It’s amazing – and more than a little terrifying – how much life can change in a month. I hope everyone who comes across this post is okay and keeping themselves as safe as possible. I’m personally doing okay; I’m working from home and trying to minimize contact with other people. It’s been a peculiar adjustment, though I know the vast majority of people in the United States – and certainly the world – have it far, far worse than I do.
With the situation being so bleak, hopefully this post can offer a little bit of entertainment. Being at home all day now, I think I’ll have more time to take photos, though then again, I just got Persona 5 Royale. I have to admit that I feel badly for all the delivery people who are still going house to house.
This dakimakura cover depicts Artoria Pendragon – officially romanized as Altria, it seems, though Artoria seems more commonly used by the fanbase – the king of Britons and a somewhat more evolved version of the plain jane fan-favorite character Saber. She has received a more robust body build, somewhat shaggier and longer hair, and a different costume. More notably, she’s of a different class, being a Lancer rather than a Saber. I’ll leave the specifics to those who are familiar with the series (which has grown from a adult-themed dramatic visual novel to a billion-dollar franchise).
It’s not a franchise that I have much experience with, though; I haven’t yet played Fate/Grand Order nor watched the anime adaptation. I’d be curious to know if the anime is any good, as I didn’t particularly care for most of the previous series but I haven’t followed any anime since Cross Ange, I think. I’ve been looking for a new or recent series to watch and as I’m not much of a fan of idol, isekai, and light novel-adapted shows, it’s been a struggle.
While the original Saber character has generally been portrayed with reserved dignity, her various clones and spinoffs have generally provided copious fanservice. Such is the case here, where Artoria is depicted wearing a skimpy leotard wtih a significant cutout to highlight the volume of her breasts, which greatly outstrips that of her progenitor. That said, if I recall correctly she’s a little bit more covered up in Fate/Grand Order, where she’s wearing a sort of shawl around her waist.
The artist of this dakimakura cover is Yang-do, or YD, a very popular artist and doujinshi creator. His circle, Orange Maru, has produced at least one doujinshi starring Artoria. He’s also drawn a number of dakimakura covers, which are available on his BOOTH store for a short period of time, which is where I purchased this pillowcase. This particular pillowcase was released in conjunction with Comiket 95.
The pillowcase features the standard 160 centimeters length and 50 centimeters width. It’s made of a smooth, stretchy spandex-like fabric. While the front side is not particularly pornographic, the reverse side is considerably so. One wonders how her armor received such damage.
Anyway, fans of Yang-do’s work will likely find much to like here. Fans of Artoria Pendragon may also enjoy this work, particularly those who appreciate more lewd representations of the franchise’s characters. It’s a very nice pillowcase all around.
I’m still sitting on a couple of figure reviews (Bishoujo Scarlett and this one E2046 figure whose post I’d like to publish with a few other Lineage figure reviews). With nowhere to go and little to do, I’m going to try to get them and other reviews posted soon.
I’ll start by saying- don’t worry about Corona-chan. More info about this keeps coming out, including scientific research. It looks like chinese style quarantine lock-down isn’t really having much of an effect. But the economic downturn is VERY concerning, plus the mental health of the normies who aren’t used to the “otaku lifestyle”. Also…man, how much dissinfo can the media peddle? It’ beyond hysterical all over the West now. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and also Slovenia, Czechia, The Netherlands and Sweden are really chill about this, and a lot of US States too. Italy is a “special case” for several reasons.
I’d say by April 15, or May 15 AT WORST, all lockdowns in North America and Europe will be ended. Some more safety precautions might be taken, but if people don’t get back to work…that’s when people will really start to die. Can’t risk our livelihoods for teh boomers lol. Actually, delivery-men have had very free roads, so not so bad for them.
Oh, and anyone who has a good health has nothing to worry about this. You might have it yourself and not even know it, me too.
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Back to figs and anime. Sheeesh, how much merch can Faith produce? Same goes for Eva and Re:Zero…even if this one is not official. “One wonders how her armor received such damage.”…no….no….no, I can’t say anything, I really shouldn’t…there was this one japanese legend about a vagina demon with sharp teeth and a steel dick….I know some people have a foot fetish so…I’ll stop here.
Try Dororo (2019) or Claymore (2007). Dark fantasy action shows, though not much sexual stuff, so you might not like them. It depends what you’d like to see.
Oh, did you see Mob Psycho 100 ? I’d say it’s one of the best anime of the 2010’s, and it’s similar to Gurren Lagann in terms of themes, characters and animation.
I’ll take a risk and recommend a short anime that didn’t get a lot of attention. The story is interesting and just weird and unpredictable, especially the ending. It’s not the best anime, but still worth watching, I think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokkoku%3A_Moment_by_Moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhBA6ynorvc (the show isn’t as good as the intro lol)
Well, there is a ton that was wrong with this comment but it is a good thing that nobody is really coming to this site to discuss public health policy. (And the last commenter who wanted to talk about politics got ejected from this site. Bonus points to anyone who remembers which figure review that occurred on.)
Strangely, Claymore was a show I never got into even though it ought to check most of the boxes I’m looking for with respect to anime. I think it’s because pretty much all the characters I think I like suffered fairly gruesome fates, which makes me a little sad.
Whooo boy, I was just checking in for new content and recalled my disdain for nonsense vs my lack of desire to get into it, so thank you for that. Also, as someone who’s not a Fate fan so to speak or particularly into Saber, I like this version’s design a lot! I’m not even really a breast man, but the way she’s spilling out of her top!!
Btw. Glad to hear you’re ok, and not sick or something else. I’ve been involved with new hobbies (building gunpla) and old (Fallen Order) and can understand why you haven’t been updating here regularly.
Regarding the bonus points… I can’t recall a particular fig/pillowcase, though would have to assume there was talk of replacing your Obama with perhaps a Trump figure, but I digress.
Yeah, I think the last couple months have indicated that this is more than just the flu. What a strange world we live in that public health policy has become totally politicized on one side.
I think the post was hmm … one of my Evangelion character figures, actually, I think. I used to go through my old posts with some regularity but I don’t think I’ve gone through this site’s archives in over a year so I’m sure my memory fails me.
Thank you for posting reviews during these crazy times. I don’t know how much of an appetite you have for putting reviews together for many of your unreviewed figures, but I mean it when I say your content is a nice addition to the days of those of us who are stuck at home and looking for entertainment without leaving the house.
Thank you for your years of excellent review work!
The appetite is ravenous but the will is so weak. It’s so much easier to just autobattle through Azur Lane or something while watching some random Youtube video than it is to do actual work. But I’m never going to have this much free time on my hands so I really need to get back to it.
Personally, I find it disappointing that Aniplex or Typemoon have been trying so hard to remove all traces of that one aspect that made this franchise so popular in the first place: the sexual content.
Please, does anyone think FSN would have even gotten this much traction without the erotic nature? It is neither a manga series nor a TV original. Without the eroness inside, it couls have easily gone the way of visual novels like Ever17.
Yet these producers are now trying so hard to make sure no one even remembers it was an eroge.
Truth be told, I never touched an FSN game or watched the anime adaptations. Typemoon used an assload of DRM on their games, and I hated that.
I thought that was kind of an odd thing too, though it seems like they have less of an issue featuring fanservice in their spinoff series rather than the core shows. I was thinking of watching the Fate/Grand Order anime in the hope that it might be a little more fun and less exposition-heavy than Fate/zero, of which I could only stomach the first ten or so episodes.
(Of course, I say all this and I own probably dozens of figures from this franchise so who am I to criticize their approach.)
It’s quite terrifying and most people behavior not helping it…, but Now i reach a situation where I am more worried about economic than the virus 🙁
Not saber fan, but I definitely liking this version than generic blue saber XD thought i distaste leotard outfit.
I have no comments on the situation of current fate franchise, the fact i never bother even to try playing it, but for sure they make various artists create nice new characters.
Talking dakimakura you know what I want to see, Daenerys targaryen from the Game of thrones one you mention like a year ago i think ?
The virus is a big joke at this point, everyone is seeing it as what it is, just another flu. If one is young and healthy, it is nothing to worry about. Only the old or people with SERIOUS things like cancer, diabetes, asthma, or high body fat will be affected We have enough evidence for this. Apparently it’s spread by birds (pigeons, sparrows etc) so I think all the world has it now, but few are die-ing.
But of course authoritarian politicians will use the hysteria for their power, nothing new about that. But I think all our leaders are starting to become sane again. The lockdowns will be ending soon everywhere (even in Iran and India).
If we don’t shut down or lives and economies for flu, we can’t any more for this either. I’m so angry with the alarmists right now, especially the journalists. I hope we otakus don’t start getting robbed by either the state, or poor, angry people. In Italy they are already robbing food stores, and the Mafia is taking over Sicily again…fucking Giusepe Conte
Sorry for this comment but I’m angry. Take care Aya.
The amount of virus misinformation in this post is staggering. “Flu” spread by birds? No wonder people are getting affected if they believe that sort of rot…
Glad Aya is still okay, and nice cover!
Ahahahahahaha … I have to admit, I just glanced at the comment above one day while it was in the approval queue and clicked the approve button, and then I looked at it again and I was like “WTF?” That said, there’s already a massive amount of political polarization going on and people often make judgments of people based solely on political orientation; I’m trying not to do that, even if the political opinion is objectively wrong XD
Holly cow .. i got no comment for this.
I personally always neutral in politics as long as they can maintain law and order properly not perfect but still fine
I hope you’re doing alright. I was saddened to ponder recently that I’ve never felt the presence of a social underclass so keenly as I have in the last few weeks. I get to work from home, safe in my home and being paid what many might term a ridiculous amount of money to stare at a company-issued laptop screen while a lot of people working in grocery stores, Wal-Marts, gas stations, and so on are literally putting their lives at risk for very little pay to keep the basic elements of society functioning.
Oh wow, I don’t remember mentioning that pillowcase at all but since it’s been asked for, I should definitely review it XD The likeness is more of an interpretation from the books rather than an attempt at mimicking the look of the actress, which would be a little weird (as if dakimakura covers themselves aren’t already a little weird).
Doing Fine for now, I run family business which affected,and with no real pandemic happened yet in my small town(god please don’t let it happen), I start to worried about the recession after.
You did somewhere probably not here, most likely on twitter ?, otherwise i wouldn’t know that, what make me curious is the picture , I did try to search it around internet, but can’t find picture of her on pillow that I believe something Tier will interested to buy, since it’s definitely won’t be live action picture that you will purchase ahaha.
Well, that’s good to know that you and your town are healthy. I hope it stays that way!
Ah yeah, I think I did mention it there 😀 I should take some pictures, I’ve got a few other pillowcases I can review too, I think. Normally I wait a bit since sometimes high-quality scans appear on the big Booru image sites but I don’t think I’ve seen any for the dakimakura covers I’ve bought in the last year or so.
Nice review, always loved YD’s works. I hope you’re doing well, I personally also work from home so it’s not such a big change for me, but still.
I’m curious how you managed to cop this from the author’s Booth account though, I’ve tried in the past to get items from that pixiv offshoot and they’re very insistent about not working with anything but Japanese bank accounts/addresses, and I haven’t noticed any proxy service that carries merch from them…
Stay safe!
Until recently, you could use a foreign credit card and then use a forwarder (I used Big In Japan) for the address. About 2-3 months credit cards and Rakuten Pay stopped working, so it has become a lot harder to order from them. You could still potentially order with a Proxy, however, you’d have to be the first customer to submit an order if it was through a seller that had limits on the number one account could purchase.
Thanks for the kind words and uhh, apologies for the incredibly late reply. Yeah, I used a proxy service, I believe I used Shopping Mall Japan for this pillowcase but they have exited the business as of late last year. I believe there are still a bunch of forwarding services but I don’t know who’s good now, and I’m sure the restrictions on mail delivery from Japan to the US has made things more complicated still. I’ve been meaning to try out Tenso; they’ve been around for years but I’ve never actually used them.