Figure Name: Marvel Bishoujo Statue Elektra
Figure Maker: Kotobukiya
Retail Value: ¥6,200/US$59.99
Available at: HobbyLink Japan | Koto US | Hobby Search | Find a local comic shop

As usual, we'll start by examining the box that Elektra comes in. It has got the usual Shunya art, Kotobukiya and Marvel logos, extra info and a little preview thumb box of the next girl coming out of the Marvel line: Black Widow, Covert Ops Version.

Once you free her from the cardboard and plastic, you'll find her body is already attached to the base (the screws are visible behind her left foot and under her right) and you only need to put her sais into place. They easily wedge into place, but be careful with the pointy tips and your eyes! They're actually pretty sharp.

The base itself is fashioned to look like a rooftop, and there's an image in the gallery if you want to check out the head that's sticking out from one side in detail. If I didn't know any better, it looks like Batman and some ogre or troll mated and became an oni mask, but that would be pretty silly, eh? I'm pretty sure it's actually Daredevil, though, despite my initial reaction to the face.

Elektra has this fabulous, voluminous hair that I've come to love with the Bishoujo line. The ends of course are transparent, but tinted in teal rather than being totally clear like X-23's (reviewed) tips are. I quite like it personally, since it adds a little splash of color to offset all the black and red.

She isn't wearing a whole lot of cloth/latex/whatever, but she's still tastefully covered up in her tight-fitting martial arts-inspired duds. I wonder where she finds the red bandages, though, or maybe they're not bandages at all, but just look like it...

Anywho, the loincloth/hakama wraps around her waist and even has the typical "hakama bulge" to it, and under it it looks like she's got some g-string panties on. The paint work here is pretty solid, I might add. The pearly/metallic finish hides the seams rather well. The sexy hakama loincloth is tied off at the back and the rest is history. Her outfit has some nice movement to it like she's tip-toeing over that bit of rooftop against the wind. For a view of her panties from below, refer to the gallery.

What I honestly like most about this figure, straight up, is her huge legs. Really, her lower body in general is very well molded and definitely convinces me of her Greek heritage. It's a bit of a contrast from her sweet and young-looking face, but I think I can forgive that with the Bishoujo line.

Let's take a look at her boots before we go back up to her hands and face. They're there, they're solid, they're perfectly matching the rest of her outfit. Here's a look at that screw I was talking about, too. It doesn't bother me much since I'd generally have her posed at an angle that it wouldn't be visible, but some might have issues with it.

Now that we've got a view of that curvy leg of hers, I'll stop a sec to mention why I think this figure is a reverently crafted comic statue: because it looks more comic-like than a lot of the other Bishoujo figures. At least, to me she does. She has this petite top and sweet face, and this powerful lower body up until you get to her little ankles. The curves remind me of the strong lines we'd see in any comic. Does that even make sense? She looks almost disproportionate with such emphasis on those glorious legs, but it somehow comes together. In this way, I find the figure very attractive for comic fans, especially those who are familiar with the character.

If anything, the only thing that deviates from the illustrations my searches on the character have turned up are her facial features, which are a bit smaller on the figure. Deal breaker? Not really. The statue is meant to be stylized. Now, if you have an issue with the expression, that is an entirely different story (and a matter of taste, in the end).

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

Her arms are poised to strike. If anything, she looks more like she's slowly edging around some adversary and waiting for the right time to dash forward. Her sais fit into her hands perfectly and she even has some nail polish on to go with the outfit.

Finally, let's take a look at her face. She's got this sweet, young-looking face and just a little make-up - some mascara to emphasize the blue in her eyes (which match the hair beautifully), light pink lipstick and a little blush.

Some would argue that her expression seems dazed and distracted, but I think she's just regarding some evil-doer with cool indifference, or she might be in the middle of some dialogue. In any case, I'm alright with it. I understand if you aren't, though.

With that, I hope you've found this review helpful if you were considering adding Elektra to your collection! This particular sample will find its way into a Tomopop contest soon, so you'll have another opportunity to get yourself a copy there, too. I'd like to thank Kotobukiya again for providing us with these great figures. Elektra is most definitely an example of one I didn't like much by the promo images but seeing her in person changed my mind.

Be sure to check out the gallery for additional images which didn't make it into the main body of the review, and as always be sure to leave your feedback in the comments section!