LEGO Minifigures – Series 15 (Part 9): A Review of the Kendo Fighter.
I spent quite a number of years practising martial arts in my younger days. While I never tried Kendo, I did train in Kentokukan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Ninjutsu. Because of this personal history, I really enjoy the martial arts themed Minifigures. I am not referring to Ninjago here, but the Minifigs that aim to create a genuine representation of martial arts.
The Kendo Fighter is a very nice Minifigure. He does not have a double sided face, or any back printing, but the negatives end there. His front torso is painted in the style of a Kendo bogu. His legs are also detailed well, but do not resemble the real tare (cloth belt that protects the upper legs and groin) as nicely as to the torso displays the bogu.
The Kendo Fighter also comes with accessories. He has two bamboo coloured swords. They are not the traditional kendo shinai, but look more like bamboo bokken, which also works. The men (face mask and shoulder protectors) is really the pièce-de-résistance. It is painted in the front to look like the real thing. In back, while it is not painted, the mould is excellent. It has been made to show the fastening bands that hold the men securely in place.
Overall, this is a great Minifig. He loses some points for the lack of detail on the rear torso and legs, but he has great accessories, front detailing, and uniqueness that bring up his score. I give the Kendo Fighter 4.5/5 (90%). You can download your free Kendo Fighter colouring page here.
