In the midst of a global economic recession, common sense dictates that prices should drop or at least freeze to accommodate for the reduced spending power of consumers. Unfortunately, the otaku population is not known for being too keen on the concept of common sense. After all, these are the sort of people who would be willing to spend around 5,000 yen on a two-episode DVD of Endless Eight. With this in consideration, it’s hardly surprising that figure companies are ramping up their prices after seeing their goods being gobbled eagerly regardless of price. At the forefront of this movement is Good Smile Company, who not only ramped up their prices in accordance to the trend, but has also launched an ambitious rush of new products backed with a robust promotion effort.
The Good Smile Company 1/7 Saber Lily, along with the 1/8 Black Rock Shooter are Good Smile Company’s flagships for the year 2009. Fans have been salivating over Saber ever since the unpainted prototype was revealed in Wonfes Winter 2009. When the painted prototype was revealed, anticipation was at a feverish pitch, the heat of which seemed unaffected by its hefty 9800 yen price tag or its two production delays. As the released date neared, all the spotlights were pointed on this particular figure. And naturally, after 9 months of anticipation, no amount of button mashing on Fate/Unlimited Codes Portable is going to subside my bursting excitement.
When the fated package finally arrived, I carefully opened the package as if it was some sort of ancient treasure, half-expecting something to happen. But nope, no golden rapturous light enveloped me, whisking me away to magical lands far away. No influx of sensations flooded my brain, sending my body convulsing on my carpeted floor. I finally calmed down and came to my senses: it’s just a figure. Is it a nice figure? Yes, undoubtedly. But after all that hype, it’s hard to not to be let down somewhat. Both its promotion and its price led me to expect a distinctly new standard of figure production, but that expectation was proven false. The flaws of the figure are made even more glaring due to endless number of spotlights raining down upon this figure, and as much as I would like to, I cannot join the chorus of praise for Saber Lily and must opt for a slightly milder opinion.
