A Perfect Day for Kirijo Mitsuru
In an alternate universe, Kirijo Mitsuru motored south on the Pacific Coast Highway in her Boxster, the top down, deep red hair streaming like a banner in the wind. It was a holiday and she had no place in mind other than wherever the highway took her, but when she saw a beach up ahead she parked the car to enjoy the ocean view.
Kirijo spread a blanket over the sand, took her shoes off, sat and watched the waves break on the shore. There weren’t many people at all. An old man with a metal detector scanned the beach for treasure. A man in his thirties flew kites. Several people with their dogs passed by as well. Nobody went into the water. It was a little cold for that.
Kirijo pulled out a copy of Salinger’s Nine Stories from her purse and began reading “A Perfect Day for Banana Fish”. Her first philosophy instructor read it to her class one afternoon after they finished discussing Plato’s Republic. Kirijo couldn’t remember what the connection was between the Salinger and the Plato or even if there was a connection. Maybe her instructor just felt like reading it aloud to her class one day. In a way, she liked to think of it that way — it was a good memory, even if the lesson there was lost.
When Kirijo got to the part where Seymour gets back to his room, she put the book down on the blanket. She didn’t realize how late it had gotten. The sun was falling and the tide was sliding back to the ocean. Kirijo walked toward the water and got her feet wet. The feeling of the water pulling her away from land relaxed her, releasing all sorts of soft endorphins into her brain as the cool water pulled the sand along her feet. She needed a day like this for herself.
It was a perfect day. Of course, in an alternate universe the days always are perfect. After the sun set she would pack the blanket in her car, drive off, maybe get some Indian food on the way home and get a fresh start in the morning. But. This wasn’t an alternate universe.
After the fifth wave retreated to the ocean, Kirijo raised her gun against her head and pulled the trigger.
Kirijo Mitsuru Figure Review
Kirijo Mitsuru looks like a cool, well bred, young woman. Alter’s version of Kirijo captures the cool detachment very well, even with the alternate arm where Kirijo has a gun pointed to her head. The coolness of the figure is what drew me to it. I’d say that the PVC version came out with a slightly more relaxed looking facial expression than the one in the prototype image.
The figure comes with two options, Kirijo with an over sized fencing sword or Kirijo with a gun pointed to her head. She comes with two holsters, with and without the gun in it. The swappable parts are easy to change, so there’s no fear of breaking anything when changing. Alter includes a dark red transparent disc base with one post in each foot as the mount.
Fit and finish is Alter, sharp definition in the details, good looking shading, and clean. From behind, the hair sculpt looks a little blobby, rather than flowey, with the strands and the paint is a touch glossy for her hair, but not enough to be annoying. Skin tone is excellent.
Other Stuff
I almost have no time for video games anymore. I still haven’t opened my copy of Persona 3, partly because I’ve heard it’s a big time suck, but I’ve got so many little things to do I can’t make the time. If I could finish half the things I start it would be great.
Comments
Leave a Reply
Blowfish
on July 24th, 2008
I prefer the pose with the gun pointed to her head.Ive seen the “girl is holding a sword” pose already enough.The gun pose is much more refreshing
I love the last one with Saber
super rats
on July 24th, 2008
Gun to the head is atypical. It’s also kind of depressing.^^; I do like my sword girls though, so I might have missed the fact that the gun to the head offered more interesting pictures.
James
on July 24th, 2008
Great one , she looks exactly like in the game
Awesome pics like always , i particulary like the darker ones . I would love to do pics like that but i can’t make them right …
You’re right about the face , in the retail version it looks like she is smiling , well more like a smirk ^^
Pure Trance (Figured)
on July 24th, 2008
@super rats - Luckily they don’t actually die when they shoot themselves in the head :D;
Blowfish
on July 24th, 2008
Dont get me wrong i do like my swordwielding girls too, but such a depressing pose is more interesting due to the fact it isnt overused that much.
I havent played any of the Persona games.Is she more of a dark character and therefore the gun pointed to the head?
super rats
on July 24th, 2008
At least she doesn’t die…I hoped as much. I think I’ve seen something else where the character shoots themselves to get a super boost or something. Can’t remember off the top of my head, though it probably wasn’t good since I can’t remember. ^^;
And Blowfish, hopefully your comments won’t go straight to moderation anymore now that I’ve taken a certain word out of my blacklist.
Adun
on July 24th, 2008
She has that whole awesome spy look to her when holding her gun.
polymetrica
on July 24th, 2008
Great pictures as usual! I love Mitsuru, so I’m really happy to see that you had a photoshoot of her up
I like both poses, but the gun one does seem much more interesting…though the oversized sword looks great.
Also, all the characters in the Persona 3 games shoot themselves in the head to “evoke” (or summon) personas to do attacks and magic in battle. None of them die from headshooting themselves!
omo
on July 24th, 2008
It’s not the perfect Mitsuru kit but I like how you manage to make her look less cheesy with the somewhat-sketchy invoker held next to her head.
Thanks for the item pushreview, I might pick up this figure now. But that might also be because I’m working my way through FES right now…
ron~
on July 24th, 2008
lovely pictures
it’s uncommon for Alter figurine to come with alternate body parts =\
compared to the prototype, this one looks more cheerful ^^;
I haven’t played my copy of Persona 3 too… I hope the graphic won’t disappoint me when I play it.. got used to PS3 graphic already @_@
Roy
on July 24th, 2008
Wow pretty nice figure,the gun towards head is much more interesting then the sword,it’s…different haha and also it makes you wonder why she is doing it^^
nice review SP:D
valho
on July 24th, 2008
beautiful pics super rat. I somehow find her eye very attractive from the pictures ^^
super rats
on July 24th, 2008
-I can definitely see the spy thing, since she just looks like she’s capable.
-Characters shooting themselves in the head, no wonder why the game has such a high age rating.
-I should be starting the game myself at some point before the PS4 comes out.
-Well, I’m still on the PS2 so I’m not spoiled, plus the last game I played was Disgaea 2…not exactly a graphics powerhouse. It does have Etna though.
-She’s definitely got the mysterious thing going for her.
-Thanks for the comments.^^;
Sarith
on July 24th, 2008
Mitsuru-senpai! <3 However, this was a rare case where I preferred the Kotobukiya version to the Alter one, since I didn’t like Mitsuru’s bangs in the Alter one and it wasn’t as dynamic. Still, the photos are beautiful. P.S. Play Persona 3, it’s a great game.
kanzeon
on July 25th, 2008
Wow I really how how you take these pictures. Mitsuru is a very serious and classy character and I really like the way how she holds the sword with glamour.
super rats
on July 25th, 2008
-The Koto version does have a sense of motion to it. If I see it at Otakon and like it, I might pick it up. Kirijo’s character design is appealing.
-Yeah, I’m a little torn which way to go with the display. The sword pose is more stylish/glamorous, but the gun to the head is pretty unique for a figure.
Pure Trance (Figured)
on July 25th, 2008
@super rats - Yeah, basically they shoot themselves in the head to release their Persona (like…basically to summon) so they can fight with it.
priss
on July 25th, 2008
That is one amazing classic cupid’s bow pout! What a mouth! She’s really elegant and damn does she have style! Gorgeous work as always ^_~
super rats
on July 26th, 2008
Lips on an anime figure are an uncommon detail. Kirijo’s lips actually do make her stand out from the crowd a little. Actually, face-wise Kirijo’s looks different from a lot of figures.
Anyway, I started playing Persona 3 last night…interesting.
Nork22
on July 27th, 2008
Great figure shots once again. Gotta love Mitsuru. Keep on playing Persona 3 though, it just gets better and better. Although are you playing the FES version?
BZou
on July 27th, 2008
Amazing figure shots, I love the clarity of your up close shots. The colors are also very vibrant. What camera do you use?
Len-Vesper
on July 28th, 2008
Mitsuru~
She’s quite pretty, and you’re right, Super Rats, the Persona type people use a very specific style of gun to get a weird supernatural effect to their supposed ’suicide’. A strange concept, kind of put me off when I first saw it but it turns out to be rather cool.
It’s good to see a figure like this that has a solid center of gravity. She’s well posed yet at the same time looks like she’ll be lean-resistant.
Belela-san
on July 28th, 2008
I agree, this figure is cool, as you I prefer the one with the sword instead of the gun pointed at the head. No one will understand the gun criteria if they haven’t played or seen the game so in a exposition I’d leave the one with sword.
Interesting way of “overlighting” the pictures, I like the fourth picture counting from below.
super rats
on July 28th, 2008
-Yes, I’ve got the FES version.
-I use an Olympus Evolt-500, which is ancient as far as digital goes.
-Being able to stand on it’s own isn’t a guarantee of non-leaning, but I generally don’t have problems with leaning figures (make sure my shelves are level side to side and front to back).
-I did wind up going with the sword in the end. The shoot myself in the head thing seems like an unnecessary gimmick for the game (at least in these early days), which so far I’m really enjoying.
coeli
on August 6th, 2008
I really love her face. So pretty~
Happoubi Jin ~ Sweet Body Ch. 01…Part One « The Rabbit Reich
on August 19th, 2008
[...] Akira: He identifies himself as a magnet for foodstuffs. He boasts that he will banish dirt to the land of wind and ghosts. [...]
“Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” -W.S. « Misa’s World
on August 19th, 2008
[...] haven’t spent money on figures in awhile, but i have found one that i do want. Though some of you guys may prefer this (Warning: [...]