Study Desk

Review by siningy

Re-Ment's Petit Sample series covers a rather large range of products, but some of the most interesting things they make are the nostalgia inspired sets. One of these is the study desk or benkyouzukue, a staple of Japanese children's rooms for many decades. I'm sure anyone interested in Anime or Manga has seen these before in the background of their favorite shows. While most of us in the US are probably used to cheap particle board furniture, it seems that the japanese study desk has traditionally been made of high quality wood, sturdy and designed to last a child from elementary school through high school. Designs tend to differ slightly depending on the maker, but all the study desks seem to share the same general shape, with a small side drawers and hutch.

The packaging is just a simple cardboard box featuring the study desk with accessories from other Re-Ment sets. The contents are actually pretty heavy like most of the larger Re-Ment furniture sets as they are large. The study desk comes in 5 pieces, the main desk with drawer and small cabinet, a hutch that goes on top of the desk, a second shelf that can be place on the desk or above the hutch, chair and a two sided table mat. Everything fits neatly together, but does not lock in place. There are little tabs for the hutch and shelf to sit securely but they are only meant to keep the pieces from sliding off.

All the components are fairly simple looking, though that's also due mainly to the design of the desk. The plastic color is pretty accurate to the actual desk and the drawers doors all feature molded wood grain. There isn't a lot of detail that can really go into the desk, but I do like the little touches such as the working drawers and little outlets on the hutch. The right side of the desk also features a little hanger. The desk mat is made of paper and features an image of the solar system on one side and Cutie Ribbon on the other. If anyone remembers the Nostalgic 80s Home sets I reviewed previously, Cutie Ribbon was featured on many accessories there too. The 'girls' side of the mat is a lot more interesting than the boys, and I do wish that Re-Ment had designed a fake Tokusatsu series for the 'boys' side.

The study desk can be set up in four combinations depending on which pieces you want to use but the biggest problem is that it's way too big for any 1/12 scaled figures. There's this weird dichotomy with the Petit Sample sets, as the smaller accessories tend to be slightly large for 1/12 figures but still usable and kind of perfect cartoonishly large ones for Nendoroids, but the furniture sets and certain accessory sets seem to be doll scaled, which seem to be maybe around 1/8 to 1/10 scaled.

I do like the study desk as it's another nostalgia baiting set for something that I have no actual nostalgia for, but the large size of it really makes it unfeasible for any of the 1/12 figures or Nendoroids I own. Nendoroids have to stand on the chair and it makes Figuarts look like tiny children. While most likely not the traditional CDX crowd, the desk probably works really well with Blythes, Licca-chan and other dolls of that scale. I forgot to take a picture with any Marvel Legends, but they are also still too small, so this might also work well with something like Play Arts Kai or stupidly priced King Arts Iron Man figures.