Hello don’t worry I’m not completely lost in the fashion doll realm. So today I will take a look at the Kongou Battleship from Max Factory, it’s a figure based on the very popular online Game Kancolle, it is also my first figure from this franchise.
This was the first thing from Kongou and Kancolle I’ve seen, weeks later I have joined the Admirals who play this Game. It was a little difficult to get in, but it’s definetely a lot of fun.
My first Burning Love interests were Samidare, Mutsuki and Hatsuharu, no one announced a figure of these, but Mutsuki became a main character in the currently airing anime adaption.
Kongou is one of the very popular ships, admired by many male admirals for her extremely energetic, cheerful, weird and caring personality. Since the anime I’m also a fan of her, she reminds me of a friendlier version of Suzumiya Haruhi.
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Kongou was released in January 2015, I’m somewhat late with the review, but here we go…
YOSHII was in charge of crafting this figure after her official damaged state illustration, all Kancolle figures from Max Factory are based on the damaged state fleet girl illustrations.
The combination of pretty animes girls and weapons isn’t new, yet kancolle puts it to another level, by adding heavy WWII equipment for naval warfare on different looking bishoujo characters. Kancolle is incredibly succesful, also in terms of elaborate fanart, most is partially erotic, but there are other amazing illustrations, too.
Kongou has a huge battleship in tow which is supposed be attached to her hips, here you can pose the figure like you want, since the “ship” is part of the base. The weapons look elaborate to a certain degree, but have no further function or moveable parts. The base is solid and fiting for a game based figure, but somehow it leaves a lackluster feeling.
It’s rare for Max Factory to make 1/8 scaled figures of such popular characters, but they did… I’d rather have her as big as indicated on her windowless box honestly.
Kongou as she sits here is a fantastic and beautiful figure, but I notice that she is not as elaborately done as other figures from Max Factory at 1/7 or 1/6. The tattered clothes could partially look more natural, the golden chain looks rather cheap. Although this so so impression only applies to parts of her outfit, boots and the pleated skirt look especially nice.
Her hair shows a natural brown with darker shading, the alice band like headgear with cute, golden radar system rests on her head. The face with the closed eye shows signs of pain, shock and sadness, the uncomfortable expression is nevertheless beautiful and adorable.
Not every in game illustration is appealing in Kancolle, compared to the damaged state illustration of Kongou, the face appears rounder and wider, in my eyes a big improvement.
Partially the figure has a nicely sculpted body, thighs, arms and face in particular, yet the sculpting of other areas dissapoints. Her back and belly is very low on details, where are the shoulderblades? Also the boobs don’t convince in this half exposed way, it somehow has not the desired sex appeal. So that aside Kongou’s main selling points for me is the beautiful and nicely detailed face. The mouth has a great depth with a cute tongue and sculpted lower lip.
Final Words
Lets sum this up in a few words, Kongou is an appealing figure also at 1/8 scale and the adaption of the official illustration with some improvements conidering her face.
Although she has not the quality as other larger scale Max Factory figures, the smaller scale lead to unnecessary quality and sculpting cutbacks, most prominent at her backside.
I expected something more elaborate for the 11.700 Yen that I’ve paid for an 1/8 scale figure.
Still Kongou’s strong point is the face and pose that portray her vulnerable side and asks for comfort, Teitoku!!! In case you rather see Kongou as the cool and sweet ship she is, take a look at Phat Company’s Kongou. Another Kancolle figure I’ve ordered is I-168 from Max Factory.
Sorry for the rather negative sounding impression, I like the figure more than you would imagine, I also took many pictures with her. What is your impression of this figure after this review?
Kai
Not sure if it’s just me but her face doesn’t really seem that expressive other than just simply closing her eye. Maybe it’s because of the lack of blush. I like the other parts of the figure though, no problems with the stand too, the octagon/nonagon(?) stand looks pretty nice for me.
wieselhead
Ah yeah it could be a bit more lively, I’m really picky about such things, but somehow it doesn’t bother me on Kongou, she’s still very cute ^^ Good that you like it, it’s definetely fitting, but I can’t appreciate it ^^
Miette-chan
I think Kongou was the first thing I was exposed after I learned what Kancolle actually is. I was quite surprised she is not the lead girl at all! Heck that’s not even Shimakaze who I saw plastered everywhere.
Haha, complaining about Kongou being small eh? I would much rather have a nice compact figure, at least for ship girls. I can imagine some of the larger battleships taking a large amount of space with all their big guns.
Kongou looks very pretty, I’m a bit sad I was not in a position to buy her at release. However, seeing as she is still in stock in several places she might hit the bargain bin. I hope I can snap her for a nice price at that time. I do want to add sexy battle damaged Kongou to my collection.
If not there is always Phat’s version, with her lovely “Burning Love” pose as I think of it.
I really like your setting “sun” pretty nifty. Need to add to list of stuff to “borrow” for future ideas. π In fact you just gave me a nice idea for the right figure.
This wasn’t as negative as you made it sound.
wieselhead
The choice of characters appears a little random in the anime, you know Fubuki is so plain, in the anime she’s still kind of cute,
but I like others more, they should have chosen Samidare as lead girl. But I’m super happy about Mutsuki’s strong role.
I hope she won’t die in the remaining episodes, I would cry the whole day XD
She is small! Well that would be some impressive big battleships, an 1/6 Nagato *drool* (*Β°βΒ°)=3 Actually I don’t need the weapons. Oh great give the final blow, I would feel bad about paying that much even more, but good luck Miette.
Yeah “Burning Love” forever …
Thank you, it took me a little to get this idea. Sure I’m glad to be of help.
It sounds bad in my ears ahaha
Aya
In game I don’t like kongou that much since she’s noisy, funny at first but kinda annoying later, well still using her thought, In anime she looks really funny and stupid make me laugh XD This figure detail very great π I kinda like it thought somehow feel something missing from the face, not sure what maybe the cheeks kinda chubby lol or it’s just me nitpicking DX
wieselhead
From the Kongou class, I like Kirishima and Hiei the most in the game, Kongou is a lovely character in the anime though, the intro episode was hilarious XD Yes, in the original illustration she has a longer face, but her chubby cheeks are cute ;D
Tier
Kongo makes the anime a lot of fun to watch; it should’ve focused more on her and her sisters. I didn’t buy this figure mainly because of the small size and the high price tag, though the funny thing is, if they had made her clothes removable or offered a version without her clothes (hey, you can buy a “light armament” version of Yamato, why not a light clothing version, too?), I’d probably have bought it at the normal price. It’s a little weird to say but I think Phat Company’s version is the one people are waiting for. Personally, I hope someone makes a Ta-class figure, even if she doesn’t seem to have a close analogue in the US Navy like many of the other Abyssal girls do.
wieselhead
Yes, lively weirdo girls are great to watch.
If that would have increased the detail of her body I would prefered a nude Kongou, to be honest.
In the first place I don’t even need the gun parts. Well, sadly 11000 yen became normal these days, it’s crazy.
Their is some unused potential in Kancolle be it the Abbysals or the more sexy fanart of the ship girls it should both be used for figures. Haha I hope Japan wins this time XD
feal87
Mhn…I don’t like the expression that much (that closed eye feels a bit weird), but the figure itself looks very cool. We need more Kancolle figures!
wieselhead
The more I’m thinking about it, the more I want a happier looking figure of Kongou.
Yes, give us Hiei, figure manufacturers! ( οΎβ½οΎ)/
Duqs
I had to cancel my PO for her to allocate more resources for my previous trip to Japan, and I started to not like her cheeks I guess. I might get the figure with her arms outstretched though! I hope they make one for Amagi and a better looking Amatsukaze figure! (And Haruna and Shoukaku And …. this figure abyss is too damn deep hahaha)
wieselhead
Haha, I guess my love for this figure is steadily decreasing, Max Factory can do more expressive figures than this, the 1/8 scale doesn’t help either to make her more appealing. A more cheerful Kongou is probably more apprpriate.
Lol, so many desires, I doubt they will make any of my most favorite girls and if they I am so picky XD.
Ok there is I -168…