Monday, June 30, 2025

Action Figure #615: Star Wars The Black Series Chirrut Imwe

 The force is one with plastic

 Since I'm putting up the Rogue One team it was only a matter of time until Chirrut Imwe made it into my collection. He was probably the most memorable character in the movie, so hopefully the figure is just as good.
 Well, the good news is that they got the actor's likeness just right. And beyond that, his sculpt is really nice, and they used two pieces of soft goods for the lower part of his robes, in fact, they even have white parts painted on them. The figure ends up looking really nice. He comes with his staff, which can be split in two in order to get him to hold it a bit more easily, as well as his lightbow, and its end can be rotated and collapsed.
 The only complaint here is that the trigger finger gun could've had a better grip on the lightbow's handle.
 This is an older release, which means single jointed elbows and double jointed knees. He has swivels on his thighs and on his waist. The elbows reach a ninety-degree bend, which is decent, but considering he was a bit of a martial artist... it's a bit lacking. He is about a head shorter than Bucky Cap.
 Well, I think he came out really nicely. Not the best articulation for a martial artist, but it gets the job done and the sculpt is very good, with great use of soft goods.
7.0

Action Figure #614: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Ken Soaring Falcon Ranger

 The flowchart Ken Ranger.

 Well, with Ken the Soaring Falcon Ranger I finally have all the Street Fighter Crossover figures. So, is he another Winner like Ryu and Chun Li or is it another mediocre attempt like Cammy?
 He looks a lot like Ryu, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It's a good thing because, traditionally, Ken is a color swap... until Street Fighter V in which he wore something completely different, and this is the version of Ken that inspired this figure. The red and gold looks fantastic, but.... his arms are flesh-toned. His hands and forearms are white, with black gauntlets, but his biceps are exposed. No suit. His arms should've been white, this looks terrible and makes him look like no other Ranger. Ever. They got it right with Ryu, his exposed parts were white and his gi was creamy colored. Ken has a white neck, white forearms... but flesh arms. What were they thinking? Also, the helmet. He has a black triangle on his lower lip, probably trying to look like a Falcon's beak... but it ends up looking like a goatee. He has an alternate set of hands, a falcon projectile, a base for the projectile, and two cool fire effects for his hands and feet.   
 At least the articulation is as amazing as always. Double jointed elbows and knees, butterfly joints, bicep, thigh and boot swivels, a ball jointed ab crunch and a hinged waist. Plus, drop down hips. He is about as tall as Bucky Cap.
 A bit better than the Cammy design, but those flesh colored arms just ruin the design. All they had to do as paint them white...
6.5

Monday, June 16, 2025

Action Figure #613: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Red Ranger

 Oh, look, my fourth Mighty Morphin Red derivative! 

 Well, I needed a basic Mighty Morphin Red Ranger since I mean to keep the shield on the remastered one! So, let's see what's old with this guy.
 Well... the main difference is that this figure has Jason's head and an electric effect for the sword. Other than that he is missing the morpher, the blaster dagger's alternate forms and the ground effect pieces. HE is missing the black paint apps on the belt, and the new one has more details on the sword's hilt, but, above everything else, they fixed the helmet.
 The differences are negligible, if you ask me, but hardcore PR fans were angry about how 'bad' it was. This old figure's helmet is a bit taller, and the silver paint around the visor isn't accurate to the show. Honestly, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, but then again, I'm not a hardcore fan.
 Articulation is exactly the same minus the missing drop-down hips, thankfully. On account of the slightly taller helmet, this figure is a smidge taller than the new one.
 I could've been happy enough with this figure, as I don't feel like the remastered version is such a huge step up... but, hey, the Dragon Shield Red Ranger is a lot cooler!
8.0

Action Figure #612: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Beast Morphers Red Ranger

 How does his 'fro go inside the helmet?!

 Well, with the Beast Morphers Red Ranger in my collection, now I've almost completed the team! It's nice to finally gt the upgraded figure pf the Red Ranger I use to own, even if I know nothing about him!
 Well, as with the other Rangers from this group, I love the design. I mean, he is a cool looking Ranger, what more can I say? He comes with a sword, a computer-glitch like effect for the sword and an unhelmeted head. I bought him used, but otherwise he's also get a gun and two alternate hands.
 A neat little detail, unlike Blaze and the yellow ranger, they actually painted half of his elbows silver!
 Articulation is the same as the rest of the line. Double jointed elbows and knees, butterfly joints, swivels on his biceps, thighs and boots, a ball jointed ab crunch and a hinged waist. He is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 Well, he is a fun figure to play with and pose around, but there's nothing too special about him besides his design.
7.5


Action Figure #611: Marvel Legends Mystique

 She's feeling a bit blue I fear.

 Took me a looooong time, but I've finally got a Mystique in my collection! She's, what, probably one of the most iconic villain in the X-Men franchise, next to Magneto and Apocalypse! 
 While I usually prefer her in the more 00's black ensembles, this is an accurate representation of her classic white outfit. Very simple, design-wise, her skirt is a soft plastic piece that hangs loosely on her hips, with some cool gold skulls sculpted on top of it as a belt. Her face sculpt has this gleefully evil smile that suits her very nicely. She comes with a pistol and a rifle.... molded in gold for whatever reason. She comes with two alternate heads.... A Lilandra head and a mid-transforming Rogue. Both would only work on the bodies of the proper character, not on a fully Mystique figure, but oh well!
 For some reason, you can separate the chamber from the rifle.
 On the articulation end, well, she is an older female figure, so single jointed elbows but double jointed knees. She has swivels on her thighs and a ball jointed ab crunch with not much range. She is just a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 As dated as the articulation s, it's still good enough, and they got the Mystique likeness nailed to a tee.
7.0

Action Figure #610: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Dragon Shield Black Ranger

 One episode is all it took for him to get an action Figure.

 ...and I'm not complaining, everything is cooler with a shield. So here we have the Dragon Shield Black Ranger to commemorate the one episode in which Tommy lent Zack his shield.
 As far as designs go.... well, few colors look as good together as black and gold, which means that this figure is very pleasing to the eyes. He comes with a very accurate Zack head, two grabby hands, a fist and a chopping hand, his axe, an effect piece for the axe and his red gun. The only bad thing I've got to say about him is that I feel that his Axe is a bit shorter than I would've liked.
 Well, same articulation as per usual, double jointed elbows and knees, butterfly joints, swivels on his biceps, thighs and boots, ball jointed ab crunch and a hinged waist. He is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 Overall, this is another fantastic ranger from this line.
8.5

Action Figure #609: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Cammy Stinging Crane Ranger

 A... stinging crane? What were they smoking?!

 Well running out of source material couldn't stop Hasbro, so here's Cammy the Stinging Crane Ranger. She didn't appear on the Mobile Game, so she's a Hasbro Original. 
 And it shows. Her motif makes no sense. Stinging Crane? Cammy is the Killer Bee, they had their motif right there! And then her design is kinda ugly. She has too many colors for a Ranger. The red beret on her helmet is kinda iffy, I hate her pig tails coming out of her helmet, I mean... why? Rangers shouldn't have exposed parts, even hair. And hen, the colors.... she has a green leotard, but then the rest of her body is painted in blue. So... is she a green ranger or a blue ranger? Look at Ryu, his arms were painted white, they should've gone that route with her. At least her accessories are cool, she gets a energy wave effect for her fist, a green projectile, a drill effect for her feet and a base for the effects. She also gets a pair of fists, a chopping hand and a open hand.
 Well, at least the articulation is as good as always. Butterfly joints, double jointed elbows and knees, swivels on her biceps, thighs and boots, a ball jointed ab crunch and a hinged waist. The only issue I found is that the shield's collar makes her head prone to popping off when moving it. She is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 The articulation and accessories are fantastic, as per usual... it's a shame that her design is a mess and clashes with any other ranger. The Chun Li and Ryu figures where SO good, that it's a bit shocking how bad she is in that regard.
6.0

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Action Figure #608: Star Wars The Black Series Cassian Andor(Andor)

 Almost as many Andors as Lukes now!

 I haven't watched Andor, but when it came time to get my Cassian Andor I wanted one that was modern, but could also work in a Rogue One display... and this one fit the bill juuuuust right!
 Let's start with the likeness to Diego Luna: It's great. Aside from that, he wears a very simple Outlaw-Rogue-like ensemble. He looks great and would fit a Rogue One display quite nicely. He comes with two guns, which is nice and dandy, but only his right hand has a trigger finger! Lame!
 On the articulation end of things... this is a newer figure, so single jointed elbows and knees with no swivels, but decent range on both, with butterfly joints hidden behind the jacket. He has a ball jointed waist, but it works more like a swivel. His knees are a bit tight, but other than that... he's fine! He is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 He's a fine figure, y'know? A bit unremarkable, but the likeness to the actor is there, and articulation is good.
7.0

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Action Figure #607: Star Wars The Black Series Cara Dune

 The figure Disney doesn't want you to own!

 After Disney's idiotic firing of Gina Carano, which only made her go from right leaning into full alt-right all the Cara Dune merch was terminated... which made this figure hella expensive. I was lucky enough t get her for 35 bucks considering how expensive she can get!
 And the worst part is that she is a fantastic action figure. For such an early figure, the Gina Carano likeness is spot-on, and her sculpt is 100% unique to her and Gina's body type. Her outfit is very detailed, the paintjob is great and she gets three accessories: Her gattling blaster, a side-arm and a knife that goes on her boot.
 While the knife is tiny, she has a much better grip than Mando does with his own knife. It's not super tight, but it's good enough to pose her with.
 Well, you know the deal with early black series' figs. Single jointed elbows but double jointed knees. She also gets swivels on her thighs and boots and a ball jointed ab crunch. The range on everything is pretty good, although the pauldrons make it so that she can raise her hands only so far. I don't really mind since it works for the poses Cara Dune would strike and it's easy to get her looking like a total badass... even if she is half a head shorter than Bucky Cap.
 It's a crime that she is so hard to get because she is a fantastic figure. Great likeness to the actress, a unique sculpt that cuts a very unique frame among female action figures as well as really good articulation. I'm quite happy I was able to get her.
9.0

Action Figure #606: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Putty(Green Ranger vs. Putty Patrol)

 Rita was a kid at heart, playing with silly putty.

 Oh! A Putty, the lowest of the low when it came to enemies. Getting a Putty wasn't something I really cared for, but he came bundled with my Tommy, and even then, this Green Ranger was cheaper than other alternatives!
 So, very simple design, as they were meant to be mobs for the Rangers to beat up by the dozens. The sculpt is fine and dandy, but I think they should've cast him in darker grey. The body should be as dark as his boots, and the boots should be a shade darker than it is now. Other than that, he is a great sculpt. He comes with two fists and two weaponized hands, since I got him used I got one of each, and the weaponized limb looks fantastic!
 Being a generic mook they could have cheapened out with him... but they didn't! He is as articulated as any ranger, which means a hinged waist, a ball jointed ab crunch, double jointed elbows and knees, swivels on the biceps, thighs and boots. No drop down hips, thankfully! He is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 The Putty has no right being this good, but he is! Great unique pieces, great articulation... he is a nice addition to my PR collection.
8.0

Action Figure #605: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Green Ranger Fighting Spirit(Green Ranger vs. Putty Patrol)

 The wrong shade of green.

  Look, fact of the matter is... the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger has gone up in price a disgustingly amount, so if the only Green Ranger I can get is the Fighting Spirit Version... I will.
 Fighting Spirit is the name of a Dino Rangers episode in which the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger reappeared... wearing a costume full of mistakes. Silver paint on the top of his helmet, which shouldn't be there, as well as his dagger holster being white, instead of black, and on the wrong side. Look, it was the only Green Ranger I could find at a reasonable price! Aside from the accuracy to the errors, he looks great, and I love the gold they used for his shield. He comes with an alternate head, his dagger, two alternate hands, the evil sword and an effect piece... but I got him used, so none of that for me. Ah well, he can share daggers with Drakkon!
 Same articulation as the rest of the LC figures without the drop-down hips, which makes him a lot of fun to play with. This means a hinged waist, a ball jointed ab crunch, double jointed elbows and knees, swivels on the biceps, thighs and boots. He is a bit shorter than Bucky Cap.
 While not my favorite version of the Gree Ranger, he still looks really nice, and he'd be a 9.0 had I gotten the accessories with him.
8.0

Action Figure #604: Star Wars The Black Series K-2SO

 A Robot with a beer belly.

 It's about time I started rounding up the Rogue One team! Now we get K-2SO, whom I kinda had a beef with because all his lines seemed to be jokes straight out of a Marvel Movie.
 This is the very first K-2SO release, meaning no funny eyes. He has a funny design, with a barrel shaped torso but very lanky, thin limbs. It all adds up to him cutting an interesting figure. The sculpt looks really good, and he can double as a security droid, like the ones Cal Kestis fights!
 His articulation is interesting. He has single jointed elbows and knees that can bend backwards and forwards, as well as turn 360 degrees. His wrists and ankles are hinged, adding more articulation, and his shoulders and hips can raise to the sides a little bit. His ab crunch is ball jointed, but it works mostly as a swivel, and his neck has double ball joints which lets you play around with his head. His hips are very squeaky and his shoulders very tight, but they are workable. I got him a few days ago and I have been playing with him almost nonstop because of how much fun he is to pose around.
 Considering I am not the biggest Rogue One fan... I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun this guy is!
8.5