Figure name: D.P.C.F. Monkey D Luffy, Three Musketeers Version
Figure Maker: Plex
Retail Price: ¥6,800
Available at: Hobby Link Japan | ToysLogic

Looking at the box, it's pretty much what you need it to be: sturdy and informative. It's got some nice windows on the front and side, the toy information and on the back is the illustration this figure is designed after. Mine came in the mail quite battered, but it served its purpose: protecting the figure itself. Maybe he was just too tough for customs.

When you take him out, the tray is very anticlimactic. You've got Luffy, two guns, an extra arm and the base. Nothing fancy, just what you need. Am I disappointed with the lack of extra accessories and limbs? Not really. You'll see why throughout the rest of this article. Check the gallery for an image of the base.

Here he is with his default arm behind his back (which you can't see well from the frontal angle, so I've given you the back, too) and how he looks like with his guns set into his hands. The guns slip in easily and fit perfectly in his grasp, with his finger on the trigger. The hands are molded surprisingly well!

The guns themselves are the kind I'd expect to see in an old setting. The hammer lever and sight are actually articulated, so if you are fussy enough that you'd want them to be posed a certain way, you could. It also serves to forewarn anyone with an eye for detail that they aren't indeed broken, if you find them at different positions depending on where you look.

He's got some spiffy terracotta capri jeans on, a belt and open-front jacket. The jacket has a neat design at the zipper and some nice little star-shaped studs on the shoulders. The most impressive detail (for me, anyway) on this figure however, was his boots (below). 

The boots look just like the real thing and are so detailed I could hardly believe it. They look a little scuffed, like any worn-in shoe should, and the laces are swung over to one side to add to the general movement of the figure. I'd probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I've definitely been lucky in that I have reviewed some figures that look like you've caught the character in motion. This is one of them, and it does a really nice job.

The other notable thing is that you can hardly tell he's got any seam lines at all. The ones that are at the sides of his body are obscured by the jacket, and his jeans look normal with the seams on the side. His fingers have some seams, but are hardly noticeable.

His abs are wonderfully sculpted, and I might get shot for saying this but, I like the shading on this figure better than some of the more recent Portrait of Pirates releases. Specifically, the older Brothers Bond figures of Luffy and Ace that were just released have some over-saturated shading that looks like they got a bad spray tan; but this one is a bit more controlled and works well with the body sculpting. One of the major differences that sets this figure apart from the others though, is it was sculpted much more muscular, beefier than I'm used to seeing Luffy. I'm not complaining, but it's different.

There has to be some catch though, right? Some major drawback. It's not a breaking point for me, but there is one problem with this figure that I couldn't ignore, and that is the guns stain his hands. I'm not talking about the usual little scuff marks. His hands look like when you touch dirt with your hands, then clap it off but are left with a residue shadow over your skin of dust/dirt.

He stained very easily, but thankfully it wasn't permanent. My favorite vinyl- and PVC-cleaning technique is using a pink or white eraser to get rid of scuff marks. With a little work, I was able to get Luffy's hands dirt-free.

Now that we got over the negative part, here's a shot with the alternate arm. The difference between the two is one hand is holding the gun while the other is reaching. He's got a holster at the back that the gun fits in perfectly, and another inside the jacket to the side of his body, which is barely visible and not functional at all.

Personally, my preferred pose is the alternate arm, where he's reaching for the gun rather than holding it behind his back. It's mostly because I love how that hand is sculpted. Above is a comparison image between the holding hand and the reaching hand. Which would your preferred be?

So there you have it! Luffy has a few drawbacks (staining, very plain/lack of accessories, complete lack of articulation except for the guns) that aren't deal-breakers, but is nonetheless a decently priced and well-produced figure.

Apart from being super detailed, he's huge, too. I didn't mention it before, but he's 1/7 scale (210 mm, or slightly over 8") and comparable to the Megahouse Portrait of Pirates line. He's a little more expensive, but significantly taller than a Portraits counterpart (170 mm, or about 6.7" tall). I feel that he's a worthwhile buy. Not only that, but I am certainly looking forward to the other two releases in this set.

Zoro should be released in April, wielding three guns rather than his usual three swords. I have no idea what to tell you about Sanji, except that his is going to be my absolute favorite of the three if the quality is matched with that of this first one. Besides a poseable Sanji that will be released in May, I daresay Plex's upcoming model will be the best out there. That's a pretty weighted opinion coming from me though, isn't it? I only say best in the sense that, most all figures of Sanji in particular are generally posed in the same stance. He's just..standing there. In the gallery you'll see an image of the illustration, and that he'll actually be featured in a dynamic pose for once.

All that being said, I'd like to thank Hobby Link Japan for providing Tomopop with this beautiful review sample! Be sure to leave your feedback below, especially if you also own the figure and have anything to add. Check out the gallery for additional images!