TOP 5 Events: Angels & Summer Year-end Round Up 2013

As the flames of the year die-down to mere embers, let's take a look back at significant events for Angels & Summer blog and the local Play Arts Kai scene in general.

#5. Arigatoys Collectibles Inc. Sponsorship (Revoltech Philippines) & Christmas Toy Fair

Photo courtesy of Arigatoys Collectibles Inc.

Photo Courtesy of Arigatoys Collectibles Inc.

Hot Toys The Boss Review

I've been slacking lately, especially after those three Play Arts Kai reviews for November. I expect to round up the year though with Metal Gear Solid figures, the only Play Arts Kai i'm keeping and the most recent Hot Toys line i'm collecting. Anyway, for my 3rd to the last review for the year, before hibernating indefinitely, i would like to share with you the person whose "ideology" was enough to fuel the whole Metal Gear universe, the "Mother" of the Special Forces, the founder of the Cobra Unit (a.ka. The Joy), the master who mentored goddamn Naked Snake (and therefore responsible for teaching him about 50% of his badassery, not to mention indirectly influencing all his descendants - Les Enfants Terribles), co-developer of CQC, pioneer of the "Bandanna" trend in MGS, the last child of the Patriots and the biological mother of that triple-crossing gun-slinger, goddamn Ocelot! Whew! Her credentials read like a goddamn "SO, You Think You're a Badass?!" list.

She's not really included in my hit list but since i'm a sucker for 1/8 and 1/6 MGS figs i gave her a shot. I was pretty happy i did, she's an iconic figure in MGS universe though her role lasted only one game: Snake Eater. You still can't deny the fact that she's an integral character in the series and all the other complicated twists and turn are, in one way or another, indirectly connected to her.

Play Arts Kai Vincent Review - Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children

It may not seem obvious but, full disclosure, i am a huge Final Fantasy fan, i picked up the series during their 6th installment (Sabin's my fave btw), played through 7 (Pfft! Cloud and Tifa and Sephiroth), 8 (Squall the emo poster boy)  until 9 (believe it or not i'll pick Amaranth and Vivi over Zidane) though i only recently rekindled my interest with FF13, and while i eventually grew to hate the hype (and goddamn pathetic fanboys too!) i must agree that Final Fantasy 7 redefined the whole FF universe. And this guy right here is one of the more popular supporting cast from that awesome game aaaannnddd movie, yup, this is the movie version Vincent by the way...  

Special thanks to my cousin Josh for letting me review this figure.

I guess i don't need to introduce this gun-slinging vampire anymore. If you don't know him, get out of here, where have you been the last two decades? Living in a goddamn cave? Anyway, it's a good thing he was reincarnated as a Play Arts Kai figure though i am not a big fan of Vincent (or his crappy Dirge of Cerberus solo output) i am definitely impressed with this figure...

Play Arts Kai Helena Harper Review - Resident Evil 6

I'm never a fan of Helena, as a newcomer to the Resident Evil franchise you can easily dust her off as another Sheva or Piers; another member of the one-and-done supporting character tier. Not counting Jake since he's a main cast or Sherry since she's a returning character albeit a big age leap, among the new "partners" Chris' bromantic interest Piers is actually much better since he became a villain in the end. Perhaps that's why i never gave much hoot about Helena's Play Arts Kai incarnation. I've always thought she'll just be a supporting display to Leon's (expected) awesomeness...

Oh sweet irony, when the oft-overlooked, supporting cast actually upstaged the main guy. As far as the sculpt is concerned, i find Helena's face better than that of Leon...we'll get more on that later...firstly, her arsenal...

Play Arts Kai Leon Kennedy Review - Resident Evil 6

When SQEX announced that they will be making Resident Evil 6 Play Arts Kai figures i was really excited. Hell! I even created a separate article for it when it was first announced. "Nothing could go wrong" was my belief since their first RE take some years back (Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar) aren't that bad by old PAK standards. It's to be expected that RE6 would be awesome, after all, they already learned from the past, ehhhhh... probably...

I guess i expected too much then, being filled with the thoughts of Metal Gear Solid and Advent Children, i convinced myself that Resident Evil 6 will be just as good. I kinda hate the let down, imagine PAK DMC3 and you'll know what i'm talking about...

Hot Toys Alice Showcase - Resident Evil: Afterlife

FACT: The Resident Evil Live Action movie series suck because of their representation of our beloved RE video game protagonists (i.e. Jill is reduced to a B-movie bimbo, Leon is a washed-up ex-boyband look-alike, Chris is good in breaking out of prisons, Ada lost her hotness and Barry is Blob). FACT: I am a Resident Evil Video Game franchise fan so i should be hating the movie series like hell (or in my case, like large hunstman spiders). However (and i believe i'm not the only one)... FACT: Even if you are a true RE fan you can't avoid watching this crappy series for some mind-boggling reason. Maybe this lady has got something to do with it...

My, my, isn't she perky?...ummm, i mean, pretty.

 ...or it's because of the large probability of seeing her...ummm...assets...oh hey look, a cool box and all those guns. ahem...Oh! Got her before Naked Snake actually but i'm not gonna review her since she's been around for quite some time. Just let me show you what she's got and why i got her.

Hot Toys Naked Snake Review - Sneaking Suit Version

I can't imagine missing this figure being a Metal Gear Solid fan, though, admittedly, i am not really a big fan of the sneaking suit design from MGS3: Snake Eater. I did plan to get this some months back but wave after waves of Play Arts Kai figures pushed him further down the priority list. Previous reviews (and they are quite rare) of this Naked Snake version aren't really reassuring but, what the hell! The MGS fanboy in me won out in the end and I'm glad i was able to "sneak" him into the budget.

Though equally impressive as the rest of the MGS installments i am not a big fan of Snake Eater's character designs (well, except for Adamska a.k.a. Young Ocelot) - Cobra Unit = Meh. Maybe that's the reason why i intended to pass getting into the 1/6 MGS line. However, rumors looming of a possible Solid Snake and Raiden Hot Toys solidified my resolve to get Naked Snake, after all, Snake Eater is where it all technically began.

Hot Toys Aldo Raine - Inglorious Basterds Showcase

I ain't gonna review this new acquisition of mine, well, he's released back in 2010 so i'll just do a showcase. I recently got into collecting Hot Toys figures which i'd fondly refer to as the "1/6 Curse" being quite an unhealthy line to collect. Anyway, this is one of my original targets being a big fan of Mr.Pitt here.

 If only they released other Brad characters like Achilles, Louis de Pointe du Lac or goddamn Tyler Durden...oh well, Aldo the Apache is still damn impressive

Revoltech Yotsuba & Danbo Review

The very first time i encountered the lovable Danboard i must admit i wanted to get one. It's a rare thing that something so remotely unknown to me perked up my interest and eventually prompted me to do some background check about the figure. I was actually surprised to find out that Danboard's just a supporting character in a very interesting manga "Yotsuba & !" Basically, it follows the story of a young girl named Yotsuba Koiwai. I haven't really read the ongoing series but i find it pretty charming that a non-fantasy story would actually be captivating. I guess that's one of the magic of manga that is strange to the west. I'm not from the west by the way...lol

I am also quite surprised to know that a girl friend of Yotsuba, Miura Hayasaka, was actually the person underneath those cardboard boxes. Well, a bit of a tomboy but a young girl nonetheless. How the manga guys somehow fit those pieces together in a narrative is truly something intriguing.

Play Arts Kai Raiden MGRR - Comparative Review of the 5 Variants

And so it has come to pass that by good grace i was able to complete the 5 variants of Play Arts Kai Raiden. It's not really an easy thing to accomplish, at least for me, and i certainly had to rely on lots of luck (3x to be exact) to acquire some of the pieces you see below. I'm just glad that i'll be able to move on to other constructive things; just one more review, one more damn round-up and i'm done with the Revengeance Jack...well, until the best PAKs of 2013 article...

 

Fondly called the "Raiden Rangers," the MGRR Jack Custom Body variants definitely made perennial variant god Sora proud. Oh, they are better than the Soras by the way but don't expect me to pose them ala Power Rangers. No way man! If, however, you do not have that insane amount of patience to complete these 5 (overpriced, some of them at least) variants let me do the honor of ranking them from the least interesting to the most impressive. I based this wholly on my opinion (and some of my fellow members @ PAKPTG) so you're FREE to do your own ranking. Ahem! Let's get this over with, shall we?

Hot Toys Storm Shadow Review

After the first Hot Toys review i made, yeah, it's Snake Eyes, i don't think this next review will be totally unexpected. Like i mentioned before, this guy over here is the Yang of Snake Eyes' Yin. His fellow ninja from the Arashikage clan - Storm Shadow...or Tommy if you want to be hip...

Once again, Anton got the better of me...i'm gonna get back at you soon...count on it!

I suppose there is no way you can separate the two in any collection. It just wouldn't be right in my humble opinion. I had to bit the bullet on this one since he's more expensive than Snake Eyes...but when i opened that shiny, new Hot Toys box (or slid it from the cover wrap rather with that Lee Byung-Hun portrait), i knew why...

Hot Toys Snake Eyes Review

Snake Eyes is my very first G.I. Joe figure when i was a kid (him and a couple of Snow Serpents if recollection serves me right). I guess it's only fitting to have him as the very first Hot Toys figure in my collection and my very first Hot Toys review. Reflecting about it, seems like my Toy collecting has come full circle.

We've come a long way my friend...

For the record i'm not really a fan of the G.I. Joe Live Action movie but i am a huge fan of Snake Eyes and the Yang to his Yin; Storm Shadow. I really have no plans of getting into the 1/6 line but this is an opportunity that is very difficult to pass up. For one thing, i find HT a bit too expensive...damn...

Revoltech Evangelion Type-08 Alpha Review

Ok, full disclosure, aside from knowing who Asuka Langley is i am not familiar with the new "Rebooted" Evangelion characters or storyline so, if you don't mind, I'd like to focus on the aesthetics of this new "cutesy" Evangelion figure from Revoltech. Honestly, I had to reinforce this review with research...well, this would have been a perfect opportunity to do that "drinking game/drunk review" i've been planning to do for a while but then you wouldn't understand anything i'm writing down...If ever. And oh, by the way, i do not know why i said "cutesy."

The Alpha-08 unit is piloted by Mari Makinami, the girl with glasses and pink body suit. I'd have to go see the series though to add additional info but i'm pretty sure she's quite eccentric, as suggested by her "Illustrious" nickname. The exact significance though is up for speculation. Ahem! On to the review...

Play Arts Kai Batman Variant - DC Universe

Like i mentioned on my teaser post at Play Arts Kai Philippines Trading Group, i fully understand that the latest Play Arts Kai Batman incarnation needs no more introduction being one of the most hyped and anticipated figure for the year. And though i hate the hype I must agree that he didn't disappoint. Perhaps one of the best PAK releases thus far though i wouldn't go as far as brand him the NEW "King of Kais," and for good reasons...well get to that later.

Packaging is one of the finest we've seen from SQEX and though i'm not a fan of the cover flap system the custom artwork stands pretty impressive on display. The inner flap art looks good as well, looks like we have an anime Bruce Wayne in our hands.

Play Arts Kai Raiden Blue Custom Body - MGRR

Well i'd like to consider this acquisition a birthday present to myself. I'm quite happy already with my Regular and White Play Arts Kai Raidens so i'm not really gunning after the other colors. But as fate would have it, i came across a rather interesting post @PTK (to me at least, my wallet doesn't share the same sentiment though, what a bummer!) and i must admit i succumbed to an impulse buy...and here he is...damn...

Needless to say i'm compelled to complete the whole set. Oh, by the way, thanks a lot to Markwin, the founder of One Sixth Republic for hooking me up with Blue Jack.

Revoltech Jinouga Blademaster - Monster Hunter

Is it just me or is Revoltech getting stronger with each new release? Being new to the line i simply can't help but be impressed with the line-up and they just keep pouring it on.

I must say that when i first saw pics of the Jinouga/Zinogre Blademaster i really love to get my hands on one and do a review. The guys of Revoltech Philippines actually made that wish come true and it's an honor doing this review for them though I'll be honest, i never played a Monster Hunter game back in the heyday of PS2, now i heard they have a Wii-U exclusive which means i'll never get to play it as well. Oh well, at least i got this damn fine looking b@d@$$ over here...

Revoltech Vic Viper Review

A very nice surprise greeted me at the office last Friday when i returned after an official business trip. Having seen the Revoltech Vic Viper online i must say i'm pretty excited to get my hands on one especially when i heard that he's going to have a semi-metallic finish, now that i gotta see on a smaller scale figure! You may notice the darker pics i'll be using for this review. That's actually a technique to somehow capture the metallic finish of Vic - something that i hope i achieve to some extent. To Kyle, Harvey and Gladwin of Arigatoys / Revoltech Philippines; you guys are Awesome! Oh, ctach Vic on the following "hangars" if you please:  Big Boy's Toy Store, Filbar's, Metro Toys, Play Giant, New Haven PH.

After a 2-year stint of collecting robots (Transformers) i've considered myself retired from the genre but having seen this guy up here, i can now safely say that i haven't fully outgrown robots, mechs, gears, et.al. or in this particular case an LEV or a "Laborious Extra-Orbital Vehicle."