Pre-order Rikka Now!

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It is no secret that anime figures have been increasing in price, along with just about every other purchasable item. There was a time when Pop Up Parade figures could be purchased new, for under 4000 yen, but their prices have been slowly going up. In our Anime Figures 101 playlist on YouTube, we have several videos about this very topic.

While we can sympathize with the need to increase prices, are we getting anything extra for it? In Japan, it is usually yes. It may not equal the increase in price, but there is generally an attempt to provide more value when upping the charge. Many figure manufacturers have been attempting to provide a bit more value by adding more details to pedestals and upping the overall quality. Another approach has been to create new figure concepts and diversify their offerings. MegaHouse opted to ditch the base and have you display their Tenohira figures or Look Up figures directly on your shelf.

Don't think Pop Up Parade is good value? Perhaps you would like a bigger, more detailed and robust figure as part of their XL line up. Good Smile has come up with a pretty unique idea. Wall figures!

Their idea for a wall figure was to have it attached to your wall or furniture using hooks/pins. They claim the installation holes are small so they are not very noticeable if you choose to move the figure to another location. Assuming the figure itself is not so heavy, there might be some other, less permanent options for those who are creative. Velcro tape or command hooks might be possible but as this is the first figure using this concept, that is entirely speculation and not confirmed.

This concept could be a great way to add a figure to your collection if you are limited on space. It is also a unique displaying method that allows for creativity in crafting displays. This can make it easy to have a truly dynamic display without much effort. The simplicity of the design allows it to blend in seamlessly with your furniture.

As for the figure itself, Good Smile chose Rikka Takarada to be the first wall figure with an estimated release date of early 2025! They got inspiration from the Gridman Universe movie key visual. The anime film is set in the Gridman Universe and combines characters from the anime SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon. Rikka is a member of the Gridman Alliance, originally appearing in SSSS.Gridman.

In SSSS.Gridman, Rikka teams up with Yuta Hibiki, a high school student who can merge with a giant robot, Gridman. Together with other members of the Gridman Alliance, they fight kaiju (giant monsters) and try to save the world! After succeeding, they can finally go back to living a normal life… briefly.

In the movie, the SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon universes overlap and those peaceful days were short lived with a new threat emerging. The Gridman Alliance assembles one again, this time incorporating the Dynazenon characters. Despite the bigger cast of characters, Rikka and Yuta are still the main attraction which is reflected in the key visual.

Rikka is a cool, composed and somewhat listless girl who quickly became a fan favorite from the series. Her charming personality was memorable and her simple design easily caught attention. Her trademark long cardigan and uniform create the appearance of a seemingly average girl and accentuate her legs. Before we had Ryza, Rikka was the queen of thicc.

The figure itself is a great sculpt and captures Rikka's likeness with a lot of detail. The figure is faithful to Rikka's original design, and those blue eyes and super cute expression is a heart stopper. The way her head leans against the swing feels realistic and adds to her adorable appeal.

Good Smile brought the movie's key visual to life and improved on it. The pose is identical to the visual but the extra attention to Rikka’s expression really enhances the figure. The painting looks very clean and the texture on her cardigan is a nice added touch.

The swings seat does look a little cheap but, it is supposed to be a public park swing so it actually should look cheap. The choice of image was also ideal for Rikka, since we get those coveted thicc thighs on full display! Good Smile knew what fans wanted with this one.

Overall it is a solid figure but rather simple. If Good Smile continues to develop the wall figure concept, we could get some truly crazy, dynamic and next level figures. I just hope they don't become noodle stoppers with seats.

Have any ideas for a cool wall figure? Let us know in the comments below!

Until next time, keep collecting!