Pre-Order Black Rock Shooter Now!
Welcome to the Solaris Blog! ヾ( ʚ̴̶̷ .̫ ʚ̴̶̷ )ﾉ”
♪!(^ O ^)
Does it sound like a nostalgic song to you? Great, because the little black bird will soar above the wasteland of this world once again! (•ө•)
Max Factory brings HxxG’s illustration to life with this amazing 1/7 scale figure of Black Rock Shooter!
Black Rock Shooter was created by illustrator huke in 2007. Leaning heavily into a gap moe motif, a pale young girl dresses in clothes as black as midnight, and carries a massive gun that most definitely weighs more than her petite self. But it’s anime, so somehow she still wields it like a mere stick. Shortly thereafter, songwriter ryo of supercell fame fleshed out her personality, and had Vocaloid Hatsune Miku lend this character her voice. ( @˟ꈊ˟@ )
With the character concept so neatly outlined, a PSP game was made to give her a backstory. Fans wanted more, so a couple manga and an anime series were also made. And the anime, released in 2012, is the point where a whole lot of people jumped on the Black Rock Shooter train for a wild ride of cute girls wielding massive deadly weapons!
(✿ ╹ ◡╹)︻╦╤───────
In the 2012 anime, written by Mari Okada, the storyline takes a different turn: middle schooler Kuroi Mato is trying to navigate the newfound emotions blooming inside her. As the quiet, dreamer types can relate, the world of friendships is not all roses; in fact, at that stage in life, it is a journey with thorns and brambles everywhere. But it’s made easier when you have badass angels in your psyche to fight the battle of budding egos on your behalf.
Little fan theory here, but with how close it is in release and style to Puella Magi Madoka Magica, I can’t help but think it was sort of a response to the dark magical girl “I-will-fight-for-you” concept. No shade! I love both series and am happy to see different flavors of darkness infused into the otherwise light-hearted genre. If you like the magical girl trope but with guns, lots of guns, then give Black Rock Shooter a watch! ٩( ๑╹ ꇴ╹)۶
Now, 10 years later, Black Rock Shooter has returned to the universe of her PSP game to save the world one more time in the anime series Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall! In this new series, humanity’s creations have turned against them and nearly wiped them off of the face of the Earth. A small resistance manages to survive, but the remaining population is splintering into opportunistic factions that prey on each other. One day, however, two children awaken what may just be their last hope…
Black Rock Shooter, aka Empress.
Of course, after so long, she can’t quite remember who she is anymore. The series shows her journey as she recalls her history, ties up loose ends from the last conflict, and finds new purpose in this new, twisted reality. As we uncover more of the past, we get to see former friendships that had gone sour, such as the lithe Dead Master and the brash Strength (both classic and Dawn Fall designs are available at our store, so check her out!).
Just a warning, the Dawn Fall series is much, much less cute than the first anime, and it stays true to huke’s original, moody, post-apocalyptic concept. So if you decide to watch it, don’t feel disappointed if it doesn’t channel the magical girl feel of its 2012 predecessor, because it was not meant to. (ღゝ◡╹)
By the way, Dead Master got a more futuristic design in Dawn Fall, complete with some noxiously vibrant locks; her look is so different from the 2012 anime series that most fans couldn’t recognize her at first. Σ(,,oΔo, ,*)
Good Smile Company released a sick Pop Up Parade of her in the fall, followed by a second Pop Up Parade of her classic design that feels inspired by this 1/8 scale figure!
But back to Black Rock Shooter, because this 1/7 scale by Max Factory is a stunning masterpiece.
First thing that catches your eye is the pose. The little black bird takes flight! This is one of the few figures that portrays Black Rock Shooter in such a dynamic, action-packed pose. Last time I saw so much fire in a Black Rock Shooter figure was back in 2010, when Good Smile Company released this 1/8 scale beauty:
Now it all makes sense, doesn’t it? HxxG offered a tribute befitting our Empress’ jubilee! And thankfully Max Factory stepped up to turn the concept into a sculptural masterpiece that we can own! ＼(^ o ^)／
Spreading wings made of metal and gunpowder, Black Rock Shooter takes to the skies to save our ruined planet and to put an end to the lunatic machinations of a smiley-faced freak. (ʘ̆◡ʘ̆ )
The world at her feet collapses with the impact of her takeoff. The checkered tiles look like pixels fragmenting as the fabric of reality begins to break. Look at that sculpt, the perfectly shaped muscles, how they become tense with the effort she puts into her launch. (°o° )
There is movement in every angle of this figure, and it’s simply stunning. It fills your eyes even though the color palette is monochromatic. This scale figure is all about stark contrasts: the checkerboard pattern on her collapsing base, black coat against pale skin, and her petite body putting 150% of its strength to lift the massive black cannon, it all turns up the gap moe to the max level and culminates in the most kickass Black Rock Shooter scale figure I’ve seen to date! (✧ᗜ✧)
Then you look at her face: it’s neither tense nor tired. It’s calm — dreamy, almost. You can feel the gentleness in her eyes, softening at the sight of the humans she’s meant to protect. But the blue flame burns; Black Rock Shooter knows what needs to be done. She will fight for you, take on the pain for you, so you can live on! (｀・ω・´ )b
This 1/7 scale masterpiece by Max Factory is scheduled to be released in August 2023. Pre-orders are currently open, so pre-order today! (๑・ω-)～♥
And if you prefer to see our little black bird perched quietly, as portrayed in her original art, then read on.
Another 10th anniversary tribute worth mentioning is the 1/8 scale figure, Inexhaustible version (available brand new and pre-owned at our store). The concept was drawn by huke and turned into this towering figure by Good Smile Company. It stands 46 cm tall, featuring the character’s trademark stoicism plus a light-up base! So if you prefer a more classic, poised but-no-less-badass pose when it comes to Black Rock Shooter, this is the figure you’ve been looking for.
So, which battle maiden will you choose: the avenger who flies towards the heart of the enemy, or the angel perched atop the ruins watching over you? (๑′ᴗ‵๑)
We hope you enjoyed this one!
Until next time! ヾ(＾∇＾)
Comment (1)
This is a great informative post on Black Rock Shooter. I’m going to share the link on the “Punishing Gray Raven” (mobile game) reddit. There was a Black Rock Shooter collab announced for the game (CN version which Global is about a year and a half behind) and a lot of people were asking about the character and wasn’t sure what BRS was.
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