I've had Emaretta for a while. She was released about a year ago as part of Yamato's "Creators' Labo" collection. You can tell right away that she's a Shunya figure, as she has all the telltale signs -- long legs, big sword, huge boobs. In fact, those huge boobs may be a bit of a turn-off for some. While they're not entirely unattractive, they do seem a bit unrealistic. Colette mentioned they were "cantaloupe-like" and I have to agree. Still, I have to give the sculptor credit for sticking with the original design, because that's just how Shunya made 'em.

Before getting into detail, I'd like to take a look at Emaretta's face and then we'll step back so you can get a full view of her awesomeness.

The work on her eyes is gorgeous, and her face is probably the closest I've seen to actually capturing Shunya Yamashita's original artwork. The star on her cheek is a nice touch, and there is a bit of gloss to give her lips that extra sheen. If  had to point out one negative, it would be the hair, which is suffering from "glob of bubblegum" syndrome. While the color looks right, the detail just isn't there, which is a little disappointing, yet common, for a 1/6 figure. Still, when viewed in context with the rest of the face, it hardly detracts from Emaretta herself.

And ... gratuitous underboob. Actually, the way the breasts sit in the final production run actually seems more normal than the shots I saw in the prototype, as the straps seem to be parting them fairly naturally. Still, there's no arguing that real boobs just don't look like that. Then again, real people don't either, so take it or leave it.

Then there's the pose, her left leg propped up, giving off an air of confidence that I find sexy. Not a lot of figures can pull of gratuitous skin on a tasteful figure, but I honestly believe Yamato has accomplished this. Now, if you're to remove the top that might be another story...

Emaretta comes with a cape that is easily removable, and like I mentioned her top is cast-offable too (I much prefer it on, so I'm not going to share any photos with it removed ... sorry). The cape is nicely sculpted, giving it that "blowing-in-the-wind" look, but doesn't always sit right due to its weight. The sword is nicely sculpted, with battle damage and purple accents.

Yamato is known for not applying much paint to their figures' skin to create the illusion of depth, and instead letting the actual curves speak for themselves. I'd say this works pretty well for Emaretta, although perhaps a little more airbrushing could have helped in a few places. Or perhaps not. Hopefully the following image can illustrate this.

Outside of her cape, Emaretta's outfit is nice and shiny, highlighting those tall black boots of hers. For someone who appears to be a warrior (I assume the sword isn't merely for show), her armor (if that is indeed armor) doesn't seem to cover much, but this is a complaint I could level at any number of figures, and could be seen as a feature to some.

Whoa, okay. I totally wasn't gonna do this, but you can't help but look at that picture without the following thought coming to you: DAT ASS. Emaretta is particularly well-endowed in the area of her *ahem* gluteus maximus. Here, let me illustrate that for you:

Okay, now we're all familiar with her hind parts. Great, let's move on.

Lastly, I'd like to point out the exquisite base included with the figure. I'm not talking about the mirrored surface, which is pretty nice, but the giant freaking skull that Emaretta has her left leg perched upon. Yes, she has a little Captain in her. The skull almost puts the rest of the figure to shame, as it is incredibly detailed, well painted, and almost looks like real bone. This touch alone makes the figure a keeper for me.

At 1/6 scale (almost 10" tall), she's pretty large, but makes a great display piece. Given that you can easily find her for sub-$100 US if you search around a bit (hint: Amazon) and her generous size and detail, I'd say she's well worth the money if you're much of a Yamashita fan at all. It's worth noting that she also comes in a black colorway, but I much prefer her original. If you already own Non-Non, Arisa, or Roxanne, she'd make a great companion piece. If not, though, she can sure stand on her own!

Before I check out, let me advise you to be sure to check the gallery for photos that didn't make it into the post! And let me know what you think ... still worth it or not? I honestly think she's one of the best deals around at the moment.