TOY REVIEW – NENDOROID 1871 The Matrix: Neo

Before the turn of the millennium, I was in high school, when The Matrix was released in cinemas. The Matrix was a science fiction movie that starred Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Lawrence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving and directed by The Wachowskis.

At that time, no movie was like The Matrix and it blew my young mind! Everyone wanted to become Neo and Keannu Reeves became our hero. So I was really delighted when The Good Smile Company announced that they would be releasing Nendoroids of Neo and his arch nemesis, Agent Smith.  Today, I’d be sharing my thoughts on how Neo fared in his Nendoroid form in Good Smile Company’s Nendoroid 1871 The Matrix: Neo.

PACKAGING 7/10

Released in 2022, Nendoroid 1871 The Matrix: Neo comes in a box designed with the signature Matrix Code or Matrix Digital Rain. The packaging is what you’d expect in a Nendoroid, a compact box showing the contents inside along with a preview on sides and at the back of the box. With its iconic Matrix design, the box is highly displayable by itself.

The contents of the box aside from the figure include interchangeable face plates between a normal and a serious face, sunglasses, a bullet effect sheet, bullet time effect accessories, a code pattern inner packaging with replaceable arms and hands. These may standard contents for a Nendoroid release, but with Neo having access to all kind of weaponry in the film, it would have been nice if they included a few weapons such as an smg or a sai.

SCULPT AND PAINT 6/10

This may be the first time that Good Smile Company let me down on a Nendoroid. This Nendoroid is nowhere near the likeness of Keanu Reeves. Honestly, the faceplate could even pass as Park Seo Joon if he ever starred in a Korean adaptation of the Matrix.

Putting on the sunglasses actually makes up for it. This is the classic Neo look with the all black outfit matched with his iconic trench coat.

ARTICULATION 8/10

This is where Nendoroid Neo shines most with it’s articulation.  This Nendoroid is highly displayable and playable and the figure has the right parts and is articulated enough to recreate memorable scenes from the first Matrix movie especially the bullet time. You can also use the replaceable arms and fists to do action poses with Neo.

VERDICT 7/10

When it comes to Nendoroids, you want the figure to look as close to the source material. The image matters and sadly, that’s where Nendoroid 1871 The Matrix: Neo fell short on.  Neo may not look exactly like his movie counterpart but his playability makes up for it.

I actually found the solution to my issue with the head sculpt of Neo. I also have Nendoroid based on another Keanu Reeves character , Johnny Silverhand that he played as on the game, Cyberpunk 2077. A great thing about Nendoroids is that the parts are replaceable. I did a head swap with the Johnny Silverhand Nendoroid that resembles Keanu Reeves and now he looks like Neo from the last Matrix movie released in 2021, The Matrix: Resurrection.

Nendoroid 1871 The Matrix: Neo  is for collectors my age, the ones who grew up watching the original Matrix trilogy. Though I don’t have it, but I have a feeling that pairing Neo with the Agent Smith Nendoroid would look good on display as just like the movie, they couldn’t exist without the other.