Tomopop Review: Good Smile Company's 1/8 Nadeko

4:00 PM on 01.04.2012   |   Emily Smalara

One of the surprisingly many "must see" series to come out in recent years, Bakemonogatari is a bit of a curious beast. While it's highly regarded as some of the best anime around, it's extremely eccentric, downright weird, and has little of the mainstream appeal that a lot of popular series do. What it does have, however, is a truly great cast from top to bottom — specifically, its female cast, all centered around some kind of animal.

While I'm a big fan of the whole group, there are a few standouts, and one of them happens to be the adorable Nadeko Sengoku, the rather shy serpentine girl. I knew I had to get my hands on this figure, being both a big fan of the character and the bright coloring used! Click through to find out if she passed muster!

Figure Name: Nadeko Sengoku
Figure Maker: Good Smile Company
Retail Price: ¥8,400
Available at: HobbyLink Japan

When I first saw the packaging for Nadeko, I was a little confused. I knew that she had a complex base, but at first glance it seemed like things weren't all put together. In retrospect, I should have expected it, but at the time I was a little curious as to what I'd find upon opening the package.

As for the box itself, while the general style is pretty typical, like Bakemonogatari itself, it's got a bit of a unique flair. Perhaps combining both darker and lighter aspects of the series, the front of the box provides a rather darker, classy tone, while the minute you look at the side, you've suddenly got a brighter, much more colorful look. It's a little thing, but it amused me enough to stand out, so well done, Good Smile?

Upon removing Nadeko, I found perhaps the most complex figure I've had to deal with. Both trunks were separate from the base, along with two branches of leaves, two small twigs, as well as her hat, coat, and alternate set of legs. I've seen figma with less things to add! As you can see, though, the effect when finished is quite charming. I love seeing figures that create more of a scene than just providing a flat base, and Good Smile accomplished this and then some.

In fact, this actually recreates a scene from one of the original Blu-Ray releases, right down to the meticulously detailed leaves gathered in Nadeko's top. The attention to detail really is fantastic! You can see the thin ribbon along her top, and all of the leaves around the base are as detailed as the ones she's gathered — with no small amount of them, either!

Of course, my favorite part of Nadeko is how you can turn her into a completely different figure by swapping and removing a few parts. Personally, I enjoy this pose much better, as she's quite a bit sturdier this way. While standing, she's attached to the base by only one wedge-shaped peg, and while it lets you turn her around a bit, it also feels like she could topple over at any second.

Removing the jacket also lets you get a better look at the rest of her figure, showing that Good Smile didn't even skimp on the little things that might usually be covered up. Her little satchel is simple, but still has a nice focus on detail, with the lines of the clasp and cover crisp and well defined.

While the perv that I am is also fond of this nice shot from behind without her jacket in the way, fanservice is not the only reason to focus on such an angle! In the past, a lot of figures I've seen with swappable or detachable parts don't always fit snugly in place, and you can get a rather annoying seam between torso (or what have you) and the limb (or, again, whatever the addition may be). In Nadeko's case, though, Good Smile managed to let her legs rest flush against the base of her swimsuit, creating a seamless look that gives no suggestions she might not be all one piece. Very nicely done!

Whichever Nadeko you might prefer, tiptoeing through the water or thigh-deep in a pool, you can't go wrong with Good Smile's release. She stays very true to the original artwork, and despite the high amount of detail, there are absolutely zero noticeable flaws in the coloring as well. Overall, this is a figure that ought to be in any Bakemonogatari fan's collection, no ifs, ands, or buts!

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