Like a lot of series, Strike Witches is one of those very popular shows that I somehow still haven't gotten around to watching completely. I've always enjoyed the character designs though, at least once I got used to the odd flight "suit" design, but the characters themselves always appealed to me.
One in particular was the lovely Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, who I took to from the moment I saw her. Those who know me know that shouldn't be a surprise, between the red hair and kemonomimi bent the series takes when the girls use their abilities. I've seen a number of figures released featuring her in particular, and it was Alter's take on the subject matter that I got my hands on. Click through to see if she flies high or I end up crying Mayday!
Figure Name: 1/8-scale Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke
Figure Maker: Alter
Retail Price: ¥7,429
Available at: HobbyLink Japan
Of course, we have to start with the requisite box shot. Overall, there's nothing particularly remarkable about her container. It's an appealing enough design, with a cloudy motif that certainly fits the series, and the front and back windows are very large, providing a nice look at Minna within. There are no side panels, however, instead giving us merely a shot of the character without any plastic in the way.
One thing I noticed in particular after opening was "Why does this have instructions?" I'd never seen a figure that was already completed but still came with directions on how to put things together. As it turned out, the instructions were more than necessary!
While everything else was easy enough to figure out, slipping her gun into her grip turned out to be a complete nightmare. Presumably made for much smaller hands than mine, it turned out that you were required to remove the strap from the grip, slide it into her hand, then somehow manage to fit the strap back into the absolutely miniscule notch at the base, while somehow fitting your fingers between her sleeve and the grip itself. Needless to say, this took far longer than I would have liked, and I nearly gave up more than a few times. Yet, I forged onward, all for the sake of accurate photos!
However, that wasn't the only concern. Sticking with the series' aerial theme, Alter managed to keep her lifted off of her base entirely to provide the illusion of flight. While I do have worries that this might lead to a leaner in the future, what with being propped up on only one leg, you can see that they at least took this into consideration, and she's fitted sturdily onto a nice solid metal rod instead. This should hopefully counteract any weight issues. Time will tell!
To continue along with the illusion, Alter has rather ingeniously crafted the propellers at the base of her legs. They can spin freely, and the paint job creates the sense of rotary blades in motion rather than simply making a blurry translucent disc. For that, I commend them!
Should you choose to, there are also additional propellers that aren't in motion, and it's very easy to remove the caps on her legs to fit them in place instead of the default versions.
As for the base itself, there isn't anything particularly amazing about it, but it does fit the character with a nice translucent blue coloring. Plus, to add at least a little touch to the design, it provides some character stats such as her name, height and birthday.
If you ask me, they've more than made up for the simplistic base with the amount of detail that went into her design. You can already see the level of effort that went into her gun and the mechanics of her legs, but everything about her uniform is very classy as well. They nailed the crisp militaristic look, and the painting is excellent as well. There aren't really any missed spots at all, and they did a nice job keeping the silver only within the boundaries of her buttons.
I'm really happy with the figure overall, and she's been a great introduction to Alter's work. With my only concern being the potential for leaning in the future, I'd have to absolutely recommend her to any fan of the series, without a doubt. Just remember not to rage too hard when trying to deal with attaching that gun!
[Thanks to HobbyLink Japan for providing Tomopop with this review sample!]
