Name of Series:

群像侍集 ＳＡＭＵＲＡＩ７ -サムライ７-

 Manufacturer:

Date of release (estimated):

March 2006

Price (singly in ¥ ):

714¥

Sculptor:

No. of Pieces in the series:

Secret (SP)/Chase:

Variants:

Size:

Around 10 -12 cm

Other Remarks:

One of the legendary Japanese filmmaker, Kurosawa Akira's all-time classic, "The Seven Samurai" from the year 1954 was given an contemporary re-telling in the form of an animated series by the good people of Gonzo which followed closely to the plot of the original movie and retaining the names of the 7 samurais. However they introduced several original characters to the series and added what I felt was the bane of a great series, the robotic ronins in the form of Nobuseri. Months after the anime series had ended its run in Japan, Organic, usually a distributor for toys from the likes of kaiyodo, CM's & Medicos, had meticulously designed and produced this set of elegant-looking miniature figurines of the main protagonists of the series. But priced at 714 yen, this could be one of the most expensive trading figure set of 2006!

Kanbei

The fearless leader of the pack had a scarred history from fighting in the Great War when he was from the losing side. A very good representation of Kanbei is seen here with every essential aspects of him clearly shown including his white robe, that military style gloves, his signature katana etc. Of course physical appearance of Kanbei like his tanned tone, goatee and brownish grey long hair are all nicely represented here as well. However a problem with this set would be the poor facial sculpting and Kanbei is the most apparent of all with a rather distorted face. Nonetheless this piece has a good feel to it as the valiant samurai slash his katana downwards in a nice stance. The katana and its sheath are wonderfully made and painted.

Katsushiro

The fledging samurai who felt he does not have enough grit to survive in this world. He was in chronic need to mentorship which comes in no better form than Kanbei. I'm no big fan of this particular character but I do like the design of his attire which has a strong European influence (especially from the 18th century). The jacket and pants are all well shown here, complete with a pair of rugged-looking boots and authentic samurai fist guards. Details such as the side pocket on the pants and amulets on the shoulder portion of the jacket. As mentioned the facial sculpts of this set are awful and Katsu’s one is also pretty hideous. However the expression closely resembles him being frantic in the anime series.

Kikuchiyo

The former peasant turned samurai is a laud and showy half-man-half machine. Despite getting through most of his battle using sheer power he possesses, Kikuchiyo is such a crucial character as he developed such close relationship with the villagers, especially the children, who sought his help. Kikuchiyo has to be my favorite piece of this set as the sculptor is dead-on with the design of the character. The paintjoib is impeccable to say the least and I really fancy that pose with him using sheer force to slam his massive katana downwards. Since Kiku is a half robot, it is not hard to produce a much presentable headpiece which features an authentic samurai headpiece and a modified chimney for Kiku to let off some steam upon getting heated up in argument or battle. The armor is beautifully done and the flowing yellow coat too is eye-catching. I really like the sculpt of the glove-clad hands though his right hand has problem grabbing his huge katana properly. The off-red colored katana which looks like scrapped metal at times is another wonderful accessory.

Kyuzo

The stoned face samurai is perhaps the as skilful as Kanbei in terms of swordsmanship. He also wished that one day both of them would have a proper duel to death. He proved an asset when he jumped ship as a guard to the evil magistrate to help Kanbei and lads in their cause. Another nice piece as we have Kyuzo yielding his 2 swords as he did splendidly in the series. The stony expression in this piece is such a signature of his. The red trench-coat is so nicely painted and the toning (to an amateur like me) is wonderfully done. Sometimes with tha t red coat and blond hair, I felt he could be a homage paid to Vash from the "Trigun" series. The overall sculpt is very good and Kyuzo stands firmly on its base and there is little assembly needed, meaning less tendency of parts dropping apart. The swords and that sheath which housed both blades from both end are made to perfection.

Sichiroji

An old comrade in war with Kanbei was lured back to help his former partner in his quest to quash the Nobuseri. Sichiroji who had intended to live a peaceful life in an inn cum entertainment house was the last to join the troop. Sichiroji was more of a background character in the series thus not outstanding in terms of design and appearance. His attire has a strong reference as an artist in the entertainment house rather than a true samurai outfit. He is armed with a long staff which perhaps made him stand out among the other katana-welding comrades; and in this piece both his hands are cupped in a manner to hold the staff in position. Although the staff would fall out of place with a small nudge, it is still a better grasp than in Kikuchiyo's case. I actually like Sichi’s facial sculpt and the unique way his hair is styled is shown here as well.

Heihaci

As an expert engineer and machinist, Heihachi became a lone nomad who went around seeking interesting machinery knowledge before been enlisted by the likes of Gorobei and Kanbei to join their cause. I have always been fond of Heihachi’s "happy go lucky" attitude and it is evident here with that smiley face of his which is constantly seen throughout the series, even at the brink of death. Not known for his fighting skill, Heihachi is adopting a kneeling pose here with left hand erected, as if praying for those perished in the battle. I really like his attire which has a strong reference to modern military uniform including a nice pilot cap complete with a pair of goggles. His katana reminds me of an enlarged version of a jungle dagger because of the jagged edge and that white mascot he tied at the end is a Japanese ornament, in hope to bring good weather during stormy season.

Gorobei

After fighting in the Great War, Gorobei became a street performer and even would use his fighting skill for his livelihood. Nonetheless this seasoned samurai with a strong sense of alertness is one Kanbei is adamant about recruiting. Another piece with the sculpture and paintjob is done precisely to what he appears to be in the anime series in many aspects such as his attire and stance he adopted. The headpiece is not very pronounced and I had a hard time locating his eyes actually; however the tan look is evident here. I am not sure the actual meaning of his pose with his left hand arched in that manner which is not holding to something such as the sheath which in this case is tied to his waist..