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Sakurai's Figures

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Pacack

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As many of you know, Sakurai has a history of using poseable figurines to visualize how a character would move and play in Super Smash Bros. before he goes through complete animation.

As I was perusing his twitter page, I came across come interesting information.

Look at the following tweets:




Now, I know you probably don't read Japanese, so here's a (rough) translation of the tweets.

1. This figure's moving body, while lacking personality, can withstand a variety of poses and movements. I wonder if they were sold in other places. It'll be needed at work soon.

2. (Having difficulty translating, but he doesn't seem to mention the figure itself. It's just talking about Uprising and its cards.)

3. I bought a Figma "Archetype" (right) (which, no, had nothing to do with Pit's Figma). I wonder if I can use it like my "make your own" Microman figure (left).

(This is irrelevant to the point I'm going to be making, but, thanks to the information given about the figures in the third tweet, I can safely identify the figures as the following:

Tweets 1 and 2: Microman Material Force 2004 Blank White Figure
Tweet 3 (Left): Microman Material Force 2004 Blank Flesh Tone Figure
Tweet 3 (Right): Figma Archetype Male

The Microman figures were sold exclusively at Japanese Toys R Us stores and were surprisingly successful (source). You can find similar ones on ebay for about $30 today.

The Figma Archetype is proof that Sakurai has cash to spend a similar figure to the blank Micromen that boasts extreme poseability and endurance. It seems like Sakurai bought it when it came out in 2012. I believe it's a Japan-exclusive product. You can find this on Amazon for the perfectly reasonable price of $140.)

You may be wondering, "Why are you bringing these tweets up, Pacack?" Well, good question! I would like to direct your attention to the first tweet again.



Tell me, have you ever seen a pose like this before?

No?



Never once in your life...




...have you ever seen a pose even remotely similar to this one?




...Not once?


Yes, I am proposing that Sakurai showed us the figure that he was using to visualize Little Mac's animations. While none of these are a perfect match, this is probably what he initially used to envision either Little Mac's Star K.O. or one of his other moves. (My personal bet is that he started out imagining his Star K.O. before doing some boxing research and redoing the pose to more closely resemble real-world boxing techniques. It would explain Little Mac's arms being slightly closer to his body than the figure's.)

Assuming I'm right, let's look at these other two pictures.



I think it's entirely plausible that at least one of these figures is making a pose of a currently unrevealed newcomer. My question to you all is, who?
 

Louie G.

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This is a great thread. Glad I found it.
The last picture has a figure that is posing in a similar way to Sheik.
So maybe these represent veterans as well.
 

AEMehr

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I remember in a Nintendo Power issue Pre-Brawl, they showed off figures similar to these in a couple of poses and compared them to Diddy Kong and Zero Suit Samus. Sure enough, they were in really similar poses.

I think it's a good idea to think about who these could be referencing
 

Louie G.

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Pretty sure the other figure in the last picture is Mewtwo.
I can't think of any other plausible character who makes that pose, or any character currently playable.
 

Sobreviviente

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The one with the kid icarus cards looks like he is using a shotgun, nintendo wars anyone?
 
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MasterOfKnees

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Interesting find in regards to Little Mac. However, if any of those other figures are showing a pose for a newcomer, it's too hard to really point out. I mean, I'd never have made the connection between the figure and Little Mac before his reveal, so it's probably a bit too hard to figure out just what characters they might be, if they're even representing any characters in the other images.
 

OctiVick

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I think the figure in the right of the third pic is WFT trainer doing a her dodge or roll, I think you can see it in the live demonstration at E3
 
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Hinata

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Huh. The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the first figure (the one you compared to Little Mac, which I can totally see after you showed pictures, by the way) was Captain Falcon's running animation.
 
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I remember in a Nintendo Power interview that he does this.

The first pose definitely resembles Little Mac. However, it also reminds me of Captain Falcon.



The second one easily reminds me of Pit.



The last two... I can't figure out. I can't even imagine what characters those could be.
 
D

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The one on the left side in the bottom picture gives off a sort of "Ki Blast" vibe to me. (No, I'm not saying it's Goku)

...I'm thinking it might be Palutena, especially with the other hand looking as if it was holding something like a staff.
 

Louie G.

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The one on the left side in the bottom picture gives off a sort of "Ki Blast" vibe to me. (No, I'm not saying it's Goku)

...I'm thinking it might be Palutena, especially with the other hand looking as if it was holding something like a staff.
I can see that.
It also just screams Mewtwo to me. I love both characters so either way I'd be happy.
 

Speculator

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As I recall there was one of these doing a pose reminiscient of a samurai kneeling down, wasn't there?
 

SuperBrawler

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I personally don't care about Pichu or Hades.
Does that really matter? We're trying to figure out what these figures are, not what you want them to be.
When did I say it was because of Pichu and Hades? I just said I don't care about them. I totally doubt they are Pichu or Hades, and I don't find either likely.
I remember in a Nintendo Power interview that he does this.

The first pose definitely resembles Little Mac. However, it also reminds me of Captain Falcon.



The second one easily reminds me of Pit.



The last two... I can't figure out. I can't even imagine what characters those could be.
Now that you said that, they do look a lot like that.
 

Pacack

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I remember in a Nintendo Power interview that he does this.

The first pose definitely resembles Little Mac. However, it also reminds me of Captain Falcon.



The second one easily reminds me of Pit.



The last two... I can't figure out. I can't even imagine what characters those could be.
That second one actually does look a lot like Pit. I'm practically sure it's him now. It only makes sense that it would be Pit in the Kid Icarus picture.

On Captain Falcon, I could see it being him too, but did he ever make that pose in-game? If not, maybe Captain Falcon uses that pose again as a trophy or in a new taunt? I can't think of any reason to redo that model's pose otherwise. This was from after Kid Icarus Uprising's release.

(Also, anyone else want to see figures like those as the Polygons of this game? That would be really cool.)
 
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Shorts

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The last one on the right does look like shiek..
 
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On Captain Falcon, I could see it being him too, but did he ever make that pose in-game? If not, maybe Captain Falcon uses that pose again as a trophy or in a new taunt? I can't think of any reason to redo that model's pose otherwise. This was from after Kid Icarus Uprising's release.
Captain Falcon makes this pose during his idle animations.
I can't find a video or gif like this.

EDIT: A friend of mine agrees that the first image is Captain Falcon, not Little Mac. In the trophy of CF that I posted, his heel touches flat the ground; the images that you posted of Little Mac, one of Little Mac's heels does not and is angled.
 
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Pacack

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The last one on the right does look like shiek..
I'm practically positive that Sheik doesn't have that animation. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it would have to be a new move if it is Sheik.

Captain Falcon makes this pose during his idle animations.
I can't find a video or gif like this.

EDIT: A friend of mine agrees that the first image is Captain Falcon, not Little Mac. In the trophy of CF that I posted, his heel touches flat the ground; the images that you posted of Little Mac, one of Little Mac's heels does not and is angled.
I'll boot up Melee and check, but I seem to remember something like that. It is interesting to note that the figure is a lot more stretched out than Falcon. It could be indication of some sort of change to his animations or something if it is him.

Well I think we can rule out chibi-robo and ashley mizuki robbins
I think that's a safe enough assumption.
 
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I'll boot up Melee and check, but I seem to remember something like that. It is interesting to note that the figure is a lot more stretched out than Falcon. It could be indication of some sort of change to his animations or something if it is him.
Alright!

I booted Brawl because I thought that this image probably featured an animation for Ike and Snake respectively:

The left one made me think... could that arm actually be representing a sword? I used some of Ike's aerial attacks, but they looked similar, but not exact.
The one on the right reminded me of Snake's side special. However, I couldn't get Snake in an exact pose; I got something similar to that, but it isn't exactly the same.

So, I am having some theories on these:
1. The figure on the left would involve a weapon of some sort. I am speculating that this could be Shulk, though I have never seen him in a position like that in Xenoblade. As someone else mentioned, it could be Palutena and she could hold the staff at the near the top where it curves; that animation looks like something that could be in Kid Icarus or at least reminds me of that.
2. I was thinking that this could be an animation for Samus. However... I am also thinking that this could be somewhat similar to a kneeling pose, possibly that for a samurai like Takamaru.
 

Pacack

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Alright!

I booted Brawl because I thought that this image probably featured an animation for Ike and Snake respectively:

The left one made me think... could that arm actually be representing a sword? I used some of Ike's aerial attacks, but they looked similar, but not exact.
The one on the right reminded me of Snake's side special. However, I couldn't get Snake in an exact pose; I got something similar to that, but it isn't exactly the same.

So, I am having some theories on these:
1. The figure on the left would involve a weapon of some sort. I am speculating that this could be Shulk, though I have never seen him in a position like that in Xenoblade. As someone else mentioned, it could be Palutena and she could hold the staff at the near the top where it curves; that animation looks like something that could be in Kid Icarus or at least reminds me of that.
2. I was thinking that this could be an animation for Samus. However... I am also thinking that this could be somewhat similar to a kneeling pose, possibly that for a samurai like Takamaru.
1. If it's a weapon, I think it would be awkward for it to be a staff. The way that the hand is, a staff would be in a really awkward position unless it was...I don't know, maybe the figure's making a barrier? It just seems more like a sword to me. It doesn't look like any veteran to me...perhaps it's not Shulk, but Isaac? It looks like something he might do. Heck, it could be Takamaru.

2. Figmas and Micromen alike have four or five sets of hands to attach. The figure would have a clenched fist attached just like the other one if it was holding a sword. It probably isn't a weapon-user.

The female figure tells me were getting another female newcomer, I'm just not too sure who that is.
Actually, all the figures are male.



Female Micromen figures have more prominent breasts.

And here are the Figmas:
Male:

Female:
 
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