Brand Review - Iron Studios

When I had previously reviewed the Diamond Select brand, I described them as “the foundation for new collectors to purchase from”. Basically, the ideal starting point for anyone who’d be interested in starting their statue collecting journey. However, I also alluded to the fact that many different brands have been established throughout the years, each with their own level of quality. As a result, a hierarchy of sorts has sprung up, with Diamond Select being at the bottom. What brand would be above Diamond Select, you may ask? Iron Studios, of course.

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A massive hub for pop-culture collectibles, Iron Studios are known for their wide range of 1/10 scale statues, but also for adding that extra level of details which Diamond Select lacks. Unfortunately, that also means an increase in prices and this is where the problems arise. A regular statue from Iron Studios would cost somewhere between 180 to 300, and whilst that price range is justifiable considering the heft, paint application & detail of each one, the downside is its size. Recent upcoming releases, such as their 1/10 scale statue of Geralt based off the Witcher Netflix series and Cygnus Hyoga from the Saint Seiya anime, highlight a trend where Iron Studios charges an unjustifiable amount for a statue that should be somewhere between 30 to 35 cm, but instead would be less than 30 cm. 

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Sadly, this is starting to become a more common occurrence with the brand. Even their ¼ scale line, whilst amazing, suffers the same problem. I pray that one day Iron Studios does a course correction, but given the price hikes affecting the statue collecting hobby due to external factors, it seems more and more unlikely. That being said, I still enjoy the works that Iron Studios produce. The level of passion they put into each statue to capture the likeness of the franchise in question is undeniable. Despite the flaws I mentioned, I would still put this above Diamond Select. Therefore, Iron Studios gets a 7.5/10!