Nesoberi Chronicles 9 - Honoka's Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for a new chapter of Nesoberi Chronicles. In the previous episode, we introduced the latest addition to the Nesoberi family, Kousaka Honoka Snow-halation Version. While the previous chapter focused more on Honoka's inclusion into the new family, today we will be taking a look exclusively at Honoka and what her latest Nendoroid has to offer. 

Being part of the Mega Jumbo species of Nesoberi, Honoka measures roughly 40 cm in length. The Mega Jumbo species is second only to the 50 cm Hyper Jumbo(s) and, more recently, the 150 cm behemoths that are the Tera Jumbo(s). Fortunately, as many collectors will attest to, the size of the Mega Jumbo(s) are spot on without being too large nor too small. It hits a certain sweet spot that is hard to find elsewhere in the universe of plushies. 

Of course, this particular Honoka is not called the Snow-halation version for no reason as we have Honoka dressed in her outfit from their second single, Snow-halation. Both the song and outfit has since gone on to become one of Muse's most iconic hits and it is no surprise that this current iteration of Honoka (as with the other members of Muse) are seen sporting this popular outfit. More about that in a bit.

Ever optimistic, Honoka's personality shines through even in Nesoberi form with her vivid expression. With a wide open smile and hyper-enthusiastic eyebrows, you know Honoka is always ready for adventure and fun with her friends. If anything, looking at Honoka is a surefire way to get motivated for the day ahead!

Like every other school idol song outfit, the Snow-halation outfit is incredibly intricate and detailed with various accessories throughout the outfit. Fortunately, Sega has done their best to recreate them for Honoka's Nesoberi. Starting with the floral-themed headpiece which resides on the left portion of Honoka's head.

Other accessories include a pair of fluffy white gloves which not only looks good but, works well to keep her hands warm during the cold winter season. Both fashionable and practical, who would have thought idol outfits would be so practical?

The winter theme continues with the rest of Honoka's Snow-halation outfit with a two layered top. Of which, the outer layer resembles a vest with a fluffy border. Even if it is short sleeved, it still looks like a rather warm outfit especially with all the fluff!

One unique accessory that Honoka sports is her pink tie that has the Muse symbol on it. Yes, that is indeed the greek symbol for Muse on Honoka's neck tie although, you would need to rotate the image a little to see it as such. 

No short skirts here as Honoka's multi-tiered skirt extends pass her knees before continuing with her high pair of stockings. The belt is actually a separate part of the outfit which helps to give a degree of separation to her outfit. 

The white stockings that Honoka wears extend up to her thighs and have the same fluffy borders as the rest of her outfit. Just like the other parts of her outfit, the stockings too look like they would do a good job of keeping the wearer warm. I wonder if Kotori incorporated any heat insulating technology into these stockings?

Even the tags are hexagonal shaped to fit a snowflake patter on one side. It is so hard to believe that several years since their Final Live, Muse are still getting new merchandise in the market. 

The other side of the the tags feature a little bit of promotional material for Love Live's latest mobile game, Puchiguru. The new mobile game features Nesoberi and is incredibly cute. Definitely worth a try if you understand Japanese and are able to download and run the Japanese version of the game. Sadly, there is no English version of the game and it is officially only available for download in Japan. 

To wrap it all up, Honoka's Nesoberi would be complete without her other signature bits such as one sided pony-tail. Parted towards the right, it is present here in Nesoberi form too. 

All in all, Sega's Honoka Snow-halation Nesoberi ticks all the right boxes and improves upon the existing successful formula of previous releases. If you never had a chance to collect the original Love Live Nesoberi or just want something a little more unique, I cannot recommend the Snow-halation version enough. Especially if you are a fan of Honoka, in which case, this is a must-buy item for you collection. With that, we come to the end of this quick introduction for Honoka. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comments section below. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!