broken-ToyboxHey there fellow mfc-members!
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
In this review I’ll be taking a closer look at ITEM #740817 The Strawberry Macaron ver. of Akemi Homura from Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica. This figure is brought to us by Bandai Spirits (formerly known as Banpresto) as part of their Figure Spirits Kuji Line and comes in 3 color variations (of which I obviously own only this one). Judging by the price I paid the Strawberry Macaron version seems to be the most unpopular one, but in the end, I like it the most and coincidentally it’s also the one that firs my collection the most. I won’t deny it having been an agonizing decision to make though…
So, without further ado let’s take a look.
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Seeing how this can probably still be considered a prize figure I suppose it’s no surprise that the box is simple to the point of being ugly. The pink frames and lines can hardly be called decorative and the writing is utilitarian. It comes as a bit of a surprise that the box has windows and a blister, revealing not only the figure itself but also a macaron dotted background. Still the illustration adorning the box which the figure seems to be based on looks quite charming (although the other design elements really hamper that impression).
There’s even a blister holding the figure in place.
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Seeing how the figure comes attached to the base/macaron no assembly is needed. The macaron itself looks fairly nice with the top and bottom of the cookies being smooth. With shading added to the ruffled circumference and the cream it looks almost appetizing if not for the seams running along them.
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Spin around…
Homura looks quite cute sitting atop the oversized macaron almost like a sweet, little confection fairy.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Homura’s smile is really soft and gentle with the slight blush only adding to that impression. Despite her tilted head her hair is slightly swaying to the side as if caught by a faint breeze.
Since her hairstyle is rather simple there aren’t too many flaws either apart from the bits of excess plastic on her fringe and the stray strand of hair at the side. Black haired figures often have issues with being lacking in highlight yet Homura’s hair shows subtle shading which I really appreciate. The headpiece does fit her uniform and the ruffles do indeed look nice, but it’s not particularly remarkable otherwise, especially with the pink ribbons being a bit crudely made.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Homura is wearing what seems to be a cute, pink waitress/maid uniform complete with a frilly little apron. The collar looks a bit too round and bulky, but it’s covered by huge striped ribbon attached to it anyway, which also looks a bit crude. The stripes in the middle aren’t even up close which is particularly conspicuous since a very deep shade of pink has been used to turn it into an eyecatcher.
Other than that, the uniform looks indeed quite nice, not overly detailed, but not without charm either. The button border, as well as the seams, shading and creases all serve as evidence that some amount of effort went into making her. Added to that the ruffled apron’s straps and puffed sleeves complement the almost caries-inducing cute overall look.
The cuff around Homura’s right wrist features the same shade of pink as the bow and it is one of the few accessories she’s wearing. Again, the paint is a bit wonky and the sculpt could use more depth, but the frills look good and considering the price tag this is all within reason. One thing that’s often and issue when looking at prize figures are the hands, and this is no exception. Obvious seams run between the stretched-out fingers, not to mention the way they just weirdly hover over the macaron. Even Homura’s ring isn’t painted properly.
While I do like the look of the apron (including the ribbon at the back) despite it suffering from some seams and excess bits of plastic at the ruffles rims I can’t say the same about the skirt. That’s mostly due to the deep pink hem, since it looks like drawing an even line isn’t something people could be bothered with… Sadly, it also takes away from the nicely sculpted creases and shading.
NSFW
View spoilerUnderneath the skirt Homura is wearing simple white panties, nothing remarkable whatsoever.
The long white stockings covering her slender legs are equally unimpressive, neither showing a much in the way of body sculpt underneath nor any other highlights (be it creases or shading). Yet they still complement the outfit nicely, so I don’t want to be unreasonably harsh.
Both the shoes as well as the ribbons that somehow seem to be attached to the stockings are nothing to write home about either. The ribbons being full of paint blotches while the shoes seam lines are all unnecessarily rough. At least their shinier finish makes for a nice variation between all the similar shades of pink.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Now onto some size comparisons…
As with most prize figures Homura has no scale given and her posture doesn’t lend itself to draw conclusions from measuring either. Therefore, I’ll jump straight to the other figures.
Ofc I had hoped her size would match a 1/7 scale, but I didn’t expect her proportions to look this off next to regular 1/8 figures like ITEM #525327 or ITEM #396969. OK, the face can’t really be helped since the series style leads to Homura’s face looking exceptionally large and wide. Yet the body proportions are obviously very different as well.
NSFW
View spoiler
Even ITEM #236217 does look a bit smaller, despite being a 1/7 figure. However, with both their postures being what they are it’s not that bad and they can still be displayed next to each other (which was my plan all along x3).
Figures like ITEM #742658 & ITEM #740175 are a good match too (size wise), so I guess 1/7 is still the closest in terms of size.
There’s definitely something about combining Homura with ITEM #490595 though even if their styles don’t match at all (or maybe I just want to see them together happily). Despite the listing Madoka is closer to a 1/7 or even 1/6 scale figure.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
It certainly seems like it’s all criticism I have for this figure, but I’m actually really really fond of her. Let’s not forget that this is a prize figure we’re talking about here, so flaws to that degree are neither unusual nor deal breakers. Although I do have to say a few things about the increased price tag compared to say the EXQ line. Imo there’s no justification for it since the quality is by no means better, but still we’re in very reasonable realms here so I won’t complain too much. For the price this is very nice figure that can steal your heart with its cuteness alone.
That's it for this review!
If you've got any thoughts on the figure feel free to share them in the comments.
Thanks for taking your time to read this! I hope you have a nice day! :3
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
In this review I’ll be taking a closer look at ITEM #740817 The Strawberry Macaron ver. of Akemi Homura from Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica. This figure is brought to us by Bandai Spirits (formerly known as Banpresto) as part of their Figure Spirits Kuji Line and comes in 3 color variations (of which I obviously own only this one). Judging by the price I paid the Strawberry Macaron version seems to be the most unpopular one, but in the end, I like it the most and coincidentally it’s also the one that firs my collection the most. I won’t deny it having been an agonizing decision to make though…
So, without further ado let’s take a look.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Seeing how this can probably still be considered a prize figure I suppose it’s no surprise that the box is simple to the point of being ugly. The pink frames and lines can hardly be called decorative and the writing is utilitarian. It comes as a bit of a surprise that the box has windows and a blister, revealing not only the figure itself but also a macaron dotted background. Still the illustration adorning the box which the figure seems to be based on looks quite charming (although the other design elements really hamper that impression).
There’s even a blister holding the figure in place.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Seeing how the figure comes attached to the base/macaron no assembly is needed. The macaron itself looks fairly nice with the top and bottom of the cookies being smooth. With shading added to the ruffled circumference and the cream it looks almost appetizing if not for the seams running along them.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Spin around…
Homura looks quite cute sitting atop the oversized macaron almost like a sweet, little confection fairy.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Homura’s smile is really soft and gentle with the slight blush only adding to that impression. Despite her tilted head her hair is slightly swaying to the side as if caught by a faint breeze.
Since her hairstyle is rather simple there aren’t too many flaws either apart from the bits of excess plastic on her fringe and the stray strand of hair at the side. Black haired figures often have issues with being lacking in highlight yet Homura’s hair shows subtle shading which I really appreciate. The headpiece does fit her uniform and the ruffles do indeed look nice, but it’s not particularly remarkable otherwise, especially with the pink ribbons being a bit crudely made.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Homura is wearing what seems to be a cute, pink waitress/maid uniform complete with a frilly little apron. The collar looks a bit too round and bulky, but it’s covered by huge striped ribbon attached to it anyway, which also looks a bit crude. The stripes in the middle aren’t even up close which is particularly conspicuous since a very deep shade of pink has been used to turn it into an eyecatcher.
Other than that, the uniform looks indeed quite nice, not overly detailed, but not without charm either. The button border, as well as the seams, shading and creases all serve as evidence that some amount of effort went into making her. Added to that the ruffled apron’s straps and puffed sleeves complement the almost caries-inducing cute overall look.
The cuff around Homura’s right wrist features the same shade of pink as the bow and it is one of the few accessories she’s wearing. Again, the paint is a bit wonky and the sculpt could use more depth, but the frills look good and considering the price tag this is all within reason. One thing that’s often and issue when looking at prize figures are the hands, and this is no exception. Obvious seams run between the stretched-out fingers, not to mention the way they just weirdly hover over the macaron. Even Homura’s ring isn’t painted properly.
While I do like the look of the apron (including the ribbon at the back) despite it suffering from some seams and excess bits of plastic at the ruffles rims I can’t say the same about the skirt. That’s mostly due to the deep pink hem, since it looks like drawing an even line isn’t something people could be bothered with… Sadly, it also takes away from the nicely sculpted creases and shading.
NSFW
View spoilerUnderneath the skirt Homura is wearing simple white panties, nothing remarkable whatsoever.
The long white stockings covering her slender legs are equally unimpressive, neither showing a much in the way of body sculpt underneath nor any other highlights (be it creases or shading). Yet they still complement the outfit nicely, so I don’t want to be unreasonably harsh.
Both the shoes as well as the ribbons that somehow seem to be attached to the stockings are nothing to write home about either. The ribbons being full of paint blotches while the shoes seam lines are all unnecessarily rough. At least their shinier finish makes for a nice variation between all the similar shades of pink.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
Now onto some size comparisons…
As with most prize figures Homura has no scale given and her posture doesn’t lend itself to draw conclusions from measuring either. Therefore, I’ll jump straight to the other figures.
Ofc I had hoped her size would match a 1/7 scale, but I didn’t expect her proportions to look this off next to regular 1/8 figures like ITEM #525327 or ITEM #396969. OK, the face can’t really be helped since the series style leads to Homura’s face looking exceptionally large and wide. Yet the body proportions are obviously very different as well.
NSFW
View spoiler
Even ITEM #236217 does look a bit smaller, despite being a 1/7 figure. However, with both their postures being what they are it’s not that bad and they can still be displayed next to each other (which was my plan all along x3).
Figures like ITEM #742658 & ITEM #740175 are a good match too (size wise), so I guess 1/7 is still the closest in terms of size.
There’s definitely something about combining Homura with ITEM #490595 though even if their styles don’t match at all (or maybe I just want to see them together happily). Despite the listing Madoka is closer to a 1/7 or even 1/6 scale figure.
~◦*◦✾◦˚°˖*ﾟ✲*❁*✲ﾟ*˖°˚◦✾◦*◦~
It certainly seems like it’s all criticism I have for this figure, but I’m actually really really fond of her. Let’s not forget that this is a prize figure we’re talking about here, so flaws to that degree are neither unusual nor deal breakers. Although I do have to say a few things about the increased price tag compared to say the EXQ line. Imo there’s no justification for it since the quality is by no means better, but still we’re in very reasonable realms here so I won’t complain too much. For the price this is very nice figure that can steal your heart with its cuteness alone.
That's it for this review!
If you've got any thoughts on the figure feel free to share them in the comments.
Thanks for taking your time to read this! I hope you have a nice day! :3
Comments15
Well, as long as all the pics work and there's still someone interested in a figure reviews age kinda well imo. :3
Nice review as always.Thank you! :3
I guess that#s fair and I do as well, but that's precisely why this one has a nice novelty to it imo. I actually like the variant you linked least, because of the braids and glasses (I know that's also her but it just looks so timid). Also since I plan to get ITEM #805681 as well it'll look like they switched their color palettes and I somehow like the thought of that.^^
ghostmuffin • 3 years ago • #75047955there's something so refreshing about seeing homura smile ;-; <3 she's lovely, thanks for sharing!Ikr? I'd definitely like to see more of that. <3
I would've preferred the color combinations slightly differently as well, but then again it's not like I would buy all 3 variants either. ONe with a red base color/macaron would've looked great as well.
Nice review as always.
My girl looks good any outfit! ♡ Silly me realized the colors are based on the flavor of the macaron base. The brown and yellow one is the chocolate flavored one. Makes more sense because ya know, chocolate is brown. The colors they chose isn't so bad after all. I still think I would've prefer a different color combo like brown and pink. Or brown and white.
Thank you so much for doing this review. I still haven't made my mind up yet on whether I want her ($... but... can get a Madoka to go with her... so $$), and this is really insightful. I feel like, for all her awkwardness/flaws, the charm/cuteness of the concept and design just make up for a lot... but I have a few prizes and am used to their flaws.
I have to say I originally thought she would be a little smaller. I don't know what I think about her size, I think it makes the lack of shading in some places more obvious/problematic. On the other hand, she has a very cute face and I want to be able to see it.
I love the figures you chose to display her next to for the comparison pictures, you have lovely taste ~Thank you! (／≧ω＼)
Sometimes flaws can even increase the charm of a figure imo and for this is actually a good example of this (plus, it's not like I expected anything extraordinary). Personally I'm quite fond of the size, 1/7 is my favorite scale and thus most of my collection tends to be that as well. I'm actually not that strict with the shading as it's nice she has some at all, most of the prize figures I own don't have any at all. It could definitely be more prominent though.
The reason why she looks great in pink because she's FABULOUS.I actually like all versions to some degree and since Homura is just that fabulous he can wear anything imo. I still love this one the most though <3
Thank you so much for doing this review. I still haven't made my mind up yet on whether I want her ($... but... can get a Madoka to go with her... so $$), and this is really insightful. I feel like, for all her awkwardness/flaws, the charm/cuteness of the concept and design just make up for a lot... but I have a few prizes and am used to their flaws.
I have to say I originally thought she would be a little smaller. I don't know what I think about her size, I think it makes the lack of shading in some places more obvious/problematic. On the other hand, she has a very cute face and I want to be able to see it.
I love the figures you chose to display her next to for the comparison pictures, you have lovely taste ~