No, that’s no repost
If you remember my last review about the Fate/Hollow Ataraxia – Saber Maid figure, you’ve learned that I made a little mistake, without paying much attention I ordered the Saber Maid figure instead of the Saber Maid R, which was sold for nearly the same low price. Before I noticed it, it was too late to cancel and so I ended up with the “wrong” Saber. After I’ve written the review I sold the figure and ordered the R version I initially wanted to get.
The old Saber is from 2007/2008, the sculptor in charge of it and the R version from 2012 was Kuramoto Imuka, who sculpted a number of nice figures and GK’s from 2004 – 2012).
I don’t know the exact reason why ALTER decided to make a renewed re – release maybe they thought that the previous sculpt wouldn’t be appealing enough, compared to todays standards.
The figurec was manufactured by ALTER. The release date of this Fate/Hollow Ataraxia Saber Maid R figure was in the end of August 2012, the figure is scaled 1/6 and has a height of 26 cm.
I really thought about how to write that review since the Saber Maid R only has a few changes compared to the older version. I don’t want to repeat everything I said in my Fate/Hollow Ataraxia – Saber Maid (non R) review. A direct comparison isn’t possible anymore, since I’ve sold the older Saber Maid a few weeks ago, but I intend to accentuate the few differences between the old and new version of Saber Maid and talk about the appeal of this figure.
Hair & Face
While the sculpting of the hair is nearly 100 percent identical to the previous version, the color changed from a very yellowish tint to more natural, vanilla tone of blonde with darker shading at the tips. What bothered me the most on the previously purchased Saber Maid figure was the face, it rather looked pressed together from two halfes which gave it a strange thin look with a pointed middle part. In my opinion the figure hardly resembled the character of Saber.
The new figure has a smoother face and a nicer texture now, also her face looks a bit chubbier which helps a lot to make this figure more appealing and Saber-like. The pale skin accentuates the beautiful green eyes of the figure very well. I like her facial her challenging yet playful expression a lot. I prefer Saber as energetic maid over her sad self as king with crushed dreams.
Body & Outfit
Well, from my impression nothing was changed on the body aside from a pale skintone. Her outfit was also left untouched. Maybe the blue/black dress and her stockings are more shiny, but just to a small degree, if at all. Anyway, like before it’s a lovely designed maid outfit, all the ruffles, frills and ribbons are really cute. The length of her skirt and these black stockings add a lot of sex appeal to the figure. I would love to do some maid role play with Saber (｡◜◡◝｡).
Like the old version Saber, this one also has pretty fancy underwear, out of bad skills at choosing the right aperture I can provide no pantsu shot. Sometimes the important shots turn out as crap ^w^.
The figure also comes with the interesting looking mop and a chess patterned rectangular base. It has a nice shiny and the red/black pattern of it is very appealing, overall it is more befitting to the theme of this figure.
Final Words
I think it is nice that ALTER wasn’t doing a simple re – release of the old figure and changed the not so good things about the sculpt and figure. The Hair looks better, the face looks prettier, beautiful and fuller, so it resembles Saber better than before. The brighter skintone also suits the blonde maid very well. Also the chess patterned base is another improvement to the old version. Overall Saber Maid R is very nice big scale maid figure, the classic maid dress is very attractive and it’s nice how she is standing there in a confident manner with a michievous smile.
Even though the re release led to a significant price drop for both figures, Saber Maid and Saber Maid R, what I don’t like in general. But Im happy that I decided to go for this figure, I probably haven’t bought her for the retail price of 7800 Yen. Don’t get me wrong, this figure would have been worth the price, but it wasn’t a planned purchase and Im not a real fan of Saber.
Kai
“Stop shooting me, Master!!!”
Shoot what?
Indeed, it’s easy to see how “ruined” Saber Maid (previous) figure was, this R version is certainly an improvement. The tint and paint overall on the face and body is better too.
wieselhead
Ahaha the ecchi variant would also fit, but I was talking about photography ^^
Oh good, that it wasn’t only me who had this impression.
The new one is some levels better, Im glad that I didn’t gave up after the wrong purchase at first.
hoshiko
I’m reading two of your Saber maid reviews at once, see if I like which one better, lol. I like this one better but my question would be – what prompted Alter to make changes. It’s not like the old one is bad.
wieselhead
Haha good to hear ^_^ Yeah I also pefer the newer one.
Maybe a certain person in charge didn’t wanted to release her like that again.
Sometimes it woul be nice to have more insight about the figure manufacturers decisions.
Aya
This looks better than the old version really deserved the “R” word
wieselhead
Yeah I agree, she’s very good, “R” like racing XD
Nopy
It’d have to be a figure I really liked for me to sell the old one and get the newer version.
wieselhead
You could say that it was my passion or call it pride as collector, to get the version I initially wanted.
And Im glad that I went through the little hassle of reselling and ordering again.
Luth
Good choice on upgrading, this Saber definitely looks better especially with the coloring. Her hair and skin seemed too yellow before, this one is much better. Also, her legs seems slimmer, they look just like Saber Alter’s and her checkered base now matches as well. Damn, now I’m starting to regret getting that one, it definitely looks a little better but was twice the price o.O Nice photos, I recognise some of those props 😉
wieselhead
Thx and I agree, while actually not much was changed, the overall appearance is a lot bette now.
Well, you have the Saber Alter Maid, this one is very cool and comes with a mini Saber, for a better price I would have prefered this one.
Thank you, it seems like put more effort into the shooting of the newer figure. Well, the curtains are reused, but the pillars are newly made, since the old ones vanished somehow 😀
feal87
What…What…are you shooting her with?! O__O
Nice figure indeed! Saber is Saber after all…*_*
wieselhead
shooting with affection XD it was actually meant in terms of photography ^O^
Maid is Maid after all ^^
Miette-chan
Alter’s Maid Saber, a figure I always thought it would be nice to have. Since I’m not a Saber fan I didn’t seek her out or buy the R version. After all, when she was released there was way too much other stuff taking up my money. In the end, that might actually have been for the best. The price drops that both figures ended up getting in the second hand market are not too bad.
wieselhead
The low price was a good reason to get her, it’s a great maid figure,
even when you don’t like Sabers ideals it’s goood to have her as maid ^_^
At the moment there a few R. versions for 5000 Yen on Mandarake, go get one.
Or do you want my Gekisou version?
Tier
I’d guess they updated this figure just to go with Saber Alter, which if I remember right, they re-released right at the same time. I think they also have the same style of base now.
I wasn’t too excited about any of the Saber maid figures but they all look really good, and if I had more of a maid fetish going on I would definitely have gotten them all. Saber’s one of those characters that looks good wearing pretty much anything, whether it’s full plate armor, a maid uniform, a bizarre white bodysuit, or a dress and an umbrella. (That said, I’m still kinda surprised Alter has never done a figure of her wearing her usual blue dress … I think they must have made about a half dozen figures of her, so it’s hard to understand why they skipped her most iconic look.)
wieselhead
Yeah probably, they fit together. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten the other version, she looks so cool ^^
Hehe I have a serious maid attire fetish, not because I like master and servant games. I really think it’s a very pretty outfit for girls.
Saber looks good in everything, too bad she has the wrong “job” as broken king. Sometimes the ways of manufacturers are strange.