>>5926666I'm pretty sure none of the sharpness is lost in the molding process, rather it's more the glossy paints they use reflects more light giving that softer look and the hand painted prototypes use matte paints that let every little detail stand out.
You can check out how great some figures will look if you shove them in the freezer for about an hour. They'll accumulate a little frost in there, which will diffuse the light and make most glossy figures look great until it thaws.
