Easy and Simple Action Figure Body Reviews

Introduction While Hot Toys has become a champion of licensed action figures, they haven't forgotten their roots in providing great base bodies for customizers and kitbashers. They are one of the few companies in the sixth scale market - and through sixth scale history - to make their base bodies easily available, and it's been a great much appreciated by their fans. They also do a wider variety of bodies than most, and update them on a pretty regular basis, always looking for the perfect design that facilitates flowing, life-like poses. Three of these are the new TTM20, TTM21 and TTM22. The TTM20 is the 'advanced muscular body'. Easiest way to tell this one in the photos - other than it's overall size - is the black rubber rings on the ankles. Then there's the TTM21, the current standard body. This one also has pieces that build up the thighs, giving you another option. Finally, there's the TTM22, or 'slender body'. This figure is obviously the skinniest in the photos, and in the photo at the top of the review the figures are left to right: TTM21, TTM20, TTM22. Much like the licensed figures, the prices on these base bodies have risen considerably. The regular and slim bodies are selling for around $50, while the muscle body tends to cost more, often close to $60. Click on the image below for a Life Size version

Packaging - **** While these packages aren't fancy, I really do like them a lot. Part of that is because I wasn't a big fan of the older snap cases that the basic bodies were sold in, and part of it is the clever collector friendly design. You can pop him and the accessories out, easy peasy, and pop them right back in with no damage. These clam shells are also very sturdy, making them much more likely to stand up to wear and tear, and unlike the old shells, they also store easily due to their shape.

Sculpting - **** This category isn't truly 'sculpting' - think of it more like design. The sculpted body parts add to the overall realism of the clothed figure. The proportions are critical in this regard, and all three of these bodies look terrific. They have skinny ankles, but no one is going to dress them in Bermuda shorts. I hope. The muscular body has a rubber skin covering much of the upper torso. This makes shirtless (or unbuttoned) poses look much better. The arms still have all the visible joints, but I prefer the articulation over the appearance. All three of these are really intended for full costumes, and the well defined musculature works especially well with form fitting outfits. Unlike the base bodies from some companies, the sculpt does not restrict the articulation. That's particularly noticeable with the hips and shoulders, where these bodies have a terrific range of movement. The regular and slender bodies stand about 10 1/2" tall at the top of the neck. Not the neck post - the neck itself. The muscle body clocks in at a full inch taller.

Paint - ***1/2 There's nothing particularly special about the skin tone here. It doesn't have the lifelike quality of the work we see on the portraits, but it is all consistent and even in tone and color. That's a big plus, since some of the parts are hard plastic, while others are softer rubber, and these different types of material can absorb the plastic dyes differently.

Articulation - **** Here's the key category - all three of these bodies are extremely well articulated, and capable of taking just about any basic human pose with a natural flow. As you might expect, the muscle body is the least articulated of the three, especially in the shoulders and arms. All that extra bulk has a price, and it's in a slight restriction of a few of the joints. It's a minor issue though, and not one that hurts the overall score. The slender body has the best articulation, especially in the shoulders and arms, the same spots that the muscle body is slightly lacking. The shoulders allow this figure to actually cross his arms. It's not perfect, but it is about the best I've seen. The regular body is someplace in between the other two in terms of joints. The beauty of all three figures is that everything is tight and smooth, and every body can hold clean, deep poses without toppling or wilting over time. While you know I love the ball jointed necks, I wanted to call  special attention to the double ball jointed ankles. These have a tremendous range of movement, and allow the feet to remain flat on the ground in just about any pose.

Accessories - **1/2 Unfortunately, these don't have quite as many extras as some of the past bodies. The most notable loss is a head. It was nice to get some of their 'generic' sculpts in the past, which could often double for certain actors. No such luck with these. They do each include two additional hands - a left fist and a right hand posed for holding a gun. They are nicely done, but a couple more would do quite a bit for the score here and under the Value section. The regular and slender bodies include the additional neck post as well, allowing you to use it with a wider variety of heads. The muscular body does not have this piece, since there is no lower neck joint. I've already mentioned the extra thigh pads included with the regular figure - neither the slim or the muscular has anything similar. Last but not least, each comes with the standard black display stand. You don't need to use it to keep them standing, but some collectors feel safer using them.

Fun Factor - **** While these aren't designed for play, they are a ton of fun for the adult collector looking to build their own customs or kitbashes.

Value - ** Here's where these bodies take a hit. They certainly aren't cheap, and you can expect to pay around $50 each. That's up from the $30 or so that the older versions cost, and those came with a head sculpt. I suppose that with the price of an average licensed Hot Toys figure coming in at almost $200, $50 for the base body isn't bad. But for me, it's just another indication that the price hikes are getting out of hand, and hopefully will level out soon.

Things to Watch Out For - Not a thing - they do include instructions on how not to damage the rubbery skin, but it's pretty straight forward.

Overall - **** There's no doubt about it - the TrueTypes are some of the finest sixth scale bodies on the market. Hot Toys consistently improves on what seems to already be the best, and this trio is no exception. I am disappointed that we lost the head sculpts, especially at this price point. But if you're looking to create a custom figure, kitbash someone cool, or just replace the inferior body on an older sixth scale figure in your collection, you can't go wrong with one of the new TrueTypes. With three size options to choose from, you should be able to find the right match for just about any character. Score Recap (out of ****): Packaging - **** Sculpting - **** Paint - ***1/2 Articulation - **** Accessories - **1/2 Fun Factor - **** Value - ** Overall - ****

Where to Buy Online options include these site sponsors: - has the 21 and 22 for $50, while the 20 is $58. - has the 21 and 22 for $50 as well, but the 20 is $60. - or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links - I have a guest review of the TTM19, as well as a comparison of several different TrueTypes. And if you look back at this guest review of one of the TrueType bodies from 2008, you'll see how far they've come! You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published. Discussion: Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it! Enjoyed this review? Be sure to head back to the main page to find thousands more just like it!

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Source: http://www.mwctoys.com/REVIEW_050813a.htm

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