Overwatch Ultimates - ZARYA!

Overwatch Ultimates: Series 02 Single-Pack Figures - Zarya - Hasbro 2019

I'm in love with this figure. I've never played Overwatch (nor any modern video game for that matter), but I've really been drawn to the character design in this Overwatch Ultimates line. Sometimes I feel like I have a stereotypical female aesthetic cemented in my brain. I'm naturally drawn to an hourglass shape and a pretty face on my collectibles, which is fine. But sometimes I worry that the characters that don't fit that mold get undeservedly ignored. This observation surfaces a lot with robots and Transformers, where a character that doesn't have exaggerated features doesn't register as female at all. But then a figure like this Zarya comes along and makes me think I'm not as close-minded as I fear. Her body is a powerhouse, she has a thick neck, huge biceps, a decidedly unfeminine haircut, and she sports tattoos and scars. But she still presents as a fantastic example of feminine masculinity. I think this might go down as one of my favorite figures of the year. Let's check out Zarya below!

Overwatch Ultimates - ANA (SHRIKE)!

Overwatch Ultimates: Series 01 Single-Pack Figures - Ana (Shrike) - Hasbro 2019

Of all the amazing figures in Hasbro's new Overwatch Ultimates line, I think this figure of Ana in her Shrike skin is the least impressive. While other characters are a colorful and fun blend of genres (mecha, fantasy, anime, etc), this one just looks dark and nondescript. That said, it's still a pretty cool figure. The teal, purple, and yellow details really add a lot of pop, but the overall look is still pretty shrouded and menacing. From what I can gather from my research, Ana is a character with many different skins. This Shrike skin is not her most iconic, so its inclusion left a lot of collectors flummoxed.  A cool skill I learned is that she can fire darts at her allies to heal them. Darts of healing potion is a pretty original concept for me. There was an announcement today of a GameStop 4-pack that includes (among other things) a new version of Pharah in a different skin. So I think it's possible that we might see an Ana in her classic blue-hooded look eventually. Only time will tell though. Let's check out Ana (Shrike) below!

Overwatch Ultimates - MERCY & PHARAH!

Overwatch Ultimates: Series 01 - Mercy & Pharah Figure 2-Pack - Hasbro 2019

Even if you don't play video games and have no idea what Overwatch is (like yours truly), this Mercy and Pharah 2-pack is very difficult to ignore. Maybe I'm alone in this, but winged action figures seem to carry a certain weight that terrestrial characters just don't have. The flying character in a wave is almost always the most popular and the play-quality is leaps and bounds above the rest. So this 2-pack featuring two very different winged females is very special. Mercy looks like a typical angelic deity character while Pharah looks like a mecha warbird. The pair is is mind-blowingly cool (in my not-so-humble-opinion). Also, I said this in previous Overwatch Ultimates reviews, but these designs also hit a nostalgic nerve for me because they seem very reminiscent to Masamune Shirow's multi-genre art style that I was obsessed with in the 90's (until his work took a sharp turn toward the erotic and i got prudish). The quality of these figures is really top notch and I'm really hoping a second wave is announced soon.

Overwatch Ultimates - SOMBRA!

Overwatch Ultimates: Series 01 Single-Pack Figures - Sombra - Hasbro 2019

Sombra is a technological hacker character in Overwatch. Her most interesting skill is her "hack" which projects as a pink energy blast (with a skull motif) that will disrupt another character, especially if they have tech-based armor or weapons. Of all the toys I have bought from this first wave of Overwatch Ultimates figures, I will reluctantly say that Sombra is my least favorite. This is ironic because based solely on her design, I expected her to be near the top of my list. But in person, her head seems too small; her jacket and waistcoat seem bulky, awkward, and cumbersome; and her legs seem weak and gangly with oversized ankles (if they had proper paint apps, her ankles would look like the mechanical detail they are supposed to be, but without that paint distinction she looks like a poster child for Edema). This figure is still very stunning. Her hair is cool and her magenta and aqua color scheme with silver details is very eye-catching. But she's just got some stiff competition in this line. Let's check out Sombra below!

Overwatch Ultimates - TRACER!

Overwatch Ultimates: Series 01 Single-Pack Figures - Tracer - Hasbro 2019

I don't play video games outside of the occasional app-of-the-moment phone distraction, so I often don't get pulled into action figures based on game properties. I would often be impressed by the character design, but the lack of connection to the property (plus the questionable articulation and price points) made it easy for me to resist. But when Hasbro announced their Overwatch Ultimates line, I had a gut feeling I would be plunging in deep. I had been noticing the Overwatch characters for a few years. Their bright colors and their Masamune Shirow-esque designs really intrigued me. Then I looked at the actual lineup of the figures and saw five females and four males. I can't not support a line with that kind of female representation. Plus Hasbro has not let me down in a long time in regards to quality and value. The distribution has been great as well. I've seen these figures stocked in Walmart, Target, and GameStop so far. And after seeing them in person, I really hope the line continues. Let's check out Tracer below!