Review of Katana - Bishoujo statue

Introduction

The film Suicide Squad was a mixed bag for me, with some weak plot elements, and a few silly character interpretations. However, there were parts I liked quite a bit, from Robbie's portrayal of Harley to Smith's work with Deadshot.

One of the pleasant surprises was Katana, a DC Batman character that's never been in my top ten. Portrayed by Karen Fukuhara, rumor has it that she'll be returning with a greater role in the sequel. I'm all for it.

Kotobukiya has added her to their long running and successful line of Bishoujo statues. The design, by Shunya Yamashita, is based on her more recent comic book incarnation, and runs around $75 or so, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
If you're familiar with the Bishoujo series, there's no real surprises with the package for this release. The large window on three sides allow you to see the statue you're buying, always a plus in my book. It's also very collector friendly, but I didn't see any instructions on how to swap face plates. While not critical, it would have been a nice addition.

Sculpting - ****
I'm generally not a fan of overly dynamic or dramatic poses with statues. It's hard to capture a split second in a moving, flowing scene and not end up with something that looks awkward, clumsy, or just plain silly.

There are some awkward pieces to this overall puzzle, that's for sure. Stare too long at the pose of either arm, all by itself, and you'll be wondering just what is happening there. There's a lot of different things happening with different areas of the body - battle ready sword posture meets Latin dance moves - and taken at a micro level, you can pick nits. But zoom out the full view, and the combination works amazingly well. From the swoosh of the hair to the weight shifted forward to the toes, the entire pose is beautiful, flowing, and artistic.

There's also plenty of great detail work. Of course there could be some finer stranding in the hair - that remains an issue for most statues in any scale.  These are considered 1/7th, and Katana comes in just under 9 1/2" tall with the permanently attached base.

I love the flowing folds and wrinkles in the red shirt, creating a perfect visual distinction between the layers. While it's all made out of PVC/ABS plastic, the shirt looks like cloth, and the outer pieces looks like armor plating. Sharp detailing and edging completes the perfect look of the harder materials.

The mask is swappable, but the fit is so tight and clean that you won't realize it at first.  The only other assembly involves putting the blade of her Soultaker in place inside the hilt, and operation is quite painless.

Paint - ****
Kotobukiya has always had great paint operations on their ArtFX and Bishoujo statues. This one is outstanding even by those standards.

Everything is extremely clean, with no slop, over spray, or poor cut lines. There's no stray marks, and this is an excellent example of proper quality control on the production line.

They also use some airbrushing on areas like the boots to help add depth and dimension to the broader colors. It's subtle, and really adds some realism to the overall look.

As I mentioned with Ms. Marvel, the eyes look like stickers or tampos, and at this scale, it's a little too obvious.  They do reflect the light nicely though, and are very clean.  My only real gripe is that the face plate she comes wearing with the visible iris' also have catchlights printed on, an unnecessary and toy-ish look.

Accessories - ***
Here's a surprirse - a statue with an accessory!  And no, I'm not counting the blade of the sword, which is detachable, but which is also pretty critical to be in place all the time.

Nope, the accessory is a second face plate. The alternate has the white, covered eyes, but you can see them *just barely* underneath the milky coating. It looks great, and matches with the color and look of the mask itself.

Swapping is a little tricky, and I didn't see any instructions. Wiggle the front third of the hair, and you'll be able to slide it forward off her head. Then you can pop off the face plate from the top, and slide the second one in place. Both the hair and the face plate have a nice, tight fit, with very little gapping.

Value - ***
At $75, this is a better than average value on the current market. Compare her to the DC Bombshells, which are a similar scale but cost $30 more. Kotobukiya has kept the prices on these within reach of budget minded collectors and fans.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. Make sure you have the blade properly lined up before inserting it in the hilt, and take your time swapping masks, but you should be good to go with some basic care.

Overall - ****
This is one of those pleasant surprises, a terrific looking statue that snuck up on me. Kotobukiya's quality has always been top notch, but this one is a fantastic combination of sculpt, paint, and design, all coming together to form a stand out release.

If you like the character, I'd also suggest checking out the recent DC Bombshells version, another highlight in a very different style of statue.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $80, but with free shipping.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just checked out Kamala Khan last week in the Bishoujo series. Other Kotobuykiya Bishoujo statues include Jaina Solo, Huntress, Power Girl, Poison Ivy, Harley, the black costume Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Phoenix and Rogue.

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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