12.04
Note: This review mentions the 2021 series, “The Falcon and Winter Soldier,” but no spoilers for the show are written within.
“The Falcon and Winter Soldier” is the first of the Disney/Marvel series to receive its own Minimate wave. Each set contained a titular hero along with a another questionable character from the series. I always personally enjoyed film adaption figures as they brought a sense of realism that the comic based figures couldn’t quite capture. I couldn’t be happier to see the MCU back in Minimates, especially some recognizable characters like Captain America and the Winter Soldier…but wait! That’s not the Winter Soldier, that’s Bucky…or the White Wolf…or whatever he’s being called these days. Also, that’s not Captain America, its…some guy named John?
The Packaging
The packaging is pretty standard for MCU related figures. There’s the large “A” on the front along with the new series’ logo featuring some blocky cut-outs of Cap’s shield. The Disney Plus symbol also resides on these sets exclusively (so far). One oddity with the recent film based Minimates is the flat drawings of the figures on the back that boasts you should “collect them all.” I miss the group photos like on the back of the older TRU waves. Nevertheless, this set can be found on the database here.
The Figures
Winter Soldier
Good ol’ Bucky is the best friend anyone could have. His various plights through the MCU have been fully cataloged in Minimate form. Now, in his most recent adventure, we get a pretty standard Winter Soldier figure. His time in “Avengers: Infinity War” gave him a suit similar to his outfit from WWII, and apparently, he kept it. This figure has many similarities to his figure from IW, but with some minor differences. First, and possibly most noticeably, he’s got a haircut. His hair resembles that of many MCU figures from Tony Stark to Thor. Fortunately, the piece is quite versatile and works in all situations. His blue suit has been streamlined since IW, removing some of the diagonal detailing as well as any additional pieces like the holster, waistpiece and wrist cuff. I personally enjoy this sleeker version much better as the post-brainwashed Bucky has been more about speed and agility than gear and weapons.
His vibranium arm has a more subtle gold detailing that allows it to look sleek while still being visible. Also, there is some detailing on his hand that look like knuckles that you don’t want to be on the wrong side off. The legs aren’t much to write home about as they are simple black legs with minimal detailing. The face app is a decent rendition of Sebastian Stan, removing some of the cartoonier aspects of his previous incarnations. Possibly the biggest disappointment with this figure is the complete lack of accessories. Outside of the stand which really doesn’t count, Bucky is a lone White Wolf (sorry). Without giving anything away, I can say that the lack of weapons tracks with his current character development on the show, but even so, I can’t understand why he didn’t get anything at all. It really is a double edged sword, because if he were to have more stuff, it would just bulk him up, ruining the sleek design of the figure. Overall, the Winter Soldier serves to depict the character in a great, modern fashion that brings the new, modern Bucky to life in a more accurate way than ever before.
MMC Score — 7 out of 10
Captain America (John F. Walker)
Who’s strong and brave, here to save the American Way? Well, it just might be this guy, but honestly, who knows? John Walker is a name usually tied to a character known as U.S Agent, but in the show, he seems to be serving as the new Captain America. John’s figure carries not only the mantle and shield but also many similar design aspects to previous Minimate Caps. The helmet seems to be the exact same piece with a slight paint app alteration, adding a star around the “A.” The shield is a similar Cap shield from recent releases that’s stamped with the MCU shield design. Both pieces have great colors and detail and could have easily been swiped straight from Cap himself. The leg detailing is also very similar to Cap, having various pockets and boots, although the boots’ red edging appears to be new.
The major differences between Steve Rodgers’ Cap and Walker’s Cap come in his head and torso. The face detailing is an acceptable Wyatt Russell depiction but I feel there could be more to it. His hair seems like it would be right but there’s a sizing difference that makes it look off when on his head. It all definitely works and looks like him but I think it could be a little better. The torso is a whole new design with horizontal lines and a single star on the top left. There’s no white and minimal silver that accents the darkened reds and blues. The detailing is really great through the torso and onto the arms and there’s even added straps for the back holder that Cap figures usually get. John also gets a holster and a pistol, giving him four extra parts on top of the base figure. Next to a regular Cap figure, this one is mostly indistinguishable but the differences make for something special. The suit detailing showcases the thought put into this suit and makes for a really stunning figure, Cap or not,
MMC Score — 8 out of 10
Conclusion
Outside of the lack of extra parts, I don’t have any major complaints with these figures. They’re both, for the most part, rehashes of previous MCU releases that fix all the major problems from the originals. Both have full fluid articulation as these characters should and both look great displayed separately or together. I think it’s funny that the imposter Cap and newly made Bucky would be packaged together as they’re both the evolution of characters we’ve seen packaged before numerous times. Overall, it’s a great set and definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of the show, the characters or their past selves.
Agree? Disagree? Why not vote for yourself below, or comment further over at the Minimate Multiverse MMC Review Forum.
Review and pictures by Dash Hauenstein.
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