Previews from the MegaHobby Expo 2022 revealed a new entry into Kotobukiya’s “Bishoujo” figure lineup. The latest casts back through fighting game history. Its target? Athena Asamiya, veteran of The King of Fighters. Like others in the line, the Athena Bishoujo figure is based on the updated design from artist Shunya Yamashita. This is the first look at the painted prototype. [Thanks, Dengeki!]
The Athena Bishoujo figure is manufactured from PVC and is sized at 1/7th scale. Athena’s costume is based on her appearance from The King of Fighters ’98, one of the most iconic entries in the long-running fighting game series. Athena’s ’98 costume takes inspiration from a Chinese blouse, with gold knotted fasteners down the right breastline. She also wears her fighting gloves, short pants, boots, and hairband with a star accent.
Athena is best known as one of the longest-serving members of The King of Fighters series rosters. She was present at the beginning, as part of The King of Fighters ’94‘s roster. That said, her origins predate KOF. She was present as far back as 1987, in SNK’s Psycho Soldier. She also traces her family line to that of Princess Athena, star of the 1986 platformer Athena. She even had her own solo game, the Japan-exclusive PS1 adventure game Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life. She appeared in KOF ’94 as part of the Psycho Soldier Team alongside Sie Kensou and Chin Gentsai. She’s even been a consistent presence in brand crossovers, appearing in SNK vs. Capcom, Metal Slug Defense, and even Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Spirit and stage cameo.
Kotobukiya’s Athena Bishoujo figure is in development and does not have a release window at the time of this writing. Other Bishoujo series crossovers include Lilith from Darkstalkers and Optimus Prime from Transformers.
