Figure Name: DC Comics Bishoujo Poison Ivy
Figure Maker: Kotobukiya
Retail Value: US$64.99 (release in February)
Available at: Koto US

Let's just get this box thing out of the way. As usual, it's the white box with illustrations, information and pictures of what's inside. She's got a nice big window so you see what you'll be getting, and once you take her out she's already fully assembled, base and all. Of note is also the little Harley silhouette, which doesn't reveal much about what's in store for her.

Ivy comes on a black oval base that I'm not entirely convinced on. I feel like the plants could have been a base on their own, but at the same time it's not like this addition is intrusive or tacky or anything. It's just there, and doesn't take up much space. It's reflective, and that's a plus. The actual detail of the vines and plants on the base, though? Ultra cool and dynamic.

What I'm wondering, though, is whether Harley is still going to be designed to go together with Ivy? If so, maybe her base will be made to fit around this one, similar to the Ballerina Versions of Rei and Asuka (also released by Kotobukiya, so this isn't too far-fetched; review here).  If not, I guess I just missed that memo.

There's more of the full turnaround in the gallery this time than the usual four images of the front, back and sides, because there's just so much to look at, starting with Ivy's amazing hair. I love how full and voluminous it is, the curled style and the strong color.

There's one key difference between what you're seeing here and what's in the illustration though, and that is it lacks the daisies throughout her hair. Instead, just a few are included on the front portion of the hair, which looks fine, but I wonder how much more glamorous she would have been with all of them.

Moving down, you get to see the vines coiling around her arms and legs, the leafy motif to her suit covering up her torso, matching leafy boots and of course, the leaves in her hair that complement everything so well.

I had a little bit of a hard time photographing her, simply because there are different green tones to work with (all strongly distinct). The most challenging part was getting her skin tone just right, because it's almost shockingly green. This isn't a bad thing, after all she's that kind of girl, but since it's a bit more pastel than the rest of her outfit and surroundings, I had to play with the exposure a bit more than I usually would. That and, I was surprised this sample is a different hue (more saturated than the light, leafy green) than the production images. I'm not disappointed if this is a change, since it still looks good to me.

Her hands aren't entirely stuck onto her hips, but they've got some scary detail to them that everyone should appreciate (appreciate them so you're not on the receiving end!). You'll also start to see some seaming issues that are more highlighted in these images than they would be sitting on your shelf. Again, like with most well-produced scaled figures, we talk about them in the reviews but they'd only be a problem for the harshest of nit-pickers.

Looking at her side here, you get to see a bit more of the leafy detail of her suit. This figure makes her look like a swimsuit model, doesn't it? That's what comes to mind for me, anyway. There is some minor seaming visible here, but it's really not prominent when the figure is up on the shelf.

Working further down, let's focus a bit on the base. It's intricate and features a few little biters snaking around her legs. All of them look hilarious (Ever since The Little Pet Shop of Horrors, stuff like this will always bring a smile to my face), and they seem to be good-natured little blokes.

Before we make our way back up to Ivy's face, let's check her rear. It goes without saying that I love her nice, thick legs, but what about the butt? It's there. It doesn't stick out two feet, but it's still enough to make a statement with that cut on her leaf suit. I think I'll call it her leaf suit.

Oh wait, but before we get to her face, we have to look at her torso! Here's a great picture of the front. Her bust doesn't burst out of the leaf suit too much, which is a welcome relief considering she doesn't need that in order to be alluring.

Also visible in the image above: a color difference on either side of the seam of her hair, a few minor issues with the paint of the vines (though more apparent in an earlier image) around her arms and both scary hands in focus.

Alright, finally, let's talk about her face! Ivy's face is a little more full in the illustration, but that doesn't make her any less attractive here. The only real problem I had is this little cut on the hair, going from a daisy to her left eye. If you didn't notice it before, it'll bother the crap out of you now. It isn't visible from all angles, but it's there. The cut is more than likely just an isolated incident, so no worries.

Her eyes are nice and glossy-looking, and like Mystique (reviewed), she doesn't need makeup or anything so her features stand out more. The leaves in her hair and the wispy "ahoge", or tuft of fly-away hair at the top of her head, really complement her face and complete the picture.

There's also one more minor (or major, depending on how you look at it) change between the illustration and the final product in her eyes: she's looking to the side in the figure, but straight out at you in the illustration. Dealbreaker? I'm alright with this because it makes her look more sultry and mischievous.

There you have it. This year is going to be a tough one in terms of picking a top bishoujo figure, from the looks of it! Ivy is a fantastic piece, and I'm also quite looking forward to Tekken x Bishoujo Alisa, Star Wars x Bishoujo Jaina Solo and of course, DC Comics Bishoujo Harley Quinn. Needless to say, 2012 is already looking fabulous. 

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