Nishizumi Miho

Figma #211 review – Girls und Panzer – Nishizumi Miho

msrp of ¥4444

released on 2014-05-22.

 

While I thought Girls und Panzer was great, and I do love figma, I didn't preorder this one. Instead I only got it becuase I came across someone on MFC who was selling it for too good of a deal to pass up. In retrospect I can understand why they sold it. 

Main reason I originally didn't want to buy it was the dissension they made to go with the combat outfits rather than the slightly more recognizable school uniforms from the series. Because those outfits are mainly just used when operating the tank, this made having a 1/12 scale tank a prerequisite to buying the figures. Max factory in turn was being very sketchy about weather or not they were going to release a 1/12 tank to go with these figures and many were guessing each figure in the line would come with a part necessary to construct the tank. This of course turned out not to be the case which made me loose interest in getting the figure. as of the time of posting this review it would seem a 1/12 scale panzer tank is in the works though, said to be a model kit around 15000 jpy. This has left me with mixed feelings since I can get a 1/16 remote controlled panzer IV tank already built for under $100 us. To be fair however I was assuming if they did release a 1/12 scale tank, it would cost at least $200.

Since this is my first time reviewing a figma with one of these new boxes I'd like to take this chance to rant a bit about them. This isn't the first figma I got with one mind you, I ended up selling the first I got (miku v2 figma 200) and haven't gotten around to opening the other two yet.

With that miku I thought it was sort of interesting how they gave her a uniquely designed box, but nothing else. Like how the original black rock shooter game with a box with some odd flaps on the top, or how the misaka imotto figma came with a unique black stand. Then it turned out they were using that design for every figma after 200...

Let me start off by being blunt and simply saying I hate the new box design.

I guess they're trying to color code the characters, but with many figma don't really match the color. I mean, pink/red isin't exactly the first color that comes to mind for Miho. Besides, they're gonna run out of basic colors pretty quickly and eventually use variants of already used colors.

Miho's box itself looks faded, like it was left out in the sun too long.

It's obviously a cost cutting measure so they don't have to pay someone to design boxs, but figma costs more now than ever so wtf? the new boxs have actually put me off on buying new figma, since I dread the idea of them coming with one of these.

 I swear it's like someone working at max factory recently bought a windows 8 pc. Because this looks heavily based on the ugly as shit metro theme. I can understand them wanting to downplay the 'figma' name on the front, since they're selling a fig based on a character more than the brand, or maybe they are selling it as a band like Niki or ford. I dunno but it's still odd for 'figma' to take precedence over the character/series name. that said though, they leave the series tittle in small print tucked in the corner while a large empty black void. Where's the logic in that? Now The product number takes clear precedence on the front of the box... really max factory? The product number is the highlight on the box? It's literately highlighted front and back! I swear whoever designed the new boxs is a moron. I'm guessing this redesign is something they did in order to appeal more to western markets now that they're doing more western characters ( Robocop, avengers, Indiana johnes, 300, etc.) but as far as I know figma aren't about to start getting sold on walmart shelves any time soon.

Then at the top of the box in plain simple text is it states "This is not a toy. For ages 15 and up: choking hazard."  I've argued with people in the past about weather or not figs were toys, but the thing that really bugs me is the age on there. Are they saying they think a 14 year old would choke on figma parts? "This is not a toy." is something you put on airsoft guns, not action figures.

 Compare the new box design to the past figma boxs. some were really bright and colorful, but mostly they were designed in a way that captured the essence of the characters or if nothing else matched the series they were from. They used to be distinct and have some real personality to them but that's done with now.

 Even the inside of the box is lazy. It's a good thing I don't do that di stage thingy they expect you to or I'd have been sourly disappointed. I mean shit, why would you even ruin a figma box just for a big solid red block anyways?

Here's everything included. I've said it before and I'll say it again, they need to start making hand holders with more than 8 slots.

This here is one of the two props she comes with. A seat from the inside of the tank.

This thing is kinda... lame.  The fact it's all stuck in place kinda ruins any versatility and I dunno why the bottom is grey instead of clear, if thats meant to be the floor of the tank, then you'd think there would be a tiny bit more detail to it.

Here I borrowed some accessory from the Kaiji figma and dead master figma. No clue why they couldn't have made the base for Miho's seat like that too. Even with the foot rests they could have just poked some holes in the same design to at least 'try' and keep things modular. like, the top of those polls in the back are the same size as the top tip of a figma stand that goes into the fig's back, also the same size of the neck hole, same size as the di stage and it's parts too. so there's room to mess around there, but not with this seat thing. It's just cumbersome and somewhat unsightly.

Took me a while to figure out what that long poll that came with the fig was for.

It's not shown anywhere on the box and there's nothing about it in the instruction notes. After finding some offical images of Miho with the other GuP figma it turned out to be for extending the top of the tank to the height it might more or less be. I have to say, it balances like shit. A small breeze could knock it over.

I noticed the hand holder thing (still no clue what to call it) showed up in a new shade. looks a bit nicer. the ones on the left and right are from a shana and kaiji figma for some reference.

Call me nuts, but it looks like her top button doesn't match the others for some reason, and the pain job around the collar looks like it could have been better done.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but I feel that the GuP figma bodys look an awful lot like the k-on figma.

I remember the very first image we were given of the GuP figma was Miho's back. Again it might just be me but that icon on her back looks kinda faded.

Something impotent that I didn't notice at first was that her jacket is made of a rubbery material commonly used in figma (not sure the name of it) and it surrounds the peg hole in her back. The reason that's impotent is every figma I've had with that rubbery material around the peg hole has eaten into the stand. it's not a problem if left in there for a little while, but if you leave it for a month or more you'll find it eating away at the stand's peg and might easily brake off when you try to take it out. This is something important to keep in mind.

kinda lame the flaps on the tank piece's hatch don't open/close. Also I hope max factory isn't in charge of the full 1/12 scale tank if this is anything to go off of. Bare minimum amount of detail went into the making of this thing. anyways, the binoculars and headset are nice accessorizes.

She's wondering where the rest of her tank is.

This is as close as we can get to having her command a panzer iv for now.

In the end it's no surprise to me that the GuP line of figma hasn't sold very well so far. It might just be my opinion but it feels like they made a lot of mistakes in the production of these things. First off, the price was way too much. They shouldn't have included the partial tank top if they were gonna release a 1/12 scale tank to go with these figs, and instead passed on the savings. I feel that they maybe should have done something similar with the inside of the tank. Like releasing a 1/12 version of the inside of the tank. maybe even made it so the inside parts of the tank that come with these figs can be used in that for added detail, or hell make it so each figure has the parts necessary to build just a diorama of the tank's inside. This instead of using non modular parts with permanently attached stands.

Who am I kidding though? aside from the rare ex-ride they really don't seem interested in releasing accessories for figma, and no one wants that half assed di-stage crap they keep trying to push on us.

Anyways, I wouldn't recommend getting this one unless you find a good deal on it. Over all the quality is pretty decent, but I don't feel it's worth the price.