Nag Nuts Nina (Orange & Green) (Nina Dolono) Review

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Nag Nuts Nina (Orange & Green) (Nina Dolono) Review

Nag Nuts Nina (Orange & Green)
Nina Dolono (Fewture)Mr. Nirasawa has an interesting visual style when it comes to women: I'd describe it as Patrick Nagel meets Tim Burton. And then they took drugs and brainstormed submissions for Heavy Metal covers. Pretty much all his merch follows this pattern, and Nag Nuts Nina is no exception.
NNN is apparently a form taken by the titular antihero, thanks to the adaptable nature of her nebulously-defined enhancements. If there's official fiction that explains this further, I haven't come across it, but basically, that weird Gigeresque arm of hers was destroyed in battle and replaced by a decidedly goofy, very inorganic design. Built by magical means. And yet it now has an eyestalk of its own, snaking out of the back of the shoulder pad to peer down at her right hand. A second one emerges from her pants like a tail, just because. Maniacal little cartoon faces serve as accents here and there. It's a lot to take in, and the clashing colors make it even more chaotic. Paint is the usual standard for these: bright, intricate, and damn impressive. Even the bicolored accordion bit is immaculate.
Bucking the 3-point articulation trend typical of such toys, Nina sneaks in swivels above and below the left bicep, and 3 pin joints in the claw itself. The human portion is nearly immobile, but hey, art toy.
Accessories are largely consolidated into a big ol' circus platform and some sort of monster named No Brain. Which is fortunate, because that knife looks like it would certainly mess up any brain that might be in there. The packaging notes that we can poke it with said knife, but its only real home is the weirdly suggestive slit in the thing's forehead. There's also a jack-in-the-box topped with a flying eyeball monster, on a real spring. "Flick the one-eyed monster", the card says. Well, if you say so. I'ma finish this review first. Anyway, said box plugs into the base to hold it steady for easy flicking, but it won't stay upright very well. Be sure to grip the base of the one-eyed monster while you flick it.
Well, that got dirty at the end. Blame the artist and copy editor, both of whom seem to be having fun with us. Overall I prefer this take on the character to the standard figure, but that's because Nirasawa is twice as fun when he gets a little silly. I can't honestly say I ever expected to have a collection of sexy monster girls on my shelf, but it's about the only way to get this guy's art in three dimensions without dropping three digits. And this is a fine example. I rate such things in context, considering age, price point, and overall creativity and design. That said, 4 stars, easy. It won't blesh with modern stuff, but if you have a lot of 90s toys, it's great.