Figuarts: Ryuki
Jan. 28th, 2012 03:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoameThe last Figuarts I ordered arrived today, and I'm already thinking about the next ones to get. I definitely want Faiz Blaster Form and NEW Den-O Trilogy version, but if I can find it, I also want NEW Den-O Vega Form. And I saw the previews for the new Nadeshiko coming out, and I want that too. And Femme whenever they get around to her. And also I want the SIC Horse and Wolf Orphenochs. This is becoming an obsession.
But, in any case, the Ryuki Figuart. When you open up the box and see all the assorted hands and other pieces, probably the first thing that's going to jump out at you is Dragreder. It's absolutely gorgeous, in red metallic paint. Fun fact: When I first saw the Figma Dragon Knight series, my first reaction was a very Stephen Colbert-ish "OHMYGOD WANT ONE!" I held back only because I really couldn't afford it at the time. Then the Figuarts Ryuki came out. And I saw Dragreder. And I fell in love. This is the figure that has stuck me on Figuarts, even if it was a little more expensive and I knew I'd have to wait longer to save.
But more on Dragreder in a minute. Let's look at Shinji. Like Ren, he comes with a personalized stand. I found the hands a lot easier to attach this time than either Ren or Kaoru, but what drove me nuts here was the Drag Visor, his card reader. It's removable for some bizarre reason, so I went insane trying to get the hand to carry it before I could attach it. But like how the Dark Visor opens, the Drag Visor slides down so you can insert an Advent Card--you know, if you have the courage to open the tiny bag of them. In order to use the Strike Vent (the Drag Claw, I think it's called), there's a piece separate from Dragreder. Remove Ryuki's right hand to attach it--it's on a ball joint. You'll also need to remove the port on his wrist in order to get the Strike Vent to fit. Also, as I learned when I tried to get the damn thing on, the Strike Vent is a two-piece weapon, so don't be afraid if it comes apart when you're trying to connect it--the head of it is on a ball joint for maneuverability with attack poses. Here's a view of it in place.
Now to Dragreder. Another thing that struck me about it was how big it was--long enough that I could stretch it out across my forearm. Dragreder's body includes Ryuki's weapons, with its tail being the sword and its legs becoming shields. This was the most heartbreaking part of the photoshoot--having to disassemble him. It was even worse for me than taking apart Princess Shinken Red to change her skirt. But when you can manage to fit it into one of the grip hands, Ryuki uses Sword Vent. The Guard Vent is a little trickier because there are two ways you can do it. For a simple shield, you have to detach the legs from the ball joint port on Dragreder--easy enough, given the port comes out when you detach those legs--and replace the ball joint with a ball-jointed handle. View of Guard Vent (shield style) from the side and front. However, with Ryuki, he can also store his shields on his shoulders as additional armor, and that's where you need to take the whole ball joint with you. Detach the port on Ryuki's shoulder and replace with the ball joint port for Guard Vent (armor style).
And because I was so heartbroken taking Dragreder apart, here's another shot of it reassembled, with all of its body coiled up so you can see how much movability the ball joints give it.
How do all of my Figuarts get along with each other so far? Well, I think Kaoru just has a problem with Riders altogether, though Ren's not going to stand for her trying to kill Shinji. Poor Shinji, though, is going to have a lot of work to do trying to keep them from killing each other.
(As a note? Those last three pictures were VERY HARD TO TAKE. Like I said, the laws of physics hate Rekka Daizantou, and gravity was trying to rip it out of Kaoru's hands the whole time. It also kept removing her arm, which I was able to pop back into its ball joint. I was forced to hold Ren in the last shot because he was getting knocked down trying to help support that big honkin' sword of Kaoru's.)
But, in any case, the Ryuki Figuart. When you open up the box and see all the assorted hands and other pieces, probably the first thing that's going to jump out at you is Dragreder. It's absolutely gorgeous, in red metallic paint. Fun fact: When I first saw the Figma Dragon Knight series, my first reaction was a very Stephen Colbert-ish "OHMYGOD WANT ONE!" I held back only because I really couldn't afford it at the time. Then the Figuarts Ryuki came out. And I saw Dragreder. And I fell in love. This is the figure that has stuck me on Figuarts, even if it was a little more expensive and I knew I'd have to wait longer to save.
But more on Dragreder in a minute. Let's look at Shinji. Like Ren, he comes with a personalized stand. I found the hands a lot easier to attach this time than either Ren or Kaoru, but what drove me nuts here was the Drag Visor, his card reader. It's removable for some bizarre reason, so I went insane trying to get the hand to carry it before I could attach it. But like how the Dark Visor opens, the Drag Visor slides down so you can insert an Advent Card--you know, if you have the courage to open the tiny bag of them. In order to use the Strike Vent (the Drag Claw, I think it's called), there's a piece separate from Dragreder. Remove Ryuki's right hand to attach it--it's on a ball joint. You'll also need to remove the port on his wrist in order to get the Strike Vent to fit. Also, as I learned when I tried to get the damn thing on, the Strike Vent is a two-piece weapon, so don't be afraid if it comes apart when you're trying to connect it--the head of it is on a ball joint for maneuverability with attack poses. Here's a view of it in place.
Now to Dragreder. Another thing that struck me about it was how big it was--long enough that I could stretch it out across my forearm. Dragreder's body includes Ryuki's weapons, with its tail being the sword and its legs becoming shields. This was the most heartbreaking part of the photoshoot--having to disassemble him. It was even worse for me than taking apart Princess Shinken Red to change her skirt. But when you can manage to fit it into one of the grip hands, Ryuki uses Sword Vent. The Guard Vent is a little trickier because there are two ways you can do it. For a simple shield, you have to detach the legs from the ball joint port on Dragreder--easy enough, given the port comes out when you detach those legs--and replace the ball joint with a ball-jointed handle. View of Guard Vent (shield style) from the side and front. However, with Ryuki, he can also store his shields on his shoulders as additional armor, and that's where you need to take the whole ball joint with you. Detach the port on Ryuki's shoulder and replace with the ball joint port for Guard Vent (armor style).
And because I was so heartbroken taking Dragreder apart, here's another shot of it reassembled, with all of its body coiled up so you can see how much movability the ball joints give it.
How do all of my Figuarts get along with each other so far? Well, I think Kaoru just has a problem with Riders altogether, though Ren's not going to stand for her trying to kill Shinji. Poor Shinji, though, is going to have a lot of work to do trying to keep them from killing each other.
(As a note? Those last three pictures were VERY HARD TO TAKE. Like I said, the laws of physics hate Rekka Daizantou, and gravity was trying to rip it out of Kaoru's hands the whole time. It also kept removing her arm, which I was able to pop back into its ball joint. I was forced to hold Ren in the last shot because he was getting knocked down trying to help support that big honkin' sword of Kaoru's.)