Review of Newt Scamander - Fantastic Beasts
1/8 Scale Action Figure

Introduction

Star Ace continues producing a variety of Harry Potter related sixth scale figures, including characters from the Fantastic Beasts films. Regular readers know I'm a big fan, and have been a collector of the line since the start.

They also do a 1/8th scale series, which hasn't gotten as many releases or as much attention. These are clothed figures, coming in around 9" tall or so, with a similar style and quality to their sixth scale releases.

The latest in the series is Newt Scamander and Grindelwald based on the second Fantastic Beasts film. I'm checking out Newt tonight, and I'll have a look at Grindelwald shortly.  Newt runs around $150, depending on the retailer, and is currently shipping.

Packaging - ***
The box is attractive and very sturdy, with a set of plastic trays holding the contents safe and sound. It's all collector friendly of course, and there's a short instruction sheet, although you'll be able to figure it out on your own. While there's nothing particularly unique here, it's appropriate and functional, and should hold up to storage and shelf wear.

Sculpting - ***
This figure comes with two portraits, one with a slight smile, the other with his trademark slightly open lips.

Remember scale - this is a smaller figure than you might expect from the photos. He stands about 9 1/2" tall, making these portraits much smaller than the usual sixth scale fare. However, much of the same detail is present, and Star Ace is doing a nice job with this scale.

The hair has a wild, impish style, with decent stranding. It's also tight to the head, with little gap between the bangs and the forehead. The skin texture is subtle but present, as is the slight texture to the lips and eyebrows. Considering the scale, it's a realistic sculpt, and the expressions work well for the character.

The accuracy is decent, but not quite as good as their larger release. The open mouth portrait captures the Redmayne appearance better, and is probably the one I'll go with on the shelf. Your mileage may vary.

One sculpted bit that's slightly off, at least to me, is the bow tie. It's not quite as realistic as in the marketing photos, looking a bit thick and chunky, with less detail.

Paint - ***
As with the sculpt, the production paint work is solid. The lip color is realistic, the skin tone looks great, and the tiny teeth on the open mouth head are very clean and well done.

The hair and eyebrows are a little toy-ish, and I wish the eyes had a little more life. The color is good, and while the pupils are off slightly, it's something you'll only notice in macro photos. Macro photos also make the lashes a bit more obvious than they are in hand.

Articulation - ***
The underlying body has all the articulation of its larger, 12" cousin, including the double jointed neck. There's lots of tilt and lean to the head, and the heads swapped easily.

The arms are slightly restricted by clothing, but they went with fewer layers to make it easier to pose. The hands swapped easily, with little effort.

The torso turns and tilts nicely too, breaking up straight lines, and the hips and knees could take any stance...if it wasn't for the one piece, hard boots. The ankles are pretty restricted by them, and you won't get any rocker or forward/back movement out of the feet.

Accessories - ***1/2
As I mentioned earlier, this figure comes with two heads, which is always a big boost to this score. It's a particularly good thing this time too, because I prefer the second portrait over the one he comes wearing. They swap easily.

There's also three extra hands to go with the pair of open hands that come attached. There's a gripping left and right, along with a wide pose left. Like the heads, these swap easily.

Every Potter character needs a wand, and Newt has his. He also has the book he's famous for, but it is a solid piece.

The suitcase is a solid piece as well, which was a bit of a surprise. The sculpt and paint work are good however, and holding it is an iconic look for him.

There are several beasts, as you might expect. There's an adult Niffler, sculpted in a standing pose, as well as a baby Niffler, sculpted in a sitting pose holding a coin. Included are four more loose coins to place around him.

The marketing photos didn't show them, but there are two more baby Nifflers, this time sculpted in a prone pose. They're cute, but they do look a little like they were ran over by a car.

Have no fear, there's a Bowtruckle as well, and you can pose him in a pocket or on a shoulder pretty easily.

Finally, there's a standard display stand with a metal, posable, support rod and waist clamp.

Outfit - ***1/2
Remember, this is a 1/8th scale figure, and as you get smaller, it gets more difficult to create in scale cloth outfits. Getting material that is thin enough, looks appropriate, and flows in a natural way can be a challenge.

Getting creative is one way around that. While it might appear to be three layers here - the shirt, vest, and coat - there is really only two, at least around the sides, shoulders, and back. The vest is a separate piece, but only covers the front, where it is sewn to the shirt. That keeps his torso from bulking up too much.

The material used in all the clothing, especially the pants and coat, is high quality, and the stitching and tailoring is very good. The collar is designed to flip up in back, and the its scale, along with the pocket's, belt, and button's, is great.

I do wish the boots weren't so restrictive, and I don't love the sculpt on the plastic bow tie. But overall, it's a nicely done suit in this smaller scale.

Fun Factor - ***
Pair this guy up with the Grindelwald and you'll have a pretty cool display. I don't have a ton of these 1/8 scale releases, but the few I do have look great together on the shelf. I don't do a lot of reposing, but there's certainly plenty of potential.

Value - **
I docked them slightly here, but keep in mind that the quality is very similar to the $200 sixth scale figures on the market, and does include a second portrait. I think around $125 would be the sweet spot, but even at $150 you won't feel ripped off.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. Everything is sturdy and well made, and I had no worries about damage.

Overall - ***
Sixth scale will always remain my favorite, but these figures hold a special place as well. It's an interesting size - small enough to allow for a broader display, yet not so small as to make costumes and clothing impossible to get right.

I'm happy with Newt, and I'll be checking out his counterpart shortly. It's interesting that Star Ace did Grindelwald in this scale, and have yet to do one in the larger, more popular size.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***
Paint - ***
Articulation - ***
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ***
Value - **
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him for $160 and free shipping.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Fantastic Beasts figures include the Star Ace sixth scale Newt, the Hot Toys sixth scale Newt, and the Hot Toys sixth scale Grindelwald.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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