Do you have an overachieving sibling that seems to be better than you in everything they do? If so, you would probably know how Kagamine Rin feels (if she was a real person, that is). As the follow-up to the unexpectedly successful voice synthesizer program Hatsune Miku, Rin makes up for one half of the second instalment of the Character Vocal Series along with her twin brother Kagamine Len (the sound bank for both characters were provided by Shimoda Asami of Idolm@ster fame). But like all the Vocaloid programs that came after Miku, Rin and Len could not quite measure up to the immense popularity already garnered by their predecessor. Rin certainly had her share of hits such as “Meltdown” and “Kokoro“, but she nevertheless pales in comparison to Miku’s seemingly endless repertoire.
Miku’s overshadowing presence is not only felt over at Nico Nico Douga, but in terms of figure sales as well. To this day, Good Smile Company’s 1/8 Hatsune Miku has already seen at least one re-release, while the Nendoroid and Figma Miku has seen at least two. All three figures have all but vanished from the inventories of online retailers. On the other hand, you will still easily 1/8 Rin and Len along with their Figma and Nendoroid counterparts easily (I actually found my Rin on Amiami for 45% off). This really is a shame, as the 1/8 Kagamine Rin is an excellent figure that excels above Miku in many respects. Preferences for characters aside, this somewhat ill-fated figure is simply a great pleasure to behold and should not be overlooked.