It seems like every company is trying to jump on the Lego bandwagon these days. At this point, almost all my favorite properties can be found in block-figure form (still waiting on He-Man though...). For the most part, I'm loving this trend. They don't take up much space, they're relatively cheap, they're quirky, and they come out on a more regular basis than larger-scale figures. This G.I.Joe Kre-O line is still in its infancy and hopefully we'll see some improvements as time goes on. Something about these Kreons just doesn't have the same personality as Legos, Mini-mates, Kubricks, or even MegaBloks. The tapered cheeks are an interesting departure from the typical cylinder-shaped head, but I think the final result is that the heads end up looking too small for the bodies - which kind of goes against the classic winning formula of oversized noggins on block figures. With the entire library of Hasbro properties as potential figures, the Kre-O line could be a major hit, and I certainly hope it does. Let's check out these first two figure below.
The figures come in typical blind-bag foil packaging. Toys 'R Us has had their Kre-O G.I.Joe display on an endcap in the Lego section in all my local stores.
I'll start with Kim Arashikage, aka Jinx. The feisty ninja who first appeared in G.I.Joe the Movie (animated 1987 version). She will be a major character in the upcoming G.I.Joe: Retaliation film as well.
Kim is by far the better of the two ladies. Her costume is accurate, her weapons are cool, and her eyes are appropriately feminine and stern.
One thing I didn't like about this figure was this additional accessory. It is a cloth sash. I can't tell if mine is cut incorrectly or if it's just an odd accessory. The directions aren't exactly clear on how to attach it (there is some folding involved). And it's surprising that there aren't more clear directions considering the vast about of wasted page area on the directions sheet.
There she is with the sash. It looks okay I guess, I would have much rather preferred to see a moulded plastic piece though.
Here are her inserts
See what I mean about all the negative space on the instruction sheet?
Okay, now on to Scarlett. Scarlett is such a great character, but I feel this figure doesn't do her justice.
I think her blank expression, and her bland hair make her a pretty boring looking figure. Not to mention the tapered jawline seems overly-pronounced.
The Airachnid Kreon I reviewed last month worked better because of the (naturally) blocky robotic body and helmetpiece. And the upcoming Baroness figure has hair and glasses, which automatically corrects the bland face and small head problems.
I really wish she had a ponytail. That would have made a huge difference. Especially if they sculpted it to hang forward over one shoulder so it would be visible from the front.
Her crossbow is ridiculously oversized. I know that is usually the case in figures like these, but even if it were scaled down just a tiny bit, it would be a lot more fun to pose her with.
Here are her inserts
Don't pay attention to the action feature. Maybe the bolt would launch if you flicked it hard enough, but not before drawing blood.
Time for a Group Pic!
Cheers!
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