Several Star Wars characters have already received the Samurai treatment in Bandai’s Movie Realization line, and now it’s time to run a Marvel character through a feudal grinder.
Spider-Man is not the most obvious choice when thinking about which Marvel character should be turned into an armored warrior. I think most people would immediately assume Iron Man would be a natural fit, just as Darth Vader was an obvious initial figure on the Star Wars side of things. However, Bandai chose to skirt the obvious, so Spider-Man gets to cut in line. I have little doubt that Iron Man is an inevitability.
The reactions when Spider-Man was announced were almost predictable. Many believed that if Spider-Man was going to be anything, he should be a ninja. Well, that sounds fine on paper, but there’s two things wrong with that, from my perspective. First, the line is intent on Samuraizing characters, so ninjafying them doesn’t seem to be on the table. Second, a ninja Spider-man wouldn’t be that much different from a regular Spider-Man; he’d just end up being a dude in Spidey pajamas. Giving him the samurai makeover allows you to end up with something far, far removed from what we’re used to, and I personally think that makes for a better figure.
In order to translate a design into a completely different aesthetic, you still have to maintain the original design enough so that while it is different, it is still instantly recognizable as what it’s supposed to evoke. In that, this is an absolute success. This is quite obviously Spider-Man, from the webbing motif to the colors to the big spider gracing his chest. In a way, Spider-Man’s path is a samurai path, so this is an extremely fitting initial offering.
Like the rest of the Movie Realization figures, Spider-Man retains a high amount of workable, posable articulation despite the heavy armor he’s draped in. He has double jointed elbows and knees combined with plenty of ball-joints in his head, wrists, hips and ankles. His armored bits are nice and soft so his hip articulation suffers very little impediments. The only area he’s lacking is a certain degree of difficulty in getting him to hold his sword in two hands. He can do it, but it’s not the most natural of poses.
Like the Star Wars-themed samurai figures, he comes with a handful of accessories and extra hands. The most unique is two sets of his web-shooters: one neutral, and one spitting out a chain and grappling hook. I guess technically this means they’re not web-shooters, they’re more like grappling hook shooters. Or something. Sure, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (where does the hook come from? Is it magic? Is he magic? Does it hurt?) but it’s pretty cool, even if it’s not something you’re going to want to leave permanently attached. It’s no doubt still good for swinging around or wrapping people up.
He comes with a sword and a scabbard that attaches to his back as opposed to the usual place on his hip. I like that little bit of difference and it seems to serve to make him a bit less encumbered. He looks like he’d be able to move a bit more freely without that cumbersome sword knocking around at his side.
As for hands, he comes with two pair of sword grips, two pairs of fists, two pairs of quasi-neutral holding hands and a pair of “thwipp” hands, for shooting his hookchainthings. But if you want to have him shoot some feudal webs then go nuts.
I’m pretty much all in on the Star Wars line due to the high level of quality and genius design translations behind familiar characters. I didn’t expect them to branch out to Marvel characters, at least not so soon. I bought Spider-Man as a test to see how all-in I’d be with a Marvel-themed take on the concept. I’ll take it on a case-by-case basis since these are pricey buggers but I really like the looks of this one and if the next character they decide to give the samurai treatment turns out as nice it will be difficult to say no.
Spider-Man is available for preorder at Big Bad Toy Store, or you can also pre-order him now from Amazon.
You can also buy him now from Amiami.
