The long awaited Predator – Ultimate 7″ Scale Jungle Hunter Predator is now in stores. For this release, NECA went back to their original Classic Predator sculpt and updated the figure with new articulation. They added in some skull trophies, interchangeable heads, multiple hands and more to make this the best version of the original Predator they’ve ever released. I dive into the figure with nearly 70 high resolution photos and a full review. The figure was provided by Toyark sponsor Dorkside Toys. Check out their links below and my gallery and review after the jump.
Related Dorkside Toys Links: 30th Anniversary Predator Assortment, Predator Series 16, All NECA Predator Figures
Predator – Ultimate 7″ Scale Jungle Hunter Predator
Pros
- Excellent Sculpt
- Great paint work
- Updated articulation
- Easy to swap out parts
- Multiple display options
- More skulls for the Predator trophy display
Cons
- Blast effect is too heavy for the Plamsacaster
Overall
The Jungle Hunter Predator comes in a nice flapped window box that fits in perfectly with the Ultimate line up from NECA. The front features a nice close up of the Predator mask from the film, with photos of the figure throughout the interior and back of the box. Inside, the Predator sits in a plastic tray along with the accessories. Included is the figure, a set of extra hands, an additional unmasked head, a mask, the Plasmacaster shoulder cannon, a Plamsacaster effects piece, a skull and a skull and spine. The small diorama backdrop features jungle scene from the film.
For this release, NECA revisited their original sculpt and added in new articulation points in the knees and shoulders. The classic Predator sculpt still holds up quite nicely. The figure has great details throughout that fit perfectly with the most current Predator figure releases. The paint work is superb here. There’s no noticeable paint bleed, with nice transitional colors in the skin tone, and a nice heavy paint wash on the armored pieces. The colors used are a bit more toned down than more recent releases, which gives it a more film-like look to it. The paint lines on areas like the netting is clean and crisp as well.
Collectors who have purchased a Predator figure from the AvP, the latest Kenner wave, or the Jungle demon Predator, will be familiar with the highly articulated sculpt. By adding in additional articulation, the figure now has a far more natural feeling range of motion than the Predator figures prior to 2016. The double jointed elbows really allow for some dynamic fight poses and the Predator can bring the gauntlet computer right up to his face now. The figure has a nice weight to it, so posing with the new double jointed knees won’t cause the figure to tumble over. Joints are nice and tight throughout, with no noticeably loose spots and no paint locking issues. The head sculpts and the hands all change out easily, but fit snugly onto the pegs.
Longtime NECA Predator fans have been looking forward to this release since it was announced last year, myself included. As someone who started collecting Predator figures later on, this is my first official version of the Jungle Hunter and I’m very pleased with it. The included accessories are excellent, and by included masked and unmasked head sculpts, it open up some great display options. My only real issue came up when attaching the shoulder cannon blast effect. The small ball joint that holds the cannon itself couldn’t support the added weight of the effects piece. Other than that, the Ultimate Jungle Hunter is an outstanding release. Check out some highlight photos below and the full gallery after that.
CompaniesNECA
CharactersJungle Hunter Predator
Scale7 Inch