Season 3 Fred, Illyria review

[michaelcrawford]

Diamond Select Toys continues their Angel line with the latest wave of Angel and Fred figures. These aren't quite out yet, but should be very soon. I have an early review up tonight of two of the Fred's - Season 3 Fred, and Shells Illyria. I prefer the Illyria head sculpt to the basic Fred, but the accessories that come with both figures are excellent. Lots of episode specific stuff! I'll also be reviewing a bunch of the new Angels this week, so keep an eye out for it.

You can find all the reviews at the usual:

www.mwctoys.com

Thanks for reading!

Michael
MWC

[Shannon]

kewl review
lucky!!!!
i wish i could have them now
i LOVE ur reviews, and these 2 helped alot, im glad to here the test tubes come outta the rack
cant wait to see the rest of the line reviewed
how did u get them early?

[xtinaslayer]

u have them?!!!!!?!!!!?!!!!

[xtinaslayer]

wat abt illyria the other one?
u have angel too it seems. PLS PLS PLS post pics!!!! and ya, when are they scheduled to arrive?

[Haephestus]

Thanks for the review.

Is there any chance of getting a close-up pic of season 3 Fred, without the shadows and looking directly at the camera, like the Shells Illyria close-up photo.

First impressions aren't that great. I'm not at all interested in Shells Illyria, but the head sculpt looks promising for the leather suit/regular Illyria that is also due.

What have they done to beautiful Fred/Amy Acker? The body seems unnecessarily stocky, especially compared to the fragile Buffy figures of the past. The face, while unclear, appears to bare little resemblence to Amy Acker.

Its a real shame. Such an important character and such a strange decision by DST to go with such a wacky outfit, hair-do and expression and then be unable to pull it off completely.

I think I'll be waiting on Fred to go on sale before I purchase. Though I still hold out hope for some kind of boxed set variant. If I was any kind of customiser, I would look at getting Shells Illyria and re-painting, but I'm not that skilled.

Cheers,
Haeph.

[xtinaslayer]

i wont be getting season 3 for sure, i think unless u're the type that goes for the accessories type considering the vast variety.

cant wait for illyria itself. will be getting that for sure

[Digital Leonardo]

Wow! Totaly sweet reveiw.

Fred looks alot more appeling now, and I am really considering buying her. Shells Illyria's arms and leg paint really bug me... its like... sculpted in? It looks really poor.

[jmay25]

Fred still looks goofy. I was hoping to see major improvements this close to release but this figure really does miss the mark and I can't imagine she will sell well enough to justify another version of Fred.

Shells Illyria looks awesome and I am getting really excited about the new bases and wealth of accessories. Thanks for the great review, as always!

[The Second Evil]

Awesome Review Michael! You Rock!

I think Fred still looks fairly bad in the head sculpt department, but other than that I think she Is one great figure. The accessories, the base and the articulation are all very good.

Shells Illyria has really grown on me. The dress looks very nice and is all one color (unlike previous pics) and also the base and accessories are cool. She has a good headsculpt and isn't as beefy like in the promo pics. YAY!!

I'm getting excited now!

[urbandruid]

Cool reviews as always, Michael, thanks! I think you sold me on Shells Illyria, but I'm still not so sure about Fred.

[VampireStake]

Very cool. Not too impressed with Fred, but I am sure we will see another one fairly soon (There is no way DTS only planned 1 'regular' Fred...C'mon....)

[xtinaslayer]

are u implying something?...hhmm.
but i doubt it. unless they do a wesley and fred boxset. unless a statuette of fred and wesley during the scene of wesley's death. tat would be the BOMB

[shivi1978]

xtinaslayer said:

unless a statuette of fred and wesley during the scene of wesley's death. tat would be the BOMB

woa I would pay 400 $ for a statuette of this scene !!!

[Digital Leonardo]

That would be cool. I wouldn't pay 400$ for it... but I would pay a nice chunk!

Oh! They should do "death" statuettes! Like "The Body" Joyce and Buffy, "Seeing Red" Tara and Willow oh, and, stuff like that^^ Those would be so sad and cool to have.

[xtinaslayer]

lets create a new post. go to the main site guys...

[michaelcrawford]

Glad you enjoyed the review. yep, as I mentioned in the Sculpt section, Fred leaves me a tad cold as well although Illyria is much better. Still, the accessories add quite a bit to her and the overall display.

Michael
MWC

[Shannon]

i like the fred
its her
all giddy and weird
i did like season 5 fred, but they made her (or tried to make her) into a cordelia with short skirts, makeup...
i like this one and cant wait to get it, and the accesories, she has enough to make her own lab with 2 microscopes, test tubes, books and so on and so forth
thanks for the review
its made me wanna get shells illyria!!

[michaelcrawford]

I'm surprised there isn't more comments...I'm putting together the Angel reviews tonight, half at Poop Shoot, and half at MROTW.

Michael
MWC

[Wicca]

I am very dissapointed.
I am not impressed with the way Season 3 Fred has turned out. From the prototype pictures we got a few months ago I was very looking forward to her and now I doubt I will get her. Her neck is way to short and now her pig tails look like two huge dead animals hanging from her ears. And the scale of the Fred figure to the Wesley figure! Fred figure is larger built and almost the same size as him. The paint job on both Fred and Illryia are also very dissapointing. This shiny gloss paint they use on the hair and faces dosen't apeal to me.

Thanks for the review MC! Im glad i didnt buy these first then be dissapointed, better sooner rather than later. Sorry if I am bitching, I am just not impressed by these figures.

[prophecygirl]

Thanks for yet another great review!

I'm impressed with 'Shells' Illyria