If no one has answered this the graph paper is for perspective. Use it under the model the when snapping pictures to relate the perspective on the figure to its surroundings in your art. That way there is no disconnect between the model perspective and your background.
This has to be the best review of these I have seen. The notes about the holes is exactly on point. Who cares if they have holes! As an artist you're not drawing them exactly as you see them. They're meant to be a guide for your own creative drawings. I was feeling extremely mixed on what to get based on others reviews, but you've helped me come to a decision. I'm going to have to get the figma. I wanted something with full motion and having the legs and arms not move is a no go for me. Thanks.
Something I forgot to mention when I made this video is that - if you want to add a lot of detail to your posing - the Figmas are part of a large series with many accessories available. They're 1/12th scale, which match many doll house props and Re-ment sets out on the market. Hope this helps!
Hi, thank you for the video. Do you know if 1/12 props like weapons would still fit/look ok with the body kun? Im kinda debating between body kun & the figma he to use for drawing. Im also looking at this since it comes with a lot more props www.goodsmile.info/en/product/6088/figma+True+Criminal.html But i dont believe it is out yet
He's slightly bigger in scale so some things might look weird and not fit right (certain guns that are made for 1/12 may be too small for him to hold or look weird) but I do own some figma swords that looks fine with him. Weapons like knives and the crowbar in that particular figma should be fine. He looks huge in some of the table/chairs I have in that scale, so it really depends. If you're looking for weapons figma actually has a series called Little Armory. slist.amiami.com/top/search/list?s_seriestitle_id=1998&pagemax=40 However these are model kits, so it takes some DIY assembly/painting before they're picture ready.
Their hands are pretty interchangeable but the gap for 'holding' hands in Archetype:He are too small to hold Body-kun's props. I tried but the only prop I could get to fit was the sword, but only after forcing it. I definitely wouldn't want to do that every time I'd like to pose him with it.
the graph paper is likely for proportions. Similar to drawing a grid over a picture you are recreating, you may put it in the back ground to see where the parts line up for proportions
This is the archetype vs bodykun review that I had been looking for. Thanks for making this. I planned to buy both [or four] of them at first, but now I decide I'll just go with the archetype one [ owo]
I feel like if both were combined that would we perfect. I prefer the double joints on Body-Kun and Body-Chan as well as the overall look, especially compared to the Figma Archetype male model. But Figma Archetype does have better proportions when it comes to the female model, as well as slightly better poseability in some aspects compared to Body-Chan.
Unfortunately the Figma A: She inflated since her release. She was really popular . . . Let's hope she gets a re-release, otherwise if you still want her you'll be paying around 100USD. EDITEDIT: THE FIGMAS ARE GETTING A RERELEASE! PREORDERS ARE UP NOW ON AMIAMI www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIGURE-018940
Thanks for the review, thought I saw this a little too late as I found this just as I purchased the figures of my choice. I really really wished the Archetype HE had a more average/slim look to him. The muscles are pretty distracting. On the other hand, SHE is pretty much what I was looking for, a little toned, correct proportions. Body-kun was more suited to what I want but I couldn't find a way to see if he'd pair well with SHE. Body-chan was an instant 'no', lol. But since I already bought Body-kun and SHE, I'll just have to wait and see how well they pair since you said Body-kun isn't the same proportion as SHE. The height difference is just enough to pass. Either way, I think I'll enjoy these two and hopefully it'll get me back to drawing.
These figures are a sexist mess. The male figure (Kun) is normal but the female (Chan) is ridiculously distorted. Even the name is sexist and infantilizing. "Kun" is a title for a man in familiar Japanese speech. "Chan" is used for CHILDREN. And the Figma male is a hulking monster. I can hardly stand to look at it. Neither of these sets can be used as realistic artists models. The closest you can get is to take the female from Figma and the Kun as a pair. The other two are just about useless. Unless you want your drawings to look like monsters.
Lorraine Clark umm... honorific title “chan” is also commonly used by teenagers and adults of any gender as long as they’re friends/close but usually girls use it...
Hi GrimGracious, may I ask a few questions? A) Are these meant to be painted over. Can I paint my OC's face? B) Where would you recommend me to buy miniature clothings, shoes etc to create my character? Thanks for your reply =)
If you have the right paints I think they can be painted over. Figmas are more common to paint and alter since they're strictly made of PVC while the Figuarts are a mix of a different type of plastic, but so long as you prepare the surface correctly it should be do-able. I'm not sure about clothing - most people make new parts out of clay, and this particular set doesn't have an official scale. If I had to put them at a scale it'd be 1/12, probably a bit bigger. Etsy is a great place to find custom doll clothing, but i'd try and find some cheap used ones to try them on first to make sure they fit. The figmas can be paired with any other figure in the figma line - you'd have to buy the full figure, though, unless you find people willing to split parts. For fabric clothing Etsy is still the best place, I would think. Also this place: www.miniaturemarketplace.com/CLOTHING-ACCESSORIES-C777.aspx
I bought a Body-kun and Body-chan two years ago as an impulse buy. Not only would I rather have bought the figmas because of price (SHfiguarts set me back about 100-120 dollars) but the Body-chan is horrid to this day. She's not just badly proportioned, I can never get her to stand on her own and she looks odd even next to Kun, even though they are from the same series.
I just discovered that the piece of card with the grids on it is perfect for a ground plane when doing difficult animations, I just set mine up to dance while the camera moves round. So glad I get them both now
Something you mentioned was that you can’t really position him slouched because of the base but you are actually able to pose him with his feet on your table and the stand leaning forward. He doesn’t have to stay on the stand.
Weird the ones I got were pretty much the same but there were movement differences. The bottom neck joint for mine moved very good but the shoulders on body chan didn't move much at all.
Also, the angled stand allows the user to pose the figures in dynamic, in-the-air poses. Flying, kicking, leaping, tumbling. That it can float either in the air or just above the stand level allows artists to draw according to the height of the action. Tumbling on the ground, being thrown by a blast in the air, all at angles that weren't possible without homemade rigging initially.
Also, you don't happen to know if Body-kun is able to use the parts from the Takarai edition? The hands, crossed arms and leg pieces, I mean. I've only been able to see images and I'm about sure that they're compatible but I want to be 100% certain. It would make a great accessory set for Body-kun.
really appreciate this review! I was wondering about the heights and how the body kun and she would look together. I also thought that body kun looked more like a regular guy too
IMO the Figmas are far superior. I have both Kun and Chan figuarts, I’ve had multiple QC issues with Chan. He has a right foot on his left, the ball joint socket for his waist is too shallow so that when I pose him, he separates. I’ve had no issues with my Figmas and like that the material they’re crafted from seems more durable. The figuarts seem more brittle. Great review.
Thanks for review :) I'm thinking about buying Figma figures (proportions are way better form me!), but I really like double-jointed elbows in Body Chan and Kun figures... You said, that knees doesn't make big difference between figures, but what about elbows? Are Body Chan and Kun more articulated and allow for better character posing thanks to this double joints? I'm an artist and I'm looking for aid in drawing characters in different poses and perspective (not necessarily in anime style). Which one would you recommend for this purpose? I'll be really grateful for advice :)
They're both pretty close, honestly. Body-Kun and Body-Chan can bend slightly farther (except the necks). Archetype:He can touch his face without really straining his joints, but Body-Kun can stretch farther so 1/3 of his forearm can touch his face easily thanks to that shoulder joint. A:He can kind of do it but with some effort. I could hear the plastic squeak when I did it. Archetype: She can also touch her face but only the top, while with the Body-kun and Body-chan it's easy to make it so that they cover their eyes or just mouth. If you prefer the proportions on one I'd get that one, but if it's movement you're after and you really want that perfect, detailed pose the Body set might be better. I sold my Body-chan and am doing pretty good just having the Body-kun and the figmas. Most of the time I don't really notice differences in joint capability.
Wow, that was quick :) Thank you so much for answer, this is really helpful! I'm wandering- would Body-kun (male) and Archetpe:She (fem) work together? The hight of female figures seems very similar, but I really don't like Body-Chan proportions (this huge head!) while double joints on Body-Kun looks really promising ;) Maybe baying one of each set is the best decision? Also I'm not sure about Archetype:He shoulders- is it me, or they are a little bit to "up"? Maybe it's only me :) I'll probably buy Figma figures, but I would like to know your opinion on "cross-parring" them, as you had both figures in your hands :) Thanks again for your answer and this review :)
Happy to help! Height-wise they work well together (somewhat - he's nearly a whole head taller than her), but since Body-kun has a thicker body in general he looks like a body-builder by comparison lol. That's something that would have to be adjusted while drawing. If his head wasn't so much bigger than hers they'd be great for those tall and small couple poses. It's not just you, I've seen a lot of comments about Archetype: He's shoulders. I think it's the way he's sculpted or something but they , so far, have not been an issue for me.
Thank you once again :) So I decided to buy Body-Kun and Archetype:She. Best case scenario: they will work well together. If not, I'll try to work with each of them and decide Body or Archetype, sell one of them and buy a proper partner to the other. Win-win situation ;) It will be a long time till I get figures (Amazon ship figures from Japan to Poland and it will take around a 3 weeks) but I'll be around and tell you about final verdict if you want ;) Thank you for your time and review, you helped me a lot! See you!
It was my pleasure to help your purchase -that's what I'm here for! Hope you get good use out of them. I'm an artist as well and they've been really helpful so far.
The grid could be used for photography, in the sense that an artist who doesn't plan on leaving the figure posed while working can take a photo, re-pose and snap another. This then allows the user to use a reference by size--the number of boxes will allow them to re-adjust if they're drawing different body types or ages. You could even use the grid to scale down on your drawing paper--say if you know the head is four boxes, but you don't want to draw that big, you can use it to say draw half that size with two boxes. Remember though that this is Bandai--synonymous with anime and manga. Traditionally females often when drawn in the genre have smaller hands and larger heads. This figure caters to those type of artists. Archetype definitely is suited for more realistic art in their proportions. Also, the peg bar allows you to peg the extra hands and store them under the base so you don't lose them. It's a fantastic system for keeping the tiny parts from being lost and even more so for transporting.
I thought the grid paper would be neat to use as a perspective guideline, but since it's rather small I didn't see it that useful. Your suggestions are definitely a better use for it. I did think the pegs were for extra hands, but they give you one for the extra hands you get so I didn't get why they gave you another completely blank one. Maybe they plan to make more accessories in the future? Idk. Definitely great for storage, though. I could tell the stand was for in-air poses, I was just caught off guard by how different it was compared to the Figma's, since its stand also allows for in-air poses but definitely has a better system for regular standing poses. It's more awkward to do with the way the S.H.F. stand is made, at least for me. For Body-Kun that's not much of a problem but Body-Chan's small feet make it exceptionally harder to stand on her own, so without the stand you can't really make regular scenes with her unless she's leaning on something. Just my opinions based on what I've had to do when using them. Other people may not be having the same issues.
The only thing I'm worried about is if the joints and screws might come loose at some point, and there doesn't seem to be a terribly obvious way to take them apart for maintenance.
7,5 heads is what's ideal according to my art teachers in secondary school, but in art school they said we should ignore that because everyone's different. The most people I know and see can fit their heads 6-7 times in their bodies. So I'm not sure about these standards :/
The only legit art teacher I had was my Drawing teacher who was too much of a perfectionist. He told me 8 heads (before that I thought it was 7.5 too). It probably depends on who you go to. I only brought it up because these figures are made with those measurements in mind, as they're the average measurement people use to start and what the sculptures used as a reference since they're not modeled after a specific character. If you're past the stage of having to measure your proportions it's definitely not something you need to pay attention to. I know I don't.
Most people in real life range between 6 and 7 heads. The 8-head method was invented by Andrew Loomis, and it's not accurate. However, even though Loomis knew this, he also knew stretching the figure would add grace and elegance, so it's a stylistic choice he made for aesthetics. Many artists still use this method for those very reasons.
I know. Bootlegs aren't my thing, though. Quality control is not great and while some people could get the same quality as the official, I've seen testimony of people who got one where the parts (mainly shoulder and knee joints) snapped off easily.
Are the SH figuarts able to come apart like the figma line? I wanted to make my own action figures, so I'm trying to find figure bases that I can recast. From my experience the figma parts are all plastic and come apart really easily, even the joints can be split apart (with exception to a few parts). The figma ones are more accurate as humans, but I plan to make more cartoony figures, so working with the SH ones might be a better call. Not to mention they seem to be cheaper on the market and more available rather than the Figma line.
The limbs can - I've done it accidentally before and it's fairly easy to pop them back on as it's just a ball at the end that connects them to the socket, but I'm not sure on the torso area or head. I'm terrified of trying lol
that was a good review. honnestly, the only reason why i would buy body-kun or body-chan is because of their accessories. i already have the 2 archetypes, plus the previous versions, so i dont really need more drawing mannequins lol
idk I got the Armature9 a while back thinking it was gonna be great but when I got it I never used it once. But these dolls do solve a lot of problems the armature9 had like having actual shape and hands. But meh I will just stick to using the program designdoll, It's essentially a free 3d model you can customize.
Chazz vc That program is really neat but eats up a lot of cpu for me. Having something physically infront of me was easier, but i definitely recommend that program if it works for you. Everyone has their preferences.
I've got a bizzare question...which one (figma or sh figuart) got the most stable articulations? I explain better...I'd like to give one of this mannequin as a present to a blind friend (he won't use it to draw obvsiously)...so I need a mannequin you can touch (in the way a blind person does to understand the shape of an object) without risking of altering the pose of the figure too much (so if I decide to make the mannequin assume a certain position-for example a footballer doing a bicycle kick goal- this person can 'sense' the position). Could you please make a try, better if with your eyes closed XD ? I'd really appreciate your help!! Maybe none of this two is suitable...of course my friend must use a very light touch...
giulia chiara castiglioni They're both pretty stable, actually. The only issue I can predict is that with the S.Hfiguarts ones the hands are easy to pop off, so in that case the figmas would be better for overall articulation.
How well do they hold up to continued use. Sturdy enough for regular posing and hand switching? Similar figures from the 90s tended to break when switching limbs.
I moved them so much and then dump them in a small box I have on my desk still tangled in their pose when not in use and they don't have a scratch on them. If a four year old manhandled them I don't think they'd survive, but so long as you aren't deliberately pulling at their important joints they hold up fine. Stretching them a bit to fit your post poses no threat. The hands are pretty sturdy on there, but I don't personally swap them out that much. Since they are just plastic I'd imagine over time they may run down, however I can't estimate how long that would take.
"Average" human is actually 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 heads. "Ideal" is 8. "Superhero" is 9. "Fashion" is around 10. "Michelangelo" proportions around 12-13ish. So bodykun is actual more correct for the "average" male.
8 heads are the ideal body proportion used by artists. Realistically humans are 7.5 heads tall. So body Kun is stocky, and the Figma is the superhero. I'd take the Figma any day. Actually, I just took it...
got mine today , they are so small i thought they were bigger the way you zoomed them in your vid , oh well their still cool and can be used as references for digital art , now waiting for my x pen artist pro 22R Yeeeet!!
hi, so i have a quick question... so i really want to get the Body-Chan but now i don't know if it's better to just buy the Body-Kun and just try to make him look female in my art. What do you think? loved this video
If you can do that it would be more versatile imo. You'd just have to transform the proportions for shorter/smaller females. Seeing the muscle structure of the Body-kun helps me a lot more overall. Transforming the female to a male pose doesn't transform as simple.
I bought the Figma.. The chest area on Body-Chan was to weird. I feel like Body Kun and Body Chan were made for more Manga style where as Figma seems more Comic Style. I ultimately went with the Figma because I didn't like the chest on Body Chan.. It looks like to Balloon-y to me. In many ways they all seem to be great for learning how to draw Poses. Placing one over the other seems nearly impossible. It seems to come down to personal preference.
I prefer the Figma Archetype, but I really want the Figuarts hands and accessories. Any possibility the hands are interchangeable between Figma and Figuarts?
For these, yes! Just tried it and they attach perfectly. I only tried the males, though. Not sure about the females. I feel like Body-chan's might be too small.
i really wanted to buy both from figma but now I looked everywhere and it seems like the she type is sold out everywhere.. or sold for about $100 i'm so upset :( it's so difficult finding realistic figures
Yes, unfortunately that's an issue many people message me about. ): I was really surprised when I looked myself. Here's to hoping they announce a re-release. When it comes to figures like these you really do have to try and pre-order or buy close to release to guarantee you get one at a good price.
I assume the paper is for perspective. I was going to get my own graph paper, only in inches, before I realised it was included in the pack. I guess it’s in millimetres for finer details.
The proportions are right. Cause they are designed for manga!!! Obviously not for classical portraits. Manga proportions are 7&1/2 or 6 heads.mthat is the stardart
hang on you say you didnt like her because of the anime style she has...its actually made for manga and anime, there are other figures for realistic drawings, but these models you got are specifically for manga
Yep, I know that. Body-Kun, however, has pretty regular proportions. I got both to see which I would like best. Even for Anime, her limbs were just so tiny it was funny and did not look good at all. Manga styles vary so I expected her to be at least a bit balanced.
I bought the kun and those tiny hands were hillarious!!! I think these will be useful, but man they made um cheap. They wernt cheap to purchase. Oh well. The girl figure came with the shoulders out of joint. Mine were prob chinese knock offs.
I have heard that if it is not from Bandai in Japan, it is a ripoff and inferior in quality. The original is supposed to have the Bandai name embedded on the back of the figures as well as their hologram on the front of the package. Plus, the price is pretty much around 90 euros per figure. China and other countries offer the ripoffs for as much as 30 euros.
I would say that's half-true. I tried looking for the Bandai mark when I got mine but didn't see anything. However, the store I buy from is a supplier shop and only sells legit merchandise. I know mine is official but not sure why it and many others who bought theirs from legit sources don't have it. Some collectors said they found it on the inside but there's no way i'm gonna risk breaking mine just to confirm. When these originally released they were about 50usd, but are now more expensive due to their rarity also some shops have overstock and are able to sell them reasonably. Anything below the 40-50 range I would see as a red flag to its authenticity.
GrimGracious Thanks for clarifying that. I‘ve been skeptical due to so many comments here and there in Facebook. I checked your suggested website to buy them and they’re sold out. Amazon is next try.
I got the DX set body chan but her left shoulder was horrible...it looks like she dislocated her shoulder :( How about the light colour body chan in terms of the shoulder problem? Thank you
Unfortunately I can't help you there, since I only own the gray ver. Unless you meant the Figmas? Did you make sure to buy it from a reliable store? There are a lot of bootlegs of these pairs with questionable quality control.
Ah really? Considering the price I got it from, it seems it was a reliable store. I think I may save up for the SFBT-3 model instead... Thanks for the quick reply tho!
If you got it from a reliable partner shop you could try emailing Bandai about the issue? I've seen many collectors do that for broken pieces and sometimes the company will send them replacements if they deem it a manufacturing error. Whatever works!
thanks! i'd seen many comments about the shoulder so I guess....it's a common fault and I don't want to waste my time emailing and sending back stuff etc etc Just going for the SFBT-3 model
7 1/2 heads is the length used by all of the Renaissance greats, like Michelangelo and Leonardo DaVinci. I use 8 heads too... but mostly in idealized drawings of the figure. Now is everyone built differently, YES they are. That said, more often than not, a good portion of people are only 7 heads tall! Thus, 7 1/2 is widely considered accurate & eye, pleasing. Using 7 or 8 heads, it also acceptable. However, do not say 8 in the norm. I'm a heads long but I'm 6'4. From personal study to back it up: most people are lucky if they are 8 heads tall. They happen to be tall & not female! Good Day :)
To be fair, most people I know are 6- 8 heads tall, and that canon of proportion is what I was taught while in art classes (which makes sense given it was a fine arts class). Don't know if that changed since I took them since I didn't really stay for long but that's what I was going by. It's not something deeply ingrained that I can't just look it up and change it later and for the most part all they are are generalizations, not really accurate measurements to always use. That's one of the first things my biology teacher told me when I told him I was considering being a field artist - no matter what proportions you're taught always draw what you see. The head suggestions are only guidelines that are usually tweaked later and aren't accepted as definite rules so unless you have a particular look in mind when you draw figures the 1/2 inch difference isn't that important. I know I never really pay attention to it when I draw - but i've grown past the proportion stage by now that it just comes naturally.
Hy, I like your video. Can you answer me two questions: 1.) Are female knees are movable like the male knees? 2.) Can the figures do the pose of an archer? Would be very nice, if you could answer me that. Thanks a lot. :-)
All of my go-to websites are sold out but I did find this one bodykun.com/products/body-kun-models-for-artists Otherwise you could try Amazon? I normally advise against it since there are a lot of copycats but sometimes Bandai has shops there where you can get legit ones.
Dunno if you've followed this link but please pleeeease don't order from these guys. It's been 6 weeks of 3-day robotic replies with my item lost in shipping, and those who DID receive from these people are getting extremely shoddy knock-offs in plain white boxes. I've found 50+ reviews from people in the same boat, specifically from this website.
I believe the hands on the body-chan look small because the model has such a big head. The hands on the Figma She model look big because her head seems so small. Might be a good idea to switch hands on the figures, even place the Figuarts body-chan forearms, if possible, on the Figma Female to make her arms less manly.
I wish that were the case but nah, they're legit really small. The figma's head is smaller but her hands are still bigger than Body-chan. That's just a really weird proportion. Body-kun's hands are just slightly bigger than his figma counterpart.
If no one has answered this the graph paper is for perspective. Use it under the model the when snapping pictures to relate the perspective on the figure to its surroundings in your art. That way there is no disconnect between the model perspective and your background.
that's so smart! I'll make sure to make one or buy those green cutting boards with grids. Thanks Joe!
7 YEARS AGO. WASSUP IN 2024
This has to be the best review of these I have seen. The notes about the holes is exactly on point. Who cares if they have holes! As an artist you're not drawing them exactly as you see them. They're meant to be a guide for your own creative drawings.
I was feeling extremely mixed on what to get based on others reviews, but you've helped me come to a decision. I'm going to have to get the figma. I wanted something with full motion and having the legs and arms not move is a no go for me. Thanks.
Happy to help!
When she says Body-Chan is "Proportioned in an anime style" to try avoid saying "Her boobs are to big"
And her legs are based on a fashion croquis and not real life.
@@lamargot2201 good for u
It’s anime and comic book anatomy, men are all bodybuilders, women are all models.
Something I forgot to mention when I made this video is that - if you want to add a lot of detail to your posing - the Figmas are part of a large series with many accessories available. They're 1/12th scale, which match many doll house props and Re-ment sets out on the market.
Hope this helps!
Hi, thank you for the video.
Do you know if 1/12 props like weapons would still fit/look ok with the body kun?
Im kinda debating between body kun & the figma he to use for drawing.
Im also looking at this since it comes with a lot more props
www.goodsmile.info/en/product/6088/figma+True+Criminal.html
But i dont believe it is out yet
He's slightly bigger in scale so some things might look weird and not fit right (certain guns that are made for 1/12 may be too small for him to hold or look weird) but I do own some figma swords that looks fine with him. Weapons like knives and the crowbar in that particular figma should be fine. He looks huge in some of the table/chairs I have in that scale, so it really depends.
If you're looking for weapons figma actually has a series called Little Armory. slist.amiami.com/top/search/list?s_seriestitle_id=1998&pagemax=40 However these are model kits, so it takes some DIY assembly/painting before they're picture ready.
Thank you for the reply, one last thing can the archetype hold the body kun props such as the gun?
Their hands are pretty interchangeable but the gap for 'holding' hands in Archetype:He are too small to hold Body-kun's props. I tried but the only prop I could get to fit was the sword, but only after forcing it. I definitely wouldn't want to do that every time I'd like to pose him with it.
GrimGracious can you put on body kun hands on body chan or no?
the graph paper is likely for proportions. Similar to drawing a grid over a picture you are recreating, you may put it in the back ground to see where the parts line up for proportions
I prefer body-kun and figma archetype:she. I think those two work well together.
I think I agree with you 🤔🤔
This is the archetype vs bodykun review that I had been looking for. Thanks for making this. I planned to buy both [or four] of them at first, but now I decide I'll just go with the archetype one [ owo]
I feel like if both were combined that would we perfect. I prefer the double joints on Body-Kun and Body-Chan as well as the overall look, especially compared to the Figma Archetype male model. But Figma Archetype does have better proportions when it comes to the female model, as well as slightly better poseability in some aspects compared to Body-Chan.
Unfortunately the Figma A: She inflated since her release. She was really popular . . . Let's hope she gets a re-release, otherwise if you still want her you'll be paying around 100USD. EDITEDIT: THE FIGMAS ARE GETTING A RERELEASE! PREORDERS ARE UP NOW ON AMIAMI www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIGURE-018940
They are not real
Body kun overall, figma archetypes for the set.
I don't need those kind of stuff, I have a brother lol
Lol. I do too and make him pose holding guns and stuff sometimes.
I know the pain of being a make-up experiment, not forced but tricked XD I was so gulabble when I was 5
Huh what are you even saying.
This was the best preview that you can find :) 👍🏼
Thanks for the review, thought I saw this a little too late as I found this just as I purchased the figures of my choice. I really really wished the Archetype HE had a more average/slim look to him. The muscles are pretty distracting. On the other hand, SHE is pretty much what I was looking for, a little toned, correct proportions. Body-kun was more suited to what I want but I couldn't find a way to see if he'd pair well with SHE. Body-chan was an instant 'no', lol.
But since I already bought Body-kun and SHE, I'll just have to wait and see how well they pair since you said Body-kun isn't the same proportion as SHE. The height difference is just enough to pass. Either way, I think I'll enjoy these two and hopefully it'll get me back to drawing.
Hey! What did you think of them together?
I guess that Body Kun and Body Chan were created as anime styled references.
These figures are a sexist mess. The male figure (Kun) is normal but the female (Chan) is ridiculously distorted. Even the name is sexist and infantilizing. "Kun" is a title for a man in familiar Japanese speech. "Chan" is used for CHILDREN. And the Figma male is a hulking monster. I can hardly stand to look at it. Neither of these sets can be used as realistic artists models. The closest you can get is to take the female from Figma and the Kun as a pair. The other two are just about useless. Unless you want your drawings to look like monsters.
Lorraine Clark umm... honorific title “chan” is also commonly used by teenagers and adults of any gender as long as they’re friends/close but usually girls use it...
@@lorraineclark4413 you dragging it bro it was never that serious
@@lorraineclark4413 its for anime
Isn’t it obvious?
I wish Figma also had a slim option. Thanks for the review.
Hi GrimGracious, may I ask a few questions?
A) Are these meant to be painted over. Can I paint my OC's face?
B) Where would you recommend me to buy miniature clothings, shoes etc to create my character?
Thanks for your reply =)
If you have the right paints I think they can be painted over. Figmas are more common to paint and alter since they're strictly made of PVC while the Figuarts are a mix of a different type of plastic, but so long as you prepare the surface correctly it should be do-able. I'm not sure about clothing - most people make new parts out of clay, and this particular set doesn't have an official scale. If I had to put them at a scale it'd be 1/12, probably a bit bigger. Etsy is a great place to find custom doll clothing, but i'd try and find some cheap used ones to try them on first to make sure they fit.
The figmas can be paired with any other figure in the figma line - you'd have to buy the full figure, though, unless you find people willing to split parts. For fabric clothing Etsy is still the best place, I would think. Also this place: www.miniaturemarketplace.com/CLOTHING-ACCESSORIES-C777.aspx
Hi GrimGracious, thanks for the reply. It seems it take some effort to fully do up a character. I will check out etsy as per your advice. =)
Alright then, figma body chan and bandai body kun
As time goes on Body chan gets worse and worse in my eyes.
I bought a Body-kun and Body-chan two years ago as an impulse buy. Not only would I rather have bought the figmas because of price (SHfiguarts set me back about 100-120 dollars) but the Body-chan is horrid to this day. She's not just badly proportioned, I can never get her to stand on her own and she looks odd even next to Kun, even though they are from the same series.
@@infernaldisdain8051 its made for anime not realism
@@eveast2556 I figure everyone can obviously guess that. It’s called “Body-kun” & “Body-chan” & on the box it has Japanese characters written so🤷♀️
I just discovered that the piece of card with the grids on it is perfect for a ground plane when doing difficult animations, I just set mine up to dance while the camera moves round. So glad I get them both now
I wish the females were mixed; Figma A's proportions and Body-chan's accessories.
Same, honestly. That's the only reason I got both types.
Something you mentioned was that you can’t really position him slouched because of the base but you are actually able to pose him with his feet on your table and the stand leaning forward. He doesn’t have to stay on the stand.
Weird the ones I got were pretty much the same but there were movement differences. The bottom neck joint for mine moved very good but the shoulders on body chan didn't move much at all.
Interesting. Did you buy them from a legit shop? Bootlegs of them exist and they usually have different construction on the joints.
Also, the angled stand allows the user to pose the figures in dynamic, in-the-air poses. Flying, kicking, leaping, tumbling. That it can float either in the air or just above the stand level allows artists to draw according to the height of the action. Tumbling on the ground, being thrown by a blast in the air, all at angles that weren't possible without homemade rigging initially.
Also, you don't happen to know if Body-kun is able to use the parts from the Takarai edition? The hands, crossed arms and leg pieces, I mean. I've only been able to see images and I'm about sure that they're compatible but I want to be 100% certain. It would make a great accessory set for Body-kun.
really appreciate this review! I was wondering about the heights and how the body kun and she would look together. I also thought that body kun looked more like a regular guy too
IMO the Figmas are far superior. I have both Kun and Chan figuarts, I’ve had multiple QC issues with Chan. He has a right foot on his left, the ball joint socket for his waist is too shallow so that when I pose him, he separates. I’ve had no issues with my Figmas and like that the material they’re crafted from seems more durable. The figuarts seem more brittle. Great review.
You prob got the bootlegs
Thanks for review :) I'm thinking about buying Figma figures (proportions are way better form me!), but I really like double-jointed elbows in Body Chan and Kun figures... You said, that knees doesn't make big difference between figures, but what about elbows? Are Body Chan and Kun more articulated and allow for better character posing thanks to this double joints? I'm an artist and I'm looking for aid in drawing characters in different poses and perspective (not necessarily in anime style). Which one would you recommend for this purpose? I'll be really grateful for advice :)
They're both pretty close, honestly. Body-Kun and Body-Chan can bend slightly farther (except the necks). Archetype:He can touch his face without really straining his joints, but Body-Kun can stretch farther so 1/3 of his forearm can touch his face easily thanks to that shoulder joint. A:He can kind of do it but with some effort. I could hear the plastic squeak when I did it. Archetype: She can also touch her face but only the top, while with the Body-kun and Body-chan it's easy to make it so that they cover their eyes or just mouth. If you prefer the proportions on one I'd get that one, but if it's movement you're after and you really want that perfect, detailed pose the Body set might be better. I sold my Body-chan and am doing pretty good just having the Body-kun and the figmas. Most of the time I don't really notice differences in joint capability.
Wow, that was quick :) Thank you so much for answer, this is really helpful! I'm wandering- would Body-kun (male) and Archetpe:She (fem) work together? The hight of female figures seems very similar, but I really don't like Body-Chan proportions (this huge head!) while double joints on Body-Kun looks really promising ;) Maybe baying one of each set is the best decision? Also I'm not sure about Archetype:He shoulders- is it me, or they are a little bit to "up"? Maybe it's only me :)
I'll probably buy Figma figures, but I would like to know your opinion on "cross-parring" them, as you had both figures in your hands :)
Thanks again for your answer and this review :)
Happy to help! Height-wise they work well together (somewhat - he's nearly a whole head taller than her), but since Body-kun has a thicker body in general he looks like a body-builder by comparison lol. That's something that would have to be adjusted while drawing. If his head wasn't so much bigger than hers they'd be great for those tall and small couple poses.
It's not just you, I've seen a lot of comments about Archetype: He's shoulders. I think it's the way he's sculpted or something but they , so far, have not been an issue for me.
Thank you once again :) So I decided to buy Body-Kun and Archetype:She. Best case scenario: they will work well together. If not, I'll try to work with each of them and decide Body or Archetype, sell one of them and buy a proper partner to the other. Win-win situation ;)
It will be a long time till I get figures (Amazon ship figures from Japan to Poland and it will take around a 3 weeks) but I'll be around and tell you about final verdict if you want ;)
Thank you for your time and review, you helped me a lot! See you!
It was my pleasure to help your purchase -that's what I'm here for! Hope you get good use out of them. I'm an artist as well and they've been really helpful so far.
Great review! But the links don't seem to have the fig as anymore :( do you know where else I can get them without accidentally buying a knock-off?
The grid could be used for photography, in the sense that an artist who doesn't plan on leaving the figure posed while working can take a photo, re-pose and snap another. This then allows the user to use a reference by size--the number of boxes will allow them to re-adjust if they're drawing different body types or ages. You could even use the grid to scale down on your drawing paper--say if you know the head is four boxes, but you don't want to draw that big, you can use it to say draw half that size with two boxes.
Remember though that this is Bandai--synonymous with anime and manga. Traditionally females often when drawn in the genre have smaller hands and larger heads. This figure caters to those type of artists. Archetype definitely is suited for more realistic art in their proportions.
Also, the peg bar allows you to peg the extra hands and store them under the base so you don't lose them. It's a fantastic system for keeping the tiny parts from being lost and even more so for transporting.
I thought the grid paper would be neat to use as a perspective guideline, but since it's rather small I didn't see it that useful. Your suggestions are definitely a better use for it. I did think the pegs were for extra hands, but they give you one for the extra hands you get so I didn't get why they gave you another completely blank one. Maybe they plan to make more accessories in the future? Idk. Definitely great for storage, though. I could tell the stand was for in-air poses, I was just caught off guard by how different it was compared to the Figma's, since its stand also allows for in-air poses but definitely has a better system for regular standing poses. It's more awkward to do with the way the S.H.F. stand is made, at least for me. For Body-Kun that's not much of a problem but Body-Chan's small feet make it exceptionally harder to stand on her own, so without the stand you can't really make regular scenes with her unless she's leaning on something. Just my opinions based on what I've had to do when using them. Other people may not be having the same issues.
The only thing I'm worried about is if the joints and screws might come loose at some point, and there doesn't seem to be a terribly obvious way to take them apart for maintenance.
Literally impossible for figures to come apart like that unless there bootlegs or you take it apart yourself
7,5 heads is what's ideal according to my art teachers in secondary school, but in art school they said we should ignore that because everyone's different. The most people I know and see can fit their heads 6-7 times in their bodies. So I'm not sure about these standards :/
The only legit art teacher I had was my Drawing teacher who was too much of a perfectionist. He told me 8 heads (before that I thought it was 7.5 too). It probably depends on who you go to. I only brought it up because these figures are made with those measurements in mind, as they're the average measurement people use to start and what the sculptures used as a reference since they're not modeled after a specific character.
If you're past the stage of having to measure your proportions it's definitely not something you need to pay attention to. I know I don't.
Most people in real life range between 6 and 7 heads. The 8-head method was invented by Andrew Loomis, and it's not accurate. However, even though Loomis knew this, he also knew stretching the figure would add grace and elegance, so it's a stylistic choice he made for aesthetics. Many artists still use this method for those very reasons.
Best review I've seen of these figures.
Thank you! This was exactly the video I needed.
Most people are around 6 &1/2 to 7 heads tall. Models and actors can get up to 7 1/2. 8 is a unrealistic ideal.
Great video comparison. Thank you!
Loved your expressions on the bending haha xD
Great review much appreciated. Just to mention though knock offs of the body kun series can be found for about $20 us and quality is exceptional.
I know. Bootlegs aren't my thing, though. Quality control is not great and while some people could get the same quality as the official, I've seen testimony of people who got one where the parts (mainly shoulder and knee joints) snapped off easily.
GrimGracious
I totally understand. I got lucky with mine I suppose hehe.
The head of the gray one looks like more anime
Both are a anime based look same with the first version of figma but 2.0 has a realistic look
Are the SH figuarts able to come apart like the figma line?
I wanted to make my own action figures, so I'm trying to find figure bases that I can recast.
From my experience the figma parts are all plastic and come apart really easily, even the joints can be split apart (with exception to a few parts).
The figma ones are more accurate as humans, but I plan to make more cartoony figures, so working with the SH ones might be a better call. Not to mention they seem to be cheaper on the market and more available rather than the Figma line.
The limbs can - I've done it accidentally before and it's fairly easy to pop them back on as it's just a ball at the end that connects them to the socket, but I'm not sure on the torso area or head. I'm terrified of trying lol
i only use those for customizing.... (dont at me)
I don't blame you. They're the perfect bases!
Yeah I don’t blame you to because I usually use the joints
still gunna get body chan and kun they look nicer in my opinion
that was a good review. honnestly, the only reason why i would buy body-kun or body-chan is because of their accessories. i already have the 2 archetypes, plus the previous versions, so i dont really need more drawing mannequins lol
idk I got the Armature9 a while back thinking it was gonna be great but when I got it I never used it once.
But these dolls do solve a lot of problems the armature9 had like having actual shape and hands.
But meh I will just stick to using the program designdoll, It's essentially a free 3d model you can customize.
Chazz vc That program is really neat but eats up a lot of cpu for me. Having something physically infront of me was easier, but i definitely recommend that program if it works for you. Everyone has their preferences.
Im still on the fence on buying them
anyone have a problem that the hands don't attach??? it pretty devastating since they were very expensive
Ugh I finally found where to get the authentic ones instead of crappy knock-offs, and none are for sale right now.
that 'kind of joint there' is a butterfly joint
Are they both durable in their joints or fragile?
I've got a bizzare question...which one (figma or sh figuart) got the most stable articulations? I explain better...I'd like to give one of this mannequin as a present to a blind friend (he won't use it to draw obvsiously)...so I need a mannequin you can touch (in the way a blind person does to understand the shape of an object) without risking of altering the pose of the figure too much (so if I decide to make the mannequin assume a certain position-for example a footballer doing a bicycle kick goal- this person can 'sense' the position).
Could you please make a try, better if with your eyes closed XD ? I'd really appreciate your help!! Maybe none of this two is suitable...of course my friend must use a very light touch...
giulia chiara castiglioni They're both pretty stable, actually. The only issue I can predict is that with the S.Hfiguarts ones the hands are easy to pop off, so in that case the figmas would be better for overall articulation.
GrimGracious thank you so much!
How well do they hold up to continued use. Sturdy enough for regular posing and hand switching? Similar figures from the 90s tended to break when switching limbs.
I moved them so much and then dump them in a small box I have on my desk still tangled in their pose when not in use and they don't have a scratch on them. If a four year old manhandled them I don't think they'd survive, but so long as you aren't deliberately pulling at their important joints they hold up fine. Stretching them a bit to fit your post poses no threat. The hands are pretty sturdy on there, but I don't personally swap them out that much. Since they are just plastic I'd imagine over time they may run down, however I can't estimate how long that would take.
"Average" human is actually 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 heads. "Ideal" is 8. "Superhero" is 9. "Fashion" is around 10. "Michelangelo" proportions around 12-13ish. So bodykun is actual more correct for the "average" male.
The flesh tone one is more human-like in detail
The color ones come with extra stuff as well so does the black.
8 heads are the ideal body proportion used by artists. Realistically humans are 7.5 heads tall. So body Kun is stocky, and the Figma is the superhero. I'd take the Figma any day. Actually, I just took it...
got mine today , they are so small i thought they were bigger the way you zoomed them in your vid , oh well their still cool and can be used as references for digital art , now waiting for my x pen artist pro 22R Yeeeet!!
actually, you can pose him side ways, by turning the part holding him
hi, so i have a quick question... so i really want to get the Body-Chan but now i don't know if it's better to just buy the Body-Kun and just try to make him look female in my art. What do you think?
loved this video
If you can do that it would be more versatile imo. You'd just have to transform the proportions for shorter/smaller females. Seeing the muscle structure of the Body-kun helps me a lot more overall. Transforming the female to a male pose doesn't transform as simple.
you can tighten the clasp around the upper body so its more stable
Does this fit with figma heads? Specially body-chan?
I bought the Figma.. The chest area on Body-Chan was to weird. I feel like Body Kun and Body Chan were made for more Manga style where as Figma seems more Comic Style.
I ultimately went with the Figma because I didn't like the chest on Body Chan.. It looks like to Balloon-y to me.
In many ways they all seem to be great for learning how to draw Poses. Placing one over the other seems nearly impossible. It seems to come down to personal preference.
I prefer the Figma Archetype, but I really want the Figuarts hands and accessories. Any possibility the hands are interchangeable between Figma and Figuarts?
For these, yes! Just tried it and they attach perfectly. I only tried the males, though. Not sure about the females. I feel like Body-chan's might be too small.
I'll just use the male hands, I guess. Thanks!
i really wanted to buy both from figma
but now I looked everywhere and it seems like the she type is sold out everywhere.. or sold for about $100
i'm so upset :( it's so difficult finding realistic figures
Yes, unfortunately that's an issue many people message me about. ): I was really surprised when I looked myself. Here's to hoping they announce a re-release. When it comes to figures like these you really do have to try and pre-order or buy close to release to guarantee you get one at a good price.
Have you order yet? I'm skeptical it's a knockoff.
Ummm no some are 50 are 15 in ebya are amzon
prestigify.com/products/body-kun-figurines?variant=37013311116
I just bought mine from this one
Ebay has a male female set for 20$USA but they're knockoffs. They have body kun/chan knockoffs as well.
Where can I buy one
?
6-13-2020,,I just received mine in the mail...awesome..when I took it out CAREFULLY,the left leg came off
I assume the paper is for perspective. I was going to get my own graph paper, only in inches, before I realised it was included in the pack. I guess it’s in millimetres for finer details.
The kun and the Chan have holes to attach the base directly you don’t have to use the extra bit
I'm trying to figure out how the heck to get the props to fit in the hand modules D:
The proportions are right. Cause they are designed for manga!!! Obviously not for classical portraits. Manga proportions are 7&1/2 or 6 heads.mthat is the stardart
Thanks helps me alot. Im just starting writing my own fiction novel. And wanna draw the characters first and add those to my imagination for the base.
hang on you say you didnt like her because of the anime style she has...its actually made for manga and anime, there are other figures for realistic drawings, but these models you got are specifically for manga
Yep, I know that. Body-Kun, however, has pretty regular proportions. I got both to see which I would like best. Even for Anime, her limbs were just so tiny it was funny and did not look good at all. Manga styles vary so I expected her to be at least a bit balanced.
Can the heads be removed ?
Ferb, I know what we're going to do today
I bought the kun and those tiny hands were hillarious!!! I think these will be useful, but man they made um cheap. They wernt cheap to purchase. Oh well. The girl figure came with the shoulders out of joint. Mine were prob chinese knock offs.
Figma have better proportions but the joints looks less strong. Beatiful the female figma.
I like the new body kuns
Figa has feet... Body gun doesn't
Can you paint the grey skins to a flesh tone?
Is this bootleg? I don’t think they’re manufactured from the original source any more
Check the date of the video. I bought these when they first released. They're official.
I got the girl but a cream color and a piece of plastic got stuck in the hand! I’m hoping I can get it out!!🙁
The plastic that were on the hands were so cheap that part of the plastic ball got stuck now i cant use some of the hands smh
I have heard that if it is not from Bandai in Japan, it is a ripoff and inferior in quality. The original is supposed to have the Bandai name embedded on the back of the figures as well as their hologram on the front of the package. Plus, the price is pretty much around 90 euros per figure. China and other countries offer the ripoffs for as much as 30 euros.
I would say that's half-true. I tried looking for the Bandai mark when I got mine but didn't see anything. However, the store I buy from is a supplier shop and only sells legit merchandise. I know mine is official but not sure why it and many others who bought theirs from legit sources don't have it. Some collectors said they found it on the inside but there's no way i'm gonna risk breaking mine just to confirm.
When these originally released they were about 50usd, but are now more expensive due to their rarity also some shops have overstock and are able to sell them reasonably. Anything below the 40-50 range I would see as a red flag to its authenticity.
GrimGracious Thanks for clarifying that. I‘ve been skeptical due to so many comments here and there in Facebook. I checked your suggested website to buy them and they’re sold out. Amazon is next try.
@@dannydaniels I would be cautious about Amazon. They also tend to have knock offs.
Both figures are intended for Anime. They are archetypes of the tall athletic guy, and the petite Kwaii girl with big breasts.
Is it worth getting for stop motions? I'm thinking of making a Steve Rogers or Tony Stark.
They're so articulate I don't see them being a problem for stop motion. People use Nendoroids for that purpose as well.
@@grimgracious Don't have much mooney so lol. I dont have sharpies or anything to paint with, what can I use for skin?
I love you so much! Thank you for this awesome video!
I got the DX set body chan but her left shoulder was horrible...it looks like she dislocated her shoulder :(
How about the light colour body chan in terms of the shoulder problem?
Thank you
Unfortunately I can't help you there, since I only own the gray ver. Unless you meant the Figmas? Did you make sure to buy it from a reliable store? There are a lot of bootlegs of these pairs with questionable quality control.
Ah really? Considering the price I got it from, it seems it was a reliable store.
I think I may save up for the SFBT-3 model instead...
Thanks for the quick reply tho!
If you got it from a reliable partner shop you could try emailing Bandai about the issue? I've seen many collectors do that for broken pieces and sometimes the company will send them replacements if they deem it a manufacturing error. Whatever works!
thanks! i'd seen many comments about the shoulder so I guess....it's a common fault and I don't want to waste my time emailing and sending back stuff etc etc
Just going for the SFBT-3 model
Good side by side review thanks...!!!!
7 1/2 heads is the length used by all of the Renaissance greats, like Michelangelo and Leonardo DaVinci.
I use 8 heads too... but mostly in idealized drawings of the figure.
Now is everyone built differently, YES they are. That said, more often than not, a good portion of people are only 7 heads tall!
Thus, 7 1/2 is widely considered accurate & eye, pleasing. Using 7 or 8 heads, it also acceptable.
However, do not say 8 in the norm. I'm a heads long but I'm 6'4. From personal study to back it up: most people are lucky if they are 8 heads tall. They happen to be tall & not female!
Good Day :)
To be fair, most people I know are 6- 8 heads tall, and that canon of proportion is what I was taught while in art classes (which makes sense given it was a fine arts class). Don't know if that changed since I took them since I didn't really stay for long but that's what I was going by. It's not something deeply ingrained that I can't just look it up and change it later and for the most part all they are are generalizations, not really accurate measurements to always use. That's one of the first things my biology teacher told me when I told him I was considering being a field artist - no matter what proportions you're taught always draw what you see. The head suggestions are only guidelines that are usually tweaked later and aren't accepted as definite rules so unless you have a particular look in mind when you draw figures the 1/2 inch difference isn't that important. I know I never really pay attention to it when I draw - but i've grown past the proportion stage by now that it just comes naturally.
Hy, I like your video. Can you answer me two questions: 1.) Are female knees are movable like the male knees? 2.) Can the figures do the pose of an archer? Would be very nice, if you could answer me that. Thanks a lot. :-)
All the joint movements are similar in both the male and female ones, yes. Yes, they can pose like archers.
Has anyone used Body-Chan as reference for anime teenager girls art?
Mine stand on their own both of them
Do you know any other shop that sells the body-chan. Whitch works in euros?
All of my go-to websites are sold out but I did find this one bodykun.com/products/body-kun-models-for-artists Otherwise you could try Amazon? I normally advise against it since there are a lot of copycats but sometimes Bandai has shops there where you can get legit ones.
Dunno if you've followed this link but please pleeeease don't order from these guys. It's been 6 weeks of 3-day robotic replies with my item lost in shipping, and those who DID receive from these people are getting extremely shoddy knock-offs in plain white boxes. I've found 50+ reviews from people in the same boat, specifically from this website.
Nice! :^)
Thank you! :-)
I bought two body kub instead body kun and body chan. Because body chan looks so fragile...
Sorry, but what are they for use??
Display, photography or drawing.
I believe the hands on the body-chan look small because the model has such a big head. The hands on the Figma She model look big because her head seems so small. Might be a good idea to switch hands on the figures, even place the Figuarts body-chan forearms, if possible, on the Figma Female to make her arms less manly.
I wish that were the case but nah, they're legit really small. The figma's head is smaller but her hands are still bigger than Body-chan. That's just a really weird proportion. Body-kun's hands are just slightly bigger than his figma counterpart.
Is that Large
what are their height in cm?
Mine disnt come with the sword and I got a bunch of sets of hands, which were mostly left
I have asked this booklet you have style ???
Can you dress this??