Mari Illustrious
Rei Ayanami
Asuka Langley Shikinami
SEGA
These three completed models come to us from SEGA (yes, the video game company)’s line of premium (PM) UFO catcher (arcade claw game) prizes.
Rei, Asuka, and Mari are presented in the form seen in the current Rebuild of Evangelion movie series, rather than the original TV series; this manifests mostly in Asuka’s uniform, as well as the inclusion of the movie-exclusive character of Mari.
All three are static plastic models on identical bases baring the NERV logo. While Asuka’s pose is somewhat flamboyant, the other two are plain and unimaginative. The sculpting is clean, and largely un-detailed, mimicking Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s original character designs quite faithfully.
Since these were made as arcade prizes, they’re fairly cheap (the retailed for about $15, if you wanted to avoid the game). The torso and legs are molded in one piece, while the arms, head, and hair are separate. The attachment of the head is done well, but there’s a noticeable seam at the shoulders, though it’s somewhat mitigated by the natural lines of the uniform.
The painting on of the accents on the uniform is a little sloppy. There’s a bit of painting outside the lines, and my Mari has had some touch up painting done in a slightly different shade of white. The eyes are good, though. They were probably stamped on, or something.
The figures stand about 10 inches, which is fairly large, especially given their bargain pricing. Even with their imperfections, they look nice on a shelf, and are a fine alternative to the $80 figures of the same size with better paint jobs.
