There aren’t many Star Trek collectibles tied to the newest movie, 
Star Trek: Beyond. Star Trek fans, I have found, are less about action figures and more the tech side of Trek. Star Trek has always been a more cerebral science fiction whereas Star Wars has always been more action oriented which seems to appeal to younger children this in turn creates a need for toys.
I am not saying Star Trek is better than Star Wars, everyone has preference. Frankly, I wish there were more toys for Star Trek but let’s face facts, Star Trek toys don’t really seem to sell. The last time there were mass produced Star Trek toys the figures sat on shelves. The phasers, tricorders and communicators sold well enough that they were hard to come by but if you wanted any of the crew they were easy to find. The action figures just languished on pegs collecting dust. Granted, the reimagined Star Trek universe has more action than its predecessors yet it would still seem the prospect of Star Trek: Beyond toys aren’t even on the horizon. Years ago I was told that boy toy lines have to meet certain criteria (which may or not be true) to keep the kids wanting more, one of those criteria (I was told) is vehicles. Star Trek doesn’t really have “vehicles”; they mostly use the transporter to get back and forth. Yes, they do have the shuttlecraft, but that is one vehicle and the Enterprise itself is just too big to reproduce and with that we are done. The toys that are out for Star Trek are from Mattel who are producing a line of Mega Bloks playsets and an Air Hogs remote control flying U.S.S. Enterprise. Aside from those you won’t find Star Trek Toys at Target or Toys R Us anytime soon.
This brings us to collectibles geared toward a more mature audience. There are expensive costumes, functioning communicators and even beer. All things you wouldn’t give a child…well I hope you wouldn’t give beer to a child. As I stated there seems only to be higher end collectibles and some of them are made to look like toys. Square Enix has produced two highly detailed, super poseable action figures from the reimagined Star Trek universe.
The Square Enix Play Arts Kai figures that are available are Captain James Tiberius Kirk and his best friend and first officer, Mr. Spock. These figures first made their appearance at SDCC in 2013 and are just as beautiful today as they were in their prototype phase. These may even be a bit more attractive now that they have been painted. Each figure stands approximately 10 inches high and has approximately 26 points of articulation. All of those points of articulation give the figure a high level of playability (yes some adults play with their toys) and lets you pose them almost any way you want.
Keep reading to see how you can get a Captain Kirk action figure of your very own from Entertainment Earth.
The first figure we will talk about is Captain James T. Kirk. Standing approximately 10 inches tall this figure is ready for action. Captain Kirk is dressed in his Command Division gold duty uniform top, charcoal grey trousers and black boots just has he appears in the movies. Kirk also comes with:
- 3 sets of hands (one on the figure and two extra)
- Starfleet Phaser (which can be flipped from stun to kill)
- Starfleet Communicator (that flips open)
- Tactical Belt
- Delta Shield Stand
The hands can be mixed and matched depending on what action you need. The hands are molded in fists, a set molded to hold the phaser and a set molded to hold the communicator.
The sculpt of the Kirk figure looks more like an anime version than an exact depiction of Chris Pine. This is not a criticism more of an observation. Personally I like the anime look. One of my friends made the observation that he looks a bit like a vampire and should sparkle. I can definitely see how he does look a bit like Edward from the Twilight movies.
The second figure is the best first officer in Starfleet, Mr. Spock. Just like the Kirk figure, Spock stands approximately 10 inches tall with approximately 26 points of articulation. Spock is dressed in his Science Division blue uniform top with charcoal grey trousers and black boots as seen on screen. Spock also comes with:
- Starfleet issued Phaser
- Starfleet issued Communicator
- Starfleet issued Tricorder (closed)
- Starfleet issued Tricorder (open)
- 3 sets of hands (one with the figure and two extra)
Spock’s hands can be mixed and matched. He has one hand posed in the Vulcan Salute, a set of hands to hold the Phaser and a hand to hold the Tricorder. The sculpt of the Spock figure is a very loose interpretation of Zachary Quinto who portrays Spock on screen. This figure, much like the Kirk figure has an anime look to him. Again this is not a complaint, merely an observation.
One of the interesting points is you have to pull the figure in half to put on the equipment belt. It does take a bit of work to get the figures back together (see photo). The tunic is very pliable which helps with the poseability of the figure. The one problem with Spock’s figure is that his utility belt doesn’t have a place for his tricorder.
Although these are “action figures” these need to be treated as the high priced collectible that they are. These figures need to be treated with a level of delicacy. Although you can play with these figures are best left on a shelf to be appreciated and loved.
Each figure also comes with a clear plastic stand which needs to be assembled. The stand will hold your figure in the pose of your choice. These will look great on your shelf when you aren’t setting them up in your backyard.
The Square Enix Play Arts Kai Star Trek figures are probably the coolest figures I have ever had the chance to review. I love how not just the figures are poseable but the equipment is also highly detailed and “functional.” These figures retail for 89.99 and can be purchased from Entertainment Earth. I know that these figures are a bit pricy but they are amazing not just for fans of Star Trek but for fans of action figures. Lock on to a set of these for yourself…energize!
Here is your chance to get your very own Captain Kirk Figure!
To enter all you need to do is to “like” Geekstronomy on Facebook and like the post regarding the contest. It is as simple as that. One winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. Remember you need to like both! If you already have liked Geekstronomy’s Facebook page you are already halfway there.
The contest runs from August 17, 2016 until 11:59pm on August 24, 2016 and is open to residents of the United States and Canada only. Winner will be notified within 24 hours following the contest’s end.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For an extra entry tag Geekstronomy and Entertainment Earth with the phrase Beam Me Up!
Geekstronomy and Entertainment Earth are not responsible for lost or misdirected packages.
By entering this contest you agree to allow up to 12 weeks for delivery, accept the fate of packages getting lost, stolen or damaged (neither Entertainment Earth nor the host of the contest are responsible for replacement or compensation either in product, credit or currency) and a correct, valid physical address must be provided (wrong address provided, unfortunately no shipment).
