Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Best Female Figure (12")

Man, there was a real shortage of great - or even sub-par - female figures this year, especially in sixth scale.

My bronze goes to a controversial Cordelia. Some folks hated her, but I think the issues were greatly exaggerated. Now, had the competition been stronger this year, poor Cordy might not have made it in to my picks, but when there are fewer players on the field...

Silver was a tough choice, but I finally decided on Rei Ayanami. This sixth scale version of the popular anime character from Medicom did an excellent job of blending the two worlds. Sixth scale and anime rarely work well together, but this was one time where it really clicked.

Gold was easy. There was only one female figure that I picked up this year that I really loved, and that was the Takara Catwoman. Some folks had issues with the size of the helmet, but I think she looks terrific.

Worst Female Figure (under 12")

Ah, that’s not a problem in this category - there’s plenty of loathing to go around.

I’m going to pick on JAKKS this time, something I haven’t done too much of this year. They’re getting brassy bronze for Adrian from the Rocky line. The Rocky line isn’t bad actually, as long as you only look at the Rocky’s. But once you get outside of those figures, you start treading in some nasty water, especially when it comes to Adrian. If you ever find yourself in need of a figure of a bag lady, remember this version of Adrian. Give her a little shopping cart, and she’s good to go.

Occasionally, Toybiz did a good looking female in one of their Marvel lines, but it’s always been the rarity rather than the norm. This year, they gave us the butt ugly Lady Deathstrike, just to keep things consistent, and they get the sleazy silver for it.

Finally, the ghastly gold goes to DST, for one of the females in their Buffy/Angel line ups. It’s bad enough to do an ugly figure of an average looking woman, or even an imaginary woman, as in the case of the two runners up. But to take a woman that’s real, truly beautiful, and half nekkid, and turn her into the shaved butt of an ugly dog, - that’s a crime. And that was poor Pylean Princess Cordelia.