Play Arts Kai Kazuhira Miller - Metal Gear Solid - Peacewalker Review

Alright, time for another late review, i just got Kaz last week, not really planning to get him before but with Play Arts Kai Solid Snake and Grey Fox to be released soon (around early 2012) why not get all the MGS characters made available so far? Master  McDonnell Benedict "Kazuhira" Miller's name first came to light during Metal Gear 2 as a member of FOXHOUND then Metal Gear Solid where Liquid assumed his guise to fool Solid Snake. In the series backstory, Peacewalker, he's the deputy chief of Big Boss in the Militaires Sans Frontieres. 

To be honest i find this figure rather lacking in details when it came out hence the small interest in getting one but i was actually surprised at how fun the figure is to play with. His accessories are basically the same with the Jungle Camo Big Boss: M16 rifle, pistol and alternate hands. However, Kaz gets an extra head with a battle mask of the MFS as well as a couple of removable aviator glasses.

He's got a couple of shades but they are not in the pic since i can't part Kaz and Big Boss from 'em

The figure design is pretty simple but in true Play Arts Kai form, he's finely-detailed and got good articulation. Features include a holster on his right leg, his trademark yellow scarf, a wrist watch and the MFS logo on the left sleeve of his uniform. The glasses are removable as i mentioned and he's got an extra pair as well that is compatible with the Big Boss figures. +1 to playability for that.

His extra head is a blue-eyed generic battle mask worn by the MFS which is also compatible with the Big Boss figures. Personally, i think i should attach this to the Sneaking Suit version of Big Boss to make him a "generic" character in the display line-up, another +1 to that since i don't need multiple figures of Naked Snake on display. 

The alternate head of Kaz opened up other collecting possibilities; thinking of creating a whole troop of generic MFS soldiers? grab a few extra Kaz Miller figures, anticipating Solid Snake's release next year? get some more Jungle Camo Big Boss figures together with Kaz to create a whole battalion of  Genome soldiers. That is if you have extra cash to spare...i don't, unfortunately...

I'd love to see how he hid all that hair under this mask though...

You know what? That mask may just be the basis of a PA Kai Snake Eyes custom

The main drawback with Kaz is that some of his joints are harder to move than the Big Boss figures, i think it has something to do with his uniform design. I'm having difficulty bending his arm to hold his gun because of the sleeve in his right arm. His pants and the front of his shirt also prevent him from doing some crouching poses. The pic below is the best one he can do. I also have some minor paint apps issue with my figure, some of the yellow hair paint got into his neck while some parts of his hair show the "flesh" color beneath particularly on the area near his ears.They are not noticeable up-close though.

He should be wielding an electric guitar, don't you think?

My favorite Kaz accessories are his 2 aviator shades, they look pretty good on Big Boss, by the way. Kaz looks cool in them also though, sadly, i can't say the same for his yellow scarf. I just hope the shades can be used on other Kai figures (sadly crossing out Dante, i tried it yesterday but it didn't fit).

...and Big Boss will be holding a microphone stand.

I got my Kaz Miller figure at Greattoys Online on "special" Sale for only 2,380 Php (props to Sir Malvin Lim for this), SRP is 2.8K. If you are a fan of the Metal Gear series you better grab Kaz Miller. With 3 Big Boss figures already available, Solid Snake and Grey Fox due for release next year and a Meryl Silverburgh prototype already seen, the future looks very promising for the Metal Gear Solid Play Arts Kai line. 

Big Boss: "let's face it, i'm still hotter than you..."

Try the new "Kaz" Hair Gel, keeps your hairdo in place even in the battlefield...