[Review] Death Note nendoroids (Re-run)

L likes tea. But L doesn’t like to have tea alone.

Would you like to have a cuppa with L while he waits for friends?

(More pictures and review behind the cut)

L nendoroid

When you hold L in your hand, the first thing you’ll notice is how heavy he is. He’s a veritable paperweight. Put this guy on your loose sheets of paper and they’re definitely not going to fly away even in mach 10 gale winds.

I jest about the winds. Don’t try that. He’ll fly away with your papers.

He comes with a comfy-looking chair (it’s plastic, so it’s not a mobilephone holder or anything like that!) and a couple of extra parts: namely interchangeable faces, two bodies (standing and sitting), and an extra-arm part. I think I didn’t miss anything out.

In comparison to Miku, L’s head has little to no flaws at all, which is perhaps expected, since it’s only made up of two pieces. Still, the texture of his hair, including the way it tapers off at the back is evidence of impeccable workmanship. There is subtle shading, but noting so obtrusive that it takes the spotlight away from the mainstay piece. (I really like his hair, as you can tell.)

Granted, the whole weight of the nendoroid actually comes from his hair. If GoodSmile had made his hair-pieces a little more hollow or light-weight, L wouldn’t need to kiss the ground that many times in standing-position. Even in sitting position (without the support of hi armchair), L’s face needs to be faced down in order to prevent gravity from working its wonders.

I really like the sitting body that’s included! It reeks of L-ness (his standing body can’t show off his horrendous posture too well) and the thumb-bit adds an air of coyness and an image of someone really hard at work all at the same time. Plus, if you’re feeling a little more on the creative side, it can serve as a thumbs-up thumb too!

For this photoshoot, I set up a backdrop of various books and finally used my Rement and Megahouse pieces to create a living-room set for the Death Note nendoroids. Considering how much brain power L and Light have put together, the book-wall was only fitting. (Do you guys own any of the books shown? XD)

And no. Please don’t make any lame jokes about my Lolita book there. I can SEE ALL THE JIBES COMING. FROM A MILE AWAY!!!! O:

L’s face is also, well made. GJ GSC! Some people might complain about the “rawness” of L’s eyes but to me, that’s the whole eyeliner effect being played on. Of course, L’s too cool for eyeliner and those are 100% certified eyebags. ;D

I managed to avoid using blu-tack for L in the first couple of shots of with is standing body thanks to his sturdy chair. I really love that chair. I will own it one day, definitely. Now if GSC had actually used fabric… A winrar are you, GSC!

Gasp! L finally meets Light! Or rather, receives a surprise call from his paramour arch-nemesis and suddenly sees him in person!

Yagami Light/Raito nendoroid

Everyone’s favourite Machiavellian psychopath university student is here to save the day! Well, not really. He’s probably more likely to ruin your day - and life, by taking it away - than save it.

I think GSC was trying to make a point with the sheer weight of both L and Light’s heads. While comparably lighter, Light’s head alone probably weighs twice of Miku’s. So does heavy heads = excessive brain powers? I think in the case of nendoroids, the answer is a resounding yes!

L’s expressions are pure crack. They make me laugh and make me go all moe for him. But Light on the otherhand. Wow. One thing: his expressions aren’t as limited as L’s stoned-out and surprised expressions. He actually can move his face muscles!

OKAY L FANGIRLS BACK OFF. L CAN MOVE HIS FACE MUSCLES TOO!

In this set, Light can turn from really cheerful and :DDDD diabetically sweet, to the Light we all know and love: the one who will kill you if you a) stand in his way or b) happen to be a criminal. Either way, you end up dead and cue panel with Light’s twisted face laughing at you.

Light’s legs come off easily. Really. They do. But that’s not much of a big deal. What I am worried about is his upside-down ahoge which looks like it might break off if I’m unlucky and what, drop him or have a piece of cloth caught in it. D: LIGHT YOU REALLY ARE A FRAGILE YOUTH AREN’T YOU, COME INTO MY ARMS!!! I’LL PROTECT YOU!!!

Again, the paintjob is impeccable and parts are easy to exchange. Just a note of caution: the hand-cuffs included with Light rub paint off easily. His right arm now has a very disturbing silvery ring around it. It’s really okay, just that Light’s sexuality is now questionable because of bling-bling.

Shinigami Ryuk nendoroid

RYUK’S COOL. ENUFF SAID.

He falls apart really easily though. So if you’re anal retentive about having figures that er, actually stay in one piece, then Ryuk might send you to the local mental hospital. His right wing keeps falling out and can’t be rotated in its peg (as opposed to the left-wing, which is working fine) and his arms - oh his arms - keep falling out. D: RYUK. WE KNOW YOU ARE A FEW SCREWS LOOSE, BUT STILL!

The thing is though, Ryuk can fly. Can your other nendoroids fly? No. Do they have a movable jaw? No. Do they look really badass? Hell no!

And he has a heart-shaped earring. I do not know of any other males who wear heart-shaped earrings and still are badass. Except for maybe Makabe Tsubasa from VitaminX.

Judging from the sales of the Death Note nendoroids, Ryuk isn’t too popular as opposed to our two male leads. Even Misa-misa’s sales far strip his own. Yet, there is a crazed dandiness about Ryuk that makes me want to have him. I mean, Misa-misa is largely dispensable. But you can’t have Death Note without Ryuk, Light and L.

Obligatory fanservice shots

BL OR YAOI?

Who cares! They don’t!

L Nendoroid
Maker: Goodsmile Company
Scale: Non
Price: 2,858 yen
Released: Late September 2007, re-released April 2008
Currently sold out (if you find it being sold online somewhere, let me know!)

Yagami Light Nendoroid
Maker: Goodsmile Company
Scale: Non
Price: 2,858 yen
Released: July 2007, re-released April 2008
Currently available at HobbySearch

Shinigami Ryuk Nendoroid
Maker: Goodsmile Company
Scale: Non
Price: 2,858 yen
Released: July 2007, re-released April 2008
Currently available at HobbySearch

Photographs taken with a Canon S3 IS.