"I don't look to
the future any more. Only the past."
Sasuke Uchiha: some people want to hug him, some people want
to throw kunai at him. Regardless of where you stand, you’ve got to admit he
makes a pretty striking figurine. Today, I’ll be looking in-depth at
Megahouse’s latest Naruto Shippuden figurine from the G.E.M. series line.
Packaging
It does its job, if nothing else. The front of
the box is nothing exceptionally flashy. It allows for a good, un-obscured view
of the figure, but is otherwise undecorated aside from the necessary logos. The
sides and back of the box provide helpful images of the figure, including the
interchangeable parts. Overall, the packaging is dark and tinted in shadow.
This is an accurate depiction of the character within, but it might not make
for the most eye-catching packaging on the collector’s shelf. One creative bit
I did appreciate, however, is the top of the box, which provides a transparent
top-view of the figure via an embossed Uchiha fan.
Paint job
One of the things that most impressed me about
this figure is the lack of paint drips and mis-colors. I searched hard and
couldn’t find a single smudge where it shouldn’t be. Even the most error-prone
areas—like Sasuke’s zipper—are painted with a fine, clean edge. Both small and
large sections are colored with care and it makes the final piece marvelous.
Sculpt/Articulation
I have no complaints here. Everything
from the color-scheme to the facial expression is tastefully done. Naruto fans will be pleased with the
accuracy and subtle portrayal of the character. Sasuke doesn’t look evil—or
even angry—with this scuplt, which I think a lot of fans will appreciate.
Instead, he maintains a steady, prepared, almost wary gaze that allows
onlookers to interpret his expression for themselves.
Sasuke has no articulation. He maintains a static pose. The
loose pieces of his clothing are crafted from a softer, more flexible material
than the rest of the figurine. It’s not something that makes an enormous visual
difference, but definitely something you notice while handling him. It’s little
details like these that demonstrate how much loving care went into crafting
this figure.
Accessories
Sasuke comes with his chokutō—the Sword of
Kusanagi—along with its scabbard. The blade can slip in and out of the scabbard
only one way (yet another small detail that adds a lot of accuracy). The sheath
slides through the purple rope at his lower back, which makes it look attached.
The blade can be extended a bit from the sheath and set squarely in his right
palm, making it look like Sasuke is preparing for a fight.
Sasuke comes with three, removable head/neck pieces, which
are identical except for the eyes. One head bares his normal, dark eyes. One
shows off his Sharingan eyes. And the third blazes with the power of the Mangekyō
Sharingan. The first two sets of eyes stare to the right, while the face with
the Mangekyō Sharingan appears to be gazing straight ahead, into the
distance—perhaps symbolic of the price of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
In order to exchange the faces, Sasuke’s hair comes apart in
two, easy pieces—separating the bangs from the spikes on the back.
Sasuke also comes with a round, sturdy base, emblazed with
the symbol of the Mangekyō Sharingan and his name. It’s a lovely stand, and it
upgrades this guy from being a nice figurine to being a nice display piece.
The accessories are incredibly easy to place and remove.
Having collected figurines for years, I was pleasantly surprised by how
hassle-free this figurine was. The interchangeable heads come in and out
smoothly and without struggle. Everything clicks and fits as it should and I
never had to stress any accessory in order to get it to fit properly. Kudos to
the designers!
Negatives
Honestly, there aren’t any that I would consider
significant. The box is a bit drab, so if it may detract from the figurine if
you plan to keep it in the box. The only other thing to note is that, when I
received my figure, the head was not securely attached. Obviously, this was not
a problem since the heads are removable, but it did leave me concerned that the
loose head may have rolled around in the box and left paint smudges on the rest
of the body. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, though it’s something to keep
in mind when ordering the figure for yourself.
Final Rating
If you’ve read any of what I’ve written, you
already know that this figurine passes my exam in flying, ninja colors.
Sasuke Uchiha is beautifully rendered here—from his sculpt
to his accessories. Every part of him works as it’s supposed to, and the extra
pieces fit without strain or hassle. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of Sasuke,
this is a collector’s piece you can’t afford to pass up. Megahouse has again
released a masterful figurine that you can be proud to add to the rest of your Naruto collection.
Megahouse’s G.E.M. series Sasuke Uchiha gets a solid 5 out
of 5. That’s an S-rank in my book.
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