While I buy lots of figures, a quick glance at my collection indicates that I tend to buy figures of older characters who are often wielding weapons. You won’t find that many loli characters on my shelves, for the simple reason that while I don’t dislike them, they’re not really my thing. I usually like characters that are a bit older. So why did I buy this figure of Nymph? A careful and deliberate examination of the image above will reveal the reason.
Nymph is a member of Sora no Otoshimono’s large central cast. A type beta angeloid, she specializes in electronic warfare. This pint-sized h4x0r initially displays tsundere traits – flat chest, loli build, twintails, and a really snotty attitude – but she quickly shows a softer and more sympathetic side.
I’m not a big fan of tsundere types, as I’ve often written, but I don’t mind Nymph too much, mainly because she gets kicked around a lot. Man does she get kicked around. It’s great stuff. The later episodes of Sora no Otoshimono’s first season are really fun to watch because of that. Besides that, though, she quickly drops the more objectionable elements of her personality and develops a warm friendship with Tomoki while also showing her vulnerabilities. Of the three main angeloids in the anime, I think Nymph has the most interesting personality.
I liked Sora no Otoshimono, particularly the first season. The second season, however, started out decently and then swiftly went off the tracks. To me, the most interesting part of the show was the interaction between Tomoki and Ikaros, but the second season spent a lot of time building up drama and bringing new characters into an already bloated cast. Chaos, the villain, was particularly laughable – she shows up, does some damage, quickly gets defeated, leaving us to wonder, “What the hell was the point of all that?” Doubtless the manga does a better job of explaining things, and I’m guessing some of the anime’s unevenness was due to it trying to fit in pieces from the source publication. However, the first season was great; it was a mix of comedy, fanservice, and surprising warmth that I very much enjoyed watching.
This version of Nymph comes from unknown figure maker Plum. I’ve never heard of them before, I haven’t ever seen their stuff, and the only Plum I know of in the hobby is known for making Nanoha doujinshi. I’m guessing they’re not the same people who made this figure.
Nymph is nominally sculpted in 1/6 scale and stands about 19 centimeters tall, not counting her base. That seems about right, though her proportions are definitely on the mixed side. You can display with her cape or without; a couple of extra arms are included that feature peg holes, allowing her cape and pauldrons to be secured to her shoulders. She doesn’t come with the little birds that you see in the pictures. Her base is a gimmicky wing-shaped chunk of plastic which doesn’t really offer a lot of support, particularly since her center of balance is pushed forward.
Nymph’s character design mixes a loli body build and a rather large head, but Plum’s sculpt takes this to a large extreme, giving her the body of a 1/8 scale figure with a head that’s closer in size to a 1/4 scale figure. If you didn’t like Fate’s big head you’re definitely not going to like Nymph because her head is enormous for her body. It’s more apparent from certain angles, particularly when her cape is removed, and to be fair, her large head doesn’t deviate substantially from her original design, but I’m sure it’s going to bother people. Heck, it kinda bothers me and I think of myself as rather forgiving when it comes to figure designs.
But besides that, Nymph has an attractive character design, with her bright blue hair and eyes presenting a pleasing contrast to the stark black and white tones of her costume. She’s wearing what Salinger would describe as a butt-twitcher of a dress, and she is indeed bending over to give everyone a good look at her ass. Not the classiest of poses, to be certain, but it looks great anyway. Well, most of the time. A curious aspect of this figure is that the seat of her dress is removable. It simply attaches into a little socket in her lower back and is easily detached. This causes a problem, however, since that part doesn’t easily slide under her dress and looks unsightly when her cape is not attached. Or maybe it does and I just didn’t try hard enough. I’ll admit I didn’t try very hard. Life’s too short to be fiddling with figure clothes.
Also, without the cape and without the skirt part, you get to see a big hole in her back, which transcends unsightliness and moves into damn ugly territory. So basically this works if you keep Nymph’s cape on her shoulders. That’s not a bad idea, since her cape fills out her body somewhat and lessens the disproportionate appearance of her head.
Another odd aspect of this figure is Nymph’s tongue, which, well, really doesn’t look like a tongue to me. It’s nearly cylindrical, and it’s difficult enough for one to roll one’s tongue into a U shape, let alone an O. Frankly, given the sort of H anime I like to watch, it looks kinda like a tentacle protruding from her mouth. You know how sometimes you see tentacles go all the way through a girl, back to front, and it comes out of her mouth? That’s kinda what this reminds me of. Did anyone expect that sort of imagery in a review of a figure like this? Never say that Tentacle Armada doesn’t deliver. (Though I didn’t remember to take pictures of Nymph with the tentacle stand. Hmm.)
Nymph is holding a candy apple, as occurred in an episode of the first season. It was a pivotal episode in establishing her back story, and it’s nice to see it appear here, except it doesn’t really look like a candy apple because it’s transparent. I’ve never seen no transparent apples in my life. It looks a lot more like a lollipop or something. It makes photography sort of annoying because light goes right through it and puts a red spot on her shoulder, like a laser sight – though given how many bad guys are gunning for her, maybe that’s only appropriate. The apple has a peculiarly flexible shaft, which is annoying when swapping arms, since you only get one apple and it’s difficult to get it into her grasp.
Her sculpt has a few oddities at certain angles. She does have a nose but her face can look really flat and as mentioned, her proportions are rather funky. The paintwork isn’t particularly inspired, and she’s got a smudge on her cheek which isn’t coming off. But it’s reasonably clean and looks alright. Except for the paint on her panties, which is quite rough.
On the plus side, Nymph has a nice character design and a good pose. I freely admit that her bent-over stance is what got me to buy this figure. Her butt is very cute, with the back of her panties framed by thick garter straps, and her giant head doesn’t seem quite as large from the optimal viewing perspective – which is to say, the one where her butt is right in your face – so that goes a long way in getting me to like this figure.
And I guess that’s pretty much what I’d say about this figure. I like it, though I don’t think it has a lot going for it. If I had a time machine, I might go back and order Kotobukiya’s figure instead. Or I might not get either figure; I’m sure Kotobukiya’s Nymph figure is higher quality, but she reminds me a helluva lot of their Asuka Langley Shikinami figure, and it kinda bothers me how they’ve both got grins on their faces. I mean, both are haughty, psychologically damaged girls who suffer some major mental and physical injuries, and I can’t really picture them kneeling with shy smiles on their faces. Well, then again, I suppose one could say that this Nymph doesn’t look quite appropriate either, though I’d argue she’s a fanservice character from a fanservice show who’s offering exactly what you’d expect. So anyway, if you want a Nymph figure but don’t mind holding off, I’d wait and see what Grands’s version looks like; I suspect it’ll be the best of the three.
Nymph comes with this instruction sheet, in case you can’t figure out how to put her together.
Hmm, interesting figure. I really like Nymph’s character design, even if I’ve only watched maybe seven episodes of the show from the first season. I enjoyed the episodes and wasn’t really bored by it, I just found it hard to find a reason to keep watching, other than the promise of more decent service/good humor.
I’d say the figure has a decent amount going for it, but at the same time has a lot against it, too. Character design and pose are definitely the two big draws, especially, without naming any names, for perverts. I know I contemplated picking it up myself, but it was at a time when I really needed to come back, and I think Hobby Search had already changed their policies.
I guess this is actually one reason why I like solid figures without any cast off options at all. They generally look great, versus trying to find a good in between, and you don’t have to worry about unseemly holes or other such things when options are displayed/not displayed. That’s probably my only complaint about Dizzy, is that you can’t display her without wings unless there’s absolutely no way of catching her beautiful backside. It’s funny you should mention the nose, too. I was staring at the image under the comment, and I couldn’t catch any trace of one with the viewing angle you had chosen, though it was a bit more visible at a different angle.
I’d probably pick up the figure if it hit the bargain bin, if only because it was cheap, the pose is great, and I like Nymph. But the review certainly makes me glad I didn’t shell out retail price for it.
Speaking of prices of things, I got a SMJ batch today, $630 dakimakura cover included. I wasn’t disappointed with a single item in the batch (small total of 5, but value of some obscene amount for pillowcases.) I’m not disappointed with the expensive purchase, in fact I actually quite like it, but I think that for anything you pay a large amount of money for considering the average cost of things (like paying $1600 for a doll or something, I guess) you kinda expect rainbows on a platter. I’ll try to take some pictures of everything later, but I know I still haven’t taken shots of things from my last couple of orders; in fact I still have the last case I shot hanging up in my hobby goods storage space.
The expensive case wasn’t disappointing, and I probably would have bought it eventually anyway for collection purposes, but everything else in the order kinda overshadowed it, honestly. The one item you’d be familiar with, is of course the Twins cover; I’ll tell you man, pictures really don’t do that thing justice. Even with extensive exposure to other Illust Guerrilla goods, I have to say they’ve really gone all out on this one. I also noted for the first time (or I may have noted when you did your review but forgotten), there’s quite a few bondage elements in the case. On the naughty side, the one girl is bound at the hands, and they’re bound together at the feet. I guess everything else the case has going for it drew me away from that previously, but it’s certainly cool. Also from Illust Guerrilla is Konomi (I think), which has a so-so front image, but I really like the backwards image where they change the traditionally viewing angle to meet her pose. And it’s a very nice pose.
The other two items are really great, as well. I got some random Touhou character case, from what I believe to be a Chinese circle but I can’t be sure. The packaging was fairly cool with a two button sturdier plastic bag included. I really like the image on both sides, too. I’d have to say that the sheet I posted a few days ago has to be the highlight of the order, though.
At ~$80 it was an absolute steal. It also shows that I know absolutely nothing abut textiles; most 2-Way Tricots are listed at 100% Polyester or maybe 80% with 20% Nylon to add the flagship “stretch”. But this is also listed as 100% Polyester, and it’s hard to explain with my limited knowledge. I’d probably say Suede, though a different feel from the few Suede dakimakura covers I’d purchased before. The best I could explain it is it feels like a pair of old Converse shoes or something. Of course being a commercial product, there’s nothing that explicit to the sheet, but I was pretty much expecting that going in. At least it’s more creative censoring than barrenness, with two girls still having their bikini bottoms on, and the middle girl having a cat tail to protect her modesty. I really like the print otherwise; plenty of “condensed milk” in good places, all the girls are attractive, and have a good and varied (on the smaller scale of things ^^) bust sizes. Even if I never have a chance to display it (like all of my other, likely more expensive covers) I’m really happy I had a chance to pick it up.
I really liked the first season of the anime, and I think I enjoyed the later episodes more than the earlier ones. The second season, though, wasn’t quite as enjoyable; some of the characters were superfluous (like Astraea, who I like but mainly serves as pointless comedy relief) and the pacing seemed really uneven.
Yeah, castoff features aren’t nearly as appealing to me as they used to be. I don’t necessarily have a preference either way, but I don’t like it when a castoff feature compromises the look of the figure in both states. I’m okay if a figure looks better clothed or if it looks better unclothed, but I’m annoyed if it doesn’t look good in either form.
That sounds like a pretty epic haul. I guess $630 might seem kinda excessive for a pillowcase but ehh, these things are all relative. I mean, I live in an area where it seems like the most popular automobiles on the road are Acuras, Benzes, or 3-series, while I drive my little Honda Civic, which is worth maybe 10% of what those cars cost. If I were to shell out $50k or $70k or something for a car, that thing had better drive itself while I watch porn on the in-dash entertainment system.
The twins cover is truly amazing. I’ve kinda been thinking of putting it back on my one pillow body; I’ve had Chizuru on there since February, I guess, and I’ve been thinking it’s time to put a new cover on it. I should probably also take photos of Tsugumi some time.
“SheΓ’β¬β’s wearing what Salinger would describe as a butt-twitcher of a dress.” Funny! As always, terrific job! The little birds were a cute touch too.
Thanks! For some reason, that line really stood out to me, even among all the other memorable lines in the book. I had planned to use it to describe Rin, and I’d made a mental note to include it, and then I flat out forgot. Fortunately it works even better here.
Another great review. She’s pretty, but I ordered Koto’s, myself. I like the pillow base; it’ll go with some other pillow based figures I have (Kannagi cast). I’m also not a big fan of the pose on this one, Koto’s is “cuter”.
You did a brilliant job staging the shots, though. The photo backdrop, the columns and the granite base all add to it very nicely. Three thumbs up. ^^
Thanks! Kotobukiya’s is definitely cuter, I think, and quite a bit classier. She looks pretty good, too; their larger-scale stuff seems to turn out pretty nicely.
Not a huge fan of this figure due to the wacky proportions. And oh man, that tongue, it doesn’t help that after your description all I can think about when I see it is “full-body tentacle”. I do have to admit, the cape and pauldrons are kinda cool and those clear wings, awesome.
Really love your backdrop, with the light color simulating different times of the day and the set looking like she’s up in some sort of sky temple. I actually had to study a few of these pics going, “Is that real? No, no way that can be real. But… really?”.
I just want to say that if any reputable manufacturer were to make a figure depicting all-the-way-through tentacle penetration, I will have that thing preordered on day one.
I’m pretty happy with how the photos turned out because I had no clue what I was doing when I shot these shots. I’ve never used a photo as a backdrop before and I was just hoping that it wouldn’t look cheesy or fake. Actually, what I’m really glad about is that I didn’t have to do a lot of Photoshop work on the pictures; I was really dreading having to clone out hotspots or having to drop a layer mask on the clouds or something.
The first time I saw this figure I didn’t know what was in her mouth… then I realized that was the tongue. Anyway, I like her hair but the face seems to me kinda inexpressive…
Fantastic job in the background of your photos, it reminds me to a Soul Carlibur’s stage, like a temple in the sky (I thing it was Cassandra’s or Sophitia’s stage), really fits with the figure^^
Thanks, that was pretty much the effect I was going for. Some of the angels in Sora no Otoshimono seem to live in some sort of flying temple-looking structure, or at least that’s what I remember from the show. I thought it’d make for a neat juxtaposition, Nymph with the candy apple back in the big temple in the sky.
Edit: I took a screencap from the anime. I guess the temple was darker than I remembered.
I have not had the chance to watch this anime, maybe this summer I will. I’ve just noticed the detail of the blue little birds in this picture and your photos, cute π
It’s a funny show, I’d recommend the first season if you’re looking for a comedy show with lots of fanservice. Lots and lots of fanservice. And a girl with a powerful karate chop.
Nice pics! Her skirt actually can be gotten to fit in properly with some effort (I used the blunt side of a knife to pry it into place without causing any damage to the figure). No idea if you’ll be able to easily remove it again though once you get it in, but with that ugly hole in her butt when it’s out I’m not sure you’d want to anyway.
Ah, cool, thank you for that information. I spent maybe five minutes trying to slide it under the top part of her dress with no success, but I ought to try again, then.
I always liked the angeloid outfit of Nymph, even though it is a bit too daring for her age π But I just started to like Nymph in the second season where she showed more vulnerability and was less bitchy torwards the others XD
The pose of this figure looks nice, I like the way she sticks out her butt. But the head is not that well done, I don’t like to say it, but the tounge ruined the face of this figure, the eyes are ok but this strange looking thing where she should have a mouth arrgh why? Plum, why?!
Anyway You did a great job in recreating the “temple in the sky” from the anime, it looks great. This time picture nymph-24.jpg is my favorite picture, from behind her head looks a lot better :p
I ordered Koto’s Nymph, because she is supercute and resembles the character of Nymph in a satisfying way ^^
Her outfit is really cute, though I’m kinda hoping Grands’s version is full-castoffable XD Yeah, I liked Nymph better when she was more introspective and emo than when she was a little brat with a snotty attitude.
Haha, the tongue is not very well done at all XD She’s pretty cute in the source illustration, but the sculpt makes some very strange design choices that just make you scratch your head.
The first season of Sora no Otoshimono was the best without a doubt, second season had okay moments but pales in comparison to the first. Although I didn’t like the end of the first season where they kick the crap out of Nymph. Couldn’t they just have continued the lulz instead of murdering each other. The movie looks to introduce another angeliod -.- .
I thought this Nymph looked okay. Then you took her cape off and that head just blocked out the sun. Her tongue is also very strange, reminds me of an ant eaters, and her eyes look huge like insect eyes. It’s a shame since her body sculpt and pose are very appealing. At least she looks better with the cape and everything on, and at the correct viewing angle.
Cool little birdies you used there.
I agree, the second season just didn’t feel nearly as fun or entertaining as the first. The more serious plotline seemed out of place, I didn’t like how badly Tomoki was portrayed (framing him as a well-meaning pervert makes him sympathetic, but making him look like the town moron just seems mean-spirited), and Astraea and Chaos didn’t bring anything interesting to the story (though I do like Astraea, I just wish they used her in a more effective manner).
Her head is intergalactic-sized. I was going to display her without the cape to enable full admiration of her backside but I think in this case, I’ll let her keep it, just to get her looking more normal.
Hrm.. I’ll stick with nendo Ikaros and Nypmh XD been starting to collect a lot of nendos lately too π
Wow, that thing in her mouth is supposed to be her tongue? I always thought it was a piece of candy sticking out of her mouth! I think that’s the only thing that bothers me about the figure (asides from the unsightly slots and holes on her shoulders and ass). Since she’s not exactly human, I don’t mind the strange proportions. She looks like a pixie but with a better ass.
I’ve never watched Sora no Otoshimono, mainly because the pink-haired angel with the tits looks like she has down syndrome. But going by your description of the series, the first seasons seems interesting. My friend put the series on my USB drive a while ago and I think I’ll give it a go. My anime watch list is severely short on tits & ass.
OMG slandering Ikaros. Actually, that’s not all that off-base. Maybe autistic would be a better way of describing her.
If you do watch Sora no Otoshimono, I hope you enjoy Nymph’s scenes as much as I did! You will know exactly which scenes I am talking about when you see them.
This Nymph. THIS NYMPH. I do like her character design and wouldn’t mind getting a figure of her. I was interested in this one at first…and then I noticed just how absurdly large her head is. It also doesn’t help that from many angles she looks wall-eyed. Focus, girl. Focus!
But from a distance she doesn’t look too bad, and I do like the base. I also prefer the way her wings turned out here over the ones on the Kotobukiya version.
I’ve got her up on the high shelf where all I can really see of her is her butt, so that’s a pretty good view. I’m really hoping Grands shows off the colored version of Nymph sometime, perhaps at Wonder Festival; they did a good job with Ikaros, so I think their Nymph ought to turn out great.
I feel like with each figure release and announcement, I’m falling more out of touch with the anime scene XD. I don’t really know anything about Nymph or Sora no Otoshimono but the figure seems to be pretty decent quality. Is it me or is the head a little too big? Love the backdrop, though!
It certainly is not just you, her head is ginormous. Incidentally, the WordPress comment spell checker does not mark “ginormous” as not being a word, but it does flag “WordPress.” Curious.
i got the same figure, and i have exactly the same opinion of it. ntohign to add, really, except that i dotn own small birds and that i do like lolis a lot. btu tohr than that, exactly the same opinions,a nd i simply read your review to get to know if the quirks witht the apple and the removable skirtpart were just for me, btu for anyone.. seems oyu had them too, so ti wasnt amistake. well, i liek her enough either way o its okay, okay. really our opiniosn of thsi figur overlap so much that ive got nothign really to say…
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