Don’t believe the lies! No matter what anybody says nor how it appears, this is not the Nendoroid category. Join us as we count down our favorite super-deformed figures of the past year!
Eligibility
Before we begin, let’s be clear which figures are eligible for inclusion.
- 1. Cute figures with over-sized heads and smaller bodies, usually referred to as chibi
Honorable Mentions
Coming just short of making the cut, honorable mentions are “Nendoroid Doll Snow Miku” and “Nendoroid Hatsune Miku If Ver.” They were able to put a lot of detail into Snow Miku’s tiny outfit. Her fluffy scarf and matching mittens stand out for me, though. A tsundere, ponytail-toating Miku was wholly unexpected. Even though she doesn’t smile as much, you can see that she’s an earnest girl. The increased use of black in her outfit works well with her hair too.
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5th
Nendoroid Akai Haato
The pleasing use of color sees this miniature Akai Haato as a brilliant representation of her original artwork. As with the other girls, it’s undeniable that she contains a lot of care. For example, the way her ribbons wrap around her hair and how they leave some slightly wayward strands jutting out. The consideration extends to her wildly different expressions, like her blushing smile and horrified expression with narrowed eyes.
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4th
Nendoroid Doll Shinomiya Kaguya
Fourth on our list is the Nendoroid Doll Shinomiya Kaguya. A little bit taller than a regular Nendoroid and with more mobility, Nendoroid Doll Kaguya-sama wears a miniaturized fabric version of her school uniform. Not only is it well made, but its simple colors also match her eyes and hair just right. Kaguya-sama comes with a pair of cat ears and paws for added cuteness. I doubt you’d be able to help smiling if she were to sit on your desk with legs stretched.
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3rd
Nendoroid Shibuya Kanon
Every expression that Kanon makes is charming and well designed. You can see they had fun designing her poses. Each one emphasizes her stubby fingers. Coupling her expressions with her cute poses, Kanon’s general lack of accessories is a non-issue. She is extremely cute.
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2nd
Nendoroid Isshiki Iroha
The Nendoroid form of the cheeky kouhai Isshiki Iroha is in the second position. As with Kanon, you can feel her personality in every expression. Like with her head down, as if she’s apologetically turning down a confession that has yet to be made. Or her cutesy side she shows to most people. They also did a fine job of retaining the detail in her uniform. It’s easy to miss that her skirt has a shadow printed on it. This gives her added dimension that her jersey is hanging over it.
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1st
Nendoroid Aqua Winter Ver.
The cute Nendoroid of the similarly cute goddess Aqua, wearing an unflattering but also cute bucket hat, is without a doubt the cutest figure we’ve seen this past year. Her winter outfit is slightly different from her usual one. Aqua wears a thick jacket, a tiny pair of white gloves, and similarly tiny boots. Good Smile did a terrific job shrinking her outfit. They did an even better job designing Aqua’s arms and legs to squeeze out even more cuteness. If cute was the order of the day, Aqua come out on top with her wide-eyed expression and her happy smiling face. Maybe the only reason to see Aqua cry is to offer her a hug and to see her smiling again, right?
Closing words
Concerning what I said earlier, this year’s Super Deformed category indeed may as well have been named the Nendoroid category. Then again, maybe not; Kaguya-sama is a Nendoroid Doll. Shibuya Kanon is an example that accessories don’t necessarily make or break a Nendoroid. Faithfulness to the character, such as with Iroha, is just as important.