ED-209 is Ready To Dominate the Toy Shelf

Robocop’s robotic nemesis is perfectly realized in the new deluxe action figure by NECA.

NECA had a great year in 2013, but they managed to step up their game yet again to close things out with some incredible deluxe one-ff figures, including ED-209, the gem of the RoboCop collection.  This mean machine is the perfect plastic representation of the killer robot, loaded with movie accurate detailing and in perfect scale with NECA’s RoboCop figures.

ED-209 is massive, standing more than a head taller than Officer Murphy, and with a nice bulk all around to help justify his higher price tag.  True to his on screen appearance, much of ED-209’s frame is sleek and smooth, striking a hell of a silhouette as one of the most iconic creations of the 80s cinematic universe.  But this sleek design isn’t the same as simplicity; the figure is also full of small details where NECA’s talented sculptors pack in a remarkable amount of small highlights.  The intricacy of ED’s cannon arms and the small bits of circuitry and mechanics under the plating on his feet make for a truly dynamic sculpt.

The robot sports a decent amount of articulation– its arms have a great range and move well with the small, hinged wings that lay over them.  The figure swivels at the midsection, although this is inhibited by the overall shape, and the legs move at the “hip” and also feature a ratcheting joint to extend them out to make ED even taller.  I feel like there are a few spots where extra range of motion could have improved the figure, especially adding hinges or a ball to the hips or including ankle articulation, but the articulation we get allows for a fair range of poseability and does not affect the overall sculpt in the slightest.

ED-209 also features sounds and phrases from the movie, which are activated by a push button on its back.  I was surprised by the range of these sound effects; I didn’t count, but there are quite a few different phrases and gun blasting noises in the sequence.  The electronic sound effects are a cool added feature, and enhance the overall fun of the figure, but they feel more like a welcome novelty than anything really necessary.

I don’t often talk about packaging, but ED-209’s box design is so gorgeous, it would be a crime to ignore (and you know how this guy feels about crime).  NECA teamed up with Mondo (AKA the greatest movie poster designers in the history of the universe) to create a box befitting such an awesome toy.  The front features a dynamic painting of the robot, with a great black and green pattern with angular OCP graphics throughout.  It’s a beautiful box, and I’m fully planning to keep it on display right alongside the figure itself.

Overall, ED-209 looks great, is perfectly in line with his classic movie appearance, features decent articulation and a great sense of scale.  The sound effects and awesome box art packaging add to the overall quality and fun factor of this figure, and help justify his fairly steep $60 price tag.  Had ED been priced out closer to $40– even at the expense of his sound feature– he’d feel like a total steal.  As is, he’s still a solid value and a great new piece for any RoboCop collection.

ED-209 is a limited production run figure, meaning when he’s gone, he’s gone for good.  But many etailers have the figure in stock now, and you can also order directly from NECA on their eBay Store.