Kool Kollectibles content

26 Dec 2014

Takara Masterpiece Transformers commercial! VIDEO OF THE YEAR!!!

If you're a G1 Transformers fan, you HAVE to check out this incredible video by Takara featuring the new MP-22 Ultra Magnus figure. This is definitely my pick for VIDEO OF THE YEAR!! Amazing stuff!



I'll be getting my MP-21 Bumblebee and MP-22 Ultra Magnus next week, so stay tuned for the full video reviews and photos! :)

20 Dec 2014

Review of Bandai Tamashii Nations Samurai Taisho Darth Vader

The excitement leading up to the release of Bandai Tamashii Nation's Samurai Taisho Darth Vader was palpable amongst hard core Star Wars fans. The designs based on the ancient Japanese culture aren't for everyone, but those that enjoy the history behind the inspiration of Star Wars really love the look.

Before the Vader figure was released, hype was whipped up with photos of the accompanying troopers at an Asian convention, that showed images of the Stormtrooper, Sandtrooper, Biker Scout, and an amazing Royal Guard. Displayed together in this unique style makes for one helluva beautiful Star Wars display!

I received my Vader a few days ago, and posted images of the box art and packaging here:

Bandai Samurai Darth Vader boxart

Beautifully packaged and all very collector friendly.

I've also done a full video review that you can view on the channel here. Hope you can check it out, subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on this great figure! For a detailed written overview of my thoughts, keep on reading further below :)



As soon as you take the figure out of the box, the incredible detail and paint application is immediately obvious, as is the build quality which I'll touch on a bit later. The sculpting is really amazing on this figure across all the various textures.

The helmet and face mask are the first standout features. It is great that the back of the helmet flares out nicely, but is molded in a softer plastic that actually has gaps between each level. This allows the material to bend and adjust as you articulate the head to look upwards and to the sides. Add to that the beautifully done purple and orange highlights, it makes for a stunning helmet.


Moving to the front of the helmet, the crest is a great touch and again is nicely painted in a rich gold that contrasts well with the black. In true Samurai style the mask is intended to be grotesque to generate fear in the enemy, and the little silver teeth lining the mouth piece are a great touch in that spirit. The purple and orange highlights continue to the chin piece, which together with the top and back of the helmet truly make for a unique take on Vader's visage.



If the detail on the helmet wasn't enough, the rest of the sculpting and paint application on the body armour really bring it home as to how well built this figure is. There's a lot of intricate detail that hopefully my photos below can show, and there's a lot of intricate paint detail to go with that.

There's great use of different shades of black, grey, and silver, with the use of bright colours like the blue and reds to bring out the detail in Vader's iconic chest plate. The kama around the waist is a separate piece over the figure to allow flexible articulation, and is also a very detailed piece.

The purple and orange highlights continue the theme down the kama, with the golden crests on each side too. At first you think it would really restrict the articulation, but it's relative soft plastic that moves very well with the figure, and the ball jointed hips have lots of room to move.


I thought that this little piece at the front of the waist was meant to the the sheath for the kitana saber, but I've been told it's actually a small dagger. The Samurai apparently carried this dagger as the last resort in close combat, or for use in seppuku (or ritual suicide). It's a nice little touch that adds a lot to the detail.

To cater for the unlit saber, there is a piece below the dagger that acts as a ledge. The unlit saber hilt then simply sits on that ledge, and it looks great if you want him posed with his hands free.


The excellent sculpting continues to the arms and legs too. The different styles to mimic different textures is really well done. And you'd think with this type of armour that articulation would be restricted, but in fact it's the opposite.

This figure is so well built that none of the joints felt too tight or loose, and all move freely and hold their pose. The shoulders can be lifted up to a very high angle, with the shoulder plate and upper arm armour not affecting it at all.

The double jointed elbows also allow a great range of motion, and the forearms can be tilted in slightly too. The hands swap out very easily with no feeling that I would snap the joint at all. And again, all the various hands are well sculpted and painted to fit in exactly with the figure.


The detail continue to amaze even down to the boots, with that unique Japanese stile. The upper legs are hard molded plastic to maintain that flared leg look, but the lower legs are a softer molded plastic that allows for rotation and bending at the double jointed knees.

The ankles don't have the nice ankle rocker articulation, but move up and down nicely and firmly. This is one bit of articulation I can forgive with all the other amazing features of the figure.


The saber hilts are beautifully sculpted too, and the paint app has no slop at all. The details are sharp and defined, unlike the Hasbro sabers of late. But I guess that is to be expected at this price point.

The blade is a nice translucent plastic that seems to change colour depending on the angle that light passes through it. So it can look blood red from some angles, and look almost clear in others. It's a great design, and together with a slight curve to the blade, makes for a beautiful rendition of a Samurai kitana.


The cape is molded fairly well, and is a soft plastic. I wondered if a fabric cape would have been a better choice, but I think it wouldn't have flowed over the figure well. The molded option allows for a nicely sculpt that includes folds and the tattered look at the bottom edges. This would have been lost with a fabric cape.

The cape also attaches to the body via a ball joint in the upper back area of the figure, so you can clip the cape in and have a little articulation to move it around slightly. Another nice touch.


Overall, this has to be one of my favourite Star Wars figures for 2014. It's almost fitting that I started out the year with the awesome Sideshow Collectibles Darth Vader, and now finish the year with this incredibly well-built and unique Samurai Darth Vader.

It's pretty much sold out at all Asian retailers, and most other retailers too. I think Big Bad Toy Store may have reopened their preorder listing for the figure, so if you're looking to get this figure and the troopers in this style, definitely jump on board now! The price of these is going to skyrocket very quickly! Follow the link below to check out the BBTS details:


I highly recommend this figure. We normally get so many versions of the regular Darth Vader and trooper figures. This unique take of the characters from the very source that inspired them truly brings a breath of fresh air to this scale of Star Wars figures! Don't miss out!! :)


18 Dec 2014

Bandai Tamashii Nations Samurai Darth Vader

Finally got my Bandai Tamashii Nations Samurai Darth Vader figure today, and all I can say is WOW!!! This figure is just amazingly detailed and so well built!

This figure is pretty much sold out everywhere except Big Bad Toy Store, so if you're wanting this, click the link below and head on over to check them out!

BBTS - Bandai Samurai Darth Vader

My video review is uploading now, so make sure to follow the link and visit the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel, subscribe, and stay tuned!! :)

Some quick photos below, with more to come!








13 Dec 2014

New Bandai "Movie Realization" Samurai Stormtrooper photos!!

I preordered the Bandai "Movie Realization" Samurai Darth Vader figure as soon as it went up for preorder! It looks simply outstanding!! And it has now shipped on the day they released official promotional photos of the next figure in the line with the Stormtrooper.

Here are some of the quick pics of the Vader figure:







I previously saw some pics of the upcoming figures at a comic convention (can't recall where it was in the world). It included figures for the Stormtrooper, Sandtrooper, Snowtrooper, and Royal Guard.

Today they've released the official photos of the Stormtrooper, and it looks incredible!! I will have to buy two at least I think! :)









26 Nov 2014

Behind the scenes at Supanova Pop Culture Expo

I was lucky enough recently to get some behind-the-scenes access to the exhibitors section at the Supanova Pop Culture Expo here in Adelaide, South Australia.

All the exhibitors were still setting up their displays, but I managed to grab a few that were OK with me taking some photos and videos of their stalls.

Check out the videos below! :)

Here's a look at the Popcultcha Supastore display - looks pretty amazing even when nowhere near complete!



And here's the setup from local Adelaide retailer J2OZtoys. Great stuff out of Japan!



Here's a taste of the photos I took as well.



For all the photos from the Preview Night, check out the Kool Kollectibles Facebook page behind the scenes album at the link :)

Supanova is heading to Brisbane after Adelaide, so definitely check it out if you're there! You won't regret it :)

22 Nov 2014

Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo Nightmare on Elm St Freddy Krueger

Kotobukiya continue to push the boundaries with their statues, and diversify their characters into material they haven't traditionally dealt with. When I first saw the teaser artwork for their versions of the classic horror movies in Nightmare on Elm St and Friday the 13th, I knew I had to have them!

And the final result is even better than I expected! They have released an incredibly gorgeous statue that has little details that elevate it above most in this price range.

For my full video review, check out the video link below at the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Hope you can subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on this gorgeous killer of a statue ;) Read on below for more of my thoughts and photos.




As soon as you take this out of the box, you're immediately amazed at all the little details, from the sculpting to the paint app to the use of different materials!

First up, the base is different to other Bishoujos in that this time Kotobukiya have opted for a magnetic base. This is similar to the technique they use with their ArtFX+ statues, but usually they use pegs for Bishoujos. This time the base is a nice pool of blood with a metal strip underneath, which allows the magnets in the feet to hold to the base quite firmly.




The face sculpt and skin tone is perfect, and fits in with the rest of the Bishoujo look of these statues. I particularly love the paint used for the eyes and lips that give her a really sexy look. The hair is made from a transluscent plastic similar to that used for the Mara Jade statue, but of course blonde this time. The sulpting of the hair flows beautifully and gives great dynamism to the sculpt.




The gloved claws and right forearm are a softer material and can be moved slightly. But the leather look on the glove and metallic sheen on the claws is nicely done, and look great in that playful gesture.

The tattered shirt is also nicely sculpted, with tears and folds in all the right places. Of course being a Bishoujo there's the obligatory fan service with the revealing bra that suits the playful and sexy look of the character.




Perhaps the best part of the statue for me, which was a surprise, is the fishnet stocking on the left leg. I thought it would be a painted application, but is actually real fabric material fitted over the leg! It's such a nice touch and really makes this statue shine against others in this price range.

The right leg stocking is still molded though, but fits in nicely with the sculpted boots. Together, the look is very nice indeed!




Of course the fan service then extends to her shorts that don't leave much to the imagination! The molded denim is really nicely painted and sculpted. Previously I thought the Mara Jade statue had the best backside in the galaxy, but I think this Freddy here definitely has her beat! :)




The extra details in the scratches and blood streaks add a nice touch along her shoulder and thigh. The red is sharply applied with no real smearing at all, which is why Kotobukiya are known for such great paint application.




Together with the upcoming Jason statue from Friday the 13th, these two will make for an awesome display piece in any collection. If you're a fan of the horror movies, these will definitely make for a unique interpretation of the characters. A mix of horror, sexiness, and Japanese anime fan service combine to make one gorgeous statue that I highly recommend :)




17 Nov 2014

Star Wars 6" Black Series Imperial Shadow Squadron

The Imperial Shadow Squadron set in the 6" Black Series line was released in the USA as a Target exclusive. But I was lucky enough to have a fellow collector purchase a whole case of these, and was then willing to sell them onto other collectors as retail price!

A great example of a collector looking out for other collectors so that people didn't have to pay ridiculous scalper prices on ebay. And I'm definitely glad I was able to get my hands on this set cos the figures are pretty awesome with this black colour scheme.

Here's a link to my full video review of the set. Hope you can check it out, subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on the Empire's finest :)


Star Wars Imperial Handbook - A Commander's Guide

Picked this fourth release in the Star Wars line of deluxe books starting with The Jedi Path. Overall a pretty good read, but unfortunately doesn't have as many removeable accessories as its predecessors. Still, with another cool opening feature on the electronic case, it's a must-have for those with the previous three books.

Here's a link to my video review with all the details, including a look back at the other three books too. Hope you can check it out, subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on these great books :)


9 Nov 2014

Hot Toys MMS238 Battle Damaged Terminator

After picking up the Hot Toys DX10 and DX13 Terminator figures, you'd probably think that there'd be no need to get another Terminator figure, especially one based on Arnold Schwarzenegger. But when Hot Toys announced in February that they were releasing a Battle Damaged version from James Cameron's classic first movie, I just couldn't resist!

And with its  release now about 8 months later, I am definitely glad I made that order because it is one of the best Terminator figure ever made!

Check out my full video review on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel at the link below! Remember to subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on this bad boy :)

If you like having a read as well, and seeing more pics, read on further below!




Packaging:
The cover art is based off the iconic movie poster with Arnie in his sunnies, and it's awesome just because of that! I love the battle damage theme also going through the packaging with the bullet holes in the cover and the cardboard slip. It all gives off a cool 80s vibe that I really love. Inside is the usual clamshell plastic coffin housing the figure and the great accessories.




Accessories:
The standout feature of the accessories is of course the two incredible head sculpts. One is only slightly battle damaged to represent the scene where he performs some impromptu eye surgery on himself. The other is more battle damaged to represent the scenes later in the movie after his encounters with Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese.

Both sculpts have very accurate likenesses to how Arnold appeared in the movie, and the paint application detail is amazing to see up close. Furthermore, both have LED light up features for the exposed eye, with a button that switches on the light and stays on for about 30 seconds before auto switching off. It's a great feature and just adds the realism in a great way.

The iconic sunglasses are also included, and are so accurate that they even have a slight orange translucent hue to them. When placed over the eyes, the LED eye can even be seen through them for an awesome look, as you can see in the photo below.




The figure also comes with a multitude of hands for lots of pose options. The weapons that are included are also up the usual high Hot Toys standards in terms of weathering and detail. You get a Smith & Wesson revolver, the iconic .45 long slide, and then the shotgun and machine gun that he used in the police station shootout scene. All are plastic but have extremely clean and detailed paint apps that are exceptional.

The last awesome accessory is the figure base itself. Bases like this are normally reserved for their DX figures, but this time they've gone all out with this base. It has a great bitumen texture with bloody spatter, bullet casings, and the pipe bomb used in the movie complete with string fuse! It all adds to the amazing realism of this figure set.




Figure:
The figure itself and its outfit is just superb, with all sorts of mixed media used throughout. The jacket is a really nice faux-leather material that is thin, but really nicely textured to resemble leather very accurately. It's not so tight that you can't move it over the body, but it still hugs the body contours really well.

The only slight inaccuracy with the jacket is that in the movie the collar was pulled up more, but this can be easily fixed with a minor modification. The jacket itself also has a working zip at the front, but I did find it rather tight to try and zip it up. It is possible, but since I wanted to replicate the police shootout scene, I'll leave the jacket open like it is in that movie scene.




The inner t-shirt comes out of the box looking a little too short, but is made of a nice material that can be pulled down and stretched to make it come down to around the bottom of the jacket. After doing that it looks a lot better. The battle damage bloody stains and holes to the exposed body underneath is also beautifully done with the blood flowing seamlessly through the holes to the endoskeleton below.




The pants are a nice brown/grey khaki type material that is also not overly tight but just right. They fold into the lengthy boots, so a bit of futzing to get them sitting properly into the boots might be needed.

And the boots themselves are a beautifully molded and painted soft plastic that allows for some articulation too. The articulation in the body is pretty great overall, with double jointed elbows that really allow for some nice poses with the weapons. The overall looks is just like he stepped straight out of the movie into your hands!




Summary:
Together with the other recent Hot Toys Terminator figures, I'd have to say this is definitely a better figure than the DX10. The DX10 figure has a head sculpt that looks near perfect with the sunglasses on, but still appears a little off and too young without the glasses.

But the DX13 Battle Damaged Terminator from T2 is still the best, with this new MMS238 coming pretty close in both sculpts. Either way, no matter which figure you have, you'll have an incredible Terminator figure for your collection. If you're a fan of the first movie, you'll definitely want to pick this up - this figure comes with my highest recommendation!




If you're looking to pick up this awesome figure for yourself, just click the link  head on over to Sideshow Collectibles for more pics and all the order details :)


7 Nov 2014

2014 Quarter 3 Collection Update

It was nearing the end of October 2014, so I figured I better do my regular quarterly collection update video. So here it is :)


Hope you can check it out! Remember to subscribe, like, and comment with your thoughts on my collection! Feel free to post photos of your own collection on the Kool Kollectibles Facebook page too :)


1 Nov 2014

Kotobukiya Street Fighter Bishoujo Cammy

Kool Kollectibles Review – Kotobukiya Bishoujo Cammy statue
Kotobukiya have been releasing some amazing statues recently, covering a large range of source material from DC and Marvel comics, to Star Wars and anime, and also gaming with Tekken and Street Fighter. I reviewed their first Street Fighter Bishoujo statue in Chun-Li a few issues back, and now they have released an equally amazing statue in Cammy.

Click the link below to head on over to the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel and check out my full video review of this gorgeous statue! Make sure to give us a like and subscribe to the channel :)



If you want to see some more pics and read about my thoughts, keep on reading below :)


As always with Kotobukiya, the sculpting and paint application on the statue is outstanding, and up close really brings out the detail in the character. The pose is dynamic and for the most part faithfully captures the Bishoujo artwork by renowned artist Shunya Yamashita.





The standout feature is definitely the musculature, that really captures the strength and beauty of Cammy. Many statues have only one or two directions in which the it looks best on display. But with such a dynamic pose, this Cammy can be placed in many directions with all looking equally awesome.




Front on shows her strong fighting pose with her fist close to her beautifully rendered face, and her outstretched arm flashing out in attack. While from behind, the statue really brings the focus to her hair, legs, and of course iconic leotard.





The leotard itself is nicely molded and painted, with no bleed through onto the skin texture. It even has great molded lines and black wash to bring out the realistic nature of the costume.




And as always with Kotobukiya statues, it's the little details too that bring the statue up a level. The molded detail on the boots with the laces, to the shiny metallic red finish on her gauntlets, to the painted details on her fingernails and eyes, all sum up to make for a statue with incredible presence on display.






When paired up with Chun-Li, these two perfectly complement each other, almost as if they are sparring. I was so impressed with Chun-Li previously, but I think this new Cammy statue out does it on almost every level.



If you’re a fan of Street Fighter, or anime, or just the Bishoujo line of statues in general, I would highly recommend the new Cammy statue.

Kotobukiya have already teased the upcoming statues in the line with Juri, Sakura, and Poison confirmed to be next in the Street Fighter series. I can’t wait to get those as well! J

I get all my Kotobukiya statues from Big Bad Toy Store. Just click the link to head on over and check out all their amazing stock!