BEST SMALL STATUE
We start off our nominee reveals with the 2017 BEST SMALL STATUE category. These statues may be small, but they pack a big punch, as design and details are not spared on these pieces. Here are our nominees, in no particular order:
- Psylocke Art Scale 1/10
Made by: Iron Studios
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 7.5” tall - Marvel NOW Venom Artfx+
Made by: Kotobukiya
Sculpted by: Junnosuke Abe
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 5” tall - Star Lord Animated Statue
Made by: Gentle Giant Studios
Size: approx. 4.5” tall - Batman & Robin Artfx+
Made by Kotobukiya
Sculpted by: Naoya Muto
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 6” tall - Spider-Man 2099 Artfx+
Made by: Kotobukiya
Sculpted by: Junnosuke Abe
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 5” tall - Deathstroke Art Scale 1/10
Made by Iron Studios
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 9” tall - Punisher Art Scale 1/10
Made by Iron Studios
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 8.25” tall - Gimli the Dwarf on Uruk-Hai 43
Made by: Weta Workshop
Sculpted by: Brigitte Wuest
Size: approx. 6.7” tall - Batman Black & White by Norm Breyfogle
Made by: DC Collectibles
Sculpted by: Chris Dahlberg
Size: 1/10 scale, approx. 7.8” tall - DC Bombshells: Katana
Made by: DC Collectibles
Sculpted By: Jack Matthews
Size: approx. 9” tall
We are Venom, we are the 2017 BEST SMALL STATUE winner! Kotobukiya’s Spider Verse themed line of Artfx+ statues has been extremely successful…and with good reason, they all look amazing and can be displayed singly or as part of a diorama. Spider-Man was narrowly edged out in this category last year, but his nemesis has finally bested him! Venom is the 2017 BEST SMALL STATUE champion! Congratulations to the team at Kotobukiya for once again taking home this crown (their Hulkbuster was the champion in 2015)!
Final Results:
1. Venom (Kotobukiya) – 21.6%
2. Gimli on Dwarf (Weta) – 16.5%
3. Punisher (Iron Studios) – 12.0%
BEST MEDIUM STATUE
Consisting of statues generally in the 1/8 to 1/6 scale range, these pieces can pack tons of detail and charm, making this scale a favourite among many collectors.
Let’s not waste any more time, here are the nominees:
- Vision Fine Art Statue
Made by: Kotobukiya
Sculpted By: Erick Sosa
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 16” tall - The Mouth of Sauron
Made by: Weta Workshop
Sculpted by: Sam Gao
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 18” tall - Kurosaki Ichigo HQS
Made by: Tsume-Art
Sculpted by: Muhammet Ay
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 12” tall - Ryu
Made by: PrototypeZ Studio
Sculpted by: Erick Sosa
Size: 1/6 scale - Overwatch D. Va
Made by: Blizzard
Sculpted by: Dominic Qwek & Ehren Bienert
Size: approx. 20.25” tall - Daryl Dixon
Made by: McFarlane Toys
Size: approx. 10” tall - Hashirama Senju HQS
Made by: Tsume-Art
Sculpted by: Muhammet Ay & Christophe Sperto
Size: 1/8 scale, approx. 18” tall - Avengers Assemble: Black Widow
Made by: HX Project
Sculpted by: Adam Fisher & Mufizal
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 12.25” tall - Batman vs Bane Battle Diorama
Made by: Iron Studios
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 22” tall - Batman: Red Rain
Made by: Mondo
Sculpted by: Nathan Mansfield
Size: approx. 15” tall
Hashirama Senju from Tsume-Art receives the honor of taking home the 2017 BEST MEDIUM STATUE award! The popular character from the beloved Naruto Shippuden anime is depicted in Sage Mode while wielding his incredibly mighty and iconic Wood release powers! Conjuring up and standing atop a wood golem, Hashirama’s unmatched powers are displayed here in full force. Great work by Tsume to bring this character to life, and this award is well-deserved.
Final Results
1. Hashirama Senju (Tsume-Art) – 27.7%
2. Kurosaki Ichigo (Tsume-Art) – 14.6%
3. Overwatch: D. Va (Blizzard) – 12.4%
BEST LARGE STATUE
Typically consisting of 1/5 and 1/4 scale pieces, these statues are definitely large and in charge…a favourite scale for many collectors. These statues typically have a museum quality feel to them, and demand attention in anyone’s collection. Here is our list of nominees:
- Geralt of Rivia
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Sculpted by: Alvaro Ribeiro
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 26” tall - Malavestros: Death’s Chronicler-Fool Premium Format Figure
Made by: Sideshow Collectibles
Sculpted by: Mark Newman, Mat Brouillard, Nathan Mansfield
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 20.5” tall - Sylvanas Windrunner
Made by: Blizzard
Sculpted by: Alvaro Buendia & Brian Fay
Size: 1/5 scale, approx. 18” tall - Venom
Made by: XM Studios Premium Collectibles
Sculpted by: Alejandro Pereira Ezcurra
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 23” tall - Darth Vader
Made by: Iron Studios
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 23” tall - Bane Premium Format Figure
Made by: Sideshow Collectibles
Sculpted by: Martin Canale & Guillermo Barbiero
Size: ¼ scale, approx 23” tall - Thor, Jane Foster Premium Format Figure
Made by: Sideshow Collectibles
Sculpted by: Martin Canale & Guillermo Barbiero
Size: ¼ scale, approx 20.5” tall - Electro
Made by: XM Studios
Sculpted by: Daniel Bel
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 22” tall - Cable
Made by: XM Studios
Sculpted by: Alejandro Pereira Ezcurra
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 23” tall
And the winner is:
The Force is strong with this one…very strong! This Darth Vader from Iron Studios is full of faith and ready to rule the galaxy, and it all starts here with a victory as 2017 BEST LARGE STATUE! Iron Studios accomplished something major with this piece, impeccably showcasing Lord Vader at the peak of his power during the destruction of the rebel base on Hoth. The Dark Lord a suitable menacing pose, along with several display options for collectors…whether you want his lightsaber fully lit and ready to strike, or you want to see him using his considerable force powers, Iron Studios has you covered. The paint scheme uses different sheens to make the different areas of his costume unique, and the fully sculpted costume actually looks like it could be real fabric. This statue is spectacular on so many levels. Congratulations to Iron Studios for satisfying so many Star Wars fans!
Final Results
1. Darth Vader (Iron Studios) – 22.2%
2. Cable (XM Studios) – 12.9%
3. Geralt of Rivia (Prime 1 Studio) – 12.2%
BEST X-LARGE STATUE
These are the giants of the hobby…the stuff you need to think long and hard about where you will put them and most importantly, how to explain to your wife why you NEED these in your home. We’re with you all the way, though…you NEED these in your home and it will be oh so worth it!
Here are the nominees:
- Batman Beyond
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Sculpted by: Alvaro Ribeiro, Fabiano Carlos, & Christopher Cao - The Joker
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Size: ½ scale, approx. 38” tall - The Dark Knight Returns Batman
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Sculpted by: Adam Skutt
Size: 1/3 scale, approx. 33” tall - Lockdown
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Size: approx. 25” tall - Batman
Made by: Iron Studios
Size: 1/3 scale, approx. 35” tall - R2-D2 Life Size Figure
Made by: Sideshow Collectibles
Sculpted by: Pascual Wawoe & Bernardo Esquivel
Size: life size, approx.48” tall - Scorpion
Made by: Pop Culture Shock Collectibles, Inc
Sculpted by: Jerry Macaluso
Size: 1/3 scale, approx. 28” tallSize: 1/3 scale, approx. 33” tall
And the winner is:
Frank Miller’s iconic the Dark Knight Returns is regarded by many as one of the most quintessential Batman stories of all time. Prime 1 Studio has captured the unique art style from the comic series for this statue…Batman is older, bigger, more definitely more grizzled…and that makes him look totally bad ass! This statue comes with several display options including three different portraits and several iconic bat-weapons. Fans of the character and the iconic comic series should be delighted by this piece, and Prime 1 Studio should be proud of this production. Prime 1 Studio has also won this category 4 years running! Congratulations!
Final Results:
1. Dark Knight Returns Batman (Prime 1 Studio) – 25.1%
2. Batman Beyond (Prime 1 Studio) – 18.8%
3. Batman (Iron Studios) – 18.6%
BEST GAMING STATUE
Our second new category for 2017, BEST GAMING STATUE! Whether you grew up in the era where Atari was cutting edge technology or Playstation 4 was your first love, chances are you’ve played some video game sin your lifetime. These characters and stories have stood the test of time, and deserve a special place in our hearts.
Here is our list of nominees for best gaming statue of 2017:
- Ryu
Made by: PrototypeZ Studio
Sculpted by: Erick Sosa
Size: 1/6 scale - Overwatch D. Va
Made by: Blizzard
Sculpted by: Dominic Qwek & Ehren Bienert
Size: approx. 20.25” tall - Dante, Son of Sparda
Made by: Kinetiquettes
Sculpted by: Wandah Kurniawan a.k.a Tioxic
Size: 1/6 scale, approx. 13” tall - Batman Beyond
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Sculpted by: Alvaro Ribeiro, Fabiano Carlos, & Christopher Cao
Size: 1/3 scale, approx. 33” tall - Sylvanas Windrunner
Made by: Blizzard
Sculpted by: Alvaro Buendia & Brian Fay
Size: 1/5 scale, approx. 18” tall - Geralt of Rivia
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Sculpted by: Alvaro Ribeiro
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 26” tall - Kintaro
Made by: Pop Culture Shock Collectibles, Inc
Sculpted by: Hector Arce
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 21” tall - Kotal Kahn
Made by: Pop Culture Shock Collectibles
Sculpted by: John Cleary & Jerry Macaluso
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 27” tall - Link on the King of Red Lions
Made by: First 4 Figures
Sculpted by: Kaushik Manna
Size: approx. 25” tall - Tomb Raider: Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft
Made by: Gaming Heads
Sculpted by: Kaushik Manna
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 18” tall - Devil May Cry, Dante
Made by: Hand Made Object Collectibles – H.M.O
Sculpted by: Mufizal Mokhtar
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 20.5” tall
And the winner is:
The Legend of Zelda debuted way back in 1987 and spawned one of the most successful game franchises of all time! The hero of the series, Link has been well established as a fan favorite for decades, and First 4 Figures has captured the unique style of the Wind Waker game, which was released on Gamecube over 15 years ago! Although a much more simply animated look than say, the recent Breath of the Wild, there is no shortage of details on this amazing statue…whether it is the 25” tall sail, the determined look on Link’s face, the wooden texture of the boat, or our favorite, the unique water effect. Congratulations to First 4 Figures for going down in history as the first ever recipient of our BEST GAMING STATUE award!
Final Results:
1. Link on King of Red Lions (First 4 Figures) – 21.2%
2. Batman Beyond (Prime 1 Studio) – 13.9%
3. Geralt of Rivia (Prime 1 Studio) – 11.2%
BEST BUST
Today is a reveal of a brand new category for 2017, BEST BUST! Busts are a unique style of statue that dates back thousands of years. Though they are only part a figure, they definitely deserve your full attention!
Here are our nominees for Best Bust of 2017:
- Dog Alien Life Size Head
Made by: CoolProps
Size: life size, approx. 15.75” tall - Independence Day: Resurgence, Alien Life Size Bust
Made by: Prime 1 Studio
Size: life size, approx. 32” tall - Deadpool Life Size Bust
Made by: Sideshow Collectibles
Sculpted by: Ryan Peterson & Tim Niver
Size: life size, approx. 28” tall - Stargate: Horus Life Size Bust
Made by: Chronicle Collectibles
Size: life size, approx. 36” tall - Freddy Krueger Life Size Bust
Made by: Elite Creature Collectibles
Sculpted by: Mitch Devane
Size: life size, approx. 28” tall - Marcus Life Size Bust
Made by: Elite Creature Collectibles
Sculpted by: Steve Wang
Size: life size, approx. 28” tall - Thor ¼ Scale Bust
Made by: XM Studios Premium Collectibles
Sculpted by: Kucharek Bros.
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 16” tall - Venom ¼ Scale Bust
Made by: XM Studios Premium Collectibles
Sculpted by: Kucharek Bros.
Size: ¼ scale, approx. 16” tall
And the winner is:
Maximum effort, maximum victory! Fire up some @$&ing chimichangas and get ready to party, because Sideshow Collectibles’ remarkable Deadpool Life Size Bust has taken home the inaugural BEST BUST award! Masterfully capturing the Merc with a Mouth’s trademark attitude, this Bust is sure to satisfy the growing legion of Deadpool fans worldwide. And with the sequel to the super hit movie coming out later this year, what better way to celebrate than winning 2017 BEST BUST? We certainly can’t think of a better $&*#ing way, that’s for sure!
Final Results:
1. Deadpool (Sideshow) – 26.1%
2. Venom (XM Studios) – 19.8%
3. Freddy (ECC) – 18.8%
BEST STATUE COMPANY
In 2016, Tsume-Art proved to be a force to be reckoned with, taking home 2016 Statue of the Year for Dragon Shiryu. In 2017, they can also claim the title of FAVORITE STATUE COMPANY. Tsume fans once again turned out in force to ensure their favorite company took home the honor. Year after year, Tsume-Art is consistently producing some of the top high-end anime related products. With upcoming products such as Portugas D. Ace, Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan,, and One Punch Man Saitama, they don’t look to be slowing down any time soon! Always pushing the boundaries with their unique designs, the team at Tsume-Art is well deserving of this award. Congratulations, Tsume!
CRITIC’S PICK
2017’s STATUE AWARDS also marks the inaugural CRITIC’S PICK award. Our panel (consisting of reviewers from across this great hobby, knowledgeable collectors, as well as moderators and admins from Statue Forum) works hard throughout the year evaluating a huge array of statues…we’re not perfect by any means, but we do our best.
Before going any further, I want to extend a massive thank you to everyone that helps out behind the scenes…could not have done it without all of you!
And again, to all the fans that voted, we hope that you all have as much fun with the event as we do.
This year we deliberated hard on trying to decide our own pick. Everyone presented a detailed case for why their pick should win this award, and it was a tight race…several statues received strong consideration, but again, only one can come out on top.
** The outcome of this award is decided before the end of Round 1 voting. Each panel member was asked to submit their personal choice for statue of the year, and give their reasoning. **
And the winner is:
Cable, aka Nathan Summers…the son of X-Men leader Cyclops and Jean Grey clone, Madeline Pryor…is one of the most powerful mutants in X-Men lore. He is a man born in the present, infected with a techno-organic virus, sent to the future for his own safety, himself cloned (the clone being his nemesis, Stryfe), then re-emerging in the present for the world’s safety. Yeah, he’s got a bit of a convoluted backstory. So, it is perhaps fitting that this statue from XM Studios Premium Collectibles had its own tumultuous history. Cable was originally intended to follow hot on the heels of their mega hit, Magneto, building on the success of their X-Men line. Then, for reasons beyond their control, Cable was shelved indefinitely. But, just like his comic book namesake, the statue re-emerged on the production slate to much fanfare! Cable is a character that fans have been clamoring for, and XM Studios have not let those fans down, producing this powerful mutant to near flawless levels. Sculptor, Alejandro Pereira Ezcurra, and concept artist, Foo Tze Wei, joined together with the master craftsman of the XM Studios design team to produce one of the most striking statues of recent memory. Congratulations to the entire team at XM Studios involved in producing this gem, as you are awarded our very first CRITIC’S PICK AWARD.
STATUE OF THE YEAR
Wow, what a ride! This year’s STATUE AWARDS has been an amazing run, and we want to thank absolutely everyone that took the time to vote, comment, and share throughout the event. Without all of you, this success of this event would not be possible.
Now, onto the results. This year’s STATUE OF THE YEAR voting was the single closest race we have ever seen…about 1% of the vote separated first place from third place…truly amazing! But, there can only be one winner, so without further delay:
There’s no doubt that Darth Vader is one of the world’s most popular fictional characters. Check any ranking of character recognition that you can find, Lord Vader is somewhere in the top 10. Even though he is the scourge of the galaxy, people love him! And, what’s not to like:
– cool costume, check
– cool voice, check
– cool powers, check
– intergalactic badass, check
He basically has it all. So, making Darth Vader collectibles should be easy, right? Wrong.
Iron Studios has done something truly special here in making their Darth Vader stand out in the sea of Sith lord collectibles on the market. They meticulously researched the costume and general Star Wars mythos and combined it all into one of the most menacing and gripping representations of this character that means so much to so many people…not an easy feat. The vast array of display combinations that showcase his signature red lightsaber or his fearsome Force powers can satisfy most collectors. The paint scheme is marvelous, using different sheens of black and gunmetal to make different areas of the costume stand out from each other. The sculpted fabric looks so much like real fabric, you may not be able to believe your eyes.
The accolades for this piece are many, and now this piece will go down in history as STATUE OF THE YEAR for 2017! Congratulations to the entire team at Iron Studios!
Final Results (wow this was close):
1. Darth Vader, Iron Studios – 27.9%
2. Hashirama Senju, Tsume-Art – 27.5%
3. Dark Knight Returns Batman – 26.7%