Kirino Kousaka is the little sister from Oreimo, otherwise known as Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai! or My Little Sister Can’t Be This Bitchy Cute!. It’s a long title sure, but it’s a reasonably okay series. In short, big brother Kyosuke discovers his smart, talented, normal sister Kirino has a serious secret anime complex. Not only that, but she loves eroge, lolicon and siscon too. Her favourite games are where she plays the older brother in an intimate sibling relationship, so you can see how things get a little tough for Kyosuke as the show progresses; since he both helps to keep Kirino’s secret and maintain her hobby at the same time.
My biggest issue with the show is in fact Kirino. She’s just a bitch and a half. If you’ve seen the anime, you can in parts understand why Kyosuke would put up with a spoilt brat of a sister like Kirino, who’d rather hit you and berate you than actually be thankful for the effort you’ve gone through for them. But, as I said, you really have to watch to properly understand (and some might argue, is actually one of it’s charms). Still, Good Smile Company have once more produced the goods in making Kirino actually adorable, even if I’d like to give her a good slap. Straight up, Kirino isn’t anywhere as laden with accessories as say, the likes of Black Rock Shooter, but there’s enough here to enjoy her still.
Three faces come in the package, and offer a good view into Kirino’s character. There’s the smiling face, which is as far as I’m concerned is more a disarming mechanism – one that appeases parents, consoles friends, and tricks older brothers. But it’s hard to see this face being a total mask, and genuine politeness manages to sneak in there too. The second face is one the Kirino fans will know. Nose upturned with pursed lips, Kirino’s definitely not impressed. Looking slightly to her left, as if tilting her head to the side enough to convey a serious amount of irritation, she’s *this*close to giving Kyosuke a whack. Alternatively, this is a face of defiance, especially when used with the included crossed arms, and it seems like her pink cheeks are a slight shade darker too, maybe she’s a little embarrassed at the same time? Typical tsundere.
The last face is my favourite. Kirino has dropped the façade, and given into her true nature. Eyes squashed shut in delight, mouth agape in joy, her little snaggletooth poking out from the top, and heavily blushing, Kirino is really enjoying herself. Maybe her little sister in one of her eroge games said something especially adorable, maybe she saw someone cosplaying as her favourite anime character Meruru at Akihabara whilst shopping with her friends, maybe something deviant has crossed her mind. It’s my favourite face because there is no reservations, Kirino is being as true to herself as Kyosuke attempts to make her do throughout the series. Throw in her deep blue eyes, dirty blonde hair (wonderfully shaded by the way), and a simple pink hair clip and she’s certainly an attractive Nendoroid.
Kirino comes with lots of different arms, as to be expected of a Nendoroid. The standard ones have her arms hanging straight by her sides, hands bunched up into little chibi fists. Detach the arms from the sleeves, and you can (for her right arm) attach two different kinds of holding hands. Her arm bent, a small groove is there to slide into one of these her mobile phone, something no adolescent these days can live without. In a simple pink clamshell design, the screen and buttons are all there thanks for a decal, and another is used for a basic Meruru-inspired image on the phone’s back. The other arm accommodates either a DVD or Blu-ray case for Kirino to hold, since we’re given both. A small sticker sheet comes with this Nendoroid, with two options for the Blu-ray case (it’s actually one, since it’s both sides of the insert of the Black Rock Shooter OVA), one option for the DVD case (Kirino’s favourite show Hoshikuzu Witch Meruru), and two options for her paper bag.
Yes, a small chunk of rubber is provided, that charades as a paper bag that Kirino would lug around from a doujinshi event, definitely loaded with paraphernalia that her parents would highly disapprove of. This is carried by her left arm, with it’s own dedicated groove carved into her hand. Like the Black Rock Shooter Blu-ray case, Good Smile Company once again are flogging their own goods here. One of the two options you can put on the bag is of se kirara, an eroge game from GSC’s affiliate, Max Factory, or this another one, which I’m not sure of. It might be an actual real series, but it could also be some trashy fake harem series too, as it’s covered in cute schoolgirls and compromising poses. Both sides are different, and can be simply flipped around depending on your preference. I must warn you though, these are non-reusable stickers, so if you’re going to turn your little chunks of blue and white plastic into something more, pick carefully.
The other arm options for Kirino, beside the aforementioned crossed arms (and if you’re wondering, it’s actually two separate parts – don’t they link together well?) is a set with her arms up and her hands pressed against her cheeks, like even Kirino cannot believe it’s not butter her little (eroge) sister is that cute. This goes perfect with her blushing face, and really captures her character. The stand included for Kirino is more your traditional Nendoroid one – no fancy multi-jointed arms and multi-faceted bases. Just the single, clear round base, a hole to plug in the tiny single-joint arm, which a connector in the shape of the inside back of Kirino’s skirt. Yep, just slide it in behind there, and it should perch her well enough, but not perfectly.
Another thing that “just gets the job done” is Kirino’s school uniform. It’s very basic, with no love put into it either. It’s a simple two-tone sailor-inspired uniform, with a dull blue-grey colour against the neutral white. Some small solace is found in the small, violet ribbon hanging from her collar, but even that looks faded. Last, on Kirino’s stubby little legs are some stubby little brown school shoes, with a navy blue pair of socks, trying desperately to break the monotony. This is a Nendoroid where all the action is upstairs, and besides, when you have a figure whose head is this big, it’s a fair chance you won’t be busy staring at their disproportionate torso.
This is a Nendoroid that does enough to warrant it’s purchase. Fans will especially adore her, as it successfully shows Kirino’s tempered nature. I’d have liked to have seen a proper ’embarrassed’ face, but GSC made the right move by only giving us a sniff of it in her serious face, and it’s also more appropriate considering her tsundere attitude. That silly pervert face also gives her that little extra over her figma counterpart. The accessories are nice too, if a little basic, and I couldn’t help but wince at little at GSC’s blatant self-merchandising. But then again, it’s their product, they can do what they want with it. That said, it was really nice of them to offer both sides of the BRS Blu-ray, since I personally like the inside version better (it’s an anime more about friendship than BRS herself). The crossed arms work a treat, as is her face-squashing ones. My little Nendoroid Kirino can’t be this cute.
Originally posted 21-03-2011 here.
lifelike texture 