Re: yuck
We can probably strike Beka, Joanna Dark and, to some extent, Shi (who's head I always thought ugly and the eyes badly painted - she's rather homely compared to Tucci's sexy lass) from your list as they're not Takara Cy/Cool Girls but BBI own-brand creations - and their inhouse team couldn't sculpt female features for toffee (see also their F-16 pilots and the female cop). Damn I'm almost thankful we never got a Rommy figure from them! Not hugely keen on BBI's 'Perfect Body' either; ugly shoulders and the whole outline isn't as pleasing as Takara's Cool Girls.
Anyhow, can't answer for Akiko, Anne or Luna - don't own them (though I've heard many a Luna owner wax lyrical over her).
Midori however I have; she's neither poorly painted or undefined in my book (the pale, unpainted flesh doesn't always photograph well so sometimes a little bit of detail is lost in pictures). Yep, her paint is a simple straightforward screening job (subtle touches of make-up would look amiss on a soldier girl) but the face is a very good Asian sculpt (emphasised by the paint application).
She is a pricey lass, c. £65 in UK money but is my clear front runner for figure of the year; Cool girl 2.0 bodies simply cannot be beaten, three layers of excellent costuming (none of which bulks her up or blocks articulation), extra bits of armour so you can choose it's configuration, perfect balance, etc...she blows Dragon's sad male Kerberos soldier clean out of the water!
At the end of the day I feel wholly confident in my pre-ordering of Takara's female figures months in advance but I'm afraid that I have to wait to see a Sideshow figure on the shelf before I open my wallet.
Nick
