Sora no Kiseki – Estelle Bright Nendoroid by GSC
Estelle is a rather young woman, aged 16 at the start of the game. As a person, Estelle is a rather naive and straightforward girl who is always energetic and positive. She is very boyish in appearance and attitude, and has a “hit first and ask later” attitude.
Estelle was born in the rural areas of Rolent to Cassius Bright and his wife on 8-7-1186 of the Septian calendar. When Estelle was six, her mother was killed in the bombing of Rolent during the Hundred Day’s War, as she protected her in Rolent’s clock tower. It is this traumatizing event that first inspires Estelle to become a Bracer, as she chooses to be brave and courageous like her mother.
Five years before the events of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, when Estelle was 11, her father came home late with a wounded boy in his hands. The boy spoke nothing of his past, and Estelle and Cassius decide to adopt him. The boy was named Joshua Bright.
Something joyous happened recently. There is a small figure shop which was recently opened in a nearby town here, which means I no longer need to take a 1 hour+ long car ride to the city just for some figures! While the shop has a very very small collection, I would say it’s still a major improvement.
Needless to say, I bought something, and this nendoroid is something I bought from that store. I really love the game, and was thinking of buying this figure. At that time, she was already sold out in most online shops but I’m glad I still managed to buy her in this local store of mine.
The box is sporting blue, which I’m not sure if it fits with Estelle’s overall character since she’s more of the fiery and passionate type, so red would be more fitting. Blue is good for Joshua, if he’s ever going to have a figure of his own…
The box comes with quite a few parts. For the body parts, they are three faces, and obviously, a lot of different arm parts. She also comes with a staff, a fishing rod and a harmonica.
The figure looks cute and of cause, incredibly detailed. From the skirt, the shirt, the jacket, to the tinniest of things like the pendant and the belt; all crafted with precision. Not even a single detail is left out, and she even has her green shoulder guard, which is detachable to fit into other arm parts.
Made in China!
A pet peeve I had in regards to this is the stand, the huge number of holes made the figure overall looks slightly ugly. Why need so many holes in the first place? I think the figure would had looked so much better by using a more simple stand.
The above pictures show her with the fishing rod. Sadly, no string, hook or anything attached to the rod, so it loses some realism here.
Some staff actions above. Posing around with the staff was slightly difficult due to the length.
D’awww
Of all the expressions, this had to be my favorite yet. For those who played the game, this expression (together with the harmonica) captured the sorrowful emotions she felt in the game thoroughly. It made me relieve one of the most dramatic moment in the game’s ending.
There are some slight issues here and there but this is overall, an excellent nendoroid, and it’s definitely a mandatory collection for fans of the game. Slightly unrelated, the design of this nendoroid is the same as the clothes she wear in the later sequels. It makes me wonder if there ever comes a chance for me to play a localized versions of the sequels..
“The huge number of holes made the figure overall looks slightly ugly. Why need so many holes in the first place? I think the figure would had looked so much better by using a more simple stand.”
Sadly, that’s the standard for Nendoroid stands now (although several figures now have had gorgeous custom stands, which I hope become more frequent in the future…). I think that the extra holes are supposed to give you more options for what angle you want to pose your figure, but I frequently just take them off the base and let the arm stand support them when I take pictures.
I haven’t been buying Nendoroids for a while but is that right? Looking at amiami, I do certainly see a few nendoroids with that stand, but there are also new nendoroids with the normal round stand too. This is the first time I came across this issue so I guess this is something I should keep a lookout for too.
The newer ones pictures with round stands are usually prototype pictures. If you look close, you can see that the feet are attached to it in some way. You can also see it on Mikatan’s blog, where GSC previews their Nendos. Sadly, the swiss cheese stand is the norm for now.
Does amiami even shows prototype figure? o.O http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIG-MOE-7455&page=
But if you say so, professor :D
The pictures are provided by the manufacturers, which are pictures of the prototype. Which is why when there are differences/defect/etc. on the final product that people don’t like, you’ll hear the claim “well, that’s just the prototype, you shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up,” or something like that.
But I should stop dumping all this info on your blog, it’s not often I get to geek out over figurine details. ;^^
Yea if you say so D:
I didn’t knew who she is, but I saw her on Deviantart, she has such a nice design with the clothes, the brown twintails and all the other details. A fishing rod is funny. but without rope something is missing. I actually prefer these bases over the old ones, it’s a lot more stable and durable in my hands ^^ I already crushed 2 of three bases :(
Indeed, she’s fappable, uhh I mean no.. D:
That’s because there’s a fishing rod mini-game in the game >_> It does leave something to be desired.
I see, well it could be perhaps I’m not used to it yet, but I might be soon given time ;p What rough treatment D:
By far my most favorite heroine this generation. We need more heroine like Estelle! :]
Indeed. She’s a good character :D
Very nice Nendo there. I usually buy Nendo then I usually know so I skipped this one.
Picture..dack background is dark. :p
I haven’t been collecting much Nendo for a while later, this is my first in a long while.
I like them dark >_>
Man, I haven’t bought a portable console since the Gameboy Pocket. As for the nendoroid, you know how I feel about those.
Old G (jk)
I’ll turn 25 in two weeks so I’m kinda old in terms of animeniacs.