I'm not alone in my love for Vash the Stampede from the hit manga/anime series Trigun. It's been getting buzz yet again (ten years after) due to the movie release (badlands) and recent revoltech unveiling of a crisp new Vash figure late last year. I haven't seen the film yet, but will pick it up soon (maybe do a little review?) Still, Vash holds a special place among my fandoms.
While hunting for prices on the revoltech version I found a sale on a very different version I had not seen before. It was actually quite stunning in photos and really brought out the gritty/darker side of the character. So after dropping 14 bucks and waiting a quick shipping week I received McFarlane's Vash the Stampede from the famed 3d Animation Series 1 line. Now then, was it worth the rather cheap buy?
I'm actually very familiar with McFarlane Toys action figures. (next part is rambling from my childhood, so skip it if you want just figure pics)
>>>> I have fond memories of a tiny comic book shop I would visit after school. It was this odd hole in the wall joint just a couple streets down from my middle school. While small, it was packed with nerd paradise from floor to ceiling. It was populated by grown men who frequented Magic the Gathering Card tournaments and would kindly trade pokemon cards with me. A nice batch of dudes who hated sunlight and seemed to never leave the back card table. They knew me as the pokemon girl who bought Shoujo Manga and Animerica magazine issues.
Anyway, above the counter they kept figurines, most of them from the McFarlane toy line. Generally I just associated the line with SPAWN, movie figures, and other random assortments of characters. (Recently they seem to be the HALO toy line more that anything else) The shop only had Akira figures from the Japanese animation series line, and I never looked into it again. I barely had money for a booster pack of pokemon cards let alone any of the figurines the shop had in stock. Now I truly wish I had a local shop like that around. <<<<
The Package is a clam shell with a surprising assortment of parts. Nicely packed, simple, and shows the rest of the line on the back for potential buyers. Please note that this line is from the year 2000, so getting one in box was really nice for me. I loved ripping into it, even though part of me felt like I should keep it "in box" for that mint condition label collectors put on things. Well, Screw it, I want my figure.
Right off the bat, I dig this base. It comes with the dirt mound, the shot up back waal, and the damaged cactus (poster optional). It sets the mood right away, bringing me right back to the dusty sands of the show. The way the dips and rises in the dirt are molded makes it easy to take out the other parts and have it still function as a base. So you don't have to include the wall or the cactus. Honestly it serves as a good base for any figure. In my mind only shows how nice the design works. Totally love the little bullet shells and half buried skull. Shall we see how other characters fare in the Trigun world?
Like I said, it works surprisingly well.... especially when you can hide the pegs. Oh and hey, a couple of these figures still need photo shoots, but they just like crashing the party so much. Onto the main guy:
I really love the sculpt on this figure. The way the coat falls around him, the bends of the fabirc, and the way the buttons sink into the leather is wonderful. The surprising part is how soft the pvc is on the coat. It has a bend and flexibility that actually reminds me of leather. It also helps when setting up the figure and having it drape over the wall. The rest of the figure is a harder pvc that makes the sculpted straps and bindings on his legs stand out really well.
The face is what makes or breaks this figure for people. It's the more mature face of Vash the Stampede, rather than the silly happy Vash from most of the time. The hair is a more normal shade of blond rather than solid yellow. The glasses are actually molded and have transparent yellow plastic for the lens' which is a nice touch. These are all the things that make me like the figure, but turn people off from it. Other nice points are the sculpt/paint of his trusty silver firearm and the little neko that was included.
A few things that did turn me off but they are minor: Vash is VERY hard to fit onto his pegs on the base. I thought I broke the pegs with the force necessary to get him to fit. Honestly I can't tell if this is from waiting in packaging for so long or if the holes were don't not drilled correctly on Vash's shoes. (he can stand without the base so if I couldn't fit him, he would be fine on his own)
The paint is wonderful in tone and shading, but some of the shades are misaligned. Other portions are a little faded or not filled in (on the hair,a few buttons and some studs). Not bad though, and I do have to say it is made up for with the sculpt and the tone being so spot on.
The chain was a strange but welcome design choice. People often wrap it up around Vash in various ways, and can make him feel more custom. He also has parts that articulate back and forth. (arms, neck and legs move in one direction only) It works well and hides all the joints nicely, and for a figure that I thought would be static, it only gives him more points. He also has joints in his gun hand, which was awesome to discover. He has the alternate gun arm without his wraps, but it is so difficult to put in, I was worried it would break, so I've left it off. (you can see it in the package pictures up top)
I love this figure. Basically, it was a worthy addition to my collection. It came with unexpected surprises, and a lot of attitude that works well with Vash the Stampede. By the way, my order said he was 6 inches tall, but on the stand he is a whopping 8 inches. So he is a great size. I plan to pickup Revoltech's Vash in the future, but should I miss my chance, I'm very happy with this version.
If seeing This Vash figure has interested anyone in McFarlane Toy figures, I suggest going over to spawn.com to check out their catalog. (it's extensive) You can also participate in their polls, since that's how they come out with new products.
Vash is easy to find on toy sites, amazon.com or ebay. He'll run between 12 to 40 dollars depending on price/shipping. Getting this one for under 25 was amazing, and totally recommended. And now Layton is going to steal that adorable Neko.
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