Play Arts KAI

Play Arts 改 -KAI- [プレイアーツ改, Purei Ashi KAI, lit. Play Arts "Revolution"] is Square-Enix's line of improved (and upsized) Play Arts action figures that début in November 2009. It is also under Square-Enix's "Black Label Collectors" line-up. Unlike its predecessor line-up "Play Arts," Play Arts KAI includes franchises outside Square-Enix and Eidos such as Konami, Ubisoft, Microsoft Studios, Platinum Games, Capcom, DC Comics and even Shonen Jump and other manga characters, one of the series happens to be the Metal Gear series. Play Arts KAI figures are sculpted by OOParts.

Play Arts Kai's first involvement with the series was the announcement of the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker  figure of Snake in his Sneaking Suit. The figure included 2 Mk22 Mod-0 pistols, 1 Hush Puppy suppressor, a Ballistic Shield and a pair of changeable hands. The figure also included a code to download a special recruited solider onto the PSP version of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The Sneaking Suit ver. was released in June, 2010. A Vol.2 set of figures was released this time being 3 of the AI weapons, PUPA, CHRYSALIS and BASILISK. Each one also came with a PSP code. They were released on September, 2010. Vol.3 featured Snake again, this time in his Jungle Fatigues attire. The figure came with a Mk22 Mod-0, a M16A1, a Stun Rod and a changeable hand. The set also involved the COCOON and ZEKE AI weapons as well, all 3 of them came with PSP codes. They were released on November, 2010. The final set Vol.4 contained Snake in his Battle Dress attire and Kazuhira Miller. Snake came with a Mk22 Mod-0, a M60, a RPG-7, a changeable head and a changeable hand. Miller came with a Mk22 Mod-0, a M16A1, 2 pairs of sunglasses, a changeable head and a pair of changeable hands. No PSP codes were included in this set. The figures were released on June, 2011.

During the time of the last sets release, Square-Enix Products shop did an offer that whoever purchases Snake (Battle Dress ver.) or Miller from their store received a limited edition accessory pack containing the Love Pack cardboard box to display the figures in. The offer was exclusive only to Japan and available throughout June - September 2011.

3 limited edition figures were released for the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker set. The first being the ZERO version of the Snake - Sneaking Suit ver. figure. The difference is that his suit is now chrome and the Ballistic Shield is colored orange. The figure is limited to 500 units worldwide and was sold only at 5 different conventions throughout 2010. The last 2 were the Snake - Battle Dress and Kazuhira Miller Premium Versions. These figures were only included with the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition Premium Package. (Except for Miller who was only obtainable via Konamistyle.) The difference between these and their original is that they were chromed (Snake being lighter and Miller being darker.

Next set was announced in late 2011 to be Metal Gear Solid, when prototypes of the Cyborg Ninja and Solid Snake was posted up on Hideo Kojima's twitter and released as part of the 25th Anniversary. The ninja was the first to be released on February 2012, coming with his katana, arm cannon and a changeable hand. Snake came out a month later, equipped with a SOCOM, Suppressor, FAMAS and a pair of changeable hands. The Cyborg Ninja figure was also the direct inspiration for the Gray Fox skin in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

A limited edition was released for this set. The Cyborg Ninja was re-released this time, in his red appearance. The figure came with the same as the original except with the inclusion of a changeable head. The figure is limited to 500 units worldwide and was only sold at 5 different conventions and exhibitions throughout 2012.

On October 26, 2012 at 8:40 PM, the Metal Gear Solid Facebook page unveiled that Play Arts Kai was working on a new action figure that was going to be sold at the Konami shop, although scant details were unveiled aside from it being a human figure and the figure wearing knee guards and khaki combat boots. They promised more information in the following week. The image briefly has the 25th Anniversary logo visible near the edge, hinting that it is going to be released as part of the series' 25th Anniversary. It was later confirmed to be the earlier figure for Meryl Silverburgh. Meryl was then released on November, 2012 and came with a set of changeable hands, a Desert Eagle and a Survival knife.

Next set announced was Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty when a prototype of Solidus Snake appeared on Hideo Kojima's twitter. Solidus was later released on November, 2012 equipped with changeable hands, 2 katanas, 2 P90s, and removable chest plates for his snake arms.

Next set announced is for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance with the announcement of Raiden - Black Armour version. Raiden will be planned for February, 2013 release and comes with his High-frequency blade, sheath, survival knife, 3 Heat Blades, Heat Blades sheath, changeable visor head piece, a pair of changeable hands, a pair of changeable feet and a display stand. Raiden was released in March 2013.

4 limited editions have been announced for this set. All being re-releases of Raiden. First being the White Armour version which is only available via the Japanese Premium Package (Konamistyle only) and the European limited edition of the game. The European version is limited to 14,000 worldwide. The figure was released on Metal Gear Rising's Japanese and European release date of February 21, 2013.

The other 3 limited editions are based on the 3 custom bodies of Raiden, Red, Blue and Yellow. Each one is limited edition to 1000 units worldwide and region exclusive to certain websites. The Custom Body Red ver. is exclusive to the USA and to websites Anime-Island, Toy Let, BigBadToyStore and Diamond Comic Distributors. Custom Body Yellow ver. is exclusive to Japan and websites  AmiAmi, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan and Square-Enix Shop Japan. Custom Body Blue ver. is exclusive to Hong Kong, the websites where the figure can be ordered from are yet to be announced. Custom Body Red ver. and Custom Body Yellow ver. are set to a May 2013 release. Custom Body Blue ver.'s release date has yet to be announced.

A modified version of the Raiden - Black Armour figurine, sporting series creator Hideo Kojima's face mould instead of Raiden's, respectively, and was supplied to Kojima by Square-Enix Products as a gift. He also got a similar face mould modification for the Solid Snake figurine.

On February 5–6, Play Arts Kai was revealed by Kojima on his Japanese Twitter to be creating action figures based on Liquid Snake and MGS2-era Raiden, and were going to be publicly revealed at the Square Enix booth of New York Toy Fair 2013 on February 2013. Liquid will come with a FIM-92 Stinger, dog tags and a pair of extra hands. The Raiden figure will come with extra hands, dog tags, a High-frequency blade, a SOCOM, a suppressor and the scuba mask changeable head. Their release dates are yet to be announced.