Pre-Order Darkness, Aqua, Megumin & Yunyun Now!

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Everyone is bad at something and if you're a hero who's bad at heroing, you're probably a member of the KonoSuba crew. Anime fans love the glorious mess that KonoSuba creates, with the dysfunctional dream team of Darkness, Aqua, Megumin and Kazuma. If we drop Kazuma and add in Yunyun, we've got the perfect quartet for your shelf. All four finally have pre-orders open based on a special 10th anniversary illustration.

Kujikibido is an online character lottery, where your favorite anime heroes and heroines bring you exclusive prizes with every ticket. It uses the same idea as ichibankuji which you can find at game centers and convenience stores throughout Japan. Every gacha is a guaranteed win with prizes ranging from keychains and posters to acrylic stands. Unlike ichibankuji, figures are usually not part of the potential prizes.

From seasonal events to birthday specials, Kujikibido creates tons of merchandise reusing art in a variety of ways. Being online, exclusive to Japan and requiring a Japanese address for shipping, overseas fans don't really get a chance to try their luck and might not even know about its existence. Back in 2023, they held an event to commemorate KonoSuba’s 10th anniversary using original illustrations by Kurone Mishima, the series light novel artist for the prizes. Now, Kadokawa is taking those same designs and bringing us figures to display.

Aqua is a literal goddess… who’s also a hot mess. She’s vain, impulsive, and cries more than she casts spells. After being dragged into the fantasy world by Kazuma, she quickly proves that divine status doesn’t guarantee competence.

The Light Novel Negligee figure shows Japan’s beloved water goddess in a more intimate, elegant light. Capturing Aqua’s softer side makes for a great alternative look than her usual eccentric, happy self.

Aqua’s flowing hair is done up, avoiding the flowing, wild look it usually has. Keeping it neat and cascading behind her back, she is given a smaller profile, enhancing the softness of the design. The figure strikes a fine balance between Aqua’s trademark vivacity and a demure vulnerability. Her posture with one leg bent, weight shifted, feels unforced and intimate, offering a fresh contrast to her usual boisterous stances in the anime. 

Even the paintwork does well to maintain the delicacy of the image. The color work leans into pastel blues and delicate skin tones, avoiding her vibrant blue, which could be overpowering and attention grabbing. The blush on her cheeks is faint but effective, lending that caught in a quiet moment kind of charm.

Her outfit has allure without appearing gaudy, appropriate for a goddess. The dress has good details with the frills along the base and wrinkles. The stool base she is sitting on is simple but effective. It will work well when paired with others from the set but also looks great on its own and adds a bit of variety to any display.

Lalatina (Darkness) Dustiness Ford is a noble crusader with a noble cause… and a not-so-noble kink. She’s a tank who loves taking damage, especially if it’s humiliating. Her sword skills are abysmal, but her thirst for punishment is unmatched. Darkness is the knight who charges into battle with a blush and a prayer that someone will step on her.

Her Light Novel Negligee figure gives fans a whole different dynamic. Darkness can actually get embarrassed? Darkness’s habitual stoicism gives way to a softer, more vulnerable pose that contrasts intriguingly with her masochistic reputation.

Her outfit in black contrasts nicely with her blonde hair and the overall design fits her character. There is a sense of luxury mixed with a more fetishized tone. The bunny ears and revealing, see through dress are fitting for this hentai hero.

Lalatina’s outfit is revealing but has enough modesty to be a classy bishoujo figure. The shirt sliding off her shoulders adds to the enticing visual and maintains pretty good balance.

Having her kneeling makes her very easy to add to a display. Giving some height differences could help her be positioned in front of other figures or if displayed as a set, keep them all attention grabbing without having one steal the attention.

Yunyun is Megumin’s self-proclaimed rival, though Megumin barely acknowledges her. She’s sweet, socially awkward, and desperate for friendship. Despite her powerful magic, she’s constantly sidelined by her own insecurity.

Her Light Novel Negligee figure continues the trend of focusing on intimate style, far removed from the crew's usual adventuring attire. Yunyun’s shy, hesitant personality is beautifully conveyed through her gentle posture and timid facial expression.

The negligee design uses clear parts to subtly reveal her abdomen and adds a layer of elegance and allure. The visual is very similar to Aqua but with some fun changes like the heart cut out  on her top for added flair.

The sculpt work is crisp, with careful attention to the folds of the fabric and the soft flow of her hair. The paint application maintains a delicate balance between soft skin tones and the light coloring of the negligee. Subtle shading on her cheeks complements her bashful expression, adding personality without overwhelming the gentle aesthetic.

Being seated in a similar fashion to Aqua gives it a smaller footprint and makes it convenient for fans with limited display space. The fresh look at a sometimes forgotten KonoSuba character makes it an appealing choice for dedicated series fans and collectors. Of the three negligee figures, I personally consider this to be the best one.

Megumin is a crimson demon archwizard with a one-track mind: Explosion magic. She refuses to learn any other spell, even though it knocks her out after one use. Her obsession is so intense it borders on religious. Megumin is proof that passion can be both inspiring and completely impractical.

Megumin’s figure departs from the negligee theme and instead she gets a Catgirl Maid makeover. The reimagination of the ever dramatic Crimson Demon Archwizard is irresistibly cute and playful.

Megumin strikes a confident cat pose with ears perked, tail alert, proud expression and a fun gesture mimicking a cat's claw. The maid outfit is nicely complemented by the cat accessories, and has the neko maid theme built in. From the cat ears on her top and the bell choker, she oozes her mischievous and self-assured personality we expect.

The sculpt captures intricate details in the outfit and hair but also gives extra attention to the subtle contour of her silhouette that her regular clothing keeps obscured. The coloring is much more subdued compared to the bright, rich red tones that she is known for. The light novel versions for the characters use each iconic color more as an accent or highlight than core feature but since the other three figures emphasize the usual color scheme, it might have been better to add in a bit more red.

The design for Megumin works with the rest of the figures from this set but with its much different visual makes it feel like it isn’t actually part of it. This makes her possibly the best option as a solo purchase compared to the others.

Pre-orders for Aqua, Darkness, Yunyun and Megumin are open with a release date for all of them set for this coming winter.

Thank you for reading!