Banpresto World Collectable Figure: Whole Cake Island Nami
SERIES DETAILS
The One Piece franchise has finished another one of its exciting arcs. There are going to be more arcs to look forward to, but the Straw Hat Pirates gave it their all in the recent Whole Cake Island saga.
With another heroic mission, Luffy and the gang had rescued one of their own from an arranged marriage that is bound to unite two clashing families. Although Sanji has got his eyes on Charlotte Pudding, it looks like both of them don’t like it if they are being forcely tied down together. So instead, they all cooperated to bring down the source of this forced political alliance, the Big Mom Pirates.
Arc by arc, One Piece never fails to deliver an action-packed saga. The main characters’ outfits also keep up with the arc’s theme, there’s no doubt about that. This is why figure manufacturers are always enthusiastic about One Piece figures more so the fans themselves. For Banpresto, especially, they’d never fail to make the characters as cute as possible in their World Collectable Figure collection.
The Whole Cake Island Nami figure happens to be available ever since 2018. The miniature figure shows a chic side of the gorgeous navigator. And even if it’s just a mini figure, the designs from the World Collectable Figure collection are still worth getting. For this reason, however, figure pirates will never cease the chance on getting their hands dirty — true miscreants indeed!
ORIGIN OF FAKE
Bought on: AliExpress
Origin: China
Vendor: Victoria
Distribution Area: Worldwide
Are you getting tempted to get cheap items? Then you should take a peek at AliExpress, but don’t take too long as you might stumble upon a sea of bootleg figures in the website. So if you’re looking for some legit action, this website is probably the worst choice. Expect some utter disappointment from the bootlegs.
Regardless, we took our time to get ourselves a fake World Collectable Figure: Nami from the Whole Cake Island series. For what purpose, you say? Of course, so that we could show you how cringy this bootleg Nami figure is. You will find out what we’re talking about once you see the pictures — oh boy!
DESCRIPTION OF FAKE
The fake World Collectable Figure: Nami isn’t far from many bootlegs. Of course, to conceal itself, it has a box that would make you think that it’s a legitimate item. However, it looks like that the box has some flaws to be revealed.
The fake Nami figure - front
The fake Nami figure - left side
The fake Nami figure - right side
The fake Nami figure - back
The real WCF: Nami box
The real WCF: Nami box
If you’re a fan of Banpresto or at least have personally seen a figure from the manufacturer, then you have already found out what’s missing from the box. From the looks of it, the logos cannot be found anywhere in the box which seems like a standard thing for bootlegs. The logo worth mentioning are obviously the Banpresto logo, and since this is a prize figure, a Craneking logo should be found on the opposite of the manufacturer’s logo as well.
Close up of the front portion of the fake box
Missing logos from the fake figure's box
Close up on the back portion of the fake box
Top portion of the fake box without any seals
View of the box when partially opened
View of the box when opened
Besides the required factors for authenticity, it’s also worth noticing that the box’s quality is totally out of shape. For one, the image quality of the print is a bit sharpened and lacking a bit of vibrance as well.
Once you turn on the top side of the bootleg’s box, you’ll see an empty space. In most cases, this is where you find the seal of authenticity of Toei Animation. For obvious reasons, however, we won’t be able to find that in this fake. Opening the box wouldn’t save its current situation since the Craneking QR codes are plainly copied.
The box also deserves a stampede of insults if you’re going to look at it from the inside. From that area, you already have an idea that the packaging is made from cheap cardboard.
The fake Nami figure and the base components
The fake Nami figure from the Whole Cake Island set
The fake Nami figure from the Whole Cake Island set - facing left
The fake Nami figure from the Whole Cake Island set - facing right
The fake Nami figure from the Whole Cake Island set - back
The fake Nami figure is a plain, inferior copy of the real World Collectable Figure. It measures at almost 3 inches in height, and includes the basic WCF base and holder. The fake figure barely held on to its stand, but luckily, it still gave us a chance to see it standing on its base.
Close up on the fake figure's hair
Right side of the fake figure's hair
Left side of the fake figure's hair
Back portion of the hair
As you can see, the bootleg mini figure isn’t so much to be admired. It’s filled with cracks and crevices more so than the earth’s surface. Exaggerations aside, a long gap between its head can be seen from above it. The view from the side is — well, you could say that it’s just totally bad because of the outlying plastic bits, not to mention the cracks too.
The hair just looks inconsistent aside from the flaws that we mentioned. Surprisingly, the back looks squeaky-clean although this doesn’t give the figure a definite pass to being an authentic. After all, it has so many flaws to begin with.
Close up on the fake Nami figure's face
A view of the fake figure's chest
Close up on the fake figure's dress
Closer view on the fake figure's right arm
Closer view on the fake figure's left arm
Nami’s face on this figure looks normal, but we think she forgot to wipe her mouth of that unknown white stain. The stain also drools over the fake figure’s neck area. Perhaps, and hopefully, the stain is just paint.
The fake figure’s dress is definitely a horrible sight. The paint job on this area is just sloppy considering that it’s the second most noticeable area. Apart from the top dress paint that extends ridiculously, the details are almost jagged including the ribbon and the knot below it.
Close up on the fake figure's 'earrings'
A closer view of the fake figure's ribbon
Zooming in on the fake figure's shoes
Speaking of edgy details, there a couple of features that are worth talking about.
For a first, the earrings of the fake figure looks like they are just blotted with white paint. On the other hand, the back portion of the figure isn’t an adoring sight as well. You will notice that the ribbon at the back of the figure has a bunch of excess bits of plastic mold which looks irritating. And last but not the least, the shoes are overwhelmed with faded paint.
As much as the bootleg can be called a mini figure, it’s awfully packed with unwanted faults. In fact, the authentic Whole Cake Island set comes with six One Piece figures including the Nami figure. Imagine if you get all six bootlegs unexpectedly. It’s absolutely a huge disappointment.
The real WCF: Nami from the Whole Cake Island set
The real Whole Cake Island set
Fake VS Real of both the fake and the real one
The real and authentic World Collectable Figure: Nami from the Whole Cake Island set will be worth your time once you get it in the mail.
The set actually boasts new outfits for your One Piece figure collection. As you can see, the real figure has a smooth texture that resulted from its superior material. Pretty much like any real Banpresto items, the features are very well-detailed, and even if it’s just a mini figure, you can appreciate it as much as a full-scaled figure.
Nevertheless, let’s find out how the prices differ for both the real and the fake.
PRICE
No doubt, there’s quite a big gap between the prices of the fake and the real WCF Nami figure. As these prices involve the whole set of Whole Cake Island World Collectable Figures. Needless to say, if you compare the appearances of the two figures, there’s also a huge difference.
The current price tag of the Whole Cake Island figure set can go up to $130. This is a clear evidence that some authentic figures are destined to rise in such high amount, especially when they’re that sought-after. After all, the set is a prize figure, and the figures were obtained with a spin of a roulette. So if you’re looking for a cheaper option, there might still be a chance for the WCF: Nami for as low as $10 for every attempt.
WHERE TO GET THE REAL WHOLE CAKE ISLAND NAMI WORLD COLLECTABLE FIGURE
If you’re really itching your hands to get a WCF: Nami for a cheap amount, you might want to gamble your way through. For the Lunar Toy Store, luckily, they still have the Whole Cake Island set in stock although a random figure from the set will be sent to you.
The website has got some good reviews plus that they’re affiliated with Good Smile Company as a partner store which lifts their reputation as a trusted store. It’s also a convenient choice for collectors in the US since they’re based there. The set back of this choice though is that there’s a possibility of getting the same figure consecutively.
On the other hand, there are still some choice so you could a 100% hit on the Whole Cake Island set. Though it might cost you around $127, the authentic is totally worth it. You can find the figure set in Solaris Japan.
Solaris Japan also offers worldwide shipping, and like Lunar Toy Store, they also have massive inventory of anime figures. However, if you’re still looking for another choice, you can find the same set of figures in Ninoma as well.
The Whole Cake Island set of World Collectable Figures can be a bit overwhelming considering that on the year of its release, the figure set was more or less $20 USD. For this reason, you have to keep in mind the true value of authentic figures.
OUR VERDICT
Ultimately, the fake Nami figure is an awful copy. The bootleggers clearly didn’t mind the rough edges and scratches on it. Its careless paint job sets it back further than any other bootlegs. Its expression is rather disturbing than bright, and that’s just expected for a cheap knock-off. It’s better off walking the plank together with the figure pirates that made it.
Do yourself a favor and give this fake a 90% terrible rating.
