Genre MMP | Publisher Konami Released April 23, 2007 Publisher Konami | |
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Busou Shinki (武装神姫, Busō Shinki, literally "armament god princess") is a product line of small, armored women action-figure toys manufactured by Konami Digital Entertainment first released in Japan in 2006. The figures can be configured in different poses and feature a variety of interchangeable parts. Many of the figures have been designed by noted Japanese artists. A few of the figures have been released for distribution outside Japan. Since their introduction this toy line has spawned a media franchise with video games, manga series, graphic novels, anime series, music, art books and other merchandise.
Contents
Features
The Busou Shinki action-figure designs all display the facial and body profile features of young adult women in stylized body armor. The figurines have considerable variation in body proportions and armor designs between models that reflects the artistic license given the different designers so there is no "typical look". The articulation style that the figurines use Konami has named 'MMS', or Multi Moveable System. The MMS body was designed by Masaki Asai (浅井真紀). MMS figures have multiple joints, similar to the Revoltech line, which give them a wide range of possible poses. Additionally, multiple body parts are interchangeable, allowing a wide variety of customization without tools. The typical Busou Shinki action figure is approximately 15 cm tall.
Busou Shinki product packages are divided into full sets and EX sets. Full sets come with a complete, painted MMS body and a variety of armor, weapons, and extra body parts. EX sets are meant to be expansion sets and thus do not tend to include the MMS body. 'Naked', unpainted or part painted MMS bodies may be purchased separately.
Busou Shinki figures are purported to be 1:1 scale models, as they were originally action-figure versions of the AI-controlled robots featured in the online video game Battle Rondo. The characters based on these action figures continue to be featured in other video games, manga and anime series in the size of the actual toys.
Official Busou Shinki Releases
Japanese Release Date: 7 September 2006
US Release Date: 18 April 2007
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 28 September 2006
US Release Date: 22 March 2007
Character Designer: Blade
Character Designer: Blade
Character Designer: Tetsurō Kasahara (カサハラテツロー)
Japanese Release Date: 7 December 2006
US Release Date: 22 March 2007 (Note, this release consisted of Benio only)
Character Designer: Rokurō Shinofusa (篠房六郎)
Character Designer: Rokurō Shinofusa (篠房六郎)
Character Designer: Goli
Japanese Release Date: 22 February 2007
Character Designer: Okama
Character Designer: Okama
Character Designer: Takayuki Yanase (柳瀬敬之)
Japanese Release Date: 31 May 2007
Character Designer: Ryōta Magaki (間垣亮太)
Character Designer: Ryōta Magaki (間垣亮太)
Character Designer: Tetsurō Kasahara (カサハラテッロー)
Japanese Release Date: 30 August 2007
Character Designers: Eiichi Shimizu (清水栄一), Tomohiro Shimoguchi (下口智裕)
Character Designers: Eiichi Shimizu (清水栄一), Tomohiro Shimoguchi (下口智裕)
Character Designer: Eisaku Kitō (鬼頭栄作)
Japanese Release Date: 29 November 2007
Character Designer: Choco
Character Designer: Choco
Character Designer: Chibisuke Machine (ちびすけマシーン)
Japanese Release Date: 5 April 2008
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Takayuki Yanase (柳瀬敬之)
Named after Russian city Zelenograd (Zerenogurādo (ゼレノグラード) in Japanese)
Japanese Release Date: 10 July 2008
Character Designer: Tanimeso (たにめそ)
Character Designer: Tanimeso (たにめそ)
Japanese Release Date: 20 November 2008
Character Designer: Ryōta Magaki (間垣亮太)
Character Designer: Ryōta Magaki (間垣亮太)
Japanese Release Date: 4 December 2008
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 27 March 2010
Character Designer: Taraku Uon (羽音たらく),
Armament Redesigner: Takayuki Yanase (柳瀬敬之),
Concept and Original Armament Desighner: Kem by Bokusin-Contest Grand Prix
LE Konamistyle Japanese and Dengeki Exclusive
Character Designer: Taraku Uon (羽音たらく),
Armament Redesigner: Takayuki Yanase (柳瀬敬之),
Concept and Original Armament Desighner: Kem by Bokusin-Contest Grand Prix
Japanese Release Date: 30 September 2010
Character Designer: Choco
Character Designer: Choco
Japanese Release Date: 28 October 2010
Character Designer: Yoshitsune Izuna (いずなよしつね)
Character Designer: Yoshitsune Izuna (いずなよしつね)
Japanese Release Date: 16 December 2010
Character Designer: Kazuhiko Kakoi (かこいかずひこ)
Character Designer: Kazuhiko Kakoi (かこいかずひこ)
Japanese Release Date: 27 January 2011
Character Designer: Niθ
Character Designer: Niθ
Japanese Release Date: 24 February 2011
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 17 March 2011
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 17 December 2011
Character Designer: Mika Akitaka (明貴美加)
Japanese Release Date: 23 February 2012
Character Designer: Humikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 15 March 2012
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 4 October 2008
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Japanese Release Date: 30 October 2008
Character Designer: Mercy Rabbit (マーシーラビット)
Character Designer: Mercy Rabbit (マーシーラビット)
Japanese Release Date: 29 February 2009
Character Designer: Blade (ブレェド)
Character Designer: Blade (ブレェド)
Japanese Release Date: 25 February 2010
Character Designer: Dogmask
Character Designer: Dogmask
Japanese Release Date: 26 December 2008
Character Designer: nuno
LE Konamistyle Japanese Exclusive
Character Designer: nuno
LE Konamistyle Japanese Exclusive
Japanese Release Date: 26 March 2009
Character Designer: Kenjiro Hata
LE Konami Style Japanese Exclusive, Special pack in with LE version release of Hayate the Combat Butler PSP game Nightmare Paradise
Character Redesigner: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ),
Original Character Designer: Kenjirou Hata (畑健二郎)
Japanese Release Date: 15 July 2010
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
LE Konami Style Japanese Exclusive, Special pack in with Busou Shinki Battle Masters Complete box, PSP game
Japanese Release Date: 22 September 2011
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
Character Designer: Fumikane Shimada (島田フミカネ)
LE Konami Style Japanese Exclusive, Special pack in with Busou Shinki Battle Masters Mk.2 Complete box, PSP game
Busou Shinki Variants
Several limited edition versions of the Busou Shinki figures have also been released. These variants sport alternate color schemes and additional parts.
MMS Naked Body Releases
Exclusively sold on the Konami Style Japan page, these are unpainted, featureless MMS Figures meant for use with EX sets or for customization. They come in a variety of colors and shades of skintone intended to match other MMS figures.
The MMS Naked bodies are available, like the Busou Shinki figures themselves, in three different body archetypes: MMS 1st, MMS 3rd (small) and MMS 3rd (tall). Although similar in form and construction, not all body parts are compatible among them.
Media
Konami Digital Entertainment has used the successful action figure toy line designs as the basis for expansion into a number of other media, including video games, music, anime series, art books. graphic novels and a manga series. Only the anime television series has been licensed for distribution outside Japan.
Anime
Two anime series' have been released based directly on the Busou Shinki line of action figures. An original net animation (ONA) and a 12-episode TV series were released between 2011 and 2012. The ONA was originally released weekly, in ten 5-minute installments, online, as a promotion for the release of the Busou Shinki Battle Masters Mk.2 video game and new models of the action figures. The ten installments were assembled into a 40-minute OVA that was subsequently streamed online and released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Japan. The TV series was broadcast in Japan in 2012 and later released in individual DVD volumes. The TV series was licensed for distribution in North America by Sentai Filmworks and began streaming on Anime Network in 2012.
Video games
Several video games have been released, all derived from the Busou Shinki action figure product line.
Battle Rondo
On April 23, 2007 Konami released Battle Rondo using the online services of Diorama Studio. Battle Rondo was a free massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional Busou Shinki universe. By inputting a code that comes with each Busou Shinki figure, or by use of micropayments, players could unlock online versions of the figures, including their armor and weapons, as well as other gear. The game was discontinued on August 31, 2011, and the Konami game support web pages were removed.
Battle Masters
Busou Shinki Battle Masters was developed by Konami for the Sony PlayStation Portable released July 15, 2010. The release included a limited edition bundle with new action figures. A sequel PSP game, Busou Shinki Battle Masters Mk.2 was released on September 22, 2011 that also included a limited edition bundle with new action figures.
Manga and novels
Busou Shinki 2036 (武装神姫2036, Busou Shinki 2036) is an ongoing manga series by BLADE featuring characters derived from the Busou Shinki product line. The first volume of the series was published by ASCII Media Works in 2008, with five volumes published as of February 2014.
Manga volumes
Five graphic novels based on the game and anime series have been published by ASCII Media Works.
Music
As of February 2014, ten CDs have been released, all derived from the anime television series. Many of the individual tracks from the CDs are also available for sale by download in MP3 file format from online stores.
Four CD volumes of music have been released.
Four "Maxi Single" CDs featuring the voice actresses of the anime television series characters have been released.
Also a TV series sound track CD, released December 5, 2012 and a "Scenes from..." CD released December 26, 2012.
Art books
Hobby Japan has published two large format (11.6 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches) color art books related to the figurines and the art used in the video games. The first book of 175 pages was published November 11, 2011. The second book of 97 pages was published June 25, 2013.