bat_collector
04-11-2006, 01:56 AM
After a brief statue review hiatus, I'm coming back strong and hopefully re-establishing my statue review on Monday routine. This weeks comes my first, but certainly not last, review of a Clay Moore Studio's statue, the Kabuki statue, based off of David Mack's work. This is sculpted by Clay Moore.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0543.jpg
Statue Concept:
Concept wise this is one the hardest reviews I've had to do. Being totally unfamilair with Mack's work on Kabuki, I have no source material knowledge to know just how good an adaption this statue is from the work. Pretty much its not much more to me than Hot Asian Ninja Chick. So, if she isn't a ninja assassin, please forgive me, as it seems exactly what she is. However, I can say whatever Moore is going for, its works. Kabuki is standing on a base with two edged weapons ready to strike. The sculpt is supposed to exude a mixture of beauty, sexiness, and deadliness. Dragon-themed tatoo, wrist bands, and blades are in sharp contrast to the angelic, even demure face paint.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0546.jpg
The Sculpt:
A fanastic concept is perfeclty executed with a jaw-dropping sculpt. In fact, perfect is the only adjective that I could use that I feel properly describes this statue. A statue should look great from varoius angles, and this one is a home run if displayed from behind, from either side, or from the front.
We should start with her face, which is sculpted very finely and beautfully. Nose, cheek bones, lips, and eyes exude femininity, and are clearly the features of a Japanese woman. The hair, while short, flows slightly on the left side of her face, suggesting movement. Her body also seems to fit what a Ninja assassin would be like. While Moore's Emma Frost and Brandy have large breasts, Kabuki's aren't nearly as large. This is actually a benefit to the statue, giving her a seperate look from those women, and also seems to fall more in like with what a ninja woman would look like.
Her arms and back are a beauty, as well. While not overtly muscular, her back and arms have an athleticism to them that she would need for her vocation. Her back, finely musculed, again is not too musculed, but instead elegantly so. Her hands gripe to scythe-like weapons with dragon hilts, nothing too special, but a very nice touch. Her hands are covered up to her elbows with a reptilian-like glove. Her legs, finally, are a marvel indeed. She stands on both tiptoes, suggesting not only her being ready to pounce, but also a coy walk toward her next victim. She has leather boots all the way to her thighs, and what thighs those are. Though perhaps slightly too big in the thigh and hind end area, I see it instead as showing her strength and athleticism that is otherwise masked by her general femininity.
In other words, the sculpt itself is a complete knockout, thriving on both the overt and the subtle. This statue is one piece, and is not removable from its base. The base itself is a nice, tall piece of granite with japanese characters on it. Nothing fancy, but it works with the character.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0544.jpg
The Paint Job:
The sculpt itself is generally painted well. The dragon tattoo, especially for a large one, is excellently painted. Her arm bands and gloves are also painted nicely and with good detail. Her face is painted especially nice, with her eyes, lips and teardrop standing out from her white face. However, the paint job on her outfit might have been better. My copy came with a small dot of red paint that hit outside the line of her outfit. Her skin tone, while perhaps could have been a bit less pink, is generally a good shade.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0545.jpg
Over-All Value:
Make no mistake, this is one of the finer pieces released recently. Even without a familiarity with the comic, she is "comic book" looking enough to fit in with the Black Widow's, Black Cat's, and Storms of the FS world (unlike, say, Brandy). She is also a sculpt that could rise in value. Already holding value well on ebay, she is also sold out at Clay's website. With Aphrodite IX and Magdelena also some pieces that witnessed huge upswings in value despite being based on generally less popular works, Kabuki may very well join that list. However, for those unfamilair with Mack's comic, the biggest question you may have is will it fit with you other female statues.
Conclusion:
As stated before, this statue fails to disappoint. I first saw this statue and passed on it due to not knowing the source material. However, last week I realized I just wanted it despite its origin. In my opinion, as perfect a statue as can exist, and therefore worthy of my first five out of five stars rating. Now, if only I can figure out how that Brandy (or as I like to call her, girl in a sundress) statue can fit in next to Storm!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0543.jpg
Statue Concept:
Concept wise this is one the hardest reviews I've had to do. Being totally unfamilair with Mack's work on Kabuki, I have no source material knowledge to know just how good an adaption this statue is from the work. Pretty much its not much more to me than Hot Asian Ninja Chick. So, if she isn't a ninja assassin, please forgive me, as it seems exactly what she is. However, I can say whatever Moore is going for, its works. Kabuki is standing on a base with two edged weapons ready to strike. The sculpt is supposed to exude a mixture of beauty, sexiness, and deadliness. Dragon-themed tatoo, wrist bands, and blades are in sharp contrast to the angelic, even demure face paint.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0546.jpg
The Sculpt:
A fanastic concept is perfeclty executed with a jaw-dropping sculpt. In fact, perfect is the only adjective that I could use that I feel properly describes this statue. A statue should look great from varoius angles, and this one is a home run if displayed from behind, from either side, or from the front.
We should start with her face, which is sculpted very finely and beautfully. Nose, cheek bones, lips, and eyes exude femininity, and are clearly the features of a Japanese woman. The hair, while short, flows slightly on the left side of her face, suggesting movement. Her body also seems to fit what a Ninja assassin would be like. While Moore's Emma Frost and Brandy have large breasts, Kabuki's aren't nearly as large. This is actually a benefit to the statue, giving her a seperate look from those women, and also seems to fall more in like with what a ninja woman would look like.
Her arms and back are a beauty, as well. While not overtly muscular, her back and arms have an athleticism to them that she would need for her vocation. Her back, finely musculed, again is not too musculed, but instead elegantly so. Her hands gripe to scythe-like weapons with dragon hilts, nothing too special, but a very nice touch. Her hands are covered up to her elbows with a reptilian-like glove. Her legs, finally, are a marvel indeed. She stands on both tiptoes, suggesting not only her being ready to pounce, but also a coy walk toward her next victim. She has leather boots all the way to her thighs, and what thighs those are. Though perhaps slightly too big in the thigh and hind end area, I see it instead as showing her strength and athleticism that is otherwise masked by her general femininity.
In other words, the sculpt itself is a complete knockout, thriving on both the overt and the subtle. This statue is one piece, and is not removable from its base. The base itself is a nice, tall piece of granite with japanese characters on it. Nothing fancy, but it works with the character.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0544.jpg
The Paint Job:
The sculpt itself is generally painted well. The dragon tattoo, especially for a large one, is excellently painted. Her arm bands and gloves are also painted nicely and with good detail. Her face is painted especially nice, with her eyes, lips and teardrop standing out from her white face. However, the paint job on her outfit might have been better. My copy came with a small dot of red paint that hit outside the line of her outfit. Her skin tone, while perhaps could have been a bit less pink, is generally a good shade.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f100/misha444/Kabuki/IMG_0545.jpg
Over-All Value:
Make no mistake, this is one of the finer pieces released recently. Even without a familiarity with the comic, she is "comic book" looking enough to fit in with the Black Widow's, Black Cat's, and Storms of the FS world (unlike, say, Brandy). She is also a sculpt that could rise in value. Already holding value well on ebay, she is also sold out at Clay's website. With Aphrodite IX and Magdelena also some pieces that witnessed huge upswings in value despite being based on generally less popular works, Kabuki may very well join that list. However, for those unfamilair with Mack's comic, the biggest question you may have is will it fit with you other female statues.
Conclusion:
As stated before, this statue fails to disappoint. I first saw this statue and passed on it due to not knowing the source material. However, last week I realized I just wanted it despite its origin. In my opinion, as perfect a statue as can exist, and therefore worthy of my first five out of five stars rating. Now, if only I can figure out how that Brandy (or as I like to call her, girl in a sundress) statue can fit in next to Storm!