Figure Review: NECA Pacific Rim 18" Series Gipsy Danger

Guillermo Del Toro's monster sized epic, Pacific Rim, has come and gone from theaters to DVDs and BluRays. However, the products are still coming out at full throttle! On top of NECA's line of seven inch figures, the company is starting to put out a line of 18 inch tall figures starting with our lead Mark 3 Jaeger, Gipsy Danger.

I must admit, I have been really finicky about getting this particular figure ever since it was first announced way back in spring of this year! Since then it's been a, "Should I? Or Shouldn't I?" deal where I would preorder this figure, cancel it, and preorder it again. By the time it was released, I had decided to pass on it. But, after seeing the mostly positive responses to the 18" Gipsy, then I figured that I'd get it. However, most sites were already sold out and are accepting orders for an early 2014 reissue. Fortunately I was able to find one in stock at ToyWiz.com. 

The figure comes packaged within a 20+ inch tall cardboard window box. The front has a profile of the concept design for Gipsy Danger as well as a name label. Below on the bottom part of the box, stretched across from side to side, is the Pacific Rim movie title.

 

You really get a sense of scale when you display this figure with its 7" counterpart. The 18" scale really works for a giant mecha such as Gipsy Danger. It really dominates the display space without a hitch. In regards to articulation, the figure has a similar range of movement as the 7" Gipsy. However, the main differences are that the joints are ratcheted, giving them a lot more stability that the 7" Gipsy Danger. Allowing the joints to lock into place give the 18" Gipsy Danger more balance and eases the fear of having it fall off the shelf. 

There are very few figures in my overall collection that can match the scale and size of the NECA 18" Gipsy Danger. However, the only one that pretty much goes head to head with this piece is my Trendmasters Ultimate Godzilla figure. For those wishing for their 18" Gipsy to be displayed with something that is not associated with Roland Emmerich's disaster of a Godzilla film, well you're in luck! NECA is coming out with an 18" Knifehead figure sometime in early 2014, and sometime in the future they'll also be releasing an 18" figure of Godzilla as he'll be depicted in Legendary and Warner Brothers' upcoming reboot. 

 

One of the aspects that I love so much about this figure is the amount of detail that it has. This is one of the aspects where this figure is superior over its 7" counterpart. The small things are given attention, and that is great considering that this figure is all about scale. From the little light fixtures to little markings, insignias, and battle damage, this figure's paint job and overall detailing is just admirable. 

 

NECA's 18" Gipsy Danger comes with a pair of accessories in the form of its signature Chain Swords. However, like the Battle Damaged Gipsy Danger figure in NECA's 2nd wave of 7" figures, the swords are sculpted half-formed. On screen, the Chain Swords take on a much more smooth and streamlined form while NECA sculpted them as if they were just unsheathed from Gipsy's wrist. That may have been what they were going for, but who knows. I would've preferred them how they looked in the movie. They also have a tendency to fall out of their sockets too. This was definitely a mark down for me, but a minor one since I chose to display this figure void of the swords completely.

 

Now for the part that we have all been waiting for. Gipsy Danger's awesome light up feature!

Pictures really don't do this feature any justice at all. You have to see it in person to really get a sense of how great the figure looks when lit up! For those who have this figure, I would suggest looking at the figure (when lit up) from the side. The LCD light, if looked at directly from the front, can be really irritating on the eyes. Still, the effect that it gives off is pretty neat. I've never really been big on light up gimmicks on figures, but for mecha such as Gipsy Danger, I can make the exception.

All in all, NECA's 18" Gipsy Danger is not too shabby! I'm pretty glad that I decided to pick this guy up. Almost everything about it is a plus in my book. However, there are some minor issues that I have with it. First is the limited amount of articulation. It's tough to give Gipsy a really dynamic pose. It's easier to just display it in a standard docked pose. My other nitpick with it is the visor. The border around Gipsy's visor is supposed to be colored in dark gray, but it was left unpainted and translucent. I call this out on laziness and rushed production, personally.

But still, this is a pretty amazing figure as is. If anyone wants a piece of Pacific Rim merchandise, this is it! I will be skipping out on the 18" Knifehead though. That will not stop me from getting the eventual 18" Godzilla whenever NECA gets to it.

So what do you guys think of the NECA Pacific Rim 18" Figure Series Gipsy Danger? Leave a comment below!