Kool Kollectibles content

31 Dec 2018

Hot Toys MMS429 Luke Skywalker (Jedi Luke)

I think Hot Toys released the Jedi Luke figure back in June or July 2018, but the Australian distributor didn't get stock until December for some reason. So it was a long wait, but definitely one worth waiting for if you're a Star Wars original trilogy fan.

Click through below to watch my full review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to give the video a like, and to subscribe to the channel and stay tuned for all my upcoming review :)


Packaging is the standard Hot Toys Star Wars design, with some decent pics of the prototype figure on the front and inside cardboard insert. The range of accessories is actually decent for this release, with the Jedi cloak and Death Star base being a couple of standouts that are not included in the Deluxe version to be released next year.

The Jedi robe is a nice soft material similar to that of the Anakin Skywalker figure. The swap out lightup lightsaber arm by all accounts is a bitch to put on, so I didn't even bother trying. It's a shame HT didn't include a separate lightsaber gloved hand to all the non-lightup lightsaber.

The lightsaber hilts themselves are nicely painted as always. I'm not sure how accurate it is to the movie, but I'm not that big a stickler for those minute details in accessories. There's a range of hands for various poses and to hold the blaster. There are two swap out base covers too, with the sands of Tatooine and the floor grate of Jabba's palace being the options depending on the accessories you use with the figure.


The head sculpt is always a focal point, with many not liking the slightly open mouth. I actually don't mind it too much, since Luke did spend a lot of time in the movie with his mouth slightly open! What I think draws attention is the slightly elongated mouth area that gives him a bit of a fish look. The prototype didn't seem to protrude so much, but overall I think it's decent.


The figure does have a fat suit underneath the black outfit. This helps to pad out the joints, but does hinder the articulation. This lack of articulation is mostly in the torso rotation and ab crunch areas, which are really needed to get him into that iconic pose on Jabba's skiff. I did the best I could because I really couldn't be bothered taking off all the clothes and removing the fat suit.

With the black Jedi tunic on over the core black outfit, the fat suit is not very noticeable. I prefer this look which is the way he looked on Jabba's skiff. The belt over the top of the tunic belt was only ever seen briefly in the movie when he spoke to Leia on Endor I think. So I'll stick with just the tunic only.


Posed up he looks quite nice. What's lacking of course is the windswept hair to match that scene, and HT have deliberately included that only in the Deluxe version to be released next year. Luckily that comes with another head sculpt and his Endor outfit, so I'll be using the windswept hair with this sculpt and the other one can wear the helmet that he wore on the Speeder Bike.


The boots are really nicely done, and it's great that HT have fixed the ankle areas so that they don't collapse like they did on the first few figures like ANH Han Solo. The range of motion is good too, so you can have his feet flat on the more dynamic poses.

The tailoring and fit of the core black outfit is pretty nice, and the magetic flap to fold down the top right corner for the Death Star duel is a nice touch. The pants can get a bit tight around the groin area, so I tried to lower the top of the pants and raise the parts tucked into the boots to give it a bit more flexibility. Overall I think he poses quite nicely with the lightsaber.


This Jedi Luke is another nice addition to the original Star Wars collection from Hot Toys. Side by side with the other Luke releases, this new figure fits in perfectly. I actually think the new head sculpt is perhaps the most movie accurate of the three. A lot of collectors seem to like the DX07 Bespin Luke, but I don't particularly think the likeness is that good. The three outfits below are my favourite for Luke, and Hot Toys has definitely done them justice.


27 Dec 2018

Sideshow Masters of the Universe Orko statue

Sideshow have not announced any further Masters of the Universe statues, so this new Orko may well be the last in their nice but brief foray into this franchise. And what a shame that would be, since this aesthetic style is great for those holding nostalgia for the original cartoon characters but wanting something a bit more modern in their display cabinet.

Overall the Orko is another nice addition to the series. Click the link below to check out my full video review on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to click that like button and subscribe to the channel :)


Packaging is simiar to the previous releases, and everything is packed nicely in the foam as you'd expect for statues in this scale. However, I'm not sure why the shipping cost from the USA is so expensive for this statue. It was actually more than the Evil-Lyn statue which I think is larger and heavier. That extra shipping cost and the 10% GST on top of everything put a dampener on that since I ordered from Sideshow to get the exclusive arm holding his magic book.


The base is nicely done in a similar style and paint app to He-Man. The sculpted detail and paint shading is done well, but it would've been nice if those rings were made of metal to give that extra premium feel to the base. The base feels pretty solid and doesn't feel too hollow.

The transluscent plastic for the smoke effect is also quite nicely done, and the gradual change in colour has a nice effect. The main body of the statue connects to that smoke effect via a fairly strong magnetic peg on the lower back.

The sculpting of the red gown has a nice flowing effect, and the various shades of red and black wash give it a realistic colourway. The detailing in the chest plate and belt are nicely done, with sharp paint application too.

The standard right arm comes holding his staff. It looks nice being held the way it is to balance out the statue's pose. This is unlike the book which is held too close (but more on that later). The head sculpt is also pretty nice. I wonder if some mixed media in the cowl would've been a nice difference, but getting those folds consistently made would've been tough.

The ears sticking out through the hat is a style not every fan will like, and I probably would've preferred just the standard cartoon style. But this is a difference that is still nicely done that fits in with the overall aesthetic of the series.


The exclusive comes with the swap out arm holding his magic book. The written detail on the two visible pages is actually quite intricate and is very realistically done. The only fault I have with the swap out arm is that the mold was changed in production from the prototype! The prototype shows the arm being held lower, similar to the staff holding arm, so that the book is held further away from the body.

But now they have the arm held higher and the pages of the book barely miss his right ear. The balanced look with the book held lower is much better. I contacted Sideshow about the difference in sculpt, and they said it was a production change that was made. No reason was given for the change, and they just offered a full refund if I didn't like it. I'll keep it, but it's a shame such a strange change in sculpt was made that negatively affected the way the statue looks on display.


The rear of the statue has some nice detailing in that chest/back plate. The sculpting and paint details on the eagle is nicely done. Overall, most things fit well and seamlessly on the statue to give it a nice dynamic style next to the other characters.


Here you can see some of the detail in the book. The sculpting and paint app on the hat is decent, but I would've preferred a straight red hat with no ears sticking out. Now that would've been a nice exclusive swap out accessory!


Displayed with the others, the current series of MOTU statues do look fantastic. The consistent style really stands out in the collection, and is a great mix of nostalgic details and modern twists. I really do hope that Sideshow and Tweeterhead continue this series and announce more characters in 2019. It would be a complete shame if they decided to stop now when the original concept art print had so many awesome characters to make!


2 Dec 2018

Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo Ash Williams from Evil Dead 2

Kotobukiya's Horror Bishoujo series kicked off a few years ago, and the statues have gone from strength to strength! Taking on this risque interpretation of horror's most iconic characters, Kotobukiya has really delivered something unique for fans of the genre.

This new Ash William's from the hilarious Evil Dead 2 is another fantastic example of awesome design, sculpting, and paint application. Click the link below to check out my video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. More pics below too! :)



The design of this statue is just gorgeous! The chainsaw hand and shotgun capture Ash's iconic look from the final act of the movie. The tattered shirt, blood stains, and scratches on the skin all perfectly capture that look.

It's great that they included a real metal chain for the cellar door, with the Deadite fingers crawling out. The Book of the Dead is also included and molded into the base. The entire base in nicely sculpted and painted with a pretty realistic wood finish.



The face sculpt is also nice, and of course in keeping with the Bishoujo aesthetic. The eyes are very glassy, and I love the tousled hair. The skin tone is quite nice on this figure, being a darker more tanned shade than others in the series. There almost seems like a slight freckling in the paint app too to give is a nice skin texture.

The detailing in the chainsaw is great, with lots of sculpted detail from the movie. The blood spatter is nicely captured too. It's a shame the shotgun is not removeable, but what we do see of it and the sling holster is decent.




As always with the Bishoujo series, the fan service is there too. The bra shows through the tattered shirt well, and the shorts and belt look great, with a nice frilly edge to them. Of course the best view is from the rear, and Kotobukiya did not disappoint! The short shorts capture that derrière to perfection!




The only one in the series that I've passed on is Bride of Chucky's Tiffany. I never really liked the movie and the statue didn't seem to capture an iconic character that I instantly recognised. But the rest of them have been pretty amazing! Side by side, they all look gorgeous together!



It's great that Kotobukiya are continuing this series, with Pinhead and Michael Myers coming out next year. It will be interesting to see where they go from there. It would be pretty awesome if they could do Pennywise or a Ghostface!


1 Dec 2018

Hot Toys MMS459 Leia Organa

I absolutely hated The Last Jedi, and it made me angry in so many ways. I was going to pass on all the figures, but since Hot Toys did not release a Leia figure from The Force Awakens to go with Han, Chewie, and Luke, I decided to get their release of Leia from The Last Jedi.

Overall it's a pretty nice figure as expected by Hot Toys. Click the link below to check out by full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe to the channel to stay tuned for upcoming reviews :)



She certainly doesn't get packed with much at all, coming only with a stand, a few hands, blaster gun, and homing device. The gun is essentially the same as that from A New Hope with a few paint app changes. The home device looks too delicate and fiddly to place around her wrist, so I didn't even bother.



As always with fairly simple figures, the most critical aspect is the head sculpt. And again Hot Toys has done a great job. The likeness is pretty good, and the detailed stranding in the hair sculpt proves again why Hot Toys is the top of the game.

I think the sculpt could have been helped with more wrinkling in the face is give it a more realistic aged appearance. Hot Toys does tend to stylise their female figures and make them look younger or sleeker than they really are. But other than that, the head sculpt is great. All the usual paint details, glassy eyes and skin texture are there.



The outfit is not too bad. The material of the outer dark coat is a little stiff and doesn't tend to sit as naturally as I would like. I used a bit of warm water to soften it around the shoulders to get it to sit a little lower, which helped. The material does have a nice sheen to it, and seems quite similar to the cloak of the Emperor Palpatine figure at first glance.

The underlying robe is a very nice soft silky material. Hot Toys does some of the best work with costuming, and the tailoring and pleats are all very nicely done. Overall the complete look is a pretty accurate representation of her outfit in The Last Jedi.



Here are a few pics of the other Princess Leia figures I have in my collection. I'll probably end up getting at least one version of her from each major movie I like. I'll pass on the Bespin Leia outfit, so I'm pretty much just looking out for a new Return of the Jedi figure. Hopefully Hot Toys announces one soon!


Still love these two figures from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. You can't really get much more iconic than these two Princess Leia outfits from the original trilogy!