Thursday, March 10, 2011

Revoltech Queen's Blade Alleyne Part 1

Continuous run on Revoltech awesomeness

The third Revoltech action figure featured for this month is this one: Revoltech Queen's Blade Alleyne. ^^


I consider Revoltech Alleyne a special item for review on this blog. Folks who have watched the anime, or who are familiar with Revoltech's releases for this series would know that the figure is incorporated with some ecchi design features, "consistent" with the nature of the story and character design. ^^; Not to be puritanical about this, but I don't want some reports to land on this blog and have it listed as explicit. ^^; So, the ecchi/NSFW portion of the figure will not be covered in this review.

Yes, that's quite disappointing actually, because the said design feature is brilliant ^o^

Having the same name as the title of the anime, "Queen's Blade" is actually referring to a fighting tournament in the story, where the winner will be granted power to rule over the land as Queen. Only beautiful young girls are allowed to participate, and angels from the heaven will be the match announcers. Matches can happen anytime and anywhere, and they will be broadcast to the whole world via huge crystal ball-like TVs floating in mid air XD

After watching the first and second seasons of the anime, the story isn't too impressive in my opinion, nothing that knocked my socks off I mean. ^^; It's a fighting tournament embedded with various agendas, emotions and some conspiracy. To me, it's somewhat like "Mobile Fighter G Gundam" with the guys being replaced by girls, and all the robots discarded. ^^ The interaction and personalities of the characters provide interesting setup for each match, especially the elimination rounds gearing towards the end of the whole show. With that said, the characters, or participants of Queen's Blade as depicted in the story to be exact are very colorful in my opinion. ^^ Each of them has her own reason to participate in the tournament, and the reasons ranged from saving fallen kingdom, saving the forest, promoting business, searching for lost family member, being manipulated by the enemy, and some other ones I can't really recall at the moment. ^^; Like I said, a colorful bunch of people. ^^

While the story is just alright for me, the voice actors are very well cast for most of the characters. Characters like Claudette (voiced by Atsuko Tanaka, 田中敦子, Kusanagi in "Ghost in the Shell"), Tomoe (voiced by Mamiko Noto, 能登麻美子, Ai Enma in "Hell Girl"), Listy (voiced by Yuko Kaida, 甲斐田裕子, Marida Cruz in "Gundam UC"), Menace (voiced by Yuko Goto, 後藤邑子, Mikuru in "Haruhi"), Ymir (voiced by Ayaka Saito, 齋藤彩夏, Chiyo-chan in "Azumanga Web Daioh") and Melona (voiced by Rie Kugimiya, 釘宮理恵, Nena Trinity in "Gundam Double O") are just a few who are exceptionally impressive. However, the best performance in my opinion is still Nanael, voiced by Aya Hirano (平野綾), who voiced Haruhi and Konata. Her voice is just perfect for Nanael as the not so bright, somewhat unfortunate but very wacky angel throughout Season 1 and 2. ^^

Alleyne is a character I like very much from the show (my favorite is Cattleya ^^). Her character title is Combat Instructor (戦闘教官), and her role is only secondary in the story. The focus is more on her "disciple" Nowa. While Nowa's background story and her determination to participate in Queen's Blade are better explained than Alleyne, I think Nowa's personality is more straight forward than her instructor, so she is much easier to understand in the story. Alleyne on the other hand, is shown being torn between staying in her own elf world and to get out of it to support Nowa. The strict face she puts on doesn't diminish the desire for change beneath it, which makes her a more interesting character to watch in my opinion. ^^










Alleyne is voiced by Kitamura Eri (喜多村英梨), and the bi-polar personality she portrays as Alleyne got a real "upgrade" in "High School of the Dead", where she voices Takagi, the "fearsome" high school genius who screams a lot. XD

More introduction on the figure itself:


Box cover without the paper jacket band.


The figure itself can be seen clearly through the front window, right in the middle of the huge letter "Q".


Introduction of the figure on the back of the box.



Introduction on the "S" (attack) and "M" (defeat) modes of the figure.
The figure in "M" mode will not be covered in this review series. ^^;


Some information on Alleyne from the story.



Typical Revoltech design style for the sides, top and bottom.



Paper jacket band shows Revoltech Transformable VF-1A Valkyrie, released back in January last year.


Box content.


Just one tray containing all the parts for this figure. A promo booklet that is identical to the one included for Revoltech Sengoku Basara Sanada Yukimura is on the back on the tray.





The figures and all its accessories on the tray.


Plenty of plastic wrappers here and there to get rid off before display.





Straight out of box display of Alleyne.
Some adjustment to her legs is needed to make her stand properly, but her cape is capable of supporting her anyway. ^^


Detaching one end of the spear tips to attach it to the right hand.



Alleyne with her spear.













Very much like Revoltech Sengoku Basara Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune covered very recently, all the details on Alleyne are extremely well done. ^^ The pattern on top of her hat, her hair, the cape and all the stripe patterns on her outfit are nicely sculptured and accurately painted. Her default expression makes her seem somewhat "out of focus", but her eyes are very lovely. Just like my comment on the two Revoltech Sengoku Basara figures mentioned above, Revoltech's craftsmanship and attention to details can be seen clearly on Alleyne as well. For a normal-priced action figure (2,900 Yen inclusive of tax), it's a great release. ^^

A look at the accessories and joint design of Revoltech Alleyne in the next posting.

2 comments:

Chris said...

I think anyone who is interested in this review would expect what is coming, so you don't have to worry too much about reviewing the M mode. But that's up to you, I supposed.

I like Alleyne's design and colour scheme but I haven't got this. I wonder why... ^^;
Interesting...her cape can support her. With Revoltechs, it seems to me though they did the guys better, and the QB's line joints are more obvious.

reeoyuy said...

You can just put "M" mode picture on a link somewhere.