Sometimes when you first see a figure, you know right away that you’re going to get it regardless of price or difficulty of acquisition. You religiously scan all the figure news sites for the latest scoop, you load up Japanese pages and run them through Google Translate and do your best to interpret the results, you count down the days until its release date, and above all, you fervently, feverishly pray to all the gods above and below that the manufacturer please, please, please doesn’t screw it up. How many times have you’ve seen a figure’s prototype shots, excitement building unabated, and then, when the production sample photos come out, felt anticipation displaced by distress, lust metamorphosing into ire as you wonder, “How the hell did this happen?”
Then, when you get your shipping notice, you hope that maybe you overreacted, that your concerns were unmerited, and that your pretty little anime figure will rekindle the love for it that you first felt.
Seena comes from the game Shining Wind, a PlayStation 2 action RPG by Sega. She’s gotten several other figures, most notably from Max Factory and Kotobukiya. The former figure features a rather goofy grin and a blatantly immodest pose, while the latter has her brandishing her sword with a cocky smile. You can easily fit her into a standard anime character archetype just by looking at both figures. However, Orchid Seed’s figure dispenses with presumption and presents her in a manner quite at variance with its predecessors.
When the finalized figure shots came out, a lot of people – including myself – felt that familiar rush of disappointment. Seena was one of my most-anticipated figures, and the new shots didn’t look as appealing as the older pictures.
Earlier picture on the left, later picture on the right
The major difference seems to be her eyes, which are darker in the production figure. It also appears that the second photographer knew how to set the white balance function on his camera. All in all, though, the difference doesn’t seem to be as great as I had initially thought; the sculpt is still the same, the remainder of the paint scheme seems to be the same. One of the clock hands has strangely moved back a bit to an earlier time of day. It’s interesting to note how a simple change like darker eyes can incite panic, although I guess if you look at a figure like Kotonoha, you can see how such a change can make for a very different-looking figure.
The Shining series comprises some of my favorite games of the 16 and 32-bit eras, and I’ve played and beaten Shining in the Darkness, Shining Force 1, 2, and CD, and Shining the Holy Ark. I own a copy of Shining Force III – the first part of the trilogy, anyway – but I never did get into it, the Saturn being in its twilight at the time, and I know nothing about the later PlayStation games.
I take that back – I do know that the PS2 games feature character designs by renowned artist Tony Taka. In fact, this figure’s pose is taken directly from Tony’s artwork:
Tony is one of my favorite Japanese artists, but I don’t think this is an example of his best work. Something about Seena’s face doesn’t look quite right; maybe it’s her left eye, which looks like it’s twice as far from her nose as her right.
However, Orchid Seed’s sculpt takes considerable liberties with the source artwork. In Tony’s picture, Seena’s expression is a bit difficult to read; if you stare long enough, her mouth might be fixed in a small, worried frown, or in a completely neutral expression, or even in a small, mysterious smile. She also appears to be taking inordinate interest in the viewer, eyes wide and locked in an intense, somewhat scary stare.
In the figure, Seena’s expression is downcast, her mouth set in an unmistakable frown. Taken with her slight slouch and her carelessly spread legs, it gives her a weary, melancholy visage. Her pensive elegance is a marked contrast from her other figures.
Her cheerless appearance is enhanced by her base, which is a battered platform supporting a damaged clock. The original illustration sets the time at around 12:30 but being that a quarter of the clock face is destroyed in its three-dimensional incarnation, it is set to just past 9:30 instead. With its ruined look and its muted, earth tone colors, the base lends an aura of bleak desolation to the overall effect of this figure.
Nominally sculpted in 1/7 scale, Seena is actually quite small. Using my trusty tape measure, I’d guess she’d only measure around twenty centimeters tall standing straight up, which puts her right around 1/8 scale. Her sword does not attach to her nor does she attach to her base; there is a vaguely buttock-shaped depression in the base where she is meant to perch, and the sword just sort of loosely leans against her. She’s rather prone to falling over, and she face-planted a few times while I shot pictures. Her weight seems to be concentrated towards her right side and she doesn’t sit up on her own very well but if you wanted to display her off her base, she can sit without toppling if you lean her backwards, feet up in the air.
Seena’s given a very slender body build, which I think looks very attractive, particularly with her short skirt and dark thighhighs. While most of her other figures give her short hair, her hair is long and flowing here and I like it much better.
Paintwork is generally pretty good, with some very nice detailing on her uniform blouse and her plaid miniskirt. Her color scheme is understated, alternating from red hair and bow tie to dark jacket to red skirt and dark hold-ups and shoes.
My Seena figure does have a curious scratch on her right thigh, and it comes to mind that I have another Orchid Seed figure – Lala (the Comic Aun cover girl) – that has a scratch on her leg. How odd.
She detaches at the waist so that her skirt can be removed, revealing her undergarments:
Now I make no bones about my status as a pervert, but in this case, I prefer to leave her fully clothed. For one, the Tar Heel blue and white stripes hideously clash with her clothes. Her panties are also cut rather conservatively; looking at Seena, one would think that she’d favor more risque drawers, but that is not the case. And really, my favorite aspect of this figure is Seena’s quiet dignity, so she’s keeping her skirt on.
I had some reservations about this figure, but in the end I think she looks absolutely fantastic. Sitting in somber repose, there’s a strong sense of personality with this version of Seena that presents a very different side of her than evinced by her other figures. Orchid Seed has done an admirable job capturing her wistful attitude, and the result is a remarkable figure.
I really found this review very helpful and enlightening! Thanks!
I was also a bit irked after seeing the production shots and comparing them to the earlier prototype ones. But you managed to present this figure in such a way that my love for her is totally restored. ^_^ I’m now looking forward to her more than ever.
And Happy Holidays to ‘ya! Thanks again!
Thanks for the kind words! That’s pretty much the same way I felt too, so I’m happy that the figure turned out very nicely. Happy Christmas to you too!
I really like this figure, and couldn’t figure out why people were hating on it so much when she was released. I thought she seemed well done, but she was getting average results.
I prefer the pose of this Seena over my Max Factory Seena. While both show off her panties, this one is much more modest, though one could perhaps question the shortness of her skirt if she’s modest. But it really works, where as the other goofy pose, which I admit to liking, just isn’t as nice.
Can’t wait for mine to arrive.
-Aka
Yeah, I was anxious when I saw the second batch of photos, but I wasn’t ever going to cancel my preorder (and I sorta feel sorry for anyone who did so out of quality concerns).
There was something about MF’s Seena I didn’t like too much. I think it was her chin or the shape of her mouth. This version of Seena, though, there’s not a thing I don’t like. The face is perfect, the pose is perfect … it would’ve been nice if it were actually 1/7 scale, and I know that one day I’m going to lose her sword, but other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing. Other than maybe getting that scratch on her right leg fixed, I guess.
I remember looking at the photos on Amiami a few months back and marveling how they managed to take something like twenty pictures without showing a single pantyshot. I found out that it’s not as easy as I had thought it’d be; her leg, sword, and arm are all positioned to preserve her dignity. I think that’s something else Orchid Seed got right, keeping her both sexy and elegant.
I bought the MF Seena because she was on sale, that was really about it. She was on my wishlist but not high up on it. But I found the pose playful enough.
I like this Seena for the same reasons as you do I think. Sexy and elegant.
lol @ promo shots. Yeah I don’t know how they managed so many shots without a pantyshot. From the pose it just seemed like you’d be bound to get one, but nope, not them! I’m sure I will.
Lovely photos, lovely figure, and just a lovely review Tier thanks! ~_^
>> Aka
You know, I usually make it a point to try to incorporate pantyshots and depict my figures in as lewd a manner as possible (though I haven’t yet incorporated condensed milk in my shoots), I didn’t even think about it until I sat down to write the review and realized that I had almost none.
I guess that’s alright though because the same day I got Seena, I got this one real trashy figure in the mail, and she’ll provide me with abundant opportunities to take photos like a pornographer. Seena may be all quiet elegance, but Aaliyah is about as subtle as a donkey punch.
>> Ashlotte
Thanks! Thanks for favoriting my photo over on Tsuki Board too XD
A slightly belated Merry Christmas to you~ Been too busy filming the latest Dollfie Dream Theater to have time to check my blogroll.
Orchid Seed Seena is one of the few remaining PVC figures that I kept on my pre-order list, still waiting for her delivery, but reading your review here has considerably eased my concern on the 2nd batch of photos. I was a bit concerned about Seena after seeing the 2nd batch of photos but her overwhelming sex appeal has managed to keep her on pre-order, unlike Alter Fate, which I chopped.
By seeing photos on Hobby Search, i was also disappointed by the final result on this figure, where i putted lots of hope.
I like Tony Taka and i liked this version of Seena even more because of it’s long hairs and singular pose.
Fortunately, your photos (which atmosphere is very warmly) reassured me and now i don’t regret to have to pay for it. On the other side, the fact that she doesn’t stand on his base bother me a bit.
As usual, beautiful photos with a great reviews. Now, you made me regret for not getting this…
But again, thank you for the post. I enjoyed reading it.
>> Wolfheinrich
Happy holidays to you too! I have a ton of problems taking pictures of anything bigger than 1/6 scale, I can’t imagine how much space you need to shoot multiple 1/3 scale dolls. I have a little bit of regret about not ordering Fate but I think her nose and mouth look a bit funny.
>> Lylibellule
I tried doing something a bit different on some of those photos and I’m not really sure that they came out okay. I think I’ll stick to my ordinary lens until I learn a bit more XD I need to put Seena someplace safe so she doesn’t keep tipping over, I’ve got her on my desk and I keep knocking her on her face.
>> softz
Thanks! I usually don’t cancel preorders even if I have reservations about a figure (I dunno why), but I’m very glad I didn’t do so with this figure.
The only thing I find disappointing about her is her hair. It isn’t as sleek or sharp as the original. Just compare her hair to Megahouse’s Risty or Alter’s Bounty Hunter Yoko. There’s a big difference.
BUT that doesn’t stop me from getting her. I think people have a right to complain. Of course no figure isn’t going to be exactly like the prototype but when your spending more than $70-$80 on a figure you’d expect some standards to be met.
I still look forward to owning her. Her pose and expression are really beautiful. You captured that nicely in your pictures. ^^
I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who think Alter Fate’s mouth is weird, actually she carried an expression that a bishoujo figure should never carry
:o, that o shape in her mouth just killed her for me.
>> Ami
Yeah, I’m not suggesting that people shouldn’t complain or have misgivings, being that I was one of those people myself. I do think that people tend to overreact, even months after a figure’s release; I know some people who haven’t forgiven Yamato for that one Air Gear figure, even though I think it looks fine.
>> Wolfheinrich
Alter’s Senhime has a similar problem. That reminds me, I probably ought to come up with a new header image sometime. I’ve got a couple of figures that have the O mouth and pull it off; Exelica looks great, and that one green-haired Shuraki girl (for some reason, I can never remember her name) looks pretty good, but Fate’s face just seems a bit too long to me.
Which lens did you use ? I liked this blur effect on first photos except de first one who’s to blurry for my taste ^^
I used a Lensbaby 2.0 for the blurry pictures (the others were shot with my cheap reliable plastic 50mm f/1.8 lens). The Lensbaby is pretty spiffy but also gimmicky and a bit hard to use, and it doesn’t help that I misplaced the little container with all of its aperture rings. The Lensbaby people have a gallery up on their page called the Archive of Awesomeness, so you know they’re not pretending to be stodgy, traditionalist photographers.
How many times have you’ve seen a figure’s prototype shots, excitement building unabated, and then, when the production sample photos come out, felt anticipation displaced by distress, lust metamorphosing into ire as you wonder, “How the hell did this happen?â€
Three words: Beats Choun Shiryu >.<
Im still haunted by her in my dreams…
I really,really,really wanted this Seena since theres so much I like about her.The pose with that frail look in her eyes,the long hair,how a phallic symbol is between her legs.
Sadly money constraints didnt allow me to order her 🙁
That is a shame, this is a great, great figure, with lots of innuendo going on (like the penetrative symbol!). MF’s Seena was sorta obvious, with her rump all up in your face with this huge smile, but I like this one’s subtlety quite a bit more.
It’s a nice review ^^ I love this adaptation for her hair, her pose and her base. Her regard is sensual too, and I like the Tony Taka touch 😛 Thnk for this presentation 🙂
I agree in the earlier shot that you compared with side by side she looks much more cuter in the prototype. Her mouth looks smaller in it too.
A bit of gum for sticking up posters can help keep her seated so she doesnt fall off the base. ^_^
>> Leonia
I love seeing Tony’s art adapted to figures. I hope we get a bunch more XD
>> Lenneth
That’s a pretty good idea, I might try something like that. I know I’m going to scratch her up if I keep knocking her over.