Miku Append from Vocaloid

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Miku Hatsune’s popularity among figure collectors is ascendant, and though it seemed like she would have to share the 2011 hobby spotlight with Tamaki Kousaka and Super Sonico, most of Sonico’s figures won’t be coming out until next year and many of this year’s Tamaki figures are manifestly forgettable, leaving no competition to contest Miku’s prominence. From her humble origin as an image character of a niche software package, she has become a titan of commercialization, appearing not only in her own games but also games such as Pangya Fantasy Golf and the PlayStation 3 port of Idolmaster 2, becoming the mascot of Good Smile Racing, and selling Toyota automobiles. And of course, she’s gotten figures – not just numerous figures, but a numerous variety of figures. A few years ago, one could justifiably complain that Miku figures all looked alike – Good Smile Company’s Miku looked very much like Volks’s Miku which looked very much like Max Factory’s Miku. However, in recent times, figure makers have offered new takes on the Vocaloid mascot, casting her as a sort of warrior clad in robotic armor and as a pit crew worker. Even more conventional takes on the character, such as Good Smile Company’s Lat-type figure and Max Factory’s Tony Taka-designed figure present distinctive poses and facial expressions. The latest Miku figure to be released is perhaps the most distinctive yet, but whether that’s a good thing is debatable. Let’s take a closer look at it.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Miku Hatsune is, of course, the most well-known mascot of the Vocaloid voice synthesis software. The most familiar version of Miku has her wearing a blouse and skirt ensemble akin to the archetypical Japanese school uniform, but Miku Append retains only her green eyes and hairstyle, exchanging her seifuku-inspired clothing for a more futuristic and more revealing outfit. Her hair is typically colored in a lighter shade of green, and she discards her unique gunmetal-and-black tones for a starker black-and-white color scheme.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

This figure is manufactured by Max Factory, and though she’s nominally listed as 1/8 scale, she’s considerably smaller than most 1/8 scale figures. The figure itself is about 17 centimeters tall from feet to the top of her head, and about 30 centimeters tall overall.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Despite her small size, she still effects a striking visual presence. Everything about this figure is intended to deliver a sense of weightlessness and tranquillity. A pylon made of transparent plastic suspends her in midair and though it wobbles a bit, I had no problems suspending her upside down with adhesive tape and dumping water on her, so I think the strut is stable enough.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Perhaps the most eyecatching element of this figure are Miku’s twintails, which sweep upwards in a majestic arc. Their opacity fades to transparency towards the tips, accentuating her futuristic look. The rest of her hair is colored in a pastel sea green color, anesthetizing rather than stimulating, complementing her placid expression.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Though her outfit is not particularly ornate or complex, it still generates a great deal of visual interest, perhaps because it is difficult to classify at first glance. Indeed, the promo photos made it ambiguous as to whether anything covers her crotch, but in person, it’s easy to tell that she’s wearing a sleeveless leotard. Analogous to original Miku’s necktie, a sliver of her suit floats in front of her, revealing her navel and a swath of skin that plunges far down her torso, adding a spicy sexiness to her look that some may welcome and that others may find crass or gratuitous. Her waist is encircled by a sort of mechanical belt which offers a modicum of modesty and provides a convenient attachment point for her pylon, and her ensemble is completed by gloves which sheathe only her middle fingers and by thigh-high socks which leave her feet bare. Her bare feet make a strong impression on me, and I’m not entirely certain why, but for some reason, they seem to give her an ineffable, meditative, almost transcendant look that I can’t quite explain.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Although Miku Append is not a large figure, there are some remarkable details, including the tattoo on her left arm, which writes her name in letters that are a fraction of a millimeter in height. Similarly, there is writing on the sides of her leotard that is not legible by eye but is readable through a macro lens.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Despite the dynamic lift of her hair and her ethereal pose, Miku evinces a strong sense of serenity. From the front, the downward positioning of her fingers and toes give a feeling of inertness, with almost no tension evident in her body posture. Her expression also appears languid and distant, almost otherworldly.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

From the side, the apparent verticality of her pose gives way to a more dynamic look, thanks to the strong arch of her back. The femininity of her body is also more noticeable, particularly in her small and pointed breasts and narrow waist. From this angle, her eyes are often partially obscured as well, giving this figure a slightly different feel.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Which brings us back to her face, which is almost certainly the most controversial aspect of this figure. The design of her face strongly differs from other figures of Miku; indeed, it departs from conventional anime-styled design. Her head is wedge-shaped, almost cat-like, giving her a disturbingly inhuman look, particularly viewed straight-on. Her chin is prominent and pointed, emphasized by the strong rake of her jaw. With her sharp features and steady gaze, it’s no wonder that the reaction to this figure is equivocal.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

I think this figure is best viewed from an angle and a bit from above; such a viewpoint masks some of the more contentious aspects of her face and also reveals the sexy curve of her back.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

A curious aspect of this figure is a hinge where her pylon slots into her belt; this lets you pivot the figure horizontal if you so desire. I have no idea if the hinge is strong enough to support her weight for an extended period of time, though, and my guess is that it isn’t.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review

Miku Append made her debut a while ago, and anticipation amongst figure collectors built up as she was exhibited at successive conventions, but now that she’s released, her welcome hasn’t been as warm as expected. Though I like this figure, I can’t say it’s a flawless figure; her triangular face is the chief concern, and while I don’t dislike it, I can understand why it could dissuade some collectors who might otherwise purchase this figure. Her small size is also a bit disappointing, though not entirely unexpected because VN02 Miku was also rather small. However, unlike mecha Miku, Miku Append was relatively inexpensive, at least by figure standards.

I think Miku Append has a lot of things going for her. For one, her design goes against convention and it’s difficult to see Miku Append having the same sort of mainstream success and crossover appeal that the regular Miku Hatsune has had, and that’s something that I approve of. For another, her design is considerably more erotic than the regular Miku Hatsune’s design, and that’s also something I appreciate. And I like the sci-fi, futuristic elements of her look, which are quite unique. Finally, she was a lot of fun to photograph – a lot of work, but a lot of fun, and a photogenic figure tends to rise in my esteem. Not everyone will like this figure, and justifiably so, but I like Miku Append, more than I thought that I would.

Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
Max Factory Miku Append Figure Review
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51 Responses to Miku Append from Vocaloid

  1. Aka says:

    I don’t think I ever really liked this figure, though I definitely don’t hate it. There’s much to like about it, but overall it seemed a bit strange to me and she never hooked me. Her face as you mention is one of them, but her breasts are another. The direction they point, up, seems a bit much for me. I realize she’s arching her back but they still seem directed excessively towards the sky. I do however like the arching of her back and the overall serene nature of her appearance. The extra visible skin is always a nice addition, especially when it’s handled in a suggestive but reserved manner which I feel this manages, despite how low it cuts.

    Best part however is hands down the photography, the headlining pic and POTD/POTW on MFC turned out superbly well done. Kudos.

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, I thought her breasts looked somewhat strange, as well – from the front and from an angle, they don’t bother me too much, but from the side, they have an odd squared-off look that doesn’t look quite right. Maybe her suit is peculiarly tailored or something.

      Thanks! I was kinda surprised at the reception that the shot got but I was pretty happy it was well received.

  2. Adam says:

    I was stoked when Max Factory first previewed this figure, but my initial enthusiasm waned considerably in the long span between then and when she was finally opened for preorders, to the point that I never ordered her and she’s not even all that high on my wish list anymore. I like the futuristic look of Miku Append’s apparel and the pose combined with the way the display base holds her erect gives her an android-like character that I find appealing. Her face, though, was troubling for me as well. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either and the face can make or break a figure. I’m also surprised to hear how small this figure is. 17cm puts her on par with Max Factory’s Shana, which is the smallest 1/8 scale in my collection and I was rather disappointed with Shana in that regard.

    Fantastic job with the water shots, BTW. I hope we can see a shot breakdown of that some time in the future.

    PS: Is it just me or does the cut of Miku’s gloves look creepy in shot 17?

    • Tier says:

      I have the sense that a lot of people lost interest in this figure for various reasons. There seems to have been several figures that I thought were high-profile which seem to not have gotten as much love as I thought they would – the animation versions of Black Gold Saw, Dead Master and Strength come to mind, and maybe GSC’s Saber Alter does too. They’re all really nice figures but I don’t remember seeing many reviews of them on other sites (though I’ll admit, I don’t keep up with figure review sites as well as I used to, mostly since a lot of the ones I used to check are dead) and they don’t seem to have a lot of pictures uploaded to Tsuki-board versus say, the Bakemonogatari or K-On! girls.

      Yeah, I always look at a figure’s face first, and a poorly-executed face can ruin my opinion of a figure. I think I tend to give more leeway than a lot of people in that respect, though; for example, I like Daiki Kougyou’s Saber (also known as gangsta lean Saber) and I plan on reviewing that figure, hopefully soon, but I’ve heard it referred to as an “alien” and as an “atrocity.”

      I’m planning on doing a breakdown of the first and last shots, probably after I do Sasara’s breakdown. This time, I remembered to take shots of the setup.

      Yeah, her gloves do look odd, the way they don’t run across her palms. I didn’t think about it at first but looking at them again, it kinda looks like she’s got a condom on each of her middle fingers.

  3. duqs says:

    Ok I’m sorry, but that water on her hair was just plain damn cool. Hope we get to see some behind the scenes XD

    I have to say, you turn figure reviewing into a very refined art good sir =)

    • Tier says:

      Thanks! That is the plan; I’m going to write a post on how I did the first shot and some of the funny stuff that occurred along the way, such as my first attempt, which didn’t go that well.

  4. Wieselhead says:

    For your water and Miku pictures, it seems like you altered gravity, congratulations 🙂
    That was a nicely written review. I really liked the part were you talked about the face of this Miku Append figure. She looks a bit alien like but, it isn’t that bothering to me like in the preview shots, the eyes also turned out very pretty.

    The deep exposed stomach looks very sexy, while her body language looks relaxed.
    Overall the design of her seems really interesting and the sci-fi orientated outfit looks cool.
    Well, it reminds me a bit of the Guilty Crown anime 😀

    nice pictures and thx for sharing your impressions about this nice yet unusual designed Miku.

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, I was reminded of Redjuice’s style although I am not certain if he actually had a hand in Miku Append’s design. That reminds me that Lacia is due out this month and I’m a lot more excited about that figure now than I was during the summertime.

      I wonder if Good Smile Company or anyone else will make more Miku Append figures; I know there’s a Figma out and I think there’s a nendoroid in the works, and while I’m sure neither they nor Max Factory will slow down with the Miku products, I think I’d be kind of surprised if they did another Miku Append (though I guess GSC’s racing mascot Miku is sort of Append-inspired).

  5. BentoLover says:

    As above, not a huge fan of the facial structure. Though having said that, everything else looks perfect. Well, I say that because everytime I see or read Miku Append I get reminded of GSC’s Beatless figure (which I’m still kicking myself for missing out on).

    A lot more figures have been hitting the bargain bin recently. Ami currently has her at 5780yen but if she ends up like quite a fair chunk of Nendos (not that I’d buy those wee things) or Max Factory’s Xiao Mei (which is now sitting on 3400 yen, and my money says she’ll hit the 2k yen mark soon), I’ll get her. Just to remind and torture myself for missing out on Beatless.

    • Tier says:

      Ah, yeah, I waffled a little bit on Lacia but I decided to order her and I’m glad to have done so, since I’m excited about that figure now. I just need to think of an interesting way to photograph it. Hopefully you can find one on Mandarake or elsewhere if you are interested in it.

      I notice that a large number of those figures getting discounted are the ones I plan to review, like Tsuneko, Daiki’s Tamaki Kousaka, Blanc Neige (only about half a year behind on that review), Rachel Gothic; it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Miku Append joined them. I remember VN02 Miku had some ridiculous price that dropped like 70% a few weeks after her release, and I have the feeling that she was better-received than Miku Append.

  6. Tian says:

    She looks really good with the water forming into the hair. This figure does have that aquatic feel to it, if that makes any sense. I also like the less childish design of her face overall. It’s a nice change of pace.

    Although Miku continues to be a popular subject for figure makers, I’ve somehow managed to keep my collection Miku-free. I might go for that heavily armored knight version from WonFes if it does get made.

    • Tier says:

      I had to look that one up; I gotta admit that when it comes to character designs that get my testicles shivering, Miku is not among them, though maybe Evening Call’s C81 wall scroll will help change my mind. That figure looks spiffy as hell, though; I dig the center cutout.

      You know, I wrote this whole review without even thinking about the accessory I have to build for World Is Mine Miku, and now that figure’s one month away and I haven’t even started designing it.

  7. The figure is good but it just doesn’t work for me initially but it kinda grows on you later as you keep looking at it everyday.

    Oh please do a tutorial on how you did the water shot!

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, that’s pretty much how I feel about it. The funny thing is that I think a lot of people were excited about this figure, and then that excitement waned as time went on and as more photos became available. I didn’t care too much for this figure at first – mostly because I was kinda tired of seeing Miku stuff – but then I got more excited about it as time went on. I’m not certain how much of that is due to my peculiar inclination to like things that the mainstream dislikes. Not that I’m outside the mainstream myself.

      That is the plan, hopefully it’ll be informative, or at least entertaining, because the setup for that shot looks fairly ridiculous.

  8. Chag says:

    Wowza, the hardest-working figure blogger delivers again! Out of curiosity, when did the water idea come to you? Did you want use water to compliment her transparent hair the first time you saw this figure, or did it come to you later on? It really is a brilliant idea.

    Anyhow, the face aside, I completely agree with you on the allure of her side view. I really do like it when girls bend their spines like that. Miku looks like a gymnast in some of these shots. Not coincidentally, I understand the gymnastics fetish in Japan a bit better now.

    • Tier says:

      I’m not quite sure; I think I’ve been thinking of this idea for a while, so at least a couple of months ago, and though it took me three separate takes to get the first shot (the last shot came out of the second take, and the first take was pretty much trash), I had most of the technical stuff worked out when I started it, and most of the difficulty in getting that picture was figuring out the Photoshop side of things. Fortunately, Photoshop is really powerful and I had almost no problems on that side.

      Speaking of which, I wish there were more gymnast figures, too. I remember Megahouse had one of one of the characters from Sakura Sakura that I liked, and I kinda regret not getting it.

  9. Silvery says:

    While I must agree with Miku having a weird-looking face (albeit appealing in its strange way) and even weirder boobs, I absolutely love her Append design and find it much more attractive and original than her standard seifuku look. I have this thing for cybernetic/robotic designs and her bare feet are simply cute. I think I prefer her older appearance, too. I’d suggest you getting her figma, as she has way prettier face(s) and adorable cable tail, but, as far as I know, you don’t collect action figures.
    Your photos are excellent as usual, as was your review – a real pleasure to read. In fact, I read your blog usually more for your style of writing and photos rather than for reviewed figures, as I don’t care much for dakimakuras or nsfw figures (I only collect action figures – and most of them are mechas). And interested or not, I can appreciate a pretty figure, whether it has naked boobs or not. Oh, and where I would learn about tentacle stand if not here? The more you know…
    Oh, for the record – yes, us girls also read and enjoy your blog. 🙂 Keep up the good work!

    • Tier says:

      I think I prefer her Append design over her original design as well. I know the whole point of her original design is to be derivative and familiar, but I like the originality of her Append look.

      I might take a look around for the Figma, which has a very attractive face (two attractive faces, though I like the more enigmatic and seductive face versus the anime one). I do have a few Figma toys, including Meiya Mitsurugi in her quasi-robotic United Nations bodysuit, Aegis, KOS-MOS, and Rei Ayanami, so Miku Append wouldn’t be out of place in my collection.

      Thanks for reading XD Although the content here is occasionally (intentionally) puerile, I try to write at a more mature and informative level. Unless I’m talking to myself, anyway.

  10. I know a LOT of people fell in love with the figure at first sight when she first appeared and there was a lot of frothing in the mouth when she went up for preorder but I was pretty much the opposite.

    I thought she looked very cool for a miku but wasn’t blown away. Then, when preorders came about, any interest I had evaporated into nothing. Guess the whole “can’t get it” factor contributed a lot to my interest of the figure. Still, I did get a very different take of append in GK form, if only I remember where I put the kit…
    But I don’t mind the face too much. I kinda like how they’re trying different ones now instead of sticking to the same design. I kinda like the more mature face on the recent racing miku too. If they made a figure instead of a figma, I probably would have gotten one!!

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, it’s nice to see some variation, even if the execution isn’t acceptable to everyone. Some of the figures I like – such as Cobra Kai’s Saber or Diskvision’s Iroha – either got an apathetic response or were received very negatively, so it’s admirable that Max Factory went with a more evocative look when they could’ve just played it safe and rolled out another generic Miku figure.

  11. Aaron says:

    Great review on this figure and I love the photography you decided to do.

    I do have an off topic question though. You linked to a review of the Pit Crew Version of Miku. Although I don’t own any figures, this one caught my eye. Where would a person buy this? I stumbled upon your site because of the Eva Dakimakura and have been hooked on your site (good reviews and photos) since then, so I checked AmiAmi because you mention that a lot, but they appeared to be sold out.

    Where else would I go to get one? I have checked ebay, but half are $30 and half are $100+. I can only assume the $30 ones coming from China are fakes, but I have a hard time trusting the more expensive ones too. My Yahoo Japan search skills appear to be horrendous.

    Many thanks in advance.

    • Tier says:

      Looking around quickly, and assuming you are in the United States, I would guess that the Anime Corner Store would be the best place to get it, since the price is reasonably cheap and they don’t deal in bootlegs. I’ve bought from them before (albeit not in a while, though) and haven’t ever had a problem with them.

  12. Asa says:

    Very interesting shoot; I’d like to play with water some day, but my workspace isn’t cut out for it. Maybe I will get around to turning my spare room in to a dedicated creative space. But, I’m lazy… so probably not.

    Anyway, I really like the pose of this figure, and even the head doesn’t worry me; the thing that stopped me buying it is that stupid strip missing from her shirt. The tie itself floating doesn’t bother me, but the strip showing her skin is really irksome to me. I’d rather her have a short shirt (croptop or what have you) showing midriff, or a complete shirt. Not this abomination.

    But, I already have a GSC regular ol’ Miku anyway. Which I kind of regret since I ordered it the very day before Knight Miku was announced, and she would fit in with my collection much better, having a weapon and all. But I still like my GSC Miku’s simple form. I think it’s quite photogenic in its simplicity; http://myfigurecollection.net/picture/298141&ref=user%3AAsako+album%3A2643

    Doesn’t really compare to your epic shoots, and I agree this version is very photogenic; she’s a gorgeous figure. I just can’t get over that strip in her shirt.

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, the strip looks rather odd. I like it, but the first time I saw the design, I was confused as to what it was, and it wasn’t until later that I realized that it was the front of her suit.

      I think of the Miku figures that share that pose, the GSC one is the best; it’s very cute and more importantly, it doesn’t have the drawback of the Max Factory one – which is to say, it doesn’t look like a space alien. Not that looking like a space alien is a bad thing but for cuteness, I don’t think the GSC one can be beat.

  13. Luth says:

    Awesome photos, the water looks epic and somehow I love the ones with the plain white background, it looks like she’s floating. I might be getting a flash or two for Christmas and I’d love to try water shots like yours.

    As for the figure itself, I was so stoked when she was first announced but the peek-a-boo move they pulled dampened my desire for her as well as the announcement of the figma version and the fact you could recreate the exact pose with it. She looks like she is still a lovely figure though and I’m glad that I could experience her through your photos.

    • Tier says:

      Flashes are tons of fun. Kinda hard to get used to at first, but you can do a lot of cool things with them.

      Yeah, I think if I were more of an action figure collector, I’d have rolled with the Figma, since the faces are very pretty and it’s a more versatile toy. Being that I stick with PVC figures for the most part, though, I’m pretty happy with this figure, even though I’ve said that I’m tired of Miku figures in the past. Having had this figure on my desk the last week or so, I think I’m even fine with her face; it’s mainly her smaller size that bugs me now.

  14. Negativezero says:

    Superly Fantastic Awesome Shooting Fun Time! Great Pictures man, that water effect blew my mind. I opted for the figma myself, more within my budget.

    • Tier says:

      Thanks! Yeah, that’s a big advantage of Figmas, aside from the poseability. Though I did see Miku Append got a decent price cut at Amiami recently – not that that would’ve helped me, since it was sold out by the time I noticed.

  15. Beth says:

    Just wanted to say the pictures with the water effects are so COOL. Very well done. All your photos are superb but those just blew me away. It’s my new desktop! 🙂

  16. Silvery says:

    Ah, a fine choice, if I may say… As far I’ve only got Figma Drossel and Miku, but I plan on getting Drossel Charming, Metis and Aegis, too. When I have money, that is. Thought of getting Rei too, as she’s my favourite Evangelion girl, but I think I am going to buy Revoltech Mari Old Plugsuit Ver. first. I’m not very fond of the Fräulein sub-line of Revoltech figures, but I find that semi-steampunk plugsuit design interesting.
    And I agree, Figma Miku Append’s ‘mature’ face has struck me as beautiful from the beginning, especially for a figure of that size and price. It’s a shame that they didn’t put more effort into the bigger Miku Append.
    Oh, and you absolutely must review every Figma that you have/you’re going to get. Absolutely.

    • TomTheCat says:

      Silvery, I’m surprised that you write “Fräulein” instead of “Fraulein”. Do you have an editor which supplies these German “double vowels” or do you have them readily on your keyboard?

      • Silvery says:

        Either I copy necessary letters from Windows’ typesets table, or just write them down when I’m using my cellphone (like now), as I use the keyboard setting with the most popular ‘foreign’ letters assigned along with standard abc. I’m a bit of a Grammar Nazi, haha.
        And I really hope this time replying is going to work well…

        • TomTheCat says:

          A Grammar Nazi, ouch… Well, although English is not my mother language, I try to write as correct as possible. I’m aware that at times my ramblings sound a bit rocky, but I hope that in general I’m able to express my thoughts in a comprehensible way.

          And I really enjoy this blog because most of the guys posting here take the same care about expressing themselves, which truly is a pleasure to read. Not to mention Tier’s excellent reviews which are, I daresay, perfect in both photography and written content.

          • Tier says:

            Thanks XD I very much appreciate that a lot of the comments here tend to be longer than a sentence. Not that I don’t mind comments that are only a sentence long, but it’s a lot easier to reply and start a conversation if there’s something to talk about.

  17. Silvery says:

    …aaand I don’t know why the reply button worked as it was a general reply, and a reply not to your reply, Tier.
    Must be something with browsing on a mobile phone.
    Anyway, I’m waiting for your next reviews.

    • Tier says:

      I don’t own any of Kaiyodo’s Revoltechs nor have I even seen one in person, but I thought about getting the Asuka figure. I thought the face was cuter than the test suit Figma and at any rate, I don’t recall that there’s a Figma of her in her normal red plugsuit.

      I’ve been thinking about trying to shoot more pictures of my Figmas but I find it very difficult to pose them the way I want to. I admire those people who do all sorts of comics and cool pictures with their Figmas; I tend to get impatient and give up quickly. On the other hand, taking more pictures of them would give me a good reason to practice posing them.

  18. Dinara says:

    I have never been a huge Miku fan. Even though we have the Tony Version of her it’s not a figure I care for at all. This is a very beautiful figure though, I do love her hair and her face looks so cold and emotionless. I don’t think she looks very Miku like though. Maybe because her face is more “real” and her hair isn’t her normal colour.

    Either way I love the shots you did of her once again. The water ones are my favorite.

    • Tier says:

      Yeah, I gotta admit, I’m not the biggest Miku fan either. I don’t really listen to her music (or rather, the music people make using her voice pack) and I tend to ignore most of the hype surrounding her. I don’t even go out of my way to look for tentacle porn featuring her. I think that one of the reasons this figure was attractive to me was because it looked so different than Miku’s standard design. The regular Miku is kinda generic in my view but Miku Append stands out.

  19. BioToxic says:

    Gah stupid Opera RSS feed reader. They updated the mail client and it’s been missing posts intermittently. I came here to look at Sasara shot breakdown and find Miku Append taking a shower.

    Anyway, I quite like Miku Appends design. The peel-able leotard is an interesting choice of clothing. The flap gives a sense of weightlessness – as does her arched back and gravity defying hair. I can picture her inside a liquid test capsule or floating in space. Plus the peeling flap exposes a bit of skin adding a little sexiness into the mix. The thin organic like clothing and nimble body build also gives out a sense of frailty, as if she’s some sort of other world being or a fragile test experiment. I can’t help but imagine her clothing burning away as she emerges from a test capsule.

    The only part of her design I don’t like all that much is the bare feet. I’m not sure what about it puts me off since I can’t think of alternative footwear for her, but it just really annoys me for some reason.

    You’re right about her face looking at you straight on, it’s a bit creepy. It’s a good thing from the sides she looks great. I’m liking the more feline look as you describe it. The not so common aqua green eyes and paler skin tone look good too.

    What’s the graph on her sides? Is she testing FETs or something? 😛

    It’s quite astonishing seeing the hype around her having almost fizzled out now that she’s released. I can still remember when she was first revealed, damn it’s been a long time. The figma seems to have garnered more popularity than the scale figure. I’ve considered picking this scale version up a few times now. She’s one of those ‘maybe’ figures for me at the moment, a price drop sure would make me jump off this here fence though.

    • Tier says:

      It’s important for Miku to stay clean, given that she’s flashing more skin than her mainstream counterpart. Plus with her bare toes and swimsuit-styled clothes, she’s sorta dressed for a day at the beach.

      I’m liking her design and this figure more and more, particularly because it’s quite a bit different than what you’d expect a teenaged anime pop star to look like. That one Guilty Crown character notwithstanding, anyway. As you say, there’s a very nonhuman look to her which I think is very intriguing, versus Miku’s base design, which is quite cute but not hugely unique.

      The graph does look kinda like a set of I-V curves, doesn’t it? Perhaps she’s into device physics, she wouldn’t be the first pop music superstar to dig that sort of thing.

      Yeah, I was quite surprised that she wasn’t all that popular, given that Miku figures from GSC or Max Factory are always popular. I remember Tony Taka’s Miku was quite popular and I saw quite a few pictures of it, and the Lat-type one seemed well-liked as well, but I haven’t seen all that much coverage of Miku Append, even on Japanese websites.

  20. Gotta admit, I’m also a bit surprised that the buzz surrounding this figure fizzled out now that she’s available. People were practically wetting themselves when her prototype first showed up. On the other hand, there’s been a crap-ton of Miku figures coming out. Maybe some fans are just burning out on all the Miku love?

    I know I am. I’m not even a Miku fan, though I did get one figure of her because I’m a sucker for green hair.

    While the face has an odd shape, the thing I dislike the most about it is the fact that the eyes are open. I remember in some artwork of her Append form, her eyes were closed. Made her look like she was in stasis. Pretty neat. She still looks like a mysterious, distant being with her eyes open but it just doesn’t have the same OOMPH to me, ya know?

    • Tier says:

      I get the sense that some people are. I burned out a while ago but lately, I’ve come to like her design and character more and more. I still like the concept of people using her voicebank to create songs, but I don’t think the technology is that great yet – I’ve listened to a few of her popular songs and found them very difficult to get through.

      I hadn’t thought about that but now that you mention it, closed eyes would’ve been an interesting way to display her, given her serene, meditative look. I don’t think I would have bought this figure if it only had closed eyes – I like looking at eyes – but it would’ve been very nice if they’d provided an alternate face, which I’m sure they could have done since they do it on every Figma they make.

  21. Martel says:

    I have this app on my iPod that directs me to various blogs and news networks regarding anything anime. This was my frist time viewing your blog and I am absolutely blown away at how amazing your work is. Prior to this, I was reading a dakimura product review and I was not impressed and not the least inclined to buy the dakimura. Your review, however, hooked me right from the start and if there was a buy immediately button, I would’ve clicked it. Though that urge subsided quickly, I felt that it was imperative that I write this comment. All your pictures are amazing and your diction is gripping. Well done.

  22. Woooooooo, water shots! Excellent job, particularly the opening photo. If anyone lost interest in this figure, one look at that picture would easily remedy that. =)

  23. Wolfheinrich says:

    Never been much of a Miku fan but I will have to say the futuristic look does make her unique in some way. Personally the face is a big turn-off for me as I like my figures to be more expressive, may it be a smile, all the way down to a erotic gesture, give me something other than a blank stare. Recently picked up some news about a Tony Taka inspired Megurine Luka, now that’s a figure I am actually looking forward to!

    • Tier says:

      I’m sure that figure will get a big reception, since I don’t think there’s another Luka figure out there. Kinda odd how Miku has gotten almost all of the figure love compared to the other Vocaloid characters.

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