Last February, we got our chance to look at three wonderful figures called the Pop Up Parade by Good Smile Company — a figure series that is budget-friendly while retaining a good level of quality. What makes them even better is the fact that Pop Up Parade covers a wide variety of series just perfect for those who’re starting the hobby of figure collecting.
But along with those Pop Up Parade, our friends from GreatToysOnline also included some stuff for us to take a look at that are also friendly for newbie collectors. So, without further delay, let’s open those boxes.
Pocket Digi-Egg
The original virtual pet that took people by storm back in 1996 is back, but to be precise, Bandai did a rerun of the original Tamagotchi back in 2017. For those who’re familiar with the re-release Tamagotchi, this rerun sports the same functionality and the original Gen 1 pet, meaning you’ll get the same thing as the original.
The egg shaped tiny device comes in a small LCD screen with three buttons to interact with your virtual pet. When your pet needs some attention, it will let you know by doing a beep sound. And boy, I got to say my pet is a real diva. So prepare for a huge commitment when getting one.
My Hashiras can’t be this cute
The formidable Hashira of demon-slaying corps got turned into cute plush dolls that a Demon would fearm but fans will absolutely love them. These three Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Big Plushies by Banpresto includes the Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyu; Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro; and the Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyomei.
These plushies are well detailed down to the smallest parts from their normal counterparts, and their deadpan look adds cuteness to their small stature. Other characters from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba are also available so you can complete your Hashira collection.
Nami was always Big
One Piece fans already knew that Nami was always big, but this particular figure made her big in a different area. Because what we’re looking at is another figure by Bandai Banpresto, which according to them, the “chibi” figure line’s most distinct feature is the beady-like design, giving it an expressive look.
That we just have to agree considering how catchy this figure’s design is; I mean I can’t stop staring at Nami’s eyes at least in this Q posket form. What makes the Q posket figure line stand even more is the fact that despite being super-deformed, they still have wonderful details taken from their normal counterparts. They are also made from durable materials, and the painting is awesome as it isn’t too vulnerable to scratches. Most figures from this line also come with a different color variation, and you have options when it comes to a specific figure.
Although some people might argue calling the Q Posket line Chibi, to put it simply, the term “Chibi” can be used with any style that has a big head that is almost the size of their height. There are just lots of Chibi styles so some might get confused. But personally, Q Posket reminds me of Betty Boop with that big head and beady eyes (which to my surprise, she actually has her own Q Posket figure)
Smol Sorcerers
Another chibi-fied figure that we have on hand is the Deformed Figure Vol. 1 featuring Jujutsu Kainsen’s Fushiguru Megumi and Itadori Yuji. These prize figures by Taito stand at around three inches tall and only requires you to assemble the stand on which the figure will be attached. What makes these small figures awesome is that they have wonderful detail despite being, well, small. The faces on these figures are wonderfully painted and molded, particularly the eyes, capturing that same feel from the anime, albeit being chibi-fied.
Another thing worth mentioning is that they don’t have many mold lines, or if you do see one, it’s barely noticeable. So, if you’re into small details on your small figures, you might want to consider picking these up.
Pineapple head who plays with shadow puppets
Moving on to our normal-sized figures, we have here a regular-sized Fushiguro Megumi by Banpresto. This figure shows Megumi ready to conjure one of his shikigami, the divine dog ready to maul down curses or be just a good boy for Yuji to pet. Just like the previous Pop Up Parade figures we reviewed, this Banpresto figure is just a simple static figure with no articulation. There are also painted parts like the face and his school uniform buttons, which the picture can’t do justice.
P stands for Perfect
But if we’re gonna talk about details, the most detailed figure among the toys we’re looking at today is perhaps the Banpresto World Figure Colosseum CELL. Out of the box, Cell needs some assembly, but there’s no need for an instruction manual since it’s fairly simple.
If you’re wondering why Cell looks quite different from his anime counterpart, that is because the BWFC line lets both amateur and professional sculptors compete with each other in an annual competition, and when a sculptor’s design is picked, Banpresto will produce their design.
Now, this particular Cell figure is designed by Erick Sosa, with varying differences from the original anime design such as the clear part on Cell’s head dome, a more grotesque chest, and a more alien design for his feet. Compared to the figures we have on hand, he’s taller, standing about nine and a half inches tall including the stand, and he has quite the weight.
This figure is just well detailed that even the stand has BWFC molded on it, giving it a premium look. It also comes with a monochrome color variation. Though be careful with the paint since the way they packaged this figure is not the best, resulting in some parts being bent that may cause paint chipping. But the damage is just minimal and most likely won’t happen too often.
It’s good to know that many of the figures and toys like what was featured above are of good quality, and to top it all affordable, compared to what was available back in the previous years. Not to mention that some of these figures and toys are almost the same price but of better quality as bootlegs (as bootlegs hurt the industry of the hobby that you love). So, if I were you I would opt to take a look at these alternatives rather than risking a shady deal.
You can find all of these awesome toys and more stuff at GreatToysOnline. They have a huge variety of good stuff for your collecting needs, so check out shop.greattoysonline.com.