Rubenerd

Clara and I were only just in town looking at this beautiful scale fig of everyone’s favourite eggplant from the Fate/Grand Order mobile game and franchise, so it was monumentally serendipitous seeing her appear again as a AmiAmi preorder. I want it known that even though Umu is one of my all-time favourite characters, Mashu was my reintroduction into the Fate universe and holds a special place.

We collected enough figs over the years to have informed opinions about the quality, value, and faithfulness of specific manufacturers, but I didn’t recognise Ques Q. Turns out they’ve had a hectic release schedule, I’ve just drifted out of touch. They pretty much own the Touhou space, and have also done plenty of Fate characters I recognise.

I also didn’t recognise the sculptor Aru Momiji; all I could find of hers was a Passionlip fig from the same game. But I think she’s done a beautiful job rendering Mash’s reserved expression and the motion of her hair. Compare her to the most popular versions of her Stronger-brand figs with and without her skirt armour; they’re just as detailed but I don’t see a resemblence in her face at all. This is a bugbear of mine.

But here’s the thing: I’m still undecided how much of a fan I am of Mashu’s Ortinax costume, as much as it pains me to admit. I like the electronic, cyperpunk’esque touches on her new shield, and appreciate her VR goggles are above her eyes so we can see actually see them here. But her disproportionately-chunky boots aren’t exaggerated; that’s how she looks in her next ascension. And those weird, bladder-shaped things around her leotard look even more superfluous and strange in 3D… I half expect her to pull out a straw like a cyclist.

That said, is a phrase with two words. The photographer of these press photos did a great job! I need to experiment more with distinct light sources; I always find them more interesting than just a diffuser in a bright room. Maybe I can do it with the Mashu fig Clara and I did end up buying second hand in Ōsaka a few years ago. Remember travel?