Joins Luffy and friends as traditional kokeshi doll Straw Hat crew doubles in size.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is on record as saying he purposely wanted the artwork in the manga/anime franchise he created to look weird. However, “weird” probably isn’t the word passionate fans of One Piece pirate Nami would use to describe how the character looks.
Even in a medium already packed with busty character designs, Nami stands out, and her impactful chest, as well as her curvaceous hips, are recreated frequently and lovingly in officially licensed One Piece figures…but not this one.
While seeing Nami with such a physique is unprecedented, the aesthetics on display here actually stretch back hundreds of years, as the character has been turned into a kokeshi, a type of traditional Japanese doll. Kokeshi have no arms or legs, just a cylindrical or tear-shaped body. Most orthodox examples depict a woman in kimono, which when fitted in the classical style minimizes visual body curves, but kokeshi Nami still sports her bikini top and hip-hugging denim.
The Nami doll is part of the second batch of One Piece kokeshi from Gunma Prefecture-based doll maker Usaburo Kokeshi, one of the region’s leading kokeshi makers, which was founded in 1950.
The initial offerings were kokeshi versions of Luffy, Zoro, and Tony Tony Chopper, and in addition to Nami Sanji and Usopp are also joining the wood-carved Straw Hat Pirate crew.
Every doll is hand-painted, so while they’re all made with care and skill, no two are exactly alike.
▼ In contrast to Nami’s flat smoothness, Usopp’s gets a three-dimensional representation for his protruding nose.
▼ Each kokeshi comes shipped in its own box with an illustrated likeness.
All six One Piece kokeshi are priced at 4,200 yen (US$39) and can be ordered here through online retailer HKDS, with shipping for the three new designs starting early next month.
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: HKDS, PR Times
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