Topic: Castlevania Figures Update

[Danial]

Just thought I'd update everyone.  Lee's Toy Review #108 came out and the new CV figures by NECA got the cover spot and a pretty good article inside.  There are also some good pictures, most of which we have seen already but there are a couple of new ones of the unpainted two-ups.  I'll try to get them scanned in, but it might be a while since my scanner is down at the moment. 

This is the most information we've gotten so far and it sounds like NECA knows what they're doing.  They also are listening to the fans it seems.  They are trying very hard to make this an ongoing toyline, but they don't know if they can yet.  They say in the article, and I've seen them say it on their blog, that the next set of figures is pending on if this set sells well.  So, I suggest that if any of these figures piques the slightest amount of interest, then please pick them up.  I would love to see this toyline live much longer than one wave.

Also, since I don't have the pictures up yet, they talk about the PSP Simon Pixel figure that you get when you pre-order from Gamestop.  It's the same body as the Toyfare exclusive, but it's been repainted in the red, black, and white Simon's Quest colors.  Very cool.

Here's the article:

One of the most popular gaming franchises of the past two decades is Konami's Castlevania. In 20-plus years at least as many game extensions have been offered, along with a cavalcade of classic monster characters. NECA is the first manufacturer to bring action figures based on those characters to market. The first wave of figures will hit retail this month, in plenty of time for Halloween, and includes Simon Belmont, Dracula, Alucard, and the sultry Succubus. Variant version of the Simon Belmont and Dracula figures will be packed into assortments to enhance the thrill of the hunt. The regular version of the Simon Belmont figure is based on the original Nintendo game, Simply called Castlevania (released in the fall of 1986), in his "Conan, barbarian, He-Manesque look," according to Randy Falk, NECA's senior director of product development. The other three, Dracula, Alucard, and Succubus, are all based on their appearances in the Playstation game, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night redifined the look of many of the characters, and had some really amazing game-play and music. It really pushed the limits of what console hardware could do at the time. Ten years later it's the most beloved version of the game ever.

NECA kindly allowed us to show you the Dracula variant this issue.  The Simon Belmont variant is being kept in the dark until the assortments hit. According to Falk, "It's a very limited, secret chase version, and that's all I'm saying about it," said Falk. "We're reserving that surprise for the fans who find the figures in stores. We want them to be the first to discover it on the pegs." The standard versions of the figures were first unveiled to a hugely enthusiastic fan reaction at Comic-Con this past summer. What we wanted to know from Falk, among other things, was why Castlevania - why now?

"It's one of the all-time great video game franchises," said Falk. "It's also one of the only ones that hasn't had action figures made for it - ever," he added. Why hasn't the line been translated into action figures/toys up to now? "I think it has had a lot to do with a general lack of  understanding on the part of most of the other toy manufacturers about how popular a franchise this really is," said Falk. "It was attempted by ReSaurus in years past, and some prototypes might even have been started, but the company went under before those concepts could be brought to market. Also, some of the bigger game licenses are a little tricky to work on. For instance, even thought Konami has a California office that handles marketing and licensing, approvals are all handled through the game directors or producers who are based in Japan. Approvals can take a lot of time, especially when they're working on other games," said Falk.

"I've always wanted to do this line," said Falk. "We've always geared it toward Halloween release, and it certainly doesn't hurt either that the updated US version of Castlevania for the PSP is due out at the same time as our figures," said Falk. To Falk's mind, this is a franchise with legs long enough and strong enough to support an action figure line. There's great on-sight appeal, not just owing the nostalgic draw for Castlevania fans, but for monster fans in general. "While we're targeting both the long-time Castlevania fans and the gaming fan, the great thing about the brand is that the characters are based on some truly classic monsters, whether it's Dracula, or a werewolf, or or a Frankenstein, all of those monsters appear throughout the game," said Falk. "Even though there's a clear Japanese aesthetic to the character design, they're still part of the core group of monsters that everybody knows. Even somebody who may have never played the game will see these figures in the store and say to themselves, 'Hey, that's a cool Dracula figure, or Werewolf,' or whatever," said Falk. "There'll be that instant recognition at point of sale."

As for the variant version of Dracula, two versions of Dracula's head will be available in case packs, at about a 50/50 ratio. "Originally we did a closed-mouth, dignified looking version of the Dracula figure, and that's the one we had been showing around to fans," said Falk, "and the fans loved it. Konami really wanted us to offer an aggressive looking version of Dracula, with fangs bared," said Falk, "so we did that version and started showing only that version around. A lot of the feedback we got seemed to strongly suggest that Castlevania fans wanted to see both versions of Dracula as figures, or at least have the option of an interchangeable head - one with fangs bared, one with mouth closed. At first we considered including the second head as an in-package premium, but chose instead to offer two seperately packaged figures with one of the two head variants attatched," said Falk.

At Comic-Con, NECA offered a "pixelated" version of the Simon Belmont character that was instantly recognizable to the players of the original Nintendo Castlevania game. When the new PSP game hits the US marketplace, Gamestop customers who purchase the game will receive an exclusive re-painted version of that figure.

If the line performs as well as hoped at retail, Falk has some dream figures he'd like to eventually make. "Very high on the list is the Grim Reaper," said Falk. "He appears a lot in the games, and the CAstlevania Reaper character is amazing-looking. I'm shocked that in the past ten years, with all of the advances in action figure design and production athat we've seen, that nobody's done a really kick-ass Reaper figure yet." Another great figure on Falk's wish list is the creature that morphs out of Dracula's not quite dead body in the Nintendo version of the game. "In the original version of the game, when you think you've killed Dracula, but haven't quite severed his head, he transforms into a large gargoyle that you have to continue to fight. That would make for a great visual and a great toy I think," said Falk.

Down the road, we might be so lucky as to see some of Falk's dream figures. We also might see a boxed set of all four figures, with some new head sculpts and accessories. If we're super-lucky, we might even get some variously configured "armored versions" of Simon Belmont, based on how he looks in Castlevania II or Castlevania IV. So, if you want to see more Castlevania figures from NECA, get ouit there and buy the ones at the store this month. That's how the magic works, and that's how you keep it flowing. As always, check out NECA's web site at necaonline.com

[Dark Nemesis]

I wander what they have for next. Anyway, i have preorder and the 4 figures from play asia and it is a matter of time to get them.

[le052383]

So they are releasing the other head for Dracula, as well as the open mouth version.  Cool

[AlexCalvo]

Cv2 Simon?  More likely it will be Scv4 Simon for the varient, you could do that with just a re-paint.

[crisis]

On NECA's myspace a lot of people ask them what a line 2 will be, & he keeps saying Richter & Death are "high on the list", but nothing's been confirmed yet 

[Dark Nemesis]

Wow, a Richter figure sounds awesome!

[defyes]

WOW, I've been gone from the castlevania subject for a few years....so this is all new to me......A DREAM COME TRUE... the figures look awesome!!