Illyasviel von Einzbern Saber/Altria

Updated: 2023/03/12

Introduction

Illyasviel von Einzbern (Illya for short) is a character from the Fate franchise. More precisely, this version of Illyasviel comes from Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya: Licht - The Nameless Girl. This movie relates events occurring after the third season of the anime.
Illya is a young magical girl using a magical stick to protect the world and her friends. Magical cards are used to obtain the power of a mythological or historical hero. Here, she used the Saber Class Card to become a knight! Also, she wields the sacred sword Excalibur. Indeed, she resembles Altria Pendragon (the King Arthur of Fate).
This figure is manufactured by Kadokawa and has a scale of 1/7.

Base: 10/10

The base represents a dark rocky floor with a lot of relief. The ground is very irregular and seems more or less natural. Well, the plastic is a little bit shinier than a rock.

The mysterious plants seem menacing with their thorns. They are very shiny, maybe a hazardous poison oozes from their surface? It seems the place is dangerous to be in. Fortunately, Illya has a sword with her to defend herself. But we will cover this accessory later. For now, notice the metal pegs for her left foot. The other foot is placed behind the sword.

Excalibur goes in a hole, barely noticeable when it is not present. It permits displaying the figure with or without it. I like this way to make the holy sword stand a lot. It seems Illya will need to pull it from the rock. However, it is important to point out that the sword in the rock in the legend related to King Arthur is Caliburn. Excalibur is given later by the Lady of the Lake.

Let us have a look at the intricate design of the plants. I wonder if it could rather be metallic or rocky excrescences. The glossy finish makes them stand a lot when looking behind Illya. It is very interesting to have a figure which is good looking from several angles. Obviously, the front is the best one!

Let us have a look at the intricate design of the plants. I wonder if it could rather be metallic or rocky excrescences. The glossy finish makes them stand a lot when looking behind Illya. It is very interesting to have a figure which is good looking from several angles. Obviously, the front is the best one!

I think the base is beautiful! It is so much more than a simple circle often found even on scale figures. The only drawback is its size. Effectively, Illya will need some place, and her cape is even wider. It could be a problem on a shelf but displaying her in an open space leaves her at the mercy of the infamous dust!

The base largely merits 10/10.

Design - Pose: 10/10

Illyasviel von Einzbern is standing firmly. Her right arm is reaching the hilt of her sword, Excalibur. Her left one is behind her. Maybe to balance the movement necessary to extract the sword from the ground?

I like figures with flowing strands of hair a lot. Indeed, I think hair is one of the characteristics that make a character stand out. Anime characters often have colored hair or sophisticated haircuts. Illya does not disappoint me even if her hair is not ultra long. And she also has an ahoge which reminds us of her link with Altria.

It is an imposing sight to behold her cape that is so big! I imagine she deactivated the gravity around her in order to maintain this position.

Her hand is touching the hilt of the holy sword. She will soonly close her hand to take it. And behind, her navel is visible?! Again, I wonder how it is possible but it is a fictional character after all.

It seems a lot of wind is affecting her outfit. Her cape looks heavy though. Her dress has a lot of folds. It gives a very dynamic feeling which contrasts greatly with the sword imprisoned by the ground. We can imagine the tension of the situation. This figure is made to make us feel the urgency of the predicament that Illyasviel is in. Her armor is light in order to allow her to make all the movements she wants.
Oh, did I miss something? That’s right! We have a look at her pink stockings! We can thank the wind which allows us this view (just in the right way!).

Moreover, under her dress is an area which is totally impossible to see when she is set down. But her panties have a red ribbon! I guess it is a nice bonus. But let us change the subject before someone notices Illya’s age…

The pose is really dynamic, so a 10/10 is compulsory.

Design - Painting: 10/10

Illyasviel seems very serious, focused only on Excalibur. It is hard to see it in this photo but she has a little bit of blush.

The metal paint reminds us that she is a knight, ready for the next battle. Her dress is painted with several shades of pink, purple and white, the iconic colors of the magical girl Illyasviel. The shading, combined with the folds, results in a non uniform texture. The contrast between the matte finish of the cloth and the metallic paint is interesting. It shows the mix between Altria Pendragon’s armor and Illyasviel von Einzbern’s magical girl outfit.

I like the red and white combination a lot. It reminds me of the Little Red Riding Hood.

The only detail that bothers me in this figure is the top of her head. You can clearly see the separation between the pieces and different shades of blond are used. It is not a very big deal and from the front it is nearly invisible.

I give 10/10 for the choices of painting.

Quality: 10/10

The paint job is really good. You may have noticed some paint defects on the dress, at the back, but, for me, it is minor. When this section is (nearly) perfect, it is very short!

It is without a doubt a well finished figure, so a 10/10 is natural.

Price: 10/10

Ultimately, one important aspect is the price. I paid €268.94 for Illya. She is my most expensive figure but she is also my favorite. It is obvious a lot of effort has been necessary to make her. She is big but well detailed.

I am very satisfied with my purchase, so a 10/10 again for the price!

Total: 10/10

Illya Saber/Altria is a very great figure and she has a special place in my heart.

To summarize each section, the final grade is 10/10!