1/18th scale action figures are often overlooked in favor of 1/12th or 1/6th scale figures. Black Series, Marvel Legends, SH Figuarts, Figma, Hot Toys, these are all well-known and well-loved lines. I see tons of amazing toy photos shot with these lines all the time.

Personally, I prefer smaller figures. It’s easier to create immersive scenes and easier to obtain accessories, at least in my experience.

Enter Acid Rain, a long running yet somehow still obscure 1/18th figure line known for its high detail and high price. I had seen other photographers in the past shooting with these figures and I loved the look every time. The price and rarity made me turn elsewhere for awhile though.

However, like many Toy Photographers, I find it hard to resist a good masked, blank, everyman soldier type of figure. This brought my attention back to 1/18th figures and eventually Acid Rain. With the help of KowkisToy.com, I took my initial dip into the line.

The FAV-A04 Sand Bunker was my first choice because it has not only a figure but some nice deployable cover and extra weapons. I also picked up some random 1/18th gear on Aliexpress as an afterthought. My big question was: could the high price be worth it?

Let’s find out.

THE ACCESSORIES

The sand bunker set includes 6 different weapons, which is awesome. A second armor vest is also included for customizing options. Being able to give your figure slightly different looks for different shots is a big plus, though I liked the default vest so much I stuck with that one.

The bunker parts themselves are nicely detailed and an excellent way to fill the foreground or background of a photo. I used them for both in my photoshoot.

THE FIGURE

Acid Rain figures have a very distinct style. Often somewhat thing, always very weathered and VERY expressive. I was instantly impressed by how easy it was to get the little Sand Tactical Engineer to express emotion. His face may be shrouded by a googly-eyed gas mask, but his body language says it all. His armored helmet can be removed, which means you can use the brim almost like eyebrows. Tilting it back makes for a great shocked and confused expression.

The range of articulation across the whole figure is very solid. In terms of limitation, the articulation is the shoulder’s outward movement is somewhat limited by the rubbery shoulder covers. An argument could be made that the elbow joints aren’t the prettiest as well. My main concern was whether the joints would be fragile or not, given their thin-ness. So far, they’re holding up fine.

Another huge plus is, thanks to the size of the figure, he’s easy to carry. The single pack Acid Rain figures include a hard-sided storage case with padding large enough to fit 2 figures. I was able to stow both figures I currently have in my camera bag thanks to this little case. Worry free toy transport is a win in my book.

CONCLUSION AFTER THE SHOOT

Yes, I was provided this figure for free to review. Perhaps I need to pay money for one just to make sure I don’t sound like a salesman, but I genuinely enjoyed working with this little dude. Going into the shoot, I had only a couple concrete ideas. Walking away, I had 9 photos. One idea just flowed to the next.

There’s no such thing as a perfect action figure. It simply doesn’t exist. However, the Acid Rain system is quite solid and provided me with pretty much exactly what I was looking for. They are pricey, so collecting them consistently might be tough, but I recommend trying a few. As you can see in this photo, I used the one figure 3 times in a single shot. It’s an easy way to maximize the use without paying for an army.

Basically, I had a lot of fun and I am excited to try more 1/18th scale photography. If you want to see behind the scenes and editing for this photoshoot, you can find it all in the video below.

Kowkis Toy has a wide range of these figures if you want to give them a try!

Zee (@demarcationmedia)

See below for a full video review.

Full video review here.