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True 3D: Volume 5
A photo review of the Zero Suit Samus PVC Figure by MaxFactory!
Text and Photos by Infinity's End
08.13.12
Manufacturer: MaxFactory
Distributor: Good Smile Company
Height: approx. 8.75 inches/22cm
SRP: ¥6,980 (~$89.00), sells for $169 or more through resellers
Availability:
Japan only, or your local import shop. Also available via Amazon, eBay, or Yahoo! Japan Auctions
Purchased from Amiami via preorder in January, 2012.
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One look at this Zero Suit Samus figure and any Metroid fan should be in love. The figure is a 1/8 scale version of Samus, so doing the math (Japan uses metric system, Standard Man = 180cm x .125 = 22.5cm) the statue is 22cm, so this makes her (22cm ÷ .125 = 176cm) ~5'10". Samus has some huge platform heels too, so if we take those into consideration and approximate those heels to be 5", this Samus is approx. 5'5". Now that we have that out of the way, as you can see by the images, this figure is packaged in a much larger box than the Figma. The packaging is nice; there's nothing overly special or overly dull about it. It does the job. I did like how there's a small "window" allowing you to look closely at Samus's face. Also, like the Figma, there is a silver Nintendo sticker on it letting you know that it's an officially licensed product.
The Figure: Accessories
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The figure only comes with three accessories: a baby Metroid, a clear stand for the Metroid, and the figure base. The base is a circle with the Other M logo nicely etched into it. The baby Metroid stand gives the illusion that it is floating next to Samus. If you look at the Metroid in the right light at a distance, it truly does look like it's floating in space. It's a nice addition that they didn't even have to add, but I'm very happy they did. The Metroid is molded extremely nicely, and you can see little red veins have been painted on the inside of its outer membrane. It also has a very slight greenish tint, which at first isn't too noticeable when you look at it from the packaging. Once you remove it from the packaging to see, the green tint is beautifully visible and seeing light shine through it makes the Metroid look that much better. On the downside, the Metroid's claws are just white with no gradation, which makes it resemble the Smash Bros. Brawl trophy. As nice as it is, I feel as though this Metroid would have been much more better suited to come with the Figma. Then they could have added something else to this ZSS figure instead, such as Adam's helmet. (Maybe they did this purposefully, to give buyers an incentive to get both figures?) She has no movable joints, nor can you remove her Paralyzer gun from her hand and put it into its holster, which it looks like it perfectly fits into. Similar to the First 4 Figures statues, she is mainly just a display piece, and not for playing with, so accessories aren't really too important for a figure like this.
The Figure: Zero Suit Samus
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From pictures alone, one might be able to realize how pretty this figure looks, however, you really cannot appreciate its beauty until you see it with your own eyes. The blue metallic paint glimmering off a nearby light source has to be seen to be believed. It really brings the figure to a new level, and gives the suit a feeling of purpose, rather than just having regular light and dark blue paint. The decals of the insignias on the pack of her left hand, left breast and her back, all look crisp and clean. When I first saw the figure, I noticed Samus's nose is a little long, making her look somewhat Caucasian rather than "animeized" which is what I usually expect from PVC figures like this. I actually quite enjoy this version of her face; it gives it more uniqueness, and feels much less generic than compared to the Samus faces of the past. There are no manufacturing errors or defects in the sculpt, and she is put together quite seamlessly. Her body is also not disproportional or overly busty, and is somewhat different than how we see her in Other M. This Samus seems to resemble the Other M concept art rather than the 3D model, but I think the way that the sculptor made her is perfect, and I would love to see a suitless Samus that looks this way in a new media like a manga or anime.
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Closing Comments
The Zero Suit Samus PVC figure is an extremely welcome addition to the (lack of) official Metroid merchandise that is currently out there. It shows us that Nintendo does care about its fans of one of its most oft-looked over franchises. It is far better than the First 4 Figures Zero Suit Samus, which now seems bland, uninspired, and poorly painted when compared to this one. It was also far less expensive when I bought it, but due to its rarity and import costs, I'm sure that price will steadily rise. I am satisfied with the figure and any Metroid fan would be extremely happy and proud to have it on display in their home or office. Now please, MaxFactory, bring on the Ridley figure! --Infinity's End
In case you missed it, check out True 3D Vol. 4, covering the Samus Figma by MaxFactory!
Pros:
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Special thanks to Prescilla Currier for letting me borrow her camera!
