Hatsune Miku Append Figma Figure Review

This figure was released nearly a year ago, but I managed to get a new one for my collection! Let's take a closer look at the Hatsune Miku Append Figma version!

 
If you've been collecting figures for any stretch of time, it's likely that you've heard this complaint: too much Miku! The face of the ever-popular Vocaloid software has a seemingly never-ending army of figures made of her, with no end in sight. The amount of Miku figures produced never really bothered me, but despite being a fan I went a while without getting a Miku of my own. That changed when I saw this beautiful Figma on sale.

The box is much larger than the normal Figma box despite this particular Miku lacking in a lot of extras. The space is apparently to accommodate her pigtails and the extra piece used to recreated the Append art pose. I really like the metallic design and reflective lettering. This is also the most plastic wrap I have seen on a figure so far. She was covered in it when I opened up the blister pack.

 
I've always found this particular Miku design interesting with it's futuristic elements, and it's comes across nicely in the Figma. I particularly like the way her pigtails were done here; the gradient gradually fades to clear and looks really nice in the light. One of her feet also has a tiny Cypton Media anklet attached to it, in case you forgot who owns her copyright. Like I've mentioned in other reviews, I really enjoy small details like that. She also has a really nice articulation range, since her outfit doesn't get in the way for the most part. She comes with some pieces that attach to her waist by small ball joints (I'm not sure what to call them) and they fell off constantly. There are two variations, one closed across the font, and two separate pieces flared up. I liked the second version better, but having to constantly re-attach them got to be a drag after a while.

To it's credit, I think that the extra plastic and the quality control on this figure really did it's job. I can't find any of the regular flaws with this figure. There is no paint bleeding, no random smears, and I don't think that there's a high likelihood of paint transfer either. Recently, a lot of figures have been delayed because of QC concerns, and figures like this one really show why. When a figure has great QC in its production, it brings the enjoyment of the figure up another level. I really like my Figmas, but this is the first one I've gotten without any obvious paint flaws. It's a really nice feeling.

She also doesn't have the usual hole in the back or in her head for the stand; she actually doesn't have one at all! Her stand comes with a clip that's supposed to go around her waist, but I thought that looked silly (and very reminiscent of the old Nendoroid stands) so when she needed her stand I put it in the spot where the cord clip is supposed to go instead.


That's right; I said when she needed it. I discovered on accident during the photoshoot that it is possible for Miku to stand on her own! I'm experiencing a lot of firsts with this Figma; the majority of my Figmas can't stand on their own, mostly because of one of their feet being attached from an angle. This makes it look more realistic when you pose them for "walking," but it makes it nearly impossible to balance without a stand. If you can position the weight of Miku's pigtails just right (and I suspect that the cord clip helps too) then she can easily stand on her own two feet.


Now on to her accessories, the few of them there are. Since this is Append Miku, the extra pieces revolve around re-creating the boxart for the program and the results are stunning. I wondered if the weight of the pigtails would cause them to drop, but they stay in place by putting the weight on Miku's head, forcing it down, and if you're going for the Append pose, that's what you wanted anyway. The front piece on her stomach is easily exchangeable (and clearly outlined in the picture instructions included). Much more difficult and one of my few complaints about this figure was switching out her upper arm for an alternate piece. It took long enough that I gave up on switching the other arm or even changing it back, since it reminded me too much of when Homura's shield arm wouldn't cooperate.


Her alternate hands are pretty standard, but she also comes with a pair that was clearly meant for holding accessories, except she didn't come with any. My guess is that these hands were meant for the leeks and mic stand that have come with previous Miku Figmas. However, that doesn't mean you can't swap out other Figma items as well, as demonstrated here with Homura's golf club.


Overall, for my first Miku figure I'm pretty happy with her. I'm not a huge Vocaloid fan, but I have always enjoyed their character designs. During this photoshoot, I was surprised how expressive this Figma was. Usually I feel like I'm doing a horrible job posing my figures for pictures, but this time around it felt much easier, like the character that I was trying to convey came through. I guess that's the allure of Hatsune Miku working.

Unlike most Miku products which seem to sell out immediately only to resurface second-hand at wallet-breaking prices, this version of Miku as well as the Nendoroid are still readily available. I picked her up for nearly half her original sale price, and if the QC on mine wasn't a fluke, she's definitely worth it for any Miku fan.

Images by me. This post is also available at Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.