Ever since the DC Minimates from DC Direct died on the vine, I’ve been a lot more selective with my Minimates purchases. But Diamond Select Toys has its ways of pulling me back in, and there’s no better way than by making a figure from one of my favorite video games.
I love the game Okami. I bought it when it was originally released by Clover Studios and was really disappointed by their closing just a few months after it debuted. Capcom picking up the title turned out to be a good thing though. They rereleased the game, getting it to a wider audience, and they were also able to make a sequel for the Nintendo DS.
Now thanks to Capcom’s partnership with Marvel and Diamond Select Toys, Amaterasu has been made in Minimates form. It’s been six years since the original Okami game debuted, and this is the first official figure/toy of Amaterasu to be made. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.
Oh yeah, and there’s a Thor figure here too…
Although I bought this set for Amaterasu, I have to admit this is a damned good Thor figure too. As expected, he uses the standard Minimates human “buck” body. He’s got his classic Viking helmet on with long hair flowing from underneath. His huge billowing cape is a separate piece that’s attached at his shoulders. The lower half of his tunic is also a separate piece with great detail sculpting for his belt. There’s even a strap hanging off where his Mjolnir would go, but unfortunately it doesn’t have an opening. Lastly, Thor’s boots have sculpted bolts on the sides and a long shin guard that covers his knees.
Since Amaterasu is a dog, her body is a bit different. Her torso is comprised of four pieces. The inner pieces are a standard Minimates chest and waist. The outer two pieces are the canine parts, which cover the inner body like armor. Her head, shoulders, and feet are all newly sculpted, while her forearms, thighs, and shins are standard Minimates parts.
I really like the sculpt of this figure. DST did a fantastic job on her head and the cloud-like rolls coming off of her body. I was a bit put off at first by how her back legs looked, but I’ve grown used to them since getting her. She does have a couple issues with her shoulder joints not wanting to stay attached though. I also have the same problem with her waist because the inner peg isn’t long enough to keep it securely in place.
Paint wise the two figures are great. I didn’t see any issues with the different Thor figures at the store, but the Amaterasus were another story. The red lines on her body were crooked and scratched off on some of the figures. I still found one that was good, but you’ll want to definitely inspect the figures before purchasing. Continue to page 2…
man that spinning hammer accessory is cool as heck!
this is friggin awesome. i have not played okami, but my kids love amaterasu in MvC3, and this is a fight we’ve done many times.
I need to get this for that hammer effect. I have always wanted that statue of Thor on a mountain spinning his hammer sclupted in this effect, but now I can get this for a lot cheaper.
I’m so excited to see a Minimate review here again!
I also miss the DC ones… that line could/should have gone on forever.
now that’s a cool accessory that should be MANDATORY for ALL Thor figures!
The Marvel Minimates line in general has truly risen where DC Minimates sadly fell. I stopped collecting Marvel Legends and Universe stuff long ago due to the more insanely awesome line-ups we’ve been getting in the Marvel Minimates line in the past few years.
Yes, the minimates may not have the different looks among the characters in terms of build (although they have been bulking up bigger characters like Hulk and Rhino recently), they all stil look cool.
Actually, the way modern Minimates lines have gone, I think fans have DC Minimates to thank simply because before DC made DST do sculpting on a lot of things when they were making them, and then it passed onto the other lines like Marvel.
BTW, I highly recommend if you’re getting the Thor vs. Amaterasu set, also get the awesome MODOK vs. Akuma one. I mean seriously… a MODOK Minimate. It’s too cool.
I hate to do this… But…
Amaterasu is not a dog, she is a wolf.
The title of game, “Okami” is in reference to three okamis.
First, taken from the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu Ohmikami or “the great god(dess) Amaterasu”. The “mi” section is just to show reverence. (The “h” is in there because I think it should be there for phonetic reasons. Without the “h”, it would often be pronounced to sound like “the old lady” or “the master’s wife”) Anyway, this first Okami (Ohkami) means great god.
The second Okami (Ohkami) quite literally means “wolf”.
The third Okami (Ohkami) is in reference to a large paper which has writing concerning how to control nature. Large(Oh)+Paper(Kami) could be read as “Ohkami”.
Sorry about the nit-picking.
i don’t buy minimates, but i always loved how the faces were designed.
And now they have a version of Thor that one ups the other versions simply having a hammer twirling effect effect. SWEET!!!