Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat Shao Kahn figure review

I did not anticipate this rabbit hole that Storm Collectibles would send me tumbling down. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the figures I’ve grabbed so far. On the Mortal Kombat front, Storm Collectibles was kind of ninja happy so I was thrilled to add some diversity on that front with the arrival of Shao Kahn.

The main villain of Mortal Kombat II, Shao Kahn was one of those fighting game bosses that felt like a major triumph when you finally beat him. The SC version definitely has a big boss look and is one of the most impressive of any of their lines. Time to throw the hammer down.

Packaging:  I really dig the Storm Collectibles packaging. The Mortal Kombat theme is neatly captured here with a prominent logo and a painted art style. This is a massive box, which gives you a feel of getting something really special. SC doesn’t waste package space and this definitely has a deluxe presentation.

The bio sums up the character and his motivation in a handful of sentences. I wish more companies would take the time to make them this comprehensive. The back shows off all of the accessories. There’s enough here that SC couldn’t showcase the articulation and possible poses you could re-enact.

Likeness:  Shao Kahn always had a cool look and done in the Storm Collectibles style he looks even more menacing. It starts with that threatening half helmet. It looks like something right out of Conan with the skull visual and flared horns.

The spiked shoulderpads convey a Legion of Doom feel and then he goes Masters of the Universe with the chest plate and belt skirt. My figure’s left shoulderpad didn’t rest as natural as the right and tends to pop up a lot.

But the badness isn’t done as he’s got knee spikes, spiked wristbands and knuckle guards. Shao Kahn might have one of the best designs of any fighting game and Storm Collectibles brought all of that masterfully.

Scale:  Shao Kahn wasn’t a giant like Goro, but he is taller than the average Mortal Kombat competitor. SC captured his scale pretty accurately.

I like the extra mass they went with as his physique is what makes him look more imposing — not his height.

Paint:  So far I haven’t been disappointed with a Storm Collectibles figure’s paint job. Shao Kahn doesn’t even come close to breaking the streak. It’s the extra attention to detail like the worn down elements on the armored pieces, the preciseness of smaller areas like the studs and pad seams.

The pads also have a subtle wash to further indicate age. Shao Kahn doesn’t look like he’s wearing a fresh set of armor. This is what he’s worn to bring the pain for awhile and the figure really reflects that sense of time.

Articulation:  It’s always cool seeing how Storm Collectibles incorporates the articulation into the figure so they can pull off all of their trademark moves.

Kahn is a big, hefty boy, but you can nail his signature poses including the hammer pummel with both hands.

 

 

The only annoyance with him is when you swap out the head. The soft plastic used for the torso rides up making it hard to attach the head back snuggly into the neck peg. I’m also not sure if the figure is actually engineered to have both feet firmly planted on the ground at any point, but he stands with no trouble.

Shao Kahn has:

• • neck
  • shoulders
  • elbows
  • wrist
  • torso
  • waist
  • shoulders
  • knees
  • ankles
  • feet

Accessories: Shao Kahn comes loaded on this front even without his bonus accessory. He’s got four sets of hands including the important throttling/choking and hammer grabbing hands.

Maybe the most unexpected is the alternate head sculpt featuring a nightmare inducing teeth gritted version. The helmet also comes off on the regular sculpt so you’ve got different portrait options for him. Always a good thing with fighting game figures.

Kahn’s wrath hammer is excellent. It’s got a red splatter to simulate the blood of his victims.

That’s a gruesome and entirely appropriate paint design. The hammer has some strong detailing from the pointed handle, wrapped grip and lined stem to the granite like top. It really looks nice.

If that wasn’t enough, Kahn has another fitting and excellent accessory —his throne. It’s soft, but there’s enough detail that it doesn’t look cheap. Maybe it could have some more wear and tear to convey that stone-like look, but I’m a fan.

Worth It?  I got Shao Kahn for right around the $95 he’s still going for on Amazon. I definitely think he’s worth the price tag in this case thanks to the likeness, incredible amount of detail and fluid articulation. Like most Storm Collectibles, you don’t want to have to pay ridiculous aftermarket prices on him so I’d highly recommend ordering him sooner rather than later.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

The head swap is annoying, but this guy is massive and is an impressive big boss in the Mortal Kombat line. I can’t wait to have a greater variety of human characters to match up against him.

Where to Get It:  Amazon has him in stock right away and if you want to avoid paying $300 for him, I’d advise jumping on it immediately.