Figure Review: Play Arts Kai Black Widow

She's got red... on her hair!

Natasha... Ooh La La!

Truthfully, at first I wasn't really excited about the Black Widow prototype that Play Arts Kai/Square Enix unveiled during 2015's San Diego Comic Con, along with their version of Captain America. Considering there are a lot of Natasha Romanoff figures these days (and some of them I already own), I thought adding this version into my collection would be needless. However, I quickly changed my mind when I laid my eyes on the whole package itself. Now, I must admit that my ever-present impulsive urges helped me to ultimately buy the figure. Having said that, I do not regret such decision and I am actually happy about it, because this is simply among the best offerings of the Play Arts Kai line. In fact, I think this is one of the best "Nat" figures ever created!

"Ehem! My eyes are up here, okay?"

For the benefit of those who don't know who Natasha Romanoff is, here's a brief character background. Born Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova, this red-haired femme fatale hails from Stalingrad (now Volgograd), Russia. Nat (as she's been often called by her buddies in the movies) was recruited to become part of the Black Widow Program, which was a team of elite female sleeper agents. Apart from her training, she also studied as a ballerina in order to cover her true occupation (which explains the flashback/dream sequence seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron when she was bedazzled by another redhead). Her expertise and ruthlessness in the field earned her the moniker "Black Widow". Nat eventually left the program, and after some time, she became one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents under Nick Fury's command, which led to her becoming a member of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers. One thing to note is that even though she's currently doing some good stuff with the good guys, she is still being haunted by her past and she tries to make amends with it, one day at a time (as ScarJo herself puts it, "I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out").

Nat's bust and bum - totally the main highlight of the packaging

The figure comes in a standard Marvel Variant PAK packaging, which is usually presented in a red and black motif. The flap/front cover shows her jumping in mid-air while striking a sexy pose. The back of the packaging shows the figure being placed in several action poses, with the 'bum strut' being my favorite.

Nat's de-classified profile

Figure/package description:

Black Widow

"Don't let the name fool you, we won't be playing house. That said, I'll have no problem with sending you to your final resting place."

- Natasha Romanoff

Trained from an early age in the art of the covert, she has become a master of espionage paired with finely honed assassination techniques. "The Black Widow" is a name feared throughout intelligence circles, if you survive long enough to have heard it. But Natasha Romanoff was born to follow her own path, and she grew tired of always looking over her shoulder for the deadly ghosts of her past. The only solution was to try to tip her personal scales of sin and virtue. She sought out heroes that she could ally herself to, and ever since has been a fierce and loyal friend.

The iconic red hourglass motif of Lactrodectus Mactans, which spells doom for its unsuspecting prey, is highly visible all over her suit. Widow's suit responds to electrical impulses sent to her muscles via tension bands stretched across key muscle groups. Thanks to continual advancements made by STARK Industries technology, her reactions and movements are faster and deadlier than ever. Her artillery boasts a myriad of weapons: her belt contains miniature explosives, her two favorite handguns are holstered close at hand but just out of sight of her enemies, and her Widow's Bite gauntlets can electrify her target or deliver rapid fire projectiles. Select areas of her armor expand and contract, allowing her to absorb a superhuman amount of kinetic impact. This suit makes her the perfect blend of speed and strength. 

A woman you will never know entirely, the MARVEL Variant Play Arts Kai Black Widow is always a step ahead...

She smells quite nice!

Just like any other Play Arts Kai product which I have already reviewed, the core figure, along with its accessories, is neatly stored within a clamshell package. As always, it would take some amount of effort to separate the translucent plastic from the black plastic. Notably, every time I separate these two plastics, I would always take a nice triumphant sniff of that familiar PVC scent that follows thereafter. Sweet!

...

And there's that freaking stand. Again.

As for her accessories, Nat's got the following:

1) Two and a half extra pair of lady mitts:

Need a hand?

2) A pair of tiny handguns that forms the 'iconic hourglass motif' when placed side by side:

Small but terrible

3) A small knife:

Whenever she wants to get too close for comfort...

4) A 'rapid fire' effect that can be inserted in both wrists:

Nat's got something that belongs to Mr. Stark

5) A miniature explosive with a blue/white 'electrifying' effect:

Her bite is electrifyin'

6) A plain miniature explosive:

The most itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny PAK accessory yet

Now, let's take a closer look at the figure:
      

She's got a body to die for!

As I have stated earlier, at first I thought that I don't need (even want) this figure, but boy was I so wrong! I have to say that this is probably the best action figure version of Natasha Romanoff to date, considering the size, articulation, details and whatnot. Nat measures about 10 inches tall from the tip of her scarlet hair down to her heels, and features around 20 points of articulation. 

Sway!

One of the things that makes the PAK version stand out among the other Black Widow figures is the head sculpt. Nat's face in particular is done perfectly, sporting a beautiful Eurasian look (Russian-Japanese, in particular) with her gleaming emerald eyes and ginger locks that add to her charm and mystery. She also comes with her signature open collar design, which is also evident in her various appearances in the comic books. Perhaps a minor gripe of mine is that the sculptor didn't make the opening spring from her cleavage, which would have made this figure a whole lot sexier! 

They're really big...

Moving on to the chest area, I have to say that whenever I look at it, only one word comes into my mind - BOOBS! Yep, Nat's one hell of a busty figure, and I just love her for that! As far as the paint job goes, the figure boasts a neatly applied color scheme. Nat's costume sports a lot of black, red, and golden hues that are blended seamlessly all over. Furthermore, a brown color has been added to her suit, resulting in some refined leathery accents.

"Bye-bye bikinis"

Nat's waist section is also filled with some nice details, particularly when it comes to her belt. The strap is filled with some miniature circular bombs, with her trademark hourglass insignia etched on the buckle. Interestingly, her gun holsters are not placed on the side of her upper legs or hips, rather, these can be found on her back covering her sultry bum (two for the mini-handguns and one for the knife). 

"Spying in High Heels"

As for her lower limbs section, Nat sports the same combination of colors as her upper torso, however the color red is more dominant in these areas. She also wears a pair of high heels, which actually makes it difficult for her to stand up at times. Seriously, it took me a while before I made her stand straight and balanced during her photo shoot. That being said, the heels work pretty well for Nat, genuinely complementing her femme fatale look.

Be careful, she bites!

The Widow's Bite gauntlets are among the elements of the figure which piqued my interest. They are intricately designed, and this is by far the best execution I have ever seen in a Black Widow figure.

She's armed to the... ass?

Like the PAK Stormtrooper's case, the handgun holsters are open on one side, which allows for a smoother and easier placement of Nat's hardware. The knife holster, on the other hand, is a sealed piece which holds the accessory snug-tight.  

Even Optimus is distracted by the 'view'

Nat sports a couple of shoulder plates which also bear the hourglass insignia. Also, she dons a pair of semi-fingerless gloves, as if she can't decide whether or not to 'go fingerless' or 'go finger'.

So here's Nat doing some nifty poses:

Nat's flauntin' her sexy bod

She could be a Bond girl, you know?

Nat the Ripper

Megatron: "Yep, she's one helluva sturdy chick!"

Close enough...

And here she is doing some crossovers:

Marvel x DC: Bats got himself caught in the Widow's web

Marvel vs DC: Knife fight!

Lockhart vs Romanoff: They're measuring the size of each other's 'ego'

Final thoughts: To wrap things up, this version of Nat is another great addition to my growing collection of PAK action figures. An excellent rendition of a certified Marvel legend, this gal is one of those offerings that give the best bang for the buck. Putting it simply, she's one hot and beautiful figure, so what's not to love?

Oh yeah, she's feelin' 'em alright!

Okay, since I started this review with a ScarJo pic, so shall I end it with another ScarJo pic...

Well, that smile just drives me 'Nat's

Is this the finest version of Natasha Romanoff yet? Or is there any other worthy contender for the best BW figure? Let me know in the comments below.

Figure Review: Play Arts Kai Stormtrooper

The galaxy's infamous poor shot in his finest form...

This is what happens when you've got an armor with QC issues on top of your bad aim...

Play Arts Kai has recently been populating their action figure line with various Star Wars characters, and I can say that their version of the Stormtrooper is one of their finest offerings to date. So, if you don't happen to know who this guy is, here's a bit of character bio. Collectively known as "Imperial Stormtroopers", they are fictional soldiers from George Lucas' Star Wars universe, and they serve as the primary ground force of the Emperor Palpatine as well as his apprentice/appointed commander, Darth Vader. In popular culture, they are shown in various organizational sizes, which range from squads to brigades. Through the years, artists have had their own take on the design of the Stormtrooper's suit/armor, and I'm sure as hell glad that the guys over at Square Enix decided to come up with their own version of the evil Empire's foot soldier.

The Galactic Empire's Japanese infantry division

One thing I'm raving about the PAK Stormtrooper is his design. It is well-executed, and judging by the artwork itself, the designer (whoever you are, great job man!) displayed an obsessive attention to details down to the smallest bits.

United Nations

This Japanese version sports a more angular look as compared to the smooth appearance of the classic/American one, giving a more bad-ass look to it. It's a perfect mix without making the overall design exaggerated.

Trooper infestation

The figure comes in a standard PAK Star Wars packaging, which for me has a niftier design as compared to the other Play Arts boxes. The flap/front cover depicts the Stormtrooper showing off his blaster rifle, standing in front of his compadres. The back of the box shows the figure being placed in several cool poses, with a close up of the upper half of his helmet in the background. Aside from albino-trooper, the print style is also present in the packaging of the other PAK Star Wars figures, namely Bat-Vader, Fett-Neto, and Maul-nourished.

Find the hidden Mickey

With PAK's Star Wars line, the "Disney" logo can be seen at the back of the packaging. The reason for this is that Disney had already acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012, therefore giving them the right to put their company's name in every Star Wars merchandise.

Star-struck!

There's also an image of the galactic superweapon popularly known as the Death Star on the lower left side of the window. This is actually the second Death Star under construction in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. For those who have been living under a rock and haven't seen the film yet, the mobile megastructure was completely blown to bits at the end of the movie.

The Three Stooges

Figure/package description:

Star Wars has been beloved by generations since its release, a testament to the unending inspiration sparked by the iconic series. By accentuating the defining profiles of legendary characters, these action figures offer our unique Square Enix take on the Star Wars series. These designs from a galaxy far, far, away lean towards the classing styles, while adding a touch of our own vision to these unforgettable characters!

With their origins in the Clone Wars, the Stormtroopers became the most feared and venerable rank in the Imperial Army, acting as the will of Emperor Palpatine to further the Empire’s reach throughout the galaxy. In our re-design, we focused on the retro-futuristic style pioneered with the Darth Vader and Boba Fett Variant Play Arts KAI figures. With his high-grade plastoid armor, signature helmet and BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle, our Stormtrooper can re-create poses both in action and off duty.

The ever-sticky clamshell

Taking everything out of the box, the core figure along with the accessories are well stored within a clamshell-type packaging. As always it's tough to crack it open, which only means that you've got something fresh and untampered.

Yep, here's this thing again.

Then there's the obligatory stand, which is again bulky and useless considering the figure can be posed well on its own without any support. This marks my 10th (I think) PAK figure stand already - might as well sell these stuff someday.

The accessories for the Stormtrooper include the following:

1) Two extra (and interchangeable) pair of mitts:

For squishing and pressing

2) BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle: [This is actually one of my favorite sci-fi weapons of all time. The rifle features a stock which can either be folded under the barrel or fully extended beneath the gas refill valve (see schematics). Looking at Hasbro's version of the weapon, I've always wondered what that 'curve' was all about, and I guess the PAK version explained everything. The rifle's counterpart in a galaxy far, far away is the British Sterling submachine gun.]

The 'curvy' gun: mystery solved!

3) BlasTech DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle: [This weapon is not as popular as the E-11 blaster rifle, but it is much more powerful and has much greater range capability. It has a functioning bipod, which is also a neat feature. The heavy blaster rifle's counterpart in a galaxy far, far away is the German MG34 machine gun.]

Troopers must 'love' her, coz her Legs Open Very Easily

4) A 'blast effect' which pegs on the emitter nozzle of both rifles:

Pew-Pew!

Now, on to the core figure:

Intergalactic Zebra

Looking at the figure, I could say that this is one of the best designed figures of the Play Arts line. This version indeed does have a more angular design as compared to the traditional Hasbro Stormtrooper, yet it's not overdone. It's just the perfect mix - the ivory armor blends well with the obsidian body suit underneath, coupled with panel linings everywhere owing to its Japanese roots (*cough* Gundam *cough*). There's also a large holster on the left side for holding the BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle, which I will discuss later in detail.

No heavy breathing required

The helmet (otherwise known as the 'Imperial Issue Helmet') is well done with some nice detailing on it - in fact, I think it's much more detailed than any other Stormtrooper figure out there! All of the elements of a regular Stormtrooper helmet are present: dome/cap, traps, ears, ear screws, osmotic filters, tube stripes, neck trims, cheek tubes, rubber guard strip, lens, black vocoder, auto-seal conduit, aerator/mic tips, and many more. There's also the signature "frown" which consists of 5 grey teeth per side.

A high-grade armor (really?)

The Stormtrooper sports an extremely detailed body armor. The chest and front abdominal plate are finely sculpted, as well as the rear upper and lower back sections. The packaging refers to it as the 'high-grade plastoid armor', which I certainly doubt because these guys can be killed apparently with a single shot from a rebel's DH-17 blaster pistol. I remember somewhere in Episode VI wherein Han Solo fired a single shot at a trooper and that's just about it! Heck, even a bunch of Ewoks could make short work of it (or a little longer).

That's one heavy belt!

Always prepared and ready for combat, the Stormtrooper comes with tons of ammo pack attached to his belt. The large holster attaches on the rear portion of the belt via a bulky tubular component. I'm starting to think if a real-life Stormtrooper could walk still considering these stuff are attached to his body at all times.

Oreo cyber-boots

Going down to the lower limbs section, the Stormtrooper sports a knee pad on his left leg and another ammo pack on the right, just like his Hasbro counterpart. The leg armor is as detailed as the upper body armor and helmet, and blends smoothly with the black body suit underneath.

Oh Sheath!

Aside from the Stromtrooper's E-11 blaster rifle, another favorite accessory of mine is the large brownish, leather-like sheath/holster that holds it. It sports a unique design, having an open cavity in the middle where the folded rifle can be inserted directly. Surprisingly, the gun attaches well to the holster without slipping. Nice!

Now for some cool intergalactic poses:

This is my rifle. 
There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. 
It is my life. 
I must master it as I master my life.

Without my rifle, I am useless. 
I must fire my rifle true. 
I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. 
I must shoot him before he shoots me. 
Trouble is... I can't hit sh*t! 
With my rifle, I am also useless.

And here he is with PAK Tifa and Arkham Knight:

Stormtrooper: "This chick's not even intimidated. Hmmm, I wonder why..."

Black & White - Wanna play chess?

Final thoughts: Out of all the Play Arts Star Wars figures so far, the Stormtrooper stands out among the rest (that, of course, is just my two cents). He's got some exceptional details on him, and the Gundam-like panel linings along with his angular design truly makes everything look better than Hasbro's classic version. Furthermore, his semi-functional weapons are neatly done and would fit pretty well in his hands, allowing for some awesome shooting stances. To sum it all up, the Stormtrooper is one remarkable figure, and he is definitely worth the price tag!  

Looks like the taller one just got the morning wood...

Poster boy for the Galactic Empire

Trivia: Did you know that Stormtroopers can dance too?

Wanna see me bust some moves?

Is this the best version of the Stormtrooper yet? Or is there a better one? Let me know in the comments below.