Toy prototype details
Name: Ah-RakTM (EoF Edition), aka Ginger-Bodied Ah-Rak
Subtitle: hideous warrior
Line: KR|Echoes of Future
Item type: action figure - Nº 8 in the line.
Character details
Name: Ah-Rak
Classification: arthropod with eurypterid-like traits
Sex: male
Home: Cereutis
Era: 570 years before Foundation
Affiliation: Bogthropod
Rank: colonel general.
Background
First appearance: KR|Echoes of Future #1 - The secret origin of chaos
Related character(s): Ah-Rak
Character summary: a cunning warrior skilled in survival, who eluded capture after the Grand Resistance's decisive victory over the Bogthropods. Centuries later, magically re-emerging in an altered form, he became a vital ally for the Destructomorphs in their ongoing conflicts with their sworn enemies, the Therioms.
Articulation
Standard (new scheme), with the addition of a tail, which is a ball jointed separate piece (it features two articulation points, two swivels at about one-third and two-thirds of its length), and four ball hinged arms.
Description
Head: the head resembles the entirety of an arachnid's body and is composed of two parts: the upper part is a dark-blue (almost black) cracked shell/helmet, which carries four shiny dark-blue eyes in the front (two quite large lateral compound eyes and two smaller central eye spots; there are three more structures that look like eye spots, but they are completely black, so they might be different organs, such as chemoreceptors, or just bulges), an orange crest on the top and four pairs of orange spines (curved downward) on the sides; the lower part is orange with a bumpy texture and presents two chelicerae, which terminate in white venomous fangs, near the small mouth and two pretty large pedipalps, which terminate in scorpion pincers, more externally
Body: protected by a segmented orange chitinous exoskeleton with dark-blue (almost black) blotches. His limbs bear spinous ridges running down the sides and end with 2-clawed hands and feet. He also carries an extra chitinous neck piece that fits right on top of the body; this piece is glued on, but it might be possible to pry it off, if one had will to do so
Body: protected by a segmented orange chitinous exoskeleton with dark-blue (almost black) blotches. His limbs bear spinous ridges running down the sides and end with 2-clawed hands and feet. He also carries an extra chitinous neck piece that fits right on top of the body; this piece is glued on, but it might be possible to pry it off, if one had will to do so
Wearables: a dark-blue armour with metallic dark-blue details (including a Bogthropod emblem, which consists of what looks like a stylised trilobite crossed by three horizontal wavy lines, at the centre), two dark-blue bracelets, two dark-blue calf protectors (with metallised, armoured trimming on the bottom and top edges), a studded dark-blue belt, and a brand-new laminar metallic dark-blue loincloth with a fairly large piece that acts as a belt buckle (though it actually just rests in front of the belt).
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| Ah-Rak's stylised armour; the circle at the centre of the chest piece represents a Bogthropod symbol. |
Action feature
Like with the original figure, most of Ah-Rak's action is strictly related to his body structure, especially his back, which is covered by a chitinous carapace with a cracked and bumpy texture. The colouration of this shell is predominantly dark-blue (almost black) with orange spots along the edges (where it blends nicely with the metallic dark-blue edges of the armour), transitioning into a central area that features an orange hue with dark-blue/blackish blotches. The lower part of the carapace ends with an articulated tail, which terminates in an expanded and flattened structure (reminiscent of a double-bitted axe) with a serrated median keel running down its centre, as well as an elongated spike. The middle part hosts two pairs of additional arthropod-like limbs: the upper pair of these seemingly jointed appendages terminates in a single claw, while the lower pair is partly covered in spines and is modified into a swimming paddle. The uppermost part of the carapace ends with a sort of cannon that fictionally shoots a parasite-like grappling hook, which Ah-Rak uses for climbing or capturing his enemies; this is rendered using a black string, which bears a plug-in element at one end (connecting to the "cannon") and the arachnid looking orange parasite (with four equally spaced, hinged double-leg hooks) at the other end. The carapace can be removed together with the armour and used with most other KR figures, which is a cool display option.
Weapons and accessories
Apart from the above-mentioned plug-in parasite/grapnel, Ah-Rak comes with four nicely designed large scimitars. Each weapon is a repaint of his Foundation sword and has a metallic dark-blue hilt (looking like a square-shaped spider whose back slightly resembles a human skull) and an ornately carved ivory (or maybe bone) blade; Ah-Rak's wrist and shin guards also exhibit a subtle hint of the same ornamentation, which I had never noticed on the original figure. I believe the original concept was for the swords to have off-white hilts and blue blades, but for some unknown reason the colours were eventually swapped. Unfortunately, there's only a small longitudinal slit in the centre of the carapace, accommodating just one stowed scimitar blade (alternatively, you can use the slit to wind the grapnel string around one side of the carapace). On the other hand, each handle was modified with a trefoiled handguard, enabling Ah-Rak to hold the weapon firmly with any of his six hands, regardless of whether they feature one or two claws or a broad, flat extremity.
Comic
Together with the action figure we get the first comic issue The secret origin of chaos. Millions of years ago, the Multiversal Balancers from the extra dimension of Cereutis intervened on the land that was later named Tahron, sending miraculous crystals to prompt evolution after the extinction of the giant reptiles. This led to the rise of intelligent, anthropomorphic beings from various species, coexisting harmoniously without conflict. Gladorr, a reptilian inmate with psychic powers, is manipulated by a reptilian faction on Earth's future to alter history. His mission is to empower reptilian civilisations, framing mammalians for a crime and destabilising the interspecific balance. Gladorr's plan begins to unfold successfully when Silef, a reptilian alchemist, becomes embroiled. Silef, influenced by Gladorr, disrupts peace, leading to conflicts and a war between reptilian and mammalian civilisations. The events develop with intricate alliances, battles, and personal vendettas. As the conflict reaches its peak, a resistance led by the brave warrior Catos fights back. Ultimately, after significant destruction, the resistance prevails. Silef, gravely injured, aligns with Gladorr's dark plan by ascending to a demonic form, leaving a lingering impact on both Tahron and Cereutis.
Final thoughts
Overall: this new version of Ah-Rak caters to a specific segment of the KR fandom, giving a cool twist to the original character. The orange hue might be overwhelming for some, but those who are into a hairless look will likely find satisfaction. The figure retains its original quality, but a bit more colour separation in his armour could have elevated its appeal. Still, if you're after something unique for your collection, this Ah-Rak version brings a whole new vibe to a character that's, at least in my book, pretty darn beloved
Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5
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