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This month’s collectibles are Wonderland and Samurai Yoroi!
 Oh yeah, those things. . .
Either the last two months of collectibles has lowered my excitement about this time of the month, or I am becoming more engaged by other things in my life such as my RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 project, my graduating thesis art show, and other things. Either way, I completely forgot that Sealed Letters would be unsealed and that I would be doing this again for the month of my Gaiaversery and birthday.
How very curious!
If the world of fine art isn’t enough for you, Gaia now has an item straight out of classic literature. And it’s only appropriate that they pick the one story that has been reinterpreted by Disney, Tim Burton, and The Hallmark Channel: Alice in Wonderland.
The first denizen of this mad world you’ll meet is none other than the Cheshire Cat. He’s not going to be a hand-held kitty like all the others, but rather likes to just sit on your head as he talks in riddles with the psychotic grin he is best known for. Gaia’s design makes him look more cat like than any other design I’ve seen of the character, while exploring a darker purple shade instead of his usual pink-and-purple striping. He’ll match with just about anything, but works best with a more European Gothic look as that little kitty that you’re not sure if you should trust or not lurking about the haunted castle.
If you are feeling a little mad yourself, the Cheshire Cat’s magical floating grin can be of great use to you. This option replaces your entire avatar with a little shadow and a floating mouth. Nothing more, nothing less.
The next pair of options go hand-in-hand and are from The Queen of Heart’s favorite game of croquet. You have the option of equipping your avatar with the Flamingo Mallet and/or the Hedgehog Ball. Anyone that knows the story will know which of the two is the more well-behaved. Frankly, I’m surprised that the artist who made this item included the option to choke the life out of the offender, which I can see being used in several funny avatars. All of which, sexually driven. And given the fact that both of these options are hand-held items, matching with them is pretty much left to anyone that actually has enough pink in their inventory. Wish I could say the same thing about the hedgehog, but it’s so small that matching its brown coloring could make it disappear entirely. Still, for something that ultimately gets hit in a game PETA would find offensive on several levels, it is cute.
The next person represented is the ever famous Mad Hater. And what a hat does he have in Gaia’s spin on this story! It will certainly please any dark heart user out there. It’s Tim-Burton purple (before he started desaturating his films, that is) with a hat band made to look like threatening teeth that are biting down on the flash card holding the improper fraction of 10/6. It even has just a hint of a skull motif, making it looks somewhat like the psychotic cousin of The Sorting Hat from Hogwarts. If you only get a collectible for one option, this is it! Well, one of two reasons, that is.
For those not interested in the dark side of this political-satire-turned-popular-fiction-and-children-story, you’re in luck! The White Rabbit takes the annoyingly cute aesthetic of anime to a new level by supplying a baby bonnet! You read that right, I said baby bonnet. Complete with lace trim around the opening of the Hello Kitty style hood depicting the ever late White Rabbit. Just in time for Easter, too, no less! So break out your cutest attire and throw on this Easter Bonnet! Or not, your choice.
Much like last month’s Magical Girl, cosplaying has been made easier thanks to the last two options in the item. You have the option of wearing either Alice’s dress or The Queen of Heart’s royal robes. Both options are designed well, but only The Queen is worth the price of the collectible given how there is nothing like her outfit anywhere in Gaia. I’ve seen better Alice costumes using store items in the Avatar Arena in the past, so I know this to be true.
Overall, Wonderland is a better item that its equivalent from last month, with two options well worth the U$2.50 price tag. But I wouldn’t expect to get much use out of the other options, especially the croquet set.
Ki-YOOOH!
This month’s multi-quip is the much requested Samurai armor. Appropriate that it comes only in bronze and that it is designed to be from the upper social class. I’m expecting more colors of this item to be released in the Cash Shop similar to what happened with the Magical Girl.
In any event, this armor can be worn, like most armor in Gaia, in pieces or as a set. There are only two options that I see as option, which I will get to at the end, but it is very clear that this is designed to be worn with at least three different options on at the same time.
The first part is the torso armor. I find it strange that only one arm is actually covered with armor and the other is fairly exposed, but then again, this armor is historically worn with something underneath it, like a leather tunic. If you think that this would look cool with the Assassin’s costume, don’t bother. The two just look rather hideous together, and you’re better off using one Fire/Ice Gauntlet anyway. Same goes for the Vampire Hunter Bladed Glove and anything else that equips exclusively on the foreground arm. The exception probably goes to the Mimzy Aura.
The second part is a plated skirt with a thick leather rope belt. Naruto fans will probably recognize the design, as will anyone familiar with this line of armor. Just don’t expect it to layer in a way that would make that belt more noticeable. Nearly every shirt I have goes over it. The ones that don’t are either too small or are not the right color. So there, no Sound Ninja Cosplay. At least not yet.
The third part is the helmet, which I have to admit is probably the single largest selection for any armor released through the letters. You have three different full-face helmets, complete with the option of having the face guard pulled back. Each design is different and distinct from the other despite being colored in the same pallet. For those that don’t like helmets, you have a armor headband with the options of being decorative or fuctional. It’s a shame that the full appreciation of this feature cannot be felt unless you buy the whole set.
As a set, it is rather boxy, but then again, so was the real thing. Anyone that will actually wear the three-piece set won’t look bad, but at the same time, they won’t look that good. It is also make it easier to spot the newbies from the people who actually know the history of this armor. Those that wear it with a sword are wearing it wrong; those that wear it with a lance are wearing it correctly. There. You’ve been warned.
The two optional modes in this item pretty much a hit or miss thing depending on personal taste. The first option is the battle flag that is normally carried on the back of the lead rider as a signal to the opposing side as to who they are fighting against. Gaia’s version features the Gaia wing and some writing I don’t know how to read. I’m sure someone has translated it by now, so you can either ask them or post what it means for me in the comments area. This option is kind of awkward, as essentially you are walking around like a flag pole. But if you can make it work, more power to you.
The second optional mode is probably the one that will get used the most. It is the artistic sunburst effect seen in Japanese woodblock art. Gaia labels it Rising Sun, but most graphic designers know it simply as a sun/starburst effect. Your avatar is given a red halo behind your head with lines radiating out. To reference the woodblock print from which this design comes from, the red changed shade in various spots, suggesting that some areas of the woodblock were not inked as well as others. Much to my surprise, this option works better if you use the Art Nuevo option from Masterpiece. Why? Because it actually gives you that golden sun effect commonly used with these lines! And it just looks more balanced than having that off-centered red circle behind your head.
Bottom line is that this item is just another in a long line of collectibles designed from a petition and released in parts in an effort to help Gaia meet their bills and profit margins. Get it if you want or if you feel you will have a use for it later, but expect to see a silver and gold version in the Cash Shop pop up sooner if not later. After all, bronze isn’t a really good color for any avatar. Just look at the Time Machine collectible.
Better But Not Better
I don’t know how I feel about these items. Juno’s journal said that we should be excited about this month’s item release, and yet I’m not. I really liked two of the options in Wonderland, which I feel are aesthetically worth the buying price alone. I cannot say the same for its counterpart for the month knowing that the potential for a Cash Store version is ripe for the picking. I wasn’t expecting it with the Magical Girl at the time, so seeing the Samurai armor and its options is making me a little leery about the future.
Here’s hoping next month will be better.
 Zeek Slider · Sun Mar 16, 2008 @ 02:37am · 1 Comments |
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