MAFEX recently unveiled the latest addition in their growing list of figures.ย The MAFEX Black Panther will include a total of three heads: two masked, and one T’Challa. It will also feature multiple interchangeable hands and a dagger (a spear tip, actually).
The figure is slated for an August 2019 release and will be priced at 7,800 Yen (about 70 USD) in Japan.
MAFEX is Medicom’s entry into the 1/12 (6 inch) scale market that is dominated by Bandai’s SH Figuarts, Max Factory’s Figma, and Hasbro’s Marvel Legends and Star Wars Black Series. Although praised for its authentic likeness, the series has been criticized for a number of QC issues such as the plastic being too brittle for an action figure. It does seem that they are gearing up for a big 2019 with all these announcements like the two John Wick figures among others.
My own experience with MAFEX has been mixed. While they are the on paper the most aesthetically pleasing brand in the 1/12 scale market, their brittleness makes me really tentative whenever I am posing them. They’re not all lemons, however, but you never really know you have one until something breaks.
But they do provide the best accessories in the scale, which I think is second only to Figma (and only because Figma has tons of after-market accessories). Doing more and more movie licenses can only help them in the long run, especially since both SH Figuarts and Figma aren’t too crazy with western movies not named Star Wars or a Marvel property.
Stand-by for some news about pre-orders from your preferred retailers or online sellers. You can check out Medicom’s toy page here.