Tomopop Review: UpLark's Nia from Gurren Lagann

12:00 PM on 10.04.2009   |   Jonathan Tubbs

As many who have read my comments or posts know, I am a huge sucker for cute. There is nothing that defines cute better than Gurren Lagann's little sweetheart, Nia Teppelin. I was bouncing off the walls and kissing co-workers when I saw UpLark's announcement and photos for a 1/8 scale Nia figure. I claimed my stake immediately when pre-orders were available and here we are about 3 months later with Nia in my hands.

Did UpLark's photos tell the truth of this cutie or was she hit with the ugly stick of mass production? Hit the jump, folks, to see with your own eyes.

The box's design I found to be rather interesting with the two clashing styles. You have the rough edge style that usually defines Gurren Lagann mixed with the soft pink tone that symbolizes Nia.

I had to laugh at the back of the box and its rear window. I shall assume it is specifically there for viewing the finer details of Nia.

Taking Nia out of plastic shell and holding her in my hands for the first time gave me a shock. With most figures, I feel some weight to them but Nia felt light as a feather. Not only was there no weight there, I could also get a sense and feel for her petite figure.

Those who feared that short hair Nia and long hair Nia would be separate need not fret. Both heads are included with the figure along with a base. Nia stands on your typical bas, only requiring to be pegged into one foot holder. I tried standing her without the support but the weight of hair gave into gravity. Short hair Nia, on the other hand, can stand perfectly fine on her own.

Her pose is simply adorable, isn't it?

From the back, you get to see the artistic style of her hair puffing out like clouds. The tails of her shirt split in the same places as the front revealing an additional tail for her skirt with a frilly trim.

Did I mention that Nia is cute? Look at that face. Nia's trademark eyes are flawless along with her little nose and smiling mouth.

UpLark did an excellent job on the detail in Nia's jewelry from the gold paint down to the tiny jewels. I find myself most amazed by her bracelet molding. The seams on her shirt are painted with a fine line giving them that extra bit of depth.

Her Christmas-themed heels may not be much to some folks but it's still something I feel people should at least take the time to gander at. You can also see the base more closely.

I suppose there is something else people would like to also have a look at since Nia is wearing a skirt. UpLark did deliver with some tight undies for Nia as you can see in the "cheeky" photo.

Now whenever I do search for Nia wallpaper and art, I always come across whimsical backgrounds. So it is only fitting that I put Nia in a setting of how I commonly see her.

Overall, I am absolutely pleased with the work UpLark put into Nia. I have no complaints about the mold or the paint job. You would have to be the pickiest person in the world to find a flaw with this figure. With that ... well, crap ...

People: Be VERY careful when handling the long hair Nia head. As I was preparing to put everything back in the box, I dropped her head causing her bow to pop off. The bow is supported by a tiny peg so a little bit of glue can fix that. Lucky for me, I prefer short hair Nia.

As I was saying ... With that said, if you are a big fan of Gurren Lagann, Nia or just simply cute anime figures, I recommend you give UpLark your support, give your shelf some cuteness, and pick her up. You can find her available at ToysLogic, Entertainment Earth, Hobby Search, and KidNemo.