ArtFX J - Syaoran Li (Kotobukiya)

[cutesherry.livejournal.com]

As usual when a figure is available for preorder, meaning all info about them are now out, this will be my last post about ArtFX J CCS Syaoran Li figure by Kotobukiya.

Pre-ordering the figure:

Official preordering page (Kotobukiya online store -japan-):http://www.kotobukiya.co.jp/product/product-0000001533/
Pre-orders for international buyers: for the moment I only saw him at hobby search and amiami, but I expect him to be available a bit everywhere by the end of the day (cdjapan, yesasia, hobby link, amazon.jp etc..).

Description:

Release date: May 2015
Preorder starts: December 11th, 2014
Scale: 1/7
Product size: About 230mm
Price: 11,000 yen (excluding tax) - most if not all international online stores, will sell him for around 9500
Product Specifications: PVC Painted
Material: PVC · ABS

Picture gallery: [click on thumbnails to enlarge]





Little warning: please consider there are countless Sakura figures, but this is the only Syaoran figure released in 15 years, so everyone will throw themselves at it like a pack of hyenas! When I saw it out, I didn't even take the time to view the previews pictures: I clicked on pre-order immediately and only when was my order processed, did I start looking more leasurely at the photos, yes, I want him that bad, I have been waiting for this for more than a decade!

My POV: If we count both figure and shipping cost from Japan, you will easily spend 120-130 usd on this, there is no question, no matter from where you purchase it, considering the figure itself is around a 100usd by itself, and that you will evidently won't be choosing the cheapest shipping method to get him...
Well, the point is it is a lot of money, especially if you have other expenses anime/manga related other than your everyday needs, but I personally consider it as worth it, and not just because it's the "one and only" Syaoran Li figure released ever, being the only one would have meant nothing at all if it was crap, but happily for us, this long awaited release is actually truly beautiful, this is not just a "plastic toy" but truly a masterpiece which I hardly can imagine anyone ever regretting purchasing, I know I won't.
I'm sure you all noticed but this is an exact adaptation of a Clamp illustration, by far the most well known of Syaoran, and Kotobukiya did us all the pleasure to replicate it exactly, respecting every single little details of the original: the light color of his hair (not dark like in the tv series of CCS), same for the colors of his skin and eyes, continuying on with his facial expression (super important! had they messed up the face, the whole thing would have gone down...), all the little details of his clothes and sword, and the wonderful magical circle he stands on! (I like the little wings, not quite 'chinese' but so adorable and reminder of CCS spirit). I'm really happy the fact it's a "child character" came out clearly, had they messed up the proportions of his body, same as a the face, it would have been a disaster!
All in all, Kotobukiya did not disappoint!