King of Fighters 2000

Manufacturer
Yamato
Year
2004
Materials
Plastic
Height
6 inches

King of Fighters 2000 Mai Shiranui & Blue Mary

By John Huxley
31st May 04

While these figures may be a few years out of date, they nevertheless represent two of the King of Fighters most cherished characters dressed in their classic, instantly recognisable costumes. And where the game might not be the most celebrated in the distinguished series' history, these 6 inch figures are amongst the finest that have been associated with the King of Fighters games.

Yamato's choice to sculpt series' stalwarts Mai Shiranui and Blue Mary rather than the new additions to the KoF 2000 roster might seem like an odd decision at first glance, but take a closer look and it's easy to see why they chose to forgo the likes of Hinako or Lin - Mai and Blue Mary have sex appeal in spades. Mai, with her 'minimalistic' costume, shapely curves and playful demeanor has remained a firm fan favourite since her introduction way back in the original Fatal Fury games. Ever so slightly more subtle, Blue Mary's tight red top and loose pants are more likely to win a bout by means of distraction than any amount of her trademark grapple moves. A pity her dog got all the action.

Both characters are represented here in great form, sculpted with an obvious love of the characters and the game itself. Considering the scale of the models and the slim nature of the characters, the detailing throughout is fine, with accessories, folds the cloth and facial features all modelled with care and attention. Look a little closer and you'll discover that some of the smaller details may not be perfectly formed, but for this price range and scale you'd expect such discrepancies. Besides, the index finger of Mai's left hand isn't what should be drawing your attention when you're standing, most likely slack-jawed and gooey eyed, staring at this figure. Mai's 'greatest assets' have always been her voluptuous curves and top-heavy chest, tantalisingly put on display with the aid of a precariously small red and white costume that looks to be falling off at any moment, but regrettably for the majority of her fanbase, never does (personally, I've always suspected that she uses plenty of sellotape, super glue or a staple gun to keep that thing from falling down). Pleasingly, her 'greatest assets' are ably represented in model form, with a smoothness and cleanliness of line that simply isn't technically possible on the dated Neo-Geo hardware. Put simply, it's a pervert's dream. Leaving all attempts at journalistic integrity behind for one second; her breasts stick out like a couple of doughy buns, her costume is pulled up her crack to reveal that shapely ass and you can perv at her panties if you pick it up and position the model at a certain angle. Your friends might walk past this figure and pretend not to be interested, but you just know deep down inside (or as soon as you leave the room for a minute) they're wanting to pick it up and have a good, long stare. It's only natural.

Blue Mary is similarly alluring, albeit in a slightly different way. Captured in the act of performing a high kick, her breasts have been subject to the forces of velocity resulting in the effect that King of Fighter's fans have lovingly coined 'bounce'. Although Mai is the most notorious champion of the 'bounce', it is the Blue Mary figure that wins this round with her ample bosom (much larger than the videogame sprites, I think). Blue Mary also sports an unusual hidden action feature. Twist the figure round, arch your neck forward and take a look under that belt. You can see her ass from here! Someone should inform her that belts are used to hold trousers UP and prevent this sort of thing from happening. How embarrassing.

Which, for the more conservative amongst us, is exactly what these figures are - an embarrassment. Had I not been so enamoured with the King of Fighters games and the characters themselves, I would have probably overlooked these figures as perverted nonsense (albeit curiously alluring perverted nonsense) that I wouldn't be able to display on my shelves or present to my friends and family without a bright red face. But I don't care. I love the characters, I love the games, I especially love these figures and I'll display them with pride.

Place these figures on a shelf and a strange thing happens - the rest of your collection suddenly appears still, motionless, lifeless. Such is the movement and suggested velocity in the sculpture of both Mai and Blue Mary that figures you once thought to be full of life, figures you thought were striking a cool pose, unexpectedly become ordinary and dull. The tendrils of Mai's costume and her flowing hair spin around her, creating an elaborate and stylish pattern as she leaps though the air, pouncing from one foot as if to dodge some attack. Blue Mary's leg extends high in the air as she executes a deadly kick with perfect balance, giving flight to the loose belt around her hips and causing the air to raffle through her distinctive costume. The suggestion of movement in these figures is extraordinary and stands as testament to the imagination and skill of it's designer, whoever that might be. The downside to this ambitious design is the need for clear plastic support struts that help keep the figure from falling prey to the natural effects of gravity. Both figures are carefully balanced on the ball of one foot, so the support really is a necessity. I'm a real hater of this kind of ugly obtrusion to my beloved models, but given the intricate, beautiful design of these particular figures, a small plastic rod sticking out of Blue Mary's leg can be easily overlooked.

Aside from the obtrusive support strut, there are few drawbacks that might dissuade potential buyers from hading over the cash. The paint application, while it does a great job of highlighting the curves and details in the costumes of both characters, does not stand up to close inspection. The orange tinge in Blue Mary's skin at first gives the appearance of a carefully managed tan, but closer inspection reveals the uneven application them to appear more like bruises than natural skin tone. Likewise, Mai's skin is overly bright and strangely monotone in comparison to Blue Mary's, making her look slightly ghostly, especially around the face. Speaking of which, not everyone will be pleased to learn that these models have been given a distinctly anime style rather than the more realistic sprites of the King of Fighters games for which the characters are most well known. This isn't really a problem for myself - after all, they've both appeared in the Real Bout Fatal Fury series which favoured a more cartoony style of sprite, so they're no strangers to less realistic features.

These minor drawbacks really shouldn't dissuade you from buying in to these wonderfully crafted figures of two of the most liked and cherished characters in videogame history. If you're a fan of the series or SNK games in general, you should have no hesitation in buying these figures right away. You'll regret it when they're no longer available. Everyone else - Street Fighter purists included - can at least appreciate these figures for their stunning beauty.

-- John Huxley 31st May 04