A Look at Illya Figures - Fate
A Look at Illya (Fate) Figures
Illyasviel von Einzbern of the Einzbern family. How can you not love this adorable and gifted mage? Sure, she was the first Master who tried to kill our protagonists Rin, Saber, Archer, and Shirou Emiya in Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. When first introduced, she was painted as this creepy girl who smiled as her monstrous Berserker Servant (Heracles) tried to smush Shirou into a fine paste. But later in the story, we discover that she was a homunculus, used as a tool by the Einzbern family. And if you digged deeper into the lore, you learned that her father, Kiritsugu, loved her and didn’t abandon her for Shirou. He tried to get her back time and time again, but the Einzbern clan kept them apart and nurtured her hatred to make her that psychotic Master. Illya was a victim of her circumstances, for sure. But in the end, she showed love and tenderness for her Berserker.
Fast forward to the Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya series, and you get a much more pleasant, sweeter story for our heroine Illya. In the Prisma Illya reality, she wasn’t used as a tool in the Holy Grail War. She gets to live the life of a normal ten-year-old girl. And she has plenty of family and friends! So we no longer need to cry sad tears for our girl, Illya. Instead, we can rejoice, in the form of Illyasviel collectible figures!
Interestingly enough, we searched the TOM Shop for figures of Illya in her classic look from the Fate/stay night series (any of the routes). But nothing came up. It’s not to say that Illyasviel has no figures in her purple jacket or coat, but more recent depictions of her from the Prisma Illya universe have dominated the market. That might just be a sign that the fans prefer versions of Illya’s happy stories over her bad and sad endings. No complaints here as this has led to some great variation for our light gray-haired mage. So let’s check out how she’s been honored in three dimensions!
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya Anniversary Live Event "Prisma☆Klangfest ～Kaleidoscope～" Illyasviel von Einzbern Prisma☆Klangfest Ver. 1/7 Scale Figure
This might just be our favorite depiction of Illya in figure form! She’s donned in the Klangfest Live Event stage outfit. That means she’s rocking a hot pink and white button-down top, coordinated with a purple skirt over sharp red frills. Her boots are different lengths, proving she’s a true trendsetter (reminds us of how certain pop singers were famous for wearing one glove instead of two). We love the feathers throughout her costume because they make her look like a modern magical angel. And the hair on her head is wild and beautifully sculpted. She’s smiling with a huge open-mouth smile and looking upward to an audience while holding a golden mic in her hand. This is a very cheerful, vibrant figure of Illya. By looking at it, you would think she was more related to the Love Live! universe than the Fate one. She definitely doesn’t look like someone whose heart is about to get ripped out. Because that doesn’t happen!
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 3rei!! Illya / Saber
Just because Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya is a magical girl anime, doesn’t mean Illya can’t kick ass! Case in point: this awesome figure of her in Saber regalia after using the Saber Card. Basically, you get to combine the action of the Fate/stay night series with the cuteness and color of a magical girl series. In this figure, Illa’s hair is a tad bit blonder than usual and tied up in a ponytail like a certain King of Knights who we all know and love. Her armor parts are really shiny, making it seem like actua metallic surfaces. But instead of a royal blue dress, Illya stays true to her usual color schemes in a light pink and white number. One thing makes this figure really action-packed, or maybe we should say two things. Well, actually, we can chalk it up to three things. First on the list is her wide-eyed, fierce expression on her face. Definitely a face in the middle of combat and not in the middle of singing like the previous figure. Second, there’s the blast effect coming from her right foot that’s attached at the base of the figure. You can tell she’s making a very powerful strike because of this effect, the kind that shatters the ground, Dragon Ball Z style. And third, it’s the effect displayed on her sword. The effect perfectly captures the arc that her swing creates, but the sculptor didn’t stop there. We also get a magnificent swirl of power that goes around the blade. Like we said, it’s a really action-packed and powerful version of our girl, Illya. And we love it.
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei Herz! Illya: Beast Style 1/8 Scale Figure
Lastly, we wanted to take a little time to chat about this cat. Let’s face it, if we’re going to make Illya into a cute magical girl, why not take a small step forward and turn her into a neko girl as well? The position of her arms, the paws, the tail, the expression on her face. Absolutely jaw droppingly adorable. Now we know what you’re thinking. How can you make a loli wear something so lewd? But you have to remember, Illya just looks young. In Fate/stay night, she’s actually 18 and even older than Shirou. But then you say, wait. Isn’t this from the Prisma Illya universe instead?! That’s when we stop thinking and just enjoy the cute cat girl.