Review of Jason Voorhees - Friday the 13th
ArtFX Statue

Introduction

There are few franchises as prolific as Friday the 13th. In less than 10 years they cranked out 8 movies, and after a dozen films and countless gruesome deaths, you'd think Jason would be all killed out. But I don't think we've seen the last of him on screen, and the collectibles market still shows him plenty of love.

The latest release is the Kotobukiya ArtFX statue. They always call these '1/6 scale', but if you have any you know they're usually a little undersized for that designation. Jason is going to start shipping any day now, and will run you around $120 or so depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***1/2
It's the usual collector friendly box with the snap together plastic trays, quite familiar to anyone that's bought ArtFX statues in the past. They up their game a bit here however, with a nice use of the cabin window design around the actual plastic window, and with the inclusion of a good insert background that could be added to your display if you were so inclined.

Sculpting - ***1/2
This version is based on his look in Part 3, when he dons his Red Wings goalie hockey mask for the first time, the look that became synonymous with him over the next decade. The mask is not intended to be removed, but there at least are eyes under there.  They are pretty deep set behind the mask so they can be difficult to see in photos, but they're there.

The work on the skin, especially around the neck, is particularly good, and while the costume doesn't allow for much detail, the general sculpt quality is quite high. Like most ArtFX statues, there's some assembly - you have to attach the figure to the grassy display base. He also has two different right arms, and swapping is quite easy.

As I said earlier, he's called 1/6 scale, and with the base comes in at 12 inches tall. He is hunched over though, and is really closer to sixth scale than most of the ArtFX statues. He could use a little more bulk in the legs, but overall he's not a bad stand in for the 1/6 collectors. I've included a shot with the Sideshow release to give you some idea, but of course, you can also use the LifeSizer photo above to compare to anything.

I think the clothes could use a little more texture, and their smooth appearance ends up turning this into an obvious statue, rather than a super realistic collectible. Let's be honest - there's not much to work with when there's just a shirt and pants, but a little more texture and detail would have gone a long way.

Paint - ***1/2
The mask is rough and dirty, the skin looks oily and grotesque. The color of the clothing is subdued but consistent, and the matte finish is appropriate. There's some use of a wash on the clothing as well, bringing out a few of the wrinkles and folds.

The eyes inside the mask are well done, and very realistic. There's no slop or bleed, and there's just the right amount of gloss.

And after the recent Sideshow release, all eyes are on the chevrons. I'm happy to report that they are straight and even, properly placed on the mask.

Accessories - ***
Statues don't usually have accessories, so getting any score here is a big plus to the Overall rating.

Jason comes with a second right arm, posed with a slightly deeper bend at the elbow. The arms swap pretty easily, but make sure you have it full seated in the joint to avoid any gaps.

There are also two weapons to choose from. There's a machete and an axe, both with appropriate wear and blood.  The machete fits in either right hand without too much trouble, but the axe handle would be impossible to get inside the tight fingers. They fixed that by cutting the handle in two at the point where you see the horizontal line. Pop the handle apart, and you can slip it into the hand at this thinner point and then reattach the two pieces.

Value - **1/2
Regular readers know that a **1/2 here means an average value, and the score won't effect my Overall score either up or down. The current market for 12" statues is in the $100 - $120 range, and while Jason is on the higher side of that, he also has two weapons and two arms.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. Just remember that the axe handle comes apart, making it much easier to put the axe in either right hand.

Overall - ***1/2
Last year I was lamenting how little 'classic' horror there was on the collectibles market these days. And then in fairly short order I end up reviewing a One:12 Frankenstein, vinyl Pinhead, Chrisopher Lee Dracula, Evil Dead Ash, and another 1/6 Pinhead! Of course, there's also the recent Sideshow Jason, and there's several other older horror characters scheduled as well. Clearly, the horror icons are back on the market in a big way.

I would really love to see them do more in this theme, with an ArtFX Freddy, Leatherface, Michael Myers, and others to go with this Jason. He's a little lonely on the shelf right now, and I'm hoping Kotobukiya produces a few friends to keep him company.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $120 with free shipping!

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Jason has gotten the collectibles treatment many times, the most recent being the sixth scale figure from Sideshow. They've done a number of 1/6 versions, including Jason Goes to Hell, Part 6, Part 2, Part 3, and Freddy vs. Jason. Sideshow also did a great Premium Format statue, and has another one coming. And don't forget the real start of Friday the 13t, Pamela Voorhees!

Smaller versions include the terrific 4" Jason from Mezco, the Cinema of Fear Jason based on the remake (also from Mezco), Mezco's Part VII version, Mezco's cool stylized Jason, and NECA's Freddy Vs Jason set.

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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