Hello all, it’s been a while and I assure you I probably won’t sum up all the awesomeness going on in the figure world right now until my studies are over so I shall present some lovely figures from MegaHouse’s GEM Series which probably have the most accurate portrayals of anime characters I’ve seen. I’ve praised them before for their godly feat of capturing the beauty of Lelouch Lamperouge so feast your eyes.

Tiger and Bunny: Kotetsu Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr.

Tiger and Bunny probably has one of the most unique character designs when it comes to their male leads and these figures capture their look quite perfectly. Kotestu’s figure has two faces, one with mask and another maskless. He also has his signature hate, which you can take on and off at your convenience.

Now I can’t deny, I have a soft spot for Barnaby and his facial expression in this figure is perfect. Not every figure should be all smiley and happy, and this one captures what I mean. He’s a solid one piece figure with cool glasses that fit him like a glove.

I forgot to mention, his boots are just the most awesome shoes I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

Rebuild of Evangelion: Nagisa Kaoru

No words needed, my work here is done…..

*Volunteer Positions* While evaluating the state of the Gaming Journalism scene, I noticed that we at Real Otaku Gamer has a unique approach when covering geek/otaku culture. As the site gets restructured and we go into our 3rd year, we are looking to create opportunities that will help the site become more robust and varied with coverage. Real Otaku Gamer has a global vision, we accept writers from all over the world.

These new job positions are going to help Real Otaku Gamer become more organized and develop a bigger community so we can grow as a brand. These positions are volunteer only as we are a small site. As we grow so will the sponsors and hopefully revenue.

IF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POSITIONS, Email us at feedback@realotakugamer.com

These New Positions are as follows:

1. Community Manager: You will be taking care of the daily running of the site. You will work along side the Editor in Chief and other Admins on the site with promoting the site and helping build a brand. You must have good communication skills.

2.Marketing and PR: You will be responsible for all Public Relations with companies and the community. You must have good communication skills and be able to relate to people of a number of levels. You will also run contests and giveaways.

3.Managing Editor: You will work closely with all staff to make sure the posts we produce, are up to our standards.

4.Social Media Manager: You will be in charge of growing our social networking presence. You will be working close to the senior staff.

5. Assistant to Editor in Chief: You will assist the E.I.C. in the daily running of the site.

6.Advertising and Promotion: contact us for more details.

7.Art Director: contact us for more details.

8.Podcast Producer/Editor: contact us for more details.

9.Video Producer/Editor :contact us for more details.

Now, the next few positions are for the Real Otaku Gamer Specialists. These positions are dedicated for people who want to cover a specific genre/category. This is where your inner Otaku can really shine.

1. PC

2. Mobile/Tablet

3. Tech

4. Anime

5. Manga

6. Comics

7. Nintendo

8. Sony

9. Microsoft

10. Movies/Television

11. Asian Cinema

12.Indie Games

13.Toys/models and Merchandise

14.Convention Coverage

15.Cosplay and Cosplay Culture

To apply for these positions, you must first submit a writing sample and once the sample is approved, submit an small essay telling us why we should pick you for the job you are interested in. An essay is not necessary for all positions. Deadline to have the samples submitted is May 20th, 2013. We must have all essays in my May 17th. Send the Essays and Samples to feedback@realotakugamer.com.

If you have any questions about any of the positions and their responsibilities, just email us at feedback@realotakugamer.com or go to the Twitter and Facebook pages. Thanks you for your time.

Andre Tipton

Founder/Editor in Chief

I have been collecting certain Transformer toys for the last 25 years and I’ve always regretted not obtaining the G1 Soundwave toy from the 80′s. Luckily Takara decided that Soundwave needed a Masterpiece mold and MP-13 was born. After months of waiting my new and improved modern Soundwave was finally delivered at my doorstep. Is it really a Masterpiece or has Takara ruined my childhood memories forever? Let’s find out!

Soundwave’s Articulation

First of all, Soundwave’s head is on a ball-joint and can turn 360 degrees, the head also moves up and down so this is great for posing. His shoulders can also turn a full 360 degrees with nothing getting in the way of the motion. Soundwave’s elbow has a double joint so you can finally pose him pressing his own eject button! (As a huge geek I can appreciate subtle little features like this enormously.) The hands on the MP13 are okay, even though I prefer fully articulated fingers. My Soundwave’s left hand index finger un-hinges sometimes, so I have to be very careful not to break it and that’s truly a pain. Soundwave’s torso rotates too, a whopping full 360 degrees.

Last but not least, the legs! What horror has Takara bestowed upon us? Soundwave’s legs bend forward and are able to turn 90 degrees at the hip. The thighs turn 360 degrees and connects to the knee with a heavy ratchet joint. Not being able to ben the legs backwards is terrible if you ask me. Luckily you can still get some cool poses out of Soundwave but don’t expect any Figma or Revoltech poseability! The feet can move up and down a bit and an ankle-joint let’s you slightly bend the feet in and out to stabilize the pose you’ve chosen to set Soundwave in. Overall the MP-13 has great poseability even if there are some minor flaws.

Transformation

Soundwave’s transformation is very simple and really reminds me of his 80′s counterpart. The way parts slide in and out make Soundwave a very clean Transformer. You will not find any unneccessary kibble on this Bot, it’s really perfect. His alt mode looks really good and will fit nicely among your army of Decepticons.

Paint Applications

The color scheme on Soundwave is gorgeous. His dark blue tone looks great and when you inspect it closer you will see shiney metallic blue flakes in his paintjob. Very nice Takara! His chest has a nice gold trim and there are numerous spots on the toy that use silver and gold to bring out the smaller details. Soundwave’s eject button and record/ play/ stop/ forward/ reverse buttons are all fully chromed and it looks very nice indeed!

Accessories and Gimmicks

Soundwave comes with a plethora of accessories. You get a Megatron gun, a rocket launcher, a rifle, some sort of scanning device that can be stored on Soundwave’s back or attached to his wrist, an energon cube and last but not least cassette Laserbeak, Soundwave’s unfriendly little robot condor.

It is very cool that Soundwave’s rocket launcher can be flipped back and hidden in his backpack, this is also possible with his rifle and this weapon pegs into the other side of the backpack. Great storage solution and it looks really good too. Soundwave can hold up to three cassettes in his chest, so you could have Rumble, Laserbeak and Ravage in there at all times. Another very cool feature is cross-line compatibility. I accidentally found out Henkei/ Classics Ravage will fit in your MP-13 Soundwave, as well as all the G1 cassettes.

Verdict

If you like Transformers toys and collect Masterpiece Transformers, go get MP13 Soundwave as soon as possible. It won’t be long for this toy to become a real expensive collector’s item and you will have to pay insane ebay or retail prices. It happened to MP-08 Grimlock and Takara MP-07 Thundercracker too. The toy is great even though the legs need a bit more poseability, the transformation is fun and not extremely hard or annoying at all, the paintjob is excellent and Soundwave comes with numerous cool accessories. The fact Henkei/ Classics Ravage and the G1 cassettes are compatible with this toy make it even better! Soundwave is a bit pricey ($189.95 at the majority of retailers), but clearly worth your cash. Go order one now before you regret it for the rest of your life!

I love Transformers and a couple of my favorite Autobot’s have always been the heroic duo Red Alert and Sideswipe. (Alert & Lambor in Japan.) The only one I have in my collection is actually the Henkei Sideswipe and a Kre-o Red Alert, pretty pathetic I know! Will these heroic Masterpiece Autobot’s blow me away or end up on the Junkion planet. Let’s find out! 

Articulation
The articulation in these figures is great and I am very happy with the pose ability. The only downfall on this toy are basically it’s legs. They do not bend backwards at the hip/thigh joint. The legs do bend forward on a heavy ratchet joint that scares the heck out of me every time I bend it. It’s so unbelievably tight, it will surely brake if you apply to much pressure. Soundwave’s arms are great and finally let him press his own eject button to launch up to 3 little Decepticon cassette warriors.

If you like changing your Transformers poses on a frequent basis you will not be disappointed with this gorgeous Masterpiece Transformer.

HEAD: 360 degrees
SHOULDERS: 360 degrees, in and out
ARMS: double jointed elbow, 360 degrees movement in upper arm, 360 degrees movement in wrists
TORSO: 360 degrees movement
LEGS: ratchet joint in knee, ankle joint that moves in and out
FEET: ankle joint for in and out movement

Transformation
Red Alert and Sideswipe’s transformations are identical and not hard at all. It’s lovely to see how Takara manages to turn a convincing model of the Lamborghini Countach into a Heroic Autobot with ease. The parts line up nicely and give the toy a very sleek look. It is very well engineered too and surely one of my favorite MP transformations to date.

Paint Application
Here comes the great Takara fail. Sideswipe’s paintjob is really terrible. On my toy the roof and right doorpanel are a whole different shade of red compared to the rest of the car. I find this really unexeptable for a toy in this price range. It also comes across as cheap or knockoff. I’m not sure why this hasn’t been fixed by know, because fans have been complaining for months. Takara’s solution: let’s just release a yellow version and hope no one will notice that the paintjob on Lambor sucks.

Red Alert’s paintjob is lightyears ahead of Sideswipe’s. The red and white colorscheme really pop out and stays true to his G1 granddad. With the use of some third party stickers you can even recreate the fire chief look from the original toy. But to be honest, this toy does not need any additional stickers, it looks great straight out of the box! It also pretty awesome that Red Alert has his red head design, never really liked the black version.

Accessoires and Gimmicks
Both Autobots are packed with a rocketlauncher and lasergun, but both also come with an additional unique accessoire. Red Alert has this clear blue electrical malfunction spark that can be connected to his head. Sideswipe has two pile drivers that can be attached to his wrists. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Red Alert and Sideswipe arent exactly the same mold. Red Alert has some more hood detail, a different head sculpt, a siren and different looking shoulders. Many fans don’t even realize this, but it’s true.

Verdict
Out of the two heroic Autobots I like Red Alert the most. Both figures have the same poseability and transformation, but huge differences in their paint applications. Sideswipe’s paint application is a disaster! It’s actually so bad that I really don’t want to display it in it’s alt mode. That’s why Sideswipe’s probably staying in robot mode forever.

If you don’t have the cash for both and need to pick one? Go for Red Alert, this is surely the better figure out of the too. But if you’re a crazy collector and life long Transformers fan like me, go pick them up both! They will look great in your Masterpiece collection, you will not be disappointed.

Full Metal Panic! Another extra: Blaze Raven 2

This is a special figure, as it is just an extra to a limited edition book. My best estimate is it’s an art book or a colored manga, so if you like either it’s a good buy. I don’t know the robot’s height but it looks to be of a good quality. It’s a tad expensive like any import is, but if you happen to be a fan of FMP and are soon shopping online I’d recommend it.

Maker: Fujimi Shobo  Average online price: $49.72 

One Piece World Collectible Film Z Volume 2

Have you ever wanted an entire set of figures that is nothing but pure Chopper goodness? Well my fellow lovers of this furry blue nosed creature can join me in celebration with this upcoming figure release endorsed with the new One Piece Film Z movie….. not coming to a theater near us anytime soon. Anyways back to the figure. They’re not blind boxes so be grateful they’re not trading figures that cost infinitely more money to collect a full set.

You have many of Chopper’s forms, which is splendid because I love his various transformations, and especially all these adorable costumes!

Maker: Banpresto  Average online price: $11.90

1/7th Scale Kinoshita Hideyoshi and Shokanju

This is my favorite Hideyoshi figure of all time, and I’ve never seen it in real life before; everything about it is perfection. His careless sideways glance, his opened shirt, his lifted legs…. My ero senses are on high alert. Before my mind goes off the rails the set comes with Hideyoshi, a chair, and his avatar. It’s just amazing how the avatar can life the chair. Keep up the sexy antics Hideyoshi.

The featured characters in action (fanservice warning)….

Maker: Griffon Enterprise  Average online price: $78.06

First off, I’ll start by saying I am not a fan of Hello Kitty. Yes it’s adorable and whatnot but I see really nothing in it so I don’t concern myself with their merchandise. However the project entitled in Japanese Hello Kitty to Issho! has gained my interest with the puzzle games coming out and the unique female characters in each, entitled “Kittylers.”

This figure is one of them, and her name is Kei. Kei had a previously made figure which sold very well and made Sanrio decide to make another one of her, hence the “Part 2″ in the title.

The front of the box is quite awkward with the splatter wall and chain link fence while bejeweled music notes float in thin air. There’s a large opening to display the figure with its name displayed on the right and the project name at the bottom.

However you must prepare yourselves for the other sides!

The rest of the box is much more beautiful, with pretty illustrations of Kei, including the one the figure is based off.

 Now to assure you bought an authentic product make sure  there’s a Sanrio sticker put on all the Kei figures. The real thing also comes with an instructional guide (in Japanese of course) on how to affix the guitar case on the handle and keep the figure standing.

And now for the actual product…….

Only she can make a Hello Kitty cap look that good.

…….Beautiful.

On the subject of putting the figure together it’s a bit odd. Making Kei stand requires some serious pushing, but once she’s broken in she’s easy to move and remove. Putting the guitar on the handle goes against every single  collector instinct I have. The  handle and guitar are made of hard unflexible plastic so I begin softly in fear I might break something only to hold my breath, recite a silent prayer to the figure Gods, and jam it in there. I’m just glad it popped in perfectly the first time I did that. I will never remove the guitar case as long as I have the figure. When it comes to positioning the guitar case you could have the case stand at an odd  angle and it won’t budge, also if you move it it smoothly glides. When it comes to the hand with the handle it’s pretty odd. When you look at it you can see it look square and the handle is just stuck in there. There’s also some of the skin’s paint on the handle, nothing really noticeable until you look. Despite it’s plainness the guitar case is quite beautiful, and looks very smooth and polished, I couldn’t think of a nicer one myself.

The most captivating part of this figure is all the detail that went into the simple clothes she’s wearing. Her beautiful red jacket is stunningly tinged perfectly with shades of dark red in all the right places, her blouse has folds that seem natural, and her layered skirt has dark shadows accentuating its texture. They also managed to do something I thought would never happen, put a bunch of tiny bows all over an outfit and made it look perfect.

The knee high socks have bows too perfectly placed and adorable to ignore. The five red stripe also fit in perfectly. They’re not painted perfectly, but impressively enough.

No comments on the “absolute zone.”

The shoes also match the outfit and, of course, have their own bow. The lace are red so the bow can be red, in Hello Kitty fashion. Sadly I had the misfortune to buy a figure with a manufacturing error that day and so I ended up having a shoe with a bow and another with a tiny empty square, didn’t let that ruin my appreciation for the figure though.

However, I can’t forget one of the key piece of the figure, the Hello Kitty hat. It is perfectly detailed, I find no fault with it. The color is rich and vibrant and really  makes the figure better.

Without her hat, she has a hair divide that is hidden with it on.

Her hair is amazing when viewed from the side, it looks as if a breeze is lightly lifting it, like in a calm anime scene. When viewed from the beack it can be seen the ends are not  more sharp, and the paint has accumulated and dried out unevenly on some part, but it still maintains a beauty to it.

The most amazing part of everything though, is her face.  It looks like she’s calmly pondering something with her lips in a slight pout and her eyes upward. Her eyes only compliment everything else with their deep solid red, glints of light in it. Her hair style is also unique. Her rather short braid stands out from her long straight hair and bangs, and her humble necklace is the only piece of jewelry she needs to compliment her.

Overall this figure is absolutely stunning. Any collector who has the chance to get her should, as she’s one of the best quality figures that doesn’t break the bank I’ve seen in a long time. To fans of Hello Kitty, get with the Hello Kitty to Issho game series, I think you’ll really like it and all the merchandise that comes out of it. I’ll leave you all with this.

GFF is in session and found some pretty sweet figures that should be in high demand and sold out within a few days, I begin with….

Arkham City Play Arts Kai Batman and Robin

Remember seeing Robin in Arkham City and having your jaw drop because he became one of the sexiest things ever? I know I do. But back onto figures they made one of Robin and his former boss Batman.

They’re both articulate and have extra parts. Robin has two hands and his famous baton while Batman has only one versatile grappling hook and three hands, one of which comes with claws.

It’s a bit sad Batman doesn’t come with loads of gadgets, remember when he had the most awesome utility belt one the planet? My only complain with Batman is he looks very bulky, even for modern Batman. Other than that we have another round of beautiful Square Enix masterpieces.

Maker: Square Enix  Average online price: $55.91

Super Sonico: Tiger Hoodie Version (Limited Edition Nendoroid)

The figure is rather new, and I don’t know what its parts exactly are but it does come with a microphone and a guitar with at least three interchangeable faces.

Maker: Good Smile Company  Average online price: $78.13

GUMI Nendoroid

The Megpoid mascot finally gets her own Nendoroid figurine to the joy of Vocaloid fans everywhere. It surely resembles he lineness, except tinier and cuter.

She has other faces and changeable hands. There you see her winking while flashing a rock on sign!

There’s she’s putting her goggles on, not sure why she even has them in the first place but it looks cool.

And now for the ultimate adorableness she’s riding her character prop, a carrot with….. I don’t even know what to call that face but it WORKS.

Maker: Good Smile Company  Average online price: $38.56

Welcome to Go Figures Friday! It’s been a while, but time to get back up on that horse. On that note I begin with…

SCI-FI Revoltech Woody (Re-run) 

Yeah, I know, I don’t cover re-runs, but this one has to be announced. This figure has been high in demand, and so has been reissued. However, its popularity doesn’t have to do much with it being a very popular character, or a high quality figure which it is, but mostly because it has become one of the most hilarious Japanese memes ever created! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me introduce you to Hentai Woody.

You can thank me for ruining your childhood later.

That is Woody’s second face, and if you’re wondering when the hell he ever made a face like that in Toy Story it’s apparently based off his laughing face. Although I think it might be from when Bo Peep gave him a kiss, and I don’t have the movie to verify it.

The face sold to the public, however, is the one below; which is a normal expression. The faces he has are quite interesting as the eyeballs can be positioned anywhere with adjustable knobs in the back of them.

He also comes with 5 hands (although I’ll never know why Buzz Lightyear’s hand is one of them), goggles, a dart, a coin, and his laughing face.

Average online price: $37.29  Maker: Kaiyodo

Evangelion the Movie Trading Figures

Damn, my moon man’s not there, however these look like some pretty good trading figures amongst the million Evangelion figures sold everywhere; especially with their beautiful sculpting.

Sold in capsules, so you get a surprise with every one. Whether happy or unpleasant, can’t be guaranteed.

Average online price: $5.49  Maker: Kaiyodo

Figma Accel World: Kuroyukihime School Avatar Version

I love Figmas with every increasing day, and although I don’t know about this series, I’d still get her (if I wasn’t so poor and whatnot). The easily most capturing part of this figure are the large, simple wings. The anime hair fly away’s are very well done, and her outfit is perfectly recreated.

She comes with three faces, a pig, umbrella, several hands, and a cane.

Average online price: $51.20  Maker: Max Factory

Lily from Anim.o.v.e

Lily is a Vocaloid, but not one of the famous ones. So it’s exciting she’ll be getting a new figure. This figure has been labeled as a premium figure. However, I find her not to be of extreme high quality, but I’d proudly display her. There is another figure made by the same company that’s more popular, so you have to carefully research this one to find out.

This is the figure the image is based from, which makes her even more exciting. Most fixed posed figures don’t have expressions like a wink, which makes her less generic than your average PVC figure, so get her before she runs out!

My only regret is that she doesn’t look as bruised as she does in her illustration, and her wink lost its fierceness. I hope she could get a remake that makes her look exactly like she does in the image. This is probably the only time I’ll ever say Good Smile Company has disappointed me.

Average online price: $32.99  Maker: Good Smile Company

I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a game than I am for The Last of Us. To be released on May 7, 2013, way to long for me to wait, Naughty Dog has announced 2 special editions for the game; the Survival Edition, and the Post-Pandemic Edition

The Survival Edition will come with The Art of The Last of Us, an over 170 page hardcover art book done by Dark Horse, the comic The Last of Us: American Dreams #1, which goes into Ellie’s backstory and comes in a variant cover only found in the Survival Edition, a steelbook edition of the game, and the Sights & Sounds DLC. This DLC includes the official soundtrack, a dynamic theme, and avatars featuring Joey and Ellie. The Survival Edition will retail for $79.99 and the artbook included will be sold separately for $39.99.

The Post-Pandemic Edition will include both the Steelbook edition of the game and the comic The Last of Us: American Dreams #1 as well. What’s also included is a 12” Premium Statue of Joel and Ellie done by Project Triforce and two DLC packs. The Sights & Sounds DLC, and the Survival Pack DLC. This includes a bonus XP and melee booster for multiplayer, and customizable character items and skins for the single player. The Post-Pandemic Edition will retail for $159.99 at Gamestop exclusively and is in limited supply.

Preorder today and look forward to our review!

It’s the days after Christmas. You have gift cards abundant and games coming out for all girls and boys. But what can you get? With all the choices lying ahead?

Have no fear, with all the bundles abound, waiting to be found, I got the ones with the most “extra” kick aside from the gaming bit (Sorry for my cheesiness).

Tomb Raider Collector’s Edition 

First and foremost, I love Tomb Raider, so I had to list it first. It doesn’t have the best content, but I believe it has the most bang for your buck. It includes:

• A realistically rendered Play Arts Kai Lara Croft figurine approximately 8 inches tall
• Weapon pack DLC
• 3 iron-on experience shield badges
• Tomb Raider soundtrack with 10 songs
• An Endurance survival tin made to look like it was recovered from the shipwreck
• 5″ X 7″ Lithographic print
• A double sided poster with an island map and the box art
• Access to the Tomb Raider Scavenger Hunt to participate in challenges for prizes and more

I simply love the Lara Croft figure, it’s so detailed and perfectly muddy not getting it would kill me. I hope the DLC weapons are exclusives to these game copies with the collector’s edition to get my money’s worth, and the CD is a nice touch (I legally download all my music).

Price: $99.99

Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm Collector’s Edition

Starcraft is an MMO with its own fanbase, so I listed it mainly so Starcraft fans can assess if the collector’s edition is worth the extra money. All of the great additional merch that comes with the game seems reasonable to me, especially with the extras for other Blizzard MMOs you might play.

• A behind the scenes DVD and Blu Ray 2 disc set
• Heart of the Swarm Art Book
• Collector’s Edition Soundtrack
• Zerg Rush mouse pad
• Exclusive in-game content

The in game content includes a Torrasque Ultradisk and portaits in Starcraft II, pet banneling in World of Warcraft, and blade wings and a banner sigil in Diablo III.

Price: $79.99

Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector’s Edition

I don’t have much hope for this game except for the fact it’s made by Sega, but because this list is about the extra and not the game itself, it earns a spot. This game has some very good extra content.

• Resin Powerloader figurine in a limited edition Xeno Hive box
• USCM Dossier, iron-on badges, and graduation certificate
• Recruitment card
• LV-426 Recon photo
• USS Sephora schematic
• Mission brief

But this is just physical extras. The exclusive in-game content includes:

• Four playable movie characters
• Extra game level
• Additional Marines character customization features
• Exclusive multiplayer weapons
• Sonic Electronic Ball Breakers
• Phase Plasma Rifle
• Ripley’s flamethrower
• USCM Academy firing range

Price: $99.99

Bioshock Infinite Premium Edition

This bundle definitely comes with awesome stuff.

• Collectible mini edition of The Art of Bioshock Infinite
• Exclusive digital soundtrack
• Murder of Crow keychain
• Handyman figurine
• Lithographic print of propaganda

It also comes with a gear pack that gives three exclusive power ups in the game.

• Bull rush: Sprints become melee strikes and can knock down enemies
• Extra! Extra!: Audio logs give “Silver Eagles”
• Betrayer: In the PC game causes possessed enemies to explode once you kill them. In the PS3 you get Bioshock Infinite themes. The XBox 360 players get Booker and Elizabeth avatar costumes.

There is a way more costly bundle that costs $70 more. What’s the difference? It comes with a Songbird statue. You must really really want that figure to spend so much money for the Ultimate Songbird Edition of the game.

Price: $79.99

God of War: Ascension Collector’s Edition

The God of War franchise has outdone itself with this beautiful pre-order which includes:

• An exclusive 8 inch Kratos statue
• Premium Steelbook case
• Digital game soundtrack
• Multiplayer Double XP unlock
• PS3 Dynamic theme and PSN Avatar pack
• A pass for all future DLC

The last perk seems very promising.  Especially since I don’t like always paying for future DLC.

Price: $79.99

This is the best of the best I’ve gathered so far. I hope as the year reveals more new games to try out, they come out with more tempting bundles like these.