Tomopop Review: FREEing's 1/8-scale Ryouko Ookami

4:30 PM on 12.22.2011   |   Emily Smalara

FREEing is yet another company I've had little experience with firsthand, I still had to jump on the chance to take a look at their Ryouko Ookami from the aptly named Ookami-san series. When the anime was first released, I took a liking to the character right away, thanks to her tsundere appeal and my love for unique school uniforms — which certainly applies to Ryouko's striking black and red design.

I know when this figure first came out there was some contention regarding her pose, but how did she turn out in-hand? Click through to find out!

Figure Name: Ryouko Ookami
Figure Maker: FREEing
Retail Price: ¥7,429
Available at: HobbyLink Japan                                                     

Right off the bat, let's grab a look at the box. It's pretty standard stuff, though the dark color scheme matches Ryouko's own quite well. As far as designs go, from first impressions it's nice, with a bit of classiness that often comes from less vibrant styles. It definitely made a good presentation, though giving a quick scan around the other sides provided something that actually stood out.

Along the box's side panels, instead off the typical rectangular cutaway, the windows are cut in the shape of Ryouko's gloves. It may not provide as much of a view as more standard box designs, but I really liked it a lot. It made something as simple as packaging stand out from the norm, and I have to give FREEing a bit of credit for that!

So, freeing (see what I did there?) Ryouko from her cardboard and plastic prison, we can take a better look at this cutie head-on. Again, I remember her pose being a small point of argument, with some thinking it's a bit too coy or coquettish for a character like Ryouko. While I can see where those with concerns are coming from, I have to say it doesn't really come off in such a way when you have the figure in your hands.

There's a definite look of determination in Ryouko's eyes, and while she doesn't have her gloves ready to punch someone's lights out, to me it looks like she's coaxing on a challenger rather than trying to show off. Her expression is definitely very fitting and gives the pose a very different feel than it might have if she were putting on a more "come hither" look.

Speaking of said gloves, FREEing did a nice job giving them the proper amount of detail, and a lot of people who saw the figure were quite taken with how cute they appeared. Sadly, as you can likely see, the darker of the pair picked up quite a bit of dust, even during the shooting of these photos.

It's been a problem with the figure in general, unfortunately. Whether it simply shows up more due to her black uniform or some other issue, Ryouko picked up small bits of dust that were nearly impossible to remove entirely. Even removing most of the problem between images would reveal some new additions mysteriously appearing. It's not a deal breaker by any means, and I'm not the type to keep figures sterilized in glass cabinets, so for some more hardcore collectors it'll certainly be even less of an issue. Still, it's something to keep in mind.

For the most part, FREEing did a really nice job with the little details, making a small thing like the dust issue just that — small. While her uniform isn't particularly detailed, especially compared to some others, FREEing did right where it counts, like the slight feeling of movement conveyed in her ribbon, along with her trademark collar and shaped clasp. Sadly, another small standout that you can see is a slight mark along the hem of her sleeve. It's one of the larger missed spots I've seen when it comes to paint jobs, and I can't help wondering if she got nicked during packaging.

For my money though, one of my favorite aspects of Ryouko is her hair. FREEing did a great job in making her tied-back style both feel and look thick and lush, and I am, to say the least, a big fan. They also managed to lock down another issue I've had with a lot of figures.

I've mentioned my dislike of how often figures seem to make it a chore to fit in the pegs on their base, but Ryouko slides into place without an issue. It's also a big plus that her pose is wide and fairly balanced, and despite her leaning over, I don't foresee any issues with this becoming the bad kind of leaner any time in the future. Besides, they're some pretty badass looking boots in general!

In the end, FREEing really made all the little parts of Ryouko's figure come together for a whole that —despite a few nagging issues — turned out a great figure that more than did its job in capturing the character's personality. I really loved this release even more than I expected to, and absolutely have to recommend FREEing's Ryouko to any fan of the series, or anyone who just might love her design!

[Thanks to HobbyLink Japan for providing Tomopop with this review sample!]