Review of Galadriel - Lord of the Rings
Exclusive sixth scale action figure

Introduction

Asmus has recently cranked up the preorders for new figures in their Lord of the Rings and Hobbit sixth scale lines. The latest release to ship is Galadriel, the lovely elf portrayed by Cate Blanchett.

This figure came in two varieties - the standard, available at many retailers for around $195, and the exclusive, available only through the Asmus store. This is the version I'm reviewing tonight, and it was $235.

The edition size on her, like most of the figures, is 1500, and it looks like that 1500 covered both the regular and exclusive versions.

Packaging - ***1/2
The exclusive includes two boxes - one shoe box style, holding the figure and standard accessories, and one larger slip cover over foam trays, designed for the extra accessories with the exclusive. Both are very attractive, done in a beautiful ethereal blue. They are also both collector friendly, and the high quality foam inserts, rather than plastic trays, are very secure.

Sculpting - ***
This was a tricky one for me. This is definitely Blanchett - they captured the eyes and lips, and it translates to the actress. But the rooted hair isn't styled out of the box quite as nicely as it was in the marketing photos, and because of the way it lays it's a bit tougher to work with and not completely mess up. For the review, I just did minor adjustments, worried that any major changes might end in disaster. I'll be working on the hair a bit more now, and see if I can get the look I want.

The expression is soft, kind, angelic. She is clearly one with the world around her, and it works great for the character. The rooted hair is thick and very curly and soft, so I'm hopeful that I'll be able to adjust it to get the ears covered a bit more, and a little more of the hair over the forehead.

She stands about 11" tall, on a slender, lithe body. She's also barefoot, a free living hippie if you will.

Paint - **1/2
The paint work isn't quite as good here as with several of the other recent Asmus releases, but it's reasonable.

The skin tone is good, with a nice translucence and realism. However, the black lip line is a little too obvious to me, and I wish the eyes were glossier, wetter, and had a little more depth. The lashes are decent, if a little thick, and the rooted hair gives them the advantage of getting the blonde color more accurate. It's a tough color to do with sculpted hair.

Articulation - ***
The underlying body is well articulated, but a couple joints were rather loose.

The ball jointed neck allows for decent tilt and lean, and the rooted hair doesn't restrict it the way sculpted hair would. The arms can take natural poses, and while she's not going to look right in any ninja stances, the hips, knees, and waist could manage it.

However, the very well articulated ankles - with lots of posing potential - are pretty loose. I had issues keeping her standing in the bare feet, something that was surprising to me.

Accessories - ***
I'm grading the exclusive release, which includes a couple major extras.

The regular has a nice assortment of hands, and they swap easily. The two silver rings you see on two of the right hands are removable as well, and count as additional accessories.

The regular figure also includes the Elvish kettle, perfect for pouring Elvish drink. The sculpt and scale are great, and she has hands that work nicely with it.

But that's it for the regular release. If I were grading that one, she's lose some points in this category. However, the deluxe adds in the bowl of water, called the 'mirror of Galadriel', and the altar this bowl sits upon.

The water is a clear resin, and the bowl and altar look terrific. Great sculpt, and realistic paint work make them a nice addition to the display.

The exclusive also includes - unmentioned in the marketing info - the outer hooded robe. More on that in the Outfit section.

Outfit - ***1/2
The standard outfit is the slip and gown, along with the belt. The exclusive also includes the outer robe, with the hood.

The quality of materials and workmanship are excellent all around. The costumes have always been a high point for Asmus, and they continue their streak.

Fun Factor - ***
This isn't exactly a figure you'll repose a lot over time, more likely you'll find a stance you like and leave it. But you can pair her up with different figures in the series, and make things interesting over time. The altar and bowl really add a lot to the display as well.

Value - **
One of the advantages of Asmus figures is their price point when compared to a company like Hot Toys. Getting decent quality and not spending the $250+ is a big positive. And while I marked her down slightly from average, it's not because of the extra cost for the mirror and altar. Spending an extra $30 - $40 for these is well worth it, but the base price of $195 for the standard figure is a bit high, at least to me.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. Everything is sturdy and well made, and you should have no trouble with her.

Overall - ***
While this isn't an amazing release like the recent Gandalf, it's also at the normal, much lower,  price point. I'd have a tough time justifying the regular release, but the extra accessories that come with the exclusive makes her a much better buy. It's great to be getting some of these female characters, and with the announcement of a new Arwen, I expect we'll see a lot more in the future.

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

Where to Buy 
The exclusive I reviewed here is only available through the Asmus site, where she's $235. The regular release is more widely available. Online options include these site sponsors:

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Asmus LOTR/Hobbit figures include the new Crown series Gandalf, and the recent Aragorn. Check the search reviews page for lots more.

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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