2011 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for me action figure-wise. Two of my favorite properties are not only making a much anticipated return to toy store shelves, but they’re both doing it in the 4" scale. Better yet, they’re coming from the same company: Jazwares (which is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine)
I’m referring to, of course, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.
I’ve already penned my love letter to Street Fighter last November in this very blog (which you can check out here if you missed it). Suffice it to say I’ve been a Street Fighter fan since the game was only found in arcades.
The same goes for Mortal Kombat. I can still remember first seeing the game when it appeared in my local Golfland arcade in San Jose. I could walk you to the very place where the game stood. It was just so incredibly different than anything else out there in terms of graphics and gameplay.
Now those who know me well would likely be surprised that I’m such a fan of Mortal Kombat given it’s ultra-violent nature. And, really, I’m not crazy about that aspect of the franchise. Yet, at the same time, the violence is so freaking’ over-the-top that it’s almost comical. Still, I wouldn’t play it if my 6-year old daughter was in the room.
All that being said, I love the mythology and the characters in the Mortal Kombat universe. I dig the look of the characters. Visually I think Goro has always been my favorite (followed by Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Raiden) but I always struggled with him once he became a playable character on consoles.
I saw both movies in theaters (like the first, don’t even remember the second – hmm- maybe time for a re-watch), and watched every episode of the so-bad-it’s-good TV series back in the ’90s. I’ve got the old GI Joe Mortal Kombat figures, and the Jazwares ones from a few years back. I had those massive Infinite Concepts ones but eventually sold them off as their weird proportions were just too off putting for me.
But, now they’re coming back….4" figures from the new game and from the classics (for both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter). Yeah, yeah, there’s 6" figures coming, too (for MK). But, I’ll pass on most of those and concentrate on the 4" lines.
There hasn’t been any pictures released yet, but I have it on very good authority that these figures are going to seriously kick butt.
Big Bad Toy Store recently put up pre-order information for both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, giving up a little information about the lineups.
For Street Fighter they’ve listed 4 two-packs:
- Ken vs Blanka (classic)
- Ryu vs Sagat (classic)
- Guile vs Abel (modern)
- Seth vs El Fuerte (modern)
That’s a fantastic start for me as Ken, Blanka and Guile are my favorite Street Fighter characters and my go-to guys when playing.
For Mortal Kombat they’ve listed:
Classic Robot 3 pack (Cyrax, Smoke, Sektor)
Single carded Classic Ninjas:
- Ermac
- Reptile
- Scorpion
- Smoke
- Sub-Zero
and from the new game (which was released yesterday):
- Johnny Cage
- Raiden
- Scorpion
- Sub-Zero
I’ve got my fingers crossed that there’s a Goro on the horizon! But, wow! That’s a lot of great stuff coming! Hopefully we’ll get a peek at these figures soon. They’re currently in licensor approval, so that’s why Jazwares hasn’t been able to show anything. But, I know that Jazwares is really committed to getting these figures done right!
The franchise lost me a bit when it introduced Friendships, Babality, and went over-the-top-comical on purpose.
The newest iteration looks great (haven’t played it yet but plan on picking it up next week with my “Easter Money”).
Can’t wait to start seeing the figures!
im very happy these toys are coming as well cant wait for the pics i,m more of 4inch man myself lets hope they do them right oh are they adding kratos to the mk9 line
Unfortunately, Sony owns Kratos and, as such, isn’t part of the MK license with WB Consumer products. I’d love to see a 4″ Kratos figure, ‘though!
Hopefully the 6 inch figures are cool enough to look good with SOTA’s Street Fighter line. THAT would be my ultimate dream.
I might be interested when I see Chun Li and Cammie, and maybe Sonya Blade & Kitana.
I may pick up a Scorpion and Sub Zero if they look good enough.
That’s really awesome……but where are Rain and Noob Saibot????!!!
I have a feeling these will look horrible. If not I will get every single one of them. But I’m having a tough time deciding between the 6″ or the 4″. I’d want all the figures and I’m not sure if they’ll release everyone in the two scales.
I think we’re all forgetting that Jazwares is all talk, they have a terrible reputation of saying they will be releasing something and not doing it. Last year everyone got excited that they picked up the Megaman License again and said they were FINALLY going to release wave 2 of the Roto’s and more of those cute little vinyls they came out with…. then nothing. I’d be surprised if these figures even saw the light of day.