I figured the immortal words of Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft was a good way as any to kick off the entry from the TBLeague 1/6 Imperial Guardian figure, especially since I have no picture of the packaging for this one as I received this figure in a different box. Still, I can't imagine it looking any worse than this:
Yes, that's right. If the name Imperial Guardian sounds familiar, it is because I received the 1/12 version not very long ago. The 1/12 version naturally costs less, but also come with a base, an extra weapon, and came in your choice of six colour schemes.
So for those keeping track, contents of the set include:
- 1 X TBLeague Body (S23?)
- 1 X Headsculpt - 6 X Gripping/Posing Hands (Closed Fists, Open Palm, Weapon Holidng)
- 1 X Outfit (Inner Dress, Helmet, Chest Armour, Shoulder Armour, Elbow Armour, Gauntlets, Waist Wrap, Red Cord, Stockings, Knee Armour, Armoured Greaves)
- 1 X Spear
In general, the overall product is the same as the 1/12 release, though upon closer inspection there are some differences.
First off, thankfully the head sculpt does not in anyway resemble the trainwreck that is the 1/12 version. The 1/6 looks presentable, albeit a bit generic, and there's a chance I'd actually display the figure with the visor up. Furthermore, the 1/6 head features better paint (understandably) and does not have the warped facial features of my 1/12 figure. The Pixie Cut (with fabric hair, nonetheless) also helps make putting the helmet on that much less annoying.
The armour suit itself is very similar. Colour aside, other differences include proportions of the armoured parts due to differences in body shape (the 1/6 appears longer in arm and curvier in upper body) and general detailing/paintwork on the 1/6 is better. There's also a chord that connects both shoulders across the chest that is missing on the 1/12 version, as well as a little bit of chord on the back of the helmet.
Like with the 1/12, the figure can generally access all the posing powers of the underlying TBLeague body. This is due to the fact this really isn't a continuous armour suit, but rather, it is hard plastic armour parts on top of a inner garment, wit the exception of the waist and thigh area which is adorned in cloth and effectively out in the open. The only restrictions to movement caused by the outfit would be the neck due to the collar design, and the chest armour will get in the way of the arms coming together, both due to its bulk and the presence of the Pauldrons. Ankles have a standard range of motion, and Elbow Armour allows for a very good range of motion in the arms.
Paint wise, nothing really to complain about. The paint on the 1/12 stuff is generally pretty good, and that carries over to the1/6 as well. As mentioned above, the paint work on the armour itself is definitely more impressive on the larger figure. It's not just cleaner, but there are additional weathering paint apps, as well as the blood on the spear tip. The work on the face is clean, but its not like they were trying to make it realistic and resemble someone specific. For a generic face, it does the job nicely.
With regards to Build Quality, no significant QC issues to be annoyed about. Both the body and the various pieces seem to be generally well produced. Even the thighs on the body seem to be better than the ones on Sariah, though it might just be they're covered up better. The visor on the helmet functions appropriately,. The tailoring on the various fabric goods seems to be good, with no loose threads or frayed edges to report.
The spear is sized reasonably given the opening in the hands. Speaking of which, they're all generally useful, with the Trigger Hands swapped out for a pair of closed fists, though I suspect all the armoured figures will have the same hand selection, just like how the all of the unarmoured ones I've looked at have the same hands.
The biggest gripe I have is that the left foot has a tendency to pop off on my figure and that same ankle is a bit loose.
Imperial Guardian is a solid figure that has a nice overall look and isn't too scandalous. It's just too bad they decided to go with a short skirt and a thong just to spice things up, when some nice full length leather leggings and some thigh armour would still bring the heat and allow for articulatuion, but wouldn't look AS ridiculous. While variety in hands (or more to choose from in general) would be nice, dynamic action poses aren't exactly the draw of these figures. Two more figures to look at. So far, the figures I've looked at I would say appeal to more of a niche group. Sideshow, a very well known collectibles company, adopted these bodies for use in their Court of the Dead line up, an original IP of theirs. I've gotten my hands on Kier: First Sword of Death and Gethsemoni: The Dead Queen. It will be interesting to see how these figures stack up to the art upon which they are based. For Full Gallery, please visit:
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