Wikia

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, Platinum Games, Capcom and even Shonen Jump 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 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 certain 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.

Next set was announced in late 2011 to be Metal Gear Solid, when prototypes of the Cyborg Ninja, Meryl Silverburgh, 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 kantana, 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 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 kantanas, 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 sword, sheath, survival knife, 3 daggers, changeable head piece, a pair of changeable hands, a pair of changeable feet and a display stand.

2 limited editions have been announced for this set. Both 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. Second is a red version that is exclusive to Diamond Comic Distributors' website. The red version is limited to 1000 units worldwide and is set for July, 2013 release.

A modified version of the Raiden - Black Armour figurine, sporting series creator Hideo Kojima's face mold instead of Raiden's, respectively, and was supplied to Kojima by Square-Enix Products as a gift. He also got a similar face mold 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 (called MGS2 Old Raiden), and were going to be publicly revealed at the Square Enix booth of New York Toy Fair 2013 on February. The Liquid Snake figure will come with a portable missile launcher. The Raiden figure will come with extra hands, dog tags, a HF blade, and the scuba mask changeable head. In addition, he also announced a three-figure series called Battle Raiden, which would be composed of Red, Blue, and Yellow variations of Raiden Black Armour ver. The aforementioned red Diamond Comics Distributors exclusive was part of the Battle Raiden series, the other two are yet to be confirmed.