Dante 1/4 Scale Statue
by Hand Made Object - H.M.O.
Released: July 2017
Edition Size: 400
Product Size: 20" H x 23" W x 23" D
Product Weight: approx. 35 lbs.
Design Team: Mufizal Mokhtar (Sculpt), Studio HIVE (concept), James TCE (Paint), H.M.O. Design and Development Team
Original Retail Price: $599 USD plus shipping
Please watch the video review HERE
Dante Fun Facts:
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Silver
First Game Appearance: Devil May Cry (2001)
Trivia:
Dante is the son of the demon, Sparda and human woman, Eva. Despite his heritage, Dante has become a vigilante devil hunter...and in his spare time away from destroying the scourge of the underworld, he enjoys a nice hot slice of 'za.
Sculpt: 9.5 / 10
Master sculptor, Mufizal, did a first rate job on this sculpt of Dante.
Take a look at the base, with the three fallen marionette enemies, how they intertwine yet all remain clearly visible to see all of the details. The wood texturing on the arms, legs, and heads looks incredibly realistic. The look on the face of the marionette whose head is being used as a launch pad is one of pure shock and surprise...love it!
Now to Dante, the star of the piece...take a moment to bask in the glory of that trench coat.
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Ok, done? Isn't it amazing? The way the rippling tails of the coat flow outward from his body adds such a sense of speed and action to the piece, which is totally fitting for the spirit of the Devil May Cry game series the statue is based on. All of the seams and stitching is sculpted into the coat, along with a slight leather texture. It really looks phenomenal in person. Another subtle detail is how you can actually see his shoulders and upper arms extend into the sleeves of the coat...this may seem like a strange thing to bring up, but many statues typically would cast the coat and body as one piece, essentially filling in those gaps...not here, though, as Dante really looks like he is wearing the coat!
The rest of the outfit looks great as well, with the shirt collar flailing in the air, the textured shirt and vest, multiple clasps and buckles, folds and wrinkles to give a realistic fabric look...just a great job overall.
And, not to forget Dante's signature weapons, which are all highly detailed. Just look at that hilt on the sword, with the gaping dragon mouth spewing forth an 11" long blade and the skull adorned pommel...
There is so much to take in on this piece...take your time as it is a feast for the eyes.
Paint & Mixed Media: 9.0 / 10
Overall, the paint on this piece is more than satisfactory. Let's start again with the base. The colourful marionettes really stand out on the statue. Again, the wood colouring really has a realistic look, and helps to bring out the texturing mentioned above. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear they were real wood pieces! The red orbs scattered throughout the base are painted with UV paint. Under normal light, this gives them a shinier look, helping them to stand out from the rest of the base. Under UV light, though, they actually glow a rich orangey-red...do yourself a favour and pick up a UV light from your local hardware store and check this feature out. It may not be something you're going to utilize for your display, but it's definitely something you will want to show your friends.
Dante himself also has a nice, clean paint job. The coat has a slightly different red tone from his pants and vest which helps the coat (really the star of the statue, in my opinion) stand out to your eyes. His silver hair and icy blue eyes give Dante his signature look from the games. The transitions between colours (such as between his fingers and the guns) are very clean, with no major issues to report. The skin tones on the face are perhaps not as realistic as they could be, but still very pleasing. There is also a slight stubble goatee, giving him a more grizzled look.
Design: 10 / 10
The Devil May Cry games are known for their frantic combat action. The outstretched arms, the coat flapping in the wind behind him, and forward leaning pose give the appearance that you are really staring at a snapshot of battle. The collapsed marionettes on the base look like they are writhing for one last shot at the hero.
This design on this statue does well to capture the essence of the games by giving the sense of speed and motion. Great work here by HMO.
Production & Build Quality: 9.0 / 10
The statue comes with several pieces to assemble. The base is largely one piece, but various arms, heads, and weaponry of the marionettes come as separate pieces. Each piece slots nicely into the base with a peg or magnet to hold it in place.
Dante is split at his waist, with the legs being one piece and the torso another. The right foot fits into the base with a sturdy metal peg, while the left foot rests against the head of a fallen marionette (there is a rubber pad under his foot to prevent scratching). The upper body fits into the waist with a metal peg...I found it a little tricky to install this piece, so take your time to make sure it is fully inserted. The head and gloves are also separate pieces that fit onto the body with magnets.
The statue comes with two left hand and two right hand display options. You not only get a sword (right hand) and double barrel shotgun (left hand), but every piece also comes with the alternate "Ebony and Ivory" hand guns. Ebony and Ivory were originally supposed to be an early bird pre-order incentive, but HMO has done us collectors a solid by including these items with every piece.
A handy assembly guide is included in the box. I recommend that you use this, because, as mentioned above, there are quite a few pieces to assemble here.
The statue itself has a good quality weight to it (the base alone weighs around 25 lbs). It feels sturdy and durable. The packaging is also sturdy and should do well to protect your purchase. Note that the statue is shipped in two boxes; the base in one box and the body in the other.
Overall: 9.4 / 10
H.M.O. has crafted a wonderful statue here. The ambitious action packed design, intricate sculpted details, and amazing paint design and techniques blend together to give us one of the best gaming collectibles on the market. If you are thinking about picking this piece up, I would not hesitate to recommend this piece to you. You won't be sorry.
