Review of Star Wars Rey & Finn
ArtFX+ Statues

Introduction

I've been on a statue kick this last week, and I've got another new release from Kotobukiya to check out. This time it's from the smaller ArtFX+ series, and it's from Star Wars. This two pack of Rey and Finn, based on The Force Awakens (obviously) should be shipping any day, and will run you around $130. It's not a limited edition, and there's no exclusives or special editions.

Packaging - ***
Nothing too exciting here, pretty standard stuff for Star Wars and Kobotukiya. It follows the standard approved Star Wars design style on the outside, and uses the snap together plastic trays on the inside. Everything is safe and sound, and it's fairly collector friendly, but it's also pretty average stuff.

Sculpting - Finn ***; Rey ***1/2
First, a disclaimer. I'm not a big fan of the ArtFX+ scale, in comparison to the larger ArtFX line that I've always loved. This pair is much smaller, with Finn coming in about 6 3/4" tall, while the crouched Rey is just over 6".

That being said, the detail on these smaller statues is quite good. The work on the hair for both characters shows plenty of fine detail, and the various pieces of clothing have appropriate buttons, buckles, wrinkles, and folds.

I'm not thrilled with the likeness on Finn. It's not wildly off, but the portrait on Rey is much more accurate to my eye. In fact, I'm quite impressed with the likeness on Rey, especially when you consider the scale.

Neither figure is in a pose that really does it for me, however. The Finn is particularly boring, and neither weapon - light saber or blaster - does much to improve the rather tepid appearance of the overall pose.

Rey is better, with a dynamic pose supporting the nice likeness. The pose also works with both weapons, thanks to the design of the extra arms.

Paint - ***
The paint work is solid, but not outstanding. Like the sculpt, it's actually a bit better - overall - on Rey than it is on Finn, but my Rey has a messed up hairline that pulls her back down a bit.

The work on her eyes and lips is really quite nice though, and if not for that blip mid-forehead, she would have gotten another half star here easily. Not every cut line around the costume is perfect, and the overall wash on the 'cloth' is a bit hit and miss, but she's still a very well painted statue overall.

Finn is a little weaker, particularly around the silver details. It's a tough color, but the coverage and edges are a little more wonky. He doesn't have a ton of detail either, so any minor slip is all the more obvious.

Finn's biggest problem is he's...well...dull. And unfortunately, the paint does nothing to alter that overall impression.

Accessories - ***
As always, when a statue comes with 'accessories', it's always a big plus, and it boosts the score more than the single score might indicate.

This time Kotobukiya gives us swappable arms for both Rey and Finn, as well as another weapon either can use.

Rey has a set of arms to hold her staff (which is also technically an accessory, since it's a separate piece), and a set to hold Luke's light saber. Swapping the arms is easy, and with a solid push you can get them to seat deeply, leaving no gap.

To insert the staff in her hands, you pop it apart near the center. This is necessary because of the strap, which precludes simply sliding it through the hands from one end.

The light saber works the same way, with the hilt itself breaking in half. Insert one half in the top hand, one in the bottom hand, and she can pose with a more deadly weapon.

Finn also comes with two sets of arms, one to hold the same light saber (since they both used it at one point or another in the film), and one to hold the blaster given to him by Han Solo. The blaster is NOT an accessory, as it comes permanently affixed to one right hand.

Last but not least, both figures come with their own black base. These are heavy, thanks to a metal plate inside. The feet on the figures include magnets, and this holds them tightly on the base...or any other metal surface you choose.  That's a particularly nice feature, since they don't require the bases to stand.

Value - **
These guys are less than 7" tall, and the $65 a piece price tag is a little hard to swallow. That's not a lot less than what you're paying for a fully articulated, clothed One:12 Collective figure with a butt load of accessories.  Again, getting these closer to that magical Benjamin would drive up the score another half star.

Things to Watch Out For -
Take some care when assembling the light saber inside the hands. The two halves of the hilt are designed to only fit one way, and it can be tricky figuring that out once they are in the palms of the hands.

Overall - ***
This isn't a bad set, but not one that blows me away. The Finn is the weaker of the two overall, due in part to his slightly poorer portrait, but the dull, boring design is my bigger issue. Rey overcomes that issue, as well as providing a better portrait, but mine had a couple paint issues that leveled the playing field.

The price is somewhat of a concern as well. While it's great getting a twofer, that only works when you want both. And I'm not sure everyone is going to want both.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $140.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
If you're a fan of Rey, you should check out the Hot Toys Resistance outfit version, as well as their original version. If you prefer Finn, Hot Toys has you covered there as well.

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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