DSC_2662
A few months ago, you may recall I did an overview of a wee little figure.. the Sentinel 4inch-Nel Rockman/Mega Man X figure. You know, the cutesy one with the freaking magnets in the boots? I had mentioned at the time that it had a brother-from-another-brand, the D-Arts version, but getting it might be problematic given the aftermarket prices, as the popular figure was released way back in 2011.
Well, as always, I keep my nose to the ground for people getting rid of stuff, and $35 CAD later here we are - the D-Arts Mega Man X figure. Used and a bit scuffed, mind you, but complete and as far as I can tell, official.
So yeah.. before the Sentinel and of course the Kotobukiya kits of today, this was THE X figure to get. It retailed for 3,300 Yen back in the day, and included a decent number of accessories. You get the figure, a total of three face plates (netural, shouting, gritted teeth), a pair of fists, a pair of open palm hands, Rockbuster/Megabuster replacement forearm, replacement buster tip for use with the blast effects, a level 1 charged shot, and a rapid fire barrage of three standard shots.
The barrage effect can be folded such that the shots display in different patterns, and as such can be used for a wide variety of actions.
X certainly looks the part, and I think I might actually like the face on the D-Arts just a smidgen more than the Sentinel release. The feet are a bit bulky IMHO compared to the official game art, but the general silhouette is well done, which is more than I can say about the D-Arts OG figure release. Each are really aiming for a different aesthetic, I find, with the D-Arts definitely going for the more angular, armoured look versus the the streamlined look of the Sentinel. The colours on the two are slightly different, with the D-Arts figure having a glossier finish.
If I had to sum it up, the D-Arts finish is more like a model kit whereas the Sentinel is more like an animated character.
The Sentinel was definitely designed better in terms of joint concealment, as evident at the hips and the neck.
One other cosmetic thing the D-Arts has over the Sentinel is that the red parts are all translucent plastic with a chrome back piece, as compared to solid red paint.
From an articulation perspective, the two figure were actually surprisingly equal when looking at the lower body (ankles, knees, hips, waist). The Sentinel does feature an additional joint around mid calf that allows for a more satisfying folded leg via the double jointed knees, but functionally they're pretty close. Both have exceptional ankle articulation, especially when considering the bulk.
Upper body though, I found the trunk to be better designed on the Sentinel as I could get more ab range of motion. Arms and head were again pretty consistent with regards to display options as the joints were again pretty much the same.
Paint wise, other than the difference in colours, there really isn't much to compare to the two. QC changes a lot in the 7 year period between the figures but it is suffice to say that the D-Arts was generally very clean, and was certainly nicer than some of the other D-Arts releases of the era. Decal work isn't bad either, and was found to be crisp.
Build quality wise, again, you'd expect the newer one to be better built. But there's nothing wrong with the D-Arts, as parts fit together and finishes are generally good, with the exception of the torso popping off for me as I keep pushing it past its modest limitations of motion. The Sentinel, however, feels like it has a higher density (so basically, a higher concentration of actual material in the figure), which of course can help with balance issues.
Overall, both are great takes on the character, and cater to slightly different crowds. Unlike most cases, the "bigger is better" crowd would actually still be getting a pretty good figure, so long as slightly wonky looking joints isn't an issue, but this is offset by the inclusion of effects.
Finding these two isn't exactly needle in a haystack, but finding them for a good price is somewhat of a challenge. As you can imagine, each person will have a different tolerance for this sort of thing.
Having said that, if the latest and greatest is your thing, you can always try to get a hold of the Kotobukiya kits, which seem to offer a D-Arts-esque figure with a more rounded body, though the time and of course, paint necessary to get it done effectively are a no go for me.
The world is your oyster, friends.
DSC_2662
A few months ago, you may recall I did an overview of a wee little figure.. the Sentinel 4inch-Nel Rockman/Mega Man X figure. You know, the cutesy one with the freaking magnets in the boots? I had mentioned at the time that it had a brother-from-another-brand, the D-Arts version, but getting it might be problematic given the aftermarket prices, as the popular figure was released way back in 2011.
Well, as always, I keep my nose to the ground for people getting rid of stuff, and $35 CAD later here we are - the D-Arts Mega Man X figure. Used and a bit scuffed, mind you, but complete and as far as I can tell, official.
So yeah.. before the Sentinel and of course the Kotobukiya kits of today, this was THE X figure to get. It retailed for 3,300 Yen back in the day, and included a decent number of accessories. You get the figure, a total of three face plates (netural, shouting, gritted teeth), a pair of fists, a pair of open palm hands, Rockbuster/Megabuster replacement forearm, replacement buster tip for use with the blast effects, a level 1 charged shot, and a rapid fire barrage of three standard shots.
The barrage effect can be folded such that the shots display in different patterns, and as such can be used for a wide variety of actions.
X certainly looks the part, and I think I might actually like the face on the D-Arts just a smidgen more than the Sentinel release. The feet are a bit bulky IMHO compared to the official game art, but the general silhouette is well done, which is more than I can say about the D-Arts OG figure release. Each are really aiming for a different aesthetic, I find, with the D-Arts definitely going for the more angular, armoured look versus the the streamlined look of the Sentinel. The colours on the two are slightly different, with the D-Arts figure having a glossier finish.
If I had to sum it up, the D-Arts finish is more like a model kit whereas the Sentinel is more like an animated character.
The Sentinel was definitely designed better in terms of joint concealment, as evident at the hips and the neck.
One other cosmetic thing the D-Arts has over the Sentinel is that the red parts are all translucent plastic with a chrome back piece, as compared to solid red paint.
From an articulation perspective, the two figure were actually surprisingly equal when looking at the lower body (ankles, knees, hips, waist). The Sentinel does feature an additional joint around mid calf that allows for a more satisfying folded leg via the double jointed knees, but functionally they're pretty close. Both have exceptional ankle articulation, especially when considering the bulk.
Upper body though, I found the trunk to be better designed on the Sentinel as I could get more ab range of motion. Arms and head were again pretty consistent with regards to display options as the joints were again pretty much the same.
Paint wise, other than the difference in colours, there really isn't much to compare to the two. QC changes a lot in the 7 year period between the figures but it is suffice to say that the D-Arts was generally very clean, and was certainly nicer than some of the other D-Arts releases of the era. Decal work isn't bad either, and was found to be crisp.
Build quality wise, again, you'd expect the newer one to be better built. But there's nothing wrong with the D-Arts, as parts fit together and finishes are generally good, with the exception of the torso popping off for me as I keep pushing it past its modest limitations of motion. The Sentinel, however, feels like it has a higher density (so basically, a higher concentration of actual material in the figure), which of course can help with balance issues.
Overall, both are great takes on the character, and cater to slightly different crowds. Unlike most cases, the "bigger is better" crowd would actually still be getting a pretty good figure, so long as slightly wonky looking joints isn't an issue, but this is offset by the inclusion of effects.
Finding these two isn't exactly needle in a haystack, but finding them for a good price is somewhat of a challenge. As you can imagine, each person will have a different tolerance for this sort of thing.
Having said that, if the latest and greatest is your thing, you can always try to get a hold of the Kotobukiya kits, which seem to offer a D-Arts-esque figure with a more rounded body, though the time and of course, paint necessary to get it done effectively are a no go for me.
The world is your oyster, friends.