REVIEW: Gecco Dark Souls III "Souls of Cinder" 1/6th Scale Statue

Dark Souls III can best be described in one word as “brutal”. It is hands down the most challenging video game I have ever played. You will die… A LOT. Death is actually part of the game’s allure, where after many failed attempts at figuring out how to kill an enemy, you are rewarded with a strong sense of accomplishment by finally defeating it. Fight. Die. Rinse. Repeat. It is this notorious difficulty that has given the Dark Souls series a cult-like status in the gaming world.

Demanding game play aside, Dark Souls III is a gorgeous video game. Its Gothic setting is dark fantasy at its best. Dark Souls III is the type of video game that screams the need for collectibles. Thankfully, Gecco of Japan is capturing this unique medieval aesthetic in a new line of statues. While best known for their intricately sculpted PVC statues, Gecco is taking it one step further with their Dark Souls series by going all out with resin construction. These are true high-end works of art; collectibles worthy of a dedicated Dark Souls III fan.

Gecco’s first resin release is the perfect marriage of Dark Souls III’s challenging game play and awesome artistic design: the Souls of Cinder. This is the final Boss enemy in the game – the amalgamation of all the Lords of Cinder – a creature with basically every power in the game at his disposal. Fan videos, like the one above, make it appear that defeating the Soul of Cinder is an easy task. According to my friend Wes Arnold, someone that has managed to beat him, the task is anything but.

Dark Souls is known for countless, horrible and at times, humiliating deaths, but the Soul of Cinder takes those instances and hurls them to the wind, destroying whatever sanity you had left.

Gecco’s Souls of Cinder is a massive statue. This is immediately apparent by the wonderfully illustrated box it ships in, measuring 20 inches wide, 20 inches tall, and a solid 10 inches deep. 1/6th scale is bit misleading. Because this enemy is so large in the game, this statue translates much larger than your typical 12-inch action figure. The Souls of Cinder statue measures in at a whopping 17-inches tall once assembled!

While lying flat, this package opens via a huge flap, which is actually the entire front of the box. Side flaps inside illustrate the assembly instructions, while a large Styrofoam clamshell tray (taped with a Gecco seal of authenticity) contains the statue and all its components.

With barely a glance at the instructions, I was able to assemble Souls of Cinder with no trouble at all. Start by removing the large “stone” base. This is an extremely heavy piece of polystone, insuring that your statue won’t ever topple on display. Next you’ll want to connect the Boss-man himself into the corresponding holes. This is accomplished by a metal rod in Cinder’s right foot and a large square resin peg on the other. You’ll note the swords and banner in the photo above. It’s actually wiser to insert those after Cinder is in place so you don’t damage them, but I wanted to provide a clear look at the diorama base. It depicts a section of the battlefield, the Kiln of the First Flame.

Other simple assembly steps include draping his cowl over his head which secures via a peg, attaching his shoulder armor (magnetic connection), plugging on his sheath and inserting his massive flaming blade, the Firelink Greatsword.

The sheath requires you to latch on four small belt hooks (be careful with this step!), while the Firelink sword has a handle that pulls apart, allowing you to slip it securely into his grip.

Once built, it’s time to kick back and admire this piece. The detail on the Souls of Cinder is jaw-dropping. Cinder’s armor is particularly realistic, the chainmail undergarment looking just like steel links. I was also very impressed by the “fabric” pieces, such as Cinder’s cape and the torn flag. The paintwork ties it all together, with shades of gunmetal silver and black lending the plate armor a worn, real-metal look, while the use of yellows, oranges and reds create a spectacular smoldering, flame effect. Smell that? That’s the Souls of Cinders coming to kill you…

As an added bonus for those that pre-ordered the Souls of Cinder statue directly from Gecco, a 1:1 scale Ember is included. Resembling a fiery stone, this relic measures 3-inches tall and includes two display bases. One base is magnetic (pictured above) featuring a felt-lined stand that the Ember firmly attaches too. The other features a more stream-lined stand, where it appears as if the Ember is floating if viewed straight ahead. This requires you to glue the Ember to the base. While it’s nice that Gecco is thinking about the most authentic way to display the Ember and offering collectors a choice, I think the majority of people will opt for the magnetic base. Heck, I think the mere fact that Gecco is giving fans the bonus Ember is a kind enough gesture!

If you’ve played Dark Souls III and defeated the Souls of Cinder, you owe it to yourself to own this statue. It’s like the ultimate achievement award. Even if you have never played the game, Gecco’s Souls of Cinder is an amazing piece of fantasy art. Souls of Cinder is priced at $499.99.

Souls of Cinder is just the beginning for Gecco’s new Dark Souls III collectible series. Up next is a 1/6th scale statue of Siegmeyer of Catarina (see our story HERE for details) which will be sold as an exclusive at theis year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Fans can pre-order this unique piece for pick-up at the show HERE. But hurry, if the now sold-out Souls of Cinder statue is any indication, Siegmeyer won’t be around much longer!

Also if you’re attending Comic-Con, be sure and stop by Gecco’s booth #4931 to check out their other Dark Souls items. Oscar, Knight of Astora should be on display, along with some other great surprises!

Scroll on for more photos of the Souls of Cinder statue!

Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor

Review Sample Courtesy of Gecco