I know I’m a little late to the party, but 2016 is over
with, and it’s a nice time to reflect on what went down for me with figures.
All in all, it was somewhat of an uneventful year for me. I was really only wowed
once or twice. So, here it is: Top 10 Best and Worst Figures Received in 2016.
*Disclaimer: this list is just the figures added to my
collection in 2016. They don’t have to be
released in 2106 necessarily, just what I purchased and opened for the
first time.*
First up, The Worst:
-
S.H. Figuarts Super Saiyan Vegeta (Premium
Color)
o
Actually, there isn’t much wrong with this guy.
Indeed, I got him so I could sell him. I just decided to keep him. I guess I’m
just mad that I paid so much for something I practically already have(and
reviewed).
-
S.H. Figuarts Namikaze Minato
o
That damn jacket, dude. I know it’s a staple
part of his costume, but is takes away from the leg articulation I expect a ninja to have. He makes up with some
cool effect parts, but also no “wind” hair piece that I think would be perfect
for the “Yellow Flash”.
-
S.H. Figuarts Super Saiyain God Super Saiyan
Vegeta
o
Ok. Its boring. Plain and Simple. The design is
new, but not great. He looks better the way he did, and his release we just a
bone to throw at fans so they didn’t just have a blue Goku by itself. Didn’t
even come with any real special pieces, either.
-
Xovergen TF-02 God Armor Add on Kit
o
Difficult. That is the word of the day, here.
It’s difficult to use. Transforming it from vehicle to robot, armor for MP-10,
or final armor for TF-01, it takes maybe 20 min to do a piece if you know
exactly what you’re doing. As for using the instructions: there are none,
really. You’re better off finding it on YouTube like I did. Thanks, Bens
Collectibles. However, the end result is pretty freaking awesome, and huge…just
don’t touch it much.
-
S.H. Figuarts Whis
o
Another bone thrown. The costume allows for
virtually nothing worth a damn for articulation outside his upper torso. Like
Beerus, he comes with no effect pieces. Of course, he comes with his special
staff, but…he better. With all the
things the figure can’t do, he had best be equipped with his full costume.
-
Figma Cryska Barchenowa
o
Bought this figma on impulse. It was in a store
that I sometimes go to, and I saw that they finally had the nerve to put figma
on the shelf. I bought it for quantity’s sake. It does…nothing. I don’t know
much about MuvLuv other than their mech is a base design with a bunch of
variations. The figure comes with a simple pistol. Add the normal figma joints,
and really nothing damn special about it. In hindsight, I don’t even think it
looks that cool anymore.
-
S.H. Figuarts Uzumaki Naruto (Sage Mode)
Exclusive
o
Oh, ho ho ho hooo!! This little wallet rapist!
Naruto is a crappy mold. It just is. I specifically remember seeing an
interview with Bluefin staff saying that the Sage Mode Naruto was getting and
entirely different mold, like what happened to SSJ Vegeta and Trunks. Did we
get that? Of course not. What we did get is the exact same mold with…get this…worse
coloring. I was a bigger fan of the darker orange. Gave him more character. Oh
sure, you get the sage justu face paint, a Rasenshuriken effect part, and his
own stand, but you don’t get the other part that made him a sage…the damn
jacket. With Minato’s mold well past its release, it was a great place to start
to give Naruto the look he needed to stay true to the character.
-
KFC CT-02 Tempest
o
MaaaaaaAAAAAAAAANNNN, was I disappointed in this
one. The proportions, plastic quality, and transformation scheme is just all
f’ed up. What’s worse, is that Cyclonus is one of my favorite Transformers ever, so when I see it jacked up, I take
offense. The hands can only hold the
weapons it comes with because of a straight-up erroneous transformation scheme
that permits zero extra movement of the fists. Even the colors, now that I see
them up close, aren’t indicative of what I think Cyclonus should be. He’s
clearly a prime example of a toy company in its infancy.
-
Master Grade Victory Two (V2) Gundam Ver. Ka
o
This piece of shiiii- alright. Master Grades are
amazing. We all know this. V2 was always a design I liked as a kid. Well, come
to figure, I don’t like the design as an adult. V2 has a transformation gimmick
that normally I would love. It’s just so damn complex to do, that it isn’t
worth converting more than once, honestly. As for the weapons: you have a cool
interchangeable rifle, about the skinniest beam sabers ever, and a beam shield that
doesn’t securely stay put. Most of all the problems, is the articulation.
Honestly, I can’t get much more out of this than I would if it was a Robot
Spirits figure. At least then I know it would be sturdy. Some panels also don’t
want to stay, prompting me to whip out the glue, and despite my best efforts,
the legs will not spread well enough for dynamic poses. This again, is due to
the complex transformation gimmick. I am underwhelmed.
-
Dragon Ball Z Figure-rise Standard Super Saiyan Goku
o
Bandai. Bandai, Bandai, Bandai. I don’t know who
was in charge of the production team behind Figure-rise Standard, but give them
an “F” for this mold. This is not Goku’s first time having a model kit
treatment. In fact, last time was pretty good, I’d say. Just in a plain Jane
stance, I find it ugly. The legs and arm connections look the worst. The feet
don’t have good enough strength in the ankles to support the poses that Goku
surely deserves to be in. the arm articulation connecting to the torso is a nice
try. It reminds me a lot of Minato with having the hinge in the front area to
allow a further widening range of arm movement…specifically being able to bring
the hands together. One thing I can say, is that the head can finally raise
high enough to look like he’s flying…somewhat. Mostly, the thin arms in
contrast to the very big and
misshapen legs, and borderline pathetic looking effect parts were just too much
for me to handle. It’s in the box now…in the closet…away from common view.
On a lighter note, The Best:
-
Figma Kanu Unchou
o
Along with Cryska, I bought this out of impulse.
I was feeling like crap, so I turned to plastic crack to feed my fix…plain and
simple. This time, however, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t, and still
don’t know a thing about Ikki Tousen, but I know I like this simple yet dynamic
design, and the figma helps deliver her essence. Let me put this out there: I don’t give a crap about the “fanservice”
ripped clothes. I think it cheapens the feng shui of my collection. Now, she
kind of lacks in the finer details of articulation, being one of the earlier
end of figma releases, like good ankle pivot. Nonetheless, I like her hair, her
socks, and her Seiryuto (Holy Dragon Blade). She really does give off the “Kickass
high school girl” look, and is a most welcomed addition to the collection.
-
Vulcanlog 012 Yu-Gi-Oh Revo Seto Kaiba
o
The best damn dude in the series, is none other
than Seto Kaiba. For that reason alone, I had to get him. Revoltech is also a
pretty good line of figures, so why not? Not to mention, this guy released with
his very own Blue Eyes White Dragon. You see, I wanted a good Kaiba figure
since I watched Yu-Gi-Oh back when I was 13. He was the only guy that could
hold up to everyone else, and not believe in that magical mumbo jumbo they had
going on. He believed in himself, more than anyone else in the universe, to be
frank. He was a great frienemy to Yugi & Co, with a voice that commanded
arrogance. Now, I get to capture a piece of that essence, with all the Revo
articulation sprinkled on top!
-
Real Grade Wing Gundam Zero Custom
o
It’s been released a good while ago, and while I
don’t think it stacks up completely to the majesty of the MG version, this is
still a great frickin’ kit. The only thing I really have to complain about is
the fact that since it has MG level of articulation and parts count, it still
retains the 1/144 scale that makes the pieces all the smaller. I dropped a lot,
and had trouble with others since my hands are so big. Other than that, the
plastic quality even among the transparent pieces were great. The decals are
without end, and the articulation may even beat out the MG version. It doesn’t
come with white hands, which I prefer my Zero to have…but small price to pay.
-
S.H. Figuarts Super Saiyan Trunks
o
The Figuarts team is really stepping their game
up. The most noticeable change is the hip articulation. No longer the ball
joints of yesteryear, they allow for maximum
movement on all axis. The mold is also a thicker frame, so bring on the bulk! Trunks’
head mold is outstanding. He has the fierceness that he should’ve had all
along, and the ponytail works out for him so elegantly. Lastly, he comes with
the crossed arms feature, that is usually reserved for villains. It works like
a charm for him, especially when paired next to the new Vegeta.
-
Figma Yami Yugi
o
Max Factory…I love you guys. Bringing back the
baddest hairstyle in the land, is Yami Yugi. I thought it perfect that figma
took the reigns on him. My collection is of fighters. Yami Yugi is not. He
does, however, do battle just as much (if not more) than the figures of the
rest of my collection. The “King of Games” is a summoner, if anything, bringing
forth monsters through his magical deck of cards. Of course, with figma, you’re
going to get superb painting on the faces, and Yami is no exception, especially
when it comes to his complex eye configuration. Not to worry, you get 3 kinds
of eyes, all looking in different directions. His jacket is optional, which is
nice, but I didn’t think necessary. Best of all, is the Millennium Puzzle. That
is a real nice feature. One they didn’t add in the Revo of Yugi Mutou. The dude
is as slick as ever, and I’m super satisfied I got him.
-
Master Grade Gundam Astray Blue Frame D
o
This particular kit has evaded me for some time.
I don’t know what took me so long to get it. I’ll tell you what, it easily
marks top 15 model kits I ever built. It’s DRAGOON system is one of the coolest
so far, and the strike pack is awesome, too. Its colors are pretty impressive,
and it came with a high enough stand to make that bad boy the nicest Astray
design yet. I hope we get more like him in the future. Now, if I can just get
my hands on that pesky DRAGOON stand.
-
Vulcanlog 010 Yu-Gi-Oh Revo Black Magician
o
If there wasn’t Kaiba, then the Dark Magaician
is something that belongs in my hands. That designs has been coveted by my
gritty little mits for over a decade. Revoltech has always been the king of
dynamic posing in my book, and the Dark Magician joins the ranks. Now, he
didn’t come with any effect pieces which, though unfortunate, is hardly a
deal-breaker for me here...this time. He’s still one of the most notable
monsters in the franchise. When he shows up…something is about to go down.
Unfortunately, the true glory of the Dark Magician comes in his many forms he
can take to turn the tide of battle. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a Dark Paladin…
-
Dragon Ball Z Figure-rise Standard Final Form
Frieza
o
Ok, so Goku was a failure, right? Not Frieza. I
repeat…not Frieza. I think because
Bandai is less bound to making things like clothing and human likeness a part
of the figure mechanics that they could concentrate on making a monster…and it
turned out great. It can achieve just about everything(if not more) than the
Figuarts Freiza can achieve, and since it is inherently larger than that
figure, it works as a pretty good 100% power final form. Like any model kit, it
looks better if you panel line it, so don’t skimp on that. The effect pieces,
and even facial expressions leave something to be desired, but the tail length,
torso/waist articulation, and muscly chest give him the look of a powerful galactic
lord that all should very well fear. I look forward to picking up Cell and Kid
Buu.
-
Mastermind Creations Reformatted Seraphicus
Prominon + Power Cradle
o
Gawd Doggit…this thing is what miracles are made
of. Mastermind Creations really, really lived
up to the name with this piece here. I have transformed this thing maybe 10
times in a row right after opening it. It hits all the criteria for me: 1- is a
Transformer, and I love those. 2- has a super armor system, which I have been a
fan of since the old Ronin Warrior and Ironman toys. They securely fit onto the
core figure from the power cradle. I was a massive
fan of the Saint Cloth Myth and Armor Plus, and 3- Wings. Yeah, baby. Anyone
can appreciate a good set of wings on something. They’re large, articulated,
and can be stowed with ease. 4- the weaponry is simple and storable. One
pistol, 2 transparent swords that fit right into his backpack, and one
mega-sized blade that lends credence to the testimony of the Transformer god he
is a play on. He’s about as articulated as it can be, with or without armor.
He’s got a powerful name: Seraphicus Prominon, and his hands have grooves in
it, allowing him a really nice grip over a wide range of weaponry…including Dr
Wu’s Prime Sword. I think having two similar but distinctly different Star
Sabers looks pretty awesome.
-
TruForce Designer Series Megaman X
o
Hot…Diggity…Dawg. I just can’t get enough of
this guy. Hats off to TruForce. It’s just amazing. It’s the type of figure that
makes you excited about rearranging, just so you have another reason to put
your hands on it. The sleek new design is nothing short of incredible. X is a
personal favorite of mine from WAY back in the day, and to see him with a
futuristic/modern look is like a dream come true. The design of the box art is
great too, with homages back to his roots with giving you a basic schematic of
his parts. He’s got what you need. A good host of special parts that emphasize
what makes X X…thrusting. Vents on his back, and opening shin gimmick help lend
X the look of the dash that ended up being a staple in the rest of the X
series. Of course he comes with several different hands, but the real prizes
come in his above-average stand; designed to showcase just about any pose you
can think of, and his X Buster shot pieces, whose look is only augmented by the
led inside his X Buster. The gimmick is easy to operate; just twist the top of
the buster. The shot pieces can join together to make a very nice charged shot
effect. The overall articulation, painting, plastic quality, and use of
die-cast metal is a real treat for anyone who can appreciate its intricacies. If
you can get your hands on him, GET YOUR
HANDS ON HIM. Well, well worth
the purchase.
All in all, 2016 was an ok year for collecting, at best. I’m
a head of a household, so I can’t buy everything
I wanted this year. I even sold about 80 figures or so just to make back some
of the money I spent. I don’t know what 2017 has in store just yet…besides some
preorders, of course, but I do plan on making it a year to remember. I hope you
all do the same. As always…
Happy Hobbying,
everyone!
