Tsugumori

Tsugumori is the protagonist mecha in the Knights of Sidonia manga, recently serialized in english and currently in anime development. I have no familiarity with the source material, but I’ve been interested in the Riobot line, and this tasty, Nagano-esque design appealed to me.

SEN-TI NEL clearly means business. This packaging is top notch. The minimal, matte (with glossy accents) outer sleeve is like something from the heady days of the early-aught boutique mecha toy explosion. The graphic design is impeccable and tastefully bespoke.

The inner packaging features your typical vaccu-formed parts tray. Accessories include variant hands, a variant head, variant arm armor, a lance, and numerous sections of what will become a very long weapon.

Also included is a sleek stand-alone platform and display stand with articulated armature.

The package exudes quality, and the figure itself does not disappoint. This is an impressive piece. While lacking in heft (everything here is plastic or PVC), the fit and finish are substantial.
The complexity of layered parts is absorbing. I can look at this thing all day long. Every angle is attractive. Like a fine automobile, the Tsugumori is dynamic even when standing still.

Standing still, though, is really what this figure does best. The design, particularly in the shoulders, limits movement. When you attempt any kind of movement, things get dicey. This is a very finicky toy. That goddamn shoulder armor falls off every time you move the arms. The arm falls off when you put the armor back on. Putting the arm back on somehow stresses the ankle, which promptly skitters across the table. Getting the whole thing back together is a protracted, frustrating process.

I was really ready to dismiss the whole thing as an ambitious failure, but I found its groove. Once I understood the underlying logic of the construction, I worked around the troublesome joints and found the sweet spots.

The delicacy is worth it. Such is the beauty of this figure. Examination yields so many thoughtful details.

Articulation is fine but kinda beside the point. Tsugumori doesn’t need to do much to look cool. The stand allow for some majestic floaty poses.

I quarrel with the large weapon. While superfans may rejoice at a ridiculously large gun, I just find it annoying. I can’t even photograph the damn thing, let alone display it.

If this figure is indicative of SEN-TI-NEL’s Riobot offerings, I am cautiously excited. My patience for pretty, crumbly toys is exhausted, but if SEN-TI-NEL can elevate its products above the standard fare, Riobot should be a durable brand.