Review of Kira Nerys - Star Trek Deep Space Nine
Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

EXO-6 has been producing one of the finest sixth scale action figure series over the last three years, and certainly the best Star Trek series ever. They've almost finished up their Voyager releases (for now), and 2024 should see a lot more Deep Space Nine figures. For those of us that are big DS9 fans, that's welcome news.

They've produced two Deep Space Nine characters so far - Captain Sisko and Quark. We expect to see quite a few more, and the third is shipping very soon, Major Kira Nerys. This is a bit of an early review, but she should be going out within the next week or so.

She'll run you around $210, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
The box continues their standard design, with some nice figure shots on the exterior. Inside, the figure is boxed in a very collector friendly way, and the plastic tray is doubled up for additional support. There's even corner protectors inside the brown shipper to help ensure the box gets to you safely.  And once it does, open it up!

Sculpting - ****
This is the fourth female action figure produced by EXO-6, and it's the best head sculpt so far. Considering how good the previous releases were, that's saying quite a bit.

On occasion, I've mentioned the short hair sculpts could use a little more detail, a bit finer stranding. Here we see how good it can be when they pull that extra detail off. Her hair sculpt is excellent, both in terms of detail and accuracy.

There's a very realistic skin texture and slight wrinkling, but not too much. She isn't old, and shouldn't have the age damage that comes with it. But getting a realistic younger portrait like this is far, far harder, with less for the sculptor to work with. They've nailed it here, and scored high on the realism scale.

They've also nailed the accuracy of the portrait. You'll recognize Kira immediately, with the proportions - forehead, jawline, head, eyes - on target with the character and actress. The ridged nose looks particularly good, but the addition of the sculpted d'ja pagh cements the Bajoran appearance.

And yes, it's a sculpted piece. While some might want a real chain on this earring, this substitute works fine in hand.

Finally, there's the expression. They've gone with a serious but not extreme expression, perfect for everyday poses. It's not a mannequin or zombie look, and there's still plenty of life and personality in the face. But it's not extreme, which is appropriate for the character.

She stands about 11.75 inches tall, fitting in nicely with Sisko and Quark. I've included a shot with Quark later in the review for comparison.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint work is sharp and clean, and does what a good paint job should - brings out and highlights the terrific sculpt.

The hair is a solid brown, but there's enough variation between the highs and lows to accentuate the stranding of the hair. The hairline is realistic and softly defined, and the skin has the slight mottling that gives it realism without giving her too much age.

The eyebrows, eyes, and lips are have an appropriate amount of makeup, and the slightly smoky look around the eyes is particularly well done.

The eyes themselves are sharp, straight, and glossy. That allows them to create natural catchlights, a big reason they look lifelike. The focal point of the eyes is about arms length rather than staring off into the far distance, which brings the pupils in slightly closer to the nose.

I only have two nits, and both are pretty minor. First, the cheeks are a bit rosier than I'd like. It's something you really have to be looking for to notice, however, and I'm betting most folks, in hand, won't have any issue.

The second nit is the silver chain on the earring. The paint is a little thick, making the sculpted chain less realistic. Again, I get why they went this route, but on super close inspection, it's noticeable.

Articulation - ***1/2
This is not the Seven of Nine body. You'll never see the Seven of Nine body used again, I'll guarantee it. It was a unique design for a unique character.

They are standardizing on a female body though, but rather than use the same one over in its entirety, they've created a more modular approach that allows them to add or remove size from the breasts, butt, legs, etc.  That way they can better match the general look of each actress without the excessive expense of a new body every time.

The head and neck are one piece, which does limit the posability slightly. The shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, torso, knees, and ankles all work as you'd expect, with a nice range of movement and the ability to create natural, flowing poses.

The ankles are slightly restricted by the boots though, so as you widen the stance, the feet will be harder to keep flat on the ground.

Accessories - ***
EXO-6 doesn't pack in a huge number of extras. It's one of the ways they can keep their figures in the $200 range, while other sixth scale companies are charging far more.

Because these characters tend to use the same gear, there's also the opportunity for re-use. With Kira, we are getting the same TR-590 tricorder (with magnets to hold the two pieces either open or close) and the standard P.A.D.D. She used them often enough that it fits, although they are far from unique to her.

She also has a wide assortment of hands, eight in total. There's the fists and relaxed grips, along with another set of accessory specific grips, and a set perfect for putting her hands on her hips. They swap easy enough, but I did find it easier to heat the hands with a hair dryer first.

She does have one unique - so far - accessory in the Bajoran phaser. There's also a holster on the belt for it, and it fits great inside. This holster was originally intended to be removable, but in final production it ended up not. You can slide it around on the belt and re-position it, however.

As with all the figures, she comes with the transporter base with a crotch support, and two different covers. There's also the small autograph card, and there are clips included to attach this card to the base, or to attach multiple bases together to create a larger transporter deck.

Outfit - ****
The outfits on the EXO-6 figures are simply amazing. The level of accuracy is outstanding, and the work hard to find materials and processes to recreate these costumes in sixth scale in the most accurate way possible.

Kira's bodysuit is perfectly tailored to the underlying body. Small details like the emblems are properly placed and tightly attached. The boot sculpts look great, and I really appreciate the sculpted belt and holster. The pleather stuff other companies are giving us in the name of 'accuracy' ends up decaying faster than any other part of the costume. Sculpted versions look just as good, and will last forever.

The sleeves are just a bit baggy, but a huge plus is their length. These are long enough to cover the wrist pegs in most poses, which is another area where too many companies fail.

While I love the sculpted belt, it does tend to work its way up her torso when you're posing. I had to keep pushing it down on her hips, and you'll be doing the same to get the best look.

Fun Factor - ****
We now have Sisko, Quark, and Kira, and the fun is just beginning. When we get Odo, he's going to look fantastic on the shelf with the love of his life. I'm hoping for at least eight DS9 figures to properly fill out the display, and to take on those Voyager characters when they get out of hand.

Value - ***
Regular readers know how this category works - **1/2 is an average value. That means you're getting what you're paying for. If the figure gets more than that, it improves my Overall...anything less, it hurts it. Here, you're getting a solid value on the current market, where figures of similar quality are $250.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing! As I said, you'll want to keep pushing that belt down to fit it tightly over the hips when you repose her, but otherwise you should be good to go.

Overall -****
While I grew up on TOS, it's DS9 that's my favorite Star Trek series so far. And yes, SNW has the chance to unseat it, but we'll see...

That means I've been really looking forward to filling out the crew, and this Kira Nerys really takes things up a notch. I think she's the best female figure they've produced so far, and that's saying a lot. I can't wait to see what we get with the others like Odo and Worf!

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ***
Outfit -****
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
You can order direct from EXO-6 for $215. Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth had her for $215 with free shipping but the pre-order is sold out. When they ship however, they may end up with a few extra in stock, and then if you use my link you'll get an additional 10% off, plus free shipping!

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered almost all the EXO-6 releases, with the most recent being TNG Data, Torres, and Quark.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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