Toy prototype details
Name: Veen-AkTM
Subtitle: valiant shapeshifting fighter
Line: KR|Echoes of Future
Item type: action figure - Nº 5 in the line.
Character details
Name: Veen-Ak
Classification: mammal of uncertain group
Sex: male
Home: Idakarr (Tahron's former name)
Era: 570 years before Foundation
Affiliation: Interspecific Commission
Rank: envoy.
Background
First appearance: KR|Echoes of Future #1 - The secret origin of chaos
Character summary: one of the three commendable envoys of the Interspecific Commission and the likely successor to the ageing TaragasTM, who was ready to pass on the leadership torch. When the evil forces led by the revengeful Silef gained control of Idakarr, Veen-Ak was unjustly imprisoned, while his companions secretly formed a resistance and eventually managed to set him free after years of conflict.
Description
Head: human-like in appearance (although it reminds me of a mix of a Vulcan and a Klingon), characterised by a light-greenish hue to the skin, pointy ears, a series of horizontal ridges on the forehead and on the bridge of the nose between the eyes, long pearl-grey hair, arched and upswept pearl-grey eyebrows extending much beyond the eyes, pearl-grey facial hair suggestive of an Asian style (including long, thin moustaches), irregular and prominent teeth. His hair and facial hair (including the eyebrows) have black tips, while his eyes are deep blue and are said to possess an inner eyelid, which protects Veen-Ak's vision from bright light
Body: light-greenish skin, partially exposed torso and arms
Wearables: a short-sleeved orange vest with shoulder pads, double bracers and boots (each composed of a yellow-orange leather covering fastened with laces, and an overlapping brownish-orange copper wrist/shin guard ornamented with studs, engraved patterns and amber gemstones; interestingly, the shin guards predominantly cover the calves rather than the shins), a brownish-orange leather belt equipped with a metallic yellow-orange buckle, and a pair of off-white trousers. The vest falls just below the hips, features a stand-up mandarin collar and is open on the chest (although the two sides of the vertical opening on the front are loosely joined with an off-white leather string and secured by the belt at the waist), exposing a yellow-orange amber pendant on a brownish-orange leather string worn round the neck.
Action feature
In the comics, Veen-Ak is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, enabling him to defeat even the most highly skilled fighters.
In the comics, Veen-Ak is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, enabling him to defeat even the most highly skilled fighters.
Additionally, he possesses a unique ability to transform rapidly into any mammal he is familiar with, although he tends to favour the form of a jackal. Surprisingly, his clothes are capable of shapeshifting with him, allowing him to morph effortlessly between animal and humanoid forms. While transformed into an animal, Veen-Ak gains all the physical abilities and characteristics of that species, while retaining his human-like intellect and memories, but losing the ability to speak. This remarkable body structure also enables him to heal from wounds, burns, and broken bones in a matter of seconds. The figure accomplishes this transformation feature with a separate jackal figure that is fully articulated (i.e., has ball jointed upper neck and tail, hinged lower neck, swivel shoulders and hips, swivel-hinged elbows and knees), plus some part-swapping. The base colour of the jackal's pelt is reddish-brown to tan, which is particularly pronounced on the flanks and legs. A buff-grey saddle intermixed with silvery hair extends from the shoulders to the base of the tail. Two long, dark-grey stripes extending along the flanks separate the saddle from the rest of the body. Two additional light-grey, almost silver stripes are present on the flanks, running from elbow to hip. The throat, chest, and inner surfaces of the limbs are also light-grey, while the bushy tail is black with a light-grey tip. His eyes remain blue regardless of the form he takes. An alternative head, a pair of full alternative arms and a pair of alternative lower legs (from the boot-cut down) can be used with the humanoid figure to simulate a mid-transformation stage. These body parts display a furry texture, a prognathous and toothed snout, and clawed extremities with colours that match the animal figure, although the alternate arms only have furry forearms (but no sleeves). After removing Veen-Ak's standard arms, the exposed arm-sockets allow for detaching the two shoulder pads, which partly fit in the sockets, and revealing a pair of tattered armholes. The jackal figure's tail can be detached and connected to the humanoid figure using a socket that is concealed under a flap on the back of the trousers. Originally, the plan was to include an overlay that would combine the partially transformed head and chest into a single translucent piece. This piece would then be placed over the figure's front upper body after removing the vest, simulating the early stages of the character's mutation. While it's unfortunate that there isn't an option to display the transformation of the torso, I'm pleased that the designers at PoliganToys chose to pursue the alternate head approach instead.
Weapons and accessories
Apart from the alternate jackal parts and figure, Veen-Ak comes with his signature translucent white jian, a double-edged straight sword fictionally crafted entirely from a shard of milky quartz.
Final thoughts
Overall: Veen-Ak is set to make a lasting impact on fans and ignite countless discussions in the years to come, as his portrayal as the ultimate background character is quite extraordinary. It's evident that he was originally intended for further development, positioned as a devoted sidekick to his fellow envoys and the likely new leader of the Interspecific Commission. Personally, I appreciate his appealing look and abilities, and even if his characterisation may not resonate with everyone, he shines as a great warrior. Whether employed as a cunning spy thanks to his shapeshifting powers, a skilled melee fighter with his trusty quartz sword, or a humble counterpart to the confident Catos, this figure is a great addition to the line
Rating: ☺☺☺☺ / 5
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