![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan0.jpg?resize=175%2C80\")
<\/a>Yesterday I had the great pleasure of introducing Ori-Toy Limited and reviewing the first figure in their Three Kingdoms series.\u00a0 Today I\u2019m going to take a detailed look at the design and articulation of the Ori-Fig while reviewing the second figure in the series, Zhang Liao.<\/p>\nI\u2019m not as familiar with Zhang Liao as I am with Guan Yu.\u00a0 In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms he\u2019s portrayed as an incredibly noble General, originally he serving under L\u00fc Bu.\u00a0 But when L\u00fc Bu was defeated in battle by Cao Cao\u2019s forces, he and Zhang Liao were bound and brought before their enemy.\u00a0 L\u00fc Bu pleaded for Cao Cao\u2019s mercy, which Zhang saw as cowardace.\u00a0 Zhang was not afraid of death and he insulted his captors while stretching out his neck, taunting them to behead him.<\/p>\n
Cao Cao was enraged at this action, and quickly drew his sword to do the deed personally.\u00a0 But Guan Yu dropped to his knees and pleaded for Zhang\u2019s life.\u00a0 Cao Cao lowered his sword with a laugh, declaring he had only been testing Zhang Liao to see if the stories of his righteousness were true.\u00a0 Then he personally unbound Zhang and offered him his best hospitality.\u00a0 That was when Zhang finally accepted defeat and surrendered, eventually joining as a General in Cao Cao\u2019s army.<\/p>\n In a later battle Zhang Liao would return Guan Yu\u2019s favor by helping to convince him to surrender to Cao Cao\u2019s forces also.\u00a0 This was when Guan Yu joined Cao Cao\u2019s army to save his sister-in-laws.\u00a0 Serving under the same commander, Guan Yu and Zhang Liao eventually became close friends.\u00a0 It was Zhang Liao who helped convince Cao Cao\u2019s other Generals to allow Guan Yu to leave on his journey to reunite with Liu Bie.<\/p>\n Zhang served Cao Cao with loyalty for the rest of his days.\u00a0 When his commander died, he served his son Cao Pi, just as faithfully also.\u00a0 He was even hit by an arrow while saving Cao Pi\u2019s life in battle.\u00a0 Helped by Xu Huang, he escorted Cao Pi to away from the battle, only succumbing to his wounds when his commander had returned to the safety of the city.<\/p>\n Zhang Liao\u2019s figure uses the standard Ori-Fig body design.\u00a0 Like a vinyl figure, most of this toy\u2019s clothing details are created through paint and tampo applications.\u00a0 Most of the characters that have been produced so far have been painted with striking and vibrant colors.\u00a0 Zhang really stands out from the pack with his dark maroons and two different colors of gray.\u00a0 Even his skin tone seems a bit more muted than the rest.<\/p>\n Although the style and design of the Ori-Fig\u2019s clothing is determined by paint, sculpted details are still added to the piece to make it unique.\u00a0 The piece that stands out the most is probably Zhang\u2019s helmet.\u00a0 Crafted to resemble a traditional Chinese military design, the yellow plume at the top is a separate piece and can be easily swiveled to show action or even emotion.\u00a0 Continue to page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n The Ori-Fig\u2019s shoulders and waist are both recessed like a bowl.\u00a0 Structurally this gives a place for extra design elements to set, like Zhang\u2019s shoulder pads\/scarf and loin cloth.\u00a0 These extra elements are made form a soft plastic and hang down like natural clothing, while their extreme flexibility keeps the figures movement from being hindered.\u00a0 Something I found really interesting is that any beard-like facial hair is also sculpted out of this flexible material, but it\u2019s a separate piece and can be pivoted around the figure\u2019s shoulders to match the facial angle.<\/p>\n One of the reasons I really love these figures is the perfect mixture of the stylized vinyl look with the super articulation that I crave out of my action figures.\u00a0 The Ori-Fig body uses a majority of swivel hinge joints, similar to what you\u2019d find on a Figma or Revoltech.\u00a0 These swivel\/hinges are placed at the shoulders, waist, hips, and ankles.<\/p>\n The knee joints of the figure are basic hinges, but they are given a huge range from the high cut of the thigh.<\/p>\n The arms have two swivel joints: one just below the shoulders and the other at the elbow.\u00a0 The elbow joint is a bit unique in that you don\u2019t see diagonally cut swivels that often.\u00a0 It took me a while to get used to it, but that actually allows the arm to be positioned straight or bent without needing the traditional hinged elbow.\u00a0 Because the Ori-Fig has such a simplistic design, the arms look perfectly natural either way.<\/p>\n Because it\u2019s so unique, the last body part\/joint I want to cover is the head.\u00a0 Ori-Fig heads are actually hollow in the middle and stay on the body by fitting over a cylindrical core.\u00a0 This allows the head to easily swivel or be removed to change faces.\u00a0 The core itself attaches to the body with a ball joint, adding a huge range of movement and some really fantastic expressions to the figures.\u00a0 I personally love the sulking look you can give the figures by hiding their mouths below their collar line.<\/p>\n Accessory wise, Zhang Liao comes with the standard four face plates.\u00a0 Each has a different expression: normal, happy, angry\/fighting, and silly.\u00a0 I really love the unique silly face that each figure gets.\u00a0 It really adds to the fun factor.\u00a0 Zhang also comes with two sets of hands, one open and one closed.<\/p>\n Aside from his base, Zhang\u2019s only other accessory is a light gray spear with a yellow decoration.\u00a0 The spear\u2019s body is the same as Guan Yu\u2019s weapon, just with a different head.\u00a0 But the spear is significantly shorter than Guan\u2019s massive blade.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan01.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan02.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan03.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan04.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan05.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan06.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan07.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan08.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan09.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan10.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/zhan11.jpg?resize=640%2C480\")
<\/a><\/p>\n