Review date: 2/7/2004

Manufacturer: Medicom

Released: 2000

Availability: RARE

Type: Trading Figure

 
 

Personal Story:
I saw images of this Kubrick a while back when I did research for the Jin-Roh version. It was very rare so I didn't think I would ever own it. A few years later, I was browsing Ebay and a seller had it! It was pricy so I didn't really bid on it. Guess what? Noone else did either! I was shocked since it was so rare and people were bidding on the Jin-Roh version over this version. I decided to email the seller and asked if they would relist it. They agreed and it came back only a few bucks cheaper. It was the most expensive Kubrick I ever bought but I finally got it! YAY!

Please read my review for the Jin-Roh version since I'll make some comparisons between them.
 
Introduction:
This is a Kubrick figure based on the Kerberos Panzer Cops from the live-action movie, Stray Dog (not the anime Jin-Roh). This was originally made as a mail order item when you bought the Stray Dog movie book. It was never released outside Japan. I do not have the book.
 

Sculpt:
Since this is one of the earliest Kubricks that were released by Medicom, it's not perfect but I'll talk about the good points first. The design is great. It's a lot cuter than the Jin-Roh version. I really like the lower helmet and mask. The head is my favorite part about it. The armor isn't as detailed as the Jin-Roh version but it's still quite detailed with small grooves and such. I really like the tiny textures on the tubing for the mask and the best design is the little Kerberos emblem on the left arm. It's pretty cool looking. You can say it's a simplified version of the armor from the original source. The backpack is okay with all the usual antennas but that's about it. The gun is a bit thinner than the Jin-Roh version. It's thin and is a bit warped. But the sculpt itself is great and accurate to the real gun. One thing you should know is that this guy has no face. His head is black with red eyes unlike the Jin-Roh version which had a face of the character. You add the mask and helmet and he's ready to go.

Unlike the Jin-Roh version, the arms have more articulation on this version. The reason is that the shoulder pads are smaller than the Jin-Roh version. But that leads us to its biggest problem. The shoulder pads fall off easily. They snap onto the arms but once you move them too much, they'll fall off again. The Jin-Roh version's shoulder pads were stuck onto the arms so it didn't have this problem. But since I won't be playing with it, I won't judge it too harshly for this review.

 
Paint:
It's pretty much black. Unlike the Jin-Roh version, the black is lighter here. It's more of a very dull-looking black and gray. It looks good though. The red eyes are of a dark red and the gun is accurate with the silver and tan on its handle. There's also a dark blue-gray color on the tubes connected to the mask. Nothing outstanding but it works. Very simple and nice.

 
Overall: A+
This ain't flawless but it's awesome. The design is super nice for a fan of the Panzer Cops like me. Whether you're a fan of the movies, anime or the armor design in general, then it's a must-have. I actually like this design more than the Jin-Roh version. :)
 
Where can I find this?
Incredibly rare. It's one of the holy grails of all Kubricks. This is one of the earliest Kubricks ever made. Your best bet is Ebay or any other online auction sites. Good luck because you'll need it. ^^;;
 
Other Images:


The box. A very primitive design compared to the modern Kubrick boxes. They used a photo instead of a drawing and the weird color pencil background doesn't work. It really shows how much Medicom has progressed in its design with the Kubrick series.

 


Armed and ready to go.

 
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