Nirvash Type the End

Review by JoshB

Here we have another figure that I know almost nothing about. I've never watched Eureka Seven, but I always kind of avoided anything from it. The idea of rollerskating or surfing robots just kind of turned me off.

Ok, so they don't actually roller skate or surf, but the way the mecha is designed leads you to that conclusion. They all have wheels on the back of their feet, they all have what appear to be surfboards etc... I dunno. The designs never did anything for me. Well, all except one.

When the opportunity presented itself to review Nirvash Type the END, I decided to take a look. At first glance, it's a dark angular mecha, with impressive armaments.

According to research, Nirvash Type The END is a type of machine called an "LFO" or "Light Finding Organism". Most LFO are composite machines, featuring both organic and mechanical components. Each LFO has a pilot, and each requires something called a Compac Drive. However, there are two unique LFO that do not need these drives - Nirvash and Nirvash type the END.

Reading the synopsis on Wikipedia, it reminds me a lot of Evangelion. But hey, Kawamori designed the mechs, so maybe it's not half bad.

The toy itself is cool, but now that I am familiar with the design there are a few things about it that bother me.

The toy is larger and bulkier than other Robot Soul figures, and accordingly has a higher price tag. The package is pretty sharp, with a green window box.

Articulation is good, but due to the way the figure is proportioned, you can only pose it so many ways without it falling over.

The head is sharp and glossy black, with white eyes and pink pupils. I hate to say it, but the pupils really kill it for me. I know its an oddity in the world of Eureka Seven, but the pupils just look odd. I'm sure fans of the design won't mind, but to the uninitiated, it's weird.

The upper body has a long protruding rear section that seems very organic in design. The upper section features an opening hatch that could be a cockpit or a weapon. The underside features two pivoting engine nozzles.

On the front of the figure, you have two round white areas. These are swappable with "open" white parts to replicate the "Vascud Crisis" weapon.

Each shoulder has to support the weight of the large upper arms, and they are just not tight enough to do it. Most of the joints are reasonably tight on Nirvash the END but here they are just not strong enough. Each shoulder joint is covered on the body by a black panel which can easily fall off and get lost. I've already lost one of mine after shooting the review.

There's a ball joint where the upper arm meets the shoulder section, a hinge joint at the elbow, and the hands can pop on and off a ball joint at the end of the arm. Variant hands are included that can hold two large blades.

Out of the box, Nirvash type the END is packaged with large arm claws attached to each arm. The claw sections on each is moveable. Also included are to rubber-coated wires that attach to the arms. These are meant to replicate a shooting attach where Nirvash type the END can launch its claws at an opponent. The wire is stiff enough to support the weight of the claws.

Moving down the figure we have another big issue with the design. And I mean it's a BIG ISSUE. To put it plainly, Nirvash type the END is hung like a bear. Whatever purpose this elongated crotch section has, I don't care. It just looks wrong. This is why we can't have anime like this in America. It could be the most interesting story in the world, and we'd still be here making jokes about robot wang.

The upper legs are short and lead to dual jointed knees and then down to the feet. The feet have dual jointed ankles, and feature a wheel for a heel (heelies?). In another big oversight, the wheel does not turn.

The bottom of each foot features a fold-out peg that allows Nirvash type the END to attach to its Reflection Board so it can ride something called "trapar waves". Ok, so maybe it is a surfing robot.

But wait, there's more, the Reflection Board can separate into separate skis for better maneuverability. So, for all it's dark looks, Nirvash type the END is really just an extreme sports freak.

Also, the figure comes with a baby theEND figure, who knows what that is. is it the infant form of this mecha?

In all seriousness though, Nirvash type the END is not a bad figure, and if you are a fan of Eureka Seven, you will probably dig the design. But be aware there are a few design flaws that may hinder your enjoyment.