Review of Batgirl Bishoujo statue - Black Costume Variant

Introduction

Kotobukiya's Bishoujo statues have been a huge hit with fans of both Marvel and DC female characters. They've hit up heroes and villains alike, and with the latest release they go back to the beginning of their DC series.

They are re-issuing the very popular Batgirl, using the same sexy pose and style. The original statue was done in classic blue and gray, and sold out very quickly. Now, they've re-released her, but this time in the more modern black and yellow/gold costume.

This is actually a bit of an early review, as she isn't slated to hit retailers for at least another month, maybe even six weeks. Like the other statues in the series, you should be able to pick her up for around $50, depending on the retailer. As always, I have some suggestions of site sponsors at the end of the review, all of which are reliable choices.

Packaging - ***
The package is similar to past releases, including the nice big window you can use to see the statue itself. It's a bit obscured by the plastic wrap used to protect the paint from rubs, but that's understandable.

The box is black this time around to set it apart from the first release, but there is no COA or other edition size information included. It's completely collector friendly of course, which means you can easily remove the statue from the package and return it later, all without any damage to the box or trays.

Sculpting - ****
Not all the poses of the Bishoujo statues have been to my liking - some seem silly, while others exude the kind of sexy toughness I'd expect.

This is one of the later - lots of attitude, lots of personality, lots of kick butt style, and plenty of sexy.

These are in a 1/7th scale, and with the base Batgirl stands 8 1/2 inches tall.

There's plenty of detail work in the hair, and the suit wrinkles and folds in all the right places, but the eyes and face are done in the traditional manga/anime style.

One of my favorite aspects of this (and the original) statue is the highly detailed gargoyle that she's using as a foot rest. The stone appearance looks very realistic, and the scale works well in relation to the figure.

Paint - ***1/2
These statues are usually painted extremely well, and Batgirl is no exception. There is just the slightest issue around the edges of the mask and her lips, but it's so minor that most people will have no real problem with it.

The body suit is a matte black, while the cowl and cape are a very shiny gloss black. The interior of the cape has the yellow gold color of the boots, gloves, belt and symbol, and the combination works extremely well together. Her red hair is the perfect compliment to the costume colors!

Value - ***1/2
One of the best things about the Bishoujo statues is the price. While they are slightly smaller than the Cover Girls (which run close to $80) and slightly larger than the Batman Black and White statues (which run around $70 each), these come in at just $50 at most retailers. These are more plastic than resin, but it's a minor quibble considering the quality. An average value for me is a **1/2 score, so these are getting a big boost in this category.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. The statue, gargoyle and base are all permanently attached already, so no assembly is required.

Overall - ****
Whether this one was a ***1/2 or **** star statue was a tough call for me. On the one hand, I love the sculpt (and I'm loving it more the longer I look at it, always a good sign), and the paint work is well above average. But the key turning point for me is the price - it's rare to get any sort of decent statue in this price range today, especially one with this high of a production value.

It probably also helps that while the blue and gray might be the more traditional colors for Batgirl, I much prefer this updated color scheme. It's much more striking and eye catching, and makes complete sense as a re-issue.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has her at $50.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered several of the Bishoujo releases so far, including Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Phoenix and Rogue. 

And if you just like Batgirl, you should check out the Cover Girls of the DCU version, the Ame-Comi version, the 13" Deluxe action figure, the Elseworlds action figure, the DC Superheroes version (one of my favs), the DCD Silver Age figure, or the nifty Microman version.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!

Enjoyed this review? Be sure to head back to the main page to find thousands more just like it!