Posted: 01.28.2024
REVIEW:
Power
S.H. Figuarts 1/12 scale articulated figure
I really liked the Chainsaw Man anime!
...and that's where my knowledge of Chainsaw Man stops.
This is when I admit that I've never read the manga and have absolutely no clue what happens after that 12th episode ended. Shit, I don't even know how accurate the show was to the source material.
What I do know, though, is that Power is cool as heck and I couldn't wait to get this grimy, filthy, stinky girl in hand.
With a few competitors now churning out their own Power figure, how does Bandai's offering stack up?
Overview
Semi-accurate
Power's sculpt is almost there. Proportions seem a bit off in places (really it's her head, something is just not quite right) and some of the coloring choices are just OK.
Fun accessories
If Power did not come with her best sidekick, Denji Meowy, she would still be sitting on the shelf at Kinokuniya.
Beyond the cat, Power comes equipped with multiple weapon options and many, many hands and faceplates.
Box & Packaging
If there's one thing S.H. Figuarts does well repeatedly, it's the packaging for their figures.
I'm always impressed by their ability to squeeze so much into such tiny boxes. This thing is jam packed top-to-bottom, side-to-side. There's barely room to squeeze another accessory in there if they tried. In this day and age, less packaging is pretty nifty. Sure, Bandai could ditch the plastic window, too, if they wanted to reduce their carbon footprint even further, but they do a great job already with making a nice presentation using minimal materials.
The box art is clean and sharp, using (what i believe are) photos of Power's painted prototype. That being said...the figure pictured on the box is a far cry from the actual stinky girl trapped inside. More on that later.
The back of the box does a fine job of showing off all of Power's included accessories as well as her many faceplates. Kudos to Bandai for that!
Accessories
What’s in the box?
I'm a fan of the way Bandai packs their inserts so tightly; they try hard to fill these trays to the brim.
A plastic sheet was wedged into Power's torso before packaging to protect one of the only painted surfaces on the entire figure.
Faceplates
5 faceplates is a lot of variety (take notes, Good Smile).
While the expressions are all good and fun, they're all so plasticky looking and have a lot of shine to them (don't take notes on that part, Good Smile).
Weapons
Blood hammer? Check.
A much BIGGER and BEEFIER blood hammer? Also check.
Knives, too. Not a bad selection of murder tools.
Meowy
If you're like me, you picked up Power just for this precious little angel.
Meowy is represented here in her plastic, homunculi form and is a decent little cat. She shares the same issue as Power though, in having a very shiny and cheap looking finish. A coat of satin or matte finish would go a long way in making Meowy look better.
Hands
A dozen hands! That's like, a lot of options.
Splayed, loose grips, grips, open, peace signs, and fists.
There's not much you can't achieve with an assortment like this.
Here, Power is utilizing those peace signs to do her best Kobeni impersonation. She's terrible at it.
Articulation
Power has got the moves!
Head-to-toe, this figure's articulation scheme is nothing short of impressive. I'm a sucker for double-jointed elbows (which is a rarity with most female figures), and Power's arms are able to bend well past the 90 degree mark and can almost do a full 180. Superb!
Power's neck movements are fairly limited due to her massive mane, but it's not a dealbreaker. On a similar note, her wrist articulation is shunted a bit by the end of her sleeves but the range you can get is still acceptable. Ankles on the other hand are pretty poor in comparison, only allowing slight movement. Blame the chunky sneakers.
The iconic blue jacket is broken up into various segments attached to her shoulders and back allowing her to maintain full motion of her shoulders, at the trade off of a segmented and slightly broken sculpt.
I'm unsure how I feel about the little slip covers over the shoulder joints. On one hand, they help cover the gaps formed by more dramatic poses but on the other hand, they slide around very easily and have a tendency to look kinda wonky if you're not careful in repositioning them.
Slight flaws or nitpicks aside, Figuarts knows how to make a toy that's fun to play with. Couple this joint system with high-quality, high-tolerance joints, and you have a figure that will hold up for a very long time.
Conclusion
Too much bloodloss?
I believe the MSRP for this figure is around $50 USD. Granted, you'll be hard pressed to find her for that price if you live in the US (average rate from most retailers is around $70 USD). I have a hard time justifying that higher price.
My biggest gripe with S.H. Figuart's Power is the overall lack of paint. All around, Power has a very plasticky appearance and relies too heavily on the color of the plastics she was cast in. Both her jacket and pants suffer a lot from this issue making Power look more "toy"-ish than she should. I know, I know, she is a toy, but there's a certain level of fit and finish that's expected with a figure of this price and the Figuarts Power does not deliver in that regard.
The paint that is applied to Power is mediocre at best. Her hair looks nothing like the (prototype?) figure on the box and her sneakers have some paint that doesn't quite fill in the lines. Disappointing but not something super noticeable.
S.H. Figuarts biggest competition here is the figma, released around the same time. Man were these companies fighting to see who could get Power on the shelves first. From my perspective, the sculpt is far better on the Figuarts, but the paint and finish is superior on the figma. But which one is the better figure? Do what I dare not: buy them both and find out!
She's absolutely terrified of these giant hands that keep twisting and contorting her against her will.
Truly the best ship in all of Chainsaw Man.
POWER SMASH!
Hesitantly wanting to chop you up.
Don't get on Power's bad side - read more reviews!