I didn’t care much for the initial two figures in the new Figuarts Street Fighter line, even though they were well made. Ryu and Chun-Li already have hundreds of figures between them (well, arguably Chun-Li has that herself) and they’re not really favourites. Third one out was Cammy and I don’t care too much for her either. It was very unexpected to see Rashid there, however. Unexpected and very welcome. Ever since the beta, I’ve been enjoying playing with this carefree Emirati playboy, using his devastating kicks and spinning attacks. It was also great to see him take a big role in the story mode. But I wouldn’t have guessed that he would get such a prominent figure so soon.

S.H. Figuarts is a quality line of posable collectible figures, but I’ve had some issues with them. One is the lack of accessories. Even though these generally aren’t for play, it’s good to get a variety to be able to set them up as you please. Rashid has three different faces and three pairs of hands, as well as some swoosh effects that can be attached to his legs (I chose to use my existing generic effects though). What he does lack, as usual, is a stand. Since Rashid is so often leaping around, that’s a big minus. And unlike Figmas, he doesn’t have a hole on his back, and he is wider than your average anime waif, so existing stands need a bit of adapting. Oh, and he comes with a cardboard background of the Dubai stage, which was already warped out of the box.

The figure itself is very solid, though. Standing about 16 centimeters tall, he is sculpted very closely to the game (which some claim looks like action figures to begin with). The painting is great without going overboard with washes. His posability is also great, with double-jointed shoulders, elbows and knees, very flexible hips and even toe tilts. The head also has a good range of motion, although he can’t look very far up because of the cowl. However, his jacket is very flexible and divided so that it doesn’t restrict his legs too much. I can easily get most of his trademark poses, but the super move genie pose with folded arms can’t be done.

Overall, Rashid is a great figure and probably my best Figuarts so far. The character is so damn likable and this figure captures him perfectly. The eyepiece isn’t quiiiiite centered and some of the joints look a little blocky, but other than that he’s quality in both design and build. If you are a Rashid fan, you’re certainly not going to find a better representation anytime soon!