×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Interest
Futari H Life-Size Figure is Creator's Literal Labor of Love (NSFW)

posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Aki Katsu will keep Yura around the office with plenty of dress-up clothes

Anime News Network's merchandise coverage sponsored by Tokyo Otaku Mode.


The busty prototypes of the life-size figure rendition of Futari H's Yura finally gave way to an actual reveal at the Tsutaya Ikebukuro AK store on December 9. Visitors came to find out how accurate the apparently nude figure was as well as get an autograph by the manga's creator Aki Katsu.


prototype image

It turns out that the prototype images are spot on. The figure was dressed, both in a bikini and a Santa outfit, but those were real clothes used to dress Yura. The figure itself is nude.

The life-size figure was created as part of the manga's 20th anniversary. The creation was supervised by Katsu himself, even going so far as suggesting the idea originally because there was space for her in his office. The creator also paid for the figure's production costs himself.

One of his primary concerns was whether Yura's complicated hairstyle could be recreated faithfully in 3D.

If anything, it seems like Katsu's love for Yura is genuine. He even put the wedding ring on her finger himself as the event started. He admitted to having more outfits for Yura back at the office, including a bathing suits, kimono, and a wedding dress.

Staff from publisher Hakusensha said at the event that they were considering a general sale of the figure, as well as a smaller scale version. The publisher will announce its plans either on the official Hakusensha website or in Young Animal magazine.

The 72nd and 73rd volumes of Futari H were both released last month along with a limited number of "72.5" volumes containing over 100 full-color images. Katsu (Psychic Academy, The Vision of Escaflowne) has drawn Futari H, also localized as Manga Sutra, which describes itself as a "love bible" or a "user's manual" for people in love, in Young Animal and Young Animal Arashi since 1997. The manga inspired two original video anime (OVA) series in 2002 and 2014.

Tokyopop published Katsu's The Vision of Escaflowne, Psychic Academy, and Manga Sutra in North America before closing its doors in 2011. Media Blasters licensed and released the 2002 OVAs on DVD in North America under the title Step Up Love Story.

A third live-action film based on the manga shipped on home video in Japan in 2012.

Source: Comic Natalie


discuss this in the forum (10 posts) |
bookmark/share with: short url

Interest homepage / archives