To this day, Clouds Studio‘s Akatsuki and Naruto Shippuden statues are some of the best I’ve seen and they really celebrate each member by highlighting their individual strengths and showing them off in a way that does them justice.
These statues aren’t near as large as another one of my favorite Akatsuki lines from Surge Studio, but despite their smaller appearance, the characters are also in 1/8th scale, their poses are still just as dynamic, and the details and painting are just as well done. Although, I will say that in terms of likeness and look I definitely prefer Clouds Studio Hidan, which I just added to the collection, in comparison to Surge Studio’s.
To briefly describe what’s going on in this statue, it shows Hidan about to leap into action with his Triple-Bladed Scythe in hand. You really get the feel that he is in motion and ready to attack. In the version I purchased, there’s a wave of blood, which rises up behind him and a Jashin symbol behind him as well. There are more details on this statue, but I’ll get into these more below.
As always, before I get into the review, I do want to disclose the fact that this is an unlicensed statue for those of you who aren’t aware. While I don’t condone what these studios are doing, I had to buy this one regardless because it is the best looking statue of Hidan that has released so far.
I also want to mention that this statue comes in four different versions, two in his normal appearance and the other in his more Grim Reaper-like form and there are two base options for each. I chose to personally purchase Version A, which features a more detailed base and background. I’ll go over the differences between each version in the specifications section below.
With that said, let’s get into the review. I’ll be reviewing the Clouds Studio Hidan statue in the following areas: Packaging and shipping, design and concept, and paint and sculpt. You can also check out the gallery below to get a closer look at the statue and its details!
Also if you prefer video content, we reviewed, assembled, and showcased Clouds Studio’s Hidan on our YouTube channel, which you can check out below!
Clouds Studio Hidan Statue Specifications
Scale: 1/8 scale
Dimensions:
A/B Versions: H35cm x D29cm x W19cm (approx. H13.8in x D11.41in x W7.5in)
C/D Versions: H37cm x D29cm x W20cm (approx. H14.6in x D11.41in x W7.9in)
The Clouds Studio Hidan statue that I personally purchased and will be reviewing today is Version A and you can see the differences between each option in the image above.
Packaging and Shipping
Shipping will vary depending on where you purchase your statue from. I personally purchased this statue through HWS House, because I was late in purchasing this one and they were the only site I could find that still had it in stock. I am happy to report that all pieces came unscathed and completely intact, but this definitely varies from case to case. Since I purchased this statue when it was in stock instead of on preorder, it arrived very quickly and much sooner than I was quoted, so I have no complaints in the shipping department.
As far as packaging goes, every piece was wrapped in tissue and secured well in the foam insert that went into the box. The box was relatively small compared to others I’ve received and easy to carry since this statue didn’t contain any large, heavy pieces. I was overall impressed with how Clouds Studio packaged this statue, and as a result, it arrived in perfect condition.
Design and Concept
The overall design of this statue is amazing. This is definitely an interpretation, but it highlights Hidan’s abilities in a unique way that also looks really appealing. There are also details hidden throughout the statue, such as certain individual’s tattered headband and their Chakra Blade, which is lodged into the stone head, that add even more to this piece.
Hidan of course is the main focus, but you are also drawn to the metallic red waves of blood that are splashing around him and lead up to the Jashin symbol, which is also painted the same to look like blood. While this symbol would normally be written by Hidan on the ground, I like the artistic interpretation and the fact that this important detail was included somewhere prominently on this statue.
Hidan himself looks spot on and the head sculpt features him with a sadistic smirk that captures his personality well. He is showcased in a dynamic pose with his Akatsuki cloak flowing behind him and he is shown wearing his headband and amulet around his neck. The fact that his cloak is torn down to his waist shows he’s been in battle and this makes him look even more badass than he already does. One thing I will say is that Hidan’s face is looking down, so to see him fully he needs to be displayed up higher. This isn’t really a negative, but something to keep in mind when thinking about how you’re going to display him.
In comparison to all of the other Hidan statues that have released, Clouds Studio’s is my favorite and as mentioned above, its one I even prefer over Surge Studio’s. It just looks great and it has the best concept I’ve seen. I also have to say that they really marked the pieces well and it was one of the easiest I’ve put together yet, which is another bonus to purchasing this statue.
Paint and Sculpt
I kind of touched on some of this above as I was talking about the design of this statue, but the one thing I was concerned about before I received it was the fact that the blood was painted in a metallic red color. I was a little iffy on this decision at first, but when I saw it in person, I actually loved the way it looks. It really pops amongst the more realistic coloring of the rest of this statue.
The little paint details they included on him, especially on the head sculpt are incredible. I am also really impressed with the scythe, which is coated in blood and has its long metal cable that looks just as it does in the anime. In addition, the shading on Hidan’s body and the texturing and painting of the stone head are done extremely well.
The base is minimal and not overdone, which I really like. It’s colored simply, allowing the statue to stand out even further. Sometimes I feel companies can get a little to crazy with the logos and the coloring of their bases, but Clouds Studio always takes a more minimalistic approach and I really appreciate this about their statues.
Despite the bases more simple look, the statue itself is extremely detailed and I love that they spent more attention and time on the painting and the texturing of the pieces that truly matter. Overall, the sculpting and painting on the whole statue are top-notch and I couldn’t sing Clouds Studio’s praises more in these two departments.
Final Thoughts
If I were to recommend one Hidan statue, it would be this one. Clouds Studio do an amazing job with their Akatsuki statues in general and their concepts are amongst the best. I also have to say that they released a Kakuzu statue as well that looks great displayed next to Hidan. While Hidan himself is sold out nearly everywhere except for HWS House at the time of writing this post, Clouds Studio recently put their Deidara and Pain statues, which made it on my list of best anime statues available for preorder in October 2020 and November 2020, up for preorder while supplies last.
These are two statues I recommend looking into as well since Hidan isn’t as readily available. All in all, you really can’t go wrong with Clouds Studio, but Hidan is one of my favorites they’ve released to date. As to what site I recommend buying from, from my personal experiences, I really like purchasing from Favor GK the most.
With other sites that sell statues, like Fanatic Anime Store, it was months and months of trying to get ahold of someone and an extreme lack of response, if any, if something goes wrong during shipment. That’s just my personal experience, but from what I’ve seen on groups, this is a common issue with this site in particular. Hopefully these suggestions help for those of you who are considering purchasing anime statues in the future!
For more information, check out our guide to buying unlicensed statues and keep an eye out for a future post, where I’ll review all of the sites I’ve personally bought statues from before. You can check out all of the details featured in Clouds Studio’s Hidan statue in the gallery below!
Clouds Studio Hidan Statue Gallery
