Series: Final Fantasy X

Craftsmanship: 9.0 out of 10

- Very good videogame likeness

- Excellent paint application

- Fits right in with the other FFX figures

- A great display piece

Playability: 4.7 out of 10

- It’s a statue

- Staff can be used by other figures

- Durable material but unlikely to really get worked over

Yuna (Final Fantasy X)

by Koto Inc. / ARTFX

If there is one constant with the Final Fantasy videogame series, it’s interesting fashions.  Characters change from game-to-game but you can always bet on clothes that make runway fashion shows look tame by comparison.  Yuna is no exception.

While she is more conservatively dressed than most silk-clad anorexics, she still sports an interesting ensemble.  It’s a faithful videogame translation, which is good news for fans of FFX.  Besides the accurate clothing, the rest of her sculpt has been captured quite well, especially the very subtle musculature on her back.  This should be a given as she stands 11” tall and is made of soft vinyl.  The near total lack of articulation (her wrists move) allows for a greater emphasis on detail and style – of course it totally tanks the playability score.

The paint application is probably the best of the series.  The intricate vines around her belt and floral design on her dress are extremely well done. (Although on closer examination you’ll realize that they’re actually “stickers” that have been bonded to the soft vinyl.)  Attention to detail is apparent in Yuna’s eyes: one’s green, one’s aqua blue.  The pink fade on her sleeves is also well done.

Yuna is meant for display so it’s a good thing she totally fits with the other FFX soft vinyl figures.  She’s in proportion to the other figures so completing the ultimate FFX display is possible.  She lacks the indefinable “cool” factor that Kimahri and Auron exude but put the three together… the cool bubble that surrounds them can extend through walls!

Playability, as mentioned before, is quite low.  She’s a durable figure owed to her soft vinyl construction but that’s about as far as it goes.  With enough force you can probably pop her hands out but I haven’t been able to do it.  But from what I can see, it looks like they’d be easy enough to snap back in.  Of course, Yuna’s female status pushes her toward the Barbie arena – little girls might take a shine to Yuna, but the boys will stick with GI Joe just as they’ve always done – so it’s not as if Yuna would get 2x4’s dropped on her.  There are some play options available with her staff – not with her but with other figures.  And fortunately, it too is durable. (But the little tassle at the end is very easy to snap off and lose.)

The verdict:  Yuna’s a great way to round out your Final Fantasy X collection.

- Omni

(July 4, 2002)