In the spirit of the ongoing PAX Prime, this week I’ve decided to take a look at a video game-inspired protagonist: the action figure form of Pokémon’s most identifiable trainer, Ash Ketchum. Ash may not directly have any video game titles to his name, but he’s been a staple of the Saturday morning cartoon throughout every animated game adaptation. Loosely based on the original Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow‘s leading character Red, Ash was fleshed out into a more lively character for the Pokémon’s manga and anime series. After Pikachu’s rise to unofficial Pokémon mascot, the team of Ash and Pikachu have become an image synonymous with the series.

Tomy Company, known domestically as Takara Tomy, is a Japanese toy company known for such licenses as Naruto, Beyblade, and Zoids. With their Pokémon products, they draw inspiration from three distinct eras: Pokémon X and Y which introduced Mega Evolution to the series, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, and Pokémon Trainer’s Choice which showcases classic Pokémon from across the years. While Ash, Misty, and Brock have been released before, primarily in bendable or PVC-molded forms, only two articulated trainer figures have been released by the company thus far, including the Ash Ketchum figure featured today. The other articulated trainer is Serena, who was one of the player avatars in both Pokémon X and Y, and she comes with her signature anime companion, Fennekin.

The Trainer Ash figure comes in two different sets: one packaged with just Pikachu, and another “battle ready” set with Pikachu, Hawlucha, and Froakie. We’re taking a look at the former set today. Ash is articulated with 13 points of sturdy articulation, which is a nice find in a figure this size. The knee joints are stiffer than the articulation in the shoulders and elbows, which helps the figure stand on its own without aid. The figure comes with a backpack accessory which serves as an anchor for the included Pikachu figure. It’s a brilliant move to add the little electric mouse to Ash’s shoulder without compromising the design of either figure with pegs or unnecessary holes.

I’ve included a few other available Pokémon in the photos below for size comparisons. The Eevee evolutions come from a three-pack set from the X and Y collection and include Sylveon, Eevee’s newest Fairy-type evolution, as well as Glaceon and Leafeon, which were introduced in prior generations. The standalone Victini figure comes with a crescent moon-shaped insert to stabilize the figure so it can stand upright. Those tiny little Legendary feet just can support all the weight of those ears.

If you need yet another series of endless collectibles to start adding to your shelf, the Tomy Pokémon are ripe for the picking. The MSRP for the Ash and Pikachu set comes in at $12.99, while the Eevee-lution three-pack typically runs at $19.99. Prices vary for the Victini standalone figure, but can generally be found on Amazon and other online stores for less than $7. Each Pokémon comes with its own battle card.

—

Toy News Round-Up

Here are some of the best bits of collectible figure news from the past week!

• What’s new is old again: Harley Quinn is getting a retro treatment with this MEGO/Kresage-style figure.
• Okay, this Transformer cake is not explicitly a toy, but there’s no better way to play with your food.
• Rise of the Tomb Raider will include a badass Lara Croft statue in its Collector’s Edition.
• MONDO is taking the Ninja Turtles in to totally tubular deluxe-sized territory with these 1/6 Scale figures.