ARCHIVE: SOTA Toys' Street Fighter Series 4

Article originally published 06/13/2006 at figures.com

In 2004, SOTA surprised the gaming and action figure scene by picking up the license for Capcom’s Street Fighter. It was a bold move, especially considering that the Street Fighter line had seen its share of both good and bad figures. There was some question as to whether the Capcom fan base would tolerate yet another rendition of Street Fighter toys. Two years and three full assortments of SF figures later, SOTA has silenced its critics and delighted fans of the game. Series 1-3 of SOTA’s Street Fighter figures have brought us spectacular pieces such as Blanka, Bison and Guile. With Series 4, SOTA adds six more characters into the fold.

PACKAGING:
The simple clamshell packaging that has been in place since the inception of this line has not changed in Series 4. The figures are packaged in a standing pose with each of their accessories displayed clearly. Also continued is the nice addition of including each character’s in-game special moves on the front of the package.

SCULPT AND CHARACTER LIKENESS:
It seems that the sculpting of these figures gets better with every series. SOTA continues to do an excellent job of capturing the essence of these vibrant and diverse characters. From the towering Shaq-like brute Birdie to the slender and deadly Remy, each figure is the spitting image of its 2D in-game counterpart. Fans of the Street Fighter mythos will appreciate the subtle details included in both the figures and their accessories. A nifty inclusion in the line is Ibuki’s pet raccoon, Don. Don is articulation-free, but his sculpt is simple and he looks great sitting beside Ibuki.

The head sculpting is perhaps the best feature of this line. Each figure (with the exception of Ibuki) includes a second head which portrays the character in a ‘battle rage’ expression. This is particularly nifty on Birdie, whose second head sports a ‘tongue-out’ visage. Remy’s second head includes perhaps the coolest sculpt, featuring a windblown hairdo. Other nice features are Ibuki’s long locks and Akuma’s vast array of topknots.

While the head sculpting is definitely the highlight of this series, the rest of the figures are also nicely done. With Street Fighter Series 4, SOTA continues to market these toys as being very playable. Any time you increase articulation in a figure, attention to sculpt is sometimes sacrificed. The increase in joints in some of the figures is a bit distracting, especially for the collector who just wants these as display pieces. Ibuki, Fei Long and Birdie are really designed to be posed and reposed. Remy and Akuma look great in a standing position and their additional joints do not look cumbersome or out of place.

PAINT AND COLOR:
The heroes and villains of the Street Fighter universe are very vibrant characters. There are a few repaints of each figure available, but I was only able to get my hands on the regular version of each. The paint apps on each figure are clean, which is a tad surprising considering the amount of joints they have. The cleanest and brightest colors are prominent on Remy and Birdie. I really dig the contrasting colors in these figures. Birdie sports a bright yellow Mohawk, blue jeans and shiny silver belt buckle. Remy’s aquamarine locks look great and stand out nicely against his dark blue coat and red pants. Ibuki and Fei Long are simpler figures and are painted primarily in shades of black and tan. The attention to detail in the figures’ clothing is excellent. Great examples of the subtle paint additions in this series are the zippers on Remy’s coat, Chinese characters on Akuma’s vest, Birdie’s array of rings and even Don’s yellow tail bandana.

ARTICULATION:
Articulation is really the main focus of the Street Fighter line. SOTA proclaims on their web site that “while we made the joints as seamless as we could it all took second place to what was important. Action.” These are indeed action figures. You can pose these figures into any fighting stance of your choosing. You can reenact every angle of any in-game battle. Each figure features an arsenal of cut joints, ball joints and articulated hands & feet. However, keeping them standing is another matter. Out of the package, most of the figures were unable to stand on their own. Either they were too top heavy (Birdie) or their joints were too loose to allow them to stay in one pose (Fei Long). The only figure that was well-balanced enough to be displayed without assistance was Remy. So, while SOTA accomplished their primary goal of playability with this line, some collectors may be satisfied by just leaving the figures in-package for display. Otherwise, keeping these guys in a standing position may just be too frustrating.

ACCESSORIES:
As mentioned above, each figure ships with an alternate head and replacement hands. In place of Ibuki’s second head, her pet raccoon Don is included. Other figures include character-specific weapons, such as Birdie’s switch-blade comb and Fei Long’s nun chucks. I love that SOTA used mixed media with some of the figure accessories. The chains included with Birdie and Fei Long (nun chucks) are real metal. Akuma’s necklace features wood beads. This is a nice addition and really sets these figures apart from those that opt for generic plastic accessories.

One problem I encountered was with swapping out the alternate hands in Remy, Fei Long and Ibuki. These are the more slender figures in the line, so the joints and pegs for their hands are tiny. Be careful when exchanging limbs, as these small pieces are brittle! I actually broke a peg off one of Ibuki’s hands during a swap. I was more careful with the rest and it really wasn’t an issue with the larger Birdie and Akuma.

VALUE AND OVERALL IMPRESSION:
I’ve said in the past that I’m not a big fan of the Street Fighter games, but I do like many of the SOTA figures. The sculpting on Birdie and Remy is the best in Series 4. The rest of the set is nice and most Capcom fans will want to pick these up. Priced at $10-$12 each this series is a good value, especially if you are looking for playability. In-package collectors wont’ be disappointed with the line, but these figures are really meant to be opened and played with. SOTA continues to receive positive feedback from Street Fighter fans and has responded with another great series of well-articulated playable figures. Stay tuned for Series 5, due out in July.