Attaching Another Figure's Head Into A Nendoroid's Body

There are times when I just have to take a few Nendoroids out of their boxes, swap heads or faceplates, and have a mini (no pun intended) photoshoot with them. Sometimes, I use non-Nendoroid heads.

click to enlarge or check it out here!

But before you get excited over a Nendoroid Rintarou Okabe, let me reveal to you that I simply used the body of Good Smile Company Nendoroid Steins;Gate Kurisu Makise white coat version and the head of Banpresto Ichibankuji Kyun-Chara Fate/Zero Lancer. Though honestly, I think we'd all be happier if they actually made a Nendoroid of Okabe, right?

I had fun doing this shoot because the back of Lancer's head could somewhat pass as Okabe's. The head of a Ichbankuji Kyun-Chara figure can easily be pulled out of the body, and you can easily see a hole. The neck is permanently attached to the body, leaving a hole where you can  can easily attach a Nendoroid joint into the head to make it fit into a Nendoroid's body. I used the neck joint of a bootleg Nendoroid for this one. (yep, you can buy a really cheap bootleg so you can exploit the parts if you don't like the idea of taking your genuine figures apart).

You need to be careful when attaching the joint so it won't snap or break. However, since the joint is made for Nendoroids, don't expect the round part to be concealed inside the head of an Ichibankuji Kyun-Chara figure as you can see here: 

Seriously, it's an eyesore and somewhat disturbing

Nevertheless, you can attempt to conceal the visible joint by trying different angles.

Taken using a higher angle

There are times when you can tilt the head, too, and that may somehow conceal the visible joint. Again, it will depend on how you're taking the picture. Sometimes, it takes a few or more clicks before you can get it right, but you'll get the hang of it. :)

Doing this is fun if there's no available figure of a character yet, and you desperately want to shoot them with a character that already has a figure. The first time I did this was for a Saber and Gilgamesh figure shoot where I used Banpresto Ichibankuji Kyun-Chara Gilgamesh's head and GSC Nendoroid Bakuman Akito Takagi's body:

Saber doesn't seem too happy about what I did though

And here's Banpresto Ichibankuji Kyun-Chara Fate/Zero Kariya Matou's head on GSC Nendoroid Gakupo's body:

This is what your master does during his free time, Berserker.

Then here's Lancer's head on Gakupo's body, too:

Nice eggplant, Diarmuid.

Unboxing: Max Factory Fate/Zero 1/8 Saber Zero Refined Ver.

I bought this Max Factory Fate/Zero 1/8 Saber Refined version on June 15, 2013 during the Toy Convention, but I was only able to open it this afternoon. Max Factory 1/8 Saber  is the second release of a 2007 figure that looks like this:

This is the first release of the Max Factory's 1/8 Saber Zero ver. (source: MyFigureCollection)

The first version has a tougher facial expression, which I believe is quite appropriate for Saber, but when compared to the refined version, I liked the latter more. Everything about the first one has been refined in this second one. I also liked the soft yet still somewhat tough look of the refined version.

Now let's check out her box.

That's an 18-inch Rilakkuma plush toy

The design of the box of Max Factory 1/8 Saber Zero Refined version has been "refined", too. :p Apart from looking at the figures themselves, you can easily tell them apart by the packaging: the refined version's box is white, and the first release's box is black.

From left to right: left side of the box, the back, and the right side of the box

Some figure collectors like to open a figure's box from underneath, and I do that sometimes, too, but for this box, you can only open it from above. Three clear tapes held the flap in its place, but I just cut them. I always use scissors instead of peeling the tapes off because I'm afraid that it might ruin the box or cause scratches. Just be careful not to scratch the box with the scissors.

Max Factory Saber Zero refined version doesn't come with many parts. You get a base, Excalibur, Saber herself, and an extra hand that is meant for holding Excalibur.

What's in the box?

Close-up of Saber

The not-so-ordinary base. It looks like a chunk of road. :p

The extra hand for holding Excalibur

She's very easy to handle and it's easy to pull off her default hand and replace it with the extra one if you want her to hold Excalibur. It's easy to make her hold her noble phantasm, too.

Excalibur is already being held by the extra hand here

It's also easy to attach her feet onto the base.

Max Factory 1/8 Saber Zero Refined Ver. displayed among some of my other Fate figures

Her scale is 1:8, just like Good Smile Company Saber & Saber Motored Cuirassier and MegaHouse MMS Collection Fate/Zero Lancer, so she doesn't look too small or too tall when standing beside them. If you check out the picture below, I'd say her height just right when standing next to Lancer, just like how it was in the series.

Now to some of you, Max Factory 1/8 Saber Zero Refined Ver. might be a little boring when compared to other Saber figures with dynamic poses (i.e. Good Smile Company 1/8 Fate/Stay Night Saber Triumphant Excalibur) because of the pose and facial expression, but I still fell in-love with this figure because of the gracefulness of her face and posture. She was also offered to me at an irresistible price, and with a little bit more sales talk, I gave in. :p I'd still say that she makes a fine addition to my humble Saber Arturia shrine and I'm glad I already bought her on the same day that I found her, considering that this figure comes from one of my most favorite series, Fate/Zero.

The Gilgamesh Shrine As Of June 10, 2013

The latest Gilgamesh figure that I got is the Megahouse Chess Piece. It's a rather small figure that looks kinda derpy unlike what you can see on the box and the prototypes. I got the Megahouse Chess Piece Gilgamesh along with the chess piece Saber out of a group buy I did with two other avid Fate/Zero figure collectors.

MegaHouse Fate/Zero Chess Pieces Saber and Gilgamesh

Yep, they're the Queen and the King

Right now I'm anticipating the arrival of a new Gilgamesh figure: Bandai Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer (Gilgamesh). He'll be the latest addition to the Gilgamesh shrine next time. :)

Product Review: Cure Natural Aqua Gel

I'm probably on a never-ending quest to prevent acne, because even when my age is almost out of the calendar, I still get cystic pimples and white heads at least every month. Last week, I came across Cure when someone posted about it on Facebook. I did my research and came across reviews and the official Facebook page of the product so I can learn more about it. Eventually, I was enticed to buy the product and try it. 

Cure Natural Aqua Gel is a skincare product with activated hydrogen water that can remove dead skin cells. Marketing and promotional materials about this product claim it as the number 1 skin exfoliator in Japan. Most reviews and articles that I've read about Cure said that it's good to use if you have acne, which made me more curious about its effectiveness. 

Cure is sold in the Philippines at The Beauty Bar, in a 250g bottle with a surprisingly hefty price tag of Php1,500. However, don't worry because I think you'll really be getting your money's worth.

I bought Cure Natural Aqua Gel at The Beauty Bar in Gateway, Cubao last Friday and that night, I included it in my skincare regimen. The instructions on the bottle are in Japanese. 

But before you panic, the plastic wrapping around the bottle from the time of purchase has everything you need to know about Cure in English:

As you can see, Cure is said to be gentle and suitable for all skin types. You can use it after cleansing your face by pumping a small amount on your palm and then spreading it on your face in a circular or massaging motion for 30 seconds to a minute. When I tried it, it actually worked. It's like rubbing water on your face, except it exfoliates. I have exfoliated two nights prior to trying Cure Natural Aqua Gel for the first time, so I think that's the reason why there were only few dead skin cells that were removed from my face. At that time, I had five ginormous zits, including two cystic pimples on my face. Now here's what really amazed me: the next day, the zits shrank, and by Sunday, they were gone.

My skin appeared clearer, too, like Cure Natural Aqua Gel gave it a more attractive glow, possibly because of its effective exfoliating action. I like that it doesn't feel abrasive when you're rubbing Cure on your face, unlike other exfoliants that I've used.

Before I used Cure, it had a clip-like thing on the pump:

It's easy to remove and re-attach, making it convenient to bring Cure with you while you're on-the-go or if you'll be traveling without risking spillage or accidental pumping of the gel during transport.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel exceeded my expectations and I think it's really worth the money. The fairly large bottle looks like it can last for many months if you follow the recommended frequency of usage, which is twice a week. You can also use Cure to exfoliate your arms and your back. I already tried it on my back, and I can say that it is more effective than other exfoliants that I've used (i.e. Lulur). I'd say give it a try if you want to have better or clearer skin.

My Most Anticipated Nendoroids From The 2013 Summer WonFes

Yesterday (July 28, 2013) was the summer WonFes (Wonder Festival) in Japan, and I'm sure that many avid figure collectors like myself have anticipated that event to see new and upcoming figure releases. I would constantly go online to check out the updates about WonFes and ogle the pictures of the figures, whether they're just prototypes, fully-painted, or just in pictures. Articulated figures like figmas and Nendoroids have always been more attractive for me because I can easily pose them and I find them to be easily exploitable for photoshoots, and during WonFes, quite a lot of new Nendoroids were shown and/or revealed. Here are some of the Nendoroids that I'm planning to get:

Nendoroid Shingeki no Kyojin Colossal Titan (Source: MyFigureCollection)

This is not the first time that Nendoroid Colossal Titan was announced, but it has been my most-anticipated and must-buy figures. However, those two titans (including the "moe"-looking titan) made this Nendoroid more attractive for me, so I really can't wait for pre-orders to begin.

Nendoroid Fate/Extra Saber Extra (click here for the source)

I've been hoping for a Nendoroid Saber Nero to be released, and lo and behold, she was announced last Friday! When pre-orders opened, I immediately signed-up for a slot. This is definitely a must-buy if you're an avid Saber figure collector, a Saber Nero fan, or you simply want to complete the line of Saber Nendoroids. 

Later that day, this next figure was announced and then its prototype was eventually shown off during this year's WonFes:

Nendoroid Saber Alter (click here for the source)

Saber Alter already had a Nendoroid, but it's the Hetare version, so it's really good news that Good Smile Company finally decided to make a good Nendoroid of this dark version of Arturia. Although I'm not a huge fan of Saber Alter, I'll still get this so I can complete the line of Saber Nendoroids.

And then here comes another Saber!

Nendoroid Fate/Extra CCC Saber Bride (click here for the source)

Most of my funds for figures this year will probably go to Good Smile Company because of the sudden influx of Saber Nendoroids. Fate/Extra CCC was released only this March and the game was bundled with a figma Saber Bride, so a Nendoroid Saber Bride is really good news. This is definitely going to be a cutie patootie lil' version of Nero in her bridal get-up.

And I've saved the best for last. Here's my most-anticipated Nendoroid and I really hope they push through in making this and that pre-orders will open this year, too:

Nendoroid Gilgamesh (click here for the source)

Tadaa! It's my most favorite guy and ultimate crush from the Fate series: The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh! FINALLY! He gets a Nendoroid! Thank you, Good Smile Company for making every Gilgamesh fangirl's wish come true. Please don't delay him, okay? :')

MegaHouse MMS Collection 1/8 Fate/Zero Lancer

I've had figure hauls from the past months but before I talk about them, I'd like to share my latest:  MegaHouse MMS Collection 1/8 Fate/Zero Lancer. I pre-ordered him a few months ago, and he got released last month. He arrived recently and I picked him up today. The pose might be a bit ordinary and blah (because honestly, it would be more interesting if he had a more dynamic pose), but for the avid Lancer (Diarmuid) fan, it's a yummy figure and worth displaying in your collection, especially if you want to complete the entire MegaHouse MMS Fate/Zero line, or you simply have a Lancer Shrine. :p 

Box of the Megahouse MMS Fate/Zero 1/8 Lancer

Lancer comes with another head and another left arm. The other head has a winking face and that dashing debonair smile of his, and the other arm is flexed. You can easily switch the head and the arms because they come off seamlessly from the body. Just be careful when pulling his head, because his hair is somewhat sharp at the back and you might feel a pricking sensation.

What's inside: There are three blister packs. the top one covers the second, which contains the figure, parts, and the spears. The third blister pack holds the base.

A command seal for Lancer is etched on the base.  

You can detach the pointy parts of the spears so you can insert them properly into his hands. I had to carefully twist the spears to make them go further down his hands and make him grip them properly, because simply pushing didn't accomplish what I wanted to happen.

The second head, left arm, and the spears, which I already took apart so I can  already make Lancer hold them.

Here's MegaHouse MMS Collection Fate/Zero Lancer. I really like his posture and I think it's really fitting for a chivalrous knight like him. 

I think fans would also love MegaHouse MMS Collection Fate/Zero 1/8 Lancer some more because of the details. As for the fangirls, you'll have some yummy things to ogle on this figure, such as the abs, the crotch, and the butt. Oh, and don't forget the muscles.

Here are more pictures of MegaHouse MMS Collection Fate/Zero Lancer with his winking face and flexed left arm.

Bandai Chogokin Saber: A Great Action Figure

I decided to pre-order Bandai Chogokin Saber a few weeks before she was released. I had two reasons for buying this figure:

1. It's another Saber figure for my collection
2. There's going to be a Bandai Chogokin Gilgamesh (which I pre-ordered recently). If I buy Gilgamesh without Saber, then the king will be lonely. :p

It took me almost two weeks before I finally unboxed the figure because the day I got her, I also bought a Nendoroid Kamui Gakupo and a Wave Beach Queens Saber Lily figure, and they were the first ones I opened, played with, and took pictures of. I unboxed Bandai Chogokin Saber one late afternoon after work.

The King of Heroes is pleased

I think she's a very beautiful figure in terms of the details, the base, and the articulations. ESPECIALLY the articulations. Chogokin Saber is a great action figure, and I think she's much better than the figma. Even the way this figure was painted is much better.

Some things I noticed about the figure:

• The stand/base is versatile. You can opt to remove the circle thing, and the splashing water prop is easily attachable to the base.
• She's heavier than a figma. Holding her made me feel nostalgic, like I was holding an old Bioman action figure from the 80s that was made of metal.
• The faceplates are a little derpy.
• The arms and hands feel a little flimsy, but they're surprisingly resilient.
• It is kind of difficult to remove and attach the hands.

Overall, I'm very happy with this figure because you can make her do a lot of poses. Here are some other pictures I took of her: