Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo Pennywise from It

The Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo series has released some iconic characters in the series, and the latest Pennywise is no exception. It took a while for it to arrive from Big Bad Toy Store, but it's a beautiful addition to the impressive lineup.

Click the link below to watch my review of the Leatherface statue over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Hope you can subscribe and stay tuned for more reviews 😃

I think Kotobukiya have definitely stepped up their game on the packaging art, and the latest certainly give pause for collectors to consider keeping or at least displaying the artwork. Unfortunately for me I just do not have the space for that anymore, so this sort of packaging usually ends up in the recycling bin. But for those with the space, I'd highly recommend displaying the boxes, or at least keeping the boxes for posterity.

The details in the sculpting and the paint app really impress upon unboxing. The paint on the head sculpt is super sharp, and I love the bright colours of the eyes that almost seem reflective. A nice touch would've been some glow in the dark effect, but still in natural light the eyes have a scary piercing look to them. The orange hair is a bright contrast to the white, and sets it off beautifully.

The sculpting in the costume is perfectly brought out with many layers of shading and colours in the paint application. I especially love the use of black wash and shadowing to accentuate all the folds in the detailed costume. The areas around the neck, biceps and upper thighs look fantastic.

The two areas that were a little disapointing to me are related. The main issue is the steel wire used for the ballon chord, which is not flexible or malleable. This affects posing of the balloon, especially since it leans so far forward when placed into the hand.

I used some warm water to soften the plastic around the hole since initial insertion is quite difficult. But once it's placed in, the steel wire tends to fall forward, given the balloon an awkward angle. This is made worse by how low the pose of the statue is leaning forward. The prototype photos were taken from a rather low angle, which sort of hid how much the status leans.

By leaning forward, it seems to hide the face sculpt and much of the details of the body too. I would've preferred a pose that was more upright, but still leaning forward slightly to hand the balloon to the unsuspecting child. I'll have to figure out some way to keep the balloon string as upright as I can without snapping anything.

Despite that nitpick, there are so many other positives to the statue. The paint app and sculpting themselves makes this perhaps my new favourite in the series. I love the metallic finish to the base that gives that perfect impression of it walking through blood. The SS Georgie sets it off perfectly as well with the movie.

As a Bishoujo interpretation of the character, I'm not sure Kotobukiya could've done much better in the design (pose aside). It's the perfect balance of creepy and beauty! Here's hoping they announce more of these horror characters in the not-too-distant future!

Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo Michael Myers

The Horror Bishoujo series by Kotobukiya has been one of my favourite statue lines. This new addition in Michael Myers from Halloween is perhaps the first that hasn't really wowed me out of the box.

Check out the link below for my full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Hope you can give the video a thumbsup and subscribe too!

Here are some pics of the statue showing off the nice sculpting and paint application. I just wish the pose and head sculpt were a bit more lively. She seems rather too bored with things the way it is :D

The mask in particular is disappointing, where it's just a throw away thing on the floor. It would've been much better if she was holding the mask in the other hand.

 

Together with the others in the series, the collection certainly looks great. I hope they continue the series with more iconic characters from classic horror movies!

Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo Pinhead statue

I have loved the Kotobukiya Horror Bishoujo series so far, and this new Pinhead is another awesome addition! Click through below to watch my full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel.

There's some minor assembly out of the box to attach the main body to the stand. From the front viewing angle, the peg in the dress that goes into a slot on the side of the stand is pretty well hidden. You just need to put that required force to make it sit as flush as it can, and it will look great.

The small peg in the toe that goes into the bottom of the base is also well hidden and adds the final touch for stability of the statue. The base is very nicely detailed and painted, with great highlights in the gold patterning.

The pins in the headsculpt are slightly too large I think, but from regular viewing distances still give a nice interpretation of the concept art. The sculpting in the outfit is also great, with all the right fan-service details in all the usual areas.

Closeup pics really do show off the intricacies o the sculpting. I love the silver belt clips, the red and silver clips over her breasts, and the subtle shading of blues/purples against the black dress. Coupled with a very nice suggestive pose, the statue stands out in amongst the rest of the Bishoujo clan.

The horror series is still going pretty strong, with Michael Myers up next. I have that one on the way too, but that one does seem a little plain compared to the awesome set below. I really hope they announce some more iconic horror characters soon and don't just stop now!

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 :)

Kotobukiya Street Fighter Bishoujo Chun-Li

Kotobukiya are a company famous for its amazing variety of statues of varying sizes from different source material. Their categories of statues include the ArtFX, ArtFX+, Fine Art, and Bishoujo lines which cater for all collector price points, from the sub-$100 ArtFX+ 1/10th scale line to the larger Fine Art statues of several hundred dollars. But no matter the price point, Kotobukiya has developed a well-earned reputation for awesome sculpts and incredible paint applications.

The source material has always had a heavy focus on Japanese anime, comic book superheroes from Marvel and DC, and have now branched into other high profile pop culture icons such as Star Wars and 80s classic horror movies such as A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Their Bishoujo (Japanese for “beautiful young girl”) line of statues has been around for quite a few years now, with lots of classic and iconic female characters from comic and anime source material. This line has now only just started branching out into the Street Fighter franchise, which has a huge cast of beautiful female fighters! Why it has taken so long for Street Fighter to make it into the line is a mystery, but once I got the first Chun-Li statue in hand, I was very glad indeed that it has finally arrived, with more on the way!!

To buy the statue, head on over to Big Bad Toy Store on the link to see all the details! Read on to find out more on my thoughts :)

Statue:

Of all the female Street Fighter characters, none is more iconic than Chun-Li, and so it’s fitting that she is the first in the Street Fighter Bishoujo line. The sculpting of the statue perfectly replicates the prototype artwork by master Japanese illustrator Shunya Yamashita, with Chun-Li in her famous kicking pose.

The pose is both strong and playful, fully showing off her huge thighs that have come to be synonymous with her. The detail in the sculpt is great, with lots of little accents in the blue qipao and gold trimmings, as well as her hair buns and wrist gauntlets. The more delicate parts of the statue appear to be a soft plastic to prevent any accidental breakages, but most of the statue is made from a hard lightweight material.

No matter the angle, the sculpting is beautiful. The flow of the skirt with the bends and wrinkles really conveys a great sense of dynamic motion. The statue is attached to the clear stand via a peg in her right foot that is quite sturdy but easy to take off. The stand itself comes with two pieces of artwork that can be placed inside – one with the prototype art, and one with simply the Street Fighter logo.

As with all Kotobukiya statues, the paint application is a stand out, and her facial features are as perfect as they come! The likeness is a great representation from the game, and the soft almost translucent skin tone is beautiful up close.

Perhaps the only fault with the paint application is the positioning of her eyes. When looking at the prototype artwork, you can see that her eyes are firmly focused on her foot, as they would be when performing this strong kick. But on the statue, the eyes have been painted to be more front on, so seem to be focused not on her foot but somewhere to the front of her. It’s a minor quibble, and her face overall is beautiful, but this minor change would’ve made it more faithful to the original artwork.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re a fan of Street Fighter and its female characters, then this line of statues is perfect for you! The price is not excessive, but still comes with all the incredible Kotobukiya sculpting and paint work. This Chun-Li statue comes highly recommended and is a perfect start to the line.

Kotobukiya have already teased their upcoming statues. The next one in the line will be Cammy later this year, and as you can see by these new photos, she looks to be just as, if not more, dynamic and beautiful than the Chun-Li statue.

Then slated for 2015 is Juri, another sexy character from Street Fighter 4. Her prototype artwork has now been shown, with a great pose as well. With so many other beautiful female fighters in the Street Fighter universe, such as Ibuki, C. Viper, Rose, and Poison just to name a few, there seems to be huge potential in making this Bishoujo Street Fighter line a centrepiece in any statue collection!

If you haven't already, check out the full video review below of the Chun-Li statue on the Kool Kollectibles youtube channel! Hope you can subscribe, like, and comment with your own thoughts :)