It's been a while. I haven't reviewed any toys lately, because I don't have enough money to buy any Play Arts (Kai) figures. So, I bought an alternative... Trading Arts Kai Mini! The chibi figures that I also wanted to collect. My first TAKM figure is Lightning... a funny coincidence that she is also my first Play Arts Kai figure in my collection and her stock are also running low too at this time lol.
Before we start I wanted to say something about the Trading Arts Kai Mini brand name. I think this should be called Play Arts Kai Mini because these little figures are playable and you can see the contents in the packaging not like the old, static, tradeable and totally-random-because-you-can't-see-what's-inside-the-box Trading Arts Mini (TAM)... So let's get started with the review. :D
Front and back side of the box
 |
| What's inside the box |
The packaging is window type where you can see all the stuff inside. Backside of the packaging shows some pictures of Lightning and other characters included on the volume set. Lightning is 6th in the collection and part of Volume 2 along with Tifa and Tidus.
Lightning and her stuff are still sealed in their plastic coffin
Here we see the still sealed Lightning and her accessories, It's easy to unpack her. The stuff in the red cardboard are a little hard to remove because they're "sticky sealed". You'll need to use a cutter to remove the stand and its parts without damaging the red cardboard. Trading Arts Kai Mini figures have lots of stuff to compensate the lack of playability and variations in poses because they're chibi or SD (Super Deformed)... they can't move much
 |
| Now that's a lot of stuff! |
Packaging includes: Lightning mini figure, 3 extra replaceable faces, Blazefire Saber, Zantetsuken Blades, Odin Gestalt mode mount, Stand, 3 different length figure supporters, 3 different length stand accessory support rods for the 3 types of dialog boxes (A command list and 2 speech bubbles)... and a handy dandy manual.
THE FIGURE
Like I said earlier, TAKM figures are small or super deformed (SD), meaning they have large heads and small bodies. OK, back to Lightning, she doesn't have a FFXIII-2 version replaceable body, it's a little disappointment because some TAKM figures have replaceable bodies like Squall and Tifa, but the tradeoff is that she got a ride and it's her eidolon, Odin in Gestalt Mode.
 |
| Front, back, left and right side |
The sculpt of the Lightning TAKM is really nice because there are lots of details despite its small appearance. Paint job and shadings are great too without any paint bleeds. I can tolerate some slack because this is a small figure. Her hair is made of soft rubbery plastic, making it easy to swap her face at it looks and feels like a bubble gum too lol. :D
ACCESSORIES
Lightning's stuff includes a hand holding a Gunblade (Blazefire Saber), pair of hands that holds the Zantetsuken blades, Odin mount and 3 replaceable faces. And a stand/base that has a lot of stuff to attach.
 |
| Lightning (Neutral face) while holding her Blazefire Saber. |
The Blazefire Saber and the Zantetsuken Blades are also very detailed for its small size and have a really precise paint job (no paint bleeds). Swapping her hands is easy, because her hands are not to tight or loose so don't worry, her hands will not fall off that easily
 |
| Lightning (Aggressive Face) riding her Eidolon, Odin |
Odin mount is sculpted pretty well too with nice paint job. To mount Lightning, you must remove her torso from her standing legs, then attach her torso to her legs that rides Odin (ummm... that's a little disturbing to say...)
 |
| No face Lightning |
One of the 3 replaceable faces are blank, so that you can put a different expression that you like.
 |
| Command List stand attachment |
The stand/base have holes in it so that you can attach some really nice dialog boxes or accessories. The stand includes rods that have 3 different lengths for dialog boxes, speech bubbles and other accessories. 3 figure supporters that also have different lengths to help the character stand (it's hard to stand these figures on its own because of their large heads and small body)
 |
| Lightning (Grumpy face) and a speech bubble |
 |
| Lightning (Aggressive face) and a shouting bubble |
2 speech bubbles and the command list are included but they're in Japanese. I can't understand them (need translation).
OTHER STUFF TO MENTION
The size of Lightning TAKM figure is a little smaller compared to old TAM figures. And her articulation includes only her hands that can swivel left/right, her arms that are ball jointed and can move upward, downward and sideward, and her waist can swivel left and right because her torso and legs are detachable. Her head is also ball jointed but its movement limited because of her hair and collar. With all that movement limitations, Lightning can still make some good gestures. I made her look like she's taunting someone to attack her. :D
 |
| [Left to right] Kairi (PA), Lightning (TAKM) and Lightning FFXIII-2 (PAK). Kadaj and Roxas are partially visible too |
 |
| Cloud (TAM) and Lightning (TAKM) |
The Trading Arts Mini (TAM) figures are a little taller and a little more proportioned than Trading Arts Kai Mini (TAKM) figures. Still, TAKM figures are more fun to play with than TAMs.
 |
| Lightning with Lightning |
CONCLUSION
For a very, very low price, these little figures are playable and very satisfying plus they're easy to collect. I like the mini Lightning (and probably all of the TAKMs). I wish they make other minis from other game titles not just Final Fantasy. I used the grumpy face for Lightning because she's always grumpy in FFXIII :D
And as usual here's a little something. This is becoming a tradition! :D
 |
| "Cute Lighty" (Click to enlarge) |
Starring Kairi from Kingdom Hearts 2 and Lightning from FFXIII (mini version)
Cheers and Happy Collecting! :D
No comments:
Post a Comment