Tomopop Review: Medicom's Kyubey plush

4:00 PM on 12.14.2011   |   Natalie Kipper

Puella Magi Madoka Magica's Kyubey is quite possibly the most unnerving magical girl sidekick/mascot I have ever seen. Equal parts adorable and cold-hearted, Kyubey is certainly one fascinating specimen. Now, he has been captured in all his fluffy white glory as a plush by Medicom. 

Is this plush worth making a contract with? Read on!

Plush Name: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Kyubey Plush
Plush Maker: Medicom
Retail/List Price: ¥3,800
Available at: HobbyLink Japan

Even just starting with the tag, you can see Medicom put a lot of effort to make Kyubey as classy as possible. The sturdy tag is glossy, with lovely pastels to surround the image of the plush and the series logo printed onto it. It is pretty big, too, measuring at 4.5 inches tall!  

Oh ye gods! Those eyes! So cute. So pink. Who knows what horrors they have seen? For real, though, they are nice quality safety buttons. I am, however, a tad concerned that the white pupils could get scratched off. They feel like they are on a different layer than the rest of the eye. The mouth is embroidered and looks like it would in the show, proportion-wise.

Kyubey's signature ears, I must confess, are this plush's weakness. The maroon dots on the ends of his ears feel as though they are glued on. I makes me wonder how secure the detail is. The gold rings around the ears are felt and kind of flimsy. They attach at the sides of the ears and you can see the thread sticking out where the two fabrics meet. 

Kyubey's red "O" mark on his back is embroidered and slightly stiff. It also puckers around Kyubey's spinal seams, creating the appearance of an extra pair of lips. While I'll admit that it is sturdy and doesn't look like it is going anywhere, I can't help feeling there must have been a better way to make this portion of his body.

Here comes my favorite part of this plush: Kyubey's luxurious tail! I am a sucker for a good plush tail, but even a hard-hearted grump would soon be reduced to a giggling schoolgirl after a solid minute with this tail. I swear to you, it is that soft and squishy. At the length of 10 inches, it's approximately the same size of the rest of Kyubey's body.

Is Medicom's Kyubey plush worth purchasing? I would have to lean towards "no." Hardcore tail notwithstanding, the plush just feels too fragile to me. The eyes and ear details' delicate appearance make me think this is a plush meant to be put on a shelf and never to be hugged or truly played with. If you are fine with that, then by all means, purchase away but, to me, it seems kind of sad.

[A big thanks to HobbyLink Japan for sending us this review sample!]