An addition to my Hall of Armor collection is Kotetsu Iron Man MK. III; or let's just say Samurai Iron Man. I definitely did not expect this to be in my collection but having stumbled on it up close and personal, I was convinced that I need this. I love samurai lore and fantasy; I love Iron Man. So hey! There we go! So how does the combination of those two add up in figure form?
The box itself is pretty attracting. It has to be right? It's really the only thing I had to go with to be convinced that I needed this in my collection! It's a pretty stiff box too so it definitely has that 'expensive' feel to it; and most of the time, expensive means something is inside that is amazing (dumb logic). Ok, on to the figure.
As you might suspect, it tries its best to keep the Iron Man look intact while adding on some Samurai aesthetics. I have to say, I am impressed; a lot more than I thought I would be. It's pretty easy to see that they sculpted this thing with some thought. The armor platings resemble Samurai designs quite well, the areas that have the Iron Man signature design (helmet and Arc Reactor) is still recognizable.
And since it is Feudal Japan era, Iron Man's tech is scaled back a bit. So his jet boosters? Well, it's archaic and very unreliable looking when it comes to flight. But it is well designed. You can see some old tech references, some designs are modeled to look like Eastern-inspired, and it still tries to look like something that Stark would be able to create given the tools he is provided.
Just from the profile, again I'll reiterate just how detailed this guy is. The Samurai-esque armor platings, the helmet that is definitely the eastern warrior but still a hint of Iron Man, the boots, gauntlets, the sword.... it's a good mix for sure!
For some reason, I didn't take a picture of their accessories he has, but he has his jetpack, his katana, and two muskets that amazingly can be the Feudal Japan substitute for his repulsor blast!
It's actually quite ingenious how they incorporated Stark's repulsors in this age and time. Not entirely sure how it would actually work, but they put it in! There's decent detail with these muskets, though lacking some paint, they still look good though. They connect on Stark's forearms just fine. Wish there was a way he can hold them like regular guns.
And then there's his sword. It doesn't have a whole lot to talk about other than it's a pretty cool addition. It's not uber detailed, and even the sheath is a bit of a lackluster considering how extravagant some Samurais can make them. The hilt itself is good though. Glad they put some effort into this. Though I think a gold blade would be a bit more dramatic and my preference.
If aesthetics and presentation are where Kotetsu Iron Man succeeds, articulation is where it is a bit flawed. Why? Well, it will do the standard (a little less, perhaps), but because of its stylized theme, certain movements are highly limited and if 'forced' it will look rather odd with some joints. Some of the classic Iron Man pose might not be as easily acquired with this design. And I didn't even attempt the Iron Man landing pose either. With him lacking a stand (the one I'm using is a figma one), he is limited for sure.
So.... where's Samurai Stark in here? Yes, this is my Hall of Armors dedication shelf. It is just as crazy as it was before. And it still has room for growth, mind you.
So as a closing note, I really like how this guy looks. Back in the day in the 90s Iron Man (the second season), he had a "Samurai Armor"... which he didn't use at all. Regardless, this amalgamation is something I always found intriguing so to have an action figure form version of it, and for the most part, done right, is something I can appreciate. For casual Iron Man fans, this is a pass and honestly, could slip through the cracks to even the die-hard Iron Man fans. With so many Iron Man figures out there, I'm sure this wouldn't be one of those anyone can truly miss. But for me, it's unique and it does fall in line with my preference. It's a great catch and I think it has something to offer for those who are in search for something different in the Iron Man realm.
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