Petanko Mini! Tomoe Mami Review

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for a review that would not normally have been done if it was not for a little accident that I made a while back. You see, try as I may to catalogue my Mami collection, mistakes still do happen from time to time and sometimes I end up getting two of the exact same collectible. And this was exactly what happened when I stumbled upon not one but two Petanko Mini! Tomoe Mami mini figures. 

Under normal circumstances, I would make a mental note to be more careful in the future to prevent adding unnecessary duplicates to the collection. But, this turned out to be a rather fortunate turn of events as these two variations of the same mini-figure reflected just how finicky the collector's market can be. Take for example, this first example of the Petanko Mini Mami, complete with its original papers, this rare mini-figure can fetch anywhere between 1,400-2,000 Yen in the re-seller's market. 

Loose the original papers and fancy wrapping and immediately, the price plummets down to less than half of what it was worth, down to 600 Yen. Even upon closer inspection, there are hardly any noticeable differences between the two with both being in mind condition. With this unique opportunity presenting itself, I decided it would be a very good opportunity to review this now rare mini-figure of Mami in her half-age (Petanko) form. 

Before we jump straight into the review, let us go over some basic information about this mini-figure. 

• Manufacturer: Penguin Parade
• Series: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Petanko! Mini, School Uniform Version
• Price: 680 Yen
• Release Date: 11/2013
• Scale: Non-scale (~45 mm)
• Material: PVC

For those who are unfamiliar, the Petanko series of figures produced by Penguin Parade depict various anime characters as younger versions of their self. Hence, the half-age designation which normally depicts the characters as children albeit maintaining most of their physical traits and outfits. The Petanko! Mini series is a further expansion of the Petanko series which brings things further by not just halving the age but, their size as well.

Each Petanko! Mini figure is roughly the same size as the normal sized Petanko figures which are already fairly small figures to begin with. In essence, the Petanko! Mini series is not unlike the Nendoroid Petit and Kyun Chara Vignette series which themselves are scaled down version of the Nendoroid and Kyun Chara series respectively. That being said, there is one unique factor which makes these Petanko and Petanko! Mini figure so sought after by collectors especially if it featured your favorite character during its limited production run. 

For starters, there is the obvious cute factor which was the original selling point for when these mini-figures were first released. The Petanko! Mini simply acted as an extension of the series bringing the cute factor down to a smaller scale also acted as a catalyst to improve upon the cuteness factor. 

But unlike the competitors which had to sacrifice a great deal when scaling down, either in the way of losing detail, articulation or gimmicks, the Petanko! Mini was essentially a like for like scaled down version of the larger Petanko figures. Every detail, perfectly recreated without the steep price tag of the full sized figure with little compromise in terms of coloring, sculpt or feature set. 

Of course, when we are referring to feature set, it pretty much comes down to the clear white base and the articulating neck joint. Item packaging is also changed from lovely clear plastic boxes (Petanko) to simple closed-off blind boxes (Petanko! Mini). 

But, that is pretty much where the compromise stops as every other aspect is carried over faithfully from the original Petanko figures down to the color of the pigments used. This is evident in Mami's yellow blonde hair which appears identical to the larger Petanko Mami in comparison. While I cannot attest to such a degree of quality with the other characters in the series, it certainly bodes well for this series of figures.

With the main Petanko figures close to four times more than the petite version despite only being two times bigger, the smaller Mini version certainly appears to hold the better end of the discussion when it comes to value. But for collectors who value the finer details, finishing touches, increased scale and overall better finish, the original Petanko is not something that should be overlooked either. 

While the original Petanko version may reign supreme, the Mini version is no slouch either when it comes to detailing as it comes very close to matching its larger scaled siblings in that department. The red pinstripe detailing on Mami's jacket and, similarly, the white pinstripes on her skirt are all very neatly painted and have clean sharp borders. 

Aside from the ideal choice of yellow, the red color chosen by Penguin Parade also really stands out especially with Mami's bright red bow. And as you may have observed from the earlier shots, every other aspect of Mami has been carefully emulated to from her floral hairpiece to her gentle smile now in child-like proportions. All of that being said, there is still one factor we have yet to address.

Earlier in the review, I mentioned Petanko and Petanko! Mini figures being particularly sought after by collectors. Throughout the course of this review, I have illustrated the natural allures associated with the figure upon release and reasons to consider the scaled-down Mini version as well. But none of that compares to the fact that the Petanko/Petanko! Mini series has since been out of production since 2015 with only a small number of characters ever made. This makes the series of figures extremely sought after by collectors especially as the days go by. While I may have two copies of Petanko! Mini Mami in her school uniform, I have yet to find her in Magical Girl outfit just yet. 

And so, the hunt continues. More than just being something rare worth collecting simply because of rarity sake and the nature of the character, the Petanko! Mini Tomoe Mami is a very competent mini-figure especially something that originates from the realm of trading figures and blind boxes. Regardless of whether you are a fan of Mami or other members of the Magica Quartet, my recommendation is to prioritize collecting these in both Petanko and Mini format before they can no longer be found much less at a fair price. 

With that, we come to the end of the review for this Mami collectible which ticks both the boxes of being a high quality product and a rare piece. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comments section below. We would love to hear what you have to say. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!