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Introduction
I'm checking out something a little different today, at least for me. I generally don't buy third party or unlicensed items, preferring to stick with the official collectibles. However, when Threezero announced the next several releases in their Game of Thrones sixth scale line up, a couple characters were missing and it just so happens these characters are being produced unofficially by a company called Xensation.
Since it didn't look like we'd be getting a Davos any time soon
from Threezero, and I'd heard good things about Xensations the
'Smuggler', I thought I'd give it a shot. I grabbed this guy from a
shop overseas for $130, quite a steal for any sixth scale figure
these days. They are also doing a Tywin Lannister (the
Advisor), Bronn (the Mercenary), and Grey Worm (the Soldier).
Packaging - ****
The shoe box style package is sturdy and well made, and rather than
going with plastic trays, they have very nice foam inserts, holding
the figures and accessories safe and sound. It's a much higher
quality package than I expected, considering the bootleg nature of
the figure, and is completely collector friendly.
Sculpting - ****
I looked over the figures they are currently offering, and went with
the Smuggler because he easily had the best likeness. The Advisor is
a close second, and the Soldier is in the ball park. I'm not sure
what happened with the Mercenary, but he's easily the weakest of
their offerings so far.
So it's not really a surprise that the figure got this good of a score, since I picked him specifically because of his likeness. Pop this head off the body, and any fan of the show will know instantly who it is. Not only is the accuracy excellent, the realism is over the top as well, with carefully sculpted hair and skin texture. The facial hair looks fantastic, and the expression, rather glum and depressed, is spot on.
I'm really impressed with the quality of work, but it is the best of the four so far. He stands about 11 1/2" tall, which might sound short, but actually fits in pretty well with the rest of the Threezero releases. I've included a shot with the Jon Snow, and they are about the same height.
Paint - ***1/2
While it's a pleasant surprise to see such high quality sculpting
from a relatively small company, it's more impressive to see great
production paint work. The tricky gray hair is well done, with a
subtle, realistic hair line, and the freckled skin has a
translucent, life-like quality.
The eyes are straight and clean, but I do wish they had just a smidge more life. There's not a lot of gloss or wetness, making them a bit flat even in hand. Still, for a figure in this price range, the overall quality is excellent.
Articulation - **1/2
While the sculpt and paint are excellent, they did cut a few corners
in other areas to keep the pricing down.
The underlying body is likely stock, and fairly standard. The neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, and knees are all mobile, tight, and can maintain poses. There's nothing unique here, but it works as expected.
However, there's one joint where the articulation is restricted heavily by the costume - the ankles. The one piece, stiff boots make it hard to create deeper stances, and even shallow stances can be tricky to create with a natural flow.
Accessories - **1/2
Another area where they went light was the accessories. He has a
few, but there's not a lot.
Of course there's some hands, five extras to go with the pair he comes wearing. These are all gloved, and all but one are sculpted with full fingers. One has the shorter fingers. They swap easily, but the glove is a two piece design. The cuff is separate from the hand. It works well enough, and does make swapping and posing hands a little easier.
He also has a sword and scabbard, which fits inside the belt. The sculpt and paint work are acceptable, but nothing particularly unique.
And that's it. Considering the price point, it's pretty much what I'd expect.
Outfit - ***
The outfit is well made, with good tailoring and good quality
materials.
The outfit consists of his pants, shirt, robe, belts, boots, and cape. The cape comes as a separate item, and can be worn over either shoulder, or you can skip it altogether if you like. Personally, I liked the look in the cape, but your mileage may vary.
Had they gone with two piece boots, the score here would have jumped another half star.
Fun Factor - ***
While he's not a figure you'll pose and repose, he is a great
addition to the shelf, and you can find some nice match ups with the
other Threezero releases.
Value - ****
And here we are - the category where he really outshines the
competition. At $130, this guy is a steal. The quality of the
sculpt, paint, and outfit all make him well worth the price tag and
more. If I thought Threezero was going to produce a Davos any time
soon, I might not have picked him up, but with these lesser
characters, it's nice to have an option to include them on the
shelf, and at a great price.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!
Overall - ***1/2
As I said earlier, I don't buy a lot of unlicensed product. But if
the licensed company is unlikely to produce a character, and another
company is providing a high quality stand in, I've been known to go
for it. That's the situation here, and I'm very glad I did. The
'smuggler' fits in great on the shelf, and can't be beat at this
price. I may pick up the Tywin stand-in if I can find it for a good
price, but the Soldier and Mercenary just aren't quite doing it for
me. Still, I'll keep an eye on Xensations and see what else they
announce.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - **1/2
Accessories - **1/2
Outfit - ***
Fun Factor - ***
Value - ****
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy
Finding these can be a little tricky, and they are usually carried
by overseas shops. I picked mine up for $120, but Davos and 'the
advisor' (Tywin) are starting to dry up. You can always search
ebay for a deal.
Related Links -
Threezero is producing the official sixth scale series for the show,
and have done Bran,
Joffrey,
the Night
King, the second Jon Snow, season 7 Tyrion, Brienne, Cersei, White Walker, Arya, Daenarys, the Hound, Jaime, the first Tyrion, Ned, and Jon Snow.
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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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and
text by Michael Crawford.