January 2015 sees the release of another in Alter’s line of ALTAiR figures (characters with a classically female fan base in mind), and it’s everyone’s favourite friend to the spirits, Natsume Takashi! This is a re-release of sorts and is based on the 2010 release with several aesthetic changes to this wildly popular figure. Much the same as their Menma figure, Takashi comes with a detailed base with plenty going on to draw the eye. He arrived in a rather fetching transparent box to match Alter’s other recent collector-friendly packaging styles. For those who want to avoid damage, or simply want to maintain resale value, Takashi looks perfectly lovely in his plastic box

We can see Nyanko-sensei peeking over the branch, and Takashi has the option to wear his coat or you can leave him in his plain white school shirt. There’s a lovely amount of detail to everything here. The famous book is held in his right hand, and the translucent water and grass contrast nicely with the trunk of the tree. Although technically a 1/8 scale figure, he is much smaller than even the K-On! girls by Alter, and he looks positively miniature next to the Free! boys.

He stands roughly 18cm tall and is made of PVC. At the price point of ¥7800, he’s one of the more affordable 1/8 scale figures of this quality. If you haven’t checked out the manga or anime of Natsume’s Book of Friends, I’d highly recommend it. After inheriting a book that allows him control over the spirits, Takashi spends his time helping and freeing them instead of making them do his bidding. The manga series is currently being published in English by Viz Media and is available as print manga or for download.

Spot the differences!

Even if you’re not already a fan of the series, he’s a fantastic art piece in his own right. As always, click on any of the images to see some more of the detail that makes Alter a stand-out among figure production companies.