Play Arts Kai Spartan Batman Review - Timeless Variant

Alright, late review, again. Uploaded the pics about a month ago i guess but only found time for this write-up. Anyway, if you're a Batman fan i'm pretty sure you have this one already so you can probably skip this one and wait for that awesome (based on pics) Bushido variant coming very, very soon. But for now, this is the BEST Batman PAK Variant in the market today.

Been reviewing Play Arts Kai Batmen since SQEX decided that he should be the Sora of the PAK line and i've seen a lot of ups - Arkham Asylum, DC Variants, Wild West; and downs - Arkham City...well, you get the idea. Normally, we'll expect the character to be a bit stale already but, hell, this is BATMAN we're talking about. In fact, Bats is just hitting his Prime on the PAK line. 

I guess i'm wrong to believe that  PAK Batman arrived at it's pinnacle with the DC Variants line. Personally, i don't give a hoot about the Arkham line or the Variants anymore after Wild West since the design is starting to get ridiculous already while Arkham all look the same to me. Then this one came along and kicked reason down a well... 

Aside from the fact that he comes fully-packed with Spartan gear: an artistically altered Dory (spear), a Xiphos (short sword, i think), a Hoplon (that Hoplite shield), some daggers, a bunch of alt hands; the PAK Leonidas Wayne's details and design is among the best we've seen so far from a Play Arts Kai figure.

I was surprised further that the classic Batman cowl design blended well with the ancient Greek helm - it doesn't look forced. The same thing can be said for the Bat insignia on the shield and chest as well as the design of his cape.  

The Spartan Batman Variant is massive, compared to the other Batmen PAKs, allowing details to run rampant. The armor was done very well and the small details such as the leather straps and texture on the shin guards, bracers and pauldron. Paint job is generally ok though i find the flesh color weird and unnatural. Batman ain't no Ashen One after all - props to you if you got the reference. 

I'd like to point out though that modern PAKs paint job in general are visibly inferior to the older releases - check out Gabranth from Dissidia and Ezio if you don't agree with me.

If there's one other thing i don't like about the fig is that some action poses are limited by the armor. Of course i tried to recreate that famous "This-Is-Sparta!-Kick-Down-A-Well" cliche pose but i couldn't pull it off. The Phalanx battle stance, however, can be done though still with limitations - but damn, that is the only pose that matters if you ask me. 

CQC pose, because, Why the Hell Not?!

One last thing, i hope SQEX do something about those ball-joints on the wrist because they look frail and therefore unsightly on a heavily-armored Spartan warrior. They are visible on the next 2 pics.

With those minor misgivings aside, the Play Arts Kai Batman Spartan Timeless Variant may very well be my favorite Batman PAK to date. We're cringing a bit about the rising PAK prices which seem to be hell-bent on catching the 1/6 market but i'm glad this variant kinda justified that hateful price tag. I am expecting Bushido Batman to displace this one but for now we have the Best Timeless Variant Batman in our midst.