Masters of the Universe Classics Bow Will Steal Your Heart
Today, we here at MTV Geek are spreading some of that love around (It’s cool, we’re clean!) with a review for the new Bow action figure from Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics! Read on for all the details on this rebel-with-a-cause and his harp. Yes, his harp.
After wandering through Despondos for several centuries and unable to return to Eternia, Hordak and his ageless army eventually claimed Etheria as a new throne world, deposing the local monarchs and ruling the people through fear. A nobleman in Queen Angella’s court, Kyle was one of many brave warriors who took up arms against the Horde invaders and joined the Great Rebellion. Nicknamed “Bow” due to his natural ability as an archer, each of his arrows possesses different powers and he has a magical heart that beats frantically when She-Ra is in danger. Bow is secretly in love with Princess Adora, unaware that she and She-Ra are one and the same!
Bow, a.k.a. Kyle Reccula, has a pretty amazing sculpt when compared to his wimpy vintage counterpart. Bow also happens to be blessed with a large amount of newly sculpted pieces. In fact, his chest, upper arms, and thighs are really the only pieces that come from the usual MOTUC buck. Bow’s face is sculpted with a stern, yet oddly flirty expression. Damn you Bow and your bedroom eyes! The Four Horsemen have really outdone themselves with this figure. His bracers and boots match in style and have the appearance of being made from smooth metal. They also happen to look EXACTLY like the ones He-Man wears in the vintage New Adventures series. This in itself gives us hope that one day we’ll see a release of that mullet-ed hero. Bow’s headband/tiara is sculpted on his forehead which totally negates the worry of loss that came with the original POP figure. The armor that covers his upper torso and shoulders is faithful the original, but is more intricate in execution especially when it comes to the design-work on his shoulder pauldrons. His quiver full of arrows is permanently attached to the back of the armor and cape, and shows many of the different types of arrows that he uses in battle, i.e. exploding, knockout gas, blinding light, sparkly rainbow pixie dust (We’re just guessing on this one.), etc. Bow also required new hands (we’ll discuss the reason in the articulation section), and while the left one is sculpted in a basic grasping motion, the right one has the first two fingers extended and bent in order for Kyle to properly hold an arrow and/or pull back his bowstring.
As for paint, Kyle (That seems like such an odd MOTU name, right?) is on par with most other figures in the line. His head is very well done, which is a feat in itself thanks to the tiny lines of his crown and the wisps of hair falling onto his face. His armor sees a few different paint apps, and is also the sight of the biggest paint slop on the figure we reviewed. The white circle that surrounds the centerpiece for his armor has had paint build up on the bottom causing it to drip lower on the armor. While the spot isn’t huge, the fact that it’s white on gold, and just so happens to be dead center of his chest causes the eye to be drawn to it. We’re sure this isn’t indicative of the entire run though, but it is a possibility for some figures to have this problem. Bow is molded in the correct color of plastic for his skin and pants, but has his musculature highlighted thanks to some darker airbrushing. His bracers and boots are done up in two shades of metallic gold and really set off the figure. Overall he’s nicely done, and when on a shelf even the chest defect we encountered isn’t as prevalent to the eye.
Bow is a Masters of the Universe Classics figure. Therefore, he has the same articulation as every other figure that has been released, right? Wrong! This love-lorn freedom fighter scores 2 brand new joints than all the rest. Not only that, but they’re very useful. What are the mysterious and magical p.o.a.s? Hinged wrist! That’s right, Bow is capable of holding his weapons correctly! While this might not seem like a big deal, just think of the sweet possibilities is all MOTUC figures had these. How great would it be to pose He-Man with him holding his Power Sword above his head, pointed at the heavens? It would be epic! Bow also clocks in with the usual ball-joint neck, swivel/hinge shoulders, hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, hinged torso, swivel waist, swivel/hinge hips, swivel thighs, hinged knees, swivel boot tops, and hinged “rocker” ankles. Bow is a stand-up guy, as in “he’s generously able to stand up”. All of his joints are tight, including his ankles. His broad chest keeps him from being able to wield his bow in the same way as the DCUC Green Arrow, but for a musclebound freak he’s quite flexible.
Bow is packaged with a few more accessories than most other MOTUC figures. He has a bow (No kidding, right?), an arrow, a heart-shaped chest piece, an extra head, and his harp. His bow is done-up in the same gold as his bracers and doesn’t have string because it’s just not safe! No kidding, there are regulations against it. Luckily, as it just so happens, the long rubber band that holds Bow in his blister tray is just the right length to string Bow’s bow – if you were so inclined. It’s not like we’re making you do it! It sure does look good when using that arrow though. The arrow is made of a stiff plastic and fits snuggly between Bow’s fingers. It has an odd heart-shaped tip that would not be the most aerodynamic of projectiles. Next up is the chest piece. Simply reach under Bow’s armor, push out the circle piece, and the insert the new one. There you go, now your rebel warrior is sportin’ a sweet little heart in the center of his armor – It’s a friggin’ Valentine’s Day miracle! The piece also pops in pain-free and stays in tight, so no worries about it getting lost. The extra head has one thing that most MOTUC figures don’t: a sweet, sweet mustache! Yep, Bows debonair flavor-saver is right there in all its Tom Selleck-y greatness. Simply pop the original head off the neck peg and push this head on to have Bow in all his Filmation glory! Lastly, comes the harp. It’s a harp, what more can we really say? It’s sculpted to match the style of Bow’s quiver and fits in his hand. Thanks to his massive body size though, he looks a little awkward wielding it.
So, there it is -- the complete review for MOTUC’s resident expert on unrequited love. While Adora might not be interested in this guy, that doesn’t mean you should overlook him too. As one of the only males in the original Princess of Power line, Bow should be your role model.
Check out our interview from Toy Fair 2011:
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