As some of you know, Figma doesn't always produce character goods for the most popular properties. Sometimes, they like to get their artsy side on, and take on visually striking designs that may not necessarily make for the best posing experience.
Such is the case with Ronin, who hails from Falslander, a series of web illustrations if I understand correctly.
A Ronin is effectually a freelance Samurai, though being that sort of thing back in feudal Japan was kind considered dishonorable. While not has heavily armoured as some depictions of Samurai would suggest, THIS Ronin is still recognizable as such, or at least it will be if you've watched enough anime. Contents include:
- 1 x Main Figure
- 3 x Faceplates (Neutral, Angry, Eyes Closed)
- 1 x Lower Torso/Legs
- 1 x Hat Head
- 1 x Roningasa Hat
- 1 x Odachi Sword/Scabbard
- 1 x Tanto Sword
- 1 x Tanto Sheath w/Removable Hilt
- 10 x Gripping/Posing Hands
- 1 x Base/Stand
The weaponry is nice, especially the giant Odachi sword. But the star of the show is definitely the Roningasa. Truly a nicely made hate, and unlike traditional ones, features slots cut out of the brim so that Ronin can see forward while her head is tilted down.
Here she is, all decked out. There's really not much else to the figure that you don't see here. Her lower body is truly magnificent. The colours, the trim, the golden braids. The detailing on the weapons. The use of a stiffer grey plastic for the outside of the skirt but softer material for the inside. The skirt is actually broken up in to 6 pieces, which helps with articulation.
Having said that, while it's not full restricted, at the end of the day you're still working within the confines of a skirted area. The use of the base/stand can help with balance issues, but nothing is going to improve the actual range of motion one gets in this mode. The upper body is unrestricted, though, and you can actually get some great range of motion out of the torso and neck joints. In this mode, you're pretty much going for those intense, dramatic poses.
Swapping out her lower body results in a Figma that has a more.. traditional form factor. In this mode, Ronin has the usual articulation plus pull down hips. You can do all the wonder poses that your uninhibited Figma generally can pull off. The problem is that compared to her fully geared out form, she looks practically naked, and not in the fun, sexy way. It also doesn't help that in this form, Ronin is probably the most lanky Figma I've ever seen, and I own Panther from Persona 5.
I can't comment on the accuracy of the face plates, but I can say that based on the mood of the overall design, these face plates more than likely actually fit the character. Personally, it's going to be the eyes closed one that gets the most action, because nothing says "I'm going to mess you up" more than a trained sword user with their eyes closed.
Faces can be interchanged between the two heads.
Unsurprisingly, Paint and Build Quality are non issues here. All details are beautifully applied, including decals. Nothing falls apart. There's also no poor finishes or pieces that can be easily damaged, as even the flimsy looking parts are on a hinge.
A beautifully made figure. It's just that it's not a very good action figure full geared up. To be fair though, it's not just limited to this figure - its every design that features a bulky lower body garment like Ronin.
While she can't pose that well, however, if you find the right pose for her, she will have fantastic shelf presence.
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