A little while ago we previewed a new Kotobukiya figure named Kanojo from the manga Houkago Play. Well, it’s been about a couple of weeks since then and the figure just arrived today!

Chances are good that many anime and manga fans in the United States will be unfamiliar with Houkago Play. To be quite honest it’s a recently released Japanese 4-koma (four-panel manga) and it hasn’t been slated for an English release yet (though it’s available on mangafox if you’re interested). It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the book is licensed though, because in Japan it was wildly popular and sold like hotcakes. In fact stores had a difficult time keeping the manga in stock upon its release.

That’s well and good, but what’s it all about? Well, Houkago Play basically just follows the exploits of two high school kids who hang out after school. They’re boyfriend and girlfriend, though all they do is spend their time playing video games. Some naughty bits are included as the girlfriend (“Kanojo”) attempts to steal kisses from him and plays with his ecchi toys like booby mousepads and what have you. The bulk of the humor from this book comes from the fact that she is a little bit of a dominatrix in a way, and she constantly kicks his ass. A foot to the face is usually the way each comic ends, but there are other antics as well.

Aside from the particular brand of humor the design of the girlfriend truly stands out. It’s no surprise that she was tapped for a figure and fans of the comic, and newcomers like, will certainly appreciate the job done for this release. Sculpted by Goumoto-dou’s Shinpei Yokoshima, Kanojo strikes a pose that mirrors that of the manga’s cover. It allows some of her most striking details to be appreciated and in many ways it truly captures the spirit of the character.

As you can tell by some of the shots in this review (I’m sorry I couldn’t produce higher quality from my terrible camera) the figure really comes through in the looks department. The figure stands an imposting 10 ½ inches tall, and quite frankly about 60% of her is leg. Since the character in the book has long thin legs it’s only fitting that Kanojo the figure does as well. They are probably her most prominent feature and on this figure they are smooth, well-constructed, beautifully colored, and there’s nary a flaw to be found. Foot fetish folks will certainly appreciate the high heels she’s sporting as well.

The next most striking detail about this figure that gets you when looking at her in person is the massive stock of flowing hair. The inky blackness swirls around her in an intoxicating fashion and each strand almost seems to have a mind of its own. It almost appears as though she has a black octopus attached to her head with the position some of the follicles have taken. It’s a little overkill on some levels, but stands out as quite dynamic regardless.

The character’s simplistic uniform is sparse with a few creases, two gold buttons, some flourish on her skirt, and a tie being the only standout details. I suppose one could make the argument that this makes her face and big yellow eyes pop more, but compared to the hair and legs, the design feels almost a little too simple. There’s still a beauty in it, however, and it does represent the character well (in the manga she’s basically dressed in black from top to bottom).

Kanojo stands on a velvet fuchsia base, which is a source of disappointment from the shiny wooden panel she was previewed with. It does provide a nice contrast to her otherwise dark colors, but it’s not quite as elegant looking as the rest of the figure would imply. She is propped up by a pair of pegs in her feet, but additional support is provided by a clear plastic rod that inserts into a hole hidden in her hair. I get the purpose of the pole, but it’s completely unnecessary since she stands perfectly secure on her own two feet.

The figure comes displayed in a window box and every little piece of her is enrobed in plastic wrap, which made unboxing all that hair kind of a pain. The packaging is attractive though and fits the manga’s artwork and character designs well. Kanojo is also made of PVC plastic and bears an SRP of $79.99, though really you can shop around and find a better price.

My overall impressions of this figure are extremely positive. The design is sleek, sexy, and is modeled perfectly after the character. The colors are very good as well with all of the most dynamic parts being highlighted with their extremes (jet black hair, browned legs, yellow eyes, etc.). Aside from the focal points there isn’t an awful lot of detail on the character, but it’s really just enough to be aesthetically pleasing. The base is a sour note for me and I really would have preferred the previewed smooth pattern over the velvet lining. This figure is definitely worth a pre-order or picking up should you come across it at a convention.

Houkago Play Kanojo
The Figure's Design
The design of Kanojo is simplistic, yet striking. She has a lot of nice details in some areas, and is minimalist in others. The darker colors help her to stand out more, but the base is a bit of a miss.
The Figure's Build
This PVC plastic figure is sturdy and there's hardly a flaw on her. I will say the part in her hair on the back of her head looks a tad funky, but other than that the build is solid.

Overall
Whether you're a fan of Houkago Play or not, Kanojo makes a nice addition to any collector's shelf. It's really the overall design of the character itself that helps her so dynamic.

Review material provided by Kotobukiya. Photos provided by me and my crappy camera.