Tomopop Review: Kotobukiya's 1/8 Hitagi Senjougahara

3:00 PM on 09.01.2010   |   Call Niero

I have a confession to make. I am terribly, terribly behind on anime. And as I find myself getting further and further into PVC collecting, I feel that I should probably get caught up on the recent releases. So I finally started watching the big stuff I missed! Is Bakemonogatari what I am now watching? Well ... I am a bit more behind than that. I'm currently watching Fate/Stay Night. I know, right? So far behind! I suppose that's actually a good thing, because when I watch a show and I like it I instantly want to buy every figure ever made of the characters.

So while I have only a basic notion of Hitagi's character, I found myself drawn to this figure. I mean ... the purple hair alone was enough to win me over. But does the final product live up to my expectations? Hit the jump to find out!

Oh look, a box! So exciting! Actually, Hitagi's box is nice and colorful. The purple definitely stands out against the wave of plain white boxes you see on store shelves! 

I don't know a whole lot about Hitagi's character, but I do know that she was touched by a magical crab that caused her to be weightless. Kotobukiya's figure does a really great job of portraying her weightless nature. The way her arms seem to be floating up, the unnatural upward curve of her hair, and even the delicate way her foot is positioned on the ground lend to a sense that she is drifting. It seems both Alter and GSC forgot this aspect of her character when they made their figures!

Seeing Hitagi's face in person was a bit of a "woah" moment for me. The test shots looked nice and all, but the real deal is eons better looking. She has this wonderful sense of maturity, and the paint on her eyes is just beautiful.

I have heard some complaints about the hair seam, which I must admit is a bit visible, more so than it is on other figures I own. On my Hitagi it really was not that bad or overly noticeable, but I know hair seams are a bit of a pet peeve for some people. 

From the back you get a better look at Hitagi's hair, which is my favorite part of this figure. The purple is just so rich and vibrant! You can also get a bit of a better look at the crab claw, which is ... well, I haven't seen the show, so I am guessing this is when she gets her magical weight-loss abilities? 

I am so in love with her hair. The sculpt is fantastic and there is a lot of nice shading. The ends are darker and the middle is lighter, but the paint looks natural. People sometimes get a bit heavy-handed with shading, but it is nice and subtle on Hitagi. 

The details on Hitagi's outfit are nicely rendered. Though she is wearing a pretty standard school outfit, the color choices and sculpting make it stand out. I mean purple, pink AND a hint of blue? The perfect combo! The accessories in her pocket are also a cute touch, as it seems that she is known for her stationary ... fetish? Weapon use? Ability to staple hands to walls?

Speaking of stationary, Hitagi comes with a stapler accessory. It is easy enough to remove if you don't want to display her with it, but I think it adds a nice touch of character. 

Hitagi's skirt almost looks like it is floating away! The paint used is a sort of purple-blue that compliments the pale pink of her shirt quite well. On close inspection, the paint at the very bottom of her skirt is a bit messy, but it's impossible to see from any reasonable distance so it is not really a cause for concern. 

And we all know it's what's up her skirt that matters anyway! Just kidding, but Koto actually gave her some nice panties for once. For some reason I get upset when figures have plain white panties. It's like, "I am paying $60-100 for this thing, can you at least slap some decals on her butt?" Hitagi has stationary-print underpants, as seen in the anime (apparently). 

Zettai Ryouiki! An important aspect of character design. Actually, as much as I like thigh-highs it is almost overused in the anime world. In any case they do look nice on Hitagi. 

For those worried about leaning, Hitagi is screwed into the base and her leg is very solid and not at all bendy. Plus some of her weight is on the crab leg, so she is a very stable figure!

The all-important CRAB LEG! Claw? Well it attaches to her base and actually comes separately, so you don't have to have it in if you dislike it, but I think it adds a lot to the figure. How many figures do you own with giant clear crab claws/legs sticking out of them? Zero probably ... unless you already own Hitagi. Or you have some weird compulsion that involves putting clear crab legs on figure bases. 

Hitagi is still available at several retailers, including Hobby Search where she is 5780 yen and AmiAmi where she is 5450 yen. She is cheaper than a lot of the recently released figures, and definitely worth the price! If that seems a bit rich for your blood, you are in luck, as Otacute has her up for the ridiculous sale price of $36.90! Their sales tend to end fast, so jump on this if you want her! A great price for a great figure. If you are a fan of the show this is pretty much a must buy figure! And even if you haven't seen it ... come on, that hair alone is worth the purchase! 

Thanks to Stephen for taking these pictures! Especially because my yard was a little dirty and it got all over his pants. The horror! Also, there were some bugs. You know, the kind with giant pretty wings that land behind your figure for 3 seconds and you freak out trying to take a picture of them. I think they have something to do with butter? Anyway, check out the rest of the pictures in the gallery!

[Thanks to Kotobukiya for the review sample]