The Facts

Series: Bishoujo (Pretty Girl)
Manufacturer: Kotobukiya
Released: 2011
Size: 9 1/2″ w/ base
Edition Size: N/A

The Good

Kotobukiya’s second DC Bishoujo release is none other than Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. Catwoman is depicted in her modern black leather outfit, standing atop a gargoyle base. Koto really knows how to bring the sexy out of their sculpts, though the “boob-a-poppin” outfit is admittedly a bit overdone. Catwoman’s enticing pose is made even better by the inclusion of the whip in her mouth. The whip is actually plugged into two very small holes in the sides of her mouth, and not sculpting the whip directly into her mouth really helps the realism of the expression. The gargoyle on which Selina stands is a demonic portrayal of Batman and gives the statue an extra dimension and touch of originality. Her whip is done in a thin wire material – the part leading from her hands to her back is not removable or adjustable, but the whip attachment sticks into her back and can be posed in any number of ways. To top it all off, Catwoman comes with two small cats to help complete the display. The cats aren’t articulated but are two completely different sculpts and can rest on the gargoyle in various places.

The Bad

While it’s not necessarily a “bad” thing, the art on the box is an even sexier version of Catwoman. The final sculpt has a little more round of a head than the artwork, but that’s not to take away from the job done by the folks at Koto. The wire whip is a really nice feature, but I’ve found it really hard to get the kinks out of the wire. Without the kinks it would look good in nearly any pose you put it in, but the kinks draw more attention than they should. Quality control wise, you’re kind of taking a gamble with this figure. I have heard many cases of misaligned paint, and I got an extreme version of bad QC – the black cat’s right eye was completely unpainted. So if you’re not buying this at a local shop, make sure you ask your seller to give it a good once over and look for flaws.

Conclusion

Kotobukiya’s DC Bishoujo line is continuing on strong, and I think it has equally as bright of a future as their Marvel Bishoujo line. Catwoman is the second in the series and will be followed by Wonder Woman and Supergirl in the next few months. The retail price is $60. Rumor has it that once the first run is sold out, there will be no more produced, so there’s a chance this one could end up difficult to locate in the future. I acquired mine from Things From Another World for $53.99, and of course you can always find them on eBay.