Storm Collectibles

If these stick with that lower price point, I don't think I can resist some Darkstalkers...the MvC collection must grow

I have no connection with the game, but if they can get into the more monstrous characters, I’d have a hard time resisting.

SOTA’s prototype of the Mummy dude was an awesome chunk of toy - shame it never made it out.


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If we get more Darkstalkers I'm hoping for Lord Raptor myself.

I've been holding off on the Jada SF stuff because the sculpts just feel a little soft to me in reviews. Not that they're bad, obviously they pose like a dream, just not quite the look I want. What I'm seeing from Arena is a lot more what I want, and at this price point it's very tempting. I might grab a Ryu just to see how I feel about them. I don't need a lot of SF in my collection, but a Ryu, an Akuma, and a Vega/Balrog would be nice.

JakeEkiss said:

If we get more Darkstalkers I'm hoping for Lord Raptor myself.

I've been holding off on the Jada SF stuff because the sculpts just feel a little soft to me in reviews. Not that they're bad, obviously they pose like a dream, just not quite the look I want. What I'm seeing from Arena is a lot more what I want, and at this price point it's very tempting. I might grab a Ryu just to see how I feel about them. I don't need a lot of SF in my collection, but a Ryu, an Akuma, and a Vega/Balrog would be nice.

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Don't get me wrong, I love the Jada figures.

I played the original arcade down the street at the local convenient mart, and I remember the day vividly where I played SFII the first time and picked Blanka while accompanying my father to the driving range. I'm old school. Collected the Joes in 93, had Resaurus in 2000, my first online username was Blanka over on the Raving Toy Maniac Toy Buzz, I had every single SOTA figure.

I get what Jada is going for with their line. I do.

But I agree with you.

In my mind, when I think of Street Fighter, I think of the promo art. I think of the later, more anime designs of the games. I think the Udon comics. I think of Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie.

Super dynamic, exaggerated muscles, sharp angles, cartoony, etc.

That's what I want my figures to look like, and that's what Storm is doing. And doing it well.

RicksNerdLife said:

In my mind, when I think of Street Fighter, I think of the promo art. I think of the later, more anime designs of the games. I think the Udon comics. I think of Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie.

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Exactly this. That's the look I'm wanting, and that's what Storm is giving me in spades. I went ahead and ordered Ryu. Maybe I'll pick up Ken too. I don't know. I played a lot of SFII at the local CiCi's Pizza when I was young, but I think I only ever chose Vega (Balrog) and Blanka. Ryu looks great though and if I eventually get Akuma (and I mean to if they make him) then Ryu will need SOMEBODY to fight.

In fact, you know what art my mind goes to? Very specifically the illustrations from an SFII moves guide I picked up sometime int he 90s. Every chapter was a different fighter and the chapter art is what sticks in my mind. These ones if you recall them:

And yeah, no shade to Jada at all. They have a different look that I'm not as into, but every review I've seen shows some really well made figures with good accessories and ROM. I can't fault them, it's strictly taste.

RicksNerdLife said:

In my mind, when I think of Street Fighter, I think of the promo art. I think of the later, more anime designs of the games. I think the Udon comics. I think of Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie.

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This is precisely WHY I am banking so hard on the Storm line for Street Fighter. I love the Jada figures I have in-hand (Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy) and think they're great general representations of the characters...

Being based off the in-game models of the modern games with very soft headsculpts inspired by SFII portraits has brought out great all-rounder representations for most characters, but some characters like Vega have suffered having an entirely incorrect design.

The whole "Let's include one head based off the portrait, and another shouting/angry head" idea is a bit silly too... some characters just don't get neutral faces at all (Cammy), and in the case of M. Bison, he just doesn't get a head with his most iconic expression. (Unless you buy the deluxe repaint lol.) In general that idea just limits the alt heads from being something that exemplifies each character's personality... which is at the forefront of all fighting game characters. Hopefully they swerve away from that after USFII wraps up.

akajomiha said:

KOF wasn't really in my wheelhouse as far as fighting games go, but I'm literally in for every figure in the Arena line, so will be picking these up for sure. They look great.

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Just occurred to me, but that Goro body is probably the base they're using for Akuma, isn't it? I would not mind that.

Nor I. I am curious how they will approach Akuma. If memory serves, in-game he really wasn't much different from Ryu and Ken as far as size goes. I only Alpha 1 and he was in the game, but not the booklet. Not sure if the companion art for Alpha 3 depicted noticeably larger.

I also missed it, but apparently Storm changed their Sagat to remove that ab crunch. Based on what I've seen with Ryu and Ken reviews, I think it's a good move. They look to get a lot of range out of just the ball joint at the waist rendering that ugly cut less useful.

Let’s goooooo!

Misfit said:

Nor I. I am curious how they will approach Akuma. If memory serves, in-game he really wasn't much different from Ryu and Ken as far as size goes. I only Alpha 1 and he was in the game, but not the booklet. Not sure if the companion art for Alpha 3 depicted noticeably larger.

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I think in all the sprite based games (including Alpha 3) he's just a palette swap with new a head, but I can't think of a single piece of promo or other art that doesn't show him as larger when compared to the others. According to the Street Fighter wiki he's roughly the same height as RYu (depending on depiction), but narratively they always make him bigger in other media to imply how strong he is. They would be justified in just using the Ken and Ryu body if they wanted to, but I think the fans would riot. It's just not how people "think" of him.

I assume the selection of Goro lets them set up the Akuma body early while also giving them more dip into the KOF line right away. I could be wrong, but if it were me I'd announce Akuma as part of the next round after the current ones all drop. Of course, they could do Akuma on the Ken/Ryu and then do Shin Akua on the Goro if they wanted as well.

I’ve never thought of him as some hulking monster shoto (that’s more the Oni version), I’d be a-okay with reusing the Ryu body. All he needs are different feet (he wears sandals, unlike the other two), unique head sculpts, and the necklace. Bish, bash, bosh, job done.

Revox said:

I’ve never thought of him as some hulking monster shoto (that’s more the Oni version), I’d be a-okay with reusing the Ryu body. All he needs are different feet (he wears sandals, unlike the other two), unique head sculpts, and the necklace. Bish, bash, bosh, job done.

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Honestly I'd probably be ok with it as well. Looking at the preview from a bit ago, I think the Jada Akuma is the same height, or close to it, as Ryu. I do think of Akuma as generally bigger, but that's definitely coming from anime and art depictions.

I was shocked when I played MvC2 the other day and Akuma was downright shrimpy. It makes sense that he'd share a sprite with Ken/Ryu, but that's not how I saw him in my mind's eye.

Who has the balls to make street fighter II: V Ken and Ryu?


No but really:

Complete with Ryu rocking the Ryo Hazuki spiky hairstyle.

I echo most of what is being said about Jada vs Storm...the Storm figures have spectacular body sculpts with very aggressive and confident muscle grouping while the Jada ones look very soft. I'm curious what Jada does when their SF2 line is done, if they will keep a similar style moving forwards or maybe take a page from Storm and make the figures look more cut.

I'm not totally sold on the Alpha 3 Ryu, he looks like a teenager. Ken is way too fun, love how goofy his expression is. I'll replace Ryu with Dan and hope nobody notices.

I can't believe I'm considering picking up a Ken preorder too. The reviews I'm seeing of these are bananas.