Figure：KOTOBUKIYA Figure Blog

[Comments from President Kondo!] Nihon Falcom x Kotobukiya project: A look into the appeal of "Dana" and "Joshua"!

Hello, this is A-kichi from Kotobukiya Planning. Today we'll be featuring works related to Nihon Falcom ! This is a complete overview of information that has already been announced and products that are currently accepting pre-orders! In addition, the second half of the article also includes a rare comment from Nihon Falcom President and CEO, Toshihiro Kondo! Please don't miss it until the end! First, let's review the latest information that has been announced so far! Nihon Falcom x Kotobukiya figure latest information As announced the other day, the latest figure in the Trails Series, Elaine Auclair, is in development! This is the long-awaited first lineup from the Calvard Republic arc! The prototype has already been unveiled, and with its clothes gracefully fluttering in the wind and the knight's sword at full readiness, it is a piece full of elegance. This is currently being developed by the Decomas (paint master) team! Please look forward to it! And here's a bit of new information! The 12th figure following Elaine is currently in development! Following Elaine, the next product to be released will be from the Calvard Republic arc ! With the release of "Kai no Kiseki," please look forward to the much-anticipated Calvard Republic arc figures! Now accepting preorders! Introducing "Joshua Bright" and "Dana Iclucia" Next up, let's review information on Joshua Bright and Dana  Iclucia , whose manufacturer order deadlines are fast approaching ! In addition to commentary from the planners that is not included on the product page, we also received a comment from Nihon Falcom's President Kondo at the end, so we will include it here! Joshua Bright ■Product Description People are never powerless so long as they are together! From Nihon Falcom's hugely popular game series "Trails Series," Joshua Bright, an important character from the series' origin, "Trails in the Sky," has finally been made into a scale figure for the first time! He is recreated in his outfit from the second part in the series, "Trails in the Sky SC ," which also drew a lot of attention. Even his distinctive accessories, such as his striking scarf and the twin daggers he holds in both hands, have been precisely recreated. As a first-run bonus, a smiling face part is included to display alongside Estelle Bright. You can display him with whichever expression you prefer. You can enjoy the expanding world of "Trails" by displaying it alongside other figures from the same series that have already been released, including the popular "Estelle Bright". This is a masterpiece for all fans of the Trails series. Be sure to enjoy it. ■《Comment from the planner》 Time flies and Kotobukiya's Trails Series is now in its 10th release. It's quite rare for a single work to have a series of more than 10 figures, so the fact that 10 figures have been released in just four years since the first release is quite a fast pace, but this is also thanks to the long history of the Kiseki series and the fascinating characters that have been loved by fans within it! We had always wanted to commercialize Estelle, the original protagonist, in 2024 , which will mark the 20th anniversary of the series, and thanks to the positive response to Estelle ( and the support of everyone who pre-ordered ), we were able to successfully commercialize Joshua as well! Joshua has a slightly stern expression due to the "SC" motif, but you'd want to have a smiling Joshua next to Estelle, right?! So now it comes with a "smiling face part" that is perfect for lining up with Estelle ! As this is a first-run bonus, it will be a rare part that will not be included even if it is reproduced in the future, so be sure to pre-order it. Please note that Joshua will only be available at Kotobukiya Shop , AmiAmi , Ebiten ( Chara-ani.com ) , and Falcom Shop (※), so please keep this in mind when pre-ordering! *Falcom Shop will only carry a limited number of items after the product is released. Please note that we do not take reservations. *The first-run bonus will be included in all stores. *For customers overseas, check with your local retailer for availability. ▼Product image ▼Pre-order here! <Manufacturer order deadline: December 3, 2024 > Kotobukiya reservation page Ebiten (Chara-ani.com) reservation page AmiAmi reservation page Dana Iclucia ■Product Description Truly, nothing is more awe inspiring than one who unceasingly pushed himself beyond the threshold of his courage and will. I had hoped to embody such an ideal myself. Even now, many decades later, my awe for her remains unwavering. ~ Excerpt from "Travelogue of the Gaete Sea" by Adol Christin The eighth installment of Nihon Falcom's hugely popular action RPG "Ys" series, a masterpiece that is still loved by many fans today, Dana Iclucia from  "Ys VIII -Lacrimosa of DANA- " - has finally been made into a long-awaited figure! With her distinctive blue hair fluttering boldly and her crescent sword "Crescent" in both hands, this figure is powerful yet exudes a sense of mystery. The 1/7 scale combines a sense of volume with ease of display, and while it has a strong presence even when displayed alone, it can also be displayed alongside the first release in the series, "Adol Christin," to further expand the worldview. Make the record of the adventures on the Isle of Seiren, as written in Travelogue of the Gaete Sea, a permanent keepsake in your hands! ■《Comment from the planner》 Ever since we started making figures of the Kiseki series, we've had a lot of customers say, "Please make Ys too!" I myself have always wanted to make a Ys figure, so I'm very happy that it has finally become a product! Ys has a long history spanning more than 30 years, and each title has countless fans, but we have commercialized Adol and Dana from "Ys VIII ," one of the most renowned and popular titles. In order to more faithfully reproduce the intricate and detailed character designs that are one of the charms of Ys VIII , the figures are sculpted in 1/7 scale, one size larger than the Kiseki series . They are figures that look great on their own! *By the way, since the Trails series has a large number of main characters (so many characters that you'll want to display lined up!) and many characters who use large weapons that are the same size as their bodies, it has been developed in 1/8 scale, which is easy to display and offers excellent cost performance...! It may be a little pricey, but the quality is so impressive that you certainly won't regret it, so if you're thinking about making a reservation, don't miss out! ▼Product image The Kotobukiya shop bonus includes a smiling face part that will surely be familiar to fans who have completed the game ! The Ebiten ( Chara-ani.com ) special gift is an acrylic stand of "Adol Christin", so don't miss this either! ▼Pre-order here! <Manufacturer order deadline: November 12, 2024 > Kotobukiya reservation page Ebiten ( Chara-ani.com ) reservation page Interview with Nihon Falcom President Kondo The long-awaited interview with Nihon Falcom's President and CEO, Toshihiro Kondo , a familiar face to fans ! We asked him about various things regarding the three-dimensional adaptations of Falcom's works, focusing on Joshua and Dana, which are currently accepting pre-orders...! ■ Introduction Thank you very much for your cooperation in providing this special comment. This is the first time we have received a comment from President Kondo since the first special video for Altina and Rean in the series, but have you heard or seen any information about Kotobukiya's Kiseki series figures since then? Kondo: Of course I check them every time (laughs). In the beginning, when I received sample figures from Kotobukiya, I would display them on my desk. However, recently the number of figures they release has increased so much that I can no longer display them all on my desk. So I set up a special shelf in the development meeting space to display the ones I had displayed for a while. Kotobukiya: By the way, President Kondo, have you ever been interested in hobbies such as figurines and plastic models? President Kondo: When I was a kid, plastic models were popular, so I made a lot of them. I mainly make scale models, but I still make them sometimes. My favorite process is weathering, which I can do forever. Once I start making something, it never ends. I love drawing rust, and sometimes I overdo it and have to erase it and start again. ■ About "Joshua Bright" The announcement of a full remake of "Trails in the Sky" has been a hot topic among fans, and Joshua has also been made into a figure, following Estelle. What are your honest thoughts on the two of them being made into scale figures 20 years after their first appearance? President Kondo: I want to tell myself from 20 years ago. "Trails in the Sky" was the first title I was involved in from the planning stage, and at the time I just wanted to make a game that was at least a little interesting, and I was thinking about releasing a sequel. It's a fond memory now that my senior told me not to think about a sequel before the game even sold. 20 years ago, I often stopped by Kotobukiya's directly managed store in Tachikawa's Daiichi Department Store during my lunch break, and I would stare blankly at the showcases, wondering if one day our characters would be made into figures. What do you think of the finished figure? Also, please tell us if there are any points you would like fans to notice. President Kondo: His bold expression, while still retaining the innocence of a young boy, left an impression on me, and I thought, "Ah, that's just Joshua." SC's Joshua has a particularly simple design among Falcom's characters, so I was worried that it might not be satisfying when turned into a figurine. But the flexibility of his body, his pose, and even the accessories, such as the weapon he is holding, are all accurately reproduced, and it looks really cool. I realized I had no reason to worry at all. I'd love for everyone to see the real thing. ■ Regarding "Dana Iclucia" Along with Adol, who was previously available for pre-order, it's been a while since we've had a figure made from a numbered Ys title, so as with Joshua, I'd like to hear your thoughts when you found out that the character would be made into a product. President Kondo: I was surprised to find out that Dana could be made into a figurine. Even among the Ys series, I thought she was a character with a lot of parts and a rather complicated outfit and accessories. She's a popular character, but I have the impression that the fans who draw her illustrations had a hard time. I thought it would be even more difficult to turn her into a three-dimensional figure. I was worried about it in the opposite direction to Joshua. I think that the increased scale has allowed for a wider range of expression than the Trails series figures, but what do you think of the finished figure? President Kondo: I was worried about how much of Dana's complex design would be reproduced, but that was completely unfounded (laughs). As you said, the larger size allows for a beautiful reproduction of the detailed weapons and distinctive accessories. It was a sight to behold, and I found myself gazing at it for a while. I also thought that I would like to have my favorite Kiseki characters in this size. ■Finally I think that the number of 3D objects based on Falcom works has increased significantly in the past few years. As President Kondo, please feel free to let us know what you would like to see in the future product lineup for Falcom works, or if there is anything you would like to see. President Kondo: I'd like to see figures of new characters, but I'd also like to see characters and monsters from classic games made with current figurine technology. Also, Falcom games feature a variety of weapons and armor, so it would be nice to have 3D figures of that equipment to display in my room. I'd be happy if I could display Rean's sword or Adol's silver sword and silver armor like a May doll's armor decoration. Lastly, if you have any messages for Falcom fans reading this article, or fans who have purchased (or are considering purchasing) the figures, please let us know! (Game-related messages are also OK.) President Kondo: We plan to release a full remake of "Trails in the Sky" next year, featuring Joshua, who has now been made into a figure. The first story will be revived using current technology, so I would especially like those who are interested in the series but have not been able to play it to pay attention. I'm sure that once you play it, you'll want to collect the Estelle and Joshua figures as a set. It's been a long time since a Ys character has been made into a figure, so I'm sure there are many people who have been waiting for it. I would be happy if you would support both the game and the figure. Thank you, President Kondo! Kotobukiya will continue to fully support Nihon Falcom's works, so we appreciate your continued support! Lastly Well, I know I'm repeating myself, but the deadline for the Dana and Joshua figures is fast approaching...! The figures are produced on a made-to-order basis , with the number of production determined based on the number of orders received from retailers and wholesalers at the time the manufacturer closes its order window . After the manufacturer's order period ends, orders will end as soon as the limit is reached, even before the release date, so be sure to make your reservation during the order period! Dana will be on display until Tuesday, November 12th , and Joshua will be on display until Tuesday, December 3rd, so don't miss out! Pre-order at Kotobukiya Shop here! Additionally, the prototypes of Dana, Joshua, and the first Ys figure, Adol Christin, are currently on display on the second floor of Kotobukiya's Akihabara building! (The paint masters have already left for the factory for mass production...!!) Although it is not painted, you can still get a sense of the fine details and volume, so be sure to check it out if you are in Akihabara! *Please note that the exhibition may be canceled or ended without notice. That's all for today. See you then! © Nihon Falcom Corporation. All rights reserved. *Colors and appearances may vary depending on the shooting conditions and the environment of your computer.