Tomopop Review: 1/8 scale Hirasawa Yui from K-On! by Alter

7:00 PM on 05.01.2010   |   Jonathan Tubbs

A couple of months ago, I reviewed Alter's Akiyama Mio from the popular girl band series K-On! and I praised Alter and sculptor Numakura Toshiaki to the moon and back. Alter returns to K-On! with the next Houkago Tea Time band member, the clumsy yet cute guitarist, Hirasawa Yui.

I'm a Yui fan since watching K-On! and was ever so delighted to know that my favorite figure manufacturer would be releasing this 1/8 scale figure. The figure comes from sculptor Tanaka Senu who has produced works such as swim club cafe version of Shirley from Code Geass and the Hobby Japan exclusive Sanada from Hyakka Ryoran.

These two works I'm not too fond of. Will Yui disappoint me equally or will Senu bring me to quality that I've come to love from Alter? Hit the jump for the full review to find out.

I love packaging design just as much as I love figures. I don't know if there's a single profession that deals specifically with packaging but if there is, I want that job. As Alter's K-On! ladies are a part of a set, Yui's packaging follows the same format as Mio's but with a vibrant orange instead of blue. It's a simple design but it's enough to attract attention and tell you what you're getting. Not that the window doesn't already do that.

Outside of the fact that I am a fan Yui, what attracted me to this figure is Yui's pose. It's full of energy as she leaps into the air after strumming her guitar. It emits joy and happiness and makes me smile every time I look at her.

Looking closely at Yui's face, the sculpt is incredible. The eyes are sharp and capture the style of the anime flawlessly. Though K-On! is a moe series, the shape of Yui's face doesn't adhere to that mold completely with a slender looking face. Her mouth is carved out giving depth and shape to her tongue and teeth. Absolutely beautiful.

The hair is well done as it sways to one side from Yui's jump. Several layers are featured in her hair giving it that kind of detail I love. The back is more limited in said detail except for the ends but it fits for that anime style.

Just like Alter's Mio, Yui is dressed in the same school uniform. The bow around her neck pops out from her body giving the figure the same quality of depth as featured elsewhere. 

Just like Yui's mouth, Senu sculpted the details of her ear and Alter was able to reproduce that amazingly. The sculpt didn't have to get this detail so you have to appreciate the work for a little part like this to get such love.

Yui's torso is engulfed by her not so cleverly named Gibson Les Paul, "Giita". Since the guitar's detail is more important than the school uniform, it is a minor loss to not see her body. Just like Mio, Yui's electric guitar is astounding in the attention to detail. Each string is accounted for as well as every screw and latch.

The guitar is strapped to Yui's body and wraps and buckles behind her. From the back, the school uniform stretches in several points as Yui twists her body. Her school uniform pulls out around her hips giving her a rather shapely figure. I approve! Some may find the seams an eyesore where her arms connect to her upper body but what I see are seams oh her school jacket.

Yui has her pick in hand as she rocks out on her guitar. The hands are another sight to behold for the design. Each finger is separated by a recess for that natural look and every tip has the fingernail molded. I love it when sculptors do this.

The skirt ruffles, folds under itself, and fans out from Yui's movement. Unlike Mio, Yui chooses to wear stockings with her attire which is one of my weak points. Dark areas are painted in some spots of the stockings to show more shadowing such as around her knees and ankles.

Though her jacket and skirt give her more body than she actually has, she still has a nice curve as her legs reach her body. Sorry. No up-skirt shots today. You'll have to use your imagination this time. 

Those are some nicely polished shoes. But with school life, you have to look your best for your teachers and peers, right? With Yui's character, I'm surprised they are so well kept.

This shot also shows the stand that attaches to Yui's base and foot. I didn't see this piece immediately so I was rather confused when I attempted to attach Yui's foot to the base. I thought I received a defective product before finding the stand piece.

Speaking of the detached Yui, with her only having support with one leg, I will say I am scared handling this figure. I have butter fingers so moving her every little bit had me sweating. I will say that Yui is going to be stationary for a very long time. 

Yui's base is nothing that stands out. It features the K-On! logo and some basic information. That's okay though since Yui is so well made and easy to admire.

I will have to note that the mold did suffer from some artifacts in various spots as you may see in the photos. Since I look at my figures at a distance, I can forgive these little markings. For those who seek the perfect mold, just a warning.

Overall, just like Mio, I am very satisfied with this release. Alter did the right thing in choosing Tanaka Senu to bring Yui into figure form. This company is on a roll in releasing absolutely amazing figures from this series. It makes me sad that I sold Mio as I am now tempted in getting everyone. I'm definitely throwing down a few bucks to support Alter in their next release, Azusa, who is also coming from Tanaka Senu. And don't forget that Numakura Toshiaki returns with the school festival version of Mio. I'm looking forward to see Alter's version of Ritsu and, eventually, Tsumugi.

If you are fan of K-On!, I highly recommend this figure as a part of your collection. Unfortunately, now that Yui is available, she is one tough cookie to find in stock. The most popular of outlets and even our affiliates do not have her in stock anymore. If you come across her somewhere, snatch her up quick before it's too late.