The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a Manga and an Anime which follows the life of Haruhi a high school girl who can unconsciously change reality, and her adventures in herself proclaimed SOS Brigade, which she founded to investigate mysterious happenings. Fun then ensues as she recruits Kyon a cynical classmate, Yuki who is a bibliophile, Mikuru who is a time traveller and Itsuki the esper, but alas to Haruhi is unaware of her comrades’ true identities. Mikuru is a time traveler from the future, who like Yuki has been assigned to keep an eye on Haruhi and discover the reason why there, is now an inability to time travel to any point in time before three years prior to the present story.
Tsuruya-san is the hyperactive friend of Mikuru and makes several appearances throughout the series. She is loud with a cheerful and friendly disposition and is prone to fits of unrestrained laughter caused by things she finds humorous. Tsuruya-san's fang-like tooth gives her an idiosyncratic speech pattern and a slight lisp. Tsuruya-san has also been named an Honorary Consultant of the SOS Brigade by Haruhi, as for her home life she is the heir of the Tsuruya family, whom collaborates with Itsuki's Agency.
Emiri Kimidori is a soft-spoken and well-groomed second-year student with light green hair. Emiri is a Humanoid Interface and Yuki's superior. She also works in a Cafe which the SOS Brigade members often visit.
Packaging:
Tsuruya-san comes in a standard Figma box.
On the front is a window for viewing the figure, on one side is the Figma logo, on the other is a picture of the figure, on the back there is relevant information, all in Japanese, and pictures of the figure in various poses with their various accessories. Instructions for swapping face pieces and other items are usually printed on either inside of the box tabs or on a piece of paper slipped inside the packaging. Also take note that all figures you purchase have the correct authentication printed or stickered on the box.
Inside the box the figure is held between two pieces of moulded plastic, with spaces for their accessories. The extra hands and the base of the Figma stand are stored in plastic bags underneath the figure in the plastic moulding. Figures are usually wrapped with plastic in certain areas to protect the paint. Boxes also come with inserts which act as backdrops in the box and can be taken out and used for backdrops while displaying figures. Tsuruya-san's backdrop is a reflective silver
Figma’s also are supplied with a small zip-lock bag to store all the accessories in, the name of the figure can be written on this bag so that figure accessories can be stored neatly. Figma’s also come with a neat little device for storing the extra hands in.
Packaging = 6/10
Stand:
Tsuruya-san comes with the standard Figma stand. Made of clear plastic it has three points of articulation which move forwards and back on hinge joints, one joint is at the bottom where it plugs into the base, one in the middle and one where it plugs into the Figma. The articulation of the stand allows the Figma to be posed in a variety of dynamic poses, and because it is clear it does not interfere with the aesthetic of taking dynamic and exciting photos.
Stand = 7/10
Sculpt:
This is Tsuruya-san School Uniform Version.
Tsuruya-san's overall design is nice she is in the Haruhi Suzumiya winter uniform and looks very cute.
Starting from the top, her hair is nicely shaped, Emiri's hair is also nicely shaped with soft PVC so that she can move her head around. Tsuruya-san is wearing the school uniform which is made with some parts soft PVC, her collar part is soft PVC and her skirt is soft PVC, her bow is semi-soft plastic and so does not restrict movement. The uniform is sculpted well, with nice details and layers and you can even see her belt which is nicely detailed. And she is also wearing the standard Figma soft PVC panties.
Sculpt = 8/10
Paint:
Tsuruya-san has a nice colour scheme white, light and dark blue, red and green hair. Her paint job is very nice with little error, nice detail on her cuffs and on the school logo on her undershirt. Her face's are painted very well as is the Emiri face.
Paint = 7/10
Articulation:
Tsuyura-san use’s the standard Figma joint system. Figma joints are hinge joints with pegs on either end allowing both forward and back movement and rotation.
At the head a Figma joint is used at the top of the neck allowing the figure to look up and down and turn their head left and right, however looking up is restricted somewhat by the design of the back of the hair. To change the faces on Figma’s the front piece of hair is removed and then the faces can be taken of and swapped.
The shoulder consists of a double joint, a ball joint which sits inside the upper body, this is attached to a ball shaped Figma joint which acts as the shoulder, and this allows full range of motion to the shoulder. Further down a Figma joint is used as the elbow and bends in and then out straight and there is some slight rotation for the lower arm to turn in and out. At the wrist the various hands plug into a small hole at the end of the arm. Each hand also has a hinge joint, which not only allows the hand to rotate but also to move up and down which gives the figure realistic wrist movement.
A waist joint is located in the middle of her torso. Waist joints are ball and socket joints, a ball joint will be attached to the upper body and which plug into a socket in the main torso, this gives the body twisting movement and bending forwards and back. At the hips a three jointed ball and socket joint is used. One ball plugs into a socket at the bottom of the torso acting as the hip joint; this allows the hips to turn side to side, lean forward or back, then on each of the other two ball joints the legs plug on. Each leg has an inner socket which the ball joint plugs into, this piece allows full range of motion from the ball joint and also allows the thigh to turn in and out as it pegs inside the main leg piece.
A Figma joint is then used as the knee allowing the knee to bend backwards and then out to straight, and there is some slight rotation for the lower leg to turn in and out. The ankle also is a Figma joint allowing the foot to point and flex turn in and out.
Tsuruya-san has added articulation in her hair, she has a hinge joint in her main hair piece so that it can move back allowing her to be attached directly to her stand.
Tsuruya-san is therefore highly posable and can be posed in a variety of ways. With the use of the accessories supplied, her peace sign hands and the Emiri head, she can be displayed in a number of poses, spreading world peace and being the cute Emiri. However there are a few areas in which articulation is restricted, the length of her hair also restricts her from some movements, apart from this her movement is pretty much free.
Articulation & Pose = 8/10
Enjoyment:
I will break down enjoyment into two categories: Accessories and Play Value.
Accessories:
Tsuruya-san comes with three facial expressions; a super happy expression, and a normal happy expression, and Emiri's expression. Tsuyura-san also comes with an assortment of hands; a pair of fists, a pair of open hands, a pair of hands for holding items, a pair of relaxed hands, a pointing hands, and a pair of peace sign hands.
Tsuruya-san also comes with the Emiri head, which does allow faces to be exchanged but as Emiri only has one facial expression and does not fit the other figures it seems pointless. Tsuruya-san also comes with a piece of hair which plugs into the back of her head to hid the hole where her stand can plug into, a very nice touch by Max Factory. And so Tsuruya-san does not really come with any accessories but this is normal for the early Figma's.
Play Value:
I will break down play value into two categories: Compatibility, with other figures and accessories, and general play.
Compatibility:
Tsuruya-san is able to use Reimu's face's and faces from other Tsuruya-san Figma's. Her holding hands are large enough for her to hold a number of weapons and she can even use Aegis's rocket punch.
General Play:
In general Tsuruya-san is a fun figure to have, I can mix and match her with my other Tsuruya-san and as she comes with Emiri's head I think I will mainly use that and just use the other Tsuruya-san faces with my maid version. Overall a very cool figure in the lovely school uniform of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Enjoyment = 8/10
Over all Tsuruya-san scores 7.3/10
