Next up we have Figma Shizuo Heiwajima as he appears in the anime series Durarara x2. Shizuo first appears in the first installment of Durarara and it’s quickly established that he’s the most dangerous man in Ikebukuro. It’s not too long before he shows off his habit of throwing vending machines at whoever happens to be putting him in a bad mood. It turns out that he actually hates violence, but sometimes his emotions (and adrenaline) get the better of him.

The anime Durarara centres around a district in Tokyo by the name of Ikebukuro and some of its more colourful inhabitants. Mikado Ryuugamine has always longed for the excitement of the city life, and an invitation from a childhood friend convinces him to move to Tokyo. Not long after his arrival he encounters characters that he never would have thought possible, from the super-humanly strong Shizuo Heiwajima to the mysterious Black Rider who rides a black motorcycle and wears an all black riding outfit. It’s not just the people that Mikado meets in his new town that piques his interest. He soon learns from his friend Masaomi that gangs are operating within the district. The Dollars and the Yellow Flags seem to be the more dominant ones and it seems that Masaomi knows more about them than he’s letting on. From there the story twists and turns as the different groups of characters go about their daily lives and their paths cross in interesting ways.

First Impressions

He looks very tidy in his bartender’s uniform. He has quite the slender figure, offset with his scruffy hair. Shizuo is not quite the happiest of chaps so his alternate faces are a testament to his badassery. His vest is made of a softer plastic so as not to hinder articulation in some areas. The figure itself has the usual figma polish – the lines are nice and clean, and the paint apps are spot on. Most of the individual pieces are moulded in coloured plastic so there’s not a lot of paint apps on show here except for the alternate faces. All in all, it’s a pretty good representation of the character. Especially since figmas seem to excel in the anime figure department.

Accessories

Shizuo has a penchant for extreme outbursts of strength so it’s fitting that he comes with a street sign that appears to be freshly ripped out of the ground. Included in the package are a spare forearm and a spare hip piece to represent a “hand in pocket” pose. There is a hair piece that has his sunglasses attached and he comes with 3 cigarettes. The hands in the set include left and right closed fists, item holding hands, splayed hands, open hands with holes to attach a cigarette, and a right hand holding a mobile phone.

The three faces in the package are his default serious face, an angry face, and a nasty smirk. The nasty smirk would probably be the closest thing that we’ll get to a smiling/happy face from Shizuo. Also included is the usual articulated stand, a spare wrist joint, an instruction sheet, and a snap-lock bag to store everything in.

Articulation

Shizuo’s slender build helps with articulation in most areas, but he’s not without a few issues. His head can’t tilt back very far, if at all, due to his hair (short as it is), but it can tilt down okay. It can turn left and right all the way around and can only manage a slight tilt left and right. The arms can lift to about 90 degrees at the shoulders, and they can rotate all the way around. He has a decent bend at the elbows which can allow him to touch his nose or do a “glasses push” pose.

The waist and hips have a good range of movement. He can just about do the splits but can only lift his legs to the front and back to just under 90 degrees. The knees also can only bend just past 90 degrees. The joint in the ankles can allow for turning and tilting movement and there is a hinge at the toes of his shoes. It wouldn’t be too difficult to get him into some more dynamic poses.

Conclusion

Figma Shizuo Heiwajima is a definite purchase for fans of the Durarara series. The series itself is also worth watching, especially for those who like to see different character arcs cross over and interact with one another. For me, the series felt like it was a slow build but by the end of the series it turns into quite a roller coaster ride. Along the way we learn a lot about the each of the characters in the story, and the three “main” characters face their own challenges and undergo their own changes. I’m really excited for the Celty figma that has been announced – but I’m not sure if there’s been any mention of her bike being made. If Racing Miku can have a bike, then so can Celty! In the meantime, I’ll need to look into figma Izaya Orihara so that Shizuo has a target to focus his rage at.

Figma Shizuo can be found at the link below along with other figures in the figma range.