#tachiyaku

[tanghanwa]

G.E.M. Series Naruto Shippuden Naruto & Sasuke Kabuki Ver.

The G.E.M. Series Naruto Shippuden Naruto & Sasuke Kabuki Ver. set celebrates a special illustration drawn by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto tied to the live-action kabuki theatre adaption of the manga. These 9.1” figures of Sasuke and Naruto can be purchased separately or as a set and placed side-by-side. Fans who buy the set are treated to a spectacular gold and black nameplate stand that can hold both of them! The vivid kimono Naruto and Sasuke wear are like art paintings that suit their personalities. Each carries a katana in one hand, accompanied by a removable hat commonly worn during the samurai period of Japan. Both the matching katana and hats reflect the lifelong brotherly bond that these two share, while the mirrored poses allude to the duality of their ninja ways!

Asian Clothing Figurines Review

Asian Clothing: Japanese Kimono

Kimono Type: Kabuki Kimono: Tachiyaku

Accuracy Rating: 5/5

Explanation: Kabuki lovers, heads up! Here's an excellent reimagining of two anime characters as kabuki protagonists! It appears that they’re both characters from the play "Ukiyozuka Hiyoku no Inazuma.” Naruto appears to be Fuwa Banzaemon Shigekatsu, while Sasuke appears to be the character Nagoya Sanza. The Naruto/ Banzaemon character famously wears a flashy kimono with a clouds-and-lightning print, while the Sasuke/ Sanza character wears a signature swallows-in-the-rain printed kimono. The climax of the play is when both samurai encounter each other in the Yoshiwara and fight over the affections of the same oiran (i.e. high ranking courtesan). Check how the figurines' costumes compare to the original kabuki kimono below.

(Source: https://enmokudb.kabuki.ne.jp/phraseology/3633/)

I think these kabuki protagonists map well onto Naruto and Sasuke respectively. Naruto's character, Banzaemon, is considered a dandy, who dresses in flashy & eccentric styles; not unlike Naruto's signature neon orange outfit. The lightning motif connects back to Naruto via his father (Minato Namikaze) who perfected a lightning-based technique! Banzaemon's backstory features a lot of nefarious schemes, betrayals, and death; similar to Naruto's origin story. Sasuke's character, Sanza, is a character who has lost his home and family, much like Sasuke did. The swallows on his kimono connect back to Sasuke via his signature "chidori" technique, which translates to either "1,000 birds" or "plovers," a type of bird, as well as his Cursed Seal form, which gave him the ability to fly. Interestingly, Sanza is also infamous for having lots of women fawning over him and being considered quite handsome, which is also very true of Sasuke! Together, these characters also fit the overall themes of their stories because they're meant to be rivals! In the kabuki play, it's over a woman, which is one of the many rivalries Naruto & Sasuke shared in the anime. Overall, an amazing pair of figures for fans of both kabuki and Naruto!

[tanghanwa]

Portrait of Pirates One Piece Luffy Kabuki Edition (Re-run)

The spirited powerhouse Luffy is the newest addition to MegaHouse’s Portrait of Pirates line! From Oda Eiichiro’s One Piece, this figure reaches a height of 7.5” at 1/8th scale. His outrageous personality mixes perfectly with the theatrical spirit of Kabuki. With that exaggerated expression, swirling body paint, and traditional costume, you’ll feel as though you’ve landed a front row seat at the theater! A sleek black base and a wooden plaque add even more charm to this beautifully colored and intricately sculpted work of art. Also available: Portrait of Pirates One Piece Vinsmoke Reiju Limited Edition

Asian Clothing Figurines Review

Asian Clothing: Japanese Kimono

Kimono Type: Kabuki Kimono: Tachiyaku

Accuracy Rating: 5/5

Explanation: Kabuki lovers, pay attention! This is the most one-to-one representation of a traditional kabuki character I've ever seen! Luffy is meant to be the character Tadanobu Sato from the kabuki play, Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura. This character is actually a disguise worn by a kitsune (played by the same actor in a different costume) that uses it to get close to the mistress of Minamoto Yoshitune, who has a hand drum made from the skin of its kitsune parents. You can compare the figurine's costume to the kabuki character's original appearance below.

(Source: https://hobby.dengeki.com/news/973412/)

The details are striking! Firstly, he's hitting the mie (or pose) very similar to the signature mie for the character. They also simulated the ipponguma-style kumadori makeup, which is often used for roles that are seen as strong and reliable, but also rough and rascally. Sounds like Luffy, doesn't it? Secondly, his kimono is tit-for-tat with the traditional costume! He wears a fringed men's kimono with the sleeves bound up using a nio-dasuki as a tasuki. The nio-dasuki (仁王襷) is the thick, purple-and-white braided cord that's often seen worn by guardian kings surrounding Buddhist dieties and sumo wrestlers; anyone wearing nio-dasuki is trying to evoke the power and majesty of those fierce Buddhist guardians. Lastly, he has the signature twin swords of a samurai with a maroon-colored sheath and bright green sageo (i.e. hanging cord) as well as the big sloppy bow for his obi musubi! The only real difference is that Luffy's kimono has a black background, while the original costume's is bright red. I find the difference negligible, however, since it still features the golden fringe design on the hem and the genji-guruma (源氏車, imperial cartwheels) motif throughout. Excellent figure for both fans of One Piece and kabuki!

[tanghanwa]

Portrait of Pirates One Piece Wa-Maximum Yamato

From MegaHouse’s Portrait of Pirates Wa-Maximum series of figures from One Piece’s Wano Country arc comes a long-awaited figure of Yamato! The daughter of Kaidou of the Four Emperors and the self-proclaimed “Kozuki Oden” stands at 10.6" fighting for her country with her beautiful long hair fluttering in the breeze as she holds her giant club Takeru behind her back and smiles bravely. Like all Maximum figures, she features high quality sculpting and paintwork to faithfully capture her look from the anime down to the different textures of her outfit and club, making her a sight to behold at any angle.

Asian Clothing Figurines Review

Asian Clothing: Japanese Kimono

Kimono Type: Kabuki Kimono: Tachiyaku

Accuracy Rating: 5/5

Explanation: Much like her hero Kozuki Oden, Yamato's design doesn't copy an existing character but is an amalgamation of various elements of kabuki and Noh theatre. Beginning with the most obvious, Yamato is clearly meant to represent a traditional Japanese oni (鬼, ogre, or demon). His horns, kanabo, and home island of Onigashima (lit. demon island) are evidence enough of that. Visually, the giant kanabo, wild curly blue-ombre hair, and bright red hannya-style horns reinforce that connection on the figurine. His core outfit is a white tomesode with a wavy wisp print and red nagajuban with the sleeves cut off, accompanied by a pair of bright red hakama. He also wears nio-dasuki (仁王襷) around his waist. The nio-dasuki is the thick, purple-and-white braided cord that's often seen worn by guardian kings surrounding Buddhist deities and sumo wrestlers; anyone wearing nio-dasuki is trying to evoke the power and majesty of those fierce Buddhist guardians.

His original disguise outfit has mild crossdressing vibes for me because, while the hakama and nagajuban are essentially gender-neutral garments, it would be highly unlikely for the white kimono to be a men's kimono due to how high the purple wisp print rises on the body. The print rises way up over the waistline and even features designs on the sleeves, which is much more standard of how patterns are placed on women's kimono than on men's. In fact, the overall image of white short-sleeved kimono on top with red hakama on the bottom is very reminiscent of very traditionally feminine looks worn by miko priestesses as uniforms and noblewomen of the Heian period as undergarments. This interplay between male and female garments in the same outfit may play into the symbolic association of hannya as representing women who become twisted due to pain, rage, and sadness. This plays right into Yamato as a One Piece character since his backstory features a lot of cruelty from his father's constant abuse as well as his own understandable frustration of understanding himself to be a man in a particularly feminine body. Overall, nicely done!

[tanghanwa]

DXF One Piece Wano Country -The Grandline Men- Vol. 10: Oden Kozuki

From Banpresto’s DXF series of affordable figures comes the 10th release in the One Piece Grandline Men figure line, Oden Kozuki! Standing 6.7", the Leader of the Nine Red Scabbards wears his familiar short orange kimono with his muscular legs on display and his fists clenched as he gives a brash and confident grin. Add the "Idiot Lord" to your collection!

Asian Clothing Figurines Review

Asian Clothing: Japanese Kimono

Kimono Type: Kabuki Kimono: Tachiyaku

Accuracy Rating: 5/5

Explanation: So, Oden isn't portraying an existing character, but he is definitely inspired by various aspects of kabuki characters. Starting from the tippy top, his hair seems reminiscent of two wigs prominent in kabuki: the "50-Day Chasen" (五十日) and the "Evil Prince" (王子). The 50-day Chasen is meant to represent a male character, usually a villain, who's been unable to shave the crown of his head daily to maintain the standard version of the chasen hairstyle. This inability is due to the character either hiding from enemies, having fallen ill, being incarcerated or some other form of neglect. The Evil Prince wig is used for male characters of the nobility who have violent tendencies. According to Oden's backstory, the combination of these two villainous wigs is quite accurate since he's the son of a nobleman who spent his formative years causing constant havoc and doing things most people would consider evil.

(Source 50-day Chasen: https://www.kabukijitenp.com/blank-22) (Source: Oji Wig: https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%82%AA%E7%8E%8B%E5%AD%90-2001136)

Moving onto the rest of his outfit, we have a lot going on! Firstly, his orange kimono is worn in the shirippashori-style (尻っ端折り, "backside hem folding"), where the back hem of his kimono is tucked into his obi in order to provide greater leg mobility. This style is commonly seen on thieves or outlaw characters in kabuki to indicate low social status and possible criminality. Ironically, his double swords clearly mark him as a member of the relatively high-ranking samurai class! Then, we see he uses a nio-dasuki as a tasuki to hold back his kimono sleeves for greater arm mobility. The nio-dasuki (仁王襷) is the thick, purple-and-white braided cord that's often seen worn by guardian kings surrounding Buddhist dieties and sumo wrestlers; anyone wearing nio-dasuki is trying to evoke the power and majesty of those fierce Buddhist guardians. Taken altogether, Oden's combination of traits from villains, outlaws, samurai, and even deities serves to tell the audience that he's a clever, unconventional, well-trained, and powerful man. As far as my novice eyes can tell, he's an excellent amalgamation of kabuki conventions to create not only striking visuals but also hint at his complex backstory.