MA-18 & -19

MA-18 Batman (Batman Begins Version)

MICRO ACTION BATMAN 2005

After the successful Microman Micro Action Batman series in 2004, TAKARA followed up with Batman Begins series for 2005 to tie in with 2005 Batman movie - "Batman Begins".  2005 Micro Action line-up got off with a slow start with the much delay Micro AVP line (which in retrospect should really have been delayed even more with all the quality control problem). Microman Batman Begins series include three figures; MA-18 Batman from Batman Begins, MA-19 Ras'al-Ghul (Ken Watanabe version) also from Batman Begins and MA-20 Samurai Batman (formerly Batman Arrange) which is an in-house TAKARA original design. MA-18 and MA-19 (movie characters) were released in late July to coincide with the movie debut in Japan while MA-20 Samurai Batman was released on August 27th, 2005.

BATMAN BEGINS

Microman Batman is essentially Batman Begins Batman using Microman Full Action Body. Batman Begins Batman has mostly newly molded parts. The overall sculpting is nicely done with good details through out however, the head is a tad too small for the body and the figure looks a little off. The figure comes with several accessories - extra hands set, Bat-a-rang, Bat-phone and Bat-bomb along with standard Microman figure stand. But the most interesting part of this Microman Batman is the cape. TAKARA use real cloth cape with wired that allows the cape to be pose. The cape is extra large and allows for some nice poses. Unfortunately the cape is probably the best part about this Batman figure. Micro Batman Begins Batman has very poor fit, the hands are loose, the left shoulder and head joints are also very loose (I notice that the left shoulder seem to be the problem with many of the recent batch of many Micro figures), the body is poorly fitted with plastic flash and uneven seams.  TAKARA also use very cheap plastic which give the figure very cheap look and feel, but sadly this is not the worst of the problem with this Batman figure.

BANE OF MICROMAN
While Microman Batman Begins is not a superb figure it is not a bad action-figure but what make this already weak offering even worst is, like many of the recent TAKARA products, the figure is plague with reports of poor construction, breakage and defect.  There is no breakage with this particular figure that I got, but there are several reports of broken legs joints, broken ankle joints. This is very unfortunate on the heels of the recent defect with Micro AVP. While 1000 Yen for action-figures is pretty cheap for Japanese toys and makes this figure somewhat on a lower end price point there is just no excuse for TAKARA to continue to put out mediocre products with shoddy constructions.

MA-19 Ras'al-Ghul

MICRO KEN WATANABE!

Along with Micro Batman Begins Batman, TAKARA also release Microman version of Ras'al-Ghul from the movie. This is the version of Ras'al-Ghul portrays by Mr. Watanabe. The figure is essentially red Micro Full Action body with newly sculpt arms for the bracelet. Unlike, Batman Begins Batman, the figure uses vinyl for his sarong instead of cloth. The vinyl part is nicely sculpted but the material makes it somewhat stiff looking. The figure come with no other accessories aside from the standard Microman hands set. The hands that come with the figure are newly molded with rings molded on the fingers and painted gold at the socket which look a little cheap. The figure is not spectacular but not a bad representation of Ras'al-Ghul from the movie. It seem TAKARA is banking on the fact that he is a cool character from the movie and fans will pick him up regardless of how boring the figure is, but then again I am not sure what TAKARA could have add to a figure whose character only appears briefly in the movie.