Art Design: A Very beautfully painted box which has a blue sky in the background with the colors of France splashed over it and the Imperial Guard action figure in the foreground. It has a very nice visual effect, unfortunately, since these action figures are not currently sold at any retail outlets in the USA the great artwork can only be appreciated by online buyers and the consumers in the Asian markets where presumably these figures have retail distribution.
The Headsculpt: Very nice and distinctive look. Whoever is sculpting the heads for Ignite is truly a top notch artist. The face reminds me of a young Tommy Lee Jones. He has a fashionably thin beard that makes him look at once very French, and also like someone you might have met at a Disco back in the 1980s. A very unique headsculpt that is among the best I have ever seen.
The Figure: is similar to a Sideshow Toys ultra articulated body. The hands are made of a soft rubber which feels too "human."I traded out the hands with Blue Box hands after heating the forearms with a blow dryer and slowly working them out with thin pliers. I broke one of the figure's hands trying to pull it out, but the BBI hands fit very well and they are a harder plastic.
The Outfit: Breathtaking is a good word to describe the Imperial Guard uniform and head dress. The diecast metal pieces that are sown on make this outfit look like a true museum piece! The clothing is expertly tailored, and fits very well. It is also solidly made, as I removed the clothing without ripping or tearing anything. Often with some Dragon or BBI figures, removing the clothing leads to broken parts. The boots are knee-high and were correctly measured so that the knees can bend properly. This Imperial Guard not only looks good, but is built to display in active poses! This figure can proudly be displayed by anyone, whether at home, home office, or the office of a history professor, teacher, or collector of militaria. Anyone who is a fan of the Napoleonic Era should enjoy this figure, as it would probably be the most eye-catching piece in any display of actual historical artifacts from the Napoleonic period. The attention to detail is fascinating.
The Gear: The working backpack is made of a soft fur material. It feels like it was made from real rabbit fur or something similar. The ammo pouch has diecast metal ornamentation! The rifle is made of a straight hard plastic and it looks very accurate. Sometimes even the best sets include rifles that are made of a softer plastic that warped while it was in the box. The white sling feels like real leather. There is also a scabbard for the metal bayonet, the metal pike, and the sword!
Price and Availability: MSRP is around $89.00 but should be available at a slightly lower price from Ignite Toys' online retailers that are carrying this figure.
Grade: A+
