Review of Nazgul - Lord of the Rings
Defo-Real Deluxe vinyl figure

Introduction

Star Ace has an interesting series of vinyl figures called 'Defo-Real'. These are a new take on the traditional deformed style, with larger heads than the bodies. However, they are also very high quality, with detailed sculpts and paint jobs. While they are deformed, they are still stylistically realistic.

The latest to cross my path is the Nazgul from Lord of the Rings. This guy comes in two flavors - regular and deluxe. I'm looking at the deluxe tonight, with slightly different accessories. The regular will run you around $50, while the deluxe will be in the $60 - $70 range, depending on the retailer. This is a slightly early review - he should be shipping to retailers any day.

Packaging - ***
The box has a large window, allowing you to see the figure and accessories inside. It's fairly collector friendly, and there's even some basic instructions. The box itself is a little thin, but it's a decent package overall.

Sculpting - ***1/2
While these are 'vinyl' figures, there's a ton of sculpted detail in every Defo-Real release I've seen. Here they had no likeness to work with - there's no face inside that cloak of course. So they went crazy with the outfit, giving it a ton of texture, wrinkles, wear, and tear. The metal gloves and boots look terrific, and the selected pose is skulking and sneaky.

This guy stands about 6" tall without the included base.

Paint - ***
Without a face, there's a lot less they can do with the paint work. Add in a monotone outfit, and the problem is even bigger.

They did use some dry brushing and wiping techniques to create highlights and dark areas though, and they showcased a lot of the sculpted detail this way. The metallic pieces, including the two swords, look realistic, and the overall paint quality is good.

Articulation - **
While this is a vinyl figure, he actually has some articulation!  You might think a ** in this category isn't 'good', but when it's a figure that shouldn't have any score, that's a big plus!  Both wrists are articulated, allowing you to pose the angle of the swords. It's not a huge deal, but it does allow you to personalize the look a bit.

Accessories - **1/2
Accessories? With a figure like this? Yep! Actually, the normal version doesn't have any extras - this would be a big N/A if we were talking about him. But this version has a second smaller sword (the Morgul blade) as well as a diorama stone-like base. The second blade be slipped inside the second hand or not, up to you, and you don't have to use the diorama either. It is pretty nice looking though, and if they do more LOTR releases like this I'm hoping for more bases.

Value - **
While there's lots of good to say about this guy, he ain't cheap. The $50 is no real surprise considering the overall quality of the Defo-Real line, but the deluxe tacks on quite a bit more.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!

Overall - ***
The only thing pulling this guy down a bit is that price tag. The deluxe has the two extra items though, and if you've grown accustomed to the higher prices of import vinyl toys, you probably won't mind. I'm just hoping we see more in the LOTR series, because a guy like this looks all the better with some compadres with him on the shelf.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Defo-Real figures include Jason, the special Pennywise with light up feature, and the regular release Pennywise. Other Nazgul related stuff includes the Asmus Morgul Lord, his steed, and the Mouth of Sauron.

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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