I totally plan on updating my site. Don’t you worry. It’s coming.
Figure Review: MegaHouse Queen’s Blade Rebellion Ymir
| Product Name | Queen’s Blade Rebellion Iron Staff Officer Ymir |
| Manufacturer | MegaHouse |
| Release date | Late March 2010 (Japan) / Early June 2010 (US) |
| Sculptor | Norio Kibayashi |
| Scale | 1/8 (180mm approx.) |
| Price | 6,800 yen / 85.00 usd |
There’s no question that this Queen’s Blade Rebellion (QBR) Ymir definitely plays to the heartstrings of all Lolita fans out there in the world. She’s sporting doll-like hair, a plaid ruffled skirt complete with S&M inspired corset, garters aplenty, and most importantly, a flat chest. Oh, did I mention she wears an adorable pirate hat?
QBR Ymir’s color scheme consists primarily of red and black. This is probably to overcompensate for how much she wants to come off as a bad-ass even though she’s still sporting that bouncy princess curl hairdo.
Ymir’s featured weapons are a pair of huge axes that measure to almost half her body length.
Removing Ymir’s corset and skirt reveals her extremely slender and nubile body and allows you to take note of the more subtle details of this figure. Her upper body features slight intonations of muscle and bone structures most evident in her delicate collar bone and torso.
And, if we turn her around, the care that was taken to make it seem as if her underwear and garters are slightly pinching her body meat can be appreciated.
Ymir comes with two different faces, one slightly smiling, and the other seemingly pensive. Unlike most figure faces, Ymir’s isn’t plainly and simply painted on. Well, yes it is, but there are indentations on her face that enhance its structure, such as how her mouth is actually carved out, and her eye sockets are caved in a bit. And, much like the rest of anime-inspired characters, not much attention was given to her nubbin of a nose.
While she’s incredibly cute yet enticingly sexy in her leather mistress outfit, this figure isn’t without its problems. I ran into two major issues that really disappointment and they had to do with are her removable top and her left arm.
The top is made of softer plastic allowing you to bend and maneuver it around the figure’s body. However, the closures on this piece’s side are difficult to close and for the most part like to pop open on its own. However, this malfunction not incredibly obvious, and if I didn’t mention it, I’m sure you didn’t even notice it in the pictures.
Now, I’m not sure if this was a defect in mine or not, but her left arm doesn’t like to stay in its socket. Each of Ymir’s arms is removable in order for you to be able to take off her top, but Ymir’s left arm enjoys being loosely attached. This problem I had was further accentuated when I slid her axe into her left hand because its weight made her arm just plop out.
All the paintwork on this figure is deliberate and extremely neat. There’s not a touch of messy overflow from any other part of her, and the details sculpted on this figure were meant to incur squeals of delight from its owner.
Kyoto Kitty Episode #7: Media Madness (June, 2010)
Wow! What a stupendous occasion! Not only have I come bearing a brand new podcast episode, but I also provided an all new video to share with everyone. Boy, it’s been such a long while since I last shot a vidcast…and those few only happened before because I had yet to become a proud owner of a functioning USB microphone.
Ah, how far I’ve come.
Anyway, onto the Show Notes:
-
Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) 2010 [check out the videos at www.grabtheloot.com]
Yearning for a free Nintendo 3DS from the Nintendo press conference
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Games I thought were cool at E3 (Nintendogs + Cats, Okamiden, Sonic Free Riders (Kinect))
Sonic Colors -I suck-
Los Angeles is a hellhole pit full of patches of bad
The “Historic” Mayfair chronicles
Playing now: Trinity Universe (Playstation 3)
Import gaming: Miku Hatsune Project Diva 2nd (PSP)
Brazilian BBQ in San Francisco (I’m not obsessed, it’s just that I recorded this before the video)
Delta/United screw me again…..all because of fluffy clouds
Anime talk: Bakemonogatari, Sora no Otoshimono, Bantorra
Check out my YouTube channel!
Thanks for listening! <3
Kyoto Kitty: 6 month in Japan and this is all I have to show for it…(Episode 1)
I decided to begin a somewhat late video series concerning the above captioned title. Exciting stuff, I know.
Expect this to be mostly a chronicle of all the junk I amassed while living there, my experiences while working there, and miscellaneous stuff that streams into my tiny little brain.
Hopefully the quality, content, and effects will improve along the way once I begin my broadcast journalism program come this autumn. I’m just warming up, so stay tuned :p
Have fun!
E3 2010 = meh
Welp, I’m back from the 2010 Electronics Entertainment Expo and boy am I jaded. At least last year I totally ran over to the Square Enix booth to get my hands on the first playable demo of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers…but this year, I had to put a lot of effort into coaxing myself to touch those molested controllers at E3. I think that this definitely marks my last E3 for a long while.
There was a lot of drama having to do with both the event and the hotel….and boy, did my stay in Los Angeles reiterate my hate for the accursed starstruck hell hole.
I’m feeling ambitious, so look forward to a possible videocast if at least a podcast in regards to my experiences over the past week. I know you’re just brimming with excitement :p
Kitty @ E3 2010
The 2010 Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) is just a week away, and as you may have guessed from my mentioning it, I will be in attendance!
As of now, I’m not really sure what games I’m dying to get a look at, but high on my list would definitely have to be Okamiden (Nintendo DS game featuring puppy Amaterasu of Okami fame) and anything Square Enix has to offer at their booth. Sadly, Atlus opted out of boothage this year, and reserved only a couple of private rooms to showcase press with an appointment. Atlus hardly fails to disappoint when it comes to quirky JRPGs though, so I’m a little curious as to what they may have to offer. However, I’m also equally as interested in what NIS America (Nippon Ichi Software) will unveil….here’s hoping to an announcement for Ar Tonelico 3 stateside *crosses fingers*.
On another note, I’ve recently been itching to do some writing. While I do write my own scripts for my GottGame reviews, it’s a little different I guess. I’ve been wanting to contribute articles in terms of anime/manga or figures, but I’ve not had any luck finding an actual site that wasn’t just a personal blog. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated 
Per my previous post, I’m still unemployed and thus, I’ve considered seriously going back to school. In fact, today I completed the online application to once again attend City College of San Francisco (CCSF). While it may make more sense for me to apply to the Journalism program that credits successful completion with an A.A. after 2 years, the Broadcast Journalism program provides a more timely certificate after only 17 units. I figured it would make for a good experience since I’ve started my stint in video reviews…and I wouldn’t mind getting into radio, I guess. Now, why didn’t I think of doing this when I first started college? Yeesh, if only I could turn back time with the knowledge I have now :/
For old time’s sake, here a lovely picture of Ayane from Dead or Alive:
Unemployment Blues
It’s been 6 months since I deserted Japan for the comforts of the Bay Area, and I’m still without a “real” job. I decided that after my experience in Japan that I would no longer hold a threshold for jobs that I don’t enjoy. However, I really can’t be picky what with this stick in the mud economy.
I would most definitely love a job in the videogame industry…but it seems as though getting from where I am right now to that job I have in my mind is such a huge leap. I’m willing to work for peanuts…you don’t have to pay me! Well, maybe buying me lunch would be nice, but cup of noodles only cost $1.50.
I’m getting to feel a little depressed about being stuck in a rut….and that’s why I went to Hawaii.
Kyoto Kitty Episode #6: The Simplified (May 16, 2010)
Back to the basics, Audacity is acting like a douche so now background music this time….which may or may not be a good thing. Enjoy this long-coming follow up episode that took nearly 2 weeks to get out due to technical difficulties.
Show Notes:
- Listen to KyotoKitty and Simon’s latest combocast – go now.
- My hair looks like a fishbowl
- Cast as a hair model for Aveda
- Hanging out with Simon and Dave in California
- Playing Lost Planet 2
- Hawaii
- Heard someone get run over, subsequently calling 911 sucks
- Getting raped for airfare to E3
- Contributing to Gamertell vs. GottGame
- How I got recruited to GottGame
- Unemployment is not fun
Thanks for listening, fellow kitties!
Figure Review: Kotobukiya DOAX2 Venus on the Beach! Series Kasumi
| Product Name | DOAX2 Venus on the Beach! Series Kasumi |
| Manufacturer | Kotobukiya |
| Release date | Late March 2010 |
| Sculptor | Uzo |
| Scale | 1/6 (19.5 cm approx.) |
| Price | $100 |
Hot on the heels of the release of the PSP port of Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball 2 (Dead or Alive Paradise), out comes Kotobukiya’s nicely scuplted Venus on the Beach! Kasumi.
I’m a huge fan of the Dead or Alive series being it the fighting game or the frivolous volleyball series, so it may be surprising to hear that this is actually my first DOA figure. There have actually been quite a few DOAX2 figures out on the market (Kokoro, Ayane, Kasumi, Hitomi, Lei-Fang, Tina), but I was never interested in them because of their bland faces. While this figure isn’t exactly the most expressive, there was something about Kasumi’s agape mouth that caught my interest. Having said that, let’s move on to the pictures and see if I can’t persuade you to think likewise :p
This figure comes complete with a poolside base consisting of two parts: translucent water piece that snaps into the partial pool stand. However, this base can’t actually stand on its own at all and actually relies on Kasumi’s weight to balance it out….interesting. As advertised on the box, she also comes with 2 swimsuits: Thistle and Sunflower. Thistle is the swimsuit inspired by Kasumi’s P2 costume in Dead or Alive, and Sunflower is a slim and slinky striped number. Sunflower is actually permanently sculpted onto the figure and to put Kasumi in her Thistle outfit, you just have to remove some of her limbs and it fits right on top of Sunflower.
As you can see, her body is obviously banging, and I really love her structured torso. Kasumi’s buttocks features weird accentuation of her crotch area, much like in DOAX/DOAX2 that I’m not much a fan of, but I’m sure there are those of us out there for an appreciation for this type of detail.
Kasumi’s aloof facial expression if really cute and rather photogenic, but with a face like this, I can’t help but think there isn’t a very big brain behind this cutie patootie.
I’m not really sure if she’s worth $100 even though she is at 1/6 scale, which is a pretty good size. Even though you can change her outfits and caress her buoyant breasts, I’d say keep your money in your wallet until she’s on sale….for something like $50>.
Figure Review: Excellent Model Core Sheryl Nome N.A. Version (Macross Frontier)
| Product Name | Excellent Model Core Macross Frontier Sheryl Nome N.A. Version |
| Manufacturer | Megahouse |
| Release date | Late March 2010 |
| Sculptor | ??? |
| Scale | 1/8 (15cm approx.) |
| Price | $80 |
Probably most infamous for her suggestive position coupled with the naughty placement of one over-sized bullet, Megahouse’s most recent PVC addition to the Sheryl Nome figure collection is exceptionally impressive.
Megahouse spared no detail in this model and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both her top and bottom are removable. Also, I’m quite thankful that the seemingly affixed bullet between her crotch from the prototype shots is actually free standing and can be placed anywhere, or not even used for that matter.
There are intricate details literally laced all throughout this figure.
Her hair is done with the utmost care and her pinkish blond tips feature just a touch of translucency.
I’m a real sucker for skin impressions, and the garter strings around her upper thighs give you the impression that they’re snuggly cutting off only a little bit of her circulation.
Even her bustier’s faux lace trim features a slight metallic magenta sheen alongside delicate detailed imprints to make it looks that much more dainty. What’s really impressive are her hands! Adorning her wrists are 3 bracelets and they are separate pieces, meaning that they’re movable…..not removable, but movable. Each one of her fingers is painted in alternating colors and her nails each have a different design on them, from tiny little hearts to other geometric shapes.
As I mentioned before, you can opt to remove her bottom and top….but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get to see Ms. Sheryl Nome in her birthday suit. Instead, there are tiny little hearts in place of her nipples and she made sure to wear her cutest thong with garter underneath her hot pants….’cuz she’s a classy lady like that.
My only complaint about this figure is that her face looks a little awkward. Because she’s supposed to be looking down at you, if you look at her face front-on, it kind of makes her look like a cross-eyed cockadoodle. Her eyes feature thin and neat lines but her nose and mouth are less than appealing to me.
I dare say that this figure trumps the Alpha Omega version of Sheryl Nome in her removable riding performance outfit. I can’t stress enough that if you’re a collector and a Macross Frontier fan, then you NEED to get your hands on this piece of ass! That is all
