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Monday, December 28, 2015

Play Arts Kai Predator Review - Variants

I was surprised no one is getting all hyped up with the Play Arts Kai Variants Predator figure, but considering the numerous awesome Play Arts Kai releases for 2015, it's damn easy to be overlooked, especially considering the fact that he (it's a HE right? i haven't got the slightest clue on their gender and i'm afraid to look) came out on the Variants line when the market is saturated with demands for Metal Gear Solid, DC, Marvel and Final Fantasy Kais. It's gonna be a tough job to hype him up but here goes nothing...

The Return of the "FLASH"...Live with it... - a tired photographer/reviewer
This one ugly mothef#!ker has stood the test of time ever since that 80's action flick starring that guy from Jingle All the Way (*reference in keeping with the Season! YAY!) and easily one of the most recognizable character/monster in all of movie history. With the various incarnation in almost all the major toy lines, i'm half expecting he'll eventually make it to Play Arts Kai.


This one ugly MF here isn't packing much but that samurai-esque alternate head attachment is so damn cool as well as that alternate open mouth. They should have replaced that oversized turkey-leg club though with something more appealing, like, say... a samurai. I love those iconic claws but if recollection serves me right that should be 2 blades instead of 3. He ain't no Wolverine but i'm not complaining. I kinda miss the shoulder cannon though. 


However, his scale/size more than made up for his lack of accessories. He's easily taller than the modern sized PAKs as it should be. I believe he's way taller than the Terminator guy on the first movie during their final confrontation. That scene was terrifying. 

The details are also superb, his body sculpt is one of the most detailed i've seen on a Play Arts Kai figure. You get that extra-terrestrial/reptilian feel with his scaly skin and armor. Well, even the sickly shine of the paint job, which is existent in almost all new PAKs worked to his advantage.


Some parts of The Predator are made of semi-translucent PVC, adding up to that "alien" feel i'm talking about earlier. I'm missing his metallic armor/equipment in the movie though since they went with a chitinous exoskeleton for the Variant. It kinda looked like the shell of some ancient, gigantic shellfish or a really large crab. Mmmmmm...crab...


Anyway, I'm glad they kept his iconic dreadlocks intact. They're made up of that semi-translucent material i mentioned. SQEX must have really liked that material so much for some reason since they, in my opinion, overused it a bit for his jaws and brow-ridge.

If you're not sold on his default face like me then do check out his alternate open-mouth piece. Damn, he looks freakishly menacing donning that mouth. To be honest, his alternate pieces are what made him really interesting. 



Don't agree with me? Check out these pics below.





I think most collectors veered away from him because of his stiff SRP. However, if you can find one at a reasonable price he's a really nice acquisition for his scale alone and if you want a worthy piece who can terrorize your Metal Gear Solid, DC Variants or gulp! Star Wars displays. Man, that would be a really cool crossover if you ask me...

Flash or no flash i surely missed taking playtime shots so here we go:
Here he is throwing a tantrum...
while here, he's being clumsy...
Well, speaking of Star Wars...
Getting all intimate with Boba Fett...or his skull, your call...
Fett's Skull+Helmet will apparently make a really nice trophy...

1 comment:

  1. Looks like they made a bad job at painting the brades in hes dreadlocks, yes it's a he. He should not be as the predator alien from the movies since he is a variant figure, the predator alien from the movies are already there in PAK's figures with metal armor and shoulder cannon for the one who'd like him better.

    I like that you set him up with Bobba so I can se the difference in size, I did not know that but I do like it!

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