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LOTR Rotocast
Frodo and Sam

We've got a new guest reviewer tonight - Ted Sallis!  He's here to talk about the new rotocast Frodo and Sam figures.  Tell us all about it, Ted! 

Lord of the Rings collectors have been truly blessed over the last few years. The Lord of the Rings line from Toybiz has yielded some amazing figures in the 6 inch scale and some of the later sereis 12 inch dolls were also quite beautiful. But one sore spot has always been the 1st series 12 inch figures and the shining light of suckitude has always been the 12 inch scale Frodo. The sculpt was horrible, the cloth outfit was so so but the rotting cherry on top of this crap sundae was the curly rooted hair that made Frodo look more like a little girl than a hobbit. Another big issue with collectors (well this collector at least) was the scale of the figure. Toybiz used the same basic body on the Gimli figure, making Frodo too tall. Everyone knows that Hobbits are smaller than Dwarves!! 






Well your loose display of 12 inch scale Lord of the Rings figures just got a big upgrade in the form of the Deluxe Posaeble Frodo from Toybiz. While it's clear this line is probably not intended as part of the Toybiz 12 inch scale line of figures, the scale practically DEMANDS that it be included in any display of loose 12 inch LOTR figures. And as an extra special added bonus they also made available a Samwise Gamgee in the same scale!!!! Let's take a look at them point by point shall we? 

Packaging - ***
The open design of the package means you will have to look carefully at your figure as paint rubs on the face can be a common problem. I was able to find two figures with nice paint with no problem. 
Another potential problem is the accessories being twist tied to the backer card. The Sting sword on mine was dinged by overzealous twist tying.

Sculpting - ****
GORGEOUS. The likenesses are perfect, Costumes are dead on and the sculpted drapery and hair make this Frodo infinitely superior to the old version. Sam is likewise perfect right down to the pack on his back which is festooned with pots and pans. These are basically scaled up versions of the 6 inch scaled figures and the larger format really shows how great the Real Scan heads capture the look of the characters. The hands are nice with gripping right hands to hold weapons tightly and more gestural left hands. Sam's left hand is particularly well done, nice interesting and intense pose that is one of the hallmarks of Steve Kiwus's work for Toybiz. Real Scan doesn't do everything and these hands show the artistry and craftsmanship of a talented artist. I'm not sure that he did this figure but I would not be at all surprised to find out that he did, it's just one of those things you learn to recognize over time.

Paint - ****
The flesh tones on the hands and faces is very lifelike and delicately accented. Details such as the eyes, eyebrows and lips are sharply detailed with no slips. Sam's eyebrows utilize a very well done wash technique giving them a very intricate two color treatment. Sam's hair also utilizes a similar technique that really adds to the look of his hair. Both character's cloaks utilize wash techniques to deepen the detail in the drapery, pop the highlights and show off the small detailed pattern throughout. One interesting detain in the Frodo figure is a cloth vest that is well fitted and really adds to the total package here. Not a paint detail but a very nice touch.

Articulation - ****
I know I'm throwing a lot of 4 star ratings around here but what can I say, on each point Toybiz totally hit their mark and then some. Both figures feature 20 points of articulation with elbows and knees very similar to the current Marvel Legends and Super articulated LOTR figures. Mid bicep and thigh swivel joints add a lot to poseability and the wrist and ankle swivels make all sorts of hand and foot positions possible. Sams' stance is a little wide but with this level of articulation its a very minor complaint. Both heads have a ball swivel so the heads can tilt side to side and up and down as well as turning, this adds a nice level of expression to the heads.

Accessories - **
These figures are very light in this department. Frodo comes with Sting but there is no scabbard. And as I mentioned my Sting got bent by the way it was secured to the backer card. Sam comes with his sword of the Westernesse (read the books!) and a small hatchet, that actually fits nicely through a loop on the back pack. I'd count the cloaks as accessories but they seem to be very difficult to remove without damaging them.

Fun Factor - ****
These are great figures and having them side by side with the 12 inch figures makes one long for a Merry and Pippin in this scale. The poseability makes them display really well, I really like these figures a lot.

Value - ****
Yes, another 4 star rating. These retail at Toys R Us for $9.99 US, that's basically Frodo and Sam for the same price I paid for that one horrible horrible Frodo. No contest, I'd rather have two super quality hobbits for the price of one very bad one! 

Overall - ****
The Lord of the Rings line from Toybiz has yielded some amazing toys. From the Electronic Sauron, Cave Troll and Treebeard to simple pleasures like a glow in the dark King of the Dead. These two figures easily stand in that mighty company for their quality and attention to detail.

SCORE RECAP:
Packaging - ***
Sculpt - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ****
Accessories - **
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ****
Overall - **** 


Figure from the collection of Ted Sallis.

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