Our customers regularly tell us that they find it difficult to display their Saint Cloth Myth Saint Seiya figures at their best, so we thought a few practical tips might come in handy.
They are not always easy to assemble and can be even trickier to pose. That is part of the challenge of collecting Saint Cloth Myth figures, where patience is often one of the most useful skills to have.
The art of posing is all about bringing a figure to life with natural, dynamic poses that reflect the character’s personality, fighting style or signature attacks. It takes time and experience to master, but a few basic principles are enough to make a big difference and give your favourite Saints a much more convincing presence on display.
Looking for a few tips to get started? Myth Factory is here to help…
Tip #1: start with a figure that is easy to pose
The difficulty of posing a figure depends largely on how many armour parts it has.
Long hair can also restrict head movement and reduce the range of poses available.
When practising, it is therefore better to start with a figure wearing relatively light armour and with a hairstyle that does not get in the way too much. Pegasus Seiya (V1, V2 or V3), Megrez Alberich and Unicorn Jabu are all excellent figures to practise with.
For greater articulation and more natural-looking poses, Saint Cloth Myth EX versions are generally a better choice than the classic releases whenever both are available.
Tip #2: keep the character’s personality in mind
Take inspiration from your favourite scenes in the anime or manga and try to capture what makes the character unique.
You can also look for an image of your Saint from the animated series and recreate the pose. Official artwork, signature attacks and memorable battle scenes are often excellent references.
Tip #3: make full use of the articulation
Think about the human body: whatever position we adopt, our main joints are rarely completely straight or at rest.
Avoid displaying your characters with perfectly straight arms and legs. Break up rigid lines as much as possible by slightly bending the elbows and knees.
You can add even more movement by subtly rotating the hips, torso and neck.
It also helps to spread the legs slightly, but not too far. In most cases, a stance roughly as wide as the character’s shoulders is a good starting point.
Tip #4: the eyes make all the difference
If you are posing a character in an attacking or defensive stance, make sure their gaze follows the direction of the action. This small detail immediately makes the pose feel more natural and convincing.
Tip #5: use the accessories included with the figure
Choose the interchangeable hands that best suit the pose you want to create.
You can also strengthen the character’s expression by selecting the face that best fits the scene. A shouting face, for example, works naturally with a powerful attack or an intense defensive pose.
A face with closed eyes is often better suited to a calmer display or to a moment of concentration before launching an attack.
Tip #6: find the right balance
A Saint Cloth Myth figure follows many of the same basic balancing principles as the human body:
- use the ankle joints to keep both feet properly flat on the surface;
- bend the knees a little more if necessary to lower the centre of gravity;
- use the position and weight of the arms to help balance the figure from side to side.
For more complex poses, do not hesitate to use a display stand.
You have probably noticed that a Saint Cloth Myth figure is much easier to balance when both feet are firmly on the ground. For more dynamic poses, with one or even both feet off the surface, a Stage Act 4 display stand can provide the extra support you need.
We would not recommend this type of stand for larger or heavier figures, especially those with large wings. Their weight can put too much strain on the stand’s joints and make the whole display unstable.
Tip #7: hide the joints whenever possible
Try combining the figure’s articulation with the positioning of the different armour parts to conceal the most visible joints and mechanical gaps.
Our friend Miketigra explains this very well in this video dedicated to posing Saint Cloth Myth figures, which is well worth watching.
Tip #8: keep the armour pieces close together
Bring the forearm armour and hand closer together to avoid leaving an excessive gap around the wrist.
Apply the same principle to the shin and thigh armour, positioning them as close as possible to the pieces covering the knees.
At the shoulders, use the body articulation to bring the shoulder closer to the shoulder armour and create a cleaner, more cohesive appearance.
Tip #9: take your time and enjoy it!
There is no pressure. If you are not happy with the result, start again and try something different.
With a little persistence, and sometimes quite a lot of patience, you will eventually find the pose that works for you and really bring your Saint Cloth Myth Saint Seiya figures to life.