Kotobukiya’s Mass Effect Tali’Zorah Bishoujo 1:7 Statue Review (Both Editions)
Kotobukiya has been known to take amazing characters and transform them with their bishoujo twist and in this case, Mass Effect’s Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy is no exception. Everyone’s favourite Quarian machinist came to life with this character interpretation by the esteemed illustrator Shyunya Yamashita. With this stylized direction for their Mass Effect line, Kotobukiya teamed up with BioWare to create two versions of this gorgeous statue: The Standard Edition and the BioWare Exclusive Edition. So what’s the difference between the two?
The Standard Edition was created by staying true 100% to the character’s in-game design. Between the suit design and colours used, the Standard keeps it realistic in terms of what players of BioWare’s popular action RPG expect to see from this character. Where the BioWare Exclusive Edition varies is that colours used stray away from canon to present Tali’Zorah in a similar, yet unique, light. Though the pose and the armor are exactly the same, the difference can be seen in the choice of paint used overall. Instead of the more vibrant purple, the BioWare Exclusive is done in a more muted violet, almost grey, tone with a golden belt in place of the standard black.
Though completely stationary, master illustrator Yamashita was brilliant when creating the dynamic poses seen in both figures. Upon the initial opening of both, then hand placement with her gun, the graceful movement implied with her positioning, and the overall detail of the character felt completely authentic to this lovable Quarian.
Tali’s armor is one of the most intricate seen throughout the trilogy with a subtle design in the fabric that follows her silhouette from head to toe. Marry that with the fact that this armor is an incredibly snug fit to her body type, the challenge lied within keeping the sculpt true to the character while still maintaining this bishoujo style. It is easy to see, in both pieces, the level of care that went into detailing these pieces. Apart from the armor, the gun that was modeled after the in-game Quarian Reegar Carbine was also thoroughly organic to the source material.
Completely worth it! The price hits the nail on the head, these pieces are worth every cent. Whether a hardcore Tali fan or a casual lover of the Mass Effect trilogy, both pieces make an outstanding addition to any collection.”
One of the most intriguing and infuriating parts about Tali’s attire in-game is the semi-opaque visor. Many players wanted to see the face beyond the stunning personality and BioWare made sure to keep that just out of reach. Kotobukiya kept in-line with the mystique but that just added yet another layer to the accuracy within these pieces. A vague outline can be seen of the figure’s face, just as can be seen during gameplay. The authenticity with the mediums used to create the subtle allure of this character, even with the artistic interpretation, would make any Mass Effect ecstatic.
The paint job was also incredibly well handled. There was no notable bleeding, fading, or any other types of blemishes in either edition that I received. From the individual shell casings, to the details represented in her utility belt – everything about this figure screamed artistry with an impeccable attention to detail.
The figures themselves stand at just over 9 inches tall and weighed in at approximately 2 pounds. As mentioned earlier, both editions were completely stationary but with the dynamism of the pose, these pieces work amazingly well with other figures in the same series: Female Commander Shepard and Liara T’Soni.
The price point retails at $89.99 but will only 2,000 units created, demand could increase the price these are fetching for. As the name suggests, the BioWare Exclusive Edition can only be purchased through the BioWare Store. 
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Personal photos of the the above mentioned pieces (Standard Edition left, BioWare Exclusive Edition right. Click to enlarge):
Liana Ruppert578 Posts
With an arguably unhealthy obsession with Mass Effect, Liana has been an avid collector of gaming and comic memorabilia for well over two decades. With a passion for writing, gaming, and comics - she is currently working as Editor-in-Chief for the revival of Prima Games, with previous managing editor experience with several gaming publications including ComicBook.com, The Hollywood Reporter, TwinGalaxies, and other outlets. She is also the Co-Owner and Managing Editor for DFTG. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, as well as several Facebook communities online.
