Jada Toys’ Street Fighter II line has become my most anticipated figures on the market. Nothing gets me in the toy aisles quicker than hearing that the latest Street Fighters have started hitting stores. So when I stumbled across both of this wave’s deluxe figures before I even heard they were hitting… I was ecstatic. It felt like pre-Internet days when you would walk into a toy store and find a toy line that you knew absolutely nothing about.
I’ve been looking forward to the bigger bodied figures, and Sagat and Blanka are our first opportunity to see how Jada will tackle different fighting styles and articulation. Will they continue to impress, or is Jada due to take their lumps? Let’s take a look at Sagat and Blanka!
Sagat
Once the undefeated emperor of Muay Thai, Sagat’s reign was challenged by Ryu, leaving him with a scar that fueled his relentless quest for strength and revenge. This 1:12 scale action figure is expertly crafted to showcase Sagat’s towering physique, disciplined stance, and signature attacks. With exceptional articulation, you can recreate his most devastating moves from the game, including his crushing Tiger Uppercut, powerful Tiger Knee, and his iconic Tiger Shot.
This set includes interchangeable heads, hands, Tiger Shot effect piece and stand to bring his fiercest battles to life.
Sagat was one of my go-to characters for a while. His Muay Thai fighting style and taped fists always made me feel like he would have been right at home in the Kumite from Bloodsport. The eye patch and scar across his chest sold it even more. I loved nothing more than plucking those guys with their flippy-dippy shit out of midair with a well-timed Tiger Uppercut. So satisfying!
Sagat articulates extremely well and can hit just about any pose you can think of from the game. The thigh cut is hidden by his shorts and his boot and toe (!) articulation is hidden by the ankle tape. He towers over the rest of the Street Fighters, as he should. While he may not be the flashiest of figures, his size and excellent articulation make him worth the deluxe price tag. Sagat is a great addition to the line.
Blanka
After being stranded in the jungles of Brazil after a plane crash, a young man named Jimmy was transformed into the wild, electrified fighter known as Blanka. This 1:12 scale action figure is expertly crafted to capture Blanka’s primal energy and unique fighting style. With remarkable articulation, you can recreate his most memorable moves from the game, including his devastating Rolling Attack, his electrifying Electric Thunder and his iconic Beast Mode poses.
This set includes interchangeable heads, hands and Electric Thunder effect pieces. His fierce presence is ready to bring chaos to your collection.
I think everyone had that kid in the neighbourhood who used Blanka’s Electric Thunder to the point of overkill. Even if you couldn’t play Street Fighter, you could still earn a cheap victory over just about anyone with some well-timed button mashing.
Blanka poses some big problems from a design standpoint. Long hair always has a way of impacting articulation. Jada took a two-pronged approach to solve the problem. First, by making the hair softer and more pliable. Second, by adding a hinge to the neck. Blanka’s hair looks fantastic and doesn’t limit articulation. More toy companies would benefit from taking a similar approach with longer-haired figures.
Blanka can get down into his squat fighting stance with ease. If there’s one extremely minor complaint, it’s a lack of toe articulation. In fairness, had I not opened Sagat at the same time and been spoiled, I may not have even thought about it. Outside of that, Blanka is another beefy figure with phenomenal articulation worthy of the deluxe price point.
Outstanding work, Jada Toys!
