My first post after such a long time was supposed to revolve around the making of the pre-rendered ending cinematics for Tekken Tag Tournament 2, but 2 days ago, just as I was trying to make sense of the Japanese text I was reading, Kotobukiya (FINALLY) announced Nina Williams as the next release in their long running Tekken Tag Tournament 2 bishoujo line.
Anyone who has been following Kotobukiya's previous Tekken releases or anyone who, like me, has been patiently waiting for them to announce Nina ever since the line was introduced with Christie Monteiro back in 2011 (2011? 2011! Oh God…) will immediately notice that Nina is going to be the first character in the line to be based on a completely new illustration by Shunya Yamashita whereas the previous releases have all been based on illustrations the artist has done for Tekken Tag Tournament 2's home console release. And while I am extremely happy to see Kotobukiya announce Nina at last, I was absolutely in love with the first design. I thought the ultra sci-fi armor styled suit was an exceptionally creative redesign of Nina's purple signature outfit and I couldn't wait to see how well all the detail and intricacies of Yamashita's design would translate into an actual figure. Apart from the beautiful new concept, I also really liked the effortlessness of the pose and thought the huge gun was a cool accessory which complemented the overall combaty look very well.
The new design, though also great looking, features a much more dynamic pose which is not only borderline impossible to pull off in real life (anatomically speaking), and therefore seems a bit more forced, but is also a very "bishoujo" boobs‘n’ass-out pose. I wasn't too sure about the hair at first, but since the pose is so dynamic it's only fitting to have her usually clean do a bit messy; I like it. Her face expression is great, too, and I'm happy she doesn't look 14 years younger than she actually is supposed to be. Though the best part of the figure, for me, is that even though either Kotobukiya or Yamashita himself felt necessary to give her back her usual garb, the artist didn't try to make her outfit any more revealing. It's the exact same suit we've seen her in since Tekken 5 and apart from slightly taller heels and minor colour variations on some parts, it's unchanged and beautifully captured in the drawing. So we'll be spared the usual sluttification of characters' outfits this time around. A half naked lewd looking Nina has been my biggest fear ever since the Tekken bishoujo line was announced, and I saw the other characters sporting very out-of-character type clothes.
The new design, though also great looking, features a much more dynamic pose which is not only borderline impossible to pull off in real life (anatomically speaking), and therefore seems a bit more forced, but is also a very "bishoujo" boobs‘n’ass-out pose. I wasn't too sure about the hair at first, but since the pose is so dynamic it's only fitting to have her usually clean do a bit messy; I like it. Her face expression is great, too, and I'm happy she doesn't look 14 years younger than she actually is supposed to be. Though the best part of the figure, for me, is that even though either Kotobukiya or Yamashita himself felt necessary to give her back her usual garb, the artist didn't try to make her outfit any more revealing. It's the exact same suit we've seen her in since Tekken 5 and apart from slightly taller heels and minor colour variations on some parts, it's unchanged and beautifully captured in the drawing. So we'll be spared the usual sluttification of characters' outfits this time around. A half naked lewd looking Nina has been my biggest fear ever since the Tekken bishoujo line was announced, and I saw the other characters sporting very out-of-character type clothes.
To me, Yamashita has proven once again that he knows how to handle a character like Nina respectfully, and I'm glad Kotobukiya let him do so. Also, I can't help but feel that Yamashita might actually be a Nina fan himself. Just compare her illustration to the one for Jun Kazama, you'll get the point.
So, while the announcement of Nina came with the huge blow for me (chances to ever see the sci-fi armor space suit translated into an actual piece are pretty slim now), the early look at what we might be getting when Kotobukiya releases Nina later this year is no less a beautiful design on its own and has me determined to at least triple dip as soon as she's available for preorder. She's still the best design of the Tekken bishoujos so far, and I doubt that will change anytime soon, if at all (though the inevitable Kunimitsu figure has potential).
So, while the announcement of Nina came with the huge blow for me (chances to ever see the sci-fi armor space suit translated into an actual piece are pretty slim now), the early look at what we might be getting when Kotobukiya releases Nina later this year is no less a beautiful design on its own and has me determined to at least triple dip as soon as she's available for preorder. She's still the best design of the Tekken bishoujos so far, and I doubt that will change anytime soon, if at all (though the inevitable Kunimitsu figure has potential).
Yamashita has confirmed via twitter that the figure is expected to release this November.
Yeah, you pretty much summed up my feelings too. I loved the revised suit from the TTT2 art package for its, well, everything although a part of me suspected that was the whole reason we hadn't seen a Bishoujo Nina yet; making the established outfit less revealing is so far out of their stylistic wheelhouse that they might just overlook her to stop their pervy brains exploding.
ReplyDeleteSo, lack of machine gun and armour-plate bad, actually getting a physical statue good. The new artwork is pretty solid since, as you've said, there's no needless stripping down of what was already a fairly sexualized design (and I didn't notice the bigger heels 'til you pointed them out). The pose doesn't bother me either - balancing like that for more than a second would be tricky but the crooked leg and raised arms suggest "I'm about to kick some guy's face and enjoy it", which is at least more character-appropriate than the typical "look at my butt please" business found with the other statues in the line, even if in practice she's still showing her butt. For whatever reason, I really like the messiness of the hair, and the face with its challenging smirk is actually an improvement over the blank stare from the earlier piece.
One thing I've just twigged on though - in both artworks, Nina's got green eyes. Has that ever been the case before now? She's normally blue-eyed.
(And yeah, it's taken them 4 years almost to exhaust the supply of underaged schoolgirls in Tekken - and embarass poor old Jun with mega cameltoe - to get to this point. What are you even doing Kotobukiya argh.)
"One thing I've just twigged on though - in both artworks, Nina's got green eyes. Has that ever been the case before now? She's normally blue-eyed."
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Nina have green eyes only Tekken 2 and Tekken anime (europe edition) from 1997 year. But in Tekken anime (Japan and USA edition) from 1997 year, Nina have blue eyes.
I never even noticed. She does have green eyes in Yamashita's illustration for the statue and also in his artwork for Arcadia magazine, I just checked. As far as I know, she always had blue eyes (no green eyes in Tekken 2 either).
DeleteThe Jun thing, though, oh wow, I'm still laughing. A mega revealing 80s style swimsuit..out of all the characters haha
Poor old Jun. I'd hate to be fan of her :-D
Why Yujin can't do figure again like first from DbD? Here in video she is awesome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u-gS9DXSNM
ReplyDeleteI love the Yujin statue, but her anime-ish looks and her HUGE rack are not particularly character appropriate. Still, I would have loved to see Yujin do a diorama style statue like this for each of her outfits in DbD.
DeleteHow does she look like a slut?
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at how un-sluttish she looks considering the perverts that design these characters. She always had some skin showing with that costume (which turned out to be one of her permanent costumes since Tekken 5). I feel that she looks fine, the only thing is her butt being too obvious for pervs.
I don't think Yamashita is a perv, he just really REALLY appreciates the female body... who doesn't? But I agree, his latest rendition of Nina for Kotobukiya looks nothing like the slutty designs they usually commission. I always get the feeling he deliberately avoids the oversexualization of Nina since he's a huge fan of the character himself (as confirmed by Harada).
ReplyDeleteNina looks fine, feminine but not over sexualized or exposed, very strong character. The majority of other female characters do feel degrading somehow.
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