CAPTAIN AMERICA - Civil War Kotobukiya ArtFX 1/10 scale statue

Captain America is not my favorite super hero. But he is my daughter's, by a long shot. So when she got this statue for Christmas I decided to take a look at it. Kotobukiya does some great statues. I have a Bishoujo Christie Monteiro that's one of the nicest pieces in my entire collection! So, I'm not surprised at the quality of the sculpt and detail work on Captain America.

Cap, here, is actually advertised as a pre-painted model kit, but don't let that intimidate you. The statue comes in about 4 or 5 separate pieces that snap into place seamlessly and very quickly. Once assembled, it's nearly impossible to tell where the attachment points are.

The paint work is excellent (with one exception, which we will get to momentarily), with everything clean and sharp. The eyes, as tiny as they are, have a wet gloss, the shield shines and everything else is an appropriate matte. There's some drybrush highlighting to give the illusion of wear and depth to the figure, and he's in a dynamic pose that's meant to pair with another statue of Iron Man to create "an incredible battle scene." At 1/10 scale, he stands about 6" on the base (with a heavy forward lean) and 6 & 3/4" including the base.

Speaking of the base, it's a nicely detailed cracked pavement that unfortunately has a bit too much of a sheen to it. The gloss makes it come off as more toy-like than I'd prefer, but it's a fairly minor gripe. My bigger (and only, really) problem with the figure (and the paint) is the skin color. Though there isn't much showing, what's there comes across as more grey than fleshtone, and it does throw the figure off a bit to me. I'd have much preferred a little more life to the skin, matching the box art more closely.

That said, this is a really nice display piece for Captain America fans. It looks good and captures the essence of the character well. Considering my previous post on McFarlane Toys's newest Spawn figure statue, I think there's certainly a place for plastic statues like this in a collection, and I can see why McFarlane Toys might look at this and decide that's their niche. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the work McFarlane is producing at a $20 price point rivals this statue, which retails for about 3 times that much...

SPAWN REBIRTH - McFarlane Toys Color Tops figure 2016

It's been about a decade since we saw new Spawn figures on the shelves. In fact, when the Spawn 11 figure was released, it was April 2007. There was another wave or two that followed (the animated-style Adventures of Spawn, for example), but Spawn 11 was the last "pure Spawn" we got. A lot has changed in the world since we last saw Spawn, especially in the world of adult-oriented collector action figures. The quality of paint, sculpts and accessories have grown exponentially, to say nothing of the incredible strides that have been made in terms of articulation. Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics and DC Universe Classics really contributed a great deal to this, and now Hasbro's Star Wars Black Series and Marvel Legends carry the torch high domestically, competing with the likes of imports from SH Figuarts and figma. Smaller companies like NECA and Mezco Toys have pushed the bar to a whole new level, truly innovating some of the most sophisticated toy engineering we have seen since...well, since McFarlane Toys came on the scene in the early 1990's. See, at that point, Todd McFarlane was a true innovator in many senses of the word. He forged a new comic book company (Image Comics), created a dynamic character to carry it (Spawn), and then had the audacity to create a toy company to match his vision (McFarlane Toys). His Spawn figures are the single biggest contributor to my personally becoming a "toy collector" twenty years ago, and I'd dare go far as to say that he pretty much created the adult action figure niche single-handedly. McFarlane led, and others like Palisades, Resaurus, and MAC followed.

But that's not to say that all was rosy. After thirty-plus Spawn waves, we eventually got too many of the same style of figure, and while the sculpts upped their game, along with the paint (mostly), it was at the expense of articulation. In essence, McFarlane Toys seemed to go with the theory that adult collectors didn't "play" with their figures, but appreciated them on a shelf, pre-posed, like a statue or works of art. Not that that's bad. Companies like Clayburn Moore's Moore Action Collectibles featured beautiful sculpt and paint work without much of an emphasis on articulation. And the sculpts, paint and size are what drew me to the McFarlane figures in the first place (man, I still fondly remember that Series 8 Gatekeeper figure, which was my first Spawn figure and really pulled me in!).

Eventually, though, Spawn fizzled out. McFarlane Toys moved on to other things, some good...some not so much...and the world moved on. In 2016, we are living in a world that is post DC Universe Classics, and features some of the most envelope-pushing designs in toy history. Companies like 3A and Mezco are redefining what an action figure can be (including fabric outfits while retaining top-notch articulation), while Japanese imports ride high, including multiple hands, facial expressions and innovative articulation. What a perfect moment for Spawn to re-enter the collector world, and show how innovative the brand can be! Release a beautiful, highly articulated Spawn figure, similar to their 10th Anniversary gem (but updated), with scads of accessories and weapons, a full fabric outfit, a bendy-wire cape, multiple-armed display stand, maybe glowing LED eyes and real, poseable chains! The base could include electronics for lighting the figure and include some spoken lines from the terrific HBO Animated series like, "(thug says) Who is...? (Spawn interrupts) About to take your head off..." Loved it then, and would love it even more coming from my new Spawn action figure!

Or...maybe release the same figure we got in 2004: The Art of Spawn Series 26 issue 7 cover art, with fewer accessories, no additional articulation, a cheap plastic base and plastic pre-posed chains? Hmmm.

Despite the moniker "Rebirth", which hints at newness and revitalization, this figure is actually more of a "Redux", or re-do. McFarlane Toys has retreated from the innovation that defined their early successes and decided to play it safe, essentially re-releasing a figure it produced 12 years ago. If you are a collector who does, in fact, enjoy plastic statues (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that - there are plenty of statue lines out there, for sure), or missed out on the Spawn issue 7 figure, this one looks great. The sculpt and paint work are both top-notch, and he's sure to look good on a shelf. Paying for this one will probably save you a couple of bucks on the 2004 release, and he's probably easier to find, too. But if you are looking for something that you will return to again and again, re-pose and "play" with,  or for a Spawn that will set himself apart from a dozen other Spawns, then this fellow is an easy pass. Track down the 10th Anniversary figure and you've got the lat Spawn you will ever need.

Spawn Rebirth stands just about 7" tall, comes with 2 wicked-looking and nicely detailed gun-type weapons (one looks like a rocket launcher and the other a pistol of some sort). His chains and ammo belt are plastic, and he is not poseable. He is slightly articulated: the head swivels, the waist swivels, the boots swivel and the arms bend and rotate at the elbows, while also swiveling at the bicep bands. Keep in mind that this isn't really articulation, in the sense that these can only be used to fine tune the existing pose. Actually turning the head or waist will throw the sculpt and paint off. The figure is made from a VERY hard plastic, so getting the weapons into the hands is a chore, and with McFarlane's history of breakage, I'd suggest being very careful. I used some pre-boiling water to soften the hands and had no problem getting the guns in there. The spikes are really hard and quite painful when trying to adjust his limbs, and he stands just fine without the nameplate base, once his right boot is rotated slightly in from how it was packaged. And that's about it. Another 7" Spawn statue: he really is a great-looking, intimidating character that a lot of collectors are sure to remember fondly. There's nothing wrong with the figure, so long as you know what you are getting: this is NOT an action figure. It's a slightly adjustable statue. He'll look cool on a desk or getting lost amongst a bunch of other Spawns on a shelf, but he'll unfortunately probably be quickly forgotten, rather than "reborn"...

With NECA 7" Batman Begins

With Image 10th Anniversary Spawn

GODZILLA 2016 - S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla Resurgence figure review

Tamashii Nations released their version of Shin Godzilla late in November,as the newest Godzilla in their S.H. MonsterArts line. Advertised to be larger than previous figures, this version carried a heftier price tag as well, coming in near around $100 plus shipping via Japanese sellers.

When I saw the initial images of the new Japanese Shin Godzilla this past summer, I instantly hated the design. It seemed gawky, awkward and not at all in keeping with previous designs. That all changed when I got to a screening of the film during its limited October run. The Godzilla I saw in that movie was so impressive and awe-inspiring that I totally forgot my earlier apprehensions. I had pre-ordered S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2016 on the off-chance that I would like the film, and then regret not having pre-ordered one (this turned out to be a good instinct, as he sold out everywhere, prices have skyrocketed, and I did, in fact, love the movie).

My Godzilla 2016 arrived this past week. I elected to have it shipped by slow mail (took about 2 weeks, but saved me nearly $20), which allowed me to see plenty of early reviews of the figure. They seem to be split, though not evenly, with people either loving the figure or (more often) expressing disappointment at the final result. I tried to keep an objective, open mind as I considered my impressions.

First off, the box is huge. This is due to the need to fit Shin Godzilla's immense tail in the package (with the tail curled up as it is, the figure measures just about 14" from nose to tail tip). This version is, in fact, taller than all previous incarnations - with the exception of Godzilla 1989 - standing just under 7 & 1/2" tall. The sculpt is interesting. The tail sports some of the finest, sharpest detailing I've seen on any Godzilla, the textures if the dorsal spines are nicely pronounced, the feet are strikingly gross and the mouth shows a nice variety from the teeth to the interior and jowls. In sharp contrast, the body is soft and underdeveloped from the neck down to the legs. It's the kind of sculpting I would expect to see more on a Bandai America $12 vinyl figure at the local Toys R Us. Taken all together, the sculpt does capture the "essence" of Shin Godzilla well. The silhouette is mostly there, but I do feel like something is a bit "off" with the head, especially when viewed from the side.

The biggest complaint I've seen across the board with this guy has to do with the paint. Godzilla 2016 is a very dark figure. The paint application over the red plastic base makes him come across as mostly brown. There's not nearly enough red, nor is it blazing enough, to convey the sense of molten lava that the character had in the movie. The red that's showing (at least on mine) looks good, though it's nearly entirely restricted to his spines and the dorsal portion of his tail. There's a really odd change in the sculpt and paint about one third of the way back on the tail of mine which lasts for 2 segments (it almost looks like a totally different sculpt). The tail tip, which brilliantly sculpted, is not as well painted. Mine has a few random sprays of brown swept across it. I'm not sure what they were going for, exactly, but it didn't work. The toenails and teeth on mine are painted very well, and both of the eyes of my figure are looking down (derpy eyes is a consistent complaint across this release - I have no idea how mine ended up fairly symmetrical).

I haven't pushed the articulation too far to this point. I haven't felt the need to. The right arm on mine sticks out at an odd angle, and doesn't seem to want to move in the same way as the left one. The neck seems a little restricted and the head has nearly no side-to-side movement. The top of the head is hinged to open upwards while the lower jaw does drop down, making for an incredibly wide roar. There's a flap inside at the back of the throat to fill in the space somewhat. Speaking of the interior of the mouth, it's sculpted with lots of fleshy ridges which are painted with a deep red gloss, making the whole thing look disgustingly wet. Godzilla will bend forward deeply at the torso, and combining this with his ability to curl his neck forward and down as much as it can means he can replicate his fire vomit perfectly.

In terms of quality control, I feel like my figure is mostly well-made. None of the parts have popped off yet, and I mentioned the eyes. I don't have any loose joints, either, though like I said I haven't really pushed the articulation. The top three dorsal plates just behind his head were bent severely right out of the package, and are nearly broken off. There's another plate about midway down the back that looks like one tip is slightly melted, and there are about a half-dozen places across the figure where paint has rubbed off, or a drip of a different color has blopped on. It's all relative, though. Compared to what I've seen of some samples, I feel pretty fortunate.

Overall, I like this release. It sits well among my other S.H. MonsterArts figures and conveys the offensive repulsiveness that Shin Godzilla was going for. It doesn't elicit the "wow" factor that Godzilla 1989 did for me, and it's far from my favorite figure in the line, but I certainly don't feel the animosity towards it that so many other reviewers seem to have. I think the key to a good transaction is for the buyer and seller to both walk away feeling like they got what they deserve. In this case, it appears that the final product doesn't match the asking price, even at retail. I'd agree that this figure is overpriced at $120 shipped, despite his size and heft. At $80, I feel like a lot of his flaws would have been much more forgivable...

With a Flash, to show color variations...

1989, 2001, 2016, 2000, 2014

GODZILLA 1989 - S.H. MonsterArts Kou Kyou Kyoku action figure

Bandai Tamashii Nations has released their first "Kou Kyou Kyoku" S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla figure and it is honestly an amazing figure in every aspect, save one. Aesthetically, size-wise, and in terms of paint, this is what we should have been getting from the S.H. MonsterArts line from the outset!

Godzilla 1989 comes from the movie "Godzilla vs. Biollante", and is the largest S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla that has been released to this point. BioGoji stands about 8" tall, and you'll get nearly 14" out of him from nose to tail-tip. The sculpt is fantastic, from the snout on down, with varied textures across the upper torso, arms and legs. There's very little of the gapping that has plagued previous releases, as there is a floating sleeve at the hip joint. He moves as well as I'd expect him to, in the sense that this is Godzilla, and he mostly walks, stomps, and waves his arms slightly in front of him. My biggest complaint with the NECA Godzillas is that they can't hold their arms and hands in a pose that matches the movie looks. This guy absolutely can.

The paint on my figure is perfect. The eyes are awesome, as are the tiny teeth. I've seen some reviews complain about the paint on the outer, smaller dorsal spines, but I'm happy with the way mine look, all the way down to the tail tip. Speaking of the tail, it's really long and nicely flexible. I can get it to look just like I want it to, without any difficulty.

The "Kou Kyou Kyouku" label refers to another MonsterArts first: lights, sound and music. This Godzilla has flashing dorsal spines and the interior of his mouth lights up (with one of the roars), various roaring/stomping sounds and plays two different theme songs. The volume of everything is adequate and the roars come in several different versions, with differing lengths, as well. The theme songs are long, but sound pretty good. I've seen other reviews complaining about the light effects being too muted, or the mouth not being bright enough, but I'm fine with their quality overall. It's not as loud as NECA's Godzilla 2014, but that's ok. The light gimmick does restrict the articulation (there's none really in the torso, which houses the electronics, and the neck/head articulation is much restricted).

For the Batteries, which are housed in the upper torso...

So, overall, I really love this figure. It's my favorite MonsterArts Godzilla, hands-down, and I hope we get more figures in this scale. With regards to the gimmicks, honestly I can do without them. I'll end up removing the batteries and posing him on my shelf, so they are not something I will use enough to justify the issues they cause. Those issues include the restricted articulation, but my biggest (and only) actual complaint with this figure is this: the price. At about $180, this figure is outrageously overpriced. There's absolutely no way this figure is worthy of an X-Plus price-tag, and if the electronics are the excuse for the extravagant cost, I'd be much happier without them. If Bandai Tamashii Nations can manage to keep the size, sculpt, paint and articulation with a price no higher than $100, I'm all-in for their figures (yes, I've got the newer Shin Godzilla on its way to me at this very moment). Otherwise, I'll have to pick and choose very carefully...

SARA BRYANT - SEGA Gals Collection Gashapon figure

I picked up this nifty little Virtua Fighter Sara Bryant Gashapon figure after enjoying the figma releases, which caused me to look into later iterations of the game. This figure looks like it could be based on the character's look in Virtua Fighter 5 and, yes, they did spell her name without the "h" on the label.

The figure is made of PVC, comes in a small baggie and needs to be assembled. There's a small disc base and some slight articulation: the head is on a ball-joint and the ponytail can be rotated a bit. The legs on mine were warped and needed some gentle coaxing with hot water to be re-shaped enough to allow the figure to stand.

The paint is really excellent, especially considering that the figure stands a mere 4 & 3/4" tall. The blue bodysuit has a metallic sheen, and the leggings are gray. The silver stripes on her gloves are clean, the yellow in the hair is uniform and the face paint is particularly crisp. The eyes are terrific, and even the tiny eyebrows and mouth are painted perfectly. The flesh tone is great, as well.

The sculpt is realistic and well-proportioned, and the pose is appropriate to the character. There are several small gaps where the parts attach, but it's nothing too distracting. Overall, this is a really nice little Virtua Fighter figure. The line included 5 other girls (in this wave - I believe there was more than one wave released) from various video games.

AKIRA YUKI - figma Virtua Fighter action figure review

My P1 Akira Yuki Virtua Fighter figure finally arrived yesterday (after a clean month in transit - SAL's $5 savings are so not worth it!), and I'm happy to say that he complements Sarah Bryant quite nicely! In fact, he's a superior figure in nearly every aspect.

Yuki comes packaged in a matte black figma box that matches Sarah's P1 version, complete with a tree of 8 spare hands, a figma stand, alternate screaming head, replacement wrist joint, baggie and instructions. The P1 version of Akira comes in a black gi with a light grey undershirt, red and black wristbands, a belt with yellow stripes and a white headband. The paint is clean and sharp everywhere, which is pretty standard for figma as far as I can tell. The "pixelated" look works really well for Akira, and mimics the in-game look terrifically. My kids remarked about how convex his chest looks, going so far as to ask if it was attached backwards by accident. Like Sarah, Akira looks better in fighting poses. And he's an absolute joy to mess around with. The joints work very well together, and the ankle rockers that he has (which Sarah did not) go a long way to aiding his deep stances. You'll be able to get a wonderful variety of poses out of him, with just a couple of restrictions. The biggest is his inability to put his hands together with his arms extended out in front of him. His chest width and the gi make it impossible. I was trying to get something similar to a Ryu "Hadoken" pose, and couldn't do it. The second restriction is at the hips. There's a nice range of motion there, but not quite enough for me to get a high kick pose, with one foot planted. Nevertheless, using the stand allowed it to turn into a flying kick, which sufficed.

I don't like the alternate, shouting face at all. The mouth is just too overdone for my tastes. And the hands are quite ridiculously large. To call them "oven mitts" would be seriously downplaying the size of oven mitts. Nevertheless, the regular closed-mouth and fisted hands are good enough to keep me satisfied.

Overall, figma's Akira Yuki Virtua Fighter figure is an absolute blast. Everything that an adult action figure should be: durable, fun to look at, sensible to pose, and enjoyable to photograph. He goes perfectly with Sarah Bryant, and I really would love to see the line continue with other characters. I was waiting to see how much I liked this version before ordering the P2 (white gi) look, and now that I have him in-hand, I'm eager to get the other!