Whenever something by Type-moon comes out, a boatload of merchandise is sure to follow. This month, I'm reviewing the Fate/Zero Figma of the ever-popular Servant Saber.
To begin with, I really like the design on her box. The moon shining down on an empty forest, and all that blue... It's very nicely done and appropriate for the series. It's not something that I often see, since usually the sides are dedicated to more pictures of the figure. Box artwork aside, you'll notice that Saber doesn't come with a lot of extras. This is a pretty bare-bones release, with most of the accessories focusing around Excalibur. We'll get to those in a little bit. She also has the standard two extra faceplates and an additional hair piece.
The figure itself is pretty impressive. The suit allows for a wide range of articulation, a bit more than your standard Figma. Saber was clearly made with action-oriented poses in mind. This is achieved through a slightly larger shoulder gap than normal, but not so much as to look strange. The plastic on the jacket of the suit is also pretty pliable and doesn't restrict leg movement too much. The ahoge on top of her head also seems to be made out this material, so there's little risk of it breaking off unless you mess with it too much. People have also reported having issues with her ponytail falling out, but I haven't had that problem. Since Saber is pretty much one color, there aren't really any paint issues to speak of. The only one I can spot is that the top of her tie isn't completely painted, but that's minor. As usual with mass produced figures, your mileage will vary.
One nice detail are the bracelets Saber is wearing. Yes, those are figma-sized bracelets that aren't otherwise attached to the figure. I love small details done right, so this makes me pretty happy. However, they are incredibly easy to lose. Just during this photoshoot, which took place on a table, and despite being incredibly careful, I nearly lost one of them. If you are thinking about buying or own this figure, be incredibly careful when you switch out her hands.
But now on to the fun stuff... Swords! First is the "Invisible Air" version of Excalibur, which is a clear version of the sword. It's pretty nicely made, and it is a smart idea to try to replicate Saber's powers in the series, but it immediately loses its appeal next to the actual colored Excalibur. Its weight is perfect for whatever pose you want to put it in. The only problems I can find with it are tiny spots of paint bleeding. Saber comes with a few extra hands strictly for holding the swords, one of which holds the sheath for Excalibur. It makes for a pretty epic-looking pose, especially when I swap out for the "flowing hair" piece... but it's a toss-up whether it will actually stay in the hand. Nothing holds it in place except the grip, which isn't that great. Eventually I got it to work, but it would still fall out after a while. It's too bad; I would've liked to display her this way.
If you're wondering why I brought up weight with Excalibur, the final accessory is the reason why. It's an "action" item, which Figmas and Nendos seem to be fond of adding lately. This one is supposed to make it look like Saber is swinging her sword through the air. Cool idea... except it's too heavy for Saber to hold up for more than a few seconds. Sorry for the slight blurriness on this picture; I had to set up the item, get Saber to balance properly, and then take a picture before she fell over backwards. This took a few tries. I like the idea of the accessory, but in practice it just doesn't work.
Finally, Saber smiling expression is apparently compatible with the original Figma, which I suppose is a plus if you own multiple Sabers, but this is the only figure of her I have. This expression is easily my favorite out of the three, though.
While I really like this figure despite the snags I had with a few of her accessories, I can only really recommend her to people who are die-hard fans those who want a figure of Saber but haven't been able to get their hands on one. For such a popular character, this is a pretty plain release. However, when you think of all the other Sabers that have been released, there's honestly not that much that could've been done to make this figure different. Her bike is coming out as a separate release in a few months, which is somehow more expensive than the original figure, so if you want both, you'll have to shell out quite a bit of cash.
Overall, for the only Saber figure in my collection, I'm pleased with her. She'll be fun to mess around with in photoshoots, and it's easy to interchange her head for other figmas if you want another character to wear a suit. This release comes down to personal preference. If you want her, act fast; Type-Moon figures have sky-high aftermarket prices.
Images by me. This review is also available at Organization Anti Social Geniuses.
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