Storm Arena Hanma Baki

 

I pre-ordered Storm Arena's 1/12 Hanma Baki for about 34 USD. Back when I did, I wasn't aware of their upcoming Storm Arena Street Fighter figures. I just wanted to test out the new Storm Arena (SA) line and see how it compared to the bigger Storm Collectibles that I've handled. I figured that Baki's a pretty no-frills character, so he should be able to show off the articulation and build quality of Storm Arena.

The first thing you'll notice with Baki is how small he is. Which I'll be honest, at first, it was kind of a disappointment to me. That said, the character has always been a short king. Just about every character in the manga is taller or bigger than him. Officially, his height was 5'2" when he was a young teen and 5'6" when he hit his late teens. Which actually means that he's a true 1/12, as the figure stands 5.5" (14 cm).

If you can't handle him as a short king, he's still compatible with other true 1/12 figure lines like Figma and SH Figuarts though. 

Height aside, he's pretty decent. His hair is really nicely sculpted with plenty of cowlicks sticking out and he's got his signature mole above his lips. For accessories he's got an alternate hollering face, a couple pairs of extra hands and display stands.

 
Where he excels are the tightness of his joints, including the hinges on his oversized feet. They're strong enough that not only is he able to stand on just the toes of his feet, but he's even able to pose on the tippy-toes of just one foot.

He's pretty good for posing but I wouldn't recommend him unless you're a fan of his media, like his manga or anime. It's not to say he's not a good figure but if you're just looking for the Storm Arena experience, you might as well get the Street Fighter figures instead, as they tend to come with more substantial accessories.

In a vacuum, this is an A-tier figure, but considering there are comparable alternatives in the same price range, like both the SA and Jada Street Fighters, or even cheapo blank bodies from various other companies, in terms of bang for your buck, there are better places to spend your dosh.

But hey, if you are a fan of Baki or just love the way he looks, then he's a pretty solid figure and at a fairly reasonable price. You could do worse than getting Storm Arena Baki.