If you would, please join us as we count down the best figures wearing traditional Japanese outfits in 2021.
Eligibility
Before we begin, let’s be clear which figures are eligible for inclusion.
- 1. Figures wearing any kind of kimono or yukata
- 2. Miko outfits or an outfits inspired by them
- 3. Traditional Japanese clothing is OK
- 4. Characters don't need to be Japanese, from a Japanese series, or Japanese manufacturer
Honorable Mentions
Today we have three honorable mentions. From FuRyu we have Kagamihara Nadeshiko in her new year’s furisode and Ram in an elaborate courtesan kimono as a part of the Courtesan’s Parade. And from KADOKAWA we have Tokisaki Kurumi also wearing a courtesan kimono, that’s a lovely black with gold accents.
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5th
Aqua Oiran Ver.
Starting our list in fifth place is KADOKAWA’s Aqua Orian Ver. Aqua’s the third entry in the KonoSuba oiran series. With her happy smile and lively pose, she appears to be an entertaining type of courtesan. Darkness, on the other hand, seems more like the other entertaining kind. Aqua wears a lovely blue furisode. Her outfit’s numerous shades of blue, from deep to those bordering on pale green, compliment her well. The pink flowers in the pattern also effortlessly tie into her raiment.
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4th
Ayanami Demon’s Finest Dress Ver.
In fourth place, we have a familiar face face in knead’s “Ayanami Demon’s Finest Dress Ver.” She wears a heavily stylized kimono, to the point where some might wonder if it’s not just strips of one. Joking aside, it’s a creative take on the traditional outfit. Again, the intense red against the bright white is as eye-catching as the design itself. Her outfit also has great use of gold for the borders. With everything going on it, it’s remarkable that all the areas Ayanami’s outfit are cohesive.
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3rd
Otonashi Kyouko White Kimono by FuRyu
As with knead’s Ayanami, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Otonashi Kyouko in her white kimono. She wears a traditional kimono that is mostly white. The exterior has a lovely textured pattern featuring birds and flowers. She holds her closed fan in front of her. But if you go a bit closer, you’ll notice the textured pattern accommodates the creasing of her long sleeves. The outside is slightly off-white by her shoulders and gradually becomes fully white. But the upper off-white section also allows her stark white uchikake to stand out.
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2nd
Hatsune Miku Land of the Eternal
They say the traditional headdress Japanese women wear for their weddings hide their horns. Hatsune Miku Land of the Eternal comes with her twisted black horns on full display. She doesn’t seem like a bad guy, does she? Miku carries a traditional red umbrella in her striding pose. She gazes in your direction with a mature face and no hint of malice whatsoever. Fitting of her expression, she wears a multi-layered kimono whit purple, gold, and light green layers trailing behind her. She stands out at a distance for the elaborate layering. But up close, you can see the bows by her waist are textured too.
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1st
Sora Ginko Kimono Ver.
Speaking of a textured kimono, we reach the figure at the tippy-top, Sora Ginko Kimono Ver. Manufactured by Good Smile Company, Ginko in this outfit is based on Shirabii’s amazing artwork from the light novel series “Ryuuou no Oshigoto!” She wears a brilliant white kimono with a platinum sheen based on the angle. You can see that from a distance, her kimono is fully textured. Up close, you’ll see the pattern has many snowflakes, snowflakes that quietly tie into her hair ornament.
Depending on the angle you view Ginko, her face conveys a different mood. It was surprising that her relatively simple pose creates a different atmosphere from every angle. While their outfits are different, she shares a similar walking stance with Miku. Her full-length kimono restricts her movement. But I like how her body appears to sway with her light stepping. Her pale blue hair and sleeves help, of course.
Closing words
Mostly white outfits dominated this year’s rankings. We also had two demons and a goddess stuck in another world. There was a wider gap between the good and the not-so-good figures wearing traditional Japanese clothing. It wasn’t that difficult deciding who ended up on the list, but where they went on it. Just as with the bunnies, the better girls were much better than the rest.