Yamamoto Yae and the warriors of Aizu, 1868

My god, this thread continues to be absolutely fascinating. The history lesson, as well as the intense attention to detail are just incredible. All of the new figures are just stunning, from the details to the weathering. I'm so fascinated by that death poem too. The fact that you got the actual writing to use is so awesome, I don't even have the words to express it. Still awed by this whole thread.

I am massively impressed with the work you continue to put into this amazing project, TGF. Holy cow! From the smallest detail like the hat and ribbon on the foot soldier, to the scholarship of Kenjiro, and the samurai commander. Each figure is a masterpiece. I wish I had your dedication and patience. Fantastic work on all three of these. And I also really like the diorama base you’re using in these photos.

skywalkersaga wrote:

tankgirlfuzzy wrote:
Thanks Stryker, glad you found it interesting. I wasn't sure how people would react to it, since it has nothing to do with the hobby itself, but just informs the context around the project. I think most here are finding it deadly dull...

Definitely not finding ANY aspect of this amazing project 'dull', so never fear! This is one of my fave things on this board in a while. Your passion and knowledge about the subject are truly amazing to behold. As someone who feels deeply about the figures I make myself, it's very relatable and makes your works all the more compelling.

I think I failed to comment on the addition, but not out of lack of interest... was going through some rough personal stuff over the last few months and probably intended to respond but then life got crazy again. Please never stop sharing this project here! ^.^

Thanks skywalkersaga! I think you replied while I was trying to put together these latest posts so I missed it at first, and then realized it was about what I said from months ago. I was confused!   Anyway, glad you appreciate my more esoteric musings.

GubernatorFan wrote:Very cool new characters, both impressive in themselves, and as a group. Not to mention such dedication to the source material. Well done.

Thanks GFan! 

skywalkersaga wrote:Wow, yet more masterful additions to your line up of figures from this era. They look amazing both on their own and together. The level of detail is once again incredible and your weathering adds so much realism. Your posts are always so educational, which I greatly appreciate.

Thanks again skywalkersaga!

ReverendSpooky wrote:My god, this thread continues to be absolutely fascinating.  The history lesson, as well as the intense attention to detail are just incredible.  All of the new figures are just stunning, from the details to the weathering.  I'm so fascinated by that death poem too.  The fact that you got the actual writing to use is so awesome, I don't even have the words to express it.  Still awed by this whole thread.

Thanks ReverendSpooky, really appreciate your kind words! These figures are an expression of my passion and interest in the show, and how much it affected me during this really tough year. The more I dig into it the more it reveals to me, so it's a gift that's just kept on giving, and that's why I keep doing more with it. Those poems are a good example--at first I wasn't that interested, but the more I heard them and learned the Japanese, the more intriguing and beautiful they became to me.

Stryker2011 wrote:I am massively impressed with the work you continue to put into this amazing project, TGF. Holy cow! From the smallest detail like the hat and ribbon on the foot soldier, to the scholarship of Kenjiro, and the samurai commander. Each figure is a masterpiece. I wish I had your dedication and patience. Fantastic work on all three of these. And I also really like the diorama base you’re using in these photos.

Thanks Stryker! The details can drive me batty because of how long it can take to get something right, but if it's compelling to me, I'll just push ahead. Nice to get validated when people notice the details.

The diorama base is just a grass/diorama mat, which is fabric and you can roll it up and cut it. It's actually intended for 1/35 scale and I had bought a bunch to display my never completed RC Tigers! They work really well for 1/6 though. I got it from an ebay seller and the brand is Build-a-rama

tankgirlfuzzy wrote:
The diorama base is just a grass/diorama mat, which is fabric and you can roll it up and cut it. It's actually intended for 1/35 scale and I had bought a bunch to display my never completed RC Tigers! They work really well for 1/6 though. I got it from an ebay seller and the brand is Build-a-rama

It works very well for 1/6. The vegetation might be a bit too high for 1/35.

TravelGuide wrote:

tankgirlfuzzy wrote:
The diorama base is just a grass/diorama mat, which is fabric and you can roll it up and cut it. It's actually intended for 1/35 scale and I had bought a bunch to display my never completed RC Tigers! They work really well for 1/6 though. I got it from an ebay seller and the brand is Build-a-rama

It works very well for 1/6. The vegetation might be a bit too high for 1/35.

Actually, it depends. If you are modeling grassy steppe for a Kursk diorama, it's just about right. Lots of photos from that campaign of tanks and troops maneuvering through waist to chest high grass, sometimes seeming to obscure the running gear/tracks almost completely. And, my Tigers were going to be Schw. Pz Abt 503 at Kursk, so I chose the taller ones. They also have much shorter grass mats as well.

This is where my OCD side can be problematic, where I notice things that I initially ignored or said "that's good enough" and they become so magnified they're all I can see. Despite my initial satisfaction with the finished figure (and the positive feedback which I was grateful for), I was never really happy with the shortcuts I took with that tunic. The gold buttons, the huge armholes and way oversized look just bugged me every time I looked at her. I had thought about altering the tunic when I first put it together, but I thought it would be too complex and difficult, but with time I realized it could be done, but it would need care and precision.

The first thing I realized was I would need to cut the sash belt and stitch a simple hook and eye closure, so that I wouldn't need to untie and retie that knot every time. Fortunately the area right behind the rifle pouch is a perfect place to hide this closure. I used a leftover hook from my spares bag (it's tiny and somewhat fragile, one of those old Dragon ones).


With that done, I removed the tunic and started measuring and test-pinning to see how much material I could play with, and started stitching the sides to take it in.

This is all hand stitched and was as straight and tiny/neat as I could make it. I don't own a sewing machine so this was the only way. Gluing would not have worked well. I also reduced the shoulders a few millimeters. I had to rip off the red "frayed lining" strips and when all was done reglue those on.

The next thing when the sides and shoulders were finished was to address those gold buttons. Although the number and color may have been more historically accurate (I've seen many drawings/paintings of bakumatsu period uniforms that show the buttons that way), it's not how it looked in the show, and that bothered me. First, I had to close off the button holes of the ones I was deleting. I glued in tiny bits of scrap fabric and then blended with weathering and fussing with the nap of the cloth. Under magnification you can still see a hint but with the naked eye and since most of the area is hidden by all the straps, it's not noticeable. I then cut off the unused buttons, sanded off the US Union Army emblems, and repainted the buttons a blue/black to match the fabric. Here's a WIP shot of the mask I made so I could paint the buttons without fouling the coat:


When that was done I redid the strip of fabric on the right arm of her undershirt that dangles on her shoulder. I was never happy with how much it protruded so I pared it down. 

During these few weeks while I was working on all this, a small package from China serendipitously arrived, bearing the gloved hands I had pre-ordered 4-5 months ago, and which I doubted I would ever see. Perfect timing! They are much more simple and closer to the gloves she wears, and the color is a bit closer too. Of course I would have to repaint it and dirty up her fingers, but I also gave the right hand a "cuff" using the same thin leather I've been using because the gloves are a longer gauntlet type (the left one is hidden underneath the shooting sleeve so didn't need it).

The cuff is rather curled up in the above pic, but other pics and footage show it laying flatter so I didn't fuss too much:

The second pic shows the stock color of the new gloved hands, which are a bit too light, but better lighter than darker for painting. The seam of the cuff would be covered up by the "bracelet" she wears. I toyed with buying red cord to replace my original bracelet, but ended up keeping the cut down pink ribbon because I like the sakura motif.

Here's how the initial fitting looked:


At the end of it all I listed seven changes: new belt closure; altered the sides/shoulders of tunic; redid the lining on shoulder holes; redid the frayed strip on the undershirt; eliminated buttons and holes; sanded/repainted the remaining buttons; and replaced the gloved hands with customized new ones. I also added more grime to her right arm, but I won't really count that. So, that's why version 1.07.

I think the best way to see the improvements is to compare side by side with old pics, before and after:











The point is, although this was supposed to be her brother's uniform (he was a head taller and outweighed her by at least 20-30 pounds), it was clear they tailored the uniform to her body so it would look "cool" on her and not oversized and ill-fitting.

Some comparison action shots (before and after):



And some new shots of Yae with the "guys":

I'm probably going to redo the video since it no longer represents my best version of Yae. That means redoing at least some of those composited shots, which is a real pain. But it's an opportunity to get poses and lighting right (or at least better). I'll probably do a brand new video with different music which will feature all the new figures as well as more footage from the show.

Here's a teaser of a revised composite shot. Remember this one? (just a few posts above)


This is a little better, closer to the source image:



The lighting on the face was done with just a low tech hack: I just shined a pocket flashlight at her face! It's not really possible to do it with editing unless you render the figure in 3D, as I discovered with my original effort. Of course I could really go to town with editing to match the blurring and washed out effects on the film still, but I actually want to see some detail on the figure so it's a compromise.

I'll post more revised composites as I finish them. I think it'll take some time, especially as I redo the video and "film" a new one.

She looks sharper than ever. I think it is natural that, after having put so much research, ingenuity, and effort into it, you will find it difficult to resist fixing or upgrading every minor thing you might find wanting. The new photos are even better, and now she has "friends" to "play with," which always makes things more interesting.

Nicely done on the updates and conversion of her outfit -- and, yes, wow! The hook & loop was a good way to handle that issue. Your updated Yae looks awesome. Looking forward to seeing the updated video -- not that there was anything wrong with the original.

Just beautiful work. These were quite some updates in a short amount if time and there is so much more to say, give me some time for another response, haha.

GubernatorFan wrote:She looks sharper than ever. I think it is natural that, after having put so much research, ingenuity, and effort into it, you will find it difficult to resist fixing or upgrading every minor thing you might find wanting. The new photos are even better, and now she has "friends" to "play with," which always makes things more interesting.

Thanks GFan! I know, I do have a problem with letting stuff go, on too many levels... 

I am excited about the photo/video scenes I can do now with the different characters/figures.

Stryker2011 wrote:Nicely done on the updates and conversion of her outfit -- and, yes, wow! The hook & loop was a good way to handle that issue. Your updated Yae looks awesome. Looking forward to seeing the updated video -- not that there was anything wrong with the original.

Thanks Stryker, stay tuned!

Ovy wrote:Just beautiful work. These were quite some updates in a short amount if time and there is so much more to say, give me some time for another response, haha.

Thanks Ovy, looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

So as I put the finishing touches on the massive amount of reediting and new material for my version 2 video, I thought I'd give some sneak peaks of the composite work I did for it. I don't know if it's just the quirks or crappiness of my software (I use Cyberlink photo/powerdirector instead of photoshop), but it was so laborious and tedious, especially prepping the "cutouts" of the pics for use on the film backgrounds. But I'm reasonably pleased with the results.



The last one was most challenging but also most satisfying when done. It took me something like 6 hours to get that one shot: to get the lighting right, and then trying to get the pose as exactly as possible, including with the clothing and gear. I tried it before in the original version, and it was never quite right. I actually love that photo--it's not from the show but is a production shot taken by a publicity photographer. Haruka Ayase has a very athletic and cool way of running (she was apparently a star athlete in high school, including in track and field), very much like a guy in the way she uses her shoulders and drives her knees while staying loose in the hips. To replicate that I took full advantage of the TBL articulation, tilting and pulling the hips way to the side while hunching the torso forward and tilting and twisting the shoulders. The hardest thing was that every time I moved one joint or limb, the super tight joints would often jolt something else out of place so I had to keep taking it out of the light box and readjusting. And then I discovered what looks perfect by eye was not the same as through the lens, so I had to adjust it according to what the camera was seeing!   Then, after taking several pics (over 20 at different exposures), the best one had to be digitally edited to have the same high contrast but slightly fuzzy look to it. 

Compare it to the earlier version and you can clearly see the difference (not only because I stupidly had composited it in lo-res). The revised tunic is so much better in helping the posing too.


Video to come...

Great shots! Especially the first two pictures.

Awesome work on those! Agree that the first two are practically seamless and look like they could be from some kind of stylised animated version of the series. And wow, that publicity shot re-do is impressive. You're right that the improved sleeves made a difference.

Looking forward to the redone video!

Very nicely done. Since we have the comparisons right there, one can readily appreciate that you managed to replicate the pose in the running shot perfectly. And you are completely correct: the moment you move one joint, chances are some other has moved as well, and one has to keep track of them all over the body; moreover, like you said, what looks right to the eye does not always work equally well for the camera. All in all, I think you did an excellent job. The only thing that really gives away the running photo, is the higher resolution of Yamamoto Yae compared to her surroundings, but, after all she is the star and she is in focus. Your attention to detail (both in terms of outfit and pose) is very impressive.

Excellent composite work. 6 hours, you say! Impressive attention to getting the details just right -- but I think we've all come to expect no less from you. Beautifully done, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new video with that great music. Excellent work trying to replicate the folds in the clothes, as well as her running pose.

Really beautiful attention to detail, the intricacies of the details make your work look more worthy of a 200+ dollar price tag than mass produced figures out there. The use of armor and firearms is always an interesting mix, specially in 1868.

TravelGuide wrote:Great shots! Especially the first two pictures.

Thanks TravelGuide! That series of pics took the most work to edit. They are featured in the video and end up passing by a bit quick.

skywalkersaga wrote:Awesome work on those! Agree that the first two are practically seamless and look like they could be from some kind of stylised animated version of the series. And wow, that publicity shot re-do is impressive. You're right that the improved sleeves made a difference.

Looking forward to the redone video!

Thanks skywalkersaga! I tried my hardest to match the tone and "blend" the layers with the edits. And, you know, it did seem like the more I played with it, the more the figure seemed to become like a computer generated character. Weird. 

The tighter tunic and reduced armholes made a huge difference in posing.

GubernatorFan wrote:Very nicely done. Since we have the comparisons right there, one can readily appreciate that you managed to replicate the pose in the running shot perfectly. And you are completely correct: the moment you move one joint, chances are some other has moved as well, and one has to keep track of them all over the body; moreover, like you said, what looks right to the eye does not always work equally well for the camera. All in all, I think you did an excellent job. The only thing that really gives away the running photo, is the higher resolution of Yamamoto Yae compared to her surroundings, but, after all she is the star and she is in focus. Your attention to detail (both in terms of outfit and pose) is very impressive.

Thanks GFan! Yes, the TBLs are sometimes too good when it comes to joint tightness, but they are amazing at holding a pose and maintaining balance. And yes, I had to decide how blurry I wanted to make her. It lost too much detail when I matched it better, so I had to compromise and make her jump out a bit more.

Stryker2011 wrote:Excellent composite work. 6 hours, you say! Impressive attention to getting the details just right -- but I think we've all come to expect no less from you. Beautifully done, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new video with that great music. Excellent work trying to replicate the folds in the clothes, as well as her running pose.

Thanks Stryker! Yes, I do get obsessed, but time literally falls away when I'm in a zone and working on this stuff. I've been known to work through the night and not realize it until the sun starts streaming into the window. Luckily my schedule is my own.

A trick I used with the billows in the tunic was just stuffing some foam pieces in there and folding them in.

Theboo-bomb wrote:Really beautiful attention to detail, the intricacies of the details make your work look more worthy of a 200+ dollar price tag than  mass produced figures out there.  The use of armor and firearms is always an interesting mix, specially in 1868.

Thanks so much Theboo-bomb! Yes, I've been fascinated by the incredibly rapid transition in military technology of this era in Japan, to say nothing of the political and cultural change. A lot of people are, it seems!

And now, finally, after much work, here's the finished revised video.



The music is the same as the first version, but I've changed much of the first third of the video by using more show "footage" (using more quick clips and stills). I've moved the "beauty shots" of the figure to the end of the video, because I felt they were just too static and most people quit watching when they came on at the beginning. IOW, more Haruka Ayase, less 1/6 Yae! But don't worry, there's still plenty of shots of the figure throughout in action and in composite shots. You'll just have to watch all the way through to the end to see the new beauty shots of the updated figure!

Please note: this video was rendered in 4K specifically so that YouTube would assign the higher resolution codec to it. I didn't realize how badly they were compressing 1080p HD videos until I tried uploading it in regular HD and watched it--it was terrible! The film footage was jittery and blocky, and my lovingly edited composite and transition shots were just muddy. So please, do yourself a favor and change the resolution to 2160p (4k)! Just click on the gear icon at lower right to do that. It doesn't matter if your screen or computer isn't capable of that resolution, you will end up getting a normal HD picture as I intended it. If you leave it set to 1080p (which seems the default) it will not look good.

(I will be delisting the original video, but will leave at least one of the embeds active on this thread so you can view if wanted, but it won't turn up in searches and the general public won't see it.)


Hope you enjoy!

That's fantastic! The the intro is a nice touch, and the new transitions and scenes are beautifully done. The improved quality is definitely apparent and you're right that viewing in in the higher resolution pays off. The music, as before, is lovely and really sticks in my head. Thanks for sharing your hard work here -- now, going back to watch it again! :')

I agree, beautifully done and presented!

Who says you can't improve on perfection! The updates on the figure really do give her even more of a sense of realism. I'd never have guessed they were needed, but after seeing, they're subtle but are such an improvement. And the video is incredible! I can't believe how well you perfectly replicate each pose from the show, and how seamlessly the figure swaps out for the actress. So well done! Still completely awed by every aspect of this project, from the figure's detail, to the final result with the video. Inspiring.

I am back..u!

Let me dissect.

(Everything in CAPSU is to be read with a deep loud Japanese accent in your heads)

CHAPTER I

SAMURAI KOMANDERU

Yes, this is one  beautiful dude.

After delving into the Chinese side of historical armor and weaponry for fantasy purposes first, I also became interested in Japan again recently. Partly your fault, haha, although it's some hundred years earlier.

These little 'lamellae' held together by string/cord are what frighten me the most about delving into self creating Japanese inspired fantasy stuff. While other complicated materials like chainmail can mostly be hidden or marginalized with plate and padding, these inconic lamellae looks just have to be somewhere for the mood. Stringing together a suit out of little squares would be a great and fun project, but also might kill my brain and time like so many other projects, haha.
So it makes sense these are offered as cheaper one piece molds.
Also interesting a Hideyoshi armor can still be used in the period you are depicting. But I could also see some European 16th century cuirasses used on characters living hundreds of years later.

Overall, great authorative aura this guy. Especially in combination with the other soldiers.

CHAPTER II

HACHIMAKI BOI

If it really is about age, just be glad he isn't 99 or something. Really appreciate the OCD patience of making it all right and accurate with the squares. Just skill an patience or do you use particular tools? I see myself creating ugly frizzy cut up edges when attempting this.

While the body armor does seem to look differently on the show, I really like the color combo of reddish brown and blue here.

I actually like these Ashigaru body armors more than  the complicated strung together ones from the samurai. There are some segmented 'tassets' and 'pauldrons' held together by string but it's not too complicated, which I like. The fantasy armor I would bash one day would look more like Ashigaru I guess.

Btw, do you know your way around realistic Japanese head sculpts? I really can't find many on ebay etc. Actually I only found Takeshi Kitano yet. In three hair colours, haha.


CHAPTER III

FUTSOLDIERU

Ooh, that hat + strappings! It might look minor, but could you imagine him with just a simple leather strap? No, that would look wrong. Great job and detail attention.
And that solid chin beard is really a great help in holding the strings together I think.

Also really like this 'one piece' Ashigaru body armor, despite the anachronism (I wouldn't have known there was one if you didn't mention it).


CHAPTER IV

YAE

Kinda dejavueish..deja..vesque...to see someone's 'favourite' figure being reworked again and again, haha. And beating yourself up because having taken shortcuts. (Something I am doing too, recently.)
Speaking of which, these beautiful gloves are great, wanted to do something like this leather adding/lenghtening for a while now, with almost the same gloves. (But with adding armor finger segments).

Again, love how you found these tiny tiny flowers matching the show's right armband.

I made first thumb-up-like of video picture movie film!
The first transition makes her look like from a video game or animation show.
6 hours for one photo?? Yeah that's insane dedication.
Glad I am a normal person. Now let me get back to finding the right curve angle for the belly armor segment I am working on, so it can bend correctly when the character is sitting. After 4 prototypes I think I might be onto something.

CHAPTER V

BURIZKERIGARU

One minor critque though, already mentioned it earlier, I think you overran/steamrolled/blitzkrieged us with so many releases of so many figures happening at the same time. It is so much all at once, this mega release took away from each individual figure which could be appreciated in more depth otherwise. Now they are a team which is great, but I could have more easily processed it in smaller bits haha.

I commented in the Video section, but I’ll leave another here — your extra work, and all the effort you put in to this new video, really paid off, TGF. Beautifully done all around. This project has been an absolute joy to follow.

skywalkersaga wrote:That's fantastic! The the intro is a nice touch, and the new transitions and scenes are beautifully done. The improved quality is definitely apparent and you're right that viewing in in the higher resolution pays off. The music, as before, is lovely and really sticks in my head. Thanks for sharing your hard work here -- now, going back to watch it again! :')  

Thanks sky! So glad you liked it (is that a crying emoji?)! I can't get enough of this soundtrack it is totally emotional and absorbing. 

GubernatorFan wrote:I agree, beautifully done and presented!

Thanks GFan!

ReverendSpooky wrote:Who says you can't improve on perfection! The updates on the figure really do give her even more of a sense of realism.  I'd never have guessed they were needed, but after seeing, they're subtle but are such an improvement.  And the video is incredible!  I can't believe how well you perfectly replicate each pose from the show, and how seamlessly the figure swaps out for the actress.  So well done!  Still completely awed by every aspect of this project, from the figure's detail, to the final result with the video.  Inspiring.  

To be the object of awe from someone whose work I'm in awe of is just... awesome! (  okay, that was weird grammar!) I so very much appreciate your positive comments and you know how I feel about your work. (it's just a love fest here!  ) Seriously, though, I'm really glad you noticed the improvements and how they may be subtle but affect the look in major ways. Thank you!!

Stryker2011 wrote:I commented in the Video section, but I’ll leave another here — your extra work, and all the effort you put in to this new video, really paid off, TGF. Beautifully done all around. This project has been an absolute joy to follow.

Thanks Stryker! I saw your comment over there and will respond to it soon. It actually deserves a thoughtful response. In the meantime, if you felt joy from this project, I am most humbled! Thank you!

Ovy wrote:I am back..u!

Let me dissect.

(Everything in CAPSU is to be read with a deep loud Japanese accent in your heads)

CHAPTER I

SAMURAI KOMANDERU

Yes, this is one  beautiful dude.

After delving into the Chinese side of historical armor and weaponry for fantasy purposes first, I also became interested in Japan again recently. Partly your fault, haha, although it's some hundred years earlier.

These little 'lamellae' held together by string/cord are what frighten me the most about delving into self creating Japanese inspired fantasy stuff. While other complicated materials like chainmail can mostly be hidden or marginalized with plate and padding, these inconic lamellae looks just have to be somewhere for the mood. Stringing together a suit out of little squares would be a great and fun project, but also might kill my brain and time like so many other projects, haha.
So it makes sense these are offered as cheaper one piece molds.
Also interesting a Hideyoshi armor can still be used in the period you are depicting. But I could also see some European 16th century cuirasses used on characters living hundreds of years later.

Overall, great authorative aura this guy. Especially in combination with the other soldiers.

CHAPTER II

HACHIMAKI BOI

If it really is about age, just be glad he isn't 99 or something. Really appreciate the OCD patience of making it all right and accurate with the squares. Just skill an patience or do you use particular tools? I see myself creating ugly frizzy cut up edges when attempting this.

While the body armor does seem to look differently on the show, I really like the color combo of reddish brown and blue here.

I actually like these Ashigaru body armors more than  the complicated strung together ones from the samurai. There are some segmented 'tassets' and 'pauldrons' held together by string but it's not too complicated, which I like. The fantasy armor I would bash one day would look more like Ashigaru I guess.

Btw, do you know your way around realistic Japanese head sculpts? I really can't find many on ebay etc. Actually I only found Takeshi Kitano yet. In three hair colours, haha.


CHAPTER III

FUTSOLDIERU

Ooh, that hat + strappings! It might look minor, but could you imagine him with just a simple leather strap? No, that would look wrong. Great job and detail attention.
And that solid chin beard is really a great help in holding the strings together I think.

Also really like this 'one piece' Ashigaru body armor, despite the anachronism (I wouldn't have known there was one if you didn't mention it).


CHAPTER IV

YAE

Kinda dejavueish..deja..vesque...to see someone's 'favourite' figure being reworked again and again, haha. And beating yourself up because having taken shortcuts. (Something I am doing too, recently.)
Speaking of which, these beautiful gloves are great, wanted to do something like this leather adding/lenghtening for a while now, with almost the same gloves. (But with adding armor finger segments).

Again, love how you found these tiny tiny flowers matching the show's right armband.

I made first thumb-up-like of video picture movie film!
The first transition makes her look like from a video game or animation show.
6 hours for one photo?? Yeah that's insane dedication.
Glad I am a normal person. Now let me get back to finding the right curve angle for the belly armor segment I am working on, so it can bend correctly when the character is sitting. After 4 prototypes I think I might be onto something.

CHAPTER V

BURIZKERIGARU

One minor critque though, already mentioned it earlier, I think you overran/steamrolled/blitzkrieged us with so many releases of so many figures happening at the same time. It is so much all at once, this mega release took away from each individual figure which could be appreciated in more depth otherwise. Now they are a team which is great, but I could have more easily processed it in smaller bits haha.

Wow, thanks for this amazingly in-depth and supportive response Ovy! I will respond to your response ( ) in order:

CHAPTER I

SAMURAI KOMANDERU

Yes, this is one  beautiful dude.

Ha, you know, I had a feeling that my least favorite figure and one that I spent the least amount of effort on would get a great response (not just from you, a few others have mentioned him above too). I think the intricate pattern even when just painted on can seem impressive, but this one was so poorly done I weathered the hell out of it to try to hide how sloppy the paint job was (look closely and you can see how splotchy and messy it is; just terrible; I did better when I was 12). But, it was cheap, less than $100 for the body, clothes and armor. (The arm armor is from the PopToys ashigaru and is well done, if a little narrow and tight.) BTW if you really want to get into accurate lamellar samurai armor the recent sets put out by PopToys and COO look spectacular, with all that "stringing" done for you, but it will cost quite a bit (looks like they start around $300 and climb up over 400 really quick). But thanks for the compliment, glad you like his "authoritativeness." 

And yes, in the bakumatsu period (end of the Edo era), samurai still had armor that was completely unchanged from the beginning of the Edo era 260 years prior, so any armor that's made for the Warring States period can be applicable to this time period as well. Helmets are a slightly different thing, but there are pictures of the old style and elaborate helmets being used even after the Boshin war, during the Satsuma rebellion (1877), made famous by The Last Samurai. But during this period, many samurai were starting to dress in Western style uniforms so there was a real mix. That's what makes it so fascinating and cool to depict.

CHAPTER II

HACHIMAKI BOI

Yes, the squares were cut out completely free hand, using nothing more than a small scalpel blade (#12) for my X-acto knife (#11 blade doesn't work well here). Of course I measured carefully and marked them out so the cuts followed the lines, but it just takes practice and patience. It's hardly perfect under magnification, you can see some rough edges, but once again, naked eye is good enough!

And you mentioned that the armor is different from what the boys wore, but actually, it is exactly the same style that a few of them did wear! There were several different types, but at least two or three of them wore exactly this style. Here's that pic from before:

If you look at the boy on the far right, and the third from right, they are in fact wearing exactly this style, same shape and color (you have to enlarge the pic to see it better; also I have video evidence but it's too much work for me to go back and hunt for the right screen caps). The boy second from right has a similar style but with a different top "fork" where the shoulders start. And of course, the biggest boy on the steps wears totally different armor. The big difference is, for the boys who do wear this exact pattern, they are only wearing the front half because they are so small the full armor would have been huge on them! So the production team put the front part on their chests and bent the armor around their sides, and then tied it together with rope around the back. You can see a bit of that in this pic, also previously posted:


As far as Japanese headsculpts, it was a struggle finding them myself. The tough part is getting ones with the right hair pattern and also age. I needed to find as many clean shaven ones as possible and there are virtually none.

CHAPTER III

FUTSOLDIERU

Thanks so much for appreciating the hat and the chinstrap pattern! It seems so minor and simple but it's all about the details.

If I really wanted to be accurate with the cuirass I would have sewed or glued some fabric pattern and then glued about 30-50 small rectangular plates to it, but I thought this one was "good enough." Plus, I hate waste and if I didn't use this cuirass I probably would have never used it for anything else.

CHAPTER IV

YAE

Yup, sometimes you need to be obsessed with something if it really matters to you! That's the kind of project this has been for me. Thank you for mentioning the details like the gloves (the key is blending the colors so they look contiguous).

And yes, six hours, which didn't count the 2-4 hours of photoediting which came afterward so that it looked as close as possible to the production photo.

CHAPTER V

BURIZKERIGARU

Shouldn't that be ブリッつくリーグ ?  

I do take your criticism to heart, and wonder if that's why not many people are bothering to comment here, other than you loyal and stalwart few who have. It's probably smarter to do one thread per figure, rather than appending each new update to one massive thread, and of course to space them out a bit. I get on a roll and I do like the "archive" quality of one big thread, but it may not be user friendly. My thread has garnered over 1600 views, but only about 15 people have actually commented on it, and I'm noticing there are some frequent posters on this board who are ignoring it entirely. Must not be their cup of tea. Oh well. Perhaps they really do think my work sucks, or I irritate them somehow (I wouldn't be surprised). I'm kinda old school in my modeling approach, which seems to clash with the way people are putting figures together these days, so maybe that's it. Who knows, I'm still grateful to be hearing from people like you, and I thank you sincerely for your always thoughtful comments.

We have a weeping cherry tree in our garden; not quite a true sakura but the flowers are almost as lovely and similar in color if not as profusely abundant. This past week it hit peak bloom (things were very late this year because of how cold and wet our winter/spring was) and luckily we've had warm sunny weather so they seem particularly beautiful (usually they peak when it is grey and wet out). I took advantage of the happy circumstance and took some pictures of Yae by her "sakura."