Review – Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot

Funko is a company that’s leaving me all twisted and confused. Their paintwork isn’t the greatest — in fact, there are times when it is just horrible — but their designs are so much fun that I can’t stop loving their toys. And when I first saw this fun Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot (at Amazon.com*) vinyl toy online (first mentioned here) I found it neat . . . but not so neat that I ordered one. No, it took actually seeing the toy at the New York Toy Fair last week (photos here) to get me to take the leap and order my own Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot. And I’m glad that I did, even if the paint sucks.

Sculpt

Awesome! There, I’m done. I mean, what else can you expect me to say after you’ve seen the photos of this Shogun Warriors-styled robot toy? Funko did an incredible job with the sculpting and everything from those crazy boots to the winged cape on the robot’s back is perfect. Seriously, the only thing that could have made this Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot any better in terms of sculpting would be if Funko had doubled the size from an 11-inch robot to a 22-inch robot. That probably would have shot the cost over $100, though, so maybe I should just sit back and enjoy what was produced.

Looking over the toy I can say that the other thing I wish that Funko has done with this Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot would have been to add wheels to the bottom of the feet, but that’s probably too much to ask from a vinyl toy that’s already this cool. Awesome job, Funko, and I wish I could end the review here and not even discuss the terrible paintwork.

Articulation

Just three points of articulation on the Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot — neck and shoulders — but that’s appropriate for the Shogun Warrior-like design and completely playable. A spring-loaded fist would have been great, but maybe this series of robot toys will sell so great that Funko will expand their selection and the sizes/features in the future.

Paint

And here it is, the absolute worst part of the Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot and the only reason I would ever even suggest to someone that they not buy the toy. It’s bad enough that there are chips here and there and that the lines are fuzzy, but on the back and a few spots on the chest there’s gunk stuck on the robot. I took a little time to scrape off some bits, but unless I give the toy a bath I don’t see how it’s ever going to be clean. The factory that Funko uses to make their toys really needs to implement a “wash your damn hands” policy for their workers.

I don’t know what quality control measures Funko has in place, but they need to put more effort into supervising their paint apps because time and again it’s the paint that is the biggest strike against Funko’s toys. Seriously, what we’re getting are great sculpts that are harmed by bad paint.

Closing Thoughts

Funko’s paint work is bad, yes, but this Kiss Destroyer Demon Robot (at Amazon.com*) is so cool that if you collect Shogun Warriors you need one for your shelf. The style is perfect, the plastic feels just fine, and what we have here is a toy that’s sure to attract attention whenever friends visit you.

Now if we could only find a way to convince Funko to improve their paint quality . . .

Philip Reed is ready for that Batman robot that was shown at New York Toy Fair and would also take a Mars Attacks robot.