Max Factory's new selection of Nintendo Figma have proven rather popular haven't they? After both Link and Samus were released a few months ago, they instantly sold out and commanded ludicrous secondary prices on the aftermarket (one Samus I found was going for 10,000 yen!). Thankfully Good Smile Company have obviously noticed the popularity, and so the two figures have been re-released to meet greater demand. So after missing out on her first run, here she is - Samus Aran as she appears in the Nintendo Wii game Metroid: Other M.
Admittedly I'm not overly familiar with the Metroid franchise - having only played the original and Metroid Fusion, my knowledge of the character mainly stems from the Super Smash Bros. series of games. Therefore I can't really comment on whether Samus' box decoration has any relevance to the game itself (like how Link's was Skyward Sword style sky art), but I can say that the orange/yellow/black colourscheme is very striking and certainly befitting of the badass space bounty hunter. All of the accessories are fully on display through the window, with the exception of the hands and stand which are neatly tucked away at the bottom of the plastic tray.
Based on the Varia suit design of the character (her most iconic), it's plain to see that Samus isn't like most Figma you'll come across. While the anime-esque proportions of the characters the line centers around usually results in rather thin or dainty limbs, Samus is a much chunkier figure unlike most Figma I've handled in the past. There's a great balance between the thin, feminine legs/waist and the heavy torso/shoulder-section, with the thick shoulder pads and red booster section that protrudes out of the back. The glossy finish really evokes the look of a character that has jumped right out of a video game, and I'm a huge fan of the metallic green used for the visor.
As usual for a Figma the figure has a wide range of articulation, with the only limited section being the head (which is only logical given she's wearing a helmet). The shoulder and hip joints are surrounded by rubbery tubing which adds a nice little bit of variety and extra detail to the feel of the suit without limiting any of the movement. One thing I noticed on my figure was that the right leg was a little bit on the loose side, but even when it came off I didn't have any trouble popping it back on securely.
Samus doesn't come with a whole load of accessories, but when you consider there's only one hand to cater for it doesn't seem like too much has been skimped on. Included are five swappable left hands (closed fist, two open hands, a thumbs up and rather bizarrely a hand for holding things - yet this release comes with nothing for it to hold onto), a extended barrel to represent her blaster in missile launcher mode, two laser effect parts (single and double shots) and finally a hefty Morph Ball piece. The Morph Ball is stable and won't roll around on it's own, but can also be attached to the included Figma stand if you have plans for some sort of mid-air display. Swapping out parts is completely hassle-free, with all of them using a very simple but secure peg system.
Sure Samus doesn't come with EVERYTHING she could have, but much like Link Max Factory were dealing with a character that can command a rather hefty arsenal. Rather than choose favourites they've simply included the most famous accessory (the Master Sword in Link's case and the Morph Ball here), and then worked around it. The effect pieces are a really nice addition, as they are something I don't feel enough figures I buy come with.
Honestly, my rather terrible selection of pictures don't do this figure proper justice. Samus is without a doubt the BEST Figma I've handled and, while she certainly isn't worth 10,000 yen, I can see why some people were prepared to pay such a crazy price for her. Metroid fans definitely need to have this figure in their lives, and even casual fans who only really know the character through Super Smash Bros. will not be disappointed. Well worth every penny, so get her before prices skyrocket again!
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