Back when I wrote about Kotobukiya’s Dizzy, I mentioned that I wished a better manufacturer like Alter or Max Factory had done the figure instead. Dizzy was the main reason I first played the Guilty Gear series and while I enjoy the games on their own merits now, Dizzy is still one of my favorite characters across all fictional media. While I did not dislike Kotobukiya’s figure, I still hoped that someone would do a better job of it. I didn’t expect to ever see that happen; after all, I’ve been pining away for an Irma figure – since MegaHouse has done almost all of the other Queen’s Blade figures – and an Itsuki Kannagi figure – since Good Smile Company sponsored Sora Kake Girl – to no avail. But fate works in strange ways and Dizzy now has two figures. I’d still like to see Irma and Itsuki get figures but when it comes to wishes made on a wing and a prayer, one out of three ain’t bad at all.
Dizzy is one of the fighter girls in Arc System Works’s Guilty Gear series. She made her debut as the final boss in Guilty Gear X and then became playable in Guilty Gear X2. Her backstory describes her as an outcast from human society due to her status as a half-human and half-Gear hybrid, a living superweapon. Her mother is Commander Gear Justice, a very powerful Gear, and as Dizzy is considered extremely dangerous herself, she is continuously persecuted as a threat to humanity. However, she wants nothing more than to be left alone and in Guilty Gear X2, when she is three years old, she quietly lives in a forest with her protector Testament. She later encounters the Jellyfish Pirates, led by carefree May and suave Johnny, and joins them.
Although she was a boss character and dresses in a provocative manner, Dizzy is actually a gentle and innocent girl. She loathes violence but shows determination when she must fight. She is soft-spoken and shy and tends to form strong relationships, particularly with Testament and May.
And also Ky Kiske. I have yet to play Guilty Gear 2 Overture, but there is a great deal of circumstantial evidence that indicates Ky and Dizzy are married and have a child named Sin. This revelation bothers me far more than it should and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I think Ky is a dreary imbecile. Johnny would have been a better match. Testament would have been a better match. Heck, Sol Badguy would’ve been a better match, although that is hilariously inappropriate. Regardless, Dizzy fans unhappy with this situation have a couple of options: one is to recognize that as Ky is a human, he will eventually expire at some point while Dizzy’s Gear biology will give her a much longer lifespan. The other is to simply assume that this never happened, since it is never canonically confirmed. Ah, the things we feel about fictional characters. Everything I’ve heard of Guilty Gear 2 makes me think that it would upset me, so I don’t believe I’m going to play it.
Like many of the characters in Guilty Gear, Dizzy takes her name from a musician. In this case, she is probably named after Dizzy Reed, the keyboard player of Guns n’ Roses, although it’s also possible she is named after jazzman Dizzy Gillespie. Her wings are named Undine, the angel wing, and Necro, the reaper wing.
Dizzy is manufactured by Alter in 1/8 scale. Alter generally stays true to scale sizes but this is not the case with Dizzy. She stands about 20 centimeters tall from base to the top of her head and if one neglects her high heels and the risers she is standing on, she’s more like 18 centimeters tall. That would make her 4’9, well short of the 5’6 listed in her official bio. Her small size is a bit disappointing but not surprising given her large wings. She still takes up quite a bit of space, with a total height and wingspan of about 31 centimeters in both dimensions.
One of the things I lamented about Kotobukiya’s figures were the plain and unimaginative wings they gave her. Undine and Necro comprise a major part of her arsenal in the games and it was unfortunate that they gave her simple bird-like wings. Alter, however, is made of more ambitious stuff. Dizzy’s wings slot into holes in her back and seem reasonably sturdy despite being rather heavy. Necro is particularly astonishing; he sports an evil leer with each decayed tooth shaped individually. Undine is elegant although is not as visually interesting; she appears to be asleep or meditating. Even so, the complexity and detail evident in both of her wings are stunning and understandably form a large part of her appeal.
To be honest though, Dizzy’s costume was what initially piqued my interest when I first saw screenshots of Guilty Gear X. Formed from black leather and comprising a collar, some straps, and a thong bikini, it’s reminiscent of bondage gear, and can certainly be labeled fetish wear. It’s not an overly elaborate costume but Alter has done a fantastic job modeling it. Despite being very scantily-clad, Dizzy still effects an aura of dignity. And innocence as well, from her puffy sleeves and the bright girlish ribbons tying her hair and decorating her tail.
Dizzy’s backside is very cute and is completely exposed, seeing as how her thong doesn’t seem to actually go all the way back. Maybe it’s more of a maebari?
Dizzy’s expression is mostly unreadable; it’s a neutral expression, perhaps a bit inquisitive, perhaps a bit surprised, but not displaying much emotion, at least on the surface. It’s an appropriate expression given her enigmatic appearance and turbulent history, although I wouldn’t have minded a smile either. Her character portrait in Guilty Gear X2 is one of my favorite portraits in video games.
Alter has sculpted Dizzy with a thin body build, and I would have liked to have seen her with a bit more substantial physique, as her game sprite doesn’t portray her as this skinny. Nonetheless, her body is still very attractive, and her slenderness gives her a slightly younger, more vulnerable appearance.
More importantly, they’ve done a great job of capturing the essence of her look. She has a monochromatic color scheme by design, her black and white wings separated by human flesh and augmented by an unnatural black tail. As a whole, Dizzy radiates power and presence, as is befitting for one of the most powerful Gears in the plotline. She also evinces disquiet, loneliness, and even fear in the slight tilt of her head, the nervous pose of her hands – and in her face, with her half-open mouth and uncertain gaze, suggesting that when taken whole with her body language, her expression is perhaps not as unreadable as it may seem. Accentuating her solitude are the expressions of her wings – Necro has an insane grin, preoccupied with his own motivations, and Undine is looking away. Dizzy looks dangerous, but she also looks like a girl who is tired of being hunted.
Of all these issues, her small size is the only one that I find to be regrettable. I like big figures and it would have been nice if they had made this figure in a true 1/8 scale, although perhaps that would not have been practical.
At any rate, I maintain no pretense of objectivity when I review a figure, and this is even more so when it comes to perhaps my favorite character made by my favorite manufacturer. It should thus come as no surprise that I love this figure and this is now my favorite figure from Alter. Is it their best? Objectively, perhaps not, though it makes an extremely strong argument. But it’s my favorite. I don’t always know much about the characters whose figures I buy but when I get one of a character I really like, it’s all the more special to me, especially when I’m not expecting it.
Now MegaHouse, how about that Irma figure?
Here’s Alter’s Dizzy compared to Kotobukiya’s earlier figure. The older figure is based on Dizzy’s Queen’s Gate appearance whereas Alter’s version is closer to the game art, particularly her Guilty Gear Isuka artwork.
Backside shot of the two Dizzies. Incidentally, as a Queen’s Gate character Dizzy is set to make an appearance in the upcoming PSP game Queen’s Gate Spiral Chaos. I’m looking forward to it, though I’ve still yet to buy a PSP.
Here’s my Guilty Gear collection. I figure buying pretty much the same game three times is enough, so I never did get Accent Core. Also, it never came out on Xbox to my knowledge and I only have a joystick for that console.
Here is “Awe of She”, Dizzy’s theme song in the video games. To be frank, it’s not my favorite song in the soundtrack; I much prefer “The Original” (Faust’s theme), “Suck a Sage” (Chipp’s theme), and “Simple Life” (Bridget’s theme).
Curiously, the Korean version of Guilty Gear X2 #Reload got a revised soundtrack done by Korean band N.EX.T. It still features thrash guitars and the heavy metal sensibilities of the original Guilty Gear soundtrack but it has a much different feel than Daisuke Ishiwatari’s compositions. In particular, I like “Child of the Wild,” the revised version of Chipp’s theme. It starts with a menacing riff and then the militant, staccato drum track kicks in before the psychedelic guitar, a perfect song for a drug abuser. Perhaps even better is “Blacklight Babe,” I-No’s theme. The irresistably seductive hook kicks off right away and the song segues into a funky, energetic beat that jacks control of your neck muscles. Dizzy’s theme is “Tears are Forever“; it begins with a jarring, dissonant, almost repulsive set of guitar notes but then a smooth, heroic riff begins before giving way to more dissonance; this alternation between melody and chaos is a continuous motif throughout the whole song, juxtaposing Dizzy’s own personality, history, and struggle to control her own body with music. It’s hard to imagine three themes that fit their characters more perfectly than these.
I really would like a Millia Rage figure too. Just saying this randomly.
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