When it comes to figures and models, so many can take up quite a bit of space. Even if you aren’t going with 1/7th scale one, get enough Nendoroids and smaller items and they’ll be a bit cluttered. With MegaHouse’s Desktop Army series, that isn’t an issue. These are three inch tall figures with light assembly requirements. And when it comes to the Desktop Army Persona 3 Aigis figures, they seem especially small and intricate.
Now, heading into a Desktop Army purchase you need to be aware of three things. One is that these are blind box items. Each “collection” has three boxes. So if you buy a full set, you’re guaranteed one of each. Second is that there is some mild assembly. In the case of the Desktop Army Aigis, you’re assembling her accessories. Finally, the official art on the box might show a character with a setup that requires you to have a full set of figures. In this case, each figure only comes with one sort of firearm.
So, in the case of my impulse Desktop Army purchase, I got the Persona 4 Arena version of Aigis. She a launcher that attaches to her shoulder and an open smile, compared to the Persona 3 and Persona 3 FES variants in this assortment. She’s about three inches tall, as promised. Due to the shape of her feet, she can’t stand on her own. There are optional parts to remedy that, but they didn’t help my figure. However, her clear stand, once assembled, allows for quite a few positions.
This miniature Aigis arrives with a pretty accurate and elaborate paint job. Mine’s paint job was perfect, with no errors or imperfections. Her joints also bend at her knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, and neck. However, be advised that sitting isn’t exactly her thing. You can manage that pose, but she needs support to sit normally on her own.
As for the building part, it is incredibly easy to assemble Aigis’ gun in these sets. The Persona 4 Arena launcher involved only six steps and, after the initial joints, I didn’t need to look at the directions to finish it off. Everything snaps together, and no glue, nippers, or paint are required. It affixes snuggly to her back, but requires no effort to remove if you prefer to pose her unarmed.
I’d honestly consider the Desktop Army Persona 3 Aigis series of figures a good item fit for anyone. If you like Persona, she’s a fun piece of merchandise at a reasonable price. If you want to display a figure at your desk or somewhere, but don’t want it occupying too much space, Desktop Army is perfect for a small novelty. Or maybe if you’d like to try taking pictures on location, but wonder about carrying a large figure around, Aigis is tiny enough to fit in a pocket or purse.
The Desktop Army Persona 3 Aigis figures are now available. They cost ¥2,178, and should be around $20 each if you find one online or in a store like Kinokuniya.
