KOS-MOS from Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Some time back, Good Smile Company released figures of Pyra and Mythra from Monolith Soft’s popular role-playing game Xenoblade Chronicles 2; they sold out quickly and subsequently commanded impressive markups in the secondary market. Happily for collectors, they’ve since been re-released and were stocked by a number of retailers in both Japan and the United States. However, in contrast to that level of demand, this figure of KOS-MOS has, as far as I know, been in stock at Amiami since it first shipped last year. That’s a little surprising for an impressive figure of a telegenic character from a fan-favorite video game, but I suppose it’s also provides a long-lasting opportunity for anybody on the fence – or who wasn’t aware of this figure at all – to consider picking her up.

KOS-MOS made her debut appearance in Namco’s Playstation 2 RPG Xenosaga. I played through a few hours of that game around the time of its release, and by that I really mean I watched a number of torturously long cutscenes. Japanese RPGs of the era were known for exhaustive and lengthy exposition and Xenosaga exemplified some of the worst excesses of the genre. There are times when I think about giving the series another whirl; however, I have the feeling that the games have not aged well and I think there are other older, overlooked games that are more worth my time and that I will enjoy more.

Irrespective of both the series’ initial reception and its contemporary assessment, the android KOS-MOS has enjoyed fan-favorite status since her introduction, and she’s perhaps the most enduring element of the franchise. She has appeared as a guest character or had her appearance featured in games such as Soulcalibur III, Super Robot Wars, Tales of Vesperia, and of course, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and it’s her rendition in that game that concerns us here.

KOS-MOS is manufactured by Good Smile Company in 1/7 scale, standing around 22.5 centimeters in height. She comes with an optional visor accessory and in an interesting design quirk, her arms are fixed to her guns and are detachable below the shoulder, rather than having her weapons be separate pieces – this makes it a lot easier to set her up since you don’t have to fiddle with getting them in her hands.

A hallmark of KOS-MOS’s design – and the design of a number of other androids in Japanese anime and video games – is the synthesis of technology and machinery with female human traits considered universally attractive. Both aspects are obvious here – KOS-MOS is wearing a white leotard, its front side comprising beveled chevrons resembling a mechanical carapace while the rear shows off a segmented mechanical spine running down her back. Armor is absent on the upper portion of her outfit, allowing her leotard to conform tightly to her breasts. The look evokes an aesthetic of armored lingerie, though less so than her initial appearance in the first Xenosaga game, which included a lace-trimmed garter in her outfit.

Her legs are sheathed in thigh-high boots, though they appear to be made of a thicker, more solid material than the thigh-high socks worn by almost every female anime-style character. They end in high heels, though the elevation of her feet is extreme, giving them a digitigrade profile.

As an android, she has a wide-eyed, impassive facial expression. It’s appropriate for her character but I guess I’d say it’s not the most interesting thing to look at, which is a bit of a shame since I think it’s one of the most important aspects of a figure. That said, given her personality, I suppose a more emotive expression might not have fit her.

She does come with this visor which hides her eyes. I vaguely recall that KOS-MOS’s design from the earlier games had her name written on the visor but that is not the case here.

Her name is written elsewhere on her clothing though, such as on her thigh.

I also remember that in the earlier games, she was shown wielding gatling-style guns but her weapons here are apparently called Ether Cannons. They’re elaborately detailed and quite impressive to behold. They also take up an inordinate amount of shelf space, which exacerbates a problem I continuously struggle to deal with.

Her hair is translucent, similar to Alter’s figure from so many years ago. (I could have sworn I reviewed that figure but looking back through this site’s archives – and doing so gives me a really weird feeling, like looking back at a separate, earlier life – it appears I never did so.) I’m not the biggest fan of this design element – I usually think it doesn’t look that great while also emphasizing the hair is made of plastic – but I think it looks okay on KOS-MOS as her design is already so complex that it doesn’t distract that much.

Aside from her somewhat boring face, KOS-MOS looks great. Her appearance is striking, particularly in the design of her outfit, and I’m glad that her look in Xenoblade Chronicles is derived from her Episode 1 look rather than that of the later games (particularly her Episode 3 look, which has the design that I like the least). All in all, this is a superb rendition of a character that, in my view, deserves another game.