Kongiku and Momohime by Alter
Project details
The extravagant ladies of the Genroku era, Kongiku and Momohime, do have a few things in common. They both originate from the same fictional world and in this case they also share the same manufacturer in Alter and sculptor in Noritaka Fukumoto.
With the two figures’ release dates being reasonably close (January and February) I decided to shoot them in the same setting. Alas they are both sold separately.
“Kongiku” could be interpreted as “navy blue chrysanthemum”; a beautiful flower matching its beautiful owner holding a lantern that will hopefully guide her on her path.
With a well-endowned woman having an obi tightly wrapped around her waist things are bound to take flight. The generous bosom never bothered me, I think it adds to an already elegant character. Whether you look at the graceful face, the stylish hairdo or the orange and leaf-covered kimono your eyes will not be instantly drawn to other areas of the figure.
Being a fox diety does explain the addition of a tail as well as animal years, which are both beautifully sculpted with great attention to detail. Another thing I’m fond of is the use of a distinct yet minimalistic base. If not going all out with the base, why not keep things simple. A dull platter for a base is not only bothersome when shooting a figure but also makes for an unimpressive display altogether. Additional praise to Alter for using a similar kind of base for Momohime as well.
A final mention when it comes to Kongiku is the option to light the lantern she’s holding (two LR41 batteries are required but not included), which then shimmers with a soft blue light.
Momohime is by many described as one of the greatest figures ever made. Certainly a bold claim but also one that may just live up to its acclaim. Having longed for this figure since the end of 2010 Alter announced a re-release eventually scheduled for January of 2013, which initially caused the figure’s price to skyrocket on auction and used item sites.
The character, alongside the aforementioned fox lady, was originally and visually admired in the Nintendo Wii game Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Oboro Muramasa in Japanese) which was released back in 2009. Roughly a year after its release Alter decided to bring Momohime to the physical world, a choice that was to be embraced by the masses.
With the reception of the figure one would almost expect Alter to unleash the entire cast of Muramasa and seeing as how Kongiku was just released I sincerely hope that we will eventually see both Torahime and Yuzuruha as their artworks are equally impressive to the already molded ladies before them.
Bottom line is, Alter have made two exquisite character portrayals which are easily on par with some of the best figures I have ever laid my eyes upon.
SCALE
1/8
ART DIRECTION
Tradition
PHOTOGRAPHY SETUP
Flash, ambient light, diorama
wieselhead
Thats always so scary in an fascinating way, you are not only fast with your reviews, you also make lovely probs for your shootings. This time again, the bridge with the tiny lights is just wow!
Kongiku looks really good, the colors and sculping seem quite conving, the dress is so pretty. From behind she also looks good. The lantern is a funny gimmick, nice to add this ALTER.
I have a liking for bigger anime boobs and while Kongiku is true to her illustration, as a personal opinion, the boobs appear to be placed a bit high, even when considering the arched back.
Momohime is a lovely and great figure, I got her on first run and she is still as charming as before.
She’s also a quite photogenic, I even picked her up for a second shooting after a few years.
Nightmare
I like big props and I can not lie. Most segments of the reviews are done in advance so the focus can be put on the photography portion once the figure arrives. Preferably I’d like to publish reviews in a timely manner based on when the figure is released without compromising on quality.
She does look great, perhaps not as grand as Momohime but still a very good figure nonetheless. The lantern did catch me off guard a bit, who knew you’d need an atom-sized screwdriver to remove two smaller screws at the bottom of the thing. On the upside, the mechanism does work great once the lantern is fully assembled and loaded with batteries, you merely turn the bottom part right or left to turn the lamp inside on or off.
It is agreeable that Alter may have been as generous with certain body parts as they are with their delays.
I did see and read your second Momohime review, I think it’s a cool idea to occasionally re-shoot a figure for whatever reason.
Jenn
I’ve been waiting for someone to review Kongiku so I can feel bad about not getting her. Her sculpt and paint job are both amazing, especially around her head and hair. Her subdued, cautious expression is a real plus. I have a soft spot for characters with more delicate experessions. Her lanturn is an interesting addition. I must ask, what is the lanturn made of? It looks like paper, but I doubt Alter would risk using such delicate material.
While I can tolerate bigger boobs, Kongiku’s goes a little over the deep end for me. They’re true to her character, and great on a flatscreen, but there’s something about the way they translate to 3D that bothers me. They’re too buoyant for my tastes.
As usual, your set up and lighting is gorgeous. I have the grandest respect for photographers who can work in low-lighting.
Nightmare
It’s most unfortunate to have caused you pain but such is the nature of impressive looking figures. You see it, crave it, skip it, regret it. A vicious cycle, that. The lantern appears to be made out of translucent PVC as it’s quite sturdy when you squeeze it. Even up close it looks just like paper so one is easily fooled by Alter’s craftsmanship.
I guess the bust defies gravity similar to how animal ears and tails on a human defy reality. Fiction is often accompanied by exaggeration and Alter may have been slightly too generous with their interpretation so I can see why it doesn’t sit well with everyone.
Truth be told this was my first crack at using different kinds of light sources and I wasn’t too happy with how most of these came out.
G.K. Sil Kamina
I’ve owned Momohime since her original release years ago, and she remains one of the best in my collection. The hype surrounding her is well earned. Kongiku was a mixed one for me. On one hand, she’s absolutely beautiful. On the other hand, those breasts are comically huge. I imagine if Alter does a Yuzuruha, she’ll have a massive booty like in her artwork.
Kongiku isn’t quite as visually striking as Momohime, but Alter still went all out. Love the glittery paint on her kimono, and the great amount of detail in her hair, ears and tail. Your pictures show just how amazing this figure is. Super glad I was able to snag one for a decent price.
Also, that little bridge is adorable. Did you make it yourself?
Nightmare
Since Alter don’t mind going big I wouldn’t mind seeing them sculpt Torahime mounted on that spectral horse. But yeah, I reckon Yuzuruha up next and no objections there as her artwork is equally excellent. Photography wise the latter is far more interesting for me to shoot and I have a pretty good idea of how the setting would look whereas with Torahime it’s pretty much blank at the moment. Though, considering how long it took Alter to release Kongiku post Momohime time is surely on one’s side.
Fully agree when it comes to Momohime’s striking presence, I’ve yet to encounter a figure that can match her in that regard. Kongiku is no slouch either despite being blessed with the wrath of nature but overall she’s nearly as breathtaking as her colorful companion.
Adorable things is a forte of mine.