Back when Pumpkin Scissors was airing, I thought it was pretty awesome since it was set in a post-war era where civilization is trying to recover. Though the first half of the series was a bit of a drag, the later half started to become something totally awesome. And what way to continue this awesomeness? A figure release of course. So I present to you, 2nd Lt. Alice L Malvin of Pumpkin Scissors.
Now I myself am a fan of the WWII era, probably because of playing the Medal of Honor games, movies like Saving Private Ryan, and TV series such as Band of Brothers. But Pumpkin Scissors isn’t exactly post WWII era, but it seems rather close, and hence why I like it so. Although Pumpkin Scissors wasn’t an outstanding series, there is one outstanding character. Alice L Malvin, who is the squad leader of the Imperial Army SS III known as “Pumpkin Scissors”, is a noble woman who believes in bringing war relief to war-affected civilians. But to be working in the army as a squad leader, you have to be a powerful person, and that she is.
Straight off the bat, you can tell that this is just an awesome figure. There are two figures of Alice that have been released: GDH and Good Smile Company. Obviously this one is the Good Smile version, and they never disappoint us. This version is Alice in her military uniform wielding her double edged sword, Mahne, and we can see her as a powerful person from the way she is standing. There’s just something about women in uniform and wielding large weapons that make them look awesome.
Really, after looking over this figure entirely, there really are no flaws in anything. The paintwork is superb where the uniform is flat in colour, and only the metal parts of the uniform are glossy. The sculpt is just wonderful, and given her turning stance, it creates many creases throughout which have been done extremely well. Alice’s face and hair is even close to that of her anime counterpart.
But of course, like a lot of figures these days, Alice also comes with extra accessories. If you don’t want her wielding Mahne because it may stab other figures in your cabinet, you can opt for her secondary weapon which is a dagger. She also comes with another forearm made to wield her dagger, but I don’t find the impact all that great with just the dagger.
The attention to detail is just excellent, including the Pumpkin Scissors emblem on her right arm. The base is a scenario type and is going for a broken rubble look, which goes well with Alice’s stance as it shows that there has been action. The shape of the base I think is suppose to be Alice’s shadow as it aligns up correctly and all.
Product: Alice L Malvin
Anime/Game: Pumpkin Scissors
Produced by: Good Smile Company
Sculptor: Kawasaki Kazushi
Scale: 1/8
Material: PVC
Release Date: May 2007
Price: ¥5,524
Available: HLJ (available)
Really, there isn’t much to review on this figure as it has already been done by a number of other blogs. But I shall do a quick one anyway. Overall it’s a superb figure as as expected from Good Smile Company. The quality is way up there especially for a figure of this nature where action is the main focus. Movement is usually one thing that is hard to capture in a figure, but with Alice, we can tell that Kawasaki Kazushi has done exactly that from the way Alice is wielding Mahne, to the creases and flow of her uniform.
As I said before, there really is no flaws in this figure at all. The only issue I had was trying to attach Alice to the base, which did require a little effort, but at least I know she is on there firmly. Though whether she’ll be leaning or not I can’t say. From the looks of things, I don’t think she will any time soon, but her legs are still a little bendable, but it shouldn’t be too much of a concern. For the price of this, ¥5,500 yen is a cheap price to pay for such a quality figure. But of course, price is never an issue if you buy as much as I do, lol.
Oh and before anyone points out, yes I know I have Alice holding Mahne the wrong way.
Check out other reviews:
- Figure Review: History’s Noblest Woman… 2LT Alice L. Malvin! by RUIVA
- 2LT Alice L. Marvin - Goodsmile Co. by Obsessive Plastic Lurv
- Pumpkin + Scissors = …War? by Spare Change Anyone?
- Woman on Battlefield : 2nd Lieutenant Alice L. Malvin by mukyaa.com
Photography Notes
This photo shoot was actually done like 3 weeks ago, but the daily grind is literally keeping me busy. The backlog is growing ever so much and I don’t think I’ll ever get it done to a reasonable size. Anyway it took me a while to find a place suitable to photography Alice as I wanted a setting similar to that seen in the anime with the old European style buildings. But then it occurred to me that there is one place like that. Sydney University!
Now this is the first time I have ever step foot inside Sydney University. But I’m proud to say that I have been to every single major university in the Sydney Metro! The building here is the Maclaurin Building I think. It was about midday Saturday but still plenty of people around and some curious onlookers. There are some very nice places around Sydney University that I want to do some photos, but heading into the city nowadays require effort, and half a day for me.
Also I noticed whilst writing this post, the photos look a little grainy. This is due to me using ISO 800 which I probably shouldn’t have used. But still, photographing in the shadow of the building brought some nice development and this set of photos require little to nearly no post-processing. Still, I can’t help but think my photography skills are starting to slip.
Hmm, the usual GSC quality I see. Although, the gap in her hair puts me off a little. Either way, I quite liked what I saw on HLJ’s site, although lack of space means that I can’t exactly get this one, no matter what she’s holding ;_;
On that note, I think the dagger might look better with the blade pointing the other direction, so the flat of it is laid across her knuckles. In that pose, with the blade pointing towards her head, it looks more like she’s either trying to decapitate herself somehow, or cut her hair for some reason XD
Wow, great photos. The university building makes for a nice background.
“There’s just something about women in uniform and wielding large weapons that make them look awesome.”
True, can’t wait for Claire to come out^^
Man, travelling that far for a figure shot, but it was worth the time spent.
nice figurine indeed. not to mention, the nice background as well. xD
LOL I smiled for real when I saw the awesome backdrop. My university is a bunch of gray buildings. Damn.
Awsome backdrop there o_o
Didn’t realise Sydney has such nice buildings XD
Even the ground matches the base @_@;
All these reviews from people is tempting me to buy it, but I really, really wanted the look of crazy determination on her face during her fight, rather than a somewhat bland expression the figure has imo ^^;
Didn’t know that you like pumpkin scissor as well.
great photos, the university building is just the perfect background for her.
Very nice pictures, I especially like the background you chose. The background matches Alice very well, even the base and ground ^^.
Third last pic of the fig… it looks like she’s trying to commit suicide with that angle of shot… =P
khardic_paladin: I actually had trouble deciding where to place her in the cabinet, so she sits at the bottom of the cabinet next to Fate. And yeah, I also realised I had the dagger the wrong way around.
phamolous: Traveling around to take photos gives me variety plus it makes me explore the many parts of Sydney that I don’t know about.
oOgA: One of the most awesome figures I’ve bought this year!
tj han: Sydney University is full of these type of buildings as it has been around for many many years. Though it is a little far for me to get to.
Aya Kyunik: This location was found by chance I was kind of walking around lost on the uni grounds, lol. You should buy one, it’s a really awesome figure.
Fisherman Horizon: Only because of it’s post-war setting, and similar to WWII. If it was something else, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much.
valho: Universities are some of the best places to take photos.
AS: The ground happened to match the base by chance
Hijiko: Yeah I know, lol. I wasn’t really paying attention when I switched weapons.
My high school has some old buildings like that (though maybe not that fancy), but they’re gradually replacing them with newer buildings. Alice. I keep saying I’ll get her and I never do. And now I have this mental image of her going crazy in the display case stabbing all of the other figures.
Woho that’s some kind of great building for an University. Perfect background! ^^
There are a lot of old buildings arround where I live, but those are cathedrales, castles converted into museums or stuff like that.
Alice is sure an awesome figure. The only thing I have to complain about is its quite high price hehe ^^
wow nice figure & nice background
Alice is the first figure in your post that the role in anime or game i have not seen before
maybe sometime i should feel it in the TV series O_o
super rats: Places like these are getting harder to find, but at least at the university, there are plenty of buildings like this around and they won’t be replaced any time soon.
lu-k: Living in France, I’d imagine there’ll be heaps of buildings like this. France is one place I’d like to head to for photography. You think the price is high? I think it’s about right for a figure of this quality.
Nymeria: Well some people liked it, some didn’t. That just depends on your preference of anime genres.
loved the background, first I thought it was a church haha
nice shot also
Oooo, Alice’s pose is nice, just like the Anime.
I love the shots!
And the background was PERFECT!
I wonder if there are any Orland figurines? ^^;