UlasanAnime.com – The author is in a state of mind focused on figures, involving sales, selling items, cleaning, and organizing. The act of cleaning is emphasized repeatedly.
The author recounts a late night experience after having a few drinks. This led to a contemplation of selling some figures, specifically mentioning Alter’s re-release of two French-style maid figures in 2012, which caused their market value to drop significantly. The author realized they still had these figures unopened in their boxes and decided it was time to open them. A lighthearted comparison is made to aging scotch, noting that the Saber figure had aged for 5 years, though technically it was three ladies being considered.
The author also mentions experimenting with a 30mm lens to see if a macro lens purchase for the holidays would be worthwhile, leaning towards not buying one.
Links are provided to the MyFigureCollection (MFC) pages for the figures: Fate/Hollow Ataraxia – Saber Maid ver. (Alter) and Fate/Hollow Ataraxia – Saber Alter Maid ver. (Alter).
These two figures were released during a peak period of popularity for the Fate/stay night franchise, particularly when the fandom in Japan was highly engaged with Hollow Ataraxia, and the rest of the world followed suit. The year 2007 is described as a prosperous time for the market, unless one was a market analyst. The Saber Alter version of the figure was released as an exclusive in 2010, a period when the PVC fixed-pose anime figure market was experiencing significant growth. The original Saber maid figure also received a re-release around the same time.
The author shares a few more photographs of the figures. While trying to avoid explicit “panty shots,” the author observes that Saber Alter’s ruffles tend to ride up slightly more than Saber’s. An amusing detail noted is that Saber Alter appears to be wearing some form of swimsuit underneath her outfit, while the normal Saber wears what would be expected.
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A technical detail regarding the figures’ bases is pointed out. The 2010 re-release of Saber Maid featured the same base as the original. However, in 2012, Saber Maid was re-released with a new designation, “Maid ver. R.” This “R” version comes with a checkered floor base, which matches the depth of the Saber Alter base, facilitating their display side-by-side. For those who do not have these updated bases, the author suggests a less conventional, “ghetto” display method.
The author humorously suggests that the “ghetto” display method might actually be more photogenic.
Online observations indicate that the ver.R Saber Maid has a slightly different paint job compared to the original, designed to better complement Saber Alter.
Beyond technical aspects, the author highlights the enduring appeal of “zettai ryouiki” (absolute territory) and well-sculpted legs in creating attractive anime figures. This pair of figures is considered an extreme, perhaps even “gaudy,” example of this design choice. However, unlike many similar attempts, the design doesn’t feel like an afterthought or an accessory; instead, it serves as a prime example of how “zettai ryouiki” can be a central element in figure sculpting.
The author concludes by stating that the night ended with the three Saber figures finally displayed in their intended locations, out of their boxes.
PS. The author briefly mentions “Mahoromatic” and expresses gratitude to Ayako Kawasumi. This is noted as a temporary solution, with the possibility of switching to a better stand, though the current arrangement is expected to be satisfactory.
PPS. The author admits to not knowing how to attach the red mop accessory to the figure’s hand, but notes that it stands on its own, so they are content with that arrangement.
