“I like the way you move.”
Figures with bendy arms and legs are next up on our list of 2021’s best figures. Spoiler, every entry on the list uses the other meaning of the word “action” in “action figure.” But toys they are not.
Eligibility
Before we begin, let’s be clear which figures are eligible for inclusion.
- 1. Figures with articulated arms and legs
- 2. Plastic models such as <em>Mecha Musume</em> are OK
- 3. Dolls are OK
Honorable Mentions
For what they bring in both personality and accessories, cutting these girls was impossibly difficult. Before we begin, our honorable mentions go to figma Makoto Sukeban and figma Shinomiya Kaguya-sama. Makoto has a delightful fuck you attitude where Kaguya-sama has nothing of the sort. Coincidentally, both are wearing real fabric skirts as part of their school uniforms.
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5th
figma Usada Pekora
She hated the name “Crazy Rabbit,” but Usada Pekora is one crazy rabbit. The expressions Max Factory delivered are all on point. You are first presented with a pure and sweet idol. Then with your guard down, she reveals her smug inner self. Pissed off, you want to flick her against the forehead. Seeing her struggle in games, you can’t help but cheer for her. It will be difficult for even a scale figure to compete with the variety that her poses and expressions provide.
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4th
ARCTECH Yae Sakura Goushinnso Memento
Next up we have the ever-pretty shrine maiden Yae Sakura from Houkai 3rd. She’s from APEX’s ARCTECH posable figure brand. Her accessories give her a great balance between an action vibe and a stoic one. Max Factory is the defacto leader in posable figures. So APEX delivering bigger figures of Chinese characters is welcomed. As is the articulation they’ve shown to be able to twist her knees and achieve a low striking pose. On a less serious note, her saucer-eyed expression as she nibbles on an onigiri is incredibly enduring. Hands off the other one, it’s mine.
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3rd
Asra Tamamo no Mae
Third, on our list is the Megami Device Asra Tamamo-no-Mae who’s based on the artwork of Nidy-2D-. Tamamo-no-Mae, on sight, signals her character designer with her bright colors that work surprisingly well together. The high-tech nature of her suit coupled with its bright accenting and nods to the fox’s history leaves her a memorable mecha musume. If it had not been her suit, the personality that comes through her expressions and poses would have put her on this list.
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2nd
figma Ch’en
The figma version of Ch’en showed up a little while after her scale figure. Her coolness is a key aspect of her design. And they did a good job focusing on it. It’s subtle detail like her being able to flick her wrists and lightly grasp her sword’s hilt that places Ch’en in the second position. As I mentioned with Pekora, this is a figma that can stand next to the scale version thanks to the sheer variety of her poses.
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1st
figma Nagato Kai Ni
Based on the artwork by Shizuma Yoshinori, the power of Nagato Kai Ni has come to figma-form and taken first place in our Posable category. Her confident grin goes hand-in-hand with her long coat to create an impressive badass atmosphere. Nagato’s accessories might not be as numerous, but the one she has is all-encompassing. Her rigging with 41cm double and triple gun mounts feature full articulation. A wholly welcomed aspect is that her rigging doesn’t obstruct her movement.
This isn’t our cute category, but Nagato’s cute somber expression stands out. So while there are many possibilities for confident and aggressive poses, her gentle side is one that would surely be missed.
Closing words
If cute was the theme of our Chibi category, the theme of this year’s Posable one is badass, sword-wielding girls and one crazy RPG-toating rabbit! And behind each one’s aggressive exterior lies a gentle girl. We can’t wait to see what happens next. Will there be more swords or maybe some T-Dolls will be showing up? No matter what happens next, thank you for joining us so far! If you’ve been following from the start, we are now at the end of the first day and a third of our way into the MGW Favorites Selection 2021.
I hope Mutsu will be okay with me praising Nagato like that…