OUT OF THE BOX: Limited Edition Portgas D. Ace Battle Ver. 2 Cross Fire

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACE!

Series: One Piece

Character: Portgas D. Ace

Copyright: ©Eiichiro Oda Shueisha Fuji TV Toei Animation

Manufacturer: Bandai

Category: Limited Edition Figuarts ZERO

Specifications: About 5 inches tall

Price: Around $80 on release date

Release Date: January 2014

I meant to blog about both of my Battle Ver. 1 and 2 Ace figures today but unfortunately, my Battle Ver. 1 photos weren't as well shot as I thought so I had to gave that up. However, if anyone's interested in checking it out, there's always the unboxing video I made of it last year.

Anyways, the Portgas D. Ace Battle Ver. 2 Cross Fire was a limited edition that was only supposed to be sold in Japan but then became available for pre-order from Big Bad Toy Store. I'm not very sure if there was any more distributor from Japan that ships to the US but I found out about it through The Grandline Shop so I know for sure that they were selling it as well to customers outside Japan.

I have to be honest and say that I was very unsure to get it. The biggest thing that made me want it was the packaging and the fact that it's "limited edition". Some reviewers speculate that releasing this toy might be Bandai's last attempt to milk Ace's popularity since it's bound to wane after a certain event that the fragile fangirl in me refuse to talk about. December is usually my brokest month because of holiday preparation and I missed the pre-order. January 2014 rolled in and everyone received their Ace figures. However, on Valentine's Day, Q surprised me with one and here we are!

Here's the box that I really appreciated. Unlike the common Figuarts ZERO boxes, this one was designed to be kept and cherished. Windows showing the figure inside are usually put on boxes because they are meant to be on store shelves hoping that the "preview" of the product inside through the box window will convince the shopper to buy it. This figure's packaging communicates confidence by skipping that feature and instead delivers a sophisticated design that looks great displayed alongside the figure.

The front of the box shows an illustration of Ace, instead of an actual photo of the figure. I found that very classy because it reminded me of ThreeA toy packaging which I will blog about at a later time.

The box has this glossy finish to it making the warm color scheme of the design look richer. (You could see my reflection!) As opposed to the other Figuarts ZERO boxes, I found this design much cleaner and more straightforward. The side shows a photo of the figure itself without fancy photoshopped effects around it.

The contents of the box only comes in two parts: the figure and the stand. Just like the packaging, the content itself is very simple as well.

There's only one way to put the figure on the base unlike other figures the other Bandai bases that provide other options.

Immediately, I was amazed by the quality of it. The sculpt itself and the paint job is very impressive. The details on the boots are fascinating especially since they are very exposed with this pose. As usual, the fire detail is very nicely done as well. Overall, the figure is flamboyantly designed considering how they posed, painted and sculpted it.

This angle shows more of the muscle and fire detail. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the fire's color since it seems too red and too flat for me but I guess it was a good artistic choice because if the fire looked more elaborate than it already is, the figure might get too busy and the fire might catch the viewer's attention more.

The pose and the gesture of the figure is definitely very dynamic.

The figure itself is very impressive, however, the Whitebeard tattoo at the back seems a little bit cartoony for me. 

Some people criticized this pose because when viewed at a certain angle, it looks like Ace...well...ate some extremely spicy meal and is now having some intense fire-dropping session. #arsefire

Despite the complaints about it, I really liked this figure. I think it showcased the quality that Figuarts ZERO figures can be and made good use of character-specific effects like Ace's blazes in this case. But what I really enjoyed most about this figure is how "One Piece"-ish it is. I think the pose and sculpt really translated Eiichiro Oda's style really well. With that said, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EIICHIRO ODA-

SENSEI AS WELL! THANK YOU SO MUCH

 FOR BRINGING US ONE PIECE!