Also known as Zero: WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOR edition.
This toy PROVES how much of a sucker I am. Yes, I bought X-1 Zero. Yes, I LOVE my X-1 Zero figure. But… but see, this one is the one from the other games! Yeah! I mean that TOTALLY justifies this purchase right?
Oh, who am I kidding, I just bought him because…
Yeah, it’s Zero again. Now with a new figure. Honestly, if I knew they were going to make this one in the first place I probably just would have waited. Overall he has more to offer, but in my opinion neither version of Zero is better than the other when it comes to accessories. I’ll get to that later, though.
In a strange way, the two figures kind of… complement each other. Like you need both of them in order to get the full experience of either toy. Remember how the first version of Zero had those hands that looked like he was giving a thumbs-up? Well, it turns out those are actually to hold the sword. It’s like Bandai was planning this all along! Sneaky.
Both figures have three faces, and while the “default” faces are the same, the additional ones are different. Version 1 has teeth gritting and looking to the side, while version 2 has yelling and one that’s both gritting his teeth AND looking to the side. Of course, they’re all interchangeable.
The hair piece is the same between both figures. I don’t know why, but I’m still afraid I’m going to break it somehow… Also, the gem on his head is much shinier on the new figure.
From an articulation standpoint, the two are largely the same BUT version 2 has better shoulders. The design has more clearance, thus giving him a better range of movement. However, this comes at somewhat of a price, as they tend to pop out much easier now. Still, point goes to the new one.
One of the biggest advantages the new figure has is the removable parts: they don’t come off! Or at least, they stay on better on this version. This is great. He feels so much sturdier now; like I can actually play with him without him falling apart. Even the elbow guard on the right arm feels sturdier when you take it off to swap out his hand for the buster. It’s always good to see improvement.
The accessory department is the defining factor here in my opinion. Both come with the same hands and both have X-busters with ports to fit effect parts. But whereas the first version came with a big blast to fit in it, this figure comes with THREE SWORDS. Two swords are nearly the same, just one being pointier than the other, and another in a “slashing” style. It’s cool, but it may be too dynamic for my tastes, and the top of it bends easily, so be careful.
The final verdict is obvious: go for version 2. His engineering is better, his accessories are better, and he’s the design most people know. Version 1 isn’t a BAD figure; he’s just kind of redundant now that version 2 exists. If you already have version 1, yes, you should get version 2 because the two complement each other, but if you have to pick only one, version 2 is the only way to go.
Now remember, FPNYC is the place to go for all your Tamashii Nations needs!
