Imported Thoughts: The Future of NECA's Pacific Rim Line

Over the past few weeks and months, much has been learned of the future of NECA's rapidly-expanding Pacific Rim line. Its hard to believe how far we've already come, and yet the end is still nowhere in sight. I've decided to gather all the information we know regarding future releases in detail, as well as speculate on what else can be released and how likely those releases are.


Hit the jump for the full article!

Note: I'm splitting this write-up into two sections, Jaegers and Kaiju. Jaeger-wise, we know quite a bit of what the future holds. Most of the Jaegers below has already been confirmed, whereas little is known about the future of the kaiju, so that section will mostly act as an updated version of my previous article last July. As such, most of what is discussed is speculation on my part (likeliness of release and when, whether or not they should definitely be included in the line, prices, etc.). Keep in mind my last write-up was before the last SDCC and the line has come a long way since then, so some of my views have changed.

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JAEGERS

A lot of information and hints towards future releases have been dropped concerning upcoming Jaeger figures over the past few months. During the 2015 Toy Fair, NECA stated that they are working on (at least) five new Jaegers. NECA’s Director of Product Development, Randy Falk, has also revealed quite a bit of information regarding these future Jaegers. Currently, four new Jaegers have been confirmed, as detailed below (along with some other possibilities for the future).

Striker Eureka and Crimson Typhoon (2.0 versions)

In a Toy Fair interview, Randy Falk stated that NECA has plans to "redo some [Jaegers] that could be better than what we did before", which, seeing as Gipsy Danger has already been redone and the series 3 Jaegers (Cherno Alpha and Coyote Tango) were the start of the "revamped" and improved figures, is clearly referring to Striker Eureka and Crimson Typhoon. In a different interview, Randy briefly discussed the updated version of Striker Eureka, saying that it is being based on the upcoming 18" figure. No further information has been given on the updated Crimson Typhoon, and unlike Striker 2.0 it has not been "officially" announced or discussed, but I imagine it is only a matter of time before we hear more. In addition, seeing as Gipsy Danger includes all kinds of alternate hand accessories, I would like to see this figure include interchangeable saw accessories.

Gipsy Danger ("Battle At The Docks" version)

During the Toy Fair, Randy mentioned a "Battle at the Docks" Gipsy Danger figure, possibly by accident as we have not heard of such a figure yet. It was later confirmed via Twitter that "Battle at the Docks" did not refer to previous Gipsy Danger variants, signifying that it is an entirely new variant. Currently there are no further details on the figure. I imagine that it will be largely the same as the "Hong Kong Brawl" Gipsy figure since Gipsy did not receive any serious battle-damage in this fight, though will likely have a blood-covered paint scheme and a Plasmacaster, and perhaps even some shipping container accessories. To give my honest opinion, I'm a bit hesitant on this figure. Seeing as the Gipsy Danger figures are meant to be compatible with one another, one can easily place the "Anchorage Attack" Gipsy Danger's Plasmacaster on the "Hong Kong Brawl" version if they own both, which is what I imagine "Battle At The Docks" to look like. While the other Gipsy Danger variants had enough differences and unique features to justify the variants, I'm not sure what this figure will include to make it unique, though I will reserve judgement until we find out more.

Brawler Yukon

As an unexpected surprise, NECA recently dropped an image from inside the studio, showing papers containing concept art and design plans of the original Jaeger, Brawler Yukon. Brawler Yukon has only been seen in the graphic novel, Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero, thus making it the first Pacific Rim character that was not seen in the movie to receive a figure (besides Axehead, who was simply a concept character and not a "real" kaiju). Brawler officially rounds out the Jaeger line, as we have yet to see any more Jaegers at this time.

Striker Eureka (Missile Launcher version)

This is a release that is purely speculation on my part, as no hints have been dropped for such a figure. This would be a variant of the Striker Eureka 2.0 figure with the Anti-Kaiju Missile Launcher displayed in Striker's chest. Unlike Crimson Typhoon's saws, which can easily be included with the normal figure as alternate hand accessories, Striker's missile launcher requires a new chest. Personally, I think it might be a bit much to ask for the mechanism to actually launch the missiles, even if Horizon Brave is to have a similar gimmick (and it is worth noting that Horizon's are significantly larger). In addition to the different chest, this figure could also include the nuclear bomb that was strapped to Striker's back that was to detonate in the breach.

18" Crimson Typhoon

With Gipsy Danger, Striker Eureka, and Cherno Alpha receiving the 18" treatment, it only makes sense to see an 18" Crimson Typhoon at some point down the line. While NECA has yet to say anything on the subject, I would imagine that an 18" Crimson is at the very least currently under consideration, which, like the 18" Striker Eureka, might provide a basis as to what the 7" Crimson Typhoon 2.0 will be like.

Concept Jaegers

Going back to Toy Fair once again, Randy stated that there will be "conceptual ones [Jaegers] that weren't in film". Whether or not he means Jaegers that were scrapped, such as the one seen to the right above, or simply early versions of existing characters, similar to "Axehead" being an early design of Trespasser, remains to be seen.

Future Jaegers

As stated above, with the reveal of Brawler Yukon, we now know we are getting 7" scale toys of every Jaeger we've seen so far. However, we know there are more Jaegers out there, with many names having been dropped in the past, such as Diablo Intercept, Nova Hyperion, Lucky Seven, etc. The recently-announced comic series, Tales From the Drift, promises to deliver some of these previously unseen Jaegers. The fact that Brawler Yukon is getting a figure bodes well for future comic Jaegers. If NECA does dive into the new comic series, though, it will probably be a while before we see them. Even if the comic series is to be released this year, I'd personally bet against seeing them at the SDCC or anytime this year, as there are many other Jaegers detailed above that are coming. There is also the future animated series, set for release in 2016, which also promises more Jaegers. One thing's for sure, there will be no shortage of more Jaegers to get figures out of.

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KAIJU

Unlike the Jaegers, a lot on the kaiju side of things is still up in the air. We only know of one upcoming release (sans the rubber Baby Kaiju, which is to be out in a few weeks), though during Toy Fair it was confirmed that there are at least three more kaiju in development. We know that a winged Otachi is coming (detailed below), but we don't yet know if that count of three new kaiju includes the Otachi variant. Randy did specifically state that they were working on "a few kaiju that we have not done", which implies that we're getting at least two new characters. No hints have been dropped regarding those future kaiju releases.

Otachi (Winged/Battle Damaged version)

First spotted in a video back in December, the winged Otachi was brought up in an interview with Randy Falk at Toy Fair, where Randy explained more about the figure. In addition to the massive (and translucent) wings, staying true to the film, the figure will also have a bloody stump where the tail was severed, as well as a new mouth piece to show where Gipsy Danger had ripped the acid sac out. The figure will be compatible with the regular Otachi, with the tail and stump being interchangeable, as well as the mouth pieces. With this, one can create the "ultimate Otachi" with wings and tail, as seen in the video game. Lastly, the figure will include a clear stand in which Jaegers can be connected to in order to simulate Otachi flying away with a Jaeger in tow. This figure is expected to be officially revealed very soon.

Raiju

One of the most requested kaiju that still remains, Raiju was only seen onscreen for a few seconds, but still had a crucial role in the finale of the film, severely damaging Gipsy Danger. Now we have a Gipsy Danger figure that reflects said damage the character retrieved in this the battle ("Reactor Blast"), and yet, not the character that inflicted the most noticeable damage, which is, of course, an entire arm being severed. We have Scunner and the Gipsy Danger from the final fight; it only makes sense to see a Raiju soon as well. After reviewing the film, Raiju is noticeably larger than I initially believed. The tail is quite long as well. Raiju will certainly be more than the standard $30 for kaiju, but how much more? I suspect Raiju will be in the $50 range, personally, maybe a little more but not more than Otachi. Other than the size, it is also important to note Raiju's flower-pedal head, which probably raises the price as well. I hope we see a something similar to how Otachi's jaw was handled for that gimmick. Out of all the remaining kaiju, I expect Raiju will be the next to be revealed, or at the very least is one of the new kaiju we were promised. I'd wager he'll be on display at the next SDCC if he is not revealed before then.

Mutavore

A somewhat forgettable kaiju, Mutavore was only seen in a brief battle and was soon forgotten. Recently, though, there has been more demand for the character. My opinions on the character have changed as well. Before SDCC 2014, we only had the main Jaegers and a few kaiju. We've gotten much further in the line know, to the point where we're getting Jaegers that were on screen for less than five seconds each as well as a Jaeger that wasn't even in the film. If we are going to go that far with this line, I think its not unreasonable to expect a kaiju that had over half of a minute of focus - twice as much screen-time as all three of the prologue Jaegers combined. Mutavore has a fairly unique and strange design, which is a plus as well. Mutavore also has a similar build to the Knifehead body type, and is around the same height. For this reason, I can't imagine him costing much more than the standard $30, certainly no more than $40. I'd like to see a Mutavore soon as well, and I'm expecting him to be revealed sooner than later, quite possibly the next SDCC.

Slattern

The largest kaiju by a large margin, Slattern was the final boss of the film, the last kaiju to be defeated. As such, it is not hard to justify why he should receive a figure. And as mentioned with Raiju, a new Gipsy Danger is being with the damages sustained in the final battle, and said figure contains the chest beam that was used to kill Slattern. It'd be a bit odd to never receive a Slattern to go with it. Slattern's size is the reason we have not see him yet, and probably won't for quite some time. The kaiju is absolutely massive; with the tails it will likely be over two feet long. NECA has delivered large figures before, such as Otachi or the Alien Queen, so there is no question that they can do it. I can see him easily fetching $100, no question, probably much more. To me, Slattern is a must for the line, but for the reasons already stated, I don't believe we'll be seeing him anytime in the near future. Maybe once the other film kaiju are done.

As a side-note, some fans have mentioned the possibility of a battle-damaged variant. While Slattern did receive noticeable damage after surviving Striker Eureka's detonation, the figure's sure-to-be daunting price point will likely prevent us from seeing any variants.

Onibaba

While not seen onscreen for a long time, Onibaba did have a pivotal role in the film with its affect on Mako's life. He is still on the more "obscure" end of the spectrum, though, alongside Mutavore. But, like Mutavore, my views have shifted. I think there is enough justification for Onibaba to get a figure at some point down the line. Onibaba's body is a bit more complex than the other somewhat-humanoid-shaped kaiju seen in the film. He has a fairly thick body, similar to Leatherback's, and supported solely by four thin legs, which is a bit worrying. If the legs on the hypothetical figure are too loose, he might require a stand. I'm not entirely sure on how he will be priced, either, as I'm not entirely sure on his height. While his official stats state that he is rather short, he is much larger in the video game, which might be a bit closer to what we should expect. Regardless, even if he is big, I can't imagine he would be terribly expensive. I think we should see Onibaba at some point, but I don't know if we're going to see him anytime soon.

Karloff

One of the "prologue kaiju", Karloff was only seen onscreen for two blink-and-you-miss-it scenes. The kaiju, however, was a big focus of the graphic novel, Tales From Year Zero, which showed its entire fight with the first Jaeger, Brawler Yukon. At this point in time, we have figures of the prologue Jaegers, and it would only be fitting to get the kaiju as well, but there are still four other kaiju from the film that need to be done. I don't see Karloff as a character that "definitely" needs to be added in this line, but I would very much like him to be. After the chibi Karloff was revealed at Toy Fair, there was a spike in requested for a full-fledged version in the 7" series. Not to mention his importance in the world of Pacific Rim (the first kaiju to fight a Jaeger). If a Karloff is made, it will likely be a standard $30 kaiju, but possibly even less considering how thin the character is. Its been known for quite some time that Randy Falk is a fan of the figure, which is definitely a good thing and could help give Karloff the extra push needed to get a figure. NECA has stated there are no current plans for Karloff, so I would not expect to see him this year, but in the future he might have a good chance, once more kaiju from the film are done. Especially now that we know we are getting a Brawler Yukon figure; it only seems right for his opponent to get one as well.

Hardship

Another "prologue kaiju", Hardship was seen in the film very briefly, like Karloff, though he was seen fighting a Jaeger, Romeo Blue. Like Karloff, there was an increase in demand when the chibi was revealed. Hardship has the advantage of sharing a body with another kaiju, Mutavore, similar to how Knifehead, Scunner, Trespasser, share many parts. In this case, only the head and structures on the back are different. Behind the scenes footage reveals Hardship to be a rather small kaiju, shorter than Mutavore, so they would have to scale down Mutavore's body if they wanted to get a Hardship out of it. Due to his size, he'd also likely be $30 or less. Also like Karloff, Hardship's opponent Jaeger has a figure. A figure of Romeo Blue's opponent here would definitely be appreciated at some point, but I would not expect Hardship this year.

Leatherback (2.0)

The original Leatherback figure was a part of the second wave, before the line really improved in quality. At this point, every other figure from the first two waves have already been redone or are going to be redone; Leatherback is the only one left. The have been a number of requests for a new Leatherback, and some paintmaster prototypes of the original have been mistakenly taken as a sign of a new Leatherback. NECA recently said there are currently no plans for a revamped Leatherback, but the demand is there. The first figure was lacking in articulation and in the paint department; it feels a bit out-of-place compared to the newer kaiju, especially Otachi. I will say, though, the original was scale-accurate. One complaint that was brought up more than one occasion was that the original Leatherback was too small, and though it may seem small when compared to the likes of Otachi, it is entirely accurate. Leatherback's bulk makes up for his short height. Though the original release was only $20, I'd expect a 2.0 version to cost more, likely $30. In time, I'm certain we'll see a Leatherback 2.0, though I personally would like to see the other kaiju from the film done first.

Comic Kaiju/Future Kaiju

With the reveal of Brawler Yukon comes the question of whether or not NECA would continue with kaiju also seen within Tales From Year Zero. There were five kaiju seen in the comic (Scissure, Kaiceph, Belobog, Verocitor, and Meathead [cover]), all of whom only had brief appearances, some no more than one panel. Considering the fact that we haven't even seen most of these kaiju in full, I don't believe we will be seeing figures of them. By the time we see all the kaiju listed from the film, there will be more, newer options from the comic series and maybe even the animated series. Personally, I would like to see figures of these characters, in particular the monster seen on the cover, Meathead, but I don't believe that we will be seeing them as we've only seen them make cameos. Though, I will add that there was a fully-detailed and fully-painted Meathead maquette created before the film; if any character from this comic is to get a figure, it would be him.

There is also the new aforementioned comic series, Tales From The Drift, which has already revealed a new kaiju within the first three pages and promises even more. Depending on how much focus is given to these kaiju, I believe there can be a chance of seeing figures of them eventually, though we still know little about the comic series, so it is difficult to judge. After the comic series will come the animated series, which will also show many new kaiju. Seeing there are still six kaiju from the film, seven if you count a Leatherback 2.0, that still have yet to receive figures, its difficult to imagine comic kaiju getting toys at this time. However, much of what to expect in the future is unknown, and we might just end up seeing NECA take on comic kaiju. Only time will tell, but finishing the film kaiju should be the main priority right now.


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And there you have it - a complete list of what has been confirmed, and my thoughts as to what else can and should be released. I'm still not completely over the fact that we have figures of Jaegers that appeared in the film for mere seconds - let alone full-sized, fully-articulated ones. Its amazing how far NECA has gone with the line, and I am extremely thankful for what we have gotten so far. I'm eager to see what the future holds for this line, and I'm looking forward to the next reveals. 

Thanks for reading!