Final Fantasy XIII: Play Arts Lightning Kai Action Figure

Final Fantasy XIII: Play Arts Lightning Kai Action Figure

She's fast. Catch her if you can! Lightening from the Final Fantasy XIII video game! Sculpt taken from Square Enix's CGI designs. Extreme detail and articulation!
This action-packed Lightning Figure features a sculpt taken from Square Enix's CGI designs. Based on Final Fantasy XIII, the much-anticipated role-playing game on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Lightening stands 8 1/2-inches tall and comes in window-box packaging. She's fast. Catch her if you can! Square Enix's Play Arts Kai figures are an improved version of their popular Play Arts action figure series. With a larger scale, greater attention to detail, more articulation points, and additional parts, these are their finest action figures yet!

Buzz Lightyear

Buzz Lightyear is a fictional character appearing in the Toy Story franchise. He is a space ranger and is one of two main protagonists (the other being Sheriff Woody). He has also appeared in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and the television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, as well as the two film sequels. His often repeated catchphrase is "To infinity ... and beyond!" While Tim Allen voiced the character in the Toy Story films and the TV movie, Patrick Warburton provided his voice for the TV series, and Pat Fraley voiced Buzz Lightyear for the video games and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasers attraction in Disneyland.

In the theatrical films, the featured Buzz is a toy, a spaceman action figure, whereas the television properties follow the adventures of the fictional space ranger on whom the toy is modeled.

The character of Buzz originated(1995-2010) from an agreement signed by Disney and Pixar to work on a film based on characters from Pixar's Oscar-winning short film Tin Toy, which would be called Toy Story.John Lasseter, the director of Tin Toy, decided that the main character Tinny was "too antiquated", and the character was changed to a military action figure, and then given a space theme. Tinny's name changed to Lunar Larry, then Tempus from Morph, and eventually Buzz Lightyear (after astronaut Buzz Aldrin).Lightyear's design was modeled on the suits worn by Apollo astronauts as well as G.I. Joe action figures.Bob Pauley, a Production Designer at Pixar for the original Toy Story movie, is credited with some of the most formative and iconic character design work on Buzz Lightyear.Billy Crystal was approached to play Buzz, but turned down the role (which he later regretted).Bill Murray also originally was going to play Buzz, but he too turned down the role. Katzenberg then took the role to Tim Allen, who was appearing in Disney's Home Improvement, and he accepted.Toy Story was Allen's first animated film role.

Warhammer 40,000

Warhammer 40,000

Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K or simply 40K) is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1988 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics. Expansions for Warhammer 40,000 are released from time to time which give rules for urban, planetary siege and large-scale combat, respectively. The game is currently in its fifth edition.
Players can assemble and paint individual 28 mm (1.1 in) scale miniature figures that represent futuristic soldiers, creatures and vehicles of war. These figurines are collected to comprise squads in armies that can be pitted against those of other players. Each player brings a roughly equal complement of units to a tabletop battlefield with handmade or purchased terrain. The players then decide upon a scenario, ranging from simple skirmishes to complex battles involving defended objectives and reinforcements. The models are physically moved across the table and the actual distance between models plays a role in the outcome of combat. Play is turn based, with various outcomes determined by tables and the roll of dice. Battles may last anywhere from a half hour to several days, and battles may be strung together to form campaigns. Some game and hobby stores host games periodically, and official tournaments are held on a regular basis.
Warhammer 40,000's space fantasy setting spans a vast fictional universe. Its various factions and races include the Imperium of Man (the human race 38,000 years hence), the Orks (similar to Warhammer Fantasy Orcs), and the Eldar (similar to Elves in Warhammer Fantasy Battle), among others. These races, along with their playing rules, are covered in the game's rule books and supplemental army 'codexes' (called this by Games Workshop despite the correct plural being codices, hence this spelling is used throughout this article), along with articles in the Games Workshop magazines, White Dwarf and Imperial Armour. Lines of these miniatures are produced by Citadel Miniatures and Forge World.
The Warhammer 40,000 setting is used for several related tabletop games, video games, and various works of fiction, including licensed works published by Black Library, a subsidiary of Games Workshop.

Background
The Warhammer 40,000 game takes place in a highly-dystopic, science-fantasy universe. Set in the 41st millennium, most of the major storylines that provide the backdrop and history span over millennia.
Central to the Warhammer 40,000 universe are the Space Marines, giant, genetically-enhanced super-soldiers with world-destroying firepower and unswerving, fanatical loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind. While Space Marines act as the special forces of the Imperium, the bulk of mankind's military power is found in the Imperial Guard, which consist of billions of regiments, each thousands of soldiers strong.Their quintessential opposition is the Chaos Space Marines, who betrayed the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, led by Warmaster Horus (who was eventually killed by the Emperor).
Much of the Milky Way galaxy is controlled by the Imperium the Tau, a young and technologically-sophisticated civilization of aliens that work for the "greater good" of their empire and its inhabitants; the Necrons, soulless, living-metal constructs tricked into slavery by space entities; and the Tyranids, an all-consuming, all-organic, bio-engineered, extragalactic hive-swarm.Each of these races have playable armies. There is of course the warmonging hordes of Orcs, who raid Imperial terrority with anything from splintered tribes to entire WAAGGHs that can threaten entire regions of space. Other playable armies include the Witch Hunters and Daemonhunters, organizations within the Imperium, as well as the fallen Dark Eldar and the capricious Daemons of Chaos.

Gameplay
Games are held between two or more players,each of whom fields a group of units they have purchased, painted and assembled. The size and composition of these groups, referred to as armies, are determined on a point system, with each unit (figurine) assigned a value in points roughly proportional to its worth on the battlefield (a better unit or model is worth more points). Before a game, the gamers agree on how many points will be used as the maximum army size and each assembles an army up to that maximum limit. The composition of these armies is usually constrained by rules contained within the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, as well as in several army-specific rulebooks called 'codexes'. These rules and preparations are generally taken seriously among players.Common game sizes are between 500 and 2,000 points and played on tables four feet in width and four to eight feet in length, but it is possible to play much larger games given the time and inclination (larger point battles tend to be played by multiple gamers on larger tables).
At the onset of each game, a set of rules and goals is determined for that battle. These are collectively referred to as the scenario or mission being played. Players are assigned basic goals which range from the defense or capture of sections of the board to the destruction of enemy units. Additional rules may represent conditions for fighting at night or in environments that affect troops' abilities. These scenarios may be straightforward, taking only an hour or so to complete, or they may be quite complex and require several hours or even days to play out.A series of scenarios may be organized into a campaign, where two or more players fight against each other in a number of battles. These campaigns may feature their own special rules, and are typically tied together by a storyline that can evolve based on the results of each scenario.Many scenarios and campaigns are designed by Games Workshop and printed in the 'codexes', rulebooks or White Dwarf. Alternately, gamers may design their own scenarios or build new campaigns from premade scenarios.


A ForgeWorld Tyranid Trygon resin kit
Play is divided into "phases" where each player moves, shoots, and/or engages in close combat with various units. In the movement phase, a player determines the direction and distance individual units will travel, unless a special rule states otherwise. Some units can travel further than others in a single move, and terrain may inhibit movement. In the shooting phase, the player has the opportunity to make long-distance attacks with units that are within range of the enemy. In the Assault Phase, units may engage in close-quarters fighting with enemy units in close proximity. After one player completes all three phases play is turned over to the opposing player. Contingent events such as weapon hits and misses are determined by the roll of a six sided die (note that the rulebooks use the word "dice" to refer to a single die) and unit characteristics.A specialty die called a scatter die is used to determine deviation for less accurate events such as artillery barrages or reserve units deploying onto the battlefield through irregular means.Unlike some wargames, Warhammer 40,000 is not played on a hex map or any kind of pre-defined gameboard. Instead, units can be placed at almost any physical location on the table. Range between and among units is important in all three phases of play. Distance is measured in inches using a ruler. Determination of line of sight, is made at "model's eye view"—gamers may bend down to observe the board from the specific model's point of view.Victory is determined by points, awarded for completing objectives and/or destroying enemy units.


Battle between Chaos Daemons and Tau with dice and terrain elements visible
Benjamin Fox, in "The Performance of War Games", argues that player interaction on the battlefield reflects all portions of a "performance": script, drama and theater. He compares war games like Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 to role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and notes the dynamic nature of battles, where each conflict is different from the last.
Terrain is also an important part of play. Although Games Workshop sells terrain kits, many hobbyists prefer to make their own elaborate and unique set pieces.Common household items like soft drink cans, coffee cups, styrofoam packing pieces, and pill bottles can be transformed into ruined cathedrals, alien habitats, or other terrain with the addition of plastic cards, putty, and a bit of patience and skill.

History of Action figure

1960s-1970s
The term "action figure" was first coined by Hasbro in 1964, to market their G.I. Joe figure to boys who wouldn't play with dolls. G.I. Joe was initially a military-themed 11.5-inch figure proposed by marketing and toy idea-man Stan Weston. It featured changeable clothes with various uniforms to suit different purposes. In a move that would create global popularity for this type of toy, Hasbro also licensed the product to companies in other markets.
These different licensees had a combination of uniforms and accessories that were usually identical to the ones manufactured for the US market by Hasbro, along with some sets that were unique to the local market.
The Japanese had at least two examples where a Hasbro licensee also issued sublicenses for related products. For example, Palitoy issued a sublicense to Tsukuda, a company in Japan, to manufacture and sell Action Man accessories in the Japanese market. Takara also issued a sublicense to Medicom for the manufacture of action figures.
Takara, still under license by Hasbro to make and sell G.I. Joe toys in Japan, also manufactured an action figure incorporating the licensed GI Joe torso for Henshin Cyborg-1, using transparent plastic revealing cyborg innards, and a chrome head and cyborg feet. During the oil supply crisis of the 1970s, like many other manufacturers of action figures, Takara was struggling with the costs associated with making the large 11 ½ inch figures, So, a smaller version of the cyborg toy was developed, standing at 3-3/4 inches high, and was first sold in 1974 as Microman. The Microman line was also novel in its use of interchangeable parts. This laid the foundation for both the smaller action figure size and the transforming robot toy. Takara began producing characters in the Microman line with increasingly robotic features, including Robotman, a 12" robot with room for a Microman pilot, and Mini-Robotman, a 3-3/4" version of Robotman. These toys also featured interchangeable parts, with emphasis placed on the transformation and combination of the characters.
In 1971, Mego began licensing and making American Marvel and DC comic book superhero figures which had highly successful sales and are considered highly collectible by many adults today. They eventually brought the Microman toy line to the United States as the Micronauts, but Mego eventually lost control of the market after losing the license to produce Star Wars toys in 1976. The license was lost, not because Mego didn't realized the franchise potential, but because the people who could sign the license were out of town. The Star Wars people then visited another company located in the same building (200 5th Ave. NY, NY). The company was Kenner.[4] The widespread success of Kenner's Star Wars 3-3/4" toy line made the newer, smaller size the industry standard. Instead of a single character with outfits that changed for different applications, toy lines included teams of characters with special functions. Led by Star Wars-themed sales, collectible action figures quickly became a multi-million dollar secondary business for movie studios.

1980s-1990s
A Cobra Viper action figure via Hasbro in 2008. As part of the popular G.I. Joe series, this 3 ¾" tall, articulated figure includes an assault rifle and display stand.
The 1980s spawned all sorts of popular action figure lines, many based on cartoon series' which were one of the largest marketing tools for toy companies. Some of the most successful to come about were Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, and Super Powers Collection, to name just a few. Early in the decade, the burgeoning popularity of Japanese robot cartoons such as Gundam also encouraged Takara to reinvent the Microman line as the Micro Robots, moving from the cyborg action figure concept to the concept of the living robot. This led to the Micro Change line of toys: objects that could "transform" into robots. In 1984, Hasbro licensed Micro Change and another Takara line, the Diaclone transforming cars, and combined them in the US as the Transformers, spawning a still-continuing family of animated cartoons. As the '80s were ending, more and more collectors started to surface, buying up the toys to keep in their original packaging for display purposes and for future collectability. This led to flooding of the action figure toy market. One of the most popular action figure lines of the late '80s and early '90s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures were produced in such high quantities that the value for most figures would never be higher than a few dollars. In the mid 1990s, a new Star Wars figure line had surfaced and Spawn figures flooded the toy store shelves, proving action figures were not just for kids anymore. Beginning in 1997, ToyFare magazine would become a popular read for mature collectors in providing news and embracing nostalgia with a comedic twist. And with the gaining popularity of the Internet, websites such as Toy News International would soon offer information on upcoming collectible figures and merchandise.
It was during this time that popular characters were increasingly getting specialized costume and variant figures. Batman quickly became most notorious for this (i.e. Arctic Batman, Piranha Blade Batman, Neon Armor Batman). Rather than individual characters, these variants would make up the bulk of many action figure lines and often make use of the old figure and accessory molds. Glow-in-the-dark figures and accessories also became popular in the early '90s with lines like Toxic Crusaders and Swamp Thing.
A 1999 study found that "the figures have grown much more muscular over time, with many contemporary figures far exceeding the muscularity of even the largest human bodybuilders" and that the changing cultural expectations reflected by those changes may contribute to body image disorders in both sexes.

2000s
Today, the adult collector market for action figures is expanding with companies like McFarlane Toys, Palisades, and NECA. Said companies have given numerous movie characters, musicians, and athletes their very first highly detailed figures. These are commonly intended as statuesque display pieces rather than toys; however, child-oriented lines such as the Masters of the Universe revival and Justice League Unlimited still evoke adult collector followings as well. Comic book firms are also able to get figures of their characters produced, regardless of whether or not they appeared in movies or animated cartoons. Examples of companies that produce comic figures and merchandise almost exclusively include Toy Biz and DC Direct.
Adult-oriented figure lines are often exclusive to specific chain stores rather than mass retail. Popular lines often have figures available exclusively through mail-in offers and comic conventions which raise their value significantly. Ploys such as packaging "errors" and "short-packed" figures have also been used by toy companies to increase collector interest.