Konami Busou Shinki MMS Type Violin Sharatang Review

Unnarmed Form. 3 expression available: Close eye/Sleeping;

Normal expression;

Frowning / Embarassed expression.

Light Armor mode.

Weapon: Violin and Bow/sword

Violin part can replace left arm section

Weapon: Cello and Long Bow/Sword

Full Armor Mode

Detail of Backpack

 Performance mode

Backpack and stand combined into a seat + sound stage.

Cello part can replace entire leg section.

Conclusion

Designed by the Choco, the designer of the Trike Sisters ACH and YDA, Sharatang is 1 of the 2 music themed Busou Shinki. While Baby Razz is a loud, Rock'n'Roll guitarist, Sharatang is the elegant tranquil string player. 

Choco's usual smooth curve design is showing clearly on Sharatang, and like the Trike Sisters, the armor pieces are lay out to spread out around the Shinki. The new light up gimmick is very fitting to the music player theme. 

Also though not seen in photo, in video you can see the light can either be set to be constantly on or to be pulsating. This does means adding a small circuit into the unit, and hence the rather big block on the backpack. It could have been a bit more elegant, a bit smaller, but it is not the worse either. What might have put people off though, is the pricetag. The light up feature might be the culprit here, as Sharatang here was about 1500yen+ more than the previous Full Armor set. And consider that you won't be playing around with the light up feature all the time, is it really worth the extra cost?

Overall, Sharatang is an elegant looking Shinki that would appeal to fans of Choco's design aesthetics. Personally, as a (Ex-)violin player, The theme also appeal to me as well. The light up gimmick, although very nice and does add to the feel of the design, might have been made more complicated than necessary. If removing this will reduce the product price, I think more people would have be happily shelf out the money.