One of the great things about owning a toy review website is that I occasionally get the opportunity to review toys that are otherwise out of my collecting scope.

One of the great things about owning a toy review website is that I occasionally get the opportunity to review toys that are otherwise out of my collecting scope. While I don't mind the odd 1/6 scale figure, I almost never get into Military toys. I completely support our troops, but I never felt like collecting them.

With any review of a toy I am not familiar with, the first step is always research. The internet is a wealth of knowledge, and anyone can become an expert on almost anything if they know how to search properly. Well, within a few minutes of searching for information about Elite Force's Rosanna Jones figure, I realized I was in way over my head. I stumbled across a few 1/6 figure forums and realized that these guys are serious about these figures - they know the name of each and every piece of equipment the figure carries, and whether or not it is accurate to the actual piece of hardware used in the field. I'm not going to pretend that I know what all of the parts are called - if you are into these figures then you probably know already, and it has been covered elsewhere. I am going to tackle this review from the standpoint of someone who does not collect 1/6 scale or military figures. Special thanks to UniToyzone for providing this figure for review.

California Army Nation Guard 40th Infantry Division "Rosanna Jones" is a new figure from BBI (a sub copany of Blue Box Toys). It is part of the Elite Force line of figures, and this particular figure is sold exclusively by Merit International. Rosanna Jones is, as far as i can tell, one of the first 1/6 scale military action figures from BBI. BBI previously did female figures under their "Cool Girl" line.

The selling point of the Elite Force line appears to be their realistic styling and accessories. Each figure comes with an authentic uniform and in-scale weapons. The uniform here features the army’s newer digital camouflage pattern. The jacket is made out of cloth and is secured in the front by a strip of Velcro. The pants are also cloth and each of the pockets open with Velcro flaps. There is also a vest that has a pocket in it that you can insert a piece of body armor!

The underlying figure is incredibly articulated, with multiple points of articulation at each joint. Articulation is definitely not an issue here. Unfortunately, these figures are meant to be displayed and not played with, so articulation is a moot point.

The real selling point here is the accessories. This figure as a ton of accessories and weapons - so many that I found it hard to outfit the figure with all of them at once. Another drawback here is that you only have the photos on the box as reference - there is no instruction sheet telling you what each part is or where it is supposed to be located on the soldier. This is a major inconvenience for the novice figure collector. It makes the figure less accessible to the first-time buyer.

First off is the helmet - the helmet is hard plastic covered by a cloth coating. The straps on the helmet really adjust and I had a hard time getting the straps to go in the right place at first, but through trial and error I figured out. The helmet has a black clip in the front center but I could not figure out what is supposed to clip on there. The figure also comes with a set of clear protective goggles that rest at this point on the helmet, so perhaps that is its purpose.

The vest features all these tiny pockets that allow the add-on packs to be attached to. Each pack has a clear plastic tab that looks like an upside-down letter U that slides into the pockets. You can arrange the packs in any method you choose. Each pack opens, and is stuffed with paper from the factory. One pack is larger so it can fit the radio unit in it.

The radio unit is a complicated little part. It consists of a headset that fits under the helmet, a hand held unit, and a small part that looks like a microphone. These are all connected by flexible wires that can be attached to the hand held unit.

In terms of armament, the figure comes with a large rifle that could have a whole review just to itself. It features moveable parts such as an extending stock, removable ammunition clips and what looks to be a grenade launcher under the barrel. The top part of the barrel also features 2 removable panels that can be replaced with slightly different looking panels. I'm sure the gun experts know what all this is, but due to the lack of documentation, I am clueless. At the top of the rifle is a connection point at which you can connect a variety of attachments, including a scope. The scope is tiny, but still features opening front and rear lens covers. The rifle also features an adjustable cloth strap.

Also included is a pistol with three clips, as well as a holster that is secured to the leg.

In addition to the above accessories, the figure includes sunglasses, boots, and two items with antennas that I cannot identify. They look like they might attach to the rifle, but I am not sure. Needless to say, the figure is not lacking in accessories.

The packaging is pretty nice, with a fold out cover secured with Velcro. Inside the front cover is a plastic panel with a majority of the accessories. The panel has to be cut open to get to the accessories, thus keeping you from being able to keep the package intact. The figure itself rests inside a plastic tray along with the rest of the accessories.

All in all this is not a bad figure but Ithink it could be made more accessible to the first-time buyer by the inclusion of an instruction sheet or manual. You can find this figure exclusively by Merit International.

The outfit is a decadent mix of lace and fabric. The multi-layered dress evokes the spirit of a Victorian maid - if that maid listened to Cradle of Filth.

Angel is the second release as part of BBI’s Dark Desires series of 1/6 scale dolls. These dolls are exclusively from distributor Merit International, and available through retailers such as UniToyZone.

Each Dark Desires doll has its own back story and personality. The back of the package tells a little about Angel:

“Angel lives in the shadows and has chosen a lifestyle that is individual and diverse. Those who celebrate the dark recesses of the human psyche do so un-ashamedly and revel in their own subculture, with their own graphic art, literature, music and fashion. Angel lives among them as a free thinker with a deep interest in magic mysticism and numerous other topics that are often considered taboo. Angel longs to live in a world with no prejudices… her Dark Desire is that, with help from others, she will find it.”

Now, I am not a Goth, and I can’t speak for them, but this description sounds very… encyclopedic. It is as if someone was writing about a culture long after it was gone. There are many different kinds of “Goth”, and the kind you find hanging out in front of Hot Topic at the mall is very different than the kind you find hanging out over a bridge in Harajuku. Angel seems to be somewhere in between….

The figure has the usual exquisite attention to detail. There is more articulation than you will know what to do with – double jointed knees and elbows, multiple joints in the torso, and even swivel joints on the upper thighs.

The outfit is a decadent mix of lace and fabric. The multi-layered dress evokes the spirit of a Victorian maid - if that maid listened to Cradle of Filth. Angel sports chains around her body, a neck choker, rings on her fingers, and bows in strategic locations. She has cloth sleeves, and fishnet stockings. The shoes are one solid piece; you can’t take them off the feet.

Angel’s face is as white as a blizzard, but the rest of her exposed skin is normal tone. Her eyes are two different colors, and her hair is perfectly blond – she seems very…. Scandinavian? The way she is packaged is not flattering, with a clear band compressing her hair. Once you break her out though, she begins to shine.

One of the more interesting touches to this doll is the choice of hand positions. Her left hand has a neutral pose, but her right hand is making the V symbol. In Japan, people tend to make the V sign when they get their pictures taken, especially the Goths in Harajuku. It’s a nice touch, and shows that BBI / Merit know the subject matter they are covering (if it was in fact intentional).

Harajuku Gothic Geish giving the V sign

Also included in the package is a small tray featuring various accessories including a headpiece, staff, amulets, and necklaces. I couldn’t find a use for most of them, so I left them in the package. The headpiece adds a lot to the look of the figure, but there is no visible way to attach it to the head. No elastic, Velcro or snaps. Am I supposed to tie it? After a few frustrating minutes trying to tie the hat on my doll, I just decided to let it just rest on the head. Sure, I could have called one of my daughters in to help, but I don’t know if I would have ever lived that one down.

While the doll is really great, I have a few small criticisms.

1. The packaged accessories are kind of useless. The staff can’t be held, and the small amulets are impossible to attach. No instructions are given for their usage. Are they supposed to be attached to the figure, or to you?
2. Twistie ties. There were 12 ties that you have to cut to remove this figure from the backing card. That’s a bit much.
3. The text on the packaging may discourage actual goths who may want to buy this product. As individuals, they would probably hate to be categorized and quantified in this way.

Angel is a quality doll – with great attention to detail and fantastic articulation – she is sure to please any 1/6 scale collector, doll collector, or fans of gothic culture.

UniToyZone has Angel in stock and ready to ship – why not check it out?

Alaqua is part of a new line of gothic-style dolls by BBI (a sub-company of Blue Box Toys), distributed by Merit International. The line is called Dark Desires, and it aims to capture the spirit of the gothic subculture. You can find Alaqua and other 1/6 scale figures at UniToyZone.

The back of the box has a bit of text that describes their interpretation of Goth:

Dark Desires exists for those that are today’s true Goths…. So what are Goths? Some dictionaries describe “Goth” as members of a Germanic tribe from the 3rd to 5th century, a style of rock music, or a member of a sub-culture favouring black clothing and white painted faces with black make-up.

While each of these definitions may be somewhat correct, they are not the real essence of today’s Goth movement, and those that live and support it remain largely misunderstood.

Goth is more than a fashion statement; it is a way of life. One that takes things on its own terms, regardless of the opinion of others. Those that enjoy Goth are just like other people, they go to the movies, to dinner, to parties…. They just express themselves differently by making choices about their appearance and interests.

Dark Desires stands as an example of such choices, and its members display their own individuality and their need not to conform, and these are their “Desires”. The “Dark” is a reference to their preference towards the darker tones of black, purple and scarlet.

Their names are chosen from those they feel a bond with and so we present Shadow, Angel, Vlad, Chaos and Alaqa… Each an individual. Their choice of fashion is full of opposites such as leather and lace, but to them there are no contradictions, only choices including silver, leather, lace, chain and use of dark tones.  Dark Desires is a group where the “misunderstood” can communicate and be accepted for their individuality, needs and desires.

This group will flourish in time and will be……..

I don’t know if I agree with their definition of Goth. Around here, Goth is synonymous to 16 year-old overweight kids hanging out in the mall wearing baggy pants, eyeliner, and holding a Slipknot lunchbox. But at the other end of the spectrum, you have the Japanese Gothic Lolita look, which is closer in spirit to what we have here.

Alaqua is a fully articulated 1/6 scale figure. She has a wide range of poseability, and she is actually stable. Alaqua can stand on her own without the need for a doll stand.

The head is cast in soft vinyl and uses soft blue hair. The hair tends to get a bit messy, but I’m sure you could brush it out. The facial details are crisp and clean with sufficiently light skin tone for that “afraid of the sun” Goth look. The rest of the body is hard plastic, and features more articulation than you would expect. This is great for posing, but with this doll, I think the extra articulation actually detracts a bit. Where this doll has exposed shoulders, you can see the double shoulder joints, and it distracts from the overall appearance.

Alaqua’s outfit is made out of a combination of lace and what I think is vinyl. The outfit is several different pieces and can open in the back. The black hands are cast in plastic, as are the boots (which are not removable).

Included with the doll is an assortment of Jewelry. First there are several small plastic charms on a black string loop. I initially thought it was a necklace, but I couldn’t get it over the head. Then there is a metal chain necklace and several larger charms. The metal chain has a piece of metal that dangles from the center, to which you can attach any one of the charms. Unfortunately, this connection point is just a ring – no latch at all. I had to get a pair of needle-nose pliers to bend the ring open, add a charm, and close it. I ASSUME that the charms are supposed to go on here, but there are no instructions that say what you are to do.

Minor gripes aside, this is a really beautiful doll. It looks so alive and seductive in any pose you put it in. Sure, it is a glamorized version of Goths, but if they all looked this way, maybe I wouldn’t laugh at them so much when I see them at the mall waiting for their parents to pick them up.

Alaqua is available from UniToy Zone.

I bought this toy the night I proposed to my wife. I proposed to her in front of the bunker hill monument. She sais yes. In our elation, we decided to walk arond Harvard Square. We went into the Garage.. to Newbury Comics. I needed something to commerate the occasion.. I dont know why i picked this one..

This toy comes from the Omega Boost Sony Playstation Game. The sculpt is really nice, articulation is limited, and there are no accessories.
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