into collecting Sailor Moon figures. But as a huge One Piece Figuarts ZERO follower, I find this latest Figuarts ZERO announcement from Bandai interesting. So what's interesting with this Sailor Moon Figuarts ZERO you ask? Well, it's just going to be the first 1/8th Scale Figuarts ZERO.

Not that I'm interested in getting these Sailor Moon figures. I'm just surprised that they went to a standard 1/8th scale (about 220 mm height) instead of the regular Figuarts ZERO 1/10th-ish scale. This maybe some kind of Bandai's marketing strategy. They could just be testing the waters for possible production of more 1/8th scale Figuarts ZEROs. Now think about it, if this one becomes successful, they might start producing 1/8th scale One Piece Figuarts ZEROs. That will be a direct competition against MegaHouse's Portrait of Pirates.

Notice that the One Piece Figuarts ZERO is inclining towards their successful Battle ver. line. They might move their non-Battle ver. figures to 1/8th scale. I'm not predicting, this is completely just my worries. I don't like this idea since the things that I loved about Figuarts ZEROs are the size, price and range of characters. I'm a collector of both One Piece Figuarts ZERO and POP. I don't think I'll be needing a 1/8th version of the same character from both manufacturer if they're all going to be 1/8th scale. I prefer the current Figuarts ZERO size as it is. I hope this 1/8th scale will only be for their Sailor Moon line.

Anyway, if you happen to be a fan of Sailor Moon and planning to get this. Figuarts ZERO - 1/8th Sailor Moon, it will be released on March 2014 for 8,800 yen. Yah, the price isn't Figuarts ZERO-ish :)

The Wait For The 38th Is Over

"Jarvis, get Igor to steady this thing!" "...then take the money of those Hot Toys collectors". Yeah, just a mere few seconds of screentime and wasn't even seen fighting against the extremists. It just did some heavy lifting, but it became one of the most anticipated Hot Toys MMS.

The 1/6th scale Mark XXXVIII Igor is now officially being announced as a part of Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece. It had been in a number of convention and exhibits this year so this announcement wasn't really a big surprise. What's surprising now is that we're seeing it in lots of different poses. I have seen a prototype of Igor myself during the STGCC and it's looks amazingly detailed and it's totally huge, even bigger that the Iron Monger MMS.

The Surgeon Of Death Will Take You To His Operating "ROOM"

It seems like there isn't any other Figuarts ZERO release for January 2014 aside from the limited edition Portgas D. Ace (Cross-fire - Battle ver). which can't be considered as a regular monthly release since it is a web exclusive. Bandai must be slowing down a little since 2013 has been a big year for their Figuarts ZEROs.

They may be slowing down for the first month of 2014, but they sure know how to keep the new year sparkling 'til February. We got an early teaser announcement for February 2014, a follow-up to their battle ver. line-up - Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Battle ver.). No official promo photos available yet as this is just tentative announcement.

I know some of you are wondering, why follow-up Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Shichibukai ver.) so soon. This is going to be the third Figuarts ZERO version Trafalgar Law. I believe that Trafalgar Law is nearly as famous as Portgas D. Ace. Notice that there's also already three versions of Figuarts ZERO Ace. It's not surprising that Bandai is giving priorities to famous characters as these are 100% sure not be left out on store shelves.

Note the absence of the attack name like other battle ver. so we aren't sure if this will be a pre-timeskip or post-timeskip version. But I do hope that this is going to be a post-timeskip version because he is wickedly awesome in that look. It's exciting to think how his attack pose will look like. Is it going to be Shambles, Tact, Scan, Mes or Counter Shock? Is he going to wield his sword? What pose and effect parts its going to be? Really exciting just to think of it. Let's see later if it's going to be as exciting as I think it would be.

Check out the details below

Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law (Battle ver.)

• Price: 3,870 yen
• Release Date: February 2014

Here's hoping for the best Figuarts ZERO - Trafalgar Law release. Please take note that this is just a tentative release announcement and may change before the it is officially announced for preorder.

Keep an eye on this blog, or on my Facebook page for further announcement.

Make Way For The Former Fleet Admiral

It seems that MegaHouse is on full throttle for the 1st quarter of 2014. Following the earlier announced Crocodile & Vivi  for January, then Nami, Zoro & Chopper for February, here they are again announcing their POP LIMITED - Sengoku as a March 2014 release, making it six confirmed POP releases just for the 1st quarter of 2014 alone.

This POP Sengoku was unveiled during the MegaHobby EXPO 2013 Spring. It was originally labeled as a Neo-DX, but for some reason, they decided to change it to a limited edition release, much like what they did with Kalifa. Probably because they'd realized that there's a lot of collectors planning to preorder. Making those limited would ensure that they meet the production demands.

As you can see, we only have photos of its uncolored prototype stage. It didn't appear on any other events following the MegaHobby EXPO 2013 Spring, so we haven't seen a colored prototype. But that doesn't stop the excitement and anticipation for this release. I believe that most of you had decided to preorder as soon as you laid an eye to this fleet admiral in his POP treatment. We should be able to see the official promo photos anytime soon. 

As mentioned, POP LIMITED - Sengoku will be released on March 2014, and it will be available for preorder at 9,240 yen. Being a limited edition, it will be officially available for preorder at MegaHouse's affiliated stores in Japan.

Two More Mugiwaras To Join Your POP Collection

It's the beginning of October and it's time for another POP announcement. This month's MegaHouse's POP preorder offering is not one but two Mugiwaras. The POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro to add to the Film Z POP line-up, and POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point) under the new subclass called Motion Ability Statue. Preorders for these two must-have POP will begin next Wednesday, 9th of October 2013 at the usual time of 18:00 (JST).

There is no stopping MegaHouse in releasing all Film Z characters. Roronoa Zoro is looking kick-ass here with that dynamic ready-to-attack pose. It was first announced during the MegaHobby EXPO Spring 2013. Then it appeared in full color at Wonder Festival 2013 Summer, and again during the Chara Hobby 2013 about a month ago. I suppose most of you have decided on getting this Film Z version of Zoro, especially if you're planning to complete all the Edition-Z Mugiwaras.

Getting tired of too much POP Chopper? Well you shouldn't be with this Horn Point form of Chopper. I love how cute Chopper is in his original form, but this form is the next best Chopper for me. He's fun to look at with that smile and pose, adding to those fine furry details and huge horns. This is a cool fighting form of Chopper, preserving the cute factor and without looking like a beast. These photos shown here was taken during the Wonder Festival 2013 Summer. It is still in the unpainted prototype stage so it's really exciting to see him fully painted when the official promo photos are released.

These two is expected to be released on February 2014, coinciding to the release of POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver.). That makes it three POP Mugiwaras for February which would make our hearts happy while our wallets cry. No pricing details yet for these two POP but rest assured that I'll be giving you any update regarding this figures as soon as new information becomes available.

Update (2013-10-07): Prices for these two POPs are as follows
POP Edition-Z - Roronoa Zoro: 9,240 yen (inclusive of tax)
POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point): 7,560 yen (inclusive of tax)

No Need for a Yellow Spandex to be The Wolverine

I'm a huge fan of the Wolverine but I prefer the comics/animation design with him wearing his iconic yellow-black (orange-black in comics) costume, something that wasn't used in the movies. That costume design was even referred to as a joke by Cyclops when he said "Well, what would you prefer? Yellow spandex?" on the first X-men movie. I'm not saying that I don't like the movie costumes, it's just that I'm not diggin it that much, so I'm not into collecting Wolverine figures based on the movie.

All of that was changed by this really nice looking Hot Toys announcement, the 1/6th Scale Wolverine Movie Masterpiece form the movie The Wolverine. I haven't seen the movie yet and I don't care if I would like the movie or not. This Hugh Jackman headsculpt alone is too impressive not to leave you in awe. Before this, I wasn't really looking forward to any The Wolverine collectibles. Heck I don't even watched the movie on big screen, just waiting for it to be released on Blu-ray.

An Overly Sexy Cat Burglar For A Post Valentine Date

The latest addition to our regular dose of POP Nami Limited Editions, the POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver.) has now been announced officially at the MegaHobby Station. We can now examine the figure in full 360° with these official promo images (check out the preorder announcement here).

She looks nice and sexy at every angle except for her (excuse me for the word) butt crack and the butt itself. I wasn't able to find any decent shots of her back on any of the exhibit photos so I really didn't notice it earlier. The butt crack looks weird and the butt looks flat. I don't know, but this isn't what I called a sexy butt.

Anyway, nevermind the butt (how many times did I used the word?), its not like we're going to display her with her back facing us. What we should be concerned about is her overall sexy sculpt and the lovely face. Sure we've seen a lot of photos of her from the earlier exhibits, but a lovely POP like this deserves to have some nice decent shots so that we can entirely see what we will be having on our display shelves. You can also check out the 360° View here.

To be released on February 2014 for 7,350 yen. Preorders starts at 27th of September 2013 at 13:00 (JST). Take note that as a limited edition  item, she is only officially available at Premium Bandai, Megatreashop, Mekke Shueisha and other MegaHouse affiliated stores.  For those like me living outside Japan, just check out your favorite POP retailers for it's availability. You have to consider paying more than the retail price though, as this isn't officially available outside Japan.

New Release Photo Review: Figuarts ZERO - Roronoa Zoro (Rengoku Onigiri - Battle ver.)

Bandai Tamashii Nations released the much awaited Figuarts ZERO - Roronoa Zoro (Rengoku Onigiri - Battle ver.) last Saturday, 21st September. Every Figuarts ZERO junkie out there are probably crossing fingers for final production release. Thanks to http://blog.livedoor.jp, we get see these early shots that we can examine and review.

So what do I think? I thinks it is one helluva awesome looking figure. You can check out the promotional images and compare it to this final production release photos, but as a Figuarts ZERO collector, we already knew that the prototype figure on those promo images won't be the one on our display shelves. So to make things fair, let's look at this production release first and try not to compare it on the promotional images yet.

Let's start with the face. It got that Roronoa Zoro essence there with that expression, the bandana on his head and the Wado Ichimonji on his mouth. The eyes, which is one of  the important feature was done nicely. I just find the nose a bit less appealing, but it's probably the lighting of the shots that it doesn't cast shadows much.

The arms and the body is kinda yellowish on these shots, but I can assure you that it's only the lighting. The skin tone is probably the same as the Figuarts ZERO - Monkey D. Luffy (Gomu Gomu no Red Hawk - Battle ver.). The shading is quite acceptable for a Figuarts ZERO standard. The overall sculpt is topnotch.

The green coat also looks nicely painted with all the shading and that frozen in air feel. There are some noticeable paint smudges but not really very obvious. The swords were finely sculpted and detailed even at this size. And those effect parts really makes this figure an eye-catcher. The base follows the same style as Figuarts ZERO - Monkey D. Luffy (Gomu Gomu no Red Hawk - Battle ver.). It is an octagonal shaped base, looks like all the upcoming Figuarts ZERO Battle ver. will have that kind of base.

Now, getting at the promo images. If you compare, you will notice that the skin tone and the shading looks different. But the overall sculpt is exactly the same. At first I was worried about the outcome of the production releases, but it turns out really fine. I hope that all the production releases will be as good as this one.

For the price of 3,675 yen, Figuarts ZERO - Roronoa Zoro (Rengoku Onigiri - Battle ver.) is a must get collectible for every One Piece fan even if you're not into Figuarts ZEROs. Displaying it side by side with Figuarts ZERO - Monkey D. Luffy (Gomu Gomu no Red Hawk - Battle ver.) and the upcoming Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Diable Jambe Flambage Shot - Battle ver.) will really look great on display shelf. Can't wait to get mine.

If for some reason you missed out the preorder of this figure, or you just didn't preorder on purpose cause you're worried about the production release, well don't' fret, act now and get it while you still can. If this figure won't get a re-release in the future, it will become a rare collectible and price will soar up high over the coming years.

The New Look of Mr. 0

Crocodile's POP DX repaint version, the POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver) has went out for preorder the same time as POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi. It may not be that special compared to the original DX version but it also immediately went sold out on most Japanese hobby shops.

That's probably because the DX version has also become a hard to find figure that its price have been soaring up high lately. It called for a re-issue, and MegaHouse not only grant us our wish but gave us a better version. Well, it's not a ver. 1.5 but it's actually a very welcome release to those who are waiting for a re-issue.

Looking at the official photos, you can see that there isn't any significant difference between the DX and this newer EX version aside from the colors. Obviously is because it's only a repaint. I was thinking before why they didn't go for ver. 1.5. Well, its probably because there isn't anything need fixing on this figure aside from the colors.

For those like me who didn't own the DX version, this is the best chance for us to own Mr. 0. But if you happen to own the DX version, I don't see the necessity of getting this repaint. Don't give me that look, that's only me talking. I know that there's a lot of purist out there who want to get every single POP release. 

POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver) will be coming out on January 2014 along with POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi. With a price tag of 8,400 yen, even it's a little more expensive than the initial release price of the DX version, I believe this is still a great chance for all the POP collectors to get this badass former Shichibukai. Check out these links for preoder (though some of them were already sold-out) - HLJ, Amiami, Hobby Search, Animarket, Hobby Frontier and Figmation.

A Desert Princess, A Far Away Nakama

A couple of weeks ago, POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi and POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.) went out for preorder. And it's usual for nice looking POPs like these to be declared sold-out at Amiami and Hobby Search minutes after it went live. It is either these hobby shops has a very limited number to offer, or it's just there's too many collectors who are after these POPs. The latter is probably the case since we all know that POPs are very much sought after, especially for female characters.

And who wouldn't want and POP of Nefertari Vivi, she is one beautiful character from One Piece World. Keep in mind that the first POP Vivi, the "Neo" version has become one of the most hunted POP that its price skyrocketed to more than 6 times its original price.

I never really dreamt of owning that absurdly expesive Neo Vivi, but this new DX version is something not to let pass by. Unlike the Neo, Vivi is in her royal princess dress. This particular outfit wasn't really shown a lot of times in the series but rather just a few moments towards the end of the Alabasta arc.

As you can see in these official promo images, the colors are really fantastic and a sight for sore eyes. Vivi's blue hair complements the pink cape and the white dress is truly majestic with those gold accessories. Her body has that hourglass curves and really looks nice at every angle. Her face of course is very lovely with that smile. She comes with two hairstyles, one with her hair down but held by a clip, and one with ponytails.

I don't see any reason not to get this POP so my money will definitely be going for this one. She is slated to be released on January 2014 along with POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.) with the price tags of 8,190 yen and 8,400 yen respectively.

If you have missed the preorders for Vivi and you're after the Japanese distributions, unfortunately she is already sold out on most Japanese based stores. But these stores sometimes reopens preorders so do check-out these links from time to time for your chances - HLJ, Amiami, and Hobby Search. For international distributions, don't worry these stores can get you covered - Animarket, Hobby Frontier and Figmation.

Can't Get Enough Of Nami? Here's Another One

If you were following my Facebook page you probably have a good amount of info about this release. But for those who haven't seen this before, yes, we are going to get another limited edition Nami. I'm actually liking this figure, but c'mon MegaHouse, isn't it time for Robin fans to get their fix?

Well, let's just assume that company has proven that Nami is indeed bankable that they kept releasing Nami POPs. But an equally sexy Nico Robin has to get some love also and not just some limited edition repaints. I'm not complaining about this Nami figure though. Nami look gorgeous here. She is actually wearing Luffy styled sexy outfit complete with a straw hat which is why it is entitled POP LIMITED - Nami (Mugiwara Ver.). It was unveiled at the recently held Chara Hobby 2013 (C3xHobby 2013)

Bringing Back the Memories of Alabasta

Rewinding a few years back to give way to some of the characters to remember in the world of One Piece. This month's MegaHouse's POP preorder offering are the two characters from the Alabasta Saga. POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi and POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.). Preorders for these two POP starts next Wednesday, 11th of September 2013 at 18:00 (JST).

We've seen the completed prototype of these two figures before during the previous MegaHouse exhibits. POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi is so pretty with all those nice colors. This is a great chance to own a POP Vivi figure without spending too much on the now absurdly expensive POP "Neo" Nefetari Vivi. And unlike the Neo, this time she is dressed to show her royal status. I hope a new POP Carue will also be released sometime soon.

POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.) isn't entirely new but as its name implies, it is a repaint of the older POP Neo-DX - Sir Crocodile. It's pretty obvious that Crocodile is being released to go along with Vivi as both were characters of Alabasta. Well I also noticed earlier that POP Shichibukais were being re-issued or being revamped for some reasons. Starting with Boa Hancock ver. blue, then Blackbeard 1.5, Mihawk ver. 2, Trafalgar Law re-issue, Doflamingo re-issue, and now this Crocodile. Jinbe, Moria, and Kuma were the only ones missing from previously released Shichibukais. Does this mean we're gonna be able to finally see a Buggy POP? Oh, sorry if that's a spoiler to you.

Anyway, back to Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.). As most of the revamped POPs, this is under Neo-EX. I wonder why they decide to do just a repaint and not a ver. 1.5. I really don't notice any difference compared to the previous release aside form the much shinier gold hook. I don't have the original so I can't really tell much. Well, I'll be getting this so I don't care much about the older version.

Both figures will be released on January 2014. POP Neo-DX - Nefertari Vivi has a price tag of 8,190 yen, while POP Neo-EX - Sir Crocodile (Repaint ver.) doesn't have any pricing details yet, so make sure to check this blog post or my Facebook page for updates.

Flaming Hot Black Leg, Coming Up!

About three weeks ago, we broke the news about this upcoming Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Diable Jambe Flambage Shot - Battle ver.). And after much anticipation, this morning, Bandai Tamashii Nations finally made its official promotional photos available on their official website Tamashii Web. And we're not disappointed.

It turns out to be a post-timeskip battle ver as we expected. It looks insanely cool and its really a lot better than the pre-timeskip Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Battle ver.) which was earlier released. It may look a bit simpler next to Luffy's Red Hawk - Battle ver and Zoro's Rengoku Onigiri - Battle ver. Figuarts ZEROs, but hey, it's Sanji, and this will complete the monster-trio.

Its flaming effect parts with different color tones really made it look fantastic. Both legs are flaming and the pose is just what we expect for Sanji in this new breed of battle versions. It's looks a little weird on some angles but totally rocks on some. I can't wait to have the monster-trio on my display shelf. Or better yet, have all mugiwaras in their post-timeskip battle versions.

Details are as below:

Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Diable Jambe Flambage Shot - Battle ver.)

• Price: 3,675 yen
• Release Date: December 2013

No preorder schedule announcement yet, but I'm assuming that it will be next Monday, 2nd of September 2013 at its usual time of 16:00 (JST). Take note that this just an assumption so keep an eye on this blog or on my Facebook Page for future updates.

Update: We just got a confirmation news that the preorders for this Figuarts ZERO will indeed start on Monday, 2nd of September 2013 at 16:00 (JST).

The Celestial Gates Won't Be Opened Yet

Yes, we've already guessed it. This is a normal announcement for Good Smile Company anyway. The much awaited first Fairy Tail figure from GSC - Lucy Heartfilia's release date has been pushed from August 2013 to September 2013. But that's not final, GSC is known to have been announcing delays of certain figures repeatedly in the past, that means the September release date may be pushed further this year on their later announcements.

Well, I'm not surprised anyway, that's the reputation that GSC has made recently, so all we have to do is wait 'till Lucy has made it to store shelves and eventually on our display shelves. As I always say, I'd rather wait for a well made figure than to get a crappy rushed figure at their promised release date.

Want to Take a Bubble Bath with this Sexy Secretary?

Again, my apologies for the delay of this post for reasons I mentioned earlier in my last two posts. But this sexy CP9 member has to be given a place in my blog. POP LIMITED - Kalifa has already been out for preorder for quite sometime now, and here are the official promo images.

Well, she was initially offered as a store exclusives at Megatrea Shop and Premium Bandai but was eventually offered on international markets as a regular release along with POP Edition-Z - Aokiji Kuzan and POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.), more like POP SA-Maximum - Armored Franky and other LIMITED POPs availability.

I usually avoid these Japan limited items since it's normally too expensive and order the international distributions if it becomes available, but I was so excited and have already placed an order for the Japan limited edition before the international version has been announced. Geesh! Anyway, not too sorry about it since the Japanese distributions usually comes earlier than the international ones, so with that, I can get my hands on this sexy figure a little earlier.

Let's get down to these official images. As we have seen before during the past exhibits, Kalifa comes with two facial expressions, one with a little smile on her face on one serious, and two left arms, one reaching herright shoulder and on holding her glasses. But as you can see here in these official images, there is nothing new here. That's all the optional parts that she comes with. But for the price of 7,980 yen, it is a good deal since it's the figure itself is lovable.

I'm not a huge fan of that pose actually. I thought she would really look a lot nicer if she is simply standing with one arm on her hips, more like POP Sailing Again - Nami, but with lesser pin-up girl style pose. That way, she wouldn't look awkward next to POP LIMITED - Rob Lucci ver. 1.5. But don't get me wrong, this figure isn't bad. In fact, I love the details of her outfit, especially those fishnet shirt and stockings, not to mention the addition of those bubble effect parts.

As a huge fan of CP9 and female One Piece characters, this is a must get for me, adding to the list of my post-Christmas loot-bag. For those who wanted her but wasn't able to secure a preorder yet, she's still available for preorder at Megatrea Shop and Premium Bandai until 2nd of September 2013. For international release, check out these sites, Figmation, Animarket and Hobby Frontier.

Half-man Half-Leopard for the First Motion Ability Statue

It's quite embarrassing that this blog post comes a bit late. Sorry about that. As I have mentioned on my previous post, I just went out on vacation and I'm a little busy lately. But again, this figure deserve some special treatment on my blog. You probably have seen this from other stores and sites but it's time to talk about this here on my blog. May I present the official promo images of POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.).

I hope you didn't miss the preorder announcement (see here) and you were able to secure one for you, as well as the POP Edition-Z - Aokiji Kuzan, because even before these promo images went out, those photos that we've seen during the exhibits left us in awe which made us decide to include it on our Christmas loot-bag.

Unlike POP Edition-Z - Aokiji Kuzan, this leopard Rob Lucci does not come with any optional parts. It is plain but quite fantastic figure with killer pose, ready to jump on you anytime. And based on these images, the colors really looks great and details were sharp. The figure really gives life to a vicious half-human half-leopard predator. It may look more of a leopard but you can still see the features of Rob Lucci with those curly hair and unique beard giving it a personality.

This is the first POP MAS (Motion Ability Statue) to be released. I love MegaHouse's creativity of giving classifications to new kind of POPs. It left us excited on what are about to come on these unique product line. I hope we can see more POP MAS in the future aside for the upcoming POP MAS - Tony Tony Chopper (Horn Point).

I can't wait to get my hands on this one and display it next to my POP LIMITED - Rob Lucci ver. 1.5. With a tag price of 7,980 yen, it will be released along with POP Edition-Z - Aokiji Kuzan on late-December 2013. Another late-Christmas present for all of us. How I wish this will be given to me as a gift. Oh well, I'll just have to make sure that I will be having it by securing a preorder and paying for it myslf. For those who haven't done it yet, check out these links, HLJ, Hobby Search, Amiami, Animarket, Hobby Frontier and Figmation.

Grandline Freezes Over This Coming Winter

This might be a little too late to feature on my blog as I have been on vacation and quite busy lately. But an awesome figure deserves a special attention. So here it is, the official promo images of POP Edition-Z - Aokiji Kuzan. It'll be winter indeed, as the Grandline freezes over this coming December.

It went out for preorder starting 7th of August (check-out preorder announcements here) along with POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.). We've seen a lot of photos of this one during the previous exhibits, but we haven't clear seen what are the option parts that comes with it before these promo images were released.

This figure was earlier announced with a price of 7,980 yen, but turns out that it's actual retail price is 9,240 yen. With pricing like that, I has to come with some interesting optional parts, and we weren't disappointed. I have mentioned earlier that he will come with two right arms as what was seen during event exhibits, one with his hand inside his pocket and one with ice effect. It was confirmed by these images and we can see a third right arm holding a sword made of ice, more like the one that comes with the POP Neo-DX version, but with some more icy effect parts.

A tote bag is clearly visible here and it is removable. The right hand can be replaced with another one that can hold the an iconic item in the film - the wine bottle. It's really cool for MegaHouse to include that. But there's one option part that I'm not really satisfied - the alternate head without the sunglasses and headgear (bandana). Yes, it's really nice that we can have this option and display him without the sunglasses and headgear, but I'm kinda not satisfied with his facial expression. Those frowny eyebrows does not really in Aokiji's personality.

We haven't seen him look really look mad even under pressure. He always has this cool personality, and maintains serious but calm emotion all the time. I'm not sure if it's only the expression or the sculpt but I'm not really seeing Aokiji Kuzan here with sunglasses off. So I would rather keep the one with his sunglasses and headgear on when I display him on my shelf, he looks a lot cooler with that.

Aside from that minor issue for me (thanks to the sunglasses), every detail totally rocks. This is really a must have for every POP collector so better secure that preorder of yours while it's still available. Preorders may still be available at HLJ, Hobby Search, Amiami, Animarket, Hobby Frontier and Figmation.

POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.)

POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.)

POP MAS - Rob Lucci (Leopard Kami-e Bushin Ver.)

Get a Taste of Sanji's Flaming Recipe for Christmas

Get ready for another one of Sanji's flaming attack in a form of Figuarts ZERO Battle ver. Announced to be released on September is the second battle ver of Sanji - the Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Diable Jambe Flambage Shot - Battle ver.)

It sounds really awesome and I can't wait to see how it will look like (no photos available yet). Sanji's "Diable Jambe Flambage Shot" was first seen being used to finish off Jabra, meaning, during pre-timeskip. In that case we're not sure if this figure will be a pre-timeskip or post-timeskip. But since the first Figuarts ZERO Battle ver treatment for Sanji was a pre-timeskip (Water 7 outfit), I'm assuming this to be a post-timeskip figure for Sanji, following Luffy's Red Hawk - Battle ver and Zoro's Rengoku Onigiri - Battle ver. Figuarts ZEROs.

Check out the details below

Figuarts ZERO - Sanji (Diable Jambe Flambage Shot - Battle ver.)

• Price: 3,675 yen
• Release Date: December 2013

Great to see this battle ver line-up continues. We may probably see all the Mugiwara's post-timeskip battle ver. treatment. I'm really thrilled about this news, but please take note that this is just a tentative release announcement and may change before the it is officially announced for preorder.

Keep an eye on this blog, or on my Facebook page for further announcement.

Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist and Mechanic.... Wait, What?

Hot Toys added another collectible to their Iron Man 3 line-up. For the second time around, it's not about the armors, it's just Tony Stark as a Mechanic. This is Hot Toys Iron Man 3 - 1/6th Scale Tony Stark (The Mechanic) Movie Masterpiece. I don't know about you guys but the title "The Mechanic" doesn't really makes sense to me.

Initially, this was announced as "Mandarin Mansion Assault Version", but for some licensor's comment, it was renamed lamely to "The Mechanic". Why not give it some more appealing title, like "One Man Army", or "Against the Extremis", or "Rescue and Revenge", or "With Dora Limited Edition Watch", something that rings a bell whenever fans read it.

A Classic Suit Design to Touch a Fanboy's Heart

Iron Man 3 maybe a slap to the face of fanboys by messing up with the Mandarin's character (spoiler?... duh!). But there is one suit in the film that pays tribute to a classic Iron Man armor - The Silver Centurion. I'm not your usual follower of Iron Man comics, but I do know that the Silver Centurion has a place on every Iron Man fanboy's heart. So giving the Hot Toys treatment to this armor just makes sense. Presenting, the Hot Toys Iron Man 3 - 1/6th Scale Mark XXXIII Silver Centurion MMS.

This was one of the armor that Tony actually used during the final battle against the extremists in the film, probably why it includes a Tony Stark headsculpt unlike the Heartbreaker and Red Snapper. The design is based on the classic Silver Centurion on the comics which is a departure from the traditional red and gold color scheme. It has a triangular chest beam and a pointed shoulder pads which pays homage to the original design. Another thing that makes this suit unique is that it has hidden blades on both arms, making it a close combat armor. It is also commonly referred to as an enhanced energy suit, though it's abilities wasn't made obvious in the film.