The image above shows exactly what everyone has been talking about in light of this action figure: her thighs! Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series of video games has always been known for her humongous thighs, but this Round 2 toy from NECA's Street Fighter IV line takes them to a brand new extreme. Can she overcome the enormity of her legs, or is Chun-Li just another toy with a monstrous defect/mutation? Read on to find out!
Name: Chun-Li
Line: Street Fighter IV, Round 2
Manufacturer: NECA
Released: Summer 2009
Price: Retail: $13.99-$17.99, Online: $14.99-$19.99
Scale: 7.00 in. (figure in 6.50 in. tall)
Accessories: Three extra hands
Sponsor Listings: Amazon-$14.94
There's no reason to delay this, I'm going to have to talk about the legs. Say what you will, but I think it's pretty clear they're too big. I've seen the concept art, I've seen screenshots from the game, and to me it's all irrelevant, because if you look at the figure, she looks absurd. I know some people like them, but I'm not one of them, and she's going to lose points from me because they're at least 33% too big. She's almost twice as wide at the mid-thigh than she is at the waist, and those proportions just won't work for me. With that said, I do still like the sculpt of this figure very much, in almost every other regard. For instance, the legs are too big, but they're shaped quite nicely with subtle muscle groups and natural looking knees. The cloth areas of her costume have appropriate wrinkles whether hanging freely our bunched at her shoulders. I especially like the way the strips coming out of her hair dangle and seem to be caught in the wind or mid-kick. Her skirt doesn't sit perfectly symmetrical on her waste, but it's hardly noticeable and not a real fault.
The boots are amazingly detailed with perfectly crisp shoe-laces sculpted right in, along with seems and grooves that make them look quite realistic. Her bracelets feature sharp points and clean lines, and even the gold decorations on her chest and shoulders are sculpted on and minutely detailed with small grooves. Her head and hands have all the expected shapes and details carved right in, even small things that aren't totally necessary like creases at the knuckles or lashes for beneath her eyes. Her expression is perplexing; I'm not sure if she's really angry or just scared, but it's not so extreme like previous figures that it will give people a lot of problems. This toy showcases some top-notch sculpting techniques and detail work that's only hampered by the ridiculous proportions of her thighs.
Sculpt Score: 8 / 10
With Chun-Li's paint, NECA got all the ideas right, but the executions are still quite lacking. For instance, the colors all look perfect, when they're not covered in a messy wash, like her boots are. The legs have a very subtle airbrush effect that looks fine because it only augments, instead of overwhelms, as do the various blue areas with a dark blue/purple sprayed on. Those spots, sadly, aren't as consistent and come off as messy, particularly on her back. The gold trim applications are horrendous at best, as they're messy, crooked, and don't stay anywhere close to the lines at some points. The lines on her chest are much better, but don't make up for the ugly on the skirt. Her face details are perfectly crisp and spotless, which is a surprise given the stray paint splotches present on the rest of the figure. The head is really in a different world than the rest of the figure; it looks impeccable, while everything else is mediocre at best. There are even a few spots with chips, which sure doesn't help either. I feel like I'm listing a lot of negatives, and there are many problems, but the net-effect is still an average one, because she doesn't look bad from a normal viewing distance.
Paint Score: 6 / 10
NECA decided not to skimp when it comes to Street Fighter and articulation. I guess the great minds over there figured that a game based so heavily on action deserves figures that can move around a bit, and that's precisely what Chun-Li is. The only thing bigger than her thighs might be the number of joints she has. They're all catalogued in the image above, but it hardly does justice to how easily posed she is. There are so many possibilities because you can work in very subtle changes in every little spot. I can't think of a single point I would add, because this is a perfect combination of looks and function. All the joints are extremely tight, which can be frustrating, yet it's definitely a benefit because she balances quite well on her stoic joints. Nothing is broken and nothing limits any of her points, even her neck, where a full range of motion is easily achieved, allowing plenty of personality and enthusiasm to come through in various stances.
Articulation Score: 10 / 10
One of the most important features an action figure needs to be enjoyable is obviously articulation, and we've already covered how well Chun-Li stands in that regard, meaning she's a ton of fun too. She's a blast to play with and a joy to pose, though admittedly it does take some work to get the joints moving, the reward is well worth it. And with the cast growing ever deeper into the Street Fighter IV world, setting up battles for display or aligning a huge multi-character street fight is very much a possibility. She's a very famous video game vixen that tons of fans adore, and she's got the great, easily identifiable costume to boot. If you're into monstrous legs, you could even add a point here! She comes with a few extra hands, allowing her to simulate famous moves and poses from the game more easily, but some sort of energy effect or game-related stand might have been even better. There's also a potential for injury (I'm not kidding!) because the spikes on her wrists are actually sharp enough to sting and the stubborn joints can lead to pinched fingers too. The packaging isn't anything spectacular, but it does feature unique art and some interesting statistics that might hold your attention for a little while. If you're like me, you'll just dive right in and start posing this dynamic and entertaining toy.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
These Street Fighter IV figures retail for roughly $15, and you might even be able to find them for a dollar or two cheaper if you're lucky with sales. At that price you're getting a well constructed 6.5 inch action figure with a couple of accessories and a somewhat nice package. This feels like a well made figure with some weight and definite attention to detail being paid. Sure the thighs are too big, but she's almost perfectly on-model from the video game design, and any real Chun-Li fan must own this great representation of her, if for no other reason than to talk about her monster thighs. The price isn't astounding, but it's very reasonable for a figure that's comprised of entirely new molds and is one of the leading names in a leading video game franchise. She's also a good-sized figure and won't fall apart easily. I don't regret my purchase one bit, and if you're a fan of Street Fighter at all, I doubt you will either.
Value Score: 9 / 10
8 / 10 - Absolutely perfect aside from the hideous thighs.
6 / 10 - Poor applications and slop all over weaken this paintjob.
10 / 10 - Lots of points that offer tons of posing options.
9 / 10 - Despite the danger, this toy is a real blast to play with.
9 / 10 - Reasonable price-point for a well made figure with some accessories.
86 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Chun-Li manages to be a great action figure despite a few obvious weaknesses. Her paint is seriously flawed, and her thighs are seriously oversized, but other than that, this is a near-perfect action figure.
-The Articulated One
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