
It seems like Bandai really wants us to get better at drawing. First they released the totally awesome and totally-not-just-for-kids Magic Illustrator, and now they’ve announced that they will be selling life-like posable figures for all of your human-sketching needs.
And what’s more, these figures come with dozens of sweet accessories, making it easier than ever to draw a someone wielding a sword, a deadly cellphone, or their own awesome lightning fists. Ready to never again lose friends by asking them to hold a pose while you carefully draw it? Then read on!
Now for those of you who haven’t done much life-drawing before, you may wonder: why would you need plastic models? Can’t you just draw without them?
And the answer to that is a resounding… well, er, uh, kind of. Some great artists can rattle off drawings of people no problem. But for the rest of us, it helps to have a model to work off, especially if you’re drawing something that doesn’t typically happen in everyday life.
▼ It’d be hard to model this scene without someone breaking their neck, but the posable figures make it easy to sketch.
The posable figures themselves are being produced by S. H. Figuarts, a maker of high-quality Japanese plastic figures. They come in two varieties, male and female, appropriately named “Body-kun” and “Body-chan.”
▼ It was love at first bend.
バンダイのアクションフィギュア技術がデッサン人形に 「ボディくん」(♂)「ボディちゃん」(♀)発売 https://t.co/4K3uGdeELu pic.twitter.com/zEEsykA5jJ
— ITmedia NEWS (@itmedia_news) October 29, 2015
What sets these figures apart from other posable art models before is that these ones are built to only bend in natural human ways. This means you can’t accidentally put the figure into an unnatural pose, which could potentially mess up your sketch. And since they bend in over 30 places, you can get a lot more detail than from other similar products.
The figures also come with a variety of accessories and interchangeable parts, making it much easier to see what certain hand positions look like when interacting with objects.
▼ You typically don’t live very long after you see someone pose with a gun or sword like that, so naturally they’re pretty hard to sketch.
And the possibilities don’t end there. Here’s what people all over the internet have been doing to show off the unlimited potential of working with Body-kun and Body-chan:
▼ The ultimate kabe-don.
▼ “Hey Body-kun? Whatcha thinkin’ ’bout?”
▼ “Was it me growing wings an ascending to a higher plane? Because that’s what I was thinking about.”
▼ This battle is really heating up. If no one stops these two then they’re going to…
▼ Go Super Saiyan! Yyyyeeeeaaaahhhh!
If you think Body-kun and Body-chan would make good additions to your artistic arsenal, then be sure to check back in April 2016 when they’re officially released. The models range in price from 4,320 yen to 6,480 yen (US$36 to $54) depending on how many accessories it comes with.
But come on, let’s be real, are you going to really be happy saving a few bucks if it means missing out on that sweet sword and posable clear plastic stand? The awesomeness basically pays for itself.
Source: Tamashii Web via Inside Games
Featured/top image: Tamashii Web, Twitter/@hobby_maniax (Edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Tamashii Web








Japanese Twitter users have discovered ArtPose, and they can’t stop playing with it!
Life in Mini: Our Reporter Mr. Sato Turns Himself into a Tiny Plastic Figure
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Almost all Japanese women say they dislike random gacha/blind-box toys in survey
Studio Ghibli croquettes not to eat, but to keep your stuff in, going on sale in Japan[Photos]
Soaking in glimmering water and the essence of prehistoric plants at a Hokkaido hot spring
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Make no mistake, that’s officially NOT a Snorlax Pokémon bed
The U.K. thinks Japanese curry is katsu curry, and people aren’t happy about it
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says