Play Arts Kai Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII

It's finally here. The third figure in my small Play Arts collection, the Play Arts Kai Lightning Returns figure from Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII.

I pre-ordered this around 2-3 weeks ago at Datablitz with a down payment of 500php. The figure itself goes for 2,995php and I think it was less 100php when paid with cash.

The box has a nice fold out front flap that closes using Velcro like the previous Lightning figure from Final Fantasy XIII-2 and displays the figure and all of it's accessories. She comes with 2 sets of hands (closed fists and open palms) and an additional hand made for holding her sword "Crimson Blitz". Also included is her "Night Lotus" shield and a Play Arts display base not seen though the window of the box.

There is no instruction sheet included but there are instructions printed on the side of the internal card sleeve which shows how to use the accessories as well as how to assemble the display base.

The sculpt and paint on the figure is superb as is the way of Play Arts figures. She doesn't have the best poseability but has enough to do some fine poses and a few dynamic stances given the range of her hip and ankle articulation. The cloak parts of made of soft PVC plastic so they do not hinder the articulation at all. Her hips, knees and ankles are ratcheted and Lightning can stand on her own in most poses without the assistance of the included stand.

I tend to look for articulation in figures but the silhouette of the Play Arts Kai Lightning Returns figure is just so good that she can look like a badass by simply standing. The cloaks are posed to look like they are swaying in the wind which adds a great effect.

When I picked up my figure at the Datablitz branch in EDSA Shangri-la Plaza mall, I was told that people kept calling in asking about the availability of the figure and that they've also had a lot of people who walked in and wanted to buy it but the clerks said that the only stocks they had was for the people who pre-ordered. So if you didn't pre-order the Play Arts Kai Lightning Returns figure before hand, you may have trouble finding it. Call your nearest Datablitz branch and inquire about the figure before you go, just to be sure.

Oh and here's a size comparison of Lightning next to the Revoltech Raiden from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. I forgot to tell you guys that I also got that figure.