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Packaging: *1/2
Spoiled I am by the magnetic closures of the Star Wars figures. The box, like
most, has the standard Velcro closures. The box is a pretty standard layout
with some accessories on the flap and the figure inside the box. The box
that holds the figure has a nice, black flocked tray that holds and protects
the figure well. They also put a flat piece of foam cushion between the
figure and the box, to keep it from damage. After seeing all this
protection, why so low on the score? This is the most collector unfriendly
box I have ever seen for a high end figure. In the tray there are twisties
that hold the figure down and all the accessories. The twisties themselves
shred. In the process of undoing them the black rubber coating peels off and
makes the twisties bare wire. The twisties are very tightly wound also and
it took a good 6 minutes to undo them all. The two around the helmet are
especially precarious as they loop thru parts of the helmet, so be careful.
Aside from the twisty issue, the armored skirt is also wrapped in small
plastic sheets that have to be cut off. There is no way around it. DiD did
this to keep the skirt in place and protect it and it does a fantastic job,
but it ain’t going back on once it’s off. The final thing is that the
accessory tray is taped to the inside flap of the box and the tape has to be
cut to get the swords and tunic out. Bottom line, if you want to open the
figure, it is not going back to factory condition.
Sculpt: ***1/2
The sculpture is very good; it is on the level of Dragon sculptures. The
face is very realistic looking. As far as resembling Masamune, I am not
sure. Typically Japanese portraits at the time were pretty simple, so there
is a lot of interpretation possible. Maybe that is why the Japan version has
a different sculpt. You do get two heads with the figure, which is very
nice. A head with a stern/neutral expression and a fierce attacking
expression. The one thing that surprised me is the fact that the real hair
actually works for me better than I would have believed. The hands are very
well done also, and are not painted.
Paint: ****
The paint applications are done very, very well, as I expect from DiD. No
slop or runs. Nice blending of skin tones. The armor is also painted, but I
will cover that in the outfit section.
Articulation - ****
The DiD body is one of the more articulated ones out there with double
hinge elbows and knees, multi-ranged shoulder joints, ball jointed neck, and
toe articulation. The torso also has a total of three articulation points
which is incredible. The downfall is that the armor restricts the torso
movement, but doesn’t hamper the arms or legs.
Outfit - ****
This outfit is absolutely insane. I mean seriously, DiD went way above and
beyond here. The armor is individually laced up just like their 1/1 scale
counterparts. I would have given the outfit a five star score if that would
be possible. The level of detail and execution of the fabrics and metal
parts is just stunning. It is painted black with some gold detail painted on
the small plates. The paint has a very smooth and clean sheen to it. Every
time I look at it I notice a new small detail that just adds to the richness
of the costume. Every armor piece works lust like their real world version.
The neck guards on the face mask and helmet are laced and are flexible. The
ONLY downfall to the costume is that the armor is metal and makes the figure
heavy. He cannot stand on his own; the body was not designed to handle the
weight of the armor, so a stand is needed. A small compromise in my eyes.
Accessories: ****
Again, the two swords are insane. They are metal bladed and wrapped the same
way as their 1/1 real life versions. The intricate detailing on the tsuba
(guard) is amazing. I was a little worried that when you put the sword in
the figures hand that it would mess up the lacing, but it did not.
Fun Factor: ***
As Michael has said a few times in his reviews, these figures are a little
costly for kids to play with, but that does not detract from the fun an
adult can have! Masamune is a great figure, worthy of a museum.
Value: ***
This is a very high end figure with a MSRP of $140.00, but considering the
amount of detail in this miniature, it is worth it if you can pony it up.
Things to Watch Out For -
Just the aforementioned things about removing the twisties.
Overall: ***1/2
Despite the packaging, this is one of the most outstanding figures I own. It is
unbeatable in the level of detail and the intricacy of design. I cannot
imagine that anyone in the future could do a better and more true to life
Samurai figure than this.
Score Recap:
Packaging - *1/2
Sculpting- ***1/2
Paint - ****
Articulation - ****
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ****
Fun Factor - ***
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2
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