Here we have Mario in-hand, and the look of the figure is outstanding despite the cuts from the articulation. It captures the proportions of the character, and the colors are nice and vibrant, which is appropriate for Mario in the main series at least (he tends to have more realistic textures in the Super Smash Bros series). The paint itself is nice and crisp, with no real mistakes or a lack of a need for another layer to match up with any parts that are molded in plastic.
The head sculpt is especially the best version of Mario's face in physical plastic. As nice as the eyes, mustache, eyebrows, sideburns, and back of the hair look, the expression looks like it's taken straight from the games. I do wish that there were alternate heads or faces to use, but that will mean an extra head with the hair exposed and faces that can be swapped for different expressions, like a closed mouth or a surprised expression.
Mario's articulation is pretty good for a character that's got cartoony proportions. The head can hinge front and back to help him look forward or up, and it can also help him move side to side better. The shoulders are somewhat limited, as they don't quite move up too far, though they can move front and back until they reach to his face. The elbows bend nearly 90 degrees, and the wrists swivel. There is no real diaphragm or waist movement on this figure, but the hips can move around in a way I didn't expect them to. Usually, Mario figures try not to disrupt the aesthetics of the sculpt, but what Tamashii did was pretty crazy; the hips move front and back with not just a ball joint that connects the legs, but also with a swivel built into the hips, so you can get more range of movement. The ball joint adds a bit more movement, the knees are able to bend at a right angle, and the feet are multi-jointed, with a ball and socket attached up the leg where and another ball and socket for the feet, so you can pose Mario to pivot or have his feet hang low is he was to jump.
From the back, you can remove a piece of the overalls to reveal the slots where the toy tabs in. Don't worry, it's not meant to be seen in a different way. This would have allowed you to put in another back piece to let Mario peg onto a flight stand so he can be displayed in a jumping pose. The problem is that this Mario didn't come with that piece, nor did he come with a flight stand. Yeah, I don't get it either.
His actual accessories consist of a "?" block, a gold coin (cast in gold chrome), and the Super Mushroom. The coin comes with a tiny square platform to help it stand straight on a display, and the "?" block can be displayed with clear stands to let you recreate a 2D Mario stage (or a 3D one with some creative liberty). The paint on the block and mushroom are nicely applied, so no complaints here.
Here is Mario next to the other figures of the happy-go-lucky plumber that I own, consisting of the old Wendy's Mario figure and the static Banpresto Mario figure (mine is a KO so don't get it from flea markets or online because these are everywhere!). The ones I don't own are the ToyBiz Mario Kart 64 version of the character and the World of Nintendo version (might be the second-best version of the character in plastic). The Wendy's Mario figure is so nostalgic to me, as it was the only Mario toy I ever got, but its articulation was really basic compared to the Figuart version. The Banpresto figure makes for a nice display piece though it's not poseable, and mine is a fake. The ToyBiz figure had a kart and some accessories to go with it; while it wasn't that poseable, it did capture Mario's N64 appearance decently. The World of Nintendo version is a good alternative if you can't get the Figuarts one. It's paint apps and articulation are somewhat inferior in, but it's serviceable overall.
Articulation blows the other figures away, as the Wendy's Mario figure has 5 points while the Banpresto fake has 3. You can do so much more with this new Mario figure than before, and that's what I like about this figure.
Overall, this Mario figure is probably the best version of the character that you could ever wish for. HOWEVER, it is worth noting that there are some things that do pull it back, mainly the size and the small accessory count. I know Mario is a short guy and won't have most of the standards of the S.H.Figuarts line, but 30 dollars is a bit too steep. He's more worth $20 in my opinion, and if he had more accessories, he'd certainly be worth $30. IF you want to make an expansive Super Mario display, here are the sets that you will need:
Set A, which consists of a base, clear pole, and a clear platform to display the three bricks. Also included are a poseable stand and a backpiece for Mario (both these pieces and the base should have been included with Mario). Additionally, Set A comes with a Goomba and a coin with two square tabs to display it (stationary or jumping out of the brick)
Set B; new to this are two pipes of different lengths, a green Koopa Troopa shell, alternate hands, and small clear tabs that help Mario hold the shell with two hands.
Set C; this set's new pieces include red pipes instead of green, a Pirahna Plant that can be displayed from the pipes, and a Buzzy Beetle.
Set D, where its new accessories include a display base and clear stands for the Bullet Bill and Boo, and a Koopa Troopa figurine with its own clear stand to help it with running.
Set E, which includes a stand and base for Lakitu, a Spiny, and a Hammer Bro
Because Mario tends to change his appearance when he gets a power up, you can also get the Fire Mario variant, which includes a fire flower with its own small stand, an alternate hand for the fireball, a short flight stand, and a normal fireball. Not pictured are a pair of open hands, a longer stand, and a red back piece to have Mario jump.
IF you want to look for this guy at a cheaper price, be warned that this figure has a bootleg lurking in some online shops. The sculpting and paint quality aren't too sharp. but the joints are not made as well. There are a few helpful images that do give you an idea on how different these look compared to the real deal.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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