Sentinel: 4-Inch Nel Mega Man X

I am quickly amassing quite the Mega Man collection thanks to Sentinel, and, just as the continuity goes, Mega Man X is the next generation to join the plastic party.

Once the Classic version of Mega Man was released, you kind of knew this one would be coming up soon; in fact, it has actually taken a little while longer than I expected, even though it has just been a few months. I know that, even though the “X” continuity is not my favorite, it is very popular, so this release should make many collectors happy. Once again I will use this forum to promote the fact that I believe Sentinel should really, really, REALLY work on getting us more of the Robot Masters (Cut Man is already lonely), but I wasn’t lying when I said I was amassing quite the MEGA MAN collection because, thus far, Mega Man has pretty much been the sole focus.

I suppose that is fine since he is the star of the property, but I hope that Sentinel is not burning through the main character variants right up front because I want this line to last a very long time. I realize that you could pretty much repaint the classic Rock over and over again for a viable variation, but with this release, and the Volnutt version coming in July, the essential versions are going to run thin. But who is to say, really, because HOPEFULLY Sentinel has a plan and we will still see a large swath of supporting characters. Fingers crossed.

Overall, this is a very nice take on X, and while the accessories are (once again) a bit limited, this figure has all of the quality and attention to detail we have come to expect from this line. While I would have expected this guy to show up ahead of the NT figure, I also get that this is likely to be the most popular version after the classic Mega Man, so putting some distance between the two makes sense. X has had a lot of figures over the years, so if you are die-hard fan of the series, this should be another winning addition to your collection, but with the not-too-long-ago released Bandai D-Arts figure, I wonder if there might be a bit of fatigue for this, as that figure remains very highly regarded. I never got the Bandai figure, so I was due, but knowing how their classic MM stacks up against the Sentinel version, I would probably prefer the articulation and construction of this one anyway.

Mega Man X has always been more lithe than the classic incarnation, and that is certainly reflected here. The boots are still appropriately chunky, but this figure is a bit taller, and the armor on the torso and smaller helmet give this figure the appearance of being taller, at least proportionally. The “X” series originated on the Super Nintendo, so since that system was capable of much more detailed graphics over the original NES, Mega Man X’s armor design followed suit, so there are a lot more lines and surfaces over the original MM. I am more of a fan of the simple classic design, but while this suit is still mostly blue, the white gloves and bit of red on the helmet add a color splash not present before. Another thing that this figure has going for it that no other one does is the inclusion of magnets in the feet, so X can “slide” down a wall, just like in the game. This is a subtle but really cool inclusion, so if you want to display this figure on your fridge, Sentinel has you covered.

Like the previous figures, this one comes with an alternate “gritted teeth” face plate, a set of alternate “splayed” hands, his X-Buster cannon, and the standard-issue Sentinel figure stand. These are all very nice, and I believe my figure will be displayed with the cannon and a splayed hand, so you have some options for a configuration you like best. Again, the stand is very nice, but, frankly, I am getting a bit of fatigue from it, and would much rather see some blast effects or even a small enemy pack-in in its stead. I get that it is a relatively inexpensive inclusion for Sentinel and every figure can benefit from a stand, but it is just not that exciting to me.

I do really like the movement and posability of this figure, and I find Sentinel to be the closest to giving figma a run for its money in the functional articulation department. All of the joints are nice and strong, but the movement is very silky so while you might need to fiddle with the figure just a bit, X should be able to hit most poses you are looking for. Curiously, these figures have limited neck range of movement though, and this one carries on that tradition. I am not sure why this is, but if I wanted anything changed about the engineering or articulation in this line, it would be to correct that issue.

As I said, I imagine this will be a very popular Mega Man variation, and Sentinel has done a great job rendering X into plastic. This is not the most exciting release for me personally, but if the X saga is your preferred canon, this figure should hit the right notes for you. I would guess that the fully armored version of Mega Man X is in some stage of development at this point, so it seems like the logical next step for notable MM variants that have not been announced yet. Personally, I hope to see more variety soon; as much as I love this line, if I don’t start seeing more supporting characters/Robot Masters, I am going to start to lose interest, and that is a shame because these figures are really great. Come on, Sentinel, I know you can strike the balance between future MM variants and new characters, let’s make this line last for a long time!

If you have not pre-ordered your Mega Man X figure, head over to BBTS and get him while you can, he should be arriving shortly.