Vault Review: Metroid’s Samus
Aran, A Dimension Diver Kit

Vault

When it comes to color, the Dimension Diver folks do a terrific job of trying to mold most of the pieces in the colors they need to be.  This is unlike most garage kits, which are usually just molded in white.  Personally, I haven’t decided if I’m going to paint her yet.  If I do, it’ll be sparingly and just the areas that need highlighting like her cannon or the black lines that separate her armor.  I did paint the inside of her visor with a metallic green because I didn’t think the transparent green that it came in was dark enough.

Speaking of which, I love the little translucent orbs that go into her knees and hands.  They really look fantastic and add an air of energy to the figure.

Surprisingly this kit comes with two left hands, one open and the other is a fist.  Since her face is masked, these alternate hands add a lot to showing emotion and mood.  They also make for even more dynamic posing.

Samus also comes with an alternate “powered up” head for her cannon.  This piece isn’t necessary to enjoy the figure, but it’s a nice detail that just allows for more options when it comes to display.

One thing that did bother me was the two translucent triangles that go into the sides of her chest.  These pieces were incredibly small and difficult to deal with, and eventually I discovered they didn’t even fit into the holes properly.  So I’m not sure what I’m going to do with those two little holes yet.

Also, the amount of work you have to put into prepping the joints was more intensive than I expected.  There’s also going to be a fair amount of sanding and bulking up the joints so they fit properly.  It’s a bit tedious, but you’ll definitely need a pin vice and you’ll want to go slow.

I know it’s not for everyone, but this is an excellent figure.  I’m not used to this kind of detail and articulation from a garage kit, and the finished product really blows me away.  Even though I’m still picking up the Figma, I definitely don’t regret getting this one either.

-Vault

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17 thoughts on “Vault Review: Metroid’s Samus
Aran, A Dimension Diver Kit”

  3. It’s the sad hallmark of the industry that once you find your Holy Grail, you’ve got another one already picked out…

      1. no, totally, it’s a constant failing of a huge percentage of the toy community… we’ve never satisfied. we’re like prince’s mother. 🙂 it’s also why we scream at each other, and it is in fact, what it sounds like when dove’s cry.

  4. !?!?!?

    Will there really be a Samus Figma? Are there any pics out there? I just came back from HLJ’s site, & there’s no mention of it.

    PLEASE, HELP, MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

    1. Yeah, I don’t know how detailed I’m going to get on the paint. I don’t want to cover up too much of the design.

  7. Thanks for that scale pic with other common toys very helpful!
    And congrats on getting your Grail. It looks really snazzy! It’s amazing the toys you can build from Japanese model kits.

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