Max Factory and figma: The Collector's Guide to Joints, Faceplates and PLAMAX Kits

Max Factory make the figma, the small, ridiculously posable action figure that has spent nearly two decades persuading grown adults to spend an evening getting Link's sword arm exactly right. They also make plastic model kits and scale figures, and their name sits next to Good Smile Company's on a lot of boxes, which leaves plenty of people unsure who actually makes what.

This guide clears that up. Who Max Factory are, how a figma's joints, faces and stand actually work (and how not to snap them), how figma compares with Nendoroid and S.H.Figuarts, and what PLAMAX kits are all about.

Shown: Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Link Figma Action Figure 15cm

Who are Max Factory?

Max Factory was founded in Tokyo on 24 April 1987 by modeller Makoto "Max" Watanabe. It started the way a lot of Japanese figure firms did: making garage kits, the hand-finished resin kits sold at hobby events, then soft vinyl figures. Pre-painted, mass-produced figures came later.

In June 2001 Max Factory went into partnership with the then brand-new Good Smile Company. The split is simple: Max Factory designs and produces, Good Smile distributes and sells. That's why both names appear on a figma box, and why the two companies share event space at shows like Wonder Festival. Max Factory is still based in Akihabara, Tokyo.

The ranges, explained in plain English

• figma: the flagship. Highly articulated action figures, usually about 13–16cm tall depending on the character, made from ABS and PVC. Each comes with swappable faceplates, swappable hands, accessories and its own articulated stand. At the time of writing ours run from £87.99 (Fate/Grand Order's Scáthach) to £159.99 (Link: Tears of the Kingdom ver. DX Edition), with Doom Slayer and the updated Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake at £99.99 each.
• PLAMAX: Max Factory's plastic model kit brand, which is the company going back to its model-making roots in injection-moulded plastic. It covers mecha, characters and other subjects at various scales. Our PLAMAX Pacific Rim Gipsy Danger is a 1/350 kit, about 23cm built, colour-separated and snap-fit, at £84.99.
• Plamatea: articulated character model kits made jointly by Good Smile Company and Max Factory. The Metaphor: ReFantazio Seeker kit is £77.99.
• Scale figures: static, pre-painted PVC display pieces at fixed scales like 1/7, where Max Factory's sculpting background shows most. Our 1/7 Girls' Frontline 2 Klukai is £207.99 and Racing Miku 2021 is £246.99.

figma: Scáthach1/7 scale: Klukai1/7 scale: Racing Miku 2021

How figma works: joints, faceplates and stands

A figma comes out of its box in one pose and spends the rest of its life in whatever pose you like. That's the appeal, and it's also where people break them. Here's how the system works.

The joints

• Articulation is the whole point. figma was designed around high articulation at an affordable price, with joints running right through the body. That's what lets a figure crouch, lunge or swing a sword two-handed.
• Soft plastic where it matters. Skirts, coats and scarves are often made from flexible plastic so they move out of the way of the legs, rather than locking the hips in place.
• Made to last. Max Factory has said that early figma joints had problems with loosening and breaking. Their fix, as they explained around their 30th anniversary in 2017, was to make the joint parts in Japan and assemble the figures in China.

Swapping parts without snapping them

Good Smile's own support guide for removing figma joints is worth knowing by heart:

• Bend it to an L first. Don't pull a part straight off in line with the joint. Rotate the joint into an L shape, hold the joint itself, then pull the part away.
• Warm up stiff holes. If a part won't go in, a little heat from a hair dryer softens the PVC. Gently, because too much heat warps parts and can burn you.
• Pliers are a last resort. If you must use them, wrap the joint in cloth first so you don't chew it up.

Our own rule: if you're pushing harder than you'd push a phone screen, stop and rethink.

Faceplates and hands

• Faceplates swap to change the expression. Most figma come with a few. Link: Tears of the Kingdom ver. has a standard face, a smiling face and a shouting face.
• Hands are swappable too, from fists and open hands to grips sized for that character's weapons. Parts are broadly compatible between figures, so collectors happily borrow hands and accessories across their shelf.

The stand

• Every figma comes with an articulated stand: a base plus a jointed arm whose narrow end plugs into the figure. It's what lets your figma do a mid-air jump or a flying kick without face-planting.
• Use it even for standing poses. A figure that's been standing unsupported on one foot for six months is a figure that eventually falls off the shelf.

Shown: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Link Figma Action Figure - DX Edition

figma vs Nendoroid vs S.H.Figuarts

• figma (Max Factory): about 13–16cm, normal anime proportions, built for action, with a stand in the box. Strongest on anime, manga and game characters, plus a good number of Western game heroes like the Doom Slayer.
• Nendoroid (Good Smile Company): about 10cm, chibi proportions, swappable faces. Comedy and charm rather than combat. Same family of companies, very different job. Our Good Smile Company guide covers Nendoroids properly.
• S.H.Figuarts (Bandai Tamashii Nations): launched in 2008 with Kamen Rider, around 14cm, loosely 1/12 scale. The strongest range for tokusatsu and Dragon Ball, and it also covers Marvel and Star Wars. Our Bandai Tamashii Nations guide goes deeper.

figma: LinkNendoroid: LinkS.H.Figuarts: Goku

The honest answer to "which is best?" is whichever range has your character. figma and Figuarts are both excellent at what they do. Collectors tend to settle on figma for anime and game characters and Figuarts for Japanese heroes and Dragon Ball, then pretend they'll stop at one shelf.

So which one should you buy?

If it's your first figma

• Link: Tears of the Kingdom ver. (£97.99). It has three expressions, the Master Sword, Hylian Shield and hood, and a character almost everyone knows how to pose.
• Doom Slayer (£99.99) if your idea of a cosy evening involves a chainsaw.

If it's a gift

• Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ver. (£129.99) or Ganondorf (£129.99) pairs nicely with a Link someone already owns.
• Solid Snake (updated, £99.99) for the Metal Gear fan who still hums the codec noise.

figma: Doom Slayerfigma: Solid Snake

If you want everything in one box

• The Link DX Edition (£159.99) adds the paraglider, rocket and effect parts, Construct Bow and arrows, Ascend effect parts, a Traveler's Shield, a Rock Hammer and King Rauru's right arm. Read our note on DX editions below before you buy.

If you like building

• PLAMAX Gipsy Danger (£84.99): snap-fit, colour-separated, about 23cm built. A proper Jaeger for your desk. If you've got the Gunpla bug, you'll get on with it.
• Plamatea Seeker (£77.99) for a character kit instead of a robot.

If you want a shelf centrepiece

• Racing Miku 2021 1/7 (£246.99) or Klukai 1/7 (£207.99). Static scale figures, made to be looked at, not posed.

Plamatea: SeekerPLAMAX: AAA Wunder

How ordering works with us

Most of our Max Factory range is listed as pre-orders we bring in especially for you. You order, we order it in from our European distributor, and it ships to you when it lands. New figma are genuine pre-orders with release windows, and popular ones come back as re-releases from time to time. Each product page shows its availability and timing.

Pre-ordering matters more than usual with figma, because once a run sells out, resale prices tend to climb. Everything we can order in is under Pre-Order On Demand and Collectibles Pre-Orders.

The honest bit: what we'd swerve

• Buying the DX for one accessory. The DX Link is £62 more than the standard. If you'll actually use the paraglider and the Zonai gadgets, lovely. If you want one extra shield, buy the standard and keep the change.
• Forcing joints. Most broken figma are broken by eager owners in the first ten minutes, not by bad manufacturing. Bend to an L, hold the joint, warm stiff parts. Patience is cheaper than replacement parts.
• Too-cheap figma. Good Smile warns that bootlegs exist for many of its figures, not just Nendoroids. A "new" figma well under the going rate from an unknown seller is a fake until proven otherwise, and fake joints are exactly where corners get cut.
• Long-term stress poses. A deep lunge looks great on Friday and leaves a soft plastic part bent by spring. Hold extreme poses for display sessions, not for years.
• Sunlight and dust. Sun fades paint and can yellow plastics. Keep them out of direct sunlight, ideally behind glass.

The short version

• Max Factory: Tokyo maker, founded 1987, garage-kit roots.
• Good Smile Company: distribution partner since 2001, hence both names on the box.
• figma: about 13–16cm, highly articulated, faceplates, swappable hands and a stand included.
• Swapping parts: bend the joint to an L, hold the joint, warm stiff holes gently.
• PLAMAX and Plamatea: kits for builders, from Jaegers to characters.
• Choosing a range: figma for action, Nendoroid for cute, Figuarts for heroes and Dragon Ball.

Browse the full Max Factory collection, see the Doom Slayer's whole world in Doom, or pick up the hobby tools your next PLAMAX kit will need.

Final thought: a figma rewards a bit of care like few other figures. Treat the joints kindly, use the stand and swap the faces, and a £100 figure becomes something you pose again every time you walk past it. That's better value than plenty of things twice the price that just stand there.

Further reading: get your kit-building tools sorted with our top tools for model makers, or see how another 1/18 action-figure line approaches articulation in JoyToy Warhammer Figures: The Collector's Guide to the 1/18 Range.