Show and Tell: Gift's Yoko

2:00 PM on 07.31.2009   |   Emily Smalara

Quite likely the Faye Valentine of the 21st century, Gurren Lagann's equally popular gun-wielding hottie Yoko has undoubtedly captured the hearts of many a fan and newbie alike. I've seen more than a few people raise an eyebrow at Miss Littner's curvy form, even if upon mentioning the series itself one is merely met with a "Gurren what?" There's a reason why the show's been subject to a rather aquatic title-mangling meme, after all.

Of course, I'm not immune to the siren song of Yoko either, and thus when I saw Gift announcing their lovely and rather large 1/5th scale figure, I knew I had to get my hands on her. Unlike a lot of our writers, I haven't been into collecting for a terribly long time--not when it comes to figures, at least, so Yoko was a big jump for me. She'd not only be the largest figure I'd added to my collection, but also the priciest, a fact that didn't exactly go unnoticed by my wallet. Still, I don't regret her purchase for a minute, and I'll explain why after the jump.

Right off the bat, you can tell she's certainly a larger figure, even with little to compare her against outright. When sized up against your usual 1/8th scale model, the size is more than obvious. I was a little hesitant when I read about her 10 1/2" height, thinking that wasn't a huge jump over most figures, but of course I had failed to take in the fact that she is, of course, kneeling. Thus when she arrived, being as tall as most figures even while crouching provided quite the eye-opener as to how tall she really is.

Now, Yoko did come with a base, of course, but I wanted to make it clear how sturdy a figure she really is. With this larger scale, she really stands up just fine without the base itself, and the pose is natural enough to make it easily work. I've seen way too many figures that topple even when it looks like they'd balance just fine, so this was a very, very nice change. She might be displayed on her base normally, but for those of you who like to set up more artistic shoots, the fact she can do without is a huge plus.

Such a natural pose also comes with a surprisingly realistic level of detail when it comes to little things one would often take for granted. Thanks to Yoko's oh-so-skimpy excuse for a top, there's not a lot in the way when it comes to seeing just how much Gift put into this design. This didn't catch my eye at first, but when I was looking for a number of shots I realized the care that went into Yoko's sculpt.

I've noticed that a lot of figures might be surprisingly well done, but again, I can't stop reiterating how much the larger scale really makes a difference here. Taking a look at her back in particular really startled me, thanks to the dedication shown in portraying a very anatomically correct model.

Another thing I really loved about Gift's design choice is the decision to make Yoko a little cuter than many of her previous releases. While there's no doubt she's cute enough regardless of pose, she's so often seen with her anti-ganmen rifle. This pose is a rare look at Yoko's downtime, and I love how they captured a look of innocence that isn't too often seen. One amusing thing of note is how many people unfamiliar with Gurren Lagann have seen this figure and ended up doing a double-take upon glimpsing her hairpin--no one had the slightest clue what it actually was.

That all said, it's hard to think of a better figure for the collector looking to add a little something beyond the norm to their collections. Gift did an outstanding job on Yoko in every aspect they could, and while the price might be a bit heavy--around $100 USD with shipping, on average--she's certainly worth it. Yoko will certainly stand out on your shelves, and is likely to even catch the eye of those who might not usually give anime-related figures a second glance.