Tomopop Review: Square Enix Static Arts Sephiroth

5:00 PM on 04.21.2009   |   Colette Bennett

Ah, Sephiroth. Some gamers make fun of his stature, but one thing's for sure: this villain has made an impression on the hearts and memories of more people than almost any other baddie in the history of gaming. I personally think it's due to his cold approach to killing anything standing in his way without a lot of fanfare, but maybe people like his badass long hair. Either way, the guy's kind of a legend.

Square Enix has released many collectibles of the great Sephiroth, and what fan wouldn't lust for the Masterpiece Arts version of him on their shelf? The price is too steep for the average collector though, and Square smartly rectified the problem by offering a happy medium in the form of Static Arts Sephiroth. Tomopop got a chance to check out this piece up close and personal, and we'll tell you how it measures up, if you'd like to follow us past the jump.

As you can see here, Square has done their best to picture Sephiroth looking like a badass for even the box art (not that it's hard). Take a peek down at the bottom right there and you'll see a Cloud is coming from the same series -- we'll bring you our reiew of him in the near future as well.

Standing an impressive 14.4 inches in height, this piece is ideal if you want something large for your desk or collection shelf and have an ongoing passion for all things Final Fantasy VII. Made of soft PVC, the statue is one solid piece except for the 7.6 inch sword, which comes separate and must be inserted into the hand. Still, this accessory feels sturdy for its length.

I love the details on this piece. Obviously it's got great presence, but the attention to little things help add to the overall product. The first thing you'll notice about Sephiroth is that he made of both solid and clear PVC, with the latter being used in his hair and the flames that circle around his feet.

These details really shine when you place the statue in natural light, as it highlights the transition from the solid PVC to the clear. There's also some evidence of the clear PVC being used in the base Sephiroth stands on, and in conjunction with the detail it makes for a fantastic effect.

Yep, that's the face we know and love, alright. This is one of my favorite faces out of all the Sephiroth figures out there, exuding the hellbent determination the man is famous for. He also looks calm and handsome, which is probably part of his appeal. Why must all really good villains be a bit on the sexy side?

Here's a better look at some of that chest detail. All the paint used here is matte, which I was glad to see -- I far prefer it to a shiny version. The textures are important for a figure like Sephiroth, who is so famous for his costume. My only complaint lies with the shoulder armor, because it seemed just a tad shinier in the Advent Children promo poster and that doesn't really show here, but this is classic Sephiroth, after all (also notice he does not have the buckles on the jacket's lower half that the Advent Children design has) I think a semi-gloss paint might have looked good, but honestly it still looks solid anyway.

You can get a good look at the sword detail here -- the hilt looks clean but very handsome.

Nice profile, Sephie.

This figure is beautiful. In all honesty, it's a piece with so much majesty that I feel it could be displayed in any room of the house. If you've held back on buying an effigy of Sephiroth until now and you can't quite bring yourself to choke up the $350 to buy the Masterpiece Arts version, this version is the way to go. Call me crazy, but I like this one a bit more than the Masterpiece arts version.

Static Arts Sephiroth retails for $149.99 and is now available through the Square Enix online merchandise store. If you prefer classic Sephiroth to his Advent Children incarnation, I think you'll be very pleased with this figure -- it's definitely worth the price.