S.H. Figuarts Orochimaru - Seeker of Immortality

 Orochimaru is one of my favourite villains in the Naruto series. He has the mad scientist-type vibe and has no qualms about experimenting on people and killing those who stand in his way. He is based on a Japanese myth with a character of the same name, a robber who was blessed with snake magic that allowed him to spit venom at his victims. He is in love with Tsunade, the slug princess, who is Jiraiya's bride. A lot of names were taken in by the show! 

Orochimaru plays a fairly big part in part 1 of the show, being the main antagonist for a good chunk. He has acquired a ton of ninja techniques but is often seen using summons and powers involving snakes and poisons. Early on, he takes on Sasuke and Naruto in the Forest of Death and sinks his fangs into Sasuke, giving him the Curse Mark. This painful seal allows him to draw on power from outside his body but causes transformations of his physical body into something a bit more sinister. The sub title of the figure is Seeker of Immortality, but I'm not sure he isn't already. As long as he has access to a new body to inhabit, he continues living. Maybe it's a pseudo/viral type of immortality. 

Given that I didn't know this figure was coming (I was expecting maybe some of the other Konoha 12 from part 1), it's pretty cool that there's another villain! The figure is pretty great, and if you're waiting for me to put one of these figures on blast for something it's probably not going to happen. I love the accessories and completely forget it ALSO included another faceplate for Sasuke! A part of Sasuke's curse mark 1! The figure is very well articulated, and even the back of the hair flips up on a hinge to allow some movement. The only odd thing I could say here is there is some messy shading on the front and back of the bottom robe, but nowhere else. It's a little visually off. 

Sculpt & Paint: 2/3 I would say the sculpt and details are amazing here, with great care paid to the faceplates and accessories for paint apps. At first, I was ignoring the shading mishap, but the more I see it the less I love it, so -1 point for Slytherin! 

Articulation: 3/3 I think what really helps these figures is how well-articulated the legs are. The mid-shin cut combined with two separate ball and hinge joints at the top and bottom of the foot help a lot adjust stance positions. Some extra parts are articulated here, the hair piece and the rope belt also are separate parts you can move aside a bit to help the upper body pose. Very well thought out here! 

Accessories: 1/1 Minus some of the crazy things Orochimaru did in part 1, like slipping out of his own skin, there is a lot here: five sets of hands, folded arms, snake extension arm, three extra face plates and one other Sasuke head, as well as the Sword of Kusanagi. 

Fun Factor: 3/3 Great fun to pose and I like the faces so much, it's hard to decide which to use on the shelf. He's a bit heavier than some other Shippudden figures given the belt weight, but still gets some sweet moves on the shelf. 

Verdict: 9/10 Worthy Awesome figure and a must for your anime and Naruto shelf. It's also nice to get villains since many lines basically just go long enough to get the main protagonist and their entourage (if you're lucky). Get it if you can! 

Back view. Them's a big belt! 

Great accessories

Sasuke's transformation, using the first level
of the Curse mark

Looks pretty good! 

Ready to summon some snakes!

Good balance despite the big belt weight