Overview
Suyata is an odd bug in girlpla history; we can’t even quite place where they’re from. While we know for definite that they’re based out of Hong Kong and existed since the early 20s, we cannot actually verify the claim that they’re part of Takom’s group of model manufacturers that circulates around parts of the Internet. For posterity, we will list that there are enough connections (both originally based out of Hong Kong, both specialising in the same materials and occasionally having their kits listed as developed by the other) that suggest Suyata is a sub-brand of Takom’s.
Originally specializing in military vehicles, supercars and biplanes, Suyata further branched out with 1:24 ninjas in early 2022. Perhaps thinking that, having done 1:24 kits, they were ready for the girlpla market, Suyata threw its hat into the girlpla ring in mid-2022 with The Hunter’s Poem Arya, a cyberpunk biker with a robotic dog.
Since then, they have come out with several other kits in the line; the bird-themed Swallow, the heavy duty Artemis and Fafner suit, the skeletal angel-themed Angela and the snow-themed Yukihime.
Construction and Engineering
Let’s be blunt here. Suyata’s main focus isn’t girlpla. Companies that don’t have tons of experience working with either action figures or plastic models in general, or not focusing on girlpla in particular, don’t tend to come out with incredible products. The Hunter’s Poem is on the lower end of girlpla quality and in that sense, it’s apparent that it’s more of an attempt to throw their hat into an increasingly more profitable ring than anything genuinely inspired.
Plastic quality is generally poor, with very cheap-feeling, brittle plastic. The engineering, while very visibly inspired by Machineca, is also not directly licensed. Unlike Nuke Matrix or ATK Girl, Suyata lacks the competence to make up for their copied technology.
The overall stability of the designs, especially prior to Angela, is very questionable – we here wholly admit we actually refused to finish Swallow because her parts were so ill-fitting that we eventually figured we’d leave her in her current state and not finish the bird robot and mace she was intended to come with. Joints in particular are prone to being stressed or even breaking under even normal loads unless well-sanded.
Aesthetics:
The aesthetics are the sole redeeming factor of The Hunter’s Poem. Each design is genuinely incredibly well done, with the cyberpunk angle and cyborgized designs making for unique designs even for the work needed to make them workable. We had to admit that, even without all of her props, Swallow looks amazing, and Angela is a general favorite even despite all the flaws of the line. However, the cheapness of the material – including the faceplates – is a massive flaw that detracts from the otherwise impeccable designs.
Ease of Acquisition:
Surprisingly, these kits are fairly accessible with regards to storefronts for one very weird reason. Suyata, as we mentioned prior, are largely manufacturers for the vehicle side of modeling, which usually caters to an entirely different market from mecha and mecha musume, and thus usually caters to different stores than, say, Bandai and Kotobukiya. By that same token, these same stores will often stock Hunter’s Poem kits because of their connections to Suyata’s military kits. As such, looking in places that stock other Suyata kits – usually more traditional hobby stores – will often turn up one of two Hunter’s Poem kits. This is of course on top of some more traditional sellers.
The downside however is price; these kits are often on the more expensive end for girlpla, starting from around ¥4800 (£22/$29) and reaching ¥7600 (£35/$47) Given that these kits are both worse in quality than their counterparts in both Japan and China, and do not have the same level of goodies as A.T.K Girl, Nuke Matrix or the MS General kits, it is debatable if paying a premium for these kits is worth your time.
Personal Verdict?
While the aesthetics of The Hunter’s Poem are impeccable, the absolutely poor quality of both the engineering and the plastic take away from what could otherwise be a hidden gem of girlpla. Their high price point is also another drawback – relative to the quality of the kits, these prices are not worth your time. Only touch this line if you’re prepared to do a lot of work to get your kit to be slightly lower quality than the rest of your shelf.
Personal Recommendations:
Angela; the general consensus is that The Hunter’s Poem begins being a worthy line to build around her release, though still requiring significant amounts of work to be a worthy display piece.
Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063587771851 (social media)
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