Play Arts Kai Robin Review - Arkham Knight

It's been a while but damn right i have a bunch of reviews coming in starting with the "boy wonder" over here. I got him from Big Boys Toys Store by the way and i believe they still have some units available in their Glorietta 2 and Greenhills branches. Anyway, this is my first "outdoor" review and, possibly, the first time i'll rate a MALE Play Arts Kai figure using the "Fist Bite" system. LOL

And if you're there during the review checking out my pics YOU'LL KNOW WHY, haha, right Bryan?

I haven't played the new Arkham game: Arkham Knight so i don't know Robin's full role here but I do know the identity of that so-called "Arkham Knight." Anyway, let's proceed...

Play Arts Kai Batman - Guide to the BEST Batman figures

As another boredom deterrent, i conducted a survey @ Play Arts Kai Philippines Trading Group regarding the BEST Play Arts Kai Batman and...errr...what was that? Why Batman? Well, to date, Batman is the most "Represented" figure in Play Arts Kai, he's got a lot of versions to rival or even surpass Play Arts Kai Raiden or the old Play Arts Sora figures. What's more impressive about that is that Recolors are strictly optional novelties in the Play Arts Kai Batman's gallery. Every new releases are, mostly, unique versions of the fabled Dark Knight. And of course, HE'S THE GODDAMN BATMAN! That's why...

Excluding the Black and White SDCC Arkham Asylum Batman, Arkham City Batman and the TDKR Metallic Baleman which didn't get any votes, here's how the Play Arts Kai Batman versions fared according to the local PAK fans.

Play Arts Kai Bane - The Dark Knight Rises Trilogy Review

I really have no plans of getting the "Caped Crusader's" masked nemesis from the third film of Nolan's critically acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy. In fact, i even made fun of his accent during my review for Play Arts Kai Batman. Hehe. Well, sorry about that Tom Hardy, you just talk funny for such an imposing fellow.  This is an old figure review already but i hope to "influence" some people to get into the Play Arts Kai TDKR Trilogy line. Ahem, so why did i end up getting Bane?

Play Arts Kai Robin - Arkham City Review

While waiting for the lovely, rebooted Play Arts Kai Ms.Croft and the Kazama-Mishima couple i decided to (lowers voice in shame...) present this very late review of the Play Arts Kai Robin from Arkham City. I'm quite surprised that little Timmy here is pretty hard to find locally while the more popular, albeit lesser (quality-wise) version of Bruce is still running rampant at the local gaming store. 

The only logical conclusions i can draw are, 1-one, most collectors are sticking it out with their Arkham Asylum Batmen over the AC Bats and, 2-two,  see number 1-one. LOL. Seriously, there are more Batmen options than Robin so i guess that's that. It took me a while to locate him also and it went down to the last 2 pieces i can find about a month ago.

Play Arts Kai Batman - The Dark Knight Rises Trilogy Review

And so it begins, the first figure from the first movie license acquired by Square Enix and what a start it was! I'm not a really huge fan of The Dark Knight Trilogy or, more accurately, i'm a late bloomer,  but IMHO this is the best story arc/representation of Batman on the silver screen and perhaps the most believable.

The Dark Knight Rises Trilogy Batman is actually the Third Batman figure i've covered, you can read the Arkham Asylum version Here and the Arkham City Here, and, if you haven't seen the movie you can search for it online - Torrent or somewhere else. Go ahead, you can't proceedwith the review if you haven't seen it yet (Man, you really need to go out once in a while...). Also, to avoid confusion with the numerous Batmen running around i'll lovingly refer to him as "Baleman" from time to time.

Play Arts Kai Batman - Arkham City Review

The joys of not having a working deadline...anyway, coming on the heels of that excellent Play Arts Kai Catwoman figure from Arkham City i'd like to present a late review of the Play Arts Kai Batman. I already established the fact that the first Batman from Arkham Asylum is better than this figure but i would like to justify that he's just as solid as the AA Batman and a worthy piece on your collection especially if you're not really interested to shell out extra bucks for the Arkham Asylum version or to try the "Ultimate" PAK Batman modification. 

Play Arts Kai Batman (THE Ultimate version)- Arkham Asylum & Arkham City

Years ago (approx. a couple of decades or so) i would pick up a really, really cool action figure, say a G.I. Joe (particularly Mercer) and he would become an instant favorite. Together, eventually, we'll clock in a phenomenal play time log. Later on, however, i would realize that the orange vest and blue pants of his are getting old to my 7 year-old eyes and not really to my liking in the first place. What i would do is tear him limb from limb, get a couple of Joes wearing combat fatigues (say, Hit & Run or Falcon), get all the cool body-parts, then reassemble the figure using Mercer's head and Voila! instant new Joe. It's pretty d@#ned impressive for a kid back then and less complicated. Honestly, i never really grew out of that "idea" and was always looking into it from time to time as you may have noticed while reading my Play Arts Kai Solid Snake review where i mentioned a Snake Eyes custom using Solid and Kaz Miller's alternate head.

Sadly, I never got to develop that skill though i met someone who did. Check out his latest piece.

Photo courtesy of Touya

You're seeing that right, and no that's not factory defect. Blaze a.k.a. Touya, one of the decorated moderators of Final Fantasy Merchandise forums actually concoct a new and better Batman figure using a combination of the Arkham Asylum and Arkham City figures. I refer to it personally as "THE Ultimate" Play Arts Kai Batman though Touya find the reference not really to his liking. Well, i'll take the windfall for you bro so no worries.

Play Arts Kai Catwoman - Arkham City

Well, this Play Arts Kai Catwoman review is pretty late already but i guess i got to make up for lost time. I originally intended to pass up the Play Arts Kai Arkham City line in favor of the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises line but an opportunity presented itself and i was able to get my hands on these wonderful figures. Thanks a lot Greattoys Online.

I mentioned a couple of articles ago that the Play Arts Kai Catwoman figure is one of the best Play Arts Kai figures of 2012 and the new "Queen of Kais." I am not going to change my stance now that i've seen her up close. Definitely, she's one of the best we have seen so far though, honestly, i have a few misgivings about her. Let's start with the basics first, shall we...

Play Arts Kai Robin from Arkham City debuts @ SDCC

Play Arts Kai Robin of Arkham City was unveiled during SDCC 2012 and boy he looks pretty good. I've always liked the character design of this Robin compared to the traditional one. No villain would take the traditional Robin seriously.

Photo courtesy of Touya of FinalFantasyMerchandise.com

More pics after the jump.

Play Arts Kai The Dark Knight Rises revealed

The recently concluded SDCC 2012 brought some surprises for Play Arts Kai fans. Seems like Square-Enix is finally going to the movies with their first ever Movie licensed line: The Dark Knight Rises.

Photos courtesy of Touya of FinalFantasyMerchandise.com

More pictures after the jump.

Play Arts Kai Batman and Catwoman from Arkham City

If you haven't read about the 1st Play Arts Kai Batman figure from the Arkham Asylum game you can see it HERE, sure, i'll wait for you... ... ... ... ... ... Ok, done? Let's move along.
With the recent release of Play Arts Kai Arkham Asylum Volume 2 featuring Harley and the Armored Batman figures Square-Enix announced a hard-hitting follow-up to the popular Play Arts Kai line: Batman and Catwoman from the Arkham City game.

Photo courtesy of FinalFantasyMerchandise.com

The third Play Arts Kai Batman figure looks a lot closer to the classic Batman design and it's a good thing they decided to pep up the accessories, well, a little bit, with an alternate head and the Batclaw attachment.