I got another Sanji!

And this time he’s not a bootleg… I think. From what I can tell, this is an official figure that lacks the official Toei sticker. That happens quite a lot in Southeast Asia but has become less common in recent times.

Anyway, I got Sanji here from a claw machine arcade by trading three smaller figures for him. Judging by the cost of the smaller figures, it was a good trade on my end.

Packaging

I usually don’t comment on the boxes but I will here. The box looks pretty much 100% legit. It’s just the lack of the Toei sticker that makes me have doubts.

If this is a bootleg, it’s one heck of a bootleg if it gets the box this correct.

Base

Nothing much of not about the base. It’s an oval and it’s translucent blue.

Figure

Sanji looks great and seems completely legit. The only things that make me suspicious are the slightly sloppy paint apps on one of his bracelets. Aside from that, all the paint looks right and the molding is definitely spot on.

I have no idea what’s up about the clothes but Sanji looks good on them. The way they’re molded to look correct in this one pose is brilliant. The pose and expression Sanji has also oozes personality. Everything about Sanji screams dynamic.

Sanji isn’t an action figure. He’s a statue basically. No posability here.

Toy or collectible?

Collectible.

Ichiban Kuji stuff is expensive and this series of One Piece figures is no exception. Sanji here regularly costs RM200 ($50) or more. A copy like mine that’s original but has no sticker is usually cheaper at RM160 ($40).

As for how much I spent to get Sanji from the arcade… that’s a terrible secret.

Closing

I’ll be honest, I thought I’d never get into anime “statuettes” but that might change. There’s something to be said about not having joint seams and having clothes that are molded with exactly one pose in mind. Sanji here is a great example of that.

I’m probably not gonna get the rest of the Ichiban Kuji 20th Anniversary set but I’m glad I got Sanji. If you’re a fan of One Piece and want something unique on your shelf, go get a copy of Sanji. He’s great!