Series: Final Fantasy X

Craftsmanship: 8.6 out of 10

- Freaky small feet!

- Excellent video game likeness and fits in with the rest of

the FFX line

- Very good sculpt and paint

- Great big huge sword is a

great accent

- Stands well on the base

Playability: 6.6 out of 10

- “Cowlick” is extremely easy to tear off

- Big sword is difficult to lose

- Kind of fragile

- Just basic articulation

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Iron Giant (Final Fantasy X)

by Koto Inc. / ARTFX

The reason Iron Giant reminds me of an extremely buff and hat-less Smurf is his color.  It’s got to be his purple color.  Everyone knows when a Smurf suns himself he turns purple.  No really, look it up.

Iron Giant is an excellent action figure translation of his video game counterpart.  His size manages to be impressive without forcing you to clear off a large shelf to display him properly.  His shape actually allows for easy dashboard mounting. (It sure beats the hell out of those stupid little bobby-head things.)  Standing him is 50/50.  Without the base, you’re limited to what poses you can put him in.  His arms are very heavy and having them anywhere except at his sides means he’ll fall over.  On the base he fares better however, at the wrong angles, his arms are still heavy enough to actually pop his feet off the base.

His massive sword accents the figure as a whole and has the best detachable knob I’ve ever seen.  To put the sword in his right hand the end knob has to be removed but unlike other knobs this one won’t break off at the stem.  Instead of a peg fitting into a hole on the end of the sword, the knob has a hole in it and the handle fits inside.  This means that during rough play the sword won’t accidentally fall out of his hand or break the knob off.  Plus, it’s big enough that kids can use it in their hands.

Poseability is limited by his heavy arms, but there are 7 points of articulation.  Since his arms are 

so big, differing poses are possible – more so when the sword is in his hand.

Playability is a little limited.  His “cowlick” can very easily be torn off.  Even bending it slightly makes you think it’s going to snap off.  Also of concern is the way his arms act like a muscled fulcrum, which makes it easier to break (or otherwise sever) his arms at the shoulders. (Ball-jointed shoulders would have solved this.)  Otherwise, he’s of generally good construction and in proportion to the other Final Fantasy X figures.  Oddly enough he fits in with quite a number of different action figures – he could be Apocalypse’s big brother or Blanka’s purple cousin – and this opens quite a few more play options.

Koto and ARTFX have produced Final Fantasy figures before but I really think this line in particular should make more people sit up and take notice.  Iron Giant is a typical all-round good display figure, especially with that wonderful sword, and an all right play toy but nothing to give a kid who doesn’t understand the basic fulcrum principles.

- Omni

(May 18, 2002)