I don't pick up all of the S.H. Figuarts One Piece figures but I'm definitely trying to assemble the main crew of the Straw Hat Pirates. Bandai is putting these out really slowly with Luffy and Nami released a couple years back, Roronoa Zoro released this year, and the brave Captain Usopp coming out later this year or early next year. Sanji has been teased, but no release date has yet been set. I received this
Romance Dawn version of Zoro a month or two ago (
Romance Dawn is the name of the first story arc, but this is a pretty accurate Zoro for most of the series up until the time-skip. The fearsome pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro becomes a pirate himself while on his quest to become the world's greatest swordsman? Shocking! Let's check out Zoro, a man who loves swords, napping, and booze, after the break. By the way, follow my directions and not Zoro's' he'll just get you lost!
The Facts:
Height: 6 1/8ths inches
Articulation: Toe hinge, double swivel/hinge ankles, boot swivels, hinged knees, swivel thighs, swivel/hinge hips, balljointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, balljointed inner shoulder bases w/ vertical hinges, double swivel/hinge shoulders bicep swivels w/ balljointed arm connection, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, double swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 2 swappable heads, removable bandanna, 6 swappable faceplates, 8 swappable hands, tied bandanna, 3 swords, and sheath w/ 3 removable hilts.
Non-Scalper Price: $65 dollars
The Positives:
* Zoro is wearing a pretty basic outfit, but it works for him. He's slender, and wearing black pants, a fitted light grey henley shirt with three buttons, and a green harumaki around his midsection. That's what he carries his swords around in (the sheath attaches to it). It's a separate piece permanently around his midsection with an interesting texture to it, almost like it's made from an elastic material. The colors look great, though there's really very little paintwork. Most pieces are molded in the color they're supposed to be. It's a very clean looking figure that captures the aesthetic of the manga and the anime quite well.
* There are two different heads for Zoro: One has his mossy green hair fully on display while the second one shows him wearing his black bandanna in the middle of a battle. You swap the heads and then add whichever face plates you want. The standard head has three swappable faceplates, the first being a standard, neutral look for Zoro. He looks a bit aggravated, maybe just trying to deal with the antics of his fellow crew mates. Or maybe he's just looking for a fight. His earrings are also nicely detailed and visible on his left ear.
* The second faceplate for this head shows Zoro laughing. I mean really laughing. He's clearly having a great time here. I love how Zoro's kind of a tough guy who seems to not care about too much at first, but he definitely has a sense of humor. Bandai has really worked to mimic the style of the anime and manga with the facial expressions and this one is just a lot of fun.
* Sometimes Zoro gets mad. Doesn't everybody? The Straw Hats get up to trouble quite a bit and they definitely annoy one another, so having this crazy exaggerated angry face is hilarious. I love it! I think most of the main crew have come with these faces thus far, so it's fun to pose them reacting to each other.
* The second head has Zoro's mossy green hair covered by his black bandanna. The bandanna is a removable piece, though Zoro looks crazy with it removed. Almost like a Conehead. You're best to leave it on. I like this faceplate. Zoro just looks thrilled about being in the middle of a fight. He's got a big grin that's just a bit smug.
* The second portrait for the bandanna wearing head has Zoro looking pretty pissed. He's definitely yelling at someone and his mouth is wide open. Wait...wait! Could it be?
* Yes! His mouth is open so he can use Three Sword Style! Wado Ichimonji, Zoro's prized sword that once belonged to his late friend and rival Kuina, can fit right in his mouth. There's a little slit in the handle that helps it stay in there securely.
* One of the fun thing that Bandai has been doing with the S.H. Figuarts One Piece line is including an extra Luffy faceplate with each release. Zoro comes with a really funny expression for Luffy where Luffy looks absolutely enraged. Open mouth, all white pupils; Luffy is obviously enraged! I'm guessing someone has threatened his friends.
* When Zoro isn't wearing his headband (he only pulls it out for some duels), he keeps it tied around his left bicep. There's a plastic bandanna that fits over his arm and stays on his bicep. Pretty neat little detail!
* Zoro's articulation is insane! He has a crazy level of movement and everything feels pretty good and solid. His shoulders and arms are the craziest, though. There's so much articulation here that I was struggling to identify it. Multiple barbell joints, hinges, swivel/hinges, and balljoints just in each shoulder. It's unreal! If there's a sword wielding pose you can't get Zoro into, I'd be surprised. This is an impressively articulated figure and a must have for articulation junkies. His abdomen is a bit restricted because of his harumaki, but it's not too noticeable.
* Zoro comes with eight sets of swappable hands. You've got two tight grips, a pair of grappling hands, a pair of loose grips with the thumbs out (maybe checking the feel or balance of the blade, or perhaps drawing the swords), and a pair of fists. The pegs on Zoro's wrists are very slender but they seem to be pretty sturdy. The hands were easy to put on and off and didn't feel like they were causing any undo stress to the wrist pegs. It's a nice selection of hands for a variety of poses.
* Zoro comes with three swords total, the first two being these katanas that he carried until his duel with Dracule Mihawk. They're nice blades with painted blades and lots of detail on the hilts.
* The third sword is the Wado Ichimonji, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades. It's also a treasure to Zoro that was given to him after Kuina's death. The paintwork is quite sharp here, too.
* The sheathes for Zoro's swords are permanently attached to one solid piece that plugs into the right side of his harumaki. Each sword and sheathe is painted nicely and the whole rig stays on quite well.
* How do you have Zoro wear his sheaths in battle while actively using his swords? Just pop the handles off. The handles slip out, leaving you with sheaths that look empty. You can remove them in any combination so your Zoro always looks like he has the correct blades unsheathed.
Zoro really turned out quite well. He looks great, has a nice selection of faceplates, his swords are impressive, and his articulation is just wild. I don't really have any complaints about the figure itself; really just about the price. At $65 bucks Zoro definitely feels a bit light. And, yes, I know he's considered an import, but you can buy him from Amazon and even find him in stores at GameStop. It's not like you're having to import him yourself. It's an excellent version of Zoro but maybe a few more extras like a sleeping faceplate or a bottle for him to tote around would have been welcome and helped soften the blow. He's a Great figure, though if you shop around you'll probably find an even better price.
Looking for more of Roronoa Zoro? I've also reviewed the Bandai/ Banpresto/Bandai Namco One Piece: Battle Record
Roronoa Zoro (Egghead) statue.
For more S.H. Figuarts: One Piece reviews, check out the following:
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