Hello and welcome to our list of the top 5 best Race Queen figures of 2020!
There was an influx of race queen figures this past year. I wouldn’t have thought it a possibility in last year’s edition. While we aren’t promising a Race Queen category for 2021’s edition, we cannot in good conscience ignore the ones we got this year. As wise man once said, “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than the things I haven’t done.” And that man was Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone.
With that said, here’s our brand-new Race Queen category!
Honorable Mentions
Our honorable mentions are Racing Miku 2019 Ver. Side Key Visual and Nero Claudius Racing Ver.
Nero’s face doesn’t have its typical design. But it’s very good and gives her a different feeling than normal. GOODSMILE RACING & TYPE-MOON RACING’s trio of Fate race queen figures all look a bit different from their regular designs. Nero’s face is better, I would say, than her contemporaries. Her outstretched hand sells her pose. And there’s very little doubt than any of the Fate girls wear a pair of shorts better than her. What severely brings down her design is that she has more branding than some Bullet Club members…
Racing Miku 2019 was so good, we got two scale figures of this design. Annindoufu‘s work with the iDOLM@STER lends to her refreshing blue, pink, and white color palette. The clean lines and colors easily belie all of the detail contained within her outfit. Her youthful body and pale skin, not to mention her pose, does wonders for her. But when everything is said and done, she comes across as an idol more than a race queen.
Had there been a few different design choices, I’m sure we’d have had an even tougher time deciding the rankings. It doesn’t take away from the fact that both Nero and Racing Miku are two very good figures. It is what it is, so let’s move to the girls who made it on the list!
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5th
Hoshii Miki Devilish Circuit Lady Ver.
So our first entry on the list actually is an idol! Idol or not, Miki’s probably the best traditional race queen here. She’s one of the two entries which have a checkered flag. Not only that, she has the pose too. Her design is based on artwork for the game, which saw her on the circuit. Not only does she capture the look of a race queen, but the atmosphere of the illustration as well. Her green eyes and expression also make you feel like you’re looking at her CG.
There’s not too much decoration in her outfit. As mentioned, the feeling is there. Her creased knee-high platform boots and skirt blowing in the wind have beautiful sculpting. Also beautifully sculpted is Miki’s disheveled hair. But it is her creased knee-high platform boots that is show-stealing!
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4th
Altria Pendragon Racing Ver. by GOODSMILE RACING & TYPE-MOON RACING
Coming in 4th is GOODSMILE RACING & TYPE-MOON RACING’s collaborative Altira Pendragon Racing Ver. scale figure. She’s wearing a leotard with a twist, instead of the top and skirt set. Adding her armor and cape don’t push her over the top, but results in a themed atmosphere instead of a full cosplay one. The addition of a wind-blowing effect makes it feel like she’s on the grid. Not only because of the base saying so. Altria’s ponytail is beautiful with its detail and how it flows in the direction of the wind. Her cape also has the best instance of fluid fabric motion on the list. For her stylish as well as high-quality presentation, she takes her rightful place on the list.
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3rd
MIMEYOI Prince of Wales The Laureate's Victory Lap
Sitting atop what may as well be a podium, we have MIMEYOI’s 1/4th scale Prince of Wales. Had my life choices been different, I’d be racing toward her lap in a McLaren F1. Yes, a McLaren F1 isn’t an “Formula 1” car.
She notably omits the checkered flag from the illustration. Despite this, her outfit conveys her race queen vibe. It also shows off her overflowing body incredibly well. The light silver coloring in her outfit is sleek. One of the highlights, are the transparent sections within it. There’s very little wrong with her. Her blonde hairstyle and painted highlights help frame her well-proportioned face. The care put into designing her face also makes it one of the best we’ve seen this year. In comparison to another lady, her pose and expression are also restrained. This gives her a certain charm as well.
I could go on and on about her, but we need to move on. If you would like to read more, our longest set of impressions to date (over 4,300 words) has been about MIMEYOI’s Prince of Wales.
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2nd
Nero Claudius & Tamamo no Mae TYPE-MOON Racing ver.
Taking the second position on our list of favorite race queens is STRONGER’s duo of Nero Claudius & Tamamo no Mae!
When delivering our impressions for them, I mentioned how they look better apart rather than together. If they were indeed apart, they’d have each occupied a spot on the list. Nero would have for her cute face and mouth that is better than expected. Tamamo, for her over-the-shoulder look and beautiful abdomen. Both give you the race queen vibe with the two checkered race flags blowing in the wind. Their matte skin with the contrasting glossy textures of their PVC outfits round them off in a fitting way.
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1st
Duke of York Yoka Brands Jewel
For our top spot, we have MIMEYOI’s Duke of York Yoka Brands Jewel! She’s the relatively new MIMEYOI’s “take note” figure. Regardless of category, she been one of the early really good figures since her April announcement. But she’s our #1 favorite race queen figure this year. We also gave our impressions of her during her initial pre-order period.
She has style and mouth-watering allure for days and days on end. As with Prince of Wales, Duke of York’s CG sees her sitting on a car instead of this pedestal. Along with her base, it arguably brings out the luster in her outfit’s dark red accenting. Her outfit’s design is a bit different from the traditional style too. In similar regard to Saber, she’s wearing a variation of a leotard. The tight fit sees her magnificent body on show, with certain areas notably showcasing her thighs and shoulders. Her bust cutout also draws you in. It does so way past the Azur Lane logo…
Whereas some of the girls were suited for the grid, she’s one for the photo-ops after the race. It might not be a good idea as she’ll likely take attention away from the car!
Closing words
These are our favorite Race Queen figures of the year. Duke of York stunned when MIMEYOI announced her. I mentioned it in her impressions, it was a surprise that she’s a 1/4th scale figure. Tamamo and Nero’s painted prototype came out better than expected too. It’s ironic that Racing Miku couldn’t escape the idol vibe, when Miki really is only the idol in the group. Our selection pool wasn’t that big (that’s not what she said), but figuring out the positions was the tough part. If I had it my way, this and probably other categories would be a top 7 instead of a top 5 list. But that’s not the way it goes!
We hope you enjoyed this look back on the best race queens of 2020. And let’s all live our best lives with no regrets of the past weighing us down. Thank you for reading!