Figure Name: DC Bishoujo Batgirl, Black Costume ver. (1/7-scale)
Figure Maker: Kotobukiya
Retail Price: ¥6,200
Available at: AmiAmi | Big Bad Toy Store | HobbyLink Japan

As usual, let's take a look at the box first. What struck me originally was the question, "Don't newer editions of these bishoujo figures get the same box art as the originals?" I was surprised to see that Babs' black costume edition got a whole new box with updated artwork to go with it! Besides this attention to detail, everything is the same as usual. You've got a box with pictures and information on it.

Check out the gallery for the picture of the other two sides of the box if you want to see what's there!

Babs is already fixed onto her base and ready to go once you pop her out of that box and free her from the tray, so I didn't even bother to photograph that bit. Instead, I give you the full frontal view.

I absolutely love the way the gold really stands out in contrast with the black, and it's got this liquid look to it that goes great with the gloss over the cape. Black and gold could have easily been a flashy (and tacky) combination, especially with Batgirl's red hair, but Kotobukiya really pulled it off nicely. One detail you'll notice here (but will be more apparent in later images) is the base reflects the gold in a fantastic way, too.

Looking at her from behind confirms that she's got some nice details to look at from any angle. Usually, the front and sides of a figure will look great, but be particularly dull in the back. Between the nice detail in the molding of her boots (the creases), her butt, cape and hair, she looks interesting any which way.

Her hair has a nice shine to it that I can appreciate. I like the watery mold that doesn't give her any dumb seams, and how it rests and flows so well over the cape. The hair is molded with enough volume that I definitely feel like it's trying to escape that cowl she's wearing.

Speaking of cowl, let's check out her face:

It's pretty much the same as the original, with the major difference being she's in black rather than blue. The details are great though, and I'm glad to see her eyes look so expressive, even with the restrictions of molding and painting her face with something covering it. You also start to see her gloved left hand in this picture, grasping her cape and pulling it in front of her. Like Batman's, her gloves also have those protective blades on the side.

Looking at her from this angle we see the other glove, her emblem and the color gradient in her hair. It really makes for a great ensemble!

Let's work our way down. Next is her midsection from the front:

There isn't too much to see here besides the belt (which you can see is molded separate from her body) with another bat emblem, and the tops of the boots also have the shape of a bat. She's got some nicely molded abs, which I appreciate, and if you check the gallery you'll see her nicely molded butt, too!

Next, of course, are her shoes and the gargoyle. Again, it's the same as the other design, so I won't get into too much detail here. It's got a nice, stony texture that doesn't call too much attention to itself, which is a good thing. You'll see it more in the top image than the bottom one, but here's another look at the reflection of her boot!

And there you have it! I had to get at least one sneaky sort of shot in at the end here before I had my final say. Although, you all probably guessed what my final say is: must buy! She's seriously one of the most fantastic figures in the bishoujo line, and both the original, and this updated black version, are gorgeous.

As was mentioned in the review for the original Batgirl edition, one of the most attractive points of this statue above most of the rest is her proportions are more realistic (she's curvier) and the pose accentuates her legs quite a bit. My first impression (after remarking how great the colors look) was: I love the way her legs are molded, including the knee and her full thighs.

It helps that apart from being a very attractive figure, it's a dynamic one that could easily call attention to itself on a shelf. I can't wait to display her with my Batman statue, and who knows, in the near future you might see a photo shoot of them together!

[Thanks as always to Kotobukiya for providing Tomopop with this review sample!]