News & Reviews
Star Wars Darth Vader Return of Anakin Skywalker ArtFX+ Statue unboxing 1
Once we received the shipment containing this Darth Vader statue there was no way we weren't going to open it and keep it as a display model. Kotobukiya have modelled this statue based on Darth Vader's appearance in Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. It even has interchangeable heads, one with the iconic Vader helmet on and one unmasked in his full gruesome glory.
The box is a beautiful collectors piece by itself with classy imagery and design. Have a look for yourself.
As mentioned this statue comes with interchangeable heads, but it also includes a few different arms for display in multiple stances. All the parts are delivered safe and secure in the double moulded plastic packaging. There are magnets included in Vader's feet so he can stand easily on the included base.
The Darth Vader statue is crafted in 1/10 scale and stands about 19cm tall. We chose to present his stance with both hands on the lightsaber and holding it upwards. You can also have him holding it sideways and one arm extended with his hand clutched using the force on his victim. We will most likely change his stance every few months in our display cabinet.
This is simply a must have for all Star Wars collectors. A timeless piece which is always a joy to gaze upon.
Buy the Darth Vader statue here.
Captain America Marvel Now ArtFX+ Statue unboxing 0
A few days ago we received our new line of Avengers Marvel Now statues from Kotobukiya. So far we are stocking Hawkeye, Thor, and Captain America. For this unboxing review we have chosen the Captain America statue.
All of the boxes in this Marvel Now range feature some awesome imagery and artwork of each character and the Avengers. There is a detailed product description including details about the artist who designed the statue. Here are some photos of the Captain America box.
As we have come to expect with the Kotobukiya ArtFX+ statues, the statue is packed securely in moulded plastic to ensure no damage during transport. If you are a collector who will not want to remove the statue from the box and hold on to it for a few years then you can rest assured that the statue is stored secure in top quality packaging. There are not very many pieces to assemble at all, four to be exact.
All you have to do is snap the pieces together and the statue is ready for display. Captain America has built in magnets in his feet so when he is displayed on the included stand he does not fall over. The statue is in 1/10 scale which is about 19cm so it is one of the smaller statue ranges, but it is quite striking. The likeness of the suit and face are excellent and the colours of his shield and suit are vibrant and appealing. This is another top quality statue from Kotobukiya and is one for the collectors.
We have Captain America displayed next to our Avengers: Age of Ultron Hulk ArtFX+ Statue. What do you think?
Superman Logo Silicone Ice Tray testing 0
Everyone knows how to use an ice tray so this review is not really a walk through, more of a testing to show our readers exactly what this product produces. The tray comes packed with some Superman artwork for those of you who want to collect this piece. Once we removed the plastic and got our hands on it we noticed the tray was made out of silicone and not a cheap hard plastic. It measured about 15cm long and 11cm wide with 9 spaces for a variety of different sized ice cubes. All the ice cube moulds are made in the form of the iconic Superman logo.
We were sceptical about how well the logo would actually show up on the ice cubes so we gave it a test run! Here are some photos of the results...
Not too bad at all! We were slightly impressed with how well they turned out, but wondered if the logo would be distorted once we used them in a glass of coke. To our surprise the logo actually became more visible in the coke and the varying sizes made it look pretty cool!
Ten minutes later and it was still going strong!
The silicone ice tray is heat and cold resistant so there are endless uses to what you can make in the shape of the Superman logo. We would love to hear your ideas about what else we could make or if you have made something with this tray please share a photo or story.
After the success of the ice cubes, we decided to try it out with chocolate. The results were impressive and even better than the ice cubes! Check them out.
We think this product makes some fun superhuman ice cubes and even better chocolate logos. This tray would be ideal to create novelty snacks for any super hero themed party or event.
Buy it here.
Star Wars Stoormtrooper Sandwich Shaper unboxing & testing 0
When we first got our hands on these sandwich shapers we wondered how they could possibly work and turn out like the photo on the box. Hero Stash have stocked two versions, the Darth Vader and Stormtrooper versions. We decided to look closer at the Stormtrooper version and make our very own Stormtrooper shaped sandwiches.
Before we could test the product we started by buying some vital ingredients, white sandwich bread, nutella for the middle and some cocoa for sprinkling on the outside to bring out the details imprinted on the sandwich.
There were a few different pieces/stencils included in the box and after reading the basic instructions it all became a lot clearer about how easy it was to make these mind-blowing Stormtrooper shaped sandwiches.
There are basically 4 parts that you need to use to make the sandwich. There is a square base which the bread and stencil parts fit into and then a stencil to add some extra detail at the end.
This is what we did: Placed two pieces of bread in the microwave for 20 seconds. Then we used the square base to cut the crusts off each piece, we just pushed it down on the bread and pulled away the crusts. We were then left with two pieces of square bread that fit exactly into the sandwich shaper. Then we placed the bottom part of the shaper in the square box and placed one piece of bread on top. Using the back of the spoon we gently pressed down on that piece. Then we added some nutella in the middle.
Next we placed the other piece of bread on top and then pressed down on the sandwich with the other part of the shaper. We pressed it together pretty hard to make sure it worked. Then we turned it over and pressed out the two pieces through a hole in the back. After that we simply peeled off the excess bread around the shaper.
The Stormtrooper had taken its shape now and after we removed the two parts of the shaper we were ready to add the sweet cocoa details. The last unused stencil sat nicely on top of the newly made sandwich. Using a small sieve we sifted some cocoa powder over the stencil. Once the stencil was removed we had our finished Stormtrooper sandwich!
The sandwich shaper was not only easy to use, but it was also fun to make. We started talking about different ways to use it and different ingredients and toppings to use. If you have any ideas, we would love to hear them! We made a few and they look great together. If you have a few different versions you could make an entire platter of Star Wars themed sandwiches! Hero Stash has two versions in stock now with new versions arriving in December 2015.
Buy the Stormtrooper sandwich shaper here.
Buy the Darth Vader sandwich shaper here.
Boba Fett ArtFX+ Statue - Unboxing 0
After unboxing the Darth Maul ArtFX+ Statue recently we held high hopes for this Boba Fett statue and we weren't disappointed. This model is part of the smaller range of Star Wars ArtFX models from Kotobukyia, but size does not affect the quality. The scale is 1/10 and as per all ArtFX models, the statue is highly detailed. Boba Fett is delivered in a classy box which looks beautiful on display as well. The packaging is top quality and all 8 pieces are safe and secure behind two layers of molded plastic which are clipped together.
This statue is the 'Cloud City' version from the Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back. There are two sets of arms so that you can choose to have him displayed with the gun pointed up or at resting position. We went with the default position which is the resting one. The head connects by a swivel type connection so that it can be turned to face several directions. There is a metallic base which is not connected to the model as Boba Fett has in-built magnets in his feet. The base is not connected to the model, but the magnets allow it to stand securely but can also be moved easily.
We love this statue as it features Boba Fett from the original Star Wars films. The quality and attention to detail are second to none and any true Star Wars collector should have this on their shelf (or stored locked away for safe keeping). It is a true collectors piece and a timeless classic.
Buy Boba Fett here.
Star Wars lightsaber chopsticks! 0
We have started to stock a line of kitchen related Star Wars products recently and the first to arrive were the lightsaber chopsticks! We received the Yoda version first so that is what we are basing our review on. Hero Stash also stocks the Mace Windu and Luke Skywalker versions which are purple and blue in colour. Each version has its own unique handle as well.
The chopsticks come packed securely along with some artwork of the Star Wars character the lighstaber is used by. We only stock the light up versions of the chopsticks range so the mini lightsabers light up with the press of a button. There are included batteries and there is no assembly required. Just insert the batteries and light it up! The chopsticks measure just over 23cm long.
The blades detach easily so you can clean them and use them over and over again. They are not cheaply made toys, rather top quality Kotobukiya cratmanship as we have come to expect with all Kotobukiya products.
We love these and although they function perfectly as chopsticks we prefer to use them for mini lightsaber wars! Any budding Jedi should have some of these on hand.
Buy the Yoda version here.
