Nesoberi (Plush Strap) Tamamo no Mae Review

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for our review of Sega's Nesoberi plush strap Tamamo no Mae. Everybody's favorite Caster from the Fate/Extella series is finally available in Nesoberi form despite debuting in the plush strap form. Released in May 2018, Tamamo is one of the three Servants immortalized as Nesoberi(s) in conjunction with the Fate/Extella Link video game. The other two Servants being, Nero whom we reviewed last week and Atilla. For today, we will be taking a closer look at this plush strap and whether or not this version of Tamamo is worth your time or should you wait for a Mega Jumbo version instead?

Just like Nero's plush strap Nesoberi, Sega did not cut any corners when it came to the production of Tamamo's Nesoberi. Despite being an arcade prize, the attention to detail is as you would expect from the Nesoberi line of plush toys which have received such fan love largely in part due to their careful attention to detail and proportions. These two factors are especially important in making a plush of any character instantly recognizable even from afar. That fact remains true for Tamamo who I immediately recognized despite having only the most superficial knowledge of this magical Servant. 

Besides the smug, confident expression that Tamamo is used to sporting, she is also complimented by her soft pink locks. More impressive than the cherry blossom pink of Tamamo's hair is the color gradation of her eyes which looks spot on. Not to mention, Tamamo's rather complicated hair style is also faithfully reproduced in plush form. 

Another plus point worth mentioning for Tamamo are her animal ears. Long and pointed as they may be, they still manage to stand upright on their own which is a mighty impressive feat considering many other Nesoberi(s) fail to. Things such as ribbons and hair which stand upright have the tendency to fall down over time but, Tamamo's ears seem to stand upright at attention with no signs of faltering. This ability to stand is likely attributed to the smaller scale and lower weight thus, allowing the ears to stand on their own. 

Earlier I mentioned Tamamo's complicated hair style and these extend all the way to the sides as well as Tamamo is originally portrayed as having two side tails. They are slightly more exaggerated in Nesoberi form but, I think that is certainly a positive point by helping to pull even more attention to the plush. Though I concede, this factor may have more to do with personal preference rather than an objective appraisal. 

The oversized blue ribbon that Tamamo wears as a hair piece is also present at the rear of the plush's head. Just as it was in her original design, the ribbon is very large with a width greater the Tamamo's head itself! Looks like Nero and Tamamo both have something in common, and that is a love of oversized ribbons. 

Replicating Tamamo's outfit was not going to be too much of a trouble owing to her more simplistic Japanese-style design. Separate parts of the outfit are split for her sleeves, gloves and sash. The latter being a nice touch as Sega could have simply gone with a printed on sash but, opted for a separated piece instead. 

Here we can note the separation between Tamamo's sash and the rest of her outfit. Another neat details are the white tassels at the lower edge of Tamamo's dress. Initially, I was not to sure what those white tassels were. Only upon referring to the original character design did I notice those little white tassels which really serve to highlight the attention to detail that Sega has put into making Tamamo a Nesoberi. 

 

Speaking of standing upright, Tamamo's ears are not the only animal part of hers which is able to stand upright. Even her large fluffy tail is able to stand on its own. Stuffed with cotton, it admittedly does have a little more trouble staying upright as the slightest nudge may cause it to tip over to one side. Nevertheless, good work from Sega here. 

 

Accompanying the large blue ribbon, there is also a black ribbon at the back of Tamamo's outfit. Less of a ribbon and more of the tail end of her sash, these lack the gold highlights and details present on the original character design. It may be a bit of a miss but, also a detail that can be rather difficult to replicate at a reasonable manufacturing cost. 

Like I mentioned earlier, Tamamo's release is in conjunction with the Fate/Extella Link video game and sees her being released alongside Nero and Atilla. While I am always a proponent of maintaining the tags whenever possible, the tags on the plush strap Nesoberi are a little too large. If you do plan to use this plush strap as intended, ergo as an actual strap/charm, I would strongly recommend you carefully remove the tag before doing so. 

Released in May 2018, the Nesoberi plush strap Tamamo can still be found in the market fairly easily. While not many arcades would have her in stock by now, you still should not have too much trouble finding her at local hobby stores (in Japan) or via online retailers. Expect prices to be around 800-1,000 Yen which may seem like a lot until you realize that Mega Jumbo Nesoberi(s) are just a steal in terms of value in the resale market. 

While I may not be a fan of Tamamo or even know too much about her, I still would have no issue recommending her to fans of the series or the character herself. Sure, the entry price may be a little steep especially compared to larger plush characters. But, the quality and unique Nesoberi proportions more than make up for it thus, earning my whole hearted recommendation. 

With that, we come to the end of our second Nesoberi review from the Fate/Extella Link series with just one last Nesoberi to go. Stay tuned for Atilla's review as I am sure she is sick of waiting too. In the meantime, if you have any questions about Tamamo's plush or any other related questions, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!