Diamond Select Toys Avatar: The Last Airbender Aang, Katara and Zuko

Woohoo! New Avatar: The Last Airbender figures!

It's with figures like these I wish DST would used smaller packaging. It'll help save on shipping. Actually there's another version of these figures released in appropriately sized packaging. Those are basic figures which I believe are US store exclusives. Those figures come with different parts and accessories. I may want to track them down. I'm currently undecided about it at the moment... 

I actually got into Avatar very late. Like a couple of years ago. Love the show! I had given some thought into collecting the old Mattel figures but decided not to as I discovered that key characters like Katara and Toph were not produced. Seriously!?! I'm happy that DST has brought this series back in figure form.   

Series 1 of DST's line comprises of Aang, Katara and Zuko. The set I got is this "deluxe" version which have different and more accessories than the basic version. Being "deluxe" I would have thought they would have included the accessories from the basic set as well but no. I would really love to have got  some of them such as Aang's staff. I'm not keen on getting the figures again for the accessories... Anyway the figures are supposed to be based on their season 3 appearance. They all are except for Katara who is in her season 1 look. Her hair being tied up and her long sleeves inner wear suggest so. I prefer this look and I'm happy with it. All the figures look great and have a good likeness. The paint apps are good. The only thing is that there's a scratch on Zuko's face. Another thing which bothers me about Zuko is how far his arms hang. Not much we can do about that with the outer robes he's wearing. Aang's top is a separate piece and looks to be removable. Just that it'll be troublesome to do so. The little string pouch Katara has is removable. The figures are of appropriate size and height compared to each other.

Click images to enlarge.

Here's some close-ups of their faces.

Accessories

Aang comes with Momo, a pair of open hands, an airbending effect piece, a stand and a base. 

Momo looks good. The likeness is good and I like that he's got a bit of a mischievous expression. He can sit well. For articulation he's only got a ball joint neck. I'm a little annoyed with the poor paint apps for his right ear. 

I'm not too sure how to use the airbending effect piece. The circular areas I presume is where his hands should go. The "air" then curves awkwardly... There's a hole on the effect piece so a stand can be used with it.

Katara comes with another pair of open hands, a waterbending effect piece, a stand and a base. This set of hands are flatter and straighter compared to her default hands. 

There are slots on the waterbending effect piece for where her hands should go.

Based on the hand slots the following pic is how the effect piece is supposed to be used. The effect piece does not stay on her hands and you'll need to use the stand to hold it up. The effect piece like with Aang's has hole in it for that purpose. 

I have used sticky tack on her hands in all the pics so the effect piece will stay in place.

Zuko comes with a fireball effect piece, stand and base.

His effect piece is the most straightforward to use.

The stands are pretty decent. They are comprised of different segments so we can have the figures and effect pieces at different heights as you see above and below. The moving parts that I got are a mixed bag. Some hinges are loose so much so they can't really hold the figure when tilted. Others are super tight. So tight that I caused a stress mark on the peg trying to move it. By mixing and matching I only have one truly good stand. It's a shame as I would definitely use these.

There's a peg on the base to display the figures at surface level.

The stands may be used with some Marvel Legends figures. The peg is a tight fit but it can be done.

Articulation

Aang has a ball joint neck ball hinge shoulders, swivel hinge elbows, swivel hinge wrists, ball joint torso, peg hinge hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees and ankle hinge and pivot. He can look up and down just a bit. The "sleeve" prevents him from raising his left arm. He cannot raise his left arm much or extend his right leg out to the side due to his attire.

Katara has a ball joint neck, ball hinge shoulders, bicep swivel, swivel hinge elbows, swivel hinge wrists, waist rotation, peg hinge hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees and ankle hinge and pivot. She can look up or down only very slightly. The "skirt" section is quite stiff and prevents her from lifting her legs.

Zuko has a ball joint neck, ball hinge shoulders, swivel hinge elbows, swivel hinge wrists, ball joint torso, waist rotation, peg hinge hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees and ankle hinge and pivot. He can look down just a bit. He cannot look up due to his hair. The robes hinder his legs but at least he's able to raise them somewhat.

For all three the elbows bend less than ninety degrees. What you see in the pics is the maximum they will bend.

Just to show how they compare with some other toy lines. I have hardly any DST figures or 7" scale figures... Mcfarlane's Voldermont is the only one below which is 7" scale.   

The figures look great! The articulation is decent but unfortunately several points are hindered or restricted in some way. I feel the accessories are lacking. I hope they'll include more interchangeable parts, alternate heads etc. if the line continues. Hopefully we'll at least get Sokka and Toph. Other characters would be a bonus. Thanks for viewing!