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Series: Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
Craftsmanship: 9.0 out of 10 - Fantastic display opportunities - Lots of good articulation - Tippy when not on the base - Great detail and paint job - Exposed neck joint becomes glaring
Playability: 8.5 out of 10 - Sword is fairly bendy - Just begs to be thrown across the living room - Compatible with the rest of the Onimusha 2 series and MGS2 - Hands are fragile - Sword hard to lose
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Gogandantes (Onimusha 2)
I’m told be reliable sources that Gogandantes roughly translated to English means, “Flying fish with aspirations to become the next Phantom of the Opera.” If this is the case, then Gogandantes has been perfectly named.
Gogandantes is a typical example of the Onimusha 2 series. He’s laden with practical articulation, has excellent detail, and is covered with a good-looking paint job. Really, what else is there to say? The articulation follows the example set by Metal Gear Solid 2 with a good combination of seam, hinge, and ball-joint articulation. This allows for a number of dramatic poses, most of which are eerily reminiscent of Darth Vader saying, “I am your father.” Depending on the pose, he can be quite tippy; however, he comes packed with a clear angled base that makes him unknockdownable and puts him in a “hovering” pose, like he’s riding on an updraft. (I can’t help but think of the famous scene from The Seven Year Itch.) It’s a good effect. |
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The paintjob is very well done and totally nails the videogame likeness. The wispy red paint on the cape and the fade on the sword look great, but it’s Gogandantes boldly painted face that really grabs ones attention. However, this is a double-edged sword – it’s a great highlight but it also directs your attention to the painfully exposed hinged part of his neck that looks like he has direct access to his trachea. If you’re not one to notice such things it won’t bother you. But if you’re like me you can’t help but be drawn to the flaws no matter how small. This annoyance is minor though.
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Kudos are in order for the semi-soft soft right hand that is formed to hold the (bendy) sword. McFarlane’s early hockey figures has extremely soft hands that made it easy to remove and replace hockey sticks, which was a far cry from the usual incredibly hard hands that always felt like they would snap off if you attempted to get them holding a gun. (e.g. Abbey Chase from Danger Girl.) The sword is a snug fit in Gogandantes’s hand but at least it’s easy to put there owed to the semi-softness.
Playability is mixed but still manages a fairly high score. Since he has “wings” it’s a fair bet that he’ll be thrown across living rooms on a regular basis. However, he’s not the sturdiest of figures and the seam joints on his arms are most susceptible to breakage (or at least, poppage). His only accessory – his sword – isn’t lost easily when he’s holding it. And owed to its bendy nature the sword won’t break easily either. Because McFarlane seems to have adopted the Metal Gear Solid 2 articulation model as a standard, Gogandantes and his compatriots can be set up in some really cool battle dioramas. Plus, they’re in proportion to the MGS2 figures as well – not to mention most of the figures McFarlane has released in the past few months.
At the end of the day, Gogandantes will have particularly strong appeal for Onimusha fans. He has a good potential for play, but he’s better display piece installed in his “updraft” position.
- Omni (July 28, 2002)
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