Hoi Hoi-San

A Die-Cast Metal Hoi Hoi-San is about as close to the real thing as you are going to get.

She comes from a series of Manga / Anime / Games called One Shot Bug Killer Hoi Hoi-San. In this series set in the near future, insects have become immune to pesticides. A Japanese company creates a series of pint-sized robots that live in your home and kill the insects for you. Of course, lonely otaku obsess over these little bots in their apartments.

There have been previous releases of the character, but those have been limited items or plastic kits. Kotobukiya’s plastic kits are really nice (and affordable) but Bandai decided to add her to their chogokin line. She is after all a robot – why not make her out of metal?

(Kotobukiya on the left, Bandai on the right)

Hoi Hoi-San arrives courtesy of HobbyLink Japan

The box is small, but colorful with tons of details. The packaging is kind of neat.

The box unfolds at the top, and inside are two diecut flaps. It’s a nice presentation.

Inside there are layers of plastic trays, with a special bonus set of extra faces at the bottom. I believe these are premiums included with the first release.

The core figure of Hoi Hoi-San is small, but that’s because she is actual size. She’s designed to be small – to fit on your desk and work at night to clean away pest infestations.

Diecast quantity is good, with diecast feet, torso, waist, and joints. The dress and the hair is a rubbery material, while the rest is hard plastic.

Articulation is better than it has any right to be, and the joints are really tight. So tight that you end up popping off joints sometimes instead of moving them. The figure is also top heavy, so posing it can be tricky.

Not trying to be a perv here, but just showing you the detail in the slip, and the fringes on the bloomers.

The back of the skirt has a bow that connects through the  skirt to the waist. An odd choice as extreme posing will pop the bow out. Each side of the bow can move independently.

The bow on the back of her head is actually a headphone jack. Each ear can be moved independently on a ball joint. These parts pop off easily when handling.

The center hair section is removal to reveal a cool feature – moveable eyes! You use the plug from the bow (or any pointy object) to move the eyes in unison.

Also on the back is a removable (non functional) USB port.

Hoi-Hoi San comes loaded with weapons and variant hands.

The blaster breaks down into smaller components.

The sword is pretty badass, but unfortunately the blade is plastic. Be aware that the hands are tight and getting accessories in and out can be tricky.

There’s also a large blue gun with removable barrel

Of course Hoi Hoi-San can wield multiple weapons at once.

Hoi Hoi-San includes alternate bare feet with connection points to the charger. I love the detail.

The charger actually has a light up feature powered by two watch batteries. Turn the base on and when both contact points are pressed, the light goes on.

There’s an accessory stand that clips on the side. Two other “ports” are provided for future weapons packs.

The extra faces are neat, and add a lot of personality to the figure. Hoi Hoi-San is usually depicted with a very stoic face, so I assume these extra faces are related to some special event in the story. Perhaps a programming glitch? The extra faces do not have moveable eyes.

It’s really a fun, cute piece with lots of play value. You can get yours at HobbyLink Japan