Posted by Leah Bayer on February 11, 2013 |
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Kingdom Hearts is an odd little franchise. There were 2 wildly successful PS2 games, and then the series devolved into incredibly complicated, absurdly named portable titles instead of, you know, giving everyone KH3 like they want. Because that makes too much sense! You have to wonder if part of it is merchandising potential: if you just had 3 big games, sure, you’d sell a lot of games but with all the spinoffs you get Sora and Rikku in a million different outfits!
We’ve got the admittedly cool-looking TRON Play Arts long with them in more standard outfits, and also some elaborate diorama trading figures that really do look quite nice. I wonder what ensembles they’ll be in next? Personally, I want a mermaid Sora Play Arts…
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![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-44926 slb_group[44924] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/red-xiii-gets-an-updated-play-arts-kai/attachment/redxiiiheader"></a></p> <p>Red XIII (or Nanaki, if you prefer) is one of my favorite video game characters. He’s definitely an oddity in the rpg world: yeah, there are a lot of talking animals in games (almost too many), but most of them are cuddly and cute, not semi-genius spirit animals who are decades old but are actually adolescents and oh also part of a dying race. Anyway, Red XIII has one real figure: a Play-Arts Kai that is not of the best quality and is notoriously hard to find.</p> <p>Well thankfully it seems like Square-Enix is reviving him into a sparkly new body based on his <em>Advent Children</em> design. Hooray! Of course I would much prefer a scaled figure but this is Square we are talking about so this is the best we could possibly hope for–and I am happy about it!</p> <p>[via <a href="https://twitter.com/hidemi_mad_EN/status/344104224411512832/photo/1" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://twitter.com']);" target="_blank">Hidemi Matsuzuka's Twitter</a>]</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/RedXIIIHeader.jpg "Red XIII Gets An Updated Play-Arts Kai")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-44385 slb_group[44383] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=44385"></a></p> <p>Well this is an unexpected announcement! Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy Play-Arts Kai usually focus on the later games in the series, VII and after for the most part. Actually, pretty much exclusively! But as you can see, they’re going back to the very beginning and bringing us the Warrior Of Light from the very first entry in the franchise. Also is it just me or does he look a little bit like EVA Unit-01 in the header shot?</p> <p>As terribly dull as I find that game, it’s nice to see them delving back into Final Fantasy’s history–there’s a lot of great character design for them to work with! Though of course you have to wonder if it’s just a one-time thing or if they really will be doing more older characters? Who would you like to see join the Play-Arts Kai line?</p> <p>[via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=160322140810809&set=a.119489381560752.22254.100004990716473&type=1&ref=nf" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.facebook.com']);" target="_blank">Hidemi Matsuka's Facebook</a>]</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/WarriorOfLightHeader.jpg "Warrior Of Light Joins The Play-Arts Kai Lineup")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-43988 slb_group[43987] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=43988"></a></p> <p>In a totally out of left field announcement, it seems like we will finally be getting some decent figures from the Captain Harlock franchise! You know, only a decade or so after the anime. Actually there is a new movie in the works so it’s not that surprising, but it’s always nice to see newer characters brought into the 3D realm of toy collecting no matter the reason.</p> <p>We have two companies working on the Captain and presumably Yuuki Kei as well: Square-Enix has confirmed Play-Arts Kai of both of them, and Hot Toys has announced that they will be working on 1/6 scale action figures from the series. Definitely Captain Harlock, probably Yuuki. And Emeraldas. Someone please give me an Emeraldas.</p> <p>[via <a href="http://gfmpresentation.co.uk/harlock/toy-line.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://gfmpresentation.co.uk']);" target="_blank">GFM Presentation</a>]</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/HarlockAnnouncementHeader.jpg "Square-Enix & Hot Toys Take On Captain Harlock")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-40350 slb_group[40347] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=40350"></a></p> <p>Lightning, the totally emo heroine from Final Fantasy XIII, has gotten Play-Arts Kai from her first two game appearances so I’m sure it will come as a shock to n one that <em>Lightning Returns</em> will also be getting its fair share of merchandise. Because fans totally want this more than <em>Versus</em> or the <em>FFX</em> port, right?</p> <p>Bitterness over this game getting 3 different versions aside, Lightning does have a pretty cool outfit here (though nothing beats <a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/nycc-2012-square-enixs-final-fantasy-merchandise" target="_blank">feather skirt</a>). It’s a bit more elaborate than what we usually see on Play-Arts, I wonder how she’ll turn out painted?</p> <p>[via the <a href="http://www.finalfantasymerchandise.com/blog/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6157" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.finalfantasymerchandise.com']);" target="_blank">FF Merch Forums</a>]</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/LightningProtoHeader.jpg "Lightning Returns’ Inevitable Play-Arts Kai")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39609 slb_group[39469] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=39609"></a></p> <p>Well, we’ve already shown you a lot of new Play Arts Kai announcements from Square-Enix ranging from the new <a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/toy-fair-2013-square-enixs-dc-universe-variant-play-arts-kai" target="_blank">DC Universe line</a> to <a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/toy-fair-2013-square-enixs-final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-play-arts-kai" target="_blank"><em>Final Fantasy VII Advent Children</em> pieces</a> and <a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/toy-fair-2013-square-enixs-street-fighter-play-arts-kai" target="_blank">Street Fighter</a> characters as well, but there were a lot of other Play Arts Kai tossed in the mix too. The <em>Halo 4</em> Play Arts Kai were on display in full force and ready for action, but there were also lots of prototypes too. Leon S. Kennedy and Helena Harper from <em>Resident Evil 6</em> were on hand along with Tom “Preacher” from <em>Medal of Honor: Warfighter</em> and Isaac Clarke from <em>Dead Space 3</em>. Major Henry Varro from <em>Starship Troopers Invasion</em> was also on hand, but the coolest new figure had to be Zetman, who was just simply stunning. There were also a few chibi Final Fantasy figures on display, so be sure to check it all out in the gallery.</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4530-600x250.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Booth Overview")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39610 slb_group[39473] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/toy-fair-2013-square-enixs-tekken-play-arts-kai/attachment/toyfair2013square-enixtekkenheader"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/toy-fair-2013-square-enixs-street-fighter-play-arts-kai" target="_blank">Street Fighter</a> isn’t the only fighting game series that Square-Enix likes to make Play Arts Kai of, they’re also quite fond of the Tekken franchise as well. It was no surprise then to see Tekken fighters on hand at Toy Fair via Play Arts Kai figures of Jun Kazama and Kazuya Mishima from <em>Tekken Tag Tournament 2</em>. Jun and Kazuya both look a tad clunky compared to other releases in the line and only come with different sets of hands, but if you want to add them to your collection, you can do so in April when both will be released for $64.99.</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/ToyFair2013Square-EnixTekkenHeader.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Tekken Play Arts Kai")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39612 slb_group[39472] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=39612"></a></p> <p>The Street Fighter universe has seen quite a few Play Arts Kai releases already, but considering how many characters there are, it’s no surprise to see four new additions to the cast of fighters that received the action figure treatment. Shown off at Toy Fair were Sakura, Ibuki, Ken, and Guile all in their designs from <em>Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition</em>. I’m surprised at how well the cloth materials came out on Ibuki and Sakura despite being hard plastic and Ken and Guile come with some amazing clear plastic accessories that really add to the atmosphere. Each figure also has an alternate face as well as some other alternate parts and the line will begin being released in May with Guile and Ibuki at $69.99 each.</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/ToyFair2013Square-EnixStreetFighterHeader.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Street Fighter Play Arts Kai")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39607 slb_group[39468] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=39607"></a></p> <p>Metal Gear Solid seems to be a franchise with a never-ending amount of characters that lend themselves to Square-Enix’s Play Arts Kai line, and the offerings at Toy Fair this year were no different. It seems like every time I go to a convention there’s two or more new Metal Gear Solid pieces and, well, that’s what happened here this year with Raiden from <em>Metal Gear Solid 2</em>, and Liquid Snake from <em>Metal Gear Solid</em>. Also on hand was the <em>Metal Gear Solid Rising Revengance</em> Raiden, who will be coming out in April for $69.99 and is looking quite badass. The amount of detail on Raiden and Liquid Snake looks quite nice, so for fans of the series, these are most certainly welcomed additions to an already great line.</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/ToyFair2013Square-EnixMetalGearSolidHeader.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Metal Gear Solid Play Arts Kai")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39611 slb_group[39471] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=39611"></a></p> <p>Kingdom Hearts is an odd little franchise. There were 2 wildly successful PS2 games, and then the series devolved into incredibly complicated, absurdly named portable titles instead of, you know, giving everyone KH3 like they want. Because that makes too much sense! You have to wonder if part of it is merchandising potential: if you just had 3 big games, sure, you’d sell a lot of games but with all the spinoffs you get Sora and Rikku in a million different outfits!</p> <p>We’ve got the admittedly cool-looking <a href="http://www.plastikitty.com/home/nycc-2012-square-enix-booth-overview" target="_blank">TRON Play Arts</a> long with them in more standard outfits, and also some elaborate diorama trading figures that really do look quite nice. I wonder what ensembles they’ll be in next? Personally, I want a mermaid Sora Play Arts…</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/ToyFair2013Square-EnixKingdomHeartsHeader.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Kingdom Hearts Merchandise")
![<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39608 slb_group[39470] slb slb_internal" href="http://www.plastikitty.com/?attachment_id=39608"></a></p> <p>So let’s face it: Advent Children was a terrible movie, and it came out quite some time ago, but in my mind <em>FFVII</em> merchandise is always a good thing no matter where it comes from. And while I didn’t really used to be a fan of the Play Arts, the sculpts have gotten significantly more detailed over time (in part because they’re freaking HUGE now!).</p> <p>We’ve got Yuffie and Vincent, both of whom aren’t actual plot-centric characters but they’ve proven tenaciously popular. Vincent in particular looks totally awesome, so much detail in that coat! And of course we’ve got their Rufus as well, cause who doesn’t like a well-dressed baddie?</p>](http://www.plastikitty.com/wp-content/uploads/ToyFair2013Square-EnixFFAdventChildrenHeader.jpg "Toy Fair 2013: Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Play Arts Kai")
