Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn (Batman Arkham Asylum)

Presenting the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn as she appeared in Batman Arkham Asylum courtesy of Square Enix.

When you think about it Dr. Harleen Quinzel was already psychotic before she became the Joker's on-and-off paramour and sidekick. You can tell just by listening to her interview tapes in the Batman Arkham Asylum game. All she needed was a little push in the right direction.

Quite frankly her constant high-pitched mocking tone made her a pain in the ass in the video game, and there were times that it felt like she was more trouble than the Joker.

But she was way waaaaaay nicer to look at than the Joker.

So I appreciated it when she returned in a new costume in Batman Arkham City, where her performance was so memorable and appreciated that it sparked the creation of her own downloadable patch for the game "Harley Quinn's Revenge"



Harley Quinn is voiced by Arleen Sorkin (Calliope Jones in Days of Our Lives). Her Batman Arkham Asylum costume deviates from the traditional Harlequin costume though you can find her original uniform in the video game where she a nurse's outfit her own unique twist.

Harley Quinn was purchased loose from Courtside for PhP 1,500 (US$ 35). I found it strange since Play Arts Kai figures are not known to come cheap - nor loose. I have a strong feeling that given the fact that certain parts of her costume are not fixed in place by adhesive, that this particular Harley Quinn is either a reject or a factory overrun. A brand new Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn will cost you between US$ 46.99 and US$ 52.90 (PhP 2,021 to PhP 2,275 plus shipping) on Amazon.

The Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn comes with Arkham Asylum Warden Quincy Sharp's cane (That she actually beat him up with. She also wears Warden Sharp's access ID on her uniform); an optional right hand (One hand is relatively open that allows her to grasp the top of Sharp's cane, the other is more closed allowing her to grasp the cane's shaft or the Marvel Legends assault rifles in the opening picture), and; Arnold Wesker's Scarface Ventriloquist doll - that Harley seems to have taken a liking to:

What's to like about the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn?

The one thing that I didn't like about the Batman Arkham Asylum movie was that Harley Quinn kept mobile - so you could hardly check her out. Well now I can, and... whoa!!!!



I don't particularly know who designed her, but she has something for everyone!

• Are you into Lolitas? She has a flowing micro-mini-skirt and pig-tails. 
• Bondage? Check out that severe corset and her leather clad arms and legs. 
• Are you a Leg-man? Despite being clad in leather stocking, those legs go on forever! And lead to heaven.
• Breasts? Her cup runneth over. It's not something that Harley Quinn is known for till she started dressing like a stripper as a member for Suicide Squad. 
• Do you have a nurse fetish? Ever thought about waking up naked and tied to an operating table? Well waking up to stare at those alabaster globes is a fine start. 

And I haven't even mentioned the clown fetish yet. What man doesn't dig a little crazy in a girl? There's a certain danger and promise in her coquettish smile.

We should also take the time to notice the fine design detail that goes into the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn's costume - you can actually  read Warden Sharp's ID card. And note all the tiny studs, buckles and belts interwoven into her costume.

Of particular note of her obviously fine articulation is her ability to bend and twist at the waist which allows her to do the "Butt and chest out" move as seen above, and; the ability of her shoulders to shift forward and back as also seen above and here:

There's actually an Easter Egg in Batman Arkham City involving a positive pregnancy test and Scarface dressed up like a baby Joker in a crib.

Sadly, the Play Arts Harley Quinn did not come with any weapons. Happily the 9 inch tall Harley Quinn can - as shown above - handle weapons from Marvel Legends - frankly she looks even more psychotic with them:

What's NOT to like about the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn?

Almost nothing. Aside from the lack of firearms - or even her trademark over-sized hammer, Harley Quinn has two other problems - most of which have to do with her lower body.

The first problem is her skirt which is made of semi-hard plastic. While she can do a full split, she cannot because of the skirt. Also if you look up her skirt, you get to see her innards - the ball joints silly - kept in place by a black set of panties. There's no real "butt" there per-se.




But the biggest problem of the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn is the lack of holes for stand pegs or a stand for support. Without the holes or a waist stand, you will not be able to take full advantage of the fine leg articulation of Harley Quinn - even leaning her against the wall doesn't work as she's quite a heavy figure (Almost a full pound in weight):

Posing her is a fine balancing act.

Still, with this particular figure, we can easily forgive these tiny mistakes. The Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn is one of the best action figures in the market, and a definite must-have for Batman fans.