When looking at figures, you might sometimes feel, ”This character looks like it could start moving at any second,” and ”Vertex Originals Elf Village 20th Villager Baira” is a piece that perfectly fits those words. Baira, appearing from the original figure series ”Elf Village,” is a cheerful dancer elf who seems capable of putting everyone around her in a good mood. What captures your eyes first is undoubtedly her radiant smile. Even her friendly personality, which allows her to easily get along with anyone, seems to come through in her expression. Beyond just being beautifully finished, the sculpt lets you feel ”Baira as a person.” The moment you display her, it seems as though a village festival has started right in that spot, creating a lively atmosphere.

When hearing about a cheerful dancer who is always smiling, you might imagine an innocent and carefree character. However, Baira has a slightly surprising side. In fact, she hates losing and is a hard worker who secretly practices her dance over and over when no one is watching. Furthermore, there is even a setting suggesting that her supple dance is not merely polished as a performing art, but also doubles as training for battle. Behind that bright smile lie techniques accumulated daily and an inner strength. Looking at the figure with that in mind, doesn’t a different meaning appear in her lighthearted pose? While appearing to dance gracefully, there is also a sense of tension as if she might swiftly turn around in the next moment, making a character portrayal that cannot be fully described by cuteness alone her true charm.

An unmissable highlight of Baira is her posing, which makes you feel movement to an extent that makes it hard to believe it is a stationary figure. The wide-open fan, the hair flowing as if swept up by the momentum of her dance, and the outfit swaying in rhythm with her body’s movements—each sculpted detail is linked in a single direction, so from whichever angle you view her, it looks like a moment captured in the middle of a dance. What is particularly interesting is that, rather than simply having her take a flashy pose, lines of hair and clothing are used to evoke imagination of ”wind” and ”momentum.” Even though the figure itself is stationary, the more you shift your gaze, the more movement is created in your mind. Such dynamic three-dimensional expression has incredible synergy with Baira, who is a dancer.

This work is a 1/6 scale pre-painted finished product, with a total height of about 26cm and a height to the top of the head of about 23cm. PVC and ABS are used as materials. In addition to the sense of scale at about 26cm, the combination of the widely opened fan, spreading outfit, and flowing hair lets you enjoy a presence that feels even greater than the measurements suggest. The character design was handled by Shiokombu. Sculpting was crafted by Fortuneation, and coloring by Kazuhiro Sumida. While translating the radiance unique to illustrations into a three-dimensional object, elements such as facial expressions, body lines, clothing, and hair are carefully joined together, resulting in a finish that makes you want to explore the intricate craft by changing angles rather than stopping after viewing from the front.

And what people who want to display and enjoy her thoroughly should pay attention to is the specification allowing some parts to be removed. By changing the combination of parts, the impression of the outfit can be altered, allowing you to enjoy Baira in different atmospheres with a single figure. You can enjoy her in ways such as appreciating the glamorous overall look at first, and then changing the setup after displaying her for a while to look at her again with a fresh feeling. Precisely because the pose itself has dynamic motion, when the appearance of the outfit changes, a difference in the impression received is likely to be born as well. Being able to enjoy even the time spent looking for your favorite angle and style can be called a true thrill unique to three-dimensional objects.

Looking at Baira, you notice that behind the glamorous elements of a bright smile, bold fan, and light dance, a hard-working and competitive personality is firmly alive. That is precisely why she does not end as a mere ”pretty dancer elf.” Though she usually laughs at the center of everyone, once no one is around, she silently refines her dance. Because you can imagine such a figure, your interest in the character naturally deepens as well. Not only people who like the world of ”Elf Village,” but also those who want to display figures with dynamic sculpting or a sense of story should pay attention to ”20th Villager Baira.” Placing her inside a shelf will likely bring a uniquely cheerful atmosphere to your collection through her bright expression and splendid dancing figure.