Arcticu Kitsu's blog

I acquired Shinki Renge – Ninetailed Fox Type – today (Nov 1st). I acquired Benio first, Kohiru second, and Renge now being my third. I originally hated Shinki’s at first thinking that they looked ugly and unprofessional. I later got to like them after getting to know them a bit better. The thing that we learn in life is to NEVER judge a book by it’s cover because deep down you’ll find some form of hidden beauty in whatever you’re looking into. With that brief bias aside, I also acquired bonus weaponry that came with Renge – Gabline’s stuff in blue with Renge’s in red.

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(All images taken with a Lumix GF1 – Pancake lens.)

Renge is a White 9-tailed Fox – Kyuubi no Kitsune – for the light armored wave fight Busou Shinki line. I acquired Renge at HobbyLinkJapan – feel free to do so as well!

Light Armor Wave 5

Japanese release date:October 28 2010

Renge (フィギュア, RENGE ), Ninetailed Fox Type, Light Armor Full Set
CharacterDesigner: Yoshitsune Izuna

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Box art:

I was also surprised to find out that Renge would have a cute soft voice, instead of a sadistic trickster type. For those that read into Japanese folklore and mythology would be far too familiar with the “Kitsune” mythology where various types of 9-tailed foxes would stir up trouble, leech on human energy (or soul energy), or to simply stir up chaos. The ones I know of are of a trickster type and cause tongue-and-cheek type of chaos in a humoristic manner, or more serious ones to cause them to get sealed up in a shrine.

How do I know of her voice? Source – Nicodouga and an embedded version.

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“Free gift”:

Renge came with bonus weaponry for both her and her darker sister – Gabline; Renge has two red daggers and a dagger while Gabline has blue colored two gun related parts and a lance/staff. They aren’t anything special, but an added bonus to the Shinki collection. I was a tad bit surprised that I actually received since I wasn’t actually wanting or expecting them.

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Related Articles:

– Shinki Renge (Official):
http://www.konami.jp/products/busou_figure_renge/

– Battle Rondo – Shinki Net:
https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=1250

– Shinki Benio – Samurai – Review:
- https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=1299

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I’m not one to link voice actor/actresses to their figure counterpart because I’m not all that familiar with the voice-acting realm. I’m doing this because someone informed of such so I thought I’d share the “voice-samples” that may belong to Renge. Renge’s seiyuu is voiced by Kaneda Tomoko (so close to being Kanada for Canada :P).

– Kaneda Tomoko’s Homepage:
http://www.aoni.co.jp/actress/ka/kaneda-tomoko.html

Voice clips/samples:

Bleach – Neliel (never watched so spoilers for me):

Here is a figure.fm link incase Youtube pulls the video:

-> http://www.figure.fm/post/en/17428/Shinki+mini-photoshoot+Battle+Masters.html
(First embed video featuring Renge, Gabline and baby Razz. Watch embedded video in above video.)

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Unboxing:

The thing I like about Shinkis over Figmas is the attention to detailing, the articulation, the number of parts they have, and how they’re close to being as complex as model kits. It’s a bit of a pain to set them up swiftly for a pose in outdoor settings, but they do get their job done in the photography field.

Renge came with two plastic trays containing various parts, a parts box, and even a code for her online self on Shinki-net – Diorama Studio, and hopefully Battle Rondo (will show later on in article).

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A double sided, two paged, booklet telling you how to piece Renge together in various ways. Like I said – Shinki’s are close to being model kits in the way you can accessories and customize them.

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Rear view of the main parts tray – (right to left) – two swords, a fox helmet, two arm and legging plates, extra shin parts, sword hilt, a tail dagger, her 9 tailed hair piece, two face plates, a tori-gate chest armor piece, her revolver looking sword like thing that doubles as claws, and her storage parts box.

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Ah!  Renge has a Shinki-net model! Is it Diorama Studio or is she also in Battle Rondo? *hopes for both*

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Parts laid out on the the table in one main pile for you to examine what she comes with. Enjoy studying the pile! This is almost as much as what Benio came with heh.

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Renge’s nine swords that act as her tail when not in use as a weapon.

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As for Renge herself, she has numerous torii gates on her light-armor and on her back. Also, Renge’s faceplates works in  a mixed Revoltech & Figma manner -the front hairpiece working in a Figma manner while the swapping faces works in a revoltech manner.

I mean, the faceplates are faceplates, but they’re bulky like a Revoltechs…..You’ll know when you google up Revoltech and Figma in an in depth manner.

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This is what Renge wears during combat – torii gate armor! Still lost about the whole fox and shrine deal? Heres a wiki to the torii gate again, and the Kitsune mythology that Renge is based on.

– In short: Kitsune spirits are divine entities that will stir up chaos or may act as guardians. They were also prayed to and highly respected by locals to gain good luck, good harvests, and to gain good karma. The 9 tails displays the fox spirit’s age and wisdom – Golden color for being the wisest and most divine of all.

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(Link – MySite)                                                      (Link – MySite) – I like the fox helmet.

Now to add some more tails onto Renge. Though, I need to take off the “nut” (hardware) off first before sticking the dagger-tail into Renge’s back.

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Renge’s  tail, claw, and weapon attachment.

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Now to give Renge her divine abilities as a Kitsune, armor up!

(Link – MySite)                                                      (Link – MySite) – Get those dirty thoughts out of your minds! Renge is a bot, grow up kids & adults!

Oh, and you also have a clip to attach the weapon into Renge’s back to act as a fox spirit’s tail – nine-tails fox type (Kyuubi no kitsune).

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Photo-shoot:

Malicious Fox – “Beware of a battle-ready Renge! She’s ready to kick some rear ends!”

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Note the circle design on the helmet at chest armor piece. I don’t know of it’s origin, but it reminds me of the Yin-yang. There is probably something I’m not taking note of, or it’s just part of the design.

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(Link – MySite)                                                      (Link – MySite) – Her hair doubling as a tail.

The weapon can also swing around from the tail position to fire projectiles (as seen in Battle Masters for PSP) and to probably take an opponent by surprise. The claws are quite mobile.

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Renge decided to raid my Shrimpy food…..

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Ah! Renge went to sleep! Must be the jet lag setting in since she did travel from Japan.

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Shinki.net – Diorama Studio:

Renge’s ingame model is pretty simple and still as nice. I like the figure over the 3D version in this case (the opposite for Benio).The fox-fire and ears are treated as accessories on the 3D model while on the figure they’re as one.

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I would of posted more interesting shots but diorama studio needs a serious update and she doesn’t have a Battle Rondo form. I have to wait on Konami for the much needed “modernization” update on Diorama Studio for locations, and for certain characters to pop into the battle game.

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Pros:

– Great design and detailing. Most of the detailing on the concept art (as shown on box) stays true in figure form.
– Makes reference to the “kitsune” mythology. Also adds torii gate designs onto the figure and armor.
– 9 tailed hair piece maybe added onto the back of the head and/or the back of the figure.
– Renge’s main weapon has numerous “modes/variants” it can be placed in (look at above images for “modes/variants”).
– She can pose really well and has little to no issue on tipping over randomly.
– Renge comes with extra face plates and can me placed in a cute sleeping position.
– Though not as powerfully cute (or “moe”) as Kohiru, she might attract people’s attention similar to Kohiru’s way.
– Came with bonus accessories for both Renge and Gablines.

Cons:

– Faceplate is a bit “bulky” or awkward, I’ll get used to it though.
– Renge’s large weaponized tail is a bit awkward and a bit bland. The bulky 9 tailed sword also acts to undone some extreme poses.
– Just like Kohiru, Renge doesn’t appear in the main Battle Rondo MMO. I hope Kohiru and Renge will appear later in battle Rondo!

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I’m actually glad I got into Konami’s Shinki line, as with obtaining Renge. Instead of fearing Shinki’s, I’d recommend you guys and gals to check them out! Renge makes for a nice figure and comes with worthwhile accessories. Her bonus accessories also adds to the value and greatness that comes with the Shinkis. A great figure over all!

She shall be my blog’s new “representative”, or a proxy-mascot, because she’s white, has 9 tails, a “Kitsune” type. Don’t be surprised if you see her more then Kohiru (Chopstick type) haha. She won’t be the official mascot as I’m still trying to get around to spawning one ^^. I also got a back-story photo-shoot idea planned for Shinki Renge. I hope things go well so I can get around to uploading it, and to add a back-story to Shinki’s Renge’s background.

Thanks for reading! Hope you had a great white (not so) Halloween as well. Peace!