Kotaku: Toys

Metroid Prime Phazon Suit Statue

Mike Fahey — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:40:00 MDT

First 4 Figures have done very good things with the Metroid license, from the classic Varia Suit to the sexy Zero Suit Samus, but their latest creation leaves their previous efforts in the dark. Phazon Suit Samus. Being infected with a glowing mutagen has never looked so good!

The statue is crafted entirely in transparent resin, with over 25 LED lights incorporated to give it the unhealthy Phazon glow, and the who thing is mounted on a mirror base that ties the whole effect together. Standing at 11 inches tall, Phazon Suit Samus is very pretty, but also pretty rare at only 1,500 pieces worldwide, and pretty expensive at $224.99. If you've got the funds and are so inclined, hit up the order page immediately to make sure you get yours when they are released in early 2009. Hit the jump for two more pictures of this spectacular piece.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Metroid Prime Phazon Suit Next in First 4 Figures Metroid Line!

With the unique color scheme of black helmet and red visor, the Phazon Suit is awarded after defeating the Omega Pirate. Both Samus’ suit and gun are infected with pure Phazon. This gives the Phazon Suit an ability to protect Samus from the deadly effects of the deadly blue substance and shoot the Phazon Beam when standing in pools of Phazon. Just when Metroid Prime is defeated, the Phazon Suit is stolen and used to create one of Samus’ greatest enemies, Dark Samus!

First 4 Figures is extremely proud to present the ultimate version of the Samus Aran's Phazon Suit. First 4 Figures has used the official game files in order to create an extremely accurate recreation of the Phazon suit, with pose inspiration taken from official Metroid artwork.

Looks incredibly on its own and really completes a display when put together with the Varia suit and Gravity suit statues.

We completely reengineered the original Varia suit model to make the Phazon suit by casting it entirely in transparent resin, adding over 25 LED lights through the suit and finished it off by adding a mirror base which really shows off the lights. When the lights are turned off, an internal IC chip allows for the lights to fade out slowly. The statue is hand finished and hand painted with metallic paints to give an authentic representation of the suits. Comes packed in a foam interior full colored box with a card of authenticity.

The Phazon Suit is highly limited at just 1500 pieces worldwide.

Height: 11 inches across base

SRP: $224.99

Morrigan Statue Does Not Beat Around The Breast

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:30:00 MDT

Wow, two Morrigan mentions in one night! Count yourselves lucky, Darkstalkers fans. Standing 16.5" tall, and going for the princely sum of $275, these statues by Pop Culture Shock will be limited to only 400 units worldwide when released in November. If you don't think you can muster the clams, click through for bigger shots that better highlight the sculptor's attention to...detail.

Darkstalkers Morrigan Statue [Action Figure]

Call of Duty: World at War Figures Show Off U.S., Brit Might

Brian Crecente — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:55 MDT

McFarlane Toys this morning announced that they will be making four toys based on upcoming shoot-fest Call of Duty: World at War. The toys, expecting to hit shelves this fall, will sell for $10 to $15 a pop.

The press release says there will be four soldiers:

Marine Infantry, Battle of Peleliu - Includes M1 Garand rifle and M1 bayonet

Marine Corps with Flamethrower, Battle of Peleliu - Includes M2-2 flamethrower with removable flame, and M1911A1 pistol & holster

Marine Corps with Machine Gun, Battle of Okinawa - Includes M-1928A1 machine gun w/20 round magazine and M1911A1 pistol & holster

British Special Ops, Battle for the Roer Triangle - Includes Mark II Sten gun

What? No bad guys? How am I supposed to reenact Operation Stalemate II without some Japanese figures to pack into my fortifications of coffee cups and DS cases?

McFARLANE TOYS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ACTIVISION TO PRODUCE ACTION FIGURES FOR CALL OF DUTY®: WORLD AT WAR

TEMPE, Ariz. – July 3X, 2008 ~ McFarlane Toys announces a partnership with Activision to produce action figures for the upcoming video game Call of Duty®: World at War. The line is expected to hit store shelves in fall, 2008 and retail for around $10-15.

Developed by Treyarch and built using the Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ engine, Call of Duty: World at War thrusts players into the ruthless and gritty chaos of WWII combat, challenging them to band together to survive the climactic battles of the South Pacific and European theaters that led to the demise of the Axis powers. Re-defining WWII by offering an uncensored experience with unique enemies and combat tactics, Call of Duty: World at War offers cooperative gameplay, a franchise first to enable players to fight together like never before.

McFarlane Toys’ first series of highly detailed, game-accurate Call of Duty: World at War action figures will consist of four soldiers:

* Marine Infantry, Battle of Peleliu - Includes M1 Garand rifle and M1 bayonet

* Marine Corps with Flamethrower, Battle of Peleliu - Includes M2-2 flamethrower with removable flame, and M1911A1 pistol & holster

* Marine Corps with Machine Gun, Battle of Okinawa - Includes M-1928A1 machine gun w/20 round magazine and M1911A1 pistol & holster

* British Special Ops, Battle for the Roer Triangle - Includes Mark II Sten gun

Visit www.SPAWN.com for updates and all the latest up to-the-minute news.

Ivy's Soulcalibur III Outfit Surprisingly Less Whorish Than We Recall

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:40:01 MDT

If the Soulcalibur IV media flood has you pining for a simpler, more demure Ivy, perhaps this Soulcalibur III era Ivy from Enterbrain will fit the bill. Oh, sure, the breasts are still obscene and the outfit isn't exactly appropriate for Sunday mass, but at least there's some amount of coverage here. Plus, it's perfect for displaying on your work desk. What co-worker wouldn't impressed by $120 USD worth of PVC, molded perfectly into Ivy form?

If the cost and shame hasn't scared you off yet, inquire with your immobile action figure importer of choice, because there's not a ton of time between now and September.

Soul Calibur III 1/6 Ivy [HobbyStock]

The Full Guitar Hero Action Figure Line Up

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:29 MDT

In case you missed the announcement earlier, McFarlane Toys, known for its exceptional sculpts and attention to detail, is releasing four action figures based on the Guitar Hero franchise this November. Not only does it give serious Guitar Hero fans a chance to blow up their favorite characters with M-80s, it gives the McFarlane Toys B-team of sculptors a chance to shine! These things are godawful. If you want to see full phoned-in line up, check out our gallery below. To see what we mean by "exceptional sculpts and attention to detail", refer yourself to virtually any other McFarlane Toys line.

This Is How You Make A Lara Croft Action Figure

Mike Fahey — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:20:00 MDT

There have been plenty of action figures based off of Tomb Raider starlet Lara Croft over the years, but nothing quite like this baby right here. Standing at a whopping 17 inches tall, this Tonner Doll Company creation skirts the fine line between action figure and tiny actual woman, a skirting I doubt many fans will mind much at all. Lara features rooted hair, a variety of outfits, and 14 points of articulation, along with grenades and her signature dual automatic pistols in case her new owners get fresh.

The first 100 Tomb Raider: Legend inspired figures are going on sale today at the Wizard World Chicago show, with the remainder now available for preorder via Tonner Direct at the relatively reasonable price of $124.95, shipping in the third week of July. As an action figure junkie, I am currently surveying my apartment for things to sell. Anyone need a couple cats?

Lara Croft Figure Preorder [Tonner Direct]

Guitar Hero Spreading, Spawning Action Figures

StephenTotilo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 MDT

One week it's Guitar Hero DS. The next it's Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Not enough? Mid-week we've got news of Gutar Hero action figures.

When a brand is successful, it spreads. And that means: toys. Seemingly undeterred by the fact that my corporate overlords finance Rock Band, the people at McFarlane Toys gave my MTV blog a first look at the Guitar Hero: Axel Steel action figure. A full figure pic is at the link below.

Figures of Johnny Napalm, Lars Umlaut and God of Rock should be floating around the web too. Figures come out in the fall for $10-15.

First Pic Of ‘Guitar Hero’ Action Figure - Axel Steel [MTV Multiplayer]

NECA's Ninja Gaiden II Figure

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:20:00 MDT

Whoah, NECA! Slow down! You'll wear yourself out, then you won't be any good to anyone. Not content with releasing God of War figures, and Gears of War of War figures, and Bionic Commando figures, they've just released shots of a Ninja Gaiden II figure as well. Of course, it's of Ryu Hayabusa, who'll stand 7" tall and come with a bunch of weapons and accessories when he's released in September. In case you haven't noticed with those ball hips and wacky shoulders, the emphasis here is on his flexibility, not his detail.

Bionic Commando Action Figure Spotted

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:20:00 MDT

Spotted at the 2008 Licensing show held in New York a couple weeks back, this is a prototype of NECA's Nathan Spencer action figure, due in the Fall. Looks even more detailed than their Gears figures, which is saying something. No official details on it yet, but you can pass the time between now and the time you find out how much it costs by admiring the craftsmanship on those ~~hot dogs~~ wonderfully redesigned hydraulic arm cables.

[via Action-Figure, thanks Enycma!]

NECA's Gears Of War: Series 2

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:00:00 MDT

You've seen series 1. Both here and, now, in stores. So time for all you ~~toy~~ adult collectible collectors to start psyching yourself for series two of NECA's Gears of War line. Pictured here are the four figures that'll comprise the batch: Dom, Baird and two variants of the Theron Guards, one with helmet, one sans helmet but with his best ANGRY FACE.

Old Snake Looks So Munny

Leigh Alexander — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:40:00 MDT

I confess to being vaguely perplexed with collectible toy culture, but custom craftsmen seem to take their art seriously. Munny artist "brownkidd" of game and toy culture site Albotas has come up with this custom Metal Gear Solid 4 Munny doll of Old Snake, complete with trusty cardboard box.

Front view, complete with surly little scowl, follows the jump:

Say it with me, fellow Snake admirers: Awwww.

Munny Monday - Old Snake [Albotas - Thanks, YaYaLuvsCupcakes!]

Valkyria Chronicles Statue: Alicia

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:00:00 MDT

Valkyria Chronicles looks gorgeous. Couldn't care less how well it plays. So even if it ends up being a complete disaster, it'll still have its fans, who dig it for the canvas-painting graphical style and snappy re-imagining of WWII Europe. Fans who will, for example, buy over-priced merchandise. Over-priced merchandise like this 20cm statue, of the game's heroine Alicia, which goes on sale later this year for ¥7140 (USD$65).

[via Famitsu]

Upright New Persona 3, Oneechanbara VorteX Figurines

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:00:00 MDT

Japanese figure maker Alter has put up new listings for its fall figurine line-up which includes a Persona 3 Elizabeth from sculptor Fumiki Saitou and an Oneechanbara VorteX Aya from Goutarou Takeuchi. The Elizabeth (pictured) is 22cm tall and books at ¥6,090 (US$58), while the Aya (after the jump) is 25cm tall and priced at ¥8,190 (US$78). Aya, of course, is more expensive because she is 3cm higher and not because she is in her skippies and carrying swords. Oh no.

Out This October [Heisei Democracy]

NECA's Gears Of War Box Set

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:30:00 MDT

Oh, hey, those Gears of War figures are out. If you’re after one or two, great, hope you got ‘em. If you’re after all four of them, this may be of interest: NECA are to release a box set, which includes all four Gears of War figures in the one pack plus a couple of minor additions, like a new Locust head and the Hammer of Dawn. No word on price yet, but it should be out in a few weeks time.

Custom Fallout 3 Figure From The Brotherhood Of Awesome

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:30:00 MDT

Heeeey, it's Jin Saotome! You remember Jin Saotome, right? Talented kid. Makes his own custom action figures, official licensing deals be damned. This is one of his latest gaming-related works, a member of Fallout's Brotherhood of Steel, circa Fallout 3. The gun's a bit too futuristic, but the guy himself? Totally nailed it.

Custom Fallout 3 Power Suit! [Jin Saotome, thanks Nicholas!]

Clank Figure Acts As Bait For Game Purchase

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:40:00 MDT

For all the series' popularity, especially with the wee ones, it's a wonder nobody at Sony ever thought to cash in on it all by licensing out some Ratchet & Clank action figures. Who knows, one day, they might. Til then, this'll have to do! GameStop are running a preorder promo where if you throw some cash down on Secret Agent Clank for the PSP, you'll get one of these Clank figures. I haven't heard the nicest of words about the game, but I can vouch for the niceness of that figure! Adorable.

Secret Agent Clank bonus: pre-order figurine [PlayStation.Blog]

Why Does Vega Have Balloon Nipples?

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:30:00 MDT

I know. That Sagat statue was nice and all, but his hands were so big, and that scar on his chest was so gross....it's perfectly reasonable to expect you to want something a little cleaner. A little more...beautiful. Like this Vega Statue. By Sideshow Collectibles, it's due in Q4 this year, and there'll only be 200 of them available worldwide. Which can only mean one thing: nutjob prices. At 20" he's nicely detailed, but at $275 I don't expect his chest to look like he's wearing a extra small-sized, inflatable sumo suit.

Comic-Con Exclusive Gears Figure Is Here Today, Gone Very Soon

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:20:00 MDT

Going to Comic-Con in San Diego this year? May as well pick a couple of these up, make some cash money off some die-hard Gears fans unable to make the trip. This NECA Gears figure will only be available at this year's Comic-Con, and depicts Delta Squad's Anthony Carmine, presumably only moments before his untimely demise. A pic so big you can almost smell that newly-opened toy smell is after the jump.

They Listened: Buy Bee, Boo Mario Plushies

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 15 May 2008 05:30:00 MDT

This was a gimme for Nintendo. After all, Bee Mario was the most adorable thing that fat plumber's done in years, so capitalising on the love-in by releasing a soft, cuddly replica was a no-brainer. It'll be available in July, for around $25. If your collectible tastes for the game run to the more supernatural end of the spectrum, a Boo Mario will be available as well. Same time, same price.

Super Mario Galaxy Plush Doll: Bee Mario [Play-Asia, via Go Nintendo]

6" Warhawk Figures Usher In An Era Of Desktop Dogfights

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:20:00 MDT

A PlayStation.Blog post about an upcoming Warhawk tournament actually contains something far more interesting: news of a line of miniature Warhawk figures. Gentle Giant studios are currently at work on the project, and when done will be releasing a line of 6" replicas based on the series' trademark fighter. They'll even come with little plastic stands, so it looks like they're flying, and you can pick them up off your desk and be all "mmmmmyyyeeewwwwww, pew pew pew" when nobody's looking.

Warhawk GGL Tournament! [PlayStation.Blog]

Which Street Fighter IV Figurines Do You Want?

Mike Fahey — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:00:00 MDT

Capcom USA is in a bit of a pickle. Seems they want to give us shiny new Street Fighter IV figurines to ~~play with in the bathtub~~ display in a mature fashion atop our mahogany bookshelves, but there are just so many characters out there they cannot decide which ones to make. They've decided to turn to the gaming community to decide, with a poll running along the side of their page that will allow you to choose your top three choices for immortalization in PVC form. Will you go with the new characters just to give them a fair shake, or are the 20 million Chun-Li figures out there just not enough for you? Hit up the Capcom blog and make your voice heard!

Street Fighter IV Figurines: Vote for your Favorites! [Capcom Unity Blog]

Sagat's Big Hands Are All The Better To [Something] You With

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:40:00 MDT

Yup. BIG HANDS. But don't let them put you off this Sagat statue by SOTA. It's not his fault, is it? Indeed, he's become quite sensitive about it, so if you don't mind, quit your staring. Due in September, it's - as you can see - a highly detailed representation of Thailand's favourite one-eyed son, stands 12" and will cost you $120.

Newer, Better Halo 3 Toys

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:30:00 MDT

Look, there's nothing wrong with McFarlane's Halo line. They're nice figures. It's just, McFarlane are known for stuff with a little more size, and a little more detail, than the wee little figures they've released thus far. Now this new stuff, it's more their style. They've just announced two new lines for the end of the year: two 12" Master Chiefs (one a Wal-Mart exclusive) and the "Legendary Collection", a series of "non-articulated large-scale" figures that includes the Chief, Arbiter and a Brute Chieftain. The 12" figures are due in September, the Legendary Collection in November.

Capcomaniax's Street Fighter B-List T&A Figures ...

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:40:03 MDT

Capcomaniax's Street Fighter B-List T&A Figures Now Pre-orderable. Just a heads up to the 22,000 or so folks who found the potentially NSFW Capcomaniax Ibuki and R. Mika figures so appealing that National Console Support is now accepting pre-orders. They're listing for $60.90 USD and plan to hit in late July.

Street Fighter B-Listers Get The T&A Figure Treatment

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:40:00 MDT

Ibuki from Street Fighter III and R. Mika from Street Fighter Alpha 3 may not be the most household of household names, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be immortalized in sculpted polyvinyl chloride. Capcomaniax scoops up two sculpts from the Street Fighter character barrel, readying them for a summer release in Japan. They're perfect additions to the T&A figure collector shelf, with Ibuki's thigh-revealing costume sure to be the focus of a many, many macro digital photos on Japanese blogs. R. Mika? We're scared to think of what will be done with her.

We haven't seen anyone offering these figures up for import yet, but if you've got the display case space, they're retailing for 5775 yen (about $55 USD).

CAPCOMANIAX [Mega Hobby]

A Halo 3 Spartan Straight From Hell

Mike Fahey — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:00:00 MDT

I am not allowed to go to the San Diego Comic Con this or any other year, mainly because my penchanted for buying anything plastic, articulated, and limited edition would send me to the poorhouse faster than...well, faster than my normal lifestyle, which says a lot. SDCC sees tons of limited edition toys every year, and these two from McFarlane Toys would surely get my wallet open, silly concept or not. Sold together, the clear CQB Spartan
is joined by the not-so-clear Spartan Soldier EVA "HellSpartan"...basically Spawn-painted Spartan armor. Considering Spawn has been everything from anime to commando to samurai to refridgerator repairman, this really isn't that far a stretch. Right now it looks like some hobbyist kitbashed the thing together, though I am sure it will look lovely sealed in its little, limited-edition package. I'm going to just start sending McWhertor money now, build up a fund so he can grab me one of everything when he stops by this July.

'HALO 3' COMIC-CON EXCLUSIVE FIGURE ANNOUNCEMENT & PHOTOS [Spawn.com - Thanks Juan!]

12" Lara Croft Figure Is Surprisingly Tasteful

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:20:00 MDT

I think Lara Croft, I think 90's platforming, dinosaurs and leaps of faith. You may, however, think of something else. Well, two things. If so, don't be too disappointed when you see this new, premium 12" figure from Sideshow, depicting Ms. Croft as not only well-prepared, but well-dressed. She's packing ten weapons/accessories, 30+ points of articulation and three pairs of interchangeable hands, and will be available Q4 for around USD$80. Nice boots.

Your Big Daddy Could Have Looked Like This

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:30:00 MDT

To promote BioShock, 2K shipped the collector's edition with a Big Daddy figurine. Sounded great in theory, but in practice, the thing was too fragile, and looked like it had been painted by...well, somebody who had never played BioShock. And who loved the smell of industrial-strength spraypaint a little too much. Enter a Mr. David Blades, who took the standard figure, broke its arms and legs off, then re-posed and re-painted the whole thing so it's looking much nicer. Well played, Mr. Blades, well played.
Mr Bubbles [schwerpunkt]

This Deluxe WoW Figure Will Totally Kick Your Ass

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:30:00 MDT

Don't confuse old Brave Highmountain here with your regular, run-of-the-mill World of Warcraft figures. Those things are for the Average Joe and his Average Toy Shelf. This thing, like last year's Illidan Stormrage, is deluxe. A deluxe Tauren Hunter, to be precise, which has a ton of detail, and will most likely sell like hotcakes when its released in December.
World of Warcraft Deluxe Collector Figure: Series 3 [Action-Figure]

Awww, New Sony Cat Action Figures

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:30:00 MDT

Heeeeey, it's Toro, Sony Computer Entertainment's kooky mascot cat. And his friends! And their new official line of action figures/desk paperweights. You may be ordering yours (as we speak!) as a devoted fan of all things PlayStation, but since the figures come with interchangeable faces, I'm ordering mine as a handy mood indicator. If Toro's happy, I'm happy. If he's sad, I'm sad. If he's that face on the far right, I'm...having toilet issues?
PlayStation Store [Sony Japan]

New York Comic Con Gets Raiden Exclusive

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:20:07 MDT

If you're making the journey to the New York Comic Con, which runs April 18 to 20 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, you may want to bring a bit more walkin' around money, especially if you're into Metal Gear. The Con will feature a massive number of exclusives, from bobble-headed Obi-Wan Kenobi to a Kingdom Hearts Trading Card Game Daisy Duck promo card(!), but it's the 20th Anniversary Metal GearRaiden exclusive that may find a way into your display case.

The Medicom-created action figure is of the dreaded "stealth camo" variety and limited to 1400 pieces. Can't imagine it will be too hard to get your hands on one if you don't go to the show, as I have quite a few... wait, that may be too embarrassing to print. Let's just say some people who didn't go to Comic Cons past found a way to get glow in the dark EVA figures.

Show Exclusives [NY Comic Con via MTV Multiplayer]

More Famous Shmups Get Capsule Toy Treatment

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:20:00 MDT

For those who either missed out on the first line of Shooting Game Historica gashapon or feel the burning in their collector loins to complete the line, please note that National Console Support has commenced with pre-orders for the second batch. Joining the line this go 'round are the R90 Ragnarok from R-Type III, R-Gray1 from Raystorm, Gaia from Star Luster, Geo Sword from Star Blade and.... Opa-Opa from Fantasy Zone! Opa-Opa looks to come with little feet and a teeny 16-ton weight. Precious! I don't think I've wanted a tiny plastic recreation of a video game thing that's normally much bigger since I laid eyes on that Nei from Phantasy Star II figure.

Shooting Game Historica Vol. 2 [NCSX]

My Little Master Chief Pony

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:40:00 MDT

We're not sure that you're ready to enter the world of custom, one of a kind My Little Pony creations, but perhaps the bitter pill of fandom tucked within a meaty treat will help the medicine go down. This unique pony, decked out in Master Chief's Mjolnir armor, is almost exactly how we pictured it in the many fanfics we've read on the My Little Pony-Halo crossover forums and certainly not too rich for our blood.

Just think, your little Master Pony will always be there right by your side. He'll be there right by your side. Definitely worth dropping $100-plus on to get the promised hand-sculpted assault rifle. Bid early and often, folks.

Master Chief From Halo OOAK My Little Pony Custom [eBay]

An Easier Way To Get Hayabusa Halo Armor

Mike Fahey — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:20:00 MDT

I'm with Dan from TBBPS on this one. Why bother spending your time skull hunting when you can simply lay down $13.99 to preorder the upcoming Hayabusa Spartan action figure from Entertainment Earth? Part of series 3 of the McFarlane Toys Halo 3 line, this little red gem of a toy not only keeps you from having to hunt down all those skulls (something I never bothered with), but you can also carry it around with you, whipping it out at parties to impress women and men alike. Trust me, there is nothing more attractive than a guy that carries around action figures in his fanny pack. Perhaps it will even come with the elusive katana, or an action feature akin to Cortana's magically glowing crotch, currently haunting my fireplace mantle. The red Hayabusa Spartan is due in August, alongside a silver Master Chief, War Chieftain, Human Flood Figure, a Jackal Major, and whatever else the Toddster has up his sleeves.

Halo 3 Series 3 Red Hayabusa Spartan Soldier Action Figure [Entertainment Earth via TheBBPS]

PansonWorks' Chun-Li Does Unusual Proportions Horribly Wrong

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:20:19 MDT

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Look, if you're going to go to the trouble of making a Chun-Li creation in polyvinyl chloride or ceramic or whatever, there are only a few things one needs to know to make it a success. Thigh circumference is twice that of the widest part of the skull, for one thing, and never make the legs the same height as the hands.The man shoulders—throw those right out, too. We don't have as much of a problem with PansonWorks other super deformed Street Fighter toys—Guile is just adorable—but this is an affront to more than just the license, it's offensive to the entire Peoples Republic of China.

We shan't be pre-ordering, Pansonworks. Good day to you, sirs!

PansonWorks Chun-Li Figure [HobbyStock]

Valve Restocks Companion Cubes

Mike Fahey — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:20:02 MDT

The Weighted Companion Cube is not supposed to make people cry, but it most certainly did back in late December, when Valve's official plushies sold out within 24 hours of going on sale. We did not hate Valve for this. We were patient. We bided our time. Oh the biding we have done! Now said biding has paid off, as a fresh shipment of Weighted Companion Cubes have shown up at Valve's store, both in plushie and fuzzy dice formats. Both are available for $29.95, and both will more than likely be sold out within days, if not sooner. Aperture Science takes no responsibility for customers trampled to death in the ensuing rush.

The Valve Store [Valve - Thanks Everyone!]

Frostmourne Makes A Lovely Gift

Mike Fahey — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:40:24 MDT

For those of you unfamiliar with World of Warcraft lore, Frostmourne is the legendary runeblade that stole the soul of Prince Arthas Menethil, causing him to kill his father, shatter The Frozen Throne, and ultimately merge with the Lich King into an uber powerful being, destined to become a raid boss somewhere down the line. Now Epic Weapons is readying the release of the Forstmourne replica, 47 inches of Japanese milled stainless steel, cast metal, and leather. The weapons comes complete with a lovely display mount, a limited edition poster, and an embedded authenticity microchip with a reader to help assure people you didn't make the weapon yourself in your garage. As far as replicas go it isn't cheap, running $379.00, but it's a small price to pay for the sword that completely tore Azeroth a new asshole. Frostmourne is now available for preorder, with a May 1st release date that eerily mirrors a certain Kotaku writer's birthday. *whistles innocently*

Yes, A Third Series Of WoW Figures

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:30:00 MDT

Here, more World of Warcraft figures for the unhealthily obsessed to spend their real-world dollars on. These are the third series to be released by DC Direct, and while they won't be out until November, they figure March is early enough to begin whetting your appetite with pictures. Four figures will make up the series: a Blood Elf Paladin, a Dranei Mage, an Undead Rogue and a Human Priestess. Lookers, the lot of them.
World of Warcraft Series 3 [Action-Figure]

Bandai Makes Lucky Star Fugly

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:00:52 MDT

Ack! POM-POM HANDS!! Here's a toy figurine of Tsukasa Hiiragi from Lucky Star. It's made by Bandai, better known for its Gundam modeling. At ¥850 (US $8.45), it's certainly not an upper end figure as clearly even by its overall freakish appearance. We're sure it has a good personality, though.
Q Joy Lucky Star [Akiba Hobby via Danny Choo]

"Blanka's Gonna Bonk Ya!"

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:00:12 MDT

With all the Street Fighter IV hype, it's time to take a look back at embarrassing SFII dolls from the early 1990's. Here's Hasbro Street Fighter II "Hall of Fame" figures. We just wanted to post this because "Blanka's gonna bonk ya" makes us giggle.

Thanks Dale North for adding this to YouTube and thanks Santa for the tip!