Chobirume (Vol. 2) Toujou Nozomi Review

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for another figure review. This time, we have FuRyu's Chobirume Toujou Nozomi figure that I previewed recently in our unboxing post. Before we begin the review, let us get into some basic information about the figure itself. 

• Manufacturer: FuRyu
• Series: Love Live, Chobirume
• Price: NA (Prize Figure)
• Release Date: 06/2013
• Scale: Non-scale (~100 mm)
• Material: PVC

With that aside, let us get right into the review itself.

Standing just roughly 100 mm tall, this deformed-scale figure stands slightly shorter your typical Nendoroid or Kyun-chara figure. It is however, the same height as the Kyun-chara Vignette figures which are essentially petite version of the Kyun-chara figures. 

Besides the figure, base and stand, Nozomi does not really come with any additional accessories. In my earlier preview, I mentioned really liking the clear stand that FuRyu has implemented for this particular figure and I strongly believe that it is something other manufacturers should be implementing as well. Good Smile Company has been doing it with their Nendoroid series since the beginning so, I see no reason why the Kyun-chara series cannot do the same as well. 

In terms of pose, Nozomi sports a simple pose with an outstretched right hand as if to welcome others. The beauty of this pose is not in Nozomi's expressions or her gesture. Rather, it is in her stance where she is standing only on her left foot. The large head of deformed-scale figures often make them very imbalanced and poses with poor footing such as these can often be rather difficult to emulate. Fortunately, the team at FuRyu have done a very good job in ensuring that Nozomi stands upright firmly. 

When viewed from afar, there really are not glaring misses of faults associated with the figure. Everything from the coloring, sculpt and finish are on the level one would associate with prize figures. And that really is not a bad thing as many prize figures of this time period were plagued with quality control issues that made them serious deal breakers even at their low price points. I am happy to report then that the Chobirume Nozomi is free of any such issues. 

Details only really start to fall apart when you take a much closer look at the figure. Starting with the facial details, the decals of Nozomi's green eyes appear to be a little rougher in application than what we have seen in prize figures as of late. The result is a rather coarse finish on the eyes which is most noticeable when viewed at an angle. This could be a result of aging but, I would not be able to ascertain that for sure. Fortunately, the decals for Nozomi's eyebrows remain to be sharp and detailed. Overall, this face is unmistakably Nozomi's.

Moving on to her school uniform, we have Nozomi sporting a long sleeved shirt, striped skirt and matching blazer and tie. This may seem a little unusual to many but, this was actually Nozomi's original school uniform before a standardized outfit was created for the Otonokizaka High School. It is then where Nozomi ditched her blazer and blue tie for a green ribbon.

Taking a closer look at Nozomi's top and we can note a clear separation between the tie and shirt, a very nice touch indeed. Moreover, each button on the blazer is painted and even the folded sleeves are painted in a different color. At this point, the painting accuracy has started to falter which is one of the places where this is a prize figure becomes more apparent. It is by no means perfect but, it still is perfectly acceptable. 

Nozomi's skirt was originally a white short skirt with brown horizontal stripes and purple vertical strips. All of this is coupled with a pair of white thigh high stockings. Honestly, a white skirt does not make much practical sense especially for a school uniform. It was no surprise then that it was eventually standardized as the blue skirt. That being said, I do love the purple vertical stripes along the skirt! Not only do they add a color highlight but, it also shows the painstaking process FuRyu went through to emulate the original design!

Nozomi fans who love her thigh gap have nothing to worry about too as they are ever present. Only this time with a pair of white stockings instead. Just like her skirt, these were changed to black in the anime. These stockings are paired with a pair of black shoes that help to set the school uniform tone. Painting on the borders between the shoes and stockings are a little iffy but, that would really be nitpicking at this point. 

Then comes my favorite part of the entire figure, Nozomi's hair! While she may be sporting a darker shade of purple, Nozomi's hair is still tied in her signature twin tails and they are the most lively part of the entire figure. The was to spread out from side to side with sharp, defined tips on each tail really brings a lot of character and life to Nozomi.

What's more Nozomi's pink scrunchies are also present and have been an ever present accessory since her initial design. These pink scrunchies help to add a nice touch of contrast to Nozomi's hair all while remaining in the same relative color spectrum as Nozomi's purple hair. 

It is important to note that the original members of Muse sported much darker and more realistic hair tones. For example, Rin had dark orange, almost brown, hair instead of her bright orange do that she is now known for. While, Umi had very deep blue strands compared to her more royal blue appearance that she had now. Regardless of the changes, Nozomi's pink scrunchies still work with her image and has always been a pivotal point in her everyday appearance which helps to make it all the more special. 

All in all, FuRyu's Chobirume (Vol. 2) Toujou Nozomi is not a figure any particular strong suits. But with every factor taken into consideration as a whole, Nozomi turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant addition to the collection. Regardless of whether you are a fan of Love Live or Nozomi, the Chobirume Nozomi is certain to have a certain special place in your collection. 

With that, we come to the end of this review of my first ever Nozomi prize figure. I hope you have found this review useful and if you do have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comments section below. Next time, we will be taking a 360 degree look at this Chobirume Nozomi in our 360 view segment. Until then, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!