Review: Figma Tomoe Mami

I was really excited when Figma Mami was announced and the promo pics came up..6 rifles? That’s really something! So after some production delays, I finally got my Mami so let’s crack her open and fiddle about~ =3

Despite Mami being packed in the standard sized Figma box, there are 2 plastic tiers overlapping which means she has plenty of accessories! =D

Hmm…maybe I’m getting too comfortable with Nendoroids but when Mami was under scrutiny I can easily pick out uneven paint applications, obvious seamlines and what not..Other than that Mami looks fine and due to her joints not being flesh-coloured, it isn’t so obvious.

Mami’s skirt has a naturally bouncy feel to it and it’s ideal for posing her in action shots.

You know the dodgy paint issues I mentioned earlier..well it’s more obvious when you see it up close but there’s a really obvious one with the white lines around her waist. It’s sculpted like some furry band but the spill-over is bad..=( Also her shoulder joints are annoyingly obvious from certain angles and to compound the issue, those very joints are are floppily loose..dang~

I know all I did was rant at you Mami.. =3 But you ain’t all that bad..let’s go on to the positives!

Well just look at that! 6 rifles, 2 face-plates, hands rack and even Charlotte the candy witch! =D The giant green circle is made outta paper and you can use it to…

create a magical circle in which Mami summons out her rifles! However since it’s made out of paper, the holes that hold the rifles get loose over time and I really can’t see this as anything more than a gimmick. It’s interesting to do it once and display it but continuous play is just going to ruin that.

Her rifles comes with a clear stand so even without the paper base, it can stand individually. Then another painting issue comes to the fore..all the rifles have varying quality of paint applications..some of the black parts are darker..some are missing some areas.etc Doh!

The rifles are also prone to incessantly falling down as the tilting angle screws with their balance. Still it’s hard not to look cool when you have that many guns =3

Other than the smiling face, a winking one is also provided. I’m not really a big fan of it as the uses seem limited.

Charlotte looks really nice and despite her small size, the paintjob and sculpt here is pretty sweet~ Her right arm is also moveable so it’s not a total brick~

*smacks*

Mami: So that’s the end of that. Let’s have some tea~

Mami: Oh no no nooo…it came back….

The 3rd face plate is Mami’s frightened one and unlike the winking one, this is absolutely integral to Mami’s character! =D Her hat can also be removed and there is an additional hair pin available to plug up the hole.

Mami: I suffered a horrible Nendoroid death and now a Figma one too?..noooo!

Mami: Oh..

Conclusion:

First of all I would like to state that Tomoe Mami is my favourite girl in the Magica Quartet. That being said I have to say that I’m kind of disappointed how the Figma turned out. I’m a sucker for good paint jobs and this Figma didn’t deliver. Her shoulder joints are loose on mine and that really killed plenty of enjoyment as she can’t hold her rifles up in so many poses. The stands for her rifles are pretty cumbersome and keep falling over so photo-taking with Mami turned out to be a chore than more of a relaxation exercise for me. The winking face was also underwhelming and I would have preferred an angrier more action-packed expression. I can only blame myself for having such high expectations and belief that Mami would deliver what the previous other 2 girls (Madoka and Homura) did and when she fell below that, I was rather disappointed.

However these are all personal issues and Mami is definitely a decent release by Max Factory. The paint job and seam lines could use more work but the sculpt and accessories are really good and the playability is right up there with all the rifles. I would recommend Mami to anyone interested but just keep your expectations manageable, not sky-high like I did and you will be so pleased. =D

Mami: Now let’s wait for my figurine to make a splash! =D

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