Resident Evil 5: Executioner Majini

Having experienced one extremely positive review and one of the exact opposite, I was wary of the final figure from the Resident Evil 5 Series One: the Executioner Majini. Good thing too, because I definitely had mixed feelings towards this figure. An interesting thing to note: the word "Majini" is plural in Swahili which refers to any number of supernatural creatures (demons, fairies, genies, etc.), but can also mean "wicked people". It is also similar to the Japanese word "majin," which refers to "magical being" or a demonic or evil entity.


Flavor Text:

"The world has learned the meaning of terror. A decade after the events of Raccoon City, the evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed but the effects of its horrific creations still linger. Gripped in fear of another biological incident, world governments formed the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, determined to stem the spread of biological attacks. Now, Agent Chris Redfield has been sent to Africa to investigate reports of a new more dangerous outbreak. Joined by his partner, Sheva Alomar, both must work together to discover what's really happening and stop whoever is continuing Umbrella's evil legacy."


"An enormous Majini who swings around an axe constructed of an iron pole and a guillotine blade. He considers anyone who denies [Plaga] implantation and executes them. He is extremely tough and will not fall from a few gunshots."

"Name: Executioner Majini
Age: -
Height: 235 cm
Weight: 130 kg
Sex: Male
Org.: -"

"Confidential File - 03"


The Good:

• The level of detail on the Executioner Majini is just amazing. The dark areas where the eyes should be are eerily done in accurate fashion. The sculpt of the bloody nails hammered all over his head and upper torso is just breathtaking. If that's not enough, check out the two big-ass bloody nails going through his back, which is (probably) keeping his stitches together. Although the material of the "torn" apron feels cheap, the overall look fits well with the figure.

• The level of detail on the guillotine blade is just superb! The sharp edges of the blade covered in blood and the sculpted chains is just outstanding. Even the paint application is done quite nicely (further enhancing the superb sculpt).

• The pole part of the Executioner's axe fits snugly into the socket of the guillotine blade and can also be removed just as easily.

The Bad:

• The Executioner has the least amount of articulation from this group (a total of 13). Why does it always seem that RE enemies have the least amount of articulation? His limited articulation reminds me of NECA's archaic days of "swivel arms and hips" articulation. Not very pretty. It would've been nice to have at least a ball-jointed neck and ab-crunch implemented in the Executioner's design. Some joints allowing leg movement would've also made some sense, after all the Executioner's got to chase little runts like Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar around. However, I'm glad the Executioner didn't suffer from the "male" cameltoe as poor Chris did.

• I had a hard time turning the Executioner's head towards the right-side (I just noticed that the sculpt of his hood is getting in the way of the giant nail stuck in his back).
  

• The Executioner has trouble keeping his balance with his heavy guillotine-bladed axe. Due to the weight of his axe, I was limited to only a small number of threatening poses.
  

• Lack of accessories (I know that the Executioner is only seen with his axe). But, it would've been a nice touch, if NECA included an additonal set of hands, especially of one where he has the "choke hold" grip. A dusty-looking detailed base would've also been a nice addition.
  

• The "meat-hooks" that are placed on the back the Executioner's belt keeps moving around, getting in the way. I would've preferred those damned things to be glued in place (it drives me crazy each time I place the Executioner in a different pose and I end up somehow touching those "meat-hooks").

• It would've been nice to see smaller patched up scars sculpted onto the Executioner's body (not just one huge scar).
  

• I would've also liked to see a more "game-accurate" sculpt of the pole of the guillotine-bladed axe. The plastic brown stick cheapens the highly detailed sculpt of the Executioner.
  

• The paint application of the Executioner's apron seems a bit off. I'm pretty sure it was black, and not gray.

The Ugly:

• Lack of articulation. I mention this again, because NECA really dropped the ball here. The swivel waist just seems so archaic and out of place for a supposedly "articulated" figure. An "ab-crunch" joint would've been the better decision. It was ambitious of NECA to sculpt the Executioner, but to leave him with minimal articulation is just a slap in the face for collectors and RE fans alike.

• The Executioner's skinny forearms really bothered me. Here's this hulking brute with big-ass shoulders, but he has really skinny forearms. Does that even make any sense? Take a close look at "roid-rage" Chris; he has big shoulders and big forearms to match.

I purchased the entire RE 5 Series One online via eBay for a total of $52.99. I recommend searching through eBay for better deals (but recently noticed that eBay sellers are trying hard to jack people). Go check out cornerstorecomics.com/amazingtoyz.com (both links bring you to the same website). I think they have the best deal out there so far, and from my experience with them, they ship on time and package your items in a secure manner. Also, check out bigbadtoystore.com if you want to purchase the entire set. They're pretty good about packaging and sending out item in a timely manner, but they seem to get their items later than other electronic retailers.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT EITHER CORNERSTORECOMICS/AMAZINGTOYZ OR BIGBADTOYSTORE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.



Overall, the Executioner Majini is a disappointment. I know most (okay, ALL) of my suggestions require more materials and involve higher costs, but if a collectibles company wants to produce authentic (or "game-accurate") figures, then it's best to go all in. Sure, the price would be shifted onto consumers, but that's already a given. Produce high-quality figures, charge higher prices. I grow tired of shelling out money for incomplete figures. I really do. Although the Executioner Majini isn't nearly as good as the Chris Redfield figure, I suspect many collectors and RE fans alike will want to make him a part of their collection. After all, who else will Chris want to play with?

Score:

Resident Evil 5: Sheva Alomar Review

After being totally blown away by the Chris Redfield figure, I was definitely looking towards reviewing the remaining Resident Evil 5 Series One figures. This time, it's Sheva Alomar. Interestingly, what NECA got right with Chris Redfield, they fucked up with Sheva Alomar and vice versa.






Flavor Text:

"The world has learned the meaning of terror. A decade after the events of Raccoon City, the evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed but the effects of its horrific creations still linger. Gripped in fear of another biological incident, world governments formed the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, determined to stem the spread of biological attacks. Now, Agent Chris Redfield has been sent to Africa to investigate reports of a new more dangerous outbreak. Joined by his partner, Sheva Alomar, both must work together to discover what's really happening and stop whoever is continuing Umbrella's evil legacy."


"Sheva Alomar lost her parents in an accident at an Umbrella factory when she was very young. Later she discovered that her parents' deaths were not merely an accident but the result of fatal biological experiments. Sheva moved to the US and joined B.S.A.A. She was promoted to agent after 8 months of training for practical combat. Due to the disappearance of many of her colleagues she ventures into the deepest regions of Africa to uncover the mystery around Umbrella and the most recent outbreaks."

"Name: Sheva Alomar
Age: 23
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 52 kg
Sex: Female
Org.: B.S.A.A.
West Africa Division"

"Confidential File - 01"


The Good:

• Sheva has no problem gripping her handgun or knife. If you examine those accessories carefully, you'll notice that the handle part of both the handgun and knife is actually thicker than normal (it also helps that Sheva's hands are sculpted in a "tighter" formation).

• Sheva's holster actually works! You can close it with her handgun tucked inside (unlike Chris Redfield's).

The Bad:

• Sloppy paint application and stray marks. There are strange black marks all over her body (joints, arms, neck, face, etc). The paint application on Sheva's lips make her look like she's tight-lipped about something (not very attractive).
  

• Sheva's blank expression. She's spacing out, staring off into space (kind of like what I do at work, don't tell my boss!). At least Chris has a serious expression.
  

• Lack of accessories (Sheva only comes with a knife, sniper rifle, and a pistol). For a figure that is touted as "game-accurate," it's certainly missing a lot of weapons.
  

• Lack of articulation (unlike the Chris Redfield figure). The figure is touted to have 20 points of articulation, but the joints used just perplex the hell out of me. Instead of duplicating the "ab-crunch" joint (found in Chris Redfield), Sheva gets a quasi-ball-jointed waist (and I really mean "quasi"). The "ab-crunch" joint could've gone right under Sheva's breasts. Also what is up with the swivel elbows? Not only does it limit Sheva's posing capability, but it makes her look very awkward. Instead, Sheva's arms should be sculpted slightly larger and insert ball-joints (again, as found in the Chris Redfield figure).

• I wish Sheva's front part of her hair would be a separate "rubberized" plastic (similar to Leon Kennedy's hair in Resident Evil 4 Series One).

• The straps that are sculpted onto Sheva's back, look particularly nasty. It would've been a better idea to have "rubberized" plastic (like Jill Valentine's shoulder pads from Resident Evil 10th Anniversary Series One) straps glued on.

• I really hoped that Sheva's earpiece would be a separate piece of "rubberized" plastic rather than having it permanently sculpted onto her face. (I understand why it was done like that, but a collector can hope).

• FYI, Sheva's bust is bigger than what was sculpted. Just pointing that out.

The Ugly:

• NECA still has trouble accurately sculpting female faces. There is no resemblance of Sheva in her facial sculpt whatsoever. You know, after sculpting a bunch of female figures, you'd think NECA would get it right, but no.
  

• The presence of the cameltoe is very disturbing and quite an unsightly piece of plastic that no collector should ever see again.

• Just note, when you open both of Sheva's legs (aka, when she does a split), you'll notice that the letter "R" and the letter "L" are carved right inside the leg area. This is so the factory workers know which leg goes where. For collectors like me, it just looks unprofessional and just plain ugly. Chris Redfield didn't have it, so why does Sheva Alomar?

I purchased the entire RE 5 Series One online via eBay for a total of $52.99. I recommend searching through eBay for better deals (but recently noticed that eBay sellers are trying hard to jack people). Go check out cornerstorecomics.com/amazingtoyz.com (both links bring you to the same website). I think they have the best deal out there so far, and from my experience with them, they ship on time and package your items in a secure manner. Also, check out bigbadtoystore.com if you want to purchase the entire set. They're pretty good about packaging and sending out item in a timely manner, but they seem to get their items later than other electronic retailers.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT EITHER CORNERSTORECOMICS/AMAZINGTOYZ OR BIGBADTOYSTORE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.



Overall, Sheva Alomar is a disappointment. I know most (okay, ALL) of my suggestions require more materials and involve higher costs, but if a collectibles company wants to produce authentic (or "game-accurate") figures, then it's best to go all in. Sure, the price would be shifted onto consumers, but that's already a given. Produce high-quality figures, charge higher prices. I grow tired of shelling out money for half-assed figures. I really do. After reviewing the Chris Redfield figure, I expect the same if not even better level of detail for the remaining figures of Resident Evil 5 Series One. I don't recommend getting Sheva, unless you're a completionist.

Resident Evil 5: Chris Redfield Review

When I heard news that NECA was going to produce Resident Evil 5 figures, I was like "oh great." This is coming from a hardcore RE collector, who had been disappointed by NECA's previous attempts at their Resident Evil 10th Anniversary Series One and Two line. However, I had heard that their RE 5 Series One line would have far more articulation than their previous figures. Let's just say I was very skeptical, (that is) until I received them in the mail earlier than the estimated dates posed by most of the online retailers.


Flavor Text:

"The world has learned the meaning of terror. A decade after the events of Raccoon City, the evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed but the effects of its horrific creations still linger. Gripped in fear of another biological incident, world governments formed the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, determined to stem the spread of biological attacks. Now, Agent Chris Redfield has been sent to Africa to investigate reports of a new more dangerous outbreak. Joined by his partner, Sheva Alomar, both must work together to discover what's really happening and stop whoever is continuing Umbrella's evil legacy."

"Chris Redfield is an ex-US air force pilot, a natural marksman and he excels at observation. He's well experienced in combat and can handle a wide range of firearms as well as COC. Chris is part of the B.S.A.A. and plans the mission to Africa based on information he received concerning a large B.O.W. (Biological Organic Weapon) trade."

"Name: Chris Redfield
Age: 35
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 98 kg
Sex: Male
Org.: B.S.A.A.
North America Division"

"Confidential File - 02"


The Good:

• NECA has truly outdone themselves by giving as an articulated ACTION FIGURE! According to the package, Chris has 25 points of articulation. I'd say that's just about right.

• Just had to point out the fact that the knee joint is ingenious! Having the knee pads cover it up shows how much thought the sculptor has put into this figure. Way to go Jason!

• I could go on and on about how much painstaking detail went into this figure, but I would like to point out the area under Chris's arms. I don't know what to call them ("breathing holes" perhaps?), but that level of workmanship is just unheard of. Once again, the sculptor's love of his work truly shows.

The Bad:

• The paint application on Chris's face is just awful (his sickly pale colored face looks more like the zombies he's been fighting throughout his S.T.A.R.S. career).

• Lack of accessories (Chris only comes with a knife, shotgun, and a pistol). Ummm... if this is supposed to be a "game-accurate" figure, then where are all the other weapons? I also wish they included additional hands, say for instance a clenched fist (so he can do his awesome "punch in the face" pose), a hand that can firmly hold his pistol, and another hand that can properly hold his lovely machete/knife.
  

• Non-functional holster. Chris's holster can't secure (the flap won't close) when his pistol is placed in there. What's the point?

• Re-using the pistol accessory as Chris's (I'm 99% sure that this pistol is the same as Leon Kennedy's). Chris can't also firmly hold the pistol.

• Once again, Chris (Chris from the 10th Anniversary series; Leon from Resident Evil 4 series) can't hold their knives.

• I really wish Chris's earpiece was a separate piece (of rubberized plastic) rather than having it permanently sculpted onto his face. (I understand why it was done like that, but a collector can hope).

• I'm slightly annoyed that Chris came with an already wobbly left wrist. I hope to see better quality control on NECA's part (and I understand how hard it is to do that).
  

The Ugly:

• The "male" cameltoe is very disturbing and an unsightly piece of plastic that no collector should ever see again.

I purchased the entire RE 5 Series One online via eBay for a total of $52.99. I recommend searching through eBay for better deals (but recently noticed that eBay sellers are trying hard to jack people). Go check out cornerstorecomics.com/amazingtoyz.com (both links bring you to the same website). I think they have the best deal out there so far, and from my experience with them, they ship on time and package your items in a secure manner. Also, check out bigbadtoystore.com if you want to purchase the entire set. They're pretty good about packaging and sending out item in a timely manner, but they seem to get their items later than other electronic retailers.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT EITHER CORNERSTORECOMICS/AMAZINGTOYZ OR BIGBADTOYSTORE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.



Overall, Chris Redfield is one hell of an AMAZING entry into the Resident Evil 5 franchise. It's really an amazing action figure. I'd recommend getting two (one to play with and display, the other to keep for collector's sake).

Score: