Statue Forum 





Go Back   Statue Forum > Other Stuff > Testing Grounds

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-09-2014, 02:22 AM   #1
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979
review test

SPECS
Name / Series:
Character:
Scale:
Edition Size:
Box Size [H / W / D] (inches):
Max. Dimensions [H / W / D] (inches):
Producer:
Original MSRP (USD):
Designed By:
Sculpted By:


REVIEW
Design: Appeal, embodies the character,etc.


Sculpt:


Build & Construction:

Paint & Mixed Media:


Final Comments:


Overall Score:










jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2014, 02:54 AM   #2
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979
SPECS
Name / Series: Michael Turner's Fathom
Character: Aspen Matthews
Scale: 1/6 (approx.)
Edition Size: 900
Year: 2010
Box Size [HxWxD] (inches): 18 1/2 x 13 1/4 x 12 1/2
Max. Dimensions [HxWxD] (inches): 15 7/8 x 11 x 9
Producer: Aspen Comics
Original MSRP (USD): $300
Designed By: Michael Turner
Sculpted By: Dene Mason


REVIEW
Design:


Sculpt:


Build & Construction:


Paint & Mixed Media:


Final Comments:


Overall Score:
jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2014, 07:35 PM   #3
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979
HTML Code:
<iframe width='400' height='415' src='http://pictures.lytro.com/Jedidon/pictures/775209/embed' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen scrolling='no'></iframe>
jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2014, 07:38 PM   #4
Sithlord32
New Republic
 
Sithlord32's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Land of 10,000 Lakes
Posts: 2,419
Sithlord32 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2014, 01:38 AM   #5
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979

The Star Wars Mythos line from Sideshow is one of the rare surprises in statue collectibles. This series is a unique and refreshing twist on familiar characters from an old license. Taking place outisde canon, the Mythos designs provides us with new designs on old characters allowing us to imaging exciting new adventures.

SPECS
Name / Series: Boba Fett: Bounty #239 / Star Wars Mythos
Character: Boba Fett
Scale: Approximately 1/5
Edition Size: 2500
Box Size [H / W / D] (inches): 22 x 16.75 x 11
Max. Dimensions [H / W / D] (inches): 26 (tip of rifle) x 9.5 x 9.5
Producer: Sideshow Collectibles
Original MSRP (USD): $325
Designed and Sculpted By: Bernardo Esquivel (Paint), Michael Norman (Sculpt), Pascual Wawoe (Sculpt), David Igo (Design), Tom Gilliland (Creative Director), The Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team

REVIEW
Design:
Simply put, Boba Fett meets spaghetti Westerns. The design elicits the best of spaghetti westerns with a desert base and a dusty poncho. Boba Fett is armed to teeth carry a vibroblade, flamethrower and a variety of firearms. He also sports trophies like his lightsaber collection and and classic Wookie scalp braids. Mythos Fett delivers everything Lucas promised that bad @$$ bounty hunter that Fett was supposed to see, but never made its way to the screen. The Sideshow design team must have been fans of Fett as they treated this character with an awesome design that he deserved.

Unlike the Obi-Wan and Vader Mythos, Fett only has the simple left hand change-out between the sniper rifle and a small blaster. The blaster has a strange shoulder stock that is too small and has to be bent to be seated properly. One of things that I wonder is if Sideshow considers how these statues will be displayed as Fett will not fit in a Besta shelf with sniper rifle, but will with blaster. So I am glad that there is a Besta-friendly display option. If they don't consider the size of standard display shelves such as the Besta and Detolf, they really should. As for the design of the blaster, they could of just got rid of the stock or even better, gave us one of Jango's blasters. I also wished that a second helmet would have been offers to make this statue's change options on par with Obi and Vader.

Yep, I know it's a leg-up pose, but I think it works here as Fett hunts his quary.

Special features includes change out left hand with pistol and art card certificate of authenticity.

Sculpt:
The sculpt is just spot on. I'm not going to compare if the sculpt matches the on-screen version, because frankly, who cares? Besides, Fett had to own more than one set of armor. Pose, posture and proportion are all excellent. Fine details are provided from the weapons to the armor dings and to the tears and holes in the poncho. I think the weapons such as the could have been better served being 3D printed, but at this scale, the lack of absolute precision is not obvious and is easily forgiven. The poncho and "skirt" both naturally drape fan fold around the figure. There's so much to say with a sculpt goes bad, but when it's right, it's right.

A base riser is consistent with the rest of the Mythos line. A small desert rock diorama is naturally sculpted and artfully spills over the riser's edges.

Paint & Mixed Media:
The paint work is a perfect compliment for such a great sculpt. The design begs for a complex paint job and Sideshow's factory delivers. Decals, airbrushing, washes and dry brushing techniques are all used to provide a worn, dirty lived-in look. Instead of just simple weathering over solid colors, we get a texture of colors providing a depth to the figure. For example, the boots has five or more colors applied to show wear, aging and stains. Paint application on the armor plating shows wear through two layers of paint. The base riser is even paint to match Fett's worn metal armor.

Production & Build Quality:
The statue was manufactured with compact shipping and protection in mind. Rock base sits in the the riser and the figure comes in a number of parts utilizing magnets for attachment. No cracks, bubbles, glue or gaps were evident on my example. The pistol in the right hand and sniper rifle have some slight warping. Not sure if this is a factory issue or warping due to heat exposure during transport. The straps on the rifles and the Wookie scalps are made is a slightly flexible material that definitely reduce the probability of damage during shipping.

Final Comments:
I'm still kicking myself for missing out of the Mythos Obi-wan. And Fett Is definitely a must-have for Star Wars fans and especially Fett fans. The lack of change-out items makes Fett the second best Mythos figure behind Obi-wan in my opinion. I know some had issue with the "horns" on the helmet. But I think it makes a nice tie-in with the early Fett design and Captain Rex.

I certainly hope that Sideshow can continue with the Mythos line and has plans on doing so. Mythos Fett is an excellent example of a superior Sidehshow product when design, sculpt and factory execution culminates of what a premium collectible should be. Bravo.

Overall Score: 9.5

jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2014, 02:37 AM   #6
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979


















jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2014, 03:05 AM   #7
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979

Kasumi (Kanji: 霞, Hiragana: かすみ, Rōmaji: Kasumi) is a runaway shinobi and former member of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan, who debuted in the first Dead or Alive back during the 1996 arcade release. One of the original eight characters, Kasumi became the main protagonist of the Dead or Alive series (specifically in Dead or Alive, Dead or Alive 2, and Dead or Alive 5), and is often viewed as the series mascot. She was the winner of the first Dead or Alive Tournament. (from Dead or Alive Wiki)

SPECS
Name / Series: Kasumi / Dead or Alive 5
Character: Kasumi
Scale: Approximately 1/6
Edition Size: limited
Box Size [H / W / D] (inches): 13 x 7.5 x 6.5
[B]Max. Dimensions [H / W / D] (inches):10.75 x 6 x 5.25
Producer: Griffon Enterprises
Original MSRP (JPY): 11,000 (approx. 93 USD)
Material: PVC with fabric cords on tassles
Designed and Sculpted By: Unknown

REVIEW
Design:
Also the Dead or Alive series evolved from simple graphics with bizarre bouncy breast physics to a sleak hi-defintion figther, the character designs have become more realistic but still retaining a bit of anime style. Griffon has translated the last DOA5 style to their new Kasumi. Kasumi has simple non-action pose. Designed with her ponytail and loincloths tossing in the breeze. In the rear, a slight "panty flash" shot for those with that popular Japanese fetish. Kasumi has a stearn look which might by in character for her, but lacks a bit of charm for a collectible.

Sculpt:
The sculpt accurately represents the DOA5 art style with proper figure proportions. While not requiring fine details, some finer wrinkles and creases in the stocks and outfit could have been added. Japanese PVC figures excel in sculpting hair. The flowing ponytail and "comb" bangs and expertly done. While I may not have many words to say on the sculpting, the doesn't take away from the expertise of the sculptor(s) in producing Kasumi in 3-D form.

Paint & Appliques:
Painting seems to be where Japanese PVC figures excel over resin figures. I assume that PVC is also hand painted, yet there lines are clean and sharp. The eyes are crisply painted and her top and flesh have been delicately shaded by airbrush. The appliques of Kasumi's well known crane designs have been accurately reproduced. The appliques on her armbands and footguards provide detailed decoration. I'm not sure how the appliques are applied as I do not see any edges like a water slide decal. Paint colors are accurate in representing the game character.

Production & Build Quality:
The figure is solidly constructed of PVC and mold lines are removed or well-hidden. There are no glue marks or sprue marks. The statue comes in two parts, the figure and the simple base. While the simple base design is common for many Japanese market PVC figures, Kasumi's base is a bit too plain with no logo or character name like some other Griffon figures I own. The base is sufficiently size from keeping the figure from topping over. Four color retail box comes with display windows. The figure and base are wrapped in plastic. The figure and base were received from from any scratches.

Final Comments:
This is the first DOA figure from Griffon. I do hope the make more as I have always been a fan of the female character designs from DOA over Tekken. Griffon offers us an affordable representation of fan-favorite DoA girl. This is, I believe the DOA5 representation of Kasumi. So this maybe the only option at the moment.

For those unfamiliar, Griffon is a major PVC figure maker in the Japanese market. Unlike some companies like Yamato and Kotobukiya, Griffon products are not distributed in the U.S. So these must be purchased direct from a Japanese retailer like Hobby Search or can be found from U.S. retailers who import them from Japan. I prefer buying form HobbySearch as even with EMS shipping, it is still cheaper than buying from a U.S. retailer.

Overall Score: 8.5

jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2014, 03:18 AM   #8
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979

Spolier Alert!!! If you haven't watched Guardians of the Galaxy yet, avert your eyes. Groot gets blown up. And a new Groot is grown from a splinter. Here's Little Groot from GotG mid-credit scene. Dragon brings us a pre-painted model kit meaning some assembly required. First to market with a Groot figure, with the Hot Toys 1/4 scale Groot hot on their heels.

SPECS
Name / Series: Little Groot (Pre-painted Model Kit) / Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
Character: Groot
Scale: None scale
Edition Size: Open?, Unknown
Box Size [H / W / D] (inches): 9 x 6.25 x 4.25
[B]Max. Dimensions [H / W / D] (inches):7.625 x 4 x 3.25
Producer: Dragon
Original MSRP (JPY): 9,800 (approx. 63 USD)
Material: PVC. Foam used as filler in pot base.
Designed and Sculpted By: Unknown

REVIEW
Design:
Dragon chose the "raise the roof" for dancing Groot. The design choice were limited, but Dragon does not offer us and posability or alternate faces for Groot. Standing at 7.5 inches tall, it will be bigger than the Hot Toys version, but HT offers more display options at a lower peice.

Sculpt:
The sculpt is film accurate at a smaller scale, but lacks any fine detail under close inspection. But figure looks great at a viewing distance. The smiling face of baby Groot is accurately reproduced. The pot base and "soil" are unremarkable but what else would one expect.

Paint & Appliques:
Paint applications are very simple. Colors are more brown and darker than shown in the photos. The figure could have benefited a few different shades to break up the sungle color of most of the brown.

Production & Build Quality:
The figure and the base are constructed from PVC. A firm foam is used as a filler between the pot and the "soil" bottom of Groot. The soil base does not snap i. Place and sits on the foam spacer with three long oengs into the foam. Being a model kit, it comes in 7 pre-painted pieces. The joints between the parts are not crisp and tight. The base of Groot to the soil is visible as well as Groot's head to body. These joints could have been crisper.

Final Comments:
Dragon makes the largest offered licensed Groot figure known to date. But Ht Toys seems to offer a much more flexible and detaiiled figure. Dragon's Groot make a nice desk topper conversation piece, but falls short as colletible for the price. I recommend get it if you can get it cheap, but otherwise it's a pass. Take a look at what Toys is offering. I will.


Overall Score: 6.0

jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2015, 03:41 AM   #9
jedi_don
The Horsemen of Apocalypse
 
jedi_don's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dagobah
Posts: 5,979














jedi_don is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:15 PM.



Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright StatueForum.com