Kotobukiya Star Wars Bishoujo Mara Jade

I reviewed my first Kotobukiya Bishoujo Star Wars statue in Jaina Solo recently. The Jaina Solo was actually released over a year ago, but when I saw the teaser for the Mara Jade statue, I had to get both. I received both together, but the statue had a scratch on it that annoyed me, so I asked for a replacement.

I'm happy to report that the replacement is pretty much perfect, so finally had the chance to take some decent photos and write up the full review here. Read on for more details on this absolutely stunning statue! :)

Packaging:
The packaging is no surprise, and follows the same black/gun metal Star Wars design as other related Star Wars products. I'm still a little confused as to why these Star Wars statues are labelled with both Bishoujo and ArtFX designations, since I thought they were totally separate lines. If anyone knows why, please enlighten me!

The box art is pretty stock standard too, with various photos of the statue, and of course the amazing prototype Bishoujo artwork by renowned artist Shunya Yamashita. This is one statue that I believe well and truly lives up to, and exceeds, the beauty of the artwork.

Assembly:
Similar to many Kotobukiya statues these days, some assembly is required, but is not overly difficult. The right gloved hand needs to be inserted into the arm. The left "force push" arm, right up to the wrap around her bicep area, also needs to be inserted. Unlike the Jaina Solo assembly, the arms on Mara Jade were very easy to insert.

A choice of two lightsabers is provided, with the purple being my favourite. Placing the hilt into her hand is a little tight, but no real issue. Regardless, I love the fact that she has the option of being displayed as a Jedi, or as one with the Dark Side - a girl gone bad is just that little bit sexier for me :)

The base art comes with the respective Rebel and Imperial insignia, of which I chose the latter. Inserting her feet into the base is very easy, and I love how the clear plastic doesn't distract any attention away from her high-heeled boots.

And what lovely boots they are! I mean, they cover the longest legs leading up to......the best damn ass in the galaxy!! But more on that later :)

There's no assembly required for the pistol in its holster. It is unfortunate though that it is not removeable, as that would've been a nice extra touch. But it still looks great, as does the brown leather look of the holster and belt.

Here's a look at the other accessories that come with the statue. The blue lightsaber is nice enough, but I think the purple just has that extra presence on display. The cape itself is quite nicely molded and painted, with nice flowing lines and great shading. The goggles aren't particularly great though.

As you can see from the photo above, I chose to simply use the small scarf around her neck that pegs in just at the top of her chest. The display options include also adding the goggles, but I thought that looked a little too busy, and I didn't like the way the googles sat on her chest.

Also the full cape can be used instead of the scarf. It looks great from the front, and matches the prototype artwork. But it covers the best feature of this statue, and so I decided against using it :)

And what's the best feature of this statue you might ask? Well.....DAT ASS of course!!! Here's the gratuitous closeup :)

Statue:
I loved the Jaina Solo statue for its playful pose and just gorgeous facial features. But this Mara Jade takes all that to the next level and beyond!! The pose here perfectly conveys that strong force push dynamic pose in the artwork.

One of my favourite features has to be the red hair, and how it's sculpting is various shades of transluscent red/orange plastic. From all angles the hair is just outstanding, and it frames another beautiful Bishoujo face from Kotobukiya. The paint app on the skin is again flawless - I love the creamy smoothness and subtle shading.

The outfit itself is also beautifully done, with lots of different textures, molded details, and different shades of blues that accentuate that gorgeous female figure. The knee high boots are painted in a more metallic style that make them stand out from the more matt-like finish of the body suit.

The brown paint app on the belt and her shoulder/back harness is nicely done too. I love how the belt lays on her hips, with the holster slung to the side.

And how could I not mention her derriere once again! If there was any statue or figure that I would want to display facing the opposite direction, it would be this one! She looks every bit as amazing from the rear as she does from the front, if not more so! But really, this statue is pretty damn awesome no matter which way you look at her!

For me, this is another home run for Kotobukiya in the Bishoujo line. I haven't been collecting their statues for very long, but in the short space of time that I have, I can safely say that there is no other company that makes statues of such quality at such an affordable price!

Together with Jaina Solo, these two look simply stunning. I cannot wait to see who they announce to be next in the Star Wars Bishoujo line (uhh, Slave Leia pretty please!). I just hope they don't take another year or so to release the next one! Most highly recommended!

For the full video review, head on over to the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel! The link to the video is below, so I hope you can check it out, subscribe, like, and comment with your own thoughts! :)

If you're looking to get into Kotobukiya statues, look no further than Big Bad Toy Store! You can order directly from them via the link HERE! They ship worldwide, so definitely check them out! :)

Kotobukiya Star Wars Bishoujo Jaina Solo

Well, I started the Bishoujo line of statues with Chun-Li from Street Fighter, and then the first couple of movie relates statues in Agent G from Men In Black and Lucy from Ghostbusters. Now the addiction has extended to the Star Wars line of Bishoujos. Luckily there's only two statues released so far with Jaina Solo and Mara Jade!

Jaina Solo was actually released quite a while ago around January 2013. Considering the new Mara Jade statue has only just been released around May 2014, I really hope that's not the wait until the next Star Wars Bishoujo, because these statues are AWESOME!

Read on for more details on this gorgeous statue! :)

Packaging:
After seeing the previous box art from the Bishoujo line, I was actually a little disappointed in the boring standard black/grey Star Wars styling of this statue. I guess Lucasfilm is dictating a standard look across all figures/statues, since the Sideshow figures come in this style too.

The back has the usual blurb with photos of the statue. The big standout for me with these Bishoujos is always the prototype artwork on which the statues are based. Luckily the original artwork is still shown on the back, with a larger version on the side of the box. Love the playful nature of the pose, and it has translated well to the statue.

Assembly:
Some minor assembly is required, and it does get a little scary. The top and bottom halves are separated, and join together fairly easily. At first the white hip area did not fit in perfectly with the orange lower half, but the instructions do suggest using a hairdryer to warm up the pieces. After doing so, I was able to push the top and bottom halves of the body together for a perfect fit that showed no seams.

The scary part was actually attaching the left and right forearms. Both forearms are gloved, and her hands hold the helmet and the flight vest. Since these parts do seem fairly delicate, it's hard getting a decent grip to push them into the upper arms and click in. Again I used the hairdryer, and then with more effort this time they both clicked in. But I would still be very careful where you put your fingers, as I was quite worried I was going to snap or break something off from her hands.

For the stand, you just insert her feet into the knobs on the stand that fit nicely around her slightly heeled shoes. It's a solid grip and very stable. The stand also comes with two plastic inserts, one with just the Star Wars logo, and the other with what I assume to be her squadron insignia. I chose that one since it's a little more colourful.

The final item to attach is the lightsaber. The artwork actually has her tossing the lightsaber into the air, but of course that's impossible for a statue, so they have a fairly good compromise. The pinky finger on her right hand has a tiny knob, which can be inserted into a tiny hole in the bottom of the hilt. With some adjustment, the lightsaber can then be positioned in a similar way to the artwork tossing the lightsaber.


Statue:
Once all put together, she looks absolutely gorgeous! I don't think I've ever really been disappointed with a Kotobukiya paint app before, and this is no exception. The Bishoujo skin tone is incredible, giving a clear but almost luminescent style to the face and arms.

The head sculpt, from her beautiful facial features to her tousled hair, is fantastic. This truly does personify the Bishoujo title meaning "beautiful girl".

The detailing on the helmet is also nice, with sharp details and very little paint bleed. Even the orange plastic on the visor looks great.

The flight vest has also the molded detail you'd expect, but it does look a little bland with so much grey. I would've preferred a little splash of red or yellow, but it's still pretty nice.

The molding on her outfit is really nicely done and painted. The white torso is cute, and I love the pose with the orange outer layer splayed down her sides. Playful, and yet totally sexy.

The variations in orange to accent the folds in the material is done realistically, and looks great from all angles. Even her boots are nicely molded, with nice details all around.

The lightsaber too is nicely detailed, and actually looks like a cleaner paint app than Sideshow (eg. the Yoda lightsaber). However, it still doesn't match the beautifully detailed paint work of Hot Toys (eg. DX07 Luke lightsaber), but at this price point it's still pretty awesome.

Overall, this is a fantastic addition to any statue collection, especially if you're a Star Wars fan. I already collect the 6" Black Series and 1/6th scale figures from Hot Toys and Sideshow, so didn't feel the need to get the other Kotobukiya Star Wars statues.

But this Bishoujo line gives something a little different, with characters that aren't straight out of movies, but are inspired by them. They're gorgeous to look at, and really do stand out when placed together in a collection. I can't wait to get more of them soon :)

For the full video review, head on over to the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel! The link to the video is below, so I hope you can check it out, subscribe, like, and comment with your own thoughts! :)

If you're looking to get into Kotobukiya statues, look no further than Big Bad Toy Store! They ship worldwide, so definitely check them out! :)

End of 2013 Collection Summary

It's already past the first week of 2014, so I figured I better hurry up and post up an end-of-2013 collection summary. 2013 was certainly a great year, with 6/7" figures being the surprising factor. I spent more money on those than any other line of figures that I collect! I can thank getting into the MOTU Classics line late for that one, with some crazy prices for a small number of figures.

Either way, I'm glad I've left the catch up days of 2012 behind, and was able to focus on getting mostly what I wanted on preorders in 2013 (aside from the already mentioned MOTUC line). I only got 2 Hot Toys figures in 2013, with the DX11 Joker and DX13 Battle Damaged Terminator. I should've also got the Amazing Spiderman figure, but shoulder issues meant further delays on probably the most delayed Hot Toys figure ever!

2014 is already heading into a rush, with the Sideshow Vader on its way, and Hot Toys Man of Steel and Amazing Spiderman not too far behind. I also have Sideshow's Commaner Wolffe coming, and Hot Toys Robocop and 1966 Dynamic Duo coming later. Further to that, there's the Toynami Lion Force Voltron, more Masterpiece Transformers, new waves of Star Wars 6" Black Series, and the Kotobukiya ArtFX+ Avengers Now line of statues! So 2014 is looking pretty damn amazing already!! :)

Check out the end of year collection summary video on the Kool Kollectibles channel below:

Also here are some of the latest pics I've taken of my display room at the end of 2013. Can't wait for the 2014 figures to start rolling in! :)

Kotobukiya ArtFX+ New 52 Justice League Cyborg statue

Kotobukiya finally released their last statue from the core group of the New 52 Justice League this month, with the release of Cyborg! And it was definitely worth the wait! With the team setup together, they look simply outstanding!

The Cyborg statue stands just on 20.5cm (or over 8") in height, and is the tallest from the core group of seven. As with the others in the line, the paintwork is sensational, and has very little slop. The face sculpt is very nicely done, and blends the skin and metallic face cover neatly.

The metallic silver over the suit gorgeously reflect the light, and has subtle differences in the silver tone throughout. I also love the varying greys around the torso and thighs that give some variety to the suit.

The pose is simple, but matches perfectly the box artwork and the others in the team. Perhaps the only thing that I personally think they could've done better would be the feet. They seem a little too chunky, but this is only a minor quibble. The arm cannon is nicely detailed and sculpted, with beautifully done red accents that simulate bright lights.

The detailing on the rear is also sensational, with the jet pack looking sweet, and the red centrepoint being very well defined. The forearms and calves also look great with the detailing in the suit and colour variations.

Like the others, the statue looks incredible from pretty much all angles, and definitely has a lot of shelf presence due to its size and bulk compared to the others. It comes with the standard magnetic base and little magnets in the feet, so it stands firmly on its base.

I've mentioned before that I haven't really followed the DC Comics, but this new line of statues from Kotobukiya have definitely tweaked my interest now! They have done a sensational effort on all fronts with these statues - sculpting, detail, stands, poses, and especially the amazing paint application! I could not recommend these statues any higher - if you're remotely into comics, superheroes, movies, or just the geeky side of things, then you should definitely look into these!

Check out the Kool Kollectibles youtube channel video review below!

Kotobukiya ArtFX+ New 52 Justice League Batman statue

The last Kotobukiya ArtFX+ New 52 statue I received, that are currently available, is the Batman statue. And wow this New 52 design is AWESOME!! I'm not sure what all the fans are complaining about! I think this costume perfectly blends the classic with the modern, and makes for a beautiful suit in its detailing and colour.

The head sculpt has some clear anime influence to it, and the cowl and overall head sculpt is beautifully done. The metallic silver on this suit is amazingly done by Kotobukiya, and is the stand out feature on this statue. I love the new lines and pattern on the New 52 suits, and this paint app simply brings it to life.

The pose is simple on this one, which suits the character pretty well. And I love the way the cape flows back over the shoulders and doesn't come too far forward of the arms. That look was fine for Keaton Batman, but this new character needs to show off that suit!

The gauntlets on this statue are also amazingly detailed and painted well. With the shiny boots, the black here accentuates the silver in a very classy way.

As with the others, again the statue looks incredible from all angles. These statues don't just have one hero angle, but look perfect no matter the viewing direction. As you can see in the above photo, the cape drapes beautifully over the back.

And did I say the cape was beautiful? I mean just LOOK at that sculpting!! I know it's just a cape, but the way they've sculpted the elegant flow of the cape, the figure also looks amazingly awesome and ominous from the rear view. It's done with a softer plastic material, but be careful when moving around as those sharper points in the cape may break off if you bump it against something.

Again the statue comes with a magnetic base and magnets in the feet. The statue feels very secure and stable on this stand, perhaps with the additional and evenly distributed weight of the large cape. The stance is quite wide too, which helps with the stability.

Overall, this Batman is my favourite among the six New 52 statues so far. Sure the paint app isn't as amazingly in-your-face beautiful as the Flash or Aquaman, but this one is a little more subtle in its awesomeness. The silver shine, and amazing detail in the gauntlets along with the deep metallic blacks, coupled with a beautifully sculpted cape, really make this statue the standard bearer in an already stellar lineup! It gets my highest recommendation!

Check out the Kool Kollectibles youtube channel video review below!

Kotobukiya ArtFX+ New 52 Justice League Wonder Woman statue

I don't have many female characters in my collection, but if you're going to start, what more iconic character could there be but Wonder Woman! I watched the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman TV show back in the day, but like so many other of the Justice League characters, it's been about that long since I've really read or known much about their stories.

There's been a lot of controversy over the New 52 character design changes, and none more so than Wonder Woman. Before the #1 issue of the New 52 comics, it was revealed that Wonder Woman would sport a new suit with pants, and not her iconic bikini.

I guess the fan outrage was heard, because I believe prior to the release of the first issue, the cover art was changed to revert her back to a bikini. Thankfully this Kotobukiya ArtFX+ New 52 Wonder Woman statue retains her pants-on look, which I totally prefer.

I'm not one to be prudish, and love fan service as much as anybody (gratuitous Chun Li shower scene excitement anybody?) But on Wonder Woman, I think this suits her fine. The costume, coupled with the simple and stern pose and facial expression, make for a hero to be reckoned with, not one to be perved at. Maybe I'm just showing my age, but this version just seems more kick-ass to me than one jumping around in a bikini.

The sculpting is very nice, with delicate features in the face and gorgeously sculpted hair. There's no slop in the paint work, although the skin tone may be a touch too pale, with her being an Amazonian warrior and all. Regardless, she still looks beautiful to me.

As with all the others, the statue looks awesome from every angle. The sword  and golden lasso are done very nicely, but are only attached to the body by very thin plastic or glue. I would be very careful in handling these areas as the items might break off. But the paint app and detailing on them is awesome.

As with the others, the statue comes with a magnetic base and magnets in her feet. The only real complaint that I have with the statue is that the feet are not fully planted, and so it's not as stable as her other Justice League counterparts. The others feel more stable with a flatter stance, so this is another area to be careful.

Overall, this is another sensational statue released by Kotobukiya. The dark blues, reds, and silver highlights look stunning, and the detailed pattern on the suit really bring the quality of this piece to the fore. Of all the female superheroes around, I'm definitely glad Wonder Woman is the first in my collection with this great piece.

Check out the Kool Kollectibles youtube channel video review below!