[Toy Review] No. 01: Cloud Strife Final Fantasy Trading Arts Kai Mini

It's time for another TAKM review! These little figures are like catnip or Pringles because I can't get enough of it! Enough about that. We're here to talk about this Cloud Strife mini figure. To those who didn't know Cloud, which is impossible if you're a long time gamer, he is the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII and it's movie sequel, Advent Children.

PACKAGING

The fronside and backside of the box

The contents of the box

Packaging is window type so that you can see its contents, the backside of the box shows some pictures of the Cloud mini figure and the other characters available on the volume set. Cloud belongs to Volume 1 along with Yuna and Squall. This version of Cloud is numero uno in the whole collection.

Cloud can't wait to get out of the plastic barrier

Be careful not to loose the extra gripping hand on unpacking Cloud. Because the plastic packaging, as usual, is pretty tight when it comes to smaller figure pieces. They tend to scatter with reckless unpacking which leads to missing parts/pieces. I almost lost that gripping hand part, because I don't know my own strength lol. Use a cutter to unpack the stand and its accessories out of that red cardboard.

Everything is now out of the box

Packaging includes: Cloud mini figure, 3 extra replaceable faces, a gripping hand, First Tsurugi/Fusion Swords, Fenrir mount with detachable right hand, a stand/base, 3 figure supporters with different lengths, 3 stand/base accessory mounting rods also with different lengths, a road direction sign, and 2 types of speech bubble. A user-friendly manual is also added to the package

THE FIGURE

This is the Advent Children version of Cloud. I know that some of you are looking for an extra Shin-ra infantryman and/or a SOLDIER uniform extra swappable bodies for Cloud, sorry but that's not gonna happen because he already got a cool Fenrir bike mount. Don't worry, the original game version of Cloud is coming soon, I don't know about the Crisis Core version, but we'll see.

Frontside, backside, left side and right side

Even TAKMs have excellent sculpts and all of them (at least their bodies) are made of soft rubbery plastic. Cloud's hair is soft for easy face swapping. Paint job is great, nice colors and shadings to the face,  skin and hair. The eyes on this figure and the rest of the volume 1 set is different from the newer figures (volume 2 and beyond figures have eyes that are a little rounded and got vibrant colors). My only minor complaint about the paint app is that Cloud's top is black, where it should be bluish.

Cloud is standing out in the open. Someone's spying on him

ACCESSORIES

Cloud's accessories are only the essentials: His sword in complete form,  a gripping hand for his sword and Fenrir. Other accessories are 3 swappable faces and a stand/base where you can attach different compatible accessories. Individual swords to assemble the Fusion Swords is not possible here because of the figure and its accessories' small size.

The Fusion Sword and the gripping hand

Cloud's sword is so detailed and well painted that it looks like it can cut a fruit. The blade and the handle are detachable so that you can fit the gripping hand in. Gripping hand is a kinda tight, I intentionally "broke" it by using a cutter to remove the thumb from the rest of the fingers, making the hand a little open so that the sword handle can easily fit right in.

Cloud's sweet ride

Here's Cloud's Fenrir. Highly detailed too, with sweet shiny, glossy paint finish on bike's black parts. To make Cloud ride Fenrir, just remove his head and attach it to the Fenrir. The right hand is removable too so that you can attach the gripping hand with the Fusion Sword in it. Notice that Cloud's body on the Fenrir is missing a sleeve. It shows the pink ribbon, their tribute to Aerith.

Cloud (Serious face) holding his Fusion Swords

Cloud (Neutral face) riding the Fenrir

Cloud (Serious face) Fusion Swords and Fenrir combo

Faceless Cloud

The available facial expressions for the Cloud mini figure are Neutral, Serious, Closed eyes (which more will be shown later), and Faceless (for your personalized facial expression for Cloud). These expressions are somewhat boring because Neutral and Serious face almost looks the same.

I remember that sign in the movie.
Cloud is heading to Healin Lodge to meet with Rufus Shinra.

The stand/base accessory quantity is standard. One special dialog box like the command list, and for this figure, the Road direction sign, and 2 speech bubbles (Normal and shouting/loud bubble).

Emo Cloud
(Closed eyes and a Normal speech bubble)

What's he saying?
(Serious face and a Shouting/loud bubble)

Again, the quotes are in Japanese. Gotta learn more Nihon-jin.

OTHER STUFF TO MENTION

Mini Cloud have some articulation so that we can pose him a little or give him a gesture since he can't move his legs, only his arms, right hand and head can move. Arms and head are ball jointed so that they can move. Cloud have short hair making his head move more. Cloud can swing and raise his sword a little. The ball joint on Cloud's right arm is a little exposed but not that loose that the arm will fall off when holding the sword. Only the right hand can move because the left hand is permanently sculpted on Cloud's sleeve. I forgot, the legs can move too, it's kinda hard to notice it.

I compared the size of this Cloud TAKM figure to other chibi figures.

Left to right: Cloud (TAM), Cloud (TAKM) and Cloud Keychain (removed the chain part)

Cloud Trading Arts Mini (TAM) is a little taller than the Cloud Trading Arts Kai Mini (TAKM) minus the hair... The smallest is the keychain Cloud.

Cloud with Lightning

It appears that Lightning is shorter than Cloud. I don't care much about the TAKM scaling, because they're all small... unless there are major differences, like one figure is absurdly bigger or smaller than the rest.

You can attach the TAKM stands/bases at each other. Check the pic above.

CONCLUSION

What can I say? I'm happy to add Mini Cloud to my collection of minis, because of its quality, detail  and with the inclusion of his Fenrir bike. Fellow collectors, don't let this version of Mini Cloud pass, get him now! Trading Arts Kai Mini figures are so cheap that they are easy to collect. I feel like I will neglect the Play Arts Kai line for a while lol, just kidding, I'm planning to pick one PA or PAK soon... I hope lol!

It's 4 panel comic time!

The story and their dialogue took too long to finish than expected, lol.

Cheers and Happy Collecting! :D