
Here's a doll project I'm working on: she's the younger version of Ema Skye (Houzuki Akane/宝月茜) from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attourney (Gyakuten Saiban/逆転裁判). I decided to create her when I found I could use Azone's clothing for most of her outfit, plus she's an interesting character!
A bit about her: Ema Skye is a 16 year old student who's into forensics and scientific investigation. She carries around a bottle of luminol which the player may use to spot hidden blood stains.
More photos after the jump.
Her badges and name tag were painted with acrylics, then "laminated" with sticky tape. For the name tag case, I cut out a small rectangular piece from some plastic I had sitting around (I keep packaging/boxes for times like this).
I've also gotten her a bag from Volks, as well as test tubes from Rement. She still needs a pair of socks, shoes and white sunglasses (does anyone have a pair with big round lens to spare?). The body I used for Ema is the 25cm midi body from Volks. Since I enjoy fussing over the details of her outfit, I'll be painting her head last. :3

Work in progress: Ema Skye custom
Nov 9, 2008 | Posted by Mizu @ 9:15 AM 4 comments
Jack Twist custom figure
Yeehaw! Say howdy to Jack Twist, of Brokeback Mountain fame!
This custom figure was kitbashed with the following:
- cowboy outfit from Hot Toys Movie Masterpice James Dean
- Hot Toys Caucasian TrueType body (2nd edition)
- Jake Gyllenhaal headsculpt from some Hot Toys military figure, I forgot exactly which one
More pictures after the jump.




Thanks JeffL1965 for providing a better line for the Joker. ;)
Click to read more.. / 続きを読む...
Japanese monsters know how to party
Halloween is pretty much a non-event over here, but it's a good excuse to make a post like this. XD
Check out this very creative stick puppet animation by manga artist Masakazu Amahisa!
It features traditional Japanese monsters such as the blue-skinned Konaki-jiji (monster baby with the face of an old man), Hitodama (fireballs), Kyonshi (Chinese vampire), Onyudo (shapeshifting monk), Jizo (guardian deity of children), Noppera-bo (faceless ghost), Rokurokubi (long-necked monster), Kappa (water imp), Hoichi the Earless, and many others.
via Pink Tentacle
Nov 1, 2008 | Posted by Mizu @ 1:29 AM 3 comments
Tags: animation
Hotel 626 Walkthrough

From the people behind Doritos (seriously) comes this interactive frightfest: Hotel 626
Despite the fact that the hotel only "opens" between 6pm to 6am, you can change your desktop clock to play whenever you like. Be warned: this isn't for the faint of heart. If you've got the nerve to give it a shot, the reward at the end will amuse you (in a good way). I'll even arm the brave of heart with a walkthrough to guide you outta there alive, heheh. ^_^
The walkthrough is in point form after the cut. It contains spoilers, so stop reading whenever you feel like discovering something for yourself. Oh, one more thing, a webcam and microphone are optional for playing. I recommend using a webcam (train it on a stuffed toy or something if you're feeling shy).
Check out some screenshots from the game if you want to know what you're getting yourself into.
==============================================
This game can be completed in under half an hour. Whenever you fail a scenario, you can choose to try again or skip. (Skipping everything is fer lily-livered landlubbers!)
- You awake in your hotel room to strange noises, and you decide to go out to investigate.
- You walk along the corridor. Whenever you see a dark shadow massing up in front of you, it's time to duck into a room - any room. Click the nearest door. If the shadow kills you just try again.
- You end up in a darkened toilet, armed with a digital camera. You need to look around to find the source of the strange noise. (Oh-em-gee, it's some pasty lady in a maid outfit.) You've got 9 shots with your camera to take photos of her and deal damage, Fatal Frame-style. Just keep your cool and take the shots whenever you hear her or catch sight of a vague form moving in front of you. If you die you can try again, no big deal.
- Next up, you'll be running down the stairs of the fire escape. Again, keep going until you see a shadowy mass beginning to form in front of you. Immediately mash that mouse button to get through the door on your left.
- Another corridor, and yet another darkened room. This one has a toddler (I'm sure he's a bit old to be a baby, lol) sleeping in a cot on the floor. The objective is to keep the brat asleep. People using their microphone will have to serenade him, otherwise you'll have to use your mouse to turn the knob of the off-screen music box. Just keep the volume/speed in the centre where it's white, do not wind too slow or two fast that it goes into the red zone. Stay cool, a toddler in mascara shouldn't scares the likes of ye.
- After the whole "Rock-a-bye Baby" song is played, you have to quietly make your way out. Just use your mouse to click on either end of the "Balance" meter. You want to stay in the center as much as possible as you make you way to the door.
- Now you're helplessly dragged along the corridor, while the silhouetted people standing in front of open doors do nothing to help you. Your vision comes and goes. Just keep trying to click the doors and you'll eventually enter another room.
- This room looks a bit like a prison cell. And you've got a guy in a straitjacket in there with you. What you have to do here is two-fold.
1) You can pause the game (click on Invite a Friend or something) and listen to the game's soundtrack. You should hear a voice murmurring 3 items. For example, I got "hands", "horse" and "tree". Take note of these 3 items, it's random for everyone. Tip: "hands" and "candles" sound very similar, so listen carefully.
2) Observe the drawings on the walls. The ones with red markings are significant, they represent a certain number (for example, the "horse" has three legs painted red, it represents "3"). The video is consistent, so this applies to everyone. Correct me if I'm wrong about the numbers though.
Horse - 3 legs = 3
Candles - 4 flames = 4
Tree - 4 roots = 4
Hands - 9 fingers = 9
Spider - 8 legs = 8
When you get to the keypad, key in the combination by putting those 2 sets of info together. Mine was "hands, horse, tree", so I had to dial in "934". If you get the combination wrong twice, the guy in the room will suddenly be unrestrained and free to.. eat you alive I guess. Gah.
- After you've escaped, you end up in a dark room with many photos of other people strung up above you. You're inexplicably chased deeper into the room, so look out for your photo (easy to spot if you have the webcam on or if you remember the name you entered), and click on it. If you don't click on your photo in time, you'll have to repeat the scene.
- Now you see a phone in front of you. Players in the States can get a real-life phone call, but the rest of us will just have the phone call playing in the background, instructing us where to turn to escape Hotel 626. Just follow the guy's orders, he's not kidding around.
- It's the ending. You get into your car and stuff, but prepare for a lame twist. Somebody doesn't want to be left behind, lol.
- FINALLY. Your reward for playing: you get to see other people's webcam photos as they sat and played this game (some expressions are priceless). Mine's right in the middle, I used Hot Toys' Joker to stand in for me, hehehe.
Note: the number of slashes on your photo seem to indicate the number of scenarios you've passed (there are 10 in all). Therefore skipped scenarios do not count!
Oct 23, 2008 | Posted by Mizu @ 12:03 AM 16 comments
Tags: video games
S'pore Toy and Comic Convention
I'm still hoping to attend a local doll show (I missed last year's "Doll Affair"), but I'll settle willingly for Singapore's first Toy and Comic Convention.
Here're a few exhibitors that catch my interest:
BANDAI (Booth C07)
Domuya Your Doll Co. (Booth A04)
Domuya is back again with their BJDs!
Imaginary Friends IFS (Booth E07)
They're a bunch of very talented illustrators whom I've seen in action at CG Overdrive.
Magma Heritage (Booth D10)
I've visited their store exactly 3 times, and they don't exactly make you feel welcome (pity, they have loads of stuff to look at). The convention is a golden opportunity for some unadulterated window shopping over at their booth, lol.
MEDICOM TOY (Booth C05)
Nintendo (Booth A01)
Fun! I'm taking my Nintendo DS along. Who knows what will happen?
Is anyone else going? Let me know, cuz I wanna say hi and stuff. :)
Btw, Sket - you better go!!!
Click to read more.. / 続きを読む...
Jun 26, 2008 | Posted by Mizu @ 8:18 PM 7 comments
Tags: news
Obitsu custom



I painted an Obitsu 01 head in white skin tone yesterday, experimenting slightly with painted lines over her lips like they do on BJDs. I also gave her purple eyes courtesy of some new Liquitex colours I ordered from Japan. It's interesting to note Azone is distributing (and manufacturing?) Liquitex for doll customizers in Japan. They cost around $2 a tube, so it's pretty economical for colours I'm using less often (magenta, purple and dark blue for instance). ^^
Yujin Dreamcast + others (かわいい!)

I love miniatures and I love playing games. So I lurve me some miniature gaming systems. XD
The Dreamcast brings back many fond memories of games like Phantasy Star Online, Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 (I was addicted to raising Chao, lol), Jet Set Radio, and a number of others. We still have ours tucked away in a drawer; I'd take it out for spin if I were less preoccupied.

Lately, Yujin's miniatures double up as keychains. I'll usually remove the chain and cut off the plastic loop. The Wiimote in the same series however, is unfortunately too large (it's longer than the Wii itself).


My mini consoles: when will Sony represent? XD
May 11, 2008 | Posted by Mizu @ 8:18 AM 7 comments
Tags: 1/6, Azone, Pure Neemo, video games, Yujin, ドール




