ThreeA Ashley Wood Adventure Kartel Golden Dolphin

"Golden Dolphin is Robbie Grove. And the story goes that Robbie befriend a talking "Squeak!" Dolphin and they played for hours. While they played, the Dolphin explained what he was and the mission he was on. And with a wink, the Dolphin offered to impart the GOLDEN WORD for a SMALL FEE. The GOLDEN WORD can open any door and command any man, or so the Dolphin said.
Robbie thought the FEE too creepy. So he pulled the Dolphin head right off!"

That's how Robbie became known as the Golden Dolphin... as usual, a crap of a story seriously. Feel like a elementary kid telling a story and I think my 5 year old son can do a lot better than this.
But I'm not buying the Golden Dolphin for it's story. The design got me hooked though it is not something revolutionary. Medicom's & InFlame's Solid Snake (Metal Gear franchise) has a croc head perched on it's crown and I always thought it is a damn cool design. When this idea is coupled with a stylized headsculpt, it just hit all the right buttons for me.

Golden Dolphin was available at Bambalandstore on 24 July 2013, MSRP at US$100. Received it on 11 Dec 2013, ie 137 days later. 3A has been maintaining the average days of order to deliver this year vs last year of about 145 days.
It came in a standard shoe box packaging with a nicely painted artwork by Ashley Wood. Recent AK box designs are real keepers. Now I'd have to find space to display the figure as well as keeping the box... Not a new SOP but to consider the box as a collectible on it's own rights are a rare occasion.

Within the box are 2 pcs, yes 2 pcs of about A2 size artwork. One of it is the poster, the other is the comic and both are single sided print. I find it strange as usually it will be a double side print for such a configuration. A point of commendation to 3A packing staff that they did not press fold the posters but instead just tried to curl it and lodged it inside the box. Hence when you open up the posters, there are not too prominent the folding lines.

There is also a spare left fist and that is all it has in the box. No additional wrist pegs nor leg pegs. Sledge hammer shown in these pictures are from my own accessory collections.
Hence Golden Dolphin is as bare as such. But I don't think Robbie need anything more as he is as well define as he is as is.

Boots were pleather and the soft material allows the ankle ball joints to function as how it was designed to do. I tried to pull the zipper on the pants down fully but it gets a little tight halfway through. Fearing it may damage the zipper if insisted, I didn't attempt it further.

Poseability wasn't a problem for the figure is actually lightly gear and there are not a lot of things hanging around to obstruct the posture. Pants are relatively roomy as opposed to Tommy's and Little Shadow's skinny tight jeans.
The joints are generally tight... so tight to the extend I think are kinda rigid. Making pose becomes (light) chores instead of pleasure. And recent 3A bodies need quality improvement. There are lots of play in between the joints that when you try shaking the figure, the joints stutter around the play area, like a bobble head toy though less dramatic.

Final word. Golden Dolphin, albeit with it's little imperfection, is the best 3A figure among those I've purchased this year. It has almost everything I'm looking for in a figure - fun, color, crazy headgear and an exquisite robot hand. At US$85 (15% after 3AA discount), one of the most affordable 1/6 set from 3A this year although I looked back keenly at TK Wasabi ($80/$68), AK Rehel ($90/$76.5), TQ Princess ($90/$76.5) which are superb prices.
As in the picture - "I am No.1"