Bandai Namco has many figure lines, with some being more affordable than others. The Tekken Game Dimension Kazuya and Heihachi figures are two of them, both coming in at under $30 and, while they aren’t as involved as an SH Figuarts, they’re a fun decoration to put on a shelf.
First, I genuinely appreciate the packaging for the Kazuya and Heihachi Tekken Game Dimension figures and wish I could have left them in it for display purposes. They’re set up as such that they look really good next to each other. Instead of being flat in the boxes, they’re packed in poses that make it look like they’re facing off against one another. It’s a really fun touch, and I appreciate when companies do that in case someone does want to keep them sealed away. Another fun nod is the fact that the back seems to be teasing at least another two figures in the line, as there are two more locked character portraits. There is also room for two more after that, though those frames fade away and there are no locks. Though at this point, we already know Jin and King are part of the collection.
A good way to think of this Game Dimensions line is to compare them to the Bandai Anime Heroes one. There’s a little more to them, but they’re still rather basic. You get one extra pair of hands, yes. There are also effect parts for each ones to simulate attacks and a stand with the words “Round 1” or “Ready.” Over 20 points of articulation are present on each character as well. (The knees consist of two joints, for example, and However, there are no additional face plates.
The thing is that both the Kazuya and Heihachi figures are much easier to pose than, say, the Anime Heroes Bleach Ichigo and Renji ones I looked at in the past. Rather than unrestricted movement at joints, things clickinto place in a very satisfying way. It secures a pose, ensuring it is held exactly in the way you want it. This also means you can better tweak and adjust to get the correct positioning for displaying. To be honest, I preferred it to the articulation in the figmas or Sousai Shoujo Teien model kits I’ve built, since it felt hardier, more precise, and like I could still do a lot within its limitations.
The build quality extended to the hands too. It’s very easy to pop off Heihachi or Kazuya’s hands to replace them for a different pose. Also, the paint quality on them is better than I expected for a figure of this type. It made me less apprehensive about messing around with the character to adjust the poses. I will say that I preferred Kazuya due to the ease of movement around him. Heihachi is still fun, but his rubberized top can get a bit in the way of some actions. It’s definitely soft and the nature of the joints mean he will hold a pose just as well after being clicked into place, but it does get in the way of certain positions.
I was really pleased to see just how fun the Kazuya and Heihachi Tekken Game Dimension figures are. It’s always nice to see something coming in at under $50 that still looks good and poses well. Especially since the general quality feels and holds a lot better than Bandai Namco’s Anime Heroes collection.
The Tekken Game Dimension Kazuya and Heihachi figures are available now and tend to cost $26.99 each from places like Amazon. Tekken 8 will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on January 26, 2024, and an offline demo is available.
