Kyun-Chara Bebe Review

Looking at my collection, I was not really sure what to post about today.  That was when I decided, that it would be a good time to finally showcase Bebe. More specifically, the Kyun-Chara Bebe figure that I got from Nakano late last year. Finally, a post dedicated entirely to Bebe with a figure of herself. Without wasting anytime, let us gloss over some basic information before jumping straight into the review.

• Manufacturer: Banpresto
• Series: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, The Rebellion Movie
• Price: 833 Yen
• Release Date: 10/2014
• Scale: Non-scale
• Material: PVC

Front View

What you see if what you get and if you are a fan of Bebe then, you are going to be in for a real treat. Outside of the two produced by Banpresto, one by Aniplex and another by Sega, there are hardly any other dedicated Bebe figures. Which makes this little gem all the more valueable. 

Rear View

Despite standing only 100mm tall (the standard for Kyun-Chara figures), this is actually one of the largest Bebe figures in the market excluding Aniplex's Pile Up Figure which are essentially 3 Bebe(s) stacked on top of each other. In fact, when compared to other Bebe "figures", the Kyun-Chara one is downright colossal. 

More special than her size though, is one very unique thing about this Bebe that sets her apart from the others. And that is, her facial expression. You see, they were 6 original characters when Banpresto first released these Kyun-Chara(s) as part of the Rebellion Movie Kuji. These characters were Homura, Madoka, Bebe, Nagisa and one other secret character.

As it turned out, that "secret" member just turned out to be another Bebe albeit with a different facial expression compared to the "standard" Bebe. Where the normal Bebe had a mischievous smiling expression, this secret one has a wide opened mouth smile.

Other than that, everything remained the same between the two. From her pose to the base, everything is identical short of the expression. But that alone, was enough to warrant a notable premium in the re-sellers market over any other of the Kyun-Chara(s) released during that Kuji. The price premium may be one thing but, the rarity was another. Till date, I have only seen two or three of these in the wild. Each and every one demanding a steep price.

 

Bebe's signature features? Her overly long sleeves.

Her signature cape. You may not be able to see it but, the face (of Charlotte?) printed on the cape is present too!

And her oversized ears which resemble the ends of a candy wrapper. Hence her name, the Candy Witch.

Cheese...

Despite having to pay a rather astounding premium (1,500 Yen) for her, I cannot for a moment say I am disappointed with the money spent. In true Kyun-Chara fashion, the all-around quality is top-notch. I especially like the light pink finish for Bebe's head which really helps to apply subtle contrast throughout the rest of the figure. 

Because of her atypical design, Bebe needed to have a special stand too. Unlikely the usual humanoid-characters, Bebe has very tiny feet which fit into two small holes present on the base. The stand at the back secures to the back of her head and keeps everything fitted in place. While difficult to set in place initially, things held together fairly well after getting it right. No specific instructions but, you only need to get it right the first time with no subsequent adjustment required. 

Where did Mami go?

Do you know where Mami went? Do you have cheese?

Yes, she is rare. Yes, she is expensive. And yes, there is little differences over the standard Kyun-Chara Bebe. Do any of that matter? Probably not. Why? Because, Bebe. And that is all we need to know. There is a reason why Bebe has been such an endearing character frequently featured in many of Madoka Magica's merchandise and artwork. It is that little bit of insanity mixed in with a whole dollop of cuteness that is both Bebe and the Madoka Magica series in general. And as much as you would like to focus on the cuteness, you can never forget the insanity which keeps you coming back for more. So, more Bebe figures in the future? I say, yes please.

While on the topic of Madoka Magica, there is something really special and Mami related that will be feature on Tiro Finale tomorrow. Stay tuned for that! Until then, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!