TSS Review: Sonic the Hedgehog Nendoroid Figure

It’s been a whirlwind ride of sorts for the Sonic Nendoroid figure here in the UK. Made by the Good Smile Company, this limited edition piece of merch was originally only going to available in Japan – but thanks to the surprise announcement that SonicMerchandise.com would be stocking it, fans on the other side of the world had the chance to their hands on it too (well, if they were quick enough to get a pre-order in before they sold out, anyway). Now, at last, the Nendoroids have arrived… but have they been worth the hype?

In short, yes. So much yes. This is up there as one of the best pieces of Sonic merchandise ever conceived, and it’s an easy recommendation for any fan of the blue blur. It’s fresh, it’s unique, and it’s got a lot of reasons for you to love it.

Right from the off, it’s clear that this figure has a very distinctive style. The look of the Sonic Nendoroid can be described as being a chibi-style mixture of Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic which, when you consider that this figure was originally designed for the hedgehog’s 20th anniversary, is a rather apt design and one that is surprisingly impressive. It’s very easy on the eyes and I’m sure many wouldn’t mind having it as a permanent look for Sonic should his design ever be changed again. Heck, I bet even those who hate the green eyes will give at least some amount of approval.

One thing that might put people off the Nendoroid is its price tag, however. At £32.99 plus shipping charges this little baby isn’t cheap, especially for a figure that only measures about 10cm in height. So why the big cost? Well, you’ll be pleased to hear you get plenty of Sonic goodness for your cash in the form of a number of props that come included in the box. In addition to Sonic himself you get a ring, a Chaos Emerald, an item box (which can be interchanged with 1-Up, 20 Rings, Invincibility, Speed-Up Shoes, and Shield power-ups), a checkpoint, varying facial/hand gestures, arm and leg poses… yeah, you get a lot, basically. This is far and away the most customisable Sonic figure to date, and practically any pose is possible with enough imagination and perseverance. Everything snaps together nicely and within seconds you can have your perfect Sonic scenario on display. Thanks to little stands for the ring, Emerald and figure itself, there’s a ridiculous amount of room for manoeuvre, so the only limit is your own creativity.

That’s not to say everything is perfect, though. If I had to nitpick, I’d say that putting pieces together can sometimes be a bit fiddly (though nothing overly arduous), and Sonic can feel a bit delicate in your hands when trying to create your perfect pose, likely due to the figure’s size. Also, some of the parts are quite small so you’ll need to be sure you don’t accidentally lose any. You’ve paid quite a lot for this grand collection of props, so you’ll want to make sure you keep them safe! Ultimately though these are, as I say, nitpicks. The Sonic Nendoroid is a fantastic item as long as you’re careful with it and treat it with the love it deserves.

So, what’s the verdict? Basically, this is a figure that any Sonic fan can love. Its design will appeal to fans old and new, the sheer amount of things that come bundled with it is astounding and ensures you’re getting your money’s worth, and the quality of the Nendoroid in general is very nice indeed. If you manage to hunt down one of these beauties and are willing to shell out the asking price for it, you won’t be disappointed.

Doctor MK’s Diagnosis: Highly Recommended!

Still not convinced? Here’s a second opinion from fellow TSS staff writer Hogfather…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0BO64PGpEg

The Good Smile company have certainly put a smile on my face with this one. The quality of the figure is very high, far superior to anything that Jazwares have produced, and it certainly rivals First 4 Figures statues, in many ways, the droid is so much better than the F4F range. Call that controversial if you like, but for the money you pay and the quality of the figure, you do feel like you’re getting an extremely good product for and extremely good price.

Whilst the figure is at heart a display only piece, I found myself having lots of fun actually creating a scene for it. The level of articulation and accessories which come with it are more than enough to place the figure in a variety of different scenes and scenarios. There is a near childlike joy from creating a scene for your droid to stand in, I can only imagine the fun if you use items/accessories from other droids in GSC’s toy line.

It seems strange to use the word play in this context. The figure is primarily a display piece, you can’t play with it like you do ‘action figures’ or else the arms/legs will come off. But I find myself using the word ‘play,’ but I don’t mean play as in The Terminators & Transformers attack Ghostbusters HQ to defeat the Predators & Krang. The play comes from the time you spend placing your droid in a pose and then creating a scene around it. Then as you build you think ‘well what if I…’ and then a quick change of the facial expression and hand, suddenly your scene and Sonic’s body language completely changes.

Taking old Tomy badnik figures and placing them in the scene also helps enhance the figure. As does adding random toys from other series. See that Tardis by Sonic? Does it make sense? Nope… Does it look awesome? HELL YES!

I can’t sing the praises of the figure enough, everything about it, from the packaging, the presentation, the fun and the quality of the product is well worth the generous price tag. Now will someone from the GSC pitch an Eggman & Knuckles figure to Sega? I think I’d like to position my droid in a battle scene… hmmm maybe that Big Daddy would work?

If you’ve already got one, what do you think of the Sonic Nendoroid? And if you haven’t, are you planning to get one? Let us know in the comments!