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Summer has returned once again, and with it comes the yearly struggle between wanting to enjoy the season and not wanting to be personally attacked by the sun. The cicadas are screaming, the humidity is rising and stepping outside for more than five minutes feels like accepting a quest with no save point. Thankfully, figure collectors know the superior way to enjoy summer: from a safe, air-conditioned room, surrounded by anime, games and plenty of swimsuit figures. Because while summer outside can be a little too intense, summer on the shelf is perfect.

Every year, we can celebrate the season with a fresh wave of beach-ready beauties, poolside poses, tropical accessories and swimsuits ranging from sporty and stylish to wardrobe malfunction in waiting. These summer-themed figures capture all the best parts of the season: sunshine, vacation energy, playful outfits and characters showing off a side we do not always get to see in their usual designs. Even better, there is no sunscreen required.

This year’s lineup has plenty to enjoy! From familiar favorites in new swimwear to eye-catching original designs, these upcoming releases are ready to bring a splash of summer charm into your collection. So grab a cold drink, close the curtains and let’s dive into some of the best summer themed figures currently available for pre-order.

Azur Lane

This year Luminous Box gave us a perfect 'Nightpool' collection!

First we have Ägir. The German cruiser gets a stylish bikini and a confident bishoujo pose.

Next we have Taihou. The pose is absolutely perfect for her, reflecting her sensual and teasing nature. With the night pool theme, you can practically hear her say ふふっ、指揮官様がほしいというなら、お月様だって摘み取って見せますわ～ ((Giggles) If you desired it, I would even bring down the moon from the skies for you~).

And to finish the collection we have Kessokusarge (Kearsarge). For those unfamiliar, yes that is a Bocchi reference. Kearsarge and Bocchi share the same voice actor, Yoshino Aoyama. Kearsarge compliments Ägir and Taihou nicely with her design.

The trio looks great and would be easy to display with any swimsuit themed collection. It is full-on bishoujo but each character keeps their distinct personally thanks to subtle outfit design and pose variety!

Blue Archive

This year we have a lot of diversity with summer themed figures from Blue Archive. Phat Company sends Hiyori to the beach in this fun but tragic figure. I don't think the 5 second rule applies to that ice pop...

Joing her at the beach is Hanako, rising the sand off. Protecting herself from the harsh UV rays, she is wearing a semi transparent white shirt giving it a wet look and giving a glimpse at her bikini underneath!

Next we have Serika which focused on a simple bikini theme and is all attitude and quintessential, classic tsundere. While the actual outfit may not be all that intricate, the pose gives enough room to appreciate the curves, and the expression is purrrfect.

For those who want to ditch the sandy beach and go poolside, look no further than Kanna. The stoic and competent Police Academy director maintains her confidence as the groups lifegaurd. Complete with a pool float for anyone who needs saving, she is well sculpted with great paint detail.

For those who want a truly unique bikini aesthetic, how about summer on Antarctica? Eimi gives us a winter themed bikini figure with some interesting contrast. The revealing black bikini with the loose, puffy pink down jacket over her shoulders and icy themed base is an interesting visual. Great bishoujo design and fun to create a display.

Finally we have a figure for those who would prefer something other than a swimsuit for summer. In a very cute summer dress, Sena gives us something more elegant for the shelf. With get some nice sense of movement giving the feeling of a gentle ocean breeze.

iDOLM@STER

Next we have a trio of summer-ready idols, and each one brings a very different kind of beach episode energy.

First up is Shinosawa Hiro, who gives us the softest and most romantic summer look of the group. With her bikini, sheer cover-up, straw hat and beach-themed base, this figure feels less like an action scene and more like a quiet seaside date. The heart pose is simple but very effective, adding a sweet, personal touch that makes the whole figure feel warm and inviting. It is a classic summer idol look, but the soft fabric effect and gentle pose keep it from feeling too plain.

For something with a little more movement, Himesaki Rinami brings a much more energetic beach presence. Rather than feeling like she is simply posing for the viewer, Rinami looks like she is mid-performance, caught in one of those bright summer MV moments where the beach becomes the stage. The water gun gives the figure a playful seasonal touch, but the outfit and pose still keep that polished idol feeling. Compared to Hiro’s softer date-like atmosphere, Rinami feels more active, cheerful and performance-focused.
And then there is the classic Cinderella Girl Yumemi Riamu. Her figure goes all-in on color, chaos and water-gun fun. The pose is lively, the expression has plenty of personality, and the whole figure feels like it is seconds away from turning the beach into an idol-themed water fight. Where Rinami feels like she is performing for the perfect summer shot, Riamu feels like she is just having fun and dragging everyone else into her nonsense. The brighter colors also help her stand out, making her a great choice for collectors who want something more playful and loud in their summer display.

Anime & Game Heroines

Moving away from the gacha game lineups, we also have plenty of summer-themed figures from familiar anime series. This section gives us everything from romcom heroines to classic ecchi legends, plus a little alchemy at the water’s edge.

First, we have Yanami Anna from Make Heroine ga Oosugiru! by Good Smile Company. As the queen of losing heroine energy, Anna is already one of those characters who can steal a scene or your fries... Putting her in a swimsuit gives the figure an easy summer hook, but the real appeal is the character herself. Anna has that bright, expressive romcom charm that makes her feel fun rather than just pretty, and this release should be a nice pickup for fans who want a beach-ready version of one of recent anime’s most memorable unlucky heroines.
Next is another Anna, but with a completely different vibe: Yamada Anna from The Dangers in My Heart. Bell Fine’s 1/6 figure gives Yamada a larger scale presence, which makes sense for a character who is literally and figuratively hard to miss. This version leans less into the shy romcom sweetness of the series and more into Yamada’s model-like confidence, eye-catching physical presence and armpit that had quite a bit attention given to the sculpt. The swimsuit styling gives the figure a bolder summer-date atmosphere, capturing that overwhelming way out of my league energy that makes Ichikawa’s reactions so funny and painfully relatable.

Then we go from modern romcoms to one of the true veterans of anime fanservice: To LOVEru Darkness.

Darkness gets a huge 1/4 scale Swimsuit figure from Mimeyoi and Union Creative. Yami is usually known for her quiet, cool, assassin-like personality, so swimsuit figures of her always have a unique appeal. She may look calm and composed, but the scale and bishoujo styling give her a commanding shelf presence than her petiteness would suggest. At 1/4 scale, this is definitely not a subtle summer addition. This is the kind of figure that walks onto the shelf and demands attention.

Joining her is Mikan in a 1/4 scale white recolor of an earlier figure, also from Mimeyoi and Union Creative.

It was originally released with a classic school swimsuit blue which fans loved enough for them to take another shot at it.

Mikan brings a different kind of To LOVEru charm. She is cute, responsible and usually the one trying to keep some level of order in a series that has absolutely no interest in behaving. Together with Yami, she adds plenty of variety to a To LOVEru collection, and the 1/4 scale makes both figures feel like serious centerpieces for longtime fans.

For something with a more fantasy-adventure flavor, we have Yumia Liessfeldt from Atelier Yumia by Phat Company. The Atelier series has always been good at mixing cozy charm with beautiful character designs, and Yumia’s figure brings that energy into a summer setting. Rather than feeling like a simple swimsuit release, the playing in the water theme gives it a lighter, more refreshing atmosphere. It is the kind of figure that works well if you want a summer display that feels bright and adventurous rather than just beach-pinup focused.

Kuroneko, from Oreimo makes a Shironeko appearance thanks to Solarain. This one fits nicely into the seasonal lineup and is a familiar look for her summer dates. Kuroneko is usually associated with gothic black outfits and dramatic chuunibyou flair, so seeing her in a summer dress gives more variety. For fans of Oreimo, it is also a nice reminder that even years later, Kuroneko still has enough heroine power to show up and steal attention.
We also have Shiro from No Game No Life in her sailor style swimsuit by Good Smile Company. Shiro’s figure leans into her cuteness, blank expression and colorful flair, making this not just a summer themed figure. The nautical styling keeps it playful while the swimsuit angle gives a version of Shiro that still feels recognizable and character focused but also unique. For No Game No Life fans still waiting for more anime content, at least the figure shelf continues to deliver.

Barbera Red from Daiblos Core might be a much lesser known character but she brings the summer energy AniMester’s Bright Summer figure. This one goes beyond the figure and creates a whole island themes visual thanks to the intricate base. The 1/6 scale gives her plenty of presence, and the design leans into ecchi, bishoujo appeal. Compared to the softer romcom and anime heroine figures in this section, Barbera Red feels more borderline NSFW.

Beach Queens

There is a whole wave of Beach Queens releases joining the summer lineup. These figures are generally simpler and more character focused than the bigger scale releases above, but that is also part of the appeal. The matching format makes them easy to display together, while the Pop Up Parade L size gives them more shelf presence than a standard budget figure. Lucy Heartfilia brings playful fantasy charm with her Virgo Form Swimsuit, giving her beach look that is familiar to fans. Meanwhile, the Evangelion pair gives us classic contrast: Asuka in a bold bikini style full of confidence and attitude, and Rei in a calmer one piece style that feels clean, quiet and understated.

The lineup also gives us some nice variety beyond the usual beach energy. Beta from The Eminence in Shadow brings a cuter, more bashful look that still suits her Shadow Garden presence. Altria Pendragon/Saber Lily adds a brighter, energetic heroine feel, with a simple swimsuit style that fits her image. These two are add something a little different to the group and help balance the lineup with a little more variety and classic character appeal.

Finally, Panty and Stocking from New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt crash the Beach Queens lineup with exactly the kind of attitude you would expect. Panty brings the smug, flashier beach energy, while Stocking adds a cooler and more aloof charm. Together, they are probably best displayed as a pair. Overall, the Beach Queens figures may not be the most detailed summer releases this year, but they work well as easy display pieces. Recognizable characters, clean swimsuit styling and plenty of variety for building out a seasonal shelf.

Original Characters

To complete the list we have two original characters, which are always fun because the appeal comes less from anime recognition and more from the artist’s design sense. Zakozako-chan is based on an original illustration by Shimanun, and Union Creative’s 1/6 scale leans fully into her teasing personality. Even the name has that playful zako zako taunt energy and the figure matches it with a cheeky tongue-out expression, curvy bikini styling, and voluminous hair with a light purple gradient at the tips. She is definitely not going for elegant seaside romance. This is more of a smug little menace in swimsuit form, and honestly, that makes her a fun way to close out the summer lineup.

On the cuter devilish side, Shino from Riko’s original illustrations gets a swimsuit version from Magi Arts. Riko may be more familiar with collectors as she has been on a roll with getting figures made after her work. I wrote an earlier blog from her figure debut if you are interested in seeing more. Since Shino is an original character, there is not a long anime backstory to explain, but the design does plenty of talking on its own: a blue sukumizu, small bat-like wings, a succubus tail and an inflatable float that gives her a playful poolside feel. She is a smaller 1/7 figure given her smol design but the seated pose and float make her easy to display as a compact summer accent piece.

Thank you for reading!