As spoiled as fans of the Legend of Zelda series are, there’s one thing that the merchandise stable has always been lacking: a decent action figure (not statue; there are plenty of those) of the main character himself, Link. Max Factory, creator of the well-loved Nendoroid and Figma series of action figures, has stepped up to the plate to provide collectors with their take on one of the most popular video game heroes in history.

Figure Name: Figma Link
Figure Maker: Max Factory
Released: November 2012
Retail Price: ¥3800 / AUD$43

Link is one of a few Nintendo legends to be immortalised in Figma form, the others being Samus of Metroid fame and, if rumours are to be believed, Pit from Kid Icarus, who is yet to be released. This Figma is based off Link’s iteration in the most recent Zelda game, Skyward Sword, and damn if Max Factory didn’t do the character justice.

Given the size of the box and its contents, it’s a little surprising that Link costs as much as he does, considering Figma with bigger boxes and more accessories have been sold for less in the past. Without sounding cynical and noting the possibility of a plan to milk cash out of fans without seeming too unreasonable (oh, oops), the offering is quite good nonetheless. Link comes with the True Master Sword, a scabbard, the Hylian Shield, an effect part for his sword and swappable shouting face, windswept hair and hand parts. Really, it’s all you need for a great Link action figure, although a couple more effect parts would have been nice.

Link is a simple Figma, due to the way his costume was designed for Skyward Sword, and it proves to be well suited to what might have been a mediocre figure. Because of this, the paint job is well done and the sculpt is very clean, although little details have been taken into consideration, like pleats in his tunic and the ability to spin the tip of his hat to make it appear as though it’s being flipped around by the wind (although it would have been a cool jointed piece for more dynamic poses). His sword and shield look great too.

The bottom half of Link’s tunic is made of a softer plastic as well, making it possible to pose him with his knees bent. The effect part is also great at making Link look like he’s swinging in sword in a particular direction. No spin effect part, though? For shame.

But what would a figure of Link be without the ability to put his shield and sword on his back? Max Factory have devised a logical, if somewhat fiddly way of ensuring that Link’s sword and shield sit properly, especially important since the figure has a mandatory hole where the stand can be slotted in. To make the shield and scabbard fit together as in the picture below, you’ll need to move a couple of the shield hand grip parts around; if you’re not careful, this could lead to a couple of parts snapping or getting lost.

Again, this is more due to his character design than anything, but Link isn’t a figure that looks good from every single angle, due to his stocky proportions, which in turn is due to his breeches. He can be a little hard to pose in order to get the natural, badass Link-esque poses we’re all so familiar with, but like with any good action figure, it’s worth doing.   However, there was one pose that I couldn’t quite nail. I was hoping to be able to have Link grasp his sword with two hands and raise it above his head, but his arms simply won’t bend inwards that far. It was tricky enough getting the hand parts to ‘snap’ onto the sword to begin with.

Despite its teeny tiny faults, whether you’re a Zelda fan or a lover of video game collectables (although given the series’ popularity, I dare say there’s a lot of crossover!) Figma Link is well worth purchasing for your collection. While there aren’t many figures of Link that can compete, this is one with a great sculpt and decent poseability to boot. Although it’s pricier than similarly packaged and accessorised Figma on the market, the likelihood of its value skyrocketing is quite high – more than enough reason to invest in one. But what does this mean for the future of Zelda figures? Given the series’ popularity, it would be silly of Max Factory not to release young and adult versions of Ocarina of Time‘s Link and perhaps even a Nendoroid version of Toon Link – and that’s just to start with. Figma and Nendoroid Zelda, Figma Ganondorf, Figma Epona! Suddenly, Max Factory and Nintendo grubbing for money doesn’t sound like such a bad prospect.