Guillermo del Toro Signature Collection The Shape of Water - Amphibian Man by NECA

Next week, the highly anticipated The Shape of Water – Amphibian Man 7″ Scale Figure from the Guillermo Del Toro Signature Collection begins to ship to retailers from NECA Toys. Inspired by the classic Creature From The Black Lagoon films from Universal, The shape of Water tells the story of Elisa, a mute woman working as a janitor in a secret research facility. There she meets a curious amphibious creature and forms an unbreakable bond with it. Unable to bear seeing the beautiful being tortured, she devises a plan to help the Amphibian Man escape and return to the sea where it belongs. That’s a simplified explanation for one of Guilermo del Toro’s most celebrated films.

When NECA initially announced their Guillermo del Toro Collection, the Amphibian Man became one of the most in-demand releases in the line. Our friends at NECA have sent over the figure. after the jump, you can check out my thoughts, as well as a full photo gallery.

The Shape of Water – Amphibian Man 7″ Scale Figure

Pros

Beautifully sculpted
Excellent paint deco
Great articulation and range of motion
Good selection of swap out parts
Includes an excellent display stand with chains and shackles
The plate of hard boiled eggs is a nice touch

Cons

None

Overall
The Amphibian Man is packed in a collector friendly flapped window box. The front panel features the now iconic poster for the film, while the back of the box gives you look a the figure and accessories. The figure itself is packed on a plastic tray, with a second tray holding the diorama base. The Amphibian Man includes two interchangeable portraits, two sets of hands, swap out forearms, a plate of eggs, two removable underarm fins, and a display base.

As my personal most anticipated figure in the del Toro line up, the figure had a lot to live up to. The design for the creature was a great call back to the classic Gill Man of the 1950’s Black Lagoon films. NECA took great care in sculpting this figure, capturing the look of the film nearly flawlessly. The entire figure is cast in a semi-translucent plastic, similar to head sculpts on past NECA figures. It gives the figure a realistic wet shine that works really well here. There’s a lot of intricate detail to check out, from small scales on the face, to more rigid muscular detailing on areas like the chest. The figure is nicely articulated, featuring double joints in the knees and elbow, a ball jointed upper torso, and even an articulated jaw on one of the head sculpts. Parts swap out easily, with minimal force needed to remove or attach each piece. For those wondering about the two sets of forearms, one set is specifically designed to be used with the wrist shackles, as not to damage the fins on the other pair.

While the sculpt and articulation are both excellent, it’s probably the paint job that’s most impressive here. The body features a number complicated patterns and color transitions that blend together nicely. The figure is a mix of tan and a deep green-ish brown that help to bring out the sculpted details. Brightly colored blue stripes add to the amphibious look of the creature, with pops of orange here and there to tie everything together. Surprisingly, none of the paint seems to hinder the translucent look.

The diorama base included here is based on the platform that the Amphibian Man was shackled to as he was poked and prodded by the government officials and scientists. There are metal chains, which attach to the base and have various shackles on the end. For the arms, you remove the hands and slide the cuffs on. The collar piece actually opens, allowing it to clasp around the neck of the figure. There’s enough slack in the chains to display the figure in various standing or kneeling poses. also included here is a plate of hard boiled eggs, which Elisa would share with him during her visits.

With the Amphibian Man, NECA has another must buy in the Guillermo Del Toro Signature Collection. The figure is every bit as good as, if not better than, the impressive Faun and Pale Man figures. With numerous display options and a great diorama base, there’s plenty to love here. Check out a selection of photos below, and the full gallery after that.

Some of the backgrounds featured in pics below are from Extreme-Sets.com. Enter code TOYARK at checkout and get 15% off your order!